The Last Outpost

Why don't you look where you're kicking?

English. -How can you tell?

You are armoured car commander. Where is your base?

How many men there?

You ought to be glad to be alive to tell us. Tomorrow will be too late.

It is lucky to fall down stairs.

In my country, we say it means one will not be married for a year.

Who are you anyway? -Mirov. I'm a Russian officer.

I was a Russian officer.

You'll pardon me if I do not help you rise.

Tell me, have you any news?

Only what happened to armoured car patrol E42 this morning.

Your unit?

Yes. It was captured by these Kurd irregulars.

I wonder that you are still alive to tell the tale.

Perhaps the officer who rode up at the last moment

thought shooting was too good for me.

Got more fun out of dragging me five miles at the end of a rope.

Yeah, these tribesmen are devils when they go amuck.

My particular friend was the cruellest brute I ever saw.

It's better not to look.

Their own government cannot control them when they've tasted blood.

But what have the poor devils done?

They're peaceful people who hoped the war would end their suffering...

and that gives an excuse to those Kurds to exterminate them.

Mirov.

Enchanted to have met you, sir.

Oh, yes...

when it grows intolerably hot in here, you will find that corner...

Hold out your hand. Quick.

Now follow me and don't make a sound.

Here.

Thanks, but it's your own fault. You should keep your feet to yourself.

Unfortunate necessity.

Kurds don't understand any other treatment for prisoners.

You are lucky that I was able to persuade those irregulars...

to let me take you to the Major, and that he didn't have you shot.

Who are you exactly? -British Intelligence Service MI3B.

What's your name? -Smith will do.

Come on, nobody's named Smith. What's your name?

Smith.

All right, have it your own way.

Anyhow, it seems I've got a lot to...

If it hadn't been for you, I'd... -Wait before you thank me.

What do you mean? -Your troubles have just begun.

You're out of the frying pan, that's all.

If we head due south...

we're bound to hit up with one of Cruickshank's parties.

Your base was wiped out three days ago just after they took you.

Come on, we've got a job to do. -What are you talking about?

You saw what happened to those people in the prison courtyard.

Yes, it was horrible.

The Balkari, our friends, come next. Ten thousand souls.

These tribesmen will wipe them out, then use their cattle to live on...

to launch an attack against our flank in Mesopotamia.

What can we do about it?

Get to the Balkari first to make them move with their cattle.

Make them move from their homes?

How can you do that? -I know their chiefs.

They trust me. Coming?

Hello. And what do they call you, my pretty maid?

Thanks. Comment t'appelles-tu?

Ilya. -Ilya, here's to those lovely eyes!

In any language.

The last time I drank to a girl was in Paris on leave.

That wasn't in goat's milk. -Andrews.

Hell, fancy meeting you here.

May I present the Colonel's daughter. -Hurry up. You're wanted inside.

This girl in Paris didn't understand a word of English, either. It...

What did you say? -Come on.

There's an English political officer in the village.

We're going to meet him. -Whatever you say, Mr Smith.

Lovely girl, that. -She's the wife of my friend Haidar.

How do you do? -How do you do?

What an extraordinary thing. -Yes.

It's hard to believe, but true.

My name's Andrews, leader of the field armoured car brigade.

I'm Cullen, political officer.

Help yourself to a drink. -Thanks.

How in the world did you fellows get here?

That's his story. Let me introduce you. Mr Smith.

He's in our Intelligence Service. -Oh, I see.

This is very interesting.

I didn't know that our Intelligence were actually in the country.

What branch are you in? -Never mind that. I need your help.

Two divisions of Kurdish irregulars are on their way here.

They plan to wipe out the Balkari, therefore the Balkari must move.

They can't move. -Why not?

Do we need the written permission of the Political Department?

If an attack came, they'd be far worse off caught on the plains...

than they would in their own houses.

But they're not moving to the plains. They're crossing the river.

Are you crazy? The river's in flood. They couldn't cross it.

Five years ago they did. Now, they'll do it again.

This is insane. -Call it what you like, they go.

Hats off to Smith. Who said they wouldn't go?

I can't make that fellow out. -Neither can I, but he gets results.

You're mad. Women and children can't live in that river.

A few die. It's a better way than massacre by the Kurds.

All aboard. Hope you'll be comfortable. If not, just ring for the steward.

Andrews. -Here's the Sergeant.

What do you want? -Haidar takes care of his own wife.

I told you to get those cattle into the river.

Your group ready to move on, Cullen? -Move on? Are you mad?

No, but I'm in a hurry.

The strongest men are exhausted. -We are moving on at once.

You give the word to start. -Start where? Up there?

Tired men can't climb that. -Men facing death can.

Amrak's right. Telling them to go back.

It's impossible.

That was my servant you murdered! -Haven't you killed enough people?

If you shoot, you'll be cut to pieces by Haidar's men.

He's right. These people are with him.

They seem to like being butchered.

They know what butchery is. They're running away from it and

I'm helping them.

What's gonna happen when he gets them up in the snows?

I tell you, the man's a devil.

Maybe, but he's stopping a flank attack on Mesopotamia.

Aren't you forgetting that?

Aren't you forgetting something? -What do you mean?

We've only his word for everything.

Cullen! Look out!

Now, Mr Smith.

Fool. Spy. Signalling.

'Hurry. Advance. Catch us before we get over.'

More lies. -Heliograph.

He was signalling to the Kurds.

That man had no more right to his uniform than I have to this.

My leg.

There. That'll have to do till the next halt.

Next halt? Great heavens, man. Do you expect to cross that barrier?

We can try. We have to.

Smith.

Just a minute.

What's the matter? Leg bad? -No. I want to congratulate you.

You are the only man in the world that could've done it.

Ah, they did it themselves. They can take their time now till they reach our lines.

You can go home, I hope. -Home.

Yes, I wanna see your pictures in all the papers covered with decorations.

They're putting your tent up and I've got some things to do.

There's something I wanna say to you.

You saved my life, and whether you like it or not, I...

I'm giving you all the credit that life is worth.

You know, you're not a very cheery fellow, Mr Smith, but I'm for you.

Now will you stop talking and concentrate on getting that leg well?

Oh, hello.

Don't you like my nurse, doctor? -She's another man's wife.

You take life too seriously, Mr Smith.

I've got some good news for you. In a short time...

you'll be in a medical corps training station.

Eventually, we ship round the Gulf to Cairo.

Until you get to doctors, you dress this leg five times a day.

Why, you on strike? -I'm leaving. You go on with Haidar.

I go back.

What do you mean 'go back'? -Haven't finished the job.

Well, heavens, man, haven't you done enough?

One word more before I go.

Haidar is my friend. Keep away from his wife.

You're asking a lot, but anything you say goes.

When shall we see each other again?

Oh, sometime, somewhere. After some war, maybe.

Goodbye.

You must relax now. -Don't worry, that'll be easy.

Breathe deeply.

You're going to miss this for a little while.

Yes, now I know how a turtle feels out of its shell.

You wanna try it out? -No, not just yet.

Nurse Hayden will take you down later for a final x-ray.

Thanks, Doctor. -Take it easy for a few more days.

I thought you were so anxious to be on your feet.

Hand me my robe, will you?

Crutches? -Oh, no. I'm through with crutches.

Better not be too ambitious. I'm gonna get you a stick.

No stick and stay where you are.

I'm gonna find out the truth about this leg.

It works.

It'll be as good as new in no time. I always told you that.

Everybody lies to sick people.

Maybe that's why I didn't bother you with guestions.

You ask enough. -Not the ones I wanted to ask.

No, no. Go on back where you were.

I wanna walk over there, and then I'm gonna start asking. Go on.

Sit down.

A nurse is not supposed to discuss the condition of a patient.

You can answer this without breaking that rule.

I wouldn't talk about it while there was a chance I'd be half crippled.

Do you happen to know I love you?

That's enough, Captain Andrews. -No, please wait!

I take you to the x-ray room. -You don't need an x-ray.

I'm telling you the important thing that's going on inside me right now.

That first night, I remember your face as I went under the anaesthetic.

It was your face that smiled at me as I woke up.

All patients think they are in love with their nurses.

No, this isn't that kind of stuff. Believe me, I know.

I've been around a lot.

Otherwise, I wouldn't know the real thing now that I've met it.

I think you'd better have another nurse.

I'll speak to matron.

So will I. I'll tell her I'll shoot any other nurse on sight.