Man in the Middle

HERE YOU ARE. CUP OF TEA, EH?

THANKS, PAL.

THE ENEMY HAD ESTABLISHED STRONG POINTS.

[ Radio: Reporter Continues ]

COME ON! COME ON!

EIGHT. ALL RIGHT, EIGHT. LET'S GO, LITTLE EIGHT. LITTLE EIGHT--

BIG SIX. THERE YOU ARE. [ Radio: Reporter Continues ]

THROUGHOUT THE SUNNY TWO HOURS AT NOON, THE SKY WAS FULL OF ALLIED PLANES...

GIVING CLOSE SUPPORT AND BOUND ON BOMBING MISSIONS.

LATE LAST NIGHT,

FRONT-LINE CORRESPONDENTS REPORTED THAT GENERAL PATTON'S 7th ARMY,

PRESSING TOWARD THE GERMAN BORDER,

HAD LINKED UP WITH GENERAL PATTON'S 3rd ARMY SOUTH OF THE FRONTIER.

[ Radio Continues, Faint ]

THIS COULD BE THE START OF A MAJOR RETREAT.

SO, CHEER UP, YOU GUYS OUT THERE.

YOU MAY BE SEEING THAT NEW YORK SKYLINE SOONER THAN YOU THINK.

THAT'S ALL FROM THE NEWSROOM. WE'LL BE WITH YOU AGAIN FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING.

OKAY, HARRY, LET'S GO!

COLONEL ADAMS? WELCOME TO INDIA, SIR.

CAPTAIN GUNTHER, AREA PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER.

CAPTAIN. GENERAL KEMPTON ASKED ME TO MEET YOU.

DID YOU HAVE A GOOD TRIP?

I WAS HAVING A GOOD TRIP TILL I GOT HIJACKED ON THAT CRATE IN COLOMBO.

YOU'LL FIND IT A LITTLE QUIETER HERE THAN IN NORMANDY, SIR.

YOUR BAGGAGE, SIR? LET ME TAKE CARE OF THE FORMALITIES HERE.

GEN. KEMPTON WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU AT HEADQUARTERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THIS IS CORPORAL BAXTER. HE'LL BE YOUR DRIVER. CORPORAL.

[ Chattering In Hindi ]

THE SERVICE ALWAYS THIS GOOD?

WE AIM TO PLEASE, COLONEL. WE AIM TO PLEASE.

CAPTAIN.

HOW MUCH FOR THAT THEN, MUSH?

FOR THE LAST TIME, LIMEY, IF YOU WANT A GENUINE ANTIQUE, BUY A GENUINE ANTIQUE OF YOUR OWN.

NOW, DON'T COME THAT WITH ME, YANK.

I BOUGHT THE SWINING THING, AND I'M GONNA PAY FOR IT.

YOU'VE GOT A LOT TO LEARN, LIMEY.

[ Shouting, Grunting Continues ]

BREAK IT UP, MEN! BREAK IT UP! COME ON!

WE'VE GOT OUR OWN PRIVATE WAR HERE, SIR.

COME ON, YOU GUYS! BREAK IT UP NOW! COME ON! MOVE IT!

SERGEANT!

YOU GET THOSE CLOWNS OUT OF HERE ON THE DOUBLE!

YES, SIR. YOU HEARD HIM! YOU! YOU!

ALL RIGHT, YOU GUYS! BREAK IT UP!

BREAK IT UP!

MOVE OUT! COME ON.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.

YOU HEARD HIM. YOU. YOU. COME ON. COME ON.

NOW, GIRD IT UP,

OR IT'S THE GLOVES OFF FOR THE LOT OF YOU.

COLONEL ADAMS? GENERAL WON'T KEEP YOU LONG, SIR.

FINE.

HOW ARE THINGS IN EUROPE?

WELL, FROM WHAT I COULD SEE FROM THE KING GEORGE V HOSPITAL, LUTON, BEDFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND,

GREAT.

I'VE ALREADY ACQUAINTED GEN. CUNNINGHAM WITH THE REASONS FOR THIS FOUR-WEEK DELAY.

I'M AWARE OF THAT, SIR.

SO YOU CAN GIVE THE GENERAL MY PERSONAL PROMISE THAT THE AFFAIR WILL BE CLEARED UP THIS WEEK.

THE COURT-MARTIAL WILL TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY. UNDOUBTEDLY, WINSTON WILL HANG.

GENTLEMEN. TRIED TO DO THAT TWO HOURS AGO! NOW GET MOVING!

GET CORPORAL McCARTHY OVER HERE RIGHT AWAY.

BARNEY! BARNEY, MY BOY!

MY GOSH, WHERE IS THAT SKINNY SECOND LIEUTENANT I LEFT AT FORT BRAGG?

WHAT IS THIS? THAT'S WHAT EIGHT MONTHS IN A HOSPITAL BED DOES TO YOU.

HOW IS THE LEG? AND, JOHNNY, I'LL NEED THAT TRANSPORT BREAKDOWN.

COME ON IN. SIR. UH, SIR?

WILL IT KEEP, MAJOR? SEE ME AFTER I'M FINISHED WITH COLONEL ADAMS. OKAY?

SIT DOWN, BARNEY. WHAT DO YOU HEAR FROM YOUR FATHER?

HE STILL SWEATS VINEGAR, SIR. I'LL BET HE DOES.

GENERAL ADAMS. I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT MAN IN RETIREMENT.

YES?

YOU'VE GOT ME WRONG, COLONEL.

I DIDN'T PROPOSE REPLACEMENTS. I ORDERED REPLACEMENTS.

WELL, BARNEY, I'D HOPED TO SEE YOU A FULL-BIRD COLONEL BY NOW.

SO HAD I, SIR. MAYBE IF I'D JUMPED INSTEAD OF DUCKED.

SIT DOWN, BARNEY. I'VE GOT AN ASSIGNMENT HERE FOR YOU THAT'S RIGHT DOWN YOUR ALLEY.

WE'RE GONNA PUT SOME OF THAT LEGAL TRAINING OF YOURS TO GOOD USE.

LEGAL TRAINING?

I HAVEN'T CRACKED A LAW BOOK SINCE THE JUDGE ADVOCATE'S DEPARTMENT.

THAT'S 14-- THAT'S 15 YEARS.

AH, DON'T GIVE ME THAT.

YOU DID PRETTY WELL IN LAW AT THE POINT, AND YOU KNOW IT.

WE'RE HOLDING AN IMPORTANT COURT-MARTIAL HERE NEXT WEEK. I NEED YOUR HELP.

- WELL-- - ARE THOSE URGENT, JOHNNY?

- YES, SIR. - LET ME GIVE YOU THE FACTS ANYWAY.

THERE'S A HILL STATION CALLED BACHREE ABOUT 50 MILES FROM HERE.

FOUR WEEKS AGO, STAFF SERGEANT ALFRED QUINN OF THE BRITISH ARMY...

WAS MURDERED BY SECOND LIEUTENANT CHARLES WINSTON...

OF THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES.

I'LL KEEP THIS ONE FOR THE CONFERENCE, JOHNNY.

QUINN WAS UNARMED. WINSTON SHOT HIM AT CLOSE RANGE. THERE WERE 11 EYEWITNESSES.

HE'S CONFESSED. THANK YOU, JOHNNY.

- AND THOSE ARE THE FACTS. - I'M READY FOR ANY ASSIGNMENT YOU HAVE FOR ME, GENERAL.

LET ME TELL YOU WHY THE CASE IS IMPORTANT, BARNEY.

WE HAVE DUAL RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE BRITISH IN THIS THEATER.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT ALL IS NOT JOY AND BROTHERHOOD BETWEEN US AND OUR BRITISH COUSINS.

- SO I'VE NOTICED. - ELEVEN EYEWITNESSES, BARNEY.

WE COULDN'T PLAY IT DOWN. THE EFFECT ON MORALE WAS DEVASTATING.

I'VE CANCELED ALL LEAVES, I'VE CLAMPED DOWN A CURFEW.

BUT YOU CAN'T PUT A WHOLE ARMY UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

IT'S GETTING SO A MAN CAN'T CROSS TOWN WITHOUT GETTING INTO AN ALLEY FIGHT.

BARNEY, THIS THEATER IS THE SPRINGBOARD FOR THE LAST ALL-OUT OFFENSIVE.

I CAN'T TELL YOU, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW MYSELF WHEN THAT OFFENSIVE BEGINS.

BUT WHEN IT DOES, BY GOD, I WANT TO SEE US FIGHTING THE ENEMY AND NOT EACH OTHER.

SO, FOR THE SAKE OF THIS THEATER, THE ALLIANCE AND THE WAR,

LT. WINSTON WILL BE TRIED, FOUND GUILTY AND HANGED.

I'M WITH YOU, GENERAL. I'LL BE GLAD TO HANDLE THE PROSECUTION.

I DON'T WANT YOU FOR THE PROSECUTION. I WANT YOU FOR THE DEFENSE.

BUT IF HE'S GUILTY ANYWAY--

CHIEFS OF STAFF CONFERENCE IN FIVE MINUTES, SIR.

I'M ON MY WAY, JOHNNY.

HE'S GUILTY, AND THE ARMY WANTS A CONVICTION, BUT IT'S GOT TO BE WITHOUT LOOPHOLES.

I'VE GOT TO HAVE A SATISFACTORY, INTELLIGENT AND RESPONSIBLE DEFENSE.

I SHOULDN'T THINK THAT WOULD BE TOO DIFFICULT, SIR.

ISN'T THERE SOMEBODY IN THE JUDGE ADVOCATE'S OFFICE?

I DON'T WANT ANY OF THOSE TWO-BIT, TIME-SERVING CIVILIAN LAWYERS.

I'M AN ARMY MAN. I WANT AN ARMY MAN BEHIND ME.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT COURT-MARTIAL.

I WANT A GOOD PROSECUTION, I WANT A GOOD DEFENSE. I WANT YOU, BARNEY. WITH ME?

WHEN DO I START, SIR? YOU GOT AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE JUDGE ADVOCATE AT 2:00.

AS FOR ME, I'VE GOT AN APPOINTMENT RIGHT NOW.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, BARNEY. WHEN YOU WRITE TO YOUR FATHER, GIVE HIM MY BEST.

SIR, IT'S-- NOT NOW, MAJOR. I LEFT FIVE MINUTES AGO.

COLONEL ADAMS, I'M HONORED TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE. COLONEL THOMPSON.

SIT DOWN. MAY I SAY THAT YOU'VE COME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I'VE SEEN YOUR RECORD.

I WAS TEMPTED TO DEMAND YOU AS A PERMANENT MEMBER OF MY STAFF.

YOU MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY AFTER THE TRIAL, COLONEL. WE'VE GOT SOME GOOD MEN HERE.

THE TRIAL OFFICER-- MAJOR FRED SMITH. FINE FELLA.

ELEVEN YEARS WITH WILLISTEN, GOODE AND HONEYSETT.

- DO YOU KNOW THE FIRM? - NO, BUT I SAW THE MOVIE.

COLONEL, LOOK, I NEVER PRACTICED CIVILIAN LAW.

MILITARY LAW EITHER, TO ANY EXTENT.

YOU HAVE YOUR RIBBONS. THERE'S A WAR ON.

WILLISTEN, GOODE AND HONEYSETT DON'T AMOUNT TO A ROW OF BEANS.

A PURPLE HEART AND A SILVER STAR DO. THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.

I TELL YOU, I COULD HAVE USED YOU AS THE TRIAL OFFICER.

WELL, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHO'S PROSECUTING AND DEFENDING.

IN TERMS OF A CONVICTION, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THERE'S TOO MUCH TALK THAT WINSTON WILL HANG BECAUSE OUR BRITISH COUSINS WANT IT.

SURE, THEY WANT IT. THEY'VE GOT EVERY RIGHT.

SURE, IT'S IMPORTANT. THE UNITY OF THE THEATER IS IMPORTANT.

BUT MORE IMPORTANT IS THE FACT THAT THIS MAN IS A MURDERER...

AND HE WILL DIE BECAUSE MURDER CANNOT BE TOLERATED.

- RIGHT? - WELL, I AM THE DEFENSE COUNSEL.

INDEED YOU ARE, SIR.

AND I'M LOOKING TO YOU TO ACQUIRE A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THE CASE.

YOUR CLIENT IS WAITING FOR YOU. GO AND SEE HIM.

REMEMBER THAT I AM ALWAYS AT YOUR DISPOSAL.

FEEL FREE TO USE THE DEPARTMENT IN ANY WAY THAT YOU WISH. WE'RE HERE TO SERVE.

REMEMBER, BARNEY, WE HAVE BEEN WITH THIS FOR WEEKS.

NOW, THERE'S NOTHING WE WANT MORE THAN TO FINISH WITH IT AND WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN...

SO THAT THE WHOLE WORLD CAN LOOK AT THIS CASE AND SAY,

"THERE, BY GOD, IS DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW."

DO YOU PLAY GOLF? THE BRITISH HAVE A VERY GOOD CLUB HERE.

MY NAME IS ADAMS.

I'VE BEEN APPOINTED YOUR DEFENSE COUNSEL.

ON YOUR FEET, WINSTON.

LOOK, I'M HERE TO HELP YOU.

WELL!

SILVER STAR.

PURPLE HEART.

BIG DEAL.

YOU WON'T GET ANY MEDALS FOR DEFENDING ME, COLONEL.

MEDALS OR NOT, YOU'VE AGREED TO ME AS YOUR DEFENSE COUNSEL.

I WOULD HAVE AGREED TO A GORILLA BEING MY DEFENSE COUNSEL, COLONEL.

LOOK, WINSTON, I'VE GOT FOUR DAYS IN WHICH TO PREPARE YOUR CASE.

I'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SEE AND A LOT OF PAPERS TO READ.

SO WHEN I WALK IN HERE, YOU CUT OUT THE WISECRACKS.

WHEN I ASK A QUESTION, YOU ANSWER IT. RIGHT?

- DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HELP ME, COLONEL? - THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR.

EVERY MORNING, WHEN THEY BRING IN MY BREAKFAST,

I ASK FOR RYE BREAD.

EVERY MORNING THEY BRING IN WHOLE WHEAT.

COULD YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, COLONEL?

YOU'RE A GREAT COMEDIAN, WINSTON. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR.

[ People Chattering, Laughing ]

GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE, COLONEL.

YOUR QUARTERS COMFORTABLE? GREAT. THANKS.

ROOM QUIET ENOUGH TO WORK IN? IF IT ISN'T, I COULD ALWAYS ORGANIZE YOU AN OFFICE.

OH, NO, I'LL MAKE OUT. THANKS.

KATE DAVRAY.

HALF FRENCH, HALF CHINESE, UNATTACHED.

ANYTHING ELSE I CAN TELL YOU?

BARNEY ADAMS? YES?

FRED SMITH. I'M IN THE OPPOSITE CORNER. EXCUSE ME, COLONEL.

HOW'S THAT? WE MEET ON MONDAY. I'M HANDLING THE PROSECUTION.

OH. I HEAR YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE IT THE GOOD OLD COLLEGE TRY.

I HOPE SO. YOU, UH--

YOU MET YOUR CLIENT YET? WOW. WHO LET HIM IN THE ARMY?

UH, THE NAVY?