We discover all is not as it seems…
INT. QUONSET HUT #4 - SUNSET
Luftwaffe LEUTNANT MAX HEYER, 26, a bullet scar on his forehead, nods from the piano at Afrika Korps LEUTNANT ANTON HELD who enters from the back and exits the front door.
EXT. PRISON YARD - SUNSET
Held leans against Hut #4 a moment, then sticks his hands in his pockets and walks toward the game.
FRESH DIRT - trails out from Held's trousers as he scuffs across the playing field. His “thighs” gradually thin down.
ON THE PLAYING FIELD - Emmerer winks at Count Punski as he takes the ball and dribbles upfield with his comrades.
Their feet spread the fresh dirt into the dust that fills the air.
INT. BRAND’S OFFICE - LATER
Major Brand sits at a spotless desk. A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.
BRAND
Yes.
WILLIAMS
(enters with Ray)
Captain Cline reporting, sir.
Ray gives a snappy salute and Brand returns it.
BRAND
That will be all, Sergeant Major.
WILLIAMS
Sir! Yes, sir.
He leaves. Brand rises, comes around and shakes Ray’s hand.
BRAND
Your record is impressive, Captain Cline.
INT. TUNNEL
Shored up with wood from crates, slats from bunks. Every eighteen feet, a candle sits in a niche in the wall.
The muffled THUNK-THUNK of a homemade pick-axe wielded at the tunnel face is the only sound. WAFFEN-SS UNTERSTURMBANN-FUEHRER HANS MOELDERS, 30, looks like he could dig with his bare hands if need be.
Stahlberg, trailing a measuring string, crawls up behind.
STAHLBERG
Take a break, Hans.
Stahlberg unspools the string right to dead end and notes the mark closest to the dirt face.
STAHLBERG
Eighty-six meters.
MOELDERS
We don't run into any more rocks, only five days, Erich.
Stahlberg helps Moelders spoon loose dirt into small, drawstring cloth bags.
INT. HEADQUARTERS OFFICE - SUNSET
Corporal Roberts finishes cleaning off his desk for the day. As he does so...
ROBERTS
So, Sergeant Major, what’s your opinion?
Williams finishes his work.
WILLIAMS
He’s a combat officer, Roberts. He’ll sharpen things up here.
INT. QUONSET HUT #4 - REAR ROOM
Stahlberg emerges from the hole, heads for the front room.
Held walks the potbellied stove, attached to a section of false floor, back over the hole.
EXT. PRISON YARD
Stahlberg comes out of Hut #4. Tischler and the other new POWs are there.
TISCHLER
Hauptmann Stahlberg.
(Erich comes over)
Tischler. I am sent to tell you that they have surrounded Berlin.
STAHLBERG
(His eyes go hard)
Danke, Herr Oberleutnant.
He turns and walks away.
INT. BRAND’S OFFICE - LAST LIGHT OF DAY
Brand stands at his office window and looks out at the last of the sunset.
Ray stands to the side.
BRAND
These Germans, they’re all mostly Afrika Korps veterans. Honorable soldiers. They see their duty as escaping...
(Turns to Ray)
It’s our job to keep them here. Not that difficult an assignment, but an important one.
RAY
Yes, sir.
INT. QUONSET HUT #1 - SAME
Wehrmacht OBERST WILHELM PRAGER, 46, looks up at the KNOCK.
PRAGER
Kommen sie.
Stahlberg enters, heel clicks to attention and...
STAHLBERG
Heil Hitler!
Prager does not return Stahlberg’s stiff Nazi salute.
PRAGER
Sit down, Stahlberg.
Stahlberg hesitates an angry moment before he defers to a superior officer and sits.
STAHLBERG
We will be ready by Friday, Herr Oberst.
Prager regards Stahlberg a long moment as he chooses his words. Stahlberg becomes uncomfortable before...
PRAGER
It is reported the Americans and the Russians met at the Elbe two days ago. Even a dedicated member of the SS, Herr Obersturmbannfuehrer, will see the futility of...
STAHLBERG
I have my orders.
PRAGER
As Senior Officer in this camp, I am responsible for these men. I am not going to see them killed in a senseless act, when Germany will soon need good men more than ever.
STAHLBERG
Our struggle will never end!
PRAGER
You obey the orders of your superior officer, Herr Obersturmbannfuehrer Stahlberg!
STAHLBERG
You are not my superior.
Prager rises, white with anger, as Stahlberg stalks out.
INT. AMERICAN BARRACKS - NIGHT
Roberts lies in his bunk, reading Richard Wright's "Native Son." BEYOND HIM, SOLDIERS - all black - iron uniforms, polish brass and boots, write or read letters.
In the far corner, dice roll in the traditional barracks game.
CURSES from the losers as the WINNER WHOOPS WITH JOY.
Roberts looks up and sees Corporal Scott, in his skivvies, come out of the latrine, over to Roberts. Scott picks his T-shirt off the top bunk and pulls it on.
ROBERTS
Every time you pull the night watch, I'm glad you're the NCO
'n I'm just the damn clerk.
Bates comes over to them. Roberts offers Bates a Camel. Scott finishes lacing his leggings.
SOLDIER (O.S.)
Good evening, Sergeant Major!
THE DICE CLATTER - against the corner wall as the WINNER stuffs bills in his pocket.
EVERYONE IN THE BARRACKS - “pops to” at Williams' entry. He marches over to Scott.
WILLIAMS
Corporal Scott, I want you and your men to keep a careful watch tonight.
SCOTT
What're these Nazi's gonna do different, Sergeant Major?
WILLIAMS
There's something in the wind.
BATES
(laughs)
Blowin' from the stables.
Williams glares at Bates, disliking that attitude.
WILLIAMS
Sergeant Bates, we are guarding these prisoners because we are the ones best qualified to keep them here. That is our job.
Do you understand, Corporal of the Guard Scott?
SCOTT
Yes, sir, Sergeant Major. You got it
WILLIAMS
Yes. I do.
INT. QUONSET HUT #4 - NIGHT
Emmerer, Held, and Heyer crowd around Moelders, amidst the soccer players.
Heyer watches Oberleutnant Tischler open the door to the back room and plays a FANFARE on the piano as Punski carries in a chocolate cake. Everyone breaks into THE GERMAN EQUIVALENT OF HAPPY BIRTHDAY as Count Punski sets the cake in front of Moelders, who, surprised, grins at his comrades.
HELD
We saved our chocolate rations, Hanni. It's Max's recipe. I stole the flour from the mess.
Stahlberg enters, still angry. He signals Held, Heyer, Punski, Emmerer and Moelders away from the others, who continue the celebration.
STAHLBERG
I'm sorry to rain on your very happy thirtieth birthday, Hans, but Oberst Prager has ordered us not to take our trip.
HEYER
That order is illegal. It is our duty under the Geneva Convention to make every effort to escape imprisonment.
MOELDERS
What do you say, Erich?
STAHLBERG
(smiles)
I have never obeyed an illegal order in my career, have you? Nothing about this to the others.
Stahlberg goes over to the cake, swipes his finger through the frosting, tastes it.
STAHLBERG
I thought this was a party.
INT. RAY’S ROOM - NIGHT
He puts his uniform jacket on a hangar and sets it in the closet with the rest of his sparse clothing. The room is spartan: an army cot in the far corner, a battered desk and a lamp. Ray looks out the window at the lights of the camp. Conflicting emotions play on his face a long moment.
He goes to the desk, takes out a box of stationery and sits down. He lights a cigarette, takes out his fountain pen and starts to write a letter home.
INT. BACK ROOM - QUONSET HUT #4 - NIGHT
Emmerer finishes honing a stiletto made from a fork - two tines curl into a hilt, the middle one holds the handle.
He hands it to Stahlberg, who checks its heft, then shoots it into the window frame. Punski pulls it free.
COUNT PUNSKI
Best get to work then, eh?
EMMERER
If the Oberst finds out...
COUNT PUNSKI
(laughs)
Let him find out at morning count, when we aren't here! Right, Erich?
Stahlberg smiles - he and Count Punski push the stove aside.
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Are you writing Williams with Denzel Washington in mind? I’m hearing his voice in the script. Maybe I’m hallucinating.
I'm familiar with The Great Escape (as well as the Porsche repair place in suburban Boston where Steve McQueen had his Porsche repaired), and I'm familiar with The Wooden Horse, by Eric Williams, another POW camp escape via tunnel. But this appears to be an end of WWII story, and I'm having trouble getting my bearings.