Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)
James Brown: Pfc. Charlie Bass
Photos
Quotes
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Pfc. Al Thomas : That's war.
Pfc. Charlie Bass : What's war?
Pfc. Al Thomas : Trading real estate for men.
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[During the night the squad is guarding a trenchline amid word that the Japanese may launch an attack. From out of the night a faint voice can be heard calling "Corpsman."]
Pfc. Benny Regazzi : [his voice hushed] Stryker!
Sgt. Stryker : [hushed] Get down! Stay down! You have your orders, don't move!
Pfc. Peter Conway : [hushed] There's somebody wounded out there. Let's go get him!
Sgt. Stryker : Stay down, it might be a Jap trick, they pulled it off plenty of times at Guadalcanal.
Pfc. Peter Conway : That doesn't sound like a Jap to me!
Sgt. Stryker : I don't care what it sounds like to you! You stick your head up, you'll tip our position.
[the voice resumes, and now we can recognize it]
Pfc. Charlie Bass : [unseen in the night] Stryker!
Pfc. Peter Conway : That's Bass. How many Japs know your name, Stryker?
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Pfc. Charlie Bass : Don't do it. Just this once, don't do it.
Sgt. Stryker : Don't do what?
Pfc. Charlie Bass : Don't get blind, staggerin' stinkin' falling down drunk.
Sgt. Stryker : Charlie, nobody sets out to get blind, staggerin' stinkin' falling down drunk.
Pfc. Charlie Bass : Yeah, some people do.