Pearl Harbor Page #4

DOOLITTLE:

That's bullshit, son. But it's really

good bullshit.

RAFE:

Thank you, Sir.

Doolittle stands, moves around his desk, and shakes Rafe's

hand.

DOOLITTLE:

Good luck over there McCawley. I admire

your decision.

RAFE:

Thank you, Sir.

INT. NEW JERSEY AIRFIELD - BARRACKS - NIGHT

The pilots are getting slicked up for a night on the town.

Danny's at the mirrors with the others; he's putting on

cologne, and looks terrific in his uniform.

Anthony and Billy are combing their hair at the sinks. Billy

declares to his image in the mirror --

BILLY:

You good-lookin' sumbitch...don't you

EVER die!

ANTHONY:

That's your line for tonight, ya know.

BILLY:

What, good-lookin' sumbitch?

ANTHONY:

No, numbnuts, die. You get your nurse

alone, you look her in the eye, and say,

"Baby, they're training me for war, and I

don't know what'll happen. But if I die

tomorrow, I wanna know that we lived all

we could tonight." I've never known it

to fail.

Red finishes brushing his teeth at the sink beside them.

RED:

He's n-never known it to work, either.

The guys head out laughing, running into Rafe coming in.

DANNY:

Doolittle didn't kill you? Attaboy!

Rafe catches Danny's arm.

RAFE:

Danny, there's something I gotta tell

you...

EXT. NEW JERSEY BARRACKS - NIGHT

Rafe and Danny are walking on the parade ground; the other

guys are already on the bus that will take them into town.

Danny's upset by what Rafe just told him.

DANNY:

How could you do this?

RAFE:

The Colonel helped me work it out.

DANNY:

I don't mean how'd you do the paperwork,

I mean how the hell did you do it without

letting me in on it?

RAFE:

I'm sorry, Danny, but they're only

accepting the best pilots.

DANNY:

Don't make this a joke, Rafe. You're

talking about war, and I know what war

does to people.

RAFE:

Danny, you know how many times I saw you

come to school with a black eye or a

busted nose, and couldn't do a thing

about it -- for you, or for your mother...

or your father, with his lungs scorched

out with mustard gas, and more left of

his lungs than there was of his spirit?

You've made your sacrifice, Danny. It's

time I made mine.

BILLY:

(from the bus)

The nurses are waiting!

RAFE:

Let's go.

DANNY:

Nah, you go on.

RAFE:

I have to talk to Evelyn. And I want you

to meet her.

DANNY:

Some other time. I don't feel like a

party.

Danny walks away. The bus driver's ready to leave, and Red

is honking the horn for Rafe to come. Rafe reluctantly lets

Danny go, and heads for the bus, where the pilots are

chanting --

PILOTS VOICE:

Nurses! Nurses! Nurses!

INT. A MOVING TRAIN - DAY

The trains of 1942 have their own beauty, with felt seats,

shaded lamps, and paneled compartments even in the economy

section. But the glow of the train is outshone by EVELYN

STEWART. She's one of ten young women, Army nurses, gathered

at one end of the car as it rattles along the track.

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