Malta Story (1953) Movie Script
WIRELESS: Mr Churchill, in his speech in
the House of Commons this afternoon, said,
''For now, nearly two years,
Malta has stood against the enemy.
What a thorn it has been in their side.
What a toll it has taken of their convoys.
For the last six weeks,
over 450 German first-line aircraft
and perhaps 200 Italian
have been venting their fury on Malta.''
Can't be far now.
No.
How long do we wait in Malta,
just a few minutes or till morning?
Depends what's happening when we get there.
I expect you'll refuel and go straight on.
Pity.
I want to get to Cairo as
quickly as possible,
but I would like to see
Malta in daylight.
I believe there are some very
interesting megalithic remains.
There are certainly some very interesting
remains on Malta, nowadays.
(Ackack gunfire)
- Megalithic and otherwise.
The runway looks clear.
If there's a doctor in the house,
will he please come to the stage door?
- OK. That's us.
- Home, James.
You chaps don't like being driven by
someone else, do you?
Not onto an airfield in
the middle of a raid.
- You been stationed here long?
- Since it started.
Anti-aircraft?
Security.
- Watch out. Big crater, 100 yards
on the left. - OK.
(Tyres squeal on runway)
Right. Right.
Crater dead ahead!
Well, we're down in one piece, anyway.
- Get 'em out. Quick.
- Right.
Right. Everyone out, please,
quick as you can.
(Distant explosions)
Come on.
(Bomb explodes)
- Is it always like this?
- Usually.
Colourful, isn't it?
(Hum of enemy aircraft)
I think I can manage without
seeing it in daylight.
They'll refuel when they
can and get you off.
(Bombs whistle)
Sorry.
Cancel my last remark.
That's our bomber squadron.
Hello, Red Gauntlet. This is Lucky.
Angels 2-0, Angels 2-0, report damage. Over.
Epsom 2-1 to Lucky. OK. Bandits destroyed.
Out.
Steady! You mustn't just
knock them down like that.
Most improbable. You must search
and find them and then knock them off.
Sorry, old boy.
This phantom squadron of yours
seems to be doing a great execution, Ramsey.
Thank you, sir.
Two Jerries just knocked each other down.
What'd happen to them
if we were really up there, I can't think.
Frank, get rid of this lot, I've got
two submarines outside
the harbour waiting to come in.
- Willy...
Put some proper trousers
on or you'll catch cold.
You'll catch something worse than that
if we don't get those subs in.
It's your ruddy petrol they've got.
- You shall have a drop for
your lighter, Willy.
Hello, Eden. Are you all right?
Yes, sir. Just.
They got the Hudson on the ground.
Yes, I know, dammit. Anyone hurt?
No, we were all out in time,
but we now have a lodger.
- A lodger?
- A photographic reconnaissance pilot. Ross.
He was going through to Cairo on the Hudson,
so he's stranded.
Shall I keep him with me
or will your people look after him?
A PR pilot, eh?
I wonder if he's any good.
I don't know.
Rather an odd fish. We talked on the plane.
He got into the PR racket because he'd done
some aerial photography on his job.
He's an archaeologist.
Oh, crikey! That sounds menacing.
Is he...all right?
Yes.
He's not a born military type,
but...I'd back him.
Hm.
Well, come and tell me
how you got on in Whitehall.
(Children chant their times tables)
(Air-raid siren)
(Siren blares)
(Hum of approaching aircraft)
(Distant explosions)
(Bomb whistles)
(Planes roar overhead)
(Fire-engine bell)
(Distant ackack gunfire)
(All-clear siren)
(Children laugh and squeal)
Yes, sir?
Flight Lieutenant Ross.
I'm looking for Wing Commander Bartlett.
Very good, sir.
You'll find him in the Operations Room.
- Up the tunnel, the fourth door
on the right, sir. - Thank you.
- Morning, chum.
- Good morning.
Miss Rivers, there doesn't seem to be
a plot on picture two.
- Get one right away, will you?
- Yes, sir.
Get another radar report on number two
photographic reconnaissance, please.
It should be a matter of
ordinary routine by now.
- Where's the Sicily plane?
- Just crossing the coast.
See you tonight at eight.
- Mind you keep onto him.
- Yes, sir.
Wing Commander Bartlett?
- Who are you? - Flight Lieutenant
Ross, sir. In transit for Cairo.
Thank you, Miss Rivers.
Oh, yes. Cairo.
I'm afraid the old man
would like to have a word with you first.
Oh?
Well done, Hobley. That's four to the
Fleet Air Arm this month. There you are.
I don't know what Nelson would have said
about your flying under RAF command.
The only thing Nelson ever minded about
was scuppering the enemy.
Thank you, sir, but...with respect...
If the prize is half a bottle
for sinking a 5,000-ton ship
and a whole bottle for sinking a 10,000-ton
ship, then surely an 8,000-tonner...
And fully loaded, sir.
And amongst eight, all naval.
Oh, all right. I'll stretch a point.
I always had a soft spot for the Navy.
You'll be flying again tonight,
so see your boys go easy on that.
Aye aye, sir.
I don't quite understand
why he should want to see me.
Well, I'm in charge of the photographic unit
and you're a PR pilot.
You can't go on to Cairo
because your Hudson's had it. See?
- No.
- You will.
The old man's good
at making things crystal clear.
Hello, Frank. Save some of
that for me, will you?
You go and sink your own ships,
you candid cameraman.
(Knock at door)
- Come in.
- Flight Lieutenant Ross, sir.
- Ah, yes. Glad to see you, Ross.
Our manna from heaven.
- This is Admiral Banks.
- How do you do, sir?
I sent a signal to the Commander In Chief
Middle East about you,
saying that we'd...Iost a PR pilot and
would he mind if we hung onto you instead.
I've just got his reply.
He doesn't.
Well?
Thank you, sir.
Unorthodox, eh?
Well, this is a rather unorthodox place.
We have to make up our words and music
as we go along, eh, Bartlett?
Yes, sir.
Come and look at this and you'll understand.
The Germans and Italians, all along here.
In Sicily, he's only 58 miles
from our coast.
To the south, here,
Rommel.
Here he is now, doing everything he can
to get through to Egypt
and, after that, the Suez Canal.
You know what that means, don't you?
All the oil in the Middle East
and the route to India.
Right. But, if he's going to succeed,
he's got to be supplied with guns,
men, ammunition and fuel.
Along here...
..or here...
..or down this way.
You see why Malta's got to be held?
So that men like you
can go and find Rommel's supply ships
and men like Hobley can go and sink them.
Or, if we haven't the means,
pass the job on to Middle East Command.
You're what we call
''the eyes of the fleet''.
In this case, the eyes of Malta, and we're
as short of them as everything else.
- Do you see why I grabbed you?
- Yes, I do, sir.
Right. Bartlett's your CO.
He'll fill in the lurid details.
Off you go and get on with it.
- Oh, and Ross.
- Sir?
- Thanks for coming to help us.
- It was the least I could do, sir.
Straight from Gibraltar.
What, in your submarines?
It's a mighty good job
they got here all right...
or we should have been
in a jam for petrol. - Yes.
I've got a bit of tough
news for you, Frank.
I'm afraid this is their
last trip for a time.
The bases were bombed again last
night and one of the subs was hit.
The others are leaving this afternoon.
For good?
Well, until the raids slacken off a bit.
Pity.
They were the last naval ships in Malta.
Except for a few MTBs.
Yes, it's getting a bit lonely.
I'm damned sorry. You know, if I could,
I'd swim and get the bloody stuff for you.
I know you would, Willy.
But you haven't got any water wings.
8,000 tons.
Fully loaded.
All you have to do
is to get me some more like it.
Of course, you realise Frank's Fleet Air Arm
boys can only deal with very easy targets,
ships that are sinking
practically of their own accord and so on.
If anything has to be really seriously
attacked, then it's a job for me.
I'm afraid I don't know much
about recce over the sea.
My speciality is marshalling yards.
- Hm?
I beg your pardon?
''Marshalling yards.'' You know, trains.
I see.
Of course, the only thing that limits a
marshalling-yard specialist here is the er..
Iack of marshalling yards.
- Pity.
I was just developing a rather interesting
technique with marshalling yards.
Still, even if you can't have
your puff-puffs,
you still have your little camera.
Views of great interest abound.
I went on a train once.
That was many years ago.
I seem to remember it ran on shiny things
called ''rails''.
No, that may not have been a train.
That may have been a tram,
bouncing along the Embankment at night,
with the river on one side
and the road on the other, going,
''rrrr-yang-yang
yang-yong ying-yang-yong yong
ying-ying.''
That was a Chinese tram,
but you get the idea.
Never mind about the trams.
I've got a job for you right away.
I'd have liked you to have
been able to stooge
around a bit more and get the
feel of things, but this is urgent.
Fly to Brindisi, get the pictures of the
docks and fly straight back here. Got it?
I still take the same photographs
even if the convoy's not there?
Yes.
You've got long-range tanks,
but go easy
on the juice. There's a mighty
shortage on the island.
And remember what I told you
about radio silence.
If you talk while you're up in the air,
the enemy fighters will jump
on you like a pile of bricks.
Never talk to the ground here, OK?
Right.
- Good luck, sir.
- Thank you.
Picture One airborne.
(Atack gunfire)
Your initiative?
Who the devil do you think you are,
messing about taking blasted
pictures 90 miles off your course?
Hasn't it got through to that alleged mind
of yours that we're short of petrol?
Don't you realise that men and ships
are being lost every month
trying to bring the stuff to us?
For what?
So that you can joyride about the sky
looking for ruddy railway stations?
We've got no time for line-shooting amateurs
in this setup, Ross.
Get the transport to Valletta.
The AOC wants to see you at nine.
- Nine?
- Oh, lose yourself.
- Gharry, sir?
- What?
Gharry. You like ride in my gharry?
Not now.
(Children laughing)
- You know this place?
- Been here all my life.
Well, can you tell me
where I can get a decent meal?
- Meal?
- Mangiare.
Mangiare? (Laughs)
(Air-raid siren)
(Children shout playfully)
I'm so sorry.
(Distant explosions)
Maria!
It's not safe to go outside.
- But I'm late, Father.
- They will understand.
(Explosion)
I'll go.
(Bomb whistles)
Flight Lieutenant Ross, sir.
- Ross, you disobeyed orders.
- Yes, sir.
Why?
- I'm sorry, sir.
- Answer my question. Why?
Well, the freight on that train
looked interesting, sir.
I wondered where it came from,
and if there was any more waiting
at the junction further north.
- There was, sir.
- I see.
So you flew 90 miles off
course to prove it?
This isn't the desert or the Russian front
or even England.
We can't get extra supplies of petrol just
by lifting the phone and asking for them.
- Is that clear?
- Yes, sir.
And we can't waste valuable time
court-martialling flight lieutenants.
From now on, you will fly
strictly to orders.
- Understand?
- Yes, sir.
Right. At first light tomorrow,
you will find those trucks of yours again
and you will go on photographing them
until someone tells you to stop.
Well, any questions?
No, sir.
No, unless those trucks...
Precisely. Those trucks.
Come here, Ross, Bartlett.
You see those crates?
They've got gliders inside them.
And they're moving south.
There's only one place
where they could be going, Sicily,
and once they're assembled there, there's
only one purpose they could be used for.
An airborne invasion of this island.
You will photograph those trucks
wherever they go, Ross.
By the time they've unloaded their freight,
you'll never want to see one of them again.
Yes, sir.
- You see that he does it.
- I will, sir.
- All right, Ross.
- Thank you, sir.
- Bartlett.
- Sir?
(Door closes)
All this is top-secret, understand?
Make sure Ross realises it.
Very good, sir.
- When are we getting more Spitfires, sir?
- They're supposed to be on their way.
But if this lot arrives before they do...
Malta...
Yes, sir.
MAN:..are all your guns OK?
Hello.
Hello.
So you weren't killed.
No.
- I hardly ever am.
- You deserve to be.
I was late for my watch here.
- Do you make that journey every evening?
- Of course. I have to come and go home.
I don't think you should do it by yourself.
Perhaps... Perhaps I might have the pleasure
of seeing you home safely.
That would be very kind.
If you were to bring an umbrella...
What for?
To keep the bombs off.
What time do you get away?
Ten o'clock.
All right.
I'll wait for you.
A liaison with the plotters, eh?
Well, it's not a bad thing, up to a point.
I'm only seeing her home.
She's very reckless.
All right, all right. Are you married?
- Certainly not.
- Good.
- Like to try a Maltese beer?
- Thanks.
I'll have you back by ten.
I've got something doing here myself then.
Thank you, sinjur.
I gave him four shillings. Is that
about right?
Three would have been enough, really.
- Do you see where you are?
- More or less.
This must have been very beautiful once.
This is our house.
It is rather a funny little
place, I'm afraid.
My father used to build houses.
He built this for us when we lost our home.
He was killed last year.
In a raid.
It's awfully well done.
Please...
Would you like to come in?
Thank you. Yes.
Mother, this is Flight Lieutenant Ross.
- Welcome to our home, Mr Ross.
- Thank you, Mrs Gonzar.
Forgive me if I go on doing this.
It is powdered milk for my grandson Ninu.
This is his father, my son, Paolo,
and his wife Carmela.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
Are you a fighter pilot?
No, I just take photographs.
You take photographs of enemy targets
for our bombers, Mr Ross?
- Yes.
- Ah, yes. I'm anti-aircraft.
- Oh, really?
- I have a battery on the coast.
I'm on a few hours' leave,
the first for many months.
- Chocolate!
- (Whispers) Say thank you.
Thank you.
(Air-raid siren)
There we go again.
Well, Mr Ross, are we going to be invaded?
Mother, I tell you, you know
nothing about it.
She will listen to Rome Radio.
It is sometimes very funny, this propaganda.
Paolo is, of course, our military expert,
but I also read.
I use my eyes...
(Explosion)
..and my ears.
And still she knows nothing. Nothing.
You must all know more about it than I do.
I've only just come here.
And the first thing you meet is
Maria and all the silly Gonzars.
That is bad luck for you, Mr Ross.
- Not at all. On the contrary.
Take no notice of Mother, Mr Ross. It is
well known one must take no notice of her.
These are, of course, only
my silly children.
I have also a clever son, Giuseppe.
Who is so clever, the Italians caught him.
Really?
- A prisoner?
- No.
He was studying in Italy
when the Italians declared war.
So now he is interned.
But he's safe?
Oh, yes.
Sometimes, I have letters from him.
Of course, they are censored,
but we know he is safe.
(Explosion)
- Safer than we are, by the sound of it.
Giuseppe would be here,
if he could.
(Explosions continue)
You hear?
It is getting much heavier
than it was a few weeks ago.
They say so here.
Of course, they cannot tell us everything,
but what they do tell us is true.
It is building up for something, Mr Ross.
(Cock crows)
RAF?
Yes.
- Here we are.
- Right.
Goodbye.
BARTLETT: Bye-bye.
ALL: Goodbye!
Bye.
- What a good bunch they are.
- Yes.
Joan...
I think there's an order coming out about
Englishwomen who can leaving the island.
Splendid. Even less competition.
I dare say, but I think
you ought to get out of here.
Sir, do you realise just what would happen
to that Operations Room without me?
Here I am, practically defending the island
single-handed, and you have the cheek to...
No, but quite seriously, I think it's
much wiser.
One can't just go around
being wise, darling.
Gosh, it's lovely to be out
of it all for a few hours.
(Aeroplane on strafing run)
Well, well, well. This is a new development.
See what I mean about getting out of here?
Nonsense. I shouldn't think of leaving
if they act in that rude way.
(Machine-gun fire)
- My God, John, the bus!
Well...that's jolly, isn't it?
The Intelligence people are
regretful but definite.
- Have we got any bombers to have
a go at 'em? - Not after last night.
Matthews hasn't a serviceable plane left.
- You couldn't use fighters?
- 15 serviceable.
If we lose those, there'll be
no air defence at all.
- Did you see the crates?
- They're being loaded onto barges.
I should think some of them
are in Sicily already.
If they're on their way to
Sicily, that settles it.
If only we'd got a couple of squadrons
of bombers, instead of this mess.
You'd better go and get rested up.
Probably do with it.
A nice long sleep.
(Buzzer)
(Hum of conversations)
Hello, Peter.
I wanted to apologise for not
having come in. I've been busy.
- I know. I have been watching you.
- Watching me?
Oh, yes. I always forget
that you come on these expeditions.
I'll remember in future.
Anyhow, I've got 12 hours off and
I thought we might go out somewhere.
What you need is sleep, not going out.
You go and sleep first, Peter,
then we'll see.
Go along.
You're quite right.
(Buzzer)
Sir?
See, it's just a mess, sir.
Can't do anything with it.
No, that's jamming all right again.
When did you say it started?
Well, there it is, gentlemen.
Massed raids on the airfields, low-level
attacks on the civilian population.
And I've just had a report
they're jamming on radar.
It all adds up to an invasion.
And soon.
- When are the Spitfires actually due?
- Any time now.
Depends when the carrier can get them off.
I can't do anything much until they show up.
I have nothing to do it with.
I'm sure that both of you
have done everything possible.
I can't help thinking
that while I must keep the defences manned,
the most important thing
is to keep the airfields serviceable,
- in case your Spitfires do get
here in time. - Agreed.
We'd better go on using as many
of my fellows as we can on the airfields,
even if it leaves us a bit light elsewhere.
Thank you, General.
Not at all. I'm sure everybody
will be charmed.
It's a fine day off we're having.
Perce, if it takes 30 tons
to fill one hole
and we filled 14 this morning,
how many tons is that?
Far too many. And a
lot of good it'll do too.
The buzz is there's 50 Spitfires coming.
There's been 50 Spitfires coming
ever since I've been here
- and all that's come is about 500 Jerries.
(Whistle blows urgently)
(Klaxon)
Another 30 tons, Perce.
- Ah, what did I tell you?
(Bomb whistles)
60 tons.
- Hey, there's Millie out in
the middle of it. - Millie!
Millie!
Millie!
(Machine-gun fire)
(Plane screeches)
SERGEANT: Fall in, No.2 Section.
Come on. Move it sharpish. Come on.
Fall in, No.2 Section. Come on, come on.
You're not a bunch of ballet dancers.
- Right turn. Quick march.
- Where to now, sarge?
We're going to that field to dig some
big holes and put long straight poles in,
so the Germans can't land their aircraft.
That's what's called air strategy.
You roll the ruddy runway
so people can land,
then you stick poles up
in it so they can't.
That's good, that is.
All runways serviceable now, sir.
Good.
Yes, 47 Spitfires on their way now.
You'll take 27. 10 each to go
to Hal Far and Ta' Qali.
OK. Good luck.
All three airfields ready to
receive Spitfires, sir.
Fine. If the Germans let
us get away with it.
Right. Let's have them on the table.
They're flying the Spits in
from the American carrier Wasp.
It's a long haul, but they'll
just about make it.
Then, if only the Germans
will give us time to get them refuelled.
CONTROLLER: Table clear of enemy raid, sir.
Let's hope it stays clear.
But as late as this...
.. I'm afraid they'll just catch it.
100-plus bandits approaching the coast.
(Order shouted)
(Order shouted)
Fire!
Eight more Spits to come in, sir.
Runway being heavily bombed, sir.
(Plane screeches)
(Distant explosions)
You must not go outside, Mother.
It is a very heavy raid.
It is not here, it is on the airfield.
It will be the new Spitfires they're after.
Do not be afraid, Carmela.
If they hit us, it will be a mistake.
For once they have something better to do
than to try and kill Ninu.
(Distant rumbling)
Very disappointing.
- You know how many Spits we lost
last night? - I heard it was 15.
20. 20 out of 47 and they
weren't even airborne.
Of course, turning up then
they just caught the dusk raids.
Have you seen this, sir?
I thought it might cheer you up a bit.
GOVERNOR: We who have been thought
worthy of this high honour and distinction
must see that we live worthy of it,
and, in this critical time, that we do
not shrink from giving all we have.
Malta has shown the world
that she can endure
and the world knows that
she will never weaken.
But not until the inevitable day of victory
can the whole story of Malta GC be told.
The safety of this fortress rests under God,
on four supports -
the three fighting services
and the civilian population.
Each one of these is essential to the others
and to the whole.
As we are co-recipients of the great honour
bestowed by His Majesty the King,
Iet us also be sure
that we are really co-operative,
and making this co-operation
ever more complete and effective,
go forward together
in our united strength and faith.
(Scrapes bowl)
But it is for two... and a child.
That's right. It's for two and a child.
It's been cut again, you know.
It is for your mousetrap.
It is a mouse's portion.
You have been a long time.
There are now no buses.
Yes, yes. You shall have it. Now, sit down.
But where is yours?
I have eaten mine. I was hungry.
- Are you sure?
- Of course.
You can see
that that is not the ration for three.
Carmela!
No, I myself am not hungry.
It is absurd to say always
you are not hungry.
You will eat yours or I shall be very cross.
And you are not to give it to the little pig
who is already fat.
Carmela! Mother!
- Two ships are in.
- Food ships?
Yes. Big ones, or fairly big,
and more coming tonight. Come and see.
(Distant cheering)
(Ship's hooter)
(Cheering)
(Cheering continues)
What about it now, then, Harry?
Won't never get through, eh?
I thought there were 17 of them.
That was the yarn.
- What's happened to the rest of them?
- They've been fighting for four days.
You can't expect 'em all to
arrive in a heap.
- So, the rest's coming, eh?
- Yeah.
Aye. Aye, it's just a bit of a delay.
I'll bet they'll be in tonight,
most of 'em, anyway.
Here...come on, misery.
- Celebration, see?
- Ta.
GOVERNOR: I must now break to you what
the arrival of only two ships means to us.
This is a siege.
We shall be called upon this summer
to bear all the privations
of soldiers and citizens in a besieged city.
We are short of food, water,
clothes and fuel.
But let us remember
that the most glorious sieges in history
have always meant hardships...
.. and without hardships
there would be little glory.
It is perhaps not glory that we lack.
They' ll get more through next time.
This is the only one
that's been properly excavated.
The Temple of Mnajdra
has hardly been touched.
MARIA: No.
Ah.
- Oh, do you see that that's been worked?
- Mm-hm.
Oh, it really is heartbreaking
to be spending one's time
taking photographs of ports...
..when there's all this...waiting.
- Peter.
- Yes?
- Do you think they will come?
- Who, the Germans? I shouldn't think so.
Why not? They have many more planes.
- There's nothing much to stop it.
- I don't think things happen like that.
I mean, not just by counting up.
There are other things that decide.
You mean God?
More that sort of thing.
You have faith, as we are told to have?
Oh, I wouldn't say that.
Anyhow, does it matter very much?
- What do you mean, does it matter?
- It matters now, that's what we're doing,
seeing that they don't take Malta,
that's the job in hand. I meant that
a temporary loss of civilisation probably
doesn't matter much in the long run.
After all, people have been
fighting their wars
around this place for 5,000 years
or more. It's still here.
Phoenicians, Greeks, Turks -
they've all come...and gone.
I don't know what you mean.
I don't care about the Phoenicians
and Turks. I only care about us.
You realise, if they did come and capture
Malta, we should be separated.
Doesn't that matter to you?
Yes, that does matter.
Because we must be together, mustn't we?
And when there is no war,
come here and talk.
If it must happen, it will happen.
We'll come here and talk.
And they won't take Malta.
You do believe that too, don't you?
Yes, Peter.
Yes, I do.
I am quite sure.
When we took the place first,
the garden was just a jungle.
I just got the lawn going. Cost me a
packet with grass seed the price it is,
and now I get a letter from Margaret
saying everybody's digging for victory,
so she's digging it up and
planting cabbages.
Cabbages...in my lawn.
- How big is the lawn?
- Oh, it's only about 20 yards square.
Quite a small garden, but very nice.
Particularly in the spring - lots of bulbs.
- Margaret says the daffodils are
good this year. (Knock at door)
Will you have your bread now, sir,
or save it for lunch?
Oh, lunch.
(Winces)
I'm tired of kitchen soap and cold water.
- Cypher, sir.
- Oh, give it to the admiral, will you?
If that's another query of our morale,
I'll cut my throat.
Well, what is it?
How many Spitfires would you like, Frank?
Oh, think of a number and double it.
60 any good?
Read it, please, Willy.
60 Spitfires will be flown in to Malta
from the American carrier Wasp
in three days from now, timed
to land in daylight.
On the next day, the unescorted
minelayer Welshman will arrive
Grand Harbour with a cargo of petrol, oil,
aircraft spares, food and powdered milk.
Powdered milk's good.
They think of everything, don't they?
Three days.
Well, if Jerry gives us that long.
Though I don't much see why he should.
(Reads) In addition to which...
What?
Vice Admiral Payne
will arrive in the Welshman to take
up duties as Vice Admiral Malta.
Vice Admiral Banks will take passage
in Welshman to Gibraltar.
Oh, no, Willy.
Well, I was expecting it.
I've been here six months longer
than I should anyway.
Payne's a good chap. You'll like him.
I'm glad the Spitfires will arrive
before I go, though.
Yes...Iong as nothing else arrives first.
Well, if they get here in time, and in
daylight, Jerry may burn his fingers.
Star-Spangled Banner
Now, every Spitfire will
have its own number.
As each machine lands
and taxies off the runway,
it'll be met by one of you on a motorcycle.
Your machine will have the same number
written on a board
and mounted above the back wheel.
You will lead the aircraft
to the pen allotted to it,
where it will be refuelled and rearmed
straightaway.
- Sergeant Vella?
- Sir?
No ammunition restriction
for the next eight hours.
Very good, sir.
OK, Peter, is that clear? I'll bring
Blue Section into Ta' Qali
and you bring Red Section
over the harbour into Luqa.
If we get this lot in OK, perhaps
they'll think twice about their gliders.
Yeah.
Raid's dispersed, sir.
The table's clear of enemy aircraft.
- Any sign of the Spitfires yet?
- No, sir.
Hello? Hello?
Yes. Fine.
Here we are, sir. Guests approaching coast.
We've made it, Frank.
It looks like it.
What was it the Duke of Wellington said
after Waterloo? 'A darn close-run thing.'
Well, now, if our German friends
will give us half an hour,
we'll be delighted to see them.
Don't open fire. Friendly aircraft
approaching from the northwest.
Cease firing. Friendly aircraft
approaching from the northwest.
(Cheering)
Hello, Red Guests. This is Red Host.
Follow me, please. Over.
Number 17, number 6.
Number 3.
TANNOY: Number 47.
Follow number 3.
Follow number 17.
TANNOY: Number 22.
Number 15.
Number 5.
Number 38.
Number 12.
Number 16.
Number 22.
Man your guns. Stand by for enemy attack.
All right, sir.
TANNOY: Number 41.
Number 27.
Number 11.
Number 19.
- Aircraft due north, sir.
- Can't be the Spits.
No, it's not Spitfires.
Sir, 40-plus bandits approaching.
- How many Spits have we got there?
- 31 rearmed and refuelled, sir.
- Get 'em up.
- Scramble.
Come on, Willy. Your farewell party.
We can't miss this.
CONTROLLER: Fighter Squadron, scramble.
Fighter Squadron, scramble.
TANNOY: Number 52.
(Machine-gun fire)
(Distant machine-gun fire)
(Planes roar overhead)
(Ship's hooter)
Then, of course,
as soon as any food does come, I go - ha!
- Ah, well. Goodbye, Payne. I wish you luck.
- Goodbye.
Keep this fellow Frank in his place.
Don't think because he hasn't got as loud a
voice as mine you can boss him. He's tough.
I'm used to tough admirals.
Don't forget us, Willy.
''Malta, my dear sir, is in my thoughts,
sleeping or waking.''
- You know who said that?
- No, I'm afraid not.
Horatio Nelson.
You're very ignorant, Frank.
I'll read him up between raids.
- And, Frank?
- Yes?
Keep your chin up. The convoy
will be through to you in a few days.
Keep hitting 'em, my boys.
(High-pitched whistle)
JOAN: My mother always used to say
you shouldn't bathe after a heavy meal.
At least that's one thing
we don't have to worry about.
Look, Peter, don't wait for us.
I shall be hours yet.
- You and Maria go. We'll see you later.
- Oh, OK. We'll move on.
What did you do that for?
Darling, have a heart.
They want to be by themselves.
Peter...it is known
one must take no notice of Mother.
That's what you all say.
If she says no, I cannot marry you,
then I will marry you all the same.
Do you think she will say no?
Perhaps not.
But she will put her head so and say...
but and but and but.
One must take no notice, you see.
Because we know, don't we,
that nothing will happen.
I dare say they are a pretty pair,
but I'm not sure it's a good thing.
He's talking about marrying her.
Came and asked my permission yesterday.
- What did you say? - I said to
think it over when he cooled off a bit.
I can't stop him, but if he goes on,
I shall tell him what I think.
- Which is?
- You have to travel light in war.
Now, look, darling, I don't mean us.
We've had all this out before.
John, do you still want to marry me?
Yes, Joan. Yes, of course I do.
But I want to marry you in England,
where we belong.
I want our families to be there
and I want our friends...
The bride, who was given
away by her father,
wore a Renaissance-style gown
of ivory satin. - And why not?
Isn't that a better way
to make a start than...
out here in the middle
of a permanent air raid?
Never knowing which one of us
is going to be killed next.
Maybe. I never was much of a girl
for the trimmings myself.
Trimmings?
I don't give a darn about
the wedding breakfast.
At least I don't want my wife to be starved.
WIRELESS: You're short of food.
The ships that were to have
brought food for your children
are at the bottom of
the Mediterranean.
Please help us, but above all,
help yourselves, by surrendering now.
That's the end of our
afternoon talk to Malta.
The orchestra will now play the Maltilla.
(Door opens)
- Good afternoon, Mr Ross.
WIRELESS: Maltilla
Good afternoon, Mrs Gonzar.
- Give me this.
- Thank you.
You may know why
I've come here this afternoon.
I may.
I want to marry Maria.
I wanted to ask your permission.
I am glad you should ask,
but there is no need.
Maria is a woman now and knows her own mind.
Yes, but I wanted to talk to you.
You are a good man.
It is not because of you that...
Yes?
Maria has never been outside this island.
Your home is a thousand miles away.
When the war is ended, will
you take her there?
Of course.
And if it does not end...
if Malta is taken by the enemy?
You shouldn't listen to that.
It's just propaganda.
When they said they would drop
7,000 tons of bombs on us in a month,
it was called propaganda.
But it was true, Mr Ross.
Wherever I went I would take Maria with me.
You would like to take her, Mr Ross...
..but war destroys many hopes...many plans.
But, Mrs Gonzar, don't you see,
one can't live like that.
You might as well say
that a man shouldn't get married
because he may be run over by a bus
the next day or struck by lightning.
Ah, yes, when you are young
you feel the lightning cannot harm you.
It's very rare to be struck by lightning.
And if it does strike...
one's done one's best by not being afraid.
You may be right, Mr Ross.
And if you are not, you should be.
But I am older than you
and perhaps no longer brave.
We have all said that Malta will never
surrender, and that is true, Mr Ross.
But we must not say these brave things
without facing what they mean.
It may mean to starve to death...
..to see loved ones die...as I have done.
Don't you hate us?
Hate you?
The British...for being here.
For bringing all this on you.
I do not hate anybody.
I am Maltese.
We Maltese do not like war, but it has
always been our fate and our destiny.
If there is to be war and we must be on
a side, yours is the side we would choose.
Mr Ross...I cannot stop you
from marrying Maria.
I wouldn't if I could.
But I ask you to wait
for just a little while.
But if we wait...
Yes?
You're quite right, of course.
It would be better for Maria to wait.
He was picked up down at the foot of the
cliff by some of our British ackack boys.
He spun a yarn about being a Maltese
who'd escaped from Sicily.
They found his radio transmitter
and arrested him.
He'd obviously been put ashore
from a submarine.
He speaks perfect Maltese, yet he says now
that he's an Italian named Ricardi.
I have my doubts about that.
I think he probably is Maltese.
- Have you any idea what he's after?
- No, sir. I haven't talked to him much yet.
This'll tell you.
(Reads) Essential that full-scale attacks
are resumed against convoys.
I rely on you to provide maximum effort.
Well, sir, that'd be very nice of them,
if they'd give us something to do it with.
Well, don't worry, this time they have.
This convoy left Gib for Malta
at 21.00 hours last night.
It's the biggest yet.
With two aircraft carriers
and every available escort vessel.
14 merchant ships and, what matters most,
a large oil tanker - the Ohio.
If it gets through, then we shall go a
long way towards scuppering Rommel.
If it doesn't...
I don't know what your pal with the
radio set thought he could do from here,
but I do know they'll do everything on earth
to stop that convoy.
Why were you sent here?
Look, I've plenty of time.
You'll tell me in the end.
Why not save us both the trouble
and tell me now?
Why were you sent here?
(Alarm)
(Ship's hooter)
Engage!
Engage!
(Ringing)
(Bomb whistles)
Why were you sent here?
You know as well as I do.
The whole island knows.
Anyway, you're not an Italian, are you?
And your name isn't Ricardi, is it?
You're a Maltese.
And your name?
Look, darling,
I just wanted to say there's a big job on.
- Yes.
- You know?
Yes. The whole island is praying.
It is the novena to Our Lady
from now to the 15th.
Well, the 15th is just about the time
they'll get here...if they get here.
I just want to say that I'll be
a bit tied up
until then... and won't
see much of you.
All right, Peter.
I shall be watching you.
Take care of yourself.
You say your son's letters come
fairly regularly, Mrs Gonzar?
Fairly.
The last was about...six weeks ago.
Does he ever express any opinions
about the war?
Oh, no.
The letters are censored, of course.
Just ordinary letters asking
about the family.
Mm-hm.
Mrs Gonzar...
..is that your son?
Oh, yes.
Yes.
That is Giuseppe.
Something...something has happened to him.
Yes.
Is he...dead?
No.
I hate to have to tell you this, Mrs Gonzar,
but your son is in the prison here.
He was found on the shore.
He had a wireless transmitter with him and
he was put ashore from an Italian submarine.
You mean he was...
.. he was spying?
Giuseppe?
Yes.
What will they do to him?
I... I don't know.
You mean they will shoot him as a spy?
Oh, no.
A traitor is hanged.
I must go to him.
They will not stop me.
Say they will not stop me.
I must go to him.
- Giuseppe. - I can't promise that.
It's not in my hands.
But if I can get permission
for you to see him... I will.
(Sobs)
Your mother had to know, because otherwise
I couldn't be sure who you were.
There's no reason why any of the
rest of your family should ever be told,
or anybody else...
..if you help me.
Thank you.
It is of some importance.
- Go on. What do you want to know?
- Why you were sent here.
You know about the convoy.
Mm.
There must be an oil tanker.
In fact, there is bound to be one.
Yes.
If she got through...
I had to find the positions of the fuel
dumps after she had been unloaded...
..and signal them back
so that they could be bombed.
I'm not a traitor. I'm not a traitor!
This is my country, not yours!
You've no right here.
You were the only one?
They wanted someone who spoke Maltese.
(Reads) Cruisers Manchester and Cairo,
Destroyer Foresight and five merchant ships.
That's eight of the convoy
and four of the escort gone...
..including one of the aircraft carriers.
Well, nobody can say they're not
doing their damnedest to help us.
No.
Jim Hill's boy is in the Manchester.
I hope he got away with it.
- Nice boy, I remember him at Dartmouth...
- Oh, to hell with Jim Hill's boy!
- I beg your pardon, Payne.
- That's all right.
I never knew a job in which one just...
waited around so much. What was it...
you told me Willy Banks used to say
- ''I'll go and swim for the stuff''?
Yes.
Well, by tomorrow what's left of them ought
to be within range of our Beaufighters.
After that the Spits can follow up.
Six hours to first light.
Then we can go, thank God.
(Deep rumbling)
(Ackack gunfire)
(Recites prayer)
(Congregation recites prayer)
They should be over the convoy
in half an hour, sir.
You mean...they should be
over what's left of it.
Get my car out, Pearse.
And if Admiral Payne rings here...
I've gone back to the Operations Room.
Very good, sir.
CONTROLLER:
Pedestal now ten miles ahead of you. Out.
The fighters should sight Pedestal Convoy
at any minute now, sir.
OPERATOR:
Yes, we must keep one runway open.
Sir, another 25-plus bandits
approaching Pedestal from the north.
CONTROLLER: Hello, Epsom Leader, 25-plus
bandits approaching Pedestal from the north.
Engage!
(Bell rings)
- Engage!
(Bomb whistles)
Hello, Epsom Leader. Vector 2-9-0.
Buster. Buster. Over.
Tally-ho. Bandits ahead and below.
Green Section break away. Take
high-level bombers. Blue Section up sun.
PILOT: Got him. That's a beauty.
Close in, number two.
Get up, you clot! Green three,
watch your tail!
(Machine-gun fire)
- He's on fire. Got him!
Hello, Pedestal, this is Epsom Leader.
I think they've had it now.
Am taking up umbrella cover. Over.
This is Pedestal.
Thank you, Epsom. Nice work.
We're very glad to see you.
Not nearly so glad as we
are to see you, chum.
(Ship's hooter)
Four, eh?
Well, that's more than last time, anyway.
And full of lovely grub.
Aye, but not a ruddy tanker
among the lot of them.
What do you think we're going
to fly the planes on - dried milk?
What the hell's happened to the Ohio, eh?
She was hit six times, sir.
After she'd been abandoned, parties of
volunteers got back on board...twice.
Each time she was hit again.
She was still afloat the last time
we saw her, but on fire aft.
I should like to say, sir, that everyone
realised the importance of getting her in.
They did their best.
It's all right, Whittaker. We know that.
What are you going to do now, sir?
Well, that's our headache, my boy.
You go and get some rest.
Thank you, sir.
Well, as a matter of interest,
what are we going to do now?
They may hang me...
but that doesn't make me a traitor.
Malta is my country...
..and what I wanted to do was to save her
from any more of this suffering and misery.
You and...you and Paolo and Maria...
all of you, you're good people.
But you don't understand these things.
From where I was, I could see it all.
The British are finished. They cannot win.
Why should Malta go on being crucified
when a few bold strokes would save us all?
You do see, Mother?
You do know that what I was trying to do
was the best for Malta and for all of you?
You chose your side...as
we have all had to do.
Yes, but my side was the right side -
the sensible side that would bring peace.
You chose as you thought right, my son.
We have done the same.
The choices were different, that is all.
Ah...well.
At least you will not be
pointed at in Malta.
I have arranged that.
- How's Paolo?
- Well.
And Maria?
She is well too.
It is best that they should
not know about this.
Not for my sake, you understand,
but for theirs.
You will tell them that you have had a
letter to say that I have died in Italy.
Oh...
Oh, you know I would have wished
to stay and help you.
Giuseppe.
Is it permitted that I give my son this?
It is only a crucifix.
No, madam, I'm sorry.
But I'll give it to the priest for him.
I'll make sure he gets it.
(Bell tolls)
You see...
.. I am dead now.
You cannot touch me or give me anything.
Except your blessing.
They will not mind that.
I loved you all...
..but I am dead now.
Give me your blessing, Mother...
(Tearfully)..and go.
Frank...your tanker's coming in.
They've managed to put out the fire. To stop
her sinking she's lashed to a destroyer.
Thank God for the Navy.
- Sound the alert.
- But she's not a ship of war, sir.
Isn't she?
- Sound the alert.
- Bugler, sound the alert.
FRANK: Rommel is here.
And here, at a place called El Alamein,
is the 8th Army.
If the Germans manage to advance now,
Rommel will be able to pierce
our main defence line
before the 8th Army's had
time to consolidate.
In other words, he'll grab the initiative
before they're ready to hit back.
Right. Ourjob's simple. To slow down
and stop Rommel by cutting off his supplies.
That's why you gentlemen
with Wellingtons and Beauforts
have been sent to us from the Middle
East. If his convoys come this way,
they' ll run into the Middle East
Air Force and the Fleet,
so they'll almost certainly
come straight down here.
Well, as you can see, Malta is an
ideal position as a base for attack.
We've begun well.
Two ships sunk out of a convoy of four.
But that is only a beginning.
From now until the Afrika Korps
is bogged down,
you're going to keep at it day and night.
This is an all-out offensive operation.
The restrictions on the use of petrol
and ammunition are off,
and so is the ban on talking
to base from the air.
These convoys have got to be found,
and if you run into trouble
with enemy fighters through
talking to base in finding them,
then you'll just have to run into it
and get out of it the best way you can.
Now a lot of you have
been used to taking it.
We're now going to dish it out.
We're going to crack Rommel on the nose,
even if we bark our knuckles a bit doing it.
Have you anything to add
to that, Admiral?
Only that now we've got submarines based
at Malta again, we'll play in this band too.
Big show this time, Peter. Big tanker,
two supply ships and five escorts.
- Right, I'll watch them.
- I could sleep for a week.
Stand by.
Fire one.
One fired, sir.
- Where to, skipper?
- The Eyetie battle fleet.
Peter Ross spotted them this morning,
between Sicily and Sardinia.
(Low whistle) What do we get
for a battleship? A case of Scotch?
I'm afraid I'll be a bit out of
touch after all this...
but I think I can get a readership
in archaeology.
I was practically promised it
just before the war began.
Then we could go and
live in Cambridge.
Cambridge?
- What is it like, Cambridge?
- Very beautiful.
Much more beautiful than Oxford.
You'd have to give tea parties.
- Why?
- One does in Cambridge.
Oh.
Perhaps we'd both hate it.
I'd rather do field work really.
Could you bear it?
Living in Mesopotamia or
Jutland or Palestine...
..or wherever my work took me.
It'll be a free world.
We'll see a lot of it.
That's all I can offer you, really.
To see our world and explore its past.
And children, of course.
Our children? Or just children?
Our children.
How many shall we have?
I would like six. But one must, of course,
wait and see what God sends.
Six?
I'm not sure that we shall be
able to afford six.
Not unless I get a chair.
A chair?
- Being made professor is called
getting a chair. - Oh.
Professor.
Professor. Professor Ross.
No contact, sir.
- We've lost them. - Probably doubled
back in the night. - The biggest convoy...
they've tried. Everything set up and
we have to have this filthy weather.
I don't think it's any good stooging around
in this, Peter. Just a waste of petrol.
If they doubled back,
they might be anywhere in the Mediterranean.
Hm. Does that mean that I can reckon
to be free for an hour?
No. You'd better stand by
in case it clears.
You can see her this evening.
All right.
Let me know the moment it's at all possible.
The weather can change pretty quickly
in these parts.
- The Met report says we should
have sunshine. - I dare say,
but that's three hours wasted.
If we don't find them today, we
won't find them until tomorrow.
And after that it'll be the
very devil to get at them.
I'm going down to the
airfield to have a look.
Afternoon, Bartlett. Afternoon, Matthews.
Afternoon, sir. I think it'll
clear up a bit, sir.
- You've got someone standing by?
- Yes, sir. Peter Ross.
He might get off. It's still
a bit thick but...
- Go and find him, will you?
I'd like a word. - Yes, sir.
We've got to get you on to these people
before dark.
- So make sure you're absolutely
ready to go. - Very good, sir.
- Afternoon, Ross.
- Afternoon, sir.
You've seen this convoy. It's the
biggest yet and it's got to be found.
Go and find it.
- And ifyou can't see it, find it by smell.
- Yes, sir.
It's still pretty thick here,
but it may be better further out.
We shall only just get on to them
before dusk anyway,
so if you pick them up
you will radio their position.
Don't talk until you've found them.
And when you do, give it to us at once.
Does that apply to wherever they
are, sir? - It applies wherever they are.
Do you understand, Ross?
Yes, sir.
Then get going and quick.
MAN: I'll send a report as
soon as we get anything.
Yes. Something might be coming up.
No, no activity over this side.
He's got long-range tanks on,
but even so, he's got about one more hour
before he'll have to pack it in.
- Nothing from Ross yet?
- No, sir.
Where is he? Is he still on the plot?
Well, I don't see why
he's messing about down there.
They're almost certain to be
steering due east now.
Hello, Striker. Hello, Striker.
This is Picture One.
- Here he is, sir.
- Put him on the speaker.
PETER:
Enemy destroyer travelling at full speed.
May have made a depth-charge attack
and now regaining convoy.
Am shadowing. Bright sunshine here.
Out.
He' ll have to be mighty quick
if he's going to find them, sir.
He's blown the gaff about his position.
They'll be on to him in a few minutes.
- They've probably got
fighters in the air now. - Mm.
PETER: Tally-ho.
Convoy sighted about ten miles ahead.
Can't quite see yet,
but I make it one big tanker...
..three other big ships...
and four destroyers.
Sir, six enemy aircraft approaching.
Damn, that was quick work.
Tip him off about this.
Tell him to get his picture and get out.
Give the bombers a position and get 'em off.
Hello, Picture One. Hello, Picture One.
This is Striker. Six bandits at 20,000 feet.
Get your picture
and then vamoose pronto. Over.
Righto. Going in for picture now.
Yes.
One tanker, three biggish chaps,
four destroyers.
A lot of flak coming up.
I think one of the destroyers
is one of those new special jobs.
No sign of your bandits yet.
They're up sun to him now, sir.
Tell him to break away and get out quick.
Hello, Picture One. Break off contact
and return base. Watch them out of the sun.
Message received, understood and welcomed.
I'm breaking away now.
Your little friends are with me.
Ah, this is where it gets tricky.
Rather uncomf...
(Silence)
(Soft crackling)
(Plane screeches)
Hello, Picture One. Hello, Picture One.
Are you receiving? Over.
It may only be his transmitter, sir.
- Are the bombers off yet?
- Taking off now, sir.
Good.
They'll just make it before dark.
Hello, Picture One.
Are you receiving? Over.
- The Wimpeys are over them now, sir.
- Good.
(Heavy gunfire)
(Bomb whistles)
(Newspaper seller shouts)
Extra!
Extra! Extra!
(Wild cheering)
(Bell tolls)
(Distant bell tolls)
GOVERNOR: We have seen hardship
and we have seen triumph.
We shall see more of both.
If history remembers us,
let it say that we stood fast in faith,
giving freely what little we had
and what little we were.
Never doubting that we spent
ourselves for the general good.
Boris J.
the House of Commons this afternoon, said,
''For now, nearly two years,
Malta has stood against the enemy.
What a thorn it has been in their side.
What a toll it has taken of their convoys.
For the last six weeks,
over 450 German first-line aircraft
and perhaps 200 Italian
have been venting their fury on Malta.''
Can't be far now.
No.
How long do we wait in Malta,
just a few minutes or till morning?
Depends what's happening when we get there.
I expect you'll refuel and go straight on.
Pity.
I want to get to Cairo as
quickly as possible,
but I would like to see
Malta in daylight.
I believe there are some very
interesting megalithic remains.
There are certainly some very interesting
remains on Malta, nowadays.
(Ackack gunfire)
- Megalithic and otherwise.
The runway looks clear.
If there's a doctor in the house,
will he please come to the stage door?
- OK. That's us.
- Home, James.
You chaps don't like being driven by
someone else, do you?
Not onto an airfield in
the middle of a raid.
- You been stationed here long?
- Since it started.
Anti-aircraft?
Security.
- Watch out. Big crater, 100 yards
on the left. - OK.
(Tyres squeal on runway)
Right. Right.
Crater dead ahead!
Well, we're down in one piece, anyway.
- Get 'em out. Quick.
- Right.
Right. Everyone out, please,
quick as you can.
(Distant explosions)
Come on.
(Bomb explodes)
- Is it always like this?
- Usually.
Colourful, isn't it?
(Hum of enemy aircraft)
I think I can manage without
seeing it in daylight.
They'll refuel when they
can and get you off.
(Bombs whistle)
Sorry.
Cancel my last remark.
That's our bomber squadron.
Hello, Red Gauntlet. This is Lucky.
Angels 2-0, Angels 2-0, report damage. Over.
Epsom 2-1 to Lucky. OK. Bandits destroyed.
Out.
Steady! You mustn't just
knock them down like that.
Most improbable. You must search
and find them and then knock them off.
Sorry, old boy.
This phantom squadron of yours
seems to be doing a great execution, Ramsey.
Thank you, sir.
Two Jerries just knocked each other down.
What'd happen to them
if we were really up there, I can't think.
Frank, get rid of this lot, I've got
two submarines outside
the harbour waiting to come in.
- Willy...
Put some proper trousers
on or you'll catch cold.
You'll catch something worse than that
if we don't get those subs in.
It's your ruddy petrol they've got.
- You shall have a drop for
your lighter, Willy.
Hello, Eden. Are you all right?
Yes, sir. Just.
They got the Hudson on the ground.
Yes, I know, dammit. Anyone hurt?
No, we were all out in time,
but we now have a lodger.
- A lodger?
- A photographic reconnaissance pilot. Ross.
He was going through to Cairo on the Hudson,
so he's stranded.
Shall I keep him with me
or will your people look after him?
A PR pilot, eh?
I wonder if he's any good.
I don't know.
Rather an odd fish. We talked on the plane.
He got into the PR racket because he'd done
some aerial photography on his job.
He's an archaeologist.
Oh, crikey! That sounds menacing.
Is he...all right?
Yes.
He's not a born military type,
but...I'd back him.
Hm.
Well, come and tell me
how you got on in Whitehall.
(Children chant their times tables)
(Air-raid siren)
(Siren blares)
(Hum of approaching aircraft)
(Distant explosions)
(Bomb whistles)
(Planes roar overhead)
(Fire-engine bell)
(Distant ackack gunfire)
(All-clear siren)
(Children laugh and squeal)
Yes, sir?
Flight Lieutenant Ross.
I'm looking for Wing Commander Bartlett.
Very good, sir.
You'll find him in the Operations Room.
- Up the tunnel, the fourth door
on the right, sir. - Thank you.
- Morning, chum.
- Good morning.
Miss Rivers, there doesn't seem to be
a plot on picture two.
- Get one right away, will you?
- Yes, sir.
Get another radar report on number two
photographic reconnaissance, please.
It should be a matter of
ordinary routine by now.
- Where's the Sicily plane?
- Just crossing the coast.
See you tonight at eight.
- Mind you keep onto him.
- Yes, sir.
Wing Commander Bartlett?
- Who are you? - Flight Lieutenant
Ross, sir. In transit for Cairo.
Thank you, Miss Rivers.
Oh, yes. Cairo.
I'm afraid the old man
would like to have a word with you first.
Oh?
Well done, Hobley. That's four to the
Fleet Air Arm this month. There you are.
I don't know what Nelson would have said
about your flying under RAF command.
The only thing Nelson ever minded about
was scuppering the enemy.
Thank you, sir, but...with respect...
If the prize is half a bottle
for sinking a 5,000-ton ship
and a whole bottle for sinking a 10,000-ton
ship, then surely an 8,000-tonner...
And fully loaded, sir.
And amongst eight, all naval.
Oh, all right. I'll stretch a point.
I always had a soft spot for the Navy.
You'll be flying again tonight,
so see your boys go easy on that.
Aye aye, sir.
I don't quite understand
why he should want to see me.
Well, I'm in charge of the photographic unit
and you're a PR pilot.
You can't go on to Cairo
because your Hudson's had it. See?
- No.
- You will.
The old man's good
at making things crystal clear.
Hello, Frank. Save some of
that for me, will you?
You go and sink your own ships,
you candid cameraman.
(Knock at door)
- Come in.
- Flight Lieutenant Ross, sir.
- Ah, yes. Glad to see you, Ross.
Our manna from heaven.
- This is Admiral Banks.
- How do you do, sir?
I sent a signal to the Commander In Chief
Middle East about you,
saying that we'd...Iost a PR pilot and
would he mind if we hung onto you instead.
I've just got his reply.
He doesn't.
Well?
Thank you, sir.
Unorthodox, eh?
Well, this is a rather unorthodox place.
We have to make up our words and music
as we go along, eh, Bartlett?
Yes, sir.
Come and look at this and you'll understand.
The Germans and Italians, all along here.
In Sicily, he's only 58 miles
from our coast.
To the south, here,
Rommel.
Here he is now, doing everything he can
to get through to Egypt
and, after that, the Suez Canal.
You know what that means, don't you?
All the oil in the Middle East
and the route to India.
Right. But, if he's going to succeed,
he's got to be supplied with guns,
men, ammunition and fuel.
Along here...
..or here...
..or down this way.
You see why Malta's got to be held?
So that men like you
can go and find Rommel's supply ships
and men like Hobley can go and sink them.
Or, if we haven't the means,
pass the job on to Middle East Command.
You're what we call
''the eyes of the fleet''.
In this case, the eyes of Malta, and we're
as short of them as everything else.
- Do you see why I grabbed you?
- Yes, I do, sir.
Right. Bartlett's your CO.
He'll fill in the lurid details.
Off you go and get on with it.
- Oh, and Ross.
- Sir?
- Thanks for coming to help us.
- It was the least I could do, sir.
Straight from Gibraltar.
What, in your submarines?
It's a mighty good job
they got here all right...
or we should have been
in a jam for petrol. - Yes.
I've got a bit of tough
news for you, Frank.
I'm afraid this is their
last trip for a time.
The bases were bombed again last
night and one of the subs was hit.
The others are leaving this afternoon.
For good?
Well, until the raids slacken off a bit.
Pity.
They were the last naval ships in Malta.
Except for a few MTBs.
Yes, it's getting a bit lonely.
I'm damned sorry. You know, if I could,
I'd swim and get the bloody stuff for you.
I know you would, Willy.
But you haven't got any water wings.
8,000 tons.
Fully loaded.
All you have to do
is to get me some more like it.
Of course, you realise Frank's Fleet Air Arm
boys can only deal with very easy targets,
ships that are sinking
practically of their own accord and so on.
If anything has to be really seriously
attacked, then it's a job for me.
I'm afraid I don't know much
about recce over the sea.
My speciality is marshalling yards.
- Hm?
I beg your pardon?
''Marshalling yards.'' You know, trains.
I see.
Of course, the only thing that limits a
marshalling-yard specialist here is the er..
Iack of marshalling yards.
- Pity.
I was just developing a rather interesting
technique with marshalling yards.
Still, even if you can't have
your puff-puffs,
you still have your little camera.
Views of great interest abound.
I went on a train once.
That was many years ago.
I seem to remember it ran on shiny things
called ''rails''.
No, that may not have been a train.
That may have been a tram,
bouncing along the Embankment at night,
with the river on one side
and the road on the other, going,
''rrrr-yang-yang
yang-yong ying-yang-yong yong
ying-ying.''
That was a Chinese tram,
but you get the idea.
Never mind about the trams.
I've got a job for you right away.
I'd have liked you to have
been able to stooge
around a bit more and get the
feel of things, but this is urgent.
Fly to Brindisi, get the pictures of the
docks and fly straight back here. Got it?
I still take the same photographs
even if the convoy's not there?
Yes.
You've got long-range tanks,
but go easy
on the juice. There's a mighty
shortage on the island.
And remember what I told you
about radio silence.
If you talk while you're up in the air,
the enemy fighters will jump
on you like a pile of bricks.
Never talk to the ground here, OK?
Right.
- Good luck, sir.
- Thank you.
Picture One airborne.
(Atack gunfire)
Your initiative?
Who the devil do you think you are,
messing about taking blasted
pictures 90 miles off your course?
Hasn't it got through to that alleged mind
of yours that we're short of petrol?
Don't you realise that men and ships
are being lost every month
trying to bring the stuff to us?
For what?
So that you can joyride about the sky
looking for ruddy railway stations?
We've got no time for line-shooting amateurs
in this setup, Ross.
Get the transport to Valletta.
The AOC wants to see you at nine.
- Nine?
- Oh, lose yourself.
- Gharry, sir?
- What?
Gharry. You like ride in my gharry?
Not now.
(Children laughing)
- You know this place?
- Been here all my life.
Well, can you tell me
where I can get a decent meal?
- Meal?
- Mangiare.
Mangiare? (Laughs)
(Air-raid siren)
(Children shout playfully)
I'm so sorry.
(Distant explosions)
Maria!
It's not safe to go outside.
- But I'm late, Father.
- They will understand.
(Explosion)
I'll go.
(Bomb whistles)
Flight Lieutenant Ross, sir.
- Ross, you disobeyed orders.
- Yes, sir.
Why?
- I'm sorry, sir.
- Answer my question. Why?
Well, the freight on that train
looked interesting, sir.
I wondered where it came from,
and if there was any more waiting
at the junction further north.
- There was, sir.
- I see.
So you flew 90 miles off
course to prove it?
This isn't the desert or the Russian front
or even England.
We can't get extra supplies of petrol just
by lifting the phone and asking for them.
- Is that clear?
- Yes, sir.
And we can't waste valuable time
court-martialling flight lieutenants.
From now on, you will fly
strictly to orders.
- Understand?
- Yes, sir.
Right. At first light tomorrow,
you will find those trucks of yours again
and you will go on photographing them
until someone tells you to stop.
Well, any questions?
No, sir.
No, unless those trucks...
Precisely. Those trucks.
Come here, Ross, Bartlett.
You see those crates?
They've got gliders inside them.
And they're moving south.
There's only one place
where they could be going, Sicily,
and once they're assembled there, there's
only one purpose they could be used for.
An airborne invasion of this island.
You will photograph those trucks
wherever they go, Ross.
By the time they've unloaded their freight,
you'll never want to see one of them again.
Yes, sir.
- You see that he does it.
- I will, sir.
- All right, Ross.
- Thank you, sir.
- Bartlett.
- Sir?
(Door closes)
All this is top-secret, understand?
Make sure Ross realises it.
Very good, sir.
- When are we getting more Spitfires, sir?
- They're supposed to be on their way.
But if this lot arrives before they do...
Malta...
Yes, sir.
MAN:..are all your guns OK?
Hello.
Hello.
So you weren't killed.
No.
- I hardly ever am.
- You deserve to be.
I was late for my watch here.
- Do you make that journey every evening?
- Of course. I have to come and go home.
I don't think you should do it by yourself.
Perhaps... Perhaps I might have the pleasure
of seeing you home safely.
That would be very kind.
If you were to bring an umbrella...
What for?
To keep the bombs off.
What time do you get away?
Ten o'clock.
All right.
I'll wait for you.
A liaison with the plotters, eh?
Well, it's not a bad thing, up to a point.
I'm only seeing her home.
She's very reckless.
All right, all right. Are you married?
- Certainly not.
- Good.
- Like to try a Maltese beer?
- Thanks.
I'll have you back by ten.
I've got something doing here myself then.
Thank you, sinjur.
I gave him four shillings. Is that
about right?
Three would have been enough, really.
- Do you see where you are?
- More or less.
This must have been very beautiful once.
This is our house.
It is rather a funny little
place, I'm afraid.
My father used to build houses.
He built this for us when we lost our home.
He was killed last year.
In a raid.
It's awfully well done.
Please...
Would you like to come in?
Thank you. Yes.
Mother, this is Flight Lieutenant Ross.
- Welcome to our home, Mr Ross.
- Thank you, Mrs Gonzar.
Forgive me if I go on doing this.
It is powdered milk for my grandson Ninu.
This is his father, my son, Paolo,
and his wife Carmela.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
Are you a fighter pilot?
No, I just take photographs.
You take photographs of enemy targets
for our bombers, Mr Ross?
- Yes.
- Ah, yes. I'm anti-aircraft.
- Oh, really?
- I have a battery on the coast.
I'm on a few hours' leave,
the first for many months.
- Chocolate!
- (Whispers) Say thank you.
Thank you.
(Air-raid siren)
There we go again.
Well, Mr Ross, are we going to be invaded?
Mother, I tell you, you know
nothing about it.
She will listen to Rome Radio.
It is sometimes very funny, this propaganda.
Paolo is, of course, our military expert,
but I also read.
I use my eyes...
(Explosion)
..and my ears.
And still she knows nothing. Nothing.
You must all know more about it than I do.
I've only just come here.
And the first thing you meet is
Maria and all the silly Gonzars.
That is bad luck for you, Mr Ross.
- Not at all. On the contrary.
Take no notice of Mother, Mr Ross. It is
well known one must take no notice of her.
These are, of course, only
my silly children.
I have also a clever son, Giuseppe.
Who is so clever, the Italians caught him.
Really?
- A prisoner?
- No.
He was studying in Italy
when the Italians declared war.
So now he is interned.
But he's safe?
Oh, yes.
Sometimes, I have letters from him.
Of course, they are censored,
but we know he is safe.
(Explosion)
- Safer than we are, by the sound of it.
Giuseppe would be here,
if he could.
(Explosions continue)
You hear?
It is getting much heavier
than it was a few weeks ago.
They say so here.
Of course, they cannot tell us everything,
but what they do tell us is true.
It is building up for something, Mr Ross.
(Cock crows)
RAF?
Yes.
- Here we are.
- Right.
Goodbye.
BARTLETT: Bye-bye.
ALL: Goodbye!
Bye.
- What a good bunch they are.
- Yes.
Joan...
I think there's an order coming out about
Englishwomen who can leaving the island.
Splendid. Even less competition.
I dare say, but I think
you ought to get out of here.
Sir, do you realise just what would happen
to that Operations Room without me?
Here I am, practically defending the island
single-handed, and you have the cheek to...
No, but quite seriously, I think it's
much wiser.
One can't just go around
being wise, darling.
Gosh, it's lovely to be out
of it all for a few hours.
(Aeroplane on strafing run)
Well, well, well. This is a new development.
See what I mean about getting out of here?
Nonsense. I shouldn't think of leaving
if they act in that rude way.
(Machine-gun fire)
- My God, John, the bus!
Well...that's jolly, isn't it?
The Intelligence people are
regretful but definite.
- Have we got any bombers to have
a go at 'em? - Not after last night.
Matthews hasn't a serviceable plane left.
- You couldn't use fighters?
- 15 serviceable.
If we lose those, there'll be
no air defence at all.
- Did you see the crates?
- They're being loaded onto barges.
I should think some of them
are in Sicily already.
If they're on their way to
Sicily, that settles it.
If only we'd got a couple of squadrons
of bombers, instead of this mess.
You'd better go and get rested up.
Probably do with it.
A nice long sleep.
(Buzzer)
(Hum of conversations)
Hello, Peter.
I wanted to apologise for not
having come in. I've been busy.
- I know. I have been watching you.
- Watching me?
Oh, yes. I always forget
that you come on these expeditions.
I'll remember in future.
Anyhow, I've got 12 hours off and
I thought we might go out somewhere.
What you need is sleep, not going out.
You go and sleep first, Peter,
then we'll see.
Go along.
You're quite right.
(Buzzer)
Sir?
See, it's just a mess, sir.
Can't do anything with it.
No, that's jamming all right again.
When did you say it started?
Well, there it is, gentlemen.
Massed raids on the airfields, low-level
attacks on the civilian population.
And I've just had a report
they're jamming on radar.
It all adds up to an invasion.
And soon.
- When are the Spitfires actually due?
- Any time now.
Depends when the carrier can get them off.
I can't do anything much until they show up.
I have nothing to do it with.
I'm sure that both of you
have done everything possible.
I can't help thinking
that while I must keep the defences manned,
the most important thing
is to keep the airfields serviceable,
- in case your Spitfires do get
here in time. - Agreed.
We'd better go on using as many
of my fellows as we can on the airfields,
even if it leaves us a bit light elsewhere.
Thank you, General.
Not at all. I'm sure everybody
will be charmed.
It's a fine day off we're having.
Perce, if it takes 30 tons
to fill one hole
and we filled 14 this morning,
how many tons is that?
Far too many. And a
lot of good it'll do too.
The buzz is there's 50 Spitfires coming.
There's been 50 Spitfires coming
ever since I've been here
- and all that's come is about 500 Jerries.
(Whistle blows urgently)
(Klaxon)
Another 30 tons, Perce.
- Ah, what did I tell you?
(Bomb whistles)
60 tons.
- Hey, there's Millie out in
the middle of it. - Millie!
Millie!
Millie!
(Machine-gun fire)
(Plane screeches)
SERGEANT: Fall in, No.2 Section.
Come on. Move it sharpish. Come on.
Fall in, No.2 Section. Come on, come on.
You're not a bunch of ballet dancers.
- Right turn. Quick march.
- Where to now, sarge?
We're going to that field to dig some
big holes and put long straight poles in,
so the Germans can't land their aircraft.
That's what's called air strategy.
You roll the ruddy runway
so people can land,
then you stick poles up
in it so they can't.
That's good, that is.
All runways serviceable now, sir.
Good.
Yes, 47 Spitfires on their way now.
You'll take 27. 10 each to go
to Hal Far and Ta' Qali.
OK. Good luck.
All three airfields ready to
receive Spitfires, sir.
Fine. If the Germans let
us get away with it.
Right. Let's have them on the table.
They're flying the Spits in
from the American carrier Wasp.
It's a long haul, but they'll
just about make it.
Then, if only the Germans
will give us time to get them refuelled.
CONTROLLER: Table clear of enemy raid, sir.
Let's hope it stays clear.
But as late as this...
.. I'm afraid they'll just catch it.
100-plus bandits approaching the coast.
(Order shouted)
(Order shouted)
Fire!
Eight more Spits to come in, sir.
Runway being heavily bombed, sir.
(Plane screeches)
(Distant explosions)
You must not go outside, Mother.
It is a very heavy raid.
It is not here, it is on the airfield.
It will be the new Spitfires they're after.
Do not be afraid, Carmela.
If they hit us, it will be a mistake.
For once they have something better to do
than to try and kill Ninu.
(Distant rumbling)
Very disappointing.
- You know how many Spits we lost
last night? - I heard it was 15.
20. 20 out of 47 and they
weren't even airborne.
Of course, turning up then
they just caught the dusk raids.
Have you seen this, sir?
I thought it might cheer you up a bit.
GOVERNOR: We who have been thought
worthy of this high honour and distinction
must see that we live worthy of it,
and, in this critical time, that we do
not shrink from giving all we have.
Malta has shown the world
that she can endure
and the world knows that
she will never weaken.
But not until the inevitable day of victory
can the whole story of Malta GC be told.
The safety of this fortress rests under God,
on four supports -
the three fighting services
and the civilian population.
Each one of these is essential to the others
and to the whole.
As we are co-recipients of the great honour
bestowed by His Majesty the King,
Iet us also be sure
that we are really co-operative,
and making this co-operation
ever more complete and effective,
go forward together
in our united strength and faith.
(Scrapes bowl)
But it is for two... and a child.
That's right. It's for two and a child.
It's been cut again, you know.
It is for your mousetrap.
It is a mouse's portion.
You have been a long time.
There are now no buses.
Yes, yes. You shall have it. Now, sit down.
But where is yours?
I have eaten mine. I was hungry.
- Are you sure?
- Of course.
You can see
that that is not the ration for three.
Carmela!
No, I myself am not hungry.
It is absurd to say always
you are not hungry.
You will eat yours or I shall be very cross.
And you are not to give it to the little pig
who is already fat.
Carmela! Mother!
- Two ships are in.
- Food ships?
Yes. Big ones, or fairly big,
and more coming tonight. Come and see.
(Distant cheering)
(Ship's hooter)
(Cheering)
(Cheering continues)
What about it now, then, Harry?
Won't never get through, eh?
I thought there were 17 of them.
That was the yarn.
- What's happened to the rest of them?
- They've been fighting for four days.
You can't expect 'em all to
arrive in a heap.
- So, the rest's coming, eh?
- Yeah.
Aye. Aye, it's just a bit of a delay.
I'll bet they'll be in tonight,
most of 'em, anyway.
Here...come on, misery.
- Celebration, see?
- Ta.
GOVERNOR: I must now break to you what
the arrival of only two ships means to us.
This is a siege.
We shall be called upon this summer
to bear all the privations
of soldiers and citizens in a besieged city.
We are short of food, water,
clothes and fuel.
But let us remember
that the most glorious sieges in history
have always meant hardships...
.. and without hardships
there would be little glory.
It is perhaps not glory that we lack.
They' ll get more through next time.
This is the only one
that's been properly excavated.
The Temple of Mnajdra
has hardly been touched.
MARIA: No.
Ah.
- Oh, do you see that that's been worked?
- Mm-hm.
Oh, it really is heartbreaking
to be spending one's time
taking photographs of ports...
..when there's all this...waiting.
- Peter.
- Yes?
- Do you think they will come?
- Who, the Germans? I shouldn't think so.
Why not? They have many more planes.
- There's nothing much to stop it.
- I don't think things happen like that.
I mean, not just by counting up.
There are other things that decide.
You mean God?
More that sort of thing.
You have faith, as we are told to have?
Oh, I wouldn't say that.
Anyhow, does it matter very much?
- What do you mean, does it matter?
- It matters now, that's what we're doing,
seeing that they don't take Malta,
that's the job in hand. I meant that
a temporary loss of civilisation probably
doesn't matter much in the long run.
After all, people have been
fighting their wars
around this place for 5,000 years
or more. It's still here.
Phoenicians, Greeks, Turks -
they've all come...and gone.
I don't know what you mean.
I don't care about the Phoenicians
and Turks. I only care about us.
You realise, if they did come and capture
Malta, we should be separated.
Doesn't that matter to you?
Yes, that does matter.
Because we must be together, mustn't we?
And when there is no war,
come here and talk.
If it must happen, it will happen.
We'll come here and talk.
And they won't take Malta.
You do believe that too, don't you?
Yes, Peter.
Yes, I do.
I am quite sure.
When we took the place first,
the garden was just a jungle.
I just got the lawn going. Cost me a
packet with grass seed the price it is,
and now I get a letter from Margaret
saying everybody's digging for victory,
so she's digging it up and
planting cabbages.
Cabbages...in my lawn.
- How big is the lawn?
- Oh, it's only about 20 yards square.
Quite a small garden, but very nice.
Particularly in the spring - lots of bulbs.
- Margaret says the daffodils are
good this year. (Knock at door)
Will you have your bread now, sir,
or save it for lunch?
Oh, lunch.
(Winces)
I'm tired of kitchen soap and cold water.
- Cypher, sir.
- Oh, give it to the admiral, will you?
If that's another query of our morale,
I'll cut my throat.
Well, what is it?
How many Spitfires would you like, Frank?
Oh, think of a number and double it.
60 any good?
Read it, please, Willy.
60 Spitfires will be flown in to Malta
from the American carrier Wasp
in three days from now, timed
to land in daylight.
On the next day, the unescorted
minelayer Welshman will arrive
Grand Harbour with a cargo of petrol, oil,
aircraft spares, food and powdered milk.
Powdered milk's good.
They think of everything, don't they?
Three days.
Well, if Jerry gives us that long.
Though I don't much see why he should.
(Reads) In addition to which...
What?
Vice Admiral Payne
will arrive in the Welshman to take
up duties as Vice Admiral Malta.
Vice Admiral Banks will take passage
in Welshman to Gibraltar.
Oh, no, Willy.
Well, I was expecting it.
I've been here six months longer
than I should anyway.
Payne's a good chap. You'll like him.
I'm glad the Spitfires will arrive
before I go, though.
Yes...Iong as nothing else arrives first.
Well, if they get here in time, and in
daylight, Jerry may burn his fingers.
Star-Spangled Banner
Now, every Spitfire will
have its own number.
As each machine lands
and taxies off the runway,
it'll be met by one of you on a motorcycle.
Your machine will have the same number
written on a board
and mounted above the back wheel.
You will lead the aircraft
to the pen allotted to it,
where it will be refuelled and rearmed
straightaway.
- Sergeant Vella?
- Sir?
No ammunition restriction
for the next eight hours.
Very good, sir.
OK, Peter, is that clear? I'll bring
Blue Section into Ta' Qali
and you bring Red Section
over the harbour into Luqa.
If we get this lot in OK, perhaps
they'll think twice about their gliders.
Yeah.
Raid's dispersed, sir.
The table's clear of enemy aircraft.
- Any sign of the Spitfires yet?
- No, sir.
Hello? Hello?
Yes. Fine.
Here we are, sir. Guests approaching coast.
We've made it, Frank.
It looks like it.
What was it the Duke of Wellington said
after Waterloo? 'A darn close-run thing.'
Well, now, if our German friends
will give us half an hour,
we'll be delighted to see them.
Don't open fire. Friendly aircraft
approaching from the northwest.
Cease firing. Friendly aircraft
approaching from the northwest.
(Cheering)
Hello, Red Guests. This is Red Host.
Follow me, please. Over.
Number 17, number 6.
Number 3.
TANNOY: Number 47.
Follow number 3.
Follow number 17.
TANNOY: Number 22.
Number 15.
Number 5.
Number 38.
Number 12.
Number 16.
Number 22.
Man your guns. Stand by for enemy attack.
All right, sir.
TANNOY: Number 41.
Number 27.
Number 11.
Number 19.
- Aircraft due north, sir.
- Can't be the Spits.
No, it's not Spitfires.
Sir, 40-plus bandits approaching.
- How many Spits have we got there?
- 31 rearmed and refuelled, sir.
- Get 'em up.
- Scramble.
Come on, Willy. Your farewell party.
We can't miss this.
CONTROLLER: Fighter Squadron, scramble.
Fighter Squadron, scramble.
TANNOY: Number 52.
(Machine-gun fire)
(Distant machine-gun fire)
(Planes roar overhead)
(Ship's hooter)
Then, of course,
as soon as any food does come, I go - ha!
- Ah, well. Goodbye, Payne. I wish you luck.
- Goodbye.
Keep this fellow Frank in his place.
Don't think because he hasn't got as loud a
voice as mine you can boss him. He's tough.
I'm used to tough admirals.
Don't forget us, Willy.
''Malta, my dear sir, is in my thoughts,
sleeping or waking.''
- You know who said that?
- No, I'm afraid not.
Horatio Nelson.
You're very ignorant, Frank.
I'll read him up between raids.
- And, Frank?
- Yes?
Keep your chin up. The convoy
will be through to you in a few days.
Keep hitting 'em, my boys.
(High-pitched whistle)
JOAN: My mother always used to say
you shouldn't bathe after a heavy meal.
At least that's one thing
we don't have to worry about.
Look, Peter, don't wait for us.
I shall be hours yet.
- You and Maria go. We'll see you later.
- Oh, OK. We'll move on.
What did you do that for?
Darling, have a heart.
They want to be by themselves.
Peter...it is known
one must take no notice of Mother.
That's what you all say.
If she says no, I cannot marry you,
then I will marry you all the same.
Do you think she will say no?
Perhaps not.
But she will put her head so and say...
but and but and but.
One must take no notice, you see.
Because we know, don't we,
that nothing will happen.
I dare say they are a pretty pair,
but I'm not sure it's a good thing.
He's talking about marrying her.
Came and asked my permission yesterday.
- What did you say? - I said to
think it over when he cooled off a bit.
I can't stop him, but if he goes on,
I shall tell him what I think.
- Which is?
- You have to travel light in war.
Now, look, darling, I don't mean us.
We've had all this out before.
John, do you still want to marry me?
Yes, Joan. Yes, of course I do.
But I want to marry you in England,
where we belong.
I want our families to be there
and I want our friends...
The bride, who was given
away by her father,
wore a Renaissance-style gown
of ivory satin. - And why not?
Isn't that a better way
to make a start than...
out here in the middle
of a permanent air raid?
Never knowing which one of us
is going to be killed next.
Maybe. I never was much of a girl
for the trimmings myself.
Trimmings?
I don't give a darn about
the wedding breakfast.
At least I don't want my wife to be starved.
WIRELESS: You're short of food.
The ships that were to have
brought food for your children
are at the bottom of
the Mediterranean.
Please help us, but above all,
help yourselves, by surrendering now.
That's the end of our
afternoon talk to Malta.
The orchestra will now play the Maltilla.
(Door opens)
- Good afternoon, Mr Ross.
WIRELESS: Maltilla
Good afternoon, Mrs Gonzar.
- Give me this.
- Thank you.
You may know why
I've come here this afternoon.
I may.
I want to marry Maria.
I wanted to ask your permission.
I am glad you should ask,
but there is no need.
Maria is a woman now and knows her own mind.
Yes, but I wanted to talk to you.
You are a good man.
It is not because of you that...
Yes?
Maria has never been outside this island.
Your home is a thousand miles away.
When the war is ended, will
you take her there?
Of course.
And if it does not end...
if Malta is taken by the enemy?
You shouldn't listen to that.
It's just propaganda.
When they said they would drop
7,000 tons of bombs on us in a month,
it was called propaganda.
But it was true, Mr Ross.
Wherever I went I would take Maria with me.
You would like to take her, Mr Ross...
..but war destroys many hopes...many plans.
But, Mrs Gonzar, don't you see,
one can't live like that.
You might as well say
that a man shouldn't get married
because he may be run over by a bus
the next day or struck by lightning.
Ah, yes, when you are young
you feel the lightning cannot harm you.
It's very rare to be struck by lightning.
And if it does strike...
one's done one's best by not being afraid.
You may be right, Mr Ross.
And if you are not, you should be.
But I am older than you
and perhaps no longer brave.
We have all said that Malta will never
surrender, and that is true, Mr Ross.
But we must not say these brave things
without facing what they mean.
It may mean to starve to death...
..to see loved ones die...as I have done.
Don't you hate us?
Hate you?
The British...for being here.
For bringing all this on you.
I do not hate anybody.
I am Maltese.
We Maltese do not like war, but it has
always been our fate and our destiny.
If there is to be war and we must be on
a side, yours is the side we would choose.
Mr Ross...I cannot stop you
from marrying Maria.
I wouldn't if I could.
But I ask you to wait
for just a little while.
But if we wait...
Yes?
You're quite right, of course.
It would be better for Maria to wait.
He was picked up down at the foot of the
cliff by some of our British ackack boys.
He spun a yarn about being a Maltese
who'd escaped from Sicily.
They found his radio transmitter
and arrested him.
He'd obviously been put ashore
from a submarine.
He speaks perfect Maltese, yet he says now
that he's an Italian named Ricardi.
I have my doubts about that.
I think he probably is Maltese.
- Have you any idea what he's after?
- No, sir. I haven't talked to him much yet.
This'll tell you.
(Reads) Essential that full-scale attacks
are resumed against convoys.
I rely on you to provide maximum effort.
Well, sir, that'd be very nice of them,
if they'd give us something to do it with.
Well, don't worry, this time they have.
This convoy left Gib for Malta
at 21.00 hours last night.
It's the biggest yet.
With two aircraft carriers
and every available escort vessel.
14 merchant ships and, what matters most,
a large oil tanker - the Ohio.
If it gets through, then we shall go a
long way towards scuppering Rommel.
If it doesn't...
I don't know what your pal with the
radio set thought he could do from here,
but I do know they'll do everything on earth
to stop that convoy.
Why were you sent here?
Look, I've plenty of time.
You'll tell me in the end.
Why not save us both the trouble
and tell me now?
Why were you sent here?
(Alarm)
(Ship's hooter)
Engage!
Engage!
(Ringing)
(Bomb whistles)
Why were you sent here?
You know as well as I do.
The whole island knows.
Anyway, you're not an Italian, are you?
And your name isn't Ricardi, is it?
You're a Maltese.
And your name?
Look, darling,
I just wanted to say there's a big job on.
- Yes.
- You know?
Yes. The whole island is praying.
It is the novena to Our Lady
from now to the 15th.
Well, the 15th is just about the time
they'll get here...if they get here.
I just want to say that I'll be
a bit tied up
until then... and won't
see much of you.
All right, Peter.
I shall be watching you.
Take care of yourself.
You say your son's letters come
fairly regularly, Mrs Gonzar?
Fairly.
The last was about...six weeks ago.
Does he ever express any opinions
about the war?
Oh, no.
The letters are censored, of course.
Just ordinary letters asking
about the family.
Mm-hm.
Mrs Gonzar...
..is that your son?
Oh, yes.
Yes.
That is Giuseppe.
Something...something has happened to him.
Yes.
Is he...dead?
No.
I hate to have to tell you this, Mrs Gonzar,
but your son is in the prison here.
He was found on the shore.
He had a wireless transmitter with him and
he was put ashore from an Italian submarine.
You mean he was...
.. he was spying?
Giuseppe?
Yes.
What will they do to him?
I... I don't know.
You mean they will shoot him as a spy?
Oh, no.
A traitor is hanged.
I must go to him.
They will not stop me.
Say they will not stop me.
I must go to him.
- Giuseppe. - I can't promise that.
It's not in my hands.
But if I can get permission
for you to see him... I will.
(Sobs)
Your mother had to know, because otherwise
I couldn't be sure who you were.
There's no reason why any of the
rest of your family should ever be told,
or anybody else...
..if you help me.
Thank you.
It is of some importance.
- Go on. What do you want to know?
- Why you were sent here.
You know about the convoy.
Mm.
There must be an oil tanker.
In fact, there is bound to be one.
Yes.
If she got through...
I had to find the positions of the fuel
dumps after she had been unloaded...
..and signal them back
so that they could be bombed.
I'm not a traitor. I'm not a traitor!
This is my country, not yours!
You've no right here.
You were the only one?
They wanted someone who spoke Maltese.
(Reads) Cruisers Manchester and Cairo,
Destroyer Foresight and five merchant ships.
That's eight of the convoy
and four of the escort gone...
..including one of the aircraft carriers.
Well, nobody can say they're not
doing their damnedest to help us.
No.
Jim Hill's boy is in the Manchester.
I hope he got away with it.
- Nice boy, I remember him at Dartmouth...
- Oh, to hell with Jim Hill's boy!
- I beg your pardon, Payne.
- That's all right.
I never knew a job in which one just...
waited around so much. What was it...
you told me Willy Banks used to say
- ''I'll go and swim for the stuff''?
Yes.
Well, by tomorrow what's left of them ought
to be within range of our Beaufighters.
After that the Spits can follow up.
Six hours to first light.
Then we can go, thank God.
(Deep rumbling)
(Ackack gunfire)
(Recites prayer)
(Congregation recites prayer)
They should be over the convoy
in half an hour, sir.
You mean...they should be
over what's left of it.
Get my car out, Pearse.
And if Admiral Payne rings here...
I've gone back to the Operations Room.
Very good, sir.
CONTROLLER:
Pedestal now ten miles ahead of you. Out.
The fighters should sight Pedestal Convoy
at any minute now, sir.
OPERATOR:
Yes, we must keep one runway open.
Sir, another 25-plus bandits
approaching Pedestal from the north.
CONTROLLER: Hello, Epsom Leader, 25-plus
bandits approaching Pedestal from the north.
Engage!
(Bell rings)
- Engage!
(Bomb whistles)
Hello, Epsom Leader. Vector 2-9-0.
Buster. Buster. Over.
Tally-ho. Bandits ahead and below.
Green Section break away. Take
high-level bombers. Blue Section up sun.
PILOT: Got him. That's a beauty.
Close in, number two.
Get up, you clot! Green three,
watch your tail!
(Machine-gun fire)
- He's on fire. Got him!
Hello, Pedestal, this is Epsom Leader.
I think they've had it now.
Am taking up umbrella cover. Over.
This is Pedestal.
Thank you, Epsom. Nice work.
We're very glad to see you.
Not nearly so glad as we
are to see you, chum.
(Ship's hooter)
Four, eh?
Well, that's more than last time, anyway.
And full of lovely grub.
Aye, but not a ruddy tanker
among the lot of them.
What do you think we're going
to fly the planes on - dried milk?
What the hell's happened to the Ohio, eh?
She was hit six times, sir.
After she'd been abandoned, parties of
volunteers got back on board...twice.
Each time she was hit again.
She was still afloat the last time
we saw her, but on fire aft.
I should like to say, sir, that everyone
realised the importance of getting her in.
They did their best.
It's all right, Whittaker. We know that.
What are you going to do now, sir?
Well, that's our headache, my boy.
You go and get some rest.
Thank you, sir.
Well, as a matter of interest,
what are we going to do now?
They may hang me...
but that doesn't make me a traitor.
Malta is my country...
..and what I wanted to do was to save her
from any more of this suffering and misery.
You and...you and Paolo and Maria...
all of you, you're good people.
But you don't understand these things.
From where I was, I could see it all.
The British are finished. They cannot win.
Why should Malta go on being crucified
when a few bold strokes would save us all?
You do see, Mother?
You do know that what I was trying to do
was the best for Malta and for all of you?
You chose your side...as
we have all had to do.
Yes, but my side was the right side -
the sensible side that would bring peace.
You chose as you thought right, my son.
We have done the same.
The choices were different, that is all.
Ah...well.
At least you will not be
pointed at in Malta.
I have arranged that.
- How's Paolo?
- Well.
And Maria?
She is well too.
It is best that they should
not know about this.
Not for my sake, you understand,
but for theirs.
You will tell them that you have had a
letter to say that I have died in Italy.
Oh...
Oh, you know I would have wished
to stay and help you.
Giuseppe.
Is it permitted that I give my son this?
It is only a crucifix.
No, madam, I'm sorry.
But I'll give it to the priest for him.
I'll make sure he gets it.
(Bell tolls)
You see...
.. I am dead now.
You cannot touch me or give me anything.
Except your blessing.
They will not mind that.
I loved you all...
..but I am dead now.
Give me your blessing, Mother...
(Tearfully)..and go.
Frank...your tanker's coming in.
They've managed to put out the fire. To stop
her sinking she's lashed to a destroyer.
Thank God for the Navy.
- Sound the alert.
- But she's not a ship of war, sir.
Isn't she?
- Sound the alert.
- Bugler, sound the alert.
FRANK: Rommel is here.
And here, at a place called El Alamein,
is the 8th Army.
If the Germans manage to advance now,
Rommel will be able to pierce
our main defence line
before the 8th Army's had
time to consolidate.
In other words, he'll grab the initiative
before they're ready to hit back.
Right. Ourjob's simple. To slow down
and stop Rommel by cutting off his supplies.
That's why you gentlemen
with Wellingtons and Beauforts
have been sent to us from the Middle
East. If his convoys come this way,
they' ll run into the Middle East
Air Force and the Fleet,
so they'll almost certainly
come straight down here.
Well, as you can see, Malta is an
ideal position as a base for attack.
We've begun well.
Two ships sunk out of a convoy of four.
But that is only a beginning.
From now until the Afrika Korps
is bogged down,
you're going to keep at it day and night.
This is an all-out offensive operation.
The restrictions on the use of petrol
and ammunition are off,
and so is the ban on talking
to base from the air.
These convoys have got to be found,
and if you run into trouble
with enemy fighters through
talking to base in finding them,
then you'll just have to run into it
and get out of it the best way you can.
Now a lot of you have
been used to taking it.
We're now going to dish it out.
We're going to crack Rommel on the nose,
even if we bark our knuckles a bit doing it.
Have you anything to add
to that, Admiral?
Only that now we've got submarines based
at Malta again, we'll play in this band too.
Big show this time, Peter. Big tanker,
two supply ships and five escorts.
- Right, I'll watch them.
- I could sleep for a week.
Stand by.
Fire one.
One fired, sir.
- Where to, skipper?
- The Eyetie battle fleet.
Peter Ross spotted them this morning,
between Sicily and Sardinia.
(Low whistle) What do we get
for a battleship? A case of Scotch?
I'm afraid I'll be a bit out of
touch after all this...
but I think I can get a readership
in archaeology.
I was practically promised it
just before the war began.
Then we could go and
live in Cambridge.
Cambridge?
- What is it like, Cambridge?
- Very beautiful.
Much more beautiful than Oxford.
You'd have to give tea parties.
- Why?
- One does in Cambridge.
Oh.
Perhaps we'd both hate it.
I'd rather do field work really.
Could you bear it?
Living in Mesopotamia or
Jutland or Palestine...
..or wherever my work took me.
It'll be a free world.
We'll see a lot of it.
That's all I can offer you, really.
To see our world and explore its past.
And children, of course.
Our children? Or just children?
Our children.
How many shall we have?
I would like six. But one must, of course,
wait and see what God sends.
Six?
I'm not sure that we shall be
able to afford six.
Not unless I get a chair.
A chair?
- Being made professor is called
getting a chair. - Oh.
Professor.
Professor. Professor Ross.
No contact, sir.
- We've lost them. - Probably doubled
back in the night. - The biggest convoy...
they've tried. Everything set up and
we have to have this filthy weather.
I don't think it's any good stooging around
in this, Peter. Just a waste of petrol.
If they doubled back,
they might be anywhere in the Mediterranean.
Hm. Does that mean that I can reckon
to be free for an hour?
No. You'd better stand by
in case it clears.
You can see her this evening.
All right.
Let me know the moment it's at all possible.
The weather can change pretty quickly
in these parts.
- The Met report says we should
have sunshine. - I dare say,
but that's three hours wasted.
If we don't find them today, we
won't find them until tomorrow.
And after that it'll be the
very devil to get at them.
I'm going down to the
airfield to have a look.
Afternoon, Bartlett. Afternoon, Matthews.
Afternoon, sir. I think it'll
clear up a bit, sir.
- You've got someone standing by?
- Yes, sir. Peter Ross.
He might get off. It's still
a bit thick but...
- Go and find him, will you?
I'd like a word. - Yes, sir.
We've got to get you on to these people
before dark.
- So make sure you're absolutely
ready to go. - Very good, sir.
- Afternoon, Ross.
- Afternoon, sir.
You've seen this convoy. It's the
biggest yet and it's got to be found.
Go and find it.
- And ifyou can't see it, find it by smell.
- Yes, sir.
It's still pretty thick here,
but it may be better further out.
We shall only just get on to them
before dusk anyway,
so if you pick them up
you will radio their position.
Don't talk until you've found them.
And when you do, give it to us at once.
Does that apply to wherever they
are, sir? - It applies wherever they are.
Do you understand, Ross?
Yes, sir.
Then get going and quick.
MAN: I'll send a report as
soon as we get anything.
Yes. Something might be coming up.
No, no activity over this side.
He's got long-range tanks on,
but even so, he's got about one more hour
before he'll have to pack it in.
- Nothing from Ross yet?
- No, sir.
Where is he? Is he still on the plot?
Well, I don't see why
he's messing about down there.
They're almost certain to be
steering due east now.
Hello, Striker. Hello, Striker.
This is Picture One.
- Here he is, sir.
- Put him on the speaker.
PETER:
Enemy destroyer travelling at full speed.
May have made a depth-charge attack
and now regaining convoy.
Am shadowing. Bright sunshine here.
Out.
He' ll have to be mighty quick
if he's going to find them, sir.
He's blown the gaff about his position.
They'll be on to him in a few minutes.
- They've probably got
fighters in the air now. - Mm.
PETER: Tally-ho.
Convoy sighted about ten miles ahead.
Can't quite see yet,
but I make it one big tanker...
..three other big ships...
and four destroyers.
Sir, six enemy aircraft approaching.
Damn, that was quick work.
Tip him off about this.
Tell him to get his picture and get out.
Give the bombers a position and get 'em off.
Hello, Picture One. Hello, Picture One.
This is Striker. Six bandits at 20,000 feet.
Get your picture
and then vamoose pronto. Over.
Righto. Going in for picture now.
Yes.
One tanker, three biggish chaps,
four destroyers.
A lot of flak coming up.
I think one of the destroyers
is one of those new special jobs.
No sign of your bandits yet.
They're up sun to him now, sir.
Tell him to break away and get out quick.
Hello, Picture One. Break off contact
and return base. Watch them out of the sun.
Message received, understood and welcomed.
I'm breaking away now.
Your little friends are with me.
Ah, this is where it gets tricky.
Rather uncomf...
(Silence)
(Soft crackling)
(Plane screeches)
Hello, Picture One. Hello, Picture One.
Are you receiving? Over.
It may only be his transmitter, sir.
- Are the bombers off yet?
- Taking off now, sir.
Good.
They'll just make it before dark.
Hello, Picture One.
Are you receiving? Over.
- The Wimpeys are over them now, sir.
- Good.
(Heavy gunfire)
(Bomb whistles)
(Newspaper seller shouts)
Extra!
Extra! Extra!
(Wild cheering)
(Bell tolls)
(Distant bell tolls)
GOVERNOR: We have seen hardship
and we have seen triumph.
We shall see more of both.
If history remembers us,
let it say that we stood fast in faith,
giving freely what little we had
and what little we were.
Never doubting that we spent
ourselves for the general good.
Boris J.