[Werner takes pictures of the watch officers on the conning tower]
Captain: Take pictures of the crew returning, not putting out to sea.
Lt. Werner: Why?
Captain: They'll have grown beards by then. It would shame the Tommies to see mere boys give them Hell. Baby faces. Ones that should still suck mama's breast.
[pause]
Captain: I feel ancient around these kids, like I'm on some Children's Crusade.
[Chief Bosun enters the torpedo room, which has been dressed up as a red light room]
Chief Bosun: QUIET IN THIS WHOREHOUSE!
[the crew falls silent]
Chief Bosun: Bad news, men.
Ario: What's wrong?
Chief Bosun: [pause] Schalke lost the game. 5-0. No more chance of making the semi-finals.
[exits]
Ario: [throws a can at the bulkhead] I can't believe this shit!
Captain: Okay, men, now listen. We're going to blow out the water now and see if we can get our rear ends out of the sand. If we make it to the surface, things could still get pretty rough. Traffic's heavy up there. And we have to pray the engines start, so we can get out of this mess. The condition the boat is in, we have got to head straight for La Rochelle. If we make it...
it's half a bottle of beer for each! There is one thing on our side; they won't be expecting us. Well men, all set?
The Crew: [in unison] Jawohl, Herr Kaleun!
[the crew has finished resupplying, so fresh food is everywhere]
Kriechbaum: Hey! Move this stuff now! Clear the map! I can't navigate on bananas!
Johann: Captain, I wish to apologize.
Captain: You can't just apologize, Johann. You left your battle station at a critical moment. Also, you disobeyed my command.
Johann: Will I be court-martialed?
Captain: How many patrols have you done?
Johann: It's my ninth.
Captain: Why you?
Johann: It was a mistake. I didn't... It was... It... All of a sudden... As if... It won't ever happen again, sir. You can depend on it. I swear.
Captain: It's all right, Johann.
Johann: No court-martial?
Captain: [nods] Get some sleep.
[Johann exits. The
Captain adds "Decision, return to La Rochelle" to the log book]
[Johann climbs up to the bridge, places himself between Kriechbaum and Lt. Werner. Sniffs the air]
Lt. Werner: It's good for you, fresh air, right Johann?
Johann: [Spits] Nah.
[Johann climbs back down in the ship]
Kriechbaum: They're strange, these engine-room people.
[U-96 puts to sea among cheering crowds. Thomsen pulls up in his car]
Capt. Lt. Philipp Thomsen: Hail and victory and sink 'em all!
[the officers of U-96 enter the Weser's main cabin. The 1WO is the only one with his full dress uniform on]
Captain of the 'Weser': [to 1WO] Welcome aboard the Weser, Herr Kapitänleutnant.
[2WO stifles a laugh]
1st Lieutenant: No, not me. This is the Captain.
Captain of the 'Weser': [to the Captain] Ah. My apologies.
Captain: I'm sorry.
Lt. Werner: Is it hopeless?
Captain: It's been 15 hours. He's not going to pull it off. I'm sorry.
Lt. Werner: I asked for it. 'To be heading into the inexorable... where no mother will care for us... no woman crosses our path... where only reality reigns... with cruelty and grandeur.' I
was drunk with those words. Well, this is reality.