**
Whoa. Move that hand right now.
**
Annie. Hey, I want to read you something.
I know how to read. That's great. Here. Listen to this.
What is it? It's poetry.
Aww. It's been tried, and it's died.
Shakespeare came in here and I have to tell you, that's old.
Next. Gee, you're pretty.
Very retro. There you go.
I knew you'd come back.
You better watch those hands, buddy. Get your hands off--
Get your hands off! Hey! Hey!
Be a gentleman.
You paid him, right? Wow. You're cold.
You paid him! I didn't pay him, but I would've.
Yo.
Why is love like seasickness?
Why?
Once you got it, you got it.
Sergeant White.
Ahh.
Open field, mate. Been called back to duty.
Turn that damn thing off. No light near the open flight deck.
They're flying N.V. How the hell would you know?
What's his problem?
I don't think he likes M.P.'s. What you writing?
Poem. Yeah? What about?
Poetry. About my bayonet.
That's touching. Is there no end to your talents?
I can't make a very good margarita.
Package is waking up.
Hey! Three!
What is it? I don't know. A poem, something.
"Sheffield Steel. They say love will find a way."
Is it unusual for a soldier to be a poet?
We're not soldiers. We're M.P.'s.
All right, if things go bad on the ground,
put yourself under the protection of a combatant.
How dangerous is it down there?
Well, stick by me, Sergeants White and Blue, you'll be fine.
If it had been dangerous, D.O.D. would've sent you in a squad of Special Forces...
or never let you come.
Start putting things together. Get the package ready.
Please give a U.S. Army welcome to Miss Lila Lee!
Whoo! How's everybody doing tonight?
Good!
All right, y'all, so listen.
Y'all are looking good.
Um, you know, I never met my daddy. He died in Desert Storm.
But Mama used to say he had this real favorite song. Grab him.
* Oh, give me a home
* Where the buffalo roam
* Where the deer and the antelope play *
Hey, I'm out of ink. You got a pen?
Now, y'all are cowboys at heart! Sing along with me.
* Where seldom is heard
* A discouraging word **
* And the skies are not clou-- *
* Please, please let me make it right *
* Let me turn down the lights *
* Please let me latch the door *
* All the kings bow before
* Well, let me hear it now *
Marry me, Lila!
* Latch the door
* Make it right
* Let me be yours
* Tonight *
Whoo!
Get your M.P. hands off my pup.
You killed 'em. Yeah, I killed 'em.
I didn't even need a gun. How about that? Most impressive.
You think that's worth $50 million a year?
Only thing I know that's worth that kind of money is good manners.
Kiss my ass.
* Give me your secrets Bring me a sign *
* Give me a reason to walk the fire *
* See another dawn
* Through a daughter's eyes
* You give me a reason to walk the fire **
Bill? Company!
Mr.-- Uh, Danny White.
Mr. White! Sergeant White.
Guy in soft clothes!
You a C.I.D.?
Oh, something like that.Yeah.
You boys.
Come on in, get yourself a cup of coffee. Thank you, ma'am.
You, uh, work with him before?
We've met. Where was that?
He was kicking me off my base.
Bill! Morning.
Your wife's a very hospitable woman.
Oh, you mean she's very perceptive.
Is that what I mean?
Well, she let you in here without seeing I.D. or a badge or anything.
Maybe you mean she's too trusting.
Don't drink my wife's good coffee and tell me she's too trusting.
A cop's wife? What could be worse? -
Drink up. I'll be back in five.
Oh, by the way, I told her to expect you.
I'm not due for another 15.
Well, I told her you'd be early. How'd you know that?
I figured you'd wanna get here, catch me off guard, establish dominance, like the book says.
Want a piece of pie? It's in the icebox.
Just give her breakfast, son. No autographs. You'll get these on your way out.
Miss Lee?
All right. She's up.
Sergeant White, why don't you grab some grub?
"Sheffield Steel." Young fellow's quite the poet.
Is that what he is? Your friend's notebook. I took the liberty.
Good material for a song or two. Mm-hmm.
Hey, she wants to go to the forward area.
This is the forward area.
She wants to be out on patrol.
Ain't gonna happen.
But if she wants the same effect, I can blow her foot off.
She wants to "Get up in the thick of it."
Sir, this right here could, in the blinking of an eye, be the thick of it.
My orders are to ensure her safety in this area till 2230 this date...
and pack her back on a lovely and talented helicopter.
Thence to Baghdad and out of my hair.
If she has a different plan? Her possession of a plan is her God-given right.
But she will go when and where she's told.
Let's review today's festivities.
Ah, a publicity walk around in one quarter-hour.
Mmm.
Come here. -Do you believe this?
Hey, wanna give her some privacy?
Secure him.
Come here.
-- Okay, let's break that up.
Could you excuse us, please?
Yeah, in a minute.
Son, you're out of uniform.
Son, I'm here in an official capacity, and that capacity is to kick your ass.
Sergeant Blue. This boy wants a four-wall conference.
Sir! Sergeant White, secure this area.
Miss, I'd like you to put on some clothes. Is that so?
I would've bet you you would've liked the opposite, a fine-looking man like you.
Come on over here. Miss, get dressed.
You're due outside to talk to the press in 10 minutes. -Go get my dog.
And what's the magic word? Have a drink.
You son of a bitch. I offer you a drink, and this is how you treat me?
Get the hell out of here!
"Kings Bow Before Me!" Have you not heard that song?
Get out of here! Get out!
That's par for the course. What is she? Crazy?
Yeah, she's crazy.
Now, if any son of a bitch expects me to perform in this atmosphere,
y'all are barkin' frickin' mad!
And let me tell you, if you do not get these bozos out of my area code,
I'm staying right here...
and you can take your afternoon concert and shove it!
Oh. P.S., I want to go where the action is.
I didn't come here to sign autographs.
Lila! Lila! Lila! Lila! Lila!
Lila! Lila! Lila! Lila!
Well, hey! How y'all doing?
I have to say it is an honor to be here among you people.
Hey, break it up! Break it up! Back it up!
Think there might be a song lyric in that? You got real possibilities.
Really? I said move it back!
Hey!
I ain't movin' till these bozos are gone.
Yeah!
You know, I hate the M.P.'s.
Any y'all hate the M.P.'s?Yeah!
Here. You forgot your funny little hat. -
Show us your tattoo!
How'd y'all hear about that ol' tattoo?
You know, they promised they wouldn't print that.
Well, they lied to you, sweetheart.
You know what I'd like?
I would love to just purely live among you all.
No, that's right.
Just to be with you, eat with you...
and sleep with you.
-- All right, y'all, you know what I meant.
Don't take it the wrong way.
I mean, after all, I am a good girl.
Yeah! Trust me. I am a good girl.
Ain't life interesting sometimes?
I've remarked that, too.
Higgins!
Mr. Higgins, what's the color of the day? Color of the day is blue.
Tell me the other thing. Rover fortune.
What's your Aunt Sarah's maiden name? Hendrickson.
Mr. Strickland, what was the name of your first music teacher?
Mr. Ricardo.
A lot of trouble to take to guard a guy that's gonna be dead.
Well, we're all gonna be dead.
I assume the guy just didn't want him to die in his custody.
I'm gonna sleep a lot easier tonight and that's the truth. Thanks for coming.
You know, I've done a lot of prisoner transport. All right.
You want to hear my theory?
Your first music teacher was Mr. Ricardo? That's right.
What was your instrument?
Mr. Ayoub, it's time.
It's time.
I'll check it out.
E.T.A. stage one in--
Twenty. Stage one in 20 minutes.
Yeah.
Hey, uh, I got a daughter, too.
She's nine. That's her. What you got there?
Family picture. -
Why are you doing that?
This is a T.S.A. security advisory.
Do not leave your car unattended at the curb.
You will be ticketed and towed.
[ Woman On P.A. Continues, Indistinct ]
Rover fortune. Flight's delayed.
What do they want to do? They want you to wait.
We'll put him in the room.
We got this.
It's all clear here. What are you doing, showing him pictures of the folks back home?
Well, I have a theory about that. What's its source?
The source is, I've been doing prisoner transport for 13, 14 years.
I've learned that time spent on the bushwa is time you ain't spending on security.
And P.S., what the hell do you care if I'm showing him pictures of my family?
What does it gain? What's it gain?
What it gains, that fella's gonna get shot.
He's got nothing to lose.
What? Is he gonna overpower you? The fella's a zombie.
He's not gonna overpower me.
But he's liable, and I speak from experience, at any given minute,
to jump from his affectless state into his nut bag.
'Cause basically he's nuts.
He doesn't know whether he's dead or alive.
He doesn't know if he wants to get it over with now or live forever.
And?
And so if we bypass that rationale,
connect with him unconsciously about things he's familiar with, like a normal life,
he's much more likely to stay calm and biddable.
What? Too long a speech for the M.P.'s?
He's upset about his own daughter.
He can't see his own daughter. That's why I showed him pictures of mine.
Connect with him on a human level. Keeps him quiet.
Watch this.
I tried to turn on the television, but it's not working.
I think they're a little afraid you're gonna be getting messages from Mars or something.
What's your daughter's name? Name's Maisy.
Mine's Nali.
Yes. Leave the door open.
Great. You can take him home and keep him as a pet. Except he's gonna be dead tomorrow.
What's your mission, soldier? Deliver the package alive and whole.
Well, advanced your goal by another man's road.
-Fella's killed a lot of people. -And he's gonna die for it tomorrow.
What are you gonna do today that's gonna make that any worse? What?
Talk to him disrespectfully?
We're gonna be here for a bit.
Bet you can't guess what I got in my pocket. No, I can't.
Deck of cards.
Sit down. Sit down.
My daughter lives in this city.
That's a shame.
Oh, thank God you've come. Hey.
Is he here? Yes, he's here.
It's so good to have a man around the house. What have you tried?
Well, we've tried not having a man around the house, and that's not so good.
Okay. Is the water shut off?
Oh, hi.
Oh, knock it off.
Kim. Hey, Kim.
Olly olly oxen free, okay?
I do not need to be set up by the Marx Brothers.
And I do not need to suffer the machinations of the well-meaning.
You know Hector Williams? I've met Hector Williams, and we've had our say.
Why not? Why not?
That's right. Why not go out with you?
That's right.
At least he's straightforward. Turn it around. Why go out with you?
Because he's gaga about you. Dime a dozen.
Because I'm a nice guy. Nice guys finish last.
Because he's drop-dead the best soldier on the base. Take it to the bank.
Well, why didn't you lead off with that? That'll get you a date.
Think of it what you will.
I've got her and her manager screaming bloody murder. Sir, I got my hands tied.
I have been directed, me and my team, suit up as M.P.'s because young lady, quote,
"Doesn't wish to be guarded by," saving your presence, "shock troops."
And here we have her request to move among the soldiers treated with wanton disregard.
Quote, "One of the world's most prominent young artists who has risked her life to entertain."
Sir-- Now she's gonna e-mail her senator and the news networks.
Sir. I'm listening.
Two guys in a room? All right.
She's a two-bit tart on an adventure holiday.
She's a drunk and a pill head, and I caught her in her quarters raping a young corporal.
I cannot and will not allow her to step one foot out of this secured area,
let alone on patrol.
You will not allow?
Sir, you've got an antiwar leftie lush...
the Pentagon would rather have in the accommodation urinating out.
That's why she's here, pursuing her dream of sacrifice and martial glory.
Two old soldiers, we're walking a thin line.
Name of the line's "Keep her happy, but don't get her killed."
My end of things is, "Don't get her killed." Then help me out with my end.
Sir, mind if I get grisly? Say on.
She's psychotic. Play into her sense of drama.
You got a soldier who's laid up, minor wound, take him aside.
He tells her, "You're my favorite singer in the world.
My hand don't work. Would you write me my letter home to Mama?"
You put her on the Internet writing a poor lad's letter to Mama.
The bloggers pick it up.
Worldwide publicity. Everybody goes home happy.
Sarge, you've been out after dark.
Thank you, sir.
Where's it coming from? Can you see 'im?
We're trying to get a fix now. Go get 'im.
She was walking to the mess tent!
Where is she now?
Oh, hell!
Damn!
Bye, baby.
Please help!
-Oh, my God! -Come up!
How's she doing? Shook up!
Let's go!
Pick it up!
Top, I don't think we're going anywhere!
Apple Six, this is Military Police 303!
Apple Six! This is Military Police 303! We're taking mortar fire!
What the hell did you think you were doing? I wanted to go to the party.
Well, you forgot your funny hat!
These two men will meet you at the airport. You will surrender the prisoner to no one else.
Washing his hands again?
You'd be washing your hands too if you'd done what he's done.
All right, let's go. Next stop, four hours.
Our people will meet you in Miami and oversee the transfer.
It's time.
My daughter lives in this city.
It's time, sir.
And Ayoub? Yes, it is.
No one on the plane after us? That's correct.
Sky marshals in place?
That's correct. All right, let's go.
I'd like to see my daughter.
Ayoub! Ayoub!
-- Back in the room! Back in the room!
Send the plane. Let the plane go. Get him back in the room.
Go. Go. [ Speaking Foreign Language ]
Not clear! Not clear!
Well, I scrubbed it as this airport is compromised.
So is the flight. So is the arrival airport and time.
I'll hold. It's his daughter.
Is that right? Is that your daughter?
What is that? What does that say? Who reads that?
No, no, no. Dream on.
Yes.
Military transport, as my unit suggested in the first instance.
No. Sir, we are secure here.
I suggest contact his embassy. You arrange new transport, this field, by military carrier.
Standing by.
You know how to screw up a one-car funeral? Huh? You make it a joint operation.
So who the hell are you?
I-- I've broken no law.
Who are you?
I brought him a message from his daughter.
And how did you know we would be here? I've broken no law.
That's true. But you got unlucky.
How did you know we would be here?
She worked it out. What does this say?
"I love you. I miss you. I long to see you one last time."
Where is she?
She longs to see him one last time. Where is she? I'll make it happen.
She's in the airport.
All right. Did you have a good time?
Yeah, I did.
Good.
Aren't you in Special Forces or something?
I'm a clerk. Mm-hmm.
But didn't they ever teach you that you gotta take the initiative?
Well, I must say--
Annie! Annie!
Sir? I miss you.
I got no quarrels with you, man. Annie! Billy!
Now run!
You pay him? -
Thank you for a lovely evening.
Oh, but uh-uh.
Why not?
Trouble follows you! Trouble follows me?
Uh-huh. That's right. Hmm.
Roger that.
Rest of the cavalry in 10 to 15!
There you are.
Hey, Soldier. How you doing?
I'm all shot up. You're gonna pull through!
They're on their way. You heard that. Could you do something for me?
Well, you bet.
Would you write to my mother?
What do you want me to say to your mom?
Tell her I'm with you. She won't believe it.
Do you know my songs? Yeah.
I know all your songs.
Well, which one's your favorite?
* Babe, baby, baby
-- That's my favorite, too.
You want me to sing a little for you?
[ Gunfire, Explosions Continue ]
He's sleeping? He's dead.
We got some help!
Over here! 303rd M.P.'s!
Three of us and the girl, one of yours!
Come on, now. Come on, miss.
Let's move!
Come on now, miss. Gotta make a move.
Guy coming in!
Marker six!
He's dead.
Let's go. Let's make a move!
Miss Lee? Come in.
The young fella... got killed.
Yes.
He was running to his truck.
Yes. Why?
He went back for ammunition. -
Your man. Yes.
Ran out to get him. Yes.
Why?
Go ahead and drink if you have to.
I was gonna say it won't kill you, but it will kill you.
It just takes its time.
Top.
Hey. D.F.I. Troop's full of healthy anticipation waiting for our friend to sing.
Post which immediate evac by helo to Baghdad and then to the world, not sparing the horses.
Security by other troops and we are stood down. Lila!
She's in back. I'm not sure if she'll sing.
And if not, I'd like to pack her up and get her out right now.
I'll ask her. I'll ask her for you. -
Look, Sergeant said he's gonna ask her.
They're hoping you'll sing 'em a song.
They expect me to sing? That's right.
After what just happened? You wanted to come and sing.
Information on the soldier. You said you'd write him a letter.
Thank you.
I'll go out there and sing. That's right.
Do you believe people can change? No.
You don't believe that people can change?
Nope. Seen it though.
How did you know your father would be here? Where else would he be?
Explain it to my satisfaction.
Is my father here? Just break it down.
I want to see my father. You help me, I'll help you.
I don't believe you. Well, you don't help me, I don't help you. You can believe that.
You needed to take him on a commercial flight. And why is that?
To show that he is not a military prisoner, which he is.
He-- To show your hands are clean.
He is a civilian prisoner of the Federal Department of Prisons,
which is remanding him to the government of your country for trial.
He is going to be executed tomorrow.
Things are rough all over.
She's alone. Airport's clean.
Who's your friend?
Fella with the photograph?
He is my husband.
Close that door. What are you doing? Papa!
Nali! Nali! Wait. Just wait.
For God's sake, give 'em a minute. Why?
Out of human decency? Try again.
What does it cost ya? What do I gain from it? Take her away.
Wait! What do you gain from it? That's right.
Do you have a family? I can't remember.
You gain that, all rhetoric aside, all bull aside,
everything he's done aside, he's still a human being.
You got a woman on your team? That's right.
Throw a wand on her. Search her to the skin.
She's got one minute, all of us in the room.
So. -So?
Yes.
Are my actions fodder for some round table discussion? Theoretically, yes.
Because? Well, here's why.
The guy is nuts about you.
It seems you like him so, too, and--
And we, our unit--
The Logistical Studies Unit. That's right.
Have--
We have-- We have certain requirements.
I understand.
Which do not weigh so heavily on the married folks.
All right.
But which impose certain restrictions on the unmarried.
As to what they can tell whom. Good for you.
Hector. Hector...
is a gem beyond price.
He is smitten with you.
Where this might go, of course you can say, and Lord, you make me feel old.
And you are in butterfly stage of your development...
and perhaps flit from flower to flower, but--
But-- if you are looking...
or foresee at some point you might be looking for a good man--
Whatever the commitment is. I'm honored you think me worthy of him.
Then take a look at Hector Williams.
I'll give him one weekend.
* Now, what can I say
* What did I do
* Was there something you thought *
* I was withholding from you *
* Help me to see
* Explain it to me
* Oh, baby please come home again *
* Now, I've heard that men crave adventure *
* So I'll tell you what I have arranged *
* If you left 'cause you needed *
* A different girl
* Come home and you'll find that I've changed *
* Oh, my latchstring is out of the old front door *
* And the staircase still creaks *
* Like it used to before
* Old candlewick spread
* So fine on the bed
* Oh, baby, please come home again *
* It's the same old key
* 'Neath the welcome mat
* And an empty hook
* For your traveling hat
* I watch and I pray
* That you'll know the way *
* Oh, baby please come home again *
* I watch and I pray
* That you'll know the way
* Oh, baby, please
* Come home again *
[ Soldiers Cheering, Applauding ]
And my dearest wish is that you all make it home safe too. God bless you.
What?
They took my poetry book!
What? My poetry book!
"Sheffield Steel!" I was writing a poem!
Poetry's for sissies!
What? He said poetry's for sissies!
Did you miss grade school, boy? What?
He said, did you miss grade school?
No, I went! I didn't pay attention!
That's why you ended up in the army!
We have an inbound flight touchdown in 10.
[ Speaking Foreign Language ] No. English only.
Papa?
I want to--
I want to say-- Shh.
It's okay.
Yes. That's affirmative. Gotta go.
You'll hold her? Yeah, we'll hold her.
Good-bye.
Keep the door open.
All right, let's go. Baggage area to air-side.
Van to the runway. Put a vest on.
You did the right thing.
Put the vest on him. Let's get him out of here.
Where's her scarf?
Where is her purple scarf?
Oh, God.
We need an ambulance! We need a medic right now! He's dead.
We need a defibrillator! He's dead.
Well, she just killed her father.
She just poisoned her father.
No, don't you touch him. I gotta make some calls.
[ Officer On Headset, Indistinct ]
You could use a shave, soldier. I just got in.
What happened to "No excuses"? Didn't they teach you that? No excuse, sir.
You're reporting a dead war criminal...
five hours from a happy extradition,
dead on your hands in an American airport?
Sir, that is correct. We did a piss-poor job of protecting him.
As instructed.
We couldn't have let him go home. No, sir.
We're clean? Yes, sir.
You're sure? Yes, sir.
Well done.
Though I-- I practically had to drag that girl into the safe room.
Dismissed.
Sir? All right.
That M.P. Yes?
He has a daughter too. Yes?
It's gonna cost him his career.
There's a war on.
Top, check this out.
My new song was very much influenced...
by my experiences in Iraq three months ago.
That's right. You went to Iraq to entertain the troops.
That's right, Nigel. Why?
Why? You know, my daddy died in Desert Storm.
Come on. That's a lie. Your daddy's a 60-year-old drunk in Boca Raton.
That's true? That's the gospel, baby.
You know, I sat with him. I don't know if you know this, but I was involved in-- in--
In combat? That's right.
I don't know how they get away with this.
I thought she was, you know, under house arrest.
I think she's been in every rehab-- Why are you so upset?
Wait. Shh-shh-shh. **
* They say love will find a way *
* But I'll tell you what at the end of the day *
* Maybe love ain't even real *
* But I believe
* In Sheffield Steel
* Sheffield steel
Hello, hello. Kim Brown's famous baked tuna surprise. Shh-shh-shh!
* More than I
* Could say for you
* You've touched my heart
* And you made me feel
* Your knife forged out of Sheffield Steel *
* The eyes can pierce
That's a great song. Oh, you're kidding me.
What's wrong with you? That's right up your alley.
He doesn't like the song? You don't like the song?
Great song. I wish I wrote it.
* But I missed the knife
* That you put deep inside me *
Well? You betcha.
If we sprinkled rice on our hair, I'd even feel married.
Oh, you're scared.
Oh, good. No, we do not have to get married.
But we should get comfortable.
Come here. I'll break the ice.
**
Mmm. There you go.
It's just like falling off a log.
Annie, I'll-- Go get some ice.
We're gonna see how many uses we can put it to.
When you get back, I'll give you a big surprise.
Hmm. You know what?
What? You're all right.
You're all right, too.
Hurry up!
* They say I don't know if a broken heart can heal *
* But not a heart made of Sheffield Steel *
Tom.
* Sheffield Steel Tom.
* Tempered and true
* More than I
* I could say for you
* You've touched my heart
* And you made me feel
* Your knife forged out of Sheffield Steel **