Full Metal Jacket

LOCKHART

(reading)

"Not While We're Eating – N.V.A. learn marines on a search and destroy mission don't like to be interrupted while eating chow. "Search and destroy". Uh, we have a new directive from M.A.F. on this. In the future, in place of "search and destroy," substitute the phrase "sweep and clear." Got it?

JOKER

Got it. Very catchy.

LOCKHART

And, Joker... where's the weenie?

JOKER

Sir!

LOCKHART

The Kill, Joker. The kill. I mean, all that fire, the grunts must've hit something.

JOKER

Didn't see 'em.

LOCKHART

Joker, I've told you, we run two basic stories here. Grunts who give half their pay to buy gooks toothbrushes and deodorants – Winning of Hearts and Minds – okay? And combat action that results in a kill – Winning the War. Now you must have seen blood trails... drag marks?

JOKER

It was raining, sir.

LOCKHART

Well, that's why God passed the law of probability. Now rewrite it and give it a happy ending – say, uh, one kill. Make it a sapper or an officer. Which?

JOKER

Whichever you say.

LOCKHART

Grunts like reading about dead officers.

JOKER

Okay, an officer. How about a general?

A few laughs.

LOCKHART

Joker, maybe you'd like our guys to read the paper and feel bad. I mean, in case you didn't know it, this is not a particularly popular war. Now, it is our job to report the news that these why-are-we-here civilian newsmen ignore.

JOKER

Sir, maybe you should go out on some ops yourself. I'm sure you could find a lot more blood trails and drag marks.

Some laughs.

LOCKHART

Joker, I've had my ass in the grass. Can't say I liked it much. Lots of bugs and too dangerous. As it happens, my present duties keep me where I belong. In the rear with the gear.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. DA NANG BASE – DUSK

Rows of hootches. In the distance, fireworks.

JOKER

(voice over)

Tet. The Year of the Monkey. Vietnamese Lunar New Year's Eve. Down in Dogpatch, the gooks are shooting off fireworks to celebrate.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. HOOTCH – NIGHT

Joker, Rafterman, PAYBACK and the others are in their bunks, reading, lazing, smoking grass.

Joker is writing in a notebook.

JOKER
(yawns and stretches)

I am fucking bored to death, man. I gotta get back in the shit. I ain't heard a shot fired in anger in weeks.

PAYBACK

Joker's so tough he'd eat the boogers out of a dead man's nose... then ask for seconds.

Some laughs.

JOKER

(John Wayne voice)

Listen up, pilgrim. A day without blood is like a day without sunshine.

PAYBACK

Shi-i-i-t! Joker thinks the bad bush is between old mama-san's legs.

Some laughs.

PAYBACK

He's never been in the shit. It's hard to talk about it, man. It's like on Hastings.

CHILI

Aw, you weren't on Operation Hastings, Payback. You weren't even in country.

PAYBACK

Eat shit and die, you fucking Spanish-American! You fucking poge! I was there, man. I was in the shit with the grunts.

JOKER

(John Wayne voice)

Don't listen to any of Payback's bullshit, Rafterman. Sometimes he thinks he's John Wayne.

PAYBACK

You listen to Joker, new guy. He knows ti ti. Very little. You know he's never been in the shit 'cause he ain't got the stare.

RAFTERMAN

The stare?

PAYBACK

The thousand-yard stare. A marine gets it after he's been in the shit for too long. It's like... it's like you've really seen beyond. I got it. All field marines got it. And you'll have it too.

RAFTERMAN

I will?

STORK

Hey, Payback. How do you stop five black dudes from raping a white chick?

PAYBACK

Fuck you, Stork.

STORK

Throw'em a basketball.

Laughter.

They are startled by the dull boom of mortar shells outside.

DAVE

Incoming.

PAYBACK

Oh, shit!

CHILI

They're outgoing.

DAVE

That ain't outgoing!

Some closer explosions, much louder.

CHILI

That ain't outgoing!

DAVE

Now what I just say?

The men grab their helmets, flak jackets and weapons and run outside.

RAFTERMAN

Joker, is this for real?

JOKER

Yes, it is, Rafterman.

EXT. DA NANG BASE – NIGHT

Men running everywhere. Sirens. A mortar round lands in the distance, then others nearer. Fires are breaking out.

INT. BUNKER – NIGHT

Joker loads an M-60 machine gun, then hunches down watching the main gate of the perimeter.

JOKER

Hey, I hope they're just fucking with us. I ain't ready for this shit.

STORK

Amen.

The sound of a truck approaching.

The marines get set.

The truch smashes though the gates.

The marines open fire.

The truck is hit by a hail of automatic fire; it explodes and starts burning.

N.V.A. troops follow the truck through the gate.

The attackers are cut down by a withering fire from the marines.

The attack peters out.

People yell, "Cease fire".

The firing trails off.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. DA NANG BASE – DAWN

Joker and Rafterman walk through the wreckage of the night's battle.

Prisoners are led past.

LOCKHART (V.O.)

The enemy has very deceitfully taken advantage of the Tet ceasefire to launch an offensive all over the country. So far, we've had it pretty easy here. But we seem to be the exception.

INT. SEA-TIGER OFFICE – DAWN

Dirty and still in. their combat gear, Joker, Rafterman, Payback and the other correspondents are slumped in, their chairs around the table.

LOCKHART
(walking)

Charlie has hit every major military target in Vietnam, and hit 'em hard. In Saigon, the United States Embassy has been overrun by suicide squads. Khe Sahn is standing by to be overrun. We also have reports that a division of N.V.A. has occupied all of the city of Hue south of the Perfume River. In strategic terms, Charlie's cut the country in half... the civilian press are about to wet their pants and we've heard even Cronkite's going to say the war is now unwinnable. In other words, it's a huge shit sandwich, and we're all gonna have to take a bite.

Long, serious pause.

JOKER

Sir... does this mean that Ann-Margret's not coming?

Laughter.

LOCKHART

(pissed off)

Joker... I want you to get straight up to Phu Bai. Captain January will need all his people.

JOKER

Yes, sir.

LOCKHART

And Joker, you will take off that damn button. How's it gonna look if you get killed wearing a peace symbol?

RAFTERMAN

Sir? Permission to go with Joker?

LOCKHART

Permission granted.

RAFTERMAN

Thank you, sir.

JOKER

Sir, permission not to take Rafterman with me?

LOCKHART

You still here? Vanish, Joker, most ricky-tick, and take Rafterman with you. You're responsible for him.

EXT. HELICOPTER SHOTS – DAWN

A military helicopter flies past a huge sun.

INT. AERIAL HELICOPTER – DUSK

Joker sits looking out the door.

Rafterman is frightened and airsick.

The DOORGUNNER laughs and yells as he fires his M-60 machine gun.

We see Vietnamese below running and falling.

DOORGUNNER
Get some... get some... get some... get some... yeah... yeah... get some... get some.

After a while the Doorgunner stops firing and grins at Joker.

DOORGUNNER
(shouting to be heard)

Anyone who runs is a V.C. Anyone who stands still is a well-disciplined V.C.

(laughs)

You guys oughtta do a story about me sometime.

JOKER

Why should we do a story about you?

DOORGUNNER

'Cause I'm so fucking good! That ain't no shit neither. I've done got me one hundred and fifty-seven dead gooks killed. And fifty water buffaloes, too. Them're all certified.

Rafterman gags.

JOKER
Any women or children?

DOORGUNNER

Sometimes.

JOKER

How can you shoot women and children?

Rafterman gags.

DOORGUNNER
Easy. You just don't lead 'em so much.

(laughs)

Ain't war hell?

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. LZ HUE – DAY

The helicopter lands.

Joker and Rafterman jump out, duck down low and move away through pink smoke blown by the rotor blades.

Marines run by carrying wounded on stretchers.

JOKER
(to a sergeant)

Top, we want to get in the shit.

MASTER SERGEANT

Down the road, two-five.

JOKER

Two-five. Outstanding! Thanks, Top.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. ROAD TO HUE – DAY

A road next to a small canal on the outskirts of Hue.

Tanks, trucks and marines are moving into the city past a column of refugees heading the other way.

Joker and Rafterman catch up to a Lieutenant, salute him and walk alongside.

JOKER
Excuse me! Sir... we're looking for First Platoon, Hotel two-five. I got a bro named Cowboy there.

TOUCHDOWN

You people one-one?

JOKER

No, sir. We're reporters for Stars and Stripes.

TOUCHDOWN

Stars and Stripes.

JOKER

Yes, sir.

TOUCHDOWN

I'm Cowboy's platoon commander. Cowboy's just down the road in the platoon area.