[Man] Take a look at a castle, any castle.
Now break down the key elements that make it a castle.
They haven't changed in a thousand years.
One, location. A site on high ground that commands the territory...
as far as the eye can see.
Two, protection, big walls. Walls strong enough to withstand a frontal attack.
Three, a garrison. Men who are trained and willing to kill.
Four, a flag. You tell your men,
��You're soldiers and that's our flag."
You tell them nobody takes our flag.
[Man] One step forward. Forward!
And you raise that flag so it flies high where everyone can see it.
Now you've got yourself a castle.
The only difference between this castle and all the rest,
is that they were built to keep people out.
This castle is built to keep people in.
[Shouting]
- [Men Chattering] - [Man On P.A., Indistinct]
[Rapping, Indistinct]
Ohh!
Come on. Give me the ball. Give me the ball, man.
- Come on. Give me the fucking ball. - Fuck you!
- [Knock On Door] - [Softly] Sir?
[Louder] Sir? A movement orderjust came in.
Give it to Captain Peretz.
- I'll take that, Sheila. - It's a Category ����A" transfer.
- Let me see it. - [Arguing]
- [Man] Fall out! Fall out! Fall out! - Play ball, man. Come on.
- [Classical] - [Peretz] 1700 hours?
N-No, no, we're prepared.
Well, it's just really fast. Okay.
Mm-hmm.
All right. You're sure you're positive about this.
Okay. Thank you.
Sir?
[Exhales] It's the real deal.
He is coming in at 1700 hours.
Seventeen hundred hours today?
That's what they said, sir.
I don't understand. The trial began today.
Apparently, he pled guilty and got ten years.
They're expediting his transfer as a courtesy.
Oh, as a courtesy?
They should be naming a base after the man. Not sending him here.
My God, Eugene Irwin.
Well, we have verdict. We have a sentence. We have a prisoner.
We do our job... whether we like it or not.
Puts us on our toes, though, doesn't it?
[Man On P.A.] Escort detail report to Gate 18 prisoner.
Escort detail meet the prisoner on Gate ��'A."
[Gate Buzzes]
[Inmate] I give him a week.
- 'Til what? - 'Til he ����scrags" himself.
The court-martial didn't put him over the edge,
- I guarantee you the shithouse will. - A week?
- Six bundles. - Six? Let's make it ten.
- All right. Make it ten then. - [Man] Ah, there we go.
Ten bundles, Mr. Dellwo. Very specific man.
- Anybody else? - You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.
Come on. We'll make it like the final four. Ten bundles a square. Who's in?
I'm not going to bet on whether or not a man's going to kill himself.
That's some creepy shit, pilot.
Besides, look at him. One week? He's tougher than that.
[Inmate] How much tougher, eight, ten, what?
- [Inmate] Eight. - [Inmate #2] Anyone else?
- You're an ice-cold motherfucker, Yates. - Hey, I'm not betting...
he's going to off himself, I'm just playing the books.
- What about you, Cutbush? I know you're in. - Put me in for a week and a half.
- A week and a half? - Wallace?
- Go ahead. - I have the transfer ����A" to the P.R.U. Now.
- Copy that. P.R.U. - [Woman] One wallet. Leather.
- Family photos? - [Irwin] My daughter.
- Grandson. - Would you like to keep these?
Um, that's an authorized item.
I'd appreciate that.
One set of keys. Glasses.
I'm going to need your ring.
Thank you.
Oh. Actually, you can keep that. Academy rings are authorized.
Three stars, two sets. Looks like that's everything.
- So, uh... - [Knocking On Door]
- Sir? Prisoner Irwin is outside. - Five minutes.
Five minutes. You can put that down if you want.
- You talking to me? - Yes.
I know what you're thinking. Do I salute you, or do you salute me?
Well, the answer is neither.
My men salute me, of course, and each other according to rank.
But there is no saluting by the general prison population.
Well, first things first. Are you hungry?
- No. - Are you sure? Mondays are our Salisbury steak night.
- Always a cause for celebration. - Indeed.
Indeed. May I offer you some lemonade?
- Thank you. - Just be a minute, sir.
- Prisoner Aguilar... - If you'll step over here, I'll give you...
a basic layout of the facility.
The building we're in now is the administration building.
That building there houses the tiers.
That's where you and the other inmates will live.
The building next to it is the laundry, where I've had you assigned.
Oh, that is the old blockhouse wall.
It's all that's left of the original prison from the 1870s.
I could've removed it, but I thought it was important to keep a sense of history,
so I asked the men to rebuild it.
- They seem to enjoy it. It's a matter of some pride now. - [Knock On Door]
- Sir? - Yes? Please, on the table there.
Please.
[Peretz] Come on. Let's go.
I personally meet with every new inmate here at the prison.
Usually downstairs.
And I ask them a question.
What do you expect from your time here at the castle?
Nothing. Just to do my time and go home.
Perfect. That is the perfect answer.
And now I have what may seem under the circumstances, a bizarre request.
I have a collection of most of the seminal books on warfare,
including The Burden of Command.
And I was wondering if you would do me the honor of signing it?
- Certainly. - Thank you.
- Captain Peretz. - Yes, sir?
Two minutes.
- That's impressive. - Yeah. It's a great collection, isn't it?
Yeah, sure.
That's a minie ball from Shiloh, used in battle.
Grant lost 13,000 men at Shiloh.
Suppose this got one of'em?
Never know. Do you?
I mean, do you collect anything?
[Irwin] No.
Just a few coins from some of the countries I've traveled to.
My father didn't care for military collections. I guess it stuck with me.
Any man with a collection like this is a man who's never set foot on a battlefield.
To him, a minie ball from Shiloh is just an artifact.
And to a combat vet, it's a hunk of metal...
that caused some poor bastard a world of pain.
I must have misshelved it... your book.
We'll do it another time. No, please, please. Allow me.
Sir, lights out in five. Do I hold the lock?
No. No. We are... We're through here.
Prisoner Aguilar, what are you doing? You do not salute this man.
This man has no rank. Saluting amongst prisoners is prohibited.
Y-Yes, sir. Bu-But I was saluting you.
- Take the prisoners to their cells, Captain. - Yes, sir.
Thank you for your hospitality, Colonel.
You're welcome.
[Man On P.A.] Inmates, one step to the rear... halt!
[Man] Shut the doors!
You're gonna be in cell 345.
- You get to shower every other day. - [Prisoners Chattering]
- Okay, hold up. - You fuck! I'm going to kill you!
- [Guard] Shut up, Beaupre. - [Shouting Continues]
[Peretz] Do not cross the yellow line while in formation.
During the day you're free to be in this area we're walking in right now.
- Showers on both sides. - Those stars don't mean shit now, do they?
You're allowed one book in your cell, in addition to the Bible.
Go up here, then make a right.
- I've got eight bundles on you, General! - Let's see...
No, no, no. You got to hold out for five weeks, then kill yourself!
[Peretz Talking, Indistinct]
- Three-four-five. Crash 345. - [Bell Rings]
All right, General!
[Peretz] First call, 0600.
- [Inmate] What'd you do, man? - What are you here for, man?
- Close 345. - [Inmate] How many did you kill?
[Inmate] Welcome to the castle, baby!
- [Knocking On Door] - [Peretz] Sir?
Sir?
[Exhales] Prisoner Irwin's in his cell.
- He's really something, isn't he? - Mmm.
Would you like the end-of-day report, sir?
- Is everyone where they're supposed to be? - Yes, sir.
Then skip it.
Very good, Colonel. Is there anything else?
Tomorrow, put out only one basketball.
[Inmate] What you doing?
- You just hit a brick wall. - Nigga, why you doin' that shit?
- Come on, little brother. - Get your hands off me!
- Come on, bitch! - [Arguing Escalates]
[Inmates Shouting, Cheering]
[Whistles]
Three-to-one on the little man.
[All Shouting]
[Inmate] Stab him!
Come on, Thumper. Kill 'im!
Come on, bitch!
- [Talking, Indistinct] - What are you doing?
- Man, you don't like it, Doc, take a walk. - You're fuckin' sick, Yates.
[Classical]
You see how easy it is to manipulate men?
Someone should write a paper on it.
[Continues]
Hold.
Come on! Come on, bitch!
- End it. - Sound the horn.
[Horn Blaring]
[Guard] On the ground now!
[Man On P.A.] All inmates remain on the ground in a prone position.
Get the hell down now!
- Thumper, get down! - [Thumper] I didn't mean it!
[Inmates Yelling] Get down, Thumper! Get down!
- Get down, Thumper! - Yes, sir.
[Man On P.A.] All inmates remain on the ground in a prone position.
- [Inmates Yelling] - No! I didn't do anything!
- [Singing, Indistinct] - Thumper, get down!
Sound off
[Thumper Groans]
[Horn Fades]
- [Gunshot] - [Inmates] Oh, shit!
- Watch where you're going. - Kiss my ass!
Don't worry about it. We'll do it later.
- [Inmate] Damn nigger! - [Inmate #2] What?
- You heard me! - [Inmate #2] Say it to my face, white bitch!
I'm gonna kick your white ass through the air! Shut the fuck up!
What the fuck you doing, beano? Hey!
I said what the fuck are you doing?
- The mortar's weak, Beaupre. - Don't worry about it.
- Mind your own business. - Cool out, man.
Shut the fuck up, or I'll stick this in your neck.
[Cutbush] They'll throw you back in the hole.
- It's all w-weak. - Don't worry about the mortar.
- M-My daddy's... My daddy's a mason. - Spit it out.
I don't give a fuck if your dad built the pyramids. Whites work the wall, period.
Get back on Spic duty and bring me some rocks before I give you a slap.
- They won't set, Beaupre. - What did I just tell you?
What'd I just tell you? We're only doing this...
to keepJohnny-fucking-eyeballs off our back.
Don't make me tell you again. Back the fuck off!
Beaupre! Knock it off.
What? Big hero.
Don't worry about me going back to the hole.
[Chattering]
How you doing?
You probably don't remember me, but I served under you in the Gulf.
Dr. Thomas Bernard, 33rd Medical Unit.
That's right. Actually, it's Lee Bernard, but close enough.
You were arrested for hashish... possession of hashish... as I remember.
- That's right. - It was a small amount, as I recall.
- You don't get sent here for that. - No, no. You don't.
There's more to it than that. Hey, Thumper!
- I was able to get you an aspirin. - Thanks.
[Exhales] I got shot with a real bullet once, Doc.
Didn't hurt this much.
That's the upside of real bullets, they cut through the flesh, hit fewer nerve endings.
Downside is they kill you.
Of course, so do the rubber ones sometimes.
[Thumper] Hell of a downside.
Hey, Doc, you think I might get one of them Purple Hearts?
Absolutely, Thumper. You take it easy. I'll try to get you some more.
You know Winter played us with that one basketball shit? Come on, man.
- General, sir. - Don't call me sir. I'm not a general anymore.
- Can we at least talk to you? - About what?
You still got friends in the Pentagon, right? You could talk to them.
I'm a little hazy on the subject matter.
Look, what happened here today happens all the time, sir.
- Let me get this straight. You mean there's violence? - Yeah.
- In a prison packed with violent criminals. - That's not what we're saying.
No. There's been... How many this year, Doc?
Um, 13 men down, 11 of them were critical injuries...
Stop your fucking whining. Listen to yourselves.
Then he only gives us the most basic medical treatment.
Completely substandard services.
- Substandard services? - Yes. Substandard services.
It's fucked-up shit, man.
I had a friend in Hanoi who had to repair his own fractured tibia.
You cannot begin to compare what went on in a foreign POW camp 30 years ago...
No, you can't compare.
I've led real soldiers in more difficult situations than this.
But you're not real soldiers anymore, and neither am I.
There've been murders.
Do you know what happens when you take a rubber bullet to the head?
The lights go out.
Twice in the last year there've been accidents...
- where men have been hit in the head and killed. - Nothing can be proven.
We're talking about expert marksmen shooting from minimal distances.
The guards just say the guy turned his head and boom.
It's not a random thing. You get on Winter's bad side, you're done.
When you're doing combat duty, after awhile,
life just becomes snapshots.
Most of them horrible. But not all of them.
Three years ago in Bosnia, I was driving a small unit through an I FOR town.
And I saw something pretty interesting.
I saw an old man sitting on a bombed-out porch,
playing a game of Dominos with what I presume is his grandson.
When I saw that I thought, you know, it's my turn.
I didn't retire after that, as I should have. I took one last assignment.
It was a mistake.
So, gentlemen, I'm done.
I'm not fighting anyone or anything anymore.
I'm doing my time here, I'm going home, and God willing,
I'm going to sit on the porch and play a game of Dominos...
with my grandson, who I've never met.
What'd I fucking tell you, Doc?
You call a three-star General ����man"? Why don't you call him ����dude"?
[Man On P.A.] Attention, inmates, the library will close early at 1700 hours.
The library will close early tonight at 1700 hours.
- Watch yourself, snitch. - Hey, Yates, everything all right?
- Okay. - [Inmate] My boy say you got a nice ass.
I got a guy in 129 who's way behind, telling me stories.
- How late is he? - Three weeks.
- Why didn't you tell me? - I'm telling you now.
Yates, no way that was a touchdown, baby. That was a fucked-up call.
Keep that shit on the down-low. They're all fucked-up calls.
How you doing?
So we lost: 22 to 20.
Army-Navy game.
Class of'92.
I met you once when I was a kid.
1981. It was a welcome-back celebration at the White House for the POWs.
- My father was with you in Hanoi. - What's your name?
- Yates. - Yates? Sam Yates?
That's right.
- Good man. - Nah, he wasn't.
After 30 years, everyone's a good man. It's the law.
- Mmm. - How is he? How's your dad?
He's not too good. He's dead.
- [Man On P.A., Indistinct] - I'm sorry. What happened?
Came home.
Billingworth, Irwin, Jacobson...
You're late. You have five minutes left on your visitor.
- Five minutes left. - [Chattering]
Rosalie?
- Hi. - Hi.
- It's good of you to come. - Thank you.
Was it hard getting here?
Um, I missed a turn.
It's just good to see you.
- How's Ben? Good? - Fine. Uh-huh.
- School okay? Grades? - Um, well he's in first grade.
- Well, do you have a picture of him? - No.
The one I have is two years old. He must have changed a lot since... since then.
And how are you, Rosalie?
Um...
- Look, Dad... - Uh-oh.
I just... I can't do this.
I can't do this small-talk thing with you.
The whole drive over here, I was trying to think what...
What am I going to say? What can we talk about beyond the weather...
and how's Ben, and I just went blank.
Do l... Do I intimidate you?
- Intimidate me? - I guess that's the downside...
of having a ����Yes, sir"����No, sir" military father, but I tried not to...
You weren't a father at all.
God, I'm sorry. I don't want to whine. I'm not here to be cruel.
You're a great man.
And you've done so much for this country.
- But? - No. No but. No but.
Just this isn't the place.
Well, it's the only place I've got right now, Rose.
Why did you call me, Dad? Why? I don't know you. You don't know me.
I mean, what did you think asking me here?
That I'd come every Sunday and maybe I'd bring Ben...
and he would sit and color while we talked?
There was a time. When I was about 20,
I had a whole list of things I was going to say to you.
- [Bell Rings] - Those days are gone.
[Guard] The visitation session is over. Please conclude your visits.
- [Inmate] This isn't enough time, man. - Let's go, folks. Let's go.
I'm sorry you're in this place. And I wish you the best.
[Scattered Good-byes]
I wish you the best.
I guess you figured out what to say after all.
- I guess I did. - Be all right if I wrote? Is that okay?
There's some things I'd like to tell you.
When I was in first grade, I got straight ����As."
[Inmate] Come on. Let's go.
- Afternoon, sir. - Don't call me that. I'm not...
Put your hand down.
- Permission to speak, sir. - What?
I just wanted to say welcome to the castle, sir.
- It's good to have you aboard, sir. - Aboard?
- You Navy puke, son? - No, no, sir. I was in the Corps.
What rank were you when you were arrested?
- I was a C-C-C... - It was either Colonel or Corporal.
- I'm guessing Corporal. - Yes, sir.
Why are you here? What did you do?
Well, that's just it. I di-didn't do nothing.
It was a mistake.
Oh. Okay.
[Man On P.A.] Medication call is in five minutes.
I h-hurt someone real bad.
How long you been here?
- Two years. - And how long do you have? How much longer?
Four years, eight months, eleven days.
And this mistake, you've just the one?
Just-Just one.
- Just one day in your life? - Ju-Ju-Ju...
No. Take your time. Got plenty of that.
Just five seconds, sir.
And you're a marine for what, one or two years?
And you're a violent criminal for five seconds?
- Yes, sir. - Well, according to my calculations,
that makes you mostly Marine. About 98 percent, I'd say.
- Yes, sir. - Then why not act like one? Stand tall.
This thing that you're doing with your hand, grabbing your hair, what's that?
- That was a salute. - A sa... Oh, no. [Laughs]
- I don't think so. You know where saluting comes from? - No, sir.
It comes from medieval times. Two knights would approach each other on horseback.
They would raise their visors and show their faces.
It's like they're saying, ����This is who I am.
I'm not the enemy and I'm not afraid."
A salute's about respect, son. Respect for yourself, the service and the flag.
- [Knocking On Door] - If you're going to do this...
Sir, you wanted to see me? Sir?
Come.
Look at that.
- Oh, man. - No, no, no.
At the War College, his very name was spoken...
with a reverence.
As if the syllables themselves conveyed what it meant to be a soldier.
Now here he is commanding an army of one...
the stuttering monkey.
Can't even watch.
I discussed the regulations on saluting with Aguilar, did I not?
- Yes, sir. - Remind him again... effectively.
[Horn Blaring]
Put your hand down.
Put it down.
- You don't have to do this. - Prisoner Irwin, what are you doing?
- He doesn't have to do this. - Look, just step back in the prison...
Son, I know a thing or two about the disciplining of soldiers.
- Prisoner Aguilar, resume your punishment. - Punishment is over.
Aguilar, I'm warning you...
- [Whistle] - Men down! Men down!
You're better than this.
- Okay, okay. That's enough. - [Alarm Wailing]
[Man On P.A.] All inmates remain on the ground in the prone position.
[Guard] Stay down! Everybody stay down!
What is happening here?
This prisoner was interfering with the corporal punishment of prisoner Aguilar.
Prisoner Irwin, I understand your coming here must be a big adjustment for you.
To go from commanding thousands of troops in battle,
having no war to fight and no one to follow you must not be easy.
However, I do ask that you learn how things are done around here...
and try to set an example for the other men.
Saluting is prohibited. Aguilar was saluting.
He is being disciplined. Surely you understand that.
- Captain, take the prisoner back to his cell. - Yes, sir.
Sir? May the prisoner speak, sir?
- Yes. - According to the Manual of Conduct,
the corporal punishment for a prisoner begun on the day shift...
cannot exceed the following morning's horn.
Prisoner Irwin, you are absolutely right.
Thank you for bringing that to my attention.
- Captain. Captain. - Yes, sir.
Prisoner Irwin, under no circumstances...
is an inmate allowed to make physical contact with an officer.
You have violated the U.S.M.C.F. Manual of Conduct.
And this violation requires discipline.
What's going on?
- Winter's got him on rock-and-roll detail. - Is he not going to make it?
No way. Three-two against.
Come on, you guys. Those stones weigh 25 pounds apiece.
It's gonna be 85 degrees by noon.
We have 2,000 percent humidity. The guy's not going to make the day.
- Everyone paid up this week? - Yeah, we're good.
Put mine in, double or nothing against. No way he's gonna make it.
- Beaupre, 12. - [Yates] Double or nothing, against.
Hey, hey, hey. [Continues, Indistinct]
[Yates] Who's down for ten?
At least take some water. If you're dehydrated, you're gonna drop.
- Can he take it off, boss? - Captain?
You can take off your shirt if you want.
- [Inmate #1] Hey! - [Inmate #2] What the fuck is that?
- Electrical burn scars. - What do you mean? How long was he in there?
Six years. Could of got out in four.
They offered him a full release, but he stayed six.
He said he wouldn't leave without his men.
[Inmate] Come on, baby! Drop that rock!
[Inmates Cheering In Distance]
[Inmate] Come on, General. You can do it.
- Come on, baby! - [Inmate] Push that rock, soldier!
Kind of tired, sir. Why don't you call it quits?
Don't listen to him, sir. It's not that hot.
Why don't you call it quits, sir?
Go, General! Come on, baby!
[Inmate] Come on. One more rock! You got it, sir!
That's it. It's over. Somebody pushed me. That's it. He's down.
- He can't go on like that. It's all over. Stay down. - Look at me.
- Follow it. - It's all done. All over.
It's all over. Yates, 36 packs you owe me.
- How many? - Four.
- What day is it? - Saturday.
- He's fine. - [All Cheering]
[Grunts]
- Yeah! - [Inmates Chanting] Go! Go! Go!
[Cheering]
[Cheering Continues]
Yes, sir.
[Blows Whistle]
The discipline order was horn-to-horn labor.
Doesn't matter where the stones are. You have to continue.
What's he supposed to do, Captain? He just moved the whole goddamn pile.
Well, he can move 'em back.
- [Exhales] - Bets are still on.
- Seven-two, against. - You're a fuckin' snake, man.
- Don't bet if you don't want to. - Yates, four in favor.
Four in favor, Aguilar. Four in favor!
Who's down for ten?
The horn. They're holding the horn.
Winter's holding the horn. That ain't right.
- [Inmate] Son of a bitch. - [Grunts]
- [Horn Blaring] - All right, everybody to the tiers for count!
- Let's go! Move it! - [Man On P.A.] Inmates will move to tiers...
for face-to-badge count.
Inmates will report to the tiers for face-to-badge count.
Why would you kill yourself to help him with his wall?
It's not his wall. It's your wall.
Prisoner Irwin, let's go.
The commandant would like to see you.
- They clean you up okay? - Yes.
The cut above your eye, it's not too serious I hope.
I'm okay.
[Sighs] Well, I am sorry about this.
It's the standard cooling-off period after a punishment detail.
I hope you understand... I did this for the men.
- The men? - Yes, to show them...
To show them that you are no different than they are.
Your new friend, Aguilar, he took a claw hammer to his platoon leader.
He maimed him in a quote, unquote fit of rage.
[Sighs] Whenever I am... filled with doubt...
whenever sentiment creeps in...
I just have to open an inmate's fiile and see what he's done.
I see what he's capable of. I see the worst in him.
And that makes my job easier.
It crystallizes my mission.
- Take him back to the tiers. - Yes, sir.
Hold on.
- Sergeant, taking him back to cell 345. - Very well, Private.
[Tapping Sound]
[Inmates Tapping In Unison]
[Tapping Continues, Louder]
[Inmate] General!
[Inmate] Good night, guys.
- Your winnings. - My winnings?
Aguilar placed a bet for you.
Four bundles at seven-to-two, two bundles at eleven to one. That's 36 bundles.
You could get yourself thrown out of the Hall of Fame for betting on yourself.
Corporal Aguilar.
Would you pass these out to the men? I don't smoke.
Thank you, sir.
- So you're the gambler. - Nah, I don't gamble. I'm just the bookkeeper.
- Yeah? I hear you're running a suicide pool on me. - That's right.
- Any squares left? - [Chuckles] Yeah, there's one.
Nine weeks.
- How much to enter? - No way, man.
Knowing you, you'd off yourself just to win the bet.
Oh-ho, not me. I bet on myself, it's to win.