[projector whirring]
Good morning.
In less than 48 hours, man will embark
on his first trip to the moon with the hope of landing there.
As tensions over the war in Vietnam continue to escalate,
the eyes of the world are on Cape Kennedy,
where crews are working around the clock
to prepare Apollo 11 for launch.
After a four-day journey in space,
astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
are scheduled to set foot on the moon's surface
late Sunday night, July 20th, Eastern Daylight Time.
♪ When I die and they lay me to rest ♪
♪ Gonna go to the place that's the best ♪
♪ When I lay me down to die ♪
♪ Going up to the spirit in the sky ♪
♪ Spirit in the sky ♪
♪ That's where I'm gonna go when I die ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ When I die and they lay me to rest ♪
♪ I'm gonna go to the place that's the best ♪
[bluesy rock music]
♪ ♪
♪ Prepare yourself, you know it's a must ♪
♪ Got to have a friend in Jesus ♪
♪ So you know that when you die ♪
♪ He's gonna recommend you to the spirit in the sky ♪
♪ Spirit in the sky ♪
♪ Gonna recommend you to the spirit in the sky ♪
♪ That's where you're gonna go when you die ♪
♪ When you die ♪
♪ When you die and they lay you to rest ♪
♪ You're gonna go to the place that's the best ♪
♪ ♪
[birds chirping]
Hey, Joiner.
Ain't it about time for a Slim Jim?
What the hell's he got?
Joiner?
Looks like our friends left us another little surprise.
Nice catch.
All right. Thanks, Joiner.
Damn.
Thanks, Joiner.
- How does he do it? - Thanks, Joiner.
Hey, tell Jane to stop banging her professors
and get that next care package in the mail.
Do you ever shut up?
Make sure she throws in some Cheez Whiz too.
[laughter] Thanks, Joiner.
Hey, come on, Wright, why don't you finish your story?
Where was I?
You were up on the Ferris wheel with Miss Ohio
in a tight satin dress, tiara, the whole package.
Come on.
Yes, of course.
So we're riding along, you know,
she's looking at me, I'm looking at her,
that kind of thing, and...
just when we reached the top-
Bam!
- Jesus Christ. - Son of a bitch stops.
Big deal, they always stop.
Let people on and off the ride.
No, I mean dead.
Whole gear got sheared off or something.
There we are, me and Miss Ohio, about a mile high,
looking down on all these incredible lights,
full moon above us, crowd of people below.
[scoffs] Yeah, keep going.
She looks into my eyes,
and there's this really heavy vibe going on.
Next thing I know, sash comes off.
She's unzipping her dress and her hands are all over me,
I mean, like, all over me.
That's my boy.
I been on the Ferris wheel back home a thousand times.
How come nothing like that ever happened to me?
Oh, sure it did.
It was your own hands all over you.
[laughter]
Don't laugh. That's not funny.
It's not funny. Don't laugh.
[laughter]
Joiner, what is the point of night watch?
Claymores are set,
take care of any bad guys creeping around out there.
[sighs]
HQ, this is Jolly Two.
We'd like a large pepperoni with extra cheese,
and make it snappy, would you?
Ah, come on. That was funny.
Not even a smile?
Wright?
Will you please just shut the hell up?
[blows]
[explosion]
[gunfire]
HQ, this is Jolly Two!
The bush is live!
More firepower and immediate evac requested!
[gunfire]
Copy, Jolly Two.
Order of evac en route.
[gunfire]
I'm out!
[exhales forcefully]
[gunfire]
I'm out.
[gunfire stops]
[crickets chirping]
[branches snap]
[gunfire]
[shouts]
[screaming]
[grunting] Oh, God.
[groaning]
Shit.
You guys okay?
About damn time.
- Stay with me. - Okay.
Stay with me. Stay with me.
We got a hawk 9-2.
We're setting down now.
LZ is clear!
Dee dee mow!
Hang in there, Burns, you're gonna be all right.
Guys, we really got to go.
On three. One, two-
[gunshot]
- Shit! - Joiner!
You okay, buddy?
I'm fine!
Just lift, lift!
[shouting and gunfire]
Move, move. Get 'em out of there!
[gunfire and shouting]
Heh.
Eh, bulletproof, my ass.
What about Burns?
They're shipping him to Da Nang.
Get him stabilized, and then he's going home.
What about you? You okay?
Ah, shit.
It doesn't make sense.
I mean, yeah, her letters and packages slowed down,
but she had midterms and then finals.
Michigan's a big jump
from high school in Hammond, Indiana, you know?
I mean... but this?
This isn't Jane.
You know, we've got this plan.
We've always had our plan.
You think it was another guy-
- Don't even say it.
[sighs]
I'm sorry, man.
What the hell am I gonna do now?
[exhales]
Get a new plan.
[soft instrumental music]
♪ ♪
[upbeat music]
[woman speaking foreign language over loudspeaker]
♪ ♪
Now listen up.
You already know the drill,
but I'm gonna say it again anyway.
Everything you say and everything you do
reflects back on each and every one of us
and our entire country.
Just remember, gentlemen:
Get drunk,
fall in love,
whatever floats your boat,
but one week from today,
0800 hours, your asses better be here.
Do I make myself clear?
I said do I make myself clear?
All: Yes, sir!
Dismissed. Get out of here.
Hallelujah.
Okay, first stop, Madam Wu's.
One price gets you the chick, the booze, and the room.
That'll be home base.
Hookers and booze?
Now we talking.
From there we'll spread out,
do some reconnaissance and if the situation warrants-
meaning the level of chick is significantly better elsewhere-
we'll change locale.
Now, Joiner definitely needs a pro.
Where the hell is he?
Damn it, Joiner.
Ahh.
Let's go find him.
No, no, you guys go. I'll get Joiner.
He's probably on the phone making a total ass of himself.
Right behind you.
[woman speaking foreign language over loudspeaker]
Hey, hey.
What the hell are you doing?
I'm going back to see Jane.
Jane is gone.
You can't just get on a plane back to the States
in the middle of the damn war
'cause you miss your girlfriend.
You heard Johnson.
One week from today, 0800.
I'll be here.
Military fly free.
This is not a joke, man.
That's how close I came to being a dead man.
It's a freakin' half inch.
Now I got a second chance,
and I'm sure as hell not gonna blow it
by screwing around in Hong Kong for a week.
Oh, I get it, so instead you're gonna risk
blowing the rest of your life.
Go AWOL and you're done.
Whatever you do, that's always gonna be on your record.
I'm only AWOL if I don't get back on time.
You got dumped.
That's a drag, and you're upset, okay?
I'm sorry.
But believe me when I tell you this:
There are a million other girls out there
with all the same parts in all the same places.
But there's only one Jane.
She's just a girl, man,
a girl who-
I'm sorry, but I believe you need to hear this again,
'cause it's clearly not sinking in-
she doesn't want to see you anymore.
I'll see you next week.
Astronauts report it feels good.
T- minus 25 seconds.
Hey, Wright.
- 20 seconds and counting. - Come here.
T-minus 15 seconds. Guidance is internal.
12, 11, 10, 9-
- Mark my words,
you'll never forget where you were
when those boys landed on the moon.
Yes, sir.
3, 3, 1, 0.
[bell dings]
You mind if I take the window seat?
What are you doing here?
Military fly free.
No, Wright, I'm serious.
You got to get off the plane.
Hey, couldn't abandon my buddy.
Not to mention, if someone's gonna pull off a stunt like this
and live to tell about,
you can be damn sure it's gonna be me.
It's not a stunt, Wright.
Man, the guys are gonna shit when they hear about this.
You thirsty? I'm thirsty.
[bell dings repeatedly]
[bell dinging repeatedly]
Quit hittin' it.
One day at a time.
That's how you survive.
So many nights sitting ambush,
not knowing who's gonna come bursting out of those trees,
not knowing if it's gonna be your last.
[sighs]
Man, if I would've known
that it was gonna end up like this,
here in the clouds with two of the loveliest angels
I've ever laid eyes on...
[both giggle]
Hell, Uncle Sam could have kept
all my Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars.
This is reward enough.
[bell dings]
[sighs]
Duty calls.
We'll talk later.
Okay.
"Whoo, boy, I gotta hand it to you, Wright,
you're one smooth operator."
"Oh, hey, thanks. It was nothing, really.
"I was just looking out for my buddy here,
"thought he might appreciate me fixing us up
"with a couple of stewardesses.
It's my pleasure, really. I mean-".
She got scared.
The blonde or the brunette?
Jane.
It was easier for her to break things off
than it was to worry about whether or not
I was gonna come back alive.
And once I show her that I'm fine,
that nothing's gonna happen to me over there,
she-she'll come around.
Look, Joiner, I just want you to be prepared-
- We promised each other
that we wouldn't get officially engaged until I got back.
You know, we didn't want to jinx anything, but...
I'm thinking maybe she needs that.
You know, something to hang on to,
to help her get through it alone.
I'm gonna ask her to marry me.
[laughs]
That's great, man.
That's a great idea.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Apollo 11 has escaped Earth's orbit,
and it's all systems go.
I know you'll join us in wishing the crew
the best of luck on their historic journey to the moon.
[rock music]
♪ ♪
♪ Chasing phantoms in a rolling box of steel ♪
Hey, look, Joiner, they built me a statue.
I call it the brick dick.
You get it, 'cause it's like-
- Yes, Wright, I get it.
♪ Satan rides the waves of anger and scorn ♪
♪ My place of refuge is the eye of the storm ♪
How's it going, sweetheart?
♪ Because I ♪
[laughs]
♪ I will ♪
I take it dinner is out.
Forest should be this next right-
- Go fuck yourself, baby killer.
Excuse me?
Let it go.
What happened to "Thank you for your service"?
♪ I will not follow ♪
[birds chirping]
[folky music playing inside house]
♪ ♪
Hey, big fella.
Do you mind?
♪ ♪
Sure y'all in the right place?
This is 215 Forest Street.
I know that address like I know my own name.
♪ ♪
This is good stuff, Meredith.
Students should know when they put their money
in the Arbor Continental Bank,
their money's helping pay for the war.
So can I run with it?
Let's do it.
♪ ♪
[scoffs]
Uh, guys?
If you've come to look for recruits,
I think you've come to the wrong place.
Oh, no, I'm looking for Jane.
Uh, I'm sorry. There's no Jane here.
[chuckling]
I'm excited. All right.
Jane?
[chuckling]
Is it too spicy or...
Dalton.
Hey there, Janey.
Oh, my God.
Surprise.
Oh, God, I missed you so much.
I was so worried about you.
Oh, I can't believe I'm holding you right now.
Dalton, what's going on?
I thought you were supposed to be in Vietnam.
Damn!
This always happens.
I leave for ten minutes and I miss everything?
Hi there.
Private First Class Mickey Wright.
My buddy, Dalton Joiner, and who, my lovely lady, are you?
Uh, I am Candace.
It's a pleasure to meet you, Private.
[clears throat]
Uh, Private Joiner is back from Vietnam to see Juniper-
or Jane, depending on who- who you're asking.
Juniper?
Isn't there someplace else you two should be?
Like in the sack?
I cannot believe that Juniper has a boyfriend...
in Vietnam.
Let me guess, you see a couple ofArmy guys in uniform,
and you think we're the enemy or something, am I right?
No, no, no, not at all.
We know you guys have been deceived
by Nixon, Kissinger, Westmoreland,
just like the rest ofAmerica.
It's not your fault that you're uneducated.
Excuse me?
Unenlightened.
Unenlightened?
I'm sorry, but unless you've been there,
I don't think you have any idea what the war is about.
- Hey, take it easy- - No, no, it's okay.
Now, Joiner and me, we've been there.
Six long goddamn months.
We know the war is bullshit, okay?
Now, maybe we were sold a bill of goods
or maybe we're just old-fashioned,
but we actually believed
that going to 'Nam was the right thing to do.
Hell, Joiner here volunteered.
Listen, nobody's blaming you.
Maybe so, but you need to respect what that man did.
He had the courage to see with his own eyes
that what we were told was a load of crap,
a bunch of lies.
So what did he do?
He stood up and walked out,
just like that.
So go ahead, call me uneducated,
unenlightened, if you want,
but I'll tell you,
I'm damn proud to say I followed that man into battle,
and I followed him home in protest.
[scattered applause]
Why didn't you tell me?
This is gonna make a great story.
Where should we start?
Well, let's start with Jane, maybe?
- [laughs] - Juniper, Jane.
Old-fashioned apple wine.
You know, Joiner, this was a good idea.
Are you crazy?
Oh, horse piss.
Hey, did you check out that Candy girl?
Deserters, huh?
What the hell are you thinking?
Relax, man, you're a hero.
Now all you gotta do is march up those stairs and get laid.
You know, if this gets out, they'll hang our asses.
I think it's a firing squad.
Hey, I'm not shitting.
It's bad enough that we're AWOL.
- Wait a second, you said- - Forget about what I said.
You said that we're deserters.
And we're not talking a couple of days in the brig here.
We're talking big-time court-martial.
Who's gonna know?
We're back in a few days,
and besides, we're among friends.
Hell, we're heroes, man.
Look, do you ever stop to think
before you just let your bullshit fly?
No, not really.
Listen, soldier,
you got 72 hours to screw your brains out.
Dismissed.
Get up there.
[acoustic folk music]
♪ Do re mi ♪
♪ Afraid to sleep ♪
♪ See my dreams ♪
♪ But I want me to be ♪
♪ What I want to be ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Oh, do re mi ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Burning tree ♪
♪ Has gone away ♪
♪ Light me a path ♪
♪ And plant me a seed ♪
♪ Oh, burning tree ♪
Oh, man.
Couple of days ago,
I didn't think we were gonna make it out alive.
Hell, if I'd known it was gonna end up like this,
here in this place with...
the loveliest angel I've ever laid eyes on,
I'd have cut and run a long time ago.
[laughs]
Um... [laughs]
I'm sorry.
Did-
Did you say the loveliest angel?
[chuckles]
Yeah.
Okay.
♪ ♪
♪ They'll be burning tree ♪
I was just joking.
♪ ♪
How's it going?
♪ Oh, burn ♪
♪ ♪
I want to know what happened right here.
Did you get hurt?
It's nothing.
Just a scratch.
So, what's with this Juniper thing?
[sighs]
It's-it's just a name.
[softly] God.
Do you know how scared I was?
The next call from my parents was gonna-
- I know.
[whispers] I know.
It's okay.
You don't have to be scared anymore.
♪ ♪
Hey.
I'm sorry. [chuckles]
I did not mean to scare you.
Just reading one of your articles.
It's pretty good.
Well, thank you.
Oh, no.
Uh, I don't drink, actually.
Really?
Yeah.
Here I thought all journalists were drunks.
I want you to know
that I think what you guys did was incredible.
Will you tell me how you pulled it off?
We walked.
You walked.
We were on recon.
Just me and Joiner up by the Laotian border, and...
We got to talking about the war,
what it meant, what it didn't...
Then Joiner says, "What if we turned up MIA?"
See, I'm the radio guy, so...
I call in some phony positions,
tell 'em we're hot and heavy on the trail of the bad guys-
- Is that what you call the Vietnamese people?
That's what I call anybody who's trying to kill me.
Yeah, fair enough.
Then we just stopped calling in.
Complete radio silence.
Wow.
Turns out leaving was the easy part.
Getting back home-
Well, that was another story.
Oh, Janey.
It's Juniper.
So when we get to Thailand,
we trade our M16s for cash
and bribe this Eurasian pilot to haul us up to Singapore.
Turns out he's actually a pretty cool guy,
smuggled us up to Toronto, and I mean, from there,
it was a piece of cake.
That is so cool.
So how come you guys are still wearing your uniforms?
Joiner didn't want to scare Jane.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- Look. - Yeah.
- Peter and I- - Yeah, no, I get it.
It's...
We want to do a cover story on you guys for our next issue.
[scoffs]
Uh...
Shooting me down isn't enough?
Now you want to send me in front of a firing squad?
Listen, I promise we won't use any real names,
and it won't run until you're gone.
We just want a story on what it's really like over there.
You know, the truth.
Just sleep on it, okay?
Okay.
Well, good night.
♪ ♪
[upbeat soulful music]
♪ ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh ♪
[snores and gasps]
[grunts]
Who the hell are you supposed to be?
Oh, well, I'm a deserter, remember?
You look ridiculous.
Well, I gotta do it, man.
I gotta pop the question today.
So do it.
Picked up where you left off, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, it was-
It was different.
[chuckles]
Amazing.
Okay, don't rub it in.
Oh, I need a ring.
Doesn't Dalton look groovy?
[scoffs] Never groovier.
New uniform, soldier.
God.
Bunch of people are going down to South U.
We're gonna make it our own people's park.
You guys should come check it out.
Sounds like a blast.
Come on.
There you go, buddy.
Lock and load.
You okay on cash?
Yeah.
Yeah, thanks.
Hey, you think I got a chance
with that Candace?
Honestly? No.
- I was hoping you'd say that. - [chuckles]
Come on, guys, let's go.
Hey, uh, I've just gotta run, uh, an errand real quick,
but I'll catch up with you, okay?
What kind of errand?
Um...
Don't worry about it.
I'll find you.
You always do.
"Errand," that's what you come up with?
Well, what?
No, I mean, you might as well have just told her
you were buying a ring,
but no, errand works too, that's good.
Well, what the hell am I supposed to say?
No, it's good. It's great.
Thanks.
Hey, stay out of trouble.
Where's the fun in that?
Hey, Candace, I have an important question for you.
Yeah?
Where can a guy get a great burger around here?
[scoffs]
The late president promised we would put a man on the moon.
I wish President Kennedy was still alive
so he could see his dream come true.
Actually got, uh, a letter back from him, handwritten.
He thanked me but said since I was only 14,
I couldn't join the Peace Corps yet.
Hm.
Wow.
When I was 14, I was just trying to figure out how to get laid.
I should not have said that.
[laughs]
So, did you figure that out, or...
Eventually.
Take it they don't feed you so well over there.
You ever had a C-rat?
Um, no.
I don't- I don't usually eat rats.
[laughs]
So you don't drink, you don't get high,
and you don't eat rats.
You're not very much fun, are you?
No, I guess not.
C-rat is Army food.
You haven't lived unless you've had the ham and lima beans.
Yeah, it sounds delicious.
Mm-hmm.
So why didn't you join the Peace Corps when you got older?
Well, there were more important problems back home.
Your parents?
Vietnam.
Mm.
I went to work on Bobby Kennedy's campaign.
I think if they hadn't have shot him too,
the war would be over by now.
Yeah, I don't know.
What makes you say that?
I mean, it's just hard to imagine
anyone could stop this thing on a dime.
Well, it's hard to imagine they're going to the moon,
but they are.
True.
Thank you.
You sure you don't want anything?
Oh, no, I am getting sick just watching him.
[laughs]
- Okay, then. - Thank you.
[laughs] That is disgusting.
Are you really gonna eat all of that?
Eventually.
Oh, my God.
♪ We'll stay young forever ♪
♪ We'll get by however ♪
♪ But we'll always have love for each other ♪
[acoustic guitar music]
♪ ♪
♪ So come on home ♪
♪ To my daddy's farm ♪
♪ ♪
♪ I said come on home ♪
♪ We can share the load ♪
Dalton.
Stop the draft now!
Don't these people have jobs?
Well, let's see, go to work or protest a war?
It's not a tough decision.
Sure, as long as Daddy's paying the bills.
Peter seems like quite the concerned citizen.
He is passionate, to say the least.
Passionate about stopping the war?
Among other things.
Such as?
[laughs]
Hmm.
So, look, man, it's up to you.
It's your show. However you wanna play it.
You know what, let's stay on this block.
We need it in this movement, so...
[indistinct radio chatter]
The longer we let this freak show go,
the worse it's gonna get.
I don't know.
I got a feeling this party is gonna burn itself out.
[dramatic drumming]
♪ ♪
[shouting and glass breaking]
[crowd chanting] No more war!
No more war!
Hell no, we won't go!
Put your gun away, man!
Hell no, we won't go!
Go home!
[chanting and shouting]
[firecrackers popping and people gasping]
[scattered screams]
Power to the people!
[cheering]
Power to the people!
Hey, Ray's getting up there.
Hey.
Hey, Wright.
Um, I'm thinking we should get the hell out of here.
Aww, come on, man.
Fighting the war and protesting the same week?
How badass is that?
- Wright, I'm serious. - Come on, let's go.
Come on.
Yeah, all right.
[shouting and protesting]
Power to the people!
We got the power, pigs!
Power to the people!
[cheering]
Yeah.
Let me tell y'all something.
Shh, quiet, quiet.
While everybody's looking up at the moon...
ain't nobody looking down at the truth.
Huh?
Apollo 11.
It's all one big distraction.
It's a circus,
a circus set up by the military-industrial complex
to take our minds off the killing in Vietnam.
Huh?
[crowd shouts]
Send ol' Walter Cronkite
and the rest of those media ringmasters
on down to Houston,
and who cares about counting the dead this week in Saigon?
Huh?
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin-
[scoffs] Who the hell are they?
I mean, who the hell are they but a couple of clowns
in this billion-dollar circus?
Wake up.
And you want to talk about real heroes?
I'm talking about brothers who risked their lives
for something they believe in.
Yeah, right on.
Look no further,
'cause we got real heroes right here.
That's right.
I'm talking about two American soldiers
who woke up one morning in Vietnam
and decided enough was enough!
[cheering]
Two American soldiers who had the heart and the guts
and the conviction to say,
"Hell no, we won't stay."
Oh, boy.
What did they say?
Crowd: We won't stay.
- What did they say? All: We won't stay!
Deserters?
Not on my watch.
What did they say?
All: We won't stay!
What did they say?
Let's go, boys.
Officers, clear the street.
I repeat: Clear the street.
Disperse the area.
Please disperse now.
Let's dee dee mow. Come on.
Jane, come on.
Crowd: Pigs go home!
This ain't Saigon! We got rights!
Crowd: Pigs go home!
Pigs go home,
crowd: Pigs go home! Pigs go home!
Pigs go home! Pigs go home!
[people shouting]
We got rights!
Free speech!
First amendment!
Watch my pants, man.
[crowd shouting and chanting]
[grunts]
[frenetic rock music]
Crowd: Pigs go home! Pigs go home!
Pigs go home! Pigs go home!
[scattered screaming]
Jane, Jane, no!
Jane!
- [coughing] - Come on.
[glass shattering]
Come on, we got to go.
[people shouting]
Please disperse immediately.
Please go home.
Please, everybody leave!
Don't! Stop!
Please, no!
[grunting]
Please stop! Stop!
Didn't do anything! [grunts]
Isaac!
Come on, man.
I got you, I got you. Come on.
Come on, come on. We got to go.
South University immediately.
All right, are you okay?
[coughing]
Okay, come on.
You spot those deserters, let 'em know.
- [coughs] - You all right?
Yeah.
Does anyone have eyes on the deserters?
Copy that. We have our eyes peeled.
No visual as of yet.
[folky music playing]
You don't need to write that part.
♪ ♪
[door opens]
Someone want to tell me what the hell that was all about?
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm great.
I'm sorry.
Ray got excited.
He went for it.
You know, sometimes things have to get ugly
before they get better.
Please.
Bunch of kids running around throwing stuff
'cause they have nothing better to do on a summer night.
Which is exactly why our best weapon is the truth.
Peter.
Guys like you can make a difference.
No, listen to me.
Your story will open people's eyes
to what's really going down in that jungle over there.
Okay, first of all,
I never saw any goddamn jungle.
It's just rice paddies and forests and trails,
walking in circles all day every day.
Second of all, I hate to break it to you, pal,
but you're not gonna stop the war
with your little newspaper.
Isaac, will you help me out here?
All right.
Yep.
All right. That's nice.
[clears throat] You're welcome.
Joiner, Joiner, listen to me.
Your buddy is wrong.
People read about you,
and pretty soon, other gung ho guys
from places like Hammond aren't so ready to go to Vietnam.
That's exactly how you stop this war
and bring the rest of your buddies home safely.
Say your good-byes, Joiner.
We're out of here tomorrow.
[scoffs]
Aw, man.
What?
You need anything?
A pillow, maybe?
No, I'm not planning on sleeping.
What you did for Isaac was pretty amazing.
Least I could do.
Letting me crash on your couch,
watching me eat.
[chuckles]
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, good night.
Good night, Candace.
Yeah.
[crickets chirping]
You know...
Peter thinks you're a hero, Dalton.
Everyone here does.
They want you to stay with us.
Here?
That's crazy.
No.
No, no.
It's not.
Look, Peter can write the story like you're in Canada,
and we can get you a fake ID, a new name-
- No, Jane.
I don't want a new name.
I want to finish my tour...
come home and go back to Hammond,
the way we planned.
Finish your tour?
Dalton, you're a- No.
I'm not a deserter.
What?
I'm on R&R.
As far as the Army knows,
we're in Hong Kong.
But everyone thinks-
- Screw what everyone thinks.
I mean, those idiots don't even know
what the hell they're talking about.
Those idiots are my friends.
I'm sorry.
You can't go back.
You're already here, Dalton. You can't.
Jane.
Jane...
Will you marry me?
When I can afford it...
We'll get you something bigger, I promise.
[crying softly]
- You don't like it. - No, no.
[softly] No.
I do.
[sentimental music]
♪ ♪
What are you, on night watch?
You get it done?
We're getting married.
That's great, man. Congratulations.
Thanks.
Well, we should celebrate before we go back.
What?
Thank you...
you know, for coming with me and everything.
Looking out for my buddy.
Yeah, well, it's...
pretty crazy of me,
and even crazier for you, so...
I appreciate it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Go back to your fiancée.
I got this covered.
[upbeat music playing]
- [clears throat] - You hate it.
No, it's good, but I'm telling you,
we need the names to make it real.
Well, we can't do that.
No.
I promised Mickey.
[loud cranking]
Great.
That's a lovely sound to greet the day.
It's 2:00.
You got any grease for this thing?
We have a guy who fixes it.
Oh, yeah?
You should fire him.
The bearings are bone-dry.
[sighs] Give it some juice.
[machinery whirring]
[laughs] Whoa.
Great.
Thank you.
What can I say? I'm good with my hands.
Yes, I can see that.
Aw, damn it.
[laughs]
[clears throat]
So shouldn't you guys be getting out of here pretty soon?
No, we shouldn't, Peter,
'cause these two are getting married!
Right? Let's show 'em the ring.
Wow, Juniper!
Well, come on, let me- let me see.
Wow.
Oh, congratulations.
So where are we gonna to do this last big hoo-ha?
♪ I like to dream ♪
♪ Yes, yes ♪
♪ Right between my sound machine ♪
♪ On a cloud of sound I drift in the night ♪
♪ Any place it goes is right... ♪
Come on. Let's dance.
Couldn't we just-
- Mission accomplished.
Yeah.
Yeah, well, we haven't exactly set the date, so-
- Ahh, details.
Will you lighten up?
It's a party.
[glasses clink]
[rock music playing]
[winces] Ahh.
♪ Last night I held Aladdin's lamp ♪
♪ So I wished that I could stay ♪
♪ Before the thing could answer me ♪
♪ Well, someone came and took the lamp away ♪
♪ I looked around ♪
♪ A lousy candle's all I found ♪
♪ Well, you don't know ♪
♪ What we can find why don't... ♪
[funky music playing]
♪ ♪
[laughing]
♪ ♪
You sat on me.
Try this.
It blows your Hanoi Gold away.
Oh, Joiner's the only guy in 'Nam never to toke up.
- What? - Yeah.
Come on, Dalton, loosen up for once in your life.
[laughs]
♪ ♪
[coughing]
Joiner.
No, no.
So...
Mickey, tell us,
why don't all those other poor suckers
just walk out the way you guys did, huh?
Well, because if they catch you, Peter,
they lock you in Leavenworth, that's why.
Okay.
But isn't jail better than a bullet in the head?
Yeah, today, maybe.
What about when they finally let your ass out ofjail?
Who's gonna give you a job?
Who's gonna want anything to do with you then?
No one.
You might as well be dead.
[laughs]
Oh, that's funny?
Oh, I don't know, man.
All I can say is, I'd rather go to jail
than to that senseless war.
Yeah?
Tell me that when you get your draft notice.
Right.
♪ ♪
Do you want to dance?
I'd love to.
♪ ♪
So why did you always have to carry the radio?
I requested it.
I couldn't walk point like Joiner.
Didn't have a lucky charm girl back home.
Vietnam, it's-
It's all one big booby trap.
You learn that the second you set foot there.
♪ Call me tomorrow ♪
♪ I am in fear ♪
♪ I'm in fear ♪
♪ Baby, please ♪
Will you tell me what happened?
Yeah.
Here you go.
Take it in, hold it in,
take a shot, blow it out.
Jeez.
- To Captain Toke! - Captain Toke!
- Toke. - Whoo!
[glasses clink]
Take it, take it, take it!
Ooh.
Yay, cheers!
[glasses clink]
To Private Dalton Join- Jointer.
Dalton Joiner.
[laughter]
[distorted music and laughter]
My first day, I meet this big E4 from Tennessee.
Everybody called him Moonshine.
Comes up to me, he says,
"Hey, kid, do yourself a favor.
"Volunteer for radio.
You'll be dead center, safest place in the squad."
[chuckles]
There I am, humping along,
thinking, "Am I a sucker or what?"
I mean, this thing is heavy.
[chuckles]
And then boom.
Point man hits a booby trap.
It was Moonshine.
I called in the evac choppers, but...
by the time they got there, he was gone.
11 more days and his ticket would have been punched.
[upbeat rock music playing faintly]
♪ ♪
Joiner moved up front after that.
We never hit another trap.
Look at my boy now.
♪ ♪
[laughing]
Don't go tomorrow.
We have to go.
I want to take you someplace before you go.
Where?
Someplace peaceful,
someplace beautiful.
You need that.
I got to tell you, I'm seeing something beautiful right here.
♪ Sit down here in my rocking chair ♪
[distorted laughter]
♪ Ain't doing nothing, ain't going nowhere ♪
[distorted laughter]
♪ Gonna be here from Saturday night ♪
[distorted music]
♪ Call my baby it ain't going all right ♪
♪ ♪
Hey.
[distorted music continues]
Hey!
Get the hell off her!
[glass shatters]
Nobody messes with my girl!
You hear me?
Nobody!
- It's all right, man. - Get off me.
No big deal. He's just messing around.
Calm down, man.
Dalton, it's cool.
She's a human being, man.
Nobody owns her.
[crowd gasps]
Hey, hey, whoa, whoa.
Calm down, man.
Come on, get up,
you sorry sack of hippy-dippy bullshit!
Come on!
Stop it!
What's with you?
Me?
He had his hands all over you.
I mean, what the hell is with you, Jane?
Stop calling me that.
Calling you what?
Jane, Janey.
That's not me anymore.
What are you talking about?
Just-just go.
Just go, Dalton.
[whispers] It's okay.
And all you freaks...
can go straight to hell.
Move!
Don't worry. I'll put him back together.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
All right, carry on.
♪ ♪
We're now less than 12 hours away
from the very first lunar landing...
[door creaks]
You sure you don't need anything?
Just go.
You're gonna be okay, buddy.
Oh, man, I surrender, okay?
It's cool, man. Just here for Candace.
How's Dalton doing?
Oh, he's great.
Jesus, how do you think he is?
[spatula scrapes pan]
You hungry or...
Mickey Wright is always hungry.
I didn't think you were coming back.
Well, then it sounds like you don't know me very well.
[birds chirping]
[light acoustic music]
♪ ♪
Are we there yet?
[laughs] Oh, come on.
Just keep walking.
No, not until you tell me what the deal is with Peter.
[scoffs]
What are you talking about?
You know What I'm talking about.
Well?
If there was a "deal" with Peter,
do you really think I'd be here with you right now?
[chuckles]
[sighs]
You're pretty smart, you know that?
[laughs] Oh, really?
You see all my moves coming from ten clicks away.
Oh, so you mean some girls
actually fall for that "loveliest angel" line?
Yeah.
Some.
Okay, close your eyes.
What? Why?
Just close 'em.
[sighs] Okay.
- It's a surprise. - I don't like surprises.
Just trust me.
- Hm. - Okay.
Now, start walking.
Your hand's on my butt.
- [laughs] - Did you mean to do that?
[laughs] No. Keep walking.
Okay, just a little bit further.
Okay.
Huh.
You can open 'em.
Wow.
Someplace peaceful,
someplace beautiful.
You should've told me to bring a suit.
Well, that would've spoiled the surprise.
[laughs]
♪ ♪
Thank you.
♪ ♪
Geronimo!
[water splashes]
♪ ♪
[upbeat acoustic guitar music]
♪ ♪
♪ There are thieves who rob us blind ♪
♪ Invade us... ♪
That's one small step for a man,
one giant leap for mankind.
♪ I'm not ready ♪
That looks beautiful from here, Neil.
It has a stark beauty all its own.
It's, uh, different, but it's very pretty out here.
♪ For the weight of us ♪
♪ For the weight of all of us ♪
♪ ♪
♪ There's a cold heart ♪
♪ Buried beneath ♪
♪ And warm blood ♪
♪ Running deep ♪
♪ ♪
♪ I'm not ready ♪
♪ For the weight of us ♪
♪ For the weight of all of us ♪
Someone once told me I'd never forget where I was
when they landed on the moon.
Well?
And he was right.
♪ Let us be brave ♪
I couldn't agree more.
♪ Let us be brave ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Let us be brave ♪
I just don't see you playing football.
Hurting people.
[scoffs]
Yeah, well...
I don't see you deserting, either.
[crickets chirping]
[sighs]
[laughs]
It's cool, man.
I wasn't really buying Wright's story, anyway.
You got to give it to him, though.
He sure can talk some shit.
Yeah, he sure can.
But tell me...
Be real...
You can do it all over again,
knowing what it's like,
would you still go?
[sighs] Sure as hell wouldn't volunteer.
What if they sent you the letter?
Now, I thought you were in school.
Oh, shit, Isaac.
[sighs]
[insects buzzing and birds chirping]
Good morning.
First morning I woke up in Vietnam,
I saw these amazing red butterflies everywhere.
Just for a moment, I forgot where I was.
Sometimes I think we're like them...
Moving from place to place,
no real plan.
At least none that you can see.
Mickey...
I have some friends in Calgary.
They have a farm. You could go there.
I'm not much of a farmer.
Oh, this isn't funny, Mickey.
The cops are looking for you.
They've been going door-to-door.
What?
I'm sorry, I-
I should have told you earlier.
It was selfish. I-
- No, forget about it.
Let's just get out of here.
What about Canada?
I don't know.
I got to warn Joiner.
Okay, you better drop me off here
in case it's not safe around the house.
Mickey, you can't just float around without a plan.
I'll meet you at the diner.
Just give me a couple hours to get things straight.
You missed the moon landing.
Have you seen Juniper?
No.
I've been working.
[machine whirs]
We have to get Mickey and Dalton to Canada right now.
Did you hear what I said?
They're not going to Canada.
They're going back to Vietnam.
What are you talking about?
Dalton didn't desert.
He came back for me.
Mickey just came along for the ride.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
We got to move out. Cops are looking for us.
You know what would be cool?
If Neil and Buzz just decided not to come back.
That'd be something.
Yeah.
"Neil and Buzz go AWOL.
More at 11:00."
Or better yet, "Neil and Buzz desert."
Excuse me?
Well, they're right where
they've been trying to get all this time.
Why go back now?
Well, they can't just stay on the moon, Joiner.
No, they can't.
But we can.
What are you talking about? We're not deserting.
Why not?
'Cause you don't desert.
You lead our goddamn squad
'cause that's what you signed on for, Dalton Wayne Joiner.
That's your job.
Yeah?
I signed on to win a war...
until I found out, like everybody else,
that there is no goddamn war to win.
I mean, come on, man.
You were there.
When they dragged in that kid from Tennessee
all blown to shit,
you knew, I knew, everybody knew
that this war was about one thing:
Staying alive.
And from that moment forward,
the only way I knew how to do that
was to stay focused on Jane.
You know, I've got to stay up on night watch,
got to double-check the hut for VC.
She's counting on me.
I found every goddamn trap because I had to!
You know, over there...
without Jane, I'm dead.
Yeah?
What about the guys, Joiner?
Huh?
Franklin, Sanchez, Burns,
me, for Christ's sakes.
You desert all of us, too?
Jesus.
I mean, don't you think I know what you're feeling?
You know how badly I want to run off with Candace?
I'd be happy as hell to go to some damn farm in Canada,
but I'm not...
'cause it's Tuesday in Hong Kong,
and we're going back tonight, end of story.
Burns isn't going back.
Yeah, 'cause he saved our lives.
Now he's lying in some hospital
wondering if he's ever gonna walk again.
You made a commitment,
not to winning the war, but to the squad.
And we're counting on our point man to lead us home alive.
Why the hell do you think I got on that plane?
Commitment?
You don't know the meaning of the word.
[both grunting]
[glass shatters]
[both grunting]
[breathing heavily]
Burns is dead.
I just got off the phone with his father.
Staph infection.
He never made it out of Da Nang.
[bell jingles]
We had this guy in our squad named Burns.
Me and Joiner were hung out to dry, not a...
chance in hell of making it out alive...
Until Burnsy and the guys risked their lives to save us.
Truth is, I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him.
Burns got shot up.
Bad.
I just found out he died in some shithole hospital in 'Nam.
Are you done?
I'm not really in the mood
for any more of your stories, Mickey.
What are you talking about?
Are you having a good time in R&R?
Did you get what you came for?
Another badass story for your friends?
No, Candace, I never meant to-
- Use me?
You bastard.
[bell jingles]
[door creaks]
[bell jingles]
♪ ♪
[knocking on door]
Wright tell you I was here?
Isaac.
[light acoustic guitar music]
♪ ♪
You know, it's funny.
I've got this picture in my head
of you, me, a house, kids,
having our folks over for Sunday barbecues.
But that's not the picture in your head anymore,
is it, Juniper?
What?
You called me Juniper.
That's who you are now.
Isn't it?
[sniffles]
It's really, really beautiful, Dalton.
You keep it.
So what time's your plane?
8:55.
I'll always love you.
That's never gonna change.
♪ ♪
[cries softly]
Hey, Juniper.
Thanks for all the care packages.
You gave us all something to look forward to.
You're welcome.
This was a dumb idea.
[percussive music]
♪ ♪
[tires squealing and horns honking]
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Jesus.
What are you doing?
Mickey Wright does not go halfway around the world
and come back without a story about a girl that ends well.
Over, Joiner, turn around.
Uh-uh, no, it's not.
Now you are going back to Candace,
and you're gonna make
like our friend Mr. Brick Dick back there.
You're gonna stand tall, proud,
and never flag in your conviction.
♪ Whoa, oh-oh-ohh ♪
What?
I'm impressed.
That was almost funny, Joiner.
Almost.
♪ Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh ♪
♪ Whoa, oh-oh-ohh ♪
♪ We're the ones who touch the sky ♪
[sighs]
It's time to pull the trigger, buddy.
Aim for the heart.
[sighs]
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
[knocking on car roof]
How 'bout a lift to the bus station?
Get in.
Just got to wait for Wright.
Just want to see Candace.
Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to see you,
so why don't you just go back to the jungle?
Excuse me-the rice paddies.
Hey, I told you.
Get out of my way.
Get out of my house.
I'll tell you what, Pete,
I'm gonna count to three.
[scoffs]
And if you don't move,
I'm gonna come right through you.
One, two...
[grunts and coughs]
All right.
Sorry, Pete.
[groans]
Breathe.
♪ Time has passed by much too quickly again ♪
[soulful music playing]
♪ As reality... ♪
What are you doing here?
It wasn't all a lie.
Not the part about falling in love with you.
Please, Candace, don't do this.
Will you say something?
Just leave.
You took something beautiful,
and you made a joke out of it.
That's not true,
and you know it.
I'm busy.
Is there anything else?
Yeah.
I'm not like you.
I never wanted to save the world when I was 14.
I've never been committed to a damn thing in my whole life...
not school, not the war, nothing.
Until now.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
Okay, I'll leave.
At least I was honest about one thing.
I love you for you,
not for any cause.
♪ ♪
[cries softly]
♪ But your memories keep lingering on ♪
Where are you at, 45?
[indistinct radio chatter]
Shit.
♪ ♪
[indistinct arguing]
Stop right there.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Take it easy.
Up against the wall. Against the pole right here.
I got it, okay?
Put your hands behind your head.
Check his pockets.
Do you have any weapons on you?
No, no, no!
Let go of him!
Please, I don't want to have to arrest you too.
No, you don't understand. He's not a deserter.
He's just on R&R.
He's in his uniform for Christ's sakes.
Oh, really?
Well, how does he explain this?
What?
That's what I get for overstaying my welcome.
Mickey.
Mickey, you have to believe me.
I didn't write that.
I didn't- I didn't write this.
I know.
You have the right to remain silent-
- He doesn't have any rights. This is a military matter.
You want to tell me where your buddy is?
Yeah, Vietnam.
Okay, son.
Let's go down to the station, wait for the MPs to pick you up.
Put him in the car. No, please.
I'm sorry.
No, please. Mickey.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[car door slams and engine turns over]
You sold him out!
I don't know what you're talking about.
No, you knew they hadn't left yet!
"A run-down, peeling, yellow Victorian on Forest."
You practically gave them our address!
What were you possibly thinking?
Hey, look, you weren't here, all right!
I- I had to make an editorial decision-
- No, no, that is bullshit and you know it!
You know what, the whole thing is bullshit, Candace!
He lied to you!
He lied to all of us.
So that makes what you did okay?
You're right, Peter.
I was deceived.
It's cool, okay?
I thought you were a traitor.
Truth is, you're just a coward.
It ain't gonna change a thing, brother.
[telephone ringing]
How much time do you have left over there?
Six months.
Six months?
[scoffs]
You were halfway home.
Captain Sinclair.
Yes, sir?
Staff Sergeant Freeman from Selfridge A.N.G.
here to collect Private Michael J. Wright, sir.
Fast work.
Hasn't been 30 minutes since I talked to the colonel.
We have been scouring the area for the past two days.
I picked this one up earlier.
Private Joiner and I
have been trying to remember where his buddy was all day.
Isn't that right, Joiner?
Now, is that him?
- Yep. - Hmm.
We got him back in his uniform.
Now we just gotta get him a good, clean shave
for his long visit at Leavenworth.
Good luck, son.
Oh, he's gonna need it.
Isn't that right, son?
Let's go.
Good day to you, sir.
Go easy.
They served six months.
Man, the guys are not going to believe this.
Dalton Joiner stages a daring raid
to free POW Michael J. Wright.
He doesn't fire a single shot, no, sir.
He lays the police captain low
with a stunning round of first-caliber bullshit.
Franklin and Sanchez are gonna crap their pants.
Where'd you get that uniform?
- Army surplus. - Nice.
Hey, nice hairdo, Topher.
Dalton Joiner special.
Let's dee dee mow, boys. We got a plane to catch.
Ow, I'm gonna hoof it from here.
How do you guys walk in those things, man?
You guys take care of yourselves, okay?
Hey, Topher.
Keep an eye on Juniper for me, will you?
You got it.
[car doors slams and engine turns over]
[upbeat rock music]
♪ ♪
Jesus, Joiner, get your ass into gear.
We got ten minutes.
Come on.
[sighs]
Share it with the guys.
What are you talking about?
I'm sorry, man.
I can't go back.
I wouldn't be any good to the squad.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
Don't apologize.
Not you, man.
All those days walking point,
you punched your ticket.
♪ ♪
[sighs] Where are you going?
I don't know.
We were thinking Toronto,
maybe Montreal.
"We"?
Isaac got his draft notice.
Dodger and the deserter.
Damn.
I want to hear all about that when I get back.
♪ ♪
You better run.
[engine revs]
Hey, soldier.
Where's Joiner?
He's, uh...
He's not coming back.
What?
What are you talking about?
There's no way he can walk point without Jane.
She's the only thing that got him through.
I mean, she got us all through.
No.
Mickey, please don't go.
- Look- - No.
All I know is,
if I walk away from the guys now,
I won't be worth a damn to you or anybody else.
I'll just keep walking.
I'll go to Canada with you, Mickey-
- No, no.
I'm not gonna do that to you.
You stay here.
You end this war.
That's what you signed on for.
Attention, all passengers.
Final call for flight 56 for San Francisco and Honolulu.
I love you.
♪ ♪
Hey there.
It's nice to see you again.
Yeah, you too.
So can I get you something to drink?
No, I'm fine.
Thank you.
You know, maybe if you look hard enough,
you can see the astronauts coming home.
Dear Mickey.
Topher just called to tell me you're free.
I'm writing this in the cab on the way to the airport,
in case I miss you.
The truth is, I miss you already.
I think I understand now
why Juniper never told us about her boyfriend in Vietnam.
Because people like me would have given her a hard time.
It's funny.
I guess I was the one who needed to be enlightened.
In our rage to stop this evil war,
I think we've forgotten our boys over there
aren't the bad guys.
They're just trying to survive-
guys like Joiner, who risked their lives with every step
and guys like Burns,
who sacrificed their lives to save their friends.
I wish I could have met him
so I could thank him for saving you for me.
♪ ♪
And now you're going back to pick up your radio.
Well...
I hope you hear this message loud and clear:
"In a peeling yellow Victorian on Forest,
there's a lucky charm girl waiting for you to come home."
Love, Candace.
♪ ♪
[jet engine roars]
[birds chirping]
Well?
What?
[scoffs] Come on, Wright.
Don't mess around with us.
I mean, where is he? Where'd you guys go?
To the moon.
[birds chirping]
[slow rock music]
♪ ♪
Dear Candace.
Here I am, back with the guys.
But I'm no longer walking in circles.
Now, with every step I take,
I'm one step closer to you.
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Really too late to call ♪
♪ So we wait for ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Morning to wake you ♪
♪ Is all we got ♪
♪ ♪
♪ To know me as hardly golden ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Is to know me all wrong ♪
♪ They warn ♪
♪ ♪
♪ I'm coming up only ♪
♪ To show you down for ♪
♪ ♪
♪ And coming up only to show you wrong ♪
♪ ♪
♪ To the outside ♪
♪ The dead leaves lay on the lawn ♪
♪ ♪
♪ For they don't have trees ♪
♪ To hang their hope ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ ♪
On this day, July 24th, 1969,
our astronauts are home,
having completed man's rendezvous with destiny,
being the first to dance on the moon.
We stand in awe and can only wonder what lies ahead.
Good night and pleasant dreams.