“How about a drink?” from the film “Apocalypse.” A captain and Willaird converse in a bar in Saigon. It turns out the captain is with the agency, and Willaird has no choice but to go on the mission. Ideal for Adult Males in their 40s-50s. 1-2 Mins.
Written By: John Milius and Francis Ford Coppola
CAPTAIN and WILLARD:
Not much in this place — a bar, linoleum flooring, a few
tables and chairs, and a juke box. The lounge is fairly
crowded. Willard takes off his cap and walks quietly
past the soldiers at the bar. Some of them, catching
sight of his ribbons, stop talking as he moves by.
An INFANTRY CAPTAIN enters the bar, buys a couple of
drinks and approaches Willard’s table.
CAPTAIN
How about a drink ?
WILLARD
Sure, thanks.
He sits down at the table with the drinks.
CAPTAIN
Winning the war by yourself.
WILLARD
(he calls for the waiter)
Part.
CAPTAIN
Which part is that ?
WILLARD
My part.
(TO THE WAITER)
Beer, with ice and water.
CAPTAIN
That’s good gin.
WILLARD
I’m sure it is, but I had hepatitis.
CAPTAIN
Delta ?
WILLARD
No.
CAPTAIN
North ?
WILLARD
Yeah. Way north.
CAPTAIN
What unit were you with ?
WILLARD
None.
CAPTAIN
Rangers, eh?
WILLARD
Sort of.
The JUKE BOX starts BLARING. Annoyed , Willard looks over
his shoulder.
CAPTAIN
Were you Longe Range Recon —
WILLARD
No — I worked too far north for
LRRP.
He reaches into his shirt pocket for a cigarette, and the
Captain leans over the table to light it for him. Willard
notices the CIVILIAN on the street has glanced in the bar,
then enters and sits down at a table by the doorway.
CAPTAIN
That’s quite an array of ribbons…
WILLARD
Let’s talk about you.
CAPTAIN
I was an FO for the 25th.
WILLARD
Tracks ?
CAPTAIN
Yeah.
WILLARD
Fat. That’s real fat.
CAPTAIN
Sometimes.
WILLARD
At least you always have enough
water. How many gallons does
each one of those damn things
carry ?
CAPTAIN
Thirty — sometimes fifty.
WILLARD
You know, I can remember once,
getting back below the DMZ — and
the first Americans we ran into
were a track squadron. I just
couldn’t believe how much water
they had. We’d been chewing
bamboo shoots for almost a week,
and before that, for two weeks,
we’d been drinking anything —
rain water, river shit, stuff
right out of the paddies. And
there were these guys standing
by their trucks spilling water
all over. I could’ve killed them.
(solemnly)
I swear to God I would have, too,
if …
CAPTAIN
I didn’t know we had units up
there in North Vietnam.
WILLARD
We do.
CAPTAIN
How long were you up there ?
WILLARD
A long time.
CAPTAIN
A year ? Waiter another beer.
WILLARD
I go up on missions. Listen
Captain, buy me all the beer
you want, but you better tell
that asshole over there you’re
not going to find out anymore
about me.
Willard glances over his shoulder and indicates the
Civilian. The Civilian is given a sign by the Captain.
He rises and comes over to the bar.
WILLARD
(continuing)
What do you want ?
CAPTIAN
(indicating the Army jeep)
If you’re B.L. Willard, 4th Recon
Group, we’d like you to come with
us.
WILLARD
Whose orders ?
CAPTAIN
Headquarters 11 Corps — 405th
A.S.A Battalion — S-2 —
Com-Sec — Intelligence —
Nha Trang.
WILLARD
Who are you ?
CAPTAIN
The agency.
Willard looks at the Civilian a moment, and then walks
roght out toward the jeep without saying another word.
The Civilian follows.
