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| Character | Paul Baumer???? | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | |
| Age Range(s) | Teenager (13-19), Young Adult (20-35) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | Crying, Flips out, Neurotic, Insane, Apologetic | |
| Type | Dramatic | |
| Year | 1930 | |
| Period | 20th Century | |
| Genre | Action, Historical, Drama, War | |
| Props | Water, photographs | |
| Description | Paul Baumer's monologue to the dead French soldier | |
| Details | 1 hr 18 minutes into the film | |
Summary
This is the story of a group of young German soldiers who fight during WWI. This monologue is by Paul Baumer (Lew Ayres), a German soldier who is hiding in a trench during a battle. He has stabbed a French soldier who jumped in the trench. The French soldier is dying and has been suffering for many hours. Paul Baumer has enough of his suffering and flips out, first telling him to shut up but then decides to give him some water. The soldier, however, dies, and Paul Baumer, crying, asks for forgiveness.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
|---|
| PAUL BAUMER: "Stop that! Stop it, stop it. I can bear the rest of it. I can't listen to that! Why do you take so long dying? You're going to die anyway! Oh, no. Oh no. You won't die. Oh, no. You won't die. They're only little wounds. You'll get home. You'll be all right. You'll get home long before I will. (He grabs some water to give to the soldier but then notices he is dead) You know I can't run away. That's why you accuse me. I tell you, I didn't want to kill you. I tried to keep you alive. If you jumped in here again, I wouldn't do it. You see when you jumped in here you were my enemy, and I was afraid of you. But you're just a man like me, and I killed you. Forgive me, comrade. Say that for me. Say you forgive me. Oh, no. You're dead. You're better off than I am. You're through. They can't do any more to you now. Oh, God, why did they do this to us? We only wanted to live, you and I. Why should they send us out to fight each other? If we threw away these rifles and these uniforms you could be my brother just like Kat and Albert. You'll have to forgive me, comrade. I'll do all I can. I'll write to your parents. I'll write to--(He searches his pockets and finds photographs of his family). I'll write to your wife. I'll write to her. I promise she'll not want for anything. I'll help her and your parents too. Only forgive me. Forgive me! Forgive me. Forgive me......" (End Excerpt) |
