 Lux presents Hollywood. Radio Theatre brings you Franchotone and Anne Baxter in Five Grades to Cairo with Otto Preminger, J. Carol Nash and Fortunio Bonanova. Ladies and gentlemen, your producer, Mr. Cecil B. DeMille. Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. All the world loves a lover and all the world loves a mystery. Tonight, we make everybody doubly happy by combining romance and mystery in Five Grades to Cairo. And we have the same stars who made millions of hearts skip a beat or perhaps two with their adventures in that Paramount picture. Franchotone and Anne Baxter. This week, we borrowed Franchot from the cast of the new Paramount hit, True to Life. The Studio Grapevine has a way of picking up advanced tips on promising pictures and one branch of that grapevine leads straight into my office. My spies all reported that the team of producer Charles Brackett and director Billy Wilder had created a triumph of suspense in Five Grades to Cairo. So we had our bid in for the radio right before the shooting had even finished. The setting of the play is the Egyptian desert at the high tide of the German advance and the people are a British soldier, a young French girl and a rather well-known Nazi general by name Marshall Irwin Rommel. We invite you to join our hero in matching wits with the Marshall and turn your ingenuity on the strange secret of the Five Grades in the African Sands. We find ingenuity a well-known American quality much in use by our fighting men abroad in meeting the problems of everyday living in faraway places. As a prime example, I point to an Air Force sergeant in New Guinea who has sent his mother in Kentucky a snapshot showing his tent with a box of luxe flakes in a prominent position. He's made a mattress by stuffing a sheet with grass, built a table and chair and rigged up a washing machine out of a discarded oil drum. And he writes that with luxe flakes, this unique washing machine beats washing on a board by, quote, two gallons of sweat, unquote. Our thanks to his mother for this late communique from New Guinea. And we turn now to North Africa as the curtain rises on the first act of Five Grades to Cairo starring Franco Tone as Corporal Bramble and Anne Baxter as Moose with Otto Preminger as Marshall Rommel and J. Carol Nash as Farid and Fortunio Bonanova as General Sebastiano. In June of 1942, the British 8th Army was defeated in Egypt. So Brooke had fallen. The victorious Rommel and his Africa Corps had mounted an offensive that was pounding the British back step-by-step toward Cairo and the Suez Canal. On the desert, between the British and the German lines stood the town of Sidi Halpaya, ablaze with heat which rose in waves from the dead street and the dead building. No creature moved, no sound was heard. And then far across the desert, a figure wove its way through the scorching sand. His uniform hung in tatters from his bruised and bloody body and yet he stumbled on, crawling, crawling on his hands and knees. From a window in the Empress of Britain Hotel, the native proprietor watched the figure approach the town, watched with wondering, fearful eyes. Moose! Moose, look! He is coming here, a British soldier! This divisional headquarters, I said, is this divisional headquarters? No, no, this is hotel, sir. I wish to speak to the commanding officer, quickly, please. But the British have gone, sir. What is the matter with him? Steve, a son's talk. Listen, the British have gone. Corporal John Bramble's reporting, sir. Royal Tank Regiment stationed at Toebrook. You've been in Toebrook, sir? Artist, blister and the devil's heel. We joined operations last night in a beer-hack game. Looks like a frolic, sir. We thought we had those German tanks on the run. Then the 88s, the formation split wide open and there were the 88s right against our belly, sir. Listen, please. Very clever, this blast of hair, rumble. Thirty shells a minute. Oh, yes, sir, we pulled out all right, but the rest of the men in the tank were killed. Ever see a five-passenger hearse, sir, doing the lambeth walk? Listen, please, the British are not here anymore. They left. Yes, sir, but the English... And they're dead. No English here, sir. They're kind of dead, all of them, driving themselves to their funeral. That's service, sir. Mouche, mouche, bring water and salt. He has got to get out of here. Is there transportation back to Toebrook? No, sir, there is no more Toebrook, sir. They've taken Toebrook. Listen, this is the Hotel Impressive Britain in City Alfaya. You must leave. The Germans are on their way here now. Hello, Miss. Women at headquarters now? Sir, sir, please. Where's the commanding officer? I was speaking with the commanding officer. No, sir, please. I must put John in my outfit. Have a... Mr. Listen! They're in. The Germans! They are here! Our new... Hitch! Hitch! No! O'Connor! No, do not go out there! The back way! Go out the back! I've got to find them. Oh, Mr. Get Up! Get Up! Mr. Get Up! Get Up! Mr. Wake Up! Mouche, what can we do? I will hide him behind the desk. Help me. I would not do that, Farid. No. But where else can I put him? Right where he is. In the middle of the floor. Oh, no, no, no. They will see him. They'll shoot him. I will hide him behind the desk. Help me. Please. He is heavy. I will not help. I must hide him. There. Oh, that is better. I would not want them to shoot him. You fool. They will find him. Then he will shoot you, too. Shoot me? Shoot me? Oh, no, no. They will... Assistant! What's up, sir? What's up, sir? What's up, sir? What's up, sir? Well, I'm a little late for tea. Tea? Well, you see the cook... Is this the tea time? Huh? Oh, please, sir. The Empress of Britain. Oh, I did not name the hotel lieutenant. That was the name when I bought the lieutenant. Let me see. I have some notes here. Her name is Farid. Yes, sir. My name is Farid. You're Egyptian. Oh, yes, yes, sir. My name is Farid because my parents were Egyptians, sir. Nothing wrong with Egypt. Oh, no, no. Nothing, lieutenant. Except too many English and too many flies. Yes, lieutenant. We've been killing the English like flies. Later we will kill the flies like the English. Oh, yes, yes, lieutenant. You have a native cook by the name of Barry. Terex, sir. Terex, yes, sir. But he ran away this morning with the British to Alexandria. You have a wife. Oh, yes, yes, yes, sir. But she ran away, too, sir. With the British to Alexandria? No, no, sir. With a Greek to Casablanca. Yes, a maid with the name of Marie Jacqueline. Oh, is that you? Yes. They call me Moosh. French citizen born in Marseille. Is that right? Yes. First informed of everything. And there's a waiter here, Al-Sation, with the name of Paul Davos. Ah, yes, sir. But he was killed, sir. By whom? By you, sir. In the bombing when your planes came over last night. He'll know your beautiful planes. You, Moosh. What is the French maid doing in Egypt? Housework. Well, there's a man with housework and powers. In Paris, there are one million French tendermates. There's only one Moosh in TVL's fire. The cook ran away this morning to Alexandria. Why didn't you? What's wrong? He would take Alexandria. He would take Cairo. Absolutely. Figure out, please. You all right, sir? Yes. Thank you. Light it for me, please. Hands are small. It's been a long time since I've seen such a small hand. Thank you. You'll follow it. Hi, yes, sir. How many rooms in this hotel exactly? Oh, this is the largest hotel between Alexandria and Bengali. How many, I said. 16. Sir, 16. Of course, we lost four in the bombardment. The bathroom? Oh, yes, yes. Of course, everything's the best. How many? Two. One that works. Maybe you would like to see the rooms. Come, Lieutenant. Come. Well, the bedbugs, I'm sure. Oh, yes, yes, sir. Every one of them. Yes, sir. Full of bedbugs we own. Oh, no, no, no, sir. We have absolutely no bedbugs. Not one, sir. No, I'm... Bedbugs broken down bathrooms and all. We're taking over the Empress of Britain as our temporary headquarters. Ah, yes, sir. Oh, great honor. Come upstairs, sir. The rooms... I expect you're full of cooperation. If there be any irregularities, you will be held responsible. Our complaints are brief, and we make them against the nearest wall. Yes, sir. As though he had to warn us. He's warning you. I'm only a servant here. The rooms immediately adjacent to the Good Bathroom will be occupied by the German High Command. Yes, sir. The one at the bathroom that doesn't work goes to the Italian General. The Italian? I'll inspect the rooms now. Oh, good, yes. Millers. Hello, Lieutenant. We've earned the Timmerhub and Untersoken. Hello, Lieutenant. Oh, uh, Maid. Yes? Before I make final arrangements about the quarters upstairs, uh, which is your room? Way down the hall. Next to the one you assigned to the Italian General. Oh. Well, if that worries you, uh... I'm not afraid of generals. You're not? It's repentance I'm afraid of. I see. Uh, uh, go, go, right up, sir. I will be the next one. All right. We do not enjoy waiting. Woosh. The man behind the desk. Take him out of here. Yes. Mister, mister, you... Miss! He's gone! What? He's gone! Oh, where? Oh, oh, oh, thanks to Allah of all the miracles that was the most miraculous miracle. Shut up. He must have waken and gone out the back. An unconscious man spirited away. Oh, Allah be praised. Well, he's gone. That's all. He was never here. He had nothing to do with him. If any questions are asked... Listen. They shoot. That is even better. There will be no questions asked. Oh, they found him. Poor fellow. Such a nice fellow. Well, maybe it is for the best. They got out. All right. Yes, yes, sir. I am getting them. I have some right here in my room, sir. No, cigarette, cigarette. Where did I put this? Shut the door. Over here. Shut. Quick. How did you get in here? The window. I woke up downstairs behind the desk. I heard a German talking. Yes, they are here now. How did I get to this hotel? You had a sunstroke. I put you behind the desk. That is all I know. Except they shot you. They shot an Italian soldier for stealing drinking water. Sir, but... Sir, you cannot stay here. You understand? You cannot. You have to leave, sir. Please. Of course. Why not ask that German officer to call me a taxi? Sir, please. I found these clothes on the bed. These shoes. Who are they? They belong... Listen. Oh, they are here. The general staff. Now they will be all over the hotel. Sir, in every corner of every room. Please, sir, get out. Quick! I'm sorry. I can't. The asset record doesn't get me the desert will. Whose clothes are these I'm wearing? They belong to our waiter, sir. Waiter? Yes. He was killed last night when room 14 blew into the cellar. One of these shoes is bigger than the other. Was he lame? Yes, sir. Crippled foot. What was this waiter's name? Paul Davos. Davos? Yes, sir. Good. He was never killed, understand? Huh? Oh, but... But he was on station. He was older... Then I melt station and he was my age. Yes. Moosh! Moosh! He is alive! He can be hurt on the outside. Moosh! He wants to stay here, sir. Tell him he cannot. Help me! Listen, man, it's only for a few days until the British come back. Until the who come back? The British? That's right. The British. Since when do the British come back? You don't like us. No. And if Harry does not tell the Germans, I will. But I thought you were French. Yes. I had two brothers in the French army. One Kirk and the British decided to evacuate their troops. But they did it with the French. They left them on the beaches to die or to be captured. Who told you that, Laval? They were waving out into the water, begging the boats to come back for them. But did the British come back today? I'm only a chambermaid. If somebody rings for me, I come. It's only a towel they want. Or an extra pillow. Not life. Now wait. Give me just five seconds. Before you call the Germans, five seconds, that's all. What do you want to tell me about? Blood, sweat and tears? Pencils. Here is pencils. This is the address of my wife and mother. Oh, they are ringing from the lobby. The Germans. I want you to mail this note to her when you can. Yes. But you better get out of those clothes. They will shoot you for a spy. They'll shoot me in my uniform, too. They're thrifty with their drinking water. Put my dog tag inside. And my wrist watch for my older boy. I wish I had something for the younger one. Well, now that we've disposed of the tears, any time, mademoiselle. Did you hear the buzzer? I was... Brian, who is this man? He was... Who is he? Answer. He's our waiter. What waiter? Waiter, sir. We always had a waiter. My name is Davos. I'm an obsession. I thought he was killed. Only buried alive, sir. When I came to, it seemed as if a whole hotel was on top of me. Yes, sir. But look at him. Look at his eyes. He is so sick. It took me eight hours to dig myself out. So you're Paul Davos. Yes, sir. Come with me. Me, sir? Yes, you're Davos. I'll have a little chat downstairs. Yes, sir. Stop here a moment. Yes, sir. You know, I'd almost believe you were a waiter. I am a waiter. Oh, that's a special kind, eh? You'll play your part well. Come along. The field marshal will wish to speak to you. Me? Of course. You're who else? He's working in the lobby now. Remember to address him as your ex-lister. I will take care of him. Yes, sir. This is to the Fuhrer. Your excellency. My Fuhrer. I have today crossed the Egyptian border. I am now marching on to Alexandria and Cairo. Then I will take the Suez Canal. Nothing can save the 8th British Army from a colossal catastrophe. They say the Red Sea once opened by special arrangement with Moses. A similar mishap will not occur this time. They played you here with my word as a soldier. Fine. Tells Marshal Irwin Bramble. Your excellency. What is it? Your excellency, this man is Paul Davos. Davos? Eh? Well, Davos, why in the name of the Davos didn't you get proper information to us about the British withdrawal? Why? They told me in Berlin you were a competent man. Is that competent? Well, your excellency. Thank you, Marshal's permission. He spent hours in the cellar ever since last night. He couldn't very well have used the laundry communication. Ah, but you'll find he has a good record as an advancement. We used him as a waiter in Danzig, in Rotterdam, and in Athens. Cognac. Yes, your excellency. Of course, no one in this so-called hotel has the slightest suspicion that you've been working for us. No, your excellency. You will continue here as a waiter until we can get you through your new assignment. Yes, your excellency. Cairo. Thank you, your excellency. I'd rather like to think of myself as the vulture who flies ahead of the stucas, limping a little. Rather well said. Three glasses. Yes, your excellency. I suppose you'll be glad to escape from this sand trap. I will indeed, your excellency. How do you find the British intelligence service? Not very intelligent. Not an inkling about Professor Kronstadter? I beg your pardon, your excellency? Professor Kronstadter, the five graves. Oh, oh, of course. No, no, your excellency, not an inkling. Well, we shall take that big fat cigar out of Mr. Church's mouth and make him say hi-l. Five times. Rather well said, your excellency. Cognac? Who is that singing? Yes, your excellency. I know your excellency. The Italian opera. I have always despised it. Yes, your excellency. You will drink with us, Davos. Big hi-l! To victory! To victory! To victory! To victory! To victory! To victory! Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! You, the organ! Oh, oh, oh! Yes? General Sebastiano, I've come with a request. Yes? What request? A request that the general sees singing. Who made such a request? The gentleman of the German staff. I'll tell the gentleman from the German staff. Manum, Field Marshal Rommel. Oh, oh, very well. But I ask you, can a nation that belches, understand a nation that sings, I'm getting very sick of these Germans pushing Italian soldiers into the front lines without letting their general in on their staff meetings. They steal the food packages my family send me. They are censoring my letters, in fact. As we say in Milano, we are getting the short end of the stick. I have even been given a bathroom that does not work. Why? Because it was assigned to you, General Sebastiano. Is there no proper bathroom in this hotel? Yes, sir. I will have it. It belongs to the field marshal. Another kick in the face. They let us die, but they don't let us wash. Well, what did we expect? As we say in Milano, when you lie down with dogs, you wake up with police. That's right, sir. Wait! You haven't heard anything. Do you understand? Of course not. From so far away, how can I hear what they say in Milano? Good. I can fill the general's washbasin in the morning, if he wishes. Please. My orderly is in the hospital with missiles. German missiles. Good night. Good night, sir. Come in here. What is it? The keys. Lock the door. What do you want? Look, I found his papers. That was his papers. He has three passports. See? A Danish, a Swiss one, a Romanian. Let me see how I look. What a kindly face. I'd never suspect myself. Now, how was I to know he was working with the Germans' glove-in-glove? He came here two years ago. He said he wanted a job here on account of his lungs. He had what you call, you know, BT... What do you know about Professor Kronstetter? Professor Kronstetter. Oh, yes, yes. I think I know that name. Yes? Or do I? Maybe I don't. Well, what about graves? Five graves. Oh, graves. Who's grave? All right. What did Davos have to do with the laundry? With the laundry? Nothing, sir. Nothing at all. Moosh. Moosh, come in quickly. Moosh knew him better than I did. Didn't you, Moosh? Who? Davos? What's up? We were talking about the laundry here. Where does Davos come in? I did the laundry. All alone? Sometimes he has me put it out to dry. Flat on the sand, perhaps? Bedsheets, towels, washcloths all nicely spread out for the message, Schmidt? What message, Schmidt? Well, it's my guess, mademoiselle, if you've been washing some sort of alphabet. A towel could be a dash, a washcloth, a dot. Or don't you see, a sheet could mean 10,000 men, a towel, a petrol tank, something true. You suspected nothing? No. Bedsheet and a dash and... Say that slower, please. It's perfectly simple. The Germans were smart again and the British were stupid. Why not call us naive, mademoiselle? We use sheets just to sweep on and towels for driving hands. Your hands will in a lot of towels. Moosh, please, why fight? He will not be here long. He's going away. Aren't you, sir? No, I'm not. Huh? But, sir, I hurt it with my own ears from the kitchen. They're letting you through the lines. They're sending you to Cairo, sir. You will be safe. Oh, yes, of course. I limped into British headquartered in Cairo with his clubfoot of mine. And where have you been, Corporal Bramble? Oh, nowhere in particular. I spent a day or two with Rommel. Rommel? Field Marshal Rommel, sir. You mean to say you were under the same roof as Rommel? Yes, sir. As close as I am to you? That's right, sir. And? And what, sir? You didn't leave him with a bullet in his head and his head in a puddle of blood? Sir, sir, oh, he's talking so fast again. He's talking fully. Perhaps. Corporal John J. Bramble, formerly with the four-square insurance company, clerk in the claims department, always rather afraid of the manager, out of 120,000 men in the army of the Nile that it should be this J. J. Bramble. It does sound foolish. Oh, I'm scared. I'm all scared inside. Well, what do you think I am? Just that I happen to have drawn the black ball. But we have not drawn it, side and eye. Oh, no, no, no, no, we haven't. And we saved your life, didn't we, Moosh? I heard a wife crying and truly devoid. And some words came out of my mouth. And I'm very grateful. But you won't be involved like either of you. I'll work it out. You will work it out. In the morning, his ex-francie will ring for breakfast. Room number five, black coffee and bed, he told me. No one else in the room. I will have my revolver beneath and at him. It happened very quickly. Perhaps as he drops in his second lump of sugar. So that is all you want? Yes. Because it's good for England. Oh, I don't imagine it will win the war. Knock the breath out of them for a while. Well, you are not going to do it. Because it does not fit in with my plans, understand? What plans? Why do you think I stay down here in this filthy place? I was waiting for them, understand? No, I don't understand. Because I want to do business with them. Business? I see. Well, that's not very attractive, mademoiselle. What you think of me, I don't care, in fact. I advise you to postpone your business, mademoiselle. Mine is much more important. You stay in this room tonight. I'll sleep here in the chair. When room number five rings in the morning, remember, I take in the breakfast. Do we understand each other? Good. Central tone and Baxter auto-preminger J. Carol Nash and Fortunio Bononova will return in a moment in act two of five graves to Cairo. But first, Mr. DeMille has a word. I want to step out of character for a moment and tell you about a drama in real life. A drama of medicine in which sulfur drugs and tannic acid, insulin and opiates are saving lives every day on our battlefront. You can have a part in that drama simply by saving used fats. Undramatic? Unimportant? The Office of Price Administration thinks it's so important that beginning today, you will receive two extra brown ration stamps, the kind that buy meat, butter and cheese. For every pound of used fat, you turn into your butcher and take them proudly. It's your government's way of saying thank you for this important war work. How do you go about saving fat? Well, kitchens are something of a mystery to me, so I'll let a housewife tell you in her own words. There isn't much mystery about saving fat, Mr. DeMille. Simply start with a tin can. Any size will do. Please don't use cardboard or glass. They may tear or break. Every time you have any griffins you can't use in cooking, pour them into your tin. You may have grease left over from bacon or sausage or fat with skin from stews and soups. Pour it into the can and keep it in the icebox so it will stay solid. Don't throw away any of the blackened grease in your roaster or frying pan. It contains pure glycerin, just what the government needs. When the can is full, take it to your butcher. He will pay you at the rate of four cents and two brown ration stamps for each pound. Yes friends, it's as easy as that, but it's one of the most important war jobs you'll be called on to do this winter. Because we need 250 million pounds to lose fat from the kitchens of America in 1944. Won't you do your share? Every tablespoon full counts in helping to save the lives of our men at the front. We pause now for station identification. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System. Act two of five graves to Cairo, starring Franchotone as Corporal Bramble and Anne Baxter as Moosh, with Otto Preminger as Marshall Rommel and E. Carol Nash as Farid and Fortunio Bononova as General Sebastiano. In a little room just off the kitchen, Moosh and the British Corporal await the summons from the German Field Marshal. As early as quiet, the dark, silent shadow in the far corner. They're calling for you, mademoiselle. Room number three. Farid is looking out for it. Farid won't do, obviously. They say Rommel keeps his effort to crawl in hot houses before he sends them out to the desert. Must be quite some time since they've heard a woman's voice. Well, mademoiselle, I think this is the time for an additional bit of information. I lied to you. I had to say something quick and effective to soften your heart. I haven't any children. I haven't any wife. I've never been married. Really? Can you forgive me? Thank you. Ah, here's a request from the Italian General. How about the Italian General? Not the Italian General. He's a major with a monocle. Not the major with a monocle? Who are you waiting for, mademoiselle? Number five. Good night, mademoiselle. Good night. Number five. You slept very soundly, monsieur. Hey, wait. Where are you going? To Archeri. Moose, wait! Where's my gun? I took it from you, monsieur. I said you slept soundly. Come back here, Moose! Good morning, Your Excellency. Where's the waiter? I am quicker on my feet. Put the tray on my lap. Sugar, Your Excellency? I don't like women in the morning. Go away. Don't you understand English? Go away, I said. No. No, Your Excellency. I stayed down while you stayed for a bomb. I could have run away. I waited for the German troops. I waited for Your Excellency. Why? I wanted to talk to Your Excellency. One piece of sugar? Yes, Your Excellency. Two steps back, please. Now what do you wish to say? It's about my father, Your Excellency. He's in Germany. Continue. I had two brothers. One was taken prisoner. He's in a concentration camp in Riesenberger. The other was killed. Piping the Germans? They were just boys. Their classes were called. They had to go. They didn't take the Germans or anybody. Nobody hates the Germans. Proceed. What I wanted. I know that one word from You, Your Excellency. He was wounded. He's lost one arm. He can't even work for you. He's useless. Maybe I'm not. Is there anything I can do? You are suggesting some sort of a bargain, huh? This is a familiar scene, reminiscent of bad melodrama. Although usually it is not the brother whose life the heroine comes to plead, it's the lover. The time is midnight. Place a tent of the conquering general. Blushingly the lady makes a proposal and gallantly the general grants her a wish. Later the lady very stupidly takes poison. In one Italian opera, the two even go so far as to sing a duet. Schweigler. If I had any tears left, maybe you'd listen. There will be no duet today. Schweigler. Yes, Your Excellency. Take this woman out of my room. He's not any enemy of yours. He's only 19 now, a boy. And he's dying. The dishes for the release of prisoners must be addressed to the command of the prison camp. They must be submitted in triplicate. You can have the red cross fried and then the other quakers. But everything must be in triplicate. We can use paper in Germany. A great deal of paper. Take her out. Yes, Your Excellency. You have to keep out of this room from now on. Yes. Who do you think you are to open your mouth to him? Are you crazy? You get a little crazy if you think about something all the time for a long, long time. It is so stupid. Never ask a very big man for a very small favor. Sometimes a lieutenant can be of more use. Or are you still afraid of a lieutenant? No. I know people in Berlin who come from Wales. I will meet you tonight and we will talk. Thank you. Lieutenant Feigler. Yes. Major is waiting for you in the lobby. We have just brought in five prisoners. British officers. You must not go down there. You hear? No, it's all right. They're not from my outfit. They'll never recognize me. It is not that. There was stationed here once. Colonel Fitzhume lived in the hotel. He knew Davos. Go back to your room. Stay there. All right. Davos. Yes, sir. When is it downstairs? Sir, thanks for the offer. Yes. At once. Yes, sir. At once. May I serve you something, sir? Our thanks to British Davos. Oh, yes, sir. Is that Davos? Oh, Davos. It seems I neglected to tip you when I was here before. Why you? That's quite all right, Colonel Fitzhume. I rarely didn't expect you to remember me, sir. Oh, what will it be, Colonel? Cognac? Sherry? A whiskey? A whiskey for me and a little soda. The whiskey's over here, sir. Will you help yourself, Colonel? Thanks. Who are you? Intelligence? No, sir. Bramble. Royal tanks just happened in on this, so to speak. Where is Davos? Davos is dead. He was a German agent. Go on. I have a plan, sir. What plan? If I can get hold of a gun somewhere and then get Ramble along. No, none of that. Why not? Isn't it sporting to shoot a sitting field marshal? Dead field marshal. Tell no secrets. What secrets, sir? You have their confidence. You have your freedom. There's a bigger job. Yes, sir. Stand by. And no ill-considered heroics. Understand? That's ordered. Yes, sir. Gentlemen, the field marshal requests the honor of your company at luncheon. Coffee ready? Cream? Sugar? Where's the sugar? Tide is getting it down in the cellar. I'm disappointed in you, Mosch. Having set out for a field marshal, I didn't expect you to settle for a lieutenant. What is it to you? Well, now that you're down to a lieutenant, how about a corporal? Let me remind you, this foot of mine is only kennel flies. Eight coffees. Oh, well, obviously I'm in the wrong army. You are. If the circumstances in which we find ourselves weren't so peculiar, I might turn you over my knee and spank you with a bandun. Thank you for your interest, but I'm getting what I want, so shut up. That's a very agreeable mouth you're casting before these swans. Mosch, Mosch, I have seen him all. What matter, Ferry? I have seen him who? Davos in the cellar. His hands stretched out like this, all yellow with the fingernails white. Davos. I thought he was way down under everything. Me too, but when I climbed over for the sugar, the wreckage starts giving away like apples. And there he was, all yellow, and the fingers... Quiet. What did you do? I piled all the rubble over him more and more. Have Davos could have been more cooperative and died further away. I better get the coffee in there. Yes, and you'd better give Ferry the large cup too. Later we can find more futile arrangements for the gentleman in the cellar. Gentlemen! Gentlemen, I understand it not long ago when the question came up in the British Parliament as to who should be entrusted with the supreme command of the Allied forces in Africa. Some members suggested my name. That's quite possible, if he's Margeau. The British sense of a human is unpredictable, you know. A human might be a kermal fit, you must found it on truth. But who are we to argue with the British Parliament? You're first becoming a legendary figure. Yes, they say everything possible about me. That I'm a magician, a pull-out rabbit out of hat. The man who can saw Africa in half. And the few Margeau can too. They also say that you entertain captured British officers by giving them lessons in the strategy. Better a lesson too late than no lesson at all. Two more salt cellars here. Salt cellars. Gentlemen, I have before me North Africa. From Tripoli to Cairo. Ela Gaila, Benghazi, Sidi Barani, Alexandria, Cairo. Now gentlemen, the subject being vast in my time brief. Why don't you ask me what puzzles you most? Suppose I give you 20 questions. That's uncommonly generous of you, Bill Marshall. Certainly is. Now what? Are you there? Yes, sir. Give me a brandy, will you? Yes, sir. All right, who will start? May I? How many men have you got in North Africa? Not as many as you. Well, gentlemen, if you count in the Italian... Nobody counts in or on the Italian. Sorry. Bill Marshall, in February, when we had you at Agedabia, we had an idea they'd sent your best troops to Russia. You gentlemen have six centers. We have only five. But we use them. We must rely on preparation. For instance, we knew the Dutch would open their bags. So we started building rubber balls. 50,000 of them. As far back as 1935. What did you do in 1935? Took your wives on little pleasure trips, snapped their photographs, plucking eagle-wise in Switzerland. German wives found themselves being photographed on bridges across the Vistula in the neighborhood of the fortifications of Brussels. Next question. Bill Marshall, now that you've pushed the head 500 miles aren't your supply lines getting a little taut? They are very taut. And yet you expect to pick, Cairo? In six days. I have my reservations in Shepherd's Hotel. Without supplies? How can you do it? Yes. Bill Marshall, how? I am speaking to the Britishers. Sorry, sorry. Gentlemen, it is not the supplies which reach us. It is we who reach the supplies. Is that clear? Not quite. We don't depend entirely on our tracks shattering between the front line and Tripoli. It's a little far and a little exposed. Supply planes are clumsy. Easy prey for your spitfires. To safeguard ourselves against all eventualities. We prepared. Preparation, gentlemen. Preparation. Very interesting. In 1937. Two years before this war started, we dug supplementary supplies into the sands of Egypt. A number of people under your very noses. Thousands and thousands of gallons of petrol and water. Ammunition. Spare parts for our tanks. Waiting for us. Under our very noses, eh? Where? Where? Where? I gave you 20 questions, gentlemen. That is question 21. We gladly trade you Rudolph's hair for the answer to 21. You may keep him. Gentlemen, my time is short. I hope you enjoyed your lunch. Davos? Is the gentleman's car ready? Yes, your excellency. Thank you, Davos. Davos, I'm afraid that tip will have to wait until after the war. Don't worry, sir. You're a good man, Davos. I hope I know my job, sir. You do. I'm sure of it. What is it? You're looking for something? Yes, water, petrol, ammunition. Right here on the table? Between this spot and Cairo? You sure? Buried right under our noses. How could they do it? Who? Who? The Germans. You sick again, sir? Not a bit, thanks. But this is pepper and salt, cellar, sir? I know. And you are looking for water, petrol, ammunition? That's right. Well, how could it get in here? That's what I'd like to know. Oh, dear. Romel on top of us, the man you are supposed to be dead underneath us, and you making riddles. I will put these things away. Clean off the table, please. Six days, he said. That means he'll be in Cairo someday. That's... Hey! Hey, that name! Hmm? Here is that name. In the newspaper's lining the drawer. What name? You asked me about it, and I do not know you, remember? And here it is under the knives. For years I have been looking at it every time I put the knives away. What name? Professor Kronstetter. Let me see it. There's his picture. The German archaeologist, Professor Kronstetter. Sorry, you're a great man. Who? Me? Archaeologist, of course. Oh, we get them all the time in Egypt digging up the old mummy. London Press, February 17th, 1937. That's the year. What year? Preparation year. And just have a look at Professor Kronstetter. Who is it? Oh, you... That's him! His Excellency Field Marshal Rommel. He's so simple. A highly respectable group of German scientists arrives in Egypt to dig for tombs between the Libyan border and Cairo. What a convenient way to send a military mission with full authority to dig, dig, dig. Only they didn't dig anything out, they dug everything in. What, sir? Water, petrol, ammunition. Oh, not again, please, sir. All right, now we know how. Yes, sir, yes. We don't know where. There's still question 21. Is Davos here? Quiet. Yes, here, sir. The Field Marshal wants to see you in his room. Come in, Davos. I have just received information that my advance columns have reached objective Y. Objective Y, Your Excellency. That's...that's good news, isn't it? Yes. Everything works out according to my plans. I wish I could have told it to those Britishers at Lansom. Their digestion would have stopped completely. If I may be permitted, Your Excellency gave them a very brilliant lecture. They will remember Field Marshal Rommel, or should I say, Professor Kronstetter? Thank you, Davos. For a moment I was really afraid Your Excellency might put all the cards on the table and tell them about the five graves. My tongue did it. Such blind ignorance. I might have just as well shown them my map. With the exact location of the five graves? Come here, Davos. Yes, Your Excellency. Here is the map of Egypt. You, of course, know the answer. But would they have seen anything? Not a thing, Your Excellency. They have such complicated minds. They expect invisible ink. Maps that are to be worn over fire and your head against the light to reveal secret pinpricks. Too simple for them, this. I'm trying to look at it with an Englishman's eyes. Not a clue, just an ordinary map. There's nothing here that could give them a hint. Is there? After I have taken Cairo, I shall send a postcard to number 10 Downing Street with the correct solution. Davos, all arrangements have been made for you. Yes, Your Excellency. You are leaving for Cairo this evening. You'll be taken by motorcycles to El Daba from there a guy will get you through the British lines. This evening? Nine o'clock. That gives me six hours. For what? Oh, some things here. Unfinished business is no important. You can expect me on Sunday afternoon. We won't have any difficulty with objective P.O.T., I'm sure. P.O.T., Your Excellency. That seems improbable. And will you come back around for me in the Shepherd's Hotel in Cairo? The Royal Suite. In the evening, I command performance of the opera. Aida in German. I'm meeting your second act, of course. It is too long and not too good. That'll be all, Davos. Yes, Your Excellency. May I come in? Yes. What time is it, Musch? After six. I hear you are leaving. That's right. Musch, if there were a local florist, I'd offer you an armful of white lilacs with my humblest apologies. For what? I had an unpleasant idea about you, Musch. Farid cleared it up. He told me about your brother. I'm sorry. It's all right. Well, now, let's see. Port Said? No? That's too far east. What are you doing? What is that book? The Tourist Guide. You know, Musch, I not only have a club foot, I have a club brain. T.P. and objective Y. Does that mean anything to you? T.P. and Y? Not a thing. Teddywood was matting, Musch. There was Rommel's mat staring at me with everything in it. Eyes heavy, but I see not. T.P. and Y? What's the key? Where's the answer? Say. That's a pretty bit. In Cairo, I worked on Sundays. Drifting down the Sharia Ibrahim Pasha with a flight parasol over your shoulder. There was a parasol that went with it, right? Where is it? In the shop. I could never quite afford it. The hand was real ivory. Maybe someday when I'm real. Why? Why? Listen, either you stop talking like out of the tube or you tell me. I've gone through this thing writing down the name of every village. Every oasis, every landmark that begins with peer teeth. There are dozens of them, but there isn't a Y in Egypt. Hey, what have I said? Moosh. That's it, Moosh. That's it. What is it? Did you hear what I said? I said there isn't a Y in Egypt, but there is. There's Y and P and T. I got E-G-Y-P-T, the five graves. What's five graves? The five supply depots of Professor Rommel. Of course, no invisible ink. Just a map of Egypt and printed across it. Egypt. And the letters don't you see? Every letter marking a supply depot. Invisible because they're so visible. All over the map. Just a moment. This one was, was Harmalade Professor. I must see that map again. I must get back into his room. Whose room? Rommel's. No, please don't. You've had such luck so far. You can leave. You're safe. Why risk your neck again? What for? Thank you, Moosh. Before you took pity on the neck of a married man, this time you know it's just my neck. Where's that agreeable mouth of yours? Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot wrong army. Well, I've got to get those maps. Wait. I'll kill you. Let's see. Goodbye, Moosh. Now before Mr. DeMille presents Rancho Tone and Baxter, Otto Prenninger, J. Carol Nash, and Fortunio Bonanova in Act 3 of Five Graves to Cairo, there's a thought I'd like to share with you. I read this about our soldiers. Only 50% of our army's time, only 50% is spent in actual fighting. So, even our soldiers spend a lot of their time doing the unexciting things nobody hears about. Plain chores. Well, I'm afraid that's the way some women feel about keeping house. There are beds to be made every day. Cleaning and dusting. Cooking. And dishwashing. Chores? Yes. But a lot depends on how you do them. A successful businesswoman once told me about her first job. She spent every day filing cards all day long. It was so boring I could have screamed, she said. So, every day I set myself to memorize a poem while I worked. Something that made the day seem beautiful. How about that for an idea while you're washing dishes? Next, make jobs like dishwashing as pleasant as they can be. Pour Lux Flakes into the dish pan. Turn on the water. See the rich, lively suds bubble up. That's a pleasure in itself. No slow-poke suds. No gray, greasy dish water. Best of all, when you finish that dish pan job, your hands will be as soft, smooth, and lovely as when you start it. Changing to Lux takes away the red course look as strong so please. Scores of women found changing to Lux Flakes made their hands look nicer in just a few days. Use all the Lux you need to get good suds, but no more than you need. A little Lux goes a long way. It's really thrifty. Why not try the Lux way of doing dishes tomorrow? Now, our producer, Mr. DeMille. After the play, we'll get some news on the off-stage doings of our stars. Now, the curtain rises on the third act of Five Graves to Cairo, starring Franchotone and Anne Baxter, with Otto Pleminger, J. Carol Nash, and Fortunio Bononova. In the Field Marshal's quarters, the British soldier bends low over the map of Egypt. E-G-Y-P-T. Each letter marking a supply depot for the Africa-German-Africa Corps. But now the sky overhead roars with flames. British flames. Refining to bomb the city of Maya. Well, the maps, Lieutenant, I thought the Field Marshal's map should not be left behind. Good day. Very conscientious. Thank you, sir. Go on, get down the cellar. Yes, sir. There's something doubled. When we arrived here, I understood you had been bombed into the cellar. Is that correct, doubles? Yes. This cellar, doubles? Yes, sir. And you dug yourself out, doubles? That's right, Lieutenant. You are sure, doubles? Quite sure. You're sure you are not dead, doubles? Come here. Over here on the sugar barrel. Isn't it strange, doubles? It seems to be the body of a man with yellow fingers and a clumped foot. Yes, so it is. Here! Here! Come here! That side's real! Now, sit down there and listen to me. You'd better go. Sit down. Go, please, Lieutenant Spagler is coming with us. Lieutenant Spagler begs to be excused. He's dead. No screaming, please. You can't hit him. Yes. Unfortunately, he ran across the lake, Mr. Doubles. Fortunately, no one knows about it yet. They mustn't till tomorrow morning. Farid has full instruction. The body will be found on below in a sand outside this window. There'll be my waiter's jacket and my shirt with some blood on it. Enough to prove I did it. Farid and you will work together. Farid and I. That's right. I need six hours to get through the German line. Why did you kill him? I said no screaming. Why? I'll tell you why. Because a little piece of paper has to get through to British Headquarters, see? Just a piece of paper with some pencil marks on it. E-G-Y-B-T. That's why Farid and you must cover up till I get there. Is that clear? Perfectly. You have killed two people. You have killed him and my brother. His only chance to get out alive. And now all you ask is that we cover up so you can get back to the British. Is that it? Like Dunkirk again? Well, what about Dunkirk? Yes, some were left behind. French, Polish, Belgian and English. Some, they had to be if the rest were to carry on. Carry on for what? Are they not enough dead already? Oh, yes, there are a lot of dead moosh. In Tobruk, I saw them piled up at a hundred. In Sevastopol, they lay ten deep. They were blown to bits and a repulse in the Prince of Wales. In Athens, there's dying of starvation four hundred a day. For what, moosh? So that somebody like you can hold out a tin cup to a victorious lieutenant begging for a pennies with a pity? It's not one brother that matters. It's a million brothers. It's not just one prison gate. They might sneak open for you. It's all their gates that must go. All right. Talk. You talk such big words. You have a million brothers. I'm small. I have only one. And I want him to live if it costs a piece of paper. I will see that he'll muscle himself. Why the fuck look this way now, right? The son of earth. Mate, come here. Be quiet. This concerns your brother. You remember I advised you to approach this case through the Red Cross or the Quakers. You thought it wise to approach it to a certain lieutenant. Did you? Well, I have just found out that this certain lieutenant has shown you some telegrams. Telegrams that were sent to Berlin and telegrams that were received from Berlin. They were never sent. They were never received. They are fraudulent. Oh, no. We will wait for the certain lieutenant. I prefer to have him present. Your Excellency. Where's Schweigler? You have found him here. Your Excellency, he was shot twice. Self-defense, of course. Hey, mate. Speak up. Why did you do it? Because I thought I could make a bargain with him. Because he lied to me. Because he was dead. Because he was one of you. First you made him forget that he was a German officer. Then you killed him because he was one. He was only 23. At 20 he was decorated in Poland for conspicuous gallantry in action. At 21 he was commanding a tank company. Best aid I ever had. A German officer with a brilliant future. Yes. He might have become a field martian with somebody on her knees before him. Two steps back, please. Schweigler! Have you watched? Well? What did the Davos say? Oh. Your spy wants to speak. I will say what he has to say. I knew you worked for him all these years, Davos. Get out of here, Davos. Get out. What is it, Davos? Get out! If your Excellency has no further orders, I'm about to leave for Cairo. Nothing, Davos. Good luck. Yes, good luck, Davos. Thank you. Yeah? Tomorrow morning give them the proof that Davos did it. Understand? Uh-huh. And will you say to her for me? God bless you. There's objective EG and Y, sir. They've used E and G already. Well, I doubt if they'll ever use Y. Or objective P. Or objective P. The English 8th Army under General Montgomery is still pursuing the Africa Corps. From LLM, they have pounded their way eastward step by step. Then Gatsie has been reoccupied in TV Barani, and today the British forces entered TV Hellfire. Come on, you artists. Keep moving. For these men, Italian business. Millions of them. Keep moving. Hello, General Sebastiano. What? You know me? That's right. As we say in Milano, it's a wise man that drops the short end of the stick, huh? Who are you? Well, soon you can lie in your tub and get rid of the fleas. What fleas? The ones you caught from lying down with the dogs as we say in Milano. Now I remember. Hello. Arrivederci. Arrivederci. Lauralee beyond Covertis. Come back. Oh, it is good to have you here again, sir. What happened? Where's Moosh? Well, maybe you would like to have number five this time with the good bathroom. Where is she? Tell me. There was a trial that morning. I brought him the evidence, as you told me. And they found her innocent of shooting Shregler. But they found her guilty of spreading enemy rumors. She kept on screaming in his face. The British will be back. The British will be back. They beat her and beat her. Then they led her out. One bullet would have been enough out there on the desert. I'd put her with the other soldiers. Show me how to do it. A quick, very tough death. Perhaps I should bend down so you can hear me better. I brought you that pedestal, Moosh. In the shop they swore it was real ivory. Fred spoke so. It will give you some shade until we can turn to take you back where there are trees and leaves and rivers and fuel on the grass. Don't worry, Moosh. We're after them now. When you feel the earth shake, that will be our tanks and our guns and our lorries. Thousands and thousands of them. British, French and American. We're after them now. Coming from all sides. We're going to blast up blazes out of them. We're going to pound and pound until the earth shakes like a great bell. And it rings with a new song. A better song. Praise God. In just a moment our skies will return for a quick report. Listen, did you count them? Ten. There are only ten more shopping days till Christmas. Ten days to get all the things you've put off till now. Well, fortunately, there's still time to get a gift to women on your list. Always appreciate it. And if you choose just the right type slip or 90 for each person, it won't look like a last-minute selection at all. Try easy to pack rayon jersey for young army and Navy rides living out of a suitcase. Better times for war workers or women in the arms services. A more elaborate lazy style for the brides, you know. And if you can, include a small box of luck flakes with your gift. Isn't that a good idea? It's a gift of extra long wear for Christmas embays. We all want our nice things to stay lovely a long time these days. If your dealer is out of luck space, you might put your luck tent into verse instead. You can be sure it will come to the rescue by undies and stockings very soon. Now, here's Mr. DeMille with our stars. From five graves to Cairo, it's only five steps to the footlights and a curtain call for Franco Tone and Anne Baxter. Thank you, CB. You know, you're one of my favorite hosts. Now, since you're one of Hollywood's newest fathers, Franco, I guess the first question should be how's your new son? Probably one of the handsomest men in Hollywood, CB. Fathers always take the credit to do all the work. Oh, I don't know. I don't know, I built the baby's crib. Good job. He likes it. I didn't know you designed furniture for a hobby, Franco. My grandfather has a hobby, something like that. He designed buildings. Have you heard of him, Mr. DeMille? And even if he is your grandfather, one of the world's most famous architects might present your calling his art a hobby. By the way, what's yours? Cooking. If I hadn't been happily married for more than 40 years, I'd make an offer right at this point. I mean, of course, have you got a favorite recipe? Yes, herb omelette. I'm quite proud of it. I imagine the ladies are already getting out pencil and paper. I'm sorry, but I can't give the recipe. I kind of make it up as I go along and never do it twice the same. That's for fun in cooking. You mean you never use a cookbook? Oh, yes. I collect them to read, but I don't always do what they say. Why don't you give us the recipe for next week's play? Now, mix carefully equal parts of music, comedy, and romance. And the result is the paramount hit, Dixie. And the stars, who else but Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour? It's the story of the first menstrual man, Dan Emmett, who gave us the great song hit called Dixie. Bing will sing that tune and the other big hits of the picture. We'll see you next Monday night. I wouldn't miss it for anything, Mr. DeMille. Good night. Good night. Good night. Good night. We'll hope for you to say goodbye to Marcel Rameau. Our sponsor, the makers of Lux Flakes, joined me in inviting you to be with us again next Monday night. From the Lux Radio Theatre presents Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour in Dixie with Barry Sullivan. Mr. Cecil B. DeMille saying good night to you from Hollywood. Five Graves to Cairo was presented for the cooperation of Paramount Pictures whose current release is the Technicolor production, Riding High. Anne Baxter will soon be seen in the 20th Century Fox picture, The Sullivan, and in the same studio's production of the Maxwell Anderson play, The Eve of St. Mark. The Ranger will produce and direct the 20th Century Fox picture I Marry the Soldier. J. Carol Nash is currently seen in the Columbia picture, Sahara. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Christmas feel time again. Hope Christmas feels on all your letters and packages during the holiday season because every Christmas feel you buy helps to fight against tuberculosis. Herod in tonight's play where Fred Mackay as Shveggler, Edward Harvey as Titjoom, and Charles Steele, Ed Emerson, Dennis Green, Norman Steele, and Vernon Steele. Our music was directed by Lewis Silver. This program is broadcast to our fighting forces overseas by International Shortwave Radio in cooperation with the Armed Forces Radio Service. This is your announcer, John M. Kennedy reminding you to tune in again next Monday night to hear Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour in Dixie with Barry Sullivan.