8

Not long after LCpl. Blake

Saves LCpl. Schofield from a collapsing German bunker

He and Schofield get into an argument about continuing on with their perilous journey. It's obvious Schofield is upset about being picked for their dangerous mission to which Blake responds with something like "If you don't like it, you can always go back."

Schofield simply retorts "Just fire the bloody flare" and Blake obliges.

Why did Blake fire his flare gun and subsequently drop it?

Earlier in the movie when the two were given the flare gun they were instructed to "throw it back" if they found themselves under fire as it was a useful piece of equipment and the British troops didn't want to leave it on a corpse.

Were they requesting reinforcements now that they had advanced as far as they had? Was it a signal of distress? If that were the case why did Schofield move onward with Blake?

1 Answer 1

16

From the script (pdf):

LIEUTENANT LESLIE (CONT'D)

If you do get shot, try to make it back to the wire. We won’t come after you, not until it’s dark. And, if by some fucking miracle you do make it, send up a flare.

So they are instructed by the Lieutenant to send up a flare if they 'make it', i.e. they get to the German line, which means that the Germans must have retreated.

2
  • Thanks, I must have gotten confused or misheard the line
    – PausePause
    Jan 17, 2020 at 19:10
  • @PausePause .... no, later he does say to throw the flare gun back to them if they get shot at by Germans.
    – iandotkelly
    Jan 17, 2020 at 19:36

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