John Richmond

Armed Tiger Delta by John McDermott

Genre: Historical Drama

Format: Short film

Logline:

Physical and emotional torment is endured as an America soldier is imprisoned behind enemy lines during the Russian Intervention of 1919 pushing him to the deepest and darkest corners of his mind.

Brief Synopsis:
Armed Tiger Delta is a 15-minute drama in which two prisoners of war are subjected to physical and psychological torture with the aim of their tormentors extracting valuable codes. While waiting for their seemingly inevitable violent death, the two prisoners engage in a plan to escape while wrestling with the theological morality of their actions.

Synopsis:
White text on black: “In 1918 The Polar Bear Expedition was a contingent of 5,000 United States Army troops that landed in Russia as part of the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil war. By April 1919 it was imperative that the Allied war material stockpiles near Arkhangelsk did not fall into Bolshevik hands.”

Cut to an American soldier (JOHN) sprinting to escape enemy fire, but they are closing in fast. Before they capture him, he swaps clothes with a dead CHAPLAIN and takes his Bible. John is transported to a Russian POW camp, where several American troops are interrogated by a ruthless and sadistic officer named PETYR. Petyr has been informed that the Americans in his possession may hold military codes of great importance. He is suspicious of John and tells him that he will kill all the other prisoners, that way John can pray for their souls.

Petyr interrogates a soldier named BOBBY, eventually shooting him in front of John. He returns to his cell and meets another soldier named SAMUEL. Samuel acts erratically, and John is unsure if he can be trusted. Petyr reveals to John that his brother was also a chaplain and was killed by American soldiers.

John continues to deny having any knowledge of the codes and Petyr leaves after roughing John up. Samuel plays the bad cop as he continues to plant doubt in John’s mind, challenging his faith by challenging God himself.  John and Samuel engage in a controversial exchange and then Samuel tells John his plan to escape. John isn’t interested so Samuel threatens to tell the guards he is not a real chaplain unless John agrees to his escape plan.

During the escape, John manages to overcome Petyr and free the remaining prisoners. American troops had been staking out the prison waiting for an opportunity and remarkably find one when they see Americans running from the compound. Petyr overpowers John and is a second away from killing him when a BANG pierces through the noise of fighting. Petyr falls and dies. An American Sergeant comes into view and offers John his hand.

John reveals that he is a Captain and SERGEANT JONES asks John if he has the military codes, which John confirms. They were written inside the Bible, next to the story of King David. It is revealed that Samuel is a ghost of John’s imagination, based on the image of a dying soldier from the battlefield.