A.W.O.L.

After deserting the army, American Willy Schaftel takes refuge in Sweden, where a government official advises that as long as he maintains good conduct his request to stay will likely be approved. Initially lonely, Willy visits a park, shops and visits the beach hoping to make acquaintances. At a porno shop, when he admits that he cannot afford to buy a film, the proprietor talks him into earning some money by making a porn film. When the film's director throws Willy off the set for his inability to act, he gloomily wanders away, only to panic when he realizes that he is being followed. Moments later, Willy attacks the black man following him, who reveals that he is Mohammed G, another American expatriate looking for a friend. Relieved, Willy agrees to accompany Mohammed for coffee, and Mohammed explains that he is the former Clarence McKinley Witherspoon, who assumed the name Mohammed G in order to be more fully in touch with his ethnic roots. While Mohammed insists that he loves America, he admits that he is freer in Europe and happy to remain there. Later, Mohammed's friend Sidney Feitel joins the pair and admits that he too is A.W.O.L. When Willy expresses fear about being shot as a deserter, Sidney laughs and explains that Sweden's liberal protective laws make it an ideal haven for those fleeing the American war in Vietnam. After Willy relaxes, Mohammed and Sidney tell him of a place where he can do volunteer work in exchange for housing and protection from investigating agents of the CIA. Willy accepts their advice and they take him to the stark office of the Movement, whose stern leader, Sven, explains that if Willy agrees to work for them he will receive money, health benefits and protection. Attracted to a pretty, unsmiling blonde worker, Inga, Willy hastily signs up, ignoring the Movement's clear Communist affiliations. Later, when Willy accompanies Inga on her way to lunch, he admits that he did not desert on political principles, but because he did not want to kill or be killed. When the couple realize various shady characters are spying on them, they escape through a park. Inga takes Willy home to her girlish bedroom decorated with posters of famous Communist figures as well as numerous stuffed animals. To Willy's amazement, Inga disrobes and invites him to bed while spouting rhetoric on the people's struggle and Che Guevara. Later, Willy is startled when he realizes Inga's entire family is in the house and indifferent to who she brings home to spend the night. The following day, Willy joins Inga, Sven, Mohammed, Sidney and several others in a peaceful march through the city streets. The marchers meet a strident anti-Communist group supporting the war in Vietnam and the two groups verbally disparage one another's causes. When the Movement protestors refuse to back down, however, the anti-Communists toss gas canisters, quickly don gas-masks and watch smugly as the march breaks up. Fleeing the gas, Inga and Willy jump on the back of a passing fruit truck and escape to the pier, where they catch a tourist cruise boat to a neighboring island. There they wander and frolic and, in a mock-serious ceremony, bury Willy's dog tags. The next day, while Willy waits to meet Inga at the zoo, Sven berates her at the office for wasting her time on a foolish apolitical American. Meanwhile, Willy is shocked when he opens a box of candy and, looking for the prize inside the box, finds his dog tags. Moments later, CIA agent Mr. Cupp introduces himself to Willy, informs him that he has been under American scrutiny since his arrival in Sweden and criticizes his association with the Movement. After warning Willy that he could be in great trouble for deserting, Cupp suggests that if he simply returns to his unit and fulfills his military service, no charges will be filed and he can return to America without fear, but Willy refuses. Over the next few days, Willy continues volunteer work with the Movement, as well as his relationship with Inga, under continual surveillance by Cupp and his agents. One afternoon while playing football with Sidney, Mohammed and others in a park, Willy runs through a forest to retrieve an errant ball, only to be grabbed and forced into a car by two agents. The men drive the protesting Willy to a large red barn that serves as a secret CIA hideout filled with sophisticated electronics and patriotic American paraphernalia. When Willy does not respond to various temptations offered by Cupp to return to the army, Cupp has Willy's parents make a televised plea to their son on private monitors. Refusing, Willy tells his parents that he has come to enjoy living his own life in Sweden, and his mother frets that hippies have corrupted him. After Willy continues to refuse to resume his army life, Cupp expresses sorrow at his decision and lets Willy leave. The night before an anti-Communist rally by the Freedom Alliance, Sven, Sidney, Mohammed and Willy sneak into the group's headquarters to steal their bullhorns. When Sven finds a machine gun and wants to take it, Sidney argues fiercely with him. Before they depart, however, Sven manages to sneak the gun into their van. The next day at the rally, just after Sidney, Mohammed and Inga cut the microphone cables to the speaker's podium, Sven and other Movement members arrive and purposely attack supporters of the Freedom Alliance. Shocked by the outburst of violence, Willy stares in amazement as Sven viciously beats a man with a belt. As the rally descends into a riot, Inga staggers aside, dazed from an assault. Incensed by Willy's refusal to join in the riot, Sven retrieves the gun from inside the truck's cabin. As Willy rushes to Inga to pull her away to safety, a shot rings out and Inga falls dead. Stunned, Willy bends over Inga's body, then looks up mortified at the unfolding melee.