10 The Abyss 'Ed Harris tries to reanimate Elizabeth Mastrantonio who just drown'
9 Heat 'The discussion between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the restaurant'
REVISED DRAFT by Michael Mann
March 3, 1994
XT. FOOD STAND - HANNA + NEIL - NIGHT
at a table. Headlights stream by to and from the airport:
business people, families going on vacations, people living
normal lives who have never used guns to kill people, never
experienced physical violence, some who have never been
stolen from and never steal. Surrounded on all sides by
this flow of normalcy:
HANNA
Seven years in San Quentin. In
the hole for three. McNeil before
that.
NEIL
Yeah.
HANNA
Was McNeil as tough as they say?
NEIL
You looking to become a
penologist?
HANNA
You looking to go back? I chased
some crews, the guys were lookin'
to fuck up and get busted back.
NEIL
You must have worked some dipshit
crews.
HANNA
I worked all kinds.
NEIL
(pause)
You see me doing thrill-seeker
liquor store holdups with a "Born
to Lose" tattoo on my chest?
HANNA
No, I do not.
NEIL
Right. And I...
NEIL
(low threat)
I am never going back.
The adversarial intensity is eye-to-eye.
HANNA
Then don't take down scores.
NEIL
I do what I do best. I take
scores. You do what you do best
trying to stop guys like me.
(shrugs)
HANNA
You never wanted a normal-type
life?
NEIL
What the fuck is that? Barbecues
and ballgames?
HANNA
That's part of it.
NEIL
That's nice. That your life?
HANNA
No. My wife spends half her
time on the couch. My
stepdaughter's got problems 'cause
her real father's a world class
asshole. And every moment I
got, I'm chasing guys like you.
NEIL
A man told me once: you want to
make moves? Don't keep anything
in your life you're not willing
to walk out on in 30 seconds
flat if you feel the heat around
the corner.
(pause)
So if you're chasing me and you
gotta move when I move, how do
you expect to keep a family?
HANNA
What are you, a monk?
NEIL
No.
(pause)
I got a woman.
HANNA
What do you tell her?
NEIL
She thinks I sell swimming pools.
HANNA
And if you spot me around the
corner. You gonna walk out on
her? Leave her flat? Like that?
Not even say goodbye?
NEIL
That's the discipline.
HANNA
What you're left with is pretty
empty.
NEIL
Yeah?
(beat)
Then maybe you and me, we should
both go do somethin' else, pal.
HANNA
I don't know how to do anything
else.
NEIL
(the shared
confession)
...neither do I.
HANNA
And I don't much want to.
NEIL
Neither do I.
Both of these guys look at each other and recognize the
mutuality of their condition. Hanna's light laughter:
HANNA
We're sitting here like a coupla
regular fellas. You do what you
do. I do what I gotta do. What
happens if I am there and I got
to put you away?
(pause)
I won't like it. But, if it's
between you and some poor bastard
whose wife you're going to make
into a widow, brother, you are
gonna go down. 'Cause you don't
HANNA
have to be there. You coulda
gone and been a... a mailman.
NEIL
There's a flip side to that coin.
What if you got me boxed in and
I gotta put you down?
(beat)
'Cause no matter what, you will
not get in my way.
(beat)
But now that we been face to
face, I would not feel good about
that. But I won't hesitate.
Not for one second.
HANNA
(smiles)
Maybe it'll happen that way. Or
who knows ...
NEIL
...maybe we'll never see each
other again.
They look at each other for a moment. Neil's wry smile.
HANNA
(to waitress)
Can we have the bill.
8 Once Upon A Time in the West 'Charles Bronson and Henry Fonda face each other in a shootout'
7 Goodfellas 'Joe Pesci's discussion with Ray Liotta in the club'
What's really funny was that
fucking bank job in Secaucus.
I'm in the weeds lying down.
He said, "What are you doing?"
I said, "Resting. Here?"
"In the weeds? I'm resting!"
They pull me in, start asking questions.
You know, this and that.
"What are you going to tell us?"
I said, "My usual. Nothing."
"Why tell you?" The fuck. He says,
"No, you'll tell me something today."
I said, "Okay, go fuck your mother."
You saw the paper.
My head was out like this.
I'm coming around and who
do I see in front of me?
This prick again. He says, "What
do you want to tell me now?"
I said, "What are you doing here?
I said to go fuck your mother."
I thought he'd shit.
The fuckers. I wish
I was big just once.
Funny. You're really funny.
What do you mean?
It's funny, you know.
It's a good story.
You're a funny guy.
You mean the way I talk? What?
It's just, you know. You're just funny.
You know, the way you tell the story.
Funny how? What's funny about it?
You got it all wrong.
He's a big boy. He knows
what he said. Funny, how?
Just, you know. You're funny.
Let me understand this.
Maybe I'm a little fucked up.
But I'm funny how? Funny
like a clown? I amuse you?
I'm here to fucking amuse you?
What do you mean, funny?
How am I funny?
You know, how you tell a story.
I don't know. You said it.
You said I'm funny.
How am I funny? What the
fuck is so funny about me?
Tell me what's funny.
Get the fuck out of here, Tommy.
Motherfucker! I almost had him.
You stuttering prick, you.
Frankie, was he shaking?
I wonder about you sometimes, Henry.
You may fold under questioning.
6 Jaws
'Robert Shaw describing his experience on the USS Indianapolis'
5 Pink Panther Strikes Again 'Peter Sellers in the living room with the staff'
4 Pearl Harbor 'The attack in the port by the Japanese'
EXT. PEARL HARBOR - DAY
The harbor lies quiet. It's a sleepy Sunday morning.
Children are playing, officers are stepping from their houses
in their shorts to get the morning paper...
EXT. MOUNTAINSIDE - OAHU - DAY
Hawaiian Boy Scouts are hiking on a side of one of the
mountains overlooking Pearl.
Suddenly booming over the mountain, barely ten feet above the
summit, comes a stream of planes.
The boys are awed. What is this?
EXT. PEARL HARBOR - DAY
QUICK INTERCUTS - Between the approach of the Japanese
planes, and sleepy Pearl Harbor...
-- The planes, in formation, their propellers spinning, their
engines throbbing...
-- Pearl Harbor, with the ships silent, their engines cold,
their anchors steady on the harbor bottom.
-- The Japanese submarines heading in.
-- The American destroyers docking, instead of going out to
search for them.
-- Another formation of Japanese bombers climbing high, into
attack position.
-- The Japanese torpedo planes dropping down to the level of
the ocean, their engines beginning to scream.
-- The American planes bunched on the airfields.
-- ON THE JAPANESE CARRIERS, Yamamoto and his staff huddle
tensely, over their battle maps.
ON THE JAPANESE CARRIER DECKS, the second wave of planes is
being brought up and loaded with munitions...the Japanese
flag snaps tautly in the wind...
ON THE GOLD COURSE NEAR PEARL HARBOR, American officers are
laughing on the putting green near the club house, where the
American flag droops from the flag pole, limply at peace.
-- The Japanese planes roaring down just over the wave tops
of Pearl Harbor itself.
-- Children playing in the early morning sun, looking up as
they see the planes flash by. The children look --
they've never seen this many, flying this low...but they
are not alarmed, only curious.
The images come faster and faster, the collision of Japan's
determination and American's innocence...
EXT. DECK OF OKLAHOMA - DAY
Two sailors are standing on the deck, sharing a smoke,
looking out over the quiet harbor. One of them sees the
first few planes streaking in.
SAILOR 1
Look at that.
SAILOR 2
It's the Army again, practicing on us.
Something drops from the lead plane and splashes easily into
the water; the plane banks away.
SAILOR 2
Practice torpedoes.
A white streak runs through the water at them.
SAILOR 2
Now listen, you'll hear a little thud
when it hits the side of the ship.
They watch it rush at them...then, a MASSIVE EXPLOSION! It
throws up a fifty foot wall of water, hurling the sailors and
everything else on the deck into the sea.
EXT. THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR - DAY
-- The first wave of planes drop more torpedoes; they plunge
BENEATH THE SURFACE, their wooden fins working perfectly,
the torpedoes speeding to their targets...
We see their AWESOME BLASTS against the anchored ships as the
torpedoes hit home.
-- The Japanese LOW ALTITUDE BOMBERS come in; some drop their
bombs directly into the ships; some skip their bombs
across the water, the bombs glancing off the surface and
then slamming the sides of battleships with tremendous
explosions.
-- INSIDE THE SHIPS, sleeping sailors are thrown from their
bunks; those already awakened run for their battle
stations, and try to make it up to the deck; but there's
no escape there, as...
-- Zero fighter planes strafe the ships, raking the decks and
killing sailors with MACHINE GUN FIRE.
EXT. ON THE AMERICAN SHIPS - DAY
Fire and smoke are turning everything into chaos. some
sailors rush to man the guns, they find the ammo boxes
locked.
Under the bombing and strafing, they find a wrench and start
pounding on the lock, trying to break open the ammo box.
Then they break open the lock -- and find the ammo box empty.
SAILOR
Shit! I'll get some ammo!
He runs for the ladders, and is shot down before he gets
there.
EXT. SKIES OVER PEARL HARBOR - DAY
The dive bombers scream in.
EXT. DECK OF THE WEST VIRGINIA - DAY
Bombs are hitting the deck. Sailors are blown into the air
and out into the oily water. Nearby ships are catching fire;
the flames spread out onto the oily water itself.
INT. BELOW DECKS OF THE WEST VIRGINIA - DAY
Dorie Miller, the boxing champion/kitchen helper, is working
picking up the breakfast trays when he feels the ship
shudder. The intercom comes alive --
INTERCOM
Battle stations! Battle stations! This
is not a drill!
Men run to the ladders, and the shaking of the ship from a
bomb blast tosses them off; Dorie's at the foot of the ladder
when men fall back on top of him.
EXT. BRIDGE OF WEST VIRGINIA - DAY
The Captain of the ship has reached the command bridge, where
most of his staff is lying wounded from a bomb blast.
CAPTAIN OF THE WEST VIRGINIA
Stay calm! Find your positions. Medics,
get the wounded to sick bay! Load and --
MORE TORPEDOES and BOMBS blast into the ship. A big chunk of
shrapnel tears into the Captain and rips his stomach open.
The medics he was just directing to other men now run to him,
as the men they were going to help have been blown apart.
EXT. DECK OF THE WEST VIRGINIA - DAY
Sailors run up from below and are gunned down and blasted
down before they can reach their weapons.
Dorie Miller emerges from below decks and sees the carnage,
the confusion. A bloody OFFICER grabs him.
BLOODY OFFICER
Boy! We need stretcher bearers on the
bridge!
Dorie runs into the fire and smoke, toward the bridge.
EXT. BRIDGE OF THE WEST VIRGINIA - DAY
Dorie arrives to see the medics crouched over the
disemboweled Captain, who is still giving orders.
CAPTAIN OF THE WEST VIRGINIA
Radio for air cover. Organize the other
medics. Initiate fire control.
Dorie helps the medic lift the Captain to take him below.
INT. BELOW DECKS OF THE WEST VIRGINIA - DAY
Dorie carries the Captain down the ladder by himself, using
one arm to climb and one to hold the Captain like a child's
teddy bear. When they reach the bottom the pain has grown
too much for the Captain; he know's he's dying.
CAPTAIN OF THE WEST VIRGINIA
Put me down here.
Dorie puts him down; the medic jumps down the ladder and
reaches the Captain, who tells him --
CAPTAIN OF THE WEST VIRGINIA
Find my executive officer and tell him
he's in command. Tell him to fire the
boilers and...
He trembles in death throes...
CAPTAIN OF THE WEST VIRGINIA
Make sure the gunners have enough
ammuni --
He's dead. The Medic runs toward the ladder, reaches the
hatch, and is blasted back to the bottom by an explosion
overhead.
Dorie runs for the ladder, and climbs out into hell.
EXT. DECK OF THE WEST VIRGINIA - DAY
Dorie emerges into even greater carnage and confusion. A
sailor, his body on fire, runs past and leaps into the oily
water -- but it is in flames too.
Then Dorie sees it: an unmanned anti-aircraft gun. He runs
to it, through the strafing.
The gun already has a belt of ammo in it -- apparently loaded
by the gunner who lies beside it with his chest shot open.
Dorie swings the business end of the gun toward the Zeros
coming in out of the smoke, and he begins to fire.
The Zeros keep coming and he keeps firing; nothing on earth
will knock him from that gun.
INT. NURSES' BARRACKS - DAY
Evelyn is up, dressed; her roommates are just stirring.
EXT. NURSES' QUARTERS - OAHU - DAY
Evelyn has stepped to the door when she hears a distant
rumble and looks across the harbor to see smoke rising, ships
taking hits.
EVELYN
Oh my God... EVERYBODY TO THE HOSPITAL!
As she runs, Japanese planes are coming toward the base.
EXT. THE MESS HALL AT HICKAM FIELD - DAY
The men were sitting down to breakfast, but the machine gun
bullets tearing up the outer walls have them clogging the
doors, and it's so clogged they can't all get out.
A steel bomb crashes through the roof and slams through the
room, taking out tables and chairs before bouncing off the
wall and coming to a stop.
TWO SOLDIERS, trapped within the mess hall, see it stop
without detonating. They are bug-eyed, hearts stopped.
MESS HALL SOLDIER
Dud.
The bomb detonated, blowing everything to bloody dust.
INT. HOSPITAL - DAY
Evelyn reaches the hospital first and runs to the cabinet,
withdrawing supplies.
Barbara and Sandra appear at the far door, both terrified.
EVELYN
Get everything out! Bandages, sutures --
oh God, the men in traction... Come with
me!
She races into the hallway, the other two following.
INT. HOSPITAL - TRACTION WARD - DAY
Four men from a jeep accident are lying in traction, their
casted limbs roped in the air. Evelyn runs in, grabbing a
razor blade from the medical cabinet -- and telling Barbara
and Sandra.
EVELYN
Cut them down, and take cover!! Hurry!
Bombs are falling outside, on the airfield this wing of the
hospital faces. Evelyn slices the traction ropes of a man
with both legs broken; ignoring his groans, she rolls him out
of the bed and covers him with the mattress. The other
nurses follow her lead. The bombs are coming toward the
hospital ward; Evelyn finishes with the fourth man and covers
him and herself with the mattress, just as a bomb craters
outside the window.
The nurses and patients look up after the explosions have
passed; there's a chunk of smoking shrapnel lying on the
springs of the bunk where the last man had been lying.
EXT. HICKAM FIELD - DAY
The Japanese low-altitude bombers, with Zero escorts, zoom in
over the field, blasting the clusters of American warplanes,
whole squadrons taken out with one bomb.
The mechanics and pilots, caught in the open, run from the
strafing. The Zeros rake them down with machine gun fire.
It's carnage.
EXT. PHOTOGRAPHER'S HOUSE - DAY
Sammy, the amateur photographer, is leaving his house for a
morning of working his "Pictures of Paradise" business, when
he sees the Japanese formations rumbling toward Pearl. He
races back inside.
INT. PHOTOGRAPHER'S HOUSE - DAY
He fishes into his drawer for a film camera, and digs out
cans of film, struggling to load it as he runs back out.
INT. HICKAM FIELD - BARRACKS - DAY
The pilots of Danny's squadron have returned from their night
of drinking and brawling and are crashed on their bunks. Red
stirs and staggers toward the head; he bumps into the wall,
backs up like a wind-up toy and lurches blindly forward
again, into --
INT. BARRACKS - THE HEAD - DAY
Red sleepwalks to the urinals and unleashes a marathon piss
stream, still in his sleep. A rumble penetrates his brain,
and his eyes come open a fraction. Through the window slits
above the urinals, he can see a cloud of Japanese planes
rushing past.
He squeezes his eyes shut, and looks again; the planes start
bombing the distant hangers.
Red pisses along the wall as he races to the barracks, trying
to get his pecker back into his drawers. He shouts to the
sleeping guys --
RED
Th-th-th-th-th-
He slaps his face with both hands, and stomps his feet...
RED
Th-th-th-th-Dammit! Th-th-th-
He still can't get it out, can't wake them; bursting with
frustration, he suddenly blasts out singing --
RED
(singing)
The Jaaaps!! The Jaaaps!!
He's belting it like a baritone in a bizarre opera. His
friends stir; what the hell? Red points outside and tries to
talk, but now he can't mutter a syllable. The guys hear the
explosions, and realize...
EXT. HICKAM FIELD - BARRACKS - DAY
The pilots stagger out, half drunk, half dressed. Seeing
what's happening, they race toward the flight line, where the
clustered American planes are blowing up in groups, and the
pilots are knocked to the ground.
BILLY
Goddamn Japs!
Billy jumps to his feet and starts to run toward a cluster of
fighters that hasn't gone up yet.
ANTHONY
Billy!
Anthony tries to grab him and drag him back to earth but he
misses; Billy gets a few steps before the fire from a
strafing Zero catches up to him; his friends watch in horror
as Billy gets shorter as he runs; the Zero's machine gun fire
is sawing his legs off from the feet up.
Billy falls, legless but still alive; then a bomb falls
almost on top of him, sending body parts over the pilots.
Their innocence, like America's, is gone in that moment.
EXT. ROAD TO MAIN AIRFIELD - DAY
Danny and Rafe are in Danny's Buick, hung over and asleep,
Danny in front, Rafe in back, and they're a miserable sight
-- their shirts ripped, blood dried in a leak trail from one
side of Rafe's nose and the corner of Danny's mouth.
The rumble of planes moving overhead makes them stir; the
rumble grows huge, as the shadows of a massive formation
makes the sunlight flicker. Danny and Rafe squint up, their
heads pounding, and realize what they're seeing. Suddenly
their headaches are gone, and Danny's gunning the Buick down
the road, toward the base.
EXT. AIR BASE - DAY
Danny blasts through the main gate; the guards are too busy
taking cover and haven't even closed the barrier.
He races to the tarmac, where some of the planes are still
undamaged. Rafe is out the door before the car stops
rolling, and Danny's right behind him.
They're running toward a cluster of fighters, when it goes up
with a bomb blast. Rafe and Danny dive at each other; their
first instinct is to cover their best friend with their own
bodies.
They look at each other on the ground. They see machine gun
bullets thudding into the planes on the flight line, and
ripping along the walls of the buildings. It's as if the
whole Japanese airforce is attacking this one base, and not
leaving a single plane airworthy.
RAFE
Get me into a plane!
DANNY
Come on!
Danny sprints; Rafe follows. Danny reaches a phone booth,
and digs a dime from his pants.
RAFE
You're making a phone call?!
Danny dials, as waves of bullets sweep the area, and more
planes blow up on the flight line. Rafe thinks he's lost his
mind.
DANNY
(into phone)
This is Walker! We're under attack! Get
those planes fueled and armed RIGHT NOW!
He runs back toward the car; Rafe, in the nonsense of battle,
reaches in to hang up the receiver, before Danny grabs him
and leads him on a sprint to the car, as the phone booth
shatters behind them from the strafing.
On the way to the car they dive back to the ground to avoid
strafing -- and see their friends lying nearby, in shock.
ANTHONY
They got Billy.
DANNY
Come with us!
He and Rafe jump up and run again. Anthony, Red, and several
other pilots reach the Buick and dive in. Danny drives away,
through the strafing.
RAFE
Where are we going?
DANNY
Auxiliary field at Haleiwa, ten miles
north of here.
RAFE
What's there?
DANNY
Six P-40's.
As the Zero pilots see the Buick moving, they go after it.
Danny drives like a madman through the strafing, zigzagging
and gunning the Buick's V-8.
EXT. THE OKLAHOMA - STILL AT ANCHOR - DAY
The number of attacking planes seems endless -- and their
strategy flawless. Torpedoes hitting one ship lifts its hull
with a blast, enabling the next wave of torpedoes to rush
under and hit the next ship anchored behind. The American
battleships are bobbing like see-saws.
The OKLAHOMA takes an entire barrage of torpedoes, blowing
thirty foot holes along it's hull; the ship immediately
begins to list.
INT. THE OKLAHOMA - DAY
Doors are wedged shut by the deformation of the structure;
vertical ladders are becoming horizontal, and water is
pouring in. Men fight their way up against the water.
INT. INNER COMPARTMENT OF THE OKLAHOMA - DAY
Water is up to the trapped sailor's waists when they grab a
wrench and start taking turns pounding S.O.S. in Morse code
on the bulkhead.
EXT. DECK OF OKLAHOMA - DAY
As the listing grows more severe, sailors start jumping from
the deck into the water. Still the Marines on deck are
firing back at the planes; some Marines are even using
handguns. But courage does not save them...
THE OKLAHOMA ROLLS OVER
The men still on its deck try to run, but it's not just the
fires and the water they can't escape; the gun turrets' 1400
pound shells break loose with the capsizing of the ship and
tumble through everything like massive wrecking balls.
The sailors and marines, thrown into the water, struggle to
get away from the suction as the giant battleship turns
turtle.
BELOW THE WATER men are sucked down with amazing force, every
hair on their heads streaming behind them as they're snatched
to the depths.
INSIDE THE OKLAHOMA, everyone and everything is spilling
upside down. The ship's generators sputter out and the
lights go out. The flashlights of the few sailors who can
find them cut raggedly through the darkness, and water spills
in. There is no escape.
BELOW THE WATER, the Oklahoma's superstructure hits bottom;
some men are crushed there. For others it's salvation, as
the BACKWASH blows them toward the surface.
ON THE SURFACE the men are launched almost completely out of
the water, before splashing back into the water and burning
oil. A few feet of the steel hull and a portion of the
propeller protrude above the surface, but most of the
Oklahoma is under water.
Men in the water swim toward a medical launch carrying
wounded away from the wreckage. A bomb hits the launch and
blows body parts everywhere.
INT. OKLAHOMA - REAR COMPARTMENT
In one compartment there are a dozen trapped men. They've
survived the roll-over, and are in a chaotic world where the
floor is now the ceiling. The water is up their waists.
Some of the SAILORS are panicking.
One sailor has a flashlight and switches it on, flashing the
light from face to face.
SAILOR WITH THE FLASHLIGHT
Don't panic! Don't panic!
PANICKED SAILOR
The water's rising! It's coming up,
we're all gonna drown!
SAILOR WITH THE FLASHLIGHT
The air pressure will equalize it!
But the water keeps rising, along with their fears. Several
of the sailors are still screaming...
The water's already to their bellies. One of them grabs a
wrench and starts slamming Morse code against the bulkhead.
One sailor in the middle of the room is particularly
panicked, not just yelling but crying and whimpering --
TERRIFIED SAILOR
Get me out! Get me out!
SAILOR WITH THE FLASHLIGHT
Stop it! Come on! Save your air!
TERRIFIED SAILOR
MY FOOT'S CAUGHT!
He's at the lower end of the compartment, where the water is
deeper -- the ship's nose is lower than her stern. The
water's up to the guy's neck.
The man with the flashlight dives down, and finds the guys
foot wedged together in the pipes of the ships ceiling -- now
their floor.
He pops up again. The water's up to the trapped guy's mouth;
he's already gagging.
SAILOR WITH THE FLASHLIGHT
Is there a hacksaw in that locker?!
They open it; tools spill out -- among them is a hacksaw.
They hand it to him; the sailor dives down and cuts off the
guy's foot.
The trapped man is underwater, muffling his scream. He comes
free, and surfaces gasping. His severed foot floats to the
surface and then the horror really hits them. The sailor
with the flashlight pops up, in the blossoming of blood. He
and another sailor tie a tourniquet around the stump, to stop
the bleeding.
The drama of this has caused the other trapped men to stop
their signaling. Now they start banging, twice as loudly as
before.
3 Ben-Hur 'Chariots Race'
2 The Deer Hunter 'Robert De Niro uses the Russian roulette in Viet war camp'
EXT. CLEARING IN THE JUNGLE - THE "PITS" - DAY
SAL has absolutely no comprehension of what is about to
happen to him. His eyes are dreamy, far away, as if he had
mentally transported himself to some distant place. There are
great gashes in his head from the blows he has received and
as he stands waiting in the pouring rain he looks exactly
like a very small child who has experienced some terrible
confusion.
Suddenly the GUARD standing beside SAL wrenches him around.
We see the pit now, CLOSE UP. There are four bloated CORPSES
floating in the muck.
We SAL'S FACE, CLOSE UP. He gives a CRY and tries to turn
away.
We see the GUARDS pick SAL up, SCREAMING. We see the SPLASH
as SAL hits the water and then we see him surface between the
bloated CORPSES, STILL SCREAMING, paddling desperately and
trying to find something solid to hod him up.
EXT. CLEARING IN THE JUNGLE - WAITING PRISONERS - DAY
NICK stands motionless, stunned, listening to SAL'S SCREAMS.
MERLE has his attention focused on the GUARD IN CHARGE and
when he glances in their direction MERLE slugs NICK in the
stomach and begins beating him furiously to the ground. NICK
struggles to his feet. MERLE attacks him again and now, as
the GUARD IN CHARGE comes over to see what's going on, MERLE
begins hopping up and down, pointing at NICK, pointing at the
revolver in the GUARD'S hand and screaming.
MERLE
Him and me!!! Him and me!!!
The GUARDS look at each other, interested.
MERLE (CONT'D)
Him and me, goddamn it! Him and me!
INT. THATCHED HUT - HEAVY RAIN - DAY
MERLE and NICK sit facing one another across the rose
patterned kitchen table. The GUARDS are all grinning and even
the SOUTH VIETNAMESE are watching with grim fascination. NICK
has the revolver. He is trembling visibly. Already MERLE has
managed to draw the GUARDS in closer and as NICK spins the
cylinder and cocks the hammer MERLE jumps up and begins
pounding on the table.
MERLE
This is it, motherfuckers! Now he's
going to do it! Watch! You watch!
NICK almost loses what little control is left and his hand
begins shaking violently.
MERLE (CONT'D)
Look at him! See! This is it and he
knows it!
Side bets begin changing hands.
MERLE (CONT'D)
Last chance to lose your money
there, guys. Goodbye money! Hurry,
hurry. Here he goes!
NICK puts the revolver against his temple and pulls the
trigger. There is a dull CLICK.
NICK puts the revolver back on the table. His hand is shaking
so badly it falls with a clunk. MERLE grabs it, spins it,
sticks it to his temple and CLICKS OUT, talking all the time:
MERLE (CONT'D)
This is stupid! You understand
stupid? On and on! At this rate
we'll still be here tomorrow!
(throws the revolver on
the table)
Wait a minute. I know! Hey, I got
it. More! Put in more! You
understand more? More! More
bullets!
(he mimes with his
fingers)
Three bullets! You understand
three? That way BLAM! BOOM!
MERLE hops up and down, laughing maniacally.
MERLE (CONT'D)
KA-POWIE!!! BA-ROOM!!!... 'Cause I
want that bastard! Him I want boom!
Him or me!!!
The GUARD IN CHARGE looks at his COMPANIONS. They all begin
shouting for him to go ahead. The GUARD IN CHARGE purses his
lips, as if imitating a general coming to a decision, and
then nods his assent. The GUARDS all howl. MERLE joins right
in.
MERLE (CONT'D)
He's terrific! Great fucking guy!
The GUARD IN CHARGE takes the revolver, opens the cylinder
and begins sticking in two more cartridges.
MERLE (CONT'D)
KA-POW!!! BA-ROOMIE!!!
MERLE hops up and down again, then screams at NICK, jabbing
his finger at him, as if in fury.
MERLE (CONT'D)
Both of us may have to pull on
this, so get your shit in fuckin'
shape!!!
(to the GUARDS)
Him or me!!! Now we got it, him or
me!!!
(he rubs his hands and
sits back down)
Place your bets, motherfuckers! Now
we're going! Now we got a game!
The GUARD IN CHARGE places the revolver on the table, spins
it.
MERLE (CONT'D)
Watch! Now watch! He's going to get
it. And then KA-POW! BA-ROOMIE!!!
The muzzle stops pointing at MERLE. MERLE scowls, looks over
at the GUARD IN CHARGE. The GUARD IN CHARGE has lifted the
barrel of his AK 47 and is watching him with caution. The
OTHER GUARDS, who are totally caught up in the game, are
yelling and shouting.
MERLE
You guys think I'm in trouble,
right?
MERLE picks up the revolver, spins the cylinder, cocks it...
MERLE (CONT'D)
No way! Never!!!
(he begins to chant)
MERLE IS MIGHTY! -- HA!
MERLE IS STRONG! -- HA!
MERLE IS MAGIC! -- HA!
MERLE LIVES LONG!
Lemme hear it. Come on,
motherfuckers, lemme hear it!
MERLE starts it again. The GUARDS who are bett ing on him
JOIN IN:
MERLE (CONT'D)
(with GUARDS)
MERLE IS MIGHTY! -- HA!
MERLE IS STRONG! -- HA!
MERLE IS MAGIC! -- HA!
MERLE LIVES LONG!
MERLE takes a glance at the GUARD IN CHARGE again. The GUARD
IN CHARGE is still eyeing him with caution.
MERLE places the revolver to his temple... and CLICKS into an
empty chamber.
MERLE (CONT'D)
See! Nothing to it.
He pushes the gun across to NICK. Then he stabs his finger at
him, screaming again, as if in a fit of rage.
MERLE (CONT'D)
You got an empty chamber and it's
in your mind! Just put that empty
chamber in the gun!
NICK looks down at the revolver and picks it up. He stares at
MERLE for a moment. Then he spins the cylinder, cocks the
hammer, Puts it to his head... and CLICKS into an empty
chamber.
The GUARDS let out expressions of disbelief. Those betting on
NICK begin taunting those betting on MERLE.
MERLE sits motionless, as if stunned, as if utterly defeated,
his brow furrowed in a mighty frown.
NICK pushes the revolver across the table. His face is
twitching but he gives the gesture a certain flair, as if
throwing back a challenge.
MERLE stares at the revolver -- stares at it with an
expression of utter gloom. Then he reaches out, takes the
revolver in his hand and pulls it toward him, as if he no
longer possessed the strength to pick it up.
MERLE (CONT'D)
(gloom)
Who's for Merle?
(he thumps his fist on the
table)
Is anyone for Merle???
MERLE roams a glowering eve over the watching GUARDS, as if
suddenly discovering himself among traitors. Slowly, he
pushes himself to his feet. The gun is still on the table,
still in his right hand, and as he gets up he lets his body
sag over it.
MERLE (CONT'D)
Who here is for Merle...?
There is absolute silence now except for the drumming of the
rain. It is as if the war had disappeared, vanished. The
GUARDS stand motionless, hardly breathing, so captivated by
MERLE'S performance that they suddenly resemble little
children.
MERLE (CONT'D)
Who... here... is for Merle...?
MERLE begins his chant again. His voice is low, very
dramatic, and the GUARD IN CHARGE joins right in.
MERLE (CONT'D)
(with GUARDS)
MERLE IS MIGHTY! -- HA!
MERLE IS STRONG! -- HA!
MERLE IS MAGIC -- HA!
MERLE snaps the revolver level in his hand and BLASTS the
GUARD IN CHARGE, hitting him full in the face. At the same
time NICK throws himself into the GUARD who is standing
behind him, spins and slams the GUARD'S AK 47 into his chin.
TWO MORE SHOTS BLAST OUT FROM MERLE'S .45 and we see TWO
GUARDS crash over the kitchen table. NICK now opens up with
AK 47, and as MERLE backs off beside him, also with an AK 47,
they GUN the remaining GUARDS to the floor.
It is over in an instant. The BODIES lie in a bloody, tangled
mess under a pathetic paper lantern. The rain drones on --
uninterrupted, undiminished, eternal...
EXT. CLEARING IN THE JUNGLE - HEAVY RAIN - DAY
Barely visible against the dripping foliage -- like a shadow
is a startled V.C. SOLDIER. The man takes a half-step
forward, unslings his rifle and OPENS FIRE.
INT. THATCHED HUT - DAY
The SOUTH VIETNAMESE PRISONERS are hit where they stand. NICK
spins, BADLY WOUNDED. MERLE throws himself on the floor and
lets go with the AK 47.
1 The Godfather 'Al Pacino shooting Sollozzo the Turk and the Chief of the Police'
THIRD DRAFT PARAMOUNT PICTURES
1 Gulf and Western Plaza
March 29, 1971 New York, New York 10019
EXT NITE: LUNA AZURA RESTAURANT (WINTER 1945)
The car pulls up in front of a little family restaurant in
the Bronx: The "LUNA AZURA". There is no one on the street.
MICHAEL looks to see if the DRIVER is going to get out with
them. He gets out, and opens the door. SOLLOZZO, McCLUSKEY
and MICHAEL get out; the DRIVER remains leaning against the
car. They enter the restaurant.
INT NITE: LUNA AZURA (WINTER 1945)
A very small family restaurant with a mosaic tile floor.
SOLLOZZO, MICHAEL and McCLUSKEY sit around a rather small
round table near the center of the room. There are empty
booths along the side walls; with a handful of CUSTOMERS,
and ONE or TWO WAITERS. It is very quiet.
MCCLUSKEY
Is the Italian food good here?
SOLLOZZO
Try the veal; it's the finest in
New York.
The solitary WAITER brings a bottle of wine to the table.
They watch him silently as he uncorks it and pours three
glasses. Then, when he leaves, SOLLOZZO turns to McCLUSKEY:
SOLLOZZO
I am going to talk Italian to Mike.
MCCLUSKEY
Sure, you two go right ahead; I'll
concentrate on my veal and my
spaghetti.
SOLLOZZO now begins in rapid Sicilian. MICHAEL listening
carefully and nodding every so often. Then MICHAEL answers
in Sicilian, and SOLLOZZO goes on. The WAITER occasionally
brings food; and they hesitate while he is there; then go on.
Then MICHAEL, having difficulty expressing himself in
Italian, accidentally lapses into English.
MICHAEL
(using English for emphasis)
Most important...I want a sure
guarantee that no more attempts
will be made on my father's life.
SOLLOZZO
What guarantees can I give you? I
am the hunted one. I've missed my
chance. You think too highly of
me, my friend...I am not so
clever...all I want if a truce...
MICHAEL looks long and hard at SOLLOZZO, who is smiling
holding his open hands up as if to say: "I have no tricks up
my sleeve". Then he looks away and makes a distressed look
on his face.
SOLLOZZO
What is it?
MICHAEL
Is it all right if I go to the
bathroom?
SOLLOZZO is intuitively suspicious. He studies MICHAEL with
his dark eyes. Then he thrusts his hand onto MICHAEL's
thigh feeling in and around, searching for a weapon.
MCCLUSKEY
I frisked him; I've frisked
thousands of young punks; he's clean.
He looks at a MAN sitting at a table opposite them;
indicating the bathroom with his eyes. The MAN nods,
indicating no one is there.
SOLLOZZO
Don't take too long.
MICHAEL gets up and calmly walks to the bathroom, and
disappears inside.
INT NITE: LUNA AZURA TOILET (WINTER 1945)
MICHAEL steps into the small bathroom; he is breathing very
hard. He actually uses the urinal. Then he washes his
hands with the bar of pink soap; and dries them thoroughly.
Then he moves to the booth, up to the old-fashioned toilet.
Slowly he reaches behind the water tank; he panics when he
cannot feel the gun. We see behind the tank his hand is
just a few inches from the gun...he gropes
searchingly...finally coming to rest on the gun.
CLOSE ON MICHAEL; the feel of it reassures him. Then he
breaks it loose from the tape holding it; he takes a deep
breath and shoves it under his waistband. For some
unexplainable reason he hesitates once again, deliberately
washes his hands and dries them. Then he goes out.
INT NITE: LUNA AZURA (WINTER 1945)
He hesitates by the bathroom door; and looks at his table.
McCLUSKEY is eating a plate of spaghetti and veal. SOLLOZZO
turns around upon hearing the door, and looks directly at
MICHAEL. MICHAEL looks back. Then he smiles and continues
back to the table. He sits down.
MICHAEL
Now I can talk. I feel much better.
The MAN by the far wall had been stiff with attention; now
he too relaxes. SOLLOZZO leans toward MICHAEL who sits down
comfortably and his hands move under the table and unbutton
his jacket. SOLLOZZO begins to speak in Sicilian once again
but MICHAEL's heart is pounding so hard he can barely hear
him.
The WAITER comes to ask about the order, SOLLOZZO turns to
speak, and without warning, MICHAEL shoves the table away
from him with his left hand, and with his right hand puts
the gun right against SOLLOZZO's head, just touching his
temple. He pulls the trigger, and we see part of SOLLOZZO's
head blown away, and a spray of fine mist of blood cover the
entire area.
The WAITER looks in amazement; suddenly his white jacket is
sprayed and stained with blood.
SOLLOZZO seems in a perpetual fall to the floor; through he
seems to hang in space suspended.
MICHAEL pivots, and looks:
There is McCLUSKEY, frozen, the fork with a piece of veal
suspended in air before his gaping mouth.
MICHAEL fires; catching McCLUSKEY in his thick bulging
throat. He makes a horrible, gagging, choking sound. Then
coolly, and deliberately, MICHAEL fires again, fires right
through McCLUSKEY's white-topped skull.
The air is filled with pink mist.
MICHAEL swings toward the MAN standing by the bathroom wall.
He does not make a move, seemingly paralyzed.
Now he carefully shows his hands to be empty.
The WAITER steps backward through the mist of blood, an
expression of horror on his face.
MICHAEL looks at his two victims:
SOLLOZZO still in his chair, side of his body propped up by
the table.
McCLUSKEY finally falls from the chair to the table.
MICHAEL is wildly at a peak. He starts to move out. His
hand: is frozen by his side, STILL GRIPPING THE GUN.
He moves, not letting the gun go.
MICHAEL's face; frozen in its expression.
His hand: still holding the gun.
His face: finally he closes his eyes.
His hand relaxes, the gun falls to the floor with a dull thud.
He walks quickly out of the restaurant, looks back.
He sees a frozen tableau of the murder; as though it had
been recreated in wax.
Then he leaves.
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