.. :- . ' ..

Fifth :>r2.:t:

.,-~-..
0§19/

THE DEER HUNTER

final draft sc~eenplay

by

Michael Cimino

THIS SCRIPT IS !tOT FOR PUBL!CAT:ON

OR REPRODt:r'l'T('~!

NO ONE IS AUTHORIZE:) ro DIS?v.:z O? SAi.\1.E

IF LOST OR DESTROYED, PLEASE
NOTIFY SCRIPT DE?ART~tE~T

Reg. WGA

.r ~- Prcperty of:
F.Z-!I FILHS' n;c.
1041 North For~osa
uos Angel~s, California 90046 6/7/77
r ,__
1. EXT. ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS, HIGHWAY - LIGHT SNOW - 1968 - DAWN

A big tande~ diesel truck brakes and turns off the highway into a
smaller cor..rr,2.:-::ial :::-o;.ite that is !Jeco:ning a .:orgo:. ·.:en back roud.
The road winds u~der the high~ay, through a high un~erpass, down
towards the little steel town of Clairton, Pa.

2. EXT. CLAIRTOt: - DAWN

Rearing itself enormously over the town, the steel plant is massive,
grime-streaked, squatting in the river valley under five massive
blast furnace stacks, each one over twelve stories high and trail-
ing fat white ~lumes across the winter sky. Fires can be seen
flickering through the windows and long flames weave and dance frorr.
the tops of guyed metal flues. Steam rises in clouds from vents
and chimneys and the sound of it all -- the hissing, the clanging,
the rumbling, the shrieking -- comes faintly, muted by the falling
snow.

In the foreground is the town's only commercial street -- Division

Street -- which shares the bottom of the narrow flood plain and
borders directly alongside the mill. Division is a sad-looking
street, a grim-looking street, a street hanging on by the skin o:
its teeth. Dilapidated stores hug the narrow sidewalks. Battered
signs squeak in the wind. Sandwiched between the stores and scat-
tered on twisting roads along the hillside are narrow Victorian
houses. These houses, which run to three stories or more in height,
all seem on the verge of tO??ling over, and undoubtedly would, ~x-
cept that they are all connected one to another by a mad arrangeme~~
of utility lines which cross and re-cross between them with occasic~-
al aid from a leaning pole.

The theme music comes U? -- dissonant, rather frightening music

as we watch the truck come charging up through the slush on Divisic~
Street. As it nears came=a the truck seems to shake the town, roars
down the slippery grade and sli=es out of sight. A figu=e appear~,
huddled against the driving snow. The figure crosses a catwalk to
the mill, disa?pears as camera holds on the mill and the em?tY stree~
Simple lettering fades in:

THE DEER HUNTER

Suddenly the theme music stops. There is a moment's pause.

3. INT. STEEL MILL - DAWN

A huge sheet of flame roars two stories high as pure oxygen is blowr.
into a furnace. On a stage below, a white-hot i~got is pulled fron
a "soaking pit" by a massive overhead crane. The crane comes screa::·.-
ing down a mile-long track and drops the ingot off onto the rollers.
Another ingot follows it, and another and another and another. The
ingots are huge, trembling with heat, and they come on with a terri-
• fying rumble .

FADE IN CREDITS OVER:

 2.

r 4. INT. BLAST FUR.~ACE - DAWN

We see a CAST HOUSE CREW preparing to ta_p the furncce •..;hich rises ir. ··.
a spidery network of catwalks and girders and deftly swinging across
the troughs. There are five of them, all of whom are young. ~hey
wear leather aprons, thick goggles and asbestos hoods which ex~end ~c
the waist. Warped in heat waves and glistening with sweat they see~
like figures in some hellish ballet. Since they all wear goggles i~
is hard to distinguish between them, but there are three, who are
younger, who seem to work with particular grace. These are ~;ICK,
STEVEN and MICHAEL.

Michael takes up a long steel pole and rams it through the crust
sealing the open tap hole at the base of the furnace. As the steel
pole penetrates the crust there is a tremendous explosion of white-
hot molten iron which gushes from the tap hole in a spectacu:ar
shower of sparks and pours into a deep trough in the brick floor.
Nick slams open a heavy sluice gate and the molten iron roars out
across the entire floor in a series of inter-connected channels.
This last regulated by two men, one of whom is huge. He is AXEL.
The other, STAN, who is the smallest man, watches as now the molten
iron pours through gaping holes, into brick-lined "hot metal cars"
waiting on railroad tracks below.

The heat is unbelievable, rising in waves, and as the men step back
and forth across the lethal rivers of flowing iron the shap~s of
their bodies go through sudden, spectacular visual changes -- g=owi~;
fat, growing thin, growing short, growing tall. Michael has a~out
him anair of com.rnand, even of arrogance. He is the "Turn Foreman".

Close on Nick. The noise is deafening, the close ?resenc2 of the

furnace terrifying, and the white-hot molten iron continues g~shing
from the tap hole in bursts of spark and flame. ~aking acvantase
of a slight pause, Michael jabs Nick with his pole and they beth
make cuckold's horns at Steven. Steven waves them off wit:i. !1is
hand. Michael and Nick make the horns again and now Steven p~~s
both hands on his hips and studiously ignores them. Michael and
Nick begin laughing. Steven can't hold out and he begins laughing
too, but now one of the troughs begins flowing and Axel turns to
give them a look and they become all concentration again.

FADE CREDITS:

5. INT. RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH - Al.TAR - EARLY MORNING

And it couldn't be more of a contrast. A young, prematurely balding

PRIEST, two small ALTAR BOYS and an old CUSTODIAN are making prepa-
rations for a wedding ceremony. STEVEN'S MOTHER hovers close-~y as
·the Priest unlocks a cabinet and takes out beautiful hand-made tapers
and two golden crowns which will be used in the service. T:-ie Priest
moves with precise, agonizing slowness and Steven's Mother is in the
midst of a bad anxiety attack.
---
STEVEN'S MOTHER
It's all right? Everything's going
to be all right?
 (Revised 5/9/77) 3.

PRIEST.
Yes.

STEVEN'S MOTHER
Are you sure everything's all
right? You wouldn't lie-to me?

PRIEST
{smiles gently)
No' I··>: .· ,:. ,

STEVE:--l' S MOTHER
How many times does a first son
get married? .•• Once.
The priest smiles again.

STEVEN'S MOTHER (cont)

It would snow ... Everybody's going
to slip. Everybody's going to
slide ..• All the cars are going
to crash!

Steven's Mother puts her hand to her mouth and bursts into tears.

* STEVENIs MOTHER (cont)

I can't believe this ... My own
boy ••. with a strange girl ... and
not so thin, if you understand my
meaning ... not such a thin girl ...
and next thing, two days later,
.he is going off to Vietna~! He
enlisted! With those crazy friends
of his, they enlisted! I don't ~nder-
stand, Father. No. I understand
nothing anymore ... Nothing, Father!
Can you explain it all? Can anybody
explain ...

The priest gives his gentle smile again. He takes Steven's ~other,
who is openly weeping now, in his arms and comforts her.

6. EXT. CHURCH, STARKWEATHER STREET - EARLY !-10RNI!-1G

A car lunges up t~e hill, gets about halfway and slides back. As
the car disappears, the door to one of the tilting old houses bursts
open and a group of giggling BRIDESMAIDS begins scampering across
the street. They have all been working on their dresses, which are
not completely finished, a~d they all carry ribbons and scissors
and pieces of material. It is freezing cold and as they make their
way to the other side of the slippery street they grab each other
for support. An icy wind begins blowing. One of the brides~aids

r loses her dress

to retrieve
the bridesmaids
it.
entirely and with everyone
Hhen the garment
disappear inside.
is captured
laughing she rushes
a door comes O?en and
back
 4.

We hold on Starkweather Street for a moment. The snow slants across

the boarded-up stores a::d piles on the 9ables of th!? ti?SY :!.itt:!.e
houses. Anoi:.:-.,::::: car a~;:ears, llln •:1es at -::he hill a:-.d slides !Jae:,.
Suddenly the c:=r of one of the ~c .:ses c0nes open a~c a sro~? o:.
OLDER ~EIGHBOR~CO □ WO~E~ emerge carrying a huge white wedding ca~e
with a rniniatu~e bride and groo~ standing on the tc?. 7he older
women are all i:-1 their fifties and sixties and bundled in dark over-
coats, boots a::i babush~as. As they begin moving slowly up the streei:.
in the driving snow, shielding the great white cake between thern, we
see the onion-sha?ed cones of the church rearing over them all.
7. . INT. STEEL MILL - CHANGING SHED - EARLY MORNING

Time clocks line the walls. As a whistle screams to mark the end of
the graveyard shift thousand of steelworkers, many with their hard
hats still on, goggles pushed over the top, and all of them grimy in
thick layers of clothes and boots, begin checking out, streaming
toward acres of parked cars or heading directly for the line of small,
neon-lit bars which adjoin the mill along the entire length of a nea~-
by block on the end of Division Street. Nick, Steven and Michael are
right up in the front ranks and once they have clocked their cards
they gather together in the streaming mass of men. We see them clear-
ly for the first time: They are tall, strongly built, and there is a
melancholy about their faces now, but this can be quickly washed out
with a smile or a laugh. They are intelligent, sensitive, handsorr.e
faces, but very ethnic, very strong.

NICK
Where's Stan?

STEVEN
There's Axel!
(calls)
Hey, Axel!

Axel appears -- six and a half feet tall, huge and strong-musc~ed,
· but with a natural smile like an angel and a stomach as beamy as a
coal barge -- changes course and plows across the river of depart~ng
steelwo.!'kers.

AXEL
How you feeling, Steven?

STEVEN
I feel okay.

· AXEL
(poker faced)
You feelin' hot?

Steven punches Axel's arm. On closer view, Steven seems no longer a

youth, but he is not yet a man: something about him is unfixed.
 • .:.. 1 · - - --~ ...

5.

NICK
( (laughs, wraps an
'- ..
arm around Steven).
Watch out, Axel. We'll be calling
him "Old Fire Balls" after tonight ...

AXEL
Fuckin' A.

MICHAEL
There's Stan!

OTHERS
(calling)
Stan! Over here! Stan!
MICHAEL
Get him, Axel. Get Stan!

AXEL
I'll get him.

Axel wades back into the stream of steelworkers, grabs Stan and they
all push out together.

,.r s. EXT. PARKING AREA - M.~IN GATE - EARLY MOR.~ING

v The snqw is still falling. It covers the ground. It covers the
acres of begrimed cars. It swirls and tosses and blows. As the five
friends come out into the parking lot they all stop dead in their
tracks, star~ng into the grey sky.

STEVEN
Lookit that! I never saw any-
thing like that before ... What
the hell is it?

MICHAEL
Sun dogs. Holy shit ... sun dogs!

Everyone looks at Michael, then back up at the sky. Around the hazed
winter sun is an enormous, perfect halo. At four equidistant points
around the outer edge of the halo .are four shimmering, faintly glow-
ing disks, each one of which is a miniature reflection of the sun it-
self.

The sight is so stunning that for a moment no one speaks.

AXEL
What does it mean?

MICHAEL
It means a blessing on the
- hunters sent · by the Great Wolf
to his children.
 6.

r What the
STAN
fuck are you talking
about?

MICHAEL
It's an old Indian thing.

STAN
(half-believing)
You're full of shit.

MICHAEL
Would I shit about a thing like
that?

STAN
Mike, there's sometimes nobody
but a doctor can understand you.

MICHAEL
It's an omen. Jesus, could we
have ourselves one great fuckin'
hunting trip tonight!

NICK
Goddamn, Mike, I don't know where
the hell you pick up all this
shit.

STEVEN
Hey, wait a minute, Mike. What
are you ... ? Are you thinking
about going deer huntin'?

The others nod 'no', shruq. They are all embarrassed. Thev start
heading towards Michael's car. A battered old shark-finned- '59
· Caddy Coupe de Ville.

STEVEN {cont)
Not tonight! I'm getting married
tonight! You fuckin' guys would
go up deer hunting tonight?

STAN
Hey. First we'd get you legal.
Tuck you in bed with Angela. I
mean, what the hell is wrong with
that?
(to the others)
Right? Am I ~ight?

AXEL
Fuckin' A.
 7.

'·
STE"vEN
(envious)
You guys are crazy. You know
that? I ~ean, you guys ire
fuckin' nuts!

STAN
You're getting married ... and
we're nuts!

NICK
(arm around Steven)
It's all right. Hey, it's all
right. We'll be right here, right
with you. All of us.
(looks at the
others)
Won't we? Right? Am I right?

MICHAEL
Right.

AXEL
Fuckin' A.

The others murmur agreement. Now Steven is embarrassed. He makes

a gesture with his hand.

NICK
(with a laugh)
C'mon. C'mon, you guys! I'm
buying the first round this
morning.

They all come through the swirling snow to Michael's old Cadillac,
- all with their arms around Stev~n, laughing a~d jokins, punching
each other, but it's obvious they care about each other. They care.

STAN
Hey, Steven, any help you might
need tonight--

STEVEN
(coldly)
Sometimes your sense of humor
ain't funny, Stanley!

NICK
C'mon, Steven--

MICHAEL
I
Willing fingers--
'-·
STAN
Extra lips .•.
 8.

AXEL
Fuckin' A!

NICK
(sardonic)
You're a regular poet, Axel.

AXEL
I couldn't agree with you more!

9. INT. LEMKO VFW HALL - EARLY MORNING

The place is large and lovingly painted in glossy pastoral scenes of
various conflicting shades, like a huge candy box. ~here are high
arched windows alonq the outer walls. Across the floor from the en-
trance is a small arched stage with an enormous American flag hanginq
from the ceiling behind the arch. WOMENare laying white paper table-
cloths on trestle tables.

Plastered to the wall just above the arched stage are three large
blow-ups of Nick, Steven and Michael. The blow-ups are high school
vintage photos, patriotically edged with red, white and blue bunting.
Above them is a caption: SERVING GOD AND COUNTRY PROUDLY.

As TWO OLD MEN on high ladders gingerly hold the bunting with trembli~s
hands, TWO v-iWl VETS on the floor look up at them, their ey,es peering
up intently behind thick corrective glasses. The first vet has a sin-
gle lens blacked out.

VET 1
Up I would say ... What would you
say?

VET 2
Up.

VET l
(signals)
Up closer to Steven's picture!

The old men on the ladders adjust the bunting closer to Steven's
picture. The two WWl vets on the floor study it.

VET 2
Down a bit I wou1d say ... What
would you say?

.VET 1
Down.

VET 2
(signals)
Down a bit.
 9.

r Suddenly
all
there is a comr.'.otion.
rush to the door as the older
The women who are setting
women come in with the wedc~~cr cake.
the ~ables

The older women are half-frozen and as they move toward the ta~ie in
the middle of the room t~c cake receives a great chor ~:s o f o~ ~• s a~~
ahh's. Suddenly the oldest woman collacses. Evervc~e ~~shes ~o her
aid, seats her in a chair and rubs her feet and ha;cis. Someo ~e comes
up with a large glass of wine. The oldest woman takes the glass,
tosses it off in one swallow and gives a great, ear-s?litting grin.

10. EXT. STEEL MILL - PARKING AREA - EARLY MORNING

Michael's '59 Caddy careens across the parking area.

11. INT./EXT. CADDY - PARKING AREA - EARLY MORNING

Nick, Steven, Michael, Stan and Axel are all laughing. Michael is
at the wheel. The wipers have made two broad arcs in the dirt on the
windshield.

12. EXT. PARKING LOT - EARLY MORNING

The Caddy bangs over gaping potholes heading straight for the ~ain
gate which opens onto the narrow end of Division Street where it
curves sharply under a railroad trestle. Obviously the caution sign
is not going to be observed.
r 13. EXT. DIVISION STREET - EARLY MORNING

- Michael
trailer
the right
careens through
rig comes barrelling
and swings
the gate and just as he does so a huge
out of the underpass
wide to avoid him ...
on his blinc
tracto~
side tc

AXEL
Stand on it, Mike!

STAN
(to Axel)
You'd never do it.

AXEL
(threateningly)
Are you accusin' me?

MICHAEL
(shouting)
Shut the hell up! I'm trying
to concentrate!

ALL
Go, Mike! Stand on it, babe!

14. INT. CADDY - EARLY MORNI?:G

- . Michael is highballing it two wheels up on the sidewalk scraping the
rock wall of the railroad trestle o~ his right. Th~ tractor ~railer
is only inches ·away on his left, air horn blaring. There is not en-
 10.

,... ough room for both vehicles on the same narrow stretch of road.

\-. Nick, who has been slar..::-,ed against i:he windo..,, on the t=uck sid0, is
studying the second hand on his watch . .The others are all hollering
at the truck and swearing. Michael half l~ans back against the seat,
eye~ on the road.

MICHAEL
How we doing?

NICK
Never happen! You can't rnake
it!

OVer this last, Nick pulls out his pick-up truck registration and
throws over to Michael.

MICHAEL
What's that for?

NICK
Your Caddy against my pick-up
truck.

MICW\EL
(all concentration)
Today your lucky day?

NICK
It's always my lucky day ...

A telephone pole alongside the wall is coming up fast. Mike swerves

out more onto the street, touchi~g the truck, floors the accelerator,
cuts back around the pole . and then right, accelerates across the side-
walk, and suddenly cuts left in front of the speeding trailer rig.
Steven's face drains of color.

15. EXT. JOHN WELCH'S BAR - EJ\.RLY MORNING

The tractor trailer misses the Caddy by a hairbreadth. The Caddy

swaps ends three times around and comes to a sliding stop in the
slush directly in front of the bar.

AXEL
Fuckin' A!

The angry blaring of the truck's air horn echoing in the air around
them fades. Thro~gh the window of the car we see Axel, one eye still
on the disappearing truck, his fist thrust forward in a victory salute.
A loud cheer goes up ... Michael hands Nick back his registration, gives
his spare smile.

MICHAEL
·1 1 d be taking advantage of you--
a million to one shot even money
against a sure thing.
 l0A.

,,.. NICX
There is no such thing as a
sure thing.
16. INT. STEVEN'S MOTHER'S IIOUSE - BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING
A plump, country-pretty girl with a solemn, round face and big brown
eyes, leans forwa.?:"d into a mirror. She is At,GEL.A, Steven's b=:.ce-to-
be. · She is dressed in her white bridal crown and veil ·. She ste::is
back from the mirror, standing in t~e middle o: an u~faniliar =com,
looking down at her stomach. Her stomach is definitely swollen and
Angela atternps, with no success, to suck it in.
1(. ( _:,•.. --:· ANGELA ' .
:; ·' .,.-:
Oh, God!
Now, she crosses back to the mirror and stares intently at herself.
ANGELA
(sincerely)
I do.
A pause_. Angela scowls and tries it again.
ANGELA (cont)
(heartfelt)
I do.
Angela tries it a few more times. It sounds worse and worse.
ANGELA (cont)
I do, I do, I do!

Angela stares at herself again. Now she looks desperately alone and
unrelievedly forlorn. Bursting into tears she throws herself on the
bed. Someone has slipped a magazine photograph uncer the clct~es
piled in her beat-up card~oard suitcase. The photogr~?~ is face down
and as Angela pulls. it out she sees that something is writ.en en the
back:
ANGELA
(reading, slow}
"This is it~- more or less.
Love~ Mom."
Angela frowns, turns the magazine photograph over. It is a picture of
Michaelangelo's "David". Angela stares at the figure for a long, long
moment ••.

,... Oh, my God!

ANGELA (cont)

L --
 11.

1. 7. EXT. STEVEN'S !-!OTHER'S HOUSE - FRONT E:;TPJ~:;CE - EARLY MORNING

Suddenly, Angel~ bursts outside, her bridal gown and veils swirli~g
in the freczi~; wind. S~e runs u~ ~he ste~o, ric~ctv wooden stens
leading to the ~op of the hill, s~oke swirllng in th~ air above ~he
bar~ tree to~s. And bevond, the huoe stacks of the blast furnaces
belching smo~e and flam~ tower abov~ the tiny figure of the bride.
An overbearing sense of her fragility in the vastness of the bleak
industrial lancscape.

18. INT. JOHN WELCH'S BAR - EARLY MORNING

The place is packed with boisterous steelworkers drinking boiler-

makers.· A television set blares above the bar. A well-knc~1 SPORTS
COMMENTATORis announcing that the Eagles are beating Oakland 14-0
at the half. Deerheads are mounted in long rows all around the bar,
and hand-painted murals decorate the walls. The murals depict hu~t-
ing scenes and sports scenes -- at once comical and frightening
as if the animals held some secret · from the hunters, some power beyond
their own.

JOHN WELCH bangs out from behind the bar with an armload of beer pit-
chers. At the same moment Steven cones in with Michael, Nick, Axel
and Stan. John, who is a great coarse bear of a youth, puts down his
pitchers, wraps his arms around Steven and begins jum?ing him around
the floor, a gap-toothed grin from ear to ear. He has skin that is
rough and pebbly. Still he is, if not handsome, at least not ugly.
He is a few years older than the others, big and strong-muscled like
Axel, but after·you watch him for a moment you notice his extraordi-
narily gentle eyes.

The steelworkers, to a man, all leave their bar stools and chairs and
sw~rm around Steven, pur.ching, joking and shouting congratulations
over the noise of the football game.

NICK
(loudly)
Hey, I got a hundred bucks
says the Eagles never cross
the fifty in the next half--
and Oakland wins by 20!

STAN
(to all)
And I got an extra twenty
says the Eagles' quarterback
wears a dress!
AXEL
Fuckin' A!

He's already put down half a pitcher of beer and for no reason on
earth that he can understand, Axel is suddenly crying.
 12.

\ INT. LINDA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - EARLY MORNING

LINDA is thin -- a fragile slip of a thing _with a hauntingly lovely

face. She is Nick's girlfriend, although we don't know this yet.
Wearing her bridesmaid's dress she stands alone in the kitchen,
staring at the ceiling. Thumping noises are coming from the room
above. The thumping gets louder. There is a crash, then another
crash, as if furniture were being thrown around. A ~~N'S VOICE
begins cursing and there is more thumping and crashing. Suddenly
there is a thud ... and then silence.

Linda bites her lip. She crosses to the stove, ladles stew into a
bowl, butters bread, pours a cup of tea and puts it all on a tray.

20. INT. LINDA'S HOUSE - FATHER'S BEDROOM- EARLY MORNING

The room is a wreck of broken furniture. Chairs are turned over,

lamps are smashed and the pictures hang cockeyed on the wall. In
the middle of the room, face down on the bed, is LINDA'S FA:'HBR.
His coat is torn, one shoe is missing and he holds a half-enpty
bottle in his hand. Behind him, through the open window, snow is
blowing in fiercely. And in the distance, across the roofs of the
other houses leading down to Commercial Street, the mill looms over
the whole house, the whole town, the whole valley. Linda's father
turns, stares at the acres of steelworkers' cars oarked for the
next shift. Linda comes in with the tray. She stands for a ~oment,
expressionless, looking down at her father. Then she sets che tray
on the bed and kneels beside him.

LINDA
Daddy?

FATHER
(mumbles, still
staring at all
the cars)
Go ... fucking hell! I'll give
every car in the town a flat
tire. Every goddamned car.
I'll do it!

Linda reaches down, takes her father by the shoulder and lifts him
up. It takes some effort and the face that comes up is gray, un-
shaven and implacably bitter. Sal1va dribbles from his mouth, there
is a cut with the stitches still in it seaming his forehead, and as
Linda looks at him he begins cursing again, rolls out of bea ...

FATHER (cont)
I fucking mean what I say, girl.
All around, like a seal Like an
ocean of flat tires ...
Linda gets up and closes the -window subduing the incessant sound of
the mill. She comes back, gets down on the floor beside her father
and pushes him toward the bed. Then, hiking up her brides~aid's
 (Revised 5/9/77) 13.

dress, she takes him by the shoulders a~ai~ and heaves him o~~o ·
. the cove 7let. The effort is al~ost too ~uch for her. Tears ~egin
to burn in her eyes, but when he slips back she tries again. Her
father groans, beryins to nu..'11:)le, and t.hen, when she al;:-:ost !7.2.s him
* on the bed, he suc.denly f 1 ails his a~, catches her .:·.:11 in ':.::e
face and knocks her across ~he roo~

Lirida crashes backwards over a fallen chair and s~ashes into the
wall. As she gets to her feet her father advances on her.
FATHER (cont)
Fucking bitch ... all bitches!
He swings, slaps her in the face, hard.
LINDA
Daddy ••• ! Daddy, it's me!
FATHER
Hate 'em. Fucking bitches!
I'll give 'em all flat tires ••.
Linda's father swings at her again, loses his balance and falls on
the floor. Linda stands looking at hi~, holding her jaw. She is
crying. Tears are streaming down her face.

,... 20A. EXT. LINDA'S HOUSE - EARLY MO!l!-TING

Linda comes outside into the raw cold, down the stairway to the
street, dogs barking in the wind.
21. OMITTED
22. EXT. ALLEY BEHDiD JOHN'S BAR - EARLY MOR~aNG
Steven's mother approac~es wielding a length of t~o-by-four -- a
roar of laughter comes from inside.
* 23. INT. JOHN' s BAR - EARLY Mop_;u~G
Michael, Nick, Steven, A.4<el and John are singinq. A country-western
tune blasting on the juke box is at top volume and the smoke is
thick enough to cut with a Bowie knife. Now we see Stan, arguing
loudly with a hulking TEAMSTERover the use of t~e pool table.
Suddenly, from the back, comes a screech of female recrimination. The
door to the kitchen bursts open and Steven's Mother appears, swing-
ing her two-by-four. The steelworke:::-s take one look, gulp their
drinks, grab their hard hats and all rush for the doors, except for
Stan, who pulls his .gun on.the Teamster. The two-by-four crashing
do~m on tables and chairs. Pandernoni~~!!!
24. EXT. JOHN'S BAR - FRONT ENTRA~!CE - EARLY ~tORNING
The steelworkers all stream into the snow with Steven's mother, like
an avenging angel, close behind still swinging her two-by-four.
 ,.
1 -t •

Several ?arting blows are delivered and the howls cf complaint are
met with ang:-y com:nands to hurry a!'l:l get ~.ressed for Steven's wee.di:-.;-:.

Camera closes c~ Steven, who e~er~2s with Nick and '.!ic~ael. The col~
hits him a sobe~ing blow anc he co~es to a stop.

STEVEN
--Boy, this is it. This is
really it. I mean ... here I
go.

NICK
(laughs)
No sense getting too relaxed,
Steven.

AXEL
(stoned)
Fuckin' A.
They all share a laugh then go silent. Steven's mother hurries out
of the alley. She is crying.

STEVEN'S MOTHER
My beautiful boy! My angel ...
who is leaving his own mother
for a strange girl ... a pregnant
girl!
She throws herself in Steven's arms, sobbing.

STEVEN
Momma...

STEVEN'S MOTHER
So cold is your heart to do this
to your own mother, a person who
goes to mass twice a day all her
life?

STEVEN
Momma, we'll be all right, we'll
be right upstairs. We'll have
a family again.

Steven throws a horribly emba~rassed look to Nick and Michael. Axel

just shrugs in a somewhat befuddled way. They all gesture with sym-
· pathy - and study the snow flakes.

STEVEN'S MOTHER
So cruel is your heart? Is your
heart so uncaring? You marry
this girl, leave me with her.
Then you run off to Vietnam?
 15.
STEVEN
(a litany ,;ow)
One flight, :-ion.ma. It's one
j , flight. I'll be li~i~g right
upstairs when I co~e home.
(;>a~ses)
I love lu1gela, t!a. She l"oves
me.

STEVEN'S MOTHER
(after a silence)
Wear a scarf today.

STEVEN
I'm not wearing a scarf with
a tuxedo. You don't wear a
scarf with a tuxedo!
25. EXT. MICHAEL AND NICK'S TRAILER - DAY

The trailer is a dented two-tone silver job which looks as if it had

been purchased third-hand off a construction site. It stands on cin-
derblocks in a small lot on the corner of a hill overlooking the tow~
and the blast furnaces of the mill. A beat-up pick-u? truck with
rifle racks set in behind the seat is parked to the right. On the
left is a bare-branched tree. View moves to reveal Michael's black
'59 Caddy coming uphill toward the trailer. The Caddy makes a sJ.idins
stop. Michael gets out. He is wearing his rented tuxedo bet wears
:~ his boots and carries his rented dress shoes. The su~den sight of hi~
,_ in a tuxedo is jarring. He mounts the cinderblock steps and pounds o~
the trailer door. Nick opens the door and motions him in.

26. INT. TRAILER - DAY

The place is cramped, littered with the two bachelors' garbage, but
mostly hunting paraphernalia. A very beautiful deer head is r:1ounted
above the sink. Nick, who is half into his tuxedo, is applying water-
proofing to a pair of heavy boots. Michael smiles, sits on ~he sink
-and tries on his rented patent leather shoes.

NICK
(smiling)
You trying to look like a
prince?

MICHAEL
Whaddya' mean trying?

Nick shakes his head, laughs, continues waterproofing his hunting boot:

MICHAEL
(indicates the
waterproofing)
You should have put that on
.last night.

NICK
I know.
 5/9/77) 16.
~'-s MICHAEL/ /Revised

That way it sets. /

'\, NICK//
Yeah. I know that, Mike.

Pause.
;:/'~
/
/LI _,,,,,,,,/
·ust wait.
MICHAEL·'-..

NICK
You J1q~~~?
~
---------_:::::::-::=--'."9~-~~------------
uh?

MICHAEL
I just wait. For this ... it's what
I w·ai t for .• ~ the r.iountains. It's
the only place I feel free. I wait
all year.
NICK
So do I. I guess.
MICHAEL
(sharp)
You do?

NICK
(nods)
Yeah. What the hell .•. I think
about that. I think about Vietnam.

Nick abruptly takes down his rif{e and begins wiping the oil off it.
"
MICHAEL I
You really t'\dnk about it?

·,, NI K . ,/~/
Yeah. I don 7
t know ..• For Chris;t- s
ake_s, Hike, Steven's gettin<;l-~arried
.n a'-.~ouple of hours... I dont know
what the hell we're even.,aoing talking
abo'u,t hunting a last 9-cte before the
army~ Whole thing' s_,.,erazy.
'csirence - tl}en to
n~<\onne
~n ,Particular)
Fuck. "" ,
HAE!.
I'll tell/ ou one-~thing ... If I found
out my 1ife had to epd up in the moun-
,,..
t___
tains /it would be ail
(watches
right.
Nick f6r a moment)
it has to be ther~Ain
. . you know.

your mind.

NICK
One shot?
""~
'\
~"
..·,
'\
.... .....-. __...._._:__. . _ ....

(Revised 5/9/77) 17.

,,.. (smiles)
MICHAEL

.__..
Two is pussy .

NICK
I don't think about one shot that
much anymore, Mike.

MICHAEL
(firmly)
You have to think about one shot.
A deer should be ta~en with one
shot. One shot is what it's all
about. You try to tell people.
They won't listen.
(studies him)
You really think about Vietnam?

NICK
I don't know ... I guess I'm think-
ing about the deer ... going to
Nam maybe. I don't know. I think
about it all. Hell, I like the
trees, you know? I like the ways
the trees are in the mountains,
all the different ways the trees
are too. Sound like some asshole,
right?

MICHAEL
(with a glance
to the window)
I'll tell you something, Nick. I
wouldn't hunt with anyone but you.
I like guys with quick moves and
speed. I won't hunt with an ass-
hole.

NICK
(laughs)
Who's ~n asshole?

MICHAEL
(turns .)
Who's an asshole? Who do you
think's an asshole? They're all
assholes: I mean, they're all
great guys, for Christ's sake,
but.· •. The point is, Nick, without
you, I'd hunt alone. Seriously.
I would. That's what I'd do.

NICK
(laughs)
You're a f~cking nut. You know
that, Mike? · You're a maniac
control freak.
 18.

MICHAEL
(grins)
I just d~n•t like s~rprises.

Just then, there is cursing and banqing from outside. Nick opens
th~ door. ~e see big John, and Axel, who is getting drunker by the
minute. Two ~enacing b~t corni~ figures, both in rented tuxedos that
are much too s~all. Loaded with camping gear, they are pounding on
the trunk of the Caddy, trying to get it open. Nick and Michael go
outside.

27. EXT. TRAILER - DAY

NICK
Axel! For Christ's sake ...
John! Wait a minute, you guys!

AXEL
It won't open.

MICHAEL
You gotta kick it here. Here,
Axel, not there.

AXEL
Where should I kick it? Just
show me where I should kick it.

MICHAEL
• Here. Kick it here.

Axel kicks the trunk in the inqicated spot and the lid snaps open.

AXEL
Fuckin' A!

JOHN
Too bad you're not still kick-
ing like that for the Steelers,
Axel.
(stops, catches
himself)

AXEL
(trying to ignore
this last)
I love Mike's car. Some cars
sit, you know? This car, a car
like this ... grows. I mean,
you never know, with a car like
this, where this car is going.

NICK
Yeah, it makes me feel safe.
 19.

,.
t·
Michael
toasts
gives
them all
him a long look.
with a can of beer.
Axel, not kno~ing what the hell
Stan comes up, also in tuxedo,
to do.
\_ .
dragging a totallv disor=anized clutter of huntina :ear behind him.
But unlike the ot;ers, his tuxedo fits as if it w~r~ tailo= made
for him. His shoes polished to a high gleam, he is the perfect
picture of a band leader in the forties.

STAN
Hey, gimme a hand . ..

JOHN
Shhh! Axel .' s gonna hump Mike's
Coupe de Ville.

Axel looks around at his friends. He surveys the back of the Caddy,
then from some dim dark place in his memory he dredges up an old
litany from his days as an altar boy: blesses the car, sanctifies
his friends with a last sprinkling of beer. Then he expands his
-chest, thumps on it with both fists and yodels out a magnificent,
mile-carrying Tarzan call. As the echo of it comes back the church
bell begins ringing down the street and a group of more excited bri-
desmaids come hurrying up, slipping and sliding on the ice, the mill
below them at the bottom of the hill, as Axel throws himself onto
the Caddy, attacking it.

BRIDESMAID 1
Axel, what are you doing?

BRIDESMAID 2
Hurry up, you guys!

BRIDES~1AID 3
Who's got the carnations?

BRIDESl·1AID 4
Here. They're right here.

BRIDESMAID 1
(to Axel)
Look at you. You're a mess!

BRIDESMAID 3
Put on his carnation .
•
BRIDESMAID 1
Who's got hands? My hands are
frozen.

As the bridesmaids begin straightening ties, one of them starts

ptitting on Axel's carnation.

BRIDESMAID-2
Boy, this crummy tuxedo's been
stuck with a million flowers ...
·Where'd you get this thing? Loo~
at all the holes in the lapel!
 20.

I
AXEL
\~ - (proudly)
Fuckin' A.
Nick hears someone call his name. He turns to find Linda sta~ding
beside the trailer where she can't be seen. She looks pale and very
frightened and she holds a small suitcase in her hand.
NICK
(crosses)
Linda ...

LINDA
Hi.
(forces a smile)
Nick, your shoes are soaking.
NICK
Linda, what's the matter?
Linda tries to speak, can't. She fights against it but the tears
begin to come. Nick looks around, pulls her inside the trailer.
28. INT. TRAILER - DAY
,- Nick clears a place in the clutter on the couch. Linda sits, holding
'- her suitcase in her lap.
LINDA
(with great
effort)
I was just wandering, Nick ..•
you and Michael •.• you're all
going into the army in a couple
of days with Steven ..• If I
could use this place to stay
until you guys come back, because ...
NICK
Sure. Are you kidding? For sure!
LINDA
I'd want to pay you both •.• and I
was thinking--
NICK
(kneels in
front of her)
Linda ••• hey, Linda!
LINDA
No. I would want to pay you,
Nick .. .
 21.

,...
NICK
'\. . Linda, Linda ... !

LINDl.
(very small
voice, looking
into his eyes)
What?

NICK
(as if wanting
to say more)
I don't know ...

They meeet in a long look. Nothing more is said, but a lot of emotion
is going on.

29. INT. CHURCH - DAY

Nick and Linda are holding the crowns above Steven and Angela who
stand facing each other as an overwhelmingly vibrant chorus of male
voices comes up singing the powerful and haunting Russian wedding
music.

PRIEST
"Blessed be the Kingdom ... now
and forever unto Ages and Ages ...

As the priest continues with the Holy Sacrarne~t, ca~era picks up

FACES in the congregation. We see familiar faces from the VFW po3t,
the steelworkers fro~ the bar and their WIVES, and Steven's nether
who chased them home to change. They are hard faces -- working-class
faces -- but we sense a fortitude among the congregation, a community
of both heart and spirit. The music is now so emotional it would
seem impossible to increase it in intensity, but it does go higher.

·tamera picks up Michael, Stan and Axel in a row opposite the brides-
maids. And then John, who is standing in the choir loft singing with
the other men. His great voice booning over the others, see~ing to
carry the entire choir. The expression in his eyes is beyond descrip-
tion, tears welling up in them now.

Michael, Stan and Axel look back up tot-1ard John, all disheveled. Their
tuxedos are suffocatingly too small and their shoes are soaking wet
from walking in the snow. Except for Stan who amazingly, despite the
weather, is as neat as a pin.

Nick catches Linda's eye and they hold each other across the interven-
ing space like two children who are amazed.

The priest hands white tapers to the bride and groom. Camera closes
slowly on the priest. The man is impressive -- gentle, soft, yet
full of power. The priest lights the tapers -- first Angela's, then
St~ven's and looks out across the assembled congregation. The
 (OMITTED) 2 2.
23.

great wave of e~otion fron the singing riding over it all, so that
we have to stra~n as he continues ...

PRIES?
"For everyone that docs evil
hates the light, and does not
come to tha light, lest his
deeds will be reproved."
30. EXT. CHURCH, STA~KWEATHERSTREET - TOP OF TIIE HILL - DAY

Save for the lone figure of Linda's father, muttering, trudsing home,
the street is caserted, left to the gently falling s~ow. The music
passes through the walls cf the church. A souna that is so rich, so
vibrant, so darkly pure, that it seems enough to break the heart.
It goes beyond the great onion-shaped domes of the church, beyond the
town, beyond the massive silhouette of the steel mill lit with fire.

31. INT. CHURCH - DAY

Michael, Nick, Stan and Axel Join - the bridesmaids to assist the priest
in the crowning of Steven and Angela. The priest has just crowned
Angela. Now Steven is crowned.

PRIEST (cont)
"The servant of God, Steven, is
crowned for the servant of God,
Angela, in the Name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy
Ghost. Amen."

Guiding the cou9le by their joined hands the priest leads Steven and
Angela and the other friends around the little altar. The movement
is very precise, very fornal, a circling to represent eternity. Li~da
meets Michael in a look as the music builds to an unbeara!::::ly e~otional
~limax. Michael's eyes for a long moment on Linda who ~clts hils loo~
at first, then down.

32. EXT. STARKWEATHERSTREET - DAY

The wedding couple hurries frcm the church down the steps to the one
waiting car, Michael's old black Caddy decorated with colored paper
streamers. Everybody is cheering and shouting and as the car pulls
out toward Ler..ko VFW Ilall, Michael, Nick, Stan and Axel go running
down the street after the·car, slipping and sliding on the ice, grab-
bing up fistfuls of snow and throwing snowballs at the car. Steven
and Angela laughing, waving back at them. And beyond all of this,
the whole congregation noving towards the reception in cars, Nick's
p~ck-up truck, and on foot. John watch~s the congregation from a high
window in the choir loft and follows them with his eyes in the falling
r snow, advancing toward Lemko VFW Hall.
(~ 33 . INT. LEMKO VFW HALL - DAN'CE FLOOR - DAY

Pandemonium. The band ~s going full blast and the whirling COUPLES,
 24.

young and old, are laughing. All the servers are women and they are
serving as fast as ?OSs ible -:o all the people j a::i::-,•~:l to;-e ther. Ha 1 f
the men are already quite drunk. Ke see Steven a11~ ~~gela, Ni=~ an~
Linda, Stan, Axel and Joh~. The only one o~ the grcu? no~ dancing
is Michael. Michael is drinking heavily, standirig alone on the side
of the floor chugging beer in tense, rapid-fire gul?s. We sense im-
mediately that he feels out of place, at a loss to join spontaneously
in the spirit of the party. Suddenly all the old ~o~en start clangin;
forks against their glasses. The sound gets very loud fast and every
time the sound is made Angela and Steven must kiss, as they do now. ·
Michael finishes the beer, crumples the can and starts on another.
As he picks up the second can he notices that a sad-looking GI?.L is
sitting against the wall behind him, waiting for someone to ask her
to dance. The sad-looking girl gives Michael a s~lle. Michael pre-
tends not to see and moves behind a post, stares up at his high school
picture above the stage between Nick and Steven's pictures, intensely.

Now all the old women begin singing as the wedding cake that was
carried in earlier is br~ught out, the ~iniature bride and qroo2 are
slightly askew, but still standing in the middle. Unnoticed by Steve~.
his mother and Angela eye the little figures. Both women are in rat~e:
teary condition and begin moving toward the cake. Suddenly, as the
crowd shifts, they encounter each other face to face. Smiles ar~ ex-
changed -- strained smiles, which get stretched and stretched and
stretched. Then, Angela deserts the smiling and removes th~ fisures
from the cake, gives them to Steven 1 s mother who looks down at her
sugar-coated groom and bride. Then they eye each other, burst into
tears and throw themselves in each other 1 s arms, moaning and sobbin;.

34. INT. LEMKO VFW HALL - ENTRA~1CE Hl\LLHAY - DAY

Another late-arriving COUPLE tries to enter the place. It is already

overflowing with coats on racks. They finally find their way to the
door and squeeze inside.

35 . .. INT. LEMKO HALL - DAY

Inside the whole place is literally throbbing. The band is now play-
ing· the loudest dancing polka musi _c anyone has ever heard anyw!'lere.
The new man is stopped by John who stands at the head of a receiving
line holding a large basket full of money and envelopes. Next to hi~
is Axel.

MAN
What's this?

AXEL
For a buck you get a shot, a
cigar and a dance with the
beautiful bride.

Axel is swaying slightly but holding firmly onto a large tray with
shot glasses of whiskey each filled to the brim, and laden with
cigars. Before the man goes any further, he puts hi3 dollar in John's
 25.

basket, then Axel gives him a shot and a cigar and the man gets·
· a four-s3cond turn on the dance floor with Angela, who is bearnina,
showinq her ring to everybody as sh~ whirls a~d twirls. In the ~
r:lids~ cf all t.":-::.~ ·.•: v-:...-y -=..-Pcl1c.,-, ,· '\'
0
- - - -
,..e" .•,,,,...,r deac· --~~-•-.v
..., - .. ._ "• - - -•,. .. ., I
- - ;.,;,
;....,;
it;.;
..,~
- c;,_:..._. ♦-
i. • • - _, L

carried out. 3~dde~ly, the band s~o~s c~~d, anc t~e ba~d leader
addresses the c=o~d at a shout, without t~e aid of a microphone.

BANDLE,\DER
Quiet! Quiet please! Could
I have your attention ?lease!
Angela and Steven would like
to welcome you and introduce
you to their bridal party,
and especially to Nick and
Michael who are also going to
Vietnam with Steven to proudly
serve their country!

There is a tremendous burst of applause, hollering and cheering as

Michael, Nick, Axel, Linda, Stan and John all step into the glare
of light and a flash picture is taken of the group. We hold on this
tableau for a moment as the band strikes up with "Stars and Stripes
Forever".

The old vets put their hats over their hearts. Then the old women
begin banging on the glasses agair. and Steven and Angela kiss once
more. Then the whole bridal party switches partners and as the
music starts up again they dance. Michael is now going to have to
dance with Nick's girl, Linda, but his ~anner as he takes ~er ha~d,
is forced. Nick shoves them off onto the dance floor together. He
passes John. John stops him. There is an awkward moment.

JOHN
(in a low, very
soft voice)
If it wasn't for my accident,
I'd be going with you guys,
Nick.

They meet .in a long look. Nick is touched. He puts his arm around
John and hugs him, not knowing what the hell to do. The crowd is
loud with excitement. ·

As we watch Michael dancing with Linda, they seem removed from the
rest. They look at each other - she breathing hard, he in controlled
desire, as if they were separate, alone.

MICHAEL ,
I'm not the. greatest dancer.

LINDA
You're doing·fine.

MICHAEL
(after an uncomfortable
moment and with great
solicitude)
Would you like a beer?
 26.

( LINDA
'·- Sure.
(puzzled)

MICHAEL
What kind of beer would you like?

LINDA
(laughing)
I don't know, Michael. I don't
really care. Beer is beer.

MICHAEL
I'll get you a Miller's. Miller's
High Life. That's the best there is.

Michael takes off. Linda sits down at a table shakir.g her head in
puzzlement as Michael goes to the cooler to get a Miller's. He gropes
around in the tub, finds one and pops the tab. Suddenly he notices
that Nick has crossed to the sad-looking girl by the wall. He has
stopped in front of her and is asking her something. The sad-looking
girl gives a blush, gets out of her chair and Nick takes her in his
arms and begins to dance. The sad-looking girl looks transforraed.
She begins chattering and laughing just like the others.

Michael crosses back to Linda and gives her the Miller's. As he pull~
up a chair to sit down beside her he st~~bles and nearly loses his
balance., and for the first time we notice he is very, very drunk, and
it surprises us.

MICHAEL
Sorry.

LINDA
(laughs)
It's okay, Michael. It's a
wedding. You're supposed to
let go .•. have fun, you know--

Nick swings by with the sad-looking girl and makes a dramatic flashy
turn, smiles as they go by.

MICHAEL
(catching L'inda' s
expression)
I guess you really like Nick
a lot •.•

LINDA
(nods)
Yes.

Michael doesn't say anything for a moment. He seems to be trying to

contain a floodtide of emotion. Looks up at his high school picture
next to Nick's again. Big and absurd and yet terribly moving.
,... 27.

.
• ..
36. INT. ENTRANCE HALL - NIGHT

The rack is s ti 11 more j an:ned with wet, soggy coats. 'icung c:'J:..:?les,
squeezed furtively between tte coats neck passionat~ l y. 7he =acks
qu~ver and shake and the music is now playing sweet and low, ~ut
somehow still manages to sound hectic.

The front door comes open and a young U.S. Army S?ecial Forces
SERGEANT steps into the darkened hallway. The nan ~ears his dress
green uniform and beret. On his chest is a row of battle ribtons
and his jump boots are mirror-polished. The Sergeant gives a slight
shake of his head and moves toward the bar area.

37. INT. BAR AREA - NIGHT

The Sergeant passes between groups of still celebrating guests, pluck5

a beer from one of the coolers and sits down alone at the end of one
of the white trestle tables littered with food and debris. Katches
Angela dancing, expressionless.

Axel suddenly gives his Tarzan cry, picks the bridesmaid who fixed
his carnation off her feet and marches around holding her above his
head. She had been cutting ribbons from presents and still has the
scissors in her hand when he sweeps her up into the air.

BRIDESt•L?,,ID 2
Axel, what are you doing ... !
Axel! You don't put me down,
I'll stab you with this scissors!

AXEL
I'm gonna kiss you. You gotta
fuck ~r fight!
Meanwhile Stan and John are standing together. Stan is burning
because his girl is dancing with someone else.

STAN
Do you know what that son of
·a bitch is doing? That bastard
is squeezing her ass!

JOHN
It's only a wedding, Stanley.

STAN
What do y~u mean, only a wedding?
The guy is actually .. . There! He
did it again! Johnny, I'm gonna
go get ~y gun out of my coat.
I'll kill hirr.! I'm gonna kill
him right now!
 28.

Instead, Stan suddenly marches up ar.c ta?s the man on the shoulder.
The man releases Stan's ~irl. The =irl waits, cne h~~d on her hi?,
and abru?tly ~~~~ decks ~er with 3 0ic~ed left hook, %necking he=
flat on her ass. Stan ~s hOf?i~g ~2 and ao~~, shou~i~~ no~. The
man is getti~g ~~e hell out of there fast. Now, Stan pats his still
neat hair once again, ~aking certain every strand is in place.

38. INT. BAR AREA - NIGHT

Nick, Steven an1 Michael are standing together, looking at the younq
veteran sergeant with as much awe and respect as they can fuanage in
their condition.
MICHAEL
That guy just came back.

NICK
Yeah.
MICHAEL
He looks like a good killer.
See that ribbon on the left?
That's Quan Son.

Michael gestures with his head. Nick and Steven cross with him to
the sergeant.

MICHAEL
We, ah •.. we're going airborne
too.
The sergeant looks at them and delivers a big, blank smile.

SERGEANT
Fuckit!

MICHAEL
What?

The sergeant keeps smiling.

MICHAEL (cont)
(to Nick)
What'd he say?

NICK
Fuckit.

MICHAEL
Fuckit?

NICK
Fuckit.
 29.

MICHAEL
That's what I thought he said.
Steven nods.

NICK
(clears his
throat)
Uh ... well, maybe you could
tell us how it is over there?

SERGEANT
Fuckit.

Michael looks at Nick. Nick looks at Steven. They all begin to

laugh, but nervously.

MICHAEL
(to sergeant)
Yeah, well, thanks a lot.

SERGEANT
Don't mention it.

They turn away and then, when they are out of earshot, they all break
up, howling. Axel comes up, pouring sweat, his jacket starting to
split down the back.

AXEL
Who the hell is he?

MICHAEL
Who the hell knows!

AXEL
Is he from anywhere around
here?

MICHAEL.
Hell no!

AXEL
Well, where's he from?

MICHAEL AND STEVEN

(in unison)
Who the hell knows!

MICHAEL
(almost soberly)
Maybe he's lost.

AXEL
Fuckin' A!
 30.

r- 3 9. INT. STAGE - NH~HT

The guests have formed all around the staae. Eve=yone is pretty
drunk and they are all arwed with streamers and ~a-:2 rice. As c=
Steven and Angela appear on ~r.e stage there is a -::-e:a~ rov, ,":.: c:!eer.
Ange la throws her bouquet - Linda catches it, then t.::e DRli'.·'..':::R
strikes up a roll, followed by the other musicians. ShowerGd with
streamers, rice, advice and encouragement, Steven .:ir:d :\ngela walk
toward the front edge where Steven's mother carefully brings out t~o
wine glasses on one stern.

STEVE1~ ' S MOTHER

.. If you don't spill any it's good
luck for the rest of your life!

Steven and Angela begin to drink down the wine sirnultan~ously. There
is a tremendous cheer. Nick turns to Linda and says abruptly, as if
he wanted to say something else:

NICK
Will you marry me?

Linda blushes, completely taken aback.

LIND/\
, .. Okay.
(after
long
a long,
moment)
L,
NICl~
What?

Linda nods - a solemn nod.

NICK (cont)
You would? What I mean is, if
we get back from ... I mean, when
we get back. I don't know what
the hell I mean.
LINDI\
I guess what goes through your
mind comes out your mouth.

Linda's lip begins to tremble. Tears stand in her eyes and she tries
to give a little nod of her head.

NICK
Really?

LIND/\
Really!
Nick stares at her. He can still hardly believe she said ~hat she
just said.
 3 Oll..

NICK
r Terrific ... !

LINDI\
It is te.!:"rific.

Nick nods. Li~cla is suddenly excited, suddenly ra<liantly happy. She

dl".ops the bou~t.:ct of flowers and throws herself in :~ick.' s cirms.

LINDA
{eyes closed,
loving hi;;,)
I don't know what we've been
waiting for!

NICK
I don't know. I don't know
either!

He breathes deeply to collect himself. Linda laughs nervously. Then

their eyes meet, just as Steven and Angela finish drinking t~e wine.
Only we notice a single tiny drop on Angela's white gown. Now sud-
denly the wo~en all begin singinq, and Steven picks Angela U? in his
arrns, jumps off the stage with her and runs through the hall to ~-tike's
Caddy outside. The singing of the women going even higher.

40. EXT. LEMKO VFN HALL - STREET ENTRANCE - NIGHT

John, Axel and Michael are standing by the door. Their badly fitted
rented tuxedos are stained and torn. Their carnations are squas~ed
and their clip-en bow ties are either missing entirely or dangling
from the open collars of their shirts, all still amazingly guzzling
beer. Stan. looks the best, same as when he walked in; still not a
hair out of place. He turns to Michael, winks at him, grinning ...

MICHi.EL
(looking at Angela)
Bullshit! That's bullshit!

STAN
You wanna bet?

MICHAEL
That's bullshit. You're fulla
bullshit.

STAN
How much? How much do you wanna
bet? Put your money where your
mouth is.

MICHAEL
Go fuck your~elf, Stan.

Steven and Angela struggle into the Caddy to more hollering and
applauding and a shower of ·streamers an~- rice. Angela is helped
 31.

in by John. Axel and Nick throw their ar~s around Steven and help
him around to the drive~•s seat. The=e is an awcso~e collection of
tin cans tied to the back of the Caddy.

NICK
Don't worry what Stan says ...

STEVEN
Right.

NICK
Just forget that. Forget
what Stan says. He's got a
big mouth.

STEVEN
(low to Nick)
I never really done it to
Angela, Nicky .•.

NICK
Great. That's great.

,.. That's
life,
my one
Nick ...
STEVEN
true secret in

L NICK
(covering his
astonishment)
It's nothing. It's nothing.
Just ... forget about it.

STEVEN
What about having a kid!

People are crowding around.

STEVEN (cont)
What do I do ... when she has it?
NICK
That's Angela's part. Leave
all that to Angel'a.~. Hang loose.

STEVEN
Hang loose?.

NICK
Just hang loose!

Nick just gives Steven a big hug. Steven slides in the car.
 32.

NICK
Hey, don't look so sad. Don't
worry. See you ~onday on the
train.

STEVEN
Right. See you Monday.

41. INT. CADDY - NIGHT

Steven looks over at Angela.

STEVEN
All set, babe?

Angela nods. Steven puts the car into gear and starts slowly off.
Fists pound on the car. Rice and streamers shower down. Suddenly,
through the front windshield, Michael appears, stark naked, running
in front of the car with colored paper streamers floating out from
his upraised right hand. For a split second Steven cannot believe
what he is seeing. He throws a look at Angela. Angela covers her
mouth in amazement and quickly shifts the hand to the horn.

42. EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Michael weaves up the street in front of the growling, slipping Cadd y ,
tin cans bouncing everywhich way from behind it. Michael is not jus~
running. He is leaping and bounding, as if released from gravity anc
entered into a realm of pure ethereal space.

AXEL
(watching in a
stupor, almost
as if to himself)
Fuckin' A ...

Nick, Axel, Stan and John pound up the steep street behind the Caddy.
Axel carrying Michael's clothes, slipping and sliding in the slush,
goes ass over tea kettle, scattering the clothes all over the street.

ALL
Look at that! Fuckin' maniac!

AXEL
(shouting)
Fuckin' A!

43. · EXT. HILL STREET - NIGHT

The road forks, one road going high to a beat-up basketball court on
a cliff overlooking the steel mill, the other descending to Steven's
mother's house and to the mill below. Michael runs up the incline
toward the basketball court while the Caddy goes straight down and
disappears around the bend toward Steven's mother•~ house.
 33.

Axel, Stan and John stagger to a stop, panting helplessly, halfwey

up the hill. Stan is trying to clean the slush off his shoes. ~:ick
takes off for :.~e top.

44. EXT. BASKETBALL COURT - NIGHT

Michael slips under one of the baskets and comes to a sliding stop
on the slushy :reezing qround, remains motionless, looking out across
to the blast f~rr.aces going in t~e mill as Nick approaches. The
night is brilliantly c~ear and the fires :rom the furnaces light up
the sky with an eerie glow. And all over the neighborhood dogs are
yapping and howling.
Nick comes to a sliding stop a few feet away from the basket. The
dogs really going at it now.

NICK
Michael?
Michael rolls over, turns. His face is almost blue with a strange,
distant look. He gives Nick an almost feral grin.

MICHAEL
I must be out of my fucking
mind. At my age ... It's all
moving too fast. You think
we'll ever come back?

NICK
(startled;
frightened)
From Nam?
MICHAEL
Yeah.
Nick helps lift Michael up beside him. He removes his tux ja-~: ~·":.
and wraps it around Michael. Both of them huddled there togeth~r
in the moonlight under the basket, the glow of the blast furnace
flickering steadily. Neither of them knows what the hell to say.

NICK
(abruptly)
You know something? The whole
thing is·right here. I love
this fuckin' place ... I know
that sounds crazy, but if any-
thing happens, Mike, don't
leave me over there. I mean,
don't leave me ... You gotta
promise, MH:e.

MICHAEL
(shivering;
half-lai;ghing)
Nick--
 34.

( NICK
You gotta promise, definitely.

MICHAEL
Hey, you got it, pal!

Nick lets out his breath ... It is as if some great weight had been
pressing on him.

MICHAEL
(with a laugh)
Let's go huntin' tonight. Now.
I mean, let's keep moving until
we have to get on that train to
the reception center at Dix ...

45. EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT

Michael '.s battered old shark-finned '59 Caddy comes screaming past.
Some wedding streamers still cling to the door handles and bumpers,
rattling in the wind.

46. INT. CADDY - NIGHT

Nick, Michael, Stan, Axel and John, all of them still in their rented
tuxedos and drunk out of their minds, are ja~~ed in the car bet~een
knapsacks, sleeping bags, huge piles of six-packs of beer and deer
rifle~. Nick and Michael start singing the "Screaming Eagles Air-
borne Song"

NICK AND MICHAEL

(singing)
Down from heaven came Eleven,
shout Geronimo ... !

STAN
What the hell is that?

JOHN
The Screaming Eagles Airborne
Song.

STAN
Screaming assholes!

AXEL
Fuckin' A! .
(starts singing in
a high sweet voice)
Let me be free! Let me be free!
If ... you ... will let me be free
..• You'll always be happy ... with
me-e-e-e!
 35.

:·
I
·•. John looks at Axel, smiles gently.

JOHN
(making a trum-
pet sound)
Wa-wa-wa! ... Waaaaa!

~-r
,_,.,~,.~ ; ..·;·
//~x~;MOUNTA~N -' RO~D.. - DAWN . /
.,. '

-·.
t/ ,•,-The Caddy
. snow_.t-~. . _comes blasting by trailing _a great rooster t~il oz fresh
./ ,/ v· ~-__.,,.,.. t ..,

4 8. INT. CADDY - 'Brt\P.r 1) /\ '{

_-,- .

S1
<t:. .t;:./ ~ -""·~·.-:.;.,-?.'-:.-;:kis hunched over the wheel, his eyes gone completely glassy.
;,--/ i,½c~Ql and John are on the nod, while Axel and Stan, both half-aslee~
are having a lead-voiced conversation hazed by too much alcohol.

AXEL
Angela fucked you?

STAN
She fucked me at the New Year's
eve party in Steve's car out in
the garage.

AXEL
(solemnly)
She fucked me too.

STAN
(appalled)
She fucked you?

AXEL
Fuckin' A.

There is a long gloomy · pause. They both struggle to keep their eyes
open.

STAN
(wonderingly)
Steve don't know she fucked
us both ...

AXEL

,,.. Yeah.

Maybe it's
STAN
one of our · kids ...
I~
u Fucking women ... all alike.
 36.

AXEL
(shakes
h.is heaj)
Fuck.in' A.

49. INT. CADDY

Nic~~a~· is-su~1k-.tie--J.~w-•~he-,upper .r,.in .of ....the~steering ~ti.heel. _,.,.Que

eye 1.s entirely·· S!"!'..lt_..--anc tne-open -,:me- see,ns c-lose-cA•t:O-·-ciee-tbatc..Sud:::l.en.!.\·
'h~-e-s.-1a.o&....uo-~ slams his foot down on the t.:-ake and the Cadd~·
fishtails, rubber screaming, to a sliding, bumping stop. -

Everyone in the car comes awake ten bleary eyes staring out throuqh
the windshield.

There is a deer in the road, a big buck standing shoc~-still in~~

~are ef th& ~a!igh"ts.. t,•' {!.~ :-( ~ 'N•

STAN
Holy shit!
50. EXT. CADDY - ~ p fl, (
Stan, Axel, Nick and John pile out, grabbing up their rifles. Stan
immediately slips and falls down. Michael remains right where he
,- is, unmoved, watching the others and he is beginning to sober up now.
I

\,_ STAN
Son of a bitch! Get him!
For Christ's sake, somebody
get him!

JOHN
Who's got the ammo?

AXEL
Ammo! Get ammo!

STAN
~•11 get it! Where is it?

JOHN
It's in the trunk!

AXEL
It is not!

·JOHN
It's in the trunk, Axel! It's
in the trunkl I'm telling you,
it's in the trunk!

'--
Stan, Axel and John rush around to the trunk. Axel begins kicking
it. He slips, falls on his ass, Stan screaming at him.
 37.

, l\XEL

"· Stanley,
shit
you never
anyway!
could hit

Pushing and shoving each other, Stan, Axel and John ransack the trunk
like madmen, scrambling for weapons.

Michael gives tJick a sidelong glance, t~en slips out of the car with
his rifle. He looks at the others with an expression o: absolute dis-
gust -- and t!1en he looks at the deer. The deer is h-Y-?r"i"'...i zec. j ;-. _... he
~e-o-f-1'-±gtrt, still watching. If anything, it ::as edged closer an.::
his expression of polite curiosity throws rtichael into a blind rage.

MICHJ\EL
Get out of here, damn you!
Go home! ••• Scat! ... Shoo!

Michael, whose rifle is fully ready, sla~s a shell into the chamber
and lets off a shot above the deer. Then, as it scatters in panic:

MICHAEL (cont)
Corne on, scat! Shoo! Get
lost!

At this raowent the others all crowd around; watch him watching the
deer disappearing in the snow; they all think he is drunk and has
lost the point of the hunting trip.

oru-r'i'to------------

53. - MOUNTAIN PASS - DAY

The sky is co3.4 -- there is the pink glow of first. 'ght over the
rim of the hills -- with low, dark wind-driven c~·ds. Ca;"'.'\era tilts
down and we see the addy cor,,.ing up a narrow r c. flanked .by preci-
pitous, heavily foresE ridges on both side . \

i
I
I Watch
\
STAN
\I ounds Nick on
\ the shoulder)
\
I
H e! This is it! This is
\_ he place we stopped ~t last
' year.
\

-----------·-·-- =--~-------····-·
,_ .....
c· .

..
 38 •

.JOHN
·---. It's up uheac, Stan.

STAN
There's no way that's it!

Nick pulls to a stop on the shoulder, disgustedly.

54. EXT. ROADSIDE, SCENIC OVERLOOKAREA DAY

The sky is just tur~ing grey-white. A cold wind is blowinc, ~canine

in the trees and swirling a fine haze of snow across the ope:: val le;•
below. The guys all pile out in their totally wreckec tuxeccs and
cracked patent leather shoes.

STAN (cont)
This is not it! Definitely!
This is not it, they changed
it somehow.

MICHAEL
Why the hell should this be
different from anything else?

AXEL
(ridintj over Michael)
You're full of shit, Stanley!

STAN
Who'd you say was full of shit?

AXEL
You're full of shit. You're
always full of shit!

- They lock in a glare for a moment. Finally, Stan avo!ds Axel's eyes.

STAN
Holy shit, I'm starving!

AXEL
Fuckin' A.

There is a moment of tension. Then everyone begins eating colc bal-

oney, ripping slices of them out of half-dozen near frozen p~astic
packages, dipping them in a jar cf mustard and stuffing the~ down --
_everyone, except Nick. Mustard has dripped over everything, ?Otato
chips are littered everywhere and beers are being passed arc·.::-.d. Axel,
his mouth half-open, full of food, stares at Nick in wonder~e~t.

AXEL
Let me ask you a question, Nicky.
How cone I never see you eat any-
thing?
 39.

,...
I,

NICK
Sometimes I like tc starve
myself -- keeps the fear up.

AXEL
It ain't natural. What do
you say, John?

JOHN
(as Axel goes
for his baloney)
That's mine!

AXEL
You want it?

JOHN
Damn right!

AXEL
Gimme a Twinkie, Mike.

MICHAEL
Here.

Axel tears off the wrapper, dips it in the mustard and glomps it
down.

JOHN
(disbelievingly)
That's mustard! ·

AXEL
(mouth jam-
med full)
What? •
JOHN
You just put mustard on your
twinkie!

AXEL
(nods)
You sound like a traffic cop!
Gimme another beer.

John just shakes his head.

STAN
(pointing to the
C •Definitely!
location
the road)
beside

· This is not it!

I'm telling you, they changed
it!
 40.

AXEL
(unrelentingly)
You can't find your own ass
with two hands!

STAN
(·shifting
subject)
Jesus, it's freezing!

AXEL
Fuckin' A.

JOHN
(abruptly;
remembering)
You know, we forgot to make
a toast to Steven and Angela ...

They all meet in a look, stand silently for a moment frozen in tab-
leau in their crushed rented tuxedos at the side of the Caddy in the
snow, the icy wind beating at their clothes, the dark moun~ains rear-
ing themselves over them, the air filled only with the sound of wind.
Then they raise their beer cans, drink.

Suddenly, they all seem minuscule, overwhelmed by the massive, black

slopes looming up from the narrow road.

After·a moment of silence, Axel kicks the trunk oepn and they all be-
gin taking stuff out.

Michael strips down right where he stands, and begins putting on his
hunting clothes.

Axel and Stan grab their own gear and fc , l low the exarnplP. of :ack an~
.. John, who are changing on the corner of ·:':1c seats.

Hunting gear is hanging all over the fe~~crs, bumpers, etc. They are
all fumbling, struggling, half-naked, half-insane figures ...

JOHN
Whee-uu!

NICK•
Jesus! It's reallv freezing,
Mike!

AXEL
Fuckin' A!

•STAN
You know, you got a really
terrific vocabulary, Axel.
 41.

r
AXEL
\ ... Fuckin' A!

STAN
(shakes his head,
then, to Michael)
Mikey, hey Mikey, you got any
extra thermal socks?

Michael who is crouched down studying the hillside, looks over ...

STA?l (cont)
(rummaging around in
the mess of sorry-
looking things he
has brought}
Never mind, Mike. Never mind.
I got 'em •.. Where the hell are
my boots? Anyone · see my boots?
••• Who the hell took my boots!

Stan begins plunging in the squashed baloney, crumpled tuxedo jackets,

,,.. potato chips, shoes,

Dickhead!
sleeping bags,

OTHERS
Watch it!
etc.

l ... STAN
Somebody took my boots ... I
bought 'em special. I know
I brought my special boots.

Stan tears into the trunk again, comes up with nothing and is shiver-
ing now. It is very cold.

STAN (cont)
All right. All right, you
guys. Whoever took my boots
I want 'em back!

Michael, Nick, Axel and John stand by the roadside ~hile Stan is
still half in his tuxedo and patent leat~er dress shoes, draped only
in a gigantic red goose down vest that could only have come from
Axel. They have all seen this a million times, look at each other
and shake their heads. Michael's knapsack lies on the ground in
front of him and we can see that it contains an extra pair of Vibra~-
soled mountain boots.

AXEL (over)
I got a boot· for you, Stan.
(starts a move
as if to kick)
Eere •.. right up your ass!
 42.

' ...
. STAN
(dancing c:,:ay
from Axel's
lethal kick)
Hey, Mikey, lemme borrow your
spares, your extra pair.

MICHAEL
No.

STAN
(both hands
in the air)
No?

MICHAEL
No.

The word hangs there in the air for a moment. There is a sudden
tension.

STAN
What do you mean, no?

MICHAEL
What I mean by no, Stan, is
no.

STAN
Some fuckin' friend ... You're
some fuckin' friend, Mike!

MICHAEL
You gotta learn, Stan. Every
goddar:-.ned year you come up here
with your head up your ass--

AXEL
(interjecting)
Maybe the view looks better to
him fro~ up there!
(laughs)

MICHAEL
(continuing
over Axel)
You got no jacket, you got no
pants, you got no knife and you
got no boots. All you got is
that stupid pistol you carry
around like some wise guy cop.
You think t~at's always gonna
take care of you! That's what
you always think!
 4 3.

AXEL
What the hell, Mike, give him
the boots.

MICHAEL
No. No boots. No nothin' ...
No more.

STAN
You're a fuckin' bastard, Mike.
You know that? You're a miser-
able fucking selfish bastard!

MICHAEL
(snapping it out,
jabbing his finger
at the ground)
This is this, Stan. This isn't
something else. This is this!
This time you're on your cwn.

STAN
I fixed you up a million ti-mes,
Mike!
(to the others)
I fixed him up a million times!
I don't know how many times I
fixed him up with girls, and
nothing ever happens ... Zero!
(to Michael)
The trouble with you, Mike, no
one ever knows what the hell
you' re talking about! "This is
this"? What does all that bull-
shit mean, "this is this"?
(turnsto""""°the others
for moral support)
I mean, is that.some faggot-
sounding bullshit he's running
down, or is that some faggot-
sounding bullshit! And if it
isn't, what the hell is it?
(to Michael)
You know what I think? There's
times I swear I think you're a
goddamn faggot!
.JOHN
Hey, you guys--
 (Revised 5/9/77) 44.

STA."1
( (hopping-mad now)
·. Last week! Last week he coulda
had that new red-headed waitrcs3
at the 3owlac:::-o:::c ~ iie coulda ::2.d
it knocked! And look what he did.
I mean, look wha~ he fuckin' did!
Nothin'! That's what!

JOH~
Stan! Shut the hell up!

This last from John, strona, and it surorises us. Axel just throws
up his hands in a comical ;ay. But Michael's stare at Stan is un-
wavering and it unnerves the others. Nick is watching Michael very
intensely.
JOHN {cont)
I'll give you my boots. I'll
stay in the car and listen to
the radio.

Michael -- who remains completely unmoved throughout Stan's tirade

* -- pumps another shell in the chamber of his rifle wi~hout sound.
The silence lies there cold ~nd killing. John freezes in his track~
and stares at Michael, his face gone blank. The color is draining
out of Stan's face.

MICHAEL
I said no.

Michael says this last with a hardness we haven't seen him exhibit
with his friends before. John looks at Axel, ~ho is riqht be~ind
him, and they both back away. Stan, who is standing di~ectly op-
posite Michael, begins to tremble. I!is mouth co~es open, closes
. and comes open again. His hand begins moving in his jacket pocket,
stops. Michael's face is grave. Suddenly, ;:~ick ste;,s fon:ard --
he looks long and hard at Michael, crosses to t~e kna?sacl~, takes
out Michael's extra pair of boots, walks over to Stan and throws
them on the road. Stan laughs. He is the only one who does.

55. OMITTED

56. OMITTED

57. EXT. HIGH MOUNTAIN RIDGE - DAY

It is later in the morning-and a cold sun is rising through the
mists of swirling snow, with only the keening of the wind on the
high slopes.

Close on Nick, we see he is struqgling fo~ breath, gasping air in

strangled little gulps, trying to keep up with ~1ichael. Then sudden-
ly Michael stops. Instantly he levels his rifle. He is about to
 about to squeeze the trigger when we heQr the movement of a .deer .
,,... the snow.
of presence.
Nick is transfix•--r1.
of a size and magnificence that
Michael puts n single
·Then the deer is there.
gives
He is
him an ali';'lost ;:iythicul
shot into ~1c heart of the
qual

deer. The deer shudd~rs and falls without a sound in the

snow. For a moment the two men look at ec'.lch other in the
str~nge eerie light.
so. INT~ BUSTED-DO'iiNOLD LOGGERS SHZ\CK - LATE AFTERNOON

The place ls .about nine-by-twelve. The floor is rotted out,

boards are missing from the walls and the entire structure is
canted to the right. Hanging from the roof peak is a Cole::1an lan
which sways in the ,-?ind. Daggers of afternoon slant light stab
through the cracks in the walls.
Stan, Axel and John are sacked out, sound asleeo. Deer cans --
some old, some new -- l·i tter the floor. t·7et clothes ha?:}g from
tie-boards and nails. Snow is blowing in -- dry, crystal bright.
It swirls over everything ·~nd settles on the exhausted sleeping
figures on the floor. •.

Camera turns as Michael and Nick come in. They both stare at
the men lying in sleeping bags on rusted becsprings on either
side of the broken door • . The wind gusts and moans.
MIClll\.EL
~ - Tomorrow I'll give Stan my
I
boots. I'll take him out
· with me·.
NICK
You'? Hunt with Stan?
MICHAEL
Yeah ••• I mean, he doesn't know
anything about anything!
The cabin shudders and then there is a sudden lull •
.
59. EXT. HIGHliAY OFF-RAMP - NIGHT
Returning weekend traffic is heavy, and unending flow of cars,
a river of headlights suspended on the curved concrete trestle
which seems to float in thin air. Behind is the steel mill,
the furnaces blowing heavy smoke and ablaze with fire.
''
Nick's Caddy appears, horn blaring, weaving through the traffic.
I~
The car sits low. · Trussed to the hood is the carcass of the
magnificent deer.· Rope-ends flutter and bang in the wind. The
car shudders and thuds. Inside, grinning, Nick, Michael, Stan,
Axel and John are all singing, happy.
,_..
·---- ~
 46.
r 60. EXT . . DIVISION STREET - ?-;IGHT

r The Caddy appears, swerving through the underpass onto Division St.
·_,,., past the town, t ::cn dow::: cowards St~ven' s house, tires spinning.

61. EXT. STEVEN'S ~07HER'S EOUSE - NIGH~

We see Axel reaching frc~ the back seat to lean on the horn. P.e and
Stan are han~i~g out the windows shouting to the house, whistling for
Steven and Ar:;ela, and l::langir.g a triump::an-: tattoo on the doors. The
car spins, swa?s ends alongside the house. The lights all coming on
now, dogs, bar~ing, Ste~en's mother's face appearing in one of the
. windows.

AXEL
(shouting)
Hey, Steve, wha'd'ya say!
Piece o'fuckin' .cake!

62. INT. CADDY - NIGHT

JOHN
{to all)
Hey, let's go have a nightcap
at my place.

ALL
Absolutely!

63. EXT. JOHN'S BAR - NIGHT

As the Caddy comes under the railroad trestle the mill appears behind
it, seeming to loom up~ard under the night-dark sky. A sign on the
door of the ba= proclaims: Closed: Gone Deer Hun~inc.

Camera holds as the Caddy comes towards it. The headlights blaze
white, like huge hungry stars, and the eyes of the be~utiful dead
deer on the hood glitter gold and green and red.

Axel leans out the window and gives his Tarzan call. It seems to
echo as if coming from far away ..•

64. INT. BAR - NIGHT

The men all sitting in different positions around the room, suddenly
silent, unmoving. Outside the bar the sound of the mill comes clearly
through. Michael's attention has been riveted toward the sound. The~
the men look at each ot~er for a moment. Abruptly, John turns to the
.old upright piano against the wall opposite the bar. He sits down ar.c
begins to play Chopin. It is so unexpected, so beautiful, so sensi-
tive, that it startles and moves us. John's face is grave and proud
in the dusty light. Sudcenly from outside beyond the wall cones the
sound of an approaching train. It passes like a tornado, shaking the
whole building, rattling the glasses on the shelves. The Chopin con-
tinuing through it all. Michael gives Nick his spare, closed-mouthed
smile, but the . music reaches him too, as now we

CUT TO:
 47.
,...
t. 65. OMITTED

66. EXT. MOUNTAINS - tWRTH VIETNAM - DAY - 1970

And it couldn't be more of a contrast. There is a chopper, coming

fast and low, just around a cut in an outcropping of jagged rock,
sweeping over a field. Sunlight gleams on its black p~int, and
murderous-looking rockets are packed to its ur.derb~lly in fat clus-
ters, like eggs.

Suddenly, it fires the rockets ...

67. EXT. FIELD - DAY

As the rockets streak into a cluster of huts the lightened chopper

roars over a dirt road, shoots upward, lost to sight. There is an
eerie silence, and then the whole tiny village explodes, vanishes
in a sheet of smoke and flame.

But the air support has been too late ...

A platoon of AMERICAN RANGERS has already been ambushed on the road
bordering the little village. The bodies lie helter-skelter -- head-
less, armless, legless, guts spilled in the dirt. rro one moves and
there is absolute silence except for a sudden heavy low buzz of flies.

There is a slight sound. A V.C. · LIEUTENANT emerges into view. The

V.C. Lieutenant spins and gives a hand signal comr.,and. Fifty feet
away are the remains of the village. He motions for his nE!~ to spre:::. :::~
out and then he starts toward a clump of dried branches in the fielc.

68. OMITTED

69. INT. IIOLE IN THE GROUND - DAY

South Vietnamese VILLAGERS -- WOMEN, CHILDREN and a few OLD MEN --

sit huddled in the semi-darkness of the deep hole in the ground,
roofed with bamboo poles. The women hold their hands over their
BABIES' mouths. Flies buzz and there is a look of stark terror in
their faces.

70. EXT. DIRT ROAD - DAY

One of the fallen American Rangers moves. Camera closes on the

Ranger. His face is in the dirt and flies are nuzzling at a gash
on his temple. The face is bearded, frighteningly gaunt and in-
drawn. The skin stretched taut on his face, his eyes sunken and
half-crazy, but we recognize that it is Michael ... not at first
glance, but we recognize hin.

A woman's scream comes from the direction of the hole. A muffled

grenade explosion rings out. Michael pulls himself to his hands
and k~ees and holds there, on .all fours, like a dog.
 48.
,....
r 71. EXT. HOLE IN THE GROUND - DAY
' ....
One of the women e~erges from the smoking hole, tor~ ~~c singet and
carrying a small dead baby. One of the s6ldiers s~~~~=, levc:s his
AK-47 and lets it go on full automatic. The woman and the baby flip
over like rabbits.

72. EXT. DIRT ROAD - DAY

Michael strips a flamethrower from one of his dead cc~?anions, sla~s

· it onto his back, the rnetal so hot from the sun it burns hi~, and
starts for the burning huts. His ~ovements are slow, al~ost d~eam-
like, and his face is expressionless, like someone risen fro~ ~he
dead.

73. EXT. BURNING HUTS - DAY

The dead woman and baby lie in the dust. A dog tries to play with
the baby. A V.C. soldier, who took a Rolex watch from one of the
dead Rangers, squats nearby, winding it.

74. EXT. - ANOTHER A~GLE - DAY

Close on Michael's eyes. They are cold, dreaming thi~gs, glittering
blankly. He spins out with the flamethrower on full burn. The V.C.
soldiers go down screaming, arms and necks thro\om back, disap;;,earing
in a wall of flame.

Above the hoarse roar of Michael's flamethrower we hear a growing

sound, like thunder.

75. EXT. APPROACHING HUEY HELICOPTER - DAY

In the shimmering waves of heat, it is coming back in low around the

_ towering outcropping of jagged rocks.

76. OMITTED

77. EXT. FIELD - DAY

The villagers stand motionless, staring at Michael and frozen with
terror.

Michael stands alone with his flamethrower, like the angel with the
flaming sword, surrounded by clouds of billowing black smoke. There
is no sound but the dying rush of heated air and the faint crackle
-of flames. Michael' -s clothes are close to burning. Flames are lick-
ing up his trouser legs. He looks like a blackened scarecro~, or a
standing dead man.

In front of Michael the v.c. soldiers lie in charred heaps, motion-

less now, like roasted stones.
 49.

,. T.he cho?:=ier just touc!--.es the fie J.d for secor1ds, .:1o=c R~ngers rush ou '.:.,
movina throuqh the c=ass flutterina fic=cclv in the =otor ~ash. The
chopp;r hauling ass.straight the h ; ll out o~ there.

An . AMERICAN RAMGER LIEUTE~L~NT steps into the burning clearinq. t:ichae:.

and the Lieutenan~ spin on each other anc then the Lieutenant lowers
his armalite rifle.

LIEUTENJ\~T
What the hell are you doing
· here?

.MICHAEL
(numb)
Fuckit ...

More Rangers appear, a squad, coming out o: the still-smoking high

grass in spread-out clusters. Among them are Nick and Steven.

LIEUTENAtlT
Move it out, mudfuckers! Move
it out!

The Lieutenant heads down the line. Hick stares at l-~icha.el, shrugs,
in evidence that he does not recognize his friend. As Steven passes,
he looks at Michael close up and fccuses his eyes for a moment, emits
a little gasp of surprise.

STEVEN
Michael ... ? Jesus, Michael!

Michael turns and looks at Steven. He seems to be looking right

through him. Nick stops, turns around and comes up behind Steven.
They meet in a strange look.

NICK
Michael!

Suddenly a burst of sharp flat sound rings out. The Lieutenant goes
down and suddenly the Ranger Squad is caught in a ~urderous ambush.
Mortars rain out of the distant trees . .Michael, Nick and Steven dive
for the ground.

Out of the smoking high grass soldiers begin to appear, more and more
of them, swarming out in scores.

78. EXT. RIVER, SOMEWHEREIN THE NEARBY MOUNTAINS - HEAVY RAIN - DAY - 197:

An extraordinarily beautiful· bend in the river, the strange, Asian-

looking peaks of the mountains beyond rearing thenselves enormously
over the jungle. Below, our view moves closer toward an ordinary
looking fishing hut, typical of the river, and as we do we notice
 so.

,. that in the sand beach a shallow oit has been dug and fitted with
bamboo gratings held down b'l ston~s, and covered wit~ fishi~g nets.
''
...
-- The river is run~inq high a;c the pit is filling wi~h ~rater to with-
in a foot of the bamboo gratings. In the pit are about a half-doze~
men -- SOUTH VIET~·:1'"1..:·1ESE and so::1e of the A:-:ERICAN R.:"'\~iGERS. Their
hands grip the gratings and their eyes arc hollow. Other than an
occasional groan, there is only the sound of the falling rain. Sud-
denly --

A V.C. soldier trudaes out of the fishincr hut. As he reaches the pit
he walks over the hands an<l begins urina~i~g on the bamboo gratings.
The hands disappear. As soon as one co~es back, the soldier stomps
on it.

Our view keeps moving closer --

We see the fishing hut in its totality. It is a raw hut propped on

pilings half-jutting onto the beach. The hut is small with a thatch-
ed roof. The walls are almost open and we can see a few v.c. soldiers
moving about inside. But now below the floor, we notice the pilings
are wrapped from top to bottom with barbed wire ...

And in the darkness under the floor boards; we see faces from a dis-
tance, peering out, unshaved, animal-like, staring up at the cracks
in the floor above them.

A cry comes from the hut. There is the thud of a rifle butt on flesh
and the cry abruptly stops.

79. INT. FISHING HUT - DAY

In the middle of the hut is a tin kitchen table with a plastic top.
At opposite e~ds of the table are two chairs. A South Vietnamese
prisoner sits in one of the chairs. In t~c other chair, facing him,
is another South Vietnamese prisoner. !:ot!1 South Vietnamese pr isone.:-s
· have welts on their heads which they are ~rapping in filthy red rags,
and one of the half-dozen V.C. soldiers in the hut is scre~rning at
them to hQrry. In the middle of the table, between the South Viet-
namese prisoners, is a single-action, high-velocity magnum.revolver
with a double American eagle carved on its ivory grip.

It is incredible, impossible and startling; and in the middle of a

prisoner of war camp, an absolutely terrifying scene. We are looking
at a game of Russian Roulette.

Michael looks up through a crack in the floorboards, quietly, waiting;

but his eyes are working, ~littering like a wolf's, taking in every
detail of this strange scene.

The v.c. soldier gives one of the South Vietnamese prisoners a final
glancing blow, takes up the magnum revolver with a dramatic flourish
and loads one cartridge into the chamber. Immediat~ly the other sol-
diers begin placing bets.
 51.

,. The V.C. soldiers are a ragged bunch -- wet, half-drunk on c~pt~red

.,
Miller's . High Life beer, a~d it takes a ~oment's time to straig~tcn
things out. Forget the Geneva Convention here.

80. INT./EXT. WIRED COMPUND- REVERSE ANGLE - DAY

Now, close on South Vietnamese and .Z\merican prisoners standing, sit-

ting, kneeling; staring uo. Most of them have been badly beaten and
all have their elbows t1.·ed· beh1.·n~~ tn·e1.·r bac~s.
~ '
n.~ong ·• -
~nem, · ~-
s~a~~ing
beside one another, are ~ick and Steven. Nick looks grey, like a
skinny ghost. Steven is sob~ing quietly. =1ichael ~ee?s staring up
through the crack in the floorboards.

81. INT. FISHING HUT - DAY

The betting is now completed. The V.C. in charge waves the maqnum
revolver around and calls for silence -- then, snapping shut t~e
cylinder containing the single cartridge, he points the revolver at
the ceiling and clicks through the empty chambers until the revolver
goes off with a deafening roar. A big hole blows open in the roof
and bits of thatch flutter down from the ceiling, the rain coning
through the hole now.

,. The South Vietnamese

_their eyes in the rain
in the roof.
prisoners
pouring
begin trembling,
down over their
continually
faces from
blinking
the hole

l.. The v.c. in charge now reloads the revolver with one cartridge again,
snaps the cylinder shut, puts the gun on the table between the South
Vietnamese, and gives it a good spin.

The revolver slows and finally comes to a stop pointing to one man.
He stares at it fer a long beat. Then he picks it up, spins the
cylinder, cocks it, puts it to his temple and pulls the trigger. The
hammer falls on an empty chamber with a loud click.

The V.C. in charge grabs the revolver, throws it back on the table,
and pushes it toward the other South Vi~tnamese priso~er. The South
Vietnamese begins shaking uncontrollably now. Fumbling horribly, he
finally manages to get the gun in his hand. He spins the cylinder,
cocks the hammer and puts it to his ter:1ple. The gun weaves around ...
The South Vietnamese closes his eyes and pulls the trigger. There
is a loud click.

The V.C. in charge quickly takes the revolver again. He spins it,
cocks it -- all in one smooth motion -- puts it to the temple of the
other South Vietnamese and pulls the trigger himself. There is an-
o.ther click. He pushes the· gun back across the table. This tir:le
the other South Vietnamese takes it up with giddy confidence. !le spins
the cylinder, cocks it, puts. it to his temple and pulls on the triggc: .

THERE IS A SUDDEN, EAR-SPLITTING ROAR. The South Vietnamese is fly-

ing in the air away from the kitchen table and blown clear through
the grass wall. Then there is a moment of pure siJ~nce. As below --
 52.

,... Michael doesn't even blink. Now the guards begin hooting and lauchir ~
(__ wiping S?Ots o~ blood fro~ their clot~es -- and ~:ic~3cl st~res ~= at
th2~, watc~es 0~ery gest~re, every movement ... like a cat, but sudden-·
ly his face splits with a smile, wi?gs ofi quickly.
82. EXT. FISHING Ei.."I' - LATER - DAY

Several bodies lie by t~e steps in the pouring rain. The bodies are
both South Vie~:1a::.ese a:1d American. Huge dark water rats are already
scurrying over them.

83. INT. FISHING m:.;T - TABLE AREA - DAY

Steven is at the table now, opposite Michael. It will be a sudden

· and shocking cut. His face is twitching, dripping sweat and both
he and Michael are holding onto each other's eyes. Steven is shaking
and trembling, his eyes beginning to wander around in their sockets
as if they had been suddenly cut loose. ~ichael is trying to talk
to Steven over the excited murmurs of the guards as their betting
begins with another round of typical Oriental haggling.

MICHAEL
You can do it, Steven.

Steven cannot speak at first, just keeps shaking his head negatively.
Then --

STEVEN
Oh, shit ... oh, shit. I can't
hack it .. .

MICHAEL
• Steven ...
You have
listen
to do it.
to me, Steven!

STEVEN
(in a very
small voice)
I want to go home, Michael. We
don't belong here in the jungle.

MICHAEL
Use your fucking head!

STEVEN
Oh, God. This is horrible!

MICHAEL
Listen to me, Steven. If you
don't go through with !t t~ey'll
put you in that pit. If they
put you in the pit, Steven,
you're gonna die ... you under-
stand?
 53.

( STEVEN
..
-- We don't
jungle,
belong
Michael,
here,
I just
in the
wanna
go home!

MICHAEL
Hey, listen, so do I.
(Steven nods,
numbly)
Believe me, you can do this .
If we both do it, then we all
go hom~ee? You and me and
Nicky.

Steven looks down. The pistol is ending its spin and the muzzle
comes up pointing at him. He stares at the gun and tears begin to
fill his eyes. The guards begin yelling at him, urging him on and
then Michael gives him a smile of such unwavering faith that Steven
picks up the gun, fumbles the cylinder around, cocks it and puts it
to his temple. For a moment Michael and Steven look at each other.
Steven is taking his faith straight out of Michael's eyes and now
Michael gives him another encouraging nod.

Steven starts to squeeze the trigger, but at the very last instant
jerks the gun away from his head. There is an explosion and the top
of his head is horribly burned and bloodied.

Steve~ sits motionless, his jaw hanging open and his face formed in
an expression of terrible puzzlement. Then his face begins to move,
begins to twitch, as if the muscles were trying to discover a frown.
Steven looks around, a thin trickle of blood runs from his head do~n
into his eyes._ He looks back again at Michael and he begins to cry.
We can see all the youth being sucked right out of his eyes.

Suddenly, Steven is thrown out of his chair, jerked to his feet and
pushed below. A South Vietnamese is pulled up and placed opposite
Michael. The South Vietnamese is only a kid, even younger tha~
Steven, and he is trembling with terror.
84. INT./EXT. BARBED WIRE COMPOUND- HEAVY RAIN - FOLLOWING DAY

A couple of South Vietnamese sit huddled together in the muck on the

uphill side. A third lies sprawled on his back, dead. The rain
pours through the few leaves placed over their heads and splashes in
great cascades around their feet.

On the downhill side are Steven, Nick and Michael. Steven is in a

fetal position, gripping his knees and rocking himself back and forth.
Michael has torn one sleeve of his shirt off and wrapped it around
Steven's wound as best as he could. Steven's eyes are vacant and his
face is fixed in an expression of horror, as if he were still at the
table. Beside Steven is Nick. Nick sits slumped against the bamboo,
careful of the barbs. One knee is raised and he is picking at the
threa~s of his. trousers where they have torn at the knee.
 54.

Michael is standing, grip?ing the barbed wire 'walls' of the corepou~~

and looking out at the pit.

85. EXT. THE PIT - .MICHAEL'S POV - HEAVY RAIN - DAY

Th~ pit is about twenty feet away. Running mud and river wa~er
gurgle into it, coming out through shallo~ trenches on the cown
side. There are fewer hands tha~ the day befo=e, far fewer. Only
one pair is left and as Michael watches he sees that these hands
are struggling to keep their grip.

Suddenly one of the hands slips away. The hand comes back for a
moment, then both hands disappear under the muddy water.

86. INT./EXT. BARBED WIRE COMPOUND- HEAVY RAIN - DAY

Michael turns away from the pit. He looks down at Steven, then he
looks at Nick. His expression is one of exasperation, as if he had
been having a long argument.

MICHAEL
I'm telling you, Nick, it's up
to us!

NICK
-r Who do you think you are, God?

MICHAEL
What? Are you hoping? Praying?
What?

NICK
What else?

MICHAEL
I thought you were praying.
(no reply)
How bad do you want to get out
of this, Nick?

NICK
What do you _think?

MICHAEL
Then ... listen to me! We're
outta options! This is no
fucking tim~ for hoping or
praying or wishing or any
other bullshit with angel's

,... wings!
are .•.
This- is it.
And we gotta
Here we
get ouIT

~-- NICK
You're right ... okay, you're
right. You're always right!
Okay?
 ......-. -~ . ,,. -'

55.

,-.
I MICHAEL
\.... Get off your fu~ki~g ass and
stand up!
(grabs him)
Get off your ass, Nick!

NICK
(stands)
Okay, okay!
(he straightens
his shoulders)
What about Steven?

MICHAEL
Forget him.

NICK
What the hell are you saying?

MICHAEL
I'm saying forget Steven ...
Steven ain't gonna make it,
Nick.

NICK

c.. Forget Steven?

MICHAEL
Look in his eyes. Nothing but
snakes running around under his
skin. He's in a dream and he
won't come out; You hear me?

NICK
Mike ...

MICHAEL
Listen, Nick! Get it through
your head or you and me are
both dead too!

A shout comes from above. The two surviving South Vietnamese whip
around in fright. Michael and Nick turn.

Through the slits in the floor we see the V.C. guards coming down
from the hut. The guards are all drinking Miller's High Life beer
again and the guard in charge is waving the pearl-handled magnum
revolver.

Nick looks at Michael. The whole thing is beginning to finally

totally unnerve him.
d-'",
~ · MICHAEL
(calm)
We gotta play with more bullets.
 56.

r
(· NICK
•'-~ What?

NICHAE!...
I'm gotta get more bullets into
that gun, Nick. It's the only
way.

NICK
More bullets in the gun?

MICHAEL
(even)
More bullets in the gun ... The
trouble is that still leaves one
of us with his hands tied up, so
that means we gotta play each.
other.

NICK
(numb)
More bullets? ... Against each
other? ... Are you crazy!!!

,.. It's the

MICHAEL
only choice we've got.
k
~
NICK
It's a pretty shitty choice!

Nick stares ~t Michael. Rain is easing off, fading in rivulets.

The voices of the guards corning down are getting louder.

NICK
How many more bullets?

MICHAEL
(watching him)
Three minimum.

NICK
(flash of
panic)
No fucking way!

MICHAEL
(evenly, holding
him with his eyes)
I'll pick the moment, Nick. The
game goes on until I move. When
I start shoo~ing, go for the near-
est guard, get his gun and zap
the motherfucker!
. ~-' --•~· -· · - ~· -- ···· ·· ...

57.

NICK
I'm not ready for this!

MICHAEL
(over this last)
Whatever gun you get, you zap
the fuckers.

NICK
(shouting)
You're crazy! No way! Now you're
crazy! You're completely insane!!

The guards begin screaming orders from the stair ladder and one of
them lets off a blast of automatic rifle fire which shreds the pili~;
just alongside Nick's head. Nick looks at Michael and they watch as
the guards grab Steven and drag him out toward the pit.

87. EXT. PIT - DAY

As Steven emerges from under . the hut one of the guards smashes him
with his rifle butt, screaming orders. Nick and Michael make a move
and are both knocked to the ground by furious blows. When they get
to their feet they see Steven.

Steven has absolutely no comprehension of what is about to happen to

him. His eyes are dreamy, far away, as if he had mentally transporte~
himself to some distant place. There are great gashes in his head
from the additional blows he has received and as he stands waiting o~
the sand he looks exactly like a very small child who has experience~
some terrible confusion.

MICHAEL
It's up to you, Nick. Now it's
up to you.

NICK
I must be outta my mind.
•
Suddenly the guard standing beside Steven wrenches him around. We
see the pit now, close up. There are four bloated corpses floating
in the muck.
We see Steven's face, close up. He gives a little cry and tries to
turn away.

We see the guards pick Ste~en up, screaming. We see the splash as
-~. Steven hits the water and then we see him surface between the bloated
corpses, still screaming, paddling desperately and trying to find
something solid to hold him up. Then the bamboo grating crashes down
as he grabs hold.

STEVEN
(screaming)
Oh, God, there's leeches in
here!!
 58.

.·-
~ - 88. EXT. COMPOUND - DAY

Nick stands ~otior.less, stunned, listening to Steven's ~at~etic

screams. In contrast, Michael has his aitention tocused only on
the guard in charge, and when he glances in their direction Michael
slugs Nick in the stomach and begins beating him viciously to the
ground. Nick struggles to his feet, his eyes full of question ~arks.
Michael attacks him again and now, as the guard in charge comes over
to · see what's going on, Michael begins charging Nick again and screa~-
ing.

MICHAEL
Him against me! Him against
me!

The guards look at each other, becoming interested.

MICHAEL (cont)
Him against me, goddamn it!
Him against me!

89. INT. FISHING HUT - DAY

Michael and Nick sit facing one another across the tin kitchen table.
The guards are all grinning and even the South Vietnamese kids are
watching with grim fascination. Nick has the revolver. He is trem-
bling visibly. Already Michael has managed to draw the guards in
closer and as Nick spins the cylinder of the deadly-looki~g ffiagnum
and cocks the hammer, Michael jumps up and begins pounding on the·
table.

MICHAEL
This is it, you mothers! Now
he's going to do it! Watch!
You watch!

Nick almost loses what little control is left and his hand-begins
shaking violently.

MICHAEL (cont)
Look at him! See! This is it
and he knows it!

Side bets begin changing _hands.

MICHAEL (cont)
Last chance to lose your money.
There, boys. Good-bye 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. Michael grabs it, spins it, sticks
it to his temple and clicks out, talking all the time.
 59.

r MICHAEL
(throws the
revolver on
the table)
More! Put in more! You under-
stand more? More! More bullets!
(he mimes with
his fingers)
Three bullets! You understand
three?

Michael starts laughing naniacally. 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 coning
to .a decision, and then nods his assent. The guards all howl.
Michael joins right in.

MICHAEL
Terrific!

The guard in charge takes the revolver, opens the cylinder and begins
sticking in two or more cartridges. Nick is just shaking his head in
disbelief as if wondering how he got there.

Michael suddenly screams at Nick, jabbing his finger at him, as if in

fury.

MICHAEL
(for the guards'
benefit)
You or me! Now we got it!
You or me!
(he rubs his hands
and leans back in
his chair)
Now we got ourselves a real
game!

The guard in charge places the revolver on the table, spins it.·

MICHAEL
Place your bets, motherfuckers!

The muzzle stops pointing at Michael. Michael scowls, looks over at

the guard in charge. The guard in charge has lifted the barrel of
his AK 47 and is watching ~im with caution. The other guards who are
totally caught up in- the s~0 e, are yelling and shouting.

MICHAEL
You jokers think I'm in trouble,
right?
Michael picks up the revolver, spins the cylinder, cocks it ...
 60.

~
MICHAEL (cont)
C. No way! ~ever!
(b~gins to ch~nt)
Mike is nighty ! s:.. :-:e is st::-ong !
Mike is nagic! Mike lives long!
Lemme hear it f!"'om the bench.
Come on, motherfuckers, lemme
hear it!

Michael takes a glance at the gu2rd in charge again. The guard in

charge is still eyeing him with caution, not understanding a word
he's saying.

• Michael places the revolver to his temple ... and clicks into an empty
chamber.

MICHAEL (cont)
See! Nothing to it ...

He pushes the gun across to Nick. Then he stabs his finger at hi~,
screaming again, as if in a fit of rage.

MICHAEL (cont)
(low and fierce)
I'm gonna will us outta here!
You got an empty chamber in that
gun, Nick. Just put that empty
chamber in your mind.

Nick looks down at the revolver and picks it up. He stares at MichaeJ.
for a moment. Then he spins the cylinder, cocks the han;:::er, puts it
to his head ... . and clicks into an e~pty chamber.

The guards let out expressions of disbelief. Those betting on Nick

_ begin hooting and jeering at those betting on Michael.

Michael sits motionless, as if stunned, as if utterly defeated, his

brow furrowed in a dark 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.

Michael stares at the revolver -- stares at it with an expression of

utter gloom. Then he reaches out, takes the revolver in his hand a~d
pulls it .toward him, as if he no longer possessed the strength to
pick it up.

MICHAEL
Who's for this asshole?
(thumps his fist
on the table)
Is anyone for this asshole?
 61.

~- Michael roams a glowering eye over t~e watching guards, as if sudden-

~- ly ~isco~erin~ ~~~self a~ong traitor s . Slowly, he ?~sies hi mscl~ to
his feet. The ;~n is still o~ the ta~le, still in his right hand,
and as he gets-~ he le~s his body 5ag over it.

MICHAEL
Who here is for ~lichael ... ?
Michael, the Archangel!
There is absol~te silence now except for the sudden drun.~ing of new
rain. It is as if the war had disappeare~, vanished. The guards
stand motionless, hardly breathing, so ca::)tivated bv Michael's per-
formance that t~ey suddenly resemble littie children.

MICHAEL (cont)
Who •.. here ... is for the Angel?

Michael begins his chant again. His voice is low, very dramatic, and
the guard in charge joins in a sing song imitation of Michael's words.

MICHAEL (cont)
The Angel is mighty! The Angel
is strong! The Angel is magic ... !

Suddenly, Michael snaps the revolver level in his hand and blasts the
guard who has been singing, hitting him full in the face.

MICHAEL (cont)
Die, motherfucker!

At the same time Nick throws himself onto the guard who is standing
behind him, spins and slams the · guard's AK 47 into his chin. Two
more shots blas~ out from Michael's magnum and we see two more guards
crash ·over the kitchen table. Nick now opens U? with the AK 47, and
. as Michael backs off beside him, also with an AK 47, they gun down
the remaining guards to the floor, who fire back as they fall .
.
For a moment everything is a roaring blur, then it is over in an
instant. Bodies lie all over the place in a bloody, tangled mess
under a pathetic paper lantern. The rain has stopped --

Nick staggers, badly wounded. Michael picks himself o~f the floor
and pulls Nick out of the fishing hut toward the river ...

90. EXT. SAND BAR - DAY

Michael appears carrying Nick on his back. Nick is unconscious and

the effort that Michael has expended to get him this far can be mea-
sured in his eyes. As :-1ichael approaches the ::>amboo pit along the
side of the river, we· suddenly see Steven, staring up, his eyes burn-
ing like coals.

Michael comes to a stop, unshoulders Nick and lays him on the ground.
As he stands looking at Steven, gasping for breath, Steven stares up
at him with an expression of pure terror.
 62.

r 'For a moment t~ere is nothing silence. The rain drones on and

( we can hear ~ick's breath, which co~es in short, shallow rasps.

Ca~era closes ~:owlv o~ Steven's f~ce. lfis aurns ar8 bleedi~cr an~
his skin is d=a~n tlght so that ev~ry bc~e siancis out in his-skull.
His teeth a=e bd=ed, his eyes are hallo~ and he looks within a
hair's bre~c~~ of bei~s completely mad. Ee makes a strangled ani-
mal sound, so ~aint as to be almost imperceptible. Michael pulls
loose the ba~boo grati~g and raises Steve~ out of the slime.

91. EXT. RIVER'S 3~GE - DAY

A huge battle is taking place in the distance. The earth trembles

and shakes.

Michael staggers down into the water with Nick, almost too tired
to move. Steven comes behind. He is hunched over, like a gnome.
The rope which Michael has tied around his neck drags in the water.
His eyes are huge with terror and.his voice comes in a loud rasp.

STEVEN
Michael?

MICHAEL
(a whisper)
Right here.

Steven follows them into the water.

STEVEN
We don't belong here, in the
jungle, Michael. Are we going
home now?

MICHAEL
(barely moving
his lips)
Yeah, kid.

Another explosion shakes the earth, this one much closer. Nick's
breath rattles in his t~roat. Michael, who lies low in the water
beside Nick, holding hi~, closes his eyes for a rnoment as if to
gather strength.

STEVEN
Michael?
(no answer)
Michael?

Michael gets to within a foo~ of a snaggled uprooted tree floating

by, he lunges out and grabs it, then he pushes Nick on it and lays
him on his back. The huge root end is so soggy that it barely sup-
ports Nick's ~eight and his chin is within inches of the water.
 63.

·r' ·
{
, Michael loops one strand of ro?e around Nick and ties him down ~ith
a knot he c?.:: instantly =e.!.ease, t:-1en he slips sc:i,e cea(:. b=.;1.nches
under the rope so that he will not be vis~ble from shore.

Michael crosses back to Steven who sits in the water with the rope
around his neck.

MICHAEL
(low voice)
We're going swimming, Steven,
okay?

Michael leads Steven out to his neck in the water. Steven balks,
. staring doubtfully at the boil and swirl of the fast moving current.
A sound comes from the clearing. Michael snaps around. v.c. SOL-
DIERS are coming out of the trees -- about twenty of them.

Steven hesitates and then Michael yanks him to the tree raft and the
heavy run of the current sweeps them silently out around a great,
rainswept bend ...

92. EXT. RIVER - DAY

'·
The rain has stopped. Michael holds Steven who clings to the tree
raft staring out at a landscape of strange, hump-like hills. Gnarled
pine trees cling to the rock walls and a dreamy mist seems to hold
them in a spell.

MICHAEL
How you doing, Nick?
NICK
(delirious)
I don't think I can make it ...

93. EXT. CANYON - DAY

Nick, Michael and Steven sweep around a bend. The river suddenly
narrows, locked on both sides with sheer walls. There is no way to
get to the shore and in the distance there is the ominous rurr.bling
sound of falls.
STEVEN
What's that?

MICHAEL
(lying)
Just wind.

They are racing now, riding a crest of deep, fast-moving water whose
surface is deceptively smooth. The river funnels around another bend.
Suddenly, dead ahead, there is an ancient suspension foot bridge
across the river. The sound of the falls is much louder now and the
 64.

derelict bridge, which sags to within only a few feet of the water,
(
is their. last hope. 7he onl v trouble is t:-;a t a young v. c. Gt:E~R!L:..:..
is squatting on one bank, st~nding guard.

Michael claws his way to the upstream end of the huge root S~?porting
Nick, who suddenly lifts the AK 47. Just as he dces so, the v.c.
guerrilla turns and sees him. Nick fires first and the guerrilla
crurnples·down t~rough the rotting slats into the water and sinks
below the surface.

Nick drops the rifle into the river. The sound of the falls is like
thunder now and the bridge is coming up fast.

MICHAEL
Hold on tight, Steven!

Michael steadies himself and as they pass under the suspension bridge
he lunges upward and grabs hold of one of the rotted slats. The
bridge swings sideways, tipping the slat to a vertical position so
that the slat snaps in Michael's grip.

The current is ferocious, building up a high head of boiling water

around Michael's body. As Steven watches, the slat slowly tears

,.. away from the dead bridge

and they are out in the river
thunder of the falls.
and then,
again
suddenly,
spinning
it separates
toward
entirely
the mounting

l_,,.
Michael drops the broken slat, releases the rope that holds Nick to
the tree and screams at Steven:

MICHAEL
Get away from the tree! Get
away!

Michael pushes Nick off, holding him on his back. A ~ornent passes.
The tree drifts slowly away. The thunder of the water gets lo~der
and louder and then the huge tree suddenly tilts upward and dis-
appears.

94. EXT . . FALLS DAY

Steven, Nick and Michael sweep over the edge ...

The river drops about thirty feet into a deep pool. There is nothins
visible in the pool except the huge tree log, plunging around like a
great horned beast in the roaring water.

95. EXT. POOL - DAY

Michael lies on a rock clutching Nick in his arms. Michael's head is

bleeding and Nick is unconscious. Michael shakes his head, wipes the
blood from his eyes and says in a cracked voice:

MICHAEL
Hold on. You gotta hold on!
 65.

Michael looks over at Steven ar.d notices that he is staring at so~e-

,,_ thing, st.arins as i:: :--:e couldn't ~8li~·.-e his eves. :-:i::::1ael ·,;hi:=:,s
around • • ••--- ..•,,,d va-..-:s do;.;.,...s+-~·e::.-,~ i....r,,., ... _,,..., ~,.-'"AD 0~_- .:::.-.::~:,_.-_,r.:.
:l-. :-,,,,...!,.-;
·--'- ... _,.... .~ ._.,_ •..,...,, ...,. __ .....,.._ "-4~ •.·~
V•,.f\,,., _, ,1.a._ .. - '

RANGERS is being evacuated by cho?pers. The Rangers are u::.der fiYe,

the sandbars are too narrow to set down on, and the only way the
choppers can pick the ~en up is to swoop down and try to pluck them
out of the water.

Michael tur~s back tc ~~ick, picks him up and drags him back into the
heavy run o: the current. Steven hesitates. ~ichael oulls him
viciously back into the river with the rope and then ~~ves them all
towards the focus of evacuation.

96. EXT. SANDBAR/ROCKS - DAY

The choppers have machine guns mounted in their open doors. They
hover with their skids just above the river, the rotor wash whipping
water, and as they rake the tree line with machine gun fire what is
left of the Ranger squad pull themselves out of the water and climb
aboard.

A chopper roars down over Michael, Steven and Nick, who suddenly
slide into view. They are the last to be picked up and the chopper
takes heavy fire from the shore. Michael manages to get Nick pulled
aboard and then, as he is trying to get Steven up, the fire fro~ the
shoreline intensifies and the chopper begins to lift up. Hands reach
down to Steven and Michael who are both now hanging from the skids,
faces blurred in the spray of water. Suddenly, as the chopper reaches
a height of about forty feet, Steven loses his grip. For a split
second Michael watches him falling ... and then he lets go.

Steven and ~ichael hit the rock~strewn river with two plu~es of spray.
They both surface and show an arm or leg, and then disappaar around
a bend.
97. EXT. RIVERBA.~K - DAY

Michael has dragged Steven from the river and props him up in a low
muddy cut of a creek bed. Steven's legs are horribly broken and
Michael kneels over him -- out of breath, tears streaming from his
cavernous eyes -- howling with helpless rage.

MICHAEL
Damn you!_ God damn you!

Michael looks down at Steven. Steven's body is a mass of raw flesh

but his eyes look up at Michael with lunatic, unwavering trust.

STEVEN
We don't belong here, in the
jungle, Michael. Aie we going
home now?
 66.

r
l
MICHAEL
·,. (nods)
Sure. Sure, Ace. We're going
home. We gotta just keep moving ...

98. EXT. REFUGEE ROAD - DAY

The mountains rear themselves over the road, immense and mvsterious.
REFUGEES are streaming down the road in a desperate, frightened huna~
torrent. There is every imaginable means of convevance -- ~rem bull-
ock carts to motorbikes -- but the vast majority carrying their ~eas~=
belongings, are fleeing on foot. Burned-out vehicles of every kind
litter the drainage ditches off the side of the road, and the grea~
human tide overflowing the road streams around them as if they were
islands. In the distance comes the sound of machine gun fire and
mortars are coming in nearby. MEDVAC helicopters packed full of
wounded men clatter overhead, with more wounded strapped to the skids.
Now and then a U.S. Army tank comes highballing through, scattering
the refugees into the drainage ditches. ·

We catch a glimpse of Michael moving along the embankment on the far

side of the road with Steven on his back. Camera closes slowly on
Michael's face. His nose is bleeding from fatigue, and rivulets of
Steven's blood run down his legs ...

Suddenly a tank approaches with a full bird COLO~EL in it. The tank
is completely encrusted with men. Clinging to every available sup-
port or protrusion are men's hands. The refugees begin scattering
to make way for the tank.

Michael stops, turns and stares at the fast-approaching tank --

blankly, without comprehension. He waits. The tank barrels closer.
Michael waits until the last instant and then, car=ying Steven, and
with sudden passionate hate, he lunges into the middle of the road.

The tank is almost on top of them before it grinds to a sudden,

sliding, wrenching stop at his feet. Now finally, Michael puts
Steven down on the road, utterly exhausted.

MICHAEL
(to tank commander}
Take him along.

The Colonel and the TANK CO~L'iAND~R get out swearing and start toward
Michael.

.COLONEL
(warily}
Little Rand Rand you'll be
standing tal·l again, son ...

TANK CO~L~1ANDER
·uh-oh, Sir. Hostile vibes!
 67.

The Colonel walks right up to Micihael.

COLONEL
Put that weapon dm•m, son.

We now see that Michael is leveling the ~earl-handled revolver and

he . cocksthe haITL~er with an audible click.

COLOi~EL
Oh, shit!

The Colonel and the tank commander pick up Steven end scra~ble to
the already overloaded tank and pile him on.

COLONEL
(as they
take off)
Fucking maniacs--

Michael watches them go, Steven safely aboard, without expression.

On the road the refugees stream past -- by the hundreds, by the
thousands, by the tens of thousands. For a long mo~ent Michael
watches. Then he jams ~he gun in his pants and joins the vast
human torrent.

MICHAEL
(as if to
himself)
Just keep moving ... I'll be
okay.

Michael is walking with the fleeing refugees. Camera pans past the
uneven rimrock of the mountains holding on nichael as he grows small-
er and smaller. He dwindles to a spot in the distance to the South.

99. INT. NEURO-PSYCHIATRIC CORRIDOR, U.S. MEDICAL HQ - SAIGON - DAY - 1972

The corridor is narrow, jammed with wounded men on stretchers and

tables; some propped on chairs. In fact, the ~hole place is a steamy .
madhouse of confusion. Nick is there, staring out the window lookin•;
down to the courtyard below. He is so changed that we do not recogni-
ze him at first glance, see only the shadowy form of what we take to
be just another patient. Camera closes on Nick -- and as we do re-
cognize him -- we notice that around his neck is a piece of plastic
on which is stapled a colored paper marker.

Nick reaches for the big paper marker on his neck and peers down at
it from the corner of his eye. It seems to remind him of something
and he takes out his wallet. In his wallet is a photograph of Linda.
Nick peers at the photograph intently, then closes his wallet and
puts it away. The strain on Nick is now glaringly apparent, both in
his face and in his rnovement·s; a feeling of complete, radical discon-
nection between Nick and everyone else. There is a hint -- a look in
his eye that he is in the edge of madness.
 68.

Departing aircraft thunder overhead and there is the sound of wooden

coffins being stacked into trucks in the courtyard.

100. EXT. COURTYARD- DAY

Black body bags are laid out in countless rows on the hot concrete.
PFC's are stacking them on pallets and more PFC's, driving hydraulic
fork lifters, are loading the pallets of coffins into the holds of
the trucks.

101. INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

Nick turns away from the window and looks down the corridor, down
the rows of blank staring faces. Everything appears grimy, even in
here, and the only clean white thir.g seems to be the cigarette in
Nick's hand. Suddenly a couple of NURSES burst in and a harassee
DOCTOR follows them in.

DOCTOR
(to Nick)
Is your name Nikanor Chevotarevich?

Nick shakes his head affirmatively.

DOCTOR (cont)
Are you sure?

Nick nods.
DOCTOR (cont)
What is that, Russian?

NICK
No. Just American.

DOCTOR
Lemme see this.

The doctor looks at the paper marker on Nick's neck, marked N.P.

DOCTOR (cont)
How old is this thing?

Nick shrugs.
DOCTOR (cont)
Mother and father's names?

NICK
Lou and Eva.

DOCTOR
(extracts a file
from a thick wad
of papers in hand)
Dates of birth?
 69.

NICK
(an edge of hysteria
....
.. seeps into ~i~ voice)
What t~e hell rli~~c=e~ce does
that ma ~:e? T!"te:-'' v ,~ tot:1 . !:-.::en
dead for over twenty year~!!!

The doctor stares at hira for a ~ornent, shoots a sidelong glance at

one of the ~~rses, the~ he staples another colored ~arker around
Nick's neck. 2e directs a finger at Nick.

DOCTOR
Okay, get the hell out of here.

The doctor slams back out the coor, the nurses following in his wake.
Another jet thunders overhead. The hydraulic fork lifts in the court-
yard shriek and whine. Suddenly, from sornew~ere nearby, comes the
sound of a wounded black G.I. 's voice:

VOICE (O.S.)
(laughing; almost
chanting)
Roll 'em all out of Nam. Roll
'em daid! Feet first! Let 'em
all
. .
go home with their boots on ...

102. INT. U.S. AR.HY TELEPHO~:E CE~lTER, GHQ BUILDING - SAIGON - AFTERNOON

Banks of telephones li~e the wall. Stretching out from the telephones
are long, ragged lines of SERVICEME!·l wai tine; to call hone. The roor.1
is huge, full of echoes. Re-enlistment posters arc ?lastered every-
where and ca::ned rausic is playing over the considerable noise of a
hundred nen, all shouting over . their long-distance connections at the
same time.

Nick, wearinc civilian clothes, blends into one of the lines with cnl~
· one ;:·~rson {; f.r-ont of him. He looks anxious. Ee taKes out his wal-
let again, p~e!'.'s intently at Linda's photogra?h, then puts it back. rs
takes a half-step forward -- staring at the telephor.e -- and then he
sto~s, turns and walks away. No one takes any notice.

103. EXT. BAR - STREET - SAIGON - UIGUT

A shimmering, iridescent confusion of flashing neon signs. Nick comQS

along the sidewalk, . a crowd of MILIT.l'~RY PERSOm·lEL and HUSTLERS sellir.::;
everything from electric blenders to women. lie seems drunk and he mo-
ves unsteadily, as if he were walking on ice. Suddenly, across the
street, something catches his eye.

NICK
(calling)
Michael. .. !

Nick throws himself into the tiaffic headlong, without ~ven looking.
 {Reviss-d 5/28/77) 70.

Ve~icles ·sw 7rve and screech to a stop. Nick dodges between the~,
,- gain~ the sidewalk on the other side lunging throush an alley con-
\-.......,. necting to another street line~ with bars. He clac3 his hand on
the back of a passing G.I. The G.I. turns. It is.not Michael at
all but the resemblance is al~ost close.·

NICK
Sorry ... Thought you were
someone else.

* The G.I. makes no reply, just continues on his way into the congre-
gation of A..~1ERICANSOLDIERS milling about the middle o=the streets.
"The crowd streams around it, a sea of bobbing, brilliant color. Nick
enters the nearest bar.

104. INT. MISSISSIPPI SOUL BAR - NIGHT

* The place is jammed and very dark, ear-splitting rock music is play-
ing. Bikini-clad GIRLS are dancing with the American soldiers while
above the bar on pedestals half-naked girls are dancing to the music
with obscene contortions.

Nick comes into the smokey and noisy room, wedges into an opening
at the bar. By now a very young, very pretty BAR GIRL is giving
him her undivided attention. She whispers something in his ear
which we do not hear.

NICK
(stares
at her)
What?

BAR GIRL
(softly, in
his ear)
I show you. Come. You come.
(pulls him
to his feet)
Not like with girls home, in
U.S.A.

Nick nods. He looks as if he might be about to cry.

BAR GIRL (cont)

I give you special, crazy fuck,
not like home. Come. You come.
I make you crazy.

105. INT. UPSTAIRS ROOM - BAR - NIGHT

The bar girl comes around a corner with Nick, guiding him up the
steps of a flight of narrow stairs into a fluorescent lit, horribly
decrepit room with sad little plastic flowered curtains and a torn
mattress on the floor. In one corner of the room, jar..med between
piles of clothes and cooking utensils is a baby, asleep in a tiny
crib. ·The bar girl puts one hand around Nick's waist and slides
 (Revised 5/28/77) 71.

the other do~n t~e fro~t of his pants. A look of terrible sac~~ss
crosses his face.
, BAR GIRL (cont}
\.
What you liJ:e . to call me now?

NICK
(abstracted)
Linda.

BAR GIRL
(laughs)
You call me Linda, just like home.

Suddenly, with a fever bordering on brutality he un~resses her and

desperately, as though barely controlling his hysteria throug~ t~e
force of his passion, he pushes her onto the dirtv mattress in t~e
middle of the floor. After a moment, Nick pulls away, without the
slightest interest in the girl beside him, staring at the window
at the end of the room. He tears himself loose from the bar girl
and pushes up against the filthy glass, opens it.

106. EXT. BACK ALLEY (HICK'S POV) - NIGHT

A filthy, grimy dark place loud with the fierce whirring sound of
hundreds of ancient, leaking air conditioners. Seated on a chair
against the wire fence of the opposite building is an OLD !-~'\~: with
an old food stand on bicycle wheels, surrounded by a collectio~ o:
white ceramic elephants for sale. A military police jeep roars in
front of him, a few motorcycles sputter past and a few girls with
soldiers hurry in both dirGctions. The old man sits motionless,
like the guardian of some timeless, silent kingdom.

107. INT. ROOM -· !UGHT

Nick spins away from the window, tears rolling down his cheeks.
*
NICK
(shouting)
Hey ••• hey, elephants! Look
at those elephants!

* The bar girl stares at him. The baby begins crying now. Suddenly,
Nick, startled at the sound, bolts and charges back down the stairs
with the bar girl hot on his tail.

BAR GIRL
Wait! First you pay me!

NICK
* I can't be in a room with a baby
crying .•.

108. EXT. NARROWTWISTING STREET - SAIGON - NIGHT

The sky is alight with fires. Now and then huge distant explosions
rock·the night and sirens wail.
 (Revised 5/28/77) 72.

/ A lone figure ap?ears walking down the ~iddle of the street. As

t
the figure approach~s we see that it is ~ick. He iz alterna~cly
burning with chills and fever.

The street is almost deserted excc~t for the ir.c~ssant ricks~~w-

type taxis whizzing by carrying soidiers out fer a night on ~he to~:r..

NICK
(toneless, over
and ove:=-)
Hey, hey, the wind does blow
Hey, hey, the snow does snow
Hey, hey, the rain does rain ..•

Nick stops, swallows, as if to force back so:ne overwhelming e!r.ction.

Then continues down the street passing under a lamp ?OSt lea~ing
precariously over him, and begins singing softly again, his voice
thin and cracking now.

Suddenly, there is the sharp flat report of a pistol shot fron some-
where nearby. Hick spins, reflectively, staring at a small com?lex
of wooden buildings behind a high corrugated metal gate, and there
is the unmistakable sound of Vietnamese voices, hooting and cheerin~.

Nick stares at the buildings fer a long ~onent, then he crosses

through some passing trafic toward the gate.

109. EXT. YARD BEHIND GATE - NIGHT

From another wooden house, beyond the others and closer to the
river, a tiny light glows inside a pape= lante~n. ~ick moves to-
ward the light coming fro~ the riverfront h~use. Lying on t~e
ground under a grove of bougainvillea r.earby are three CORPS~S,
all of them Asian, all of them with one side of their heads blood-
ied. As Nick stands looking at them a door co~es open of the back
of the building and T;-;o BURLY VIE':'~iA.¾ESE ME~~ bri:1g C'..!'t anothe!'
corpse. The body is that of a yo 11:1g /.1ner ice.n. LD~e the Asians he
"is dead from a bullet in the right temple.

MAN (V .O.}
You seem •.• disturbed.

Nick turns. A man is stand'ing in the shadows of a very beautiful

little arbor, eyeing him with a look of cold amusement. The nan's
accent is French. His name is JULIEN. Beside him, on the seat of
a gleaming European sports car, is a bottle of cha~pagne and several
silver cups. Nick stares ~t this st=ange sight unbelievingly,
blinks several times to clear his mind of this vision. Then after
a moment, says in a distant voice:

NICK
(indicating house)
People inside doing it for
money?
 . JUI,II:N
Hais certaincm.~nt ... Sor~etimes a
great deal of ,noney. Naturally
I do not do it myself. I myself
do not possess the nerve.
(smiles)
But I am always ... how do. you say ..•
looking out for those things quite
rare. Champagne perhaps? Tch,
tch. Don't say no. When a man
says no to champagne, he says no
to life.
(gives Nick a cup)
You s~w this before?
A moment of silence passes bE:tween them. Then--
'NICK
Up north.
J'ULIEN
Ah, yes.· Of course .••
(smiles)
Allow me please to introduce
myself. I am J'ulien ..• And you
are?
NICK
Nick.
J'ULIEN
Nick. C'est extraordinaire!
Do you know that I have a
second cousin who is called
Nicholas and a nephew Nikolai.
So you are, comme on dit, en
famiile .. _
There is another shot from inside and another round of hooting anc
cheering.
NICK
I have to go.
JULIEN
But you must come in.
,
NICK
No, I--
.-· JULIEN
But I insist.
 74.

:
I
NICK
I have to go.

JULIEN
Of what is there to be afraid
after this war? The war is a
joke, a silly thing.

Julien refills Nick's cup. Nick looks at it. The cup is as highly
polished as a ~irro= and the sparkli~g bubbles dance and hiss. Nick
lifts the glass and empties it in one swallow.

NICK
I'm going home, Ace.

JULIEN
(smiles)
To the girl who waits ...

NICK
(gives him
a look)
Yeah.

JULIEN
Naturellement I pay my players
cash American. However, should
you prefer German ma=ks, or per-
haps Swiss francs, this of course
can be arranged. Anything can be
arranged.

NICK
You got the wrong guy, Ace.

JULIEN
But you must come in.

NICK
No, I--

JULIEN
Moncher ami! But I insist!

He guides Nick toward the little wooden house on the river.

JULIEN (cont)
After all, it may not quite be
. le Grand Hotel but it is, never-
theless even for Saigon, really
quite extraordinaire. Something
you must not miss. That is my
hope. Afte~ you ...

Nick hesitates, then precedes Julien through the door.

 i5.

I 110. INT. HOUSE - NIGHT

\
The narrow hallway is lined on bo~h sictes with cas2s of French wine
and chz:i7!pagne, :-::c1:-:ing it s til 1 :--.:1:-:.::0'.•:er. · ,\'.:cad, frc:~. a :-,-2.:ir:::v rcc:-:i
comes the souni.2 of voices a:-i<l the faint cut un:nista::able cor...r:,;ti.0:1
of odds being given and bets placed -- an excited hur:uning cha.cs ...

We watch Nick co:-:-.e through with Julien past cases of American liauor
and cigarettes stacked to the ceilinq, into a room lit only with.a
single fierce overhead drop light. He is now even r.iore unrecognizable.
111. INT. GAHBLIUG Rom-1- NIGHT

Several big imposing DODYGuARDSfrom different parts of Asia are

spread around -- some standing, some sitting. They are in varying
degrees of dress -- some in suits, some in casual clothes. The one
element they have in common is their size. Directly under the sin-
gle bright light is a table and two chairs. T'wo cor::-ESTAUTS, both
of them Vietnamese, sit opposite one another. Between them, lying
on the table, is a revolver. Both are wranoinq t~cir heads with
strips of red cloth in a ceremonial ~-,ay. The REFERSE inspects the
wraps, crossing first to one man, then to the next; satisfied, he
nods. Now he holds a pistol by its cylinder, turns to address the
room.

CHINESE REFEREE
(Chinese)
Then the game is made, gentlemen.

Spectators, predominantly Asian, jam all the available space around

the table. And in the middle of it all we see a vague, familiar
shape. It is Michael. But all this seems remote and unreal to him
now, somethin~ out of a world from which he has already taken leave
and from which he is becoming more distan~ and detached every moment.

A CHINESE CLERK taking the last bets, chalks the fi~al odds on a la=~ :
board. The betting has been heavy. Champagne flows like water and
the. atmosphere is one of reckless abandon, as if money, like love,
were good for an hour. The referee holds the pistol up for all to see
and inserts a single cartridge into the empty chamber.

Camera closes on Nick, staring at the evolution of the game he once

played for his life. Be is bordering on obsession now; we feel a
restlessness in his movements unlike anything we have seen before.

The contestants have finished wrapping their heads with the scarlet
cloth. They sit and look at each other, strange in the eerie light.
It is like a dream. There is a sudden silence; a sense of upcoming
climax among the spectators.

CHINESE REFEREE
(as he lowers
the pistol)
One cartridge. Game to be played
to completion. Forfeit automatic
after delay of one minute.
 75A.

r
The Chinese referee puts the pistol on the table in front of the two
C men. Nick, without taking his eyes off the pistol, abru?tly, ~ades
through the crowd, pulls o~e of the contestants out of his chair and
sits at the table opposite the other Vietnamese player.

Michael, who's attention is suddenly snagged by Uick, recognizes him.

Nothing at all seems to happen for a rnonent. Then a startled, chc ,:ed
cry of terror escapes him -- he cannot believe that he is looki~g at
Ni~k. He stares in wonderment and panic at the sig!:t of Nick grabbin~
the pistol. Suddenly and frighteningly all of the spectators begin to
shout in confusion.

Nick, resting his elbows on the edge of the table like someone having
a conversation in a bar, spins the ?istol, cocks it, puts it to his
own head. Involuntarily, Michael cries out. For a brief moment, the
two men simply -- and to powerful effect -- stare at each other. Then
Nick gives Michael an odd, searching look. Suddenly -- ·

Michael lunges forward with a great heave, but Nick has already click-
ed out and is being dragged from the table, screaming. Michael strug-
gles fiercely to rip free from the other bodyguards who are stopping
him.

,.. lllA. EXT. COURTYARD- NIGHT

There is a sudden movement in the darkness. And with terrible force
(_ one of the bodyguard's feet comes up into t:ick's stomach. His body
lifts off the ground, shuddering with the i~pact, and crashes down,
stunned. Punches, kicks and blows come from every direction. All of
it sudden and shocking. Uick gathers himself, mixes punches, then
lands a swift, stunning two-punch combination. He backs off, tur~s
away on the same beat, leaving the bodyguard to drcp unconscious, and
lurches out of the courtyard.

Michael pushes outside, looks around with the confused look of a man
who has a=rived in a strange city for the very first time. He backs
away from the building and hurls himself th=ough the courtyard.

Julien, who has said nothing during the whole scene, follows outside
onto the street.

112. EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Michael catches a fleeting glimpse of Nick, breaks into a stiff run
that becomes more and more violent.

MICHAEL
(desperately, at
the top of his .
voice)
Wait! Nick, come back! Come
,back!

Then, as if all this last had been too much for him, he stops -- waves
 76.

down one of the _passing ri· c 1r,~s.:...a·~·-ty".'"'e

".. !::' ta•.--;
·•-- c:. Ju""t
.;;, t\..e,..,
~i ,., Jul· l.e::1 pc.SS-
es him in his car.

13. INT. /EXT. JULIEN' S CAR - !!IGHT

We see Nick fall back into t~e seat and his eyes cl~ ~ ~ -- he ~ooks
half-dead. All the life seems to have aone out of ~i~. Sudcc~ly, he
opens his eyes. J~lien is alongside, d;iving. Julien studies ~~ick
for a moment and then smiles.

JULIErl
If you are truly brave and lucky
I can rnuke you rich.
For a moment Nick doesn't answer. His eyes seem to look thro~c~
Julien, as if to some landscape far beyond. Julien tar~es out a
thick wad of American bills and presses them on r-;ick. nothing at
ali seems to happen for a moment. Suddenly, Nick throws the noney
out the window. Julien says nothing, gives Nick a lo~g look. There
is a sound of scuffling, then shouting. Julien turns to look back.

There is a full-scale riot breaking out in the street. People fight-

ing for the money. In the distance the sky goes up in a huge flash
of fire and then the dollar bills whip across the street in a great
hot wind.
113A. EXT. STREET - NIGHT

There is a sudden, mad scramble of taxis. Michael lunges into the

closest one to him, takes off. After a moment, he sees Nick in Jul-
ien's car disappearing from view. He looks at the people fighting
for the money and suddenly he is moved almost to tears. He sees the
fluttering collar bills -- perhaps it is that that touches hi~; a
sharp awareness that he is no demigod, but huwan lil:e :Hck. Perhaps,
too, it is the· sense that Nick will never re~lly co~e back.

DISSOLVE TO:

114. EXT. TRAILER - CLAIRTON, PA. - WINTER - DUSK - 1973

It is freezing cold. The trailer is all decked out like a plum cake,
with_ tiny American flags. Stretching from the trailer to the tele-
phone pole across the street is a huge, hand-lettered banner ~hich
says: "WELCOME HOHE MICH,\EL!" and it whips and snaps in the winter
wind. The billowing smoke from the steel mill, blown by the fierce
wind across the town below, sweeps over it all.

Michael's battered Caddy is in the yard, tires sagging, frozen flat.

Alongside it is Nic~•s pick-up truck and a bunch of much newer cars.

115. INT. TRAILER - DUSK

Axel, John and a bunch of familiar-looking steelworkers, all of them

half-bombed, are dragging out two more kegs of beer fro~ garbage cans
filled with ice. Linda is peerir.g out one of the trailer windows,
looking pale and anxious. Stan, who is unofficial lookout, is jumpi~~
up and down at·the approach of every cur and screaming:
 77.

STA.'l
This is it! This is Michael!
(and then, when
it isn' tJ
Not yet! Just ~ol= your water,
I'll tell you when!

AXEL
(abruptly)
Three cheers for the ~ed, white
and blue ... !

ALL
Three cheers for the red, white
and blue!

116. EXT. TRAILER - DUSK

We see the empty street into which a taxicab turns.

117. INT: TAXICAB - DUSK

Michael, in his Airborne dress uniform, sits hunched forward in the

back seat surrounded ~y his baggage, his chest bemedaled with a lot
of ribbons and expert badges.

Suddenly, as the cab comes over the crest of the hill, the trailer
looms into sight, straight ahead. Through one window we see Stan
peering out of the trailer at the approaching cab.

CAB DRIVER
Jesus! Will you look at all
this .•.

Michael just stares at the fast approaching trailer.

MICHAEL
(suddenly)
That's not it.

CAB DRIVER
What're you, crazy? That's not
it? You said a trailer. You
said corner Logan Street.

MICHl\EL
I was wrong. That's not it.
Keep going. Go straight down
to the highway.

CAB DRIVER
Hey, now listen. You said--

MICHAEL
I'm telling you that's not it!
Now keep going!
 78.

Michael slumps in the seat out of view.

(
MICHAEL
Just keep going! Just keep
going straight to the highway.
118. INT. TRAILER - DUSK

Linda is at the window, standing with Stan and Axel pressed close
together, all of them watching the cab.

STAN
It's him. I'm telling you,
this is Michael.

The taxicab comes thudding by. Linda, Stan and Axel all watch as
it disappears under the flapping "Welcome Horne Michael" banner.

AXEL
(to Stan)
I thought that was him, too.

STAN
So, his plane could be late,
Axel. I mean, take it easy.
I mean, you're driving every-
one nuts.
(to Linda)
You okay?

Linda gives a thin smile. Stan puts one arm around her shoulders.

STAN (cont)
I know Nick will be back soon
too. I know Nick. I know
he'll be coming back.

•Linda nods, but not too hopefully.

STAN (cont)
Right, Axel?

AXEL
Fuckin' A! •

119. EXT. STARLIGHTER MOTEL - HIGHWAY - NIGHT

.
A huge neon sign stands against the grey sky, buzzing angrily, as
if it were full of bees.

The taxi driver comes out of one of the rooms, gets back in his cab
and pulls away.
 ,... 79.

~·
(
120. INT. MICHAEL'S ROOM - NIGHT

Michael stands in the doorway where the driver jus~ ~~ft hi~. His
duff le bag and the rest of his gear are· at t~e ·.-:;:;.._ ···· his :::eet.
His head is thrown back and he is draining the las~ of a bottle
of whiskey, gulping it down in a great raw swallow.

Michaet lowers the bottle, catches his breath. The stark panic is
gone, but there is still fear -- blind, nameless fear, like that
of an animal run to the ground.

Michael crosses to the window, grips the frame with both hands and
looks out across the valley.

121. EXT. MICHAEL'S POV - NIGHT

The five great blast furnace stacks trail their ribbons of s~oke
across the pale winter sky. Steam billows upward in huge, silver-
edged clouds and there is the familiar and somehow comforting
flash and gleam of fire.

122. INT. MICHAEL'S ROOM - NIGHT

Michael turns back to the room. He stares at it blankly -- stares at
the bed, the bureau, the chair -- all of it cheap plastic and syn-
thetic imitation decor: then he opens his bag, pulls out the wedding
picture and props it up on the bed. He drags a chair over, sits
down heavily and puts his feet up on the bed. Then he reaches down
and picks up a new bottle from his bag, closes his eyes and begins
gulping whiskey down, gulping it hard, fast. As hard and as fast
as he can -- staring at the picture of Linda in front of hi~.

123. EXT. TRAILER - HIGH ANGLE - DAWN

The banner stretching to the telephone pole across the street has
been whipped to shreds by the wind. Everyone has ~one home. In
the yard, parked beside Michael's Caddy is only o~e other car
ab9ut the same vintage. There is a case of beer on its roof, the
windows are entirely frosted over and the engine is running. After
a moment, Axel, Stan and John stagger out -- blear~·-eyed, hung-over
and freezing. Linda comes out of the trailer, but just as she
emerges the whistle at the . mill goes off. Axel and Stan begin yell-
ing at each other, then they throw themselves back in the car and
start off . . The case of beer on the roof crashes to the ground.
They stop, pile out, pick up the cans, heave them in the back seat
and take off again.

John stands in the yard alone with Linda. She kisses him lightly
,... on the cheek,
a rickety
John smiles.
wooden stairway,
They hug each
disappears.
other and John starts dow~

~- Linda turns and goes back inside the trailer.

·, .-
so.

124. EXT. STREET ABOVE TRAILER - DAWN

We see Michael standina in the freezing cold, and :. :. looks as tho'.! 0 :.

he has been standing t~ere ~or a long ti~e. It i~ ~is POV of ~he
trailer we have been watching. Michael is powerf~lly moved. He
gathers his breath and starts cown the stairway toward the trailer.
125. INT. TRAILER - DAWN

Half-eaten cakes, cookies, six-oacks of beer and e~pty bottles of

wine cover almost every inch of.available space. Linda sits en the
little plastic-covered settee, wedged between two cases cf teer anc
hunched over a white sweater which with painful slow-ness she has
knitted for Nick. Frightened, lonely, she is trying not to cry.
She is trying her goddarnnedest. Suddenly--

There is a knock at the door. Linda freezes. Then, trying to be

totally matter-of-fact, she puts down the sweater, crosses to the
door and opens it, revealing a grinning Michael. He looks, in his
uniform now, as the airborne sergeant did at the wedding. Tough,
wizened beyond his years. An expert-looking killer.

MICHAEL
Guess who.
Linda stares at him. The sound of his voice is even more of a shock
to her than seeing him. For a split second she seems not to recog-
nize him. Michael gives a little laugh and steps up into the traile~
lifts his arms out to her.

LINDA
(throws herself
in his arms)
Michael! Oh, Michael, come in!
She hugs him for a moment, as hard as she dares, then they pull apar~.

MICHAEL
(looking at Linda
· who is looking away)
You're more beautiful than I've
ever seen yqu before.

Linda gives him a quick look; then looks away. The intensity in
Michael's eyes and the tone of his voice combine to frighten her.

LINDA
I was hoping ... Oh, Michael, I
was hoping--
(back ~n his arms)
.I was hoping somehow Nick would
be with you!

MICHAEL
No.
 BOA.

/-· LINDA
I Oh, Michael! Everyo~e missed
'--·.
you so! Welcome h ~~e.
(hugs him)

They pull apart. She looks at him searchingly. Both are as close
to open expression of feeling as they will ever be. Then Michael
says only:

MICHAEL
Any word on Nick?

LINDA
Not a thing. He's A.W.O.L.
is all I know.
MICHAEL
He'll be back.

Linda nods, makes no reply.

MICHAEL (cont)
He's probably confused. A
lot of guys get confused there.

LINDA
C, He never . called
(this last
...
with an
edge of bitterness)

MICHAEL
Maybe he did. · Maybe you were out.
LINDA
(sudden shift of tone)
How are you really?

MICHAEL
(laughs)
How are you?

LINDA
I just go along, you know. I'm
still working at the market. It
just seems there's a million
things to do. Are you sure you're
all right? I mean, what about
your wounds?

MICHAEL
(flat)
Nothing.

LINDA
But--
 81.
MICl:.AEL
It was just the usual compli-
I"' cations. All the guys go
\~ . through it.
The remark reaches Linda. They both stand rigidly. Michael's eyes
are on her. There is an awkward pause. Then--
LINDA
I made Nick a sweater.
(she hurries
to get it)
I couldn't remember his exact
size but I think he was about
the same size as you.
MICHAEL
Exact.
LINDA
(in a tight voice)
Here ••. you have to take that
off.
Michael re~oves his fitted jacket. Linda pulls the sweater over him,
touches his shoulders for a moment, gingerly, as if she hadn't touch-
ed a man for so long she can't remember how it went.
The sweater is huge, a great rumpled thing reaching almost to
Mich~el's knees.
LINDA
It is
a little too big ...
(she pulls the
sweater back off)
••• but I can easily fix that.
One thing about wool, it 1 s such
a cinch to fix ... Oh, Chr~st!
The pressure of the moment is too intense for her. She crosses to
one of the garbage pails full of melting ice and stuffs the sweater
iri it.

MICHAEL
(gently)
How's t~e job?
LINDA
Great. Fine ... once or twice we
almost had to ·close. I have to
go to work new.
MICHAEL
Would you mind if I walked you
to work?
Linda softens, they meet in a look.
 82.

LINDA'
You're so funny, Michael. You're
( always like a gentle~un.

MICHAEL
(shift of tone)
Cold. I'm not used to it anymore.

LINDA
Do you want some coffee first? I
still have some hot ...

Her face starts to quiver; against her will, she begins to sob.
Camera closes on her face.

LINDA (cont)
I'm so glad you're alive! I'm so
happy! I ... I just don't know
what to feel!

126. EXT. DIVISION STREET DAY

Michael, wearing his uniform, and Linda are some distance away.
Michael is seen shaking hands with an enthusiastic older M.2\N while
Linda stands to one side, watching his face. She looks suddenly in-
vigorated by the cold air and the prospect of mystery, danger. An-
other older MAN comes over. Linda takes the man's arm and presents
Michael to him almost as an object of ~ender. Suddenly noticing
her reflection in a store window, she fixes her hair, aware of
Michael's eyes on her. We cannot hear what is being said. The only
sound comes from the steel mill which looms up behind them out of
the fro2en valle ·y below.

Across the street a coal train is rumbling slowly by and Michael is

caught by it. The cars are black, interchangable, and they roll on
and on. Suddenly the.last car appears. The car passes and there is
silence.

Michael gives Linda a friendly little kiss. Linda stares up at him.

She doesn't know what to say, how to respond. Michael forces a grin,
gestures with his head and shrugs. He holds her hand and they con-
tinue on down the street -- obviously uneasy.

MICHAEL
Linda •.. I fust want to say how
sorry I am about Nick. How .••
I know you loved him and I know
it can never be the same. I mean,
maybe .•. I ~on't know, if you want
to even talk--
(no reply)

127. INT. EAGLE SUPERMARKET - DAY

The small place is overflowing with crates and boxes. A couple of
girls in smocks are stacking and unpacking. Michc~l comes in with
Linda. A cigar-chewing MANAGERcomes right up, starts pumping
 83.

Michael's ~and, slapping him on the back and shouting orders all at
the same tine. T~e qirls working as checkers are all smiling, ~d-
\ miring the ~ell o~t cf ~~ic~ael, ru~~i~g their :i~cers ov~~ nis uni-
·--· form; as i: ,:::--.ly by t.0-.:::~1:.nc; r.::.:-:i.cl.,2:i,· could tell :-.:: •.1.3.s =,.::al. :::ve::-·:-
body makins s~all tal~ as the ma~ase= keeps inter=~~ting.

MANAGER
(to Michael)
You did a gooc job, kid.
Petruccio, gir;,r.e a count on
those pears!
(back to Michael)
I think we got 'em now, know
what I mean? Have a cigar.

He goes off. A STOCK BOY comes by and whistles at Linda.

STOCK BOY
Hi-you, hot lips.

MICHAEL
They ... bother you here?

,. No-o-o!
(takes
LINDA

laughs)
his arm,

Ci (gives
little
him a
wave)
I have to go now.
MICHAEL
Listen, would you mind if I
picked you up after work?

LINDA
I'd like that.

Linda hurries off. The manager comes up from behind, clapping

Michael on the shoulder again as he goes outside for his car, a
brand-new Cadillac. ~ichael watches it pull out of view. He does
not move or speak for a moment, and the girls stare at him. Then
he just leaves without another word or a look back.

128. EXT. STEEL HILL, PARKING AREA - DAY

Michael waits by the entrance to the mill. It is cold and he looks

as if he had been waiting for some time. Suddenly steelworkers beg~~
streaming out the doors, heading for their cars. Michael cranes his
neck and then catches sight of Axel and Stan making their way towarc ~·
John's bar down the street.

MICHAEL
Hey, Axel!

Axel turns. ·He grabs Stan and pulls him through the departing steel-
workers.
 (Revised 5/28/77) 84.

STA..~
What the--!

AXEL
It's Mike!

STAN
Mike ... ?
(sees him}
Jesus, Mike!

Stan grabs Michael's hand, shakes it. Then Axel does the sa~e,
grabs hi~ in a big bear hug.
STAN (cont)
Where the hell were you? We
were all set -- beer, food.
Right? Am I right, Axel?

AXEL
Fuckin' A!

MICHAEL
I got delayed.

AXEL
(hugs him
again)
Hey, Mike! God damn!

STAN
· • Jesus, you must be dying for a
shot of real American booze.

MICHAEL
(can't help
smiling}
I'm fine. Hey, I'm fine.

STAN
How does it feel to be shot?
•
The question hangs there for a moment.

MICHAEL
It doesn't hurt.

Stan seems suddenly relieved. There is an awkward silence for a

..-~... moment, then everybody nods silently.and they start for John's bar .
 (Revised 5/2 8/77) 8 4A.

r -;

MICHAEL (cont)
How've you guys been?

STAN
Sarne old thing. Nothing's
changed. I get more ass
than a toilet seat and Axel
is getting :atte~.

Axel makes a threatening gesture to Stan, then shrugs.

AXEL
Show him the new gun. Show
him the new gun, Stan.
 85.

r,. Stan loo~s

Stan hikes
around.
up his
Cars arc streaming
layers of sweaters
out of the
and sweatshirts
lot, horns blaring.
and shows a
r spanking new .38 S~ith and Wesson in a clip holster on his belt.
\. ..

MIC!!ld:L
What the hell's that for?

STAN
What is it for?

AXEL
He's a worrier!
MICHAEL
Forget it. Let's have a drink:

129. INT~ JOHN'S BAR - DAY

Michael comes through the crowd of steelworkers toward the bar,

shaking hands. The men treat him with immense respect. There are
no cracks, there are no jokes. They squeeze his shoulder, pat his
back, punch his arm, reaching out for him, touching him.

STEELWORKERS
Let the man through! Let's make
.r a little room!

(_, Suddenly John comes out of the back kitchen.

JOHN
(gives him a
great big hug)
Boy! Doy oh boy! ~re you okay?

MICHJ\EL
I'm fine, John.

JOHN
C'rnon in back. Come on. Axel!
Stan!

John pushes them all back into the kitchen.

130. INT. KITCHEN - DAY

The <loor shuts behind him. One of the bartenders bangs in, brings a
pitcher of beer and a bottle of Seagram's whiskey, nods anu leaves.

JOIIN (cont)
nere we go. .
(he pours and raises
an overflowing glass
of beer)
Herc's to you, l1ike!

AXEL
Fuckin' A!
\
 {Revised 5/28/77) 86.

STAN
And here's to the other guys .•.

They all stand t~e~e silently for a rnoT-ent looki~g at each ot~er.
The other ffiood is suddenly gone.

MICHAEL
* (in a low·
voice)
How's Angela taking it?

JOHN
Not so good. Worse since she
talked to him.

MICHAEL
Worse since she talked to who?

JOHN
(matter-of
factly)
Steven.

MICHAEL
Angela talked to Steven?
{stares at him)
Steven's alive?

John, Axel and Stan exchange glances.

JOHN
(amazed)
You didn't know?

Michael is silent. Tears begin streaming down John's face.

AXEL
John •.•

STAN
Hey, John ...

JOHN
Mike, we don't know where
Steven is .•. Angela won't
tell us.
MICHAEL
(looks up at him)
What do you mean?

JOHN
She won't talk to anybody.

Michael walks in a circle and then stops, staring at them. Then

he turns and _goes straight out.
 (Revised 5/9/77) 87.

131. INT. STEVEN'S MO':'HER' S HO'CSE - BEDR00:•1 - DUSK

/
* The room is very dark. Angela sits prop?ed-u? ~~ bed unce:::- a lace
covered comforter bv the window. The only illu~i~ ~ =~0n co~es fro~
the glow of the bla;t fu=naces. s~rrounding t h e t~~ ~ =~ ~e~ a~oli-
ances, many in unopened cartons (hlendcrs, a t.v., a ~i-fi set:·
radios, electric curlers, other gifts, etc.) Anc in ~he nicdle of
it all, playing with a toaster, is a chubby four-year-old boy.

There is a soundfrom t~e hallway, then Steven's ~other co~es in

with Michael. She gives hi~ a look raising her ~ead sli~~tly, in-
dicating Angela. Then she closes the coo:::- sou~dlessly 2.:-id leaves,
leaving · ~ichael alone with Angela. As she goes out, we catch a
last glimpse of her quickly making the sign of the cross.

Michael stares at the cartons of appliances and gifts and at the

smiling boy. Then he shifts his look to Angela, who stares right
through him. An unblinking, terrifying stare.

MICHAEL
(gently)
Angela, I just heard Steven
was alive.
(no reply)
Where is he?

Angela begins to tremble, fiddles with the dial on a tiny ?Ortablc

radio in her hand, going from one station to another, the w~ole
time staring at Michael. Finally she reaches for a magazine and
writes down a number in a tiny, nearly illegible scrawl. :-~ichael
moves closer to her now. Angela finishes, puts c.own the ;ien and
tearn off the tiniest ~iece of paper, looks at it once, and gives
it hesitantingly to Michael.

MICHAEL
Angela ... ?

Angela just gives him a strange, twisted smile, avoiding his eyes
too directly. ~ichael leans over, kisses her gently on the fore-
head, looks one more tine at t~e smiling boy and goes out .•• Camera
closes on Angela who just keeps staring into space.

132. EXT. CHURCH - STARKWEATHER STREET - DUSK

Michael walks past on his way to the trailer with the piece of
paper Angela gave him in
his pocket. It is snowing and fro!':'! inside
the church we hear the choir singing. The sound is nassive, deep
and dark, like a great river rolling through the growing ~ight.

Ahead we see a lone telephone booth at the curb. The door is half-
open and snow is blowing in. Michael starts to reach for Steven's
number in his p~cket, stops, closes his eyes, leans forward into
the wind. The telephone looms closer and Michael almost stops, but
doesn't and passes by.
 (Revised 5/28/77) 88.

,..
f\
133. I!~T.

Michael
TRAILE?. - tHGHT

sits in a chair in the back of the traile~. His knuckles

are ~hite t=o~ the p=essi~g tensi0n. He locks erai~ed and e~ta~stee.
His old dee= ~~nting ;~~r is s~~ll p~l8i on the t:~cr alo~;sii~
Ni,...:,.'s I r~,-·..,.'"
Vo111o _._-:;••-
.,.:..,e-e
· ••J. •
t'-:-.·
••-_:
· l;;:,f~
---
~ .... ,~-:
-'- ·---•
,:,.__,.,
-••-
1 ic-...ts
-- ... ••
-; ,,...,,,.,.._,,... -1"' .~ ••--.1..a
<..;. ___
:.• :;,.-.\.. ..,,=-;
...;..,.;.\.,.CL•;."-"-__ _

is staring a~ =~e tele;hone which is ill~~inated through the window

by a stre~~ light in t~e corner. There is a sound outside, ther. t~E
lights co~e o~ as Linda enters with groceries. Xichael is packing=
* pistol.

LINDA
Michael?

MICHAEL
Right here.

Linda crosses through the living room to where Michael is sitting in

the dark.

LINDA ·
What are you doing?

MICHAEL
Oh. Nothing .•. getting my gear
out. I'm just leaving.

LINDA
Don't go. I've got some food. I'll
make you a real sit-do¼~ dinner.

There is a long silence. Silence holds past the point where we

expect someo~e to speak, then it holds still longer. When Linda
finally speaks, her voice seems teasing yet sad.

LINDA
Why don't we go to bed, Michael?

MICHAEL
(blankly)
What?

There is another long, tense silence.

LINDA
It's been a long time. Can't we
comfort each other?

.MICHAEL
Not here! I gotta get outta here!

Michael swings all his hunting gear on his back, picks up his rifle
and heads for the door. Linda follows, still clutching her grocer-
ies, her emotions so pulverized she can hardly speak.

MICHAEL (cont)
I'll be ..• I don't know ... I feel a
lot of distance ... far away ... See
you around.
 89.

Michael is gone. Linda stands motionless, clutching her groce=ics,

t-
......
. staring at the trailer door. It is dar k outsid~. Snow is blo~inc
in. The door closes slG\v"ly, 1.-: ith a faint hiss, ar.J -:l~c:1 clicks s:-.~::..
From beyond the door t'."1erc is the soun.d of ~~ich<'le l's Cadd ~, s ~c1r-: ir~s
up. Lin<la hesitates a moment longer, t ~~n drops the groceries an~
rushes outside.

134. INT. STARLIGIITER HOTEL - Z1ICH1\EL' S ROOM - BAT!morn-1 - NIGHT

We watch Linda step out of the shower and begin to <lry herself.
When she speaks it is loud enough to be heard in the other room.

LINDA
It just seems sort of strange
corning to a motel ...

Linda wraps on a short fresh bath towel and it is very sexy, then
looks at herself in the mirror. She is very excited, but there is
an uneasy balance between sexual desire and guilt in this monent.
She strikes a pose, pulling down the bottom of the towel a bit.

LINDJ\ (cont)
Do you know what I mean, Michael?

Michael doesn't answer. Linda pulls the door fully open, takes one
last look at herself in the mirror and goes out .

.L34A. INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

As Linda comes out of the bathroom her face falls and she stops dead
in her trac}:s.

Michael is lying ·on the bed -- sprawled on his back, his uniform and
boots still on, sound asleep on top of the cheap bedspread.

LINDJ\
Michael?

Michael doesn't stir, doesn't budge. Linda crosses and looks at him
-- hungrily, top to bottom -- the group weddinq picture is still
where he left it. His duffel bag unmoved from the previous night.
All the hunting gear piled carelessly around it.

Linda lets out a little moan and pulls down the top spread beside
Michael, then she slips slowly under the covers moving as close to
him as she can get. She moves one arm out from underneath and puts
it around him, staring at the moonlit shadows moving on the ceiling.

Camera holds or. both of them like this for a long moment. Michael's
mirror-polished jump boots gleaming in the shine of the moon.

135. OMITTED
 90.

136. INT. BOt-iLADROME - NIGHT

.
I"

People are coming and going a~a each time one oft~~ :~~er d~~~s
open the sound of the bowling alle? comes. in. ~-;c c ::.c':.:::·: a f:.-:,s-:.::.;,,(:'
glimpse of Linda 1-::tting go of a ball. Her ~ovemen~ .:s uncc:-- . .sc:.ous-
ly erotic, although no enc else but ~ichael seems to be aware o~ it.

The BARTENDER lifts a beer over to Michael, gestures with his hands,
"this round is on the house'', Michael nods. Across fro~ hie, at
the far end of the ~ar is Stan, fast-talking a redhead ~ho is ~ar-
velously stoned, sitting on the bar stool with amazin; e~uil:~r:.u~,
her glass held near her mouth. She occasionally turns her hea~ to
look at Michael, keeping herself in delicate balance, ~oving as if
her head were in danger of snapping off at the neck if she we~e to
move suddenly too fast.

Michael is high and seemingly does not notice her or Stan, continues
watching Linda ~ith growing, obsessive appreciation, exciteme~t. Stan
gets up, comes over to Michael and claps him on the back.

STAN
(signalling for

,.
another beer)
How's it feel to be back?
MICHAEL
(preoccupied)
L Great.
STAN
Hey,Michael.
(gestures with his
head at the redhead)
What do you think?

MICHAEL
I don't know--

STAN
I mean, what do you think of
her?

MICHAEL
I don't know, Stanley.

STAN
Is she beautiful?

MICI!l\EL
(really looking at her)
Straight?

STAN
Yeah.
 91.

MICHAEL
(
\._
No.

STAN
Do you think she's intelligent?

MICHAEL
(looks again)
No.

STAN
No?

MICHAEL
(shakes his head)
No.

STAN
Neither do I.

MICHAEL
(hooked)
Then what in hell do you see in
her?
STAN
(judicially)
I don't know. That's what I'm
trying to find out! Maybe she's
good in bed.
(shouts to girl)
You good in bed, honey?

The redhead gives him a look of pure agreeable irr~ecility. But

before she can answer (supposing she can answer at this stage)
there is a roar of screams from the bowling lanes.

137. INT. BQ';·IT.INGLANE - NIGHT

Axel is flat on his stomach wedged under an automatic pin setter
which has come down on hin. He is hollering at the top of his
voice but only his legs are sticking out, wriggling frantically.
John and Linda are running toward him and begin tuqgina on his
legs, but they cannot buc.ae him. We follow Michael and Stan
running across the alleys-to help. Linda and John are pulling
like mad and Axel is yelling his head off.

MICHAEL
What the hell happen~d?
LINDA
His ball didn't come.back ... so
he went after it, and the pin
setter came down on hirr..
 92.

Michael stares at John. He is perspiring, trying to hold the ~eig~~

,-
1
of the pin setter off Axel. Then a big smile split$ his face ~nd ~0
begins to laugh; and then, pul!.ing en Axel all the ':ir:ie, Linea lauc::· ..·
and they all laugh together uproariously. They can't help it.

MICHAEL
(over the laughter)
Stan, get the jack out of my
trunk.
13 8. INT. Bm·lLING LANE - NIGHT

Stan is furiously jacking up the pin setter while everyone stands

watching. Slowly, Axel wriggles back out, his bowling ball clutchet
triumphantly in his hands.

STAN
Axel! Hey, Axel! You all right?

Axel straightens up slowly, his great stomach in his hands.

MICHAEL
Axel, you okay?

AXEL
(laughs)
Fuckin' A!
(., JOHN
Hey, Axel, you're sure nothing's
broken?
Axel scoops Linda into his arms and holds her up over his head, then
puts her down, laughing.
STAN
Well, what do you guys wanna do
now?

AXEL
We're going huntin', right?

STAN
Who's askin' you?

AXEL
I was askin' Mike. He's going!
But no women.

JOHN
Mike's going. Right, Mike?

Michael hesitates, gives a sidelong glance to Linda, fixes directly

into her eyes, setting up a special connection between the two of
them. But Linda looks suddenly nervous and just turns and walks of:
the lane. Michael watches her go for a moment, composed, the~ lifts
his beer.
 93.

MICHAEL
(turns to John}
Right.

AXEL
Fuckin' A!

STAN
(hopping up
and down)
Just like old tirr.es! Right,
Mike? Am I right?

ALL
(in a ragged chorus)
Fuckin' A!

139. EXT. MOUNTAINS - DAY

Snow is blowing, swirling past the trunks of stark, ice-covered

trees. There is no horizon. Sky and earth are bound in a moan of
wind, in the faint creak of frozen limbs and the whispering, fitful,
spinning flakes.

Michael appear~ suddenly, as a gust of wind shifts the slanting snow.

He is moving easily, heading steadily up-hill, following the contcur
{:.,. of the slope. As he draws closer we see that he is following a set
~ of fresh tracks on the highest ridge -- that to the east which falls
sheer to jagged rocks standing out in the river below -- then to the
west.

140. EXT. ROCK LEDGE - DAY

Then the deer is there. Ile is a magnificent seven-point buck, stand-

ing in a grove of hemlock, looking at ~tichael. He is like the es-
sence of a deer seen in a dream; and what gives him the over-masterir.~
and mythical quality of presence is so~cthing beyond his .co~or and
size and beauty: It is the sense of his power and vitality, as if he
were a piece of primal and unconditional energy, luminous and immortal.

Michael catches his breath, barely visible in the swirling snow.

The buck watches Michael for a moment longer, then turns, throws up
his head and curvets over the hi~h ridge to the west.

141. EXT. ANOTHER, MUCH LOWER RIDGE, CLOSER TO THE HIGHWAY - DAY

Stan is out of breath, clawing his way up a steep slope on all

,,.. fours.
unsling
John and Axel,
their rifles.
the sound is so magnified
scale war.
who have reached
Shots . are going
by echoes that
a level area
off in every
it sounds
above Stan,
direction
like a full-
and

(t.,
 94.

(
STAN
(breath rasping
in his lungs}
What are you, kidcin'? ?<.re
you kiddin' ffie, Axel? Twenty
times we coulda had it!
(wheezing)
If I'd'a been where you were--

JOHN
Psst. Stan!

John signals with his head, Stan turns. Finally a deer, an old
greying buck, has come out of the woods. The deer is rattled by
the gunfire and peers at Stan uncertainly. Stan spins and grabs
his gun, which immediately goes off. He slams another shell in ·
the chamber and scrambles to his feet, but the rifle sling is
hooked on the branches of a bush and his shot ricochets off a near-
by rock. John and Axel dive for cover. As they look up, t~ey see
the deer trot down the slope and then Axel, firing, running after
it ...

142. EXT. HIGH RIDGE - MOVING VIEW - MICHAEL - DAY

The wind is much stronger, moaning in the trees. Michael is moving

fast, at a near trot. Suddenly he stop~, listening. At the same
moment there is a snort. Michael wheels. For a split second the
buck comes into sight in a break in the trees, then springs away.
Michael is transfixed for a moment, then darts after it, as the
great buck thunders through the trees.
The wind shifts and we see that Michael has stepped onto a boulder
whi~h is loo~ely planted at the top of a steeo scree slooe. As
he watches in horror, the boulder begins to roll, then to bound,
disiodging other rocks and boulders, all of them bouncing and
leaping and cracking ... and then falling soundless -- eve~ a
sheer ledge to unknown depths below.

14 3. EXT. BUSTED-om-."N LOGGERS SHACK - DAY

Axel and John have dragged their dead deer to an old weathe~ed log
beside the shack. They sit side by side, · drenched in sweat, guz-
zling beer out of both hands.

JOHN
Sweet! Oh, that is sweet!

AXEL
Fuckin' A!

Shots explode nearby. At first the shots are scattered but they
quickly open into a full barrage. Axel and John stand up.
 95.

144_- EXT. TREE LINE - DAY

r. ·
•- ·
Stan comes ba==eling t~=ough the trees, shouti~g a:1~ scrca~~~;.
His clothes are in tatters, the sole is.gone fro~ c~0 snoc ~~~ the
barrel of his rifle is jammed up with mud and perce?~~bly ~ent.

STAN
I got one! I got one!

Stan loses his footing and rolls down an embankment, head over
heels.

145. EXT. WOODS- DAY

S~an's deer staggers through the trees, drops quietly in the softly
falling snow.
146. EXT. A HIGH FROZEN LAKE - DAY

On the rugged cliffs above the lake the wind is blowing in gusts,
slanting the snow first one way and then the other. Michael appears
in the distance, a bl~ck speck in the endless expanse of shifting
white. His pursuit has become nightmarish.
As Michael draws closer we can see that he is near exhaustion. His
clothes are caked with snow, his breath comes in a shallow gasp
and his gait is uneven, favoring one leg. As Mi~hael approaches
camera he falters and limps to a stop. There are no more tracks.
There is nothing to go by and he hunkers down in the driving snow.

The wind bangs in from one way, then it shifts and bangs in again
from another way. Suddenly it stops entirely. In the moment of
pure silence ·there is a sound -- the click of a hoof on rock.

Instantly the buck comes flashing into view.

Again, Michael is transfixed for a moment, then he pushes hi~self to
. his fe~t! raises his rifle and sights down the barrel.
We see the buck . through Michael's sights. The buck whirls and sto~s
fa~ing him. It is a clear shot. Michael's finger is on the trigge=.
For a second the buck is too astonished to move. He trembles
across his whole body.

Michael stands motionless, squeezes the trigger~ but at the last

instant he raises the barrel. The shot misses .

. Almost as if the bock had"understood, he hesitates, staring at

Michael. Then, throwing up his great head, he begins to run.

Michael is so wonder-struck he has foraotten to breathe. He turns

with his back against a sheer rock face high in the air. As he
does he looks out over a snow-shrouded landsca~e of such spec-
tacular beauty that it might be something from-a ~ream.
 (Revised 5/26/77j 96.

MICHAEL
(shouts)
Okay!

The wind keening through the high passes, and then faintly, the
echo comes back.
ECHO
Okay!

147. INT. LOGGERS SHACK - NIGHT

A Coleman lantern hangs from one rafter, rocking in the wind. John
is out cold. Axel and Stan are both high on beer and are cleaning
their deer rifles. Stan finishes first and then pulls out his .38
caliber pistol and begins cleaning it .

. AXEL
(noticing)
What's that stupid little gun
up here for?

,,. In case!
STAN

AXEL
L In case? In case of what?
In case you stumble on one of
your girlfriends suckin' a
forest ranger's cock?

Stan is sheet~white, trembling. He grabs up the pistol and cocks

it.
STAN
(shrieking)
Say that one more time! Say
it! Go on, say it!
AXEL
You're so full of shit you're
going to float away, Stanley!
That thing is empty now.

STAN
(fiercely)
Try'it!

* Michael is just corning in, half-frozen. He stares at the pistol in

disbelief. Suddenly looks as if he is going to kill somebody. He
springs, seizes the gun with one hand and slams Stan to the floor.
Stan gets up. Michael starts to move on him. Axel quickly lurches
over, pulls Hichael a·,.,ray.
 (Revised 5/28/77) 97.

AXEL
Mike, easy!

.HIC:~.\..:L
(grimly)
Yeah.

Stan gets tc his feet. There is a dazed look on his face.

STAN
What t~e hell was that for?
(picks up
the pistol)
Did you think it was really
loaded?

MICHAEL
Gimme that!

Michael takes the pistol, then he points it at the roof and

squeezes the trigger. The g,..m goes off with a deafening roar,

,..
blows a hole in the roof. John snaps awake.

For a moment there is absolute silence. The wind moans in the

trees, snow curls through the open hole, splinters and snowflakes
raining down. John is still trying to find his breath.
(__.
Michael lowers the pistol, looks at it, turns it over in his hands ...

MICH.1\EL
You guys want to play ga~es?
I'm going to ?lay your fuckin'
game!

Michael sna?s open the cylinder, empties all but one cartridge and
slams it shut. Stan is chewing his lip. John is staring in utter
disbelief at the ghastly scene about to take place. i:ichael spins
·the cyliricer. Then there is absolute silence.

Axel notices that his hands are shaking. ~ichael suddenly cocks
the revolver and in a single motion grabs Stan by the throat and
puts the gun to his head. Stan's eyes rolling madly in astonish-
ment and outrage.

Simultaneously, there is a dull click, as the ham.~er strikes into

an empty cha-:.ber. Stan clamps his eyes shut and a scream tears
out of his t~roat.

Michael still clenches Stan, but then slowly, with every last ounce
* of control he has le£~, releases his grip. Stan gasps for air, gags
and throws ~o, then he reels, like a rudderless ship, and crashes
to the floor-where he lies motionless beside Axel's feet. Michael
stands ~ight where he is, nerves alert.
 98.

For another moment there is an absolute stillness. John, who has

not said a word the whole ti~e, is struck mute, staring at Mich~el.
148. EXT. SHACK - NIGHT

Michael comes out the door and stands for a moment, listening ~o the
wind. He looks down at the pistol turning it over in his ha~ds,
then he heaves it into the trees as hard as he ca~. He looks half-
destroyed. He is stiff, sore and exhausted. Slowly he comes back
into his other world.

149". EXT. STARLIGHTER MOTEL - DAY

The motel is lonely-looking, cheap and cold. Michael's Caddy ?Ulls

into the yard beside the big trucks and cars and slides to a stop.
Michael goes around to the trunk, removes his gear and slams the lie.
He crosses to his room and goes inside. And now for the first
time we notice that Axel, John and Stan are still in the car,
silent and unmoving. Momentarily they file out, grab their gear
and without a word to each other walk home in separate directions.

150. EXT. EAGLE SUPER! ·1ARKET - LATER THAT NIGHT

Division Street is empty ~xcept for scores of abandoned shopping

carts on the sidewalk near the market which a CLERK is ba~ging to-
gether.

Michael pulls up in his Caddy, stops and goes in.

151. INT. SUPER.'"IARKET - NIGHT

A GIRL is closing out the two registers up front.

GIRL
Linda's in back.
MICHAEL
Thanks.

GIRL
How was the hunting?

MICHAEL
Fine.

The girl is about to say more but Michael goes down a long aisle of
bright packages. Coming out at the back he finds Linda sitting on
the floor surrounded by boxes, crying.

MICHAEL
Linda ... what's wrong?

LINDA
{helpless shrug)
I don't know.
 99.
MICHAEL
There must be something .
.•#1'- .-

·-· · Linda looks up at him, tears streaming down ~er f~ce.

LI~DA
I'm just so lcnely.

~ichael cannot reply for a moment. Then:

MICHAEL
I 've got m:z' car.
LINDA
(shakes her head)
Just leave me alone. I'll be
fine. Really.

Michael hesitates, then turns and walks back down the aisle between
the bright packages. He is silent but obviously moved.

152. INT. CADDY - NIGHT

Michael sits behind the wheel, watching the lights go out. His
hands begin shaking uncontrollably and he gets back out of the car.

The clerk is rouncing up the last of the abandoned shopping carts.

The carts crash and clank as he rarr.s them together. The lig~ts
inside the market are going out.

153. EXT. SUPERMARKET - NIGHT

Michael watches the last light go out in the market. Linda comes
out of the door and crosses towards him.

MICHAEL
You okay?
LINDA
(she nods,
Did you ever think life would
turn out like this?

MICHAEL
No.

He fumbles, opens her door. Linda suddenly slips in and sla.'1ls the
door shut tight.

154. INT. TRAILER - NIGHT

·· Michael is lying on his back. Outside the bedroom we hear a door

open, then bare footsteps. Michael and we make out Linea's
naked figure through the darkness. She comes to him gently, slowly,
decisively. They make love.
 (Revised 5/28/77) 100.

,..
I,
155. EXT. STI'-<..EET
- NIGHT

r, _\
The wind is blowing. No one. A beer can rolling in the wind ...

We watch ~ichael back awav from the window. For a moment he stands
motionless, turns, looks it Linda asl~~-- -1:' -- 1 y1.ng· '
en ner b ac. k , arr.t5
flung out across the pillo~s, like an angel in a child's story. Ee
hesitates; then ~e pulls on pants, shirt, jacket, and jams his fee~
into a p~ir of bcots.
157 ~ EXT. STAR.Ki;IBATHERSTREET - NIGH7

Michael comes walking up the street. There is no one in sight. He

crosses to the intersection, near the church, with the telephone
booth.

Michael jams himself into the booth, zippers his jacket. He is irk-
ed with himself, a little frightened. He hears a car door close anc
an engine start up. A car pulls out of a nearby street and comes
past him, slowly. As Michael watches, the tail lights grow small,
then the car dips over a hill and disappears.

,.. Michael
Angela
pulls out the tiny
had given
gins to dial
hin before.
a number .•.
scrap of paper
He lifts
with Steven's
the frozen receiver
number that
and be-

C 158. INT. V.A. HOSPITAL - RECREATION ROOM- NIGHT

* Moonlig~t streams through windows. A Bingo game is in full swing.
Dozens of men in wheelchairs, some eating, are watching the tote
board with absolute concentration.

159. INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - NIGHT

A NURSE enters the foreground with a telephone message. Beyond her
we see the wheelctai= fleet corning from the recreation room toward
her. As the nursE continues we realize she is moving directly to-
ward Steven. Steven is dressed in a shite hospital gown, the botto~
of which hangs over the front of the wheelchair a~d trails limply
on the floor. Both of his legs have been high anputated and te has
lost the use of one arm. Eis face is scarred and what expression
he displays is centered in his eyes.

We watch Steven take the telephone message from the nurse.

Suddenly, Steven begins wheeling himself rapidly dovm the polished

corridor. At the doorway to the telephone room he pauses, looking
at the dangling receiver.
He wheels around in a little circle - pained, terribly upset. His
eyes fall back on the receiver. Theri he hurries toward it.

STEVEN
Hello?
 (Revised 5/28/77) 101.

160. INT. TELEPHONE BOOTH - NIGHT

Michael stands in the booth huedled anxiously over the recei~ar. It

is very cold.

MICF.AEL
Steven? Steven, it's me, Mike.

STEVEN (O.S.)
Michael! Hey. How's things?

MICHAEL
Never mind me. How the hell is
it with you?

161. INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT

Steven suddenly looks around in desperation. A flurry of wheel-

chairs go past.

STEVEN
Hey. Great.
MICHAEL (O.S)
(he can hardly hear)
What's that noise?

STEVEN
Wheelchairs.

162. INT. TELEPHONE BOOTH - NIGHT

Michael holds the receiver, staring into it.

MICHAEL
Jesus. When are you getting out?

STEVEN (O.S.)
I'm gonna stay here awhile, Mike .

MICHAEL
. .
What for?

· 163. INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT

* STEVEN'
(with every-
thing he has)
Place is great. It's like a re-
sort .•. Basketball, bowling. You
name it. Ev·en Princes·s Grace
visited us here. I gotta get back,
Mike. Curfew.
(clicks off)

164. INT. TELEPHONE BOOTH - NIGHT

MICHAEL
Steven! !!
 102.

r---
,
165. INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT

Camera -closes slowly en Steven. His head has falle:-i to one side --
as if he were drowning. In !rent of him is the dangling receiver.
A nurse approac~es ...

166. EXT. V.A. HOSPITAL - DAY

Someone· is getting out of a cab. After a rnoncnt the feet ap?ear,

~lad in highly polished jump boots. We see military t~ousers with
the razor crease tucked ir. the boots, a belt buckle e~bosscc ~ith
an eagle's head ... ant the~ suddenly, Michael's face. Then Axel,
Stan and John following.

They all slow their approach, stop, looking at the hospital buildins.
It is huge. We watch Axel, Stan and John take seats in the lobby as
Michael heads for the elevators.

167. INT. V.A. HOSPITAL - DAY

Steven watches Michael approach for a moment, his face utterly with-
out expression. Michael continues coming closer. As he sees Steven :
condition, he tries to hide his reaction, but in his eyes we see how
hard he is hit.

STEVEN
Michael. I don't want to go home.

MICHAEL
(nods)
I know.

STEVEN
You go hunting?

MICHAEL
Yeah.·

STEVEN
You get one?

MICHAEL
No.

STEVEN
You didri't get a deer?

MICHAEL
I tracked one, a big buck. God,
he was a beauty!

STEVEN
Angela send you here?

MI<:;:HAEL
No.
 103.

,. .
Michael gets behind Steven's wheelchair, pushes him along.

STEVE: -~
Good.

Michael swinqs Steven's wheelchair arou~d to his bed area. No-

tices the lie of his footlocker is locked with several very large
padlocks.

STEVEN (cont)
Angela keeps sending rne socks.

Michael keeps looking down at all the padlocks on the footlocker at

his feet. They are everywhere.

STEVEN (cont)
(direct)
It's not socks I got in there,
Michael.

Steven bends over to the footlocker, as best he can, and begins

opening the locks with keys from a chain worn around his neck. As
he straightens up, Michael notices wedged in between his underwear
and toilet articles wadded-up bundles of hundred-dollar bills and
ceramic elephants, which are f~~iliar to us from the street peddler
in Saigon. Some of them are still stuffed \o.·ith money. The corners
are all chipped and it looks as if they have been in there for a
long time.

Michael reaches down, slips a single bill out, feels the paper:
realizes it is real a~d folds it. He looks U?, wa~ching Steven.
Other men in wheelchairs roll slowly by. Steven sits with the
footlocker of ~oney at his feet, utterly bewildered, tears well-
ing up in his eyes.

STEVEN (cont)
One comes every month, Michael,
from Saigon. I don't understand!
Saigon's going to fall any day
·now!

This last with a growing edge of hysteria. Michael looks at the

men going by in wheelc~airs. His head is spinning and he brings
himself back with effort, looks suddenly exhausted.

MICHAEL
It's Nick, Steven.

STEVEN
How do you know?

Michael makes no reply. But the intensity in his eyes frightens

Steven •.
 (Revisee 5/28/77) 104.

,, * STEVEN
'•· That place .:..s S'Or.na be ca:.ight
in a terri~le shit storm.
Where is a guy li~e Nick getting
money like this?

Michael rises, looking down at the money. The reality of wh~t he

is thinking has nearly overwhelmed him, and it is only with tre-
mendous effort that he maintains a casual tone.

MICHAEL
Oh .•. cards, maybe. I'll find
him. Don't worry. It's getting
late, Steven. I'm going to call
Angela. The guys are going to
help me bring you home.

* STEVEN
(panicked)
Like hell you are! I don't fit
in!! Mike! No!

MICHAEL
(almost a shout)
Goddamn it, I am! I am gonna
do it!

For a moment both of them look like the worn-out survivors of

a terrible struggle. And they are .. They are. After a moment,
Steven says quietly:

STEVEN
Do as you heart tells you,
Michael.

There is a moment's pause. Then Michael suddenly gets behind the

wheelchair and pushes Steven right out of the ward with quick, hare.
steps. As he is wheeling Steven through corridors, an increasing
number of NURSES gather around, questioning, everyone talking at
once.

168. EXT. U.S. AIR FORCE AIRFIELD - RUNWAY- DAY

The place is a madhouse of acti~ity. As jet scream TROOPS disem-

barking from Saigon are being counted and re-counted. SERGEANTS
are yelling off names. CLERKS are typing forms. Forklift trucks
weave in and around a few OFFICERS waiting to go to Saigon, look-
ing lost.

Michael is still in uniform. He stands at a window watching a jet

transport being prepared for loading. A CLERK comes by, arg~ing
with a SERGEANT. The Sergeant sets down his clipboard to consult
the clerk's papers. Michael picks up the clipboard and fades into
the crowd.
 (Revised 5/9/77) 105.

.., I

169. OMITTED

170. INT. TRANSPORT PLh~E - DAY

Michael has the Sergeant's clipboard and flashes it as he casually

boards with the others. A. YOUNG LIEUTE~!ANT is shouting up at the
pilot, who shrugs back at him.

LIEUTEHA~T
Please! It's vital I go to
Saigon today. This is very
important!

The sound of the jet whine revving up overrides him as the cargo
doors are slammed shut a~c the big plane lumbers out onto the run-
way. The figure of the lieutenant quavers in the waves of heat,
breaks up like smoke as the plane taxis into position for takeoff.

CUT TO:
171. EXT. SAIGml AIRPORT - DUSK

VIET CONG S~PPERS have just attacked. A number of jet fighters are
burning, bodies are str~wn over the tarmac and jeeps with SOLDIERS
arc racing back and forth. Out beyond, the jet troop tra~sport t~xis
L into view, lumbering like a great silver monster out of the night.

172. INT. PLANE - DUSK

Michael stands in the aisle next to a COLON~L who is peering out

the window. A lone MAJOR sits nearby.

COLO:~EL
Jesus Christ, they're hitting
the goddarnned airport now!

Michael nods. Everyone starts out.

COLONEL (cont)
(to no one in
particular)
Assholes!

173. EXT. RUNWA~USK

Sirens are screaming in the distance. Michael looks arou~d ner-

vously. Smoke hangs over everything.

COLONEL
Tell you something else, Major.
Don't eat melons. They use
hypodermic . needles here to fill
'em up with river water.
 (Revised 5/9/77) 106.

(
i.., .
The
Jeep,
scream of_:: the. sirens
rnountcu with
grows louder.
a 50-ca!i~er machine
Suddcnlv .. a rnilitarv
gun, ca=ecn5
.
into
colice
. ...
view
~

just as a huge black chop?er sets down. The peoplo ~~o stream out
are of all ages, ::cth /1.siu.n a.:1c. A::",erica:r. ':'tev all have identifi-
cation tags whip?ing around their necks in the-rotor wash, and all
are carrying so~e kind of luggage.

M.P.
(arnplified)
Colonel Crispin!

COLONEL
That's me.
(nudges past
Michael and
waves)
Right here, Sergeant! I'm
right here!

M.P.
Right this way, sir. I suggest
we run.

Michael, the Colonel, and the Xajor are rushed unceremoniously to

the chopper and pushed on board.

PILOT
(shouting back)
Quick as you can, guys! We're
in a rush!

They take off _just as another round of mortar shells comes screa~in~.

174. INT. HELICOPTBR - DUSK

Michael sits on a seat in the stripped-down, clattering chopper.

He is squashed in between the Colonel and the Major who is reading
·the latest Wall Street Journal.

The chopper veers, suddenly tilting over to one side. Michael

twists around to look out the window ... In all of these next scenes
we will see, and we will hear the increasingly desperate population
of a city under assault.

175. EXT. MOVING VIEW - AMERICA)l EMBASSY FR0:1 AIR - DUSK

The roof of the Embassy is . jammed with people st"nding on every

inch of available space. Enormous red lights glare from the four
corners of the roof. The helicopter pad~? there is ringed with
M.P.'s with machine guns who are checking ID's as they let people
aboard another chopper, one at a time. The helicopter on the pad
taking people on has its rotors going, and other helicopters are
circling. But it not only the roof of the Embassy which is jarrmsd.
 ·- -- _.,_ , __ . ·- . - . . -

(Revised 5/9/77,) 1 07
.... .

r From Michael's vantage point he can see that the area arou~d the
\..,. swimr-:iing pool in the courtyard below looks like a .!'.'cfugee cam?.
176. EXT. EMBASSY ROOF - DUSK
Michael's chop?er sets down with the doors already open. He and
his three travelling companions jump out and rush to a door leadi~g
to an interior fire stairway.

Michael looks back. The chopper he came in on is already loaded

and taking off, while another is corning in to land right behind it.

177. INT. FIRE STAIRWAY - DUSK

Michael and the other officers descend the stairs behind two !-.RHED
GUARDS. The doors are open on the landings. Through one doorway
Michael can see into the swimming pool area:

Sitting around the pool, filling the entire courtyard right to

the edge of the water, are hundreds of silent, waiting PEOPLE.
The people are both Asian and American. As in scenes everywhere
in the city, they have piles of luggage. They all hold documents
in hand and they have the blank-eyed look of those who have been
waiting for days. Except for the clatter of the choppers in the
air above and the clicking of typewriters, there is hardly a sound.
The image appears briefly; like a hallucination.

Sudd~nly they corne on a Coke machine. It is a huge Coke machine,

standing on the ground floor.

GUARD 1
Coke machine. If anybody wants
one.

MICHAEL
(sharp)
Corporal, we're all running
late!

The Colonel nods.

GUARD 1
(snaps out of it)
We can't get any of you off to
GHQ till morning ... might as
well relax.

178. EXT. E~lBASSY GATE - DAY

A yelling, screaming, shrieking, hysterical MOB OF VIETNAMESE are

pressed up against the tall red and white striped poles of barbed
wire outside the gate. Michael sits in nn open jeep with the
Colonel, the Major, a DRIVER at the wheel, and a CORPORAL holding
 (Re~ised 5/28/77) 108 .
. ,-.
( a machine gun in between them. Suddenly a siren goes off. The
main gate is o~ened and chen ~P's with autc~atic r~~les c~arce c~t
' to a smaller wire-mesh ga~e that opens through the b~rbed wi~e.
I
The MP s open fire above the hez..ds of t:ie ~nob bloc:-:i~; the wire-
mesh gate and as they begin to ~eve to the side and open a path
the driver revs up the je2p. -

DRIVER
Hold onto yer asses!

He snaps the clutch and they smoke off for the still closed ~ire-
mesh gate. Just as the jeep arrives at the gate, the M?'s swing
it open and the jeep careens on two ·wheels down a narrow h~an
corridor of shrieking, jeering, screaming people.

178A. EXT. STREET - DAY

The city seems of two minds, at the very least, about its ap?roach-
ing fall. On scme streets everything is calm, on other streets
refugees are still frantically streaming in, hoping to flee, carry-
- ing every last possession they own on bicycles, ~otorcycles, rick-
shaws, carts, and wagons. The jeep whips through it all, fast. A
grenade is thrown at the jeep. The machine gunner bats it back
with a b~seball bat. As behind them in the receding dista~ce there
is a dull explosion.

(_, 179. EXT. U.S. ARMY GENERAL HEADQUARTERS - DAY

The old colonial-style building in which General Headquarters is

housed fronts the river. Between the building and the river is a
parking area full of staff cars and jeeps mou~ted with SO-caliber
machine gur.s in which drivers are all soundly sleeping. ~he en-
trance is through a gate in a high chainlink fence topped by three
rows of barbed wire, but there is no mob outside the fence and the
two MP's at the gate hardly salute when ~-1ichael and the o=ficers
are driven in. The jeep pulls up at the front en~rance, screeches
to a stop. Michael watches the others cli::ili out, head into the
compound. Then he gets out, exactly as if he knew what he was
doing. He does not; watches it all for a moment.

There are bumping sounds ahead of him. CLERKS are wheeling out
tall green file cabinets. TWO CORPORALS are carrying huge piles
of A.~erican flags, others carrying trunks, etc .
•
The officers staring at· it all.

The whole area looks as if a tornado had hit it. Papers are all
over the steps. More file cabinets are standing aroi.;.nd every which
.way, some with their drawers torn cut, some lying on their sides,
some empty, some full .. In between the file cabinets, the Colonel
moves up the steps into th-: building, passing a SERGE&~T ,d th horn-
.--
.._,, rimmed glasses which he keeps pushing back up on the bridge of his
nose.
 (Revised 5/28/77) 109.

,..
COLONEL
I'm looking for General McDowell.

The sergeant looks around, makir.g a ho?eless gest~re with his hands.

SERGEANT
You're kidding!

The Colonel stares at hi~ for a ~oment, shakes his head. The lights
inside suddenly go off, there is a dull, far-off explosion. ~!ichael
is gone.

180. OMITTED

181. OMITTED

182. OMITTED

183. OMITTED

184. EXT. STREET - DUSK

Traffic streams by the GHQ. In the distance there is the dull crump
~ of artillery fire. A taxi appears and screeches to a stop in front
of the GHQ compound. We see Michael get in the taxi, then the taxi
l. pulls out, merging into the flow of other similar taxis.

185. OMITTED

186. OMITTED

187. OMITTED

188. · OMITTED

189. INT. MISSISSIPPI SOUL BAR - NIGHT

Loud, crowded and steamy as ever, except now the dancing girls
above the bar are stark naked. Music is blaring and the place is
almost pitch-dark. The girls dancing, seeming in a frenzy but
with wistful, far-off gazes. We watch Michael walk straight past
the bar, then through a tiny kitchen door, closes it behind him.

189A. EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT

The hundreds of air conditioners propped-up with sticks, poles,

wire, and boards, are all older: still dripping, squeaking and
shaking. And the old peddler · with the food stand and ceramic
elephants is still there.
 OMITTED 110.

(Revisec 5/28/77) l~l.

Michael comes outside wearing civilian clothes now. ~otic~~q the

old peddler he naves on, th=eading his way t~=c~g~ =~~ dark ~:le~.
He walks with urgency, brea~hing hard.

189B. EXT. TWISTING STREET - NIGHT

A nearb.y building is burning. The street is litte=ed with corpses

lying this way and that, like broken dolls. Michael walks ~ast th~
body of a dead child. Then sudde~ly, as if by a ~i=acle, h~ finds
himself standing in front of the courtyard where J~~ien served Nick
champagne.

A KID appears out of the shadows holding a gun in his hand. Michael
gives a little laugh, gropes in his pocket, takes out his roll anci
counts out a few bills. In the space of an eyeblin~, the ~oney and
the kid disappear. Michael steps into the familiar courtyard.

190. EXT. COURTYARD- NIGHT

The old courtyard seems entirely menacing, mysterio~s, everywhere

grown over with weeds. A loaded truck is just pulling out =eveal-
ing Julien's car. Discarded crates lie around, along with a corpse.
As Michael looks at the corpse, there is a sound of footste?S cornin~
r from inside
stands
the shuttered
for a mo~ent,
wooden building
listening, then he watches
on the river.
as a figure
Michael
pulls
L open the door. It is Julien.

In the darkness, Julien suddenly finds his way blocked by Michael.

He steps back and for a moment the two men are locked in stares.

JULIEN
Who the fuck are you?

Michael comes close, looks Julien long and hard in the eye, remem-
bering him. Julien starts to squirm. Suddenly, M~chael s~acks him
in the face. Julien is shocked, stunned.

MICHAEL
Where is the American gambler,
Nick?

JULIEN
(staring intent-
ly at Michael)
C'est extraordinaire! Nick?

MICHAEL

,.. What happened to Nick?

JULIEN
(uneasily)
~ Fini.
 (Revised 5/9/77) 1:2.

(
\... Julien turns, nulls ooen the door to his car, mutteri~g to hi~self
and rubbing his face.-

MICHAEL
Hold it, Ace ...

JULIEN
(angry)
There is nothing here! T~ere
is~ what you see.
MICHAEL
(digs in his pocket
and takes out his
roll)
I want a game, Julien Grinda!

This last with a strong aroma of contempt.

MICHAEL (cont)
Here, this is for you.

Michael begins slapping bills down on the hood of Julien's car.

~
JULIEN
~ (stares hungrily
at the money)
It is too dangerous in these
times!

Michael smack$ down more money. Julien flinches. Michael gives

him a look that suggests he should not start the car. He doesn't.

JULIEN (cont)
(feigning
toughness)
I am not afraid of you!

Michael smiles at the last line, speaks softly, lighting a cigarette

as he does.

MICHAEL
Take me to a game with the
American. Highest stakes.
I'll match his.

Julien watches with unwavering eyes, finally gives a slight frantic

nod of his head.

MICHAEL
How do you know where?
 (Revised 5/9/77) 113.

r
\ Julien doesn't answer.

MICHAEL (contt
I say, how do you know?

JULIEN
Because I know.
MICHAEL
Well, then what are we waiting
for?

JULIEN
I must take you by river .•.

MICHAEL
(shakes his
head slowly)
Sure.

Julien hurries off to the wooden building and disap9ears inside.

Now Michael crosses to the door.

,.. 191. INT. BUILDING - NIGHT

l.,.; Michael steps inside and moves into the middle of an empty roorn.
The same room where the audiences for Julien's ga~bling used to
sit.· And everywhere core remnants of black-market crates and
torn cartons of Ar.1erican cigarettes littering the floor. Michael
looks out over the river reflectively. Our view begins to rnove
closer to him~ We begin to hear music of the wedding, happy nusic;
as we move closer to Michael we see

1911'... EXT. MICHAEL'S POV - RIVER - NIGHT

The river is crowded with houseboats of every size, shape and des-
cription ·gently rolling in the wake of passing power boats ...

191B. INT. BUILDING - NIGHT

Michael turns around -- Julien reappears, wearing his still-elegant

white linen suit, the t~ousers of which are a bit shiny now; trying
to remember his old importance.'

JULIEN
For some reason I've always
felt better in a white suit.

Julien lurches out the door · on the river side.

 (Revised 5/9/77) OMITTED 113;. .•

114.

I'
'
192. EXT. RIVER - JULIEN'S BOAT - NIGET

Julien's boat is about twenty feet long and two feet wide. Michael
sits in the frcnt, broken crates sit in the middle, and Julie~ oper-
ates a ~iny but incredibly noisy outboard froM the stern. As they
move up the ri~1er, bridges come gliding overhead, ona -after another,
each of them jam-packed with refugees on the move ~o God knows whe=s .
The bridges are so full that people are alraost falling o!f the sides.
As they pass Michael can hear babies crying. Now and then, as a
rocket hits closer to the city the sky glows and then, like an after-
thought, the sound of the explosion runs out across the night.

193. EXT. USED TIN CAN FACTORY - DOCK - NIGHT

The dock is half-rotted, sunken into the water next to two decrepit
Esso gasoline pumps wrapped in chains, and beyond, a two-storied
warehouse-type building surrounded by truck sheds and mountainous
stacks of gleaming silver five-gallon tin cans.

Julien runs his boat right up on the dock, hops into the water,
takes hold of the rope and lurches off. Michael follows; the dock
sinking further, bringing the water almost to his knees. He sur-
veys the scene, shaking his head.

194. EXT. MAIN WAREHOUSE BUILDING - NIGHT

As Michael and Julien approach the warehouse there is a sound of

clanking and banging, getting louder and louder. Dim light shows
from the upper story of the warehouse through chinks and cracks,
but it is impossible to see anything at all of what is going on
inside.

JULIEN
Wait here.

There is an entrance on the ground floor and an entrance to the

top floor via wooden stairs, directly above it. Julien heads for
the ground floor entrance, lugging his cans. When he reaches the
door he knocks. After a moment the door comes ooen, and there is
a furious argument with some unseen person, and then suddenly the
door· slams shut.

Julien carefully mounts the steep, rickety wooden stairway leading

to the second floor, gathers his breath and knocks. The door comes
open instantly and as instantly slams shut. Julien shouts somethinq
 115.

in.Chirlese and pounds on the door. The door re-opens and a dan-
gerous-looking CHINESE MAN comes out ir.to purtial view on the
landing. Julien gees on with his explanatio~. The C~i~cse man
glances down at Michael and says something to Julien in Frc~ch
which we do not translate.

JULIEN
(to Michael}
We must pay to enter.

MICHAEL
No problem.

JULIEN
Five thousand American dollars.

MICHAEL
Tell him I'm coming up!

He takes the stairs two at a time with urgency, breathing hard.

195. EXT. LANDING - NIGHT

As Michael reaches the landing the Chinese ~an sticks out his hand.
Michael slaps five thousand dollars into it.

MICHAEL
He's got the American player?

Julien translates the question. The Chinese man does not answer.
Michael slaps another thousand dollars into the Chinese man's hand.
The Chinese man says something, which Julien translates:

JULIEN
(translating)
He says they have the famous
American who has survived twenty-
seven games ... and that this in-
formation has deprived him of his
valuable time ... and that you owe
him another thousand dollars.

Michael slaps another thousand dollars into the Chinese man's hand
but stinging hard this time. The Chinese man smiles, finally opens
the· door and they all go in.

196. INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

The Chinese man guides them into a dimly lit room: it is long and
rather high. At the back of the room is a small office under a bal-
.,,,,,. cony which encircles the room. The door of the off ice is open slic:~~-
~ ly, showing light. On all sides of the room every conceivable ki~c
1r:___ of black-market American ::-ierchandise is piled in cartons to the cei:-
~ ing. From whatever operation is bei~g conducted on the floor belo~,
comes a furious din of clanking and banging, as if thousands of per-
 116.

( . sons were ham.~cring on m8tal cans. The air is thic~: with s~oke.
' The only light in the rco2 comes from a fierce~=~- :i~~t ~~~s
from the ceiling focusing on one a=ea, a broken-~ ~~ ~ ~~b~c. ~e-
cause the lighting leaves o:~er pa=ts dirk or in =~~~-=~s i= ices
not allow us to see it all at once, but there is a s~ggesticn of
armed BODYGUARDSall over t~e place.

On closer view, we see TWO YOUNG-LOOKH?G VIET:;A.MES::'.: :-!E!-J sea t.ed at

ihe table. Closely surrou~ding t~e table is a see~y-looki~; group
of about TWE~7T'! ~!El; w:-,o are eati::g and betting ou'.: c: pa:;e::- tags
filled with money. The noise of the banging from telo~ is s~ch
that neither the clicks of the har:'..~er into empty c~'linders ~or the
firing of the pistol can be heard at all. Nobody even tries to
talk and everyone com.~unicates with hand signals and signs, indi-
cating the shifting odds.

As Michael comes in he -- and we -- are startled yet shoulc ~ot be

completely surprised to catch sight of Nick, who is just wrap?ing
a scarlet cloth around his head. He stands in the narrcw aisle be-
tween the contraband crates, his face without expression w~atsoever.
For a split second, Michael stares at him in horror, then he quick-
ly moves out of the shadows toward him.

,,,. Nick· looks

appealing.
at Michael,
of one stranger eyeing
Michael leans
studying
another,
his face with the blank
pale,
in closer
exhausted;
toward
detach,-:-.ent
yet irnposi~;
him, stops.
and
He doesn't
C know -- we don't know -- what he is going to do.

MICHAEL
(over the noise)
Nick, it's cc! It's Mike!

Nick makes no reply, staring at him, like someone watching it rain.

MICirl\EL {cont)
(shouting)
For Christ's sakes .• ! You got
no reaction for ~e?

Nick doesn't respond; looks straight at him.

HICHl\EL {cont)
Nick! Talk 'to me!

Nick still doesn't answer him.

MICHAEL {cont)
(almost to hinself)
I don't believe this whole thing!
(then, directly
to Nick)
You always told . me I was crazy .• !
Why are you doing this? ••. I don't
know what did this to you ...
 llG,\.

r...... Silence. :-1ichael :: i:<es directly in tc nick I

s eyes.

:-:ICii.-"\Z::!.,( cc:1. t)
Nickl I ditn't ca~s all-~his
way back he~e for ncthi~g --
this city's runnir:g do•,;~~ill
by the minute! ~e gotta get
outta r.erel

Nick just keeps locking at hirn. It is now appare~~ to Michael th?t

he is out of control the situation. ne clears his throat.

MICHl\EL (cont)
Hey, am I talking to myself
here?

Just then, one of the Vietnamese pulls the trigger, clicks out, pass-
es the pistol to the other man, who S?ins it, cocks it, pulls the
trigger, clicks out, and passes it back ju£t as quickly. Nick still
shows no reaction, and now ~is name is called by one of the Chinese.

Michael breathes deeply to collect hiraself. He looks around for Jul-

ien, finds that he has disaoceared. He turns back to Nick who is al-
ready heading toward the next game.

The first Vietnamese now has the pistol to his head once more. He
pulls the trigger, clicks cut, and pushes the pistol back the other
man. The nan spins it, cocks it and puts it to his head. Suddenly,
with only the soun~ of the banging from below, his body blows away
from the table. There is a small puff of white smoke in the gloo~.
One man outreac~es his companion and catches the pistol as the dead
man cr~~ples to the floor.

Two MEN remove the body matter-0f-factly, as if carrying out a drunY..

Suddenly Michael whirls, spots Julien, crosses to hira and grabs his
arm.

MICHAEL
Get me in the game! I want to
play Nickl

197. INT. OFFICE - NIGHT

A thin, good-looking CHINESE sits at a table, eating. Sitting around

him are several other MEN ~ho could only be bodyguarcs. Covering
the wall behind the China~an and the standing bodyguards are framed

,.. ·photographs

to the noise
Chinaman
of relatives.,
if to gaze upon hi~ directly.
outside
and the ot~ers
all of them tilting
The noise
and as Michael
are all eating,
and Julien
watching
out from the wall
in the office
are brought
TV.
is fully
in,
as
equa:
the

co·- MICHAEL
I want to play! Now!
 117.
CHINAMAN
h"hat for?

MICHAEL
What for? -- I'll show you what
for --

Michael yanks out all of his remaining money, very last bill he has,
slams it down on the table.

MICHAEL (cont)
This!

All of the men at the table stop eating to confer. Suddenly Julien
nods to Michael.

198. INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

Nick and Michael sit facing each other over the battered table. Nick
holds the pistol to his head -- frowning, staring at Michael with a
puzzled expression -- as if somehow he night have met hin before.
Michael holds his eyes, holds them as hard as he can, trying to brea~
through, trying to reach him, get him to speak. The tension shows i~
Michael's face and manner and tone.

HICHAEL
(shouting over and
over like a litany)
Nick, it's me, Michael! Michael!
Remember ~tichaell Hey, Nick, it's
Mike! What the hell do you think
this is - fourth of July?

This last line delivered to mock the game. Nick says nothing; clic~s
out; pushes the pistol across the table. Trembling like a flame shoo~~
through Michael's body, then he picks the pistol up, spins, cocks, a~ '.
clicks out, talking all the time, trying to feed the faint ember of
recognition beginning to flicker in Nick's eyes.

MICHAEL (cont)
You dislike life so much?

He says this flatly; colder. He hesitates, pushes the pistol back to

Nick. Nick picks it up, spins, cocks, puts it to his head. Suddenly,
just as he is about to pull the trigger, the puzzled look opens intc
a startled grin of recognition.

NICK
One shot, remember? I love you,
Mike ...

But Nick's finger was in motion. Michael suddenly lunges across the
table for the pistol -- as Hick squeezes the trigger and the pistol
goes off ... Nick's body is driven back by the bullet out of his chai=.
In slow motion we see Nick and Michael fly slowly away from the table,
producing a stunning effect they crash into stacked cartons of li.rr.eri-
can cigarettes. Michael does not move a muscle; the feeling is alffiosc
perfe~tly suppressed. Only his eyes suggest how ha=d he h~s been hit.
-
'
 118.

We see ~Hck lyi:-:g on ~he flocr and ·,•;e watch :-1ichael stur:.S~e to his
_,.' "'-.. feet sta.:-inc at ~Jid:'s blood on his :1a:ids, qrir.1, motionless, strick-
en, as the ~i~ny bangi~g builds a~~ builds.
;
.-·
199.

We see
'"'
EXT • . SOUTH

the
C~:::;A

h~ge grey s~ape

SEA -

aircraft
D.:l.Y

of
carrier. an A~erican
/ ·' The
sun is behi~~ it, reflecting
on the water, arid helicopters are
coming in c ·,·e rh-:ad. ~·/
. ~
~",
_/
r
200.

The flight
deck of'.,the
·,,
EXT. AIRC~~?T CARRIER - FLIGHT DECK - DAY

carrier is 9edlam. VIETNA~!.ESE REF~GE2S and

/
AMERICAN E~1BASSY PERS,O:~NEL are be.,i"ng pulled out of the arriving
helicopters and fligh~ crews are ·_..,
pushing the helicopters over the
side.

201. EXT. BRIDGE - DAY

A WOMANTELEVISION COR..<q_;ESPONDEN is looking into camera. She is

a thin blonde in her r,.-!d-thirties ith her hair oulled back and
wearing a short-slee,ved bush shirt ,-,~;~ing in the wind. Her
face is intelligen 'looking, a little "n.

WOMANCORRESPONDENT
his seems to be the last ch'apter
in the historv of American involve-
ment in Viet Nam. It's also been
the largest
people
single
in the history
~ovement
of America
of '·

.-
itself.

.•.
(pauses)
Hilary
the attack
Brown, ABC News, aboard
aircraft carrier USS
.""'' \.
'

Hancock, in the South China Seas.

-:---------------
~ 202. INT. LE~-!KO VFW HALL - DAY - - ------- ~ --
The place is empty. 'N:l~i;;e .,L::, .fe:int-niasw0•E
Elie ~eak.i:·n.-g"""Ste-am-:-
/Vt~/'c
..-.:Ss!at&d -0~f't<2-eC: 1Je=o-i the little stage is one of the old vets.
Beside the flag, with a bugle, ~ trying to play taps. He .fr:l•u,g,.,~•/., -
fi!'e, -&L~Ls oM"r' ___ _,., I-, h .,.,I.. _/
1
/ ·
W.--..
{/ 5 C :,i -r ~ ~I 'A--(-
.,. '. I • I.::, ,Z ~ et_ Pf I
'--~l'\":;'"-t:"<1.....,.....-cHURCR-=-;sTARKWE~TiiERSTREET - o~
~s~aits at the curb. The day is cold and ~~he
gleaming bn-ex--.Jl~hicle
- ....
emits a ghostly cl ~hite exhaust.
 119.
,....
In the ringing silence of the music's end the doors to the c~urch
r- swing open. Michael, Stan and John aocear with Nick's flag-draped
coffi~. John is holdinc uo one whole-~idc bv h!~s~:~. ~is ~3cc
is impassive. Next, Ax;l ~heels Steven care~ull~ ~:·:~ the i=v st~ :7
Angela holding lightly onto one of his ·arrr.s :o= s:.:;:::;;:..·:: a:-.::::~lei: : :
her child tightly in the other. They are followE:d by more ;:-.ourne:-s,
as the · coffin is placed slowly into the hearse.

204. EXT. CEMETERY - DAY

Smoke drifts across the leaden sky as the rnourne~s sta~d together
on a steep hillside of tilted, weather-worn headstones. T::e steel
mill looms behind the~, breathing steam and fire and utteri~g a
dull concordia of rumbling sounds.

205. EXT. CEMETERY - NICK'S GRAVE SITE - DAY

The priest we saw at the beginning of the film completes his readin;
of the 23rd Psalm.

Camera closes on Michael, Stan, Axel, John and Steven. Axel helps
Steven to the side of the grave. It is awkward. The chair gets
stuck and they all have to help carry it. Each of them has a sin-
gle flower and then, following Michael's lead, they throw it in.

~ Michael looks uo from the grave to the blast furnaces, then m~ets
L Linda in a long- look. Their faces tell us all we need to know abou~
~ this day.

206. INT. JOHN'S BAR - DAY

The place is quite dark and a sign that says "CLOSED" hangs in the
window. Michael, Stan, Axel carrying Steven in his arms, Linda anc
John, and Angela with her child all come inside. They sta~c watch-
ing John as he drags out a table into the middle of the floor. They
have all just come from the cemetery. They are ~11 in thei~ coats
and boots, awkward and tired, and they go bum?ing i~to each other
trying to bring chairs.

Axel brings a chair with a broken leg and places it carefully at

the table where it sits at a ridiculous angle. Something like a
sob is wrenched out of him ... a stiflec sound, irrepressible. Look-
ing up he says hoarsely:

AXEL
I think this one has a broken
leg, John.

John takes away the broken chair and replaces it with another. He
appears emotionally drained and physically tired.

JOHN
There's coffee already made.

John goes in . the kitchen and comes back with a p~; of coffee which
he puts on the table. Everyone stares at the pot of coffee, as if
th_ey would lock the memory away_ -Fo rever.
 120.

JOHN (cont)
I'll c:;et cups.

(barely a whis?er)
I'll help.

OTHERS
(all together)
We'll give you a hand.

Everyone except Steven follows John into the kitchen and begins
loading up with cups.

JOHN
We don't want to get too many.
MICHAEL
I can take more.

AXEL·
Put some here, Linda. Load me

,..
.
Everyone
are too
up .

goes back to
many cups and
the table
after
with their
counting
cups.
themsel~es
Obviously
and getting
there
it all
0 confused they put the extra cups on adjoining ta~les.

JOHN
How does everyone like their
eggs?
LINDA
What about just scrambled, John.

JOHN
(remembering)
Toast, toast ... !

John rushes back into the kitchen with Stan behind him.

207. INT. KITCHEN - DAY

John opens the oven coor and pulls out a tray of toast he prepared
earlier. He goes back . outside. Stan remains alone for a moment.
He gives the little kitchen an odd, searching look. Then, his eyes
suddenly close as if he were bearing a sharp pain.

208. - INT. BAR - DAY

LINDA
I'll help, John.
 121.

~
(
JOHN
~-- It's hot, Linda. Watch out now,
this is hot.

Everyone helps make room on the table. John sets down the tray of
half-burned toast. Stan comes back inside, his eyes all red.

STAN
Hey, maybe we should start with
a beer!
AXEL
I'll get 'em. Wait. Let me ...

Axel goes to the bar to get the beers.

JOHN
(huskily)
I'll get going on the eggs.

LINDA
Let me help you, John.

JOHN
You sit down, Linda. Pour the
coffee.

Linda pours the coffee. Angela sits down next to Steven, holding
her child. Both are very moved, though they maintain their reserve.

ANGELA
(to Steven)
You okay?

Steven nods. He looks like he's about to cry.

ANGELA (cont)
(as if she wanted
to say more)
It's such a grey day.
Axel comes back with glasses of beer and puts them on the table.
There is a big awkward pause, then they all sit down. Silence.
Michael looks around at everyone. He looks at the beers sitting on
the table and suddenly, soundlessly, tears begin to well up in his
eyes. He moves his mouth, as if trying to say something, but he
can't say a word and the tears roll on down his face. Linda draws
a deep b~eath.
209. INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Scrambling eggs, 3ohn is trying to hold himself together by humming

to himself. _Suddenly, he lets out a long, shuddering sigh, then
 122.

r· come great body-wracki~g tears, but the dignity with which he does
all_things is still th~re.

JOHN
... Stand
And guide
beside
her ...
her

Da, da, da
Da, da, da
Da, da, da •••

210. INT. BAR - DAY

Back at the table everyone sits in silence, listening. All of the~

are tremendously moved as John's voice becomes steadier, more power-
ful.

Linda, who is on the verge of bursting into tears herself, begins

to sing in a gentle, lovely voice:

LINDA
God bless America
Land that I love .••

,,., Over
join
the
in.
sound of her singing we hear Michael and then the others

L OTHERS
(the intensity
increases)
Stand beside her
And guide her
Through the night
With the light from above.
John slowly ccmes out through the door behind Linda. His expressio~
goes from sorrow to astonishment. Now he joins in aloud. ~hey all
seem caught in the intensity of the moment, tut whether in joy, re-
lief, or for some other reason, we cannot tell.

EVERYONE
From the mountains
To the prairies
To the oceans
White with foam.
God bless America
My home sweet home.
All of them there and the singing are like one thing, a thing in-
·evitable, older than the memory of man.
They all stop and there's an awkward moment. Michael looks around
the room: no one will meet his eye except Linda. In the fai~t glo~
of light they look at each. other.
 123.

Michael =eaches out for one of the glasses of beer. a~d raises it.
The gesture :.::; ::1a.::e:\-:i. th a £:.li.~e :=ind Li:1da smiles -::.20.

MJCH:\Ei..
Here's to ~?ick.

Suddenly, all of them, registering a last moment of the i~age they

have always sought to h~ld, say with one voice:
ALL
Here's to Nick!

THE END

\ .- -