1492: Conquest of Paradise Page #9

As the first boat beaches, COLUMBUS leaps out and wades

ashore. Behind him the rest of the landing party splash

through the sun-dazzled water, carrying the banner of

Castille and Aragon.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

They stand on the beach, almost in a dream. There is

silence. The ROYAL NOTARY, ludicrously overdressed, now

wet through, stumbles over to COLUMBUS and holds out his

contract and a pen. COLUMBUS scrawls his name.

The MEN stare at him, filled not only with new respect,

but with something amounting to awe.

COLUMBUS turns to them, tries to speak.

COLUMBUS:

By the... by the Grace of... God...

He swallows. Tears have sprung to his eyes. He is so

moved he cannot continue. Coming to his rescue -- THE

SHIP'S BOY starts to roll the drum. He then stops.

COLUMBUS:

(pulling himself

together)

In the name of their Gracious

Majesties of Castille and Aragon,

and by all the powers vested in me,

I claim this island and name it San

Salvador.

The MEN cheer as the flags are rammed into the sand,

flapping in the wind.

COLUMBUS starts to walk towards the jungle, and in silence

the rest follow.

EXT. JUNGLE - DAY

Immediately they are met by an incredible wall of SOUND!

The jungle is filled with NOISE. The impossibly-loud

CRIES of EXOTIC BIRDS, the CHATTERING of MONKEYS. The

SPANIARDS are overwhelmed.

They move forward. Rays of sunlight pierce through the

high canopy of leaves, like the roof of a magnificent

cathedral. The sounds and smells intoxicate their senses.

They are filled with wonder.

Then PINZON stops. He has seen something. Another stops,

then a third, staring ahead of them...

MENDEZ:

(whispering

urgently)

Arquebuses!

Several of them raise their weapons to their shoulders,

pointing them into the jungle.

From COLUMBUS' POV we slowly scan the face of the thick

jungle ahead. For a moment we don't see anything -- and

then, with a shock, we see the first INDIAN. Naked,

painted like an idol, carrying a hunting lance.

As if they had materialized from nowhere: the rest of the

HUNTING PARTY, with their bows and spears. Silent.

Watchful. They stare back at us.

The SPANIARDS nervously finger their weapons.

COLUMBUS slowly lifts his hand into the air: a clear

signal not to fire. Then, removing his sword, he drops it

on the ground, and starts to walk forward, fixing his gaze

upon the first INDIAN he saw.

PINZON:

(warningly)

Colon!

COLUMBUS ignores him, even though some of the INDIANS have

raised their weapons. He stops in the no-man's land

between them. The INDIANS don't move -- but something

excites them.

The SHIP'S BOY, wearing COLUMBUS' embroidered jacket and

the drum, has followed COLUMBUS and now stands close to

him. He is the cause of their interest. COLUMBUS puts

his arm around the BOY, and this gesture of affection

seems to put the INDIANS at their ease. They start

talking and pointing. They come forward slowly, start to

tentatively touch the BOY'S jacket. Then, now laughing,

they touch COLUMBUS, pulling at his beard. COLUMBUS

laughs too.

Sensing their innocence, the rest of the MEN lower their

weapons. Some of them laugh.

An apparition:
a beautiful young INDIAN GIRL, totally

naked, walks out of the jungle.

She is pregnant and holds a child. We begin to hear

Indian music, played on a flute.

CUT TO:

EXT. INDIAN VILLAGE - DAY

A large post is lifted from the ground by two SPANIARDS

pulling on ropes. The post is fixed into position -- and

then we see that it is a large wooden cross... The INDIAN

VILLAGERS watch the ceremony with some interest and

amusement.

COLUMBUS looks over at the men and gestures at the

INDIANS.

COLUMBUS:

We have come here in peace, and we

will behave with honor. They are

not savages and neither will you be.

Treat these people as you would your

own wives and your own children.

Neither are you free to take what

you will; for a seashell you give a

bandana. You will respect their

beliefs. Pillage will be punished

by the whip. Rape by the sword.

EXT. VILLAGE - SUNSET

The smoke from fires. Laughter. Music playing. The

INDIANS have prepared food for the SPANIARDS, who are

drinking and enjoying themselves in this strange world.

COLUMBUS sits with MENDEZ, PINZON, the INDIAN CHIEF,

ELDERS OF THE VILLAGE. Other INDIANS stand around,

smiling, curious.

The INDIANS talk among themselves. The ELDERS smoke

primitive cigars -- and offer them, with good humor, to

their guests. The SPANIARDS cough and choke at first...

and laugh. In return, they offer the INDIANS wine...

Dogs roam around the campfires. The WOMEN openly suckle

their babies. The MEN are entranced.

PINZON draws out attention, for the first time, to a small

gold ornament on the nose of one of the INDIANS. He

points to it, indicates his interest in it.

PINZON:

Gold...! Gold!

The INDIANS says the word in his own language, laughing.

We see that some of the other INDIANS also have small gold

ornaments.

PINZON repeats the INDIAN word for gold. The INDIAN

removes the ornament from his nose, gives it to PINZON,

who indicates that he wants to have it. The INDIAN nods

-- but points to PINZON'S dagger, indicating that he wants

it in return. PINZON shakes his head, stops the INDIAN

from taking it.

COLUMBUS:

(to Pinzon)

Give it to him!

PINZON looks at him, about to argue -- but COLUMBUS

insists. PINZON takes out the dagger and offers it to the

INDIAN.

PINZON:

(irritated)

By God! That's the worst trade of

my life!

His friends laugh. Innocently, the INDIAN has taken it by

the blade. He yelps, looks down at the blood welling

up... A moment of tension... Then MENDEZ laughs at his

clumsiness, and the ELDERS laugh too... and the INDIAN

laughs.

Just outside this circle, we see the first INDIAN we saw,

squatting on his haunches, watching. This is UTAPAN.

INT. TENT - DAWN

The first light outside -- the strange, wonderful sounds

of the jungle all around. COLUMBUS writes in his journal.

COLUMBUS (V.O.)

October 21st, 1492. I think we have

returned to Eden. Surely this is

how the world once was, before the

beginning of time. I believe no man

will ever see this land again as we

do, for the first time...

He looks up. UTAPAN is squatting in the doorway of the

hut. He's been there all night. COLUMBUS takes more ink

on his quill and begins to sketch UTAPAN'S face in the

margin of his log-book. He draws well.

He gets up and walks over to UTAPAN and shows him the

drawing. It's an electrifying moment. UTAPAN is shocked

and amazed. At first he is rather frightened of his own

image... Then he is happy, and laughs... and COLUMBUS

laughs with him and puts a hand on his shoulder in a

gesture of friendship.

UTAPAN gets up, and indicates that he too has something he

wishes to offer.

EXT. JUNGLE - MORNING

UTAPAN expertly scampering through the jungle. COLUMBUS

follows him.

UTAPAN orders COLUMBUS to sit. COLUMBUS obeys. UTAPAN

looks up at the tops of the trees. The sun is rising, and

filters through the foliage. As if the time had come,

UTAPAN stands up, and COLUMBUS does the same.

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote