American Sniper Page #3

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“BIGGLES” is choking, coughing, struggling. ROLLE points

to A BRASS BELL mounted on the back of a truck.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

--and that’s your ticket home. Just drag

your jelly-roll ass up and ring it and

you’ll be headed home to momma Shamu.

BIGGLES is beaten, legs giving out, ready to quit when--

CHRIS (OC)

(draws Rolle off Biggles)

Two hundred.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

(whirls around, hosing)

Did I ask you to count?

CHRIS:

No, sir.

(03.18.14) 13.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

Was that your ass talking then?

THE BELL RINGS. Chris jerks up, worried it was Biggles

but-- an ATHLETIC CANDIDATE staggers off.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

That’s a quitter. If he quits here, he’ll

quit in battle. When sh*t gets hairy he

can’t step up. You get shot, he can’t

pull you out. We’re gonna weed out the

quitters and see if we can find a warrior

or two.

Chris and Biggles share a look, a vow, as--

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

Wave goodbye to the sun, boys...

23 OMITTED 23

24 EXT. BEACH - “SNAKE PIT” - NIGHT 24

A bonfire crackles atop a sand dune. CANDIDATES crouch in

a pit they dug, hugging oars, shivering with hypothermia.

CHRIS stands over the ditch, trying to make INSTRUCTORS

laugh to earn a place by the fire beside BIGGLES.

CHRIS:

--and when I told her the condom broke

she started crying and begging me to do

something. And I’m a virgin, I don’t know

what to do, but I’d heard if you pour

Coke up there you won’t get pregnant--

(guys start laughing)

So we went to 7-11, got a liter of Coke

and drove back into the woods. She took

her panties off and did a handstand

against a tree but when I start pouring,

she starts screaming, “it stings, it

stings” but when I’d stop, she’d scream

“no don’t stop” and it’s fizzing out and-

INSTRUCTORS in stitches. Fire flickering off Chris’ face.

25 EXT. “MUD FLATS” - DAY 25

Fog shrouds CANDIDATES COVERED IN MUD, seated belly-toback,

chattering and quaking, hypothermic.

“INSTRUCTOR TONY”(34), a salty cholo, walks their line.

(03.18.14) 14.

INSTRUCTOR “TONY”

You really from Connecticut, Dauber? I

never met a hick from Hartford.

“DAUBER” is 6’4” and 240 with a flop of yellow hair like

the character from Coach. A sleepy Connecticut cowboy.

DAUBER:

Country is countrywide, sir.

INSTRUCTOR “TONY”

I don’t think he likes black dudes, “D”.

“D” is African American, from Indiana, stoic and stacked.

He has a rhythmic grumble and a meat-eater’s glare.

“D”

That’s alright, sir. I’m not black.

INSTRUCTOR “TONY”

No?

“D”

No, I’m new black. We run slow, jump low,

swim good and shop at Gap. We make white

folk proud then hose their ladies.

“BIGGLES” still giggles, but he’s looking fit as they

chip away everything that isn’t a Navy Seal.

INSTRUCTOR “TONY”

You hungry Biggles? I’d bet you’d eat the

ass out of a low-flying duck.

BIGGLES:

Hooyah. I’d toss that critter shitter on

a baguette and get my eat on.

“SQUIRREL” is a San Clemente surfer kid, just tall enough

to ride roller-coaster, with a jutty jaw.

INSTRUCTOR “TONY”

(screams in his face)

Squirrel! Where’d you hide your nuts?

SQUIRREL:

Nuts crawled up inside. The little shits

are gone for good.

“CHRIS” sits up front, covered in mud. His eyes burn

steely blue, full of resolve. He’s found himself here.

INSTRUCTOR “TONY”

How about you old man? How you feeling?

(03.18.14) 15.

CHRIS KYLE:

Dangerous, sir. Feeling dangerous.

The boys send up a spirited “HOOYAH” and-- TONY looks

them over with some small measure of approval.

26 EXT. BEACH - SUNSET 26

The INSTRUCTOR CADRE watches 32 CANDIDATES SWARM each

other, howling and dog-piling at the end of hell-week.

27 OMITTED 27

28 OMITTED 28

29 INT. MULONEY’S BAR - NIGHT 29

A crowd watches the boys toss darts at a bulls-eye drawn

on DAUBER’S naked back. At the bar, BIGGLES and CHRIS--

CHRIS:

I’m gonna try and get into sniper school.

BIGGLES:

Can you shoot?

CHRIS:

I can hunt. And what’s cooler than being

a sniper?

BIGGLES:

Blowing sh*t up. Blowing sh*t up is way

cooler.

A brunette steps to the bar. A sharp object with heavy

eye-shadow and tight leather pants. This girl owns her

sexuality but she’s often been used for it.

This is “TAYA”. She is trying to ignore the advances of A

SHORT NAVY GUY but he’s relentless. Chris watches as

(ECU)-- Taya’s fingertips whiten, gripping her glass.

Chris edges closer, she looks up, defensive-- but he just

stands there, letting his protective presence be felt.

DAPPER NAVY GUY (OC)

Come on, just let me buy you a drink.

(03.18.14) 16.

TAYA:

(end of her rope)

Will a drink make you 6 inches taller and

charming? Will it make you not married?

DAPPER NAVY GUY:

I’m not-

TAYA:

I watched you take your ring off. Don’t

be a scumbag. Go home.

Navy Guy retreats. Taya sips her scotch, doesn’t look up.

CHRIS:

It could be the leather pants.

TAYA:

Yeah? What kind of pants does a girl have

to wear to be left alone?

CHRIS:

Corduroy.

She takes him in. Loose sweatshirt, no hair gel.

TAYA:

Is that how it is with you guys--

suddenly single after three beers?

CHRIS:

Only thing that happens to me after three

beers is a fourth.

TAYA:

That’s great. A real red-neck.

CHRIS:

I’m no redneck, I’m a Texan.

TAYA:

What’s the difference?

CHRIS:

We ride horses, they ride their cousins.

TAYA:

(almost laughs)

What do you do for work? You look like

military.

(03.18.14) 17.

CHRIS:

I polish dolphins. They have to be

polished in captivity or their skin

disintegrates.

TAYA:

Do I look stupid to you?

CHRIS:

To be honest, you look a little sad.

She’s taken aback by his observation.

CHRIS:

So am I tall enough to buy you a drink?

TAYA:

Not until you tell me what you do.

CHRIS:

How about this:
one shot, one answer.

Chris passes her a shot. She throws it back, fierce.

TAYA:

You’re obviously military. What branch?

CHRIS:

I’m just finishing BUD/S.

TAYA:

Are you kidding me? You’re a SEAL?

CHRIS:

That was two questions...

TAYA:

(two angry shots)

I know all about you guys. My sister was

engaged to a SEAL.

CHRIS:

What’s that mean you know all about us?

TAYA:

You’re a bunch of arrogant, self-centered

pricks who think you can lie and do

whatever the f*** you want.

(pushes him a shot)

I’d never date a SEAL.

(03.18.14) 18.

CHRIS:

(confused)

How can you say we’re self-centered? I’d

lay down my life for my country.

TAYA:

Why?

CHRIS:

Cause it’s the greatest country on earth

and I believe it’s worth protecting.

(climbs off stool)

I’m sorry this guy hurt your sister but

that’s not me. Nice talking to you.

TAYA:

Where are you going?

CHRIS:

You said you’d never date a SEAL, so I’m

going home.

TAYA:

I said I’d never marry one.

It’s a lie and they both know it.

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