Apocalypse Now Page #13

124 INT. TENT - MED. SHOT - LYNDA, CHEF

He has followed her into the tent awe-struck -- she

casuallu starts unbuttoning her fatigue jacket and taking

off her pants. he just stands there, his arms at his

sides.

CHEF:

I've got every one of your

pictures -- I've got the

centerfold -- the Playmate's

review -- the Playmate of the

Year run-off -- everything, even

the calender --

LYNDA:

Well, get undressed and let's

get it over with --

CHEF:

I can't believe it -- I'd a

never even got to see you if it

wasn't for this war --

She lies down on the cot in only her panties.

CHEF:

(continuing)

You wouldn't mind -- uh kinda

draping that jacket over you

sort of the way you were in the

calender, would you?

LYNDA:

Come on -- cut this crap -- I

gotta get back to Saigon --

CHEF:

Just let me look awhile -- I just

don't believe --

CUT TO:

125 INT. TENT - CLOSE SHOT - LANCE, CATHY

They have just finished making love. cathy looks very

pleased. Lance finishes tying his boots -- she draws on

his back. He gets up -- starts to leave.

LANCE:

Well -- uh thanks -- see you around.

CATHY:

Yeah.

He leaves -- she pulls herself up and starts combing her

hair -- Mr. Clean walks in.

CATHY:

(continuing)

Who are you?

CLEAN:

I'm next --

She shrugs.

DISSOLVE TO :

126 INT. TENT - MED. SHOT - WILLARD, TERRI

He finishes tying on his boots -- pulls on his jacket --

his gun belt and picks up his M-16. She looks up at him --

WILLARD:

Ma'am -- I'd like to thank you for

what you an' all your friends have

done for us -- I want you to know

that me an' the men appreciate

you coming all this way -- riskin'

your lives -- living uncomfortably

an' doing all you can to entertain

us. I want you to know personally,

Miss, that for the past few minutes

you have made me feel at home.

She picks up a shoe to throw at him. he turns, exits f.g.

WILLARD:

(continuing)

Just wanted to say that, ma'am.

The SHOE CLANGS off his helmet.

CUT TO:

127 EXT. THE P.B.R. APPROACHING DO LUNG BRIDGE - FULL SHOT -

NIGHT:

The boat edges in toward the wrecked bridge in the

distance. Along the banks are sandbagged fortificvations

with U.S. soldiers in them. There is a bright fire

burning uncontrolled in the distance; the sparks and white

light from welding on the bridge momentarily lights up the

night.

WILLARD (V.O.)

Two days and nights later, we

approach the Do Lung Bridge.

128 VIEW ON THE FACES OF THE P.B.R. CREW

watching. Everywhere are wrecked boats -- parts of trunks

sticking out of the water -- smashed helicopters on the

banks. The bridge is in a state of siege. Mortars and

rockets arc through the night indiscriminately and rip

through the nearby jungle. Soldiers are everywhere --

scurrying from trenches, carrying materials for the bridge

or tending to the wounded, the maimed and the dead. Light

automatic WEAPON FIRE is HEARD occasionally. The P.B.R.

edges in under the span of the old bridge. Soldiers run

up through the water. They are obscured in the darkness.

SOLDIER:

I gotta get out a here -- I´ll pay

-- I got money.

CHIEF:

Get away from this boat.

WILLARD:

Who's your C.O., soldier?

The Soldier ducks back and runs away.

SOLDIER:

F*** you, you'll get what's coming

to you.

Other men approach the boat. A young LIEUTENANT steps

forward.

LIEUTENANT:

Captain Willard?

WILLARD:

That's me.

LIEUTENANT:

Captain Willard -- we got these

from Nha Thrang two days ago --

they expected you here then --

He hands up a plastic bag, maximum security markings,

Willard takes it.

LIEUTENANT:

(continuing)

You don't know how happy that makes

me, sir.

WILLARD:

Why?

LIEUTENANT:

Now I can get out a here -- if

I can find a way out.

WILLARD:

We'll be needing some supplies

and fuel -- do you know anybody

who can give me a hand?

LIEUTENANT:

I'd just clear out as soon as I

could if I were you, sir. They're

gonna start working on the bridge

with torches again. Charlie will

start throwing it in hard --

WILLARD:

What is this bridge?

LIEUTENANT:

It's of strategic importance for

keeping the highway into Bat Shan

open -- the generals don't like to

admit that Bat Shan is surrounded.

He points to the men getting ready to work.

LIEUTENANT:

(continuing)

Every night we build it and by

0800 they've blown it up -- it

and a lot of good men -- But the

generals like to say the road is

open -- ha ! Nobody uses that

road except Charlie.

He turns and splashes off into the darkness.

LIEUTENANT:

(continuing)

This is the cesspool of hell.

SOLDIER (O.S.)

Incoming.

SHELLS WHISTLE OVER and CRASH into the bridge -- MEN SCREAM

in the distance -- the EXPLOSIONS are thunderous.

CHIEF:

(yelling)

All right -- Lance, go with the

Captain an' see what you can

scrounge --

Willard climbs out with Lance.

CHIEF:

(continuing; to Willard)

Better make it fast, sir -- we

don't really need much anyway.

Willard nods and they scurry off the bank under the

bridge.

129 MED. SHOT - WILLARD, LANCE

They dash up the embankment and along the barbed wire

on the edge of the road. SHELLS SCREAM overhead, they

don't know where to run.

VOICE:

Straight ahead, son of a b*tch.

They dive towards the voice.

130 CLOSE SHOT - TRENCH

They dive in, a SOLDIER is crounched in f.g. holding his

buddy who is crying uncontrollably.

SOLDIER:

You came right to it, son of

a b*tch --

WILLARD:

Son of a b*tch, sir.

The Soldier doesn't respond.

WILLARD:

(continuing)

Where's your chief supply officer?

SOLDIER:

Beverly Hills --

WILLARD:

What?

SOLDIER:

Straight up the road -- a concrete

bunker -- Beverly Hills -- where

else you think he'd be?

WILLARD:

C'mon --

There is an apparent lull and they dash out along the

road. Suddenly to their right an M-60 STARTS OPENING UP

from a sandbagged emplacement.

SOLDIER (O.S.)

Get your asses down, buddy.

They drop and crawl to the slit trench and run up to the

emplacement. Several SOLDIERS man a M-60. One has a

sniper rifle -- another tries to spot for the Gunner.

Willard and Lance edge up along the trench. Willard

trips.

VOICE:

Watch your feet, a**hole --

Willard looks down.

VOICE:

(continuing)

You stepped on my face.

LANCE:

We thought you were dead.

VOICE:

The whole world loves a smart ass.

They move ahead more carefully. The Gunner BLASTS away

into the night, there is a pile of brass cases about three

feet high next to him. Finally he stops swearing to

himself.

WILLARD:

What're you shooting at, soldier?

GUNNER:

Gooks.

He turns and sees it's an officer.

GUNNER:

(continuing)

I´m sorry, sir.

WILLARD:

It's all right, sergeant -- what's

out there?

GUNNER:

They were tryin' to cut through

the wire -- I got 'em all I think.

OTHER SOLDIER:

Oh yeah -- listen.

There is a low moaning SCREAM from out in the wire -- it

stops for aminute then continues hideously.

GUNNER:

He's trying to call his friends --

send up a flare.

The Spotter does, it arcs up, then bathes them in eerie

light. The Gunner FIRES a long BURST.

SPOTTER:

Those are all dead, stupid, he's

obviously underneath 'em --

They think about this as the flare goes out. The SCREAMING

gets more intense.

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