Apocalypse Now Page #16

PHILIPPE:

Do not move --

Gaston looks at the skyward pointed twin fifties admiringly.

GASTON:

Fifty calibers, eh, Captain --

WILLARD:

As I said, we can pay you in

gold.

GASTON:

Entirely unnecessary, Captain.

He puts down his gun -- the others do likewise --

GASTON:

We share a common enemy -- you

are our guests.

(he steps back)

I am Gaston de marais -- this is

my family's plantation. It has

been such for 121 years. It will

be such after I die.

This is my son, Philippe -- he

has fought in Algeria and held

the rank of Captain. And Henry

LeFevre -- a sergeant; he was

at Dien Bien Phu. My personal

servant, Tran Van Kac ---

Then he motions to the trees. A young man in a tiger suit

and three women come forward from different positions --

all wear bush clothing and bear weapons.

GASTON:

(continuing)

My youngest son -- Christian --

161 CLOSE SHOT - CHRISTIAN

He carries an M-60 machine gun in his hand -- a belt of

ammunition trailing off behind him.

GASTON:

Christian's wife -- Ann-Marie --

A tall girl, goodlooking, but severe -- she carries an

M-16.

GASTON:

(continuing)

And my youngest daughter --

Claudine.

162 CLOSE ON CLAUDINE

an attractive girl about eighteen. She wears a red

paratrooper beret and a well-fitted bush suit. She carries

an M-79 grenade launcher and plenty of ammunition.

163 FULL VIEW - P.B.R. - CREW, GASTON, OTHERS

They stand there, exhausted and amazed. Philippe yells

in Vietnamese -- about a dozen native men in tiger suits,

heavily armed, walk out of the trees from all around them.

They look the Americans over warily and assemble at

Philippe's command.

WILLARD:

American weapons?

GASTON:

We took them from the dead.

(smiles)

Now -- I assume you want to rest,

to shower. We'll attend to your

repairs after dinner.

CHEF:

Shower.

Willard's men look at one another, dazed.

WILLARD:

We don't want to bother you any,

we --

GASTON:

A man of war is never bothered to

aid an ally -- you will follow me,

Captain.

Willard steps off -- then stops, reaches back and picks

up his M-16 by the stock.

WILLARD:

A habit of men of war, sir --

you understand.

GASTON:

Of course, Captain -- an

unfortunate necessity.

The men are relieved. They pick up their weapons and

follow.

CHIEF:

What about the boat?

PHILIPPE:

My men will keep it for you --

CHIEF:

Yeah -- well, I'll stay with the

boat.

WILLARD:

Chief.

(pause)

Come with us.

They look at each other a moment. The Chief shrugs

and follows.

164 FULL SHOT - PLANTATION - WILLARD, GASTON, OTHERS

Gaston stops, points to a guest house off the main struc-

ture which is a typical jungle plantation house, save the

many sandbagged gun emplacements and barbed wire.

GASTON:

A suitable accomodation for

your men, captain -- you will,

of course, be quartered with us --

He indicates that the men should follow Philippe. The

Chief is hesitant.

WILLARD:

Go ahead --

Philippe leads them on, muttering.

GASTON:

Captain, this way.

Willard follows -- they walk over past the house and toward

the jungle, approaching a huge crater, 100 feet across and

about thirty feet deep. The bottom is filled with water and

young French and Vietnamese children swim in it. On the

opposite rim, sit two men and a woman with machine guns.

Gaston strides up and looks down at the crater with pride.

GASTON:

(continuing)

Magnificent, eh, Captain?

Willard looks.

GASTON:

(continuing)

It is very good -- there is no

current -- It is very good. I

have never seen one like it in

all Indochina. I was in Paris

when it arrived -- do you know

what might have caused --

WILLARD:

Looks like a two thousand pound

to me. Yeah, a two thousand

pound bomb.

GASTON:

No, I've seen those in Normandy.

This is much better.

(pause)

My country -- my country could

never originate this. Magnificent.

Gaston stands in serious admiration for this feat; Willard

looks between him and this big hole in the ground in

amezement.

165 INT. WORKMEN'S SHOWER - EVENING

A foreman's shower from the old plantation days. The

Chief steps out of it, refreshed, though still exhausted.

Lance stands there, about to step in, absolutely filthy,

caked with blood. His reaction is odd; rather than just

stepping into the shower, he seems almost frightened,

reluctant to step in. Chef is waiting behind him.

CHEF:

A hot shower, hot damn.

He pushes him forward into the water. The dirt and

caked mud go swirling off his face and shoulders, and

he relaxes as though he suddenly remenbers what a

shower is.

166 EXT. THE DOCK - P.B.R. - EVENING

battered and torn -- a few of Philippe's Vietnamese

guard at the boat.

167 INT. WILLARD'S QUARTERS - EVENING

A beautiful European room with tall ceilings. Still

elegantly furnished, although old and decaying.

Willard sits in a comfortable chair in the corner of

the room, looking out over the carpet, the bed with

its elegant spread; the wash basin; the bidet. His

battle dress is black with muck, with bloodstaines and

burns.

He rises from the chair and steps to a dresser above

which is a large mirror. There is an album on the

marble top of the dresser. He turns to a page at random.

168 VIEW ON WILLARD

haggard, looking down at the album.

WILLARD (V.O.)

I wondered -- how long has this room

been like this; how long has the

furniture been standing in these

places?

169 VIEW ON THE ALBUM

Some old photographs of people standing around a car

in the 20's in front of the plantation. Another picture

shows a child playing by the rubber trees near the

plantation.

WILLARD (V.O.)

Was it like this sixty years ago?

Eighty years? But here, even

eighty years is nothing.

He turns the page,

The plantation being built. Pictures of the framing,

skeletal against the sky and jungle.

170 VIEW ON WILLARD

fascinated

WILLARD (V.O.)

It was jungle, once; and it will

be jungle, again...

171 VIEW ON THE ALBUM

Onlu the very beginnings of the house; the first struc-

tures. Then another picture of the jungle site where

it was to be built.

172 CLOSE VIEW ON WILLARD

He looks up and sees his own face, reflected in the garish

mirror. He barely recognizes himself.

173 MED. VIEW

Willard looks at himself in the mirror, in this odd, out-

of-time room.

174 INT. DINING ROOM GROUP - TRACKING SHOT

TRACK DOWN the long table, covered with delicious food.

The P.B.R. crew sits with others of the De Marais group.

The table is headed by St. LeFevre. Chef's face lights

up as he regards the wonderful European-style food.

CHEF:

This food is wonderful ! I can't

believe the chef is a slope.

(turning to Clean)

Some more?

Opposite the table, sitting next to the Chief, Lance

reaches hungrily for bread and other food with his hands.

CHEF:

(continuing)

Hey -- Lance.

LANCE:

Huh? Oh. Um, wouldya ..

wouldya pass me the Rice-a-roni,

please.

And then he looks to his friends for approval.

Our VIEW REVEALS that behind a transparent silk curtain

there is another, more elaborate table, where the

De Marais family is dining with Willard. Our VIEW MOVES

through the curtain and settles in a MEDIUM VIEW of the

group.

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