El Cid Page #4

Synopsis: Epic film of the legendary Spanish hero, Rodrigo Diaz ("El Cid" to his followers), who, without compromising his strict sense of honour, still succeeds in taking the initiative and driving the Moors from Spain.
Director(s): Anthony Mann
Production: Miramax
  Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 10 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.3
Rotten Tomatoes:
92%
APPROVED
Year:
1961
182 min
1,812 Views


Come.

We'll go to your sister at Calahorra.

Open the gates of Valencia...

in the name of Allah!

And the time came

when Ben Yusuf rode to Valencia...

to secure the aid of the frightened

Moorish king Al Kadir.

He had to make certain that

he could land his mighty armada...

on the shores of Spain.

Clear out, all of you!

My lord Ben Yusuf, what an honor.

What an honor.

Allah be praised.

Our moment has come.

King Ferdinand has died...

and the two young kings

have quarreled.

Allah, in his wisdom,

has willed it so.

And now Allah will ordain it

so that one Christian brother...

will kill another Christian brother.

How will this happen?

He... will do the killing.

The word will spread that

brother has killed brother.

There will be confusion, revolution.

The kingdom will be torn in two...

and then, when they are most weak,

I will bring my legions from Africa.

A master strategy.

When I land, they may attack you

here at Valencia.

If they do, you will hold Valencia.

Do you understand me?

Yes, my lord, I understand.

I will leave my guards with you

to make certain you understand.

Don't let him take me, Urraca.

Go.

Go.

Urraca!

Urraca!

Urraca!

Urraca!

You have given refuge to my brother!

I demand you release him at once!

This is my city!

You do not demand!

Release the prisoner at once

or my army will attack!

Alfonso stays here...

with me!

I give you until dawn to decide.

My lady.

What would it be worth to you...

if Sancho were kept from your gates?

Who is there

who could do such a thing?

I could.

Only-- Only I would ask a great deal.

Thank heaven you answered our call.

Why did you send it, sir?

Unless I surrender to Sancho...

- he threatens to lay siege to us by morning.

Help us, Rodrigo.

When brother

fights against brother...

what can any man do?

If you joined us,

many knights would come.

I swore allegiance to Sancho.

And to Alfonso.

And to me!

I can only help one brother

by breaking faith with the other.

- I can help no one.

- But Sancho would kill Alfonso.

Whatever happens...

must happen without me.

Sanctuary!

Sanctuary!

Sanctuary!

What do you want here, Dolfos?

I have words

for your ears only, my King.

Well?

There is a way Calahorra

could be taken without a blow.

I will help you.

Why should you do this for me?

I will not stand by and see our land

torn by civil war.

Tell me.

I know where

there is an unguarded gate.

I will take you there.

With a few men, you--

Even though my father

trusted you, Dolfos...

one false move...

But I am unarmed, Sire.

Show me this gate.

From here it will be better

to go on foot.

I see no gate.

There.

Around the corner.

Open!

Open the gate!

Open the gate!

Open the--

Confess me.

Confess me.

Confess me!

Sancho.

- Rodrigo.

- My poor Sancho.

I was almost a king.

Wasn't I?

You are a king, my lord.

I have not come here as a queen.

Forgive me, Your Highness.

You still love Rodrigo.

And I know Rodrigo still loves you.

You have made a long

and hard journey to come here.

Rodrigo must be stopped!

We will not permit this,

Alfonso and I!

Rodrigo will listen to you.

What is it I must tell Rodrigo,

Your Highness?

He has threatened to force

Alfonso to swear publicly...

that he is innocent of

our brother Sancho's death.

Is he not innocent

of your brother's death?

You must tell him not to do this.

He must not. We will not permit it!

We will stop him!

You... had better speak to him.

Do you understand me, Chimene?

I understand, Your Highness.

No one can ask a king to swear.

No one!

Before God and this assembly...

I do freely forgive those

who have warred against me.

I promise to defend them

and to show them favor...

even as I defend and show favor

to those that were ever loyal to me.

This, my written oath...

I entrust to this Holy Church.

Castilians...

God has called upon me

to become your king.

I now call upon you

to kneel in sign of fealty.

Rodrigo of Vivar...

called the Cid...

why do you alone refuse me fealty?

Sire...

all those you see here...

though none dares say so...

harbor the suspicion that you may have

counseled your own brother's death.

Unless you can prove

your innocence...

you will have no loyal subjects.

Your kingdom will be torn by doubt.

Thus I cannot give you fealty...

nor own you as my liege.

What will satisfy you

of my innocence?

Your oath upon the holy book.

You would ask me to swear?

Sire, I do ask it.

Very well.

Will you swear

that you had no part...

in the ordering

of King Sancho's death?

I so swear.

Do you swear that you had no part

by way of counsel...

in King Sancho's death?

I so swear.

Do you swear that you had no part

by way of design...

in King Sancho's death?

I swear it!

If you are forsworn...

may you die such a death

as your brother did...

struck from behind

by the hand of a traitor.

Say amen.

You press me too far, Rodrigo.

Say amen.

Amen.

"By edict of our most illustrious

Sovereign Alfonso...

"King of Castile,

Leon and Asturias...

"be it known

that Rodrigo of Vivar...

"has outraged the Royal Personage

and is hereby exiled for life.

"He has been accorded

nine days from this day...

"in which to depart from the realm,

alone and without men at arms.

"All his property, his goods,

his lands and his privileges...

"are hereby forfeit to the Crown.

"All vessels of the King...

"are forbidden to provide him with food,

lodging or any means of sustenance...

"or to speak with him.

Let no man give him aid."

I thirst.

I thirst.

I thirst.

Lord Knight, I thirst.

There is no spring nearby

from which a leper is allowed to drink.

I'm thirsty.

Here.

It's for you.

For you.

- Thank you, my Cid.

- How do you know my name?

There is only one man in Spain

who could humble a king...

and would give a leper

to drink from his own pouch.

Who are you?

I am called Lazarus.

May helping hands

be extended to you...

everywhere you go, my Cid.

Can you forgive me, Rodrigo?

Chimene.

Would you take me with you?

But... now I...

have nowhere to take you.

If we are together...

it will not be nowhere.

I love you, Rodrigo.

I love you.

You know what you risk...

if you come with me, my love?

Since my love is not a man

like other men...

my life will not be

like other lives.

It's only now...

only now that I know...

how hard the road

would've been without you.

Are you the one they call the Cid?

Yes.

Then you must be

the beautiful Chimene.

Do you not hate him anymore?

No, I do not.

My father says they'll cut our hands off

if we help you.

My father says

they have eyes everywhere.

But my father said if you walk very slowly

it will soon be dark...

and no one will be able to see you

if you go into our barn.

I suppose we must leave soon...

before it gets too light.

No, one more moment...

to remember all of this.

Have you ever slept in

a more beautiful bedchamber?

Never.

- Have you ever eaten better food?

- No.

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes

Philip Yordan

Philip Yordan (April 1, 1914 – March 24, 2003) was an American screenwriter of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s who also produced several films. He was also known as a highly regarded script doctor. Born to Polish immigrants, he earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois and a law degree at Chicago-Kent College of Law. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "El Cid" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Jul 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/el_cid_7532>.

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