Gandhi Page #28

The car. A major is standing on the back seat. An Indian

corporal drives.

MAJOR:

...I've got no idea. All I know is

there's a riot or something at

Motihari in Champaran, and the whole

company is ordered out.

A VOICE:

It's two days' march!

MAJOR:

That's why the match is off. It's

mostly Muslim territory and the old

man's taking no chances.

Featuring the batsman and some of the players as they walk

across the field toward the car. They know something's up.

BATSMAN:

(disgusted)

God, and it's the best innings I've

had since Oxford.

WICKET KEEPER:

(dryly)

India's full of grief, old man.

The batsman "takes" on him facetiously, and we cut to:

THE COURTHOUSE AND JAIL - MOTIHARI - EXTERIOR - DAY

A small building on a little Anglicized square. It is

surrounded by a milling angry throng of peasants.

Featuring the front entrance. The English captain who was at

the station when Gandhi arrived is on the top step, looking

harried and tense. A small detachment of Indian troops lines

the step below him. Charlie Andrews is pushing through the

crowd toward the captain. As he approaches, the Indian

sergeant holds up his hand.

CHARLIE:

(firmly)

I wish to see the prisoner, please.

The captain looks at his clerical collar, his English face,

his determination.

CAPTAIN:

(reluctantly)

All right, Sergeant.

Charlie moves through the Indian soldiers and up toward the

entrance. The captain stares out worriedly over the unruly

crowd.

COURTHOUSE JAIL - INTERIOR - DAY

A basement chamber -- dark, thick-walled and poorly lit. The

camera has panned off a close shot of Gandhi as he turns in

his cell at the sound of a door opening and approaching

footsteps. We have seen only his head and shoulders, which

are covered in a shawl.

A police guard leads Charlie across the rough, unfinished

floor. As he comes to Gandhi's cell we get a fleeting glimpse

of Gandhi sitting on a low pallet bed.

Close shot. Gandhi as he recognizes his visitor.

GANDHI:

Charlie--

Reverse on Charlie. He looks down at Gandhi and shakes his

head.

CHARLIE:

(a somber grin)

...Shades of South Africa.

Close shot. Gandhi. Head and shoulders. He returns the grin,

but anger and determination still dominate his mood.

GANDHI:

Not quite. They're only "holding me"

until the Magistrate's hearing. Then

it will be prison.

CHARLIE:

(sympathetically)

Did they take your clothes?

And now we see Gandhi in full shot for the first time. He is

wearing only a white loincloth, the shawl over his shoulders

and sandals -- the costume he will wear for the rest of his

life.

GANDHI:

These are my clothes now.

Charlie studies him a moment, and being Charlie, he

understands.

CHARLIE:

(affectionately)

You always had a puritanical streak,

Mohan.

He grins, and it elicits a little grin from Gandhi.

GANDHI:

(in a tone of

defensiveness)

If I want to be one with them, I

have to live like them.

CHARLIE:

I think you do.

(A smile.)

But I thank God we all don't.

And Gandhi laughs.

GANDHI:

I'm sure your legs are quite as

handsome as mine.

CHARLIE:

Ah, but my puritanism runs the another

way. I'm far too modest for such a

display.

And again Gandhi laughs. Charlie turns to the guard.

CHARLIE:

Couldn't I be let in with the

prisoner? I am a clergyman.

The police guard hesitates, and then unlocks the cell.

Charlie enters and sits on a little wooden stool opposite

Gandhi, his long legs awkwardly filling most of the space

between them. Gandhi has remained seated, pensive. Charlie

studies him a moment.

CHARLIE:

(a bit puzzled)

They're calling you "Bapu." I thought

it meant father.

GANDHI:

(wistfully)

It does. We must be getting old,

Charlie.

A little grin, but his mood remains pensive -- and remote.

CHARLIE:

What do you want me to do?

Gandhi looks up -- his anger, his determination there, but

then broken by a hopeless sigh.

GANDHI:

I think, Charlie, that you can help

us most by taking that assignment

you've been offered in Fiji.

Charlie is stunned, and obviously hurt. Gandhi proceeds more

gently.

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