Life Of Pi Page #19

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173 EXT. OCEAN NEAR ISLAND - LIFEBOAT - SUNSET 173

Pi and the tiger watch as the island recedes into the

distance, lit by the late afternoon sun.

PI (V.O)

No one has ever seen that floating

island since; you won't read about

those trees in any nature book. And

yet if I hadn't found those shores,

I would have died. And if I hadn't

discovered that tooth, I would have

been lost, alone forever.

(MORE)

65.

PI (V.O) (CONT'D)

Even when God seemed to have

abandoned me, He was watching.

Even when He seemed indifferent to

my suffering, He was watching. And

when I was beyond all hope of

saving, He gave me rest, then gave

me a sign to continue my journey.

177 EXT. THE MEXICAN COAST/THE JUNGLE - DAY 177

Pi leans over the side of the lifeboat. He falls overboard.

We follow him underwater, his feet - hit a sandy bottom.

ADULT PI (V.O.)

By the time we reached the Mexican

shore, I was afraid to let go of

the boat. My strength was gone. I

was so weak. I was afraid that in

two feet of water, so close to

deliverance, I would drown. I

struggled to shore and fell upon

the sand. It was warm and soft,

like pressing my face against the

cheek of God. And somewhere two

eyes were smiling at having me

there.

An empty coastline, nothing but sand, rocks and jungle. Pi

struggles to bring the lifeboat ashore. Richard Parker is

hiding under the tarp, nowhere to be seen. Pi pulls the

painter line until the boat is on the beach, then collapses

on the sand.

177 EXT. THE MEXICAN COAST/THE JUNGLE - DAY 177

Pi collapses on the beach. He hears Richard Parker coming a

moment before he sees him; Pi turns, looking up as the tiger

jumps over the boy, stretching in the air above him and

landing in the water ahead of him.

ADULT PI (V.O.)

I was so spent I couldn't move. And

so Richard Parker went ahead of me.

Richard Parker walks along the beach, his gait clumsy and

uncoordinated from so much time spent at sea.

ADULT PI (V.O.)

He stretched his legs and walked

along the shore.

66.

Richard Parker stops, staring ahead into the forest, his back

to the boy. Pi watches the tiger from behind, Richard

Parker's ribs gently rising and falling as he smells the

jungle air.

ADULT PI (V.O.)

At the edge of the jungle, he

stopped. I was certain he was going

to look back at me, flatten his

ears to his head, growl - that he'd

bring our relationship to an end in

some way. But he just stared ahead

into the jungle.

178 INT. PI'S HOME, DINING ROOM, MONTREAL - SUNSET 178

On Adult Pi alone:

ADULT PI:

And then Richard Parker, my fierce

companion, the terrible one who

kept me alive, disappeared forever

from my life.

181 EXT. THE MEXICAN COAST/THE JUNGLE - DAY 181

Pi lies on the sand a few yards from the water. A group of

six MEXICAN LOCALS hurry down the beach to him.

ADULT PI:

After a few hours, a member of my

own species found me. He left and

returned with a group who carried

me away.

Pi sobs uncontrollably as they carry him to safety.

ADULT PI (V.O.) (CONT'D)

I wept like a child, not because I

was overwhelmed at having survived,

although I was. I was weeping

because Richard Parker left me

so... unceremoniously. It broke my

heart.

174 INT. PI'S HOME - DINING ROOM - MONTREAL - NEAR SUNSET 174

It is near sunset, the light from the windows casting theroom

in a golden hue - the same lighting we have just seen as Pi

was leaving the island.

67.

ADULT PI:

You know, my father was right.

Richard Parker never saw me as his

friend. After all we'd been

through, he didn't even look back.

But I have to believe that there

was more in his eyes than my own

reflection staring back at me. I

know I felt it - even if I can't

prove it. I just wish...

(Beat. He sighs.)

You know, I've left so much behind.

My family, the zoo, Anandi, India -

I suppose in the end the whole of

life becomes an act of letting go.

But what always hurts the most is

not taking the moment to say

goodbye. I was never able to thank

my father for all I learned from

him, to tell him that without his

lessons I would never have

survived...

And I know he's a tiger, but I wish

I'd said:
'It's over. We've

survived. Thank you for saving my

life. I love you, Richard Parker.

You will always be with me. May God

be with you.'

The Writer shakes his head, astonished.

WRITER:

I don't know what to say.

ADULT PI:

Hard to believe, isn't it?

A pause as the writer decides how to respond.

WRITER:

It is a lot to take in, to figure

out what it all means.

ADULT PI:

If it happened, it happened. Why

should it have to mean anything?

WRITER:

Well, some of it is pretty

incredible.

Pi nods - a half-smile - then rises, crossing to the

bookshelf.

68.

ADULT PI:

I was the only one who survived the

shipwreck, so the Japanese shipping

company sent two men to talk to me

in the Mexican hospital where I was

recovering. I still have a copy of

their report.

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