Mad Max 2 Page #7

QUIET MAN:

We'll never walk away. Never!

BIG REBECCA grabs him by the shoulder.

BIG REBECCA:

Don't be a fool! It's our only

chance...

She turns to the other defenders:

BIG REBECCA.

It's simple ... we trade the gas

for our lives.

WARRIOR WOMAN:

No! We've worked too hard.

FARMER:

Walk out there? They'd slaughter

us... run us down for sport.

BIG REBECCA plays to the crowd.

BIG REBECCA:

Don't listen to them! It's bad

enough the lunatics are running the

asylum. Don't let them throw away

the key.

56. THE BATTLEMENTS. MAX AND THE FERAL BOY. DAY.

While the CAMP PEOPLE argue, MAX sits forgotten, the

manacles unlocked now, dangling from one wrist.

He produces the hurdy-gurdy he found on the bloated man

and plays the first few notes of "Happy Birthday".

From the hole under MAX, the FERAL KID appears, wiping

his boomerang. He is attracted by the noise.

MAX plays the next few notes faster.

The FERAL KID grins.

More notes - very fast.

The FERAL KID laughs.

Several people at the back of the CROWD, including

WARRIOR WOMAN, turn around to look. MAX holds the

manacles up so that she can see that he's free.

She glares at him as he goes back to turning the

hurdy-gurdy.

The argument continues.

57. THE COMPOUND. DAY.

PISMO and ANGIE are quietly bickering.

The CURMUDGEON pushes past them heading towards the

gate.

He has a Gladstone bag in his hand and a Collection of

car parts and personal effects tucked under his arm.

CURMUDGEON:

It'll be alright. I'll talk to this

Humungus. He'd never hurt an

asthmatic old man.

The LUSTY GIRL is joining him... The MECHANIC turns to

her.

MECHANIC:

I'm sure they'll find a use for you.

LUSTY:

I'd rather be out there, on my back

alive, than in here, on my back

dead.

BIG REBECCA:

He promised us safe passage. He

gave his word.

PAPPAGALLO'S VOICE

And let us suppose he keeps it ...

The DEFENDERS turn to PAPPAGALLO, standing on the

battlement:

PAPPAGALLO:

...and we walk out of here with our

lives. What then? Do we wander the

wasteland - scavenging. Wake up one

morning and find we're just like

them - savages.

He points in the direction of the MARAUDERS.

PAPPAGALLO:

Is that what you want? I don't. I

came out here and I found that pump.

I built that plant and ploughed that

field. Why? Because we are human

beings. We must maintain our

dignity. We are not barbarians ...

The crowd is silent ...

PAPPAGALLO:

I made one mistake - I waited too

long... thinking we could survive

here. We can't. But, as frightened

as we all are let's not forget one

thing.

He points to the tanker of fuel propped up next tc the

cracking plant ...

PAPPAGALLO:

That is more than just a tank of

fuel. It's our lifeline, our

passport to a place beyond the reach

of men on machines.

He talks over several protesting voices ...

PAPPAGALLO:

No! I don't know how we're gonna

get there. But the first step is to

defend that fuel. I won't surrender

it to anyone. I stay! Alone if I

have to...

BIG REBRCCA:

Words! Just words. You're going to

die, for a pipedream.

BIG REBECCA moves over to join the CURMUDGEON and the

LUSTY GIRL.

WARRIOR WOMAN:

No! We fight for a belief - I stay!

LUSTY looks straight at PAPPAGALLO.

LUSTY:

I really wished it had worked. I'm

sorry.

The MECHANIC'S ASSISTANT starts to push the MECHANICIS

contraption towards the CURMUDGEON'S GROUP, but the

MECHANIC resists, grabbing onto the catwalk.

The ASSISTANT leaves him there.

ANGIE takes the ASSISTANT'S place and pushes the

MECHANIC'S contraption over to PAPPAGALLO'S side.

ANGIE:

We stay!

PISMO is left hesitating in the middle. After a

terrible moment of indecision he joins ANGIE.

The camp is now divided, mostly against PAPPAGALLO. The

two groups stare across at each other solemnly ...

A voice is heard from the battlements ....

MAX:

Two days ago I saw a vehicle that'd

haul that tanker.

All eyes turn to MAX.

MAX:

You wanna get out of here. You talk

to me.

58. INT. PAPPAGALLO'S TENT. DUSK.

MAX faces PAPPAGALLO across a desk littered with plans

and equipment.

WARRIOR WOMAN, BIG REBECCA, the FARMER and the MECHANIC

listen in.

MAX:

So that's my offer. I deliver a

prime mover and in return you give

me my black car and as much gas as I

can carry. All I need right now is

three Jerry cans of diesel and five

gallons of petroleum.

They look at him quizzically.

MAX:

Think of it as a down payment.

WARRIOR WOMAN:

And that's the last we'll ever see

of him.

BIG REBECCA:

What have we got to lose?

PAPPAGALLO nods.

WIPE.

59. THE COMPOUND DITCH - THE BRIDGE OF WRECKS. NIGHT.

From the battlement, PAPPAGALLO watches as MAX,

accompanied by the DOG, emerges from a hole in the wall.

MAX has a pole across his shoulders, supporting four

Jerry cans of fuel.

MAX'S knee brace squeaks in the stillness.

The MECHANIC throws him a small can. MAX squirts a

stream of oil onto the metal and then moves off across

the bridge of wrecks, built by the Mohawk Bikers the day

before.

The FERAL KID watches with other camp people as MAX and

the DOG move out into the night.

60. NO MAN'S LAND. NIGHT.

MAX emerges from the ditch, the heavy load weighing him

down. Behind him, the searchlight from the compound

plays over the wilderness. Ahead, he sees the glow of

the Marauders' campfires.

He moves forward silently.

61. NEAR THE MARAUDERS' CAMPFIRES. NIGHT.

Picking his way carefully across rugged ground, MAX

skirts close to a large campfire.

Around it, 4 GROUPS OF MARAUDERS are carousing; some are

laughing loudly at a VICTIM strung up to a beam by his

wrists. A bottle passes among the MARAUDERS. In the

shadows, lit by the flickering flame, a MOHAWK BIKER

fondles TWO CAMP FOLLOWERS.

Closest to MAX, a GAYBOY BERSERKER bones his machete on

a whetstone.

MAX skirts round him, not taking his eyes off him.

Suddenly MAX'S leg gives way, caught in a rabbit hole.

He pitches forward, the Jerry cans thumping together.

The GAYBOY BERSERKER pivots... listening... knife

ready.

MAX is spread-eagled on the groung.. The DOG curls its

lip. The GAYBOY BERSERKER walks towards MAX, his eyes

searching the darkness ...

There is a loud barking! MAX looks up...

On a rabbit warren close by, the FERAL KID sits on his

haunches, howling like a wild dog.

The GAYBOY BERSERKER takes a rock and throws it, curs-

ing all howling dogs, and returns to the camp.

The FERAL KID motions for MAX to follow. Keeping low,

MAX limps forward.

62. AN EROSION DITCH. NIGHT.

The FERAL KID stops at the edge of the gully and

indicates the direction for MAX to take. He grins at

MAX and runs off into the night, back the way he came.

MAX drops down into the gully heading away from the

Marauders' camp.

DISSOLVE.

63. THE CLIFFTOP. FIRST LIGHT.

MAX climbs up to the spot where he left the GYRO

CAPTAIN. Gone! ... Just the canopy, a dog food can

and a freshly dug hole where the tree stump used to be.

A clear trail gouged in the dirt, leads back towards the

sand dune country. The DOG sniffs and lopes off ...

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