Maverick

FADE IN ON:

1

EXT. DESOLATE LANDSCAPE -HANGING TREE -DAY 1

Rocks. Cactus. The occasional tree.

Not a place you'd like to spend your summer vacation.

Now there are sounds: A WHIPPING WIND begins to get

LOUDER. And in the distance, but GROWING: THUNDER.

CAMERA STARTS TO MOVE -SLOWLY,

INEXORABLY, ACROSS this dead place ---

suddenly it STOPS.

We are in a Sergio Leone TIGHT CLOSEUP of just a hideous-

looking man. One eye looks straight ahead. The other

wanders.

CAMERA MOVES AGAIN.

The wind is really kicking up ---

suddenly, another STOP.

Another Leone CLOSEUP.

A second man. This guy makes the first one look

handsome. Both his eyes work, which is an improvement.

But his neck has been horribly burned as if from a noose.

CAMERA IS MOVING AGAIN.

LOUDER THUNDER. A storm is coming fast.

CAMERA STOPS.

We are LOOKING AT the least appetizing of the three. Not

that he's scarred, not that all his parts aren't in

proper working order --it's just that he's so damn

frightening.

Not to mention huge.

This is THE ANGEL and like the other two, he is seated on

a horse. And he is staring intently at something. FROM

The Angel --we go to...

BRET MAVERICK:

for this is who the trio is looking at.

(CONTINUED)

2.

1 CONTINUED:
1

MAVERICK's 30, give or take. Enormously appealing.

Whether that's because of his considerable physical

skills or his sunny personality, who knows. It might

be his quiet wit.

In any case, we are looking at a handsome young man that

everybody likes -

--oops -

--make that almost everybody.

Because just now he is seated on a horse beneath a tree

and a thick hope has been tied around his neck, the rope

thrown over a branch. His hands have been tied behind

his back. We are about to watch a hanging. His.

THE ANGEL:

(riding closer)

I almost got hung myself once,

didn't much care for it, how about

you?

(as Maverick

says nothing)

We're gonna leave now, but I'm

worried about your well-being.

Maverick just stares at him, makes no reply.

THE ANGEL:

He gestures for the other two to ride, and they take

off.

THE ANGEL:

See, I don't think it's a good

thing for a man to be alone out

here. Your mind can do cruel

things.

And now he takes a burlap sack, tosses it toward

Maverick. It lands nearby.

THE ANGEL:

Enjoy the company.

He spurs his horse, rides away.

MAVERICK:

managing to turn his head in the direction The Angel

took.

(CONTINUED)

3.

1 CONTINUED:
(2) 1

THE ANGEL AND OTHER TWO

disappearing over a nearby hill.

2 EXT. SKY -DAY 2

The sky. Storm clouds convene.

3 EXT. HANGING TREE -DAY 3

Maverick. He takes a deep breath, tries to wriggle

free of the knotted rope around his neck.

No luck.

Make that bad luck.

The horse has been surprised by his movement, takes a

half step.

MAVERICK:

Freezing.

HORSE:

It relaxes, settles down.

4 EXT. SKY -DAY 4

The sky, and a THUNDERCLAP.

5 EXT. HANGING TREE -DAY 5

Maverick, staring at his horse. The noise was loud.

Either the horse is deaf or it likes thunder. Doesn't

budge an inch.

Maverick starts to try and work his neck free again.

This time the horse doesn't move at all.

Maverick sighs with relief, glances around.

BURLAP SACK:

It is starting to wriggle.

(CONTINUED)

4.

5 CONTINUED:
5

MAVERICK:

He holds his breath.

HORSE:

It hasn't spotted the sack yet.

SACK:

Wriggling more.

not to spot it.

Pretty soon it's going to be hard

MAVERICK:

caution to the winds now, trying desperately to

somehow get free of the noose ---

and miraculously, he's starting to make a little

headway.

HORSE:

Calm. Nothing flusters this animal.

MAVERICK:

even more headway --he's in pain but he ignores it.

6 EXT. SKY -DAY 6

The sky. More THUNDER.

7 EXT. HANGING TREE -DAY 7

The horse. Standing still.

8 EXT. SKY -DAY 8

The clouds are darker.

9 EXT. HANGING TREE -DAY 9

The horse. It could be a statue.

MAVERICK:

one eye on the sack as he continues to work to free his

neck. Now -SACK

as a rattlesnake peeks out.

(CONTINUED)

MAVERICK -Rev. 11/15/93 5.

9 CONTINUED:
9

MAVERICK:

Jesus.

HORSE:

Oblivious.

SACK:

Half-a-dozen rattlers are moving out of the sack now.

Close by. Some of them are big, some of them are very

big. All of them have fangs.

MAVERICK:

struggling harder than ever, and he's actually making

more headway. It's exhausting labor. As he continues

his fight for life -MAVERICK

(V.O.)

It had been just a shitty week for

me from the beginning.

Now, FROM that -9A

FLASHBACK -EXT. ROAD -LONG LENS -AFTERNOON 9A

A lone rider rides through dusty area up and down dips

in the road. It is Maverick. He rides a mule. Angel

follows and then Coop follows.

*

*

9B EXT. DUSTY CANYON -AFTERNOON 9B

Maverick rides his mule along dusty trail; as we PAN WITH

him a wagon train travels in opposite direction; kids

play poker in the f.g. --one smokes a corn cob pipe; we

CONTINUE PAN WITH Maverick and REVEAL the town of Crystal

River, a ferry coming across the river in the b.g.

MAVERICK (V.O.)

I was heading into Crystal River

to take some money from the bank.

Probably I should have expected

bad luck on the horizon when my

horse got stolen and I had to

replace it with something less

than a thoroughbred.

10 EXT. CRYSTAL RIVER -AFTERNOON 10

Crystal River. Not much of a place. Dusty. One main

street --and almost every storefront indicates that it

is either a saloon or a gambling hall.

(CONTINUED)

MAVERICK -Rev. 11/15/93 6. *

10 CONTINUED:
10

Just now the stagecoach comes off the ferry and drives

through town kicking up dust.

10A EXT. CRYSTAL RIVER -AFTERNOON 10A

Maverick, riding into town from the other direction, as

the dust whips up. He's wearing different clothes than

in the hanging scene.

MAVERICK (V.O.)

My luck had to change fast --the

poker game of the century was

starting in St. Louis in just ten

days, and I was still short three

thousand for the entrance fee.

10B OMITTED (STABLE SCENE MOVED TO 11B) 10B

11 EXT. BANK -AFTERNOON 11

Maverick rides toward the bank, stops. A sign in front

indicates "Closed 'til Morning."

11A NONE 11A

11B EXT. STABLES -AFTERNOON 11B

A stable as Maverick dismounts, does his best to beat

some dust from his riding clothes. He grabs his

saddlebag as a STABLE BOY hurries up.

MAVERICK:

(indicating the mule)

How much?

STABLE BOY:

By the day, week or month?

MAVERICK:

No-no --Not how much to take

care of him, how much to just

take him. Permanently.

STABLE BOY:

Pa. The man wants to sell the

burro.

PA:

That burro's not worth a cent.

(CONTINUED)

MAVERICK -Rev. 11/15/93 6A. *

11B CONTINUED:
11B

MAVERICK:

You just made yourself a fine

deal.

(they shake)

How 'bout the saddle?

Five dollars.

PA:

MAVERICK:

Five dollars. Nice doing business

with you. Thank you. He doesn't

eat much. He's a regular jackass

... Hee... haw... Hee... haw.

Always likes to be called Arthur.

He opens the door. He bumps into Angel. They look at

each other. Maverick exits and Angel looks and moves

inside.

CUT TO:

12 EXT. CRYSTAL PALACE -AFTERNOON 12

The biggest establishment in town. This place actually

has a second floor and advertises rooms as well as vices.

13 INT. CRYSTAL PALACE -STAIRCASE -AFTERNOON 13

Maverick is starting up the stairs when the REGISTRATION

CLERK hurries over from his desk.

CLERK:

You got a wire, want me to read it

to you?

No.

MAVERICK:

(reaching for it)

CLERK:

(reading)

It just says, 'Watch your back.'

(beat)

No signature.

(hands it over)

Here.

Maverick takes it, glances at it, heads upstairs.

13A EXT. CRYSTAL RIVER -SUNSET 13A

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