Memphis Belle Page #7

Bruce turns and jogs across the base, dodging a Jeep as

he goes. The CO watches him go.

INT. BRIEFING ROOM

The lights are off. A large blown-up photograph is

projected on the screen: an aerial view of a railyard,

a river snaking through, some trees and houses. The

S-2 taps a large, square building in the center of the

photo with his pointer. He taps it three times.

S-2

This is our target right here.

It's a square building, the only

square one in the area, so you

can't miss it. Note these

railroad tracks on the east and

this long, rectangular building

on the north. That's a hospital.

These are houses here. This is a

school and a playground.

(CONTINUED)

37.

37 CONTINUED:

ON VAL:

He's watching very carefully. This is his department.

He stares at the picture, trying to memorize every

detail. Beside him, Phil is fast asleep.

38 EXT. LOCKER ROOM

The room is filled with men in various stages of dress,

Rascal, Clay, Jack, Eugene and Virge among them. They

wear long underwear next to their skin, then bright blue

heated suits over that. Pants and blouse over that.

Then a leather flight jacket with a long extension cord

sticking out. The blue bunny suits plug into the waist

of the flight jacket. Thick, fleece-lined boots and

gloves are next, a wool scarf, a helmet, and, finally,

a Mae West, a deflated yellow life jacket. Rascal is

fully-dressed and looks a little stocky with all these

clothes on. Clay is just pulling on his long underwear

and he sings as he does it.

CLAY:

(sings)

'I'm putting on my top hat,

Tying up my white tie,

Brushing off my tails...'

RASCAL:

There he goes, the human jukebox.

Clay buttons up the front of his underwear.

CLAY:

(sings)

'I'm duding up my shirt front,

Putting in the shirt studs,

Polishing my nails...'

39 INT. BRIEFING ROOM

The CO is now standing on the stage. The room is silent.

He speaks with quiet force and feeling, but careful not

to let his anxiety and anguish show.

CO:

Today they've given us a chance to

really make a difference in this

war. Let's do this job the best

we can and leave the rest in the

hands of God.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

38.

39 CONTINUED:

CO (CONT'D)

With luck it'll all be over soon

and we can go back home to our

families. My thoughts will be

with you and I won't rest until

you're back. Each and every one

of you. Dismissed.

40 INT. CO'S OFFICE

Bruce is yelling into the phone.

BRUCE:

I've talked to six different

people and been cut off twice! I

want General Eaker on this phone

now or I want your name, Corporal.

I'll hold, but you better not cut

me...

A second, then he jiggles the cradle. He's been cut off.

41 INT. BRIEFING ROOM

The navigator's briefing is in progress. In the back,

two lines:
one for radio operators (Danny and the Rookie

in this one) and one for bombardiers. Val is lined up to

receive his flimsies, Luke with him. They're both watching

Phil. The GROUP NAVIGATOR drones on in the b.g.

GROUP NAVIGATOR:

You'll have nil to 3/10 low clouds

at takeoff with visibility one to

two miles. You'll assemble over

the field at 3,000 feet...

VAL:

So far, so good.

ON PHIL:

He's awake and paying attention. Then we see why. He's

jabbing the sharp point of his compass into his forearm.

It's spotted with blood.

42 EXT. BASE

Clay, Eugene, Jack, Virge and Rascal are piled into the

back of a Jeep parked on the edge of the perimeter track.

They stare at Danny in shock.

(CONTINUED)

39.

CONTINUED:

RASCAL:

Bremen! We're dead men! We're

dead!

VIRGE:

Shut up, Rascal!

RASCAL:

You shut up, Virgin!

EUGENE:

Cut it out. Clay, what're the

odds today?

CLAY:

(calmly, objectively)

Well, they'll overload us with

bombs, so it's about thirty to

one we'll crash and blow up on

takeoff. Then, they're going to

throw every fighter they've got at

us, so, five to one against us

even getting to Bremen. Then,

you've got your flak batteries...

JACK:

Skip the gory details.

CLAY:

Basically, we're f***ed.

Then Dennis walks up, Luke, Val and Phil behind him.

As soon as the enlisted men see Dennis they smile and

try to look innocent and happy to be going to Bremen.

Without a word, Dennis gets in the front seat of the

Jeep and the enlisted men make room for the other

officers.

43 EXT. FIELD

They're all in the Jeep, some seated, others hanging on

to the back or sides. They're being driven across the

field. Luke's DOG runs along with the Jeep, BARKING.

44 EXT. SOUTHERN BELLE

The Jeep halts at the plane. The crew gets up and

starts for the hatches. The ground crew is doing a

final check, crawling all over the plane. Les is

supervising.

40.

INT. COCKPIT

Hundreds of dials and switches on the instrument panel.

More gadgets on the left and right walls. Between the

pilot and co-pilot seats is a pedestal with the ignition

switches, engine controls and throttles. Below that,

another box with switches and wheels controlling the trim

tabs, elevators and rudders. Luke sits in the co-pilot

seat. He plugs in his intercom and speaks.

LUKE:

Soon as you're ready, call in.

46 INT. NOSE

The front of the nose is Plexiglas. There are two guns

on the sides, right and left. Under the right gun, an

intricate panel of bombing instruments. There are more

instruments, dials, gauges and buttons -- including the

bomb release switch -- on the left. Val takes the canvas

cover off a complicated device in the very tip of the

nose:
the Norden bombsight. He wipes it carefully with

a cloth.

VAL:

Bombardier checking in.

Phil is behind him at a little desk that juts out of the

left wall. Above and behind his desk is more equipment:

hoses, gauges, compasses. In the ceiling, a small

Plexiglas dome. Phil very neatly arranges his pencils,

compasses, rulers, maps, flimsies, log book -- everything

in its place.

PHIL:

Navigator checking in.

47 INT. TOP TURRET

Directly behind the cockpit is a small platform where

Virge stands. He's checking his twin .50 caliber machine

guns in the top turret. They stick out of a small

Plexiglas bubble in the roof. The TURRET is

hydraulically-operated with hand controls; it WHINES and

CLANKS as it rotates. Directly behind the top turret is

the bomb bay.

VIRGE:

Top turret checking in.

48 INT. RADIO ROOM

Behind the bomb bay is Danny's radio room. He has a desk

against the left forward bulkhead.

(CONTINUED)

41.

CONTINUED:

His radio receivers, transmitters and Morse code key are

on the desk. Additional equipment is on little shelves

bolted to the right bulkheads, fore and aft. A .50

caliber machine gun points out of a small window in the

ceiling -- Danny's gun. Danny has his headphones on,

his codebooks open, and is making notations in his log

book. His box camera is also on the desk. On his wrist

he wears a big red rubber band.

DANNY:

Radio operator checking in.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes