Memphis Belle Page #8

49 INT. BALL TURRET AREA

An area that contains the top of the ball turret. Rascal

is checking his ammunition boxes.

RASCAL:

Ball turret checking in.

50 INT. WAIST

There are two large open windows on either side of the

plane. The plane has tapered and is much narrower towards

the back. Jack and Eugene are on their respective sides

of the fuselage, checking their guns and ammo. When in

action, Jack and Eugene are hip to hip, with no room to

spare.

EUGENE:

Right waist gunner checking in.

JACK:

Left waist checking in.

51 INT. TAIL

The tail gun position is very cramped. There's only room

for one man and he has to kneel in front of his twin

.50s. His head sticks up into a rectangular box with

small windows in it, providing maximum view and minimum

protection. Clay adjusts the rope of ammunition which

leads from the ammo box to the guns. Clay's lucky

horseshoe hangs on the left.

CLAY:

Tail gunner checking in.

In this section we should have the sense that each crew

member knows his job inside out and gives it his fullest

attention. No horsing around now.

42.

INT. COCKPIT

Dennis and Luke are in their seats. Dennis checks off

items on a clipboard.

DENNIS:

Auto pilot.

LUKE:

Off.

DENNIS:

De-icers, anti-icers.

LUKE:

Off.

DENNIS:

Generators.

LUKE:

Off.

DENNIS:

Good. Crew, assume positions for

takeoff.

Virge jumps down from the top turret and crouches behind

the control box. Then he taps Dennis on the shoulder

and points. Racing towards them across the tarmac is a

Jeep. Dennis opens his side window. The Jeep slows and

a LIEUTENANT yells up to Dennis.

LIEUTENANT:

Captain, there's a delay. We've

got a 9/10ths cloud cover over the

target. But there's a strong wind

and we're hoping it'll blow over.

Stand by your plane until further

notice.

DENNIS:

How long?

LIEUTENANT:

They don't tell me doodly, sir.

The Jeep pulls away. Luke pounds the control column in

frustration.

LUKE:

Damnit! They always do this!

Dennis speaks over the interphone.

(CONTINUED)

43.

CONTINUED:

DENNIS:

Men, we're delayed. There's cloud

over the target. They're asking

us to stand by until further

notice. Danny, tell the others.

53 OMITTED

&

54

55 INT. RADIO ROOM

Danny turns around and speaks to Jack, Eugene, Rascal

and Clay.

DANNY:

The target's clouded up. We're

delayed.

The other guys look at each other, disappointed and

relieved at the same time.

RASCAL:

Snafu.

JACK:

Situation normal...

RASCAL, JACK, EUGENE, CLAY

All f***ed up!

56 INT. COCKPIT

Luke is unplugging his interphone cord and taking off his

headset. Virge is still crouched behind the control

box. Dennis speaks over the interphone.

DENNIS:

Gentlemen, we're stood down for a

while. Let's take the extra time

to double-double check everything.

Let's make this mission our best

one yet.

Virge steps up into the top turret. Luke starts getting

up from his seat.

DENNIS:

Okay, Luke, let's do the pre

flight check again. Fuel Transfer

Valves.

(CONTINUED)

44.

CONTINUED:

LUKE:

Did you hear? There's a complete

cloud cover over Bremen. We're

not going anywhere!

DENNIS:

Fuel Transfer Valves.

LUKE:

Off! They were off before!

They're still off!

DENNIS:

Intercoolers.

57 EXT. MEMPHIS BELLE

Phil drops out of the forward hatch and walks under the

belly of the plane. He hoists himself up onto the left

wing, lies down, puts a parachute under his head as a

pillow and closes his eyes.

58 EXT. FARM

At the edge of the airfield, a hedgerow and beyond it, a

farmhouse, crops, some sheep grazing. Clay calls across

to a ruddy FARMER, who's trying to repair an ancient

horse-pulled combine baler.

CLAY:

Busted?

FARMER:

It's no use, Yank. This thing's

old as the hills and there's not

a spare part to be found these

days.

CLAY:

I've got one just like it at

home. Let me take a look.

Clay goes to a gap in the hedgerow where part of a roll

of barbed wire is stuck. Clay pulls it out and steps

through the hedge.

59 INT. CO'S OFFICE

Bruce is on the phone as the CO comes in. Bruce is

really wound up.

(CONTINUED)

45.

CONTINUED:

BRUCE:

Well, wake him up at home!

(covers phone, then

to CO)

Washington.

CO:

Bruce, I won't tolerate this. If

I have to, I'll have you arrested

and locked up until takeoff.

BRUCE:

Craig, there won't be any more

takeoffs if we can't convince

people back home daylight

bombing makes sense. With the

Belle I can say, look, they made

it, they survived 25...

CO:

Bruce, if the weather changes,

they're going.

The door opens and the S-2 enters.

S-2

Sir, it looks like that cloud

cover is breaking up. H.Q. will

make a decision in the next ten,

fifteen minutes.

CO:

Thank you, Corporal.

The S-2 leaves. The CO and Bruce look at each other.

BRUCE:

A lot can happen in fifteen

minutes.

(in phone)

Yes, I'm still here! Great! You

bet I'll hold.

60 OMITTED

61 EXT. FARM

The baler is fixed and Clay is riding it. Luke walks

alongside and throws a stick to his dog, who chases it.

Luke is frustrated and impatient with the stand-down.

This whole section has anxiety and tension to it. Are

they going up or not? Why is it always "hurry up and

wait?"

(CONTINUED)

46.

CONTINUED:

LUKE:

All you do is call up on the

intercom and say you're having

trouble in the tail. I'll come

back and you let me have the gun

for five minutes.

CLAY:

It's against regulations.

LUKE:

Screw regulations. This is my

last chance. How am I going to

get girls when I go back home if

I haven't killed a single Nazi?

CLAY:

If they found out, they'd put my

hot dog in a bun and chow down.

LUKE:

Nobody's going to find out. It's

just between us. I'll do anything

you say. Name your price.

The dog charges back with the stick and jumps into Luke's

arms.

CLAY:

Give me your dog.

Luke looks at Clay, speechless.

EXT. MEMPHIS BELLE

Virge and Rascal by the ball turret. Virge is putting

his tools back in the toolbox. Frustrated by the

hiatus, Virge and Rascal are on each other's nerves more

than ever.

RASCAL:

You're flight engineer...

VIRGE:

I'm flight engineer when we're in

flight. Les is ground crew chief

and he checked it out and it's

okay.

RASCAL:

I know, but look at it.

(CONTINUED)

47.

CONTINUED:

VIRGE:

I just did! Rascal, how many

times...? You're just nervous.

RASCAL:

I'm not just nervous! It jammed

last mission! I'm the one who has

to sit in this rat trap!

VIRGE:

I checked it, top to bottom. It's

okay. Take it easy, Rascal.

Virge picks up his toolbox and starts to walk away.

RASCAL:

Gee, thanks, Virgin.

VIRGE:

The name is Virgil.

RASCAL:

Not to me.

VIRGE:

You know, Rascal, I could tell you

something.

RASCAL:

What? Tell me, Virgin.

Virge hesitates. He'd love to tell Rascal and get him

off his back. But he can't -- he promised Faith.

VIRGE:

Nothing.

He walks away. Rascal continues worrying over the turret.

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