Planet of the Apes Page #12

TAYLOR:

(gently)

Now I don't even have you.

(pause)

Imagine me -- needing someone. Back on

Earth there was nobody. Women, yes.

Lots of them. Love making ithout love.

That's the kind of world it was turning

into, with the help of cynics like myself.

So I left it -- because there was no one

dear enough to keep me there.

(pause)

Did I tell you about Stewart?

(Looking away)

There was a lovely girl. The most precious

cargo we brought along. If human life could

survive here, she was to be the new Eve.

(morosely)

It's probably just as well she didn't live

to see this.

He looks at Nova. She stretches her hands through the bars toward him.

TAYLOR:

I wonder if it's Love between us.

(looks around,

smiles ironically)

What a place to find it.

C-267FULL SHOT - THE CAGE

Two gorilla officers enter, carrying torches. (These are the same apes

introduced in Scene 198.) One carries a double set of manacles. Julius

comes to meet them. The Lieutenant takes the two sets of manacles from

the other officer, hands them to Julius, whispers something. Julius

comes over and unlocks the door of Taylor's cage. He advances to

Taylor, who does not move, bends down and clamps the manacles around

each of his ankles. Then he straightens, lifts Taylor's arms, pulls his

wrists together, snaps on the cuffs.

D-267WIDER ANGLE - THE CAGE

Taylor looks across at Nova, blows her a kiss. Julius leads him out of

the cage, takes his leash from a snaps it onto Taylor's collar, hands

the other end to the Lieutenant. Nova and Julius watch in silence as

Taylor is led down the aisle and out the door.

268-OUT

272

DISSOLVE TO:

273INT. INQUIRY ROOM - ESTABLISHING SHOT - DAY

Taylor, wearing his manacles, is seated at a table in the otherwise

deserted chamber. There is an empty chair on either side of him. Across

the room stands a dais with three rude, high-backed chairs. There is a

small table directly below the dais. A third table stands at right

angles to the dais. Taylor looks around the empty room. A door is

opened by a gorilla BAILIFF, and Zira and Cornelius come into the room,

sit down on each side of Taylor. A moment later, DR.HONORIUS, the

Prosecutor and a CLERK enter, take their seats at the third table.

TAYLOR:

(softly)

Where have you been? Why didn't you come

to see me?

ZIRA:

Shhhh!

TAYLOR:

What is this?

ZIRA:

A hearing.

CORNELIUS:

(hissing)

Be clever. Be quiet,

BAILIFF:

All rise!

Everyone gets up as THE PRESIDENT, Dr. Zaius and Dr. Maximus enter and

mount the dais. The President takes the center chair; the other two

flanking him.

BAILIFF:

Be seated.

All sit down.

PRESIDENT:

(pounds gavel once)

This ad hoc Tribunal of the National

Academy is now in session. President of

the Academy presiding. On my right, Dr.

Maximus, Commissioner for Animal Affairs.

On my left, Dr. Zaius, Minister of Science

and Chief Defender of the Faith...

(glancing at Prosecutor)

Appearing for the State, Dr. Honorius,

Deputy Minister of Justice.

Honorius rises and bows.

PRESIDENT:

(raps gavel once)

Let it be clear at the outset that all

matters pertaining to this inquiry are

confidential, and anyone discussing them

outside this chamber will be held in

contempt of the Tribunal.

(a beat)

You may proceed, Dr. Honorius.

ZIRA:

(rising)

By your leave, Mr. President -- the

Tribunal has not yet defined the purpose

of this inquiry.

The President appears to be taken aback. He glances at his colleagues.

MAXIMUS:

You asked for the opportunity to present

your case. Surely you must know why you're

here.

ZIRA:

My own purpose is to save this exceptional

creature from mutilation.

MAXIMUS:

(promptly)

And our purpose is to settle custodial and

jurisdictional questions concerning this

beast, and determine what's to be done with

him.

ZIRA:

At the very least, this man has the right

to know whether there's a charge against

him.

HONORIUS:

(rising)

Objection. The accused is indeed a man.

Therefore, he has no rights under ape law.

PRESIDENT:

Well, Dr. Zira? This is a man, is he not?

274CLOSE GROUP SHOT - THE DEFENDANT'S TABLE

Sensing that the President has given them an opening, Zira smiles

confidently.

ZIRA:

He is unlike any man you have ever seen -

as we hope to prove.

PRESIDENT'S VOICE

(o.s.)

Answer the question. Is he a man?

CORNELIUS:

(tentatively)

Sir? The question is the point at issue:

Is he a man? Or a deviate? Or a freak of

nature?

HONORIUS' VOICE

(o.s.)

Objection!

275FULL SHOT - THE INQUIRY ROOM

As the Prosecutor continues:

PRESIDENT:

Sustained. In all fairness, Dr. Zira,

you must admit the accused is a nonape,

and therefore has no rights under ape law.

ZIRA:

(rising)

Then why is he called the accused Your

Honors must think him guilty of something.

Honorius seems confounded. Zaius takes over.

ZAIUS:

This man is not being tried. He is being

disposed of.

(pointing at

Zira and Cornelius)

It is scientific heresy that is actually

on trial here.

MAXIMUS:

Well put, Dr. Zaius. Let us warn

our friends that they endanger their

own careers by defending this animal.

276CLOSE SHOT - THE DEFENSE

Both Cornelius and Zira appear shaken by this threat. Sensing their

predicament, Taylor rises impatiently.

TAYLOR:

Then I'll defend myself.

277FULL SHOT - THE INQUIRY ROOM

Although the judges and Prosecutor have been told that this man can

speak, they react in stunned silence to the first sound of his voice.

Flustered, the President bangs his gavel.

PRESIDENT:

Dr. Zira -- tell Bright Eyes to

sit down.

TAYLOR:

My name is Taylor.

The President refuses to address Taylor directly. Checking a document,

he speaks to Zira.

PRESIDENT:

It says here that his name is Bright

Eyes. You gave him that name yourself.

TAYLOR:

(voice rising)

This hearing is absurd! Let me tell

my story...

PRESIDENT:

(pounds gavel)

Bailiff! Make the animal be quiet.

The Bailiff quickly crosses to Taylor and shoves him roughly into his

chair.

PRESIDENT:

State your case, Mr. Prosecutor.

HONORIUS:

Learned Judges:
My case is simple. It is

based on our first Article of Faith: that

the Almighty created the ape in his own

image; that He gave him a soul and a mind;

that He set him apart from the beasts of

the jungle, and made him the lord of the

planet.

278CLOSE GROUP SHOT - THE DEFENDANT'S TABLE

Taylor has begun to write something on a sheet of paper. Zira and

Cornelius remain attentive to:

HONORIUS' VOICE

(o.s.)

These sacred truths are self-evident. The

proper study of apes is apes. But certain

young cynics have chosen to study man -

yes, perverted scientists who advance on

insidious theory called 'evolution.'

279FULL SHOT - THE INQUIRY ROOM

As the Prosecutor continues:

HONORIUS:

There is a conspiracy afoot to undermine

the very cornerstone of our Faith

PRESIDENT:

Come to the point, Dr. Honorius.

HONORIUS:

Directly, Mr. President. This wretched man,

the accused, is only a pawn in the conspiracy.

We know that he was wounded in the throat at

the time of his capture. The State charges

that Dr. Zira and a corrupt surgeon named

Galen experimented on this wounded animal,

tampering with his brain and throat tissues

to create a speaking monster ...

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