Planet of the Apes Page #14

PRESIDENT:

How so?

ZIRA:

Let us assume, as common sense dictates,

that the prisoner's story is false. But if

he does not come from another planet, then

surely he sprang from our own. Yes, sprang.

(a beat)

As an animal psychologist, I have found no

physiological defect to explain why humans

are mute.

HONORIUS:

Objection!

PRESIDENT:

Sustained.

ZIRA:

(plunging on)

Their speech organs are adequate. The flaw

lies not in anatomy but in the brain.

HONORIUS:

Objection!

PRESIDENT:

Sustained.

ZIRA:

(voice rising)

Sustain all objections, but face the truth!

Cornelius has regained his courage. Rising to Zira's support, he points

at Taylor.

CORNELIUS:

Yes! Behold this marvel, this living paradox,

this missing link in an evolutionary chain!

PRESIDENT:

(pounding gavel)

Silence!

(Puffing with rage)

You have gone too far.

ZAIUS:

(calmly)

There you are, Mr. President. I warned you

these two would use this hearing as a forum

for subversion.

MAXIMUS:

You were right! The advocates of heresy have

revealed themselves.

ZAIUS:

Mr. President, I think an indictment is

in order.

HONORIUS:

(promptly)

Yes, sir. The State charges Doctors Zira

and Cornelius with contempt of this Tribunal,

malicious mischief and scientific heresy.

PRESIDENT:

Be it so ordered. The Tribunal will examine

all the evidence presented here and in due

time render a verdict on the proposed

indictment and on the disposition of the

deviate in question.

(pounds gavel once)

This hearing is adjourned.

All rise. The guard drags Taylor from the inquiry room. Zira and

Cornelius stand there, stunned by the entrapment into which Zaius has

maneuvered them.

287-

289 OUT

DISSOLVE TO:

290INT. A SMALL OFFICE - CLOSE ON DR. ZAIUS - NIGHT

The office is as unadorned and Spartan as that of Cornelius -- in

fact, with minor changes in decor, the same set can be used. There are

many thick leatherbound books on this scholar's desk. Zaius is reading

one of them and taking notes. He looks up as someone KNOCKS at the

door.

291REVERSE ANGLE - SHOOTING PAST ZAIUS

The two agents push Taylor through the doorway.

ZAIUS:

Wait outside.

The officers withdraw, closing the door. Collared, wrists manacled,

Taylor stands facing the desk.

ZAIUS:

The verdict is in. At the moment your

simian friends -- and sponsors -- are

free on bail. But they'll soon be brought

to trial for heresy.

292ANOTHER ANGLE - FAVORING ZAIUS

who falls silent, as if this were the only news of import. We note at

once a change In Zaius' tone and attitude. He no longer treats Taylor

like a freak animal, but addresses him as an imaginative adversary who

must be intimidated by the threat of terror.

TAYLOR:

What about me?

ZAIUS:

(offhandedly)

Oh, your case was preordained. In a way,

you performed a service for the State ...

(smiling)

Because your hearing made it possible

for us to expose Zira and Cornelius.

(a beat)

And now the Tribunal has placed you in

my custody for...final disposition. Do

you know what that means?

TAYLOR:

No.

ZAIUS:

Emasculation, to begin with. Then

experimental surgery. On the speech

centers. On the brain. Ultimately, a

kind of living death.

Taylor stiffens but says nothing. Zaius lets this prospect sink in,

then continues.

ZAIUS:

However, it's within my power to grant

You a reprieve. That is why I summoned

you here tonight.

(a beat)

Tell me who and what you really are and

where you come from, and no veterinary

will touch you.

TAYLOR:

I told the truth at that 'hearing'of yours.

ZAIUS:

You lied. Where is your tribe?

TAYLOR:

My tribe, as you call it, lives on another

planet in a distant solar system.

ZAIUS:

Then how is it we speak the same language?

(suddenly intense)

Even in your lies, some truth slips

through! That mythical community you're

supposed to come from -- Fort Wayne'?

TAYLOR:

What about it?

ZAIUS:

A fort! Unconsciously, you chose a name

that was belligerent.

(more calmly)

Where were you nurtured?

TAYLOR:

I take it you don't believe the prosecutor's

charge -- that I'm a monster created by

Dr. Zira.

ZAIUS:

Certainly not.You're a mutant.

TAYLOR:

That's exactly what Zira and Cornelius

claim. You're talking heresy, doctor.

ZAIUS:

(smiling)

Of course.

TAYLOR:

(growing bolder)

All right, suppose I am a mutant? Why

does the appearance of one mutant send

you into a panic?

ZAIUS:

Because you're not unique. There was the

one you call Landon --

TAYLOR:

Then you admit --

ZAIUS:

I admit that where there's one mutant there's

probably another. And another. A nest of them.

Where's your nest, Taylor? Where are your women?

TAYLOR:

(pause)

Thank you for calling me Taylor.

(more firmly)

Dr. Zaius, I know who I am. Who are you? How

did this upside down civilization ever get

started?

ZAIUS:

(strangely calm)

You may well call it upside down, since you

occupy its lowest level. And deservedly.

(pause)

The eastern desert has never been explored --

because we've always assumed that no life can

exist there.

(a beat)

Save yourself, Taylor. Tell me -- is there

another jungle beyond the Forbidden Zone?

TAYLOR:

I don't know.

ZAIUS:

If you are protecting others of your kind,

it will cost you your identity.

TAYLOR:

I'm not protecting anybody! That hearing

was a farce. What have I done?

ZAIUS:

You're a menace! A walking pestilence. I

do know who you are, Taylor. As I know

that others of your kind must live in the

Forbidden Zone.

(decisively)

You have just six hours to make a full

confession. After that I'll employ surgery

to obtain one.

(calling off)

Guards!

The two burly security agents open the door and enter.

ZAIUS:

Take this creature back to his cage.

The guards seize Taylor, start to shove him toward the doorway. He

twists around, faces Zaius.

TAYLOR:

All right, you can cut me to pieces. It's

within your power.

(with force)

But know this, doctor. You do it because

you're afraid of me. You do it from fear!

Zaius jerks his head silently toward the door. The apes drag Taylor

through it.

DISSOLVE TO:

293INT. ADJACENT CAGES - MED. SHOT - NIGHT

A few hours have passed. Nova is watching Taylor from her cage across

the aisle. He sits on the pile of straw. There is an ugly welt on his

cheek made by the security officer's whip. FOOTSTEPS are heard. Taylor

and Nova look up and off.

294REVERSE ANGLE - WHAT THEY SEE:

A solemn, teen-age chimp named LUCIUS appears outside the cage. The

guard Julius rises from his chair.

LUCIUS:

Are you Julius?

JULIUS:

What do you want?

LUCIUS:

I'm from the Office of Animal Affairs.

(indicating Taylor)

This male's to be transferred to the zoo.

JULIUS:

At this hour? Who says so?

Taylor enters scene, coming over to the cage bars as Lucius continues

gravely, with just a note of disdain.

LUCIUS:

Don't they tell you anything? The Anti-

vivisectionist Society is up in arms. They're

going to save this beast from those butchers

in the lab. If he can speak he belongs in the

public zoo.

(taking off)

But what'll probably happen is that some

money-mad grown-up will put him in a circus.

And then we'll have to pay to see what

rightfully should have --

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