Planet of the Apes Page #19

377CLOSE GROUP SHOT - TAYLOR, NOVA AND ZIRA

The sniper's SECOND SHOT rings out. Instead of returning the fire,

Taylor looks up the rail at:

378ZAIUS - FRO14 TAYLOR'S P.O.V.

He is standing impassively on the trail a short distance below the

mouth of the cave.

379FLASH SHOT - TAYLOR

Bent low, he comes charging up the trail toward Zaius. The sniper's

THIRD SHOT splatters rock fragments around him.

380REVERSE ANGLE - THE TRAIL - ANGLING UP

Zaius starts to retreat to the cave, but stumbles and falls on some

loose shale. No sooner has Zaius regained his feet than Taylor

overtakes him. Seizing the ape around the neck with his left arm.

Taylor drives the muzzle of his pistol into Zaius' kidney. He spins

Zaius around, using him as a shield.

381CLOSE TWO SHOT - ZAIUS AND TAYLOR

Taylor releases the pressure on Zaius' throat but keeps the gun pointed

at his back.

TAYLOR:

Tell him to pull back!

ZAIUS:

(a hoarse cry)

Cease fire! Withdraw!

His command echoes from the west wall of the canyon.

382LONG SHOT - THE FLOOR OF THE GORGE - FROM THEIR P.O.V.

The sniper emerges from behind a boulder near the shore, and walks off

along the beach.

383BACK TO TAYLOR AND ZAIUS

Taylor lift's the muzzle of his rifle and presses it against the back

of Zaius' head.

TAYLOR:

I ought to kill you right now.

(nudging him)

Let's go.

They move off down the trail.

384EXT. ARCHEOLOGICAL CAMP - MED. SHOT - DAY

Zira rushes down the trail to Lucius, who is sprawled on the ground. He

has a bloody nose and a lump on his forehead. Nova and Cornelius come

next, then Taylor, prodding Zaius ahead of him at gun point. Lucius

appears to be more humiliated than hurt.

LUCIUS:

They took me by surprise. Sneaked

up on me while I was watering the

horses. What's happened to honor?

(pause, glum)

I got off one round to warn you.

CORNELIUS:

(gloomingly)

They've taken everything.

TAYLOR:

Not everything. They left a hostage.

(a pause)

How do you feel, Lucius?

LUCIUS:

Disillusioned...

(turning on)

But vindicated! I've been right all

along. You can't trust the older

generation. It's a matter of values --

TAYLOR:

(gently)

All right, all right. Will You do me

a favor? No orders.

LUCIUS:

(pause)

What is it?

TAYLOR:

I want you to go around the bend and

tell those gorillas their leader is my

prisoner.

LUCIUS:

(thoughtfull pause)

Yes, I can do that.

TAYL0R

Good. Say I want a week's supply of food

for the woman and myself. A horse. A spade.

And fifty rounds of ammunition.

LUCIUS:

What if they won't agree to your terms?

TAYLOR:

Then tell them Dr. Zaius won't leave

here alive.

ZIRA:

(shocked)

Taylor, you can't.

ZAIUS:

(Calmly)

Oh yes he can. He's a born killer.

(to Lucius)

Deliver the message.

Lucius looks to Taylor for confirmation. Taylor nods. The young ape

hurries away through the rocks. Taylor crosses to a useless saddle,

picks up a coil of rope, gestures at Zaius, indicating a nearby tree.

TAYLOR:

Sit down. Over there.

Zaius squats on the ground beside the tree. Taylor sets his rifle

against the trunk, fashions a noose and places it around Zaius' neck.

Then, using an ingenious combination of knots, he ties Zaius' hands

behind his back, and finally fastens the rope around the base of the

tree.

TAYLOR:

(as he works)

Now, Minister of Science - let me explain

certain principle stress and strain. If

you exert pressure to remove these bonds,

you'll choke yourself to death. It'll be

suicide, you see?

Zira and Cornelius look down at the captive mandarin. Their rebellious

spirit has evaporated, and they are clearly afraid.

ZIRA:

Taylor, please -- don't treat him that

way.

TAYLOR:

Why not?

ZIRA:

It's humiliating.

TAYLOR:

Wasn't I humiliated? By all of you?

Didn't you lead me around on a leash?

CORNELIUS:

That was different. We thought you

were .... inferior.

TAYLOR:

(wintry smile)

And now you know the truth.

(to Zaius)

Cornelius has beaten you, Doctor. He

proved it. Man preceded you here. You

owe him your science, your language,

whatever knowledge you have.

ZAIUS:

(quietly)

Then answer this: If ran was superior,

why didn't he survive?

TAYLOR:

(shrugging)

He might have been wiped out by a plague.

Natural catastrophe. Like a fiery storm

of meteors. From the looks of this part

of your planet, I'd say that was a fair bet.

ZIRA,

(weakly)

But we can't be sure.

TAYLOR:

(indicating Zaius)

He is. He knew all the time. Long before

your discovery, he knew.

(to Zaius)

Defender of the Faith. Guardian of the

terrible secret. Isn't that right, doctor?

385-

388 OUT

389REVERSE ANGLE -CIRCLE - FAVORING ZAIUS

As Zira and Cornelius look at him expectantly.

ZAIUS:

What I know of man was written long ago

-- set down by the wisest ape of all --

our Lawgiver.

(to Cornelius)

Open my breast pocket.

Cornelius crosses to Zaius, and takes a small book bound in black

leather from the breast pocket of his tunic.

ZAIUS:

Read it to him:
the twentythird Scroll,

ninth Verse.

Cornelius thumbs through the book, finds the citation and reads aloud:

CORNELIUS:

'Beware the beast man, for he is the

devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates,

he kills for sport, or lust or greed.

Yes, he will murder his brother to possess

his brother's land. Let him not breed

in great numbers, for he will make a desert

of his home and yours. Shun him. Drive him

back into his jungle lair: For he is the

harbinger of death'.

Cornelius falls silent and looks down at Zaius.

ZAIUS:

(quietly)

I found nothing in the cave to alter that

conception of man. And I still live by its

injunction.

A-389ANOTHER ANGLE - THE GROUP

Lucius hurries out of the rocks leading a saddled horse. Zaius' five

mounted gorillas appear behind him. Taylor calls out to them:

TAYLOR:

Stay where you are!

Lucius comes up with the horse. Taylor checks the provisions in the

saddlebags. Lucius is frowning.

LUCIUS:

They think you're behaving foolishly. I

must say I agree. Where will you go?

TAYLOR:

(nodding o.s.)

I'll start by following the shoreline.

(a smile)

And my nose.

ZIRA:

But suppose you find nothing but a

wasteland. How will you survive?

ZAIUS:

(firmly)

He won't survive.

(all look at him)

Do you know what sort of life awaits

you out there, Taylor? That of an animal.

If you aren't eventually hunted down and

killed by apes, some jungle beast will

devour you.

TAYLOR:

Then there is another jungle?

ZAIUS:

(shrugs; then,

sardonically)

Of course, you could return with us. Our

society might find a place for you and

your mate.

TAYLOR:

Sure.In a cage.

ZAIUS:

Where else, but in a cage, does man

belong?

TAYLOR:

No, thanks. I'll take freedom.

Taylor mounts the horse, extends a helping hand to Nova, who vault's

nimbly onto the horse's rump. Taylor looks at Zira and Cornelius.

TAYLOR:

Would you like to come along?

ZIRA:

We can't.

TAYLOR:

It's better than going to prison for

heresy.

CORNELIUS:

They can't convict us of that. You

proved our innocence. Besides...

(indicating Zaius)

... his culture is our culture.

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