Raiders of the Lost Ark Page #15

103 INT. MARION’S TENT 103

Belloq has been talking to the still-bound Marion. He has

removed her gag. He is impatient, angry, uncomfortable.

Caught between two forces.

66.

BELLOQ:

Believe me, you made a mistake. If

you would just give me something to

placate them. Some bit of

information.

MARION:

I swear to you, I know nothing

more. I have no loyalty to Jones.

He’s brought me only trouble.

He wants to believe her.

BELLOQ:

I cannot control them.

Marion’s frightened look shifts suddenly to the entrance of

the tent. There are a few new arrivals there -- Shliemann,

Govler and Belzig. Belzig carries a black leather case. He

steps forward and smiles at Marion.

BELZIG:

We meet again, Fraulein.

104 EXT. INDY’S DIG - JUST BEFORE DAWN 104

The sky is just beginning to lighten over the dunes to the

east, making dangerously obvious the thin column of smoke

rising from the entrance to the Well. Omar and his men are

peering through the smoke down into the Well.

105 INT. THE WELL OF THE SOULS 105

Indy and Sallah are on the altar. Pushing together with all

their strength, the heavy stone top of the protective chest

begins to slide away. Indy and Sallah exchange slightly wary

but very excited looks, then continue to push. As the Ark

begins to be exposed, the air seems to almost vibrate, to

become electrostatically charged. We hear what sounds like a

low HUM. The sea of snakes around the altar draws back

further from this presence.

.

As the top of the stone chest is pushed completely off and

slams down beside it, we see THE LOST ARK OF THE COVENANT. It

is awesomely beautiful, breathtaking. 4 feet long, 2.5 feet

wide and 2.5 feet high. It’s height, however, is increased by

the two sculptured gold angels mounted facing each other on

the top. Though the body of the Ark is acacia wood, it has

been overlaid with gold. An elaborate gold crown surrounds

the top edge and gold carrying rings are attached to each

corner.

67.

Sallah is mesmerized by the sight. His hand starts to reach

out and touch one of the angels, but Indy grabs it.

INDY:

Don’t touch it! Never touch it!

The wooden crate stands open next to the stone chest. Now

Indy extracts the wooden poles from its rings and begins

fitting them through the rings in the Ark. This takes some

maneuvering by the two men, but soon they are able to lift

the Ark clear of the stone chest and into the wooden crate.

They extract the poles, fasten the top of the crate and stick

the poles through the rings of the wooden crate. They start

back toward the space under the hole.

(MORE)

The fire strips have begun to dwindle, as have some of the

torches. The snakes move slowly in toward the clear spaces.

Indy and Sallah eye them nervously as they hurry along with

their heavy load. Under the hole, they hurriedly attach ropes

to the wooden crate and it is pulled up. Indy’s concentration

is on the tide of snakes.

INDY:

Hurry up! Why did it have to be

snakes?

Sallah takes the next rope and climbs quickly out of the

Well. Indy has picked up a torch and now throws it at a pool

of snakes who are too close for his comfort. He turns and

takes hold of the exit rope. He gives it a first tug and it

falls down into the Well, landing partly beyond the ring of

fire where it instantly disappears in a tangle of angry,

hissing asps. Indy looks up at the hole.

.

INDY:

What the -

Smiling down at him from the perimeter of the entry are

Belloq, Shliemann and Gobler.

BELLOQ:

Why, Dr. Jones, whatever are you

doing in such a nasty place?

Belloq and the Germans laugh.

INDY:

Why don’t you fellows come down

here? I’ll show you.

BELLOQ:

No thank you, my friend.

(he glances around him)

68.

BELLOQ(cont'd)

I think we are all very comfortable

up here.

106 EXT. INDY’S DIG - DAWN 106

Sunlight is flooding this tableau: Sallah, Omar and his men

are being held at bay by ten armed Nazis. The wooden crate

sits safely nearby. Belzig and another Nazi have the gagged

Marion held in their rough grasp.

BELLOQ:

(down to Indy)

After all these years, it is most

considerate of you to aid me in

this way.

As Belloq speaks, Shliemann exchanges a look with Belzig.

Belzig smiles and takes the gag from Marion’s mouth.

107 INT. WELL OF THE SOULS 107

Shliemann smiles down at Indy.

SHLIEMANN:

I’m afraid we must be going now,

Dr. Jones. Our prize is awaited in

Berlin. But I do not wish to leave

you down in that awful place...

(he gives a sign)

... all alone.

Belzig and the Nazi move Marion to the hole and, to Belloq’s

surprise, push her in. Marion falls thirty feet screaming.

Indy drops the torch, braces, and catches her! Her weight

knocks him to the ground, almost into the snakes. She looks

around at the snakes, clinging to him more desperately as he

struggles to his feet trying to unload her.

MARION:

Don’t put me down!

Up at the hole, there’s plenty of dissension.

BELLOQ:

The girl was mine!

SHLIEMANN:

She is of no use to us. Only our

mission for the Fuhrer matters.

Shliemann glances meaningfully around at the other Nazis.

.

69.

SHLIEMANN:

I wonder sometimes, Monsieur, if

you have that clearly in mind.

Belloq feels how much he is the outsider, his own

vulnerability. He backs down with the wisdom of survival. He

turns to look down at Indy and Marion. His manner is gallant.

BELLOQ:

Goodbye, mademoiselle.

(a pause, then with

respect)

Indiana Jones... adieu!

Belloq and the others step back from the hole and unseen

Nazis slam the heavy stone door into place. Marion screams.

Her scream is accompanied by -

A huge WHOOSH! as air is sucked out and the chamber is

sealed. Half of the torches still burning go out with the

sound. The remaining torches continue to extinguish at

punctuating intervals throughout the following action and the

snakes immediately flood into the newly-darkened spaces. Indy

puts Marion down and snatches up two burning torches. He

hands one to Marion.

INDY:

Don’t panic. There’s plenty of time

for that later. Wave that at

anything that slithers.

Indy holds his torch out like a lantern and begins a slow

360o turn, his eyes peering into the gloom, examining every

inch of the wall and ceiling.

MARION:

What are you doing?

INDY:

Just watch the floor.

Reminded of the encroaching snakes, Marion waves her torch at

the nearest edge of their circle. She looks faint. Indy

continues his slow turn.

MARION:

Whatever you’re doing, do it

faster.

INDY:

(he spots something)

There!

70.

His head whips around, looking at the pillars around the

room. He sees what he wants. He grabs one of the oil

canisters, looks back to the spot on the wall he’s chosen and

splashes oil on the floor in that direction, then lights it.

A path opens toward that wall.

.

INDY:

Come on!

Marion is frozen in her spot. Indy drags her after him. He

splashes oil the rest of the way to the wall. It lights and

Indy pulls Marion over to the wall. He pours the remaining

oil in a circle around them, creating a safe zone there.

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