Sherlock Holmes Page #8

Holmes begins walking away.

McMURDO

Oi! We ain't done here.

HOLMES:

(walking away)

Not done. Finished. And as I

said, thank you, it was most

pleasurable.

(CONTINUED)

22.

15A-17 CONTINUED: (2) 15A-17

Face twisted in disgust, McMurdo strides forward and

SPITS CONTEMPTUOUSLY at Holmes, catching him on the back

of the head. The crowd falls silent.

Holmes stops. Feels the back of his head, smells his

hand.

HOLMES:

Hm. Plymouth gin.

He turns. Steps back into the ring.

The crowd applauds, working into a fever pitch, but from

Holmes' POV, all is calm. His eyes tick slowly, scanning

McMurdo, locking onto the big man's knee:

A little scar-tissue, nearly invisible. As McMurdo

braces for combat --

Instantly Holmes unleashes a series of superfast moves,

incorporating exotic martial arts. The blinding

combination culminates with a spinning kick to the big

man's knee, which buckles altogether wrong.

McMurdo falls, over and out. Holmes is already turning

away before the giant hits the canvas.

He sees the crowd fall silent, they're not sure if they

like it, there really isn't any sport. He doesn't care.

Passing fellow fighters and flirty barmaids, Holmes

strides out of the bar, battered on the outside, soothed

inside. He grabs a bottle in his hand. Taking a huge

swig, he climbs the stairs towards the upstairs rooms.

18A 18A

INT. PENTONVILLE PRISON - CORRIDOR - NIGHT

A candle shivers, casting jagged shadows. A row of stone

cells. The sound of prisoners SCREAMING in the dark. A

full-scale riot is on.

Five GUARDS charge down the corridor, banging on the

doors to quiet the prisoners.

The GUARD CAPTAIN approaches a young guard, CHARLIE, who

is frozen on the spot.

GUARD CAPTAIN:

Charlie, what the hell's going on

down here?

(CONTINUED)

23.

18A CONTINUED:
18A

CHARLIE:

It's Jack, he tried to stop

Blackwood from doing his spells.

And now he's in some kind of fit.

The Guard Captain continues around the corner. We see

another guard, JACK, lies convulsing on the floor.

GUARD CAPTAIN:

(to the prisoners in

the cell next to

Blackwood)

You lot shut it!

(to the guards)

Charlie, get, down here and get

him to the infirmary.

The guards pick Charlie up and carry him away.

19 19

INT. PENTONVILLE PRISON - BLACKWOOD'S CELL - NIGHT

Blackwood sits dead center in the dark. Eyes closed,

WHISPERING ungodly sounds.

On the walls the scrawls of a madman: wild symbols,

sketches of animals, a headless sphinx, an upside-down

cross. A hint of some method to his madness.

GUARD CAPTAIN:

All right, Blackwood, what's this

all about?

BLACKWOOD:

I've a request.

GUARD CAPTAIN:

You don't get nothin' `til you

stop this devil nonsense. That's

a holy book --

Blackwood closes his eyes again, resumes his soft murmur.

GUARD CAPTAIN:

(louder)

-- and you will respect it!

Blackwood starts whispering FASTER. LOUDER.

GUARD CAPTAIN:

Boy, you want me to muzzle you --

Suddenly, the Captain starts COUGHING. He's confused.

He coughs harder. Prisoners watch him stumble backwards.

(CONTINUED)

23A.

19 CONTINUED:
19

Blackwood keeps whispering. The Captain falls to one

knee, keeps coughing.

Finally the Captain COUGHS SOMETHING UP, spits it out

onto the stone floor. He looks down, horrified:

It's a small CATHOLIC CROSS on a chain.

Prisoners start SHOUTING. The RAVEN at Blackwood's

windowsill flutters away. Other guards run up,

terrified.

(CONTINUED)

24.

19 CONTINUED:
(2) 19

GUARD #2

Get him to the infirmary, now!

Guards pull the Captain away. The remaining guard picks

up the cross, stares at Blackwood, chilled. Blackwood's

eyes snap open.

BLACKWOOD:

I've a request.

20 OMITTED 20

21 INT. PUNCH BOWL PUB - BARE-KNUCKLE BOXING RING - NIGHT 21

The fighting is over and the pub is closing. Only a few

people remain cleaning up, mopping the beer and blood.

Watson enters fast, looks around, and moves upstairs.

22 22

INT. PUNCH BOWL PUB - ATTIC

Watson walks down a dingy hallway towards a door. With a

look of resignation, he opens the door to see Holmes

sitting alone in the sterile, barely furnished room.

Holmes faces the corner, playing scales on his VIOLIN.

On the table next to him, an upside down BEER STEIN and

an assortment of prescription medicine bottles.

Watson approaches, sees Holmes has bloodshot eyes from

lack of sleep.

Watson picks one of the medicine bottles which is open.

WATSON:

You know this is for eye surgery?

HOLMES:

I find that it lifts my spirits.

WATSON:

It's a pathological amorbic

process, it increases tissue

change and weakness. And you know

what a black reaction comes on you

afterwards.

No answer. More scales. Watson approaches, sees Holmes

has bloodshot eyes from lack of sleep. The beer stein is

full of FLIES all buzzing about.

Rate this script:3.5 / 2 votes