Smokey and the Bandit Page #8

BANDIT:

For a new Kenworth. That's a truck.

KATE:

(incredulous)

A truck? You're doing this for a

truck? That's insanity.

BANDIT:

It's not a truck. It's the Rolls

Royce of eighteen-wheelers.

KATE:

But you could get killed, right?

BANDIT:

Hey, you could get killed crossing

the street.

KATE:

An existentialist.

BANDIT:

(turns to her)

A what?

KATE:

Eyes on the road.

She lights up another cigarette, as we:

CUT TO:

A BIRD'S EYE VIEW

of an endless stretch of Arkansas Highway. Camera follows

two vehicles -- hauling ass. Bandit I, followed a couple of

miles back by Bandit II.

INSIDE BANDIT I - DAY - MOVING

Bandit and Kate.

KATE:

(leaning back in her

seat)

So tell me about yourself.

BANDIT:

Okay.

A beat. Nothing.

KATE:

Well?...

BANDIT:

Whaddya want to know? My sign?

KATE:

No. I want to know what you think

about besides ditching Smokey?

BANDIT:

Having fun.

KATE:

Is this fun?

BANDIT:

Driving?

KATE:

Driving, talking to me...

BANDIT:

They're both a challenge.

KATE:

You have a great profile.

BANDIT:

Yeah, I do. Especially from that

angle.

She laughs. Then:

KATE:

Where you from?

BANDIT:

Mattoon, Illinois. But I moved down

south to work in the Civil Rights

movement.

KATE:

Seriously?!?

BANDIT:

(obviously lying)

Would I lie to you?

CUT TO:

AN ARKANSAS HIGHWAY PATROL CAR

parked off to the side of the highway behind an abandoned

and boarded up diner. The Patrol Car is empty and from a

little transistor radio hanging on the rear view mirror,

Merle Haggard sings, "I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am."

Camera moves off the Patrol Car and finds it's Driver, an

Arkansas Highway Patrolman with crew cut, taking a leak.

Suddenly, Bandit I whips past doing at least a hundred and

almost blowing the OFFICER over. He quickly zips up and races

to his car.

BACK TO BANDIT I - MOVING

Kate has seen the Cop. Bandit hasn't.

KATE:

Guess what?

BANDIT:

I give up.

KATE:

You just passed your nemesis.

He looks at her.

KATE:

Smokey.

Bandit glances up in his rear view mirror.

WHAT HE SEES - THROUGH REAR VIEW MIRROR

the Arkansas Highway Patrol car coming after him, it's

advertising twirling and siren wailing.

BACK TO SCENE:

Bandit turns to Kate.

BANDIT:

Better fasten your seat belt.

Bandit slams on his brakes, locking all four tires and sending

the Cobra into a four wheel drift.

KATE:

(as they're sliding)

Good idea.

She buckles up, as Bandit grabs for the CB mike.

BANDIT:

(into mike)

Bandit Two. I'm gonna leave you for

a minute. Back in a flash.

INTERCUT - BANDIT II

Cledus on the CB mike.

CLEDUS:

(into mike)

Keep 'er between the ditches.

ARKANSAS HIGHWAY - DAY

Bandit I slides broadside down the highway and exits down a

dirt road.

DIRT ROAD - DAY

Bandit I roars down the road, leaving clouds of dust in its

wake.

HIGHWAY - DAY

The Arkansas Highway Patrol car does a 180 in the middle of

the highway and takes the dirt road turnoff.

DIRT ROAD - DAY

Bandit I blasts up the dirt road, leaving trails of billowing

dust behind him. The Arkansas Highway Patrol Car in hot

pursuit. Over this:

KATE (V.O.)

What the hell's going on?

BANDIT (V.O.)

I forget to tell you. I'm running

blocker for four hundred cases of

illegal brew.

A beat, then:

KATE (V.O.)

And I thought I had problems.

INSIDE THE HIGHWAY PATROL CAR - MOVING

The windshield of the car is covered with dust. The Officer

tries to squint through it, but the dust keeps building up.

Finally, he turns on his windshield wipers, making the dust

twice as thick. And now he can't see anything.

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