The American Page #18

Draped over a shepherd’s shoulder and wrapped around his neck

is a lamb.

The CHOIR, standing outside the church, keeps singing while

the procession, with the STATUE, moves onto the small church

square. FATHER BENEDETTO walking now behind the statue as

this strange annual religious parade is about to start its

trip thru town.

139 EXT. CASTEL DEL MONTE, STREET- DAY 139

MATHILDE is carrying the SAMSONITE BRIEFCASE, she is forcing

her way into a home by breaking a locked door.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 101. page 101.

140 EXT. CASTEL DEL MONTE, TOWN SQUARE- DAY 140

We see JACK looking for Clara. The town square is tightly

packed so it’s hard to find people, let alone move. We then

see his POV when suddenly two hands appear from behind in

front of his eyes, he turns around and of course it is Clara.

Clara kisses Jack deep. A long and loving kiss. Meanwhile the

sound of the choir is getting louder, meaning the procession

is coming closer to them.

141 EXT. ROOF- DAY 141

We presume MATHILDE has killed someone as there is a body

lying on the floor when we see her from behind, gun in hand,

climbing thru a window and onto a roof.

142 EXT. OPEN SPACE- DAY 142

The PROCESSION emerges thru the archway into the sloping

piece of road leading to the town square.

FATHER BENEDETTO, the STATUE and the CHOIR march on while a

crowd lines the street on either side of the procession.

143 EXT. OPEN SPACE- DAY 143

Jack and Clara have to shout at one another above the noise

of the choir approaching. They’re in mid conversation.

CLARA:

...I can’t...I have to work tonight

JACK:

Don’t work tonight.

CLARA:

You come to my apartment after.

JACK:

If I asked you would you come away

with me?

"The American" June 21st, 2010

page 102.

CLARA:

Come away with you?

JACK:

Why not?

CLARA:

Together?

JACK:

Together.

144

EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY 144

MATHILDE is on the roof, taking up her position to shoot. She

looks thru the viewfinder, adjusting the sight, trying to

locate Jack. The Church clock behind her indicates it is

nearly noon.

145

EXT. TELESCOPIC SIGHTS- DAY 145

Other HEADS...

-TOURISTS

-PROCESSION CROSSES

-KIDS on their PARENTS’ SHOULDERS

...keep blocking our view of JACK.

146

INSERT:
146

The TRIGGER FINGER, hesitating.

147

EXT. OPEN SPACE- DAY 147

We’re right in the midst of the crowd.

CLARA:

Where?

JACK:

Wherever. We could come back here.

For good.

CLARA:

To live?

JACK:

Where else?

"The American" June 21st, 2010

page 103.

JACK:

Forever.

A pause.

JACK:

Unless you have other plans.

CLARA:

Other plans?

She swears in Italian. Obscenities. Then throws herself

around JACK and squeezes him with all her strength. There are

tears in her eyes.

CLARA:

I love you, Signor Eduardo

Farfalla.

He looks at her.

JACK:

I...

JACK:

Forever?

148

INSERT:
148

The TRIGGER FINGER squeezes.

The M14 Mini fires.

An EXPLOSIVE BULLET travels down the chamber at approximately

360 miles per hour headed straight for JACK's temporal lobe.

Only it never gets there.

The gun jams.

A chamber explosion is a nasty thing. Instead of shooting out

of the barrel, the round explodes in the cannon's chamber.

Hot shrapnel fragments like a land mine, ripping into

MATHILDE’s hands, forearms and face...

149 EXT. OPEN SPACE- DAY 149

A loud BANG pulls JACK and CLARA apart as...

...MATHILDE drops two stories onto the street.

CLARA:

What happens?

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 104. page 104.

Jack sees Mathilde’s fall.

JACK:

Take this...meet me at the river!

He gives her the money.

They become separated by the procession...

JACK:

Meet me!

CLARA:

Who are you!?

JACK:

My name is Jack!

CLARA:

Jack!

She looks worried.

JACK:

Go!!

CLARA turns and walks off through the crowd.

JACK watches her go.

Then runs through the Procession and catches the attention of

Father Benedetto. He runs up the steep slope towards the

place he saw Mathilde fall. Another person in the crowd also

watches Jack run away, he keeps a keen eye on Jack’s

movements. Father Benedetto lets the procession go on and

attempts to follow Jack, who is much faster of course. Some

other people from the choir follow their priest, not knowing

why he is leaving the procession. The other person (PAVEL) *

slowly follows them, up to a certain point from where he

cannot possibly be seen by Jack.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 105. page 105.

The explosion has torn the flesh from Mathilde’s hands and

lacerated her face. The fall has crippled her.

But as JACK kneels beside her, her pulse confirms that she’s

alive.

JACK:

Who do you work for?

The explosion has deafened her. She can’t hear him.

He presses his mouth close to her ear. And shouts:

JACK:

Who?

Her bloodshot eyes struggle to focus on JACK as she starts to

form the words:

MATHILDE:

Same man as you, Jack. *

Suddenly, JACK spins around, his WALTHER in his right hand.

Father Benedetto stands quite close to Jack, and is totally

out of breath.

FATHER BENEDETTO remains where he is.

JACK c*cks his weapon, steadying it straight at the priest’s

heart.

A beat.

JACK stares at FATHER BENEDETTO, his finger clenched tightly

on the trigger.

The priest swallows, looking from the bloody body of MATHILDE

to JACK.

Her eyes are closing.

JACK:

Who’s friend are you, Father?

FATHER BENEDETTO looks at JACK.

There is great compassion in his voice:

FATHER BENEDETTO

I’m a friend of Jack’s.

A beat.

JACK un-c*cks his WALTHER.

And pockets his weapon.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 106. page 106.

JACK:

Maybe you’d better do what you do.

He looks down at MATHILDE.

JACK turns to leave. Sees the choir boys.

JACK walks across the half-empty open space with his hand

thrust deep in his pocket...and turns down a narrow alleyway.

A long pause.

Then a single figure steps from a hiding place near

the steps.

And follows.

1) 2-shot Jack and Father B. “I’m sorry father”. *

150 EXT. ALLEYWAYS- DAY 150

JACK uses his knowledge of the medieval maze at the heart of

town to elude the procession.

PAVEL follows, his hand thrust deep in the right hand pocket

of his suit jacket, gaining swiftly on JACK...

*

30 metres

20 metres

10 metres

We hear the unmistakable CLICK of the cocking mechanism in

PAVEL’s pocket and see the shape of the barrel through the

expensive material, pointing at JACK as...

*

...JACK turns and shoots.

Both men fire at the same time.

JACK is the better shot. His first bullet hits PAVEL in the

heart.

*

The second shot hits PAVEL in the middle of the forehead. The

impact of the bullet destroys his face, plunging him suddenly

back into anonymity.

*

JACK turns and continues on his way.

We can tell by his face he’s in extreme pain.

151 OMITTED 151

"The American" June 21st, 2010

page 107.

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