The Flight of the Phoenix Page #2

---

1600 hours, March 17th.

What... What about my wife, doctor?

No, don't think about it now.

She'll be all right. She'll be fine.

Do you have any kind of liquor

onboard?

Well, there's still some morphine left.

Wouldn't that be better?

RENAUD:
I would like to save it

for when the pain gets worse.

GABRIELE:

Doctor.

TOWNS:

Cause of crash:
Pilot error.

All right if we issue

the water ration now?

TOWNS:

Sure, go ahead.

- Work something out?

- Yes, I think so.

Could I have your attention, please?

We have something important

to say concerning our water supply.

Now, there is just under

a full measure for each of us here.

Dr. Renaud informs me that we shall

require, as an absolute minimum...

...one pint of water per person

per day. Is that right?

Yes, that's right.

Now, on the basis of the 15 gallons

in the emergency tank...

...that gives us roughly 10 to 11 days.

That is, of course, if we just sit here

and don't exert ourselves in any way.

Hey, Lightning, do you hear that?

You're not to wear yourself out.

As we are somewhat off our original

course, unless we are certain...

...of being picked up, we ought to make

do with the absolute minimum.

- Is that understood?

CROW:
Hear, hear.

- Hear, hear.

COBB:
Yeah.

- All right, Mr. Towns?

- Sounds reasonable.

If we have enough water

for all that time...

...couldn't we set aside

a little bit for washing?

- Washing?

BELLAMY:
What a dumb thing.

Hey, captain.

What are we supposed to do for grub?

I reckon we ought to eat the monkey.

As far as food is concerned,

we seem to be singularly fortunate.

There happens to be an almost unlimited

supply of pressed dates on board.

CARLOS:
Pressed dates?

CROW:
All they're good for is regularity.

Yes, I quite agree.

They were being sent back from Jebel

because nobody would eat them.

Yes, I think that's about all.

CROW:
That's about all?

That's enough, isn't it?

Thank you.

Excuse me, but shouldn't some kind

of rescue plane have seen us by now?

Don't worry. Someone will be along

even before you can think about lunch.

Our accounts people will be waiting

for my Jebel operation report...

...before they can get started

on the annual figures.

How big a hole will a busted-up

sky truck make in your annual figures?

There will be insurance, but insurance

companies move in mysterious ways.

Like God, of course,

but not half as generous.

- It's bound to be a setback.

- I imagine it will be.

Anyway, you don't have to worry.

They'll be here.

Oh, thank you.

It will work very well.

STANDISH:

The captain says our chances are good.

- A bit optimistic, aren't you?

- I don't think so.

Well, being 130 miles off-course

isn't exactly going to help.

It's not gonna stop them either.

[MUSIC PLAYS ON RADIO]

CROW:

Music while you work?

It's mine. I bought it.

We could use this thing

to find out what's happening.

Nobody told...

He did say something about it, Frank.

It's my fault. I should have...

COBB:

It's mine.

What's the matter with this thing?

CROW:

Look at Heinrich, will you?

Hey, shut that damn thing off!

What are you trying to prove?

I'm trying to remain reasonably clean.

You think this is some kind

of a picnic?

[MAN ON RADIO SPEAKING

IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

That's just a local station

relaying a political broadcast.

I don't think you'll find any stations

we'd want until nightfall.

Doctor, what was that chap

talking about, anyway?

Water conservation

and a five-year plan for irrigation.

A fat lot of use that is.

What this country needs

is a few more pubs.

Fold it up. Get this stuff furled.

Tie it on so it won't blow away.

HARRIS:

Get that line.

CROW:

Give a hand. Pull, man.

- This darn wind's too much.

HARRIS:
Hold it, hold it.

HARRIS:

Don't let it get away.

Close it up! Come on!

Close it up! Okay, now, get aboard.

MORAN:

Push. Push.

Get in there, lock it up!

MORAN:

Here it comes!

TOWNS:

Get inside. Come on!

Let's get the door closed.

How are you feeling?

Better have some more of this.

Come on. Up you come.

[COUGHING]

I think you like this better than I do.

That's all right. As a matter of fact,

I've given it up.

How is he doing?

Oh, he's fine. We'll have him back

with his wife in no time.

But maybe too late.

No, you can't tell. Perhaps she'll

be better by the time you get there.

No, she would never send a cable.

My wife is a very modest person.

She'd send a cable

only if it were something bad.

Now, don't you worry.

We'll get you out of here.

He's right, Gabriele.

[MUSIC PLAYS ON RADIO]

The sandstorm will make it

more difficult, won't it?

What, finding us?

No, simplify things no end, old chap.

They'll bloody well give up.

Are you frightened?

You don't want to be despondent,

old man.

Wait till the water runs out,

then you can really start laughing.

They wouldn't really just give up looking,

would they?

Never.

Don't you worry, me old duck,

they'll find us.

Trouble is, we'll all be dead.

[CONNIE FRANCIS'

"SENZA FINE" PLAYS]

Give that to the boy for a little while.

To the boy.

Thank you.

TOWNS:
I told Standish we wouldn 't

even have time to think about lunch.

That was three days ago.

This is our fifth day.

Most of them still believe it's only a

matter of time before we're picked up.

I wish I could be sure of that.

This heat is intolerable.

You should come here in the summer.

It's lovely.

Hey, sarge, look at this!

Hey, Abdul!

They went that way.

Abdul!

Your mates went flashing through here

on a herd of camels about an hour ago.

[MONKEY CHATTERS]

[PLANE ENGINES ROARING

IN THE DISTANCE]

STANDISH:

Can they see us?

BELLAMY:
There it is.

HARRIS:
Where?

CROW:

Yeah, I see it. Up there!

BELLAMY:

Hey! Down here!

- Down here!

CROW:
Down here!

- Hey!

- Down here!

Down here!

- Come on!

CROW:
Come down here!

HARRIS:

Hey, come on! Get down here!

- Here we are!

- Down here!

- Come on!

- Hey! Hey!

- Hey!

CROW:
Come on!

WATSON:
Come on down here!

STANDISH:
Come down here!

BELLAMY:
Come on!

CROW:
Come back here!

It's pretty high.

Probably about 30,000.

More like 35. Couldn't be

the airlines, not in this area.

I don't think they could see

us even if they were looking for us.

BELLAMY:
Hey!

CROW:
Come on!

MORAN:

No, I suppose not.

MEN:
Hey!

- All right, come on now, forget it.

- You're wasting time, they didn't see us.

- Bloody pilots.

All them flares do is make a lousy stink.

Might as well quit using them.

There'll be nothing.

Nobody could find us.

That's right, Standish. Nobody will.

HARRIS:

It's time we tried to march out of here.

Oh?

You've heard the others.

You know what they're thinking?

It's five days,

we've had two sandstorms...

- ...we're not sure they're even looking.

- They're looking.

Nevertheless, if we're

100 miles off-course...

Which way were you thinking

of marching, captain?

What is our nearest water point?

You can show me on your charts.

Well, yes, I can do that. How many

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes