The Last Samurai Page #11

ALGREN (V.O.)

Each day I am confounded by their

strange customs and contradictions,

savagery followed by mildness.

INT. YORITOMO'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Algren now kneels at the table with the rest of the family

as they eat. He is in considerable pain from the rigors of

training. He tries to roll the stiffness out of his neck,

when be notices that Higen it imitating him. Toshiie laughs.

ALGREN (V.O.)

They seem to value nothing more than

their families, and yet they kill

defenseless wounded men without a

shade of remorse...

Yoritomo sternly tells Higen not to make fun of their guest.

Yoritomo apologizes to Algren, who shakes his head

unnecessary.

ALGREN:

Raisu? [Rice?]

They stop, shocked. He has spoken!

Yoritomo calls for Taka to serve him more rice, then begins

yammering enthusiastically in Japanese. Algren holds up his

hand.

ALGREN:

Not so fast. Ko... toba? [Words?]

(holds up chopsticks)

What is this?

YORITOMO:

Hashi.

ALGREN:

Hashi.

Yoritomo is hysterical with glee now.

YORITOMO:

Hai!

The boys are suddenly dervishes, pulling various objects

from the table and around the room, shouting the Japanese

words for each.

Algren shakes his head, and smiles for the first time in

this story.

Yoritomo manages to quiet the boys. He points to himself.

YORITOMO:

Yoritomo.

ALGREN:

(points to himself)

Algren.

YORITOMO:

All-gren.

Algren nods, and the boys start screaming "All-gren!.

YORITOMO:

(points to each in

rum)

Higen. Toshiie. Taka.

ALGREN:

(bowing)

Higen. Toshiie.

(turns to Taka)

Taka.

She meets his eyes for the slightest moment, then looks down

and walks away.

INT. KATSUMOTO'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Katsumoto is arranging flowers. Algren watches in confusion,

as this powerful lord goes about doing something so feminine

and delicate. Finally:

KATSUMOTO:

The parliament of your country has

two houses. Why is that?

ALGREN:

To keep either one from being too

powerful.

KATSUMOTO:

Does not a people need a powerful

ruler to protect them?

ALGREN:

We believe the opposite.

Katsumoto thinks about this.

ALGREN:

I have a question. How do you come

to speak English?

KATSUMOTO:

Members of the Council were required

to study it... Yes, I was a member

of the government. I helped restore

the Emperor to the throne.

ALGREN:

So that Japan could have a powerful

ruler to protect it.

Katsumoto understands Algren's irony, but doesn't smile.

ALGREN:

And now you must hate him for what

he's done.

KATSUMOTO:

He is my blood. I serve him with my

life.

ALGREN:

By fighting his army?

Katsumoto looks at Algren.

KATSUMOTO:

I do not fight the emperor. I fight

those who seek to influence him,

those who betray the soul of my

country.

He slowly draws his long samurai sword, and places it next

to the flowers on the table in front of him.

KATSUMOTO:

The Emperor gave this blade to my

ancestors 400 years ago. It has been

used only to defend his sacred honor.

Katsumoto hands the sword to Algren. Algren studies it.

KATSUMOTO:

It takes many years to make a sword.

It is a holy act. A samurai's sword

is his soul.

ALGREN:

This sword is flawed. What is this

uneven line near the edge?

Katsumoto smiles at Algren's ignorance.

KATSUMOTO:

One man is flexible and compromises

too much to avoid conflict. Another

man is so fierce he wins every battle,

but so rigid he can never know peace.

A man who knows both is the perfect

warrior. The same is true of a

blade... one steel bends, and the

other cuts. And where they meet is

never perfect. Hold the blade up.

Algren holds the sword, cutting edge up. Katsumoto takes a

silk cloth and drops it. It gently billows down -- and splits

evenly on the edge.

KATSUMOTO:

Some believe a blade is thirsty until

it tastes the blood of its enemy.

Algren hands the sword back. Suddenly, Katsumoto swings the

sword, cleanly splitting the table in two.

Silence.

ALGREN:

The crew at Winchester can produce

one rifle every seven minutes.

KATSUMOTO:

We gave up firearms two hundred years

ago. It takes no courage to kill a

man from half a mile away. You must

look into the eyes of your enemy to

know who you have killed.

ALGREN:

I'm not sure an artillery officer

would agree.

KATSUMOTO:

Do you?

ALGREN:

I think all killing's a filthy

business.

KATSUMOTO:

Taking a man's life is nothing. It

is his honor you can never take away.

ALGREN:

In other words you have no respect

for human life.

KATSUMOTO:

(Fierce)

What do you know of human life? You

come here to kill for money. Where

is your family? Where is your wife,

your sons? What is your legacy?

ALGREN:

(undaunted)

And what is yours? To rebel against

the future? I fought the South in

our civil war. Their leaders believed

they were fighting for "honor" just

as you do. And their people died by

the thousands!

Katsumoto simply looks at him.

ALGREN:

And my wife is dead.

KATSUMOTO:

Mine, too.

They look at each other. Some unexpected recognition has

taken place.

KATSUMOTO:

Tomorrow we will discuss your

country's wish for dominance in the...

"Far East."

ALGREN:

...I look forward to it.

Algren turns to go.

EXT. VILLAGE SQUARE - DAY

We see the village swordsmith at work. He has been forging

the same long samurai blade for months... Algren watches him

as he works.

ALGREN (V.O.)

March 9, 1877. I have never known

such a disciplined people.

EXT. VILLAGE DAY

Algren trains with the other men. He attempts an attack,

which is easily brushed aside by Nakao. Algren ends up in

the dirt again.

ALGREN (V.O.)

From the moment they wake, they devote

themselves to the perfection of

whatever they pursue --

EXT. VILLAGE - DAY

Algren walking with Katsumoto -- they are deep in

conversation.

ALGREN (V.O.)

And yet the more time I spend here,

the less I understand them.

EXT. VILLAGE - DAY

Two women are bowing repeatedly, chattering in smiling,

earnest argument.

ALGREN (V.O.)

Everyone is polite, every nuance of

behavior seems to have a great

meaning, and increasingly I am

convinced that the lower they bow,

the less they mean it.

EXT. YORITOMO'S - HOUSE

Algren, holding the wooden sword in 1870'5 baseball manner,

is coaxing Higen to throw the ball at him. The children laugh

as Algren hits it onto the next porch.

Taka watches her sons impassively. It is clear how much they

like Algren.

ALGREN (V.O.)

And I am sure they regard my ways to

be as confounding and unfathomable

as I find theirs.

AN ICE CRYSTAL ON THE END OF A BRANCH

Starts to drip. SPRING has begun.

EXT. VILLAGE - DAY

Villagers laugh as they go about the business of life. A man

throws a sack of rice to another. Two women hurry away from

a farmer who is teasing them.

Algren is once again among the training warriors. He and

another man face off, each waiting for the other to attack

with his wooden sword.

Algren moves first, but his opponent counters, and strikes

him easily. They wheel around and engage again, and again

Algren is bested. Furious, he throws himself at his opponent,

reverting to classic saber technique.

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