The Last Samurai Page #15

INT. YORITOMO'S ROOM - NIGHT

Yoritomo is pinned down. Darts and throwing stars shred the

rice paper wall above him. He picks off another Ninja before

changing his position.

INT. INN - KATSUMOTO'S ROOM - NIGHT

The blazing sword battle continues.

Algren throws a beautiful painted standing-screen in front

of an attacking Ninja, momentarily confusing him. Then he

stabs THROUGH THE SCREEN -- as a blood-stain SPREADS across

the pastoral painting.

But another Ninja catches Algren off-guard and slices at him

with his short sword. As Algren lifts his sword to parry the

blow, HIS LITTLE FINGER IS CHOPPED OFF.

He drops the sword, momentarily defenseless.

Across the hallway Yoritomo has been watching the shadowplay

on the rice-paper walls.

Algren's attacker raises his blade to deliver the death blow.

In Katsumoto's room Algren flinches involuntarily beneath

the raised blade. Suddenly the Ninja JACKKNIFES as if punched

by an unseen hand. As he spins, dead, to the ground, we SEE

an ARROW lodged between his shoulder blades. Yoritomo has

FIRED blindly, through the wall, killing Algren's attacker.

Nearby, a Ninja hurls a throwing star at Katsumoto. With

blind instinct Katsumoto turns and takes the blade in the

meat of his arm.

Algren, meanwhile, has ripped the sleeve of his kimono into

a tourniquet for his maimed hand.

He uses the rest of the fabric TO TIE HIS HAND TO HIS SWORD

before launching himself back into the fray -- slicing an

attacker just as he is about to impale Katsumoto.

Together, he and Katsumoto force the last two Ninjas through

a paper wall to the next room.

They fight all the way through that room and BLAST through

another paper wall to the next.

INT. INN - STAIRWAY - NIGHT

The battle continues unabated on the stairs -- the Ninjas

spring for position with incredible grace -- perching and

fighting on banisters, leaping from one level to the next.

It is a mayhem of flashing swords and flailing limbs and

flying arrows and spinning Ninja stars.

Sprays of blood splatter against the white rice paper walls.

Some of the fighting is less than elegant. Men bite and

wrestle and gouge to survive in close quarters.

All of them are bloody and sweaty and dirty and tired, heaving

for breath, their skin flayed open, their kimonos ripped,

their hands and arms and faces blood-stained.

But more samurai reinforcements follow Ujio up the stairs:

Together with Yoritomo and Nakao, they have begun to gain

the upper hand.

Ujio flings both his swords through the air -- killing two

Ninjas -- and dives to fight others -- his martial arts skills

are dazzling.

Algren and Katsumoto are fighting side by side.

And we cut to --

EXT. INN - NIGHT

Outside of the inn, we slowly pull away...

The sounds of the battle gradually fade...

Soon it is nothing more than a lovely rustic inn nestled in

the mountains.

INT. INN - STAIRWAY - NIGHT

Later. The battle is over.

Ninja and samurai corpses litter the inn.

We slowly move up the long stairway from the bottom...

Yoritomo pulls a Ninja star from Nakao's_shou1der. Then one

from his own.

We move up another level, past more bodies...

Ujio moves through the Ninjas. Making sure they are dead.

Before sheathing his sword, he angrily FLICKS it at the rice

paper wall, spattering it with the bloody spray.

Katsumoto wipes his sword on a nearby corpse, replaces it in

its sheath. He sits beside Algren on a stair. Both men are

exhausted. Bloodied. Alive.

A long beat as we watch the two warriors.

Slow fade to...

EXT. TOKYO - IMPERIAL PALACE - DAY

Algren, Katsumoto and the others are nearing the palace.

Algren slows to a stop -- his path is toward the city.

Katsumoto stops, looks at him, then does something absolutely

extraordinary.

He kneels and bows before Algren. Quickly touching his head

to the dirt.

Then he rises, turns and walks toward the palace.

Algren stands, stunned.

EXT. PARADE GROUND - DAY

Algren walks onto the parade ground. The change he sees could

not be more remarkable.

Thousands of new Japanese troops are drilling with new bolt-

action Mausers. They are precise, exact and frighteningly

mechanistic, their uniforms new and crisp.

New German advisors are barking commands. Colonel Bagley

sees him.

BAGLEY:

Algren? My God, you never cease to

astonish.

Bagley runs over, hand extended, but Algren turns to look at

the troops.

ALGREN:

They have new weapons.

BAGLEY:

The Kaiser was only too happy to

help. Along with his friends at Mauser

and Krupp. Thank God we Americans

still have a few teeth in our head.

And they come to the "teeth." Howitzer cannons. A row of

them. Artillery officers in US Army uniforms are instructing

Japanese officers.

BAGLEY:

The ambassador and I have spent eight

months kissing Omura's ass so he'll

sign the damn trade pact with us.

You spent all this time living with

those savages?

(Algren looks at him)

He's going to want to talk to you...

ALGREN:

I need a bath.

BAGLEY:

And your back pay, I imagine.

Algren starts walking away.

BAGLEY:

They got their flag... See?

And we see it... snapping on a flagpole high above the parade

ground.

It is immediately familiar. A red circle on a white field.

The Rising Sun.

The Howitzers fire in sequence. Thundering blasts that shake

the heavens.

EXT. ROYAL TEMPLE - DAY

Omura stands above Emperor Meiji respectful but persistent.

The Emperor is kneeling, tending to his iris garden. It is

one of the wonders of the Palace: a sea of white, pink, blue,

and purple blossoms.

Retainers and servants stand at a distance. One holds a

standard with the Imperial seal: a yellow chrysanthemum.

Omura sees Katsumoto making his way toward them. He talks a

bit more quickly to the Emperor.

Katsumoto begins to prostrate himself before the Emperor,

the usual sign of extreme respect -- but the Emperor stops

him:

EMPEROR:

(subtitles)

No, Mori-san. We are "civilized"

now.

Katsumoto stops prostrating himself. The Emperor offers his

hand.

KATSUMOTO:

(subtitles)

I cannot touch the Sacred One.

EMPEROR:

(subtitles)

You can.

It is a difficult moment for Katsumoto. He simply cannot do

it.

OMURA:

(subtitles)

Did you have a pleasant journey,

Minister Katsumoto?

KATSUMOTO:

(subtitles)

It was uneventful.

Omura appreciates Katsumoto's droll response. He assumes

that Katsumoto is aware of his part in the assassination

attempt.

EMPEROR:

(subtitles)

If it is not a great imposition. I

desire a moment alone with Minister

Katsumoto. Omura-San.

OMURA:

(subtitles)

Enlightened One, perhaps I can be of

service in a conversation of state.

EMPEROR:

(subtitles)

So kind of you, but I fear my old

teacher wishes to upbraid me in

private for neglecting my studies.

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