The Last Samurai Page #8

General Yoshitaka quickly and calmly pulls himself on to the

blade, plunging it into his stomach, embracing Katsumoto.

It is seppuku -- the traditional form of samurai suicide.

Algren watches, stunned.

Then a terrible scream cuts through the battlefield.

Algren sees samurai calmly walking among the injured and

captured Imperial soldiers... killing them one by one with a

single stroke.

Algren looks over the slaughter.

And then passes out, bill wounds overcoming him.

FADE TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN PASS - DAY

Algren is unconscious, tied to a horse.

The mounted samurai move up a treacherous mountain pass,

disappearing into the soaring mountains of Yoshino.

EXT. VILLAGE - SUNSET

Katsumoto's village is the other Japan. The Japan we have

not yet seen.

The gorgeous mountain scenery of Yoshino envelopes the

village. Snow-capped mountains soar in the distance. A valley

below with rice fields.

After the turmoil of Tokyo, this place seems a bucolic

paradise. Traditional, wooden Japanese architecture. Farming.

The sense of harmony so markedly absent from the cities.

Algren, barely conscious, hunches over his horse. He has

lost a lot of blood.

Katsumoto leads his samurai into the village. As he passes,

every person in the village touches his or her forehead to

the ground to show respect.

Most of these villagers have never seen a white face and

gaze at Algren with curiosity. And suspicion.

Katsumoto dismounts in a large square, the rest of his men

follow suit. A samurai helps Algren painfully slide from his

horse.

Katsumoto moves to the steps of the largest house. His

officers fall into formation around him. Algren notes Ujio --

the grim samurai who killed Gant -- in jet black armor,

glaring at him coldly.

Ujio walks forward and SCREAMS at Algren in Japanese. Algren

doesn't move. This only makes Ujio more angry. He paces back

and forth like a caged panther spitting invective at Algren.

Algren doesn't move. He watches Ujio evenly. This takes

incredible will.

His wounds are so bad that he can barely stand.

SUDDENLY -- Ujio draws his long sword -- it slashes through

the air -- the blade singing -- and stops an inch away from

Algren's face!

Algren doesn't move.

Ujio brings the cutting edge into contact with Algren's check.

Blood runs where even this feather-light touch cuts Algren's

skin. Algren doesn't move.

Ujio glares at him. Then sheathes his sword and walks away.

Katsumoto looks at Algren deeply, gauging him. Then be speaks.

In English.

Algren is surprised.

KATSUMOTO:

You cannot escape. We are deep in

the mountains and winter is coming.

Katsumoto turns and walks into his house. Ujio follows him.

Algren collapses.

FADE TO BLACK:

As Algren begins his time at the heart of the samurai world.

INT. YORITOMO'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Algren's eyes open...

A WOMAN is leaning close, her eyes intent on the task of

sewing up his wound. She is beautiful, but he is not really

conscious enough to notice, or even feel the pain. He blacks

out again.

INT. YORITOMO'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Algren wakes again. He is lying on a simple mat. His injuries

are such that he can barely move his head. He takes in the

traditional Japanese furnishings.

A red ball rolls across the floor. And after it... TOSHIIE,

a little boy, around four. The boy looks at Algren. Offers

him the ball. Smiles.

Algren blacks out...

INT. YORITOMO'S HOUSE - ANOTHER DAY

Algren's eyes open...

Through the archway he can see Toshiie and his older brother

HIGEN, around ten. Also the beautiful WOMAN who earlier was

stitching his wound.

From his recumbent position, Algren watches as she ministers

to the boys, who are clearly her sons. Algren is fascinated

by her grace and the sweet attention she gives them.

She seems to sense him. Her eyes raise, meet his. She speaks

to someone, and YORITOMO appears. He is twenty-one, too young

to be the woman's husband. Yoritomo comes into Algren's room.

Speaks to him.

Algren shakes his head. Doesn't understand. Yoritomo speaks

to the woman, who approaches and places bowl of soup in front

of Algren. He ignores it. The boys stand in the doorway.

Yoritomo shoos them away.

Algren glances up at the woman. Her eyes avoid his, her

expression is opaque.

INT. YORITOMO'S HOUSE - ANOTHER DAY

Algren now sits in the main room. The woman is changing the

dressing on his wounded right shoulder and arm.

Yoritomo kneels across from Algren. He is impressed at the

many battle wounds on Algren's body; the old bullet wounds

and scars. In Japanese, he indicates his admiration.

Algren his no idea what Yoritomo is saying. Finally he

interrupts with the only Japanese word he has bothered to

learn:

ALGREN:

Sake.

Yoritomo's face breaks into a wide smile.

YORITOMO:

Sake?

ALGREN:

Sake.

Yoritomo glances to the woman. She nods, and brings A1gren a

saucer of sake. He drinks it down. Holds out the saucer for

a refill. Smiling, Yoritomo indicates for the woman to comply,

but before she can pour another saucer, Algren takes the jug

out of her other hand. Yoritomo laughs as Algren drinks it

down.

EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT

Autumn leaves fall to the ground. In a tiny hut, the village

swordsmith begins work on a samurai blade.

INT. YORITOMO'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Algren writhes on his mat. Trapped in his recurrent nightmare.

A SUDDEN FLASH:

The wagonload of the dead. Davey's bloody corpse closes in

on Algren suffocating him.

Back in the house Yoritomo and the woman are asleep in

separate rooms.

A piercing SCREAM shatters the night

EXT. VILLAGE - FOLLOWING

The screaming continues. Lamps are lit around the village...

INT. YORITOMO'S HOUSE - FOLLOWING

Yoritomo and the woman hurry to Algren's room --

Algren in the throes of his recurring nightmare -- awakens,

disoriented.

ALGREN:

Sake.

Yoritomo and the woman confer. Yoritomo looks at Algren and

shakes his head, no.

ALGREN:

SAKE!

Yoritomo refuses -- Algren roars and tries to rise. Laughing

at Algren's ferocity in his weakened condition, Yoritomo

easily pushes him back down.

Algren folds in on himself, rocking like a feral animal.

EXT. YORITOMO'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Katsumoto stands outside the house, drawn by the commotion.

Ujio stands with him, shaking his bead.

UJIO:

(subtitles)

My lord, why do you spare the

barbarian? He is shamed in defeat,

he should kill himself.

KATSUMOTO:

(subtitles)

The barbarian doesn't know his shame.

UJIO:

(subtitles)

Then I will kill him.

KATSUMOTO:

(pats him; subtitles)

Ujio-San, he will still be shamed

tomorrow or in a month. For now there

are things I wish to learn.

EXT. VILLAGE - DAY

A glimpse of village life -- fish are hung on lines to dry,

children chase each other, clothes are washed in the river,

and in the rice fields below, farmers squat as they have for

thousands of years. In his hut, the swordsmith continues to

hammer and fold the blade.

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