The Last Temptation of Christ Page #15

The crowd watching this ceremony is literally divided against

itself. Half is cheering and carousing, a real lynch mob.

The other half is angry and shouting to stop the crucifixion.

Soldiers manage to contain these little pockets of action.

PETER stands watching with his back pressed against a wall.

A BEGGAR turns to him.

BEGGAR:

I've seen you. You're one of his

followers.

PETER:

No. It must be somebody else.

BEGGAR:

No, it's you.

PETER:

You don't know what you're talking

about.

Peter turns quickly and disappears into the crowd.

CUT TO:

EXT. JERUSALEM STREETS (UNDERGROUND CITY) - DAY

Peter is running down an alley when, turning a corner, he

runs into Philip, also fleeing.

They don't even speak. After a fleeting recognition, they

sprint in opposite directions.

CUT TO:

EXT. JERUSALEM (THE EXCAVATIONS IN JERUSALEM AND AVDAT) -

DAY:

Roman soldiers lead Jesus through the peasant streets outside

Golgtha. The blood has dried on his tunic. He still wears

his thorny "crown."

The cross-bar Jesus carries scrapes alongside the walls of

the houses because the paths are extremely narrow. (high

angle looking down on these open roofed dwellings and the

narrow passageways.) They are jammed with people (36-48

f.p.s.). Men, women, children, (animals), in the windows and

open doorways try to get a glimpse of Jesus. The atmosphere

has changed. Now it's just another show. A multiple

crucifixion:
Laughter. Ridicule. Figs for sale. Jesus weakens.

He's knees buckle, the weight of the cross-bar throws him

off balance and he falls. A Roman soldier pulls him back up

by a rope around his neck.

We see close shots of people, their faces. Their eyes, (36-

48 f.p.s.). Some turn away. Some cry. Some are mocking. One

woman in a window, her head covered with a shawl, turns away

(moving, 36-48 f.p.s.).

CUT TO:

EXT. GOLGOTHA (ADVAT) - DAY

Golgotha, the hill of the skull. The rocks are bleached white.

There are many crosses, most of them with no cross-bars.

Some are simply trees with no branches (see DeMassina). One

or two crosses bear half-eaten decomposed corpses. On the

ground, we see human skulls and bones, skeletal arms and

hands mixed with the rocks.

A curious crowd has already assembled at the crucifixion

site. Toward the rear, afraid to approach, Magdalene, Mary,

Martha and Jesus' Mother stand in a tight group.

The Romans bring Jesus to the peak of the hill and strip

him. Two other criminals are prepared for crucifixion.

Jesus looks at the rough-hewn cross laid before him (P.O.V.

move in?). He searches the crowd.

JESUS (V.O.)

Mother? Magdalene? Where are you?

He sees his Mother and tries to gesture to her.

JESUS (V.O.)

(continuing)

Forgive me for being a bad son.

TWO SOLDIERS grab Jesus by the arms:

FIRST SOLDIER:

Alright, You Majesty, on your throne.

They stretch Jesus out on the cross while slave laborers

finish preparing the post hole for the cross.

JESUS (V.O.)

Don't dessert me here. Don't leave

me.

The Soldiers place the crude spikes against Jesus' wrists.

The sound of METAL AGAINST METAL rings out as the hammer

comes down. (see nail driven through from behind wood).

A bloody mist sprays on Jesus' face. He grimaces but does

not cry out.

Martha and the three Marys hide their faces. Near Jesus, the

other criminals are being impaled. (trees, see DeMassina)

The Romans fasten ropes around Jesus' arms. The spikes alone

will not support his weight.

It takes three soldiers to hoist Jesus' cross upright. Now,

suddenly, he is above the masses. All of Jerusalem is within

view.

His body jars in to place. The pain is excruciating. His

fellow criminals howl in agony.

Jesus surveys the mob: a sea of hostile faces. He finds

Magdalene, Mary, Martha and his Mother standing together.

The Sadducees are satisfied; the Romans are complacent. Groups

of townspeople and schoolboys point out the sufferings of

the condemned men.

JESUS (V.O.)

(continuing)

Father, forgive them.

The sky changes color. A fierce wind blows across the rocky

hill.

Writhing on the cross, Jesus looks to heaven and screams:

JESUS:

Eli, Eli...

CUT TO:

EXT. GOLGOTHA - DAY

The sky turns a pleasant pale blue. Jesus looks up at the

thick white cumulous clouds floating on the horizon. Birds

sing in the distance.

He thinks:
Am I dead? No, the crowd is still there, SILENT.

On either side of Jesus, his fellow criminals writhe in silent

agony.

An old man appears before him, standing.

JESUS:

Who are you?

The man does not answer.

JESUS:

Are you my father?

ANGEL:

No, but I was sent by him. I'm the

angel who guards you.

He is now closer to Jesus.

ANGEL:

Your father is the God of Mercy, not

punishment. He saw you and said,

'Aren't you his Guardian Angel? Well,

go down and save him. He's suffered

enough.' Remember when he told Abraham

to sacrifice his son? Just as Abraham

lifted his knife, God saved Isaac.

If he saved Abraham's son, don't you

think he'd want to save his own? He

tested you, and he's pleased. He

doesn't want your blood. He said,

"Let him die in a dream. But let him

have his life." Come with me.

JESUS:

All this pain is a dream?

ANGEL:

Just a dream.

In three separate shots, the Angel takes out the nails in

Jesus' body.

First, the Angel extracts the nail in the feet, then kisses

the wound, stopping the flow of blood.

Then, the Angel does the same to the left hand.

Then, the same is done on the right hand.

In a moment Jesus and the Guardian Angel are standing at the

foot of the cross. They pass through the silent crowd

unnoticed. Jesus looks over his shoulder: his cross is empty.

He begins to understand.

JESUS:

I don't have to be sacrificed.

ANGEL:

No. No you don't.

Jesus smiles. This is finally the answer he's been waiting

for. He is free of God.

JESUS:

I'm not the Messiah.

ANGEL:

No. No you're not.

JESUS:

Thank God.

They start to walk away from the cross down the hill. We

still see the crucifixion site in the background.

JESUS:

What about all the others?

ANGEL:

Don't look behind, God gave you the

gift of life. Look ahead.

JESUS:

But what about the people? What will

happen?

ANGEL:

They can see you crucified. Or they'll

see you dead. Or they can see you

any way they want.

JESUS:

What happens later if they see me

alive?

ANGEL:

They'll see any one you want them to

see. Even you. If you want.

JESUS:

Where are the disciples?

ANGEL:

Oh, they were frightened and ran

away.

CUT TO:

EXT. JUDEAN COUNRYSIDE - DAY

They walk through the pleasant landscape of the Jordan Valley.

All is quiet, peaceful. A light morning fog envelops them.

JESUS:

Is this the Kingdom of God I spoke

about?

ANGEL:

(laughing)

No, this is earth.

JESUS:

Why has it changed so much?

ANGEL:

It hasn't changed, you have. Now,

you can see its real beauty. Harmony

between the earth and the heart,

that's the Kingdom of Heaven. Maybe

you'll find this hard to believe.

But we angels often look down on man

and envy you.

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