The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Page #12

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DENETHOR:

Much must be risked in war. Is there a

Captain here who still has the courage to

do his Lord's will?

CLOSE ON:
FARAMIR as he finally realises the truth.

FARAMIR:

(quietly)

You wish now that our places had been

exchanged, that I had died and Boromir had

lived?

CLOSE ON:
For a brief second, DENETHOR seems to hesitate,

then ...

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 54,

CONTINUED:
( 2 )

DENETHOR:

(coldly)

Yes, I wish that.

FARAMIR:

Since you are robbed of Boromir, I will do

what I can in his stead.

ANGLE ON:
FARAMIR bows low to DENETHOR, then turns to leave,

stops, turns back ...

FARAMIR (cont'd)

If I should return ... think better of me,.

father.

DENETHOR:

That will depend on the manner of your

return.

DENETHOR continues with his meal. FARAMIR exits.

CUT TO:

EXT. CIRITH UNGOL LEDGE - DAWN

AERIAL SHOT:
. . . HIGH above MINAS MORGUL, on the SMALL LEDGE

next to the STAIRS, LIE the FIGURES of FRODO, SAM and GOLLUM.

SAM watches a sleeping GOLLUM suspiciously as he desperately

tries to stay awake. SLOWLY, INEVITABLY, SAM, falls asleep.

CLOSE ON:
GOLLUM'S EYES SNAP OPEN . . . he sits up and quietly

crawls towards SAM'S KNAPSACK.

SAM breathes deeply now, heavily asleep.

GOLLUM grimaces in DISTASTE as he pulls out the LEMBAS BREAD

. .. Quietly he SPRINKLES CRUMBS over the sleeping SAM.

ANGLE ON:
GOLLUM as he throws the remaining LEMBAS BREAD over

the cliff.

CLOSE ON:
SAM'S EYES flick open . . . GOLLUM spins around,

caught off guard . . .

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 55.

CONTINUED:

SAM:

What are you up to? Sneaking off, are we?

SMEAGOL:

(prevaricating)

Sneaking? Sneaking? Fat Hobbit is always so

polite. Smeagol shows them secret ways that

nobody else could find and they say

"Sneak!", "Sneak!". Very nice friends, oh

yes, my Precious, very nice.

SAM:

Alright, alright - you just startled me is

all.

(peering over the cliff's edge)

What were you doing?

SMEAGOL:

(sly)

Sneaking!

Too exhausted to argue, SAM turns away.

SAM:

Fine, have it your own way.

SAM gently shakes FRODO'S shoulder. -

SAM (cont'd)

Sorry to wake you, Mr Frodo. We have to be

moving on.

SAM rummages through his KNAPSACK, looking for a bite to eat.

FRODO sits up slowly.

FRODO .

It's dark still.

SAM:

It's always dark here -

CLOSE ON:
SAM stops rummaging . . . SHOCK on his face.

SAM (cont'd)

It's gone . . . the Elven bread!

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 56.

CONTINUED:
( 2 )

FRODO:

(alarmed)

What? That's all we have left!

SAM slowly turns to GOLLUM ...

SAM:

(dawning realisation)

He took it! He must have!

GOLLUM:

(shocked)

Smeagol? No, no, not poor Smeagol. Smeagol

hates nasty Elf bread!

SAM:

You're a lying wretch! What did you do with

it?

FRODO:

He doesn't eat it . . . he can't have taken

it.

CLOSE ON:
GOLLUM slaps his hand against SAM'S JACKET . . .

sending LEMBAS CRUMBS RAINING DOWN!

GOLLUM:

What's this? Crumbs on his jacketses!

(fake outrage)

He took it! He took it! I seen him, he's

always stuffing himself when Master's not

looking!

SAM:

(angry)

That's a filthy lie!

SAM is ENRAGED . . . he throws himself at GOLLUM .. punching

him!

SAM (cont'd)

(yelling)

You stinking two-faced sneak! Call me a

thie . . .

f

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 57.

CONTINUED:
( 3 )

FRODO:

(yelling)

Sam! Stop it!

FRODO pulls SAM off GOLLUM ...

SAM:

(yelling)

I'll kill him! I'll kill him!

FRODO:

No, Sam!

FRODO COLLAPSES on the GROUND!

CLOSE ON:
SAM'S horrified face!

SAM:

Alight, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to

go so far, I was so angry . . . Here, let's

rest up a bit.

SAM attempts to fuss around FRODO ...

FRODO:

(exhausted)

I ' m alright.

SAM:

No, no, you're not alright! You're

exhausted! It's that Gollum; it's this

place; it's that thing around your neck. I

could help a bit . . . I could carry it for a

while - share the load.

CLOSE ON:
A terrible light comes into FRODO'S eyes as he

STARES into the EARNEST eyes of SAM.

FRODO:

Get away!

FRODO pushes SAM away, clutching at the RING beneath his shirt

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 58.

CONTINUED:
( 4 )

SAM:

(confused)

I don't want to keep it . . . I just want to

help!

FRODO rises to his FEET, as if empowered with a frightening

intense ENERGY.

GOLLUM:

See! See! He wants it for himself.

SAM:

(beside himself)

Shut up, you! Go away. Get out of here.

CLOSE ON:
FRODO ...

FRODO:

(quietly)

No, Sam . . . it's you.

SAM stares at FRODO with DISBELIEF.

/

FRODO (cont'd)

I'm sorry, Sam ...

CLOSE ON:
TEARS WELL in SAM'S eyes . . .

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