The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Page #2

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Final Revision - October, 2003 6.

CONTINUED:

Far off, half veiled int he swirling STEAM, the TOWER of

ORTHANC stands ... Unbroken by the storm. Pale waters lap

about its feet.

ANGLE ON:
TWO SMALL HOBBITS are sitting on the SMASHED WALL

. . . MERRY and PIPPIN! SPREAD before them is a feast of

BREADS, MEATS and WINE. They PUFF on long pipes as they lie

back in the SUN.

PIPPIN:

I feel like I ' m back at the Green Dragon,

after a hard days work.

MERRY:

Only, you've never done a hard days work.

MERRY cuts PIPPIN off before he can respond in kind.

MERRY (cont'd)

Welcome, my Lords, to Isengard.

GANDALF:

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF, ARAGORN, LEGOLAS and GIMLI stare at the

SIGHT before them . . .

GIMLI:

You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led

us on, and now we find you feasting and

smoking.

PIPPIN:

(mouth full)

We are sitting on a field of victory,

enjoying a few well-earned comforts.

The salted pork is particularly good.

GIMLI:

(suddenly interested)

Salted pork?

GANDALF:

(shaking his head)

Hobbits!

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 7.

CONTINUED:
(2)

MERRY:

We're under orders from Treebeard, who's

taken over management of Isengard.

WIDE:
GANDALF leads the company through the flotsam and

jetsam which floats upon the muddied waters surrounding the

TOWER ... TREEBEARD, the GIANT ENT, strides towards them,

ALARMING all but GANDALF.

TREEBEARD:

Huraroom ... Young Master Gandalf, I'm glad

you've come. Wood and water, stock and ,

stone I can master, but there's a wizard to

be managed here ... Locked in his tower.

GANDALF:

And there Saruman must remain, under your

guard, Treebeard.

GIMLI:

Let's just have his head and be done with

it. .

GANDALF stares up the long length of the DARK TOWER . . .

GANDALF:

(quietly)

No. He has no power any more.

THE OLD ENT nods his head wisely . . .

TREEBEARD:

The filth of Saruman is washing away ...

Trees will come back to live here, young

trees . . . wild trees.

CLOSE ON:
PIPPIN, his eye caught by something lying in the WATER

ANGLE ON:
The MUDDY waters GLOWING wit a golden light . . .

ARAGORN turns as, quick as a FLASH, PIPPIN has jumped off his

ho rse an d pi cke d u p -- th e PA LAN TIR !

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 8,

CONTINUED:
( 3 )

TREEBEARD (cont'd)

Well bless my bark!

GANDALF:

(urgent)

Peregrin Took! I'll take that, my lad!

PIPPIN doesn't move, his eyes staring in wonder at the smooth

black stone ...

GANDALF (cont'd)

Quickly, now!

RELUCTANTLY, PIPPIN hands the PALANTIR to GANDALF ... who

immediately smothers it in his cloak.

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF looks back at PIPPIN . . . troubled.

EXT. EDORAS - DAY

WIDE:
BACK SHOT - a GROUP OF RIDERS gallop towards the ROHAN

CITY of EDORAS . . .

PUSH IN:
EOWYN standing alone outside the GOLDEN HALL,

waiting . . .

CUT:

INT. EDORAS, GOLDEN HALL - EVENING

WIDE:
A ROARING FIRE; a LAMB ROASTING on SPI; LONG TABLES

laden with FOOD; BARRELS of WINE; a banquet is-laid ready for

the returning soldiers.

THEODEN:

Tonight we remember those who gave their

blood to defend this country. Hail the

victorious dead!

ANGLE ON:
Amidst the cheering crowd, EOWYN moves towards

ARAGORN . . . As she proffers the CHALICE their eyes meet.

EOWYN:

Westu Aragorn hal.

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 9,

CONTINUED:

EOWYN watches as ARAGORN moves away . . . a voice speaks in her

ear.

THEODEN:

I am happy for you.

EOWYN looks at her UNCLE, as THEODEN follows her gaze.

THEODEN (cont'd)

He is an honourable man.

EOWYN:

(smiling)

You are both honourable men.

THEODEN:

It was not Theoden of Rohan who led our

people to victory.

EOWYN looks at him questioningly, disturbed'by his tone.

T HE ODE N ( co nt' d)

Don't listen to me - you are young, and

tonight is for you.

ANGLE ON:
EOWYN watches concerned as her UNCLE moves away.

ANGLE ON:
MERRY & PIPPIN are in full voice, on top of one of the

TABLES . . . both hold very large mugs of ALE in their hands.

MERRY & PIPPIN

(singing)

Oh, you can search - up and down

As many lands as can be found

But you'll never find a beer so brown

As the one we drink in our home town

You can keep your fancy ales

You can drink them by the flagon

But the only brew, for the brave and true,

Comes from the Green Dragon!

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF laughing and clapping the HOBBITS. ARAGORN

steps up beside him, SMILING at the floorshow.

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 10,

CONTINUED:
(2)

ARAGORN:

No news of Frodo?

GANDALF:

No word ... nothing.

ARAGORN:

We till have time.

GANDALF turns quickly to ARAGORN.

ARAGORN (cont'd)

Every day Frpdo moves closer to Mordor.

GANDALF watches his friend's face . . . seeking reassurance.

GANDALF:

Do we know that?

ARAGORN:

(gently)

What does your heart tell you?

GANDALF:

(with a small smile)

That Frodo is alive.

(to himself)

Yes - yes, he is alive.

EXT. MORGUL VALLEY - NIGHT

ANGLE ON:
FRODO and SAM lie asleep amidst scrubby bushes near a

stagnant pool. SMEAGOL lies nearby, muttering in his sleep.

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