The Princess Bride Page #4

INIGO:

Making sure nobody's following us.

VIZZINI:

That would be inconceivable.

BUTTERCUP:

Despite what you think, you will

be caught. And when you are, the

Prince will see you all hanged.

Vizzini turns a cold eye on the Princess.

VIZZINI:

Of all the necks on this boat,

Highness, the one you should be

worrying about is your own.

Inigo keeps staring behind them.

VIZZINI:

Stop doing that. We can all

relax, it's almost over-

INIGO:

You're sure nobody's following us?

VIZZINI:

As I told you, it would be

absolutely, totally, and in all

other ways, inconceivable. No one

in Guilder knows what we've done.

And no one in Florin could have

gotten here so fast. Out of

curiosity, why do you ask?

INIGO:

No reason. It's only, I just

happened to look behind us, and

something is there.

VIZZINI:

What?

And suddenly the three whirl, stare back and as they do --

CUT TO:

THE DARKNESS BEHIND THEM

It's hard to see; the moon is behind clouds now. But the

wind whistles. And the waves pound.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

14.

And suddenly it's all gone ominous.

CUT TO:

INIGO, FEZZIK, AND VIZZINI squinting back, trying desperately

to see. At this moment, they are all holding their breaths.

CUT TO:

THE DARKNESS BEHIND THEM

And there's still nothing to be seen. It's still ominous.

Only now it's eerie too.

Then --

The moon slips through and --

Inigo was right -- something is very much there. A sailboat.

Black. With a great billowing sail. Black. It's a good

distance behind them, but it's coming like hell, closing the

gap.

CUT TO:

INIGO, FEZZIK, AND VIZZINI

staring at the other boat.

VIZZINI:

(explaining with as

much logic as he can muster)

Probably some local fisherman out

for a pleasure cruise at night

through eel-infested waters.

And now as a sound comes from their boat they turn as we

CUT TO:

BUTTERCUP, diving into the water, starting to swim away.

CUT TO:

THE BOAT:

and Vizzini screaming.

VIZZINI:

Go in, get after her!

INIGO:

I don't swim.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

15.

FEZZIK:

(to the unasked question)

I only dog paddle.

VIZZINI:

Veer left. Left. Left!

CUT TO:

BUTTERCUP:

still close to the boat, switching from a crawl to a silent

breast stroke. The wind dies and as it does, something new

is heard. A not-too-distant high-pitched shrieking sound.

Buttercup stops suddenly, treads water.

CUT TO:

THE BOAT:

VIZZINI:

Do you know what that sound is,

Highness? Those are the Shrieking

Eels -- if you doubt me, just

wait. They always grow louder

when they're about to feed on

human flesh.

CUT TO:

BUTTERCUP, treading water, still not far from the boat. The

shrieking sounds are getting louder and more terrifying.

Buttercup stays silent.

CUT TO:

THE BOAT:

VIZZINI:

If you swim back now, I promise,

no harm will come to you. I doubt

you will get such an offer from

the Eels.

CUT TO:

BUTTERCUP, and she's a gutsy girl. The shrieking sound is

louder still, but she doesn't make a sound. Behind her now,

something dark and gigantic slithers past.

She's scared, sure, petrified, who wouldn't be, but she

makes no reply --

-- and now a SHRIEKING EEL has zeroed in on her --

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

16.

-- and now she sees it, a short distance away, circling,

starting to close --

-- and Buttercup is frozen, trying not to make a movement of

any kind --

-- and the Eel slithers closer, closer --

-- and Buttercup knows it now, there's nothing she can do,

it's over, all over --

-- and now the Eel opens its mouth wide, and it's never made

such a noise, and as its great jaws are about to clamp

down --

GRANDFATHER:

(off-screen)

She doesn't get eaten by the Eels

at this time.

And the second we hear him:

CUT TO:

THE SICK KID'S ROOM

The Kid looks the same, pale and weak, but maybe he's

gripping the sheets a little too tightly with his hands.

THE KID:

What?

GRANDFATHER:

The Eel doesn't get her. I'm

explaining to you because you

looked nervous.

THE KID:

Well, I wasn't nervous.

His Grandfather says nothing, just waits.

THE KID:

Well, maybe I was a little bit

concerned. But that's not the

same thing.

GRANDFATHER:

Because I can stop now if you want.

THE KID:

No. You could read a little bit

more ... if you want.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

17.

He grips the sheets again, as the Grandfather picks up the

book.

GRANDFATHER:

(reading)

"Do you know what that sound is,

Highness?"

CUT TO:

VIZZINI:

We're back in the boat.

VIZZINI:

Those are the Shrieking Eels.

THE KID:

(off-screen)

We're past that, Grandpa.

Rate this script:4.8 / 5 votes