The Princess Bride Page #5

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THE SICK KID'S ROOM

THE KID:

You read it already.

GRANDFATHER:

Oh. Oh my goodness, I did. I'm

sorry. Beg your pardon.

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BUTTERCUP:

treading water.

GRANDFATHER:

(off-screen)

All right, all right, let's see.

Uh, she was in the water, the Eel

was coming after her. She was

frightened. The Eel started to

charge her. And then -

And we're back where we were at the last moment we saw her,

Buttercup frozen, the Shrieking Eel, jaws wide, about to

clamp down as we

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18.

A GIANT ARM:

pounding the Eel unconscious in one move, then easily

lifting Buttercup.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

The boat and FEZZIK, Buttercup being deposited on the deck.

VIZZINI:

Put her down. Just put her down.

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INIGO:

pointing behind them.

INIGO:

I think he's getting closer.

Vizzini, tying Buttercup's hands.

VIZZINI:

He's no concern of ours. Sail on!

(to Buttercup)

I suppose you think you're brave,

don't you?

BUTTERCUP:

(staring deep at him)

Only compared to some.

DISSOLVE TO:

The boat at dawn, being followed closely by the black

sailboat, which we can see for the first time is being

sailed by a MAN IN BLACK, and his boat almost seems to be

flying.

INIGO:

Look! He's right on top of us. I

wonder if he is using the same

wind we are using.

VIZZINI:

Whoever he is, he's too late --

(pointing ahead of them)

-- see?

(big)

The Cliffs of Insanity.

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19.

And once he's said the name--

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THE CLIFFS OF INSANITY - DAWN

They rise straight up, sheer from the water, impossibly high.

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THE TWO SAILBOATS

in a wild race for the Cliffs and the Man In Black is

closing faster than ever, but not fast enough, the lead was

too great to overcome, and as Inigo sails with great

precision straight at the Cliffs

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THE BOAT:

being pursued.

VIZZINI:

Hurry up. Move the thing! Um ...

that other thing. Move it!

(staring back now)

We're safe -- only FEZZIK is

strong enough to go up our way --

he'll have to sail around for

hours 'til he finds a harbor.

There is much activity going on, all of it swift, expert,

economical. FEZZIK reaches up along the Cliff face, grabs a

jutting rock, reaches behind it. Suddenly there is a thick

rope in his hands. He drops back to the boat, gives the rope

a freeing swing and

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THE CLIFFS:

The rope goes all the way to the top.

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INIGO:

hurrying to FEZZIK. He straps a harness to him, then lifts

Buttercup and Vizzini in the harness. Finally, he himself

gets in the harness. All three are strapped to FEZZIK like

papooses.

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20.

And he starts to ascend the rope, carrying them all along

with him as he goes.

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THE MAN IN BLACK, sailing in toward the Cliffs of Insanity,

watching as FEZZIK rises swiftly through the first moments

of dawn.

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THE TOP OF THE CLIFFS - LOOKING DOWN

FEZZIK'S GROUP is only faintly visible far below. This is

the first time we've gotten the real vertigo feeling and

it's a gasper.

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FEZZIK CLIMBING ON. Buttercup is almost out of her mind with

fear.

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THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE CLIFFS

FEZZIK is moving right along; however high they are, he's

already over a third of the way done.

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THE MAN IN BLACK

leaping from his ship to the rope, starting to climb. He's

impossibly far behind, but the way he goes you'd think he

didn't know that because he is flying up the rope, hand over

hand like lightning.

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VIZZINI AND THE OTHERS

INIGO:

(looking down)

He's climbing the rope. And he's

gaining on us.

VIZZINI:

Inconceivable!

He prods FEZZIK, who nods, increases his pace.

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21.

THE MAN IN BLACK

roaring up the rope, and

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LONG SHOT - THE CLIFFS

-- and the Man In Black is cutting deeply into FEZZIK's lead.

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VIZZINI AND THE OTHERS

VIZZINI:

(shrieking)

Faster!

FEZZIK:

I thought I was going faster.

VIZZINI:

You were supposed to be this

colossus. You were this great,

legendary thing. And yet he gains.

FEZZIK:

Well, I'm carrying three people.

And he's got only himself.

VIZZINI:

(cutting through)

-- I do not accept excuses.

(shaking his head)

I'm just going to have to find

myself a new giant, that's all.

FEZZIK:

(hurt)

Don't say that, Vizzini. Please.

And his arms begin moving much more slowly.

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THE MAN IN BLACK

His arms still work as before. If anything, he has speeded

up. FEZZIK's lead is smaller and smaller

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22.

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