Tomorrow Never Dies Page #7

As Bond struggles to climb back to the peak of the second roof -

RETURN ON THE BALCONY -

Thug #1 holsters his gun, and climbs on the banister. He's too heavy

to climb onto the roof by himself - so Thug #2 shoves him from below.

FIRST ROOFTOP -

Thug #1 searches for Bond. He HEARS BOND moving, below him, on the

next building. He makes a running leap.

SECOND (LOWER) ROOFTOP -

Bond has hauled himself up to a crouch as Thug #1 lands. They

grapple. The Thug sends Bond sliding down toward the edge of the

roof, then loses his balance, and slides down after Bond.

AT THE EDGE OF THE ROOF, Bond is about to slide off, onto the

skylight below, but GRABS THE COPPER GUTTER at the last moment.

007 is now hanging, fifteen feet above a glass skylight... As Thug #1

tumbles off the edge of the roof, and saves himself by GRABBING ONTO

BOND'S LEGS.

They sway in the air for a second. The GUTTER bends, breaks, and the

two of them fall -

CRASHING THROUGH THE GLASS SKYLIGHT, INTO: -

VENICE MEDIEVAL ARMOR MUSEUM - NIGHT.

They land in a shower of glass on the grand banquet table in the

Great Hall. Bond is winded. Thug #1, unfazed. He grabs Bond by the

collar, hauling him up on his feet.

Thug #1 shoves the nose of his gun under Bond's chin, forcing 007 up

on his toes. Snarling, he thrusts his face menacingly close to Bond:

THUG #1

I owe you some pain.

With lightning speed, Bond: 1) Grasps the Thug's elbow and yanks his

gun arm forward, as, 2) Bond pitches his head back. Bond's chin just

clears the barrel as THE GUN FIRES INTO THE CEILING.

The flash momentarily blinds Thug #1. Bond snatches a CANDELABRA,

and smashes it against the Thug's arm, knocking the gun away.

As BOND DRAWS HIS WALTHER, the Thug grabs Bond's wrist, and brutally

(yet effortlessly) SQUEEZES THE GUN from 007's hand, ONTO THE FLOOR.

With a sick smile, the Thug tosses Bond into a corner of the room.

He's having fun.

AS BOND STAGGERS, PICKING HIMSELF UP FROM THE CORNER -

THUG #1 tosses aside a massive table and chairs to get at Bond.

BOND shoves a SUIT OF ARMOR (on wheels) at Thug #1 - who bats it out

of the way, like a gnat.

Concerned this might be getting serious, BOND grabs an OAK LEG from

the shattered table. He wields it like a bat, to ward off the Thug.

Unimpressed, the THUG SMASHES HIS FIST INTO a GLASS DISPLAY TABLE,

and plucks out a CLAYMORE - a two-handed "King Arthur" type sword.

With one roundhouse blow, THUG #1 SLICES BOND'S TABLE LEG IN TWO.

The Thug swings the Claymore a second time, forcing Bond back to:

A DISPLAY WALL -

filled with pole weapons. Bond snatches a lethal-looking HALBERD.

(Ax, fluke and spike on a staff.) Thug #1 stops in his tracks.

Drops the Claymore. Grabs a pole-ax.

THE TWO MEN face off in a short, furious battle, which ends with Thug

#1 shattering Bond's Halberd with the pole-ax.

NEW ANGLE -

Gripping the pole-ax horizontally in both hands, Thug #1 forces Bond

backward, to a SECOND DISPLAY WALL that features AN IRON MAIDEN.

(Something like a hinged sarcophagus, lined with spikes.)

Thug #1 tries to push 007 into the case, but Bond side-steps at the

last minute. Thug #1 lurches forward, and is only stopped from

killing himself by the pole-ax hitting the sides of the iron maiden.

As Thug #1 steps back, Bond grabs a MORNING-STAR from the wall. (A

studded iron ball on a chain attached to a club)

Bond swings the Morning-Star down, SNAPPING THUG #1'S POLE-AX IN

TWO... But loses the weapon in the process.

Now, Thug #1 lunges for Bond's throat. Grappling, they slam into the

wall next to the IRON MAIDEN - which is STARTING TO COME LOOSE FROM

THE LEATHER STRAPS holding it upright. -

In a near death-grip, Bond manages to push/kick/smash Thug #1

backwards, down onto the floor.

AND AS BOND REACHES UP FOR ANOTHER WEAPON - A HAND-AX -

THUG #1 LUNGES FOR BOND'S GUN ON THE FLOOR.

BOND CAN'T GET THE HAND-AX OFF THE WALL. HE TURNS TO SEE:

THUG #1 ABOUT TO SHOOT HIM.

And at the very last second, BOND DISLODGES THE HAND-AX, SLASHES THE

IRON MAIDEN'S LEATHER RETAINING STRAPS and -

NEW ANGLE - FROM INSIDE THE IRON MAIDEN'S POV -

The iron maiden falls forward, impaling Thug #1 on the wooden floor.

RETURN TO SCENE -

The Iron Maiden covers all of Thug #1, except for his arm, still

clutching Bond's gun. Bond bends down and retrieves it.

BOND:

He fought hard...

(holstering the gun)

But the case was terminal.

And on this note, we -

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. VENICE HARBOR - THE NEXT DAY -

Under a beautiful blue sky, the gleaming white SEA DOLPHIN II sits at

dock, festooned with pennants and banners. There's a crowd onboard.

At the same time, however, 500 feet away...

INT. DOCKSIDE CAFE -

Bond meets with Signore DiGIACOMO, a middle-aged Italian Intelligence

official in shirtsleeves. Two underlings hover in the background.

BOND:

You've confirmed all the legal

details with M?

DiGIACOMO

Si. Bueno. She's very...

'Competent.' ...For a woman.

BOND:

Let's go over this one more time.

DiGIACOMO

You will investigate the boat.

You'll signal us if you find the

enriched uranium. And then -

(distracted)

Pardon.

He looks at a WOMAN who has appeared with a baby in her arms.

ITALIAN WOMAN W/BABY

Don Franco. I just want to say we're

voting for you in the election.

DiGIACOMO

(teasing, re:
the baby)

Both of you?

ITALIAN WOMAN W/BABY

(laughs)

Of course.

DiGIACOMO

Grazie, grazie. Ciao.

She leaves. He turns back Bond:

DiGIACOMO

So. You'll signal us if you find the

uranium -

BOND:

And you'll wait until after the press

conference - and everyone is gone -

before you board the boat and arrest

him.

DiGIACOMO

Perfecto. Then we turn him over to you,

and the English government puts him on a

military transport back to London.

Bond nods, looks over at the Sea Dolphin II.

DiGIACOMO

Do not worry, my friend. I only want

what is best. For both of us.

Bond stands to leave. DiGiacomo smiles after 007 - as if he's

savoring some private secret. He snaps his fingers to an underling:

DiGIACOMO

Rocco! Un Cappuccino!

THE SEA DOLPHIN II -

As Bond makes his way up the gangplank -

ELLIOT HARMSWAY is holding a press conference near the bow, surround-

ed by dignitaries. He is a man with an EVIL EUPHORIA - showing off

all the charm and charisma that's made him one of the world's most

powerful media tycoons.

HARMSWAY:

...And so, it's somewhat fitting that

we are here today... To christen this

environmental research boat in Venice -

- 'Venezia' - the port where Marco

Polo sailed forth to explore the

world's great uncharted oceans...

(beat)

That 2/3 of the earth's surface where

the sharks are not working members of

the press.

Laughter. Bond studies the man. Harmsway continues, pointing to a

LARGE DRILL/BORING OBJECT, the size of a jet engine, attached to a

long flexible hose/tube.

HARMSWAY:

With our six custom designed sea-bed

coring drills, we will probe the

long-term effects of pollution; our

sonars, radars, and research labs

will study the wind, the water, and

the sea life that so dearly feeds us.

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