White Hunter Black Heart Page #3

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No, no, no, I didn't say that.

But I admit, you are right|about the ending, John.

I think you should kill them all|and blow everything up!

I knew you'd ultimately see it my way.

Morning, boys.

If it isn't the producer, right on cue.

I have just come from a meeting...

...and I think the financial deal is finally set.

- Good. When do I get my take?|- Oh, you'll get it.

- I'm glad to see you boys have been working.|- No, we're not working.

We're just warming up,|doing some mental calisthenics.

Well, if you take my advice,|you'll start with the ending.

Oh, yeah?

Now, look, Paul. Don't you go|interfering with the script.

And don't try to influence my writer, either.

You're an obscene man.

You witnessed the cultural disintegration|of central Europe...

...and you nevertheless persist on following|the same cheap, disastrous course...

...that led to Hitler over Europe...

...World War ll and the atomic bomb.

Meaning the ending stays as it is.

Except for one minor change.|The Germans kill you too. Over the end title.

Do you have a coat|or something I could borrow?

- Oh, Irene.|- Excuse me.

I can't go out dressed like this.

Irene, I'd like you to meet my partner.|Paul Landers, our producer.

Irene has the most wonderful idea|for a film, Paul.

Why don't you tell it to Paul|while Pete and I work?

Start from the beginning, darling.

It's about a dog. A puppy dog.|He's the hero, the star.

The dog's name is Horace.

Pete, I should've sent you back|to Switzerland!

I love Paul. He's such a desperate man.

- Are you coming to Africa with us, Peter?|- Yes, I am, Kay.

Thank God. Did you hear that?|Peter's coming with us.

At least we'll have one sane,|reasonable person along.

Won't it be wonderful? I can't wait.

I've never looked forward|to anything as much.

I just hope John finds us|somewhere comfortable to stay.

Not too comfortable.|I should like to rough it a little.

I'm sure John will make sure|you get your wish.

Probably get us off in some terrible hole|and watch us suffer.

How's the script?|How's the script coming along?

The script? Fine, Kay.|I think you'll like it.

Kay.

I would like to propose a toast...

...on behalf of John and myself,|to our British partners!

Hands across the sea!

Cheers!

- Cheers.|- Cheers.

And I also would like to propose a toast...

...to my partner and our producer,|Paul Landers.

Paul, I hope I don't have to kill you|before this picture's finished.

To Kay.

And to Phil and his lovely blushing bride.

And to Pete, probably the best skier|in the Screenwriters Guild...

...and the only man|I know who can keep up with me.

The only man I know|who's capable of the dangerous life...

...because now he's making a move|on the producer's girlfriend.

And that's right, honey.|He's hung like a stud horse.

Now, doesn't that make you long|for the Dark Continent?

- Thank you, dear.|- Bye-bye.

Feel the mystery of it, kid?

- Hello, John. You have a good trip?|- A little bit long, I'd say.

John, may I introduce|squadron leader Alec Laing.

- And Ralph Lockhart, our unit manager.|- Hello.

This is Pete Verrill.|Tom Harrison, our art director.

- Squadron leader Laing.|- Mr. Laing.

- And yours...?|- Lockhart. Ralph Lockhart.

Of course you are.

Well, gentlemen,|shall we get in out of the sun?

You chaps must be about ready|for a bath and a drink.

I'll take care of the luggage|and see you later at the hotel.

Well, the drink part|certainly sounds good to me.

Get out of the way!

Stupid buggers!

Get out of the way!

They knock off about 10 of them|a month along this road.

It doesn't seem to make the slightest|bloody impression on them, though.

Is that so?

Will you get out of the bloody way?

Hello, I'm Harry Longthorne,|general manager of the Lake Victoria Hotel.

- Harry.|- I'll show you to your rooms.

- Excuse me, Mr. Verrill, do you play soccer?|- Yes, I do. Why?

We're having the annual staff soccer game.|We're minus one white.

- Would you be interested?|- Certainly.

- We'll have a practice the Saturday before.|- All right.

Pete, this is Mrs. Margaret MacGregor.

- Pleasure to meet you.|- And Mr. Marlowe.

He's a licensed white hunter.|Pete's a crack shot, Marine-trained.

Sit down, have a drink, kid.

I'll have an iced tea, please.

Oh, come on, don't embarrass me.|Give him a beer.

I'll have a beer, please.

We are interested in getting|a couple of elephants.

An elephant is dangerous|because he's such a hearty bugger.

To kill him, you have to hit him|in one of two places.

Between the eyes or in the heart.

Not right between the eyes.|Down about six inches.

"There's been silence for hours now.

She's sitting on the back, reading the Bible.|He's still working on the engine.

Finally he says, 'Miss, I'm sorry|I got drunk. I apologize.

What more can a man do|than say he's sorry?'

She says, 'It's not only your drinking|I'm upset about.

You promised to go downriver. '

He says, 'Miss, listen to me and understand.

There's death a dozen times over|down that river. '

She says, 'You promised. '|He says, 'I'm taking the promise back!'

Silence.

She picks up the Bible, starts reading|again, completely ignoring him.

Now he can't take the silence any longer.|Finally he says, 'All right, miss. You win...

...which I'm sure the crocodiles|will be happy to hear.

Down the river we go. "'

Well, what do you think, John?

Not bad. But you're trying|to complicate it, Pete.

Things are always good|if they're left simple.

No, not always.

Always. That's what creates truly|important art, is simplicity.

John, there are no rules to art.

There are hundreds of rules.|Hemingway understood that.

That's why he always reduced life|to its simplest terms.

Whether it's courage,|fear, impotence, death.

People's lives just sort of unfold, and things|just happen to them one thing after another.

They were never bogged down|with that nonsense of subplot...

...that we sweated over in the past.

Stendhal understood that.|Flaubert. Tolstoy. Melville.

Simplicity is what made them great.

No, Pete. Don't complicate it.|You'll just be wasting your time.

Wasting my time?

I'm wasting my time trying to make the|script better? Isn't that why I'm here, John?

And I think it's damn good.

Well, I just wish the damn script|were finished...

...so you and I could go on safari.

Safari? I thought we were gonna finish|the film first and then go on safari.

If we wait till the film is finished,|we'll never get to it.

We'll finish the script,|then go on safari...

...then we'll shoot the film|after we've shot our elephants.

Damn lake flies.

Good job they don't bite.

Come on, whites!

There's a spare man in the middle!

- He tripped over my arm! Please.|- That was a fault.

- That was a fault. Let's go!|- How can that be a penalty?

- The local boys are quite good, aren't they?|- Yes.

They went to England last year.|Of course, they didn't stand a chance.

Why is that?

They're clever with their feet, but against|a good British team, they're just too small.

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