Witness

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1 EXT. LANCASTER COUNTY, PA. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

(TITLE SEQUENCE)

The faces of several young children are presented in

CLOSEUP, as they walk TOWARD US across a ploughed

field. On the SOUND TRACK, the haunting SOUNDS OF A

GREGORIAN FUNERAL CHANT. The CAMERA PANS UP to the

faces of older brothers and sisters, then to parents

and grandparents. These are not familiar faces, but

faces from another age, strong and open. All are

dressed in the distinctive clothing of the Amish.

2 EXT. COUNTRY LANE - DAY

Through the last traces of early morning mist another

group of black-clad figures make their way down a lane.

3 EXT. COUNTRY LANE - DAY

An Amish buggy, black and highwheeled, stark against

the landscape, appears, a spirited chestnut in the

traces.

Framed in the glass window of the narrow buggy is the

stern figure of an Amish man in black topcoat and

flatbrimmed hat, his bonneted wife in muted colors,

the face of a boy, attired like his father, peering

out.

The horse's breath smokes on the frosty air, the buggy

CREAKS on its springs, and there's the rhythmic CLIP-

CLOP OF HOOVES on the pavement.

4 ANOTHER LANE

Two Amish buggies reach a crossroads, join a procession

of three others. They disappear as the lane wends

through a leafless thicket of hickory.

5 VALLEY

A BIG SHOT... now the procession numbers almost a dozen

buggies... it is headed toward a distant farmhouse.

6 BARNYARD

Where literally dozens of carriages are parked. The

horses have been taken from the traces, removed to the

shelter of the barn.

7 EXT. LAPP FARMHOUSE - FRONT PORCH

As the black clad mourners begin to move into

the

house (women and children presumably first).

8 INT. LAPP FARMHOUSE

the coffins the upper half open. We see that

the worse

has been dressed in white linen, a piece of

white linen

partially covering the bearded face.

END TITLE SEQUENCE.

9 INT. LAPP FARMHOUSE

Partitions have been removed, making the

central rooms of the farmhouse a spacious hall. The place is

packed, a hundred-fifty or more Amish, all sitting in

absolute silence on rows of wooden benches.

A wooden coffin rests on a bench in the f.g.,

and near it the close relatives of the deceased occupy a

special Place.

RACHEL LAPP:

A young woman of perhaps twenty-seven. Her

face is pale and drawn. In happier circumstances,

although there haven't been too many of late in Rachel's

life, we would see a robust, sensual woman of full

figure, spirit and intelligence.

Eight-year-old SAMUEL LAPP flits next to his

mother; he

would appear stunned, possibly not entirely

comprehend-

ing events.

And the patriarch, ELI LAPP; his stubborn,

weathered -

yet not unkind - features grief-stricken.

THE MOURNERS:

Their faces...

CLOCK:

as it begins to CHIME nine a.m.

FAVORING PREACHER

as he removes his hat. As one, the men in the

congre-

gation remove their hats also.

9 CONTINUED:

Then the preacher begins to speak in a formal

German

dialect:

(SUBTITLES OVER)

PREACHER:

... a brother has been called home.

God has spoken through the death of

our neighbor, Jacob Lapp...

THE FAMILY:

where Rachel, Samuel and Eli are sitting- SOUNDS

of emo-

tion and grief not quite suppressed are heard

throughout as:

PREACHER:

... husband of Rachel, father to

Samuel, son of Eli.

(and)

His chair is empty, his bed is

empty, his voice will be heard no

more. He was needed in our

presence, but God needs such men,

too. That one should be taken so

suddenly. Treat sorrow. Still, we

would not wish him back. Rather we

should prepare ourselves to follow him.

TIGHTENING to the Lapps, and...

10 EXT. CEMETERY

The mourners have gathered about the grave,

standing in

silence as four pallbearers are lowering the

coffin

into the pit. The many buggies are aligned in the

b.g.

As the pallbearers begin to shovel soil and gravel

into

the grave, the Preacher begins to read a hymn in

German

... a slow atonal litany which seems to hang

forever on

the frosty air.

RACHEL:

TIGHTENING to her as the hymn continues...

CUT TO:

11 INT. LAPP FARMHOUSE11

where the Amish have gathered for the traditional

post

funeral, midday meals.

11 CONTINUED:
11

Long tables are laden with customary Amish fare

... crocks of soup, hams, fowl, fried boiled eggs

and pickled beets, preserves

and an infinite variety of pies and pastries.

RACHEL:

Where she sits among women, accepting their

condolences.

DANIEL HOCHSTETLER

A brawny-armed, ruggedly-handsome, raffish looking

Amishman.

There is something atypical about his face a slightly

sardonic set of

mouth, a bold eye, a prominent set of jaw. Not exactly

what old Jacob

Ammann had in mind, maybe, but a well set-up man

nonetheless, and at

ease among men. He's among a group of men including old

STOLTZFUS,

the local healer, FISHER, BIEILER and Bieiler's stout

young son, Tom.

STOLTZFUS:

Lapp was a good farmer.

None better.

BEILER:

But not the man to buy a horse

for you.

(and)

Hochstetler, wasn't it your

father

sold him that horse with a

ruptured testicle?

TOM:

(grins)

Told him it was a bee sting

made

him limp that way.

HOCHSTETLER:

(amused)

That horse had one good ball.

That's all it takes.

The others chuckle. But Hochstetler's

attention is still on Rachel.

RACHEL:

as Hochstetler looms on the horizon, plants

himself like a tree in front of her.

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