Zulu Dawn Page #10

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184.But all British eyes are to the East or on DURNFORD'S

column.

DURNFORD dismounts, takes in the encampment.

PULLEINE:

Exceedingly pleased to greet you, Sir

DURNFORD:

ColoneL I see you're 'Standing To.' Perhaps the men could eat

with

their equipment unbuckled.

PULLEINE:

Oh yes, of course. Excellent idea, good. Oh, Mr Melvill, order

"Stand Down", will you?

MELVILL:

Sir~ (He turns his horse about)

PULLEINE:

Please. (Indicating that DURNFORD follow him)

PULLEINE & DURNFORD walk out of shot as MELVILL is seen in the

background.

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MELVILL:

Sergeant Stand the men down would you.

185.8 MWES EAST OF ISANDHLWANA. ROAD TO ULUNDI.

22ND JANUARY. 1145AM.

186.CLOSE UP of pencil drawing in progress. The artist is

revealed as being

CREALOCK. His composition is of a stationary wagon.

187.NOGGS observes. Glass of claret in hand, he makes his way

towards

CREALOCK.

NOGGS:

Crealock, old fellah (Sitting beside him). I'm doing notes for

my

dispatch and I need to clear up afew military points. I don 't

want

to bother His Lordship. Had it drummed into my thick skull that

a good Commander never willingly splits his forces, especially

in

an enemy's country before knowing their dispositions.

CREALOCK has continued to sketch throughout Noggs' banter.

CREALOCK:

Ah, Yes, if we were facing a European enemy armed with guns I

think your point would hold, Noggs. Further, may I remind you

I do not create the strategies you wish to comment on. I am only

his Lordship's Secretary. (He gives NOOGS a smug smile).

NOGGS:

With a slight chuckle he leans closer to CREALOCK.

I wouldn 't take overly comfort from that Crealock old fellah

because if~he sinks, then you sink with him.

NOGUS departs, as CREALOCK looks up for a moment and then

continues

with his drawing.

188.EXT. PULLEINE'S H.Q. TENT. ISANDHLWANA. DAY.

DURNFORD, VEREKER & PULLEINE are seated. They are dining

together.

The occasion is incredibly civilised. The table is laid with a

white linen cloth,

silver cutlery, condiments and wine glasses containing claret.

DURNFORD (Toying with the wine in his glass)

So, you 've been asked to look after me, Lieutenant?

VEREKER:

Well I assure you, Sir, I have no desire to create

difficulties.

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DURNFORD:

And I assure you, you do not In fact I'd be obliged for your

best

advice. What have your scouts seen?

VEREKER:

So far only their scouts. But we have had reports of a small

Impi

farther north, over there. (He turns to indicate the area to

his left)

PULLEINE:

His Lordship is of the certain opinion that it 's far too

difficult an

approach to be chosen by the Zulu command.

DURNFORD (Looking to the North)

Yes, welt Difficulty never deterred a Zulu commander.

(Returning his gaze to VEREKER) How many?

VEREKER:

We don 't know.

DURNFORD (After a moment's reflection)

I think it would be wise to picket the hills. Just in case.

VEREKER rises and collecting his hat, exits to carry out

DURNFORD' S

instruction. DURNFORD returns to his meal.

189.EXT. NQUTU PLATEAU DAY

MOVING SHOT. DURNFORD rides out alone.

190.VEREKER, S.M. KAMBULA, OFFICERS and a troop of SIKALI horse

ride out of camp into the foreground.

191.CAMERA PANS the vast African countryside. VEREKER' S column

is

seen in the distance. CAMERA stops to reveal a ZULU SCOUT in

the

foreground. He is hidden by a tree. On spying the soldiers, he

turns to

two young ZULU BOYS behind him. He shouts instructions that they

draw attention to themselves by moving their herd of cattle.

192.DURNFORD, now with KAMBULA, reaches the top of a rise. He

stops

and KAMBULA hands him a pair of binoculars. Surveying the land

he

spots VEREKER'S column. Handing the binoculars back to KAMBULA,

he

spurs his horse onward.

193.VEREKER'S COLUMN come over a rise to see the cattle being

urged to

the lip of the plateau.

RAW (Pointing to the cattle)

There's steak on the hoof Sir.

VEREKER (Pausing for a moment)

Sikal4 forward!

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Kicking their horses and whooping, the soldiers give chase. The

ZULUS:

try to flee but in vain. One soldier, TROOPER JAMES, aims his

rifle at

one of the ZULUS and fires.

VEREKER, hearing the shot, rides towards TROOPER JAMES, but

stops

when he gets to the ZULU BOY who is lying motionless on the

ground.

Dismounting, VEREKER goes over to the body and looks down at

the dead boy

with compassion.

194.TROOPER JAMES spurs to the lip, exultant, keen to kill. He

reins his horse

abruptly. Holding it still, he stares at the valley before him.

Suddenly all

energy leaves his body. He stares in disbelief. LT. RAW is

beside him.

JAMES (Calling, his voice unbelieving)

Mr. Vereker! Mr. Vereker! Come and look at this, Sir!

VEREKER (Riding into shot he addresses JAMES)

You 've just managed to bring down a boy of twelve.

JAMES does not respond. He stares straight ahead. Following his

gaze,

VEREKER spots what James has found before him.

195.EXT. WATERHOLE. VALLEY NEAR ISANDHLWANA. DAY.

The valley they overlook is filled with Zulus, Cetshwayo's main

Impi.

Close-packed, sitting in silence, covering the whole of the

valley floor

and perching on every inch of its rising sides, are twenty

thousand warriors.

They have found the long sought main IMPI.

VEREKER (Utter disbelief)

My God, we 've found them.

196.EXT. NQUTUPLATEAU. DAY

SILENCE:

VEREKER, RAW & JAMES stare down at the Zulu Impis.

197.EXT. VALLEYNEARISANDHLWANA. DAY.

The Zulus look up. BAYELE, who stands apart, looks first at his

warriors,

then up to the English. He shouts the order to advance.

Chanting, the Zulus

rise and start to clamber up towards the plateau.

198.EXT. NQUTU PLATEAU. DAY

VEREKER (Still stunned, he addresses RAW)

Warn the camp. Tell ChelmsforJ Inform His Lordship we 've

found what he's looking for.

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RAW (Turning his horse about)

Yes, Sir.

VEREKER orders his troop to line up facing the Zulu.

VEREKER:

Sikali, forward!

The mass of Zulus have started to cover the North strip of the

plateau.

VEREKER:

Fire!

More and more Zulus mount the crest coming into formation. The

troopers

are amazed at the sheer weight of enemy number.

VEREKER'S troop fire volleys steadily, the Zulus now six

hundred yards

away. Some Zulus fall but the mass, getting into disciplined

ranks,

advance implacably towards them.

VEREKER gives the order to retreat.

VEREKER:

Retire! Rerire!

VEREKER'S troop retreat as the ZULU follow.

199.INT. PULLEINE'S H.Q. TENT. ISANDHLWANA. DAY.

PULLEINE is seated at his desk. He is writing a letter. He

looks up as he

hears distant gunfire.

200.EXT. PULLEINE'S CAMP. ISANDHLWANA. DAY.

BLOOMFIELD walks through the kitchen area. He stops and looks

to the

hills as he too hears gunfire.

201.INT. TENT. ISANDHLWANA. DAY

BOY-PULLEN, STOREY and another are having a game of cards. BOY-

PULLEN looks up, alert. He too has heard something. STOREY

nudges

him.

STOREY:

Oy! Goon. What'redoin'?

BOY-PULLEN dismisses his concern and continues with the game.

202.INT. MELVILL'S TENT. ISANDHLWANA. DAY.

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MELVILL is seated, relaxed, his feet up on his desk. He is

drinking from

a tankard. Another officer lies reclined, smoking. On hearing

gunshots,

MELVILL jumps up, running outside the tent.

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