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THREE KINGS a screenplay by David O. Russell Story by John Ridley and David O. Russell Draft Date: 6/22/98 FADE IN: EXT. IRAQI DESERT - DAY WIDE ANGLE POV of wide open desert, flat grey sky. THE CAMERA is running forwar
THREE KINGS
a screenplay by
David O. Russell
Story by
John Ridley and David O. Russell
Draft Date: 6/22/98
FADE IN:
EXT. IRAQI DESERT - DAY
WIDE ANGLE POV of wide open desert, flat grey sky.
THE CAMERA is running forward, toward a big sand berm in the
distance. There are O.S. sounds: SOLDIER'S EQUIPMENT
CLANKING, BOOTS RUNNING ON SAND. Hear a MAN's BREATHING.
The back of his helmeted head and his uniformed shoulders
APPEAR in the BOTTOM of the FRAME, running. This is TROY
BARLOW, Sargeant, U.S. Army, 25 years old. On his helmet is
a photo-button with a photo of a newborn baby.
Suddenly, on the sand berm 100 meters ahead, an IRAQI SOLDIER
stands. Troy stops in his tracks, out of breath, and stares
at the figure on the berm. The Iraqi flutters a white flag
over his head, then puts it down and picks up a gun. Troy
turns around, we see his face for the first time.
TROY
Are we shooting people, or what?
SOLDIER #1 (O.S.)
Are we shooting?
TROY
That's what I'm asking you.
SOLDIER #1 (O.S.)
What's the answer?
TROY
I don't know the answer. That's
what I'm trying to find out.
PAN TO THREE SOLDIERS 40 yards away -- ZOOM IN --
SOLDIER #1 unwraps a stick of gum and puts it into his mouth.
TWO OTHER SOLDIERS put out their hands and get pieces of gum.
PAN TO 100 yards away -- ZOOM IN -- SOLDIER #2 stands with
his head tilted back while SOLDIER #3 looks into his eye.
SOLDIER #3
It looks like a grain of sand, but
I don't know how I'm gonna get it
out--
CAPTAIN VAN METER, 37, crab-like, is in the far distance.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
If they surrender, don't shoot, if
they don't surrender, then shoot.
PAN BACK TO Troy, faces the CAMERA, CLOSE, scared, then turns
back to the dune and runs a few yards.
Stops and stares, raises his rifle. He aims at the figure on
the horizon.
POV THROUGH RIFLE SCOPE
The Iraqi soldier in the cross hairs. Hear Troy's breathing,
loud, as he pulls trigger slowly. Slow motion RIFLE sound.
Silent pause. The Iraqi soldier stands there, then his neck
explodes like a sack of blood. Silent, except for sound of
Troy's LOUD BREATHING as he walks toward the big berm, and up
to the crest. All we hear are his footsteps and breathing.
SOLDIER #3 (O.S.)
That guy just shot a towel head.
SOLDIER #4 (O.S.)
Bullshit.
YOUNG IRAQI SOLDIER
lies on the ground. A piece of his neck is blown away. He is
rasping, a flag is clasped in one hand; a rifle in the other.
He is looking up at Troy, who looks down at him.
SMASH CUT TO
FANTASY - INT. HOSPITAL, TORRANCE, CAL. - DAY
A WHITE BABY GIRL, covered in blood and placenta, is pulled
from between the legs of Troy's WIFE, DARLENE. THE NURSE
holds the SCREAMING BABY aloft, proud and happy.
VIG (V.O.)
(deep southern accent)
Congratulations, you got yourself
a rag head, my man.
EXT. IRAQI DESERT - DAY (PRESENT)
The rasping Iraqi dies.
PAN TO CONRAD VIG, 18 or 20, wiry, intense, deep south,
wearing Army issue glasses, out of breath.
VIG
Dag.
Troy turns, upset, murmurs "I Get Around" by the Beach Boys.
TROY
"Gettin' bugged drivin' up and
down the same old strip, gotta
find a new place where the kids
are hip, I get around --"
SOLDIER #1
I didn't think I'd see anyone get
shot over here.
VIG
It looked like the guy's head blew
three feet into the air --
FANTASY SEQUENCE IN SLOW MOTION
The Iraqi's head pops three feet into the air.
BACK TO THE SCENE
SOLDIER #1
Bullshit, that's not what happened.
VIG
I said it looked like that
happened, but then we got here and
he was still breathing.
SOLDIER #2
Oh, my God, it's just like
'Predator,' where the guy, the
black guy --
SOLDIER #3
Carl Weathers. His arm gets shot
off.
VIG
And when it hits the ground, his
hand keeps on firing.
SCENE FROM 'PREDATOR'
Carl Weathers arm is shot off and keeps firing.
BACK TO THE SCENE.
SOLDIER #5
Take my picture.
VIG
Do you still want to sell pictures?
TROY
(distracted monotone)
For twenty.
SOLDIER #5
Twenty dollars, man, what's the
meaning of life?
TROY
You're lucky you got to see
anybody shot in this war.
VIG
War's been over five days, Jim,
ain't gonna be much more of this.
SOLDIER #5
Bobby, take my picture.
He holds the camera out.
SOLDIER #4
If he shot the guy, it's up to him.
SOLDIER #5
It's not like he shot a fucking
deer. It's the enemy.
VIG
Troy's enemy, yours for twenty.
Soldiers get their cash out, Troy takes it.
TROY
Accept no substitute, this is the
real thing, oh, Jesus [winces] --
VIG
What's wrong?
TROY
I got a really bad headache all of
a sudden--
SOLDIER #7 bends next to the corpse and holds his camera out
at arm's length.
VIG
No free pictures, motherfucker.
Vig shoves the soldier away and the two wrestle as they roll
down the sand berm.
"I Just Want to Celebrate" by Rare Earth comes on LOUD.
Troy walks away holding his temple in pain; SOLDIERS gather
to stare at the dead Iraqi, getting their cameras out.
EXT. IRAQI DESERT ROAD - AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN COMBAT GEAR
dance on a road in the desert. "I Just Want to Celebrate"
BLARES as the CAMERA DOLLIES THROUGH the soldiers.
DOLLY INTO TENT TOWN, past bare chested soldiers pumping free
weights; jogging in formation; sunbathing on big water
storage mattresses; DOLLY OUT OF THE TENT TOWN, past a
soldier taking a makeshift foxhole desert bath, past a dead
Iraqi on the road, a chopper hovering in the distance, to
MORE DANCING SOLDIERS, as music continues --
BILL SMITHSON (O.S.)
Spirits are high and the music is
boisterous as these young troops
celebrate -- Shit. Let me try that
again.
DOLLY AROUND the dancing soldiers to see: hundreds of
stripped Iraqi soldiers lying face down in undershorts.
BILL SMITHSON (O.S.)
Spirits are high and the music is
fucking motherfucking sand in my
eye --
PAN PAST CNN REPORTER BILL SMITHSON, 45, in white safari
jacket over Desert Storm fatigues, cleaning his eye; nearby
a cluster of ROWDY SOLDIERS who are mugging into the camera.
DOLLY TO ARCHIE GATES, 55, Lieutenant Colonel, Special
Forces, wearing sunglasses, talking to HAVICHON, a FRENCH
Special Forces Captain on CRUTCHES with a broken leg.
ARCHIE GATES
Is that what you got from this
experience? A goddamn watch?
HAVICHON
Ees a great fucking watch.
Close up: portrait of a sheik on a Rolex.
ARCHIE GATES
There's 700 million in gold out
there and you're fucking around
with a watch?
HAVICHON
Bon dieu de merde, that's a lot of
gold, man.
ARCHIE GATES
One bunker of gold and we retire
from this horseshit, Hashy--
BILL SMITHSON
Gates.
ARCHIE GATES
Just a second. The problem, Hash,
is how do you find it?
HAVICHON
Like one sowsan bunker out sair --
ARCHIE GATES
Maybe two sowsan bunker out sair,
Hash, how do you find Saddam's
bullion?
BILL SMITHSON
Could I have some help over here,
for Chrissakes?
ARCHIE GATES
My goodness, Bill, what seems to
be the problem?
BILL SMITHSON
I'm trying to do a story here and
the fucking sand is blowing in my
face --
ARCHIE GATES
You want me to stop the sand? I
can't do anything about that.
BILL SMITHSON
No, you're too busy talking about
the fucking gold, which by the way
makes a great story if you'd get
me a goddamn lead on it --
ARCHIE GATES
I think the Saddam story goes more
for the jugular, journalistically
speaking, I mean, he's still here
beating the shit out of his
country.
BILL SMITHSON
Would you just be my guide and not
my fucking producer? You're my
guide.
ARCHIE GATES
OK, go do your celebration story,
Bill.
SMASH TO: Rowdy soldiers mug for Smithson's camera.
SOLDIER #5
We're number one.
SOLDIER #6
Waaaa-hooooo--
BILL SMITHSON
You're heroes.
SOLDIER #6
We're heroes.
SOLDIER #7
Give war a chance.
BILL SMITHSON
You've exorcised the ghosts of
Vietnam with a clear moral
imperative --
SOLDIER #5
Is that what we did?
BILL SMITHSON
Where the hell are you going?
Archie is walking off with CATHY DAITCH a young reporter.
ARCHIE GATES
I'll be right back.
BILL SMITHSON
I don't want you helping other
reporters, goddamn it.
SOLDIER #1
We kicked ass.
SOLDIER #6
We didn't get rid of fucking
Saddam --
SOLDIER #8
Which totally sucks a big dick.
SOLDIER #6
Those people are getting reemed --
SOLDIER #7
Bullshit, we saved Kuwait, man.
BILL SMITHSON
Who's getting reemed? The Shiites?
SOLDIER #8
I don't know who they are, man --
SOLDIER #6
We got big firepower but we ain't
saving them --
SOLDIER #5
Fuck that, we liberated Kuwait.
SOLDIER #1
Weehaaaaaaa.
Five soldiers chant Lee Greenwood's anthem, "Proud to Be An
American" into Smithson's camera --
SOLDIERS (CHANT)
'If tomorrow all the things were
gone that I worked for all my life
and I had to start again with just
my children and my wife--'
WIDE, HIGH ANGLE DOLLYING CRANE OF BIG TENT CITY
SOLDIERS (CHANT OS)
'I'd thank my lucky stars to --
Dissolve to POV from chopper - night - of twinkling lights of
vast U.S. Army camp below.
"Proud to Be An America" blasts. CHOPPER PILOTS sing off key.
CHOPPER PILOTS
'--be livin' here today because
the flag still stands for freedom
and they can't take that
awayyyyy --'
INT. LARGE ARMY TENT - NIGHT
"Proud To Be An American" BLASTS on as
Troy, wearing a checked Arab headdress is paraded on
shoulders. He holds up a Coke can in one hand and a Bud can
in the other, like torches.
TROY
(screaming the song)
And I'm proud I to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who
died, who gave that right to me.
And I'd gladly stand up; next to
you and defend her still today.
Cause there ain't no doubt I love
this land, God bless the U S A --
Soldiers scream and go nuts.
Beer is sputtered from soldiers' mouths.
"I Can't Do Nothing For Ya Man" by Public Enemy blasts.
WALTER WOGOMAN, 19, quiet, tall, Southern operates two
parallel boom boxes like a DJ.
A Soldier rapidly peels down one Bruce Lee poster on top of
another, like a flip-book animating Bruce Lee. Vig wearing
a bandage across his nose from the fight on the berm does a
series of cheerleader-like karate arm movements.
Soldiers whip brightly painted toy footballs at Troy. He
whips the balls back, is tackled over a table, crashes.
Soldiers -- Vig, Walter, others -- scream viscerally as the
music blasts. Two soldiers fire their fingers like pistols
at Troy on the floor screaming like a fierce animal.
TROY
Rahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Vig screams into Troy's face at point blank range.
VIG
Rahhhhhhhhh.
TROY
Rahhhhhhhhhhhhh.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Goddamn it, where the fuck did
this beer come from we gotta take
more Iraqis prisoner tomorrow.
EXT. IRAQI DESERT - DAY
WIDE SHOT - HUNDREDS OF IRAQIS walking in the desert, hands
raised above their heads.
TRANSLATOR (MEGAPHONE)
Hasnala shi aluno quibaan --
CAPTAIN VAN METER
We will not hurt you. Lay down
your weapons, get on the ground --
TWO IRAQIS with bad face wounds get medical help.
FIVE IRAQIS
on their knees, plead for mercy in Arabic as they disrobe.
They grab and kiss Troy Barlow's hand, as he holds his M-16
on the begging Iraqis.
TROY
It's cool, no one's gonna hurt
you --
Vig whips out his big Thunder 5 pistol and points it in their
faces.
VIG
Did you rape and torture anybody
in Kuwait, Abdul?
The Iraqis wail for mercy. Troy pushes Vig's pistol away.
TROY
You're making them all hysterical.
Vig points the big pistol at an OLDER IRAQI OFFICER who is
the only one not taking his clothes off.
VIG
Take your fucking rags off, take
this off. No comprende English,
motherfucker?
TROY
What is your fucking problem,
Conrad?
VIG
I'm trying to git him to obey the
spirit of things but he won't take
his rags off.
TROY
(leans down)
Sir? We need you to disrobe like
all the other towel heads, OK?
The Officer does not move, Troy punches his head once. Vig
and Walter forcibly pull the Iraqi Officer's pants off. Troy
takes out a bottle of aspirin, eats two.
VIG
Whoa, it's a freaky thing, Troy.
Vig points to the Officer's bare buttocks, where a rolled up
piece of paper is sticking out --
TROY
There's a document in that guy's
ass, Conrad.
VIG
That's the freaky thing.
WALTER
Do you think he ate it?
TROY
It wouldn't come out perfect like
that if he ate it.
Troy pulls out a latex glove out of his pocket.
TROY
Go get it, Private.
IRAQI OFFICER
Hasa man timal!
The Officer screams in protest and is forcibly subdued by
Walter as Vig, wearing the glove, slowly pulls the rolled up,
greasy paper from the Officer's ass -- Troy looks disgusted.
TROY
Open it up.
VIG
You only gave me one glove.
TROY
I'm sorry I don't have another,
but you gotta open it up. That's
how the chain of command works.
Vig takes out a U.S. Army pen and uses it to unroll the
greasy paper and lie it flat on the sand.
CLOSE UP - THE RUMPLED PAPER
is a handwritten map, with scant Arabic writing, a few spare
roads, numbers, and three small boxes.
VIG
What the hell is that?
TROY
Important enough to squeeze your
cheeks for.
INT. TELEVISION TRUCK - DAY
In the half-light of dozens of TV monitors playing Iraqi news
from around the world, Archie Gates madly humps CATHY DAITCH
on a lawn chair which is slamming into the monitors.
CATHY DAITCH
You are a trained warrior, trained
warrior, trained warrior, Jesus
Christ, Colonel!
TV monitors crash to the floor as she climaxes. Archie lays
on the floor catching his breath, stares at a sideways
monitor of soldiers celebrating; she stands, dresses.
CATHY DAITCH
(breathless)
What's Bill got?
ARCHIE GATES
Just the celebration story.
CATHY DAITCH
That's it?
ARCHIE GATES
That's it --
ARCHIE GATES
How about you? Did you find
anything?
CATHY DAITCH
It could be another bullshit lead
but I need you to help me find a
guy who might have something on
the gold --
ARCHIE GATES
Who's the guy?
CATHY DAITCH
Somebody Barlow, maybe in Company
B--
ARCHIE GATES
Barlow.
CATHY DAITCH
Got a map out of a prisoner's head.
ARCHIE GATES
Out of a prisoner's head?
CATHY DAITCH
Or his ear, or his ass, or his
dick, and they got like a fifty
page full-color mini atlas of
Saddam's bunkers --
ARCHIE GATES
Out of a guy's dick?
The door explodes open and two MPs grab Archie, pants around
his ankles, and drag him from the truck.
EXT. TELEVISION TRUCK - DAY
Archie is faced by an OLDER TWO STAR GENERAL (GENERAL PYE),
a YOUNGER ONE STAR GENERAL (GENERAL HORN).
GENERAL PYE
This is not the way we service the
media, Major. Stop her --
WHIP PAN TO Cathy runs away as she dresses, MPs grab her.
MP
You are in violation of code 37D,
grinding Major Gates.
They let her go. Soldiers in gas suits laugh.
ARCHIE GATES
You guys have no manners
whatsoever --
Bill Smithson runs up, agitated.
BILL SMITHSON
I told you he was with her --
GENERAL PYE
We're handling this, OK?
The MP pushes Smithson away.
BILL SMITHSON
I wanted help with the gold story,
and he took off on me--
ARCHIE GATES
That's a lot of bullshit.
Smithson is walked away. Archie pulls his pants up.
GENERAL PYE
I give you a prestige job in the
media war of the century and the
guy feels neglected.
ARCHIE GATES
I'm helping him plenty with his
big celebration feature -- Where
did you get this fucking star?
Archie suddenly reaches out and grabs the corner of General
Horn's collar, with its one star.
GENERAL HORN
They made me a general, pal.
ARCHIE GATES
For what? I don't even know what
we did over here, but Schwartzkopf
gets a book deal, you get a star,
Powell gets to be fucking
president--
GENERAL HORN
Are you high? This is a huge win
for us.
ARCHIE GATES
Running the press pool's a real
big win for me.
GENERAL PYE
You want us to kill more Americans
to occupy Iraq?
ARCHIE GATES
I'm just saying it's ironic,
that's all.
GENERAL HORN
What the fuck is ironic?
ARCHIE GATES
We got the biggest army in the
world here but Iraq still has the
d-bag dictator in power, but
that's how the world works I guess.
GENERAL PYE
Just take care of Smithson and
maybe he'll hook you up to consult
on movies.
GENERAL HORN
It's either that or be a security
guard when you retire.
ARCHIE GATES
Fuck you, Ron.
GENERAL HORN
I'm a general now, you can't say
fuck you to me.
ARCHIE GATES
OK, sir, but there's another thing
I'd like to say, if you don't mind.
GENERAL HORN
Go right ahead, Colonel.
Archie leans wild-eyed into Horn's face and whispers --
ARCHIE GATES
Fuuuuuck yooouuuu, Ronnnnn.
INT. CAPTAIN'S TENT - DAY
SPLASH -- rubbing alcohol is poured over Vig's extended hand
by DOC ELGIN, 25, stocky, black, no nonsense.
TROY
You've washed your hands like a
thousand times, Conrad.
VIG
Lord knows what vermin live in the
butt of a dune koon.
DOC
Why do you let this cracker follow
you around?
TROY
He's a good kid.
DOC
He's a wall-eyed cracker.
TROY
He's got no high school, man, he's
from a group home in Jackson --
DOC
I don't give a shit if he's from
Johannesburg. I don't want to hear
dune koon or sand nigger from him
or anybody.
VIG
Captain uses those terms.
TROY
The point is, Conrad, 'towel head'
and 'camel jockey' are perfectly
good substitutes.
DOC
Exactly.
VIG
I'm sorry, man, it's a little
confusing is all.
DOC
What can I do for your headache?
Doc Elgin opens a case full of pill bottles.
TROY
Got any Vicadan?
DOC
All gone. How about Caffergot?
TROY
Excellent. Let's translate my
Iraqi ass map.
Troy pops the pills, Doc pulls a document from a folder and
opens it as he hovers over a table with Troy and Vig.
TROY
Van Meter's at the big pow wow?
DOC
We're cool for at least three
hours, but keep Walter on the door.
Walter stands by the door wearing night vision goggles.
TROY
Would you take those fucking
things off?
WALTER
I never got to use night vision.
TROY
They don't work during the day and
stand outside the tent.
Doc unfolds a big aerial-photo map of the Iraqi desert, next
to the rumpled ass map.
DOC
These are definitely Saddam's
bunkers near Karbala.
TROY
What's inside?
DOC
According to Intelligence --
Picasso, Armani, Rolex, Mercedes,
Sony you name it -- Kuwait was
Muslim Beverly Hills and Saddam
sacked it.
VIG
Man, get an awesome stereo system
with like ten BOS speakers --
TROY
Silver Lexus convertible.
DOC
Lexus doesn't make a convertible.
TROY
Yes, they do.
DOC
Infiniti has one coming.
TROY
You're wrong.
DOC
You can't get a car home from here
anyway.
TROY
If I get enough Rolexes I could
buy one when I got home.
VIG
One gold Rolex, I get a very fine
split level outside Jackson.
TROY
My one problem, see, is the risk
here --
DOC
What risk? We already did the
risk. I signed up last year to
bank some computer training--
TROY
Tell me about it.
DOC
Next thing I know I'm sitting here
waiting to get hit by a Scud. I
put my life on the line for what
purpose I'm not sure, and now the
good Lord puts this map in my
path --
TROY
He could put a land mine in your
path if we try to find this
place --
DOC
You're safe with me.
TROY
Cuz you have a galactic plutonium
forcefield.
DOC
I don't talk about it. But I do
have a ring of Jesus fire.
TROY
You have a ring of Jesus fire.
DOC
I was fire baptized.
VIG
I was baptized in water.
DOC
I'm fire baptized.
TROY
I don't even know what water
baptism means.
DOC
For those who understand, no
explanation is necessary; for
those who don't, no explanation
will suffice. You can benefit from
my Jesus ring if you do right by
me, you got that?
TROY
OK.
CUT TO
POV WALTER'S NIGHT VISION --
BLURRY IMAGE OF ARCHIE WALKING right up to Walter.
WALTER
This tent is restricted --
ARCHIE GATES
Get the fuck out of my way.
WALTER
May day, may day --
CUT TO
Troy and Doc scramble to put the maps under the table.
ARCHIE GATES
Good afternoon.
He walks up to them.
ARCHIE GATES
Would this be the proctology tent?
DOC
Yes, sir, I mean, no, sir.
ARCHIE GATES
Then maybe it's the urology tent.
TROY
Captain's at a staff meeting.
ARCHIE GATES
That's OK, I'm not looking for a
proctologist or a urologist I'm
looking for Sargeant Barlow.
Archie fixes his gaze on Troy, walks up, reaches under the
table, and takes the map, smells his fingers.
ARCHIE GATES
You're on the path to truth when
you smell shit, isn't that what
they say?
VIG
I don't recognize you, sir. Are
you in this division?
DOC
He's not in this division. He's
Special Forces.
Troy and Vig are impressed.
DOC
He's the guy taking Bill Smithson
around.
ARCHIE GATES
And you would be the Three Wise
Men, right, Mappy, Slappy, and
Pappy --
He points in order to Doc, Vig, and Troy, who picks up his
family photo button.
ARCHIE GATES
That leaves Cappy outside.
CUT TO
Walter, outside the tent, practices blocking positions.
WALTER
Damn. Freeze. Do not pass. Hold
it, freeze. Stop. Freeze.
CUT TO
VIG
His name is Walter.
ARCHIE GATES
Did you good soldiers present this
map to Captain Van Meter?
TROY
Not yet.
ARCHIE GATES
Then I'll take it to him.
Troy stands and grabs the map.
TROY
We'll take it to him. Sir.
ARCHIE GATES
It won't do either of us any good
then, will it?
TROY
He's our commander, sir. We'd have
to tell him you took it.
Both Troy and Archie hold the map, staring at each other.
Everyone is tense.
ARCHIE GATES
It could be nothing but a sandy
love letter from one Eye-raqi to
another --
TROY
It's a series of bunkers near
Karbala.
ARCHIE GATES
Maybe.
TROY
Not maybe, definitely. Recon
photos match the map.
ARCHIE GATES
May I look at the goddamn map?
Troy lets go. Archie holds the map up to the light. He then
pours some of Doc's rubbing alcohol on the map, and holds it
to the light again. He puts the map on the table, turns the
light off and clicks on an infra-red flashlight he pulls out.
A completely different map appears in green markings.
VIG
Dag.
ARCHIE GATES
That's what makes Rangers badass,
we get the best flashlights.
They stare at the new map in the infrared glow, captivated.
ARCHIE GATES
Still looks like a series of three
bunkers in three villages. A bit
farther to the west.
DOC
Seventy-five klicks north.
ARCHIE GATES
More like 65.
TROY
Much closer to Karbala.
ARCHIE GATES
Leave at dawn, back by lunch, not
a big deal. Of course --
He turns the overhead light back on.
ARCHIE GATES
-- there could be nothing inside
but starving Arabs and stolen
watches, but I think it's worth
checking out, even if I have to do
it with clueless reservists like
you.
They look at him.
ARCHIE GATES
I mean, I could take the map, but
you could talk, it starts to
become a pain in the ass for me,
so we'll do the gold together.
DOC
What gold?
ARCHIE GATES
You don't even know what's inside
these bunkers, do you?
VIG
Rolexes.
ARCHIE GATES
Rolexes are swell, but I'm talking
about Kuwaiti bullion.
VIG
You mean the little cubes you put
in hot water for soup?
ARCHIE GATES
No. Not the little cubes you put
in hot water for soup.
TROY
Gold bricks.
ARCHIE GATES
5 kilos each, $50,000 in today's
market.
VIG
For one gold brick?
ARCHIE GATES
I'm sure Mr. Hussein has divided
his bricks. into many different
hiding places, but just one hiding
place should be easy to take, and
that would be enough to get us out
of our day jobs. Unless the three
kings are in love with their day
jobs.
Dolly: Troy, Doc, Vig stare at Archie.
FANTASY - EXT. LOS ANGELES - DAY
SILENT - Troy walks in white shirtsleeves, dark tie, pulling
a cart with a salesman's black case on it over a curb.
FANTASY - INT. OFFICE
SILENT - Troy kneels at a disassembled photocopier, tools and
parts all around him, opens a bag of toner, which spills
black dust all over his white shirt
FANTASY - INT. KENNEDY AIRPORT
SILENT - Doc is a red cap. He lifts suitcases from the trunk
of a black Mercedes while a rich white father (mother and two
small children behind) tells him to be careful.
FANTASY - EXT. MISSISSIPPI WOODS
Vig fires his pistols with fury at a series of stuffed
animals on logs -- blowing the stuffed animals to
smithereens.
BACK TO
VIG
I don't really have a day job.
TROY
What about the risk of taking a
Humvee and all that --
ARCHIE GATES
We do this shit all the time.
VIG
What else did you do, sir?
ARCHIE GATES
In Panama we went sailing in
Noriega's boats.
TROY
Wow.
ARCHIE GATES
In Vietnam, we got a big gold
Buddha, which we unfortunately
dropped in a swamp by accident.
DOC
What about Iraqi soldiers?
ARCHIE GATES
Let's see. They had the shit
bombed out them for two months,
they're deserting all over the
place, and they've completely
surrendered to us. That's a beaten
army in every sense of the word.
He looks at them.
ARCHIE GATES
You are now under my command,
salute --
They salute him. He straightens Troy's salute.
ARCHIE GATES
What's the guy's name outside?
TROY
Walter.
ARCHIE GATES
Cappy.
Walter comes in.
ARCHIE GATES
You will take Bill Smithson on a
special mission to find the gold
story, but it will be a
meaningless ride that lasts all
morning and takes him nowhere near
Karbala, is that clear?
WALTER
How am I gonna get out of the
company?
ARCHIE GATES
Your captain will be detained by
a friend of mine.
VIG
Is it true you got to take an
enemy ear to be Special Forces?
ARCHIE GATES
No, but if you talk to anybody
about this, I'll kill you.
Vig smile fades as he looks into Archie's cold stare.
EXT. DESERT CAMP - WIDE SHOT - DAWN
Three figures in fatigues crouch low to the ground as they
run to a motorcycle and side car. Walter kickstarts the
motorcycle. PACO the cameraman sits behind Walter with a
video camera. Walter's face is painted beige and brown with
camouflage spots, so is Bill Smithson's, as he crouches in
the sidecar and dramatically gives Walter the thumb's up.
EXT. VAN METER'S TENT - DAY
Cathy Daitch stands next to a cameraman filming Van Meter
while another man holds a boom over Van Meter's head.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
How about if I lean on it, like
this?
CATHY DAITCH
Very dashing.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Does it look too posed?
CATHY DAITCH
Would you ever stand like that?
Van Meter tries a couple of poses.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
I think I might, Jesus, this feels
stupid.
CATHY DAITCH
You'll get used to it. First
question: did you dream as a boy
you'd be commanding an infantry
company in a desert war?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
As a boy, I wanted to be either a
veterinarian or a CIA
sharpshooter --
EXT. DESERT - MOVING HUMVEE - MORNING
Bach's Gloria, from Mass in B Minor plays as
Pow pow pow, Vig fires his big pistol into the desert.
DOC
Pull.
Troy throws a painted football into the desert. Doc fires the
M-16 and blows the ball to pieces.
Archie drives and moves his hand to the Bach.
The convertible Humvee is loaded with weaponry and gear, a
mounted 60 mm machine gun, a Bart Simpson doll on the grill.
The Humvee rolls into the vast desert, littered with burned
out tanks, black craters, overturned vehicles, no people.
DOC
Pull.
Troy throws another ball, Doc blows it away.
TROY
Pull.
Doc throws a football from the moving Humvee, Troy fires a
pistol and misses the ball as it bounces to the desert.
TROY
I gave you a better arc, Doc.
DOC
What are you talking about?
TROY
I threw the ball in a higher arc
that was easier for you to hit.
DOC
Bullshit.
VIG
Blacks make better receivers than
quarterbacks.
TROY
Stop speaking right now, Conrad.
DOC
Warren Moon is an excellent
quarterback.
VIG
The Oilers have gone nowhere
behind Warren Moon.
DOC
Randall Cunningham.
TROY
Don't get down in the mud with
him, Doc.
VIG
The Eagles will never get to the
Superbowl with him.
Archie moves his hand to the Bach.
DOC
Doug Williams took the Redskins to
the Superbowl and won, OK?
TROY
We can all agree there are many
excellent black quarterbacks.
Doc throws a ball. Vig fires his giant pistol twice and
misses.
DOC
Hit it, you sorry-assed cracker --
VIG
This gun's too heavy to shoot
one-handed like a movie star --
Vig fires: blam, blam, bam. The Humvee stops abruptly.
ARCHIE GATES
Shut the fuck up.
They sit in embarrassed silence; the joyous Bach choir plays.
EXT. DESERT DAY
No more music. Troy, Doc, and Vig stand spread apart. They
wear white anti-gas suits and hold pistols and drink from
plastic water bottles. A bomb crater is nearby, a wrecked,
burned truck to the side, a SKINNY COW meanders.
ARCHIE GATES
When we pull up to the bunker, the
approach is something called
violence of action, which is
standard in special operations. It
means your movement is so fast and
decisive that the guards are
frozen and we haven't fired a
single shot.
Troy kicks at something in the sand -- and a decayed human
arm springs out, attached to a body with a half-rotted face.
TROY
Shit.
ARCHIE GATES
We dropped a lot of bombs out here
and we buried some guys alive --
VIG
What do you mean?
ARCHIE GATES
Bradleys with big plows cut
through the berms and covered the
trenches --
FANTASY - A HUGE PLOW
on the front of a Bradley pushes sand right TOWARD THE CAMERA
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
They had the option to surrender,
but they chose to die for their
country.
DOLLY INTO five terrified Iraqis, eyes open with fear, as the
sand rolls over them.
BACK TO THE SCENE
ARCHIE GATES
Let's rehearse.
EXT. DESERT - LATER
They sit in the Humvee and hold their pistols ready.
ARCHIE GATES
We'll say the cow is the primary
guard outside the bunker. We pull
up fast, and stop short.
TROY
Got it.
ARCHIE GATES
And -- Go.
The cow stares as the Humvee pulls up to it fast. Troy and
Doc jump out, pistols drawn, flank the cow --
The cow steps back, and explodes.
Troy and Doc stand splattered with cow entrails. The cow's
head lands with a thud on the hood of the Humvee.
ARCHIE GATES
Who's hurt?
DOC
It's all cow, I think.
VIG
Yeah, it's all cow.
He picks cow entrails off himself.
DOC
They said this was swept for mines.
ARCHIE GATES
Mines are forever, Doc. They never
get all of 'em.
TROY
(low murmur)
'If you could, help me Rhonda,
help help me Rhonda --'
Archie watches Troy.
ARCHIE GATES
Did you guys see any action at all?
VIG
Only night bombing on CNN, except
for Troy's supercool shooting that
guy in the neck--
Archie takes Vig's BIG PISTOL and EMPTIES THE SHELLS and puts
them into his pocket.
ARCHIE GATES
Is sepsis cool?
VIG
What's sepsis?
DOC
Infection of the blood.
ARCHIE GATES
As in septic tank, because that's
what happens when a bullet hits
you. The lead tears in there --
FANTASY - INT. STOMACH MUSCLE AND TISSUE
Slow motion, a bullet pierces flesh, makes a cavity --
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
Makes a cavity of dead tissue that
closes down in a convulsive motion
typical of all gunshot wounds. The
cavity fills up with bile and
bacteria and you're fucked.
Bile fluid fills the cavity.
BACK TO THE SCENE
ARCHIE GATES
But other than a wound that
blinds, paralyzes, or castrates,
the worst wound I've ever seen is
something called tension pneumo
thorax --
DOC
I heard something about that --
VIG
Tension pneumo what?
ARCHIE GATES
A bullet, or a blade doesn't kill
you, but makes a little hole in
the lung, so every time you
breathe, a little air leaks into
the chest cavity, which starts to
fill up like a balloon. And that
balloon starts to push your organs
to the side, crushing your lung,
your liver, your heart. Your own
breathing kills you, one breath at
a time -- kinda like a job you
can't stand or a bad lie you once
told.
DOC
That's not fatal, they can stop it.
ARCHIE GATES
If you know how to make another
little hole in the chest to let
the air out, just like you would
with an overinflated tire.
They look at Archie, scared by this.
TROY
Can we play the Beach Boys when we
go in?
DOC
The goddamn Beach Boys.
TROY
I'm not ashamed of liking the
Beach Boys. It calms me down.
Better than Mozart.
ARCHIE GATES
Bach.
EXT. DESERT - DAY - HIGH WIDE SHOT
'I Get Around' by The Beach Boys BLASTS as the Humvee speeds
along. A big American flag flaps in the breeze from a pole at
the back of the Hummer.
The Humvee drives fast into the central square of a small
village of low, sand-colored stucco buildings and shanties.
Vig drives as the Humvee speeds around the town square,
zooming past scared Shiites in black robes, a few skinny
dogs, a few bewildered Iraqi soldiers.
VIG
Where's the bunker?
ARCHIE GATES
It should be right --
He studies the map and points to a decayed green building.
ARCHIE GATES
There.
Vig jerks the wheel right. They drive fast.
ARCHIE GATES
No -- there.
Archie points left. Vig jerks the wheel left, drives straight
toward a low cement building with two Iraqi soldiers in front.
Iraqi soldiers look scared as the Humvee drives up, like it's
going to hit them, and stops, flag fluttering in the breeze.
Vig stands and speaks into a megaphone.
VIG
We are the Army of the United
States of America. We are here to
protect you. Remain calm.
Troy and Doc leap from the Humvee with pistols drawn and
their free hands held up in a 'halt' sign. The TWO IRAQI
GUARDS look stunned as Troy and Doc simply take their machine
guns and put the Iraqis face down on the ground. Troy and Doc
pull out plastic twist hand-cuffs, as used in urban riots.
Archie bounds forward holding up a thick white document.
ARCHIE GATES
Orders from President Bush, step
aside.
Troy finishes handcuffing one of the Iraqi soldiers, as a
gaunt mother, with a baby in her arms, opens her blouse,
revealing her small breasts. Other peasants gather.
IRAQI MOTHER
No milk. Baby milk.
Troy looks shocked until Archie suddenly pushes him past the
Iraqi mother and to the door of the bunker, which Doc holds.
INT. BUNKER - DAY
Five IRAQI SOLDIERS look disoriented and scared as they hold
their hands up in the air.
ARCHIE GATES
Do not panic. Step outside --
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
VIG
(into the megaphone)
We are here for your protection
and safety.
Iraqi women and children kiss Vig's feet.
The five Iraqi soldiers exit the bunker with their hands
raised, and the starved Shiite civilians spit and throw
stones at them while 'I Get Around' keeps playing.
VIG
Ya'll be cool now, this is the
U.S. Marines in charge here.
INT. STAIRWELL - BUNKER
Archie runs down the narrow stairs of the bunker, followed by
Troy and Doc.
INT. BASEMENT OF BUNKER - DAY
Doc lashes an Iraqi's hands behind his back and cuffs him.
Troy shoots the door lock with his pistol. Then backs up and
gives it a running shoulder. The door doesn't budge.
TROY
Shit.
He holds his shoulder in pain. Archie kicks the door
repeatedly. Troy joins him, it finally flies open.
TROY
Freeze.
Troy is embraced by an Iraqi soldier, about 25.
FRIENDLY IRAQI
I am love United States of
Freedom. I am hate Saddam.
Troy tries some karate moves, jerking his elbows to dislodge
the Iraqi from the bear hug --
TROY
Ya -- ya -- ha --
Doc points his pistol in the Iraqi's face.
DOC
Let him go.
The Iraqi throws his hands in the air.
FRIENDLY IRAQI
No problem, my friend.
Archie goes to a series of WOODEN CRATES the size of file
cabinets, where Doc helps Archie take off his back pack.
Archie pulls out a bolt cutter and a pneumatic saw, both
attached to a small air tank - and opens the crate, which is
filled with hundreds of Kuwaiti passports.
FRIENDLY IRAQI
You look for the chemical weapon?
TROY
No. We look for the gold.
They use the power tools to open the second crate -- also
filled with hundreds of passports.
ARCHIE GATES
Where's the gold?
FRIENDLY IRAQI
They move the gold.
Archie pulls out the infrared map and shows it to the Iraqi,
who says nothing.
DOC
Kill him.
ARCHIE GATES
Not yet.
TROY
Kill him now.
They point their guns. It's a show. Archie holds the map.
ARCHIE GATES
Where?
FRIENDLY IRAQI
(points to map)
This bunker. I'll take you.
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
FOUR NEW IRAQI SOLDIERS, armed with rifles, run from the far
side of the square and start shooting.
30 rock-throwing Shiite scatter at the gunfire. TWO MEN fall
to the ground as they are shot.
CHILD
Ma-Maa.
Vig looks terrified as the crowd scatters, leaving him alone
as he points his big unloaded pistol. The soldiers point
their rifles as they come towards Vig, when suddenly two of
them look to the side and shout.
ARMED IRAQI SOLDIER
Ganan azwar!
PAN TO a shiny METAL TANKER TRUCK three hundred yards out,
bearing down fast on the village square.
The soldiers open fire on the truck.
INT - THE CAB OF THE TANKER TRUCK
The Shiite riding shotgun fires back, as the windshield
shatters on the truck. The driver is dead. The other Shiite
grabs the wheel.
BACK TO THE SCENE
Archie bursts out the front door, followed by Troy and Doc.
They freeze as --
The tanker truck careens sideways toward them, 50 feet away.
An Iraqi soldier fires a grenade-launcher off his shoulder
which explodes the container on the back of the truck --
Milk explodes everywhere, gushing around the wheels of the
Humvee and the feet of Archie and the others.
Shiite women with plastic containers and ceramic jugs rush
out from alleys and try to scoop up the milk. Other Shiites
crowd the Humvee and climb in.
Iraqi soldiers drag two bodies from the cab of the truck.
Troy and Doc point their guns in the crowd.
ARCHIE GATES
Move. Out of the way.
Archie shoves Shiite peasants out of the Humvee.
SHIITE WOMAN
Hos-pital.
She holds a SHIRTLESS BOY of 7 with a bandage around his
entire chest. Doc pushes her off the Humvee.
SHIITE MAN
America help.
He grabs Archie. Troy shoves the man off the vehicle. Vig
starts the engine.
ARCHIE GATES
Give them MRE's.
Troy rips open a large duffel and starts handing out Army
Meal Rations to the crowd -- Vig leans on the horn.
The friendly Iraqi jumps into the rear of the Hummer as it
starts to pull away. Archie shoves the friendly Iraqi out,
and he lands on his ass in the swarm of chasing Shiites.
Archie and Troy look back at the debacle as they pull away.
EXT. DESERT MARSH - DAY
Raging oil fires, 50 feet high -- billowing black smoke.
Walter drives the motorcycle through the smoke. Paco the
Cameraman sits on back. Bill Smithson sits in the sidecar.
BILL SMITHSON
This is boring, I already did this
damn story, goddamn it, where the
hell is the gold?
WALTER
How about rare pelican migration
out by the marshes?
BILL SMITHSON
What?
WALTER
These brave pelicans are migrating
in spite of massive pollution --
BILL SMITHSON
Fuck that. Stop the bike.
Walter keeps driving.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Doc gets out of the stopped Humvee, shaken, and walks around.
DOC
I'm all right, I'm cool.
He lies down and breathes heavily with a hand on his chest.
Archie gets out and walks around, agitated, clearly upset.
ARCHIE GATES
What is the art of war, because it
is not for killing people, it's a
stratagem to give life to many by
killing the evil perpetrated by a
few -- I am burning up in this
goddamn suit --
He angrily takes off his gas suit; boxers and sweat-drenched
green T-shirt underneath. Troy and Vig guzzle water.
ARCHIE GATES
Discriminating use of violence as
a last resort, and even then,
carefully, surgically, that's what
I learned, that's what I'm good
at. But now they underestimate all
this, bomb the same towns for six
weeks and still leave the scumbag
dictator to starve and butcher his
own people.
The others, all drenched in sweat, take off their gas suits.
TROY
(agitated)
I don't even know what happened
back there. Civilians were
spitting on their own soldiers;
the soldiers were shooting the
civilians and ignoring us --
DOC
They already surrendered to us.
Now they're after Shiites.
VIG
What exactly is a Shiite?
ARCHIE GATES
They make up the ethnic majority
but they don't have any power.
When Bush pulled us out, he told
them to start a civil war to bring
Saddam down, and now they're
getting wasted.
VIG
(totally puzzled)
The civil war? How could it be the
civil war?
FANTASY - STOCK FOOTAGE: UNION SOLDIERS FIGHT DIXIE REBELS
BACK TO THE SCENE
Vig looks puzzled.
TROY
It's a war inside the same
country, Conrad. That's a civil
war.
Archie chucks each of them MARINE UNIFORMS without name tags
which everyone puts on, except Troy.
ARCHIE GATES
Put these on, we are now U.S.
Marines.
TROY
I can't do this, OK? Because I've
got a family and if I shit in a
bag the rest of my life cuz I got
shot after the war's already over
that would be pretty fucking
stupid, wouldn't it?
ARCHIE GATES
What is the most important thing
in life?
TROY
What the fuck are you talking
about?
ARCHIE GATES
What is it?
TROY
Did you hear anything I said.
VIG
Respect is the most important.
ARCHIE GATES
Too dependent on other people.
DOC
Money.
ARCHIE GATES
Comes and goes, man.
TROY
What is this bullshit?
DOC
What's the most important thing?
ARCHIE GATES
Necessity. That's what dictates
what will happen at any given time
in life. Necessity says we don't
spend American lives taking out
Saddam, which leaves Saddam the
necessity of taking out the
Shiites so he can stay in power,
which leaves us to take the gold.
TROY
We could've been shot.
ARCHIE GATES
Did you notice they didn't touch
us? We decimated their entire
country. They're scared shitless
of us. [looks at his watch]
There's time to try another
bunker. I say we go.
DOC
Let's do it.
VIG
Rock and roll.
TROY
OK. And I'll be wearing
fashionable kevlar. As a necessity.
He pulls a vest out of the Humvee.
EXT. MARSH
The motorcycle is stopped by the marsh. Siberian pelicans fly
all around. Many lie dead on the ground. Bill Smithson paces
with a cell phone.
BILL SMITHSON
(on cell phone)
I'm at some goddamn marsh, all
we've seen are Russian cranes.
WALTER
Pelicans.
BILL SMITHSON
(on the cell phone)
I think the Saddam story goes more
for the jugular, journalistically
speaking, Al. Let's grow some
balls and do the Shiite uprising,
for Christ's sake.
Bill Smithson closes the cell phone.
BILL SMITHSON
We're going north to do the
Shiites.
WALTER
I thought the gold was the hot
spot.
BILL SMITHSON
Karbala's the new hotspot, and
I'm driving.
WALTER
Military regulations, you cannot
drive.
Smithson mounts the bike. The cameraman sits on back. Walter
points his pistol at Smithson.
WALTER
Get off the vehicle, sir.
Smithson starts the bike.
WALTER
Don't make me shoot you, sir.
The bike pulls out, leaving him behind. He runs after the
bike and jumps into the side car.
EXT. COMPANY B CAMP - DAY
Captain Van Meter strolls, handling an M-16.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
The M-16 is the basic weapon of
the infantry. During Vietnam, it
was fully automatic.
GENERAL HORN (O.S.)
Doug?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Yes, General.
GENERAL HORN
What the fuck are you doing?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Well, I'm giving an interview to
CBS.
GENERAL HORN
Do you have authorization?
Van Meter pulls out a folded paper and gives it to the
general, who looks at it.
GENERAL HORN
No.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
No?
GENERAL HORN
Who gave you this?
CAPTAIN VAN METER
Major Gates.
GENERAL HORN
Archie Gates gave you this? Jesus
Christ, Doug, come with me.
CAPTAIN VAN METER
I don't get to do the interview?
GENERAL HORN
No, you don't get to do the
interview.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
ARCHIE GATES
Faster.
Bach's 'Gloria' plays loud as Vig drives and Archie stares
straight ahead as the Humvee picks up speed.
EXT. ANOTHER VILLAGE OUTSIDE KARBALA - DAY
The Hummer zips into a bigger village piazza with an old
fortress at one end, and races straight to the entrance to an
underground bunker in the middle of the piazza.
ARCHIE GATES
(into the megaphone)
United States Marine Corps. Put
your weapons down.
Troy and Doc leap out, hold pistols out at arm's length as
they accost TWO IRAQI SOLDIERS pointing rifles at them.
TROY
Drop your weapon.
DOC
Put it down.
Troy and Doc shove the two Iraqis face down in the dirt and
cuff their hands behind their backs.
VIG
Don't make me smoke your ass,
Abdul.
INT. SECOND IRAQI BUNKER - DAY
Archie runs down a narrow cement corridor, pistol held at
arm's length, white document in the other hand; followed by
Troy and Doc, pistols drawn.
An IRAQI SOLDIER steps into the corridor at the far end, sees
Archie coming, looks terrified, and runs back. Archie and
Troy run right past the scared Iraqi. Doc comes third,
slamming the Iraqi face down and cuffing him.
Archie kicks a door open and goes in, followed by Troy.
INT. INNER ROOM, SECOND IRAQI BUNKER - DAY
Archie and Troy burst in, pointing their guns aggressively.
TROY
Freeze.
A large room; walls lined with shelves full of brand new
appliances: blenders, cuisinarts, CD players, small TVs. A
huge portrait of Saddam Hussein covers one wall.
A television plays a rerun of 'Happy Days' in Arabic.
Another TV: CNN's first reports of the Rodney King beating.
An IRAQI CAPTAIN sits in a chair in front of the TVs.
TWO IRAQIS sit loading rifles. Two others sit at a radio.
They all jump to their feet when Archie bursts in, except for
the officer watching 'Happy Days' and CNN..
ARCHIE GATES
By order of the cease-fire signed
in Safwan, March 3, the United
States Marines hereby confiscate
all material stolen by Iraq from
the Emirate of Kuwait --
One of the rifle-loading Iraqis tries to run. Troy heads him
off with his pistol --
TROY
Down.
The other rifle-loader stands looking scared.
IRAQI RIFLE-LOADER
Isnam panan fatwa aznir --
WHIP PAN TO Doc, who turns the shortwave radio off, pushes
the TWO IRAQIS to the ground. One goes peacefully, the other
resists; Doc smacks him in the side of the head with his
pistol, which fires accidentally. Everyone grabs their heads
and ducks -- except Archie.
ARCHIE GATES
Never hit anyone with your pistol,
Doc.
DOC
Sorry about that.
Archie is offered a cuisinart by the Iraqi Captain.
IRAQI CAPTAIN
For wife.
ARCHIE GATES
I've been divorced three times.
Troy has one rifle Iraqi on the ground, but the second is on
his knees, putting a CD into a mini-stereo.
RIFLE IRAQI #2
Newest and best.
TROY
No, newest and best has better
noise reduction.
The Iraqi looks puzzled.
TROY
Less distortion. Get down on the
floor, OK?
He pushes the man face down, cuffs his hands. Olivia Newton-
John's "I Wanna Get Physical" PLAYS.
TROY
This is bad music, understand?
It's bad for you.
DOC (O.S.)
Hey --
WHIP PAN TO the resistant Iraqi struggles to break away and
Doc punches him in the head twice, the Iraqi starts crying.
ARCHIE GATES
(to Iraqi Captain)
Where's the gold, Captain? Tell us
so we don't have to kill you.
TROY
There's another room over here.
PAN TO Troy pointing to a narrow door in a corner of the
room. Archie kicks it open.
INT. INNER ROOM - DAY
A bound, naked SHIITE MAN IN GLASSES, clean shaven, sits on
the floor in a five foot square shallow metal box, four
inches deep, filled with water. There is an electric cable
going into the water. The naked Shiite in glasses shakes.
Troy watches Archie walk over and yank the cable out.
IRAQI SARGEANT
I am just do my job, buddy.
Archie pauses, then gives the Sargeant a backhand that sends
him flying to the corner. Archie steps on the man's wrist,
takes the pistol out of his hand. Troy watches.
Archie turns and sees TEN SHIITES across the room: 3 MEN, 3
WOMEN, 4 CHILDREN. The men and women are bound and GAGGED.
Archie steps toward the Shiites, but the INTERROGATOR, 35,
also a captain, steps in his way.
INTERROGATOR
These Shiite. Iraq problem. United
States is out now.
Archie stares at the INTERROGATOR with contempt.
INTERROGATOR
We take them outside, so it don't
bother you, OK, sir? Kata fanam.
The disarmed Iraqi Sargeant NODS and opens a small rear door
and pushes the Shiites out. Archie walks back to the main
room and points his pistol in the Captain's face.
ARCHIE GATES
Take us to the basement.
EXT. FRONT OF BUNKER TWO - DAY
Vig keeps the TWO CUFFED IRAQI GUARDS on the ground at gun
point as 15 SHIITES with crude clubs and sling shots encircle.
One of the Shiites shoots a rock from the slingshot and nails
a handcuffed Iraqi in the back of the head.
VIG
Don't start this shit again.
The Shiites back away as Vig motions with his big pistol.
VIG
I know ya'll Shiite gettin' yer
asses whipped -- Hey, what the
hell is going on here?
PAN TO the ten Shiites, and the naked Man with Glasses, who
is getting dressed, exiting the side of the bunker, ushered
by the unarmed Iraqi Sargeant.
VIG
Git on the fucking ground, Arab.
IRAQI SARGEANT
Prisoner stay. Gabar matan.
VIG
What the fuck are you talking
about?
Suddenly a SHIITE WOMAN runs up to the tortured Shiite Man
with Glasses and embraces him, sobbing. A LITTLE GIRL with
dirty casts on both broken arms runs up and hugs his legs.
The bound Shiite prisoners start to walk away from the
bunker, and the unarmed Sargeant has a fit.
IRAQI SARGEANT
Kinam vanir! Vanir!
He chases the prisoners, pushes them back. The free Shiites
shoot rocks and club him.
VIG
Goddamn it everybody calm down.
INT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
Archie runs down several narrow sets of cement stairs,
followed by the Interrogator, the other Iraqi Captain, Troy,
and Doc. (SUBTITLED IN ENGLISH)
IRAQI CAPTAIN
It's my ass, donkey dick, Saddam
will shoot me dead.
INTERROGATOR
Saddam worries more about the
Shiite than the gold.
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
The Shiite crowd curses and spits on the Iraqi soldiers. The
Sargeant is beaten.
Suddenly an Iraqi armored truck with a mounted machine gun
races up and SEVEN IRAQI SOLDIERS pour out swinging clubs,
followed by an IRAQI MAJOR, about 45. The Iraqi soldiers
savagely beat the Shiites.
Vig looks horrified as he watches.
TWO SOLDIERS grab the Woman from the Man With Glasses, and
drag her into a circle with three other soldiers; the ten
year-old girl with dirty casts on both arms, screams and
punches at them.
The Man With Glasses is held down at knife point.
VIG
(into the megaphone)
This is the United States Military.
The Iraqi Major glances over at Vig, but the soldiers do not
stop brutalizing the Shiites -- they round up eight more
Shiites and make them lay face down.
INT. BASEMENT
Troy and Doc disarm TWO GUARDS outside a door in the basement.
Archie goes through the door, followed by the Iraqi
Interrogator and Captain.
INT. ROOM OF BUNKER 2 - DAY
Bright white cement, many overhead lights and a high ceiling.
empty but for 15 brand new, jumbo-sized Louis Vuitton
suitcases standing neatly in a row in the center of the room.
Archie stands looking at the suitcases with Troy and Doc.
Several of the big Vuitton suitcases are laid on their sides
by Archie, Troy and Doc.
The Iraqi Captain paces frantically punching and kicking the
walls and talking (SUBTITLED in ENGLISH).
IRAQI CAPTAIN
It's Saddam's gold.
INTERROGATOR
Shut up, he signed the treaty.
The suitcases are quickly unzipped. One suitcase is full of
gleaming antique silverware. One suitcase is full of jewelry.
Archie opens one full of hundreds of gold Cartier watches.
Troy and Doc slip a handful of jewelry into their pockets.
The Iraqi Captain goes nuts, throwing himself on Doc's back,
choking Doc, who flails about. Troy punches the Iraqi in the
head and rips him off Doc.
Archie puts his pistol in the man's face.
ARCHIE GATES
Listen to me: we leave you alone
to kill your Shiites, but
everything you took from Kuwait,
that belongs to us now, understand?
He turns to Doc.
ARCHIE GATES
Put it back.
DOC
Why?
ARCHIE GATES
Stick to the plan. The plan is for
gold.
Doc and Troy, out of breath, empty their pockets of jewelry.
Archie opens another Vuitton suitcase and pushes it aside -
it's full of Kuwaiti passports.
When Doc opens the next suitcase, he freezes. Archie looks
over and freezes. Troy closes cuffs behind the Captain's back
and looks over his shoulder -- wide-eyed.
The very large Vuitton suitcase is filled with five-kilo
bricks of gold. They all stare. Troy picks one up.
TROY
Is this five kilos?
Archie holds another brick.
ARCHIE GATES
Yeah, that's five kilos.
TROY
Five, six, seven, eight, there's
sixty bricks in this suitcase.
DOC
Times 50K each --
TROY
Three million dollars.
Archie opens another large Vuitton suitcase, and it is also
filled with sixty bars. Troy opens another suitcase, there's
another sixty bars. Doc opens another, another sixty bars.
They frantically check all of the suitcases. The handcuffed
Captain is crying.
ARCHIE GATES
Ten suitcases; sixty bricks each.
That's thirty million dollars.
Archie, Doc and Troy look at each other in shock.
With effort, Doc and Troy help Archie pick up the heavy,
jumbo-sized suitcase sideways, like a table top.
TROY
I'm gonna get a fleet of Lexus
convertibles in different colors.
DOC
I told you Lexus doesn't make a
convertible.
TROY
I'll bet you a Lexus they do.
DOC
OK, you're on for a Lexus, but it
won't be a convertible.
Suddenly the suitcase rips apart and gold bars fall to the
floor; one lands on Troy's foot. He jumps in pain.
TROY
Shit.
Archie, Troy, and Doc hoist another suitcase sideways and the
bricks rip through and fall to the floor --
ARCHIE GATES
They didn't get it here in these
bags.
DOC
The tensilary strength goes to 200
pounds.
TROY
The what?
DOC
Tensilary strength, it's what the
suitcase can hold.
ARCHIE GATES
Why would you know that?
TROY
He works at an airport.
DOC
60 bars, 13 pounds each is like --
800 pounds. The smaller Vuittons
handle 65.
ARCHIE GATES
You got any more luggage here?
The Interrogator looks at him.
INT. BUNKER BASEMENT - LATER
120 small, round, Vuitton overnight bags, laid out and
opened, cover the entire floor of the basement.
Troy and Doc finish putting 5 bars in each bag. Archie paces,
sweating, speedy like he's on cocaine.
ARCHIE GATES
It's crazy to take it all, we're
not prepared for it. It's crazy
not to take it all, how can we
leave it?
Troy and Doc look nervous.
TROY
What's the shipping plan?
ARCHIE GATES
I told you that's handled.
TROY
How is it handled? You have to
tell us now.
DOC
Yeah, tell us now.
ARCHIE GATES
(pacing)
I've got a friend, he's in French
Special Forces. He's gonna put it
in barrels filled with oil and
bury it. In a few weeks, he'll
drive it to Yanbu --
TROY
Where's Yanbu?
ARCHIE GATES
It's a port in Saudi.
SILENT FANTASY
Havichon talks to an EGYPTIAN MAN in Lacoste sportswear
ARCHIE GATES (O.S.)
Where another friend will ship it
on a Turkish boat up the Red Sea
to Perpignan, where a French boat
will take it to Baltimore --
BACK TO THE SCENE
TROY
I don't know about getting them to
Baltimore, but these hat boxes
ain't gonna fit in the Humvee.
ARCHIE GATES
We need a trailer.
TROY
OK, I'll call U-Haul in Karbala to
see what they have on the lot
today.
ARCHIE GATES
See what you can get, Barlow.
INT. NARROW CEMENT STAIRCASE OF BUNKER
Troy runs up the stairs.
EXT. BUNKER - DAY
Troy runs out the front door.
TROY
Conrad, we need a trailer --
The Iraqi Major stares coldly at Troy. Troy stares at the two
soldiers beating Shiites; five others clustered around the
woman on the ground.
VIG
Did you get it? Troy, did you get
it?
TROY
Yeah, we got it.
VIG
Is it a lot?
TROY
Yeah, it's a lot.
LATER
Troy and Vig untangle, with difficulty, an ox cart from a
messy pile of old ox carts against a bombed out building.
Troy looks troubled --
TROY
(under his breath)
'Little deuce coupe with a fiat
head mill, she'll walk a
Thunderbird like it's standin'
still --'
CLOSE UP A SHIITE MAN is smashed in the face with a club.
CLOSE UP TROY pulls a heavy chain from the Humvee.
TROY
'She'll do a hundred and forty
with the top end floored --'
The Little Girl with arm casts is screaming while her father,
the Man In Glasses, tries to hold her.
Troy and Vig quickly chain the ox cart to the Humvee.
TROY
'She's my little deuce coupe --'
INT. NARROW CEMENT STAIRCASE OF BUNKER
Archie, Doc, the Interrogator run up carrying Vuitton cases.
INT. UPSTAIRS ROOM OF BUNKER - DAY
They hurry past the huge poster of Saddam, the TVs playing
'Happy Days' and Rodney King, the many shelves of stereos,
etc., and past the soldiers lying face down, handcuffed.
EXT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
Archie, Doc, and the Interrogator charge out of the bunker
with Vuitton luggage and put it onto the ox cart Troy has
rigged. Archie and Doc stop and stare in shock --
Soldiers 6 & 7 drag and beat Shiites; 5 wounded men and women
lie on the ground bleeding. A cuffed Iraqi Guard kneels with
a bleeding head. Five soldiers continue to encircle someone
(the Shiite woman). The Man In Glasses and the Little Girl
PRAY in ARABIC as they bow on the ground.
Troy and Vig stare back at Archie, looking tense.
The Iraqi Major greets the Interrogator warmly and they
embrace. Then the Major salutes Archie.
IRAQI MAJOR
You take the Kuwaiti gold, yes?
ARCHIE GATES
We take the Kuwaiti gold. Yes.
IRAQI MAJOR
Saddam cannot keep.
ARCHIE GATES
No, Saddam cannot keep.
IRAQI MAJOR
Saddam have too many problem today.
ARCHIE GATES
He certainly does.
Shiites run past throwing rocks at Iraqi soldiers 6 & 7 who
tackle and pummel them to the ground.
IRAQI MAJOR
You need help to load?
ARCHIE GATES
We can do it ourselves.
The Major turns and shouts --
IRAQI MAJOR
Hazal jarat finan.
Iraqis 6 & 7 jog over. The soldiers are out of breath.
IRAQI MAJOR
These man help you.
INTERROGATOR
You go away fast from this
bullshit.
Archie looks at one soldier's hands.
CLOSE UP: BLOOD on the Iraqi Soldier's knuckles and wrists.
PAN UP TO THE FACES of the Iraqi soldiers.
ARCHIE GATES
Let's load up and get out of here.
INT. STAIRWELL
Iraqi Soldiers 6 & 7 carry suitcases up the narrow stairs.
EXT. BUNKER NUMBER TWO - DAY
Luggage is loaded into the Humvee and the cart while Troy
directs Iraqis 6 & 7; Doc and Vig help.
TROY
Lay that one flat; OK, sideways --
ARCHIE GATES
This isn't gonna work.
TROY
Sure it is --
The cart collapses from the weight into a pile of broken wood.
The Vuitton bags roll onto the debris-cluttered ground, one
goes through a pool of blood. Doc picks the case up.
IRAQI MAJOR
You need a truck.
ARCHIE GATES
We'll rig two carts.
TROY
Let's take the truck.
ARCHIE GATES
We're not taking their truck.
TROY
Why not?
IRAQI MAJOR
We cooperate with peace accord.
Please take truck.
TROY
Let's take the truck.
Archie looks vaguely disgusted.
Troy backs the truck up.
Vuitton hat cases are loaded into the back of the truck,
which is completely full.
Archie sits behind the wheel of the Humvee. Vig sits next to
him. Archie starts the engine. Iraqi 6 taps on the door of
the Humvee by way of saying goodbye. Archie nods.
The Iraqi Major points to the Shiite Woman.
IRAQI MAJOR
Nazaran yafit haisul.
Archie watches as Iraqis 6 & 7 walk directly to the circle of
soldiers around the woman -- it is now clear she has been
raped. They pull her from the group, they stand the Woman in
an open area and shoot her dead.
Troy jerks slightly in his seat and turns away. Doc stares.
Archie bows his head to the steering wheel and leans there
for a second as Vig looks wide-eyed at the dead woman.
The Girl in arm casts screams. She is grabbed by the hair and
pulled away by an Iraqi soldier, but the Man In Glasses
punches him and takes the girl. The soldier chases them with
a knife and jabs at the man, cutting him, but not lethally.
Archie gets out of the Humvee and slams the door, walks
slowly toward the Iraqi soldiers.
ARCHIE GATES
This has to stop.
The Iraqis look at him. The soldier with the knife continues
to slash the Man In Glasses.
INTERROGATOR
You get your ass kick in a war, it
feel good to be strong again.
ARCHIE GATES
What did you say?
IRAQI MAJOR
You go now, please.
He salutes Archie.
ARCHIE GATES
I don't think so. I'm sure you
know about the Geneva Convention,
right?
INTERROGATOR
Geneva convention? You bomb my
house, man.
IRAQI MAJOR
That Shiite man is leader of
uprising. He kill my man.
TROY
Archie, let's stick to the plan,
sir. The plan is for gold, right?
DOC
We can help them first, then be on
our way.
TROY
No, we can't. It's not what we're
here for.
ARCHIE GATES
How much?
IRAQI MAJOR
What?
ARCHIE GATES
How much gold do you want to let
these people come with us?
The Iraqi Major smiles. The Interrogator laughs.
INTERROGATOR
