"COOL HAND LUKE"
Screenplay by
Donn Pearce and Frank Pierson
Based on the novel by
Donn Pearce
SHOOTING DRAFT
FADE IN:
EXT. SOUTHERN CITY STREET EXTREME CLOSEUP PARKING METER
(NIGHT)
Its irritating head opens a glaring red eye: the red flag
pops across the entire screen:
VIOLATION
INSERT: PARKING METER SUPPORT (NIGHT)
CLOSEUP of a pipe cutter attached to the meter neck, metal
slivers curling out. From o.s. we HEAR -- LUCAS JACKSON
cheerfully humming and mumbling Auld Lang Syne and then:
LUKE
Okay, Mister General, you son of a
bitch. Sir. Think you can put things
right with a piece of tin with a
ribbon hangin' on it? Gonna put you
right.
CLOSEUP PARKING METER (NIGHT)
as the meter head falls out of FRAME.
NEW ANGLE ON METER (NIGHT)
as it falls to the ground amidst a forest of meter stands
and Luke's hand comes into the FRAME to pick it up and we
SEE him in CLOSEUP for the first time. He is cheerful, drunk,
wearing a faded GI Field jacket. A bottle opener hangs on a
silver chain around his neck. He addresses the next meter.
LUKE
All right. Helen, honey. I lost my
head over you. Now its your turn.
Suddenly the beam of headlights crashes in, FLARING the
SCREEN.
ANGLE ON PROWL CAR (NIGHT)
sliding up to us, headlights glaring, red toplight revolving
menacingly. TWO OFFICERS, black shapes, get out and start
warily toward Luke.
ON LUKE (NIGHT)
illuminated by the headlights. He grins as the Officers
approach, lifts a bottle of beer, opens it and drinks,
smiling. On his smile, FREEZE FRAME. ON THE FRAME SUPER-IMPOSE
MAIN TITLE and as it FADES
DISSOLVE TO:
OMITTED
EXT. CLOSEUP A YOYO BLADE IN THE SUN
It swings with a pendulum motion, its shining blade topping
a clump of grass and weeds; it swings on the backstroke,
lopping more grass, then moves a little away from CAMERA.
FROM CAMERA RIGHT, a pair of feet move INTO the FRAME, the
feet of the man swinging the yoyo. They are booted and
connected by chains, riveted around the ankles. The feet
move further INTO the FRAME and the SHOT WIDENS. We are on:
EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD (DAY)
and we see the work gang in uniforms (14 men) flailing away
with yoyos, short-handled scythes in the hot sun, guarded by
three men. Three of the workers wear chains (Gambler,
Dynamite, Sailor). The scene is bleached and hot; the men
sweating and dirty in prison shirts and pants. The light
shifts during the following:
A MONTAGE OF A FULL DAY - SUPERIMPOSE TITLES AS APPROPRIATE
OVER FOLLOWING
ANGLE ON RABBIT
He is a trustee. He walks up INTO CAMERA and sets up sign:
SLOW DOWN -- MEN AT WORK
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE (9:00 A.M.)
He is a giant, covered with sweat and dust. He starts to
pull off his shirt.
DRAGLINE
Takin' it off here, Boss!
BOSS KEAN
Yeah, take it off, Dragline!
ANGLE BOSS KEAN (11:00 A.M.)
pulling out watch, looking at the sun.
ANGLE THE BULL GANG
flailing away, most of them naked to the waist.
ANGLE KOKO
He is sweating streams.
KOKO
Wipin' it off here, Boss!
BOSS SHORTY
Okay, wipe it off there, Koko.
Koko takes out a limp handkerchief and mops his face.
ANGLE ON GAMBLER (A CHAINMAN) (NOON)
his yoyo flashing like a sword. He pauses, panting.
GAMBLER
Drinkin' it up here, Boss!
ANGLE BOSS KEAN
BOSS KEAN
Awright, drink it up, Gambler. Water
'em, Rabbit.
NEW ANGLE GAMBLER AND GANG
as Gambler takes a drink from a tin cup, passed by Rabbit.
FULL SHOT THE GANG (2:00 P.M.)
working away like a machine.
ANGLE PAST BOSS GODFREY TO BOSS SHORTY
Godfrey is the Walking Boss, silent, implacable symbol of
ultimate judgement. He wears a black hat, globular mirrored
sunglasses -- the Man With No Eyes, impassive, emotionless.
He nods to Boss Shorty.
BOSS SHORTY
Awright, smoke it up!
FULL SHOT THE GANG
In unison they chant:
THE GANG
Yeah, Boss.
ANGLE SOCIETY RED AND BLIND DICK 4:00 P.M.
Society is checking his yoyo edge with a file, covertly
watching a passing car. Blind Dick sneaks a look, then ducks.
ANGLE BOSS KEAN
BOSS KEAN
You eyeballin' there, Society?
SOCIETY RED
SOCIETY RED
Checkin' my yoyo, Boss!
KOKO (5:00 P.M.)
He sees something o.s. He speaks, as they all do outside,
like a ventriloquist, not moving the lips, and in a stage
whisper, to Dragline.
KOKO
Drag... Drag... Newmeat Bus! We got
us Newmeat tonight!
ANGLE ON GAMBLER AND DRAGLINE
They look up covertly.
P.O.V. ANGLE ON ROAD
The Newmeat Bus, a prison vehicle, a panel truck with meshed
windows; and men in it, appears down the road approaching
the gang. It slows as it passes them and the men covertly
look at it.
KOKO AND GAMBLER
KOKO
(whispering)
A bunch. Must be halfa dozen Newmeat.
GAMBLER
No more than five. For a cold drink.
KOKO
(whispering)
Bet! Babalugats, bet here!
ANGLE BABALUGATS
He is the idiot of the gang. He grins foolishly, making the
bet official.
NEWMEAT BUS
as it passes, picking up speed, PAN INTO:
CLOSE SHOT GODFREY
looking at the Newmeat Bus.
EXT. CLOSEUP THE EYES OF GODFREY
His sunglasses FILL THE SCREEN, distorting the image of the
bus as it moves away from us and the last TITLE ROLLS.
CUT TO:
INT. NEWMEAT BUS
The SCREEN is mostly black, but we see out through the meshed
rear windows a desolate panorama of gnarled trees and grubby
landscape, bleak and hopeless.
Now we HEAR outside the barking and baying of bloodhounds,
not like they're tracking, but just playing as the truck
turns and stops. The BUS GUARD and DRIVER get out. The back
of the truck is opened by the guard and through that rectangle
of bright sunlight, the silhouettes of the Newmeat descend,
Luke last.
EXT. PRISON CAMP LUKE'S P.O.V. (DAY)
The Scene: in a hollow is a long barracks, white-washed,
faded gray, one story high. At right is a mess hall and
laundry. A chain-link fence surrounds the whole compound.
The corners of the fence are telephone poles with floodlights
on the tops. These burn all night. Back of the mess hall,
again outside the fence, are several kennel runs in which
bloodhounds are now ROARING. A wooden tower with a simple
board roof stands at two corners of the compound where the
guards sit when the prisoners are not locked in the barracks.
A picnic table sits in a grassy area just outside and at one
side of the gate is a picket fence enclosing a scrubby lawn.
BOSS PAUL
Four. Right.
He hands the papers to the CAPTAIN, a small man with a kindly
face but a firm, set mouth who always carries a golf club.
In b.g. the bloodhounds are YOWLING:
BOSS PAUL
Dogboy, get them dogs shut up!
DOGBOY, a trustee whose leather gloves are always sticking
out of one back pocket, puts his hand to be licked by the
dogs who quiet, friendly, like any pets.
DOGBOY
They just smell newmeat is all, Boss.
The Captain has been ignoring this, watching the prisoners,
looking at their records.
EXT. NEWMEAT BUS (DAY)
as the Bosses (BOSS PAUL and BOSS HIGGINS) motion for them,
the other Newmeat (to be known as TRAMP, ALIBI, and TATTOO)
stumble into each other and jostle Luke in their eagerness
to obey orders.
BOSS PAUL
You men git lined up here.
The Newmeat jostle into line. They are wearing State Issue
gray pants and their own Free World shirts. All except Luke
carry a paper bag or cigar box containing their wordly goods.
All except Luke look apprehensive, worried. Luke stands with
languid grace, neither insolent nor hostile, nor fearful.
The Bus Guard hands Boss Paul a folder that contains records
as the Captain approaches from his porch.
CAPTAIN
What did they bring us today? Gibson.
A 507, Manslaughter. Good for a two
spot.
ALIBI
It was an accident. I've never been
in any trouble.
BOSS PAUL
You'all call the Captain, Captain.
CAPTAIN
(to next man)
Edgar Potter. A 302 and resisting
arrest. One year.
TRAMP
I was tryin' to keep outa the rain.
BOSS PAUL
Git the wax out'n yore ears. You
call the Captain, Captain.
TRAMP
Yes, sir.
BOSS PAUL
And you call the rest of us Boss,
you hear?
TRAMP
Yes, Boss.
CAPTAIN
This man is gonna make us proud of
him, Mr. Hunnicutt.
(moving on)
Raymond Pratt.
TATTOO
Yes, Captain.
CAPTAIN
Breakin', enterin' and assault. Five
spot. Hmmm. Able-bodied seaman.
TATTOO
That oughta come in handy here,
Captain.
CAPTAIN
Maybe.
(turning to Luke)
Lucas Jackson.
LUKE
Here, Captain.
CAPTAIN
Maliciously destroyin' municipal
property while under the influence.
What was that?
LUKE
Cuttin' the heads off parkin' meters,
Captain.
CAPTAIN
Well, we ain't never had one of them.
Where'd you think that was gonna get
you?
LUKE
I guess you could say I wasn't
thinkin', Captain.
CAPTAIN
(looking at record)
Says here you done real good in the
war: Silver Star, Bronze Star, couple
Purple Hearts. Sergeant! Little time
in stockades. Come out the same way
you went in: Buck Private.
LUKE
That's right, Captain. Just passin'
the time.
CAPTAIN
(staring at him)
Well, you got yourself some time
now. Two years. Hell, that ain't
much, we got coupla men here doin'
twenty spots. We got one who's got
all of it. We got all kinds and you
gonna fit in real good. Course in
case you git rabbit in your blood
and decide to take off fer home, you
git a bonus a some time and couple
leg chains to keep you slowed down a
little -- fer your own good. You'll
learn the rules. It's all up to you.
I can be a good guy or I can be one
mean son-of-a-bitch, it's up to you.
He turns and walks away.
CLOSE SHOT LUKE
His eyes have been wandering during this speech. He sees a
doleful, lovable bloodhound, nose at the mesh and winks at
him.
CLOSE SHOT BLOODHOUND
He simply stares dolefully.
INT. BARRACKS (DAY)
Bare, unpainted wood. The windows are barred and covered
with chain link. The door from the barracks up to the compound
passes a small area enclosed by a woven metal strap cage. In
this usually sits the WICKER MAN, whom we generally see as a
heavy, short shape moving about his own business which is
making an endless series of rings or jewelry by hammering
coins with the back of a heavy spoon.
The door to the barracks locks by the tongue of a strap iron
bar that is thrust through a hole in the wicker where the
Wicker Man locks it by padlock. Thus he can always see them,
but they can't reach him. The single big room is filled with
two and even three-tiered bunks. Bare bulbs hang from the
ceiling.
CARR, the floorwalker, a 240 pound behemoth, is indoctrinating
the Newmeat while they change into camp clothing: gray twill
trousers, shirt and jacket, all numbered, which has been
piled on the table. Carr squeegees up and down, a restless
man, and CAMERA in following him SHOWS us the room. At the
same time, the Wicker Man is moving about the barracks,
tapping the floors and bunk posts with a broom handle for
signs of tampering. Carr pays no attention to him, addressing
the Newmeat.
CARR
Them clothes has got laundry numbers
on 'em. You remember your number and
always wear the ones that has your
number. Any man forgets his number
spends a night in the box.
(passing out spoons)
This yere spoon you keep with you
and any man loses his spoon spends a
night in the box. There is no playing
grabass or fighting in the building.
You got a grudge against another man
you can fight him Saturday afternoon.
Any man playing grabass or fighting
in the building spends a night in
the box. First bell is at five minutes
of eight when you will get in your
bunk and last bell is at eight...
O.S. now are heard the SOUNDS of trucks arriving and the
Wicker Man goes back to the wicker.
CARR
(continuing)
Any man not in his bunk at eight
will spend a night in the box. There
is no smoking in prone position in
bed. To smoke you must have both
legs over the side of your bunk.
Anyone caught smoking in prone
position will spend a night in the
box. You get two sheets. Every
Saturday you put the clean sheet on
the top, the top sheet on the bottom
and the bottom sheet you turn in to
the Laundry Boy. Any man who turns
in the wrong sheet spends a night in
the box. No one will sit on the bunks
with dirty pants on. Any man sitting
on a bunk with dirty pants will spend
a night in the box. Any man who don't
bring back his empty pop bottles
spends a night in the box.
O.S. now are the SOUNDS of men counting off, filling the air
with the apprehension of impending arrival.
CARR
(continuing)
Any man loudtalking spends a night
in the box. You got questions you
come to me.
(attentive now)
I'm Carr, the floorwalker. I'm
responsible for order in here and
any man that don't keep order...
Luke mouths the next line with him. At the same time, we
HEAR the clanking of the Wicker Man's doors opening and the
thudding of many steps.
CARR
...spends a night in the box.
(to Luke, sincerely)
I hope you ain't gonna be a hardcase.
NEW ANGLE
As Luke shrugs the chute bursts open and the Bull Gang rushes
in, men trying to get hands clean, urinate and get back out
into the chowline. Sudden LOUD CHAOS. The Newmeat are seated
on the bench, bewildered, except Luke who grins. Koko spies
the Newmeat and is unhappy that there are only four.
GAMBLER
(to Koko)
Four. You owe me a drink.
DRAGLINE
(pushing both aside)
Get outa mah way you don't want a
wet pocket!
SOCIETY RED
(passing the Newmeat)
Gentlemen, welcome to the Family.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Any of you guys from Connecticut?
CARR
Awright, let's move it along!
NEW ANGLE
as the flow of bodies reverses and the men stampede for the
chute, going out, adjusting clothing, etc. Dragline shoves
Loudmouth Steve along.
DRAGLINE
Fill your loudmouth with some beans!
And they are in the chute. The Newmeat still sit there. .in
the empty barracks, the SOUND of men disappearing across the
yard.
CARR
Well, what are you doin' here? You
supposed to be eatin' them beans!
The Newmeat stampede out the chute.
INT. MESS HALL (DUSK)
Most of the other men already have their food and are sitting
down with no jockeying for places: everybody knows. They are
shoveling it down as fast as they can, getting back up for
seconds. Luke and the other Newmeat get their plates and
while the others stand there, confused, Luke sits at the
first vacant spot and begins to eat industriously.
KOKO
(sotto voce to Dragline)
Newmeat's a hog-gut.
Dragline looks up, goes back to his food. There is an off-
stage CRASH.
NEW ANGLE TRAMP
He is sitting on the floor, between his knees a mess of stew
on the floor and his plate upside down. He has made the
mistake of taking Dynamite's seat. DYNAMITE, the champion
eater, has casually displaced him and is busy chowing. Dogboy
is serving; he is the only one to break the rule of silence
in chowlines.
DOGBOY
These pigs is rollin' in thar slops
now, Boss!
Tramp makes terrified and ineffectual efforts to scoop the
stew back onto his plate with his hand, wiping his hand on
his uniform, etc., then trying to obliterate the stain on
the floor with a foot.
EXT. BARRACKS PORCH (NIGHT)
The men are being shaken down before entering the barracks
for the night. They sit and take off their shoes. They empty
their pockets into their caps. Carr inspects shoes, throws
them inside door, frisks men who stand with backs turned,
arms raised. Then Carr mutters a number.
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
Through the Wicker Cage toward door. As the men enter, stoop
to pick up shoes, repeat their number to the Wicker Man, as
they go through the chute.
INT. BARRACKS NEW ANGLE (NIGHT)
The men are preparing for their hour of free time. Gambler
has layed out the blanket for the poker game and is shuffling
cards. Koko and BLIND DICK have their seats, are arranging
their piles of change. Luke sits at the other end of the
table, past the blanket line. Dragline who has been talking
to the Wicker Man now enters casually as we HEAR Dynamite,
change in hand, moving to the game berating Tramp.
DYNAMITE
Next time you stay outa my place! I
earned it. You try that agin an'
I'll bounce you all over the floor.
TRAMP
I didn't know. I was hungry.
KOKO
You don't take another man's place,
boy.
ALIBI
It wasn't his fault. Nobody said
anything about seats. We --
DRAGLINE
(to Tramp)
You gotta mind your manners, you
actin' like a hillbilly tramp.
KOKO
(delighted)
Tramp! Beautiful!
Dragline nods.
GAMBLER
(to Tramp)
You got your bullgang name, boy.
TRAMP
(good-naturedly)
Ain't no worse than some I been
called.
TATTOO
In the Navy, we used to call guys --
DRAGLINE
Fasten your flap! All you Newmeats
gonna have to shape up fast and hard
on this gang. We got rules here an'
in order to learn them, you gotta
keep your ears open and your mouths
shut.
Luke snorts.
OMITTED
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
looking up as if he has just heard a strange sound.
DRAGLINE
Somebody say somethin'?
LUKE
I didn't say nothin', Boss.
DRAGLINE
Well, whatta we got here?
LUKE
A Lucas Jackson.
SOCIETY RED
(at mirror, back turned)
Dragline gives out the names here.
You'll get yours when he figures you
out.
DRAGLINE
(to Luke)
Maybe we oughta call you No-Ears.
You don't listen much, do you, boy?
LUKE
(smiling)
Ain't heard much worth listening to
yet. Just everybody handing out rules.
A feeling of discomfort. Koko assesses Luke, who has remained
at the poker table.
KOKO
Newmeat looks like a poker player,
Drag.
DRAGLINE
Wouldn't surprise me none.
(to Luke)
Wicker Man says you got a hundred-
twenny and some change in the
Captain's safe and you got your five
dollars pocket money... That'll buy
you a whole fistfull of cards. You
in or out?
Luke stares at him for a beat, then shrugs -- who needs it --
and walks over to his bunk.
SOCIETY RED
Looks like you've got yourself a
redhot, Dragline.
Dragline just stares after Luke.
GAMBLER
(dealing)
Awright, let's play some poker. First
Jack is the Man... a trey, a duck, a
neighter...
He continues to call cards as we PAN AWAY and DOWN the bunks
showing Alibi writing a letter, Loudmouth Steve reading a
sex book, STUPID BLONDIE working a rattleskin wallet, SAILOR
removing his pants through his chains, CHIEF rolling
cigarettes, etc.
CLOSE THE WICKER
The shadow of the Wicker Man behind it rises and moves to
the tire rim which he beats with a tire iron.
CLOSE CARR
CARR
First bell!
POKER TABLE
The men break it up, some head for the urinal.
ANGLE ON LUKE
He lies in his bunk staring directly into a flyspecked bulb
hanging from the ceiling about eighteen inches from his face.
It will be on all night. The tire iron SOUNDS again and men
hurry for their bunks.
CARR (O.S.)
Last bell. Last bell.
INT. BARRACKS MED. SHOT
Carr moves down the aisle, counting lips moving. The barracks
is silent. Finishing the count, Carr goes to the Wicker.
CARR
Fifty, Boss.
WICKER MAN (O.S.)
Fifty. Okay, Carr.
ANGLE ON LUKE
staring up at bulb.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE'S VOICE
Gittin' up here, Carr.
MOVING CLOSE SHOT CARR
Pacing along, his feet squeegeeing on the floor.
CARR
Yeeahp.
ANGLE SHOWING LOUDMOUTH STEVE
In the sleeping barracks he gets up and moves toward the
toilets...
ANGLE ON BABALUGATS
He is crouched in a tortured position to pray, in the space
between his bunk and the one above.
CLOSE LUKE
He rolls over and goes to sleep. SOUND OVER: Carr squeegeeing
along, the CREAK of the bunks as men toss and turn, the WATER
RUNNING in the toilets, the DOGS BARKING a little outside.
OMITTED
OMITTED
ANGLE ON CARR
He sits at the poker table. The sound has dropped now in the
depth of the night, the chink, chink of the Wicker man
stopped. Carr simply sits staring at his half-finished game
of solitaire, a card in his hand, his eyes seeing something
far distant. He's breathing but he could be carved of stone.
OMITTED
INT. BARRACKS LONG SHOT BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)
All others sleeping. Carr at poker table. Suddenly the clamor
of the iron bar is HEARD.
CARR
First bell! First bell! Let's go!
ANGLE ON ALIBI
as, still asleep, he is unceremoniously dumped onto the floor
by Carr who goes right by. Pandemonium of rushing men all
around.
EXT. CHUTE MED. SHOT BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)
Carr is barring the gate with his body. The door outside is
unlocked and opened. The gong SOUNDS. Carr opens the gate,
steps outside to the porch and the men begin counting out.
EXT. BARRACKS PORCH BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)
The voices continue to count off as the men run to lockers
and quickly line up outside the mess hall. Watching them go
is Boss Godfrey.
GODFREY'S FACE
impassive behind the sunglasses.
EXT. MESS HALL INSIDE YARD BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)
The men pour out. There is a little dawnlight, but the
floodlights are still on. The Yard Man opens the gate and
the men begin counting off again. Gambler is the last out of
the mess hall and gets a kick in the ass from Boss Paul to
get him up with the others.
ANGLE ON CAPTAIN'S PORCH BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)
He sits in his rocket watching. We hear the SOUND of the men
counting, clanging of chains.
TRUCK BEING LOADED (DAWN)
The men clamber inside. The Little Bull Gang truck leaves.
EXT. ROAD NEAR CAMP
Caravan of the Little Bull Gang and Patch Squad trucks moving
off down the road into the dawn light.
INT. TRUCK (DAWN)
just as the gate is swung shut. We SEE Godfrey's face looking
in, then all is dim and the truck begins to lurch away,
gunning fast, throwing the men, searching for their customary
seats. Chaos.
DRAGLINE'S VOICE
Git outa my eyeballin' seat, you
Newmeat dummy!
Luke stands, holding a strut in the roof and watching with
amusement as Tattoo is shoved away by Dragline, then Koko,
and then pushed from man to man as he tries to sit down but
always finds a lap in the way. Bawdy laughter; it's a game
but earnest. As they settle Tattoo winds up on the floor but
grins, understands, finds a place beside Tramp. Across the
way Alibi begins a serious conversation with Blind Dick.
ALIBI
(nervously)
Where are we going now?
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
It's the Captain's birthday. They're
takin' us on a picnic.
ALIBI
(uncertainly smiling)
I'm a salesman. I used to drive these
roads all the time. I never thought --
it was an accident, car skidded,
maybe I'd had a drink or two --
ANGLE ON KOKO, TRAMP, TATTOO
KOKO
Man! It's gonna be one hot muther
today.
GAMBLER
Bears gonna be walkin' the road today.
MECHANIC
(to Tattoo)
You ever seen a man bearcaught?
Tattoo and Tramp look uncertain, frightened.
NEW ANGLE
GAMBLER
All the salt goes outa his body and
the water follers the salt and the
brain shrivels up like a dried pea.
TATTOO
(trying to ingratiate)
When I was in the Navy --
SOCIETY RED
(to Alibi)
Convulsions, shivering. Very
unpleasant to watch.
BLIND DICK
(to Alibi)
Man's never the same. Makes him lose
his sex drive.
ON KOKO, OTHERS
KOKO
(to Tramp)
I'm lucky I got a broom. Work up
top. Real easy job. Man, it's gonna
be hot down in that ditch.
ALIBI
We work down in the ditch?
GAMBLER
Ain't you never seen a chain gang,
in all your driving around?
TRAMP
(to Koko)
I ain't used to hard labor neither.
Done my best to avoid it.
TATTOO
I ain't crazy about it myself.
KOKO
(shaking his head)
Gonna be a hot one to learn on.
SOCIETY RED
Koko, why don't you let one of these
Newmeats take your broom for today?
KOKO
Hell, no. I ain't goin' down in the
ditch.
TRAMP
I shore would appreciate it. I ain't
in much shape just now.
TATTOO
What about me?
SOCIETY RED
(to Tramp and Tattoo)
Perhaps if you offered Brother Koko
a small...
(makes money gesture)
TRAMP
I ain't got much. A quarter?
DRAGLINE
(to Koko)
You was to sell your job, maybe this
Lucas War Hero would give you a price.
TATTOO
I'll give you fifty cents.
KOKO
Fifty cents? Sweet job like that
worth at least a buck.
ALIBI
I'll make it a dollar.
KOKO
Buck is a deal.
ALIBI
(apologetically to
Tramp, Tattoo)
I've got this weak heart. Too much
drinking, I guess. As soon as they
find out about it, they'll probably
send me someplace else.
TRAMP
If you even need dough in here, I'm
in big trouble.
LUKE
(to Dragline)
Where'd you get that about war hero?
DRAGLINE
Oh we got our sources... Tearing the
heads off... what was it... gumball
machines? What kind of thing is that
for a grown man?
LUKE
(amused by the put-on)
Well, you know. Small town, not much
to do in the evenings. Mostly it was
settling up old scores.
SOCIETY RED
You'll have to do better than that
if you want to impress these men.
Some pretty hard numbers here.
Dragline's an ex-safe cracker, Koko's
a jewel thief. Blind Dick is a rapist.
BLIND DICK
(to Luke)
Show you the clippings some time.
News-Dispatch called me "The Shiek
of Simmonsville." Five broads in
three days...
GAMBLER
'Course two of them were sisters.
SOCIETY RED
Of course some of them, like Stupid
Blondie, were just unlucky... he
fell off the fire escape... and one
or two don't really belong here at
all...
(indicates Babalugats)
...or myself, who just made the small
error of misspelling a friend's
name... on a check.
DRAGLINE
Hey, Koko. You hear that? All this
time I been thinkin' Society just
come here for the sun and exercise.
Everyone laughs.
DRAGLINE
(to Luke who is smiling)
Whatta you so happy about?
LUKE
I just always did like truck rides.
EXT. CLAYPIT ROAD (JUST AFTER SUNRISE)
as the trucks pull up and stop and the men pour out, picking
up tools for the day's work.
EXT. TOOL TRUCK
The guards for the day are: Paul, Kean, Higgins and Godfrey.
As the men move through the line for tools, Alibi approaches
Boss Paul:
ALIBI
Boss, I made an arrangement with
that man to take his broom.
BOSS PAUL
(shoving him along)
Git your shovel and git to work.
ALIBI
I don't think you understand. We
made a deal ---
BOSS PAUL
(canes him on the leg)
Git movin', I said.
ALIBI
(in pain)
But I made this arrangement --
BOSS PAUL
(shoving him)
Cut that backsass!
Alibi sees the light, accepts a shovel and walks off
resentfully to where the others are working, casting hurt,
angry looks at Koko and Society who ignore him.
THE SUN COMES UP
in Godfrey's glasses, and we SEE the gang begin their work.
In VARIOUS CUTS, in each of which the sun leaps forward,
time passing inexorably...
FULL SHOT: THE GANG
rhythmically working away.
CLOSE: ALIBI
Trying to pretend to work, not doing it well and getting a
passing cut from Boss Paul's cane. Resentfully, he goes at
it, sweating heavily.
CLOSE: LUKE
He is working hard but badly, unused to the awkward tool,
trying to master it. Society Red works up behind him.
LUKE AND SOCIETY
SOCIETY RED
You're working too hard. You won't
last two hours. Watch the way the
Human Dragline does it.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
He is whipping away with apparently effortless ease but
accomplishing more than the others.
THE ROAD
An open red Continental with kit zips past, the driver
grinning at the Gang.
CLOSE: TATTOO
He is suffering along, sweat pouring off him. The sun is
beginning to really beat down now. Dragline works a little
behind him.
DRAGLINE
Takin' it off here, Boss!
BOSS PAUL
Yeah, take it off there.
He takes off his jacket and tosses it to the edge of the
road where Dogboy collects it. Tattoo decides to imitate,
tentatively.
TATTOO
Takin' it off here, Boss?
BOSS PAUL
Yeah, take if off there.
He strips, revealing a tattoo of "Mother" lodged thornlike
in his flesh and a great garland of flowers and a girl on
his chest.
DRAGLINE
(sotto voce)
Hey, turn around! Let Koko see the
broad.
CLOSE TATTOO
turning so Koko can see, grinning, stopping work.
KOKO
Beautiful! A real work of art!
BLIND DICK
(low voice)
Nice broad. Good set.
TATTOO
(proudly, flexing it)
Had it done in Singapore. Bunch of
us drunk as coots --
DRAGLINE
(hissing)
Hey, Tattoo!
TATTOO
(not hearing)
-- went down to see this old hag and
she had needles the size of that
cane.
MECHANIC
(quietly)
Hey. Swing that yoyo or you gonna
get a taste of that cane.
Tattoo realizes where he is and goes back to work.
MOVING SHOT TRAMP (LATER)
as he seems to spin, his eyes closed, his arms limp, his
head lolling back, he stumbles, twists, careens.
CLOSE DRAGLINE
seeing this.
DRAGLINE
Man bearcaught, boss!
CLOSE BOSS KEAN
BOSS KEAN
Blondie... Sleepy! Git him afore he
falls.
STUPID BLONDIE AND SLEEPY
They drop their tools and rush over as Tramp falls. Without
ceremony, they drag him over the rough ground to the truck,
where Boss Paul locks him in.
DRAGLINE
He is watching Luke, who is very close to the same fate.
Although he has achieved some grace, it is apparent that
Luke is working too strenuously, too determined.
MED. SHOT BOSS KEAN
He reaches into his pocket and takes out a turnip watch,
looks to Godfrey, who nods.
BOSS KEAN
Awright, let's eat them beans!
The men break and head for the chow line.
OMITTED
ANGLE ON LUKE
He has dropped to the ground, examining a blister on his
hand. At Boss Kean's call, he looks up, ruefully resentful,
and gets to his feet and slowly walks to the chow line.
BOSS KEAN'S VOICE
Hey, you. Bean time!
DRAGLINE
(eyeing Luke, to
Gambler)
Cold drink he don't make it.
GAMBLER
Bet. Babalugats, bet!
Babalugats grins. Dragline has his chow, passes Luke.
DRAGLINE
(whispering)
You got to snag it, man. You got to
stop foolin' around and tear up them
weeds.
Luke stumbles past, not paying attention.
FULL SHOT GANG WORKING
It is later in the afternoon.
ON STUPID BLONDIE
He stops.
STUPID BLONDIE
Caught short here, boss!
ANGLE BOSS KEAN
BOSS KEAN
Awright, Blondie. Take it behind
that tree.
ON STUPID BLONDIE
He drops his tool and gratefully trots off in the direction
of the tree.
ANGLE ON LUKE
It is later. He is working hard, stops a minute as he HEARS
a crow cawing overhead. He looks up at it.
CLOSE SHOT GODFREY
He snaps his fingers.
ANGLE ON LUKE, TATTOO, KOKO, OTHERS
looking up as Rabbitt goes to the truck and gets out a single
action rifle which he brings to Godfrey, who puts in a bolt
and bullets from his pocket.
TATTOO
Who's that?
KOKO
Boss Godfrey.
MECHANIC
The walking boss.
TATTOO
Don't he ever talk?
Godfrey has raised the gun and now FIRES.
INSERT CROW ON THE WING
It is hit, explodes in a burst of feathers.
ANGLE ON LUKE AND TATTOO
LUKE
I believe he just said something.
OMITTED
FULL SHOT THE MEN
working, Luke flailing away like an automaton.
INT. THE TRUCK (AFTERNOON)
as it is opened from the outside. Tramp sits up against the
bench, still in rocky shape from his collapse. The others
step over him as though he weren't there. Luke appears, like
a sleepwalker. He grabs the side rails, gets one foot up and
tries to pull himself over the edge of the truck body. But
the muscles are just used up. Boss Paul sees this and gives
Luke a kick, timed so that it coincides with his jump. It
gives him just the added momentum needed to send him over
the edge of the body and sprawling along the floor. He's the
last one and as the guards lock them up, he grins up at
Dragline and Gambler from his prone position.
LUKE
(to Dragline)
You owe that fella a cold drink.
The men are not tired, they smoke and talk and laugh: it's
been an easy day.
KOKO
Hot damn, Drag. Tomorrow's Saturday.
Another week almost made.
ALIBI
(hopelessly)
I got two years.
DRAGLINE
Only two? Man, I already done eight.
Nothin' to it. Just make the days
and let the weeks and the years make
themselves.
TATTOO
I did three hitches in the Navy. It
ain't bad. After a while, you get
used to it and the time --
Koko is looking out the back of the truck.
KOKO
Oh, man, oh man. Look at that. On
the bicycle. Lookit them shorts. I'm
dyin'.
The men rush to look out at the vision of freedom on the
bike.
DRAGLINE
(knowledgeably)
She looks just like a lil girl I
useta know named Louise Merryweather.
Fine lil ol' girl, always partial to
home-made whiskey. Remember one time
down in the cellar, both of us knee-
walkin' drunk and ah had this lil
pint and Louise wanted a poke of it.
So ah said: you wanna poke and I
wanna poke, so...
He starts his story. On the floor, Luke sleeps.
EXT. PRISON YARD LATE (AFTERNOON)
as they are counting in through the gate, their hats with
their personal possessions in them held out to be inspected,
their pockets turned out. A guard frisks them quickly but
efficiently. The Captain stands nearby ignoring them, testing
a golf swing. The men move to the mess hall, most of them on
the run. Luke moves painfully with exhaustion. Alibi seems
quiet and cowed, lost in the crowd. They fall into a line at
the mess hall door. Dynamite, his spoon out, moves to the
front of the line and Luke winds up somewhere near the rear.
BOSS HIGGINS
(yardman)
Awright, you, Gibson, step out. Boss
Paul says you wasn't happy with your
job. Done a lot of complainin'. Gone
give you a chance to think it over.
Alibi looks around, fearfully steps out, peering up and down
the line, wondering.
BOSS HIGGINS
Get them clothes off.
Alibi is led to the box. A light stands about it shining
down into it and it always burns when the box is ready to be
used or when there's someone inside. Now a nightshirt is
laid out on top of it. Alibi strips and puts on the pajamas.
Boss Kean opens the heavy lid of the box and we see it is
grilled with heavy chain link fencing and with strap iron
bars. A chamber pot is put inside. Alibi stands in the box,
looking back at them, then lies down out of sight. The lid
is slammed shut.
FULL SHOT
The men watching this. The mess hall door opens and they
begin to file in.
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
as the Wicker Man whales away at his tire rim outside the
barracks.
CARR
Awright, first bell! Let's hit them
bunks!
The men are piling into bunks and the CAMERA FINDS Luke
heaving himself with a kind of rueful amusement up to the
third tier bunk he sleeps in; he's exhausted.
DRAGLINE
Plumb busted out. Looks like the
hard road finally got to Mister Lucas
War Hero.
LUKE
(agreeably)
Back at it in the mornin'. Just need
a little nap...
He lies back. Across him and in various perspectives are the
other participants in this conversation, speaking in the
ventriloquist's whisper while the stragglers get into the
sack.
KOKO
Man, I never thought they'd put him
in the box on his first day.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
It was just supposed to be a joke.
There ain't no brooms. Whoever heard
of a chain gang using brooms?
TRAMP
I gotta tell you that I believed it.
TATTOO
He should have known; it was a gag.
KOKO
You can't switch 'round jobs, anyway.
I figured he knew that.
SOCIETY RED
You can't expect him to learn
everything the first day. Hopefully
it's taught him a very valuable
lesson.
LUKE
Well, you fixed it up so he's got
all night to think about it.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
It's not our fault he's a square.
DRAGLINE
Course not. He ain't in the box 'cause
a the joke played on him. He's there
'cause he back sassed a Free Man.
They got their rules and we ain't
got nothing to do with that. Woulda
probably happened to him sooner or
later, to a complainer like him.
He's gotta learn the rules same as
anybody else.
LUKE
Yeah, those poor old guards need all
the help they can get.
DRAGLINE
You tryin' to say somethin'?
Luke rolls over and goes to sleep.
DRAGLINE
(to his back)
You jus' keep flapping your mouth
and one of these times, you and me
gonna raise a little dust.
The Wicker Man begins hitting the tire rim again.
CARR
Awright, last bell!
Silence.
CARR
(continuing)
Forty-nine and one in the box, Boss!
WICKER MAN'S VOICE
Forty-nine and one in the box. Right,
Carr.
EXT. ROAD CLOSEUP YOYO TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)
It slashes away like a pendulum, golden in the sun, TICKING
away time, over roads that stretch to infinity -- a SHOT
that will always tell us that the men are building time.
SHOT WIDENS. The gang is laboring, filling in washouts by
the roadside. The bosses are Paul, Kean, Higgins, and, always,
Godfrey, the Walking Boss.
CLOSE LUKE
He is tanned and hardened now, and has mastered the work
rhythm. SHOT WIDENS to show Dragline near him, checking his
shovel for nicks but really eyeballing a passing car. In the
ditch, Luke expertly scoops up a shovel full of sand and,
levering the handle on his knee, flips the sand through the
air so it hits spang in the pan of Dragline's shovel while
Dragline is still eyeballing. It knocks him off balance and
by the time he has caught up, Luke is already catching him
with another shovel full.
DRAGLINE
Slow down, man. They ain't passing
out medals for slinging dirt.
LUKE
I thought you knew, boy... they
sentenced me by the mile.
Dragline grins at this insouciance, sneaks a look down the
road. He digs into his pocket and hauls out a pair of salvaged
sunglasses, which he holds up.
DRAGLINE
Puttin' 'em on here, Boss!
BOSS KEAN'S VOICE
Yeah, put 'em on, Drag!
NEW ANGLE DRAGLINE, LUKE
as Dragline hooks on the glasses. Luke, Tattoo and Tramp are
working around here.
LUKE
(to Tramp)
Lookit that. Some Hollywood movie
star jus' joined up with us.
Tramp smiles.
DRAGLINE
(to Koko)
Man, this here Newmeat parking meter
bandit thing what calls itself Luke
don't know nuthin' 'bout nuthin'.
LUKE
(to Tramp)
But damn if he don't look like a fat
old Dragline.
TRAMP
Coulda fooled me.
DRAGLINE
(to Tattoo)
These is my eyeballin' glasses. Now
I'm gonna play peek-a-boo and ol'
Godfrey ain't gonna know if I'm
eyeballin' or tootin' the piccolo.
TATTOO
That ain't nuthing compared to what
we used to do in San Pedro. There
was this ensign...
DRAGLINE
(has been sniffing
the air)
Ah believe I smell me a blonde-haired
lady.
ANGLE ON BULL GANG
They all look up covertly and, sure enough, in the second
car slowed down by Rabbit's sign, is a lush BLONDE in a sun
dress that is hiked up high on the thighs and cut low over
the bosom. She cringes under their gaze and starts the top
going up on the car as though to hide from them.
KOKO
Man, see her legs. She's tanned all
over.
BLIND DICK
Nice broad. Nice set.
DRAGLINE
She looks just like Mrs. Patricia
Handy, a married woman... I useta
fool with. Man, I kin sniff blondes
from a hunnert yards and redheads
from a mile and a half.
KOKO
(to Tattoo)
Drag's been chain-ganging so long
he's got a nose like a bloodhound.
LUKE
Maybe he's been chain-ganging too
long.
DRAGLINE
Long enough to see redhots come and
redhots go.
The car begins to move away. They sigh. The work begins again.
OMITTED
NEW ANGLE ON GANG
Time has passed; they are further down the road. A small
blue coupe kicks up dust as it jitters down the road and
stops across the highway before a small home. A blonde, mid-
twenties, gets out, and heads covertly look up.
THE BULL GANG
The woman is too much for them, too close, too blonde, too
lush. They stop as one and watch as she disappears into the
house.
CLOSE GODFREY
Seeing their odd behavior, he turns to see what's happening
but the woman is gone; when he turns back, the men's heads
are back down.
DRAGLINE, KOKO, LUKE, OTHERS
KOKO
Oh, man, did you see her? Did you
see her?
DRAGLINE
I got eyes, don't I? How my not gonna
see something like that?
BLIND DICK
Nice broad. Good set.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
How could you tell? You could hardly
see her.
GAMBLER
She's back!
Heads pop up again as the blonde comes out of the house, now
dressed in a short house dress, carrying a radio, a pail and
a sponge. She is clearly buxom. She goes to the outside
faucet, fills the bucket and drags the attached hose toward
the car.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Look at that!
DRAGLINE
Shut up, you loudmouth jerk!
THE BLONDE
She begins to hose the dusty car, splashing herself, making
the cotton dress cling to her body, tossing her hair, every
movement and gesture erotic and provocative.
THE MEN
Their work is completely disorganized as they attempt to
shovel while watching. Their voices overlap.
KOKO
Man Oh Man.
LUKE
That is one mean lady. Bet her husband
spends one day a week shooting
milkmen.
BLIND DICK
Lookit her bounce.
GAMBLER
Oh lean over here, lady. Lean this
way.
TRAMP
I wouldn't mind being that hose.
GAMBLER
More... a little more.
TATTOO
I don't know if I believe it.
BLONDIE
She's so big!
GAMBLER
Now lean down... a little more.
DRAGLINE
Lookit that little honeypot. Lookit
those legs.
MECHANIC
Oh man, I ain't never been so thirsty
in my life.
THE BLONDE
She begins to rub the windshield erotically.
BLIND DICK
Oh rub.
SLEEPY
Rub.
DRAGLINE
Rub!
BABALUGATS
Rub-a-dub-dub. Rub-a-dub-dub.
KOKO
I'm dyin'. I'm dyin'!
DRAGLINE
Look, she's got paint on her toenails!
Oh Lord, whatever I done, don't strike
me blind for 'nother couple minutes.
Oh you Lucille!
DRAGLINE AND LUKE
LUKE
Lucille? Where do you get that?
DRAGLINE
(whirling)
That'sa Lucille, you mullet head!
Any girl so innocent and built like
that gotta be named Lucille.
LUKE
Innocent?
BLIND DICK
She don't even know what she's doin!.
LUKE
She knows exactly what she's doin.
She's drivin' you crazy and lovin'
it.
DRAGLINE
Shut your mouth 'bout my Lucille.
LUKE
Your Lucille? Man, you better put
them glasses back on and take a look
at yourself.
DRAGLINE
(glaring)
Boy. You jus' asking to be handled!
P.O.V. MEN TO GIRL
as Godfrey moves across the scene, blocking their view,
staring at them, FILLING THE SCREEN.
OMITTED
INT. SHOWERS (NIGHT)
Trashing bodies and heads in the steam. Feeling of tension,
irritation, except for Babalugats, who is SINGING.
SLEEPY
Babalugats, shut up.
MECHANIC
Leave him alone. He's happy.
SLEEPY
That's because he's a damn moron.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Now why don't you just shut up?
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
The men are in their bunks, sullen, quiet as the tire iron
SOUNDS.
CARR
Awright, last bell.
Carr paces, counting. Beds SQUEAK as men turn restlessly,
unable to get comfortable. At the far end of the barracks, a
slow-turning fan CREAKS gratingly. It will continue to do so
throughout the scene, adding irritation to Carr's SQUEEGEEING
steps and the regular SQUEAKING of bedsprings.
OMITTED
ANGLE ON MEN
restless, irritated.
CARR'S VOICE (O.S.)
Fifty, Boss.
NEW ANGLE ON MEN
WICKERMAN'S VOICE
Fifty, right, Carr.
ANGLE ON KOKO
KOKO
Man, it's so hot.
NEW ANGLE ON MEN
GAMBLER
Gettin' up, Carr.
FULL SHOT BARRACKS
as Carr paces, SQUEEGEEING. The fan CREAKS. Springs SQUEAK.
CARR
Yeahhpp.
Gambler gets up, chains JANGLING.
NEW ANGLE ON MEN
uncomfortable, tense, shifting.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Giddyap, Carr.
NEW ANGLE ON MEN
CARR'S VOICE (O.S.)
Yeahhpp.
NEW ANGLE ON MEN
Tramp turns, irritated, as Carr SQUEEGEES by.
TRAMP
How can you sleep with that damn
squeaking!
FULL SHOT BARRACKS
Carr pacing. SQUEEGEEING, the fan CREAKING, springs SQUEAKING.
DYNAMITE'S VOICE
Gettin' up, Carr.
CARR
Yeahhp.
Dynamite gets up, chains JANGLING.
ON FAN
It is turning slowly, CREAKING, CREAKING, CREAKING. And now
on the SOUNDTRACK we HEAR low at first, but steadily building,
the tinny SOUND of the Blonde Girl's radio.
ANGLE ON MEN
tense, annoyed, frustrated as the SOUND of the RADIO GROWS,
joining the CREAKING, SQUEAKING and SQUEEGEEING.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
as Carr passes by. He speaks in a low whisper.
DRAGLINE
Man, that lil Lucille was a lot of
lil girl.
OMITTED
ANGLE ON MEN
some turning away, not wanting to be reminded, some staring
ahead unhappily, thinking the same thing.
DRAGLINE'S VOICE (O.S.)
You see how she was jus' poppin'
outa the top of that dress.
ANGLE ON KOKO
irritated, anxious.
KOKO
Aw, come on, Drag.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
not paying attention.
DRAGLINE
And down below, that thing didn't
reach no higher than...
(chuckles)
She liable to catch cold... runnin'
around like that.
ANGLE ON MEN
irritated by Dragline's voice and the SQUEEGEEING and the
SQUEAKING and CREAKING and the RADIO SOUND, tinny and grating,
growing in volume.
DRAGLINE'S VOICE
...And that thing was so tight 'cross
her bottom... made me wanna just
reach out my hands and...
ANGLE ON LUKE
LUKE
Forget it, man.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
suddenly angry.
DRAGLINE
Whatta you mean, forget it?
ANGLE ON LUKE
LUKE
Stop beatin', man. You ain't doin'
nobody no good.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
his face corroding in fury as the RADIO SOUND and the
CREAKING, SQUEAKING and SQUEEGEEING are at an unbearable
peak.
DRAGLINE
(with slow menace)
Boy, you better get some sleep and
save your strength. 'Cause you're
gonna need it.
OMITTED
ANGLE ON FAN CLOSE
As the SOUNDS threaten to burst our ears with their high-
pitched tension, the CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY into the hub of the
fan and our nerves scream for relief.
OMITTED
EXT. BARRACKS CLOSE ON LUKE AS GLOVE SMASHES INTO HIS FACE
(DAY)
and Luke falls back into the dirt. He's hurt, startled, but
grins. We HEAR a CHEER from the men O.S., as he gets up. He
is stripped to the waist, wears huge 16 oz. boxing gloves.
FULLER ANGLE
showing Dragline similarly dressed. They are squared off in
the yard, surrounded by YELLING men who want blood. It is a
release from the sexual tension built up by the night before.
The guards stand in the guard boxes, watching. The Captain
sits up on his porch, so he can see without being too obvious.
Luke gets up and manages a lunging right across to Dragline's
Adam's apple. Dragline is momentarily staggered but counters
with a terrible clubbing blow that mashes Luke's gloves into
his face, knocking him to the ground. Time is called for the
round.
LUKE AND OTHERS BEHIND HIM
as he gets to his feet.
TRAMP
Why don't you just stay there? He's
only gonna knock you down agin.
ALIBI
It's not your fault. He's just too
big.
SOCIETY RED
Let him hit you in the nose, get
some blood flowing. Maybe they'll
stop it before he kills you.
LUKE
(shaking his head,
grinning)
I don't want to frighten him.
The second round is called and Luke advances toward Dragline.
TWO SHOT LUKE, DRAGLINE
circling. Luke has to get in his shot before Dragline gets
too close and clubs him again. He feints a punch that moves
Dragline off-balance and winds up for a big one, but Dragline
smashes him backhand. Luke hits the dirt, the men SCREAM AND
YELL. Wiping some blood from his mouth, Luke rises again. He
is dizzy. Dragline smacks him down again.
THE MEN
SHOUTING, SHRIEKING, they have blood in their eyes, releasing
their tensions.
INTERCUT THE VARIOUS REACTIONS
as the fight continues. The Captain on his porch rocks and
spits dry little spouts of wind, Godfrey, impassive, waiting
in his guard house. The YELLING gradually subsides as Dragline
continues to smash Luke, who keeps getting up.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
Without relish, he pokes Luke down again. Now there is no
cheering, no yelling, just silence.
ANGLE ON CAPTAIN
as he gets up and walks down to the wire where he can see
what is happening. The silence disturbs him.
ON LUKE
He rises, grinning and winds up to throw another punch. But
the act of lifting his giant glove is a Herculean task.
Seconds go by in which he tries to raise the glove high enough
to launch a punch.
ON DRAGLINE
waiting, gloves at waist level, poised.
DRAGLINE
(low)
Ommana pop you one easy. Stay down.
He pops Luke who reels, goes down on a knee and then slowly
rises, rises. Dragline is honestly agonized.
DRAGLINE
I'm gonna kill you, you go on...
LUKE
That's what you're gonna have to do.
ANGLE ON CAPTAIN
concerned.
ANGLE ON BOSS GODFREY
impassive.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
He raises his fists. But Luke is up again. Dragline realizes
he'll have to kill him to beat him. After a long moment,
Dragline drops his hands to his sides, looks back toward
Godfrey and the captain and then starts walking to the
barracks, fast.
ANGLE ON LUKE
He looks after him and reaches up to wipe the blood away,
still grinning.
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
The poker game. Five card stud. Playing are Gambler, Koko,
Dynamite, Blind Dick and Luke, bandaged. The mood of the
barracks is quieter than usual. The men are still assessing
the fight, uncertain as to who now is their leader, looking
toward Dragline for an indication. Not playing, Dragline
lies on his bunk behind Koko, sullenly reading a sex book.
Gambler deals the third cards.
GAMBLER
Ana paira ninas. Koko's the brains.
KOKO
Cuter.
Dynamite is already out. Blind Dick now folds.
GAMBLER
Ace calls.
LUKE
Kick a buck.
KOKO
(considers, then chips)
I'm in.
GAMBLER
Ace calls. Here we go.
(deals Luke)
King-five gets a tray for no help.
(deals Koko)
Paira ninas gets a Jack.
(deals himself)
Ana man with the ace gets... slop in
the face... Ninas up.
KOKO
(regarding Luke)
Cuter again.
GAMBLER
Call.
LUKE
(expressionless)
Kick a buck.
Koko is worried. He looks at his hole card, considers, long
silence. Dragline looks over from his bunk.
DRAGLINE
(to Koko)
Whatcha got?
KOKO
Pair'a nines.
DRAGLINE
I kin see that, brick head. I mean
your hole card.
Koko hands it over his shoulder to Dragline, who now sits up
to consider the whole situation.
DRAGLINE
(continuing)
Uh-huh. And he ain't got nothing
showing. Raise his head off.
KOKO
He's been betting his head from the
gun. Gotta have kings.
DRAGLINE
So then you just call him.
KOKO
(chipping)
I call.
GAMBLER
(studies Luke's cards)
I gotta believe. Out!
(folds)
Now they're rollin'.
(deals Luke)
King-five-four gets an eight.
(deals Koko)
Pair'a nines with a Jack gets a four.
Ninas still up.
KOKO
(tentatively)
Cuter.
LUKE
(automatically)
Kick a buck.
KOKO
Damn.
He looks up to Dragline for help.
DRAGLINE
Kick him back a buck!
Koko looks uncertain, but listens.
KOKO
Back a buck.
LUKE
(automatically)
Kick a buck.
Koko looks up to Dragline: What do we do now?
DRAGLINE
Don't look at me, mullet-head.
Koko looks to the others.
GAMBLER
Man, you play like a kokonut. You
got to call him at least.
KOKO
I know he's got a paira kings. He
don't have to stick 'em in my ear.
BLIND DICK
Gotta have kings.
GAMBLER
Sure he's got kings but you still
gotta call him.
Koko looks back to Dragline.
DRAGLINE
Man's got a paira kings, get your
tail out.
Koko folds. Luke reaches for the pot at the same time that
Dragline reaches for Luke's cards.
DRAGLINE
Nuthin'! A handfull of nuthin'!
(cuffs Koko)
You stupid mullet-head. He beat you
with nuthin'! Just like today when
he kept coming back at me.
LUKE
(smiling)
Nuthin' can be a pretty cool hand.
DRAGLINE
Cool Hand Luke.
So saying, Dragline saves face and the baton of leadership
is passed.
EXT. YOYO SHIMMERING IN THE SUN TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)
swinging away the time...
INSERT: ROAD MOVING SHOT DAY
SHOOTING THROUGH cage truck, as it moves swiftly along, the
landscape a blur of shadows and racing phone poles, etc.,
the men shadows slouched on their benches inside.
DISSOLVE TO:
BEARCAUGHT AVENUE
This is a country road running over rolling moors, land open
to the sky and sun, the roads reaching out to infinity. The
cage truck rolls to the end of the road and stops. Stretching
out on either side of the road, every five feet is a pyramid
of freshly dumped sand.
ANGLE ON REAR OF TRUCK
as the bull gang gets down, looks at the sand, are given
shovels.
KOKO
Oh no, man! Not on this hot muther.
GAMBLER
All the bears gonna be walking today.
ALIBI
(nervously)
What's the deal?
DRAGLINE
Tar truck.
At these bleak words, over the last rise comes a filthy
blackened tank truck with a fire in its belly and an array
of pipes and valves at its rear, like a hellish beetle.
KOKO
(to Tattoo, Tramp,
Alibi)
You think you've been working hard.
This muther'll break your back.
SOCIETY RED
This is a big day for the guards.
They get to remind us who's boss.
TRAMP
I ain't forgot.
ON THE MEN
as the truck driver makes adjustments in the heater, flame,
etc.
BOSS PAUL
Awright, every second man, git to
the other side of the road.
Dragline, Dynamite, Gambler, Tattoo, Loudmouth Steve, Alibi,
Sleepy, Stupid Blondie and Chief cross over, leaving Luke,
Koko, Society Red, Tramp, Babalugats, Blind Dick, Mechanic
and Sailor. The tar truck begins to move slowly down the
road, spreading a black, hot, acrid wake behind it.
BOSS PAUL
(continuing; with
undisguised malice)
Captain heard this gang been doin'
so good, gave us this special job.
We got three miles of tarrin' to
cover today. Let's roll it!
NEW ANGLE ON THE MEN
They begin to work, digging a shovel-full of sand, fanning
it out over the hot tar, moving up to the next pile. Luke
and Dragline in the lead of their respective groups. The
guards move up along the ridges behind the men, urging them
to move faster, caning the slow workers.
BOSS PAUL
Let's git with it!
BOSS SHORTY
Roll it, heah?
ANGLE GODFREY
He is at the rear of the columns, walking down the center of
the road. With his stick he points to spots where the tar
has not been covered and the nearest man flicks a spray of
sand over it.
ON LUKE WITH KOKO AND SOCIETY RED LATER
They are working steadily but it is hot, hard, back-breaking
labor. Koko stops for a moment to rub his arm.
KOKO
Oh man. I'm gonna twist my arm off
if this heat don't kill me first.
Boss Paul canes him across the legs.
BOSS PAUL
Roll it!
ON DRAGLINE
sweating and suffering across the road, just keeping up with
Luke.
DRAGLINE
Hey, buddy. Take it easy. You're
making me look bad.
LUKE
The man wants speed, let's give it
to him. Ram it in and break it off.
Go hard. Shag it.
Dragline begins to work harder, digging and fanning, keeping
pace with Luke.
ON DRAGLINE AND DYNAMITE
DYNAMITE
(panting)
Whatta we racin' for?
DRAGLINE
Man wants speed, let's give it to
him. Use that shovel like you use
your spoon. Shag it, man!
Dynamite understands and throws himself into it.
FULL SHOT THE MEN
up to their waists in smoke and dust, splattered with tar,
working like devils as the word passes down the line.
BLIND DICK
(to Society Red)
Go hard!
GAMBLER
(to Tattoo)
Ram it in and break it off!
ALIBI
(to Sleepy)
Roll it!
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Shag it!
They are all working like hell.
ANGLE ON BOSS PAUL
He looks confused, concerned by this sudden manic activity.
ANGLE ON BOSS GODFREY
forced to walk faster to keep up, finding no unsanded spots
for his sorcerer's wand.
ON LUKE, DRAGLINE, OTHERS
enjoying the guard's confusion.
DRAGLINE
(to Luke)
They don't know iff'n to smile, spit
or swallow.
LUKE
They ain't never seen a bull gang
before.
SOCIETY RED
Work those shovels instead of your
mouths.
WORKING ON BEARCAUGHT AVENUE
Essentially a MONTAGE, a wild insane ballet of labor as led
by Luke and Dragline, the bull gang throws itself into the
madness, muttering Luke's words of inspiration to each other
and loving the guards' confusion. (SONG ON SOUND TRACK)
TRAMP
Go hard!
TATTOO
Ram it in...
MECHANIC
Break it off...
SOCIETY RED
Roll it!
DYNAMITE
Shag it!
STUPID BLONDIE
Move it!
Luke grins and works. The guards are tense and uneasy and
walk the road backward, not daring to turn their backs on
these madmen. Rabbit runs around with his water bucket but
the men don't drink, just upturn the water over their faces
and keep going.
ON BOSS PAUL
confused, angry, has not been able to cane anyone in an hour.
As Rabbit rushes by:
BOSS PAUL
Rabbit! What the hell's goin' on?
RABBIT
(knows but isn't saying)
I don't know, Boss. They must be
bearcaught. All of them.
He rushes off, as caught up in the esprit as the others.
WORKING AGAIN
More of the madness but now even faster, sweatier, wilder.
The men are bearcaught by their sudden power to confound the
guards. ALL SHOTS FAVORING Luke, splattered with tar, working
right behind the truck.
ON GODFREY
Replacing his stick with a rifle, as tense and uncertain as
the other bosses, staring at Luke with blank, hating eyes.
ON LUKE
as he looks up just as the tar truck turns off the road which
has ended, crossed by a small highway. They have finished.
Luke stands straight, looking out across the highway to the
rolling green beyond. Dragline works up to him.
DRAGLINE
Where'd the road go?
LUKE
That's it. That's the end.
KOKO
But there's still daylight left.
DRAGLINE
(checking the sun)
'Bout two hours left.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
What do we do now?
Luke has been looking at the guards who have grouped in
conference around Boss Paul who has his watch out. They look
concerned, gesticulating toward Luke and the others.
LUKE
(smiling)
Nothin'.
The others understand. They have beaten the Free Men by
working harder. They all collapse on the ground, rolling
about, dazed, tired but happy as hell, laughing.
DRAGLINE
Oh, Luke, you wild beautiful thing!
You crazy handful of nuthin'!
DISSOLVE TO:
OMITTED
INT. BARRACKS (DAY)
Sunday afternoon scene. The chain men are dancing, jingling.
Three RADIOS BLARE in different corners; a hell-fire preacher
where Deacon and Society Red sit working a letter; romantic
ballads (Near You, Heart Aches by Ted Weeks, etc.) for the
men reading fuck books; rhythm and blues, country music for
a couple of wrestlers, banging into bunks until one depants
the other and runs off. CAMERA FOLLOWS THIS ACTION SHOWING
the scene. Other men rolling cigarettes, Dynamite still on
his rattlesnake wallet, Koko cutting hair, using a board
over an ash can for a barber's chair. Everyone is barefoot.
WICKERMAN
Visitor for Luke!
Luke sits up from his bunk, staring at the Wicker, unmoving,
amazed.
GAMBLER (O.S.)
Steve. Your mother's here!
ANGLE ON LUKE
as he gets up. Behind him Loudmouth Steve gets up, tossing
down his sex book resentfully:
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Jeez! She never lets me alone.
TRAMP
You oughta be glad you got somebody.
Steve tosses him a finger as he leaves.
ALIBI
My wife hasn't been here for a month.
She must be sick again. She's had
this condition of the liver for...
TATTOO
Alibi, can't you never say nothin'
without explainin' it? Carr says you
even explain when you get up at night.
EXT. CAMP GATE (DAY)
By the picnic table set up for visitors. In far b.g., we SEE
Luke come out of the door and start across the yard toward
the gate, where he is shaken down and permitted to exit,
moving down to the table. A few feet from the end of the
table, Boss Godfrey sits in a kitchen chair, his hands
discreetly crossed over the pistol in his lap. His mirror
eyes play over the scene. Loudmouth Steve, his MOTHER -- a
desperately fortyish blonde -- and a couple of other prisoners
and visitors occupy the background. Parked next to the table
is a truck. In the bed lies Luke's mother, ARLETTA. She is
propped up on pillows and wedged in for traveling.
The whole back is set up as for a chronic invalid, everything
within reach, etc. She smokes incessantly. Nearby, Luke's
BROTHER and his nephew, JOHN-BOY, a kid of twelve, enormously
impressed with the sights and the guns and dogs, etc.
LUKE
Comin' out here, Boss?
BOSS PAUL
(by the gate)
Yeah. Come on out, Luke.
A few feet outside the gate, Jackson reaches for the boy,
pats him on the head. Shakes hands in passing with his
brother, who is unmistakably a farmer, and stands in the
doorway looking at his mother. She lies on her side craning
to see him.
LUKE
How'd you find me?
ARLETTA
Helen, she sent along your things
with a note, and John here, he wrote
to the police.
LUKE
Yeah. Well.
(to Godfrey)
Gettin' up here, Boss.
Godfrey just looks at him, says nothing.
LUKE
Well, Arletta, I got to stand down
here.
ARLETTA
I allus hoped to see you well fixed
and have me a crop of grandkids to
kiss and fuss around with.
LUKE
Like to oblige you, Arletta, but
right off I don't know where to put
my hands on 'em.
ARLETTA
Sometimes I wisht people was like
dogs, Luke. Comes a time, a day like,
when the bitch just don't recognize
her pups no more, so she don't have
no hopes nor love to bring her pain.
She just don't give a damn. They let
you smoke?
LUKE
Smokin' it up here, Boss.
Boss Godfrey nods. He lights cigarettes for her and for
himself.
LUKE
Yeah, well, Arletta, you done your
best. What I done with myself is my
problem.
ARLETTA
No it hain't, Luke. You ain't alone.
Ever whar you go, I'm with you, and
so's John.
LUKE
You never thought that's a heavy
load?
ARLETTA
We allus thought you was strong enough
to carry it. Was we wrong?
Luke gives her the cigarette, and smiles at her.
LUKE
No. But things ain't always like
they seem, Arletta. You know that. A
man's gotta go his own way.
ARLETTA
Well, I don't know, I just wash my
hands of it, I guess I just got to
love you and let go.
She catches his hand as he puts the cigarette between her
lips.
LUKE
Yeah.
ARLETTA
What are you doin' here?
LUKE
We call it abuildin' time, Arletta.
ARLETTA
I ain't askin' what you'll do after
you get out, because I'm gonna be
dead and it don't matter.
His mother's disappointment in him brings Jackson a real
twinge of pain here. He tries to change the subject.
LUKE
You never wanted to live forever
anyways, did you? It wasn't such a
hell of a life.
ARLETTA
Oh, I had me some high old times.
Yore old man, Luke, wasn't much for
stickin' around, but damn it he made
me laugh.
LUKE
Yeah, would of been nice to of knowed
him, the way you talk about him.
She's looking at him and begins to laugh, losing control and
coughing to the point it alarms John and Jackson and they
have to help her. She pays no attention to the cough.
ARLETTA
He'd... He'd of... broke you up.
She quiets after the fit and lies back, tired.
ARLETTA
You think life is some kind of ocean
voyage and you start out with buntin'
and hollerin' and high hopes, but
the damn ship goes down before you
ever reach the other side. Luke?
LUKE
Here, Mom.
ARLETTA
What went wrong?
LUKE
Nothin'. Ever'thing's cool's can be.
ARLETTA
No.
LUKE
Tried to live always just as free
and aboveboard as you been, and well,
they ain't that much elbow room.
Arletta is looking hard into his eyes as he speaks. She
reaches out to him again...
ARLETTA
You allus had good jobs, and that
girl in Kentucky I taken a shine to
her.
LUKE
She took off with that convertible
feller...
ARLETTA
Well, why not? Idee of marryin' got
you all choked up, trying to pretend
you was respectable you was borin'
the hell out of all of us.
LUKE
(grinning at her)
Yeah.
ARLETTA
I'm leavin' the place to John.
LUKE
That's good: he earned it.
ARLETTA
Nothin' to do with it. I ain't never
give John the kind of feelin' I give
you, so I'm payin' him off now. Don't
feel you got to say anything. Way it
is, sometimes, you just have a feelin'
for a child or you don't, and with
John I just didn't.
OFFSTAGE WHISTLE
LUKE
Gotta go, Arletta.
ARLETTA
(recovering)
Laugh it up, kid. You'll make out.
She kneads his hand and subsides onto her bed. Luke turns
away from her to face John, who has stood by. Godfrey is on
his feet. The other men are getting up and saying goodbye to
visitors, picking up their packages, etc., and among them is
a chain man, his chains dragging, holding them up with a
string. The kid stands by John looking at the chains clinking
past...
JOHN-BOY
Why can't you have chains?
Luke looks up at John, Sr. with amusement.
JOHN-BOY
Uncle Luke?
TWO SHOT LUKE AND JOHN, SR.
JOHN
John-Boy looks to you. You're a hero.
He's braggin' on you all over the
county.
LUKE
(thoughtful)
Yeah.
JOHN
You must've really flung a binge
this time. You really hit that cop?
LUKE
(not liking the smug
pride in John)
Much as I'd like to oblige you, John,
I didn't hit the cop.
(beat)
She's in pretty bad pain, ain't she?
JOHN
(nods)
Fulla dope, Luke.
LUKE
Keep it with her all the time. Let
her have all she wants.
They understand each other. Luke chucks John-Boy under the
chin, then stops, looks at John, kneels beside him.
TWO SHOT LUKE AND JOHN-BOY
LUKE
You don't want to admire them chains,
John-Boy. They ain't medals. You get
them put on for makin' mistakes.
(beat)
And if you make a really bad mistake,
then you got to deal with the Man...
and he is one tough old boy.
THEIR P.O.V.
Godfrey stares at them, his glasses mirroring.
BACK TO THEM
LUKE
So long, Arletta. Take care.
ARLETTA'S VOICE
You know it, kid.
John holds Luke for a beat and reaches into the truck and
pulls out a battered banjo which he gives Luke.
JOHN
Now there's nothin' for you to come
back for.
ARLETTA'S TRUCK
LEAVING down the road, kicking up dust. Barracks in b.g.
EXT. HIGHWAY WITH YOYO SUPPORT (DAY)
cutting away at the time...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
Luke sits on his bunk plunking aimlessly at the BANJO. The
barracks are quiet, an air of [...]. Suddenly there is an
unidentifiable SOUND, low, but all the heads in the barracks
look up, waiting, silently. It has begun to rain, the big
drops DRUMMING on the roof. It begins to fall heavily. There
are moving slams around the building as outside the guards
SLAM the storm shutters. It is hot, oppressive.
ALIBI
I guess they have to close those
things, or we'd drown. But it's really
suffocating.
TATTOO
Talk about drownin', I did some
trainin' on a submarine once. Boy,
when you're under there you really
feel it.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Shut up, man. It's too hot to talk.
The air is stifling, desultory. Out of boredom, Dragline
turns to Dynamite.
DRAGLINE
You see mah skinny lid boy at chow
tonight. He was matching you plate
for plate.
DYNAMITE
I wasn't feelin' good. Think I got a
ulcer or somethin'.
DRAGLINE
He had a spoon like yours, he'd make
you look like a possum [...] on a
tree bark.
Society Red is lying on his bunk looking at the bottom of
the bunk above.
SOCIETY RED
Oh, come on, Clarence.
Dragline sits up and looks at him aggressively.
DRAGLINE
What do you mean, Clarence? You
callin' me a liar?
He waits.
SOCIETY RED
Not a liar. You just have a common --
and likable -- tendency toward
exaggeration.
DRAGLINE
(proudly)
He's the champeen hog-gut of this
camp. Hell, I seen him eat ten
choc'lat bars and seven cold drinks
in fifteen minutes. He kin eat busted
bottles and rusty nails, any damn
thing. If you'd so kindly oblige as
to let me cut off your yankee head,
he'd even eat that.
LUKE
I can eat fifty eggs.
They turn to look at him as though surprised to find him
there. Before Dragline can think he says...
DRAGLINE
Nobody kin eat fifty eggs.
SOCIETY RED
(to Dragline)
You just said he could eat anything.
DRAGLINE
(doubtfully, to Luke)
You ever eat fifty eggs?
LUKE
Nobody ever ate fifty eggs.
GAMBLER
Bet! Bet! Babalugats!
DRAGLINE
Mah boy say he kin eat fifty eggs,
he'll eat fifty eggs.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Yeah but in how long?
LUKE
One hour.
SOCIETY RED
Well I believe I'll have to take
part of that wager.
DRAGLINE
Two bucks.
GAMBLER
Let's talk money.
DRAGLINE
Awright, twenty bucks. Anything! The
Syndicate'll cover any money you
got. Koko, get paper.
KOKO
Dragline... fifty eggs got to weigh
a good six pounds.
DYNAMITE
(expertly)
Man's gut can't hold that. They'll
swell up and bust him open.
BLIND DICK
You're gonna kill him.
DRAGLINE
Getcha money, up. Gambler! Dynamite!
Everybody. Kokonut Head here is taking
the money. Loudmouth -- get it up!
The initial boredom of the scene is dispelled -- a purpose
has been created to lead them through the endless building
of time.
GAMBLER
How's he gonna eat 'em?
LUKE
(cutting in)
Boiled for fifteen minutes. Then
peeled. I eat all fifty in one hour.
Men are all around Dragline and Koko now with money and
wagers. Koko is frantically scribbling.
DRAGLINE
Koko, write down their names, don't
just make marks.
SOCIETY RED
One rule! No throwing up. He throws
up, you forfeit everything.
DRAGLINE
You ever see mah boy throw up? Shut
your mouth and put up your money!
Koko is on the floor now with Babalugats beside him, assorting
papers, handing out betting receipts. Dragline turns to Luke.
DRAGLINE
Why'd you have to say fifty? Why not
thirty-five or thirty-nine?
LUKE
Fifty's a nice round number.
DRAGLINE
Damn, Luke. What's the matter with
you? what's the matter with me?
LUKE
(winking)
Nothin' to worry about. We got a
deadlock on that mullet.
EXT. PRISON YARD MOVING TWO SHOT (DAY)
Luke and Dragline jog around the yard like roadwork for a
boxer and trainer.
DRAGLINE
What did I do? Stole and tole lies.
I loved mah neighbor and his wife,
but what did I do to deserve this
lunatic to come in mah happy home
and beat me outa hard earned bread.
LUKE
(grins)
We got it locked in the sock.
DRAGLINE
Yeah, I know. But what we gotta do
first is stretch that l'il ol' belly
of yours -- git it all strained out,
in fightin' shape, like a barrage
balloon.
LUKE
You ol' sack of guts. I had a belly
like yours, we wouldn't have nothin'
to worry about.
DRAGLINE
(considers paunch)
'Atsa sign I got me an affectionate
nature.
LUKE
Like an elephant.
DRAGLINE
(grinning)
Us elephants may be a lil slow, like
in makin' love, but you give us a
coupla three days to really get with
it an' man -- stand back!
Luke grins.
LUKE IN THE CHOWLINE
taking enormous helpings.
DOGBOY
Lookit this hot gut, Boss. Here's a
man gone bust the State feedin' his
face.
BOSS HIGGINS
Wisht I could eat like that.
LUKE
Thing about bad food, you got to eat
a lot of it.
OMITTED
LUKE
He sits in a yoga position, rippling his stomach muscles
miraculously. Koko and Gambler pop INTO THE SHOT to watch
with amazement.
INT. MESS HALL (NIGHT)
Luke refuses food. He moves to his place, sits before his
empty plate.
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
as Dragline stops in front of the Wicker Man.
DRAGLINE
Boss! Man needs a brown bomber and a
dose of salts.
Instant UPROAR of protest.
SOCIETY RED
Rules Committee! Rules Committee!
ALIBI
Nobody said nothin' about that!
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Same as dopin' a race horse!
SLEEPY
It don't sound right.
TATTOO
You can't do that!
DRAGLINE
You jes' watch us!
BLIND DICK
Fair's fair.
KOKO
Got a right to start with a clear
gut!
DYNAMITE
Man can't eat that much no matter --
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
You can't just change the rules any
way you want!
All of this is overlapping: Dragline walks through them
carrying the pile and cup of salts passed out from the Wicker,
ignoring it all.
INT. KITCHEN
JABO, the cook, is lowering the sacks of eggs into huge pots
of boiling water. Carr stands by with a watch, timing. Outside
the open door are Dragline, Dynamite and Gambler watching
tensely.
DRAGLINE
Take it easy now, Jabo. Them is eggs,
not them cathead biscuits.
JABO
I know what eggs look like. I ain't
seen any around here for three years,
but I remember.
ANGLE ON BARRACKS DOOR (DAY)
as a file of men carry the still-steaming eggs in their hats
from the yard into the building.
RABBIT
(adding on a scrap of
paper)
I've got it figured. If he eats an
egg a minute, he's got 10 minutes
left to swaller them.
CHIEF
I just got sent five bucks from the
rodeo company.
RABBIT
What for?
CHIEF
A bull I fell off.
INT. BARRACKS
as the line of men reach the poker table and begin stacking
up the eggs. The Rules Committee sits around the table leaving
one side for Luke. It's all set up with towels, etc. They
are counting eggs carefully, piling them in pyramids. Dragline
picks up an egg and cracks it smartly on the table. Again
uproar...
DRAGLINE
Awright! Stand back, you pedestrians,
this ain't no automobile accident!
ALIBI
You're peeling his eggs!
DRAGLINE
That's right, Mister Alibi.
SOCIETY RED
He peels the eggs himself. That's
understood.
DRAGLINE
You jus' may be great at hangin'
paper around the big cities, but us
country boys is not entirely
brainless. When it comes to the law,
nothin' is understood.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Who made what law about peeling his
eggs?
DRAGLINE
I'm his trainer, I'm the syndicate
what's coverin' all bets, and I'm
his official egg peeler.
SOCIETY RED
Just wait till the hour starts, that's
all.
The champion enters and the talk dies. He's naked from the
waist. He does some side-straddle hops and deep-knee bends.
His stomach is markedly concave. He, drying himself from a
shower, walks to the fragment of mirror on the wall and combs
his hair, studies his image a second and, at last ready,
moves to the table and sits down.
LUKE
(ingeniously)
What's goin' on?
Dragline jumps up and gives a second's rubdown to Luke's
shoulders. There is a flurry of last minute betting, and
then silence. Everybody gathered around. Luke shuffles his
feet, twitches his toes. One egg from the pile is peeled and
in front of him. Carr waits, his eyes on his wrist watch,
his other hand up in the air, and all eyes rest on that hand.
All eyes drop as the hand drops. Dragline grabs eggs and
peels them, his fingers flickering, the shells flying. Luke
picks up the peeled egg and eats it in a gulp.
CUTS OF LUKE, DRAGLINE, REACTIONS
LUKE
He's eating very fast.
SOCIETY RED
(keeping a written
tab)
One, two, three...
(continues counting,
throughout)
KOKO
He's gonna lose a finger eating eggs
like that.
Dragline reaches over and pops an egg into Luke's mouth, his
pinkie extended, like tossing a tidbit into the mouth of
some animal.
FULL SHOT LUKE IN THE CENTER
The others stand around, motionless. Dragline cracks and
peels and Luke eats in a regular musical rhythm inexorable
and horrible as it is sustained. Red is checking and counting
off eggs...
SOCIETY RED
...twenty-four. Twenty-five, twenty-
six...
LUKE
His face bears an expression of ineffable absent pleasure as
though eggs reminded him of something a long way away.
DRAGLINE
looking at him, neutral...
DRAGLINE
Slow down a little.
THE GROUP
Some chew fingernails, some stare, some mouth open, some
stand with unlighted cigarettes in their mouths, staring.
Some have eyes shut, their lips silently counting with Red.
SOCIETY RED
...thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two.
LUKE
He stops and stands up, stretching. His stomach bulges as
though he were pregnant. Slowly he walks across the barracks
toward the water faucet. Dragline stands looking after him,
alarmed. Luke slowly bends over and washes his mouth out,
not taking a drink. He stands, turns, walks up and down,
does some exercises. Silence, no one else moves. He walks
back, looks at the eggs, making an expression of distaste.
He turns away and does some more exercises. Gambler moves
over very close to him. Luke is going up and down, up and
down doing knee bends. Gambler tries to look into his eyes,
examine his stomach, listen to his wind. Luke sticks out his
tongue obligingly for a check. Gambler stands up.
SOCIETY RED
Eighteen to go!
There is a flurry of last-minute betting led by Onionhead's
examination. Koko, Babalugats beside him, are the tellers.
GAMBLER
He's had it. I'm throwin' in my last
tenner.
Sleepy appears, as does Tramp, to make beta.
BLIND DICK
He don't look good.
DYNAMITE
(expertly)
Man's gut can't hold more'n that.
GAMBLER
Oh you gonna come crawlin' around
beggin' for a cold drink, Drag. Your
boy is done for!
Mechanic has been studying Luke as if he were an ailing
carburetor.
MECHANIC
(quietly to Dragline)
If I give you a dollar and he don't
eat all fifty eggs, I get two dollars?
DRAGLINE
Mechanic!
Dragline puts his arm around Mechanic's shoulders
affectionately.
DRAGLINE
You're a sweet old boy and I don't
like to see you pick up no bad habits.
Better use that dollar to buy yourself
a new spark plug or something. But
as long as you done took a stand,
why don't you put some money where
your mouth is? Not no measly buck!
MECHANIC
All I got is three-seventy-five.
DRAGLINE
It's a bet! Koko! I gone this far,
I'm backin' mah boy all the way!
Come on, who's next? Where are the
big money men, I want to hear from
some high rollers.
Silence.
SOCIETY RED
I believe you've got it all, Dragline.
Every nickel in camp is riding.
Dragline turns to Luke and grins. Luke instantly appears to
recover and walks casually back to the table. It should be
clear this last was a little put-on between him and Dragline
to milk the last money into bets. Luke sits and begins eating.
LUKE
cool, confident, but as the egg is crushed in his mouth the
first real gagging feeling of total surfeit hits him. His
jaw closes and freezes. His eyes grow desperate and swivel
toward Dragline, though he doesn't dare move his head lest
he give way to nausea.
DRAGLINE
reacts.
LUKE
with a herculean effort, he swallows.
SOCIETY RED'S VOICE
Thirty-three.
Dragline swallows with relief. Gambler moves and looks about,
a man feeling victory within his grasp.
ALIBI
Carr? What's the time?
CARR
Twenty-four minutes to go.
Luke swallows another egg; sweat bursts out on his forehead.
Dragline signals to a second, Koko, to sit in for him and
peel eggs. He moves to Luke.
SOCIETY RED
Thirty-four.
TWO SHOT LUKE AND DRAGLINE
as Dragline stands behind him, massaging his shoulders and
neck, tenderly... Luke doggedly eats eggs, one by one. Red
counts off under...
SOCIETY RED
Thirty-nine... forty... forty-one...
forty-two...
MEANWHILE:
DRAGLINE
Come on, boy, come on, darlin'. You
kin do her. Just let that ol' belly
sag and enjoy itself. Stay loose,
buddy. Eight more, between you and
everlasting glory. Little ol' eggs,
pigeon eggs, that's all, fish eggs
practically.
Luke almost throws up, and Dragline signals Koko to hold
up... he gets Luke of his feet and begins walking him up and
down the barracks...
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Carr? Time?
CARR
Six minutes to go, Dragline.
DRAGLINE
(into Luke's ear)
Just shakin' it down, that's all,
settlin' them eggs down...
He sits him down, takes an egg from Koko and puts it to Luke's
lips, pursing his lips in a kiss...
DRAGLINE
Come on, Baby... don't be that way.
Open your little ol' gator mouth.
Luke opens his mouth, in goes the egg, he chews, chews,
swallows. Another egg...
SOCIETY RED
Forty-four...
CARR
Two minutes to time...
DRAGLINE
All right now: get mad at them eggs.
Eat it there boy! Bite it! Gnaw on
it!
SOCIETY RED
Forty-five.
CARR
One minute, thirty seconds.
Another egg goes. Luke closes his eyes and motions to
Dragline; just stuff 'em in any old how!
DRAGLINE
That's it, that's how to do it, chew,
chew, chew!
All eggs peeled, Koko is up and dancing wildly, and a couple
of men, even though they've got nothing but everything to
lose, are intoxicated beyond power to restrain themselves
and are yelling and jumping up and down.
CARR
One minute, fifty-five... fifty...
forty-five... etc.
SOCIETY RED
Forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven...
So that it all comes out in a near dead-heat, with Dragline
yelling and popping in eggs. At the last second before
deadline, two whole eggs are shoved into Luke's mouth, and
Dragline rams Luke's mouth shut for him...
DRAGLINE
All in: that's it: chew, chew, chew!
CARR
Fifteen, ten, nine, eight, seven...
six...
Luke looks around, then takes a mighty swallow, as:
CARR
One... zero!
Luke collapses with his head on the table, his arms flung
out.
SOCIETY RED
He didn't swallow the last...
He grabs him by the hair and pulls his head back. Dragline
pries his mouth open with his fingers. Luke is out...
DRAGLINE
You think so, huh?
NEW ANGLE PAST LUKE'S EAR
as they all peer down into his throat. Dragline grins, looks
around at Society.
DRAGLINE
Where's the egg?
He slaps Luke on the cheek affectionately, closes his mouth
and lets his head fall back on the table with a loud thump,
his arms again sprawled out in the piles of egg shells. A
dance of victory for Dragline... he collects all over the
place. Dynamite, shaking his head, quietly knights the new
champion hog-gut by laying his big spoon on the table next
to Luke's head.
EXT. ROAD (DAY)
A car ROARS by, leaving a hint of laughter and music in the
air and a cloud of dust. The men are working rhythmically.
Godfrey watching.
ANGLE ON LOUDMOUTH STEVE GAMBLER
They have been observing Godfrey.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Man looks like a goddamn bus driver.
GAMBLER
(yoyoing)
He gets too close to me and I'll cut
his belly open.
OMITTED
ANGLE ON KOKO
He sees snake.
KOKO'S VOICE
Snake in the grass! Boss!
He runs. Men flail at the snake in the grass with their yoyos
and CAMERA MOVES WITH Snake though we can't see it and we
follow its progress only by the men jumping, hitting at it,
yelling.
GODFREY
He rams his cane into the soft sand and Rabbit reaches into
the truck cab and hands him his rifle. Godfrey slams the
bolt in.
BACK TO MEN
They jump and yell and chase the snake until they reach Luke,
who stoops, grabs cooly and comes up with the snake, holding
it by the tail.
LUKE
Pickin' it up here, Boss!
GODFREY
His EYES HUGE IN THE SCREEN: Luke seen there IN DUPLICATE,
standing tall in the sun, grinning, the rattler wriggling
and thrashing in his grasp. Godfrey's face holds for a long
beat then the rifle is brought up so that we can now see
Luke CLEAR IN ONE LENS and the other he is lined up in the
rifle sight pointing directly INTO THE LENS -- or just CAMERA
LEFT. There is a SHOT and the rifle is lowered enough so we
can see Luke IN DUPLICATE again.
LUKE
looking at Godfrey, grinning, but a little tougher now. The
snake has no head. He walks down a little and throws the
body of the snake on the road at Godfrey's feet. It brings
him close to where Godfrey's cane still stands in the sand.
Godfrey kicks at the snake. He turns... Luke pulls the cane
out of the sand and holds it out to Godfrey.
LUKE
Don't forget your walking stick,
Boss.
Godfrey turns to face him and stares at him. Luke just holds
the stick out to him. Godfrey slowly takes the bolt out of
the rifle, looks down the barrel, blows the smoke out, puts
the bolt in his pocket and hands the gun back to Rabbit before
finally reaching out and taking the stick from Luke. He turns
and walks away.
LUKE
You shore can shoot, man.
Godfrey's shoulders almost jerk as though at every word he
were being hit with invisible bullets.
SKY CLOUD THUNDER LIGHTNING
EXT. ROAD DRAGLINE LUKE
working.
DRAGLINE
Luke, why you actin' so strange?
What you wanna do somethin' like
that for? You gone too far when you
mess with the Man With No Eyes. You
gonna be outa here in a little bit --
whyn't you jus' take it a little
easy?
Luke has been staring up at the darkening sky which is growing
more ominous with clashing clouds and rolling thunder.
LUKE
Man, it looks like the Big Boss is
getting ready to let us have it!
It begins to rain, large spattering drops, quickly turning
into a downpour.
BOSS PAUL (O.S.)
Awright, you kin git in that truck.
The gang rushes back into the shelter, all except Luke and
Dragline.
LUKE
Look at Him go. Bam! Bam!
DRAGLINE
Knock it off, Luke! You cain't talk
about Him that way.
Dragline begins to move off toward the truck.
LUKE
You still believe in the Big Bearded
Boss, Drag? You think he's up there
watching us?
He grins at Dragline and then, after a beat, raises his bush
axe straight up to the sky, grinning at Dragline.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
He is frightened as he backs off toward the truck.
DRAGLINE
Get in here! Ain't you scared --
ain't you scared of dyin'?
ANGLE ON LUKE
The rain is torrential. He has to shout to be heard.
LUKE
Dyin'? He can take back this nice
pretty life any time He wants.
(looks up)
You welcome to it, Old Timer. Come
on! Make me know you're up there!
Kill me or love me, one or the other.
He holds his bush axe again, laughing, soaking wet.
REVERSE BACK OF TRUCK
The men jammed into the frame of the body, a frieze of shocked
faces staring out at him through the rain. There is a blinding
flash of lightning and a THUNDEROUS ROAR. They wince but
don't turn away.
LUKE
He smiles and lowers the bush axe, walking toward the truck.
LUKE
Standin' out here in the rain! All
alone! Talkin' to myself.
He smiles a little shamefaced, rueful, sad smile and climbs
into the truck and the men draw back from him.
ANGLE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF THE TRUCK PARKED BEHIND
Godfrey seen dimly through the rain-misted windshield.
EXT. YOYO SHIMMERING IN THE SUN TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
It is the free hour. But instead of the poker game, Dragline,
Luke and Koko sit at the table dealing with their line of
debtors from the egg-eating. Koko acts as secretary, changing
the amounts as the men pay off or borrow more. As Blind Dick
receives his money and leaves:
DRAGLINE
(to Koko)
Blind Dick is payin' us off three
and borrowin' back five. Next!
It is Tattoo.
DRAGLINE
Borrowin' or payin' back?
TATTOO
Borrowin'.
DRAGLINE
Mister Cool Hand here is the soft
heart in our Loan Department. Next!
ON CARR AT THE WICKER (NIGHT)
He has just been handed a telegram by the Wicker Man. He
reads it impassive as always, while in b.g., the business
continues and we HEAR:
SOCIETY RED'S VOICE
I believe I still owe you thirty. I
don't suppose you'd take a check.
TATTOO'S VOICE
(to Luke)
My Navy disability didn't come yet.
You know how it is.
Carr finishes reading and we FOLLOW HIM as he walks to the
table.
LUKE
Sure do... that's why we didn't bet
with the Navy.
DRAGLINE
Oh, that's mah darlin' Luke. Grins
like a baby and bites like a 'gator.
Carr sets the telegram on the table next to Luke.
CARR
Sorry, Luke.
Luke picks up the telegram and reads. Then he sets it down,
stands and goes to his bunk. Dragline looks after him, takes
up the telegram and hands it up to Society Red.
SOCIETY RED
(after reading)
His mother's dead.
ANGLE ON LOUDMOUTH STEVE
As he sees Luke go to his bunk, he picks up his sex book and
moves down to the other end of the barracks. Alibi does the
same with the cigarette papers and tobacco he has been
rolling.
ANGLE ON LUKE
sitting on his bunk, bare feet tucked up beneath his drawn-
up legs, softly picking out a slow hymn melody on his banjo.
Tears slowly stream down his cheeks.
ANGLE ON CARR
as Luke continues playing softly. He walks down to the other
end of the barracks, too.
FULL SHOT BARRACKS
All of the other men are congregated at the other end, giving
Luke what privacy they can. There is no conversation, only
the slow, plaintive plucking of the banjo.
ANGLE ON LUKE CLOSE
playing, the tears coursing.
NEW ANGLE ON LUKE
in his bunk now, staring wet-eyed up at the ceiling.
CARR'S VOICE
Fifty, boss.
WICKERMAN'S VOICE
Fifty, awright, Carr.
EXT. MESS HALL (PRE-DAWN)
As the men pour out they see that the light on the box is
burning, a nightshirt is hung on the fence. Their usual hurry-
up pace is slowed to a nervous, apprehensive gait.
BOSS PAUL
Awright, git lined up here.
ANGLE ON CAPTAIN'S PORCH
He has been watching, rocking. As the men line up, he gets
up and goes down the steps toward the yard.
CAPTAIN'S P.O.V.
pushing the gate open, moving in front of Boss Paul, facing
the men.
CAPTAIN
Luke, fall out.
Luke steps forward, pulls off his shirt and jacket. He steps
behind the latticework screen to take off his pants as the
Captain speaks.
CAPTAIN'S VOICE
(emotionless)
When a man's mother dies and he gits
to thinkin' about her funeral and
payin' respects, before he knows it
his mind ain't right and he's got
rabbit in his blood and runs. We're
keepin' you off the road fer awhile.
He has said all he has to say. He walks off.
FULL SHOT LUKE AND THE MEN
They are watching him slip on the nightshirt. Boss Kean opens
the box.
BOSS KEAN
(to Luke)
Ah'm jus' doin' mah job, Luke. You
gotta appreciate that.
ANGLE ON LUKE IN BOX
LUKE
Boss, when you do somethin' to me
you better do it because you got to
or want to... but not because it's
your damn job.
ANGLE ON KEAN
His eyes narrow. The box door slams. Greyness.
BOSS PAUL'S VOICE (O.S.)
Awright, let's move it out!
And o.s. the SOUNDS of the men counting through the gate and
the truck engines coughing.
EXT. ROAD DAWN (NIGHT)
The bull gang truck pulling out. In b.g. the barracks and
the light over the box.
EXT. CAMP
The bull gang truck stopping. The back is opened and the men
jump out, line up and begin counting off through the gate.
In b.g. as they count is Luke's voice singing.
CLOSE ON DRAGLINE
He smiles... oh that Luke!
CLOSE ON BOSS GODFREY
listening to the mocking voice.
EXT. BARRACKS
It is the next morning. The tire iron SOUNDS.
CARR'S VOICE
First bell! First bell! Let's go!
The figures of Boss Paul and Boss Seven go to the box. Seven
carries Luke's food.
INT. BOX PAUL'S P.O.V.
as it is opened. The dimness of the overhead bulb illuminates
Luke.
LUKE
Shut the door, Boss. You're lettin'
in a draft.
ANGLE ON PAUL
His face corrodes in fury.
BOSS PAUL
Git on your feet! Ah'm gonna teach
you some respect right now!
Furiously he tries to cane Luke with his walking stick. But
the cramped quarters restrict him. The cane clangs wildly
against the sides of the box as Luke crouches in a corner,
covering his head.
ANGLE ON LUKE
protecting, as Boss Paul retreats. The box door slams!
Greyness.
EXT. BARRACKS (AFTERNOON)
as the bull gang counts in after the day's work. The light
on the box still burns. No sound from Luke.
CLOSE ON DRAGLINE
He looks worried.
EXT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
The tire rim SOUNDS and the men scurry for their bunks.
CARR'S VOICE
Last bell! Last bell!
(the pacing of his
steps)
Forty-nine, Boss. And one in the
box.
WICKERMAN'S VOICE
Forty-nine and one in the box. Right,
Carr.
EXT. BARRACKS (PRE-DAWN)
Boss Paul, carrying a shotgun, and Boss Seven are opening
the box. In b.g. the tire rim SOUNDS.
CARR'S VOICE
First bell! First bell! Let's go!
And the uproar of the men getting out of their bunks, hurrying
to dress and line up by the chute.
INT. BOX CLOSE SHOT LUKE'S P.O.V.
as the door opens and the double muzzle of Boss Paul's shot-
gun stares.
BOSS PAUL'S P.O.V.
Luke is standing at the rear of the box, his arms crossed
over his chest, his eyes slightly wild, his face dirty and
stubbled. In b.g. the SOUND of Rudolph, the pet bloodhound
puppy, yipping.
LUKE'S P.O.V.
Paul's gun draws back. Boss Seven hands Paul a heavy biscuit,
grinning. Rudolph is sniffing, nipping at Paul's trousers,
smelling the biscuit.
BOSS PAUL
You look hongry, Luke.
(tosses biscuit in
his hand)
Reckon this would taste mighty good,
but Rudolph looks pretty hongry,
too. Why don't we split it with the
pooch, okay?
He breaks the biscuit and dangles half over Rudolph who nips
and barks for it.
BOSS PAUL
(feeding Rudolph)
Tha's a good boy.
(to Luke)
Well, here's your piece, Luke.
ON LUKE
He speaks in a low, uneven voice.
LUKE
Might as well give it all to him,
Boss. I just ain't much hungry.
ON BOSS PAUL
Livid with rage, he slams the door! Greyness.
EXT. LAUNDRY FENCE CLOSE ON LAUNDRY FLYING OVER FENCE
(AFTERNOON)
as LAUNDRY BOY tries to catch the flying sheets, pants and
shirts being tossed by the men. Behind him we SEE the
steaming, pumping cleaning machines.
EXT. YARD (AFTERNOON)
Laundry boy and machines in b.g. as Boss Kean and Boss Seven
go to the box. Boss Seven carries Luke's shoes and a freshly
cleaned set of state issues. The men turn.
INT. BOX (AFTERNOON)
as the door opens. Luke looks up. Kean's face stares down,
not unkind. Luke moves forward.
OMITTED
EXT. BOX (AFTERNOON)
as Luke emerges, Kean behind him.
BOSS KEAN
(gently)
She's in the ground now, Luke. Best
forget about it. You got a day ana
half lay-in... and tomorrow's a
holiday.
OMITTED
INT. BARRACKS (EVENING)
The Fourth of July. All hell is breaking loose. Four radios
going, chain men jitterbugging, one of the men has a mouth
harmonica, another plucks Luke's banjo. A lemonade barrel is
in a corner and men dip into it with coke bottles; others
are banging together bottles as instruments, playing combs,
etc.
ANGLE ON ALIBI AND DYNAMITE
just filling their bottles with lemonade.
ALIBI
(toasting)
Happy Fourth of July.
SLEEPY
Same to you.
ALIBI
Boy, if anyone had told me where I
was going to be spending Independence
Day...
(shakes his head)
ON MUSIC MAKERS, OTHERS
Most of them are concentrated in front of Luke's bunk, singing
and screaming, trying to make as much noise as possible.
Tattoo is reading a new sex book aloud while Dynamite,
Loudmouth Steve, others listen intently, some avid, some
confused.
TATTOO
(reading)
Wanda trembled, faced by this awesome
decision. It was the moment of choice.
Could she take the plunge and wantonly
hurl herself into pagan abandon? Or
would she remain ever fettered by
the bonds of her puritanical
upbringing? Could she take this chance
to experience the sensual thrill of
total release and gratification? Or
would she turn her back and retreat
into frigid denial? Desire and fear,
temptation and terror, yearning and
horror, warred within her beautiful
young body...
Luke is not to be seen among the music-makers and revellers.
Moving through the crowd, the CAMERA FINDS Luke on his hands
and knees, sawing at the floorboard with a piece of hacksaw.
ANGLE ON CARR
as the tire iron SOUNDS and SOUNDS again to be heard over
the din.
CARR
First bell! Let's git to bed. You
done had your fun.
The singers and music-makers around Luke finish their song,
reaching a high, piercing, noisy crescendo. At the same time,
Dragline has been reading another sex book to Stupid Blondie,
Blind Dick and Chief who are trying to act out the
description, tying themselves into an intricate anatomical
knot.
DRAGLINE
(reading)
She moved her head another inch while
he reached up and put his left hand
on Carol's cheek as Carol pressed
her lips to... Oh Lord, I can't read
it!
He wriggles, panting with eye-popping pleasure, attracting
Carr's attention. Stupid Blondie, Rabbit and Chief are still
trying to untie themselves.
DRAGLINE
Carr. Lookit this. Oh I don't believe
it.
CARR
What you got there, Drag? You bought
yourself another of them dirty books?
Intrigued, Carr sits down on Dragline's bunk and follows
Dragline's finger pointing out the lascivious parts. He is
quickly absorbed.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
He looks over toward Luke who can be seen between the legs
of the surrounding men, poised, waiting to drop down into
the hole. Dragline winks.
ANGLE ON LUKE
He winks back, grins and disappears through the hole in the
floor.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE AND CARR
The tutor and the student.
DRAGLINE
Here's a real hot one!
Carr reads intently.
ON THE HOLE BENEATH LUKE'S BUNK
gaping, empty, inviting.
VARIOUS REACTIONS OF MEN
A. KOKO - suppressing a giggle.
B. SOCIETY RED - considering it, cowardly.
C. ALIBI - tense, nervous.
ANGLE ON TATTOO
He has been considering it, weighing his chances, his eyes
darting from the hole to Carr, back again. Now he scurries
to the hole, drops inside.
ANGLE ON CARR, DRAGLINE
as the tire iron SOUNDS. Carr gets up.
CARR
Awright, last bell!
The men are in their bunks, Carr begins to make his count.
As he comes to Tatto's bunk:
WICKER MAN'S VOICE
HEY, CARR! WHAT'S THAT OUTSIDE?
Carr rushes to the window.
CARR
Somebody's on the fence, boss!
EXT. YARD ON THE FENCE
It is Tattoo, half-way up the fence, startled by the clamor
as the Wicker Man whales the GONG. He falls back down, starts
up again, dogs BARKING.
EXT. YARD NEW ANGLE
as guards come running from the Captain's house, the dogs
HOWLING.
ON TATTOO
frantically trying to get up the fence, falling down, starting
to run, seeing the guards approaching with guns and canes,
turning to the other direction: more guards. Caught like a
rat, eyes wild with fear, he makes terrified motions to go
in one direction, then the other but is rooted by fear and
indecision as the guards move in. He SCREAMS.
INT. BARRACKS ANGLE ON WICKER AND DOOR
which is unlocked. Dogboy is dressed, combing his hair, self-
importantly putting on his gloves while the men lie in their
bunks, staring contemptuously. Boss Paul, Godfrey and others
stare with shotguns leveled from the wicker.
BOSS PAUL
Who else?
Carr has been tearing a sheet off Luke's bed.
CARR
Jackson. He cut a hole in the floor,
Boss.
He hands the sheet to Dogboy.
BOSS PAUL
He ain't even got the sense to run
from the road like everybody else.
DOGBOY
Blue'll git him, Boss. We'll git
that bastid, Cool Hand Luke.
OMITTED
EXT. DOG PEN MED. CLOSE SHOT (NIGHT)
Boss Paul is unlocking the pen. Dogboy stands by the screen
letting the yapping, frothing hounds sniff at the sheet.
BOSS PAUL
Stan' back, Dogboy. Git the leash
here.
As he opens the pen, the hounds rush out. Dogboy grabs one,
Boss Paul grabs another but Big Blue, the lead hound, has
the scent and he bolts, howling and tearing off.
DOGBOY
Blue! Come back here! Come back, I
said.
EXT. SWAMP (NIGHT)
Luke, smiling, running like hell through the murky water. In
b.g. Blue's baying.
EXT. SWAMP (NIGHT)
Blue in pursuit, sniffing, dashing, on the trail.
EXT. SWAMP (NIGHT)
Dogboy with the other dogs being pulled through the muddy,
murky, thickly-foliaged swamp. Behind him, wading unhappily
through knee-deep water are Bosses Paul, Higgins and Shorty.
EXT. ABANDONED RAILROAD STATION NIGHT (LATER)
Boss Paul is on the phone to the Captain, Bosses Higgins and
Shorty sit disconsolate, dirty, wet, exhausted. Only Dogboy
is still eager, two hounds by his feet, listening in the
distance to the howl of Blue baying.
DOGBOY
Listen to Blue sing. She's on to
him. She says: got him.
BOSS SHORTY
Hail, that dog is jus' runnin' in
circles.
BOSS PAUL
(returning from phone)
Captain says to wait 'til the Patrol
gits here.
DOGBOY
(listening to Blue)
She's on to him. You shoulda waited
fer me to git her out -- loose like
she is, he kin run her crazy.
BOSS PAUL
It ain't my fault you don't know how
to handle your dogs.
DOGBOY
How my suppose to handle a dog someone
jus' let loose?
BOSS HIGGINS
I'm beat. This ain't mah job, nohow.
BOSS SHORTY
Me neither.
A Highway Patrol car pulls up.
BOSS PAUL
Here's the Patrol.
DOGBOY
(pulling up dogs)
She's got him! You hear that?
Higgins and Shorty shake their heads wearily.
OFFICER
(to Dogboy)
Okay, let's get started.
EXT. FARM COUNTRY (PIPELINES) (NIGHT)
Luke steps under and through the pipeline supports and
vanishes. In b.g. Blue's plaintive HOWLING.
EXT. FARM COUNTRY (PIPELINES) DAY (DAWN)
Dogboy moves ACROSS the SCENE with his pack of dogs, having
trouble following through the supports. The Officer behind
him.
CLOSE SHOT DOGBOY
plodding along, exhausted, yanking at the dogs as they pull
in different directions.
DOGBOY
Come on, Rudolph, Austin, you no
good buncha chicken-eaters, we're
lookin' for a man. We got us a job
to do.
EXT. BUSH BY FENCE (NEAR RAILROAD TRACKS) (DAY)
Luke carefully slips through the barbs, runs a few yards,
slips back through again, runs a few yards, returns to the
other side.
EXT. BUSH BY FENCE (NEAR RAILROAD TRACKS) DAY (LATER)
Dogboy with his pack and the Officer. In b.g. Blue is HOWLING,
the dogs are BAYING frantically. It is with trouble that
Dogboy and the Officer get through the fence, pulled by the
eager dogs. Then they must cross it again.
OFFICER
Your dogs are crazy.
DOGBOY
He keeps criss-crossin'. He's
smarter'n a dog. But he ain't got us
boxed yet... Blue'll get him.
OMITTED
EXT. RAILROAD BRIDGE DAY
A trestle built of creosoted timber. The dogs reach it, break
up into a milling, confused mass. Dogboy wrestles them out
of the trestle. In b.g. as always, Blue's plaintive BAYING.
ANGLE ON BRIDGE
as Dogboy fights the dogs to get them across.
ANGLE ON FAR SIDE OF BRIDGE
as Dogboy hauls at the dogs who are pulling in different
directions.
CLOSE SHOT DOGBOY
exhausted, disappointed, looking around, puzzled.
NEW ANGLE
The dogs are confused, seem to mill around aimlessly.
DOGBOY
(almost in tears)
Dammit.
(calling)
Blue! Blue!
No answer.
EXT. FARMLAND ORCHARD TRACKING SHOT OF LUKE
running through the thick overhead cover. It is like a jungle.
PULLING UP SLOWLY to HELICOPTER SHOT, we SEE that the cover
is only a small patch of foliage and on the other side is a
huge panorama of rolling, empty moor-like country in which,
after a moment, Luke enters, a tiny figure, running free.
EXT. CAMP (LATE AFTERNOON)
The men are coming out of the mess hall, washing their spoons,
about to line up for inspection. A Highway Patrol car pulls
up outside the gate; from the back seat comes the yipping of
dogs. Every head turns. The Captain moves from his rocker
and starts down the porch. Boss Paul and Godfrey move toward
the car.
CLOSE ON PATROL CAR (LATE AFTERNOON)
as the Officer (seen at the railroad station) gets out and
opens the front door. He nudges a sleeping, grizzled figure
who emerges. It is Dogboy. The back door is opened and Rudolph
and the other small dogs leap out, cavorting, glad to be
home. Then the Officer and Dogboy go to the trunk. The Officer
opens it. Dogboy reaches in and carries out -- the body of
Big Blue. Staggering with fatigue, tears in his eyes, Dogboy
stumbles up to the Captain.
DOGBOY
Look, Cap'n. Look what he done to
Blue. He's dead, Cap'n. Dead! Run
hisself plumb to death. That crazy
sadis Cool Hand Luke run her 'til
her heart bust.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE KOKO
DRAGLINE
He made it.
EXT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
CARR'S VOICE
Forty-eight, Boss. One in the box
and one in the bush.
EXT. ROAD
The Bull Gang is working at the bottom of a high embankment
and the guards stand on the road high above their heads,
looking down, shotguns out now, alert. The men work away at
a rackety pace.
EXT. GODFREY'S EYES (DAY)
as he turns at the SOUND of a distant motor approaching and
the image of a car coming closer enlarges in his glasses.
EXT. ROAD
The car pulls up beside the guards and the door opens. The
Captain steps up to the road edge and looks down. He says
something to Boss Paul.
BOSS PAUL
Awright, hold it!
The men stop working, puzzled, looking up. Then from the car
a guard escorts Luke to the edge of the pavement. Luke grins
down at the men sheepishly. His prison uniform is filthy and
torn, his hands are cuffed behind his back, his face is dirty
and stubbled.
EXT. ROAD PAN REACTIONS OF MEN
They are stunned, saddened.
ANGLE ON LUKE, CAPTAIN, GUARDS
Behind Luke are Godfrey, Paul, Bosses Six and Seven and the
Captain. Kean and Shorty flank the gang. The guns are held
levelled at the men. One guard uncuffs Luke's hands; others
produce a sledge hammer, ballpeen hammer and a set of leg
irons from the Captain's car. Two guards kneel before Luke
and begin hammering on the irons. Silence except for the
HAMMERING AND CLINKING. Luke is silhouetted, a tall, straight
figure on the low horizon. The Captain looks directly ahead.
CAPTAIN
(to Luke)
You gonna get used to wearing them
chains aftera while, Luke. But don't
you never stop listenin' to them
clinkin'. That's gonna remind you of
what I been sayin'.
LUKE
Yeah, they sure do make a lot of
cold, hard, noise, Captain.
The Captain feeds his fury staring, then reaches out his
hand and Boss Paul lays the blackjack in it. As the chain
guards finish and stand up, trembling with rage, the Captain
takes a convulsive step forward and brings the sap down behind
Luke's ear. As Luke tumbles down the littered embankment
toward the men:
CAPTAIN
Don't you never talk that way to me!
You hear? You hear? Never!
His rage subsides and his voice becomes calm, reasonable.
CAPTAIN
(to the men)
What we got here is a failure to
communicate. Some men you can't reach,
that is they just don't listen when
you talk reasonable so you get what
we had here last week, which is the
way he wants it, well he gets it,
and I don't like it any better than
you men.
Nodding curtly, the Captain gets back in his car. Someone
throws a shovel down the embankment. It CLATTERS until it
lands beside Luke. Dragline and the others are by his side,
helping him to his feet. Above Godfrey stares down at them.
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE, LUKE AND OTHERS
DRAGLINE
Awright, buddy. You be awright. You
give 'em a run for their money. Jus'
take it slow and easy, baby. You
gonna make it fine.
As Luke tries to get his bearings, someone thrusts the shovel
into his hands and they get him going like a rusty piece of
machinery.
DRAGLINE
Come on, buddy. Show 'em you're
awright.
Luke seems to nod and begins to work slowly. The others back
away, glancing fearfully at the guards, go back to work,
quiet and sullen.
ANGLE ON LUKE
He is working with great difficulty, stiff, tired, aching.
BOSS KEAN'S VOICE
Awright, let's eat them beans.
Luke stumbles gratefully toward the chowline.
ON THE CHOWLINE
Dogboy dishing it out to Luke. Dogboy is gleeful, gloating.
DOGBOY
I knew they'd git you. With them
chains an a bonus of a coupla years,
you runnin' days is over forever.
Ah'd like to see you try to run agin.
You gettin' so you smell so bad, I
could track you myself.
LUKE
For a natural born son of a bitch
like you, that oughta be easy.
NEW ANGLE THE MEN
as Luke settles down with his beans, the others find spots
around him so he is the focus of the group. We SEE Tattoo in
chains, forlorn. Luke wolfs his food hungrily.
DRAGLINE
Jus' take it slow, buddy.
KOKO
(unable to restrain
himself)
What happened? How far did you get?
DRAGLINE
Shut up. Let him eat. Don't pay them
no mind, boy.
TATTOO
(urgently)
I gotta know -- How... how'd they
get you?
LUKE
(between mouthfuls)
Topflight police work.
GAMBLER
Tell us about it.
BLIND DICK
You steal a car?
LUKE
Yeah, found one in this supermarket,
keys in the ignition.
KOKO
Well, how far didya get?
LUKE
(eating)
Fat mile'n a half. Hit this red light,
highway patrol pulls up alongside.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Didya fight it out with him?
LUKE
Nope. I jus' kept lookin' straight
ahead waiting for that light to
change. And he kept lookin' over,
wondering what somethin' that looked
like me was doin' drivin' a shiny
new car.
ALIBI
And then...?
LUKE
Then he leans over and sees this
state issue... All there was to it.
Feller's probably a lieutenant by
now.
Luke continues to shovel in his beans. The men are clearly
disappointed. Only Dragline understands.
DRAGLINE
Well now we jus' gonna lay low and
build time and afore you know it the
heat'll be off you and things be
back where they was. Right, sweet
buddy?
Luke winks and slaps Dragline affectionately on the cheek.
During this last, Luke has been idly winding a piece of kite
string found on the ground beside him. As, idly, he shoves
it into his pocket.
ANGLE ON BOSS KEAN LATER
The gang has resumed working, Kean stands looking out at the
horizon, not talking directly to Luke, just leaning on his
gun, following Luke whenever he moves, his voice as calm and
secure as a priest in his study.
BOSS KEAN
Ah hears tell you don't believe in
no God, Luke. Ah was wonderin' how
come a nice lookin' feller like you
come to get put on the Hard Road.
But now ah reckons ah knows. Ah been
on the Road Gang for twenny-two year,
Luke, and in all that time I ain't
never killed no white man but I ain't
afeerd to cause a body has to do his
work. And I ain't never seen no man
that wasn't afeerd to die neither.
LUKE
'Scuse me, Boss. Don't mean to
interrupt... but... caught short
here.
Boss Kean is stunned.
BOSS KEAN
(slow, dangerous)
Awright, Luke. Thas okay... You go
on up there in them trees. Man's
gotta have some privacy sometime.
But you grab a bush and keep shakin'
it, hear? Jes' so we know you're
there. Jes' keep shakin' that bush.
LUKE
Yes, boss.
He begins to trot off, awkward in his chains. Kean looks at
Godfrey who snaps his fingers to Dogboy, a gesture that means
rifle. Dogboy runs to the truck and brings back the rifle
which Godfrey loads and arms with the bolt from his pocket.
ANGLE ON LUKE
Slowly walking off into the rough grass, his chains catching
on brush and stumps. He disappears behind a large bush.
CLOSE SHOT GODFREY
Luke's bush is in distance. He raises the gun to his shoulder
and FIRES.
REVERSE HIS P.O.V.
The bush shakes, we can't see Luke.
LUKE
I'm shakin' it, Boss. I'm shakin'
it!
We see the dust kick up behind the stump and another SHOT.
LUKE
Still shakin' it, Boss.
CLOSE SHOT GODFREY
impassively: SHOOTS again, aiming.
REVERSE HIS P.O.V.
The bush goes on shaking. Then it stops.
GODFREY
Caught loading. He brings up the rifle fast, FIRES.
CLOSE THE BUSH
It is still.
FULL SHOT
The gang stops working, looks up stunned.
ANGLE ON BOSS KEAN AND GODFREY
A long beat of shock -- they (and us) think Godfrey's hit
him. Boss Kean trots hurriedly up to the bush.
ANGLE BY THE BUSH
Boss Kean appears, looking down and off. CAMERA ADJUSTS so
we see what he sees: a piece of kite string tied to the bush
and leading off into the brush.
BOSS KEAN
Damn!
He turns and rushing back down toward Godfrey, others.
BOSS KEAN
He's gone! Git the dogs!
EXT. DIRTY ROAD (DAY)
It is a rutted country road with farms on both sides. Luke
appears, a filthy wide-eyed, stumbling, bearded beast in
filthy uniform and chains. PAN with him past sharecropper's
village of ramshackle huts, rusted junk. An OLD NEGRO WOMAN
sees Luke and goes inside, closing the door. PAN with him to
a General Store where an OLD NEGRO MAN watching, quickly
retreats inside leaving only two small Negro boys (BEN and
LAWRENCE) staring at Luke as he shambles toward them.
LAWRENCE
(looking at chains)
Whattaya got them on for?
BEN
How do you take your pants off?
LUKE
(smiling)
Well -- the best way is to take the
leg irons off first.
(to Lawrence)
But you ain't strong enough.
LAWRENCE
Strong enough for whut?
LUKE
You couldn't heft an axe.
LAWRENCE
Can, too.
He's off, running toward a house. In the distance now, we
hear the dogs baying, coming closer. Luke smiles at Ben.
LUKE
What's your name?
BEN
Ben.
(a beat)
Had'n you better take them stripes
off your pants?
Smiling, Luke sits in the dirt and begins ripping off the
stripes as Lawrence appears, dragging a huge double-bitted
axe behind him.
LUKE
(to Ben)
You wanna see somethin' funny? Go
get some chili powder, pepper, curry,
dried mustard and like that. A lot
of it.
Ben rockets off and Luke turns to see Lawrence, struggling
mightily, attempting to bring the axe over his head and down
on the chains.
LUKE
Hold it!
He takes the axe, sets the chains up on a stump and begins
to back heavily, BAYING OF DOGS growing louder.
LAWRENCE
No, me, me. Let me do it!
Lawrence cries and stomps unhappily, clouding up dust as
Luke severs the chain from one shackle. Ben APPEARS with an
armload of spices.
BEN
Here's them spices.
(looks at Lawrence,
crying, stomping)
What's wrong with him?
Luke begins backing away, scuffing his feet in the dust,
pouring out the spices as he goes.
ANGLE ON LUKE
stopping at Lawrence. The baying of the dogs is much closer
now.
LUKE
You remember how them dogs do when
they get here so you can tell me
about it someday.
He is gone.
ON DOGS IN DISTANCE
They are approaching quickly.
ON VILLAGE
Some of the people have reappeared, now go back inside.
ANGLE ON DOGS
They fill the FRAME, milling around the empty street,
sneezing, howling, stirring up dust, pawing at their noses.
CLOSE LAWRENCE
He is peeping from a corner. His tears stop and he smiles.
EXT. ROAD CLOSEUP YOYO TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)
...cutting away at the time.
INT. CAGE TRUCK (PROCESS) (DAY)
as it passes the Negro Church.
DRAGLINE'S VOICE
Thas the church. After he chopped
off those old chains and whilst he
was layin'd down the pepper --
GAMBLER'S VOICE
I heard it was curry powder.
DRAGLINE'S VOICE
It was pepper and curry powder and
dry mustard. Now shut your face.
Whilst he was layin' down them spices,
Luke heard them choir practicin' in
there. So he just sauntered inside,
cool's kin be, and sung along with
them... my baby Luke... and he was
still singin' when the dogs come by,
singing and grinning and eatin' the
food the people had brung him.
EXT. ROAD TRANSITIONAL DEVICE
EXT. ROAD (DAY)
The bull gang at the end of bean time.
BOSS PAUL'S VOICE
Awright, let's git to work.
Dragline and the others deposit their chow plates, pick up
their yoyos and start to work.
DRAGLINE
He ain't eating beans fer lunch.
KOKO
He's eatin' steak and corn with butter
and green beans and...
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
...fried clams, pizza, chocolate,
malted milkshakes.
SOCIETY RED
(yoyoing)
...and a Brown Bomber.
DRAGLINE
(yoyoing)
Shut your mouth. He's out there doin'
it for all of us.
OMITTED
INT. BARRACKS (DAY)
It is Saturday afternoon. Carr is distributing mail and
packages, the men clustered around; others lying on bunks,
making wallets, etc.
CARR
Magazines for you, Dragline!
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE
Dragline sits up from his bunk, astonished.
DRAGLINE
Magazines? Who's sendin' me magazines?
He looks at the package. Carr has tossed on his bunk.
DRAGLINE
From mah uncle? Ah never heard from
him in eight years and now he's
sendin' me magazines. He musta gone
crazy.
He has torn open the package, looks through the magazines,
which are movie fan books, lies back to flip the pages. In
b.g. Carr is continuing the mail call. Suddenly Dragline's
eyes widen, his mouth opens, but he catches himself and closes
it before he has revealed himself.
INSERT THE PICTURE
It is taped to page in the magazine. It shows Luke in a suit
and tie, holding up four aces and a joker in one hand, arms
around two buxom over-made strippers. On the table in front
of them is a giant bottle of champagne and glasses. Scrawled
across it is something in Luke's writing.
ANGLE DRAGLINE KOKO SOCIETY RED OTHERS
Seeing Dragline's reaction, they have gathered around.
DRAGLINE
Looka that! Two of them. Oh my...
KOKO
I'm dyin'. I'm dyin'.
Dragline suddenly realizes the danger and closes the book so
Carr and the Wicker Man don't catch on. The others reluctantly
move away. Dragline casually hands the magazine to Society
Red.
DRAGLINE
(whispering)
What's the writing say?
SOCIETY RED
(opening to the
picture, reading)
Dear Boys. Playing it cool. Wish you
were here. Love, Cool Hand Luke.
DRAGLINE
Oh my. Oh my... Give it back here!
Red surrenders the magazine. Dragline opens it again and a
look of pure bliss settles over his face.
KOKO
Lemme see it!
DRAGLINE
(violently)
Get away!
He looks over at Carr but Carr has moved away, is talking to
the Wicker Man, his back to the men. Koko, Loudmouth Steve,
Gambler and the others hurriedly cluster around Dragline.
Their voices are eager intense whispers.
KOKO
Lookit the brunette...
BLIND DICK
The blonde's gotta better set.
GAMBLER
Some legs.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
They must be six feet tall.
TATTOO
...And the champagne.
SOCIETY RED
(from his bunk)
Domestic.
TRAMP
Wonder how he got the dough.
ALIBI
He's probably a salesman. You can
make pretty good money if you know
what your doing in selling.
GAMBLER
A salesman! Cool Hand Luke a salesman?
BLIND DICK
He's probably a gigolo.
MECHANIC
Or a con artist.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
The head of the rackets.
KOKO
(reverently)
Oh lookit that brunette.
DRAGLINE
Mah baby! We're diggin' and dyin'
but our boy Luke is lovin' and flyin'.
They all gaze at the picture with loving, dreamy, painful
rapture.
OMITTED
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
Blackass time, dull, sad, boring. Koko sits idly flicking
cards from the poker deck, men staring into space. The cards
sail by Society Red who is clipping his nails.
SOCIETY RED
Stop that.
KOKO
How about you tryin' to make me?
SOCIETY RED
Oh for...
They slowly subside.
KOKO
Dragline, lemme look at the picture.
DRAGLINE
(feigned innocence)
What for?
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Yeah, Drag. Get it out for a look.
DRAGLINE
You're just a kid. Whatta you know
about it? You don't wanna see that
dirty picture. Luke and those broads
an' all that booze.
KOKO
Come on, Drag. Lemme take a look.
DRAGLINE
It'd go to your coconut head. You'd
start getting ideas. Maybe even pass
right out.
BLIND DICK
Dragline! Be a buddy!
DRAGLINE
How much you figure it's worth, a
peek at this here picture? A quick
look, I'm not talkin' about no
memorizin' job.
KOKO
A cold drink.
DRAGLINE
A cold drink? You mean one cold drink?
To feast yore starvin' fishy l'il
eyes on The Picture? A true vision
of Paradise itself? With two of the
angels right there in plain sight a-
friskin' round with mah boy?
KOKO
A cold drink? Okay?
DRAGLINE
Well --- okay. It's a deal. One cold
drink, if'n you please. In advance.
One chilly bottle right here in mah
hot l'il hand... That goes for the
rest of you mullet-heads, too.
Activity as the men dig out coins to purchase drinks. Dragline
pulls out the magazine and the men all gather round, gazing
into it as though it were a crystal ball. Suddenly the wicker
door slams open and as the men look up...
THEIR P.O.V.
Luke is dumped to the floor, face down, unconscious, by Boss
Paul, Boss Kean, others. The Captain is standing there over
him. Luke wears a new prison uniform and two sets of chains.
CAPTAIN
(to Luke)
You run one time, you got yourself a
set of chains. You run twice, you
got two sets. You ain't gonna need
no third set because you're gonna
get your mind right... And I mean
right.
He looks at the men who are stunned by the juxtaposition of
their hero in The Picture and the reality of the unconscious
figure before them.
CAPTAIN
Take a good look at your Cool Hand
Luke.
With his foot he prods Luke over onto his back.
CLOSE ON LUKE
As he rolls over we can see he has been badly beaten.
OMITTED
NEW ANGLE THE MEN
As the Captain turns and walks out past the guards who follow,
and the wicket chute CLANGS shut, Dragline, Koko and others
move forward and gently lift Luke onto the poker table.
DRAGLINE
Oh mah poor baby. They done you real
good... I don't know if you gonna
have them gals chasin' after you for
a while...
CLOSE ON LUKE
lying, eyes closed.
SOCIETY RED'S VOICE
I've got some aspirin.
KOKO'S VOICE
They half killed him.
ALIBI'S VOICE
He should have a doctor.
DRAGLINE'S VOICE
Don't you never learn nuthin'? They
ain't gonna let no doctor see what
they dont to him...
ANGLE ON DRAGLINE, OTHERS
Dragline looks up at Carr who stands hovering above them.
DRAGLINE
Carr, kin we use your razor to clean
up where they cut his head?
Carr moves off to his canteen area.
CLOSE ON LUKE
as Blind Dick, Gambler, others move in...
GAMBLER
How you feelin', buddy?
TRAMP
He don't hear.
TATTOO
Somebody get him something to drink.
SOCIETY RED
Here.
Gently he tucks two aspirin tablets into Luke's mouth, holds
a cup of water to Luke's mouth. Luke's eyes slowly open, he
drinks the water.
DRAGLINE
That's my baby.
KOKO
He's gonna be awright.
NEW ANGLE ON MEN
as Carr moves in with a razor, bandage, etc. The men clear
to give him room.
KOKO
Luke?... We got the picture! See?
He holds it up.
CLOSE ON LUKE
His eyes squint open, close.
BLIND DICK'S VOICE
A pair of beauties. Best I ever seen.
TATTOO'S VOICE
You really know how to pick 'em.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE'S VOICE
Tell us about 'em. What were they
like?
CLOSE ON LUKE
as his lips open. He speaks slowly, painfully.
LUKE
Picture's a phoney... Cost me a week's
pay.
NEW ANGLE THE MEN
KOKO
A phoney? Whatta you mean, a phoney?
GAMBLER
We saw the broads.
BLIND DICK
Yeah. Did you have them both at once
or --
LUKE
It's a phoney. Made it up just for
you guys.
LOUDMOUTH STEVE
Aw, come on. We saw it all.
TATTOO
The champagne.
TRAMP
Some life.
FIXER
You really had it made.
LUKE
Nothin. I had nothin, made nothin.
Couple towns, couple bosses. Laughed
out loud one day and got turned in.
KOKO
(about to cry)
But -- but --
LUKE
That's all there was. Listen. Open
your eyes. Stop beatin' it. And stop
feedin' off me. Now get out of the
way. Give me some air.
Stunned, the men shrink back.
DRAGLINE
He ain't himself. He's all beat up.
Cain't you see that? He don't know
what he sayin'.
EXT. ROAD DAY
Luke is working with great difficulty, pained, weary under
the double set of chains. Bosses Paul and Kean stand right
over him, watching every move.
ANGLE ON GODFREY
standing far behind, his mirrored eyes on Luke.
ON LUKE
moving, he stumbles on the chains, gets hit by Paul's cane.
BOSS PAUL
You was eyeballin', Luke. You can't
gitcha mind on them weeds if yer
eyeballin'...
LUKE
(wearily)
Boss, you don't need reasons to hit
me.
He gets the cane again.
BOSS PAUL
Gonna learn you not to back sass!
EXT. THE BOX (NIGHT)
as Luke is slammed into it and the door is closed.
INT. THE BARRACKS (NIGHT)
The poker game is in progress: Dragline, Koko, Blind Dick,
Gambler, Tattoo with Tramp behind him. Society Red stands at
the window, looking out as he brushes his hair.
SOCIETY RED
He'll never make it.
KOKO
What are you talking about?
SOCIETY RED
He doesn't know when to give in.
They'll kill him.
KOKO
Give in? That's our Luke out there.
DRAGLINE
That ole box collapse and fall apart
before Luke calls quits.
SOCIETY RED
Your Luke's got more guts than brains.
KOKO
I don't see no sign of guts in you.
SOCIETY RED
No. No chains either.
KOKO
(heating up)
You ain't man enough to wear them!
SOCIETY RED
But you're dog enough. Maybe they'll
let you sleep outside the box near
your master.
KOKO
Big deal paper hanger! Hell, anyone
who can write can pass fifty-sixty
dollar checks. Like breakin' open a
piggy bank.
SOCIETY RED
You've been having bad luck with
masters, haven't you? Your last one
left you when the cops came... and
now Luke. You should complain to the
S.P.C.A.
KOKO
(rushing him)
You phony creep!
Dragline steps in to separate them.
DRAGLINE
Awright, that's enough. You wanna
end up in the box, too?
The tire rim sounds.
CARR'S VOICE
First bell! First bell!
INT. MESS HALL (NIGHT)
The men file in from work, sullen and quiet, Dogboy serving
but without his usual chatter. Higgins leans back, unusually
alert.
ANGLE ON DOORWAY
Suddenly Luke appears, unshaven but cleaned up and in his
uniform. The men make room as he moves to his accustomed
place at the head of the line, before Dynamite.
DOGBOY
Here's our champeen hog gut. Ain't
et for four days, gonna need a little
extra... Well we got plenty for you...
He's heaping food onto Luke's plate.
DOGBOY
(continuing)
Now you know the rules... gotta eat
everything on the plate or go back
in the box, right, Boss?
Higgins nods, Dogboy continues to pile it on. When Luke tries
to move on, Dogboy reaches out and grabs the plate with his
free hand and continues to ladle it out. Behind Dogboy, Jabo,
the cook, looks sympathetic to Luke.
JABO
(to Dogboy)
We ain't got but one pot of stew,
you know. He ain't the only one
eatin'.
DOGBOY
(piling it on)
Man use to Free World food gotta big
appetite... so here's some more
potatoes and here's some ice cream
and some cake with choclat fudge
sauce... there you go, stretch that
hog-belly right out.
Luke looks at the impossibly piled plate and moves off.
LUKE AT A TABLE
He is eating with great difficulty, finally puts his spoon
down and his eyes close with weariness. Koko reaches over
and takes a bite off the plate. Luke sits there and one by
one the men get up and file out, each one passing behind
Luke and taking a bite until, as Deacon takes the last
mouthful, the plate is empty and Luke stands up and leaves.
EXT. CAMP YARD (DAY)
It is Saturday afternoon. The men have just returned from
the road. Luke moves slowly toward the barracks, Dragline
helping him.
DRAGLINE
You made the week, boy. Plenty of
time to rest up for old Monday.
They move a few feet until confronted by...
THEIR P.O.V. BOSS PAUL AND BOSS KEAN
BOSS PAUL
Luke!
Kean steps forward, draws a long line in the dirt of the
yard, barring the path, moves three feet back and draws a
parallel line.
BOSS PAUL
Boss Kean say that's his ditch. I
tol' him that their dirt is yore
dirt. What's yore dirt doin' in his
ditch?
Luke looks up at them blindly.
LUKE
(weakly)
I don't know, Boss.
Boss Paul canes him and the other prisoners scatter. Boss
Kean throws a shovel at Luke's feet.
BOSS PAUL
You git yore dirt outa his ditch,
boy!
Luke takes up the shovel and starts to dig.
BOSS PAUL
Roll! I wanna see you roll it!
He canes Luke across the back, Luke digs.
ANGLE ON BARRACKS
It is later. The men sit on the stoop, the usual Saturday
activities.
ANGLE ON LUKE
He is hidden up to his waist in the trench he has dug, about
three feet deep and wide and as long as the lines Kean drew.
ANGLE ON MEN
watching.
ANGLE ON BOSS SHORTY
walking along briskly, feigns surprise at seeing what Luke
is doing. He stops.
TWO SHOT BOSS SHORTY AND LUKE
BOSS SHORTY
Luke, what you think you doin'?
LUKE
(not stopping)
Diggin' my dirt outa Boss Kean's
ditch, Boss.
Shorty is carrying a hoe handle with which he hits Luke on
the head. Luke slumps to the ground.
BOSS SHORTY
Be damned iff'n you gonna put your
dirt in mah yard. You hear me?
LUKE
(getting to his feet)
Yes, Boss.
BOSS SHORTY
Then git it out there. Roll it, heah?
Luke begins slowly shoveling the dirt back into the ditch.
Boss Shorty nods with satisfaction and walks away.
ANGLE ON LUKE (LATE AFTERNOON)
The dirt is almost all back in the ditch. A shadow falls on
the dirt beside him. A walking stick falls across his buttocks
and he staggers to his knees.
BOSS PAUL'S VOICE
Ah done told you to get yore dirt
outa Boss Kean's ditch, didn't ah?
LUKE
(getting to his feet)
Yes, Boss.
BOSS PAUL
Then how come it ain't done yet?
LUKE
I don't know, Boss.
BOSS PAUL
You don't know!
He canes Luke on the back of the legs. Luke falls and rolls
over and Paul canes him across the head. Luke gets up on all
fours and makes a rush right at Boss Paul. He is so weak and
uncoordinated that the attack does nothing but smear blood
and dirt over Paul's uniform. The guards beat Luke away and
he falls on his back in the soft dirt.
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
The men are restless, their efforts to ignore what's happening
are futile. Dragline gets up and looks out the window into
the yard. Koko leans over beside him. He holds the picture.
DRAGLINE'S P.O.V.
Luke under the lights, working again, slowly, dumps a shovel
full of dirt and hasn't the strength to move the shovel.
Momentarily, he stops moving and is hit. We HEAR the thud
and the groan he gives.
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
Dragline goes back to his bunk. We HEAR another thud and a
cry from outside. Dragline begins to WHISTLE. Koko begins to
chink his chains. Onionhead and Dynamite join in with their
chains. Other prisoners rhythmically beat on bunk posts.
Only Society Red does not join in.
EXT. YARD (NIGHT)
Luke works. From inside we HEAR the music from the prisoners.
Boss Paul and Boss Kean appear.
BOSS PAUL
What's all this dirt in the yard?
LUKE
I... I... I...
He can't talk. Paul hits him and he falls again on the dirt.
Paul hits him again.
LUKE
Please! Please!
BOSS PAUL
Git to work!
LUKE
Don't hit me! Please, for God's sake,
don't hit me.
BOSS KEAN
What was that? What was that name
you said, Luke?
LUKE
God. I pray to God you won't hit me.
(he grovels in the
dirt before them,
tears streaming down
his cheeks)
I'll do whatever you say, but I can't
take no more. Please.
TWO SHOT PAUL AND KEAN
A trace of smiles.
BOSS PAUL
(kindly)
You got your mind right, Luke?
CLOSE LUKE
LUKE
Yes, Boss. I got it right.
ON KEAN AND PAUL
BOSS PAUL
Supposin' you was to backslide on
us, Luke? Supposin' you was to
backsass or try to run again...
LUKE
No, Boss! I won't. I won't. I got my
mind right. I got it right, Boss.
Please don't hit me no more.
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
The music has stopped, the men listening.
ON KOKO
His face tightens into an expression of contempt, hatred. He
grabs the picture on the bunk beside him and violently tears
it in half.
EXT. YARD LUKE, BOSSES PAUL AND KEAN (NIGHT)
BOSS PAUL
(kind and reasonable)
Luke, you run again and we'll kill
you.
LUKE
I know, I know. Just don't hit me.
The Captain steps in -- out of the dark. He has been watching
from his porch.
CAPTAIN
Okay, son. Go get shaved and cleaned
up and get you some sleep. I reckon
you need it.
Luke slowly struggles to his feet and begins painfully
stumbling toward the barracks.
INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)
as the chute opens and Luke staggers inside and the door is
slammed behind him.
LUKE
I got my mind right. I got it right.
He stumbles toward his bunk, passing Tattoo and Alibi who
turn away embarrassed.
LUKE
I got my mind right.
Others like Dragline and Koko stare straight ahead, not seeing
him; Society Red has his back turned; Dynamite, Blind Dick,
Loudmouth Steve meet his gaze contemptuously.
LUKE
(collapsing on his
bunk)
Where are you now? I got my mind
right. You hear me? I got it right!
Silence.
EXT. ROAD (DAY)
The gang is working. Over a week has passed. Luke's wounds
are healed. He works in a slow, spiritless way, broken.
CLOSE GODFREY
looking somehow less menacing.
BOSS PAUL
He is sitting, not even looking at the men, relaxed, pulls
out watch looks over to Godfrey in b.g. Godfrey nods.
BOSS PAUL
Awright, smoke it up.
The men break and sit down for smoking.
BOSS PAUL
Luke! Water 'em.
Without a moments hesitation, Luke jogs over and gets the
water pail and dipper from Rabbit and moves to the group of
men.
CLOSE THE GROUP
as Luke moves around filling their cups. The men are silent,
some embarrassed, some sympathetic, some confused, some
disappointed.
CLOSE GODFREY
He signals with his cane for his rifle.
ON RABBIT
He hurries to the cab of the truck, gets Godfrey's rifle.
The other men, but not Luke, watch as Godfrey slips in the
bolt, loads, fires at something out in the swamp.
ON BOSS PAUL
As Godfrey takes bolt out of rifle, returns the gun to Rabbit.
BOSS PAUL
Go git it, Luke.
LUKE
Yes sir, Boss Paul!
Grinning, cheerful, he begins to hobble away through the
swamp and grass.
CLOSE ANGLE ON TURTLE IN THE MUCK
Luke's hands COME INTO FRAME AND OFFER the head a stick. The
jaws clamp down on the stick and Luke lifts the turtle up.
FULL SHOT LUKE
grinning, holding up the turtle by the stick.
LUKE
Here he is, Boss. Deader'n hell but
he won't let go.
THE GROUP
as Luke walks back through them carrying the turtle.
BOSS PAUL
You cut that up fer lunch, Luke.
LUKE
Yes, Boss.
He moves off toward the trucks with the turtle, and we HOLD
on the disappointed reactions of the men, featuring Dragline.
Then there is the SOUND of a motor starting.
ON THE GROUP NEW ANGLE
as they turn to look, as one man.
THE TRUCK
as Luke tries to get it in gear, there is the SOUND of gears
grinding and as the truck begins to move the bed of the dump
body begins to raise. The truck begins to move past the
prisoners, away from the guards.
ON THE GUARDS
As they begin to run toward the truck, raising their guns.
ON DRAGLINE
on his feet.
DRAGLINE
Oh Lord!
SOCIETY RED
That fool. That damn fool.
DRAGLINE
Oh mah baby Luke.
He starts to run like hell toward the truck coming past.
ANGLE ON GUARDS
stopping to fire but bullets ricochet off the rising bed of
the dump body.
MOVING SHOT PARALLELING TRUCK
Dragline running alongside trying to grab the door handle.
Inside Luke, grinning fiercely, as he drives. SHOTS sounding.
Dragline gets hold of the door, swings inside. HOLD AND PAN
the truck off down the road until all we can see is the steel
dump body.
REVERSE THE ROAD
It is littered with tools and equipment dumped from the truck
body. The guards stand there, their guns empty.
BOSS KEAN
(from another truck)
He's taken the keys. He's got the
keys!
Boss Shorty pokes his head out of another truck.
BOSS SHORTY
Here, too.
INT. TRUCK LUKE AND DRAGLINE
DRAGLINE
We're free, Luke. You terrible man.
Think of that. We're free. Free!
Over them, appears the SUPERIMPOSED image of Godfrey's
glasses, the Man With No Eyes, watching them, denying
Dragline's words.
LONG DISSOLVE:
EXT. PALMETTO SWAMP
Dragline is exuberantly hacking away at palm fronds to cover
the truck while Luke is filing away at his chains.
DRAGLINE
(rattling frond)
Shakin it here, Boss. Shakin it...
Oh my baby Luke.
He laughs, shakes his head in appreciation. Luke ignores
him, continues to file. Dragline does another worshipful
imitation.
DRAGLINE
Don't hit me no more, Boss! Don't
hit me! I'll do anythin' you say but
just don't hit me! Oh Luke. You are
an original, you truly are. You really
fooled them.
LUKE
Foolin', Hell! I would have eaten
that dirt for them. They coulda used
my head for a shovel and a my face
for a broom... They just never did
get a piece of my mind.
DRAGLINE
And all the time you was plannin' on
runnin' again.
Luke has filed through the chains, stands up.
LUKE
Yeah, well... I never planned nothin'
in my life...
He tosses the severed chain link into the swamp and starts
to walk off, Dragline hurrying behind him.
EXT. NEAR NEGRO VILLAGE (DUSK)
Luke and Dragline appear, tired and cold. Dragline is having
trouble keeping up. Seeing this, Luke stops and rests, looking
off at church visible in distance.
DRAGLINE
Whoee, it's cold. Wisht I had
somethin' to eat. Bread, grits, beans
even. Soon's we get to my house,
we're gonna have us one big meal and
then I'm gonna show you some farm
girls that...
LUKE
We ain't goin' nowhere.
DRAGLINE
(confused)
What you talkin' about, Luke? We're
together, you and me, just like
always. Now the thing we gotta work
out is how to get Koko outa there
and then the Terrible Trio be all
complete again. Man, this old Free
World ain't gonna know which ear to
stand on.
LUKE
Yeah, well, you and Koko kin handle
it without me.
DRAGLINE
What you mean, Luke?
LUKE
I've done enough world-shakin' for a
while. You do the rest for me. Send
me a postcard about it.
He gets up, starts off.
DRAGLINE
But, Luke...
LUKE
Take it easy, Drag.
DRAGLINE
Luke. Where you goin?
LUKE
On my own.
DRAGLINE
But what am I gonna do all by myself?
(hangs head)
Oh if'n I hadn't lost mah head. I
only had two more years to go. But
when I saw you tearin' down with
that truck... But you right Luke. We
oughta split up. Be safer for us
both.
He looks up. Luke is in the distance.
DRAGLINE
Luke?
(calls out)
Just the same, you're a good old
boy, Luke. You take care, hear?
There is no answer.
OMITTED
EXT. NEGRO VILLAGE (NIGHT)
as Luke trots down the main street, passes the church.
LUKE
Hey, Old Man! You home tonight?
He starts across the bridge.
LUKE
If you kin spare a minute, it's about
time we had ourselves a little talk.
INT. CHURCH
Luke mounts the steps of the lectern, looks up.
LUKE
Old Man, I know I'm a pretty evil
feller who killed people in the war
and got drunk and chopped up municipal
merchandise and like that. I admit
ain't got no call to ask for much.
But even so, you ain't dealt me no
cards in a long time. I mean it's
beginning to look like you got it
fixed so I can't never win out. Inside
or out, it's just different bosses
and different rules. Where am I
supposed to fit in? Old Man, I got
to tell you: I started out pretty
strong and fast but it's starting to
get to me... When does it end?...
What you got in mind for me next?
Old Man. What do I do now? Awright.
On my hands and knees a skin'. Yeah.
That's what I thought. I guess I'm
just a hardcase and I gotta find my
way out myself.
We HEAR the SOUND of vehicles outside, telling Luke that the
police have arrived. He starts for the back just as Dragline
enters from the side entrance. Seeing him, Luke looks up at
the ceiling.
LUKE
Is that your answer, Old Man? You're
a hardcase too, ain't you?
DRAGLINE
Luke, are you alright?... They got
us, boy. They're out there thicker'n
flies. Bosses and dogs and sheriffs
and more guns than I ever seen in my
life. We don't have a chance, Luke...
They caught up with me right after
we split up and they was aimin' to
kill you, Luke. But I got 'em to
promise if you give up peaceful,
they wouldn't even whip you this
time.
LUKE
(amused)
Do we even get our same bunks back?
DRAGLINE
Why sure, Luke. I mean I didn't talk
to them about that. But why not?
They're reasonable, Luke. Hell, we
only been gone a coupla hours.
LUKE
You don't understand a thing, do
you, Drag?
DRAGLINE
Luke, you got to listen to me. All
you got to do is just give up nice
and quiet, just play it cool.
LUKE
Like I always do?
DRAGLINE
Thass right. Just play it...
He sees Luke moving toward the window.
DRAGLINE
Luke, what are do doin'?
OMITTED
ANGLE BY WINDOW
as Luke steps out of pitch black into the harsh light in
full view, calm, slight smile, having chosen his moment. His
voice is loud, clear, mocking:
LUKE
WHAT WE GOT HERE IS A FAILURE TO
COMMUNICATE...
A SHOT! It catches Luke in the throat and throws him back,
but he stays in the light, still smiling.
DRAGLINE
Luke!
EXT. CHURCHYARD (NIGHT)
ON guards and police, FEATURING Godfrey, who holds his smoking
rifle. There are confused SHOUTS and movements by the
sheriffs, but the Captain and the prison guards only look
toward Godfrey, then turn away, stoic.
INT. CHURCH
as Luke falls to one knee, trying to hold himself up. Dragline
is by his side, helps him up and to the door.
EXT. CHURCHYARD (NIGHT)
where Bosses Kean and Paul move in to handcuff Luke. Dragline,
seeing Godfrey, bellows out an INCOHERENT ROAR and charges
past the surprised guards to knock Godfrey to the ground,
tear his glasses from him. Confused, bewildered, Godfrey
gropes for the glasses as the prison guards beat Dragline
into submission.
ANGLE ON CHURCH (PRE-DAWN) (NIGHT)
as Luke, handcuffed behind his back, is being led toward the
Captain's car by Bosses Paul and Kean. He is half-paralyzed,
blood pouring from him. The Captain has turned his back on
Godfrey, talking to the Sheriff.
SHERIFF
You follow me and I'll radio the
emergency clinic to open up...
CAPTAIN
I'm takin' him to the prison hospital.
SHERIFF
But that's an hour away. He ain't
gonna last twenty minutes.
CAPTAIN
Git outa the way. He's ours.
MOVING SHOT LUKE
as he is brought past Dragline, who is being held by several
guards. Tears stream down Dragline's cheeks. Luke looks at
him, still smiling as he is pushed into the Captain's car.
LUKE INT. THE CAR
as it begins to move out. In the b.g. across the road we SEE
the Negro villagers watching, silently. The window of the
car is up and the reflections on the glass make Luke already
dim, a little distant.
MOVING SHOT THE CAR (DAWN)
as it moves down the road, over the trestle. It is the mystic
hour of dawn, the sun's rays just diffusing as we watch the
car until it disappears over the rise in the road.
EXT. ROAD CLOSE ON YOYO (DAY)
The yoyo is swinging in the sun. As the shot WIDENS we SEE
it is Dragline, wearing chains, wielding the yoyo and now we
SEE the others working around him. Godfrey is gone; Boss
Paul is now the Walking Boss. The MUSIC gains strength and
speeds as
Dragline works with strong, certain grace and determination
and the others also seem more vital and free as imperceptibly
the CAMERA PULLS BACK and RISES SLOWLY TO:
HELICOPTER SHOT
as the men grow smaller in the limitless field of gold
stretching in all directions as far as the eye can see,
intersected by four roads that reach out to infinity. Now
the men are specks, now invisible in the fields and there
are only the roads, lines in the gold, going on forever.
OVER THIS, SUPERIMPOSE the PICTURE OF LUKE, now scotch-taped
together, HOLD and
FADE OUT:
THE END