Deer Hunter

ALBERT
She fucked you?

JOHN
She fucked me.

ALBERT
She fucked me too.

JOHN
She fucked you?

ALBERT
She fucked me too.

There is a long pause. They both struggle to keep their eyes
open.

JOHN
She fucked us both.

ALBERT
Yeah.

JOHN
Fucking women, man...

ALBERT
(shakes his head)
I know...

INT. CADILLAC NIGHT

NICK'S head is sunk below the upper rim of the steering
wheel. One eye is entirely shut and the open one seems close
to death. Suddenly his head snaps up. He slams his foot down
on the brake and the Cadillac fishtails, rubber screaming, to
a jolting stop.

EVERYONE in the car comes awake ten bleary eyes staring out
through the windshield.

There are deer in the road, fifteen or twenty of them
standing in the headlights.

EXT. CADILLAC - NIGHT

VINCE, ALBERT, NICK and JOHN pile out with their rifles.
VINCE immediately slips and falls down.

VINCE
Get 'em! For Christ sake, get 'em!

JOHN
Who's got the ammo?

ALBERT
Ammo! Get the ammo!

VINCE
I'll get it! Where is it?

JOHN
It's in the trunk!... It's in the
trunk! I'm telling you, it's in the
trunk!

VINCE, ALBERT and JOHN rush around to the trunk. ALBERT
begins pounding on it.

VINCE
There, Albert! Hit it there!

Pushing and shoving each other, VINCE, ALBERT and JOHN rush
around to the side of the car. As they pass along the
embankment at the side of the road there is a soft sound,
like a sigh, and all three of them simultaneously vanish.

NICK, who has been watching, stares at the place where his
three friends disappeared. He takes a few steps forward,
realizes what has happened and doubles up in the middle of
the road, helpless with laughter.

VINCE (CONT'D)
(getting out of the car)
Man, let's go hunting!... Where are
they?

NICK makes a gesture, a downward pointing of his finger.
VINCE crosses to the side of the road.

EXT. RAVINE - NIGHT

The slope is a good 45 plus. At the bottom, barely visible,
three tiny figures flop in the snow.

EXT. CADILLAC - NIGHT

VINCE looks down at the three hunters with an expression of
absolute disgust. He looks at NICK -- flat on his back,
pounding his feet, howling -- and then he looks at the deer.
The deer are still watching. If anything they have edged
closer and their massed expression of polite curiosity throws
VINCE into a blind rage.

VINCE
Get out of here, damn you! Go
home!... Scat!... Shoo!

VINCE, whose rifle is fully loaded, slams a shell into the
chamber and lets off a barrage of shots above the deer.

VINCE (CONT'D)
Bastards! Assholes! Get lost!

EXT. MOUNTAIN PASS - DAWN

The sky is cold -- first light -- with low, wind-driven
clouds. CAMERA TILTS DOWN and we see NICK's Cadillac coming
up a narrow road flanked by precipitous, heavily forested
ridges on both sides.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD - DAWN

The Cadillac seems minuscule, overwhelmed by the massive,
black slopes looming up from the road.

INT. CADILLAC - DAWN

Everyone is eating cold hot dogs, ripping them out of a half
dozen plastic packages, dipping them in a jar of mustard and
stuffing them down. Hot dog juice has dripped over
everything, potato chips are littered everywhere and both
beer and milk are being passed around.

ALBERT
Fuel up. Need fuel.

JOHN
Those are mine!

ALBERT
You want 'em?

JOHN
Damn right!

ALBERT
Gimme a Hostess Twinkie, Merle.

MERLE
Here's a Hershey.

ALBERT tears off the wrapper, dips it in the mustard and
glomps it down.

JOHN
That's mustard!

ALBERT
(mouth jammed full)
What?

JOHN
You just put mustard on your
Hershey bar.

ALBERT
(nods)
Good... Pass the beer.

VINCE
(pointing to a location
beside the road)
Here, here! This is it!

MERLE
(milk slopping over him)
Watch it, shithead!

VINCE
(pounds Nick on the
shoulder)
Here! This is it!

ALBERT
It is not!

VINCE
It is too! Now you passed it!

MERLE
It's ahead, by the tree.

NICK
It's ahead, Vince.

VINCE
That isn't it! There's no way
that's it... Unless they changed
it. They might have changed it.

NICK pulls to a stop on the shoulder.

VINCE (CONT'D)
They changed it. That's what they
did. This is it but they changed
it.

EXT. ROADSIDE AREA - DAWN

The sky is just turning grey. A cold wind is blowing, moaning
in the trees and swirling a fine haze of snow across the open
roadway. The guys all pile out in their wrecked tuxedos.

VINCE
This is it. Definitely. This is it,
but they changed it.

ALBERT
You're full of shit.

VINCE
Who's full of shit?

ALBERT
You're full of shit!

VINCE
I'm telling you, they changed it!

ALBERT
They did not!

VINCE
They did too!

ALBERT
Jesus, it's freezing!

NICK, MERLE and JOHN have the trunk open and are taking stuff
out. MERLE strips down where he stands and begins putting on
his hunting clothes. ALBERT and VINCE grab their things and
follow the example of NICK and JOHN, who are changing on the
corner of the seats.

NICK
Whee-uu!

ALBERT
Jesus!

JOHN
Holy shit!

VINCE
Merle, hey Merle, you got any
socks?

MERLE, who is crouched down studying the hillside, looks
over.

VINCE (CONT'D)
(rummaging around in the
mess of things he has
brought)
Never mind, Merle. Never mind, I
got 'em... Where the hell are my
pants? Anyone see my pants?... Who
the hell took my pants!

VINCE begins plunging around.

OTHERS
Fuckhead! Watch it!

VINCE
Somebody took my pants... I know I
brought pants.

VINCE tears into another pile of equipment, comes up with
nothing and steps out of the car.

VINCE (CONT'D)
All right. All right, you guys.
Whoever took my pants, I want 'em
back!

EXT. ROADSIDE AREA - DAWN - LATER

Shots are ringing out in the hills. NICK, ALBERT and JOHN
stand by the roadside while VINCE and MERLE glare at each
other. VINCE is still in his tuxedo pants, is still wearing
his dress shoes and is draped in a gigantic red goose down
vest that could only have come from ALBERT. MERLE's knapsack
lies on the ground in front of him and we can see that it
contains a pair of Vibram-soled mountain boots.

MERLE
Sure I got boots. I got boots right
here.

VINCE
Then lemme have 'em.

MERLE
No.

VINCE
(both hands in the air)
No!!!?

MERLE
No.

VINCE
What do you mean, no???

MERLE
That's it. No. No way.

VINCE
Some fuckin' friend... You're some
fuckin' friend, Merle!

MERLE
You gotta learn, Vince! You come
out here... You got no jacket, you
got no pants, you got no knife and
you got no boots. You think
everyone's gonna take care of you!
That's what you always think, but
this time you're wrong. This time
you're on your own!

ALBERT
Merle, give him the boots.

MERLE
No. No boots. No nothin'.

VINCE
You're one fuckin' bastard, Merle.
You know that? You're one fucking
bastard!

MERLE
(snapping it out, jabbing
his finger at the ground)
This is this, Vince. This isn't
something else. This is this!

VINCE
You know what I think? There's
times I think you're a goddamn
faggot!... I fixed you up a million
times, Merle!
(to the others)
I fixed him up a million times! I
don't know how many times I fixed
him up... and nothin' ever
happens... Zilch! Zero!... The
trouble with you, Merle, no one
knows what you're talking about!
"This is this"? What does that
mean, "this is this"? I mean is
that some faggot bullshit, or is
that some faggot bullshit!!! And if
it isn't, what the hell is it???

JOHN
Vince. Hey, you guys --

VINCE
(hopping now)
Take last night...! Last night he
coulda had twenty fuckin' deer!
More! He coulda had more! And look
what he does! I mean look what he
fuckin' does!!!

JOHN
Vince!!!

JOHN throws up his hands in a comical way.

JOHN (CONT'D)
I'll get the boots.

ALBERT
(in agreement)
Get the boots.

JOHN
(crossing to Merle's
knapsack)
I mean let's get going before --

MERLE -- who has remained completely calm throughout VINCE's
tirade -- pumps a shell in the chamber of his rifle. JOHN
freezes in his tracks and stares at him, his face gone white.

MERLE
I said no.

JOHN looks at ALBERT, who is right behind him, and they both
back away. VINCE, who is standing directly opposite MERLE,
begins to tremble. His mouth comes open, closes and comes
open again. Urine begins trickling out from the bottom of his
pants leg, staining the snow. Suddenly, NICK steps forward.
He looks at MERLE, crosses to the knapsack, takes out the
boots, walks over to VINCE and throws them on the road.

NICK
(gently, to Merle)
Let's hunt.

INT. BUSTED-DOWN OLD LOGGERS SHACK - NIGHT

The place is about nine-by-twelve. The floor is rotted out,
boards are missing from the walls and the entire structure is
canted to the right. Hanging from the roof peak is a hissing
Coleman lantern which sways in the wind.

VINCE, ALBERT and JOHN are sacked out, sound asleep. Beer
cans -- some old, some new -- litter the floor. Wet clothes,
most of them bloody, hang from tie-boards and nails. Strung
up on the end wall are two deer carcasses, one of them with a
knife jammed in it where steaks have been cut out.
Snow is blowing in -- dry, crystal bright. It swirls over
everything and settles on the sleeping figures on the floor.

CAMERA DISCOVERS MERLE AND NICK. They are both in sleeping
bags, lying on rusted bedsprings at either side of the broken
door. The wind gusts and moans. The cabin shudders and then
there is a sudden lull.

MERLE
Hey, Nick?

NICK
Huh?

MERLE
Tomorrow I go with Vince.

NICK
Hunt with Vince?

MERLE
Yeah... I mean so he knows... He
doesn't even know.

EXT. THRUWAY PITTSBURGH OFF-RAMP - TWILIGHT

Traffic is heavy, an unending flow of cars, a river of
headlights suspended on a curved concrete trestle which seems
to float in thin air. Behind is the mill, belching steam and
ablaze with fire.

NICK's Cadillac appears, horn blaring, weaving through the
traffic. The car sits low. Trussed to the hood, to the roof,
to the trunk, are the carcasses of five deer. Rope-ends
flutter and bang in the wind. The car shudders and thuds.
Inside, grinning maniacally, NICK, MERLE, VINCE, ALBERT and
JOHN are all shouting and guzzling beer.

EXT. COLUMBINE STREET - TWILIGHT

The Caddy appears, swerving onto Columbine with tires
screaming and NICK still leaning on the horn. The guys are
all hanging out the windows, shouting to FRIENDS, whistling
at GIRLS and banging a triumphant tatoo on the doors.

ALBERT
Maxie! Hey Maxie wha'd'ya say!

JOHN
Hey Geraldine, let's eat!

VINCE
Nothin' to it, asshole! Piece o'
fuckin' cake!

As the car ascends the grade the mill appears behind it,
seeming to loom upward under the pink-streaked twilight sky.

CAMERA HOLDS AS THE CAR COMES TOWARD IT. The headlights blaze
white, like huge hungry stars, and the eyes of the dead deer
on the fenders glitter gold and green and red.

ALBERT leans out the window and gives his Tarzan call... IT
SEEMS TO ECHO, AS IF COMING FROM FAR AWAY,

FREEZE FRAME...

EXT. CLOSE-UP OF JUNGLE LEAF - DAY

The leaf is being eaten by an exotic-looking insect. After
each bite, the insect lifts its head, produces an exceedingly
thoughtful expression, and chews.

WE HEAR THE BUZZ AND CREAK OF OTHER INSECTS, THEN A DULL,
FLUTTERING DRONE. THE DRONE GROWS LOUDER...

EXT. HELICOPTER SQUADRON - SOUTH VIETNAM - DAY

There are twenty of them, coming fast and low, just over the
tops of the trees. Sunlight gleams on their paint and
murderous-looking rockets are packed to their bellies in fat
clusters, like eggs.

Suddenly, in unison, they fire the rockets.

EXT. RANGE OF LOW HILLS - SOUTH VIETNAM - DAY

As the rockets streak away the lightened choppers shoot
upward, lost to sight. There is an eerie silence and then the
hillside explodes, vanishes in a sheet of smoke and flame two
miles wide.

EXT. DUSTY ROAD - DAY

A platoon of AMERICANS have been ambushed on the road. The
bodies lie helter-skelter -- headless, armless, legless, guts
spilled in the dirt. No one moves and there is absolute
silence except for the low buzz of flies.

A V.C. LIEUTENANT steps into sight. He gives a brusque
command and V.C. SOLDIERS step out of the jungle. The
LIEUTENANT bayonets a few of the fallen U.S. SOLDIERS --
idly, without much interest -- and then cracks a joke as he
rubs his finger in the Americans' blood. The V.C. SOLDIERS
laugh, spear a few AMERICANS themselves and repeat the joke.

There is a slight sound. The V.C. LIEUTENANT spins and gives
a low command. Fifty feet away there are three grass huts.
He signals his SOLDIERS to spread out and then he starts
toward them.

INT. GRASS HUT - DAY

South Vietnamese VILLAGERS -- women, children, and a few old
men -- sit huddled in the semi-darkness. The WOMEN hold their
hands over their BABIES' mouths. Flies buzz and there is a
look of stark terror in their faces.

EXT. DUSTY ROAD - DAY

One of the fallen AMERICANS moves. CAMERA CLOSES ON THE
SOLDIER. His face is in the dirt and flies are nuzzling at a
gash in his temple. The face is unshaven, frighteningly
gaunt, but we recognize that it is MERLE.

A WOMAN'S SCREAM comes from the direction of the huts. A shot
rings out. MERLE pulls himself to his hands and knees and
stands there, on all fours, like a dog.

EXT. GRASS HUTS - DAY

The V.C. roust the VILLAGERS from their huts, smashing them
in the back with rifle butts. One of the SOLDIERS emerges
from a hut carrying two small BABIES upside-down by their
feet. One of the WOMEN cries out. The SOLDIER gives her a
kick, swings one of her BABIES in the air and lets it go. The
BABY turns over and over against the blue sky. As the BABY
comes down ANOTHER SOLDIER catches it through the neck on the
end of his bayonet.

EXT. DUSTY ROAD - DAY

MERLE strips a B.A.R. from one of his dead companions, slams
a fresh clip in it, jams two extras in his pants and starts
for the grass huts. His movements are slow, almost dreamlike,
and his face is expressionless, like someone risen from the
dead.

EXT. GRASS HUTS DAY

The VILLAGERS -- about twenty of them -- have been formed in
a line. As the SOLDIERS look on the V.C. LIEUTENANT walks up
and down trying to extract information. The SPEARED BABY lies
in the dust between the two groups. The SECOND BABY tries to
play with it. The SOLDIER who threw the dead baby in the air
squats nearby and yawns.

EXT. GRASS HUTS - ANOTHER ANGLE - DAY

MERLE approaches between the huts. He takes a quick look
around the corner, finds the V.C. all bunched in a neat
package and draws back.

CAMERA CLOSES ON MERLE'S EYES. They are cold, dreaming
things, glittering blankly.

EXT. GRASS HUTS - DAY

MERLE spins out with the B.A.R. on full automatic. The V.C.
SOLDIERS go down screaming, arms and necks thrown back, in a
thin mist of spraying blood.

ABOVE THE CHATTER OF MERLE'S B.A.R. WE HEAR A GROWING ROAR.

EXT. APPROACHING AMERICAN HELICOPTERS - DAY

There are five of them, coming in low under the tops of
nearby trees.

EXT. GRASS HUTS - THE VILLAGERS - DAY

The VILLAGERS stand motionless, staring at the helicopters
and frozen with terror. They turn. They start to run. And
then they disappear in a roaring wall of burning napalm.

EXT. GRASS HUTS AFTER NAPALM ATTACK - DAY

MERLE stands alone with his B.A.R. surrounded by clouds of
billowing black smoke. There is no sound but the rush of
heated air and the faint crackle of flames. MERLE'S clothes
are burning. Flames are licking up his trouser legs and a
blob of napalm is burning fiercely on his helmet.

In front of MERLE the SOLDIERS and the VILLAGERS lie in two
charred heaps. The BABIES lie between them. Both are
motionless now, like two roasted stones.

An AMERICAN LIEUTENANT steps out from behind one of the
burning huts. MERLE and the LIEUTENANT spin on each other and
then the LIEUTENANT lowers his carbine.

LIEUTENANT
What the hell are you doing here?

MERLE
(numb)
Saving lives.

MORE AMERICANS appear, some twenty of them, coming out of the
trees in a long line. Among them are NICK and SAL.

LIEUTENANT
Move it out, girls! Move it out!

The LIEUTENANT heads down the line. NICK stares at MERLE.

NICK
Merle?... Jesus, Merle!

MERLE turns and looks at NICK. There is no recognition. He
seems to be looking right through him.

SAL comes up behind NICK.

SAL
Hey...! Hey, Merle!

A shot rings out. The LIEUTENANT goes down and suddenly the
whole line of AMERICANS is caught in a murderous cross-fire.
Grenades rain out of the trees. MERLE, NICK and SAL dive for
cover.

Out of the smoke V.C. SOLDIERS begin to appear, more and more
of them, swarming out of the jungle in scores.

EXT. CLEARING IN THE JUNGLE - HEAVY RAIN - DAY

We are looking at the ground where three pits have been dug
and fitted with bamboo gratings which are held down by
stones. The ground is ankle-deep in running mud and the pits
are filled with water to within a foot of the bamboo
gratings. In each of the pits are about a half-dozen men --
SOUTH VIETNAMESE and AMERICAN. Their hands grip the gratings
and their eyes are hollow. Other than an occasional groan
there is only the sound of the falling rain.

A V.C. SOLDIER trudges out of the jungle. As he reaches the
pits he notices the hands, curses and begins jumping up and
down on the bamboo gratings. The hands disappear. As soon as
one comes back, the SOLDIER stomps on it, shrieking with
laughter. Then, almost as an afterthought, the SOLDIER pulls
down his pants and squats above the center grating.

CAMERA TILTS SLOWLY UPWARD. We see the clearing in its
totality. It is a raw hole hacked out of the jungle and
contains only two structures. One is a large bamboo "tiger
cage" with a few leaves tied to its top. The other is a small
hut with a thatched roof. The walls of the hut are open and
we can see V.C. GUARDS moving about inside.

A cry comes from the hut. There is the THUD of a rifle butt
on flesh and the cry abruptly stops.

INT. THATCHED HUT - DAY

In the middle of the hut is an American kitchen table with a
rose-patterned plastic top. At opposite ends of the table are
two chairs. A SOUTH VIETNAMESE PRISONER sits in one of the
chairs. In the other chair, facing him, is MERLE.
The SOUTH VIETNAMESE has a welt on his head and one of the
half-dozen V.C. GUARDS in the hut is screaming at him. In the
middle of the table, between the SOUTH VIETNAMESE and MERLE,
is a single-action .45 caliber revolver with an American
eagle carved on its ivory grip.

MERLE sits quietly, waiting, but his eyes are working, taking
in every detail of the scene. The V.C. GUARD gives the SOUTH
VIETNAMESE a final cuff, takes up the revolver with a
dramatic flourish and loads one cartridge into the chamber.
Immediately the OTHER GUARDS begin placing bets. The GUARDS
are a ragged bunch -- wet, half-drunk on captured Budweiser,
and it takes some time to straighten things out.

MERLE looks off to his right:

INT. THATCHED HUT - REVERSE ANGLE - DAY

We see more SOUTH VIETNAMESE and AMERICAN prisoners standing
against the wall. Most of them have been badly beaten and all
have their elbows tied behind their backs. In among them,
standing beside one another, are NICK and SAL. NICK looks
grey, like a skinny ghost. SAL is out of control, sobbing
quietly.

INT. THATCHED HUT - ORIGINAL ANGLE - DAY

The betting is now completed. The V.C. in charge waves the
.45 around and calls for silence. Then, closing the cylinder
containing the single bullet, he points the revolver at the
ceiling and clicks through the empty chambers until the
revolver goes off with a ROAR. Bits of thatch flutter down
from the ceiling. The V.C. GUARDS shout enthusiastically and
grin.

MERLE sits motionless. The SOUTH VIETNAMESE across the table
from him begins shaking uncontrollably.

The V.C. in charge now reloads the revolver with one
cartridge, snaps the cylinder shut, puts the gun on the table
between MERLE and the SOUTH VIETNAMESE and gives it a good
spin.

The revolver slows and finally comes to a stop pointing at
MERLE. MERLE stares at it for a long beat. Then he picks it
up, spins the cylinder, cocks it, puts it to his temple and
pulls the trigger. The hammer falls on an empty chamber with
a loud CLICK.

MERLE places the revolver back on the table and pushes it
toward the SOUTH VIETNAMESE. The SOUTH VIETNAMESE begins to
tremble again. Fumbling horribly he finally manages to get
the gun in his hand. He spins the cylinder, cocks the hammer
and puts the gun to his temple. The gun weaves around.
The SOUTH VIETNAMESE closes his eyes and pulls the trigger.
There is a loud CLICK.

MERLE takes the revolver again. He spins it, cocks it -- all
in one smooth motion -- puts it to his temple and pulls the
trigger. There is another CLICK.

MERLE pushes the gun back across the table. This time the
SOUTH VIETNAMESE takes it up with sudden confidence. He spins
the cylinder, cocks it, puts it to his temple and pulls on
the trigger.

THERE IS A ROAR. THE PISTOL IS FLYING IN THE AIR AND THEN THE
MAN'S HEAD, HALF-EXPLODED, CRASHES OVER ONTO THE KITCHEN
TABLE.

MERLE doesn't even blink. The GUARDS begin hooting and
laughing, wiping pieces of brain from their clothes, and
MERLE watches them, watches every gesture, every movement...
like a cat.

EXT. THATCHED HUT - LATER DAY

A pile of bodies lie by the steps in the pouring rain. The
bodies are both SOUTH VIETNAMESE and AMERICAN. Their heads
are all variously blown to pieces and SEVERAL HUGE RATS are
already feeding on them.

INT. THATCHED HUT - TABLE AREA - DAY

NICK is at the table now, opposite a SOUTH VIETNAMESE. He
holds the pistol by his chin, spins the cylinder. His face is
twitching, dripping sweat and both he and his opponent are
holding onto each other's eyes as if they had been at it for
a long time.

NICK raises the pistol to his temple, CLICKS OUT. The GUARDS
murmur. NICK pushes the pistol across the table.

INT. THATCHED HUT - PRISONER END - DAY

There are no Americans left to play except SAL. The sobbing
has stopped but SAL is shaking and trembling and his eyes
wander around in their sockets as if they been cut loose.
MERLE, who lies on the floor nearby, is trying to talk to
SAL. As he does so we hear the CLICKS coming from across the
room and the excited MURMURS of the GUARDS as their betting
choice survives another round.

MERLE
You can do it, Sal.

SAL
No. No, no.

MERLE
Sal... listen to me, Sal! You have
to do it.

SAL
I want to go home, Merle.

MERLE
You have to think about this, Sal.
Listen to me, Sal! You have to
think about this.

SAL
(tears again)
This is horrible!

MERLE
Listen to me, Sal. If you don't do
it they'll put you in the pit. If
they put you in the pit, Sal,
you're gonna die... Sal, do you
understand?

SAL
(nods)
Merle, I wanna go home!

There is an EXPLOSION from the other end of the room. SAL'S
eyes go wide and he lets out a whimpering SCREAM. The GUARDS
open a path and NICK appears. His knees won't support him and
the GUARD who is holding him throws him on the floor.

MERLE
Listen to me, Sal. Do it! You have
to do it!

The GUARD who delivered NICK jerks SAL to his feet and drags
him of f to the table.

INT. THATCHED HUT - TABLE AREA - DAY

SAL is thrown in the chair. A SOUTH VIETNAMESE is placed
opposite him. The SOUTH VIETNAMESE is a kid, even younger
than SAL, and he is trembling with terror.

SAL
Hey, listen, you can do it.
(Sal nods, smiles)
Believe me, you can do it. We can
both do it. Then we go home, see?
Then we go home!

SAL looks down. The pistol is ending its spin and the muzzle
comes up pointing at the SOUTH VIETNAMESE. The SOUTH
VIETNAMESE stares at the gun and tears begin to fill his
eyes. The GUARDS begin yelling at him, urging him on and then
SAL gives him a SMILE OF SUCH UNWAVERING FAITH that the SOUTH
VIETNAMESE picks up the gun, fumbles the cylinder around,
cocks it and puts it to his temple. For a moment SAL and the
SOUTH VIETNAMESE look at each other. THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE IS
TAKING HIS FAITH STRAIGHT OUT OF SAL'S EYES AND NOW SAL GIVES
HIM ANOTHER ENCOURAGING NOD.

The SOUTH VIETNAMESE BOY squeezes the trigger. THERE IS AN
EXPLOSION AND HIS HEAD DISINTEGRATES WITH A ROAR.

SAL sits motionless, his jaw hanging open and his face formed
in an expression of terrible puzzlement. Then his face begins
to move, begins to twitch, as if the muscles were trying to
discover a frown. SAL looks around. He looks back again at
the place where his friend was sitting and he begins to cry.

INT. TIGER CAGE - HEAVY RAIN - FOLLOWING DAY

A half-dozen SOUTH VIETNAMESE sit huddled together in the
muck on the uphill side. A seventh lies sprawled on his back,
DEAD. The rain pours through the few leaves placed on the
roof and splashes in great cascades in the middle of the
floor.

On the downhill side are SAL, NICK and MERLE. SAL is in a
fetal position, gripping his knees and rocking himself back
and forth. His eyes are vacant and his face is fixed in an
expression of horror, as if he were still watching the boy at
the table blow himself away. Beside SAL is NICK. NICK sits
slumped against the bamboo. One knee is raised and he is
picking at the threads of his trousers where they have torn
at the knee.

MERLE IS STANDING, GRIPPING THE BAMBOO WALLS OF THE CAGE AND
LOOKING OUT AT THE "PITS".

EXT. THE PITS - MERLE'S POV - HEAVY RAIN - DAY

The pits are about twenty feet away. Running mud and water
gurgle into them, coming out through shallow trenches on the
downhill side. There are fewer hands than the day before, far
fewer. The nearest pit only has one pair and as MERLE watches
he sees that these hands are struggling to keep their grip.

SUDDENLY ONE OF THE HANDS SLIPS AWAY. THE HAND COMES BACK FOR
A MOMENT, THEN BOTH HANDS DISAPPEAR.

INT. TIGER CAGE - HEAVY RAIN - DAY

MERLE turns away from the "pits". He looks down at SAL, then
he looks at NICK. His expression is one of exasperation, as
if he had been having a long argument.

MERLE
I'm telling you, Nick, no one's
going to come.

NICK
What are you, God?

MERLE
Listen, asshole, it's up to us!

NICK
They bombed last night, right?
Didn't they bomb? If they bombed
last night, they could bomb
tonight. They could be up there
right now!

MERLE
What are you, hoping?

NICK
What else?

MERLE
I thought you might be praying.

NICK
I'm doing that too.

MERLE
I suppose you wish you were
somewhere else?

NICK
What do you think?

MERLE
Nick, you're wasting your time...
Listen to me! You're wasting your
time! This is no fucking time for
hoping or praying or wishing or any
other shit! This is it. Here we
are... And we gotta get out!

NICK
You're right... Okay, you're right.

MERLE
(grabs him)
Get off your ass, Nick. Get off
your fucking ass and stand up!!!

NICK
(stands)
Okay, okay!
(he straightens his
shoulders)
Okay. Okay, you're right... What
about Sal?

MERLE
Forget Sal.

NICK
What do you mean?

MERLE
I mean forget Sal... Sal can't take
it, Nick.

NICK
Forget Sal?

MERLE
Forget Sal... Listen to me --
forget Sal! I've been working on
Sal since dawn, Nick. Sal's in a
dream and he won't come out.
LISTEN!!! From here on you gotta go
for you. You hear me? For you!

NICK
Merle...

MERLE
LISTEN, NICK! GET IT THROUGH YOUR
HEAD OR YOU AND ME ARE BOTH DEAD
TOO!

A shout comes from the thatched hut. The SOUTH VIETNAMESE
whip around in fright. MERLE and NICK turn.

Through the bars of the "tiger cage" we see the V.C. GUARDS
coming down from the thatched hut. The GUARDS are all
drinking beer again and the GUARD IN CHARGE is waving the
pearl-handled revolver.

NICK looks at MERLE. The sight has totally unnerved him.

MERLE (CONT'D)
(calm)
We gotta play with more bullets.

NICK
We what?

MERLE
We gotta play with more bullets,
Nick. It's the only way.

NICK
More bullets in the gun?

MERLE
(even)
More bullets in the gun... The
trouble is that still leaves one of
us with his hands tied up, so that
means we gotta play each other.

NICK
(numb)
With more bullets?... Against each
other?... Are you crazy!!! Are you
fucking nuts!!!

MERLE
Nick... NICK!!! It's the only
chance we've got!

NICK stares at MERLE. Rain is pouring off them in rivulets
and the VOICES of the approaching GUARDS are getting louder.

NICK
How many bullets?

MERLE
(watching him)
Three bullets -- minimum.

NICK
(panic)
No way. No fucking way!

MERLE
(evenly, holding him with
his eyes)
I'll pick the moment, Nick. The
game goes on until I move. When I
start shooting, go for the nearest
guard and get his gun.

NICK
No. No way!

MERLE
When you get the AK, open up. You
got me? Open up.

NICK
(screaming)
YOU'RE CRAZY!!!... NO WAY!... NOW
YOU'RE CRAZY!!! YOU'RE COMPLETELY
CRAZY!!!

The GUARDS begin screaming orders from outside the cage and
ONE OF THEM lets off a blast of automatic rifle fire which
shreds the bamboo roof just above the PRISONERS' heads. NICK
and MERLE grab SAL and drag him to the door.

EXT. CLEARING IN THE JUNGLE - HEAVY RAIN - DAY

As the PRISONERS emerge from the "tiger cage" the GUARDS
smash them with their rifle butts, screaming orders. In the
melee SAL is separated from NICK and MERLE, both of whom are
knocked to the ground by furious blows. When they get to
their feet they see that SAL is wandering off alone in the
direction of the "pits". One of the GUARDS spots SAL and
clubs him down.

SAL gets up and begins wandering off again. The GUARD clubs
him down again, turns to the GUARD IN CHARGE and begins
complaining. The GUARD IN CHARGE dispatches a SECOND GUARD to
help the FIRST and the TWO GUARDS open the bamboo grating on
one of the "pits".

MERLE turns to NICK, who is standing beside him.

MERLE
It's up to you, Nick. Now it's up
to you.

EXT. CLEARING IN THE JUNGLE - THE "PITS" - DAY

SAL has absolutely no comprehension of what is about to
happen to him. His eyes are dreamy, far away, as if he had
mentally transported himself to some distant place. There are
great gashes in his head from the blows he has received and
as he stands waiting in the pouring rain he looks exactly
like a very small child who has experienced some terrible
confusion.

Suddenly the GUARD standing beside SAL wrenches him around.

We see the pit now, CLOSE UP. There are four bloated CORPSES
floating in the muck.

We SAL'S FACE, CLOSE UP. He gives a CRY and tries to turn
away.

We see the GUARDS pick SAL up, SCREAMING. We see the SPLASH
as SAL hits the water and then we see him surface between the
bloated CORPSES, STILL SCREAMING, paddling desperately and
trying to find something solid to hod him up.

EXT. CLEARING IN THE JUNGLE - WAITING PRISONERS - DAY

NICK stands motionless, stunned, listening to SAL'S SCREAMS.
MERLE has his attention focused on the GUARD IN CHARGE and
when he glances in their direction MERLE slugs NICK in the
stomach and begins beating him furiously to the ground. NICK
struggles to his feet. MERLE attacks him again and now, as
the GUARD IN CHARGE comes over to see what's going on, MERLE
begins hopping up and down, pointing at NICK, pointing at the
revolver in the GUARD'S hand and screaming.

MERLE
Him and me!!! Him and me!!!

The GUARDS look at each other, interested.

MERLE (CONT'D)
Him and me, goddamn it! Him and me!

INT. THATCHED HUT - HEAVY RAIN - DAY

MERLE and NICK sit facing one another across the rose
patterned kitchen table. The GUARDS are all grinning and even
the SOUTH VIETNAMESE are watching with grim fascination. NICK
has the revolver. He is trembling visibly. Already MERLE has
managed to draw the GUARDS in closer and as NICK spins the
cylinder and cocks the hammer MERLE jumps up and begins
pounding on the table.

MERLE
This is it, motherfuckers! Now he's
going to do it! Watch! You watch!

NICK almost loses what little control is left and his hand
begins shaking violently.

MERLE (CONT'D)
Look at him! See! This is it and he
knows it!

Side bets begin changing hands.

MERLE (CONT'D)
Last chance to lose your money
there, guys. Goodbye money! Hurry,
hurry. Here he goes!

NICK puts the revolver against his temple and pulls the
trigger. There is a dull CLICK.

NICK puts the revolver back on the table. His hand is shaking
so badly it falls with a clunk. MERLE grabs it, spins it,
sticks it to his temple and CLICKS OUT, talking all the time:

MERLE (CONT'D)
This is stupid! You understand
stupid? On and on! At this rate
we'll still be here tomorrow!
(throws the revolver on
the table)
Wait a minute. I know! Hey, I got
it. More! Put in more! You
understand more? More! More
bullets!
(he mimes with his
fingers)
Three bullets! You understand
three? That way BLAM! BOOM!

MERLE hops up and down, laughing maniacally.

MERLE (CONT'D)
KA-POWIE!!! BA-ROOM!!!... 'Cause I
want that bastard! Him I want boom!
Him or me!!!

The GUARD IN CHARGE looks at his COMPANIONS. They all begin
shouting for him to go ahead. The GUARD IN CHARGE purses his
lips, as if imitating a general coming to a decision, and
then nods his assent. The GUARDS all howl. MERLE joins right
in.

MERLE (CONT'D)
He's terrific! Great fucking guy!

The GUARD IN CHARGE takes the revolver, opens the cylinder
and begins sticking in two more cartridges.

MERLE (CONT'D)
KA-POW!!! BA-ROOMIE!!!

MERLE hops up and down again, then screams at NICK, jabbing
his finger at him, as if in fury.

MERLE (CONT'D)
Both of us may have to pull on
this, so get your shit in fuckin'
shape!!!
(to the GUARDS)
Him or me!!! Now we got it, him or
me!!!
(he rubs his hands and
sits back down)
Place your bets, motherfuckers! Now
we're going! Now we got a game!

The GUARD IN CHARGE places the revolver on the table, spins
it.

MERLE (CONT'D)
Watch! Now watch! He's going to get
it. And then KA-POW! BA-ROOMIE!!!

The muzzle stops pointing at MERLE. MERLE scowls, looks over
at the GUARD IN CHARGE. The GUARD IN CHARGE has lifted the
barrel of his AK 47 and is watching him with caution. The
OTHER GUARDS, who are totally caught up in the game, are
yelling and shouting.

MERLE
You guys think I'm in trouble,
right?

MERLE picks up the revolver, spins the cylinder, cocks it...

MERLE (CONT'D)
No way! Never!!!
(he begins to chant)
MERLE IS MIGHTY! -- HA!
MERLE IS STRONG! -- HA!
MERLE IS MAGIC! -- HA!
MERLE LIVES LONG!
Lemme hear it. Come on,
motherfuckers, lemme hear it!

MERLE starts it again. The GUARDS who are bett ing on him
JOIN IN:

MERLE (CONT'D)
(with GUARDS)
MERLE IS MIGHTY! -- HA!
MERLE IS STRONG! -- HA!
MERLE IS MAGIC! -- HA!
MERLE LIVES LONG!

MERLE takes a glance at the GUARD IN CHARGE again. The GUARD
IN CHARGE is still eyeing him with caution.

MERLE places the revolver to his temple... and CLICKS into an
empty chamber.

MERLE (CONT'D)
See! Nothing to it.

He pushes the gun across to NICK. Then he stabs his finger at
him, screaming again, as if in a fit of rage.

MERLE (CONT'D)
You got an empty chamber and it's
in your mind! Just put that empty
chamber in the gun!

NICK looks down at the revolver and picks it up. He stares at
MERLE for a moment. Then he spins the cylinder, cocks the
hammer, Puts it to his head... and CLICKS into an empty
chamber.

The GUARDS let out expressions of disbelief. Those betting on
NICK begin taunting those betting on MERLE.

MERLE sits motionless, as if stunned, as if utterly defeated,
his brow furrowed in a mighty frown.

NICK pushes the revolver across the table. His face is
twitching but he gives the gesture a certain flair, as if
throwing back a challenge.

MERLE stares at the revolver -- stares at it with an
expression of utter gloom. Then he reaches out, takes the
revolver in his hand and pulls it toward him, as if he no
longer possessed the strength to pick it up.

MERLE (CONT'D)
(gloom)
Who's for Merle?
(he thumps his fist on the
table)
Is anyone for Merle???

MERLE roams a glowering eve over the watching GUARDS, as if
suddenly discovering himself among traitors. Slowly, he
pushes himself to his feet. The gun is still on the table,
still in his right hand, and as he gets up he lets his body
sag over it.

MERLE (CONT'D)
Who here is for Merle...?

There is absolute silence now except for the drumming of the
rain. It is as if the war had disappeared, vanished. The
GUARDS stand motionless, hardly breathing, so captivated by
MERLE'S performance that they suddenly resemble little
children.

MERLE (CONT'D)
Who... here... is for Merle...?

MERLE begins his chant again. His voice is low, very
dramatic, and the GUARD IN CHARGE joins right in.

MERLE (CONT'D)
(with GUARDS)
MERLE IS MIGHTY! -- HA!
MERLE IS STRONG! -- HA!
MERLE IS MAGIC -- HA!

MERLE snaps the revolver level in his hand and BLASTS the
GUARD IN CHARGE, hitting him full in the face. At the same
time NICK throws himself into the GUARD who is standing
behind him, spins and slams the GUARD'S AK 47 into his chin.
TWO MORE SHOTS BLAST OUT FROM MERLE'S .45 and we see TWO
GUARDS crash over the kitchen table. NICK now opens up with
AK 47, and as MERLE backs off beside him, also with an AK 47,
they GUN the remaining GUARDS to the floor.

It is over in an instant. The BODIES lie in a bloody, tangled
mess under a pathetic paper lantern. The rain drones on --
uninterrupted, undiminished, eternal...

EXT. CLEARING IN THE JUNGLE - HEAVY RAIN - DAY

Barely visible against the dripping foliage -- like a shadow
is a startled V.C. SOLDIER. The man takes a half-step
forward, unslings his rifle and OPENS FIRE.

INT. THATCHED HUT - DAY

The SOUTH VIETNAMESE PRISONERS are hit where they stand. NICK
spins, BADLY WOUNDED. MERLE throws himself on the floor and
lets go with the AK 47.

EXT. BAMBOO GROVE - HEAVY RAIN - DAY

MERLE appears carrying NICK on his back. NICK is unconscious
and the effort that MERLE has expended to get him this far
can be measured in MERLE'S eves, which burn like dead coals.
As MERLE approaches, traversing the bamboo grove along the
side of a steep hill, we suddenly see SAL, stumbling along
behind and attached to MERLE by a short rope.

MERLE comes to a stop, unshoulders NICK and lays him on the
ground. As MERLE stands looking at NICK, gasping for breath,
SAL hunches down and stares at the endless trunks of bamboo
with an expression of pure terror.

SAL
Where are we going, Merle? Are we
going home?

There is a sound, so faint as to be almost imperceptible.
MERLE throws himself on SAL, slamming one hand across his
mouth and raising the other in case he has to silence NICK.

For a moment there is nothing -- silence. The rain drones on
and we can hear NICK'S breath, which comes in short, shallow
rasps.

The sound comes again and suddenly a PLATOON OF V.C. SOLDIERS
appear, coming down through the trees. Their passage is
almost completely silent and they go by on both sides, moving
down the hill.

CAMERA CLOSES SLOWLY ON MERLE'S FACE. His gums are bleeding
and his skin is drawn tight so that every bone stands out in
his skull. His teeth are bared, his eyes are hollow and he
looks within a hair's breadth of being completely mad.

EXT. CRATERED ROADSIDE - NIGHT

A huge battle is taking place nearby. The earth trembles and
shakes and gigantic explosions intermittently light the sky.

MERLE staggers down a ravine with NICK, loses his footing and
slides to the bottom where he lies in the mud, motionless,
too tired to move.

SAL comes down behind. He is hunched over, like a gnome. The
rope which MERLE has tied around his neck drags in the mud
and his eyes are huge with terror.

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