Apocalypse Now

WILLARD

We don't want to bother you any, we –

GASTON

A man of war is never bothered to aid an ally – you will follow me, Captain.

Willard steps off – then stops, reaches back and picks up his M-16 by the stock.

WILLARD

A habit of men of war, sir – you understand.

GASTON

Of course, Captain – an unfortunate necessity.

The men are relieved. They pick up their weapons and follow.

CHIEF

What about the boat?

PHILIPPE

My men will keep it for you –

CHIEF

Yeah – well, I'll stay with the boat.

WILLARD

Chief.

(pause)

Come with us.

They look at each other a moment. The Chief shrugs and follows.

FULL SHOT – PLANTATION – WILLARD, GASTON, OTHERS

Gaston stops, points to a guest house off the main structure which is a typical jungle plantation house, save the many sandbagged gun emplacements and barbed wire.

GASTON

A suitable accommodation for your men, captain – you will, of course, be quartered with us –

He indicates that the men should follow Philippe. The Chief is hesitant.

WILLARD

Go ahead –

Philippe leads them on, muttering.

GASTON

Captain, this way.

Willard follows – they walk over past the house and toward the jungle, approaching a huge crater, 100 feet across and about thirty feet deep. The bottom is filled with water and young French and Vietnamese children swim in it. On the opposite rim, sit two men and a woman with machine guns. Gaston strides up and looks down at the crater with pride.

GASTON

(continuing)

Magnificent, eh, Captain?

Willard looks.

GASTON

(continuing)

It is very good – there is no current – It is very good. I have never seen one like it in all Indochina. I was in Paris when it arrived – do you know what might have caused –

WILLARD

Looks like a two thousand pound to me. Yeah, a two thousand pound bomb.

GASTON

No, I've seen those in Normandy. This is much better.

(pause)

My country – my country could never originate this. Magnificent.

Gaston stands in serious admiration for this feat; Willard looks between him and this big hole in the ground in amazement.

INT. WORKMEN'S SHOWER – EVENING

A foreman's shower from the old plantation days. The Chief steps out of it, refreshed, though still exhausted. Lance stands there, about to step in, absolutely filthy, caked with blood. His reaction is odd; rather than just stepping into the shower, he seems almost frightened, reluctant to step in. Chef is waiting behind him.

CHEF

A hot shower, hot damn.

He pushes him forward into the water. The dirt and caked mud go swirling off his face and shoulders, and he relaxes as though he suddenly remembers what a shower is.

EXT. THE DOCK – P.B.R. – EVENING

Battered and torn – a few of Philippe's Vietnamese guard at the boat.

INT. WILLARD'S QUARTERS – EVENING

A beautiful European room with tall ceilings. Still elegantly furnished, although old and decaying.

Willard sits in a comfortable chair in the corner of the room, looking out over the carpet,  the bed with its elegant spread; the wash basin; the bidet. His battle dress is black with muck, with bloodstaines and burns.

He rises from the chair and steps to a dresser above which is a large mirror. There is an album on the marble top of the dresser. He turns to a page at random.

VIEW ON WILLARD

Haggard, looking down at the album.

WILLARD (V.O.)

I wondered – how long has this room been like this; how long has the furniture been standing in these places?

VIEW ON THE ALBUM

Some old photographs of people standing around a car in the 20's in front of the plantation. Another picture shows a child playing by the rubber trees near the plantation.

WILLARD (V.O.)

Was it like this sixty years ago? Eighty years? But here, even eighty years is nothing.

He turns the page,

The plantation being built. Pictures of the framing, skeletal against the sky and jungle.

VIEW ON WILLARD

Fascinated
 

WILLARD (V.O.)

It was jungle, once; and it will be jungle, again...

VIEW ON THE ALBUM

Only the very beginnings of the house; the first structures. Then another picture of the jungle site where it was to be built.

CLOSE VIEW ON WILLARD

He looks up and sees his own face, reflected in the garish mirror. He barely recognizes himself.

MEDIUM VIEW

Willard looks at himself in the mirror, in this odd, out-of-time room.

INT. DINING ROOM GROUP – TRACKING SHOT

TRACK DOWN the long table, covered with delicious food. The P.B.R. crew sits with others of the De Marais group. The table is headed by St. LeFevre. Chef's face lights up as he regards the wonderful European-style food.

CHEF

This food is wonderful! I can't believe the chef is a slope.

(turning to Clean)

Some more?

Opposite the table, sitting next to the Chief, Lance reaches hungrily for bread and other food with his hands.

CHEF

(continuing)

Hey – Lance.

LANCE

Huh? Oh. Um, wouldya... wouldya pass me the Rice-a-roni, please.

And then he looks to his friends for approval.

OUR VIEW REVEALS that behind a transparent silk curtain there is another, more elaborate table, where the De Marais family is dining with Willard.

OUR VIEW MOVES through the curtain and settles in a MEDIUM VIEW of the group.

The men rise as a very attractive woman enters the room. Willard finally does as well, and she moves to the chair next to him.

GASTON

Roxanne, I hope you are feeling better.

ROXANNE

Je vais bien maintenant.

GASTON

May I present Captain Willard? He is of a paratroop regiment. You know the difference between a paratrooper and a regular soldier, don't you , my dear?

ROXANNE

(smiling and taking Willard's hand)

Yes, they come from the sky.

She sits – there's an uneasy silence.

Willard is caught with this exotic woman on one side of him, and the ongoing conversation on the other. He is forced to face toward Gaston, and drawn to look at Roxanne.

WILLARD
I would like to know more about the... uh, plaque...

Philippe turns around, points to an elaborately scripted wooden plaque with various tallies on it.

GASTON

Attacks repulsed, as I was saying.

(hard)

This is only  for this war, Captain. Viet Cong – 54; North Vietnamese regular forces – 15; South Vietnamese – 28 – regular forces and otherwise.

(pause)

Americain – 6. Of course, they were, perhaps, mistakes, Captain.

WILLARD

Of course. I – Once we make our repairs, we could send word, we could have you evacuated from here.

GASTON

Captain?

WILLARD

You'll get blown outta here some day.

GASTON

We will never 'evacuate', Captain – this is our home. Indochina is ours; it has been so for a hundred and twenty-one years, there is something to say for that.

WILLARD

The Vietnamese think it's theirs – I guess the Americans do, too.

GASTON

But we civilized it. A place belongs to those who bring light to it, don't you agree.

WILLARD

I always thought the French came here to get the rubber.

PHILIPPE

Excuse me, I must attend to my men.

He gets up, and leaves abruptly – followed by his wife.

ROXANNE

May I ask where the Captain is going in his little boat?

WILLARD

We were going upriver when we got caught in a storm, ma'am.

GASTON

Upriver? Why upriver? There is nothing there, only jungle.

WILLARD

Do you know that jungle?

GASTON

When I was a boy, my father would take me there, to hunt. There are a few savages, but no man can live there, no white man.

WILLARD

What about an American named Kurtz?

There is a pause.

GASTON

We have never heard of him.

Gaston rises, and takes Roxanne's hand.

GASTON

(continuing)

Bon nuit, Roxanne – bon nuit, Captain.

Willard turns.

WILLARD

Good night.

Gaston leaves. Willard and Roxanne are left alone. The servants clear the table.

ROXANNE

You must realize, Captain – we have lost much here – I, my husband. Gaston – his wife and son.

WILLARD

I'm sorry to hear that.

ROXANNE

(rising)

Cognac?

WILLARD

I should be checking on the boat.

ROXANNE

The war will still be here tomorrow.

She walks out of the room.

WILLARD

(thinking)

I guess so.

He follows.

INT. SITTING ROOM – FULL SHOT – WILLARD AND ROXANNE

Roxanne sits, pouring a brandy, while Willard stands.

ROXANNE

Do you miss your home, Captain? Have you someone there?

WILLARD

No. Not really.

I was discharged from the army four years ago. I went home, wasted some time, bought a Mustang Mach 1, drove it a week. Then I re-upped for another tour. No, everything I love is here.

ROXANNE

Then you are like us.

She reaches out to him; indicating that he sit.

ROXANNE

(continuing)

What will you do after the war?

WILLARD

I just follow my footsteps, one at a time, trying to answer the little questions and staying away from the big ones.

ROXANNE

What's a big question?

WILLARD

Kurtz.

(pause)

I know you've heard of him.

ROXANNE

Yes.

WILLARD

What did you hear?

ROXANNE

That strange things... terrible things have occurred around this American, Kurtz.

WILLARD

What things?

ROXANNE

Gaston would never tell me. It was a subject not to be spoken of, Captain.

WILLARD

Yes.

ROXANNE

Did you know – deeper in the jungle, upriver – there are savages?

WILLARD

I know.

ROXANNE

But Captain, I mean – cannibals.

A long pause. Then she looks at the cognac she poured for him.

ROXANNE

(continuing)

What a pity, you don't drink. Since my husband died, there are so many things I must do alone.

She takes a sip.

Willard moves to the French doors, which have been left partly open to let a breeze in. He steps onto a terrace overlooking the river.

EXT. THE TERRACE – MEDIUM VIEW – WILLARD – NIGHT

A machine gun emplacement is situated on the terrace covering the front of house, from the river.

ROXANNE

(from the sitting room)

Are you warm, Captain?

WILLARD

The river is beautiful.

In fact, we REALIZE that he is checking the boat.

WILLARD'S POV

The P.B.R. is under guard by a couple of Gaston's Vietnamese.

MEDIUM VIEW ON WILLARD, ROXANNE

She, thinking it romantic to talk about the river, comes up behind him.

ROXANNE

I spend hours watching that river from my bedroom window. It fascinates me.

She moves her body close to his; and, in a moment, he is kissing her.

CLOSE ON WILLARD, ROXANNE

One eye steals another look at the P.B.R.

VIEW ON THE P.B.R.

Two of the guards leave – two remain, getting ready for the long night.

VIEW ON WILLARD, ROXANNE – ON THE TERRACE

His hands wander over her body as she clings to him. Then she takes his hand, and leads him back into the sitting room, and up the stairs.

INT. ROXANNE'S ROOM – FULL VIEW

It is dark. She leads him into her room and closes the door. He stands there. In the center of the room is a large canopied bed with mosquito netting hanging down over it. The windows also have netting and barbed wire – there is a .30 calibre machine gun mount in the far one. He look around. she goes over to the bed, and turns down the sheets. Then she slips out of her dress and stands there facing him.

He puts down his gun and strips off his shirt. She lays down on the bed and watches him.

ROXANNE
I have been lonely here, Captain.

He moves to her, slipping into the bed. M-16 is leaning against the wall in his reach.

FADE OUT

EXT. ROXANNE'S TERRACE – NIGHT

We can VIEW into the room, as Willard has silently slipped out of her bed, and is a dark sinister figure kneeling in final preparations for going out in the night.

Without a sound, he comes out to the terrace, and scales down the wall of the old building, disappearing into the darkness.

EXT. THE DOCK – P.B.R. – NIGHT

Two Vietnamese guard the P.B.R. – suddenly, feet first, the first disappears into the thicket.

CLOSE VIEW ON WILLARD

In the thicket; we realize he has just killed the man with a knife. Willard stalks the second guard and makes quick work of him with his knife. He even enjoys it. Silently, he drags the body out of sight.

MEDIUM VIEW ON THE P.B.R.

The dark figure boards the boat silently. He disappears into the hold.

NEW VIEW

He lifts out several cases of supplies, working quickly, with a grace that indicates he is a man who has done his best work alone, and at night.

CUT TO:

INT. ROXANNE'S ROOM – CLOSE SHOT – WILLARD – MORNING

He sleeps soundly alone in the bed – we HEAR SOMEONE moving around in the room. He wakes suddenly –

PULL BACK TO REVEAL Roxanne combing her hair and buttoning up her blouse. She notices he is awake and smiles.

ROXANNE

I will fix you breakfast.

He starts to get up.

WILLARD

I'm afraid I won't have time – I gotta –

ROXANNE

When you reach the boat you will find that half your fifty calibre stores – a case of grenades, a mortar and two M-16's and a case of clips are being transferred to us by your order.

He stops – seemingly stunned.

WILLARD

So that's it.

ROXANNE

You may think what you wish, Captain, but I like you very much.

She turns to go.

WILLARD

What if I say no.

ROXANNE

Then Philippe will have to kill all of you.

She leaves.

EXT. DOCK – FULL SHOT – WILLARD, OTHERS

He walks down onto the dock. Gaston's men are transferring ammunition boxes.

Gaston is standing with Philippe, who are covering the Chief and crew with M-16's.

GASTON
Two of my men deserted last night. It happens from time to time. I assume my daughter told you of our conditions.

WILLARD

Your daughter.

CHIEF

They taking half our ammo, Captain – said it was your orders.

He pauses for a second.

WILLARD

That's right – I did.

The Chief spits in the water disgustedly and starts the engines. Willard looks hard at Gaston.

WILLARD

I guess this is what men of war do – eh?

GASTON

We endure, captain – you can blow up the house and we will live in the cellar – destroy that and we'll dig a hole in the jungle and sleep on it. Burn the forest and we'll hide in the swamp. all the while, we do but one thing – clean the blood off our bayonets.

(pause)

Au revoir, Captain.

LONG SHOT – DOCK – P.B.R.

Willard climbs on board and it pulls away.

EXT. P.B.R. – MEDIUM SHOT – WILLARD, CHIEF

The BOAT ROARS out across the river. The Chief looks over at Willard. They stare at each other for a moment.

CHIEF

Next time we  get in a good fire fight – I'd like to know how she was, Captain.

Willard just smiles at the Chief. he leans over and pulls up a floorboard – the men stare in amazement; it contains the contents of all those ammo boxes. .50 calibre; clips; grenades.

CHEF

Holy shit.

CLEAN

What did you put in all those ammo boxes?

WILLARD

Rocks, sand – those two men who deserted.

CHIEF

When'd you do it?

WILLARD

While you were sleeping.

He lets the board drop.

Willard moves to the back of the boat.

FULL SHOT – P.B.R. – RIVER, CREW

The river has narrowed and runs swifter – the water dark and deep. The trees are higher in this area and much of the river is shaded on one side. There is no undergrowth, just the tall trees and ferms. They move ahead at half speed, alert, ready for anything.

WILLARD (V.O.)

We moved deeper and deeper into the jungle. It was very quiet there. It was like wandering on a prehistoric planet, an unknown world... where the men thought they crawled to, I don't know. For me, we crawled toward Kurtz – exclusively.

Willard looks out ahead and points.

They all turn their guns in that direction.

WE PAN TO REVEAL a small village of huts along the bank.

FULL SHOT – DIFFERENT ANGLE – VILLAGE