Brazil

SAM

(deciding to abandon this line of country)

So what are you going to do about her?

JACK

Get her out of circulation – I've put her on the detention list.

SAM

(thinking fast)

You mean you're going to invite her in so that she can spill the beans inside the department?

JACK

(taken aback)

Well, I... Good point. What do you suggest?

SAM

Let me try to get to her. I'll deactivate her.

JACK

What does that mean? I don't want to be involved in anything unsavoury.

SAM

Trust me. You do trust me, don't you?

JACK

Of course. We went to school together. You're my oldest friend.

SAM

And you're mine.

JACK

You're the only person I can trust.

SAM

Then we'd better keep this business just between the two of us.

JACK

Right! Just between as and the Security Forces.

SAM

They weren't at school with us.

JACK

But, I've already put her on the search and detain list.

SAM

Take her off the list.

JACK

There's no procedure for that until she's been arrested.

SAM

Say it was a mistake.

JACK

We don't make mistakes.

SAM

Well, I'd better get out there and try to get to her before security does. Let me borrow her dossier for a while.

JACK

Er... alright. For Christ's sake don't lose it. Here, you'd better sign for it.

Jack presents Sam with something to sign. He then gives him the dossier.

SAM

Thanks, Jack. I'll be in touch.

JACK

Do you know what you're doing.

SAM

(about to say no, then pauses)

Trust me.

JACK

(admiring Sam's new look)

Sam... we're proud to have you at Information Retrieval. Merry Xmas.

(he hands Sam another executive package)

INT. CORRIDOR– DAY

Sam steps out of Room 5001, newly suited with old suit over arm. TWO GUARDS are guiding a BAGGEE down the corridor ahead of him. Suddenly, the Baggee breaks away from his Guards and begins to cannonball down the corridor directly at Sam. Sam is flattened against the wall as the Baggee rockets by.

CUT TO GUARDS strolling past Sam.

CUT TO BAGGEE running full tilt to the end of the corridor, smashing into the wall, bouncing back, getting up (now cross-ways in the corridor), bouncing off that wall, then the wall behind him, then...

INT. LIFT – DAY

Slightly unnerved, Sam gets in the lift, pushes the button for his floor – the 30th – and immediately begins perusing Jill's dossier. The lift descends. But unnoticed by Sam continued past his floor without stopping. It stops at the Lobby Mezzanine. Sam looks up and realizes he is on the wrong floor. Angrily he pushes the correct floor number but before the doors close he hears an angry woman's voice echoing through the massive lobby. He looks in the direction of the porters desk. There stands Jill arguing with the PORTER.

JILL

But you've stamped this form before! Why won't you stamp it now?

 PORTER

You've just said yourself, Miss, we've already stamped it. Why should we stamp it twice?

Sam is frozen. He can't believe what he sees. The lift doors close. Sam is too slow to stop them. Madly he pushes the buttons – to no effect. The lift descends. (At this point we had better describe the lift. It is a cross between the old metal grille lifts with accordion grille doors and the super-sleek modern lifts that rise and fall in glass tubes so that one can have panoramic views of dramatic architectural spaces such as the lobbies of the Ministry.)

Sam can see Jill and if Jill were to look up she could see Sam descending. He is shouting and rattling the bars of the lift cage but no sound escapes to catch her attention. Sam sinks below the floor of the lobby desperately trying to stop the demon lift. From his POV we see Jill disappearing from view still arguing with the Porter.

INT. BASEMENT– DAY

The lift comes to rest. Sam is still trying to get it to respond and return him to the lobby. TWO TECHNICIANS are waiting as the doors open. From Sam's POV he sees them hang a sign on the door and walk away. He bangs the buttons for another moment with no result. He looks out of the lift and is able to read the sign – "LIFT OUT OF ORDER". Frantically he looks around for another lift. All the others are on distant floors – then he spots one off to one side, its doors standing open. Rushing over to it he leaps inside and reaches to push the floor number – but there are no numbers on the buttons, only letters. Before he can sort this out a voice shouts at him.

VOICE

Hey, you – get out of there.

A GUARD approaches looking tough and mean.

GUARD

What do you think you're doing... that's the Deputy Minister's lift.

SAM

Sorry, I'm in a hurry.

GUARD

Hold on, sonny... let's see your I.D.

Sam fumbles through his pockets desperate to get back to the lobby before Jill leaves. He has forgotten he is wearing his new I.D. badge. The Guard can't see it because Jill's dossier is covering it.

SAM

Shit... it's here somewhere. My name's Lowry, Sam Lowry – Expediting... can't this wait?

GUARD

No, sir...

(getting out book of forms)

I'm going to have to file a report on this. Now... what date is it today?...

Sam gives up trying to find his I.D. card.

SAM

(frantic)

Sorry, it'll have to wait.

He runs off – dropping suit – towards some stairs he has spotted.

GUARD

Stop!! Come back!

He starts to run after Sam. TWO OTHER GUARDS also give chase.

INT. STAIRS – DAY

Sam scrambles up the stairs. GUARDS in pursuit.

INT. BASEMENT– DAY

The original Guard rushes over to a guard desk and inserts key into cover of what is clearly an alarm button.

INT. STAIRS – DAY

Sam still running.

INT. LOBBY – DAY

Jill is still arguing with Porter.

JILL

(sweetly)

You're a stupid, fat arsed, obstructive, fascist moron aren't you?

PORTER

If you say so.

JILL

You think these are tits don't you?

PORTER

Ah.

JILL

I bet you'd like to touch them?

PORTER

Oh.

JILL

Well don't. You're looking at twenty pounds of high explosive! And if you don't stamp this form I'm going to blow the place up!

Jill thumps the desk with her fist.

INT. BASEMENT – DAY

The Guard throws the alarm switch.

INT. LOBBY – DAY

Alarm bells start ringing and from secret doors heavily armed GUARDS leap out, their guns trained on Jill as she appears to be the only person around.

GUARD

(shouting)

DROP IT!!

Jill has only the form in her hand – which she dutifully drops. She is terrified by the suddenness and size of the response to her hitting the desk. The Guards close in.

Sam rushes out of the door leading to the stairs. He can't believe the sight that greets him. He responds instinctively,

SAM

STOP! Let her go!

He rushes over to the Porter's desk just as the Guards behind him come through the door. He doesn't have a clue what he is going to do but, as he reaches the group of Guards they snap attention. Confused he looks around and then realizes his I.D. badge, is on his lapel and the Guards are responding as trained. The Guards chasing him screech to a halt when they see the others snapping to attention. Everyone looks confused, embarrassed, hesitant to make the next move. Sam breaks the silence.

SAM

Well done... uh... excellent work... quick thinking. I'll take charge of her now...

Realising he has Jill's dossier, he shows it to everyone – her print-out pictures are on the front page. It's a classified matter... I'll include your fine handling of the situation in my report

Sam is suddenly aware he is still holding the executive toy present – he hands it to the Porter.

SAM

(grabbing Jill)

Come with me, please.

He hustles her towards the door.

EXT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL BUILDING – DAY

Sam marches Jill out of the main door and down the front steps of the Information Retrieval building. As he struggles with her some of the papers in the dossier slip out unbeknownst to Sam and leave a trail of litter behind them.

JILL

Who are you? Let go!

SAM

Don't look back! Act naturally!

JILL

How can I act naturally, when you've trying to break my arm?

CUT TO THE POV of the Ministry of Information front door Guards. They are looking down the steps at the retreating backs of Sam and Jill who are jostling each other. The Guards see Jill elbow Sam in the ribs.

SAM

(wincing)

Ow! That hurt!

JILL

Good!

VOICE FROM BEHIND

STOP! Come back here!

SAM

Oh, God... no!

He turns around, knowing that the game is up. But instead of one of the Guards shouting – it's an OLD LADY angrily glaring at him and pointing to a "Keep your city tidy" sign above a litter bin.

OLD LADY

(screaming)

Can't you read english? You illiterate foreign pig! You come here from your own filthy country and think you can mess our streets up! You should be fried alive, you dirty verminous... etc. etc.

Sam sees the trail of dossier litter blowing about the pavement. He lets go of Jill for a moment to grab at the papers. The Lady continues screaming at him, her little Pekinese dog (who incidentally wears a plaster over his bum hole) yaps at his ankles, ripping Sam's new trousers. Sam is torn between trying to regain the pages of the dossier and following Jill who has disappeared round the corner. He gives up retrieving the paper and rushes after Jill.

CUTTING BACK to the two Guards, who have been observing all this bizarre activity, we see one of them reading one of the pieces of paper.

OTHER GUARD

Hey, you shouldn't be reading that it's classified.

EXT. JUST AROUND THE CORNER – DAY

Jill is behind the steering wheel of her lorry which is just starting to move off. Sam frantically runs towards the lorry, leaps on the running board and pulls himself up into the cab.

INT. LORRY CAB – DAY

SAM

(climbing in)

Well done, that's it... Let's go! Vrmmm. Vrmmm.

Sam looks up and down his side of the street anxiously before realizing that Jill has switched off the engine and is sitting glaring at him. They are stopped, right in front of the Ministry building.

SAM

(frantic)

What are you doing? For Christ's sake! Get moving!

JILL

Who are you?

Desperately Sam pulls roller blind down over window.

SAM

(hurriedly)

Sam Lowry. Hello. This sounds insane, I know, but I've been dreaming about you. Even before I saw you you were in my dreams. Weird isn't it. I mean... I don't know what it means... but it might mean something... mightn't it? I hope so. Anyway you're in danger and I think we should get out of here, now, quick! Come on!

Still Jill does nothing. Sam pulls down roller blind over. window.

SAM

(desperate)

Bloody hell! Do as I say!

JILL

(hard, icy cool)

No.

SAM

(beginning to lose his bottle)

Please!

Jill continues to sit, glaring.

Sam delves into his pockets and drags out a handful of I.D. cards and papers, most of which fall onto the floor. He then remembers that the badge he's looking for is pinned to his jacket. He thrusts it forward at Jill.

SAM

(beside himself with panic)

Alright! Alright! Alright! I'm Information Retrieval Officer –

(he checks the number somewhere. On the badge?)

DZ/015, and I'm arresting you for – your own good! Now start up and get moving before I hand you back to them!

(indicating M.I. building)