Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

As he studies the cobblestones before him.

INDY

The Name of God... Jehovah!

HENRY

Still lies in Sallah's arms. Brody leans over him.

HENRY

But in the Latin alphabet, "Jehovah" begins with an "I".

BACK TO INDY

INDY

"J".

Indy takes a step and immediately a stone breaks away and Indy falls up to his hip – his leg stuck through the hold where the stone once was.

HENRY

Reacts.

HENRY

Oh dear!

BACK TO INDY

Who grunts as he pulls himself from the hole, the v-rail Diary in his hand.

INDY

In Latin, "Jehovah" starts with an "I". "I"...

Now we see each letter on the stones as Indy carefully walks forward. Donovan and Elsa follow in his footsteps.

INDY

"E"... "H"... "O"... "V"... "A"...

Indy sighs with relief and steps forward to:

THE GREAT ABYSS

Indy stands in a small opening, just small enough for his shoulders to squeeze through and beyond that a 100 foot drop to the rocks below and 100 feet across, nothing but a rough, stony cliff wall.

BACK TO INDY

He can see nowhere to cross. He looks again to the V-rail Diary.

INDY

"The path of flood. Only in the leap from the lion's head will he prove his worth."

Indy looks around and then he notices that inscribed into the rock above his head is the head of a lion.

INDY

Impossible! Nobody can jump this!

Indy looks down into the Diary and tortures over what it is asking him to do.

BRODY

Rushes forward and calls to Indy.

BRODY

Indy... Indy, you must hurry!! Come quickly!

BACK TO INDY

INDY

(realizing)

It's... a leap of faith. Oh, God.

HENRY

Calls to his son.

HENRY

You must believe, boy. you must... believe.

We see him do it. We see him leap into space. We see that he is in midair. We see that he is not going to make it. His hands claw for the opposite wall but he is going to fall 100 feet to his death. And then – he doesn't! He appears to be held up by thin air as he lands on his hands and knees.

Indy looks around and down and now he figures it out.

Ingeniously, the First Crusaders have painted a pathway to align with the rocks 100 feet below. It is a perfect forced perspective image of the rocks below with lines from a hundred feet continuing six feet below his sight line where his feet are stepping.

It's painted to blend in with the rocks below. Highly evolved camouflage... in perfect alignment with everything we see below.

When Indy leans out to the left or right... that's when he sees the perfect alignment shift that betrays the trick. Indy throws some dirt on the bridge and he crosses it like the first Crusader from the painting over Henry's desk.

Indy crawls through a small opening in the side of the cliff and enters a Temple.

A vast array of chalices is displayed on the altar of this small Temple. Perhaps a hundred or more. Many sizes, many shapes, some gold, some silver, but they all glitter and shine.
 

Indy is mesmerized by their number and their beauty. And then he realizes that a man is praying at the altar!

He has his back turned to Indy... but he is dressed as what he is! A GRAIL KNIGHT.

CLOSE ON THE GRAIL KNIGHT

But we can't see the Grail Knight's face. The visor of his helmet is down. Perhaps we see his eyes.

When the Grail Knight sees Indy he gets wearily to his feet and, surprisingly, prepares to give combat... taking up his two-handed broadsword... he comes at Indy, attempting to swing the huge, heavy sword but finding the effort almost too much. Indy dodges two or three clumsy swings of the sword, making no attempt to fight back... until the Knight, exhausted, drops the sword and collapses. Indy approaches him and raises the visor and we see that the Knight is a very ancient man.

KNIGHT
I knew you'd come, but my strength has left me.

INDY

Who are you?

KNIGHT

The last of three brothers who swore an oath to find the Grail and to guard it.

INDY

That was seven hundred years ago.

KNIGHT

A long time to wait.

The Grail Knight reaches forward and fingers Indy's clothing.

KNIGHT

You're strangely dressed... for a knight.

INDY

I'm not exactly... a knight. What do you mean?

KNIGHT

I was chosen because I was the bravest and the most worthy. The honor was mine until another came to challenge me to single combat. I pass it to you who vanquished me.

The Grail Knight holds his sword out to Indy.

INDY

(gulp)

Listen, I don't have time to explain, but –

At that moment Donovan and Elsa appear. Donovan turns to face the display of cups.

DONOVAN

Which one is it?

KNIGHT

You must choose.

(beat)

But choose wisely. For as the True Grail will bring you life – the False Grail will take it from you.

DONOVAN

I'm not a historian. I have no idea what it looks like. Which one is it?

ELSA

Let me choose.

DONOVAN

Thank you, Doctor.

Elsa and Indy exchange looks. He thinks he is seeing her in her true colors.

Elsa chooses a cup – a solid gold, emerald encrusted goblet.

Donovan instantly takes it from her.

DONOVAN
Oh, yes. It's more beautiful than I'd ever imagined. This certainly is the cup of the King of Kings.

Donovan rushes to the well and fills the goblet with water.

DONOVAN

Eternal life!

Donovan drinks from the goblet.

Then, Donovan's entire body starts to convulse. His face contorts in agony. He grabs his stomach and turns toward Elsa.

DONOVAN
What... is... happening... to... me...?

He starts to age – fast! His hair grows long and gray and brittle. His face sinks. Fingernails curl back on themselves. Milky cataracts coat his eyes.