Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom  

Screenplay by                             Gloria Katz

                                                 Willard Huyck

Produced by                               George Lucas

Directed by                                Steven Spielberg

Cast List:

Harrison Ford                          Indiana Jones

Kate Capshaw                          Willie Scott

Ke Huy Quan                           Short Round

Amrish Puri                              Mola Ram

Philip Stone                              Captain Blumburtt

Roshan Seth                             Chattar Lal

FADE IN:

INT. "THE DRAGON" NIGHTCLUB – NIGHT

A Chinese GONG SOUNDS and the glittering doors of an art Deco pa-poda slide open to reveal a mammoth silver stairway down which rows of beautiful women start descending.

BEGIN MAIN TITLES

The lovely ladies are a mix of races and they sing a strange, haunting melody – one might think them a heavenly choir, if it weren't for their sexy, clinging lame gowns.

INT. CLUB ENTRANCE

From the ethereal beauties, we cut to a street urchin's dirty face: SHORT ROUND is a ten-year-old Chinese kid wearing a beat-up American baseball cap.

Sneaking into the club, Short Round weaves past the fancy gowns and silk suits, heading toward the music in the main ballroom.

INT. THE BALLROOM

Short Round enters and stares across the smoky nightclub. On the stage, he sees a giant paper-mache dragon laying curled around the pagoda.

Now, the dragon's eyes light up, its nostrils exhale smoke and its enormous jaws open. Out of the dragon's mouth walks the star of the stage show:

WILLIE SCOTT, a dreamy beauty singing a sultry solo white the orchestra wails the accompaniment.

But Short Round's not here to ogle crooning dames. He surveys the rich Chinese, American and European revelers. Jewels flash and champagne flows. Short Round finally spots a table of somber-looking Chinese men in suits.

Short Round chews gum and stares at the men. Then he turns to go. WU HAN, a waiter with a scar across his cheek, watches Short Round leave.

INT. CLUB ENTRANCE

As Short Round hurries toward the exit, he bumps into a man in a tuxedo entering the club. Short Round looks up at the man, but we don't see his face.

Then Short Round is grabbed by the scruff of his neck and a doorman hustles him out the door, Short Round yelling insults all the way.

A maitre d' apologizes to the man in the tuxedo and two hat-check girls smile at him familiarly as he continues into the ballroom. We notice something incongruous: the man in the tuxedo is wearing work boots caked with mud.

INT. THE BALLROOM
 

The man in the tuxedo stops to watch Willie Scott singing sexily on the stage. Then he looks around and sees the table of somber Chinese men that Short Round spotted earlier.

As the man in the tuxedo walks toward the table, he removes a cigarette from a silver case. He arrives at the table just as the chorus and orchestra reach a crescendo –

And on the stage, a glistening, muscular slave swings a huge hammer toward an enormous brass gong –

The man in the tuxedo leans to receive a light from a cigarette-girl and, as the GONG BOOMS, the match flares to reveal his face for the first time:

It's INDIANA JONES. Elegant in a tuxedo – dressed to kill. The TITLES END and over this a legend appears on the screen:

"SHANGHAI – 1935"
 

At the table, the four Chinese man in suits stare coldly at Indiana.

LAO

Dr. Jones.

INDIANA

Lao She.

LAO

Nee chin lie how ma?

Lao's men laugh and assume that Indy doesn't understand his joke.

INDIANA

Wah hung how, nee nah? Wah hwey hung jing chee jah loo nee kao soo wah shu shu.

LAO SHE looks angry and his men's smiles fade.

LAO

You never told me you spoke my language, Dr. Jones.

INDIANA

I don't like to show off.

Indiana takes a seat across the table from Shanghai's notorious crime-lord. Lao is fifty, wealthy enough to now display some fat, but still muscular from his fight to the top of the garbage heap.

LAO

For this special occasion, I ordered champagne and caviar.

Indiana looks at the pile of caviar on the plate in front of him – and stubs his cigarette out in it. The cigarette sizzles and Lao's smiles dies with it.

There's applause as Willie Scott finishes her song. At the table, Lao stares at Indiana with a strange intensity.

LAO

So, it is true, Dr. Jones? You found Nurhachi?

INDIANA

Sure, I found him. Then last night I had a little trouble. Somebody tried to slit my throat.

Indiana looks across the table at Lao's son, CHEN, who resembles a bulldog and snarls like one now.

INDIANA (CONT'D)

It was dark, but I think one of your sons tried to get Nurhachi without paying for him.

Indy stares pointedly at Chen's recently bandaged hand. Chen mutters and stands angrily – Lao barks a command in Chinese and Chen sits down again.

LAO

You have insulted my son.

INDIANA

Next time I'll cut off more than his finger.

LAO

Dr. Jones – I want Nurhachi.

Lao pulls a wad of cash out of his pocket and puts it on the table. Indiana glances at it.

INDIANA

As I recall the deal was considerably more.

Now a pretty hand slips onto Lao's shoulder and he looks up to see Willie Scott. Lao kisses her hand. Willie is unaware of the explosive mood at the table and she smiles flirtatiously at Indiana.

WILLIE

(to Lao)

Aren't you going to introduce us?

LAO

This is Willie Scott.

(watching Indy)

And this is Indiana Jones, the famous archaeologist.

Willie sits down between Lao and Indy. She takes out a small mirror to check her make-up.

LAO (CONT'D)

Dr. Jones found Nurhachi for me and is about to deliver him – now.

Lao nods across the table and Indy sees KAO KAN, Lao's second son, open his coat and remove a silver-plated pistol. Indiana looks worried. Willie doesn't notice as she fixes her make-up and coyly teases Indiana.

WILLIE

Well – I thought archaeologists were always funny little men searching for their mummies –

(yelping)

Aaahhh!

She looks down terrified at the knife Indy is poking against her ribs.

WILLE (CONT'D)

I was only kidding, can't you take a joke – ?

(to Lao)

Lao, he's got a knife!

INDIANA

Put the gun away, sonny.

Kao Kan glances at his father. Lao finally nods to his son and he slips the pistol back into his pocket.

INDIANA

Now I suggest you pay me what you promised – or your girlfriend here is going to be squealing a new tune.

The ritzy patrons at the tables nearby are unaware of the tawdry drama quietly unfolding at this table.

Willie eyes the blade and whimpers. She looks imploringly at Lao and he slowly reaches into his pocket. He puts ten gold coins next to the cash on the table.

Indy leans forward to look at the gold coins – so intently that he fails to notice Kao Kan spilling some powder into Indy's champagne glass!

INDIANA
Try again Lao – the deal was more.

The knife pokes Willie and she whimpers again. Lao reaches into another pocket and brings out a folded piece of rice paper – he opens it and a large diamond and ruby spill out onto the table.

INDIANA (CONT'D)

Bingo... you see, Lao, with a but of persuasion, even you can be an honest fellow.

Indy smiles and jabs the knife into the middle of the table. Then he lifts his champagne glass in a toast to Lao – who watches expectantly as Indiana moves the glass toward his lips –

Suddenly Willie stands angrily, jostling Indy's arm so that he doesn't drink his champagne.

WILLIE
Look at this! He put a hole in my dress from Paris!

Lao sees Indy put his champagne glass down and he snarls at Willie –
 

LAO

Sit down!

Willie quickly obeys. Lao forces a smile at Indy and lifts his glass to seal the deal –
 

LAO (CONT'D)

To your health, Dr. Jones.

Lao sips hs champagne and watches hopefully as Indy picks up his glass and this time Indy does drink the champagne. Then he reaches for the cash –