Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

WILLIE

Oh no!

Willie and Short Round look up and see that the tunnel is ending ahead and the track dead-ends into a stone wall!

INDIANA

What's wrong?

He looks around – and sees the car rocketing directly toward the stone wall!

Indy's foot starts kicking in high-gear underneath the car – he slams at the brake-pad with all his strength – the pad screeches against the spinning wheel and starts sparking!

The car seems to slow as it shoots toward the end of the tunnel. Indy groans and pushes hard against the smoking brake-pad. The car slows more and more until it runs down the last few yards to the dead-end and rolls gently to a stop, just nudging Indy's back against the wall...

INDIANA

Ouch...

Willie looks faint as Indiana gets to his feet and Shorty jumps out of the car. They help Willie out and she stands shakily –

WILLIE

I'm okay – I'm fine – I love to flirt with death...

Indiana sees that the tunnel ahead continues without any more tracks. Then they hear something –

A strange rumbling sound echoing down the tunnel from behind them. The walls seem to reverberate. Looking worried, they start walking away down the tunnel. They walk faster as the noise behind them becomes louder and they keep glancing over their shoulders –

WILLIE

What's that?... Indy?!

Indiana isn't sure and he pulls Willie by the arm and all three of them start jogging.

The rumbling behind them sounds increasingly ominous and finally they start running full tilt. They rush down the tunnel and the awful noise becomes deafening! Willie looks around again and slows suddenly –

Willie stops dead in her tracks – paralyzed – awestruck – DOOMED! Willie sees a monster wall of water (released from the quarry) as it thunders around a curve – a mammoth tidal wave crashing spectacularly against the opposite tunnel wall!

A veritable "tsunami" caroming off the tunnel wall and spewing furiously forward like a hydrous Juggernaut!

WILLIE

(frozen in her tracks)

Oh... shit...

Indiana and Short Round notice that Willie's slowed and they stop running – they also see the cataclysm of water crashing down the tunnel toward them. Indy runs back and grabs Willie. All three of them take off, running faster than they've ever run in their lives!

The tidal wave smashes forward, booming behind them and Indiana realizes quickly that they're going to lose this race. Suddenly he sees a small side-tunnel in a bend ahead –

INDIANA

There! Dive!

They lunge toward the hole and Short Round dives in it first. Indiana shoves Willie into the hole and jumps in after her just as the colossal tidal wave explodes past!

INT. THE CHUTE

The small tunnel drops precipitously and they slide down, showered by the small side-current of water that's broken off from the main force.

INT. A LARGE TUNNEL

They rolls and tumble out of the small chute into a larger tunnel. The roar of the tidal wave sounds distant and receding as they catch their breath.

INDIANA

Lucky I found a short cut. Look, there's a light at the end of the tunnel...

 Suddenly an EXPLOSION! They turn and see the thundering tidal wave crashing around a curve and cascading down the tunnel behind them again!

WILLIE

Some short cut!

They all holler in unison and start running like bats out of hell toward the daylight. The towering wall of water surges relentlessly after them –

The tidal wave looms up to annihilate them as they race to the mouth of the tunnel – and Willie SCREAMS! Indy grabs her and all three of the flail their arms to keep from losing their balance!

EXT. THE TUNNEL EXIT – DAY

The tunnel exits midway up a cliff and the three totter precariously on the brink looking down at a 300 foot sheer drop to a gorge below! Indiana swings Willie onto a narrow ledge on one side and pushes Short Round after her – he jumps himself to the other side just as the tidal wave crashes past them!

The water bursts out of the tunnel – the gusher spews forth from the cliffside into the air as if Hoover Dam just broke lose!

Short Round and Willie balance on the narrow ledge on one side of the geyser – Indy is perches on the ledge on the other side of the incredible eruption of water. Willie gets vertigo looking down into the gorge where the water crashes at the bottom. There crocodiles are disturbed and slither angrily. Indy looks up and sees a rope bridge swinging about twenty feet above Willie and Short Round. Indy shouts across the blasting water –

INDIANA

Willie – the bridge! Climb up to the bridge!

Willie looks frightened.

SHORT ROUND

Nothing to it – follow me!

He edges along the narrow ledge toward the bridge and Willie follows him. Once under the bridge, they start climbing up the rocks to it. Meanwhile, Indiana is scaling the cliff face to get over the water geyser to the other side. He grabs at scrub brush and finds a few perilous footholds as he makes his way to the bridge.

EXT. THE ROPE BRIDGE

Willie and Short Round pull themselves up at the end of the bridge. Behind them a dark tunnel runs back into the mines. What's in front of them is hardly more reassuring –

The rope bridge across the gorge is a century old and definitely wasn't built by army engineers. Laying across the two bottom rope-spans, worm-eaten and moldy boards offer risky footings. Vertical side ropes connect the bottom rope-spans to the two upper ropes that constitute the dangerous hand-railings. Short Round steps tentatively out onto the bridge. It holds him and he turns and smiles at Willie –

SHORT ROUND

Easy like pie! Kid's stuff!

Suddenly the board under him breaks! Willie grabs Short Round before he falls into the abyss! Looking pale and less cocky, Short Round starts out again and Willie follows his carefully.

They continue stepping across the bridge cautiously, a feat made more difficult by the bridge's constant swaying and the heart-stopping up and down movement.

Behind them, Indy finally pulls himself up from under the bridge. He stands up and sees Willie and Short Round halfway across already. Then he hears something and turns quickly – he takes his whip out and ducks to the side of the tunnel as two Thuggee guards rush out.

Indy cracks the whip, catching the first guard around the neck – the guard spills forward and trips the second guard. The first man tries to stand but Indiana kicks him in the head.

The second guard gets to his feet and swings his sword – Indy ducks, slams him in the stomach and dives for the first guard's sword. He grabs it and rolls aside quickly as the second guard attempts to slice him in two! Indy gets to his feet and immediately finds himself about to engage in a sword duel with the enraged Thuggee guard. Indy looks at the unfamiliar sword, hefts it, and tries to quickly decide the best way to use it –Suddenly the guard shouts and charges. Indy decides shouting must be the "de rigueur" technique and shouts back loudly – the two swords CLANG and spark as the duel erupts.

Indy flails and feints and the Thuggee guard lunges and slashes. Indy finally gains the upper hand and dispatches the Thuggee guard who slumps defeated into the dirt.

Keeping the sword, Indy starts out onto the bridge, walking as quickly as possible across the rickety span. He hears shouting ahead and looks worried then temple guards appear at the far end of the bridge. The guards surprise Willie and Shorty as they finally get across the bridge. Struggling futilely with the guards, Willie shouts at Indiana –

WILLIE

Indy – looks out behind you!

Indy sees more Thuggee guards rushing out of the tunnel behind him. He turns and sees two of the temple guards who captured Willie and Short Round coming across the bridge in front of him.

Indy stands helpless in the middle of the swaying bridge with guards approaching from both sides, and nothing but heaven above and the rocky gorge hundreds of feet below!

A wind comes up and the High Priest, Mola Ram, appears on the far end of the bridge. He stands with the guards who hold Willie and Short Round. The wind whips around Indy and he staggers unsteadily on the swaying bridge as he watches Mola Ram –

INDIANA

Let my friends go!

Mola Ram shouts in Hindi and the guards start to move toward Indy from both sides of the bridge.

INDIANA (CONT'D)

That's far enough!

MOLA RAM

You are in no position to give orders, Dr. Jones.

Indiana indicates the bag over his shoulder –

INDIANA

You want the stones, let them go and call off your guards!

Mola Ram motions and the guards move farther out on both sides of the bridge – suddenly Indiana swings the sword and it cuts into one of the bottom rope-spans!

The rope is half-severed and frays slowly under the tension!

MOLA RAM

Impressive, Dr. Jones. But I don't believe you would kill yourself!

Mola Ram motions again the his guards (looking more nervous now) step farther out onto the bridge, moving closer to Indy from both sides.

Indy swings the sword again, cutting into the other rope-span! It, too, is now partially severed and frays slowly. The bridge jolts and Indy and the guards sway precariously!

Suddenly Mola Ram shoves Short Round out onto the bridge. The High Priest draws a dagger and pushes Willie onto the swaying span, holding the knife behind them both.

MOLA RAM (CONT'D)

Your friends will die with you!

In different times this would be called a Mexican stand-off Indiana looks at the guards in front and behind him. He sees Willie and Short Round out on the bridge now with Mola Ram at their backs.

INDIANA

Then I guess we're all going to take a big dive!

Indy and Short Round's eyes meet – and the kid realizes that his hero isn't kidding. Willie looks at Shout Round anxiously – she notices that Shorty is surreptitiously wrapping his foot around a rope support. Petrified, Willie also secretly wraps her foot around a rope and does likewise with her arm –

MOLA RAM

Give me the stones!