Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Indy looks over at Willie who is moaning.

INDIANA (CONT'D)

You all right?

WILLIE

No... I'm not cut out for the kind of life you lead.

(moaning)

Oh no... I ripped my dress. Where are we anyway?

The raft floats to a gentle stop – we see it nudge against a pair of dark feet. Indy squints up into the sun and sees something.

INDIANA

India...

WILLIE

Holy cow – India? How do you know we're in –

She rolls over and yelps as she looks up at the bizarre, painted face of a SHAMAN. Silhouetted against the blazing sun, the skinny little old man in a loincloth stares down at them in the raft.

An eerie wind rises and howls. The old man places his palms together and moves his hands up to touch his forehead. Willie and Short Round watch mystified as Indiana returns the old shaman's silent greeting.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE MAYAPORE HILLS – DAY

Indy and Short Round follow the shaman and four peasants down a gutted path through barren rolling hills. Willie is out of her milieu, stumbling along this forlorn landscape in high heels, tuxedo jacket and disheveled lame gown.

She hears the old shaman talking to Indy and catches up with them to find out what's going on.

WILLIE
(to Indiana)

What'd he say?

INDIANA

He told me they knew I was coming here.

WILLIE

What do you mean – how?

INDIANA

The old man saw it in a dream.

WILLIE

Dream – nightmare is more like it.

INDIANA

He said that's whey they were at river – they were waiting for the plane to fall down.

He looks at her bewildered face and smiles faintly. As they walk, a hot wind swirls dust around them,a wind slowly ravaging what soil is left in this terribly blighted region.

CUT TO:

EXT. MAYAPORE – DAY

At the base of the hills, Mayapore village does nothing to relieve the awful sense of devastation. A desolate road runs through the village, along which groups of pitifully poor villagers stare at the strangers being brought in.

Hopeless women lift buckets from a dry well – finding only sand. Skinny miserable dogs skulk between the decrepit village huts, eyed by the patient vultures lurking in scraggly trees.

Indiana notices the wretched peasants staring at Short Round, some of them pointing at him, a few haggard women shedding tears down their wrinkled faces as the little Chinese boy passes.

There is no sign of children in the village and Short Round grows frightened by the odd attention. He moves closer to Indy as they pass the devastated population.

CUT TO:

RXT. MAYAPORE VILLAGE – AFTER SUNSET

Black clouds clot across the blood-red sky as darkness falls. Indiana, Willie and Short Round sit tensely on a shabby rug. Above their heads, there is a thatched roof, but there are no walls.

The dying sunset silhouettes them and the half-dozen elders seated in the dirt around them. A grey-haired man, the village CHIEFTAIN, gives quiet commands to the women who scuttle in and set wooden plates in front of the three visitors. No plates are places in front of the elders.

WILLIE

(quietly to Indy)

I hope this means we're going to get some dinner.

Indiana sees the painted shaman, who sits next to the chieftain, watching Willie. The women bring in a bowl from which they scoop tiny portions of grey gruel onto three plates.

To this the women add a few grains of yellowed rice and a withered ,molding piece of fruit. Willie looks aghast at the unappetizing combination.

WILLIE
(quietly)

God, I am starving, but I can't eat this...

INDIANA

That's more food than these people eat in a week.

(pointedly)

They're starving, too...

Willie looks around at the emaciated faces and feels like crawling into a hole.

WILLIE

I'm sorry, I – here, please.

She picks up her plate and gently hands it back to the women. The chieftain finally speaks to them –
 

CHIEFTAIN

You will rest here before you go on.

INDIANA

We'd appreciate that. This was an unexpected detour. We'll have to go to Delhi now and find a flight west.

SHORT ROUND

(smiling)

Indy is taking me to America.

All eyes are on Short Round. Puzzled by this strange attention, Shorty's smile fades nervously.

INDIANA

I'm a professor. I have to return to the university. Can you give us a guide to take us to Delhi?

The chieftain indicates a young villager sitting near them.

CHIEFTAIN

Sanju will guide you.

INDIANA

Thank you.

The old shaman speaks now for the first time.

SHAMAN

On the way to Delhi, you will stop at Pankot.

INDIANA

(puzzled)

Pankot isn't on the way to Delhi.

SHAMAN

You will go to palace there.

INDIANA

Hasn't the Pankot palace been deserted since the Mutiny of 1857?

SHAMAN

(darkly)

No. Now there is new Maharajah – and palace is powerful again.

The shaman looks around at his unfortunate people.

SHAMAN (CONT'D)

It is Pankot Palace that kills my village.

INDIANA

I don't understand. What's happened here?

SHAMAN

The evil starts in Pankot. Then like monsoon, it moves darkness over all country.

INDIANA

What evil?

SHAMAN

They came from Palace and took sivalinga from out village.

Willie looks over at Indiana –
 

WILLIE

Took what?

INDIANA

It's a sacred stone in a shine that's supposed to protect a village.

SHAMAN

It is why Krishna brought you here.

INDIANA

(politely firm)

Nobody brought us here. Our plane crashed. We were shot down by –

SHAMAN

(interrupting)

No. We pray to Krishna to help us find the stone. It was Krishna who made you fall from sky – so you can got to Pankot Palace. To find sivalinga – and bring back to us.

Indy's about to object – then he looks at the sad chieftain, the elders and peasants who are watching him helplessly. And he sees again the dark steady eyes of the old shaman.

CUT TO:

EXT. MAYAPORE VILLAGE – NIGHT

Torches flare eerily and dogs howl as the peasants accompany the shaman, elders and three visitors out of the edge of the dark village. Short Round walks beside Indy.

SHORT ROUND

Indy, they make out plane crash? To get you here?

INDIANA

It's just superstition, Shorty. Like a ghost story.

Short Round looks plenty scared as they all stop walking. The shaman motions and the men with torches circle around a pile of rocks to illuminate them. The shaman makes a gesture of devotion to the primitive shrine and Indy speaks to the village chieftain.

CHIEFTAIN

Yes.

Indiana seems skeptical as he kneels to study the shrine. On top of the pile of rocks, there is a carved niche. The niche is empty but an indentation indicates the conical shape of the stone that was stolen.

INDIANA

Was the stone very smooth?

(he sees the chieftain nod)

It was probably brought here from a sacred river.

SHAMAN

(joining Indy and the chieftain)

Long ago – before my father's father.

INDIANA

And it had three lines painted across it?

(seeing the shaman nod)

The lines represent the three levels of the universe. I've seen stones like the one you lost.

Indy stands slowly. Willie is beside him looking at the shrine.

WILLIE

I don't understand how losing one rock could destroy this village.

(whispering to Indy)

Is it really powerful?

Indy gives a doubtful smile. He turns again to the old shaman.

INDIANA

But why would the Maharajah take this sacred stone?

SHAMAN

They say we must pray to their evil god. We say we will not.

The old shaman looks off and fights the tears in his eyes as he starts speaking in Hindi.

INDIANA

(translating)

He says that when the sacred stone was taken the village wells dried up first and then the river stopped.

Indy turns and asks the shaman a question in Hindi. The shaman answers in Hindi.

INDIANA

(translating)

He says their crops dies and then the animals died.

The shaman walks to the edge of the torchlight and looks out into the darkness as he continues speaking emotionally in Hindi –

INDIANA

(translating)

And then they took their children.

WILLIE

Their children?

She looks at Short Round and finally understands the sorrowful faces always watching him. Indy asks another question in Hindi and the shaman continues his story –

INDIANA

(translating)

He says one night there was a fire in the fields. The men went to fight it. When they came back, they heard the women crying in the darkness. And the children were gone.

The shaman walks slowly toward Indiana.

SHAMAN

You will find them when you find sivlalinga.

INDIANA

I'm sorry, I don't know how I can help you here.

The shaman and the chieftain stare and Indiana, refusing to accept that.

INDIANA (CONT'D)

The English authorities who control this area are the only ones who can help you.

CHIEFTAIN

They do not listen.

INDIANA

I have friends in Delhi and I will make sure they investigate this...

SHAMAN

No, you will got to Pankot...

The old man speaks again in his own tongue and Indy looks disturbed.

WILLIE

What'd he say now?

INDIANA

It was destined that I came here – and the future cannot be changed...

Indy looks at the shaman and the torchlight reflected in his eyes.

CUT TO:

EXT. MAYAPORE – NIGHT

Suddenly we're rushing headlong down a dark dirt path seen from the POV of somebody running in terror. We hear heavy breathing – above we see the scraggly trees blowing against the full moon as an eerie wind rises and howls. We continue crashing through the dying fields toward the dark village...

INT. INDIANA'S HUT – NIGHT

The wind swirls into the hut and Indiana's eyes open. He lies still a moment and then sits up slowly. He sees Short Round sleeping nearby.

Sensing something strange, Indy gets to his feet. He steps around Short Round and goes to the door of the hut.

EXT. THE HUT – NIGHT
 

Indy walks against the rising wind and looks around. The village is asleep and seems deserted. Then he turns and sees something.

We follow small bare feet stumbling through the dust...

Indy sees an emaciated child in rag running out of the darkness. Indiana moves forward and the child runs toward him. Indy grabs the little boy as he falls into his arms.

CUT TO:

INT. THE SHAMAN'S HUT – NIGHT

A few minutes later, the little boy is lying unconscious on a blanket. Elders crouch around him. Indy is kneeling and watches the shaman wet the boy's forehead with a rag and drip water onto his lips.

The little boy's eyes open and he begins to revive. Short Round And Willie watch from a corner as the little boy looks at all the faces peering down at him.

The little boy's arm moves and he reaches out to Indy rather than any of the others. Indy takes his small hand and sees that the boy's fingers are cut and bruised – his fingers open and drop something into Indy's hand.

The little boy tries to whisper. Indy has to lean close to hear as the little boy's lips move again –

LITTLE BOY
Sankara...

A mother rushes into the hut now and kneels and hugs her little boy. His skinny arms go around her as they are reunited. Indy stands slowly and looks at what the little boy gave him –

It is a small tattered piece of cloth: an old fragment of a miniature painting. Indiana looks at it with an expression of recognition and apprehension...

INDIANA
Sankara...

EXT. THE VILLAGE – MORNING

The camera follows Indiana – he's walking fast and determinedly. Villagers trot alongside of him, trying to keep up with is pace as he questions them in Hindi.

Indy approaches two large elephants and sees their guide Sajnu trying to politely drag Willie toward one of them.

INDIANA
Damn it , Willie, get on – we've got to move out!

Willie's head comes up over the back of the elephant as she's helped from below – there is a look of sheer terror on her face.

WILLIE

Whoa! Easy now – nice elephant...

Waiting by the second elephant, Short Round sees Indy coming and runs up to him –
 

SHORT ROUND

I ride with you, Indy?

INDIANA

Nope, you got a little surprise over there, Shorty.

Short Round runs around the big elephant and sees a baby elephant being brought out. He can't believe his luck –
 

SHORT ROUND

Oh boy!

Meanwhile Sajnu goads Willie's elephant over. The villagers look grief stricken and many are crying as they watch the three strangers' departure.

WILLIE

(to Short Round)

This is the first time anybody ever cried when I left.

SHORT ROUND

They don't cry about you. They cry about the elephants leaving.

WILLIE

Figures...

SHORT ROUND

They got no food to feed them. So they taking the elephants away to sell them.

Indy lumbers over on his elephant.

INDIANA

All right, let's go. I want to get to Pankot before tomorrow night.

She looks at Indiana as he rides past.

WILLIE

Pankot?! I thought we were going to Delhi! Hey, wait a minute!

(looking at the villagers)

Can't somebody take me to Delhi?! I don't want to go to Pankot!

Sajnu guides her elephant and Willie lurches forward –
 

WILLIE (CONT'D)

(yelling)

Indiana! Damn it! Why'd you change your mind? What did that kid tell you last night?!

Indy ignores her hollering. The elephants move off through the crowds of pitiful villagers. Indy sees the elders, chieftain and the old shaman who brings his hands up to his forehead as Indy rides past.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE COUNTRYSIDE – DAY

The elephants move across the desolate countryside toward the distant hills.

EXT. THE TRAIL

Indiana rides the lead elephant. Sajnu passes on foot guiding Willie's elephant. With the tuxedo jacket wrapped around her waist, Willie is dabbing perfume behind her ears.

WILLIE

(to her elephant)

I think you need this more than me.

Willie leans forward and puts perfume behind the elephant's ears. Grimacing at the animal's smell she simply dumps the rest of the perfume on the elephant's back.

Willie yelps when the elephant's trunk comes back, sniffs the foreign fragrance and suddenly trumpets in disgust.

WILLIE (CONT'D)

What're you complaining about, this is expensive stuff!

CUT TO:

EXT. LOWER JUNGLES – DAY

From a cliff, we see the elephants below passing into the lower jungles.

Spotting something on an overhanging tree branch, Short Round stands up precariously on the baby elephant's back. He pulls a vine from the tree as they pass under it. Plopping down onto the baby elephant's back, he picks the wild fruit from the vine –