Rasie the Titanic

Raise The Titanic By Adam Kennedy REVISED FINAL DRAFT August 27, 1979 FADE IN: 1 1 BLACK SCREEN A high, almost shrill, MUSICAL NOTE stings and holds. Soft thunder of KETTLE DRUMS under PRESENTATION CREDIT. As the DRUMS FADE and the PICTURE BEGINS TO BLEED THOUGH we HEAR a SOUND like a jungle moan. an immense non-human It gets LOUDER, more tortured, like labor pain. As our PICTURE COMES CLEAR, a huge and brutal iceberg thrusts forward through the mist and CENTERS ON SCREEN. 2 2 EXT. NORTH ATLANTIC, ICEBERG – DAY As we EXAMINE the glacier-like mass of the iceberg, the SOUND gets deeper, louder and more agonizing. A great section of the ice mass separates and calves off with a tortured, ugly SOUND. As this new iceberg slides down into the black water the birth cries tail off into a hollow gurgling sigh. There is an eerie ribbon of silence as the iceberg resurfaces and rights itself in the water. DISSOLVE TO: 2A 2A EXT. NORTH ATLANTIC – NIGHT SHOOTING ACROSS dark mass of iceberg, INTO THE BLACK we HEAR the hardedge BLAST of a SHIP‟S HORN, REPEATED urgently, ship‟s BELLS cutting through, MEN SHOUTING, WOMEN SCREAMING, the GRINDING and CRUNCHING of METAL and WOOD being torn apart, GLASS BREAKING, colliding forces. 3 3 EXT. BOAT DECK – TITANIC – NIGHT Chaos. Panic. The deck tilting, passengers running, stumbling, falling, shouting. The HORN and the BELLS continue. And the SOUND of an ORCHESTRA PLAYING. splutter in the dark above the ship. And rockets pop and People SMASH GLASS and battle toward the lifeboats. 4 4 HIGH ANGLE – BOAT DECK A lifeboat, over-crowded, collapses and hangs from one davit. and children tumble screaming into As women the water, the Titanic lurches sharply, the deck crew loses control of the lifeboat and it dives stern first into the sea. We PAN ACROSS AND ISOLATE on a small MAN pushing his way through the crowd. 5 5 SINGLE ON MAN He is bearded, gray hair, in his fifties, short and wiry and intense. the passengers surge on to the boat deck he is struggling to get off it. As 6 6 INT. GRAND SALON The bearded Man fights his way down the staircase clogged with people and we STAY with him as he crosses the salon, tables and chairs sling-shotting across the floor. tilts sharply he exits into an inner passageway. As the ship 7 7 FOLLOW SHOT – BEARDED MAN As he hurries along narrow corridor, he meets a young Junior Third Mate checking staterooms for slow-moving passengers. The Bearded Man takes out a short-barreled revolver and forces the young man to take him down a series of narrow companionways to the cargo hold, eight decks down. The Junior Third Mate takes out his keys, and unlocks the door to the hold. 8 8 EXT. BOAT DECK The ship‟s tilt and taking on of water has brought the starboard edge of the boat deck almost to ocean-level. The rockets, boat horns, whistles, shouts, and the screaming has now reached pandemonium level. 9 9 CARGO HOLD The Bearded Man releases the Junior Third Mate, stumbles across the cargo area till he comes to his vault, an eight-foot square cube of steel. As he stands by the vault door, stroking it like a pet dog, we COME IN CLOSE ON him. A glint of madness in his eye. keys, fumbles to unlock vault door. He takes out a ring of BEARDED MAN (a horse whisper) Thank God for Southby . . . 10 10 REVERSE – ANGLE ON JUNIOR THIRD MATE He stands in the doorway, transfixed, watching. toward the companionway. Then he turns and runs 11 11 EXTREME CLOSEUP – BEARDED MAN‟S MOUTH BEARDED MAN (softer now, but with a hollow ECHOING SOUND) Thank . . . God . . . for . . . Southby . . . 12 12 EXT. FULL SHOT – OCEAN With the BAND still PLAYING, tiny lifeboats jammed with people pulling away as quickly as possible, the Titanic slowly up-ends itself and with a ponderous, somehow sensual shudder, it gives up the struggle and slides slowly down into the black. left. And the scattered As WE PULL UP AND BACK only the icebergs are lifeboats and the faint SOUND of CHILDREN CRYING. 13 13 UNDERWATER – NIGHT The sinking effect. The KETTLEDRUMS again. sustained MUSICAL NOTE. In a And that thin, piercing stunning funeral sequence the Titanic plunges slowly downward to its grave at the bottom of the Atlantic. As it settles heavily, like an old buffalo, on the ocean floor, we SEE our MAIN TITLE. RAISE THE TITANIC As the TITLE WASHES AWAY we DESOLVE THROUGH from BLACK TO GOLD, from death to life, from ocean darkness to the summer brilliance of . . . 14 14 EXT. WASHINGTON, D.C., WHITE HOUSE – DAY From a VERY HIGH POSITION we DROP DOWN toward the White House. figures exit from the front door, turn left and walk west toward the street. CLOSE we IDENTIFY retired Two small As we COME IN Admiral JAMES SANDECKER, 61, trim, gray-haired, intelligent, in a conservative civilian suite, and Dr. GENE SEAGRAM, 37, a substantial, attractive man. nonsense. Articulate, solid and Full energy and no inventive when he sticks to science, a tendency to be ingenuous and/or stubborn when he encounters other areas and problems. Not a monomaniac but he has some of the characteristics. As they walk we ROLL CREDITS and interject the following dialogue. SEAGRAM I don‟t like it. I don‟t like anything about it. SANDECKER Neither do I. But the President‟s right. They need to be told. SEAGRAM If we go public on this thing, we‟re dead. SANDECKER Nobody‟s talking about going public. SEAGRAM You know what I mean. It‟s either secret or it‟s not secret. SANDECKER We can trust these people. SEAGRAM I don‟t trust anybody. If this Russian thing hits the papers the whole project could blow sky high. SANDECKER Let‟s worry about that when it happens. We‟ve got our hands full now with Busby and Kemper. 15 EXTREME CLOSEUP – PUSH BUTTON COMBINATION VAULT LOCK 15 A hand is punching up a combination. door in the outer area of We PULL BACK and SEE a heavy steel Seagram‟s laser lab, Seagram is working the combination with Sandecker beside him. Also there are GENERAL DALE BUSY, 58, tall, slender, distinguished, in service dress uniform. Four stars. And Admiral HARRY KEMPER, 52, in blue service dress uniform. He is compact, balding wears glasses. And SAM NICHOLSON, 48, head of the Soviet section of the Central Intelligence Agency. He looks like a Williams graduate. Hair combed straight back, Paul Stuart suit, and striped tie. Apparently different but missing nothing. These men are bright capable professionals. lock releases the door, it swings slowly. Informed and aware. As the Heavily opened we HEAR the following dialogue. BUSBY Dang it, I can‟t believe it, Jim. KEMPER Let me get this straight. You‟re saying you planted a man on a Russian island and now you can‟t locate him? SANDECKER I‟m saying we got a deviation from the plan. He‟s four days overdue at the pickup point. NICHOLSON Why didn‟t you let the C. I.A. it? handle We do that stuff all the time. SEAGRAM The man we used had to be a mining engineer. NICHOLSON So why are you telling us now? SANDECKER Because we‟re sitting on a powder keg. If it goes up we‟ll need all the help we can get. BUSBY How the hell did we get ourselves in a crack like this? SANDECKER Dale, I engineered this thing and I‟ll take the blame. So let‟s not waste time growling at each other. 15A 15A INT. LASER LAB As the men enter . . . KEMPER What is this project? call it? What do you SANDECKER The Sicilian Project. We think it could be the ultimate defense system. Dr. Seagram here conceived it and perfected it. Gene . . . SEAGRAM We‟re talking about laser science. That‟s the principle. He gets up, walks to electronic map, presses switch. flicker on, all around the borders of the United States. A border of lights SEAGRAM (continuing) Each one of those lights will be a power station. Each station, when activated, projects a beam from ground to infinity. beams fan out and connect. make an invisible screen. wall. Those They Like a No rocket, no warhead, no missile, can penetrate it. KEMPER Is this theory you‟re talking about? Or does it work? SEAGRAM It works. It‟s been tested. SANDECKER The President thinks the Sicilian Project is our number one defense priority. SEAGRAM There‟s only one catch. To install the system, to make it function, we need a self-contained power source. A gigantic one. mineral. We need a specific Byzanium. BUSBY Byzanium? I never heard of it. SEAGRAM I‟m not surprised. Very few people have. No deposits have been located in the last seventy years. NICHOLSON But there may be some on that Russian Island. Is that the wrinkle? SEAGRAM That‟s right. That‟s what we think. SANDECKER So we sent a man in. BUSBY (he gets up, walks to map) Well, let‟s hope he gets out. Because if he doesn‟t, if the Russians pick him up, we‟ll be kissing butts in the Kremlin for the next five years. As he looks at map we MOVE IN TIGHT ON Barents Sea and isolate on two Russian islands, Novaya Zemlya. DISSOLVE TO: 16 16 EXT. ISLAND – HELICOPTER SHOT – DAY Bleak, cold, isolated. Wind, snow and nothing else. MOVE CLOSER, make out a man dressed completely in white. We SEE movement, This is SID KOPLIN, 44. 17 17 SINGLE ON KOPLIN He carries a small Geiger counter. As he moves near a pile of rocks, nearly snow-covered, we SEE the counter start to jump and BUZZ. As he explores the rocky area, he probes with his axe handle, chips away at ice and snow, we STAY WITH HIM. Counter continues to react. At last, on his hands and knees, in a protected place overhung by rocks, he finds a three-foot wide passage between two boulders. As he disappears into the darkness we HEAR the Geiger counter CHATTER. 17A 17A INT. PASSAGEWAY Koplin finds a tunnel-like chute down to a lower level. slides down the chute. He sits down and 18 18 INT. MINE Dark, tight, low ceiling. As he explores with his flashlight we SEE rough timbers shoring up the ceiling and on the floor of the cave sections of railroad track. At last he comes to an ore car in a larger room. In the flashlight‟s beam he reads . . . “Palmer and Sons – Denver, Colorado.” On the drilling wear he reads . . . “Freeland Carde Forge and Iron Works – Pueblo, Colorado.” On the hand tools and on a pick, he reads . . . “Scott and Killefer – Blacksmiths – Idaho Springs, Colorado.” 19 19 INT. TUNNEL Koplin crawls. Digs out a mineral sample, puts it in canvas bag, and keeps crawling. 20 20 INT. GROTTO Koplin emerges from the tunnel and stands up. an ice palace. In a recessed rock Grotto floor gleams like wall he finds a paper packet for chewing tobacco and a folded copy of The Rocky Mountain News. As he turns back toward grotto . . . 21 21 KOPLIN‟S POV A shovel handle sticks up vertically from the lashed across it makes a crude cross. ice floor. A wooden bar 22 22 ANGLE ON KOPLIN He moves TOWARD CAMERA holding cross in f.g. He stops and looks down. 23 23 DOWN SHOT – KOPLIN‟S POV Clearly VISIBLE THROUGH ice is the preserved body of a dead man, dressed as he was when he died, his arms folded across his stomach, a piece of wood the size of a cedar shingle lying on his chest. Burned on the wood . . . HERE LIES SGT. JAKE HOBART, UNITED ARMY FROZE IN A STORM FEBRUARY 10, 1912 On a rattle of AUTOMATIC WEAPON FIRE we . . . CUT TO: 24 24 EXT. SNOW FIELDS – DAY FULL SHOT of Koplin running. 25 25 SINGLE ON KOPLIN As we come in CLOSE we HEAR another burst of GUNFIRE. bullet in his right shoulder and goes to his knees. We STAY ON HIM. staggers on, we HEAR MORE SHOTS. And a dog BARKING. Koplin takes a As he pulls himself up and 26 26 SINGLE ON DOG He‟s a Komondor, trained to kill, snarling and straining at his leash as he moves ahead through the snow storm, scenting blood now. We EASE BACK AND TAKE IN a Russian soldier in winter gear, controlling the dog with one hand, holding a machine pistol in the other. 27 27 LOW ANGLE ON KOPLIN Losing blood and fighting the wind, he staggers ahead. is getting closer and the guard dog gains ground on him. While the barking 27A 27A ANGLE ON RUSSIAN SOLDIER He fires his pistol. 27B 27B SINGLE ON KOPLIN A bullet tears through Koplin‟s left thigh. pressing on the femoral artery with his left hand, he stumbles and staggers ahead. Trying to stop the blood by 28 28 FULL SHOT The Russian soldier and his dog trots ahead through the snow. the soldier turns the dog loose. And then 29 29 SINGLE ON KOPLIN He‟s trying to keep going but he‟s getting weak. direction of the dog‟s BARKS. He looks up in the 29A 29A INTERCUT: Koplin running, dog pursuing. Also the soldier. 30 30 KOPLIN As the dog overtakes him, Koplin turns, tries to fight him off, but the dog takes him to the ground tries to get at his throat. In b.g. soldier arrives. 31 31 SOLDIER‟S POV Koplin struggles with the dog. a SILENCED WEAPON. Then suddenly, we HEAR the soft SOUND of 32 32 FULL SHOT The dog drops dead on the snow beside Koplin, a bullet in its head. soldier starts to bring his pistol The up. We HEAR another muffled pistol SHOT and a bullet explodes through his forehead. He is catapulted backward and lies spread-eagled in the snow. 33 33 CLOSEUP – KOPLIN He‟s mesmerized by what he‟s just seen. behind him, trying to stay conscious. He turns slowly, looks up and 34 34 KOPLIN‟S POV – LOW ANGLE A man steps forward through the snow screen, MISTING IN AND OUT OF FOCUS as Koplin tries to see him. We COME IN TIGHT ON a WAIST SHOT of DIRK PITT, a rugged, hardeyed man. He holds a pistol. As Koplin loses consciousness we slowly . . . FADE OUT: FADE IN: 35 35 EXT. SOVIET EMBASSY, WASHINGTON – NIGHT A stone mansion, wrought-iron gate. U.S.S.R. seal. stocky, square-faced, standing guard. Russian soldiers, 35A 35A INT. SOVIET EMBASSY CORRIDOR – MOVING SHOT – NIGHT High ceilings. Marble floors. Tapestries on walls. generals on horseback, warships at sea. Paintings of CAMERA MOVES UP at a staircase to the second floor, down a corridor. Through half-closed door we HEAR voices. PREVLOV (V.O.) Are these the photographs you told me about? MARGANIN (V.O.) Yes, sir. These enlargements just came in half an hour ago. CAMERA ENTERS. 36 36 INT. OFFICE CAPT. ANDRE PREVLOV is behind his desk. stands beside him. His assistant, PAVEL MARGANIN, Maps and blow-up photographs are spread on a desk. Prevlov is smooth and well-groomed, the antithesis of everything we associate with the Kremlin. He seems cultured and civilized. Marganin is neat, rigid and proper, a solid career civil servant, total patience and a talent for detail. Marganin puts a large photo in front of Prevlov. MARGANIN These are the most recent satellite photos of the area. Here‟s Novaya Zemlya and there‟s the ship our trawler sighted. PREVLOV (he studies the photos then points) You see that? That configuration, Looks like a it‟s an American Ship. whaler. About sixty miles off shore, I‟d guess . . . (beat and still looking) How about this, Marganin? notice this? Did you He points. MARGANIN Yes. But I can‟t make it out. PREVLOV Look right here . . . (beat, beat) The silhouette. It‟s a helicopter. I‟d say returning to the ship from the island. detection. (after a beat) So we have an American ship and helicopter. Perhaps that explains Would you Flying low to avoid radar who killed our soldier. like some brandy? MARGANIN No. Thank you. PREVLOV No bad habits. Right, Marganin? MARGANIN (he‟s embarrassed) It‟s not that. Brandy gives me a headache. 37 37 EXT. ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE – NIGHT We SEE AIR FORCE ONE and other government jets, mechanics running, trucks coming and going. It‟s a dreary, rainy night. 37A 37A EXT. MAIN GATE A limousine comes through. area. Guard salutes. Limo proceeds to terminal SANDECKER (V.O.) If it weren‟t for Dirk Pitt we‟d be back at square one. And our mining engineer would be stretched out dead on that Russian island. 37B 37B EXT. ANGLE ON TERMINAL Limo stops near a building that houses “Distinguished Persons” room. Sandecker and Seagram get out and head for the building. We GO with them. SANDECKER Dirk got him out. He had to shoot a soldier to do it. the job done. But he got SEAGRAM Who is this guy, Dirk Pitt? All of a sudden he‟s involved in the Sicilian Project and I never heard of him before. SANDECKER He used to be a Navy man. Put in his time and retired early. Since then, he and I have tackled quite a few things together. SEAGRAM You mean he works for you? SANDECKER Sometimes he does. doesn‟t. Sometimes he If Depends on the job. it‟s something that looks impossible, something that can‟t be done, chances are he‟ll take a crack at it. thumbs down. Anything else . . . 38 38 INT. TERMINAL They come Inside “Distinguished Persons” room. SEAGRAM You mean he only works when he feels like it? SANDECKER That‟s right. I have to take him when I can get him. SEAGRAM He sounds like a pain in the ass. 39 39 EXT. LANDING AREA – SANDECKER/SEAGRAM‟S POV – NIGHT A small Navy jet taxis up to a spot forty yards from the terminal where Sandecker and Seagram wait. 40 40 ANOTHER ANGLE As Sandecker and Seagram come outside and move toward the plane, an ambulance wheels in, turns and backs slowly toward the jet side door. The wind blows the rain against the side of the plane. 41 41 TRAVELLING TWO SHOT We FOLLOW Sandecker and Seagram. the door jogs out and up and the six-step stairway drops down. Seagram ahead. OVER THEIR As they arrive at the side of the T-39, They start to mount the steps with He is bareheaded SHOULDERS we SEE Dirk Pitt suddenly fill the doorway. and jacketless, otherwise in the same clothes he wore on Novaya. PITT (to Seagram) Where do you think your going? SEAGRAM We have to see that man you brought in. It won‟t wait. PITT Yes, it will. We have to get him to the hospital. He shouts off to the ambulance attendants. PITT (continuing) Bring a gurney over. 42 42 ANOTHER ANGLE SANDECKER How is he? PITT Bad shape, Jim. They patched him up before we flew out of Norway but he lost a lot of blood and he‟s doped to the gills. SEAGRAM (one-tracked mind) He can talk, can‟t he? We have to ask him some questions. PITT Maybe you didn‟t hear me. I said this man‟s going to the hospital. As fast as we can get him there. SANDECKER (a hand on Seagram) Come on, Gene. The ambulance men run up with a gurney. the plane with Pitt. One of them disappears inside 43 43 TWO SHOT – SEAGRAM AND SANDECKER They are beside the plane. SEAGRAM (he‟s hot) Who the hell does he think he‟s talking to? SANDECKER Don‟t push it, Gene. 44 44 HIGH ANGLE Pitt and the ambulance man carry Koplin out and stretch him on the gurney. A Navy medic moves alongside holding a plasma bottle up. Koplin is covered by a rubber sheet. 45 45 TRAVELLING SHOT – SINGLE ON KOPLIN His eyes are open but glazed. His lips are moving and muttering but he doesn‟t know what he‟s saying. 46 46 EXTREME HIGH ANGLE We SEE the gurney pushed into the ambulance. back and the attendants climb in the The medics climb in the front. Then the ambulance takes off. HONKER GOING and lights flashing. 47 47 OMITTED 48 48 INT. LIMO – PITT, SANDECKER, SEAGRAM SEAGRAM I don‟t believe that . . . it doesn‟t make sense. I won‟t be satisfied till I hear it from Koplin himself. PITT Then go to the hospital, for Pete‟s sake, and wait till he comes to. SANDECKER (to Seagram) Let him finish the story, Gene. PITT He‟s sure there was byzanium there once but somebody took it out. Koplin said they must have taken five hundred pounds. a ton. Maybe half SEAGRAM We‟re sunk. got it. That means the Russians CAMERA DROPS DOWN TO A LOOSE THREE-SHOT, FAVORING Pitt. PITT Koplin says no. Not the Russians. He says that mine was worked by Americans. SANDECKER How did he figure that? PITT He found clothes in the mine, packages of American chewing tobacco. And all the tools and equipment had been shipped from Colorado. Also there was a copy of the Rocky Mountain News dated sometime in 1911. SEAGRAM 1911! PITT (going on) And he found a man. Frozen stiff. Somebody had burned his name in a board and left it with the body. „Here lies Sergeant Jake Hobart United States Army. storm. Froze in a February 10, 1912.‟ SANDECKER Are you saying that the Army sent a bunch of men to a Russian island seventy years ago to steal maybe half a ton of byzanium? PITT I‟m not saying anything. I‟m just telling you what Koplin told me. 49 49 HIGH ANGLE – ANDREWS AIR BASE, MAIN GATE Guard waves the limo through. 50 50 thru thru 52 52 OMITTED 53 53 INT. CITY ROOM Not peak activity, but there are quite a few people here. DANA ARCHIBOLD, 30, We PUSH IN ON And busy at her typewriter. She‟s attractive, bright, and courageous. she‟s been liberated all her life. HOLDING her in f.g. we SEE Seagram coming across toward her. rhymes with FAN, not CANE, and not JOHN. Her name 54 54 ANOTHER ANGLE As he arrives at her desk. DANA I thought you fell in. on you three hours ago. I gave up He leans down and kisses her. SEAGRAM I got hung up. I‟m sorry. She stands and shuffles papers into her briefcase, preparing to leave. DANA I don‟t like what I see on your face. You look like somebody stole your popsicle. SEAGRAM I wish I could tell you . . . They start toward the door. DANA Just give me the headline. Leave out all the names and places. SEAGRAM I can‟t even do that. DANA I though you were a nice solid man. A scholar and a scientist. Pipe and slippers. Home at six. Now all of a sudden you turn into Charlie Chan. SEAGRAM It‟s not funny. DANA Who said it was funny? Did I say it was funny? SEAGRAM I think I just saw five years of work go down the drain. 55 55 INT. MAIN LOBBY, NEWSPAPER BUILDING The elevator door opens. front door. Dana and Seagram come out and walk towards the SEAGRAM Do you know anything about a guy named Pitt? DANA (a quick look; then, very casual) Who? SEAGRAM Dirk Pitt his name is. him tonight. bell? I just met Does that ring a DANA No, I don‟t think so. Why do you ask? SEAGRAM It‟s all right. It‟s not important. They exit and the door closes behind them. 56 56 INT. KITCHEN OF SANDECKER‟S HOME – NIGHT Pitt and Sandecker are at a table. They‟ve finished eggs and coffee. SANDECKER Want some more coffee? PITT No, thanks. sleep. I have to get some He rises. 56A 56A TRAVELLING TWO SHOT They walk through the house. SANDECKER I need you on this one, Dirk. PITT No, you don‟t. Holmes. You need Sherlock You really think I can track down that stuff after almost seventy years? SANDECKER It has to be someplace. just evaporate It didn‟t PITT (takes a drink) The way I see it, you only have one lead. The dead man . . . Sergeant That means classified Jake Hobart. Army Archives. SANDECKER That‟s General Wiggin‟s baby. PITT (he grins) Last time I saw Art Wiggin he won ten bucks off me in a poker game. (beat) All right. I‟ll call the General tomorrow and see what I can find out. 57 57 EXT. SANDECKER‟S HOME – NIGHT Sandecker and Pitt walk toward a car at the curb. PITT One more thing . . . SANDECKER What‟s that? PITT Keep this guy Seagram out of my hair. SANDECKER (oil on the water) Gene‟s all right. Maybe he gets a little anxious sometimes but he‟s brilliant. PITT Good. Let him be brilliant on somebody else. 58 58 INT. PREVLOV‟S APARTMENT – NIGHT Living room. clothes. Prevlov in pajamas and a robe. Marganin is in street PREVLOV Sicilian Project? MARGANIN That‟s right. KGB calls it. That‟s what the PREVLOV Read me that report again. MARGANIN (he reads) „Americans interested in rare minerals. May be related to Code name . . . Military operation. Sicilian Project.‟ I‟m having a list made up of all the minerals found on the island of Sicily. Prevlov crosses room and then turns back. PREVLOV That other island . . . where the soldier was shot. minerals there? Are there any MARGANIN At one time they mined lead there. Nothing else I know about. PREVLOV (shakes his head) What could be so precious that the Americans would risk this kind of adventure? (almost to himself) The Sicilian Project . . . (walks back to Marganin) Are you a chess player? MARGANIN I played a little when I was a student. PREVLOV Do you know the name Isaak Boleslavski? MARGANIN Of course. master. He was a great chess PREVLOV (he nods) Maybe the greatest of all. Many of the significant variations of the game were conceived by Boleslavski. One of them was the Sicilian Defense. (beat) All right, Marganin. it for now. Let‟s leave We‟ll talk tomorrow. He steers Marganin to the door. Prevlov. His mind is going a mile a minute. Marganin exits and we PUSH IN CLOSE ON 59 59 thru thru 65 65 OMITTED 66 66 EXT. NATIONAL ARCHIVES 67 67 INT. NATIONAL ARCHIVES DAVID BLUESTONE, 33, a stiff-necked officious functionary, marches down the corridor. WHITTAKER, a smocked attendant and carrying a metal strongbox, is just behind him. BLUESTONE (V.O.) This is Code Six material. restricted. I am personally You‟re not Totally responsible for it. allowed to make copies or take notes. 68 68 INT. ARCHIVES READING ROOM SINGLE ON Pitt sitting at a table. BLUESTONE (O.S.) If I had been consulted you would not be permitted to see this file. PITT (easy) I understand that. We PULL BACK and INCLUDE Bluestone and Whittaker, who is unlocking the metal box. BLUESTONE Code Six material. Not to be memorized or quoted under any circumstances. PITT You already told me that. BLUESTONE (checks his watch) You have thirty minutes. thirty-five. Not forty. Not Exactly thirty minutes. here with you. And I have to stay PITT (very clam and quiet) You listen to me, Major. You brought these records here because General Wiggins ordered you to. I‟m going to look at this file till I find what I‟m after. If I don‟t find it here I‟ll have to look at some other files. It may take an hour, it may take three days. And you‟re not going to sit here and watch me. You can either go back to your office or wait outside. BLUESTONE (losing speed) I have my orders. PITT That‟s right. to you. I just gave them Now you can either call up General Wiggin and complain to him or you can march out of here and let me get to work. BLUESTONE I will certainly verify this with General Wiggin. PITT Good. You do that. 69 69 EXT. VIRGINIA SHORELINE – DAY We PAN the VISTA, no people in sight, and ARRIVE at a vintage beach house, weathered with a railed deck on the ocean side. Seagram and Dana appear from behind the house, in jeans and sweat shirts, walking toward the dock. She carries a small Tom Sawyer fishing pole and a tin can. DANA I only found three worms. That means I‟ll catch three fish. Right? SEAGRAM (he‟s distracted) Right. DANA If I‟d found a hundred worms that would have meant a hundred fish. Right? SEAGRAM I guess so. 70 70 ANOTHER ANGLE Dana Studies him. DANA You‟re a million laughs, you know that? SEAGRAM I don‟t feel like Christmas morning exactly. DANA You want me to whip in the house and fix you a terrific drink? SEAGRAM Not right now. DANA You want to take a swim SEAGRAM I don‟t think so. DANA You want to cut your throat? Seagram laughs. DANA (continuing) There. That‟s better. There‟s a little life in the old man after all. They arrive at the dock. She kisses him and then sits down on the dock‟s edge. Seagram sits down beside her. DANA (continuing) You have to put the wormie on the hookie. handle. That part I can‟t SEAGRAM What kind of a fisherperson are you? DANA I‟m a dynamite fisherperson. I just can‟t put the wormie on the hookie. As he baits the hook . . . DANA (continuing) I‟ve got a bad conscience. told you a fib. I SEAGRAM About what? DANA About Dirk Pitt. him. I do know I met him when I first He was came to Washington. with Naval Intelligence then. SEAGRAM Why‟d you tell me you didn‟t know him? DANA I don‟t know. by surprise. I guess you took me I guess. I hadn‟t heard his name for a long time. SEAGRAM Did you used to go out with him or something? DANA No. Nothing like that. He was to high-powered for me. SEAGRAM What does that mean? DANA Just that. He takes up all the air in the room. SEAGRAM (after a beat) Dirk Pitt, what kind of a name is that? pirate. Sounds like a We HEAR SOUND of HELICOPTER coming in. Dana and Seagram look up. 71 71 UP SHOT – THEIR POV An unmarked helicopter kneels around and angles down toward the beach. VOICE OVER BULL HORN Doctor Seagram . . . Doctor Seagram . . . 72 72 TWO SHOT – DANA AND SEAGRAM They stand up and watch the helicopter. DANA I don‟t believe it. Sandecker strikes again. we were here? How did he know SEAGRAM I told him. DANA Brilliant. Next time we‟ll We can bring him with us. eat peanuts and play Chinese checkers all weekend. 73 73 UP SHOT – THEIR POV – THE HELICOPTER As it hovers, we ZOOM CLOSE ON the pilot‟s side. PILOT (on P.A.) Are you Doctor Seagram? 73A 73A DOWN SHOT – PILOT‟S POV Seagram waves his hand in acknowledgement. PILOT (O.S.) I‟m supposed to bring you back to Washington as soon as you can get yourself together. Admiral Sandecker‟s orders. 74 74 ANGLE ON BEACH HOUSE Seagram hurries into the house. settles down. We COME IN We STAY ON Dana. In b.g. the helicopter CLOSE ON Dana as she turns INTO THE CAMERA watching the helicopter, with a thousand secrets behind her eyes. 75 75 EXT. SANDECKER‟S GEORGETOWN HOME – DAY PITT (V.O.) The Hobart file was a waste of time. it was. At least I thought 76 76 EXT. GARDEN IN REAR Pitt, Sandecker and Seagram. Pitt holding forth. PITT Then I stumbled on the name Arthur Brewster. And that was the clincher. Brewster turned out to be the key that unlocked the box. SANDECKER Who was he? PITT He was a con man. hustler. A real Arthur Brewster would take a crack at anything if he thought he could make a profit. But mining was what he knew best. He traveled all over the world. Followed his nose. rare minerals. Looking for In 1910 he found byzanium on the island of Novaya Zemlya and he went straight to the United States Army. He told them what he‟d found but not where he‟d found it. SEAGRAM Why the Army? PITT He had some cronies in Army Intelligence. them before. He‟d work with SANDECKER Why did he think they‟d be interested in byzanium? PITT They weren‟t. Not at first. But Brewster sold them on it. Told them it was a thousand times more potent then radium. Even then they could see it had military possibilities. So they gave Brewster the money he needed. And they assigned people to Some Army mining engineers. help him. SEAGRAM Like Jake Hobart? PITT That‟s right. SANDECKER And nobody knew he was going into Russian territory? PITT Nobody but Brewster. little secret. That was his He just said the country he was talking about had internal political problems and if news of the arrangement got out, the whole deal would blow sky high. SEAGRAM How did he manage it with the Russians? PITT Pay-off. He made a deal with some big shot in the Czar‟s government. Gave him half the money the Army had given him. free. And he was home At least that‟s what he He made a deal with a The ship delivered thought. Norwegian whaler. Brewster, Jake Hobart, and the rest of those Colorado miners to the island and made a date to pick them up again three months later. they‟d mined the byzanium. After SANDECKER What happened? PITT Smooth as silk. The whaler picked up the men and the byzanium on schedule. Only one problem. Brewster‟s Russian friend doublecrossed him. Two days out from Novaya Zemlya the whaler spotted a Russian cruiser tailing it. But Brewster and his men stuck to their plan. The whaler put them ashore on the Scottish coast north of Aberdeen and they started overland. The idea was to get to Southampton and ship the ore to New York by commercial ship. 76A 76A INT. SANDECKER‟S LIBRARY SANDECKER Did they make it? PITT They gave it a good shot. But they had Russian agents coming out of their ears. They fought a running battle all the way south from Aberdeen to Southampton. But somehow Brewster made it. And he had the byzanium with him. SEAGRAM What about the other men? PITT All dead. Except for one. He mentioned Southby. Matter of fact the last line he wrote in his journal was „Thank God for Southby.‟ SANDECKER All right. We‟ve got Brewster in Now Southampton with the ore. what? PITT He bought a big cast-iron vault. Eight feet high. The walk-in kind they used to have in country banks. He loaded the ore into the vault and saw it lowered into the hold of a ship. In Southampton. And on April 10, 1912, the ship sailed. SEAGRAM Sailed to where? PITT New York SANDECKER Wait a minute. April 10, 1912 . . . Southampton . . . New York . . . PITT (low key, matter-of-fact) That‟s right. Brewster started home on the Titanic. 77 77 EXTREME CLOSEUP – SEAGRAM‟S FACE No big reaction. But it‟s sinking in. The party‟s over. 78 78 EXT. POTOMAC – NIGHT Washington, D.C. gleams in b.g. A sleek white yacht slides INTO SHOT. 79 79 FULL SHOT – AFTERDECK, YACHT Pitt, Seagram, Sandecker. Also Kemper, Busby, Nicholson. in civilian casual attire. Military men SANDECKER So that‟s where we are. We spent five years in research and development. from the end. We‟re a kiss away We need two hundred measly ounces of a mineral we can‟t find. is it? Ocean. Then we do find it and where At the bottom of the Atlantic PITT Well, at least we know where it is now. It‟s not just someplace. Waiting for It‟s in one place. us to come and get it. KEMPER And how in the name of God do we do that? You‟re talking about twelve thousand, five hundred feet under water. down. More then two miles BUSBY What about divers? SANDECKER They can‟t go down that far. even close. Not PITT That‟s right. If we can‟t get divers down that deep, if we can‟t go down to the Titanic, we only have one other choice. NICHOLSON Are you saying what I think you‟re saying? KEMPER Are you talking about raising the Titanic? PITT That‟s right. we‟ve got. It‟s the only shot BUSBY But it can‟t be done, can it? A ship that size, down that deep? PITT It‟s never been done. about that. No question But we did bring up that nuclear sub a couple of years ago. KEMPER Nowhere near the same size. only a third as far down. And PITT I didn‟t say it would be easy. The odds are lousy and it would cost a ton of money. not impossible. But it‟s NICHOLSON What kind of odds? PITT A thousand to one maybe. That‟s if the Navy gives us full support. KEMPER (after a beat) What if you had Navy cooperation? What if we got the funding? what? Then PITT Lots of problems. A lot of risk. We‟re talking about brutal underwater pressure. We have submersible equipment that will go down that far. But we‟re not sure how long they can stay down. We have others that are designed to go even deeper, but they haven‟t been thoroughly tested. So every trip down would be a gamble. We could lose equipment and we could lose men. SEAGRAM (he‟s been silent, taking it all in) But if it worked, we could be saving millions of lives. If we‟re lucky we could make nuclear warfare obsolete. KEMPER (to Sandecker) What about it, Jim? SANDECKER It sounds like a ball-breaker to me. The biggest marine salvage But job anybody ever thought of. as Dr. Seagram says, we‟re playing for high stakes. If Dirk says he can handle it I‟ll do my best to push it through with the President. KEMPER (to Pitt) We‟re back to you, Captain Pitt. PITT (he grins) Nobody in his right mind would turn down a chance to raise the Titanic. 80 80 EXT. POTOMAC YACHT BASIN – NIGHT As men disembark and walk to their cars, we TRAVEL with Busby and Nicholson. BUSBY What do you think? NICHOLSON Like he said, I think it‟s a thousand-to-one shot. BUSBY Do you think that byzanium packs the wallop they say it does? NICHOLSON You heard what Seagram said. Fifty times more powerful then plutonium. BUSBY Dang it . . . you talk about an offensive weapon . . . NICHOLSON Seagram‟s not talking about offensive weapons. BUSBY (gives Nicholson a look) I know he‟s not. 81 81 EXT. SANDECKER‟S OFFICE BUILDING – DAY HIGH ANGLE. Pitt‟s car pulls into an outdoor parking lot beside the building. We DROP DOWN, MOVE IN, and recognize Pitt as he parks his car and gets out. 82 82 ANOTHER ANGLE As he walks toward the building we SEE a girl walking from the building into the parking lot. 83 83 SINGLE – DANA Swinging along. She sees something. Stops suddenly. 84 84 HER POV Pitt walking toward her. 85 85 TWO SHOT As he comes up to her. DANA I don‟t believe it. I mean . . . my God . . . where did you come from? PITT Santa Claus brought me. DANA (she‟s flustered) As you can see, nothing surprises me. I‟m cool and under control. PITT Come on. coffee. I‟ll buy you a cup of DANA I‟d love to but I can‟t. I‟m due at a press conference in . . . (she checks her watch) . . . Five minutes ago. I just dropped somebody off . . . PITT Gene Seagram . . . right? DANA Yes, but . . . PITT He‟s not good enough for you. DANA You never thought anybody was good enough for me. Not even you. PITT I was right. 86 86 ANOTHER ANGLE He walks her to her car. DANA How long is it? PITT Five years. Give or take a little. You look terrific. DANA So do you. I thought you left Washington. PITT I did. Several times. Now I‟m back. DANA Doing what? PITT Just killing time. Fooling around. DANA Don‟t give me that. You were going to fix the world. PITT They had me outnumbered. DANA Not you. I don‟t believe it. PITT You can believe it. They arrive at her car. 87 87 TIGHT TWO SHOT DANA How‟d you know about me and Gene? PITT I keep track of you. When you left the L.A. Times you went to Newsweek. Then you spent two You you‟re Big stuff. I‟m years at C.B.S. with the Star. Shooting down everybody. proud of you. They look at each other. Not saccharine. But still a personal moment. 88 88 HIGH ANGLE – PARKING LOT Her car pulls out. Pitt walks toward the building. 89 89 INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM – SOVIET EMBASSY – DAY Prevlov and Marganin study photos and maps on a table. PREVLOV It doesn‟t make sense. Our geologists are saying this mine has existed on the island Novaya for almost seventy years and there was no record of it in Moscow? of MARGANIN (he nods) They say it was an American adventure. A dead American soldier is buried in the mine. And all the mining equipment they found there was made in the United States. PREVLOV (he studies the report) Byzanium. I‟ve never heard of it. MARGANIN It‟s very rare. at all. Not well known No one has ever paid much attention to it. PREVLOV (after a beat) Except the Americans. 90 90 INT. SANDECKER‟S OFFICE – DAY Seagram is at the window. Pitt slumped down in a chair with his feet up. PITT I wouldn‟t peg you for a scientist, you know that? SEAGRAM What does that mean? PITT I mean to me you just don‟t look like a scientist. SEAGRAM What‟s a scientist supposed to look like? PITT I don‟t know. But if I saw you on the street I‟d say you were a pro tennis player. Or a guy who used to play first base in college. I mean I‟d never take you for a scientist. SEAGRAM That makes us even. I‟d never take you for a pirate. 90A 90A SINGLE ON PITT Reaction. Where in the world did that come from. SEAGRAM (O.S.) Here he comes . . . 90B 90B FULL SHOT FAVORING SEAGRAM AT WINDOW SEAGRAM That didn‟t take long. 91 91 EXT. DOWN SHOT – SEAGRAM‟S POV Sandecker is leaving the White House grounds and is heading for the office building. PITT (O.S.) It never takes long to say no. 92 92 INT. SANDECKER‟S OFFICE – FULL SHOT SEAGRAM It doesn‟t take long to say yes either. PITT Yeah. Well . . . we‟ll see. SEAGRAM (sits down across from Pitt) I guess you know how important this whole thing is to me. I just want you to know I appreciate . . . PITT Don‟t thank me. I‟m not doing I‟m a boat I‟ve been anybody any favors. freak, that‟s all. hung up on the Titanic since I was ten years old. The idea of finding her again and bringing her up again is a real turn-on. But once we get her floating, it‟s all up to you and Sandecker. I don‟t give a crap about the byzanium or your defense system. SEAGRAM I don‟t believe that. PITT Then don‟t believe it. I‟m not trying to sell you anything. SEAGRAM I know you‟re not. I‟m trying to The Sicilian sell you something. defense system is a . . . PITT You know something? are all alike. You dreamers I‟ve hard that song The words are a thousand times. always different but the music‟s the same. And it never turns out like it‟s Somebody invents supposed to. something to kill bugs and ten thousand cows die of cancer, a guy named Einstein figures out a new mathematical principle and a bunch of people in Japan get their faces burned off. Sandecker sends me to a Russian island to babysit a mining engineer named Koplin and I end up shooting a Russian soldier. SEAGRAM What‟s the connection? point? What‟s the PITT The point is . . . in this business things always get out of hand. They never turn out the way they‟re supposed to. Never. I guarantee it. 93 93 INT. CORRIDOR, SANDECKER‟S BUILDING Sandecker comes out of the elevator, walks to his office and enters. FOLLOW him through the outer office, past his secretary to his private office door. We 94 94 INT. SANDECKER‟S OFFICE The door opens. Sandecker enters and closes the door behind him. SANDECKER We‟re in business. 94A 94A TWO SHOT – PITT AND SEAGRAM They react to Sandecker‟s news. 95 95 OMITTED 96 96 EXT. NORFOLK NAVAL BASE – DAY HELICOPTER SHOT. We MOVE ALONG, SWEEP the SCENE, and we SEE the intricate structure and activity, the boats, dry docks, sheds and vehicles. activity. We STABILIZE OVER a Bustling with medium-sized hanger, ZOOM TO a SHOT of Pitt walking into the hanger. With him is MCPO VINNIE GIORDINO, a friend and Navy associate of Pitt. 97 97 INT. SUBMERSIBLE HANGER Maintenance and repair activity. One submersible, Turtle, is being given final checks by a five-man crew, the other, Sea Cliff, is being hoisted from floor to a wooden platform for loading aboard LSD, the Modoc. All this while Giordino and Pitt walk through. with an Ensign, looking over the whole scene. We SEE Seagram in b.g. GIORDINO What are we after this time? PITT Let‟s just say general exploration of the ocean floor. A routine maneuver of the National Underwater and Marine Agency. GIORDINO With all this hardware shaping up? Who are you kidding? PITT (he grins) That‟s my best story, Vinnie. the best I can do right now. looking for a derelict. I can tell you. It‟s We‟re That‟s all And I don‟t want the crews to know even that much. Not yet. 98 98 ANOTHER ANGLE As Giordino and Pitt watch the crane operation, in b.g. we SEE CAPT. JOE BURKE approaching. We MOVE IN to a THREE SHOT as he greets Pitt. scene. Three old buddies getting together. Seagram in b.g. This is a non-serious reunion BURKE They tell me you‟re the boss of this operation. PITT Not me. I‟m a civilian. You‟re the boss. We‟ve got it in writing. You know Master Chief Giordino, don‟t you? BURKE Only about fifteen years. you doing, Chief? How GIORDINO Good shape. How about you, Captain? BURKE Good. (nods towards Pitt) Did he tell you what he‟s after this time? GIORDINO (shakes his head) Not yet. Silent Sam. BURKE Good. I like it better that way. (turns to Pitt) I‟ll get us there and keep the coffee hot. And you and Giordino can handle the tricky stuff. We SEE Seagram approaching by himself. PITT What makes you think there‟s any tricky stuff? BURKE There has to be. Nobody hires you for your good looks. PITT (as Seagram comes up) This is Doctor Seagram. Sandecker‟s associate. Admiral This is Captain Burke and MCPO Giordino. They shake hands. SEAGRAM Good to meet you. This is a But great operation you have here. I think I can help to speed things up by making some of my information available to the Navy . . . 99 99 OMITTED 100 100 ANOTHER ANGLE We SEE Pitt and Burke exchange a look. SEAGRAM . . . and by feeding all of their navigational and meteorological data into my computer banks. 101 101 THREE SHOT SEAGRAM How does that sound, Captain Burke? BURKE Sounds interesting to me. SEAGRAM Good. As soon as you have your exact time of departure I‟d appreciate your passing that along to me. You can reach me through Admiral Sandecker‟s office. Another look at Pitt. BURKE Fine. Now, if you‟ll excuse me I‟ve got about three days work to do before lunch time. later, Dirk. See you He turns and walks off. Pitt turns to Seagram. PITT Let‟s get something straight. You have no authority here. This If is Captain Burke‟s operation. you have any brilliant ideas about tactics take them to Sandecker. SEAGRAM Who the heck do you think you‟re talking to? PITT I‟m talking to you. I took this One, that job on two conditions. I handle the salvage end of it my way, and two that you stay out of my hair. Try to remember that. SEAGRAM (shifts gears suddenly) If you‟re trying to get me sore, it won‟t work. too important. This project is PITT Good. Remember that, too. Pitt turns, goes back inside the submersible hanger. for a beat. Then he turns too and walks OUT OF SHOT. We STAY ON Seagram 102 102 INT. COMMAND CENTER, CINCLANT FLLET HEADQUARTERS – DAY Sandecker, Pitt, Seagram, Nicholson, Kemper, Busby, DR. SILVERSTEIN, two or three other scientists, Burke and Giordino. Pitt stands in front of huge map of Atlantic. Vice-Admiral and two Captains present. A PITT The Royal Mail Ship Titanic. Where is she and how do we get her up? That‟s what we‟re talking about. (he turns to the map and points) Here‟s her course. line. This red A southwest curve from And this is her Southampton. final position . . . (he marks it) . . . According to her last radio report that‟s where she sank. Latitude 41 degrees, 46 minutes north. Longitude 50 degrees, 15 That‟s our starting minutes west. point. That‟s where our task force will be heading. DR. SILVERSTEIN Didn‟t the two rescue ships report conflicting positions? PITT (points again) That‟s right. The Carpathia The Mount Temple pegged it here. right . . . here. Having marked all three positions he connects them in a triangular area. 103 103 EXTREME CLOSEUP – SEAGRAM He‟s watching. Listening. Subdued. Saying nothing. 104 104 FULL SHOT SANDECKER One way or the other, we‟re in the ballpark. PITT Maybe we are. Maybe we‟re not. It could turn out to be a damned big ballpark. We‟re talking More than about two miles down. that. At that level everything‟s The deep tides, the That hull a mystery. currents, everything. could be a couple of miles from where it sank. DR. SILVERSTEIN Or ten. PITT Let‟s hope not. Dr. Silverstein‟s people will be working full time with us on the location problem. Till they come up with something final we‟ll use the Titanic‟s final radioed position as a center. Our submersibles will work in concentric circles around that point. 105 105 ANOTHER ANGLE Admiral Sandecker stands up. SANDECKER Let me emphasize again the importance of security. Only those who need to know have been briefed on this operation. You will be operating under the direct control of the CNO through Cinclant Fleet. Captain Burke is in command of the task force and Captain Pitt will be the coordinator of the entire salvage operation. 106 106 SINGLE ON SEAGRAM The meeting breaks up as we PULL BACK TO WIDE SHOT. 107 107 INT. BUILDING CORRIDOR – NORFOLK TRAVELING SHOT. Pitt and Sandecker. SANDECKER All the stuff from the White Star Line came in. Engineering drawings and complete structural plans for the Titanic. PITT Good. How about the crew list. SANDECKER We‟ve got that too. maybe we lucked out. And I think One of the survivors is a man named Bigalow. He was a Junior 3rd officer assigned to cargo. England. And he‟s still living in Cornwall, I think they said. 108 108 & & 109 109 OMITTED 110 110 EXT. CORNWALL COASTLINE – HELICOPTER SHOT – TWO MEN No more then ant-like specks on a sea wall far below. 111 111 CLOSER DOLLY SHOT – PITT AND OLD, OLD MAN Walks slowly along the brow of the sea wall. Behind them b.g. is a village , as perfect as a toy town under a Christmas tree. On the crest of a hill is a lighthouse. In front of them, by a lane, a country pub. COMMODORE SIR JOHN BIGALOW is a seafaring relic of another era. not only his age that is remarkable; at eighty-seven he is as steady as a slab of rock. It is BIGALOW It‟s an odd thing, you know. I‟ve had a few ships shot out from under me. More than my share. Three in the 1917 fracas and two in the Battle of Britain. But all anybody every asks me about is the Titanic. PITT Now I‟m doing the same thing. BIGALOW So you are. And you‟re lucky you Like I came to the right man. said it was cargo hold number nine. „D‟ deck on the port side. PITT (writes it down) You‟re sure of that location? BIGALOW No question about it. We all saw that vault when it was loaded aboard. And we saw the passenger who owned it . . . we weren‟t likely to forget him. fox. A bush beard and eyes like a Even if he hadn‟t put a gun on me the way he did, I remember him all right. PITT The gun business . . . You say that happened when the Titanic was already going down? BIGALOW (nods) Lifeboats in the water. People scrambling about like squirrels. It was a tragic scene. No question about it. I was on my way up to the boat deck to help out there when this daft little man comes up and shoves a pistol in my face. Wanted to go to cargo hold number nine. Where the vault was stored. And if I wouldn‟t take him, he‟d shoot me in my tracks. said. That‟s what he I was a young buck then, anxious to live as long as I could, so I took him. As it turned out, number nine was the only hold that wasn‟t already flooded. Once he got in there and posted what he was looking for, he was happy. I‟ll never forget the look on his face. It stayed with me all these years. When I have nightmares about that lovely ship going down, I see only one thing. the gun. That crazy old man with 111A ANOTHER ANGLE 111A As they approach the front door of the pub, the Hard and Hound. PITT You say that‟s the last time you saw him . . . there in the hold? BIGALOW That‟s right. He wouldn‟t leave. He went up to that vault of his, a huge thing, eight feet square, and stroked it like it was a dog, muttering to himself like a crazy man. PITT What did he say? BIGALOW The same thing. Over and over. „Thank God for Southby,‟ he said. „Thank God for Southby.‟ Reaction from Pitt. That same phrase again. They enter the pub. 112 112 INT. PUB Dim-lighted. Brass and leather and dark wood. sanctuary. Business is light. Two old men play dominoes in one corner. reading a newspaper. A drayman A warm and cozy well-used In another corner a man is stands at one end of the bard with a pint of stout. is SARAH MARTINDALE, 55, plump and cheerful. All things to all men. still living it. And behind the bar She‟s had a good life and she‟s SARAH (sees Bigalow) Here he is then! Late but willing. Is I‟d just about given up on you. it whiskey today or a nice pint of bitter? 112A MED. SHOT 112A Bigalow and Pitt come up to the bar. BIGALOW (to Pitt) This is Sarah Martindale, a woman of substance. heart. (going on) And this is Captain Pitt, a retired seafaring man like myself. Beauty and a warm Sarah reaches across the bar. over. Shakes Pitt‟s hand. Gives him the once- SARAH Retired mighty early, it appears to me. BIGALOW Keep your hands off him, Sarah, and give us a pint. Full measure, now, and with a collar on it. (beat) Sarah talks big but the fact is she‟s frightened silly of men . . . 112B EXTREME CLOSEUP – SARAH 112B She‟s beaming. Taking it all in. As she draws lager into china mugs. Bigalow‟s has his name and crest on it. BIGALOW (O.S.) The fact is, those of us who know her best suspect she‟s still a maiden. SARAH Oh, my goodness. The man‟s gone off. 112C ANOTHER ANGLE 112C She sets the mugs in front of them. Bigalow takes a long swig, then moves around to the back of the bar. We GO WITH him. itself. Sarah goes off to the kitchen which is behind the bar BIGALOW (points to articles displayed on the wall behind the bar) This is my Titanic collection. All that‟s left of her except the memories. 112CC THE WALL 112CC We SEE a painting of the Titanic, framed photographs and newspaper clippings, and a red pennant in a glass case. BIGALOW (O.S.) What a lovely thing she was. Standing as high in the water as a tall building . . . 112CCC SINGLE ON BIGALOW 112CCC BIGALOW . . . longer by far than two rugby fields. And furnishings to match the finest mansions in England. She was one of a kind. of it. No question And God himself couldn‟t sink her, they said. (takes a drink from his mug) Then in two hours she was gone. And more than fifteen hundred people with her. Bigalow reaches up to the back of the bar and takes the red pennant out of a glass-front display case, turns to Pitt and places the pennant on the bar. For Pitt‟s ears only. Bigalow lowers his voice. BIGALOW (continuing) I took this pennant off her that last night. If you manage to bring her up again, maybe you‟ll put it back where it belongs. 112D EXT. FIELDS – HIGH ANGLE – DAY 112D Pitt and Bigalow walk down the slope toward the car. PITT This is great country. Wide open. It‟s like being on a ship. 112E TRAVELLING TWO SHOT 112E BIGALOW That‟s why I picked it. I spent most of my life on the water. Couldn‟t just give it up and turn myself out to pasture. PITT Do you ever get lonesome, living here by yourself? BIGALOW Course I do. got over it. But it passes. God help any man I that can‟t survive by himself. All of us end up in a single bed sooner or later. 112F OMITTED 112F & & 112G 112G 113 113 EXT. UNDERWATER – DAY Deep under the Atlantic. We EXPLORE the underwater world. cigar-shaped craft eases INTO Then, a PICTURE. The Deep Quest, the Navy‟s newest deep-sea submersible for observation and marine research, intricate electronic and communications equipment, a four-man crew. At present, MUNK, MERKER AND WOODSON are at Central Station, a computer panel just under a glass-viewing screen, revealing a spotlighted ocean floor. WILLIS in aft sphere. 114 114 INT. DEEP QUEST MERKER What‟s out depth? MUNK Twelve thousand four hundred twenty . . . MERKER Six thousand pounds to the square inch. One of these day that water‟s gonna mash us like bugs. WOODSON What are you complaining about? been a lot deeper than this. We‟ve MUNK Fifteen thousand two hundred and eighty. That was before your time. MERKER Yea, I know what the stats say, but we all have a right to complain – cruising around down here in this tin can. Looking for what? WOODSON Looking for whatever is down here, it says. MERKER I‟m so punchy I can‟t hit the ground with my hat. Another week in this thing and I‟ll be talking to the potted plants. MUNK We don‟t have any potted plants. MERKER You got the picture. A signal light flashes. Woodson flips the switch. WILLIS (into mike) Yes, sir . . . Yes, sir . . . Roger . . . Out. (cuts off U.Q.C.; turns to Merker) Hate to spoil your fun, but we‟re going upstairs. Pitt‟s coming in. MUNK Good. Maybe we‟ll find out what we‟re looking for. MERKER Don‟t count on it. 115 115 EXT. UNDERWATER -- DAY Deep Quest noses up toward the surface. 116 116 EXT. OCEAN – DAY As the Deep Quest breaks the surface we BACK and UP and TAKE IN the entire flotilla. A destroyer, the McNaughton, and L.S.D., the Modoc, and L.S.T., the Capricorn, and other service vessels. And lying to, off by itself, a Russian ship. Black. Flying Soviet flag. helicopter angle in and land on the deck of the Modoc. We SEE 117 117 EXT. DECK, MODOC – DAY SHOOTING from CATWALK ACROSS the well deck we SEE Pitt exit the helicopter on a chopper aft. Capt. Burke meets him. As they talk, we ZOOM TO TWO SHOT. PITT Anything happening down there? BURKE Nothing so far. 118 118 ANOTHER ANGLE They move forward toward officers‟ quarters. starboard, Burke indicates the Soviet ship. We TRAVEL WITH them. OFF BURKE We have a visitor. notice? Did you PITT Yeah. I spotted the Russian flag They didn‟t when I was coming in. waste any time, did they? BURKE One of their trawlers followed us right out of Norfolk. And that turkey showed up two days after we got there. PITT Looks like a marine research ship. That means they only have half a dozen gun crews on board. BURKE They‟re just nosing around. don‟t know what we‟re after. They PITT Not yet maybe. But they will. 119 119 INT. SOVIET EMBASSY, WASHINGTON – DAY Prevlov and Marganin are in the communications room. PREVLOV Sandecker is the key. He must be. His agency sent the research ship to Novaya. And his name is linked to the Sicilian Project. MARGANIN And he was in Norfolk. that. We know For more than a week before those ships left for the North Atlantic. PREVLOV But what about Mr. Seagram? about him? What Where does a laser scientist fit into the picture? And what are those salvage ships after in the North Atlantic? (after a beat, thoughtful) A fascinating puzzle. And I promise you the missing piece will turn out to be the most fascinating of all. 119A EXT. UNDERWATER – DAY 119A We SEE Deep Quest sliding along. Searching. 120 120 thru thru 122 122 OMITTED 123 123 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – PENTAGON Seagram is on the phone. Silverstein and Sandecker are with him. SEAGRAM That‟s the new position. triple-checked it. We‟ve Dr. Silverstein‟s If you sure he‟s got it right now. proceed to that point . . PITT (V.O.) (filter) We are there, dang it! That‟s what I‟m trying to tell you . . . 124 124 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – MODOC Pitt is on the phone. explorations to date. In b.g., we SEE a grid with a record of their Burke and Giordino are there too. PITT We‟re dead-center on that position and we‟ve been here for six days. There‟s nothing down there but rocks and a million blind fish. 124A INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – PENTAGON 124A Seagram hands the phone to Sandecker. SEAGRAM He wants to talk to you. SANDECKER (into the phone) Dirk, I‟m just as frustrated as you are. We‟re going full-steam on this thing but we just haven‟t come up with the answer yet. 124B INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – MODOC 124B PITT (into the phone) You‟ve got to shake those guys up, Jim. data. Get them to re-work the Re-think the whole darn We‟ve been out here problem. for more than three weeks and we‟re not making a dime. I‟ve got a crew of men working their butts off and it‟s all for nothing unless we can get some help from you people in Washington. 125 125 EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. – DAY Nicholson and Sandecker in Lafayette Park. SANDECKER Are you asking me or telling me? NICHOLSON Neither one. It‟s already been cleared between my director and the Oval Office. Now you and I have to work out the details. SANDECKER I can‟t believe the President passed on this thing. NICHOLSON Look, Jim . . . I know how important the Sicilian Project is. But that‟s somewhere in the future. This is now. Today. It‟s real You won‟t keep and it‟s pressing. the KGB in the dark for long no matter what you do. So we might as well kill two birds with one stone. SANDECKER The Sicilian Project. your gonna kill. That‟s what NICHOLSON I don‟t think so. But it‟s a If this chance we have to take. works we‟ll have leverage in the Soviet Union that we‟ve never been close to before. It‟s a chance to penetrate the Kremlin at the very top level. SANDECKER I think it stinks. 126 126 EXT. UNDERWATER – DAY Starfish submersible very deep. Going deeper. 127 127 INT. STARFISH – THE CREW At the controls is Gunther. Beck peers at the depth gauge and the magnetometer. Northacker is at the sonar. GUNTER Here goes nothing. How we going? BECK (at the depth gauge) Twelve thousand two hundred. systems functioning. All NORTHACKER My system‟s not functioning. fell like a guinea pig. I If they want to k now how deep this thing will go they should send down the guys who designed it. BECK You‟re getting five meals a day. What more do you want? NORTHACKER A lot more. By the time I see a woman again I‟ll need a diagram to get a kiss. Suddenly a high, shrill HISS pierces the submersible. like a pressurized burst from a fire hose, spurts across the compartment. starts to flood. A spray of water, The compartment Great force. 128 128 ANOTHER ANGLE – CREW The men gag, cough, splutter, try to find the source of the leak. 129 129 EXT. UNDERWATER – STARFISH Unstable and erratic in its descent. 130 130 EXT. BRIDGE OF LSD – BURKE AND PITT At the Captain‟s elbow the INTERCOM SOUNDS. BURKE (picking up the transceiver) Bridge. Captain Burke. WATCH OFFICER (V.O.) (on the intercom) Captain, this is sonar. We‟re getting strange noises from the Starfish. And a weak signal on the underwater telephone. BURKE Keep trying. (slams down the phone and turns to Pitt) Starfish is in trouble. 131 131 INT. STARFISH – CREW Noise, fog and smoke. Water spray shorts out the equipment. is just above the deck plates. The water Beck cries out like an animal in a trap. Northacker strains toward the control panel. The water creeps higher. Gunther‟s hands grope toward the underwater telephone. GUNTHER (into the phone without preliminaries) This is Starfish. Trying to surface. We‟re flooding. 132 132 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – MODOC – PITT At the phone, Giordino to one side, Burke on the other. PITT (into the phone) Have you released your batter pod? 133 133 INT. STARFISH – BACK TO GUNTHER In b.g. Northacker fights to reach the release switches. GUNTHER We‟re trying to. Suddenly the phone is shorted out by a spray of water. through the mist at Northacker. He squints 134 134 CLOSER SHOT – NORTHACKER He is still groping for the battery release switches. shakes his head and keeps trying. He exhales hard, 135 135 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – MODOC – PITT, BURKE AND GIORDINO PITT We‟ve lost contact. Turtle? Where‟s the GIORDINO In the water. feet. Eleven thousand Heading for the Starfish position. PITT Good. ready. Let‟s get some divers Giordino hurries out of Communications Center. 136 136 INT. STARFISH – NORTHACKER Northacker‟s hand fumbles across the console. trips the switch. A LOUD CLICK as the battery pod releases. He find the button and 137 137 EXT. OCEAN DEEP – STARFISH We SEE the batteries release and drop clear. hangs motionless. Slowly it begins to rise. For a moment the Starfish Then it angles sharply and starts to sink again. 138 138 INT. STARFISH – CREW NORTHACKER Oh God . . . what happened? GUNTHER We took in too much water. the panic switch. sphere. Hit Release the The compartment is filling with mist and smoke. control panel, probing for the switch. Beck reaches behind the 139 139 INSERT – PENETRATOR Water is pouring through the broken pipe. the emergency switch. Beck‟s fingers is reaching for GUNTHER (O.S.) Release the darn thing! 140 140 BACK TO BECK He takes a deep breath and extends his arms and probes for the emergency switch. He can‟t reach it. He sags, gasping for air. BECK (weak) I can‟t. I can‟t reach it. 141 141 EXT. WELL DECK – LSD – DIVERS In wet suits, spilling into the water. out over the sea. In b.g. the ship‟s crane swings 142 142 EXT. UNDERWATER – STARFISH Relentlessly descending. The ocean goes from deep blue to violent to black. The Starfish sinks now like a dead thing. 143 ANOTHER ANGLE – UNDERWATER – THE TURTLE 143 Approaches the Starfish, stays with it as it sinks. 144 144 INT. TURTLE SPENCE, DRUMMER and KLINK, their faces are glued to the viewports. 144A THEIR POV – EXT. UNDERWATER – THE STARFISH 144A Suddenly it implodes. 144B INT. TURTLE 144B SPENCE (a hoarse whisper) Oh God . . . no . . . KLINK Dear God . . . why? Klink picks up the phone. 145 145 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – MODOC Pitt, Burke, Giordino Pitt is on the telephone. PITT Yeah, Klink. Yeah . . . come on up. He hangs up the phone in deep shock. DISSOLVE TO: 146 146 INT. PITT‟S STATEROOM – DAY Pitt and Giordino. on a shirt. Pitt has showered and changed clothes. He‟s putting GIORDINO How are you doing? PITT I guess I‟ve felt worse but I don‟t know when. How about you? GIORDINO Rubber knees. I‟ve been working with those three guys for almost ten years. PITT Every time you loose somebody you say you don‟t let it get to you. But it get to you all the same. (he starts throwing clothes in a bag) The only thing I ever hated about sea duty. When stuff like this happens and you want to stick your head into the sand, you can‟t do it. GIORDINO (He indicates Pitt‟s bag) Where are you going? PITT Washington. DISSOLVE TO: 147 147 OMITTED 147A EXT. ROCKWELL ANECHOIC SONAR TEST POOL 147A Sandecker, Pitt, Seagram and Dr. Silverstein are there. PITT Don‟t give me that. I‟ve heard that story a dozen times. SEAGRAM This is different. Dr. Silverstein and I spent all last night reworking the data . . . PITT While your screwing around here with your computers, fives weeks have gone by and we‟re no better off than we were at the beginning. I‟ve got men risking their lives two miles under water. them are dead already. Three of SANDECKER They think they‟ve got the answer now, Dirk. Seagram walks to a huge monitor screen. SEAGRAM This new projection is based on the theory that all the reported positions were slightly off. And most important, we had failed to take into account the smokestack that cracked off as the Titanic went down. 147B EXTREME CLOSEUP – PITT 147B He‟s listening. The part about the smokestack registers with him. 148 148 FULL SHOT – MASS OF WATER A vast, opaque liquid was as far as the eye can see. SCREEN a great ship appears, From the TOP OF THE tumbling downward down and down. It is the Titanic minus her funnel, sinking slowly like an exhausted beast. And then the figure of a diver, gigantic in contrast with the ship, swims slowly after the Titanic. As it noses against the bottom, he marks the spot where it touches down. SEAGRAM (O.S.) This scale model of the Titanic is perfectly weighted and balanced. In exact proportion. In two hundred experiments the trajectory of descent didn‟t vary by more than one-tenth of one degree . . . and it landed exactly where your submersibles have been looking. 149 149 FULL SHOT – LAB – FAVORING SEAGRAM SEAGRAM Then we tried it without the smokestack and everything changed. We hit a completely different spot. Four hundred times we repeated the process and every time we landed within inches of the same spot. SILVERSTEIN Every single time. SEAGRAM As we read it the Titanic is almost ten miles southeast of where we‟ve been looking. PITT Ten miles? SEAGRAM That‟s right. SANDECKER Man . . . we couldn‟t be that far off. PITT (studies the ship in the tank) Maybe we could. That missing smokestack could make a heck of a difference. SEAGRAM I think we should move the entire salvage operation to this new location. That‟s our recommendation. SANDECKER It‟s not that easy, Gene. We can‟t just leapfrog over ten miles of ocean. For all we know the Titanic could be dead-center in the area we‟re bypassing. PITT (making a decision) That‟s right. But if it is, we‟ll work our way back and find it. (beat) I think we have to take the gamble and see what we come up with. can‟t do worse than we‟ve been doing. We SEAGRAM (to Pitt) I‟m sure I‟m right about this new position. money. This time we‟re on the PITT You‟d better be. A few more weeks underwater and those submersible crews will come after you with a harpoon. 150 150 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR We SEE the submersibles. the Sea Cliff. First, the Deep Quest, then the Turtle, then 151 151 INT. TURTLE – CONTROL AREA We SEE Giordino, DRUMMER and SPENCE. instruments and the oceanscape Full concentration on their outside. Giordino is at the controls and is looking through one port. Drummer is at the second port. Spence is on the sonar. SPENCE I think we‟re spinning our wheels. I mean if you ask me we‟re up a creek without a paddle. GIORDINO Stay loose. If you tighten up you‟ll never hit a curve ball. Check your lights. first. Starboard 151A EXT. UNDERWATER 151A As we HEAR Spence do the drill we SEE four starboard lights, one at a time, switch off, then back on. SPENCE (V.O.) One . . . okay. okay. Two . . . okay. Three . . . Four . . . okay. 151B INT. TURTLE 151B DRUMMER (to Giordino) I think Spence is right. shootin‟ blanks down here. We‟re SPENCE Five weeks we spend in one spot checking out the ocean floor with a magnifying glass. Then all of a sudden . . . boom, we pick up and move to a whole new location. GIORDINO So what? Check port lights. DRUMMER So it looks to me like we got a dingbat in the chart room. Somebody lost his compass. 151C EXT. UNDERWATER 151C Light drill again. SPENCE (V.O.) Five . . . okay . . . Six . . . In the black silence there is a sudden DEAFENING ROAR. of electric blue light silhouettes Sea Cliff against the dark of the ocean. A blinding flash SPENCE (V.O.) (staying cool; into the phone) Control . . . Turtle to Control . . . 152 152 INT. C.I.C. ROOM – MODOC – BURK, MERKER AND PERSONNEL SPENCE (V.O.) . . . the pressure just ate one of our lights . . . We‟re checking for further damage . . . Burke and Merker exchange a look. 153 153 INT. TURTLE – GIORDINO With the eyes of the crew upon him. A beat, then: GIORDINO Let‟s take her up. SPENCE (into the phone) Control. This is Turtle. Request permission to surface. 154 154 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR FULL SHOT. The Turtle stops forward motion in preparation for ascent. Suddenly . . . a sharp, persistent BUZZER SOUND. 155 155 INT. TURTLE The BUZZING CONTINUES. GIORDINO What‟s that? DRUMMER We passed over something metallic. The scanner picked it up. GIORDINO Stay on it. Get us a fix. SPENCE Let‟s go aft. Just ease it back. 156 156 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR Turtle moves slowly backward. penetrating. The BUZZING SOUND gets more intense and DRUMMER (V.O.) We‟re on it. It‟s just below us. GIORDINO (V.O.) Roger. We‟ll hover right here. Drummer, stay on the magnetometer. Spence, sing out if you see something. 157 157 INT. TURTLE In the area below the control pocket, we SEE Spence looking out the starboard viewport. Giordino energizes the grapplers. 158 158 EXT. TURTLE We SEE two claw-like mechanical arms come out, flexing their pincers. GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) You see anything? SPENCE (V.O.) (filter) Not yet. 159 159 INT. TURTLE TV screens. DRUMMER All three men are staring through the glass or checking the Searching. From the sound we‟re getting it must be in those rocks. SPENCE Wait a minute . . . GIORDINO You spot something? SPENCE I think so. At three o‟clock. See that funny shape there? Looks like something wedged between two rocks. GIORDINO Yeah. It looks like . . . what the heck is it? DRUMMER Looks like some kind of a bell. 160 160 THEIR POV We SEE, vaguely, the object they‟re talking about. GIORDINO (O.S.) A bell? SPENCE (O.S.) That‟s what it looks like. GIORDINO Drummer . . . you see it? 161 161 INT. TURTLE – TWO SHOT – DRUMMER AND SPENCE DRUMMER Yeah. We‟re on it. Get us a little closer. 162 162 EXT. TURTLE It eases forward. The two arms are trying to pick up the object. dislodge it. It falls over the flat and into the silt. They GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) Come on, come on. 163 163 INT. TURTLE Giordino is operating the grappling arms. DRUMMER Can you get it? GIORDINO (V.O.) Just about . . . 164 164 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR The arm is trying to pick up the crusted, barnacled object. SPENCE (V.O.) . . . there you are. You got it! 165 165 INT. TURTLE LOOKING THROUGH THE GLASS we SEE the hooked pulled object in through an opening into a partially-enclosed, porch-like storage area, forward on the Turtle. GIORDINO (V.O.) What is it? DRUMMER (V.O.) Darned if I know. I don‟t know what. a horn. Looks like . . . Looks like DISSOLVE TO: 166 166 INT. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY – DAY Mezzanine of a vast central hall. Sandecker, TRAVEL with them. We PICK UP Pitt, Seagram and Down a Through vaulted doorways on either side we SEE displays. corridor, our men climb a circular staircase. We go to a doorway. DR. J.M. VOGEL, Curator, on the door. DISSOLVE TO: 167 167 OMITTED 168 168 INT. VOGEL‟S OFFICE LAB – SINGLE ON VOGEL‟S BACK – DAY He Reaches into a vat, takes something out of it and begins to wipe it dry with a towel. As he turns to the CAMERA we SEE he‟s holding a trumpet, golden and gleaming. bit of an eccentric and a dramatic fellow. Vogel is a VOGEL Ah, but it‟s not just a horn. It‟s not just a trumpet. a very special and unique instrument . . . It‟s We PULL BACK and take in Vogel, Pitt, Sandecker and Seagram. office is a smallish crowded working-place with a few great big windows on one wall. Vogel‟s VOGEL (continuing) . . . crafted by a master, beautifully tooled and engraved. 169 169 ANOTHER ANGLE VOGEL Also, as you can see, it‟s a presentation model . . . (he reads) „Presented to Graham Farley by the grateful management of the White Star Line.‟ 170 170 EXTREME CLOSEUP – PITT‟S REACTION SANDECKER (O.S.) How long do you think it was underwater? 171 171 FULL SHOT VOGEL I can tell you to the day. I checked with the White Star Line this morning. They went through all their shipping records. Graham Farley was a musician for three years on a ship called the Olympic . . . and then on the Titanic. He was the trumpet player in the Titanic‟s orchestra. PITT (after a beat) Are you sure of that? VOGEL (doing his number) No question. It‟s all documented. When the lifeboats were filling up and being lowered, when that magnificent ship was slowly sinking beneath the waves, when the orchestra was playing one final selection, this trumpet may have made the last sound that many of those passengers ever heard. SANDECKER (after a beat) That means we‟re looking in the right place. getting close. At least we‟re SEAGRAM It also means the Titanic must be in excellent condition . . . PITT Wait a minute. Before we start breaking out the champagne . . . SEAGRAM If this trumpet is any indication . . . PITT We‟re not looking for trumpets. We‟re looking for a ship that‟s nine hundred feet long. still can‟t find it. the Titanic first. And we Let‟s locate Then we can start patting ourselves on the back. Seagram gives him a look. Screw you, Captain Bligh. 172 172 OMITTED 173 173 EXT. ANDREWS FIELD, WASHINGTON – NIGHT It‟s raining again. SEAGRAM(V.O.) I don‟t believe it. find out? How did they 174 174 INT. TERMINAL Sandecker, Pitt and Seagram stand just inside the departure gate. THROUGH the GLASS we SEE a Navy A-3/C-1A waiting. SANDECKER I don‟t know. All Nicholson told me is what I‟m telling you. The Russians know about the Sicilian Project. just the start. And that‟s Nicholson wants to feed them more information as we go along. PITT About what? SANDECKER About the project. SEAGRAM Dear God . . . he can‟t do that. SANDECKER Yes, he can. He‟s already got White House approval. SEAGRAM Wait a minute. You mean false information. SANDECKER No. Straight poop. SEAGRAM How the heck can we . . . PITT There‟s no use getting steamed up. This stuff happens all the You give them the facts on time. something secret and from then on they swallow anything you leak. For a while at least. SEAGRAM You mean they‟re willing to jeopardize this whole project . . . PITT Tell him, Jim. SANDECKER Nicholson‟s people have their own fish to fry. They‟ll shoot down anything to get a keyhole into the Kremlin. SEAGRAM But what about the President? thought he was on our side. I 174A ANOTHER ANGLE 174A In b.g. we SEE an ENSIGN approaching. SANDECKER He didn‟t give Nicholson a blank check. He promised me he would only approve harmless information, facts the KGB would be likely to get from some other source. The President‟s on our side, Gene. SEAGRAM Can you guarantee that? SANDECKER No. I believe it. But I can‟t guarantee anything. 174B SINGLE ON ENSIGN 174B The Ensign, fresh out of Annapolis, stiff and proper, walks up and salutes. ENSIGN (to Sandecker) The aircraft is ready for take-off, sir. Estimated flight time to the carrier U.S.S. Garfield, four hours and twenty-seven minutes. Helicopter standing by there to transport you to the Salvage Group. 175 175 EXT. AIR TERMINAL, ANDREWS Rain is lighter now. Seagram and Pitt walk to the plane. SEAGRAM I feel like somebody hit me in the knees with a club. PITT It won‟t be the last time. SEAGRAM What the heck does that mean? PITT Just what it sounds like. You can plan and scheme all you want to. But other people have plans Like I told you, of their own. it always turns out different than it started. 176 176 INT. SOVIET EMBASSY, WASHINGTON – NIGHT We‟re in Ambassador Antonov‟s office. POLEVOI of the KGB, and Admiral SLOYUK. Also there are Prevlov, Marganin, Antonov closes the folder on his desk and looks up. ANTONOV Very disturbing. Are these sources totally reliable? PREVLOV Absolutely. SLOYUK Is such a defense system possible? POLEVOI We have put that question to our military scientists in Moscow. They say it is feasible. But it would take a very strong power source. ANTONOV And you say that power source lies in the cargo hold of the Titanic? PREVLOV All signs point to that. We‟re sure of it. SLOYUK But can they do it? Can they bring the ship to the surface? PREVLOV It seems impossible. think they can. We don‟t ANTONOV (after a beat) What if they do? PREVLOV Then we‟ll have to deal with it. 177 177 EXT. NORTH ATLANTIC – WIDE SHOT – DAY Just after dawn. Mist. And a great, craggy wall of looming icebergs. Mysterious and ghost-like. We PAN ACROSS SLOWLY. PITT (V.O.) (filter) Downstairs there at nine o‟clock is what they call the graveyard of the icebergs . . . We TILT UP SLOWLY. And SEE a Navy helicopter flying southwest from the carrier Garfield, which is holding just off St. John‟s, Newfoundland. PITT (V.O.) (continuing) . . . they float down this way till they hit the warm currents . . . 178 178 INT. HELICOPTER The pilot is in the f.g. Behind him in the cabin are Pitt and Seagram. Seagram is looking out a window while Pitt is reading. PITT . . . then they‟re done for. just curl up and die. They Pitt opens a book and starts leafing through it. 179 179 SINGLE – SEAGRAM Looking down. 180 180 EXT. NORTH ATLANTIC – SEAGRAM‟S POV THOUGH CHOPPER WINDOW – DOWN SHOT Of the great white mass of icebergs shoving up through the mist. 181 181 ANOTHER ANGLE – HELICOPTER – AIR-TO-AIR Still HOLDING the icebergs in the b.g. 182 182 INT. CABIN Seagram turns from the window and looks at Pitt. buried in a book. Seagram stares at him till he looks up. Silence. Pitt is SEAGRAM (he‟s been waiting a long time to say this) You know Dana Archibald, don‟t you? PITT (matter of fact) Yeah, I do. 183 183 ANOTHER ANGLE – TWO SHOT SEAGRAM (after a beat) It‟s funny you never said anything about knowing her. PITT (he looks up) Why would I do that? SEAGRAM I don‟t know. It just seems funny that you wouldn‟t. 184 184 EXT. HELICOPTER IN FLIGHT – AIR-TO-AIR SHOOTING AHEAD and DOWN we SEE the salvage flotilla in the distance. 185 185 EXT. OCEAN SURFACE – DAY SERIES OF SHOTS of the salvage operation. on the Modoc. Submersibles rising and descending. Action above and below decks We SEE Seagram observing. 186 186 EXT. FLYING BRIDGE, MODOC – NIGHT Pitt, Burke and Giordino are there. Squawk box come alive. CROSS (V.O.) We‟re picking up that interference again on VHF. BURKE Are you taping it? CROSS (V.O.) Yes, sir. But there‟s not much Sounds like pattern to it. static. But it‟s only on one frequency. BURKE Keep after it. when it stops. Get back to me CROSS (V.O.) Yes, sir. PITT (to Burke) What‟s that all about? BURKE Some strange interference we‟ve been picking up late at night The Capricorn and the McNaughton are hearing it too. loud as we do. But not as So far it‟s got us buffaloed. But we‟ll track it down. 187 187 OMITTED 188 188 EXTREME CLOSEUP – PITT Listening and thoughtful. 189 189 EXT. DECK We PROWL to the stern on a deserted deck. fantail a man stands smoking a cigarette and facing the ocean. CLOSE SHOT on his right hand. At the starboard rail on the We PUSH IN to a His back is to us. It rest on the metal railing. He holds a small box, like a pocket calculator. His finger moves quickly from one button to another. the Russian ship three hundred yards off. lighted porthole. EASING BACK SLIGHTLY, HOLDING man in f.g., we SEE This is the Mikhail Kurkov. We ZOOM to a 190 190 INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM, MIKHAIL KURKOV A Russian officer sits beside a sophisticated listening device. up and intensifies the pattern of It picks electronic signals. And just beside the device, a tape recorder spins slowly recording it all. 191 191 INT. DEEP QUEST – DAY Pitt, Bohannon, Munk are in the forward sphere. Merker is in the aft. BOHANNON (on U.Q.C.) They‟re going crazy on the Sea Cliff. They found something. PITT What? BOHANNON They can‟t tell. They‟re getting a big bounce on the sonar. 192 192 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR – SEA CLIFF PITT (V.O.) (filter) Sea Cliff . . . this is Pitt. What‟s up? 193 193 INT. SEA CLIFF – GIORDINO, STARKS, ISBELL GIORDINO This is Sea Cliff . . . I think we‟re smelling something. The metal detector‟s going bananas. 194 194 INT. DEEP QUEST PITT Good. Stay on it. We‟re coming after you. 195 195 UNDERWATER – DAY Deep Quest is descending with all her spotlights blazing. 196 196 INT. DEEP QUEST, FORWARD SPHERE – PITT, BOHANNON, MUNK Intent on the ocean. 197 197 THEIR POV – THE OCEAN A long sequence. Silent. submersibles move ahead. Descending, we SPOT the Sea Cliff. The two They‟re in U.Q.C. communication. PITT (V.O.) (filter) Sea Cliff. This is Deep Quest. At nine We have you in sight. o‟clock. GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) This is Sea Cliff. Roger. Do you have sonar contact? PITT (V.O.) (filter) Roger. Coming in strong. And getting stronger. (beat) There we are. dead ahead. There‟s something 198 198 OCEAN FLOOR – A QUICK SHOT OF SMOKESTACK Not identifiable. 199 199 INT. DEEP QUEST – PITT, BOHANNON, MUNK, MERKER At the control and straining to see through the viewport. PITT Can you make it out? BOHANNON Whatever it is, its got ten layers of barnacles on it. 200 200 POV – SUBMERSIBLE CREW 201 201 CLOSER ANGLE ON SMOKESTACK GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) It‟s hollow. cylinder . . . It‟s like a MUNK (V.O.) He‟s right. some kind. It‟s a big pipe of PITT (V.O.) It‟s a smokestack, for Pete‟s sake! BOHANNON (V.O.) (filter; excited) It‟s a smokestack! 202 202 INT. DEEP QUEST PITT Bull‟s-eye. Looks like Seagram was right for once. He pushes a button on the panel. PITT (continuing) Control . . . this is Deep Quest . . . We just spotted a smoke stack. Mark this position. 203 203 EXT. OCEAN BOTTOM – HIGH ANGLE We SEE the two submersibles moving ahead. common path. They slowly converge on a 204 204 INT. SEA CLIFF GIORDINO (into the U.Q.C.) Deep Quest . . . this is Sea Cliff. We‟ve passed over the smokestack. It‟s behind us. And we‟re still getting high readings on the metal detector. PITT (filter) Roger. Same here. There‟s Something up ahead. 205 205 EXT. OCEAN BOTTOM – ANGLE ON THE SEA CLIFF We PAN ACROSS and PICK UP the Deep Quest. 206 206 INT. DEEP QUEST – TWO SHOT – PITT AND BOHANNON Straining their eyes. PITT What do you see? BOHANNON Nothing. How about you? PITT Zip. 207 207 EXT. SEA CLIFF 208 208 INT. SEA CLIFF – GIORDINO, STARKS, ISBELL PITT (V.O.) (filter) Sea Cliff, this is Deep Quest. Anything over there? GIORDINO This is Sea Cliff. Negative. PITT (V.O.) (filter) This is Deep Quest. Eyes peeled. Course. Keep you We‟ll change Ten degrees to port. 209 209 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR – HIGH ANGLE We SEE the Deep Quest ease off to the left. IT. And we STAY WITH 210 210 INT. DEEP QUEST BOHANNON We‟re getting a strong echo now on the sonar. dead ahead. Something big, PITT (to Munk) How about the metal detector? MUNK Big news. PITT (presses U.Q.C. button) Sea Cliff, this is Deep Quest. What have you got? GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) This is Sea Cliff. Can‟t tell. Looks like a tank of some kind. 211 211 EXT. SEA CLIFF Moving ahead. 212 212 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR We‟re CLOSE on a ship‟s boiler. Upside down in the silt. GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) It‟s a boiler. boiler! It‟s a ship‟s 212A INT. DEEP QUEST 212A BOHANNON What do you think? PITT Maybe we‟re gonna get lucky. Let‟s stay on course. (to Munk) What about the metal detector? MUNK Still picking up the boiler down below. Nothing up ahead. MERKER (from aft sphere) Same story on sonar. 212B EXT. OCEAN BOTTOM 212B We SEE the Deep Quest and Sea Cliff. PITT (V.O.) Sea Cliff . . . this is Deep Quest. Anything rattling over there? GIORDINO (V.O.) Negative, Deep Quest. instruments clear. All 212C INT. DEEP QUEST 212C PITT What do you make of that? BOHANNON Same old story. We‟re picking up apples but we can‟t find the tree. 212D EXT. OCEAN – DAY 212D Flotilla lying to. PITT (V.O.) Control. This is Deep Quest. Looks like we lost the rabbit . . . 212E INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC 212E Burke is there, and technicians. PITT (V.O.) . . . but we‟re staying on course. There‟s got to be a big hunk of iron down here someplace. 212F EXT. OCEAN BOTTOM 212F The CAMERA MOVES BACK AND FOURTH, UP AND AROUND the two submersibles as they float slowly ahead. BOHANNON (V.O.) Anything on the metal detector? MUNK (V.O.) Zero. PITT (V.O.) How about sonar? MERKER (V.O.) Nothing. Not even a fish. 212G ANOTHER ANGLE – UP SHOT – UNDERWATER 212G From a long way down we SEE both submersibles above us. planes clearing the lip of a canyon. Like GIORDINO (V.O.) Wait a minute. that? What the heck is BOHANNON (V.O.) It‟s a straight drop to no place. 212H INT. DEEP QUEST 212H PITT (into U.Q.C.) Control . . . this is Deep Quest. The ocean bottom just disappeared. We‟re going down to find it again. 212I 212I EXT. OCEAN – UNDERWATER – FULL SHOT We SEE the two submersibles begin their descent into the sea SEVERAL CUTS of this. canyon. 212J 212J INT. SEA CLIFF The crew concentrated. Silent. Watchful. 212K INT. DEEP QUEST 212K All hands are intent on their jobs. BOHANNON (sotto voce) Something tells me . . . PITT Yeah. Me, too. If she‟s down in this hole no wonder we couldn‟t find her. 212L EXT. UNDERWATER 212L The submersibles. Dead Silence. A MUSICAL EFFECT. CLOSE SHOTS. LONG SHOTS. ANGLING DOWN. Then . . . MUNK (V.O.) Bang! We‟ve got something! GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) Deep Quest . . . this is the Sea Cliff . . . MERKER (V.O.) The sonar‟s jumping. GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) We‟re getting strong signals on all the equipment. PITT (V.O.) Roger. So are we. Ease over this way. 213 213 ANOTHER ANGLE The Sea Cliff ANGLES INTO THE SHOT from the right and comes closer to the Deep Quest. 214 214 INT. DEEP QUEST – SINGLE ON PITT PITT I think we‟re on the money . . . 215 215 INSERTS – METAL DETECTOR AND SONAR Both are going crazy. 216 216 INT. DEEP QUEST – TWO SHOT – PITT AND BOHANNON PITT (hushed) You see anything? BOHANNON Not yet. PITT Yes, you do. spot up ahead. You see that dark BOHANNON No. 217 217 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR – THEIR POV PITT (V.O.) (filter) Yes, you do. Look again. GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) Deep Quest. This is Sea Cliff. Dead ahead. We‟re onto something. PITT (V.O.) (filter) This is Deep Quest. Hang in there. You sure are. As the CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY FORWARD in total silence, a great dark mass emerges and comes clear. The black and ghostly, ominous hulk of the Titanic. We HOLD on it for a long beat. MUNK (V.O.) (filter; subdued) Holy Moly . . . GIORDINO (V.O.) (filter) We found her. MUNK (V.O.) (filter) Holy Moly . . . 218 218 INT. DEEP QUEST – EXTREME CLOSEUP – PITT There she is. At last. 219 219 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR – THEIR POV The CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY UP the side of the hull and then along from the prow to the stern. Taking in its entire length. the strong pull of history. We fell an air of mystery and As the details of the ship‟s hull, the portholes, the masts and the railings come clear, we sense some previous life and almost see and hear those 1912 passengers, richly clad, full of joy and prosperity and well-being, dancing, talking, dining, and strolling the decks. we HEAR the ORCHESTRA of the Titanic PLAYING “Autumn.” Faintly 220 220 INT. DEEP QUEST – EXTREME CLOSEUP – PITT He looks and looks. Silent. world will he raise it to the top? This is Moby Dick. How in the 221 221 PITT‟S POV – THE TITANIC SOUND: We HEAR irregular, electronic STATIC SOUND. DISSOLVE TO: 222 222 EXT. NATIONAL GALLERY, WASHINGTON – NIGHT A big event. Lights are blazing and limousines are arriving. We PUSH IN TOWARD the entrance and SEE Marganin get out of a cab and hurries in through the main entrance. 223 223 INT. NATIONAL GALLERY, MAIN ENTRANCE Marganin enters. His eyes sweep the room. 224 224 INT. RECEPTION HALL – MARGANIN‟S POV tie. Lavish and glittering. A major exhibition opening. As the CAMERA PANS WE DISCOVER Prevlov. Black 225 225 DOWN SHOT We SEE Marganin come up to Prevlov and steers him to one side. 226 226 TWO SHOT – MARGANIN AND PREVLOV PREVLOV You‟re absolutely certain? MARGANIN No question. A direct report to our ship standing by there. 227 227 ANOTHER ANGLE PREVLOV (lights a cigarette; he‟s thinking, then) All right. Here‟s what we do. See that the press gets the story. Just one paper. And be sure Admiral Sandecker‟s name is prominent in the list of facts. MARGANIN Just the Titanic story? PREVLOV No. The byzanium too. Let‟s make them squirm. We‟ll see what kind of an explanation they come up with. 228 FULL SHOT 228 As Prevlov returns to his friends and Marganin leaves the reception hall . . . TV COMMENTATOR (V.O.) This story from today‟s Washington Star. After a secret search that‟s been going on for several weeks now, the great ocean liner, the Titanic . . . 229 229 INT. TELEVISION STUDIO, WASHINGTON – NIGHT TV COMMENTATOR . . . has been found. Over two miles down at the bottom of the Atlantic. No official announcements yet, but one thing is certain. The imaginations of millions of people will be stimulated. In world history there is only one Titanic. The legend of all those special people, all that wealth and the ship that would not be sunk . . . that story will live and be told forever. Having located the Titanic rumors persist that the Navy plans to raise her. this? Why are they doing But we understand We don‟t know. there is a defense plan called the Sicilian Project. And a little-known mineral more powerful then uranium . . . 230 230 thru thru 232 232 OMITTED 233 233 INT. DANA‟S OFFICE – NIGHT A big office. Other people there are coming and going. She‟s really steamed but she has to hold it down as she talks to Seagram. stay under control. She keeps busy at her desk, trying to DANA Of course I wrote that story. shouldn‟t I? Why The information came in That‟s my job. and I wrote it up. SEAGRAM What about my job. It looks like I gave you the information. Anybody would think . . . DANA Who cares what anybody thinks? You know you didn‟t tell me anything and so do I. I didn‟t I still even connect it with you. don‟t know what you‟re up to. SEAGRAM Are you trying to tell me this whole story just blew in over the transom? DANA No. I‟m not telling you that. I have lots of sources . . . SEAGRAM That‟s what I mean. Who told you? DANA I can‟t tell you that. tell you that. I won‟t And you know it. SEAGRAM You have to. Believe me. It‟s critical. If there‟s a leak we have to stop it. DANA What do you mean, a leak? I don‟t know what you‟re talking about. SEAGRAM The heck you don‟t. secret. you. It was a That‟s what I‟m telling Hardly anybody knew it. It had to be somebody on the inside who told you. Busby, or Nicholson or . . . crap . . . I‟ll bet it was Pitt. Your old friend. Did he tell you? She drops whatever she‟s trying to do and storms though the office to the hallway with Seagram trailing behind her. then turns to face him. She goes to a window at the end of the hall, Still sotto voce. But full. DANA That‟s what this is really about isn‟t it? It‟s about Dirk Pitt . . . SEAGRAM Oh, for Pete‟s sake . . . DANA It is. And you know it. You‟ve been looking for an excuse to unload on me ever since you met him, since you found out that I . . . SEAGRAM I don‟t give a crap about him. DANA The heck you don‟t. You can‟t So get him out of your head. let‟s get it straight one and for all. I lived with him for two years and I was crazy about him. SEAGRAM (sarcastic) Terrific. That‟s terrific news. If he was so wonderful, why didn‟t you stay with him? DANA (striking back) Because I was stupid! on her. He turns away from her and walks to the elevators. She has tears in her eyes. She hates to cry but she can‟t help it. We STAY DANA (continuing) If it‟s not your way, it‟s no way. Is that it? She walks to him. DANA (continuing) Look . . . I‟m thirty years old, Gene. I wasn‟t born the day I met you. You have to live with that the same as I do. This isn‟t some kind of a controlled experiment. It never has been . . . The elevator door opens. GO IN CLOSE ON Dana. No more words. He gets in. The door closes and we 234 234 INT. NUMA HEADQUARTERS – DAY This is an elaborate assembly room. Like a small theatre. Press conference in progress. Sandecker is at the mike. Thirty REPORTERS. In the B.G. we SEE a side view diagram of the Titanic, showing the long gash in her hull. Sandecker is as smooth as a snake-oil salesman. Seagram, Kemper and Nicholson sit near the back of the room. REPORTER #1 Why do it? It‟s sixty-five years Why raise her since she sank. now? SANDECKER We‟re testing our equipment and our personnel. We‟ve never tackled a job like this and we feel it‟s important to see if we can do it. REPORTER #2 Byzanium. That‟s a material most Can of us have never heard of. you tell us something about it? SANDECKER I‟d be glad to if I could, but I only know what I read in our scientific reports. They say that byzanium is a little-known mineral. As far as we can tell there is absolutely none in existence in the world today. REPORTER #3 After all this time won‟t the Titanic be rusted away to nothing? SANDECKER We don‟t think so. At the depth, more than two miles down, there‟s less oxygen, the water is much colder, and there are few marine organisms. sound. She may be surprisingly REPORTER #2 The Titanic sank because the ice ripped a big hole in her hull. How can she float with that hole still there? SANDECKER She can‟t. it. So we‟re going to patch We‟ll use special metal plates and bolt them in place with a high-powered underwater rivet gun. REPORTER #1 Then what happens? SANDECKER To make her buoyant, we‟ll fill her compartments with syntactic foam. Pumped in from an underwater manifold. Through hoses placed in position by our underwater crews. As the foam goes in, the water is forced out of the hull, giving us twenty-two thousand tons of lift. REPORTER #4 Will all this foam bring the Titanic to the surface? SANDECKER (holds up tank model) No. Additional lift will be Filled supplied by these tanks. with hydrozine gas under high pressure and anchored to the Titanic‟s hull. Then explosive charges will be planted in the sea-bed. When they‟re detonated the hull will be jarred free of the bottom suction and the Titanic will come to the surface. REPORTER #2 Then what? SANDECKER (grins) Then we‟ll hold another press conference. Sandecker leaves the mike and the briefing is over. 235 235 INT. CORRIDOR, OCEANOGRAPHIC HEADQUARTERS As Sandecker breezes through toward the parking lot, half a dozen persistent reporters crab-walk with him. Trailing just behind, but in earshot, are Seagram, Nicholson and Kemper. REPORTER #5 Are you sure you can‟t tell us something about this mineral, byzanium? in? Where does that fit SANDECKER I can‟t comment on that. REPORTER #2 What about the Sicilian Project? Is it true that‟s the code name for a super-bomb, the biggest warhead yet? SANDECKER That‟s all news to me, boys. REPORTER #6 A thousand times more powerful than the bombs at Hiroshima. Is that true? 236 236 EXTREME CLOSEUP – SEAGRAM – TRAVELING SHOT It‟s starting to sink in and he doesn‟t like it. 237 237 HIGH ANGLE – BUILDING ENTRANCE – DAY Sandecker, Seagram, Nicholson and Kemper, are still surrounded by reporters and cameras as they get into the car and drive away. 237A EXT. OCEAN FLOOR – A BALLET OF LIGHTS 237A An explosion of light. Tiny red lights like underwater fireflies drip down through the dark. As the banks of activated. lights settle on the bottom and touchdown, switches are The dark sea goes brighter and brighter. It‟s a balletic and symphonic, a brilliant, brilliant and intricate MONTAGE of magic color and movement. 238 238 EXT. FLOTILLA – HELICOPTER SHOT – NIGHT 239 239 EXT. STERN ON MODOC Through a double door under the fantail, two tracks of light, self-contained beacons, clear the poop and drop into the sea. The CAMERA TRACKS them as they splash down, starting their long descent. 240 240 UNDERWATER – MOVING SHOTS – BEACONS Plunging deeper and revolving. The fist of them sends out enough incandescence to pick up the hull of the Deep Quest, dark in the ocean. 241 241 INT. SEA CLIFF – PITT viewport. At the controls, he watches through the plastic bubble Behind him is Isbell. In the b.g. through the portside, the torch slides slowly by. 242 242 ANOTHER ANGLE Like some vast unknown continent, the Titanic materializes, physically overwhelming. The CAMERA PANS TO the hull, TRACING the jagged wound that stretches from the starboard forepeak to her boilers. Listing twenty degrees to starboard, her majesty remains. 243 243 EXT. UNDERWATER – GREAT DRUMS The syntactic foam is lowered on downhauls. TRACKS them to the Titanic as the three ship. The CAMERA submersibles approach, guiding the hoses toward the sunken 244 244 EXT. DEEP QUEST – ANOTHER ANGLE Patching the jagged slash in the Titanic‟s hull. spreads into the aperture, spreading and hardening. The foam 244A INT. DEEP QUEST 244A The crew are at work. 245 245 INT. ENGINE ROOM – TITANIC As the foam pours in the seawater is displaced out of the ship‟s hull. 246 246 EXT. TURTLE The claw places a lid on one of the smokestacks. 246A INT. TURTLE 246A The men are concentrating on their jobs. 247 247 EXT. SEA CLIFF An underwater acetylene torch gripped by the claw burns a neat hole in the hull. 247A INT. SEA CLIFF 247A The crew are at work. 248 248 FULL FLOTILLA – NIGHT Lights are sparkling in the darkness as the night crew are hard at work. 248A OMITTED 248A thru thru 254 254 255 255 EXT. FLOTILLA – NIGHT Just the CREAK Dead quiet. The work crews are in their bunks. of gears as the ships rock in the swells. Then the STATIC SOUND again. deck on the fantail. From somewhere beyond the well 256 256 ANGLE ON THE STERN The same silhouette we saw before. Back view. smoking with his hand on the rail while his finger is A man is tapping keys of a small calculator-like instrument. DISSOLVE TO: 257 257 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC – DAY We HEAR the electronic STATIC pattern amplified as we are CLOSE ON the tape wheel turning. PITT (O.S.) What do you think, Vinnie? We PULL BACK, and INCLUDE the technician at the tape machine, Burke, PITT, GIORDINO and Seagram. GIORDINO It doesn‟t sound like any code I ever heard. It just sounds Gives me a like noise to me. headache. BURKE The tapes we recorded have a higher intensity than the ones they made on the Capricorn and the McNaughton. PITT Makes you think the signal, whatever it is, originates here on the Modoc. BURKE It sure sounds that way. 258 258 OMITTED 259 259 EXT. DECK, MODOC – DAY Burke and Pitt are walking aft. walk. We GO WITH them as they PITT When will we get some word from Naval Intelligence. BURKE Sandecker expects a report in the next day or so. 260 260 INT. CAPT. BURKE‟S QUEARTERS – DAY Coffee pot. Burke, Pitt, Giordino and Seagram. SEAGRAM Nicholson swears the C.I.A. didn‟t leak that byzanium story. Kemper swears it didn‟t come from the Pentagon and Sandecker swears it didn‟t come from the White House. PITT That sounds familiar. SEAGRAM Sandecker thinks somebody from this ship could be feeding information to that Russian ship out there. He thinks those tapes you sent may be the answer. BURKE You think that‟s possible, Dirk? PITT Anything‟s possible. theme song. That‟s my 261 261 EXT. MODOC – DAY More banks of lights are being handled and are dropped overboard. 262 262 EXT. CAPRICORN – DAY tanks. The crew are attending the hose operation from the foam Quiet, businesslike activity. 263 263 INT. PENTAGON CONFERECE ROOM Sandecker, Kemper, Busby and Nicholson. NICHOLSON They‟ve changed the rhythm. It‟s a different vocabulary from before. But our people are convinced it‟s a variation of a code the North Vietnamese used. Sandecker and Kemper exchange a look. phone and dials one number. Sandecker picks up the SANDECKER (into the phone) Call C.I.C. Tell them to clear me a line to Captain Pitt at the North Atlantic salvage location. minutes. I‟ll be there in twenty 263A EXT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC 263A Pitt comes out and we TRAVEL WITH him to the wheelhouse. looks in and then goes up the outside He apron. steps to the flying bridge. They walk to the rail. Burke comes out to meet him on PITT Sandecker ordered a triple security check on every civilian we‟ve got out here. BURKE We did that before we left Norfolk. PITT This time we‟re doing it with a microscope. 263B EXT. UNDERWATER – DAY 263B We SEE, in detail, the Deep Quest and the Turtle working together to maneuver a piece of the complex welding equipment into position to patch a hole in the Titanic‟s hole. We PAN ALONG and FIND the Sea Cliff handling a foam hose and feeding it through a porthole. 263C EXT. MODOC – DAY 263C Burke, Pitt and Seagram wait on the fantail as a helicopter comes in. BURKE What‟s the word? PITT He wouldn‟t say much when we talked. But I think he‟s got his teeth into something. 263D HIGH ANGLE – FULL SHOT 263D The helicopter settles down. forward with Burke, Pitt and Seagram. Sandecker gets off and moves 263E INT. CAPT. BURKE‟S QUARTERS – DAY 263E table. Sandecker, Pitt, Seagram, Burke and Giordino. Sandecker with papers in front of him. Around a big SANDECKER Howard Merker. What do we know about him? PITT Good man. He was a civilian technician in Vietnam. BURKE He was captured, wasn‟t he? GIORDINO That‟s right. Spent almost two Then he years in a prison camp. was in a hospital in Japan for almost a year. PITT Married a Japanese girl, I think. SANDECKER That‟s right. here. That‟s what it says Only the girl wasn‟t Japanese. She grew up in Nam Dinh. Her parents are still living in Haiphong and her brother‟s the number two man in the N.V. army Intelligence. 263F OMITTED 263F thru thru 263M OMITTED 263M 264 264 EXT. OCEAN – DAY HIGH ANGLE. Entire flotilla. 265 265 AFTER–DECK, MODOC We are AWARE of the wing. The weather is getting rougher. helicopter waits. Capt. Burke, an armed non-com, and Merker walk to the helicopter. handcuffed. Merker is A 266 266 CATWALK ABOVE THE WELL-DECK Pitt, Seagram and Sandecker looking aft. SEAGRAM Now what? SANDECKER No way of knowing. But I‟ll bet you we don‟t hear those signals anymore. SEAGRAM The problem is . . . how much do they already know? PITT That‟s the problem. 267 267 EXT. UNDERWATER – DAY Submersibles at work on the Titanic. 268 268 EXT. MODOC DECK – DAY Pitt is supervising the operation and fighting the wind as he and Sandecker walks out. He and Pitt talk but we can‟t hear them. we MOVE IN CLOSE. As they move forward toward the officer country, SANDECKER How‟s it going? PITT We‟re on schedule with the work but I don‟t like the looks of this weather. SANDECKER Navy weather says it‟s going to blow north and miss us. PITT They do, huh? right. Let‟s hope they‟re 269 269 EXT. UNDERWATER – DAY The Sea Cliff and the Turtle are handling the foam tanks and hoses. 270 270 FULL SHOT – DECK OF THE TITANIC, UNDERWATER The Deep Quest is moving just above the deck and its grappling arm at the ready. 271 271 INT. DEEP QUEST – SEAGRAM, MUNK, WILLIS AND KIEL Seagram, Munk and Willis are in the forward sphere. in the aft sphere. It‟s Seagram‟s first time underwater and he‟s fascinated. Kiel is MUNK So, they finally let you come down with us. make it. I thought you‟d never SEAGRAM So did I. MUNK There‟s no time like the first time. How‟s it look to you. SEAGRAM Nothing like I expected. WILLIS It gives me the willies, you know that? MERKER What do you mean? 272 272 OMITTED 273 273 ANOTHER ANGLE WILLIS I don‟t know. Just thinking about all the people that went down in that thing. A floating Diamonds palace they called it. and gold and women in fur coats. Drinking champagne and laughing it up. KIEL Lots of rich people. good time. anything. Having a Not worrying about WILLIS All that money. KIEL It didn‟t help. 274 274 EXT. DEEP QUEST, UNDERWATER We SEE one of the foam hoses out of control. and wiggles around in the water and drops down into the tangle of junk in a smokestack well. It snakes up 275 275 INT. TURTLE Klink, Pitt and Drummer are on board. Klink is at the radio. KLINK Deep Quest. This is Turtle. Can you We just lost a hose. lasso it for us? MERKER (V.O.) (filter) This is Deep Quest. just spotted it. Can do. We 276 276 DEEP QUEST – LONG SHOT – UNDERWATER Trying to free the foam hose. Deep Quest‟s grappling arm hangs up in the tangle of the wire and steel cable. It reverses its engine, pulls back and tries to free itself. At last it wrenches free but the engine‟s power pulls it down back and out of control. It crashes stern first in to a skylight above the Titanic‟s great salon, breaks through and lodges there. 277 277 INT. DEEP QUEST Seagram on the U.Q.C. MUNK Control . . . this is Deep Quest. We‟re in trouble down here. We‟re hung up and can‟t get loose. 278 278 FULL SHOT – TITANIC DECK The Turtle appears and moves across to the Deep Quest. 279 279 INT. TURTLE Pitt surveys the situation. Klink and Drummer are with him. PITT Son of a gun. They‟ve got themselves locked into that skylight. 280 280 EXT. OCEAN SURFACE – WIDE SHOT We see the entire flotilla GIORDINO (V.O.) Deep Quest . . . this is Control . . . We read you weak and garbled . . . Say again, over . . . 281 281 INT. DEEP QUEST They‟re taking on water. The U.Q.C. SOUND BLURS OUT. MUNK That‟s it. We just lost communication. KIEL No reception either? MUNK Nothing. Dead as a dog. KIEL Switch to the emergency unit and keep trying. 282 282 EXT. MODOC DECK climbs out. The crane brings the Turtle aboard. Burke and Sandecker cross to meet him. The hatch opens and Pitt BURKE How‟s it look down there? PITT (shakes his head) No good. Seagram picked up a lousy day to go underwater exploring. SANDECKER Seagram? Who the heck authorized him for submersible duty? 282A SINGLE – PITT 282A PITT (after a beat) I did. 283 283 TRAVELLING SHOT Pitt, Sandecker and Burke head for the chart room. BURKE What‟s the problem? PITT They‟re jammed into that skylight like a cork in a bottle. 284 284 INT. DEEP QUEST – UNDERWATER The power is almost gone and the air is getting worse. is nothing that they can do but wait and watch the submersibles through the window. There KIEL They can‟t cut us loose. WILLIS Sure, they can. 285 285 EXT. SEA CLIFF – DEEP QUEST‟S POV The crew is trying with the twin grappling arms to get the Deep Quest free. But they are having no luck. KIEL (O.S.) What if they can‟t? 286 286 INT. COMMUNICATION CENTER – MODOC Pitt is checking the charts and the Titanic‟s structural drawings. PITT We‟re fighting time. They‟ve lost most of their power and their air supply‟s going. They‟ll be lucky if it lasts for six hours. SANDECKER So what are the choices? PITT No choices. We don‟t have any. If there‟s no way we can bring that submersible up, then we‟ll have to bring the Titanic up. GIORDINO In six hours? SANDECKER How can we do that? Our target date is two weeks away. PITT Our target date just got changed. 287 287 EXT. UNDERWATER – A NEW ANGLE On the trapped Deep Quest. 287A INT. DEEP QUEST 287A KIEL Dear God . . . we‟re up the creek. SEAGRAM No, we‟re not. Pitt‟ll come up with something. 288 288 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC – PITT, SANDECKER, BURKE AND WOODSON Pitt has pictures and diagrams of the Titanic spread out on the table. PITT Here‟s what we have to do. Eighty charges each one containing a hundred pounds of explosives, at these key points under the Titanic‟s hull. (he looks at Sandecker) Why are you shaking your head? SANDECKER It‟s not just my head. all over. I‟m shaking Those charges are almost double then what we‟d planned. PITT No choice. We need to shake her as hard as we can to break the suction. We don‟t have all the hydrozine tanks in place. SANDECKER That old hull could blow apart like an orange crate. PITT That‟s right. If that happens If we don‟t we‟ll lose four men. bring them up, we lost them anyway. They‟ve got two chances to die and one chance to live. 289 289 ANOTHER ANGLE PITT (after a long beat) All right. We‟ll detonate the Eight starboard charge first. seconds later, the first one on the port side. Another eight seconds, and we‟re back to starboard. We‟ll alternate the charges and rock it like a car that‟s stuck in the mud. BURKE How about a big charge at the bow? Wouldn‟t it be better to jolt her loose? PITT Too chancy. This way we‟ll get the vibration we need with less risk to the men. 290 290 A SERIES OF SHOTS The explosives are being laid. of the submersibles in action. tenders. EXTERIORS and INTERIOR SHOTS Action in the communications rooms and on the decks of the And Dirk Pitt is also in action. 291 291 SINGLE – PITT He walks to the railing of the Modoc and looks down at the water. PITT (mutters to himself) Seagram, you chowderhead. 292 292 INT. DEEP QUEST WILLIS It‟s like we‟re squeezed in a vise or something. INCREASES. Munk shoots a switch to full power. A violent shudder runs through The electronic HUM the Deep Quest but it cannot break loose. KIEL (still trying to activate the radio) How long can we count on the life-support system? WILLIS With four men, normally, we‟d have maybe twenty hours. MUNK ( at the hydrophone) Deep Quest to Control. (no answer, again) Deep Quest to Control. Over. KIEL (almost to himself) It might as well be twenty minutes. MUNK I can‟t make contact . . . system. He is cut short by a flash of red and the BUZZ of the ALARM Seagram looks quickly at the instrument panel. 293 293 INSERT – PRIMARY BATTERY INDICATOR The needle is on full discharge. 294 294 BACK TO SCENE KIEL (pointing to the indicator) That‟s why. The battery‟s shot. And then smoke pours through the compartment, rising in the darkness and obscuring everything as the Deep Quest blacks out. gasping. The men are choking, gagging and WILLIS Holy Moly . . . Munk snares four breathing masks from a storage bin. passes them out as: He SEAGRAM How does this change our timetable. The men don the masks. MUNK I‟d say we‟ve got five hours. Maybe a little more. KIEL (behind the mask) Maybe a little less. 295 295 EXT. UNDERWATER – FULL SHOT – DAY We SEE the trapped Deep Quest with the Sea Cliff hovering nearby. 295A EXT. DEEP QUEST 295A All the lights flicker, fade, and then go out. 296 296 INT. DEEP QUEST – CREW Expending as little energy as possible. Sparks from the short-circuited wires fly around them like fireworks. The men‟s breathing is short and rapid. of the AIR PURIFIER. Kiel dodges a flare-up In the b.g. the HUM from the burning insulation. KIEL Dang it . . . can‟t we get some more air in here? MUNK I‟m holding down the scrubber, to keep it going as long as possible. WILLIS The carbon dioxide‟s building up. SEAGRAM The less we talk, the longer we‟ve got. The SCRUBBER RUMBLES, BLANKS and then GOES SILENT. staggers through the smoke gauge. Seagram to the scrubber. He removes the plate, and stares at the Kiel stands beside him and bangs it with his fist. MUNK It‟s no use. The emergency batteries are dead. KIEL How much time we got now? MUNK I don‟t know. He glances at the viewport. 297 297 THEIR POV – SEA CLIFF Still standing by. 298 298 INT. SEA CLIFF – BOHANNON He is on the hydrophone. BOHANNON Control . . . this is Sea Cliff. Looks like the Deep Quest ran out of power. 299 299 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC – PITT On the phone. PITT (beat) All right. Give it one more try. See if you can nudge her loose. BOHANNON (V.O.) Roger . . . we‟ll give it a shot. PITT Easy does it. BOHANNON (V.O.) Roger . . . 300 300 EXT. UNDERWATER – SEA CLIFF He maneuvers to close in on the Deep Quest. carefully her grappler reaches out, plucking at the Deep Quest‟s super-structure. Deep Quest shudders slightly. Ever so The The mechanical jaw slips. 301 301 INT. DEEP QUEST – CREW Reacting to the impact. KIEL What the heck are they doing? No answer. 302 302 EXT. UNDERWATER – SEA CLIFF Again, it approaches the Deep Quest. reach out, and this time closing over a metal breaks off. Again, the grapplers fitting. The submersible backs away, strains and the fitting The Sea Cliff swings about and is lost in the murk. 303 303 INT. DEEP QUEST – CREW Straining to watch through the viewport. Over their shoulders, the Sea Cliff is swallowed up in the black ocean. WILLIS I guess that‟s that. KIEL Where in the world are they going? MUNK Take it easy, Kiel. 304 304 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR – DEEP QUEST Still pinned to the Titanic‟s deck. 305 305 INT. DEEP QUEST – CREW Still in darkness. The cold has taken its toll. against the bulkhead, steadying himself with his hand Kiel stands Seagram on a pipe fitting. Willis‟ lips move soundlessly. stands benumbed. Nobody speaks. Air is getting more precious. And there is nothing to say. 306 306 EXT. UNDERWATER The explosive charge in the Sea Cliff‟s claw bounces off the Titanic‟s side RESOUNDINGLY. The IMPACT is HEARD inside the Deep Quest. 307 307 INT. DEEP QUEST WILLIS What was that? He looks out the viewport. 308 308 HIS POV – SEA CLIFF Easing the charge to the ocean‟s bottom. 309 309 INT. SEA CLIFF – BOHANNON Watches the charge on the screen above the panel. electric cable to it is carefully paid out to join the other cables over the Titanic‟s hull. The BOHANNON Activate the charge. 310 310 COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC – PITT AND SANDECKER scientists. They‟re among a group of Navy engineers and civilian They work with slide rules, consult the computers and read the print-out sheets. PITT (on the hydrophone) Control to Sea Cliff and Turtle. We‟re setting up a total of eighty -- repeat eight zero charges. many have you got to go? How BOHANNON (V.O.) (from the Sea Cliff) Sea Cliff has twenty-eight set. Twelve to go on starboard. SPENCE (V.O.) (from the Turtle) Turtle has twenty-six set on port. Fourteen to go. PITT When you hit thirty, set the remaining ten at five yard intervals. How long to complete the procedure? SPENCE (V.O.) Maybe an hour and a half. BOHANNON (V.O.) Hour and a quarter. PITT I want it done in an hour. He flips off the hydrophone. 311 311 EXT. OCEAN FLOOR – TITANIC With the Deep Quest nailed to the twisted crane. starboard flank, the Sea Cliff plants the final explosive charge. Along her The submersible swerves around the Titanic‟s stern to the port side where the Turtle has completed the same procedure. BOHANNON (V.O.) Control, this is Sea Cliff. Explosives planted. All clear. PITT (V.O.) (from the Operations Center) Roger. SPENCE (V.O.) Control, this is Turtle. charges secured. All 312 312 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC – PITT – DAY He‟s with Sandecker and Captain Burke. PITT (on the phone) Sea Cliff, Turtle . . . Control. there. This is Get the heck out of BOHANNON (V.O.) Moving out, sir. SPENCE (V.O.) This is Turtle. Roger Pulling away from the Titanic. 312A INT. DEEP QUEST 312A KIEL (excited) I‟m making contact. Pitt‟s voice. hear him. I can hear It‟s weak but I can SEAGRAM Let me talk to him. Seagram takes over the apparatus. SEAGRAM (continuing) Dirk . . . this is Seagram. happening up there? What‟s PITT (V.O.) No sweat. Everything‟s on the rails. SEAGRAM Don‟t give me a snow job. are the odds? What PITT (V.O.) All on your side. SEAGRAM Are we gonna blow the whole operation? 312B INT. COMMUNICATION CENTER, MODOC – SINGLE ON PITT 312B PITT Not a chance. for supper. You‟ll be home Pitt hangs up the phone. panel. He turns to CHAVEZ at the detonator PITT (continuing) Activate the charges. (glances at the bulkhead clock) Start the countdown. 313 313 EXT. OCEAN FLOOOR – SEA CLIFF AND TURTLE With the Titanic in the b.g. The submersibles curl in a tight arc and begin their pull away from the Titanic. The CAMERA PANS to COME IN TIGHT on the Titanic. WILLIS (V.O.) Look at that. What the heck does that mean? 314 314 INT. DEEP QUEST – KIEL, WILLIS, SEAGRAM AND MUNK Almost no light now. The air is hazy, damp and humid. SEAGRAM I don‟t know. KIEL The heck you don‟t. It means they‟re giving up on us. (turns to Willis) Dear God. down here. They‟re leaving us SEAGRAM (almost to himself) No they‟re not. 315 315 THEIR POV The submersibles continued to move off till they disappear FROM THE SHOT. 316 316 SERIES OF SHOTS action. As we HEAR THE COUNTDOWN, we SEE activity. Detonators are waiting, the Men are in submersibles are surfacing, tense faces, and the Titanic waiting, black and heavy, for the explosives. The cranes begin to hoist the submersibles aboard. 317 317 INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC CHAVEZ Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . signal transmitting . . . mark! 318 318 OCEAN FLOOR We SEE EXPLOSIONS in a series as they go off along the hull of the Titanic. Clouds of silt and great murky gobs of sediment blast up from the ocean floor. 318A INT. DEEP QUEST 318A GOES OFF. Vibrating and recoiling under the concussion. The crew is slammed against the bulkhead. Another CHARGE KIEL Holy Moly! What was that? Deep Quest. He is cut short as another EXPLOSION reverberates through the And then silence. Nothing moves. Seagram and Munk stare at each other. MUNK They‟re trying to blast us loose. SEAGRAM Can they do it? WILLIS They‟ll blow us to Hades and back. KIEL You feel that? It feels like the world‟s starting to shake. 312B INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, MODOC 312B They‟re waiting and watching the Titanic on the screen. CHAVEZ Cycle completed. fired. All charges All eyes are riveted on the screen. Nothing. 318C UNDERWATER 318C The Titanic sits solidly on the ocean floor. heavy BLASTS come from near the bow. Suddenly two SANDECKER (V.O.) What the heck was that? PITT (V.O.) Late hits. The last two charges just went off. Another long and heavy pause . . . begins to tremble and move. At last, the Titanic SANDECKER (V.O.) (excited) Something‟s happening. moving down there. Something‟s GIORDINO (V.O.) Come on, you mother-grabber . . . Slowly, tortuously and grindingly, the huge hull rocks CREAKS, trembles and tears itself loose from the bottom. Then, with an agonizing, wrenching GROAM, in a cloud of bubbles and silt, the stern angles up slowly, the hull twists, sucks free and starts to rise . . . slowly, ponderously, then faster. CHAVEZ (V.O.) She‟s coming! Sure as Hades! She‟s coming! 318D EXTREME CLOSEUP – PITT 318D PITT (very quietly) Well I‟ll be . . . . we did it. 318E INT. GANGWAYS, CAPRICORN AND MODOC 318E A stampede as the men scramble, shove and shouting toward the open deck to see the Titanic break water. 318F UNDERWATER 318F We STAY ON the Titanic as it angles up and slowly rises toward the surface. We SEE it from VARIOUS ANGLES as it gains momentum, picks up speed and comes from the blackest depths to the top of the water. This is our dramatic centerpiece. BUILDING to the ultimate climax. MUSIC, movement, and SOUND 318G THE FACES OF MEN ON MODOC 318G They‟re transfixed. 318H THE SEA 318H At last, the explosive moment we‟ve been building up to. Titanic breaks free and catapults free of the water in a huge cloud of spray. The We HEAR a GREAT CHEER to up. 318I 318I EXT. DECKS – MODOC AND THE OTHER SHIPS Wild cheering and excitement. 318J 318J TIGHT TWO SHOT – SANDECKER AND PITT celebration. They‟re staring at the Titanic. Not taking part in the They‟re stunned by the beauty and majesty of the ship they see before them. 318K THEIR POV 318K The Titanic rights itself, settles and floats, listing but nonetheless there. On the surface and raised from the bottom. 318L TWO SHOT – PITT AND SANDECKER 318L SANDECKER There she is. PITT Yeah . . . Quest? But where is the Deep 318M THE TITANIC AND OCEAN 318M HOLDING Pitt and Sandecker in the f.g. SANDECKER The explosives must have jarred her loose. PITT I don‟t think so . . . 318N CLOSEUP – PITT 318N He‟s sweeping the ocean with his eyes. PITT . . . at least I hope not. Maybe it was just the pressure when ship came up . . . 318O PITT‟S POV 318O Between the Modoc and the Titanic, in open water, the Deep Quest bobs up to the surface and rights herself. PITT (O.S.) There she is! 318P HIGH ANGLE – OCEAN – A SERIES OF FAST CUTS 318P As the rescue operation wheels into action. takes off from the Modoc, goes to the Deep Quest, A helicopter The divers hovers above it, drops off some divers and a rubber raft. open the hatch and the Deep Quest‟s four crewmen are lifted aboard the helicopter and flown back to the Modoc. 318Q EXT. DECK, MODOC 318Q As Seagram climbs out, Sandecker and Pitt walk over to meet him. 318R THREE SHOT – PITT, SANDECKER AND SEAGRAM 318R PITT (to Seagram) How‟d you like your first submersible trip? SEAGRAM To tell you the truth, it was a little more than I bargained for. SANDECKER It was more than any of us bargained for. PITT (to Seagram) Like I told you . . . SEAGRAM Yeah, I know. Things don‟t always pan out the way you want them to. PITT You got it. 318S EXT. DECK – MIKHAIL KURKOV 318S Crew members are watching the Titanic. DISSOLVE TO: 318T EXT. OCEAN – LONG SHOT – TITANIC – NIGHT 318T The wind is up. And the tender ships are clustered around. The Mikhail Kurkov is standing by. 319 319 EXT. DECK TITANIC – NIGHT There is much activity. The pumps are busy drawing water out of the upper decks, two choppers are coming and going, and a lot of patching and rigging is going on. command post and radio room have been set up in A the grand salon. We SEE the effects of the increased wind as Pitt comes INTO the SHOT amidships. 320 320 SINGLE ON PITT As he walks toward the stern, we SEE a different expression on his face than we‟ve seen before. He takes in the ruined majesty of the great liner. CAMERA EASES BACK, then FOLLOWS HIM again. He walks slowly. The FROM THE REAR. Faintly we HEAR the TITANIC‟S ORCHESTRA Also an ECHO of the EMERGENCY HORNS we heard during the sinking. 321 321 PITT‟S POV – MOVING SHOT We TAKE IN the details of the ship as the CAMERA is functioning at his eyes until he reaches the fantail. 322 322 HIGH ANGLE ON PITT He reaches inside his jacket, takes out Bigalow‟s packet unties it and takes out a faded red pennant of the White Star Line. mast on the fantail. He ties it to a shattered stub of the 323 323 EXT. DECK, TITANIC – AMIDSHIPS – HIGH ANGLE – DAY We‟re SHOOTING DOWN INTO an open hatchway. SEAMAN ERICSON and C.P.O. WELCH, SEAMAN LARCH and a half a dozen other men are trying with crowbars to dislodge a rusted steel beam that‟s angled across a hatchway. No luck. WELCH (looks up INTO the CAMERA) We can‟t budge it, sir. This hatchway is just as jammed as the others. We PULL STRAIGHT UP TO AN OVER-SHOULDER, Seagram, Pitt and Giordino looking down into the hatchway. GIORDINO We‟d need dynamite to get down through that mess. PITT I was afraid of that. That means we‟ll have to tow her to New York where they‟ve got the cutting gear we need. 324 324 EXT. DECK – ANOTHER ANGLE Sandecker comes out on deck. Hurries aft to Pitt. PITT What‟s the word? SANDECKER Newfoundland weather says we shouldn‟t have a problem. But the Navy‟s station in Newfoundland changed their tune. They say it‟s going to blow right through us. PITT Let‟s hope the Navy‟s wrong. 325 325 EXT. SOVIET EMBASSY, WASHINGTON – NIGHT 326 326 INT. ANTONOV‟S OFFICE – ANTONOV, PREVLOV AND MARGANIN They‟re watching television. TV COMMENTATOR It is certainly the most remarkable event in the history of marine salvage . . . 326A CLOSEUP – TV SCREEN 326A TV COMMENTATOR The Titanic has been raised from the bottom of the ocean. Somewhere in the North Atlantic this queen of all the luxury liners is floating again. Certainly not the magnificent creature she once was but all the same a haunting relic of an era of wealth and opulence that seems very long ago. She will soon be coming into New York harbor, completing the tragic voyage that began almost seventy years ago . . . 326B FULL SHOT 326B Antonov click off the TV and turns to Prevlov. ANTONOV When do you leave? PREVLOV First thing tomorrow morning. I‟ll be on board the Mikhail Kurkov before dark. MARGANIN The plan is perfect, we think. ANTONOV One way or the other we terminate the Sicilian Project. PREVLOV (he nods) One way or the other. 327 327 EXT. TITANIC ON OCEAN – FULL SHOT – DAY Grey. The wind is really up now. 328 328 EXT. DECK – AMIDSHIPS Sandecker, Pitt and Seagram are on deck fighting the wind. SANDECKER Where are those lousy tugs? PITT They‟re fighting the weather the same as we are. SANDECKER How we riding in the water? PITT Giordino says we‟re losing a foot or more every twenty-four hours. 329 329 OMITTED 330 330 INT. ANTONOV‟S OFFICE, SOVIET EMBASSY – DAY Antonov and Marganin. ANTONOV (holds a sheet of paper) I agree with you. This document certainly does incriminate Captain Prevlov. It is so incriminating I don‟t trust it. MARGANIN Are you saying that I . . . ANTONOV (he cuts in) I appreciate your dedication, Marganin. We are all aware of your patriotism and hard work but it does seem odd that this information should come to you just when Prevlov is not here to defend himself. MARGANIN I assure you . . . my source is completely reliable. ANTONOV I‟m sure it is. prefer to wait. But for now I In a few hours we will know if Prevlov is successful with the Titanic affair. talk again. Then we will 331 331 FULL SHOT – MIKHAIL KURKOV – DAY A helicopter comes buffeting in on the wind gusts and lands. 332 332 HELICOPTER ON DECK As the crew lashes it down, Prevlov get off. PAROTKIN goes to meet him. He has to shout. CAPTAIN PAROTKIN You picked a bad time to arrive. PREVLOV The best time. this storm. We‟re counting on They buck wind heading for the Captain‟s quarters. 333 333 HIGH ANGLE – TITANIC – DAY The sea tugs arrive. Big and heavy and ready for business. They lay to, one on each side of the Titanic‟s bow. 334 334 INT. TITANIC LOUNGE BUTERA, the tug boat captain, is speaking to Sandecker and Pitt. BUTERA I don‟t care how rough the weather is. These aren‟t harbor tugs we‟re They‟re deep-sea bulldogs. driving. We could tow Puerto Rico all the way to Montreal if we wanted to. PITT What‟s the latest report on the storm? SANDECKER Due to hit in twenty-four hours. Maybe less. PITT Okay, Commander. Hitch „em up. SANDECKER I think we‟d better order the salvage fleet to hightail it out of here. If they head straight west, they‟ll miss the worst of the storm. PITT All except the destroyer. SANDECKER That‟ RIGHT. We need somebody to keep us company. 335 335 HIGH ANGLE We SEE the tugs getting into position, the cable being rigged and the support craft moving away from the Titanic. 336 336 ON BOARD MIKHAIL KURKOV Prevlov and Captain Parotkin watch the ships leaving. PREVLOV They‟re making it easier then I thought. They‟re leaving the Titanic all by herself. PAROTKIN But you notice the gunship stays. PREVLOV Not for long. When they hear our distress signal, she will leave too. 337 337 EXT. TITANIC – SERIES OF SHOTS – DAY FOR NIGHT The salvage crew on the Titanic and the tug crews are battling the wind to get the cable connection made before the storm hits. they‟re making progress. They‟re having a rough time but 338 338 EXT. THE McNAUGHTON – DAY FOR NIGHT RADIO TRANSMITTER SOUND. 339 339 INT. RADIO ROOM – McNAUGHTON listening. Two radio men are on duty. CLAY has a set of headphones on He turns to the sailor behind him. CLAY Call the bridge. distress signal. We‟re getting a 340 340 EXT. DECK TITANIC – DAY FOR NIGHT Giordino and Sandecker are at the port rail. McNaughton starting to pull away. Pitt joins them. We can SEE the PITT What‟s going on? McNaughton doing? What‟s the GIORDINO Distress call. in trouble. There‟s a freighter PITT We‟re in trouble, for Pete‟s sake. We need that ship. SANDECKER Nobody ignores a distress signal, Dirk. You know that. PITT That‟s doesn‟t mean I have to like it. We‟ve got a storm blowing up our butt and the Russians looking down our throats and we‟re on a ship that never learned to do anything but sink. distress. You talk about That‟s distress. 341 341 OMITTED 342 342 EXT. DECK, MIKHAIL KURKOV – DAY FOR NIGHT Parotkin and Prevlov. binoculars. Prevlov looks through a pair of 343 343 PREVLOV‟S POV – THROUGH BINOCULARS – DAY FOR NIGHT We SEE the McNaughton. binoculars PAN ACROSS AND FIX ON the Titanic. is rough. Almost out of sight now. The The sea The deck is deserted. The wind is up. 344 344 TWO SHOT – PAROTKIN AND PREVLOV – DAY FOR NIGHT PREVLOV Send the radio message now. Parotkin heads for the communications room. TIGHT SHOT of Prevlov. We STAY ON a 345 345 EXT. OCEAN – DECK, TITANIC – DAY FOR NIGHT A radio man hurries toward the salon and enters. him TO Pitt, Sandecker, Seagram and Giordino. and reads it. We GO with Sandecker reaches out and takes the piece of paper SANDECKER It‟s from the Russian ship. They‟re asking for permission to send a man over here. Captain Prevlov. SEAGRAM What‟s that all about? SANDECKER They‟re offering to give us a hand in case the weather gets too bad. A look between Pitt and Sandecker SANDECKER (continuing; after a beat) Permission granted. Captain Prevlov can come aboard. RADIO MAN Yes, sir. He leaves. SEAGRAM What are we doing that far? PITT Why not? We might as well listen to what he has to say. He gets up and goes out on deck. Giordino follows. 346 346 EXT. DECK – MIKHAIL KURKOV – DAY FOR NIGHT Prevlov and Parotkin. prepares to board the helicopter. Prevlov is in a warm jacket as he PREVLOV If anything goes wrong . . . if you haven‟t heard from me by 2100 hours . . . PAROTKIN I know what to do. He boards the helicopter and it lifts off. 347 347 EXT. DECK, TITANIC – HIGH ANGLE – DAY FOR NIGHT We FOLLOW Prevlov‟s helicopter DOWN to the deck of the Titanic, fighting the wind. Prevlov gets out. He meets Sandecker, Pitt and Seagram. The sky is threatening, turbulent and growing heavily dark. The salon. pilot stays in the helicopter. Prevlov is totally at east. The four men walk to the 348 348 INT. SALON PREVLOV We don‟t have much time, so I will come straight to the point. We are offering you the safety of our ship till the storm is over. My helicopter can carry ten men at a time . . . SANDECKER The answer is no. 349 349 TWO SHOT – SANDECKER AND PITT PITT We think she‟ll ride out the storm. 350 350 ANOTHER ANGLE – FAVORING PREVLOV Prevlov keeps talking. PREVLOV After the storm ends you will be provided with life rafts and food and water. Enough to sustain you till one of your ships can pick you up. 350A FULL SHOT 350A PITT What if we accept your offer? What about the Titanic? PREVLOV An empty ship on an open sea . . . SANDECKER What‟s the Russian word for piracy? PREVLOV (smiles) It‟s not a question of piracy. It‟s the international law of marine salvage. PITT (very cool) The heck it is. 351 351 thru thru 354 354 OMITTED 355 355 EXTREME CLOSEUP – SEAGRAM He‟s taking it all in. PREVLOV (O.S.) We know about the byzanium . . . 356 356 SINGLE – PREVLOV In command. He has all the cards. He thinks. PREVLOV We know where it came from and we know how powerful it is. We intend to take it. we fail . . . If for any reason Prevlov looks toward the Russian ship. PREVLOV (continuing) The Mikhail Kurkov is a torpedo ship. If her captain has no signal from me . . . (looks at his watch) . . . eight minutes from now he will sink this ship we‟re standing on. 357 357 & & 358 358 OMITTED 359 359 INT. TITANIC SALON – FULL NIGHT SEAGRAM What if you get the byzanium? Then what? It‟s worthless if you don‟t have . . . PREVLOV (cutting through) A Sicilian Defense system? worthless at all. Not We have out If own philosophy of defense. this byzanium will produce a superior weapon, then Russia must have it to guarantee the security of her people. We arm ourselves only as a deterrent to war. 360 360 EXTREME CLOSEUP – PITT PITT Sure you do. And the moon is made of green cheese. 360A ANOTHER ANGLE 360A PREVLOV (looks at his watch again) You can make jokes if you like. But the clock keeps ticking. 361 361 OMITTED 362 362 EXT. DECK, TITANIC – DAY FOR NIGHT Chavez runs from the weather station to the salon. is really blowing now. The wind 363 363 INT. SALON Chavez bursts in and reports to Pitt and Sandecker. CHAVEZ The weather‟s coming in fast. All heck‟s gonna break loose. He exits. SANDECKER All right, Prevlov. fast. I‟ll make it We knew you were coming on And we knew Exactly. board here today. what your pitch would be. We penetrated your section four years ago. There‟s evidence in Washington that proves you‟ve been passing information to our intelligence people – since 1974. 364 364 EXTREME CLOSEUP – PREVLOV He‟s thinking it over. Are they bluffing? 365 FULL SHOT 365 SANDECKER If you want asylum, we‟ll give it to you. If you don‟t . . . We PUSH IN TO a TIGHT CLOSEUP ON Prevlov. He‟ll play every card he has. He‟s a scrapper. 366 366 EXT. THE SKY – DAY FOR NIGHT Very threatening now. SANDECKER (O.S.) You don‟t have much choice, Captain . . . 366A INT. SALON – SINGLE ON PREVLOV 366A PREVLOV Maybe I don‟t . . . (looks at his watch again) But you don‟t have any choice. 366B ANOTHER ANGLE – FAVORING SANDECKER 366B SANDECKER (after a beat) Yes, we do. Come here and I‟ll prove it to you. He walks to the porthole and looks out toward the open ocean between the Titanic and the Mikhail Kurkov. Prevlov joins him and looks in the same direction. 366C PREVLOV‟S POV – DAY FOR NIGHT 366C In the half mile of ocean between the Titanic and the Mikhail Kurkov, a giant U.S. submarine has surfaced with its running lights glowing. As Prevlov watches, another sub breaks the water and takes a position parallel to the Russian ship. They lie there like two silver phosphorescent fish, gleaming and deadly. 366D EXTREME CLOSEUP – PREVLOV 366D He stares at the subs expressionless. SANDECKER (O.S.) Like I said, Captain . . . you don‟t have much choice. 366E EXT. WHEELHOUSE, MIKHAIL KURKOV – DAY FOR NIGHT 366E Parotkin sees the American subs. All bets are off. 367 367 EXT. DECK, TITANIC – HIGH ANGLE – WIDE SHOT – DAY FOR NIGHT We SEE Prevlov exit the salon and run to the helicopter. boards and it lifts off, side-slipping in the wind gusts. He 368 368 OMITTED 369 369 EXT. OCEAN – DAY FOR NIGHT We SEE the storm coming in. And Prevlov‟s helicopter is struggling and bucking the wind. Suddenly it loses power , catches a down-draft, crashes in the water and sinks. 370 370 OMITTED 371 371 EXT. OCEAN – FULL SHOT – DAY FOR NIGHT Titanic in a heavy sea. 372 372 INT. TITANIC SALON Chaos. succeeding. Everybody is trying to stay vertical and not 373 373 OMITTED 374 374 EXT. THE STORM – DAY FOR NIGHT A MONTAGE of turbulence on bard the Titanic. the storm is affecting every part of the ship, inside and outside. effect. We will SEE how We use MUSIC to maximum the DISSLOVE TO: 375 375 EXT. THE OCEAN – DAY The sky is still gray, but lighter now. the surface of the sea. But it has clamed down There are swells on almost totally. We PAN ACROSS an open expanse of water and DISCOVER, at last, the Titanic, battered and listing, but floating; the tugs churning along through the swells heading slowly southwest. 376 376 thru thru 380 380 OMITTED 381 381 EXT. THE OCEAN – THE TITANIC – LONG SHOT – NIGHT Moving ahead. Very, very late at night. 382 382 EXT. THE DECK It‟s deserted. Then two figures appear and walk sternward. We MOVE IN CLOSER and SEE that it‟s paper cup. Seagram and Pitt. Seagram carries a champagne bottle and a He‟s had a few. Pitt is not drinking. SEAGRAM I brought this bottle all the way from Washington. You remember when you said it was to soon to break out the champagne? PITT Yeah, I remember. SEAGRAM Well, it‟s not too soon, now. PITT (after a beat) You drink pretty good for a scientist. SEAGRAM Yeah . . . well, I‟m doing my best. A sheltered guy like me . . . I get thrown in with bunch of he-men, You know I‟ve got a lot to learn. what I mean? PITT You giving me the business? SEAGRAM No. Why would I do that? It‟s not every day you meat a fella who‟s got everything. A nice unassuming guy who ever throws his weight around. Even-tempered. Always ready to listen to somebody else‟s viewpoint . . . PITT (he grins) I got the message. SEAGRAM I mean the first time I laid eyes on you I said to myself, „That‟s what I ant to be like when I grow up.‟ PITT Sure you did. SEAGRAM I mean it. PITT Sure you do. After a long beat, on the SCREAM of a BOAT WHISTLE, we: DISSOLVE TO: 383 383 EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR – DAY by the tugs. The Titanic comes limping under the Verazzano Bridge, towed Fireboats are squirting water, tugs ferries, police boats, helicopters, pleasure boats, SIRENS, HORNS and WHISTLES are going. Everything that at last. floats is bunting to meet the crippled liner arriving in port And thousands of people are lining the shore of Welfare Island, South Ferry and Batter Park, screaming, yelling and waving flags. 384 384 EXT. DOCKSIDE – DAY confusion. Police barriers are keeping the crowds back. Reporters and television crews are Noise and The reporters swarming. Pitt and Seagram leave the ship. collar Seagram. Pitt slips through. As he heads toward the back edge of the wharf, he runs into Dana. DANA Hey . . . you made it. PITT All in one piece. DANA How about young Thomas Edison? PITT Don‟t worry about him. outlive us all. He‟ll DANA Where is he? PITT (points to the Titanic) Fighting off reporters. better get over there. beat you out of a story. You‟d They‟ll DANA (shakes her head) Today‟s my day off. here on business. I‟m not See you later. She turns away, then turns back and looks at Pitt. DANA (continuing) We are gonna see you, aren‟t we? PITT Sure. You‟ll see me. I‟m not going anywhere. She turns and walks away. 384A SINGLE ON PITT 384A He watches her go. His face tells us nothing. Or does it? 385 385 LONG SHOT – OVER PITT‟S SHOULDER Seagram comes across the dock and meets Dana. briefly, then embrace. Pitt turns and walks OUT OF SHOT. They talk DISSOLVE TO: 386 386 INT. DRY DOCK – DAY Heavy machinery, derricks, jackhammers and a crew of salvage experts are clearing the passages and stairwells in the Titanic, cutting through to the cargo holds. 387 387 INT. HOLD, TITANIC Sandecker is there with Pitt, Seagram, Nicholson, Admiral Kemper and General Busby. The crew attacks opens. the vault with torches, electric saws and drills. Flood lamps are switched on as the door swings free. The men move closer. At last it SANDECKER It looks like the water never touched it. SEAGRAM No water. tight. No air. It was sealed A perfect vacuum. 388 388 INT. VAULT Pitt enters. Seagram is beside him. On the floor of the vault, not visible from the outside, sits a mummified figure. Sealed away from the air and all humidity, the corpse is in remarkable condition. Brewster‟s skeleton is intact, the skin stretched tight like parchment, the clothing and shoes preserved and in place. Wooden cases are stacked on one side of the vault. Floor to ceiling. a leather satchel is on the floor beside Brewster. And 389 389 INT. FLOOR OF CARGO HOLD open. Crewmen carry the wooden cases out of the vault and rip them Seagram examines each one, using a metal detector. After he examines the last one, he turns to the others with a look of disbelief on his face. SEAGRAM Just like the others. of road gravel. A box full SANDECKER I can‟t believe it. make sense. It doesn‟t There is a long moment of stunned silence. looks. The men exchange SEAGRAM Is this what we end up with after all that work? A dead man and twenty boxes of gravel? Pitt walks to the table and picks up the small leather satchel. PITT Let‟s not fold up too soon. We‟ve got this bag full of papers and documents Brewster had with him. Unless I miss my guess we‟ll find some kind of an answer in here. We know the stuff existed and we know Brewster had it. give up yet. Let‟s not He picks up the bag and heads for the exit. DISSOLVE TO: 389A FULL SHOT – DECK AREA – NIGHT 389A Titanic in the b.g. 390 390 EXT. TITANIC DECK Busby, Kemper and Nicholson are walking. TO the gangway. They‟re grim and silent. CAMERA OUT OF SHOT. We TRAVEL WITH THEM Descending on the gangway, they walk PAST THE 391 391 INT. TITANIC SALON – NIGHT Sandecker, Pitt and Seagram are at a table. pocket notebook, passport, wallet, pocket silver, Brewster‟s And half watch, and etc. are on the table in front of them. a dozen letters and postcards. They have examined all of Brewster‟s effects and found nothing. silent in the following scene he is very much alive in it, involved in what takes place. shirtsleeves. They look bushed. Though Pitt is All three are in SEAGRAM (looks shell-shocked) How the heck did we blow this thing? Will you tell me that. We had the best people, the best equipment, and all the money we needed. We worked and sweat and we come up with nothing. Three men dead and the whole Sicilian Project tossed on the junk pile. some kind of an answer. There must be But I‟ll be darned if I know what it is. SANDECKER Nobody‟s more disappointed than I am, Gene. I‟ve been on this project almost as long as you have. And if we had a chance in a thousand I‟d say we should keep after it. all I see is a brick wall. are jammed against it. But And our noses Nobody hates to I hate to quiet say „uncle‟ more than I do. on anything. choice. But sometimes you have no 392 392 SINGLE ON PITT He studies a picture postcard from Brewster‟s pile of papers with no expression on his face. 393 393 FULL SHOT During the following speech, Sandecker gather his own papers together and closes his attaché case and stands up. SANDECKER (to Seagram) If it‟ll make you feel any better I‟ll tell you something that I didn‟t want to admit even to myself. If we‟d got our hands on the byzanium I‟m not sure we could have hung on to it forever. I don‟t think we could have tagged it for defense only and made it stick. SEAGRAM What do you mean? The President wouldn‟t let . . . SANDECKER That‟s right. But Presidents don‟t And even if stay in office forever. they did, circumstances change. The military doesn‟t exist all by itself. It‟s just a part of government, It has to be free like any other part. to react. SEAGRAM React to what? What does that mean? SANDECKER It means that nobody can make unilateral decisions anymore. We can‟t hide behind a wall. If the government fall in Iran, it changes things. If somebody starts to bomb Pakistan, it affects us all. SEAGRAM What does that have to do with the Sicilian Project? SANDECKER Nothing maybe. I‟m just saying it would have been subject to change or cancellation, like any other military program. Sandecker walks to the door. SEAGRAM Dear God . . . if you knew that, what was the point . . . Why‟d you go along with this whole operation? SANDECKER Because I believed in what we were trying to do. (beat) But if it can‟t work, if somebody‟s going to make a byzanium bomb, I want it to be our side. He turns and exits. 394 394 EXTREME CLOSEUP – SEAGRAM He just stares. He‟s all dried out with nothing to say. 395 395 EXT. SEAMAN‟S BAR NEAR DOCKS – NIGHT SEAGRAM (V.O.) (he‟s had a few) If I felt the way Sandecker does I never would have started the project in the first place . . . 396 396 INT. BAR – EXTREME CLOSEUP – SEAGRAM SEAGRAM I mean if it‟s all some kind of a lousy game, who needs it? We PULL BACK and INCLUDE PITT. with a JUKEBOX PLAYING and pinball machines. They‟re in a corner booth SEAGRAM (continuing) You know something? I‟m glad we I never thought didn‟t find the stuff. I‟d say it, but I‟m just as glad we struck out. PITT No, you‟re not. SEAGRAM The heck I‟m not. I mean it. 397 397 SINGLE ON PITT He still has the postcard we saw before. PITT (shakes his head) It‟s not that easy. I won‟t let you wiggle off the hook like that. 398 398 ANOTHER ANGLE He slides the postcard across the table to Seagram. looks at it. Seagram SEAGRAM It‟s an English postcard. saw it already. I PITT That‟s right. We all saw it. Brewster bought it someplace, stuck it in his pocket, and never mailed it. SEAGRAM So what? PITT So read the fine print on the back. The ink is smudged. It‟s hard to make out. SEAGRAM (he turns it over and reads) „A typical country church and graveyard in county Hampshire near the village of . . . Southby . . .‟ 399 399 INSERT graveyard. We SEE the card as he turns it over. Sepia print. A country church and SEAGRAM (O.S.) Southby . . . PITT (O.S.) That‟s right. guessed wrong. It‟s a place. Southby. We It‟s not a man. Twenty kilometers from Southampton . . . 399A TWO SHOT – SEAGRAM AND PITT 399A They react. 399B INT. DULLES TERMINAL – TRAVELLING SHOT – NIGHT 399B Sandecker, Pitt and Seagram walk toward the British Airways boarding area. SANDECKER Sure, it‟s a long shot but this whole project has never been anything else. SEAGRAM Did you talk to the President about it? SANDECKER Not yet. No point in getting him steamed up again till we know something for sure. PITT We‟ll call you from Southampton tomorrow night. SANDECKER Good. I‟ll be waiting to hear from you. DISSOLVE TO: 399C EXT. CHURCHYARD – ENGLAND – DAY 399C Exact duplicate of the postcard from Brewster‟s pocket, only now the church is a bombed-out ruin. Where the graveyard had been is an open grassy area with on, blocky granite monument in the center and a children‟s playground apparatus around the edges. VICAR (O.S.) We‟ve restored the little chapel, you see, but the church proper is just the way we found it after the explosion . . . It‟s a reminder to all of us . . . 399D FULL SHOT – HIGH ANGLE 399D We SEE Seagram, Pitt and the VICAR walking from the church towards the monument. VICAR As you can see, it wasn‟t just a bomb. A German plane crashed here carrying a full load of bombs. I‟ll never forget it. This whole area was like a crater, a hundred meters across and twenty-meters deep. Our parish graveyard was totally obliterated . . . 399E TRAVELING SHOT – THE THREE 399E VICAR . . . but we‟ve put up this monument with the names of all the people who were buried here. 399F ANOTHER ANGLE 399F As they arrive at the monument. 399G INSERT – LARGE BRONZE TABLE ON SIDE OF MONUMET 399G VICAR It‟s a playground now, you see. We filled in the crater . . . The CAMERA TILTS DOWN SLOWLY and STOPS ON. „Jake Hobart April 3, 1913‟ 399H TWO SHOT – SEAGRAM AND PITT 399H They look at each other. VICAR . . . We turned it from a death place to a life place. The new cemetery for the village is across the way . . . 399I 399I FULL SHOT VICAR (he points) . . . on that fine green hill just there . . . We PULL BACK AND UP as Seagram and Pitt shake hands with the Vicar and walk away toward their car. 399J 399J ANOTHER ANGLE SEAGRAM Do you think it was there? Do you think he buried the byzanium there? PITT We‟ll never know the answer to that question. SEAGRAM I know we won‟t. think? But what to you PITT I think it was there. I think Brewster put it in a coffin and buried it. And it would be there yet if those bombs hadn‟t blown it to Hades and gone. 400 OMITTED 400 thru thru 408 408 408A CLOSEUP – SEAGRAM 408A No expression. But the irony is not lost on him. 409 409 FULL SHOT – HIGH ANGLE As Seagram and Pitt walk toward the car, we HEAR Pitt CHUCKLE. SEAGRAM What‟s so funny? 410 410 TRAVELLING TWO SHOT PITT I knew a girl once. SEAGRAM I‟ll bet you did. PITT One day she said to me, „What happened to you? I thought you were going to change the world.‟ SEAGRAM What did you say? PITT I said they had me out-numbered. SEAGRAM (after a beat) Is that supposed to be my lesson for the day? PITT (shakes his head) Not a chance. lessons. No lectures. No 411 411 FULL SHOT SEAGRAM You mean school‟s out? PITT I wouldn‟t be surprised. We PULL UP AND BACK AS HIGH AS WE CAN GO as Pitt and Seagram get into the car and starts off down the country road. to WIDE SHOT of the ocean. MUSIC STARTS and we DISSOLE THROUGH In SLOW MOTION the Titanic breaks through the water again. As the MUSIC SWELLS AND PEAKS we FREEZE FRAME, HOLDING the Titanic at hits highest pint out of the water. CLOSING CREDITS ROLL ACROSS THIS SHOT. Final STILL SHOT of the As they END the MUSIC FADES SLOWLY. The last SOUND we Titanic thrusting up out of the water. HEAR is the soft thunder of KETTLE DRUMS as we: FADE TO BLACK THE END