Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
JACK Sorry, I didn’t know. Music drifts down from Fort Charles. Jack looks up, shields his eyes.
JACK (CONT’D) Some sort of to-do up at the fort, eh? You two weren’t invited?
MURTOGG No … someone has to make sure this dock stays off-limits to civilians.
JACK This must be some important boat.
MULLROY Ship.
JACK Ship.
MURTOGG Captain Norrington’s made it his flagship. He’ll use it to hunt down the last dregs of piracy on the Spanish Lake.
MULLROY Commodore.
MURTOGG Right. Commodore Norrington.
JACK That’s a fine goal, I’m sure … But it seems to me a ship like that-(indicates the Dauntless)-makes this one here just a wee
superfluous.
MURTOGG Oh, the Dauntless is the power in these waters, true enough-but there’s no ship that can match the Interceptor for speed.
JACK That so? I’ve heard of one, supposed to be fast, nigh uncatchable … the Black Pearl? Mullroy scoffs at the name.
MULLR0Y There’s no real ship as can match the Interceptor.
MURTOGG The Black Pearl is a real ship.
MULLROY No, it’s not.
MURTOGG Yes it is. I’ve seen it.
MULLR0Y You’ve seen it?
MURTOGG Yes.
MULLROY You’ve seen the Black Pearl?
MURTOGG Yes.
MULLR0Y You haven’t seen it.
MURTOGG Yes, I have.
MULLR0Y You’ve seen a ship with black sails that’s crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that hell itself spat him back out?
MURTOGG … No .
MULLROY No.
MURTOGG But I’ve seen a ship with black sails.
MULLR0Y Oh, and no ship that’s not crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil hell itself spat him back out could possibly have black sails and therefore couldn’t possibly be any ship other than the Black Pearl. Is that what you’re saying?
MURTOGG … no.
MULLR0Y Like I said, there’s no real ship as can match-Hey! But Jack’s not there. Murtogg and Mullroy look around, spot – Jack standing at the wheel of the Interceptor, casually examining the mechanism.
MULLROY (CONT’D) You! Jack looks over in exaggeratedly innocent surprise. The sailors hurry toward the gangplank.
MULLROY (CONT’D) Get away from there! You don’t have permission to be aboard there! Jack spreads his hands in apology.
JACK I’m sorry. It’s just such a pretty boat. Ship. The sailors study him suspiciously.
MURTOGG What’s your name?
JACK Smith.
MULLR0Y What’s your business in Port Royal, ‘Mr. Smith’ ?
MURTOGG And no lies!
JACK None? Very well. You’ve rumbled me. I confess: I intend to commandeer one of these ships, pick up a crew in Tortuga, and go out on the account, do a little honest pirating.
MURTOGG I said, no lies.
MULLR0Y I think he’s telling the truth.
MURTOGG He’s not telling the truth.
MULLROY He may be.
MURTOGG If he were telling the truth he wouldn’t have told us.
JACK Unless, of course, he knew you wouldn’t believe the truth if he told it to you. Murtogg and Mullroy consider that point-EXT. FORT CHARLES – DAY Elizabeth, pale and perspiring, fans herself weakly, oblivious to the music and chatter.
NORRINGTON May I have a moment? He extends his arm. She takes it. He walks her away from the party, toward the parapet. A rather too long of a silence as Norrington works up his courage.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) You look lovely. Elizabeth. Elizabeth frowns, unable to focus. Norrington mistakes her expression as disapproval.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) I apologize if I seem forward-but I must speak my mind.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) (working up his confidence to do so) This promotion confirms that I have accomplished the goals I set for myself in my career. But it also casts into sharp relief that which I have not achieved. The thing all men most require: a marriage to a fine woman. You have become a fine woman, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH I can’t breathe.
NORRINGTON I’m a bit nervous, myself-Elizabeth loses her balance, stumbles away from Norrington. She reaches a hand out to the parapet to steady herself, but it slides off –and then she vanishes over the wall. Gone.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Elizabeth! .
EXT. PORT ROYAL – NAVY DOCKS – DAY
Jack reacts, pushes Murtogg aside to see – Elizabeth plummets from the top of the cliff. It seems to take her a long time to reach the sea-Elizabeth hits the water, narrowly missing the sharp rocks. A wave breaks, and then she is washed out away from the cliff, struggling feebly. AT THE FORT, Norrington looks down-NORRINGTON ELIZABETH! He leaps to the top of the parapet, prepared to dive-a lieutenant, GILLETTE catches his arm.
GILLETTE The rocks, sir! It’s a miracle she missed them! Norrington shakes off his arm, looks down-and realizes Gillette is right. He jumps down and runs-EXT. PORT ROYAL – NAVY DOCKS – DAY Jack, Murtogg and Mullroy are still in shock from the sight.
JACK Aren’t you going to save her?
MULLR0Y I can’t swim. Murtogg shakes his head-neither does he.
JACK Sailors. Above where Elizabeth struggles in the water. Norrington and several other men pick their way down the cliffs. They are too far away to get to her in time. Jack scowls. He has no choice-and it pisses him off.
JACK (CONT’D) Fine. He pulls a pistol from his sword belt, hands it to Murtogg; then hands the belt to Mullroy.
JACK (CONT’D) Don’t lose these. And then he dives into the water, swims toward Elizabeth. Elizabeth struggles to keep above water, gasping for air ‘- then a swell rolls over her, and she is submerged – UNDERWATER, Elizabeth drifts down, unconscious. The current turns her, and the MEDALLION slips loose from her bodice. The MEDALLION turns slowly, until the SKULL is fully visible. A shaft of filtered sunlight hits it, and it GLINTS – EXT. PORT ROYAL – VARIOUS – DAY FORT CHARLES: The British flag flies, blown from an offshore breeze. Suddenly the wind dies, and the flag goes limp. ON THE DOCKS: Wood and metal fittings on lines bang against masts. The wind dies, and there is silence. ON THE EDGE OF TOWN: A CARIBE WOMAN feeds clucking chickens, frowns when they all suddenly go quiet … IN THE VILLAGE: A weather vane moves slightly in the wind. The wind stops, and all is still. And then … … the weather vane TURNS, and holds steady-the wind has picked up again, but now blows .from the sea toward the land. l)ON THE BEACH: an OLD SALT pulls a rope line, pauses. Turns and gazes to the sky, frowning. The mangy hound at his side starts BARKING incessantly – ON THE DOCKS: The lines bang against the other sides of the masts, the wind far stronger now. FORT CHARLES: the British flag flies in the opposite direction, snapping in the new onshore breeze.
EXT. PORT ROYAL – CLIFFSIDE – DAY
Norrington rushes down, intent on the climb. Beyond him, past the rocky point, far out to sea, FOG gathers – EXT. PORT ROYAL – OCEAN – DAY UNDERWATER: the medallion hangs below Elizabeth’s unmoving form – – and then Jack is there. He wraps an arm around her and makes for the surface. ON THE SURFACE, Jack swims toward the dock, struggling. It is .: far more difficult than it should be. He stops stroking, and they submerge. UNDERWATER: Jack realizes that it is Elizabeth’s heavy velvet dress that is weighing them down. He pulls at the buttons on the back, and they give way. He skins her out of the dress, and kicks away from it. The dress falls like a cloud into darkness – ON THE SURFACE: Jack swims with Elizabeth, much more quickly. AT THE DOCK, Murtogg and Mullroy are there to help haul Elizabeth out of the water. Jack climbs up, exhausted. Elizabeth is on her back; Murtogg holds her arms above her head, pumping them. Mullroy puts his cheek to her nose and mouth.
MULLROY Not breathing. Murtogg looks down; it seems hopeless. Jack steps up, drawing Murtogg’s knife from its sheath.
JACK Move. He pushes past Mullroy, kneels over Elizabeth, raises the knife-Murtogg is shocked – Jack slits the corset down the middle, yanks it away. Elizabeth remains still. And then-she coughs up water and gasps, choking on her first full breath. Jack is relieved.
MULLROY I never would have thought of that.
JACK Clearly, you’ve never been to Singapore. Jack flips the knife and hands it hilt-first to Murtogg – and that’s when he spots – The MEDALLION. Jack catches it up in his “hand.
JACK (CONT’D) Where did you get this? Before Elizabeth can answer, the BLADE of a SWORD is at Jack’s THROAT-Norrington’s new ceremonial sword, in fact, looking bright and sharp.
NORRINGTON On your feet. It looks bad-Jack standing over Elizabeth, most of her clothes gone. He gets to his feet. The rest of Elizabeth’s erstwhile rescuers reach the scene, including Swann.
SWANN Elizabeth! Are you all right? He strips off his jacket, drapes it around her.
ELIZABETH Yes-yes, I’m fine-Commodore Norrington, do you intend to kill my rescuer? Norrington looks at Jack. Jack nods as best he can with a blade beneath his chin. Norrington sheathes his sword, and extends his hand.
NORRINGTON I believe thanks are in order. Jack takes Norrington’s hand gingerly. They shake –and Norrington tightens his grip, yanks Jack’s arm toward him, then tears back the sleeve of Jack’s shirt –exposing a BRAND on Jack’s inner wrist: a large ‘P.’
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Had a brush-up with the East India Trading Company, did you … pirate? The others react in shock, but the sailors are well-trained-in an instant, half a dozen pistols are aimed at Jack. He stands there, still holding the corset.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Keep your guns on him, men. Gillette, fetch some irons. Norrington notices something else-below the ‘P’ brand is a tattoo: a small bird in flight across water.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Well, well… Jack Sparrow, isn’t it?
JACK Captain Jack Sparrow. If you please. Norrington looks out at the bay.
NORRINGTON I don’t see your ship-Captain.
MURTOGG He said he’d come to commandeer one.
MULLROY I told you he was telling the truth. These are his, sir. He holds out Jack’s pistol and belt. Norrington takes the pistol, examines it, notes the powder horn on Jack’s belt.
NORRINGTON Extra powder, but no additional shot. Jack shrugs. Norrington unhooks the compass from the belt, opens it. He frowns at the reading. Moves the compass this way and that, keeping it parallel to the ground.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) It doesn’t bear true. Jack looks away, a bit embarrassed. Norrington returns the compass to the belt. Draws the sword half from the scabbard.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) I half-expected it to be made of wood. He slides it back into the scabbard, hands it to Mullroy.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Taking stock: you’ve got a pistol with only one shot, a compass that doesn’t point north … and no ship. You are without a doubt the worst pirate I have ever heard of.
JACK Ah, but you have heard of me. Gillette returns with shackles, approaches Jack.
NORRINGTON Carefully, lieutenant. Elizabeth steps forward. Swann’s jacket slips off her. She is unconcerned, but he is intent on putting it back on her.
ELIZABETH Commodore, I must protest. Pirate or not, this man saved my life.
NORRINGTON One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness. Gillette snaps the manacles closed on Jack’s wrists.
JACK But it seems to be enough to condemn him.
NORRINGTON Indeed. Now that Jack is safely chained, Norrington nods to his men. All but one stow their weapons, and two step forward – JACK Finally. Lightning-quick, he snaps the corset around the hand and wrist of the man holding the pistol and yanks. The pistol sails into the water. Before anyone can react to that, Jack has the manacle chain wrapped around Elizabeth’s throat. Pistols are drawn again, but now Elizabeth serves as a shield. Norrington raises a cautioning hand to his men.
JACK (CONT’D) Commodore Norrington … my pistol and belt, please. Norrington hesitates, balls his fists in frustration.
JACK (CONT’D) Commodore! Mullroy hands the pistol and belt to Norrington. Norrington holds them out to Jack.
JACK (CONT’D) Elizabeth-it is Elizabeth? Elizabeth is more angry than frightened. ELIZABETH Miss Swann.
