Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
INT. BLACK PEARL – CAPTAIN’S CABIN – NIGHT
Elizabeth huddles in the far corner of the cabin, terrified.
EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA – DAY
The Interceptor cuts across the waves. Jack at the wheel; Will tightens a line, moves back astern.
EXT. INTERCEPTOR – MAIN DECK – DAY
Will sharpens his sword with a whetstone: shhhk-shhhk …
JACK For a man whose made an industry of avoiding boats, you’re a quick study.
WILL I worked passage from England as a cabin boy. After my mother passed, I came out here … looking for my father.
JACK Is that so?
WILL My father. William Turner? Jack says nothing. Will has lost the patience for guile.
WILL ( CONT ‘ D) I’m not a simpleton. At the jail – – it was only after you learned my name that you agreed to help. Since that’s what I wanted, I didn’t press the matter. But now – {an accusation} You knew my father. Jack considers his reply-settles on ‘truth.’
JACK I knew him. Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Most everyone just called him Bill, or ‘Bootstrap’ Bill.
WILL ‘Bootstrap?’
JACK Good man. Good pirate. And clever -“- I never met anyone with as clever a mind and hands as him. When you were puzzling out that cell door, it was like seeing his twin.
WILL That’s not true.
JACK I swear, you look just like him.
WILL It’s not true that my father was a pirate.
JACK Figured you wouldn’t want to hear it.
WILL He was a merchant marine! He was a respectable man who obeyed the law, and followed the rules-JACK You think your father is the only man who ever lived the Glasgow life, telling folk one thing, and then going off to do another? There’s quite a few who come here, hoping to amass enough swag to ease the burdens of respectable life. And they’re all ‘merchant marines.’
My father did not think of my mother his family – as a burden.
JACK Sure-because he could always go pirating.
WILL My father-was not-a pirate! Will’s sword is out, levelled at Jack. Jack gives him a disbelieving look, sighs.
JACK Put it away, Will. It’s not worth getting beat again.
WILL You didn’t beat me. You ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I’d kill you.
JACK Then that’s not much incentive for me to fight fair, is it? He kicks a lever on a wench. The sail boom whips around and slams Will in the chest-sweeping him off the ship. His sword clatters onto the deck. Will dangles above the water. Jack slips a loop of rope around the wheel to hold the course. Picks up the sword-and pokes at Will with it. Will hand-over-hands away from the blade, to the end of the boom.
JACK ( CONT ‘ D) As long as you’re just hanging there, pay attention. Must, Should, do, don’t, shall, shall not-those are just suggestions. There are only two absolute rules. (ticks them off on his fingers)
JACK (CONT’D) What a man can do. And what a man can I t do. Will looks away, not interested.
JACK (CONT’D) For instance: you can accept that your father was a pirate and still a good man… or you can’t. Now me, I can sail this ship to Tortuga, by myself. . . But I can’t just let you drown. Jack swings the boom back in. Will drops to the deck. Jack holds the hilt of the sword out. Will takes it. Glares at Jack, considers what he’ll do next. Jack watches him coolly. Will turns and strides to his spot on the deck, sits down, and resumes sharpening his sword: shhhk-shhhk-shhhk … Jack breathes silent sigh of relief. Notices his hand is shaking-he takes the wheel.
WILL Tortuga?
JACK Oh-did I forget to mention that?
EXT. TORTUGA – DAY
A dank and dirty port, where the tides seem to have swept together the scum of the Caribbean-pirates, privateers, prostitutes, thieves, and drunkards. With its cantered, rotting docks, weatherbeaten buildings, and odd assortment of livestock running free-a donkey, chickens, etc.-it is far less civilized than Port Royal. Jack and Will move through the crowd. A REDHEADED woman turns her head-she has noticed Jack.
JACK We need a crew. We can manage the ship between islands, but the open sea, that’s another matter – Suddenly the Redhead SLAPS Jack, hard. Satisfied, she turns and strides off. Will ignores her.
WILL Just do it quickly.
JACK Don’t worry. I’ve already got my Quartermaster-there! Jack leads Will toward a pub: the Faithful Bride, the emblem over the door a politically incorrect painting of a smiling woman holding a bouquet in her chained-and-manacled hands. Jack pulls open the door; Will goes inside passing a pretty ASIAN women coming out-she sees Jack and immediately SLAPS him, cursing something in Chinese. Jack backs away – INT. THE FAITHFUL BRIDE – DAY Jack closes the door on the woman, joins Will. They take in the place-it is populated with a slightly higher class of scum. Jack spots a BARTENDER, smiles, moves forward –and is suddenly DECKED by a waitress. This is ANAMARIA, tall, strong, tough; she didn’t spill a drink off her tray.
ANAMARIA You stole my boat.
JACK AnaMaria! Have you seen Gibbs? I need to put together – She SLAPS him again. Will shakes his head, heads for the bar. Jack gets up.
JACK (CONT’D) Borrowed. Borrowed your boat. Without permission. AnaMaria charges; Jack backs away, puts a table between them. She chases him around the table, still carrying the tray.
ANAMARIA My dory. The Jolly Mon. Where is it?
JACK Safe! At Port Royal. With the Royal Navy.
ANAMARIA That boat is my livelihood!
JACK You’ll get it back. Or one better.
ANAMARIA I will. Away from them, a PATRON calls for his food. AnaMaria scowls at Jack, moves away-comes back for. one more
WILL Jack! Over here! AT THE BAR, Will has spoken to the Bartender. Jack arrives, rubbing his chin.
WILL (CONT’D) He knows Gibbs. The Bartender nods ‘yes.’ Then nods ‘out back.’ Then produces a water bucket from behind the bar. Jack and Will exchange a look,-and Jack takes the bucket.
EXT. THE FAITHFUL BRIDE – REAR – DAY
A drunken man lays in the mud, having a friendly conversation with two pigs. He wears an old tattered Navy jacket. A sudden SPRAY OF WATER splashes across his face, revealing: this is old JOSHAMEE GIBBS (the man who told pirate stories to Elizabeth when she was a child). He sputters and roars:
GIBBS Curse you for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot Mother’s love, Jack, you know better than to wake a man when he’s sleeping. It’s bad luck!
JACK Well, fortunately, I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink, and the man who was sleeping it drinks it while listening to a proposition.
GIBBS Aye, that’ll about do it. Jack helps Gibbs to his feet-and then Gibbs is hit with a second wave of water. Will stands there with the bucket.
GIBBS (CONT’D) Blast it, I’m already awake!
WILL I know. That was for the smell.
INT. THE FAITHFUL BRIDE – DAY
Jack and Gibbs sit at a table in the shadows, a single candle illumining them, speaking in hushed voices. Will is away from them, at the door, hand on sword, keeping a lookout. A tankard is set down. Gibbs lifts it to take a swig – JACK Just the one. Gibbs pauses. He takes a dainty sip.
GIBBS Make it_ast, then. Now, what’s the nature of this venture of yours?
JACK First-have you found me a crew?
GIBBS Oh, there’s a hard tale, Jack. Most of the decent pirates in town won’t sail with you-seem to think you’re a jinx.
JACK Now where, I wonder, would they have gotten that idea? Gibbs evades answering by taking a long sip. Jack leans forward. Gibbs leans forward.
JACK (CONT’D) I’m going after the Black Pearl. Gibbs straightens up like he’s been hit. He stares. He reaches for the drink as if to down it-but then sets it back down. He leans forwards again. Jack has not moved.
GIBBS Say again?
JACK Ilm going after the Black Pearl. I know where its going to be, and I’m going to take it.
GIBBS Jack, it’s a fool’s errand: You’ve heard the tales they tell about the Pearl.
JACK Aye, and that’s why I know where it’s going to be, and that’s why I know what Barbossa is up to. All I need is a crew.
GIBBS A fool’s errand.
JACK Not if the fool has something Barbossa wants. Something he needs.
GIBBS And you’ve got that, have you?
ANGLE ON: Jack, as he smiles enigmatically, and shifts his
eyes’-behind him, Will, still on guard, glares a sailor away from the table.
JACK Back there, guarding the door is the son of old Bootstrap Bill Turner. Gibbs’ eyes widen over the edge of the tankard. Peers at Will. Then smiles, with more missing teeth than good ones.
GIBBS Well, lookee there. I’ll allow you may be onto something, Jack. There’s bound to be sailors on this rock crazy as you. I’ll find some men. Gibbs downs the drink, SLAMS the tankard on the table. Will reacts to the sound, draws both sword and dagger, kicks over a table for cover, and whirls on anyone who moves.
GIBBS (CONT’D) Kid’s a bit of a stick, isn’t he?
JACK That he is.
EXT. TORTUGA – DOCK – LATER – DAY
On the docks, a disheveled, motley and weatherbeaten group of about a dozen swabs stand in a ragged line-up.
GIBBS Feast your eyes, Cap’n. All of ’em good sea-faring men, faithful hands before the mast, every one worth his salt-(sotto, making his point)-and crazy, to boot. Jack holds up a hand-enough. He moves down the line, Gibbs at his side. Then he notices AnaMaria in line, dressed like a man, He raises an eyebrow.
ANAMARIA You owe me a boat. Jack nods, continues. One sailor is quite fat, another thin and sickly. Jack is not happy with his choices. He stops in front of COTTON, a short sailor with a large, colorful PARROT on his shoulder. Jack raises an eyebrow.
GIBBS Cotton here is mute, sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out-Cotton opens his mouth to show this-Jack grimaces. GIBBS (CONT’D)-so he went and trained the parrot to do the talking for him, nobody knows how. Nobody knows the parrot’s name, neither, so we just call it ‘Cotton’s parrot.’ Jack decides to test this.
JACK Mr. Cotton. Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true, in the face danger, and almost certain death? Cotton lifts the parrot off his shoulder, raises it-COTTON’S PARROT Wind in your SAILS! Wind in your SAILS!
GIBBS Mostly, that seem to mean ‘yes.’ Cotton nods vigorously, lowers the parrot, and it goes silent. Jack shakes his head. Steps back.
JACK That goes for the rest of you! Danger and near certain death. For we are to sail for the Isla de Muerta, to rescue the daughter of Governor Swann. An equal share of the reward shall be – Jack hears movement, looks back-several potential crew members back away in fright; first one, then another, turn and run, followed by more. Soon just a half dozen are left, including Cotton (with parrot)-and AnaMaria.
WILL Shut up, before you lose them all!
JACK These are the only ones worth having. And we’re going to need them-
EXT. H. M. S. INTERCEPTOR – DAY
A FLASH of lightening and the CRACK of thunder. The canvas of every sail is stretched taut. The ship rocks as it drops into the valley of huge swell, climbs up the other side. On board, the new crew members scurry about their tasks, pulling lines and trimming sails. Excellent sailors, it takes everything they have to keep the ship afloat. AnaMaria is at the helm. Gibbs staggers along the deck.
GIBBS That fool will have us lose the canvas, and the masts besides! On Jack, a ROARING wind blowing back his hair, eyes intent on their course. Gibbs climbs the tilted deck toward him.
GIBBS (CONT’D) Werd best drop canvas, sirl
JACK She can hold a bit longer. The wind picks up, howling. Jack smiles.
GIBBS What’s in your head to put you in such a fine mood?
JACK We’re catching up! Jack turns back to the sea, enjoying himself. Gibbs stares at him like he’s a crazy man.’
INT. BLACK PEARL – CAPTAIN’S CABIN – DAY
