Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
The sound of RAIN pounds down on the deck above – – then suddenly stops. Elizabeth moves to the stern windows, looks out at the rolling sea below-no escape there. She hears the sound of a VQICE calling, gazes up, wondering – EXT. BLACK PEARL – CROW’ S NEST – DAY High on the main mast, Twigg cups his hands to his face, calls down:
TWIGG Isla de Muerta! Isla de Muerta, off the port bow! ON DECK, Barbossa moves to the rail. The storm clouds are breaking up. On the horizon is a dark, ominous shape: ISLA DE MUERTA. Mostly sheer unfriendly cliffs that shoot straight into the water. It is surrounded by a slate grey sea. Barbossa grasps the rail with both hands, his expression a mixture of loathing and fear. Jacoby approaches, hesitant.
JACOBY Orders, Captain?
BARBOSSA Bring her in, not too close. I won’t brave the reef, not until high tide. We lay anchor before dark. Jacoby nods, backs away. Barbossa continues to stare – BARBOSSA (CONT’D) … that is, if it first doesn’t sink back down to hell from where it came.
EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA – DAY
The Interceptor, on open waters, glorious, her white sails set wing-to-wing.
EXT. H.M.S. INTERCEPTOR – DAY
CLOSE ON: Jack’s compass, cradled in both hands. Jack leans
over and studies it-almost like he’s praying. ON THE COMPASS-the face shows old-fashioned rose petal style direction markers below a quivering indicator that settles on-southeast.
JACK Bear three points starboard. AnaMaria turns the wheel, adjusting course. The ship leans into the new direction. Jack looks down – ON THE COMPASS-where the indicator spins, reverses, settles on-northeast.
JACK (CONT’D) Six points port! AnaMaria frowns, but follows the order, turns the wheel back, and the ship responds. Will works on deck, coiling a rope-but he watches Jack and AnaMaria, clearly not happy. Gibbs hobbles up.
GIBBS Left handed-ropes are coiled against the sun, or it’s bad luck! Anty-clockwise. Gibbs takes over the task. The ship shifts course again. Will has had enough.
WILL How do we expect to find an island no one can find-with a compass that doesn’t work?
GIBBS Now, lad, just because it don’t point north don’t mean it don’t work. That compass gives bearings to the Isla de Muerta, wherever it may lie.
WILL Really? So … what’s the story on the pistol? Gibbs settles in, happy to have a willing listener.
GIBBS I’ll tell lee. Now, Jack Sparrow has an honest streak in him, and that’s where the whole problem starts. This was when he was Captain of the Black Pearl – WILL What? He never told me that.
GIBBS Ah-he’s learned, then. Plays things more close to the vest. See, Jack was a cartographer, back in Old England. Somehow I he came by the money to commission the Pearl. Hired himself a crew, promised each man an equal share. So, they’re forty days out, and the First Mate says, everything’s an equal share, that should mean the location of the island, too. So Jack gave up the bearings. That night, there was mutiny. Gibbs voice is a whisper, now, so Will has to lean closer.
GIBBS (CONT’D) Jack gave hisself up for the sake of his loyal crewmen. He was marooned on an island, left there to die.
WILL How did he get off the island?
JACK I didn’t! Will and Gibbs jump. Jack is right there beside them.
JACK (CONT’D) My body’s still there, rotting away, and I am but a ghost! Will and Gibbs aren’t sure what to make of that. Jack laughs.
GIBBS How did you get off the island?
JACK Ah, that’s a dark and unpleasant tale, best left untold. He starts off.
WILL Wait-what about the pistol?
JACK The pistol. When a pirate is marooned, Will, he’s given a pistol with a single shot. No good for hunting, or surviving, really. But after three weeks of starvation and thirst-the option of that pistol begins to look good. Jack lets this sink in. He pulls out the pistol, raises it.
JACK (CONT’D) But I survived. And I still have that single shot. It’s meant for one man. My mutinous first mate – WILL Barbossa. Jack shoots a glance at Will-nods, and moves away.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – CAVE ENTRANCE – EVENING
On Barbossa, face upturned. No expression in his eyes. Around him a group of pirates, Elizabeth among them, stand as still as stones, in front of a dark cave opening. Their faces look upward, their total lack of movement disconcerting. Above the cave, on a hillock, the pirate Koehler gazes out toward the horizon. Slowly he TRANSFORMS, head-to-toe, from pirate to SKELETON- The MOON has climbed free of the storm clouds, rising large. and full on the horizon. The skeleton turns – KOEHLER Moonrise, Captain! First night of full.
BARBOSSA Hah! Be mindful of pits and crevasses. Stay together. He takes a torch. Moves into the cave. The pirates follow.
INT. ISLA DE MUERTE – CAVES – NIGHT
The group keeps together under the firelight. The path leads between boulders on a slope downhill. From the echoes and shadows, it’s clear the cave system must be huge. Elizabeth glances over-the torches illumine caverns off to the side-and just the edge of a mound of coins. Clearly there is more, but the rest is lost in darkness. Twigg, gazing upward in wonder, moves a few feet away from the group. Barbossa grabs him as he nears a chasm.
BARBOSSA Careful, mate. Fall down there, you’d die and miss Judgement Day-for not even the Lord himself’ll come look for you here. Barbossa lets go, and moves on, descending down, twisting and turning, but always down – EXT. H.M.S. INTERCEPTOR – NIGHT Cotton pulls a sail line, looks out-sees something. He lifts the parrot off his shoulder, strokes it along the back.
COTTON’S PARROT Land HO! Land HO! LAND ho! LAND ho! Indeed, the faint outline of Isla de Muerta is in the distance on the port side. Will stands, excited, jumps onto the rigging for a better look. But AnaMaria, at the helm, stares at Cotton, and the parrot.
ANAMARIA How does he do that?
JACK They’ll be anchored on the lee side. Haul your wind, and keep to the weather of the island – INT. ISLA DE MUERTE – CAVES – NIGHT Flickering torchlight. Pirates stoop low to enter a cavern –and revealed is the spectacular treasure of Isla de Muerta: overflowing ,chests of coins, gold and silver ingots, jewelry, objects d’ art, jade and ivory, brightly colored silks, furniture, jewels and pearls; mirrors and swords -anything and everything of value that might be carried by ship, is here. The pirates move through, Elizabeth can’t help but gaze in wonder.
ELIZABETH The curse drove you to gather this?
BARBOSSA (O.S.) Aye. And not a bit of it any use to us, only hoarded. But it will drive us no longer. Elizabeth pauses, staring at herself in a jewel-encrusted mirror-and then is pushed along by the pirates.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTE – LAGOON – NIGHT
The Interceptor lies at anchor in the distance. Closer, Jack and will row away from the larger vessel in a small longboat, toward the rocky shore. The RUSH of a waterfall grows louder. Will looks: ahead of them is a black CAVE MOUTH, right at water level.
WILL What’s that?
JACK Depends.
WILL On what?
JACK On whether the stories are all true. If they are, that’s a waterfall that spills over at high tide, with a short drop to an underground lagoon. If not – By now, the moving water tugs on the longboat, and they are sucked in-JACK (CONT’D)-well, too late. The boat rushes forward, plunges into the darkness – INT. CAVES – UNDERWATER LAGOON – NIGHT-the longboat takes a harrowing drop over a short waterfall … but then lands safely in a gorgeous underwater lagoon, floats lazily toward a sandy shore.
JACK Chalk one up for the stories. Will leaps out into the water, pulls the boat ashore – INT. CAVES – BED CAVERN – NIGHT The pirate group reaches the end of a small chamber of mostly jewels and pearl piled around a large bed – INT. CAVES – MAIN CAVERN – NIGHT-and then emerge into the largest cavern of all, also crammed with treasure, including several mountains of gold coins that reach the ceiling. Treasure everywhere – Except for one spot in the center. A hole in the ceiling lets in a column of moonlight, which illumines: A stone chest, lid pushed back, decorated with carved Aztec glyphs, filled with gold coins identical to Will’s medallion. A sharp stone knife lies on top. In front of it, buried in the sand is a skeleton-and this one doesn’t look like it’s going to move ever again, judging by the sword in its back. A crab scurries away from it as the group approaches.
BARBOSSA Here we stand before the cursed treasure of Cortez himself. Won by blood, it demands blood in return. All eyes turn-onto Elizabeth. Pintle takes the stone knife from the chest, approaches her. Elizabeth shrinks back, but is held by two other pirates. Pintel grins. Grabs her by the wrist. She turns her head away, shuts her eyes. Pintle raises the knife … … and then very carefully, daintily, uses just the sharp tip of the knife to just prick! Elizabeth’s finger. One tiny red drop of blood appears, and drips down onto the medallion. Elizabeth opens her eyes, surprised.
PINTEL What did you expect? We’re all gentlemen here, right and proper. The pirates laugh. Barbossa takes the medallion, grins at Elizabeth.
BARBOSSA You know the first thing I’m going to do after the curse is lifted? Eat a whole bushel of apples. Barbossa approaches the chest, shining in the beam of moonlight.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D) What was begun by blood, let blood now end! He tosses the gold medallion onto the others. The pirates tense, waiting, expectant. A long beat. They all look at each other, look at themselves. Nothing happens.
KOEHLER Did it work?
DEADEYE I don’t feel no different.
JACOBY How do we tell? Barbossa frowns, draws his pistol, and SHOOTS the pirate next to him-Jacoby-square in the chest. Jacoby reacts in shock, grabs his chest … but doesn’t die.
KOEHLER You’re not dead.
JACOBY No. He shot me!
TWIGG It didn’t work! The curse is still upon us! Barbossa searches his mind for an answer … turns to Elizabeth.
BARBOSSA You. Maid. Your father. What was his name?! Was your father William Turner?! Elizabeth takes time to smile before answering:
ELIZABETH No. The pirates cry out in alarm. Barbossa gathers himself, getting his rage under steely control.
BARBOSSA Where’s his child? The child that sailed from England eight years ago, the child who is the real owner of that medallion, the child in whose veins flows the blood of William Turner?! Where? Barbossa SLAPS her hard across the face, sending her sprawling.
JACOBY You brought us the wrong person!
PINTEL She had the medallion! She’s the right age. She said her name was Turner!
TWIGG You brought us here for nothing? Barbossa whirls on him-BARBOSSA If you had sailed with Morgan for ten years like I have, you’d know not to question me! Elizabeth sits up, watching the pirates argue, for a moment unnoticed. Suddenly, a scabbard comes down, right above her. Startled, Elizabeth looks up–Will is at the top of a mound of coins, reaching down with his scabbard for her to grab onto. Elizabeth quickly leans forward, takes the bloodied medallion from the pile. Reaches back, grabs the scabbard. Will pulls her up – BARBOSSA (CONT’D) If any coward here dare challenge me, let him speak! Any more talk, I’ll chain ye to a cannon and send ye to the watery depths! A sound catches his attention-coins falling. He looks up, sees Will and Elizabeth at the top of the treasure stack. ATOP THE STACK, Will grabs a large shield, flings them forward-the two ride down the mountain of coins on the far side, slide through a small opening – INT. ISLA DE MUERTE – SMALL CAVERN – NIGHT Behind them, loose coins from their slide come down in an avalanche, sealing the entrance. Elizabeth jumps up, silver platter in hand, ready to swing -Jack catches her before she can do any damage. They recognize each other.
ELIZABETH You?!
JACK Me!
ELIZABETH You’re in league with Barbossa!
JACK No, I’m-rescuing you. Elizabeth can’t comprehend that one.
ELIZABETH You?! Will gains his footing in the rubble.
WILL Miss Swann! We’re here to rescue you! (sounds of pursuit, approaching) It’s going badly!
JACK This way! They race off, toward a bit of moonlight – EXT. ISLA DE MUERTE – NIGHT The three climb up a dark crevasse that leads out onto the island. Will takes Elizabeth’s hand, helps her.
WILL I’m glad we got here in time.
ELIZABETH Truthfully-you were a bit late.
JACK The trick isn’t getting here, it’s getting away. As if on cue, they hear the yells of pirates, coming closer. They take off – EXT. ISLA DE MUERTE – CLEARING – NIGHT The three race through the rocks, the sounds of pursuit close behind. Suddenly Jack stops.
ELIZABETH Come on!
JACK No. This won’t work. I’ll stay behind, and fight them. You go on. Will and Elizabeth stare at him.
WILL No.
JACK I’ll lead them away. The sounds are closer.
JACK (CONT’D) Go to the opposite end of the island, and signal the ship. I’ll keep ’em busy.
WILL Are you sure? Jack-this is not something you have to do.
JACK I’m sure. When you’ve led the kind of life I have, there are debts that must be paid. Maybe I can balance the scales a little. Will nods, hesitates… gives Jack his sword – – now Jack has two, ..one for each hand. Elizabeth gives him a quick kiss. Will and Elizabeth race away, and are gone. Jack watches them for a moment, turns to face the pirates. He sticks the two swords in the ground, crossed. Leans casually against a rock. A group of pirates round a corner, cutlasses drawn, ready to fight-but Jack raises his hand.
JACK (CONT’D) I invoke the right of parlay, according to the Code of the Brethren, set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew…
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTE – NIGHT
Jack stands before Barbossa, surrounded by pirates. Jack has a wide smile on his face-and Barbossa doesn’t like it.
BARBOSSA I’m inclined to kill you now, Jack Sparrow, without so much as a word, if you don’t lose that grin from your face. Jack’s smile remains. Barbossa puts a hand to his cutlass – JACK The woman’s blood didn’t work, did it? Barbossa hesitates.
JACK (CONT’D) I know who’s blood you need, to end the curse.
BARBOSSA Say the name, or I slit your throat.
JACK No you won’t. Barbossa nods. Pintel steps forward, puts a blade to Jack’s throat. Jack’s smile widens.
PINTEL Now?
BARBOSSA (NODS) Now. No, don’t kill him. Surprised, Pintel lowers his cutlass. Jack’s expression hasn’t changed.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D) Allow me the humor of listening to your terms.
JACK Simple. I have something you want more than anything. The way to free you from the curse of the treasure. You have something I want-more than anything.
BARBOSSA The Pearl? Oh, that’s fine. And just how do you expect this to work?
JACK You give me the Pearl. Then I tell you who you need. Barbossa stares at him, incredulous.
