Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
BARBOSSA That’s your offer? You, sailing away nice and pretty with the Black Pearl, and all I have is a name?
JACK That’s right.
BARBOSSA I’m supposed to … trust you? The pirates laugh.
JACK I’m a man of my word. The pirates laugh louder.
JACK (CONT’ D) You see, I’ve got this honest streak in me-in its own way, a sort of curse. Oh, and there’s the fact that you have no choice.
BARBOSSA I’ll torture it out of you.
JACK You left me on a desert island-what worse can you do? Jack is still smiling, intentionally smug now. Barbossa sees his options dwindling, begins to pace.
BARBOSSA Blast you! I’ll throw you in prison.
JACK Wait as long as you like.
BARBOSSA You’re setting me up for a double cross, you with the ship, and me with nothing more than your word!
JACK Let’s say I tell you the wrong person. What would you do?
BARBOSSA Track you down and – He sees where Jack is headed.
JACK And if I tell you the truth, you become mortal, and you won’t come near me because you know I’d kill you. Barbossa hesitates. The pirates are amazed at how the tide has turned; Barbossa has gone past considering the idea, and might even do it.
BARBOSSA Jack, I don’t trust you, and that’s a fact. Never trust a smiling man, you can lay to that.
JACK See, that’s where we’re different. I trust you … to do what it takes to get what you want.
BARBOSSA You’re playing this as close to the edge as any man, I’ll give you that. We might just have to sign articles, you and I. Jack, you’re a pirate at heart, that’s certain. Jack nods.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D) Pintel … set sail. If this fool plan is to work, we’ll need the medallion, and that means catching the ship which brought ’em here. Jack is caught completely off guard. For the first time, his smile fades.
JACK What-you don’t have the medallion?
BARBOSSA That fool woman took it. You be careful around her, Jack-she’s pretty enough, she’ll steal your heart-but pure evil inside.
JACK I’ll watch my back.
BARBOSSA Bosun! Set up Mr. Sparrow’s quarters, nice and fine … in the brig. Meaning no disrespect, of course. Jack nods, and is taken away. Barbossa stares after him, not hiding his mistrust.
EXT. INTERCEPTOR – DAY
At full sail, headed out to sea. Gibbs glances at Elizabeth and Will, talking alone on the forecastle-shakes his head.
GIBBS Two women on board? A man don’t have to be superstitious to know that’s trouble. Elizabeth holds the medallion, and finishes her tale:
ELIZABETH … you were in danger … so I took the medallion. And I’ve kept it ever since. They thought I was you, that they needed my blood. And it didn’t work. She hands him the medallion.
WILL Why would my father send this to me?
ELIZABETH To keep it away from them? No pirate would sail to London, for fear of Execution Dock.
WILL If I had known-
ELIZABETH (anticipating him)-then we never would have met. Will nods. They hold each other’s gaze a moment. Will turns away first, leans on the rail. Looks out to sea, back the direction they came.
WILL I can’t believe he would make such a sacrifice for us.
ELIZABETH I guess you can never truly know someone else’s heart. Will glances at her, and nods. AT THE HELM, Gibbs peers forward, scanning the horizon. There is a tiny island in front of them.
GIBBS Shift your heading, steer clear of that island. Fifteen degrees starboard. On the aft deck, Cotton concentrates on his work, securing a halyard. Suddenly Cotton’s parrot flaps its wings, takes off, lands on the starboard bulwark, squawking – COTTON’S PARROT Dead men tell NO tales! Dead men tell NO tales! Dead men tell NO tales! Cotton looks up – on the horizon, following: black sails. Gibbs and AnaMaria appear, and see the ship.
ANAMARIA Can we outrun them?
GIBBS Not a chance. Make for the reef.
EXT. CARIBBEAN OCEAN – DAY
Miles of blue water. The Interceptor tacks, leaving a long white wake. The Black Pearl matches it-gaining.
EXT. BLACK PEARL – DAY
Barbossa and Pintel eye the Interceptor, two hounds chasing the fox.
PINTEL What’s he doing? Is he going to run her aground?
EXT. INTERCEPTOR – DAY
The Black Pearl is now close behind the Interceptor-and the Interceptor is headed for the island.
GIBBS Drop the forward anchor! A SAILOR at the stern of the ship pulls a release, and the ship’s anchor races down into the water, the metal chain jumping and twisting on deck. The chain stops, and the Sailor locks it – EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA – DAY With its forward momentum and the anchor down, the Interceptor to turn quickly, pivoting around the anchor.
EXT. BLACK PEARL – DAY
Barbossa and Pintel watch as the huge ship brings its cannons to bear right in front of them.
BARBOSSA All hands! Prepare to come about! But for now, the Interceptor has the advantage, and takes it: its cannons boom, and cannonballs rain down.
INT. BLACK PEARL – BRIG – DAY
Jack sees what he can out the porthole. In the cell with him is Twigg, acting as a guard.
JACK Don’t hit my ship! I mean, kill the lying scoundrel – (to Twigg) I’m a little conflicted, here. Twigg just stares.
EXT. INTERCEPTOR – DAY
Elizabeth watches as the Black Pearl comes about-and then there is the low, loud RUMBLE of two dozen cannons firing as one. The Interceptor is hit. A barrage of shots follow; most find their mark. Sailors dive for cover, leaving their cannons; clearly they are overmatched.
EXT. BLACK PEARL – PORT SIDE – DAY
Barbossa laughs.
BARBOSSA Strike your colors, you bloody cockroaches!
EXT. INTERCEPTOR – DAY
Another round of fire; Barbossa shows no mercy.
ANAMARIA Looks like they mean to send us under.
GIBBS There-she’s raised the Jolly Roger, upside down. AnaMaria, Gibbs, Cotton, even Elizabeth-all know what this means. Will doesn’t. He looks to Gibbs for an explanation:
GIBBS (CONT ‘D) It’s a signal. If we resist, it won’t just be death. There’ll be torture as well.
WILL We’re not going to just surrender! GIBBS That we are. The Black Pearl fires again, a double-ball shot with a chain connecting the two. It hits the main mast dead ani a CRACKING, SPLINTING sound as it breaks, falls to the deck. Barbossa moves his ship alongside, preparing to board.
WILL We can at least fight-we might be able to kill a few-
GIBBS Will-it’ll go worse for us-for Elizabeth, especially-if we fight. Will stares-and nods. But his expression is still defiant. The deck slants; the ship is sinking. pirates swarm across on ropes, and take control of the Interceptor.
EXT. BLACK PEARL – MAIN DECK – DAY
The top masts of the H.M.S. Interceptor sink into the smooth’ crystal waters of the Caribbean –as Will and Elizabeth, held by pirates, are brought before Barbossa-and see that Jack stands beside him, manacled. Gibbs, AnaMaria and Cotton and the other crewmembers huddle together. Barbossa’s wrath falls on Elizabeth.
BARBOSSA Welcome back, Miss. Last time on board, you played me right clever, make pretending and all. I hope your stay this time is more pleasant. Boys, show her some hospitality! He shoves her into a group of pirates; they yell their approval. She is pushed from one to another. This goads Will to action. He head-butts the pirate behind him, grabs a pistol, waves it at the pirates.
WILL She goes free! Will leaps onto the ship’s rail. He steadies himself with a hand on the rigging. Points the pistol at Barbossa.
BARBOSSA What’s in your head, boy?
WILL She. Goes. Free.
BARBOSSA You’ve got one shot-and we can’t die.
WILL You can’t. I can. He leans out over the ocean.
ELIZABETH No! Jack pushes forward.
JACK Will-don’t do anything stupid! Don’t say anything stupid – WILL My name is Will Turner, the son of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins. You need my blood. And on my word I will pull this trigger, and sink all the way down to Davy Jones’ Locker! Pintel squints at Will; the pirates murmur surprise.
TWIGG It’s true – he’s the spittin’ image of old Bootstrap. Even talks the same! Jack drops his head. Barbossa grins at him.
BARBOSSA Looks like you’re back to having nothing to offer.
PINTEL And hers got Old Bill’s courage. A curse on him, and you! Barbossa steps forward.
BARBOSSA Enough of that! Name your terms.
WILL Elizabeth goes free!
BARBOSSA We got that part. Anything else?
WILL And Jack. And the crew. Free and unharmed. I f you agree… then… I will remain with you. Barbossa considers; his crew waits. Finally – BARBOSSA Agreed. You have my word, as a gentleman of fortune – ELIZABETH Will-you can’t trust him.
WILL You must swear by the Holy Bible.
BARBOSSA Eh? You have my word, then-on the Good Book, I do swear, and the Lord spare my worthless soul. Barbossa crosses himself, as do many of his men. Will lowers the gun … steps down-the pirates surround him. They snatch away the pistol.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D) Boatswain! Take your captives belowdecks. Chain them in the galley, and teach ’em how to row. Gibbs, AnaMaria, Cotton and the rest are led away under guard. Barbossa looks out to sea, toward the islet.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D) Hah. Look there. That’s the very same island we made Jack governor of on our last trip. When you sail the open sea as long as I, you learn to trust the signs fate sends your way.
GIBBS Amen to that…
BARBOSSA Jack, Elizabeth … I’m a man of my word and you’re to be set free, right quick. Men, break out the plank! A CHEER goes up from the pirates. Will realizes what Barbossa intends to do, struggles with his captors.
WILL No! You gave your word!
BARBOSSA Quiet, boy, or you’ll lose your tongue. Those as know me know I wouldn’t cross my word, and bring down bad luck on the ship. I agreed to set them free. I didn’t say when. .. nor where.
EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA – DAY
The Black Pearl lies at anchor, closer now to the islet.
EXT. BLACK PEARL – MAIN DECK – DAY
Jack, wrists still bound, stands in the classic ‘walking the plank’ pose. Elizabeth is next in line. Pirates crowd the ship’s rail to watch.
