Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
EXT. TORTUGA – DOCK – LATER – DAY
On the docks, a disheveled, motley and weather-beaten 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 their 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 of 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. (turns away) 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. (glances at the sky) 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 with 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) We’d best drop canvas, sir!
JACK She can hold a bit longer.
The wind picks up, howling. Jack smiles.
GIBBS (shouts) What’s in your head to put you in such a fine mood?
JACK (shouts) 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
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 VOICE 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, omnious 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! (twirls a finger) 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. (voice low) That compass gives bearings to the Isla de Muerta, wherever it may lay.
WILL Really? (moves closer) 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 he came by the money to commission the Pearl. Hired himself a crew, promised each man an equal share. (lowers his voice) 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. (shakes his head) That night, there was a 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 crew. He was marooned on an island, left there to die.
WILL How did he get off the island?
JACK (loud) 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 thrist-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! (to the pirates) Be mindful of pits and crevasses. Stay together.
He takes a torch. Moves into the cave. The pirates follow.
INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – 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.
