Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
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 MUERTA – 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 MUERTA – LAGOON – NIGHT
The Interceptor lies at anchor in the distance. Closer, Jack and Will row away from the large 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 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 pearls 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. Pintel 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.
Pintel raises the knife …
… and then very carefully, daintily, uses just the sharp tip of the knife to juck 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? (grins) 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 can 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. (realizes) 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?! (grabs her roughly) 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 (to Pintel) You brought us the wrong person!
PINTEL She had the medallion! She’s the right age. She said her name was Turner!
TWIGG (to Barbossa) You brought us here for nothing?
Barbossa whirls on him-
BARBOSSA If you have 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 MUERTA – 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- INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – 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 MUERTA – 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. (a quick decision) 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 that 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 a moment, turns to face the pirates. He sticks the two swords in the ground, crossed. Leans casually against a rock.
