Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
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 down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew…
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – 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 you’re face.
Jack’s smile remains. Barbossa puts a hand on his cutlass-
JACK The woman’s blood didn’t work, did it?
Barbossa hesitates.
JACK (CONT’D) I know whose 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 widen.
PINTEL Now?
BARBOSSA (nods) Now. (Pintel grins) 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 won’t 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? (laughs) 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.
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, 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. (decides, smiles) We might just have to sign articles, you and I. Jack, you’re a pirate at heart, that’s certain.
Jack nods.
BARBOSSA 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 completely caught 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. (to Jack, a smile) 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 her 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 makes 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.
