Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
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 on! 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. (raises the gun to his head) 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 your back to having nothing to offer.
PINTEL And he’s got Old Bill’s courage. A curse on him, and you!
Barbossa steps forward.
BARBOSSA Enough of that! (to Will) Name your terms.
WILL Elizabeth goes free!
BARBOSSA We got that part. Anything else?
WILL And Jack. And the crew. Free and unharmed. If 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 his gun … steps downs-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. (nods) When you sail the open sea as long as I, you learn to trust the signs fate sends your way.
GIBBS (dejected) Amen to that …
BARBOSSA Jack, Elizabeth … I’m a man of my word and you’re to be set free, right quick. (loudly) Men, break out the plank!
A CHEER goes up from the pirates. Will realizes what Barbossa intends to do, struggles with captors.
WILL No! You gave your word!
BARBOSSA Quite, 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. (nods) I agreed to set them free. I didn’t 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.
JACK It’s pure evil to make a Captain walk the plank of his own ship, twice in one lifetime. No good can come of it.
BARBOSSA Now, Jack. That reef is less than a league distant. It’s a square deal all around, and you can’t hope for better.
JACK Someone needs to cut these bonds, then.
Barbossa smiles, shows a pistol. Points it at Jack.
BARBOSSA You’d best take a swim, Jack.
JACK The last time you do this, you left me a pistol, with one shot.
The pirates mutter agreement.
PINTEL That’s proper, sir, according to the code.
BARBOSSA By the powers, you’re right! (turns around) Where’s Jack’s pistol? Who’s got it? Bring it forward!
JACK A gentleman might give us two pistols, seeing as there are two of us, this time.
A pirate hands Jack’s pistol to Barbossa.
BARBOSSA Tell you what. I’ll give you one pistol, and let you be the gentleman, and shoot the lady, and starve to death yourself! (grins) That is, presuming you’re not both drownded.
The pirates laugh. Barbossa tosses Jack the pistol-but over his head, and down into the water with a splash.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D) So how did you get off that island, anyway?
JACK You can go to your grave not
knowing.
BARBOSSA That’s fair.
Jack glares at Barbossa. Then he’s prodded with a cutlass, takes a step out. Reaches the end of the plank-steps off.
Jack plunges down into the water. Appears on the surface, floundering, struggles to stay afloat. Will and Elizabeth exchange helpless looks; there is nothing they can do.
BARBOSSA The lady’s next. But first, I’ll be wanting that dress back, if you please.
Elizabeth hesitates … then strips it off, leaving her in a silk slip. She throws it at him.
ELIZABETH Here-it will go well with your blackheart!
Barbossa indicates the plank.
ELIZABETH (CONT’D) I will not walk into the ocean. You’ll have to throw me in!
Barbossa raises an eyebrow, grins, nods.
BARBOSSA Have at her, lads!
The pirates rush to comply. Lift her up, toss her over the rail-with a scream she falls- EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA – UNDERWATER – DAY
We follow Elizabeth amid foam and bubbles as she PLUNGES down through the water. Blue and clear, with streaks of sunlight cutting down; bright coral and tropical fish, and a lovely young woman in a silk dress … if it weren’t for the mortal danger, the scene could be described as gorgeous.
Elizabeth spots Jack, below her now, sinking, struggling. She swims down … unties his bonds.
