Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
SKINNY Which would you prefer first, good sir-rum, or wine?
BIG-BONES I believe I’ll have a spot o’ rum, if you don’t mind, and thank’ee kind sir!
They burst out laughing-a hideous sound that wheezes through their bones.
Behind them, unnoticed, Elizabeth peeks catiously around a corner. She picks her moment and sneaks past quickly, down a gangway, disappearing into the darkness of the ship.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT
Gillette crouches, running low behind a line of rocks. He reports to Norrington:
GILLETTE All the men in place, sir. Ready to fire.
NORRINGTON Wait for my order-what the blazes is that?
It’s the sound of cannon fire-coming from the Dauntless. Cannonballs hit the shore; men cry out in anguish.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Men! Take cover!
The sailors scramble to find refuge- INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – MAIN CAVERN – NIGHT
Will, guarded by pirates, glares at Jack.
WILL You’ve been planning this from the beginning. Since you learned my name.
Jack takes the opportunity to move toward him.
JACK Oh, please-did I really seem that clever?
Before Will can answer, Jack smoothly slips the sword from a Pirate’s scabbard-tosses it to Will, who catches it despite his sursprise.
JACK (CONT’D) Use it well.
He draws his own sword-and clobbers the Pirate. Barbossa and the other pirates stare in shock-
BARBOSSA Confound it, Jack-I was actually beginning to like you!
Swords are drawn, and the Pirates attack.
Jack and Will take on multiple opponents, each with his own style: Will parries, glissades and dissarms with lightening fast and perfect form, while Jack uses his blade, fists, acrobatics and anything within reach to survive.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT
The sailors charge. The moon emerges from behind a cloud- Suddenly an army of SKELETON PIRATES rise up from the sea, and charge the stunned sailors-several men are struck down-
NORRINGTON Steady, men! Remember-we’re the Navy!
The sailors recover their nerve, and engage the enemy. It’s a full on battle, Royal Navy against Skeleton Pirates- The Navy men are driven back, surrounded- Suddenly there is a massive BOOM of cannon fire. Norrington, in the midst of of a swordfight, tries to see-
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) What is happening out there?
EXT. LAGOON – NIGHT
It’s the Black Pearl, manned by Gibbs, AnaMaria and Cotton, and captained by Elizabeth, coming around the point, cannons blazing- EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT
Gillette sees the Black Pearl firing on the Dauntless.
GILLETTE They’re on our side! Take heart, men!
The Royal Navy stand their ground and fight- INT. CAVE – MAIN CAVERN – NIGHT
Only two pirates left: Barbossa and Jacoby. Jacoby rounds on Will; Barbossa faces off against Jack.
BARBOSSA Just so you know, Jack-I don’t think you’re that clever. I think you’re a fool. A mortal fool.
JACK Remarkable how often those two traits coincide.
Jack drives him back, making Barbossa laugh.
BARBOSSA You can’t beat me, Jack.
To prove his point, he drops his own sword-and catches Jack’s sword with both hands. Jack can’t free it. Barbossa twists the sword from Jack’s grip, reverses it–AND DRIVES THE SWORD INTO JACK’S CHEST.
Will battling Jacoby, sees it-he smashes Jacoby in the jaw, crumpling him.
WILL Jack!
Jack stares down at the sword jutting from his chest. He takes a few steps backward, toward the Aztec gold-when he steps into the moonlight, JACK BECOMES SKELETAL.
JACK Well, isn’t that interesting.
Skeleton Jack pulls the sword from his chest. He pulls something from his pocket: one of the Aztec coins.
JACK (CONT’D) They’re so pretty, I just couldn’t resist stealing one. It’s a curse, I guess.
Barbossa grabs up his sword, and rushes Jack. Both men are in moonlight now, two skeletons in pitched battle.
BARBOSSA So what now, Jack Sparrow? Are we to be two immortals, locked in epic battle until the trumpets of Judgement Day?
JACK Or you could surrender.
He shoves Barbossa back, out of the moonlight. Barbossa stalks the room, his attention focused on Jack.
BARBOSSA Or I could chain you to a cannonball and drop you in the deepest part of the ocean, where you can contemplate your folly forever.
Barbossa charges- A SHOT RINGS OUT- Jack stands out of the moonlight, flesh and blood again, holding his smoking pistol, still aimed at Barbossa.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D) Hah. Ten years you carried that pistol, and you end up wasting your shot.
WILL He didn’t waste it.
Will stands over the Aztec chest, holding a bloody sword, his left hand in a fist. He opens the fist–the medallion, blood covering it, drops from his hand, revealing the cut in his palm.
Barbossa stares, then looks down at his chest. Blood blossoms on his shirt around the bullet hole. It spreads quickly.
Barbossa clutches his chest, his face registering pain for the first time in years. Barbossa falls heavily to the ground, dead.
Jack blows the smoke from the barrel of his pistol … tosses it away.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT
Murtogg FIRES a pistol at a pirate. The pirate is hit, screams in pain, and crumples to the ground. Mullroy runs through another pirate with a sword.
The pirates react to the sight, and quickly realize their peril. They set their weapons down in surrender.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – LAGOON – NIGHT
The Black Pearl comes alongside the Dauntless, and Jack’s crew swarm across, overwhelming the pirates.
The sailors on the beach see it, and CHEER.
INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – CAVE – MAIN CAVERN – NIGHT
Will wraps a cloth around his palm; Jack joins him near the chest.
WILL Well, you’re the worst pirate I’ve ever heard of. (smiles) You’re a man who can be trusted, who can be counted on, and who can’t betray his friends. What kind of pirate is that?
JACK (admits it) The worst. (beat) On the other hand, maybe I’m a man who can’t pass up a chance for revenge against the black-hearted bastard who stole my ship and left me to die in the middle of the ocean-twice!-and who knows how to get what he wants. Now that’s a great pirate.
Jack cuts his palm, grips the coin he stole above the chest … and then hesitates.
Will looks at him …
Jack releases the coin. It lands in the chest beside the other bloody coin.
Suddenly, the lid of the chest, all on its own, SLAMS SHUT.
Elizabeth stares at it.
WILL Let’s get out of here.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT – LATER
Jack, Will and Norrington gather together on the beach. Elizabeth calls out:
ELIZABETH You’re all right!
The three men turn as one. An awkward moment-which of them does she mean?
Elizabeth races across the sand, toward them-and straight to Will. She throws her arms around his neck in a hug.
WILL Miss Swann-are you wearing trousers? And how did you get off the island?
Elizabeth can’t believe that’s what he noticed. Indignant, she steps away from him.
ELIZABETH Yes, I am wearing trousers. And as for how we got off the island- ah, that’s a grand adventure, but now is not the time to talk about it.
She reaches a hand behind his neck, decisively kisses him.
ELIZABETH There. And don’t you dare tell me that wasn’t a proper kiss!
WILL Elizabeth, I think it doesn’t matter that we are of a different class- ELIZABETH It doesn’t!
WILL -but that was not a proper kiss.
Pure consternation on Elizabeth’s face-
WILL (CONT’D) This is a proper kiss.
Will sweeps her in his arms, leans her back, and kisses her long and well- Jack puts a hand on Norrington’s shoulder.
JACK Tough luck. I was rooting for you.
EXT. PORT ROYAL – FORT CHARLES – DAY
Close on: Will’s face, stoic, staring forward. He stands straight and unmoving. Around him are members of the Royal Navy, standing before for a group of witnesses from town.
It is the courtyard on top of Fort Charles. A trial is underway-with Will as the defendant.
