Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl
Before Elizabeth can answer, the BLADE of a SWORD is at Jack’s THROAT-Norrington’s new ceremonial sword, in fact, looking bright and sharp.
NORRINGTON On your feet.
It looks bad-Jack standing over Elizabeth, most of her clothes gone. He gets to his feet. The rest of Elizabeth’s erstwhile rescuers reach the scene, including Swann.
SWANN Elizabeth! Are you all right?
He strips off his jacket, drapes it around her.
ELIZABETH Yes-yes, I’m fine-Commodore Norrington, do you intend to kill my rescuer?
Norrington looks at Jack. Jack nods as best he can with a blade beneath his chin. Norrington sheathes his sword, and extends his hand.
NORRINGTON I believe thanks are in order.
Jack takes Norrington’s hand gingerly. They shake–and Norrington tightens his grip, yanks Jack’s arm toward him, then tears back the sleeve of Jack’s shirt–exposing a BRAND on Jack’s inner wrist: a large ‘P.’
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Had a brush-up with the East India Trading Company, did you … pirate?
The others react in shock, but the sailors are well-trained-in an instant, half a dozen pistols are aimed at Jack. He stands there, still holding the corset.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Keep your guns on him, men. Gillette, fetch some irons.
Norrington notices something else-below the ‘P’ brand is a tattoo: a small bird in flight across water.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Well, well… Jack Sparrow, isn’t it?
JACK Captain Jack Sparrow. If you please.
Norrington looks out at the bay.
NORRINGTON I don’t see your ship-Captain.
MURTOGG He said he’d come to commandeer one.
MULLROY (to Murtogg) I told you he was telling the truth. (currying favor) These are his, sir.
He holds out Jack’s pistol and belt. Norrington takes the pistol, examines it, notes the powder horn on Jack’s belt.
NORRINGTON (to Jack) Extra powder, but no additional shot.
Jack shrugs. Norrington unhooks the compass from the belt, opens it. He frowns at the reading. Moves the compass this way and that, keeping it parallel to the ground.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) It doesn’t bear true.
Jack looks away, a bit embarrassed. Norrington returns the compass to the belt. Draws the sword half from the scabbard.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) I half-expected it to be made of wood.
He slides it back into the scabbard, hands it to Mullroy.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D) Taking stock: you’ve got a pistol with only one shot, a compass that doesn’t point north … and no ship. You are without a doubt the worst pirate I have ever heard of.
JACK Ah, but you have heard of me.
Gillette returns with shackles, approaches Jack.
NORRINGTON Carefully, lieutenant.
Elizabeth steps forward. Swann’s jacket slips off her. She is unconcerned, but he is intent on putting it back on her.
ELIZABETH Commodore, I must protest. Pirate or not, this man saved my life.
NORRINGTON One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness.
Gillette snaps the manacles closed on Jack’s wrists.
JACK But it seems to be enough to condemn him.
NORRINGTON (smiles) Indeed.
Now that Jack is safely chained, Norrington nods to his men. All but one stow their weapons, and two step forward-
JACK Finally.
Lightning-quick, he snaps the corset around the hand and wrist of the man holding the pistol and yanks. The pistol sails into the water. Before anyone can react to that, Jack has the manacle chain wrapped around Elizabeth’s throat.
Pistols are drawn again, but now Elizabeth serves as a shield. Norrington raises a cautioning hand to his men.
JACK (CONT’D) (backing away, toward land) Commodore Norrington … my pistol and belt, please.
Norrington hesitates, balls his fists in frustration.
JACK (CONT’D) Commodore!
Mullroy hands the pistol and belt to Norrington. Norrington holds them out to Jack.
JACK (CONT’D) Elizabeth-it is Elizabeth?
Elizabeth is more angry than frightened.
ELIZABETH Miss Swann.
JACK Miss Swann, if you’ll be so kind?
She takes the belt and pistol from Norrington-Jack’s quicker than she is, and takes the pistol from her. He jerks her around so she is facing him, belly to belly.
JACK (CONT’D) Now, if you’ll be very kind?
She figures out what he wants: put the belt on him.
ELIZABETH (as she works) You are despicable.
JACK I saved your life; now you’ve saved mine. We’re square.
Done. He turns her again, and then backs up until he bumps against the cargo gantry.
JACK (CONT’D) Gentlemen … m’lady … you will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow.
He shoves Elizabeth away, grabs a rope and pulls free a belaying pin-a counterweight drops and Jack is lifted up to the middle of the gantry, where he grabs a second rope- Pistols fire-and miss. Jack swings out, out, out, away from and around the gantry.
Norrington has held his shot. With careful aim, he tracks Jack’s trajectory- Jack drops from the rope even as Norrington FIRES. His shot tears the rope–as Jack plummets past one of the gantry’s guy lines, he snaps the length of the manacle chain over the line and grabs hold of the far loop-slides down the line–drops to the deck of a ship. He runs, leaping to another ship, then out of sight-
NORRINGTON On his heels! Gillette, bring a squad down from the fort! (to Elizabeth) Elizabeth, are you- ELIZABETH Yes, I’m all right, I’m fine! Go capture him.
Norrington’s taken aback by her ire, and wisely hurries away. Swann drapes his coat around Elizabeth.
SWANN Here, dear … you should wear this.
Elizabeth shivers, finding suddenly that she is cold. Glances out at the bay–where a THICK FOG moves across the top of the water. She takes the jacket.
ELIZABETH Thank you, Father … and let that be the last of your fashion advice, please.
But she accepts his comforting embrace.
EXT. PORT ROYAL – TOWN – ALLEY – DAY
The fog creeps through, casting an eerie twilight pall. An armed search party moves along the street. They glance down an alley- On the far side is another search party. The men nod to each other, continue on.
A moment, and then Jack drops from his hiding place beneath the eaves of a building. He still wears the manacles.
Across the street is a shop with barn doors, a pass-thru door set in the middle. Above is a sign with a black anvil.
INT. BLACKSMITH’S FORGE – DAY
Jack slips through the door, takes a look around:
No windows. The forge is dark, lit by lanterns. Work-in- progress is scattered about: wagon wheels, wrought iron gates, pipes-even a cannon with a crack in it. But every tool is in place; the workbench is tidy and neat.
Jack is startled by a noise: MISTER BROWN, in a blacksmith’s apron, snores in the corner, cradling a bottle. Jack gives him a hard poke. Another. Brown snorts, turns away.
Satisfied, Jack sheathes his sword, takes a short-handled sledge from its place on the wall. Moves to the glowing coke furnace in the middle of the room.
Slowly… he holds his right hand over the furnace, the chain down in the embers. The chain begins to GLOW. Jack sweats, grimaces at the pain- Moving quickly, he wraps the chain around the nose of an anvil, brings the sledge down with a fast, hard stroke on the glowing links. One SHATTERS. Jack drops the sledge, plunges his manacled hand in a bucket of water. Steam billows.
Jack pulls his hand out, flexes it. Blisters form beneath the manacle-but his hands are free.
The SOUND of the latch on the door-Jack dives for cover.
Will enters the forge, shuts the door behind him. Spots the drunken Mister Brown in the corner.
WILL Right where I left you.
Something catches his eye: an empty peg on the wall. The sledge lying beside the anvil.
WILL (CONT’D) (under his breath) Not where I left you.
He moves casually toward the sledge. The grabs for it-but the flat of a sword blade slaps his hand. Will jumps back.
Jack stands there, sword leveled at Will. He backs Will up, toward the door. Will glares at him.
WILL (CONT’D) (voice low and tight) You’re the one they’re hunting. The pirate.
Jack acknowledges it with the tip of his head … then frowns,
regards Will.
JACK You look familiar … Have I ever threatened you before?
WILL I’ve made a point of avoiding familiarity with pirates.
JACK Ah. Then it would be a shame to put a black mark on your record. So if you’ll excuse me …
Beside the door is a grindstone, a sword resting in the honing guide. Before Jack can react, Will has it in hand.
JACK (CONT’D) Do you think this is wise, boy? Crossing blades with a pirate?
WILL You threatened Miss Swann.
