Apocalisis Now
Apocalisis Now
Apocalisis Now
December 3, 1975.
Now the VIEW MOVES AWAY, ACROSS the ancient growth, PAST
the glimmer of what seems to be another soldier hiding in
ambush, wearing an exotic hat made from birds and bushes.
ACROSS to a dark trail where the legs of those in black
pajamas move silently across our ever TIGHTENING VIEW.
Their feet, boots and sandals leave no impression; make
no sound. A slight flicker of light reveals a pair of
eyes in the foliage across the path, waiting and watching.
Out VIEW TURNS as the men around us are thrown and torn,
screaming and scattering into the jungle. More AMERICANS
appear; unexplainably, out of the growth. It is now that
we fully SEE the bizarre manner in which they are dressed.
Some wear helmets, others wear strange hats made from
feathers and parts of animals. Some of them have long
savage-looking hair; other crew-cut or completely shaved;
they wear bandoliers, flak jackets, shorts and little else.
They wear Montagnard sandals or no shoes at all, and their
bodies and faces are painted in bizarre camouflage patterns.
They appear one with the jungle and mist, FIRING INTO US
as they move.
2 TITLE SEQUENCE
CHARLIE
... It's crazy -- sugar is up to
200 dollars a ton -- sugar !
LAWYER
What about oil ?
CHARLIE
Food, oil --look, let me show you
something. This is the economy of
the United States in two years --
CHARLIE
(continuing)
This is West Germany.
(he draws another,
bigger circle)
This is Japan.
(another , bigger)
This is Italy.
(a dot)
This is Iran.
(a very big circle)
And this is Saudi Arabia... In
two years ?
(a gigantic circle)
Do you understand ?
ACCOUNTANT
What's to prevent it ?
CHARLIE
Maybe nothing. But I'll tell you,
I didn't build a two-billion-dollar
company in the last twenty years
by doing nothing. We can protect
our interests.
(pause, for a drink)
We are still the most powerful
nation in the world. Militarily.
CHARLIE
(continuing)
You know bodyguard; he was a
captain in Viet Nam. You talk to
him, except he won't talk. This
kind of man can kill you with his
pinky. A nice quiet fella, though.
CHARLIE
(continuing)
Carries a attache case at all
times. You know what's in it ?
(another sip)
An Ingram Machine pistol.
WILLARD (V.O.)
The attache case has been empty
for three years, but it makes him
safe to think there's a machine
pistol in it.
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
He likes to hear stories about Nam.
I tell him I can't; they're not
cleared. The truth is he wouldn't
understand.
We can now SEE A MAN with his BACK TO US, looking the
opposite way. An attache case resting near to him. We
MOVE CLOSER.
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
There's no way I can tell them...
what really happened over there.
I wouldn't've believed it if
someone'd told me.
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
There was only one part that
mattered -- for me, anyway. I
don't even know if I remember
all of it. I can't remember
how it ended, exactly -- because
when it ended I was insane.
DISSOLVE TO :
WILLARD (V.O.)
But I know how it started
for me -- I was on R. and R.
in Saigon; my first time south
of the DMZ in three months. I
wasn't sure, but I thought this
guy was following me.
5 HIS VIEW
an American CIVILIAN.
6 MED. VIEW
CAPTAIN
How about a drink ?
WILLARD
Sure, thanks.
CAPTAIN
Winning the war by yourself.
WILLARD
(he calls for the waiter)
Part.
CAPTAIN
Which part is that ?
WILLARD
My part.
(TO THE WAITER)
Beer, with ice and water.
CAPTAIN
That's good gin.
WILLARD
I'm sure it is, but I had hepatitis.
CAPTAIN
Delta ?
WILLARD
No.
CAPTAIN
North ?
WILLARD
Yeah. Way north.
CAPTAIN
What unit were you with ?
WILLARD
None.
CAPTAIN
Rangers, eh?
WILLARD
Sort of.
CAPTAIN
Were you Longe Range Recon --
WILLARD
No -- I worked too far north for
LRRP.
CAPTAIN
That's quite an array of ribbons...
WILLARD
Let's talk about you.
CAPTAIN
I was an FO for the 25th.
WILLARD
Tracks ?
CAPTAIN
Yeah.
WILLARD
Fat. That's real fat.
CAPTAIN
Sometimes.
WILLARD
At least you always have enough
water. How many gallons does
each one of those damn things
carry ?
CAPTAIN
Thirty -- sometimes fifty.
WILLARD
You know, I can remember once,
getting back below the DMZ -- and
the first Americans we ran into
were a track squadron. I just
couldn't believe how much water
they had. We'd been chewing
bamboo shoots for almost a week,
and before that, for two weeks,
we'd been drinking anything --
rain water, river shit, stuff
right out of the paddies. And
there were these guys standing
by their trucks spilling water
all over. I could've killed them.
(solemnly)
I swear to God I would have, too,
if ...
CAPTAIN
I didn't know we had units up
there in North Vietnam.
WILLARD
We do.
CAPTAIN
How long were you up there ?
WILLARD
A long time.
CAPTAIN
A year ? Waiter another beer.
WILLARD
I go up on missions. Listen
Captain, buy me all the beer
you want, but you better tell
that asshole over there you're
not going to find out anymore
about me.
WILLARD
(continuing)
What do you want ?
CIVILIAN
(indicating the Army jeep)
If you're B.L. Willard, 4th Recon
Group, we'd like you to come with
us.
WILLARD
Whose orders ?
CAPTAIN
Headquarters 11 Corps -- 405th
A.S.A Battalion -- S-2 --
Com-Sec -- Intelligence --
Nha Trang.
WILLARD
Who are you ?
CIVILIAN
The agency.
WILLARD (V.O.)
They took me to some place outside
Nha Trang... Intelligence Headquarters
for all operations in South East Asia.
I'd worked for Intelligence before --
The whole place has been hewn out of the ground itself
and there is a sense of the cut-back jungle growth slowly
reclaiming it.
WILLARD
Captain B.L. Willard, G-4 Headquarters,
reporting as ordered, sir.
COLONEL (O.S.)
Okay, Willard, sit down.
COLONEL
Have you ever seen this officer
before, Captain Willard ?
WILLARD
No, sir.
COLONEL
This gentleman or myself ?
WILLARD
No, sir.
COLONEL
I believe on your last job you
executed a tax collector in Kontum,
is that right ?
WILLARD
I am not presently disposed to
discuss that, sir.
MAJOR
Very good.
COLONEL
You know much about about Special Forces;
Green Berets, Captain ?
WILLARD
I've worked with them on occasions
and I saw the movie , sir.
COLONEL
Then you can appreciate Command's
concern over their -- shall we say
'erratic' methods of operation.
(pause)
I have never favored elite units,
Captain, including your paratroopers
or whatever. Just because a man
jumps out of an airplane or wears
a silly hat doesn't give him any
priviliges in my book -- not in
this man's army.
MAJOR
We didn't need 'em in Korea --
no sir, give me an Ohio farm boy
and an M-1 Garand, none of this
fancy crap -- no sir.
CIVILIAN
(stopping him)
Major.
COLONEL
We have Special Forces A
detachments all along the
Cambodian border. Two here and
another one here -- twelve or
fourteen Americans -- pretty
much on their own; they train
and motivate Montagnard natives;
pick their own operations. If
they need something, they call
for it, and get it within
reason. What we're concerned
with is here.
COLONEL
The A detachment at Nu Mung Ba.
It was originally a larger base,
built up along the river in an
old Cambodian fortress.
11 MED VIEW
COLONEL
... Captain, we know something's
going on up there -- Major --
MAJOR
Communications naturally dwindled
with the lack of V.C. activity,
this is routine, expected ... but
six months ago communication
virtually stopped.
COLONEL
About the same time -- large numbers
of Montagnards of the M'Nong descent
began leaving the area -- this in
itself is not unusual since these
people have fought with the Rhade
Tribe that lived in the area for
centuries. But what is unusual is
that we began to find Rhade refugees
too -- in the same sampans as the
M'Nongs. These people aren't afraid
of V.C. They've put up with war
for twenty years -- but something
is driving them out.
MAJOR
We communicate with the base
infrequently. What they call for
are air strikes, immediate --
always at night. And we don't
know what or who the air strikes
are called on.
WILLARD
Who ?
MAJOR
You see, no one has really gone
into this area and come back alive.
WILLARD
Why me ?
MAJOR
Walter Kurtz, Lieutenant Colonel,
Special Forces. We understand
you knew him.
WILLARD
Yeah.
COLONEL
He's commanding the detachment
at Nu Mung Ba.
SECOND VOICE
Blue Delta five
This Big Rhine -- three
Need that ordinance immediately
Goddamn give it to me immediate
Christ -- Big Rhino --
Blue God -- Delta damn -- goddamn.
THIRD VOICE
This is Big Rhino six -- Blue Delta.
MAJOR
That's Colonel Kurtz.
KURTZ (V.O.)
I want that napalm dropped in the
trees -- spread it among the
branches.
WILLARD
I only met Kurtz once.
CIVILIAN
Would he remember you ?
WILLARD
Maybe.
COLONEL
What was your impression of him ?
Willard shrugs.
CIVILIAN
You didn't like him.
WILLARD
Anyone got a cigarette.
The Major offers him one; they wait as he lights up, thinks.
WILLARD
(continuing)
I thought he was a lame.
COLONEL
A lame ?
WILLARD
This is years ago, before he
joined Special Forces, I guess.
We had an argument.
COLONEL
About what ?
WILLARD
I don't know. He was a lame,
that's all.
COLONEL
But why ?
WILLARD
He couldn't get through a
sentence without all these
big words; about why we kill.
COLONEL
Well, he's killing now.
WILLARD
Maybe.
CIVILIAN
What does that mean ?
WILLARD
Maybe it's not Kurtz. I don't
believe he's capable of that.
I just don't believe it.
COLONEL
It's got to be Kurtz.
CIVILIAN
The point is that Kurtz or
somebody attacked a South
Vietnamese Ranger Platoon three
days ago. Last week a Recon
helicopter was lost in the area --
another took heavy damage --
direct fire from their base
camp.
WILLARD
Our Recon flight ?
CIVILIAN
Ours.
WILLARD
Touchy.
CIVILIAN
You can see, of course, the
implications, if any of this --
even rumours leaked out.
WILLARD
You want me to clean it up --
simple and quiet.
CIVILIAN
Exactly -- you'll go up the
Nung River in a Navy P.B.R. --
appear at Nu Mung Ba as if by
accident, re-establish your
acquintance with Colonel Kurtz,
find out what's happened -- and
why. Then terminate his command.
WILLARD
Terminate ?
CIVILIAN
Terminate with extreme prejudice.
13 MED. VIEW
WILLARD (V.O.)
I met the P.B.R. crew; they were
pretty much all kids, except for
Phillips, the Chief -- Gunner's
Mate Third Class L. Johnson --
Lance Johnson; Gunner's Mate
Third Class J. Hicks -- The Chef --
Radio Operator Second Class T.
Miller; they called him Mr. Clean.
WILLARD
Chief, try to keep out of where
we're going -- Why we're goin' and
what's gonna be the big surprise.
CHIEF
All right with me, I used to drive
a taxi.
WILLARD
Let's go.
The Chief nods. They all break formation and jump aboard
and otherwise go about their work.
DISSOLVE TO :
The boat slams through the heavy sea ; hurtling off the
top of a wave and crashing full into the trough of another.
DISSOLVE TO :
DISSOLVE TO :
CHIEF
The Delta closes off to us about
ten miles out of Hau Fat. We'll
be able to pick up some supplies --
bit I think there are only two
points we can draw enough water
to get into the Nung River. It's
all Charlie's turf from there on
out.
WILLARD
We're gonna have some help to
get in the river. You know
these waters, Chief ?
CHIEF
'Bout six months ago I took a man
up to Lo Mung Bridge. He was
regular Army too. Shot himself
in the head. I brought his body
back down.
WILLARD
Shot himself. What for ?
CHIEF
Beats me -- the sun was too much
for him, or the mud. Who knows ?
WILLARD
Arch light.
CHEF
I hate that -- Every time I hear
that noise something terrible
happens.
CHIEF
Anybody see some smoke ?
CLEAN
Too far inland.
LANCE
There they are.
CLEAN
Charlie don't ever hear 'em. Not
till it's too late -- don't have
to hit you neither, concussion'll
do it for a quarter mile or better.
Burst your ears -- suck the air
outta your lungs.
WILLARD (V.O.)
The dossier on A detachment had
letters from Kurtz' wife and the
wives and families of his men.
All asking where to send future
mail, understanding the necessery
silence due to the nature of
their work -- None of the men had
written home in half a year.
21 CLOSE - ON WILLARD
WILLARD (V.O.)
Lieutenant Kurtz has shown a
dedicated and well-disciplined
spirit. He is a fine officer,
combining military efficiency --
with a broad background in the
Humanities, the Arts and Sciences ...
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
... He views his military career
as the dedication of his talents
to bringing our values and way of
life to those darker, less
fortunate areas in the world.
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
... I feel Captain Kurtz' request
for Special Forces training is
highly unusual in regard to his
past humanitarian concerns, and
his somewhat liberal politics,
though I can see no reason to
deny it.
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
... We feel Major Kurtz' need to
bring a sense of Western culture
to the backward peoples of these
areas will be of use in
accordance with our 'Vietnamization'
programs ...
DISSOLVE TO :
WILLARD (V.O.)
One day later we came to an
advanced staging area along the
coast. This was our last chance
to pick up supplies before
approaching the mouth of the
Nung River.
LANCE
Hey.
CHIEF
Lance -- I want you to go with the
Captain an' get three extra drums
of fuel and maybe scrounge some
more 50 caliber.
LANCE
Yeah -- look at those uniforms.
A platoon drills in the hot, lazy sun; they are clean and
pale, in contrast to Lance and the others, just off the
airplane.
CHIEF
Poor bastards, have a long year
to go.
SERGEANT
I don't know anything about these
papers, sir.
WILLARD
They're in order -- it's perfectly
clean -- just check with ComSec-
Intel like I said.
SERGEANT
Well, you know I don't have the
priority to do that, sir. It
says here not to contact Com-Sec-
Int. Who's your commanding
officer ?
WILLARD
Right now -- I am.
SERGEANT
Well who the hell verifies that ?
WILLARD
I do.
CHIEF
No shit -- what's all the activity
for around here ?
SERGEANT
The show --
WILLARD
What show ?
SERGEANT
Big show in the parade grounds
this noon -- some boss stuff --
WILLARD
This -- Bob Hope or the like --
SERGEANT
No sir, I think -- this'll be a
little bit different --
CHIEF
Where's it gonna be ?
He points --
DISSOLVE TO :
29 FORWARD AREA
CHEF
It's really too much -- I mean
I've collected every picture of
her since she was Miss December.
CLEAN
Yeah -- you can really get hung
up on them like the cat in the
Delta.
CHIEF
What cat ?
CLEAN
One that went up for murder -- he
was an Army Sergeant.
CHIEF
I never heard about that.
CLEAN
Yeah -- he really dug his Playboy
mag, man -- I mean like he was there
when it arrived -- He just knew.
CHEF
So what happened ?
CLEAN
He was working A.R.V.N. patrols
and had one a them little cocky
gook asshole Lieutenants -- anyhow,
the Lieutenant took his new Playboy
one day, sat on the end of the dock,
and wouldn't give it back.
CHEF
Yeah -- typical A.R.V.N.
CLEAN
Then went too far -- he sat
there and starts mutilating the
centerfold. Poking pins in her an'
all that. Sergeant says, don't do
her like that. You leave your
shitty little hands off that girl.
Gook Lieutenant says Fuck you in
Vietnamese -- Sergeant says, don't
do that again. You'll wish you
hadn't. Then he stood up, flicked
his iron to rock and roll and gave
the little zero a long burst
through the Playboy mag. Man, it
blew him clean off the dock --
Hell, just the magazine was floatin'
there all full of holes.
CHIEF
They nail him for it bad ?
CLEAN
He's in the L.B.J. -- didn't
give him no medals or nothing --
AGENT
I'd like to say hello from all of
us up here, to all of you out there.
All of you who've worked so hard
during Operation Brute Force --
Paratroopers -- Infantry -- Airmen
-- Medics -- Marines -- and Sailors.
And I want you to know that we feel
proud of you and know how hard your
job is. To prove it -- we've brought
some entertainment we think you're
gonna like: The Playmate of the Year
and her two runners up !
CUT TO:
WILLARD (V.O.)
Two days out of Hau Fat, there was
nothing but us and the coastline.
I felt like I had set off for
the center of the earth...
CHIEF
Smoke !
WILLARD
Where ?
WILLARD
Black smoke ... secondary burning.
CHIEF
Yeah -- fishing village --
helicopters over there. Hueys,
lots of 'em.
WILLARD
First Air Cavalry. They're the
ones gonna get us into the River.
They wade through the water to the beach where they are
met by a heavily armed group of men.
KILGORE
(bellowing)
Lieutenant: Bomb that tree line
back about a hundred yards -- give
me some room to breathe.
38 VIEW ON KILGORE
KILGORE
Bring me some cards.
GUARD
Sir ?
KILGORE
Body cards, you damn fool --
cards !
The soldier rushes over and hands him two brand new
packages of playing cards wrapped in plastic. Two other
soldiers get out of the copter and walk over. They are
well-tanned and carry no weapons. They seem more casual
about the Colonel than anyone else. The Sergeant walks
up, leading Willard, the Chief and Lance.
WILLARD
(formally)
Captain B-L. Willard, sir -- 4th
Recon Group -- I carry priority
papers from Com-Sec Intelligence
11 Corp -- I believe you understand
the nature of my mission.
KILGORE
(not looking up)
Yeah -- Na Trang told me to
expect you -- we'll see what we
can do. Just stay out of my way
till this is done, Captain.
39 TRACKING VIEW
KILGORE
(to himself)
Six a spades -- eight a hearts --
Isn't one worth a Jack in this
whole place.
40 TRACKING ON KILGORE
KILGORE
What ? Here. You sure?
KILGORE
(continuing)
What's your name, sailor ?
LANCE
Gunner's Mate, Third Class --
L. Johnson, sir.
KILGORE
Lance Johnson? The surfer?
LANCE
That's right, sir.
KILGORE
It's an honor to meet you Lance.
I've admired your nose-riding for
years -- I like your cutback, too.
I think you have the best cutback
there is.
LANCE
Thank you, sir.
KILGORE
You can cut out the sir, Lance --
I'm Bill kilgore -- I'm a goofy
foot.
41 VIEW ON WILLARD
KILGORE (O.S.)
This is Mike from San Diego and
Johnny from Malibu -- they're good
solid surfers -- none of us are
anywhere near your class, though.
WILLARD
My orders are from Com-Sec
Intel -- B.L. Willard, 4th Recon --
KILGORE
Just hold up a second, Captain --
I'll get to you soon enough --
We've got things to do here.
KILGORE
(continuing)
... we do a lot of surfing around
here. Like to finish up operations
early and fly down to Vung Tau for
the evening glass. Have you ever
surfed the point at Vung Tau? I
liked the beach breaks around Na
Trang a lot -- good lefts.
KILGORE
(continuing)
... we keep three boards in my
Command Huey at all times. You
never can tell when you're gonna
run into something good. I got a
guy in Cam Rau Bay that can predict
a swell two days in advance. We
try to work it in.
KILGORE
(continuing; to himself)
Hell, that's an Ace if I ever saw
one.
We SEE the Colonel and the others walk off -- the dead
Viet Cong and card are in the immediate f.g. The card
has the shield of the CAV printed bautifully, and above
it the motto: DEATH FROM ABOVE.
KILGORE
Where've you been riding, Lance?
LANCE
I haven't surfed since I got here.
KILGORE
That's terrible -- we'll change
that -- I'd like to see you work --
I've always liked your cutback;
got a hell of a left turn, too.
DISSOLVE TO :
KILGORE
Why the hell you wanna go up
to Nu Mung Ba for?
WILLARD
I got bored in Saigon.
KILGORE
What's the furthest you been
in?
WILLARD
Haiphong.
KILGORE
Haiphong? Shit, you jump in ?
WILLARD
No. Walked.
KILGORE
What'd you do for supplies?
WILLARD
(he shrugs)
Mercenaries -- agents, traitors --
they put out caches.
KILGORE
Can you trust them?
WILLARD
No. They put out two or three
for every one I needed. When
you get to the one you'll use,
you just stake it out. If
something feels wrong, you just
pass it up. On one mission, I
had to pass up three and ended
up living on rats and chocolate
bars.
KILGORE
Nu Mung Ba. Last I heard, Walter
Kurtz commanded a Green Beret
detachment at Nu Mung Ba.
WILLARD
When did you hear?
KILGORE
'Bout a year ago? Is Kurtz
still alive?
WILLARD
Who knows.
KILGORE
Seems to me he got himself
fragged. i heard some grunt
rolled a grenade in his tent.
Maybe a rumor. Helluva man --
remarkable officer. Walter
Kurtz woulda been a General
some day. General of the Army.
Shit, Head of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff. Did you knew Kurtz?
WILLARD
I met him.
KILGORE
Don't you agree?
WILLARD
He musta changed !
(pointing to the map)
I got to get into the Nung
River, here or here.
KILGORE
That village you're pointing at
is kinda hairy.
WILLARD
Hairy ?
KILGORE
I mean it's hairy -- they got some
pretty heavy ordnance, boy --
I've lost a few recon ships in
there now and again.
WILLARD
So? I heard you had a good bunch
of killers here.
KILGORE
And I don't intend to get some of
them chewed up just to get your
tub put in the mouth of the
goddman Nung River. You say you
don't know Kurtz?
WILLARD
I met him.
KILGORE
You talk like him. I don't
mind taking casualties,
Captain, but I like to keep
my ratio ten to one in this
unit -- ten Cong to one.
WILLARD
You'll find enough Cong up there.
KILGORE
What about this point here?
KILGORE
(continuing)
What's the name of that goddamn
village -- Vin Drin Dop or Lop; damn gook
names all sound the same.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Mike, you know anything about
the point at Vin Drip Drop?
MIKE
Boss left.
KILGORE
What do you mean?
MIKE
It's really long left slide,
breaks on the short side of the
point -- catches a south swell.
LANCE
Nice.
KILGORE
Why the hell didn't you tell me
about that place -- a good left.
(to Willard)
There aren't any good left slides
in this whole, shitty country.
It's all goddamn beach break.
MIKE
It's hairy ,though. That's
where we lost McDonnel -- they
shot the hell out of us. It's
Charlie's point.
KILGORE
How big it is?
MIKE
Six to eight feet.
KILGORE
(to himself)
A six-foot left.
LANCE
Boss. What's the wind like.
MIKE
Light off shore -- really hollow.
WILLARD
We could go in tomorrow at dawn
-- there's always off-shore wind
in the morning.
CHIEF
The draft of that river might be
too shallow on the point.
KILGORE
Hell, we'll pick your boat up and
lay it down like a baby, right
where you want it. This is the
Cav boy -- airmobile. I can
take that point and hold it as
long as I like -- and you can
get anywhere you want up that
river that suits you, Captain.
Hell, a six foot left.
(he turns to an advisor)
You take a gunship back to division
-- Mike, take Lance with you -- let
him pick out a board, and bring me
my Yater Spoon -- the eight six.
TOM
I don't know, sir -- it's -- it's --
KILGORE
(hard)
What is it?
TOM
Well, I mean it's hairy in there
-- it's Charlie's point.
WILLARD
Charlie don't surf.
45 MED. VIEW
KILGORE
How do you feel, boy?
GUNNER
Like a mean motherfucker, sir.
KILGORE
Let's go.
46 FULL VIEW
47 NEW VIEW
49 MONTAGE
KILGORE
(to Willard)
We'll come in low out of the rising
sun -- We'll put on the music about
a mile out.
WILLARD
Music?
KILGORE
Yeah. Classical stuff -- scares
the hell out of the slopes -- the
boys love it.
51 MED. SHOT
PILOT
Big Duke six to Eagle Thrust --
turn on coordinates 1-0 -- niner,
assume attack formation.
RADIO (V.O.)
Eagle Thrust formation target
2800 yards -- begin psch-war
operations.
PILOT
700 -- 600 yards -- 500 --
Commence firing.
57 HIGH ANGLE
PILOT
700 yards -- 600 -- 500 --
commence firing.
CO-PILOT
We're down, Eagle Thrust -- we're
hit. We got a hot L.Z. here.
CO-PILOT
(continuing)
Hell of a hot L.Z. Need immediate
air strike on the tree line, Eagle
Thrust.
KILGORE
Big Duke Six to Hell's Angels Four
-- bring it in on along tree line
and huts.
RADIO (V.O.)
Hell's Angels Four to Big Duke
Six -- we'll need green smoke --
suggest you have the FAC mark it.
KILGORE
Haven't got time, Hell's Angels --
lay it right up the tree line.
KILGORE
Fucking savages.
WILLARD
Who?
KILGORE
The enemy. Who else?
KILGORE (O.S.)
(on radio)
Very good, Hell's Angels -- suggest
you follow with cannon fire.
RADIO (V.O.)
This is Baker Delta Four --
Captain hit bad -- need dust-off.
Receiving heavy automatic weapons
fire from huts about thirty yards
to our left.
KILGORE
Big Duke Six to Baker Delta Four
-- hold -- we're right over you.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Right along the doors, boy.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Fine... fine... little higher.
Through the roof; yeah, that's
good.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Didn't anybody bring me any
bombs, grenades, claymores or
anything?
LIEUTENANT
You didn't tell me to, sir.
KILGORE
(grumbling)
You shoulda known.
Suddenly, BULLETS SMASH through the copter -- Plexiglass
SHATTERS; the copter vibrates and turns sharply. Kilgore
is thrown down where he hangs on.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Sonuvabitch -- anybody hurt?
WILLARD
Automatic weapons flashes along
those trees -- probably eleven
millimeter guns and AK-47's.
KILGORE
The trees, eh...
KILGORE
(continuing)
Eagle Thrust Four -- Big Duke
Six. Join me in sparaying some
trees.
RADIO (V.O.)
Affirmative, Big Duke Six -- We're
even got some rockets left.
KILGORE
Take her in low, Lieutenant.
KILGORE
Hold it, boy.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Take her up to 300 feet,
Lieutenant.
They rise above the paddy -- the man below runs for
all he's worth. Kilgore motions to the door gunner who
steps aside. Kilgore buckles himself into the gunner's
harness.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Rifle.
KILGORE
(continuing; hard)
My rifle, soldier.
71 VIEW ON WILLARD
72 VIEW ON KILGORE
75 VIEW ON WILLARD
SOLDIER (O.S.)
That's 27, sir.
WILLARD
Anyone got a card?
DISSOLVE TO :
KILGORE
The L.Z.'s cooling off fast --
we'll move in another company
an' then we'll own it.
(he laughs to himself)
Charlie's point.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Good swell.
LANCE
What, sir?
KILGORE
I said it's a good swell -- hell
of a good swell 'bout six feet.
Let's get a look at it.
SOLDIER
Incoming !
KILGORE
Look at that.
They look.
LANCE
This L.Z. is still pretty hot,
sir, maybe we oughta stand
somewhere else.
WILLARD
I'm waiting for the fucking boat,
Colonel.
KILGORE
(without looking)
It'll get here, soldier.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Change.
MIKE
Wh -- what?
KILGORE
Change -- get out there -- I
want'a see if it's ridable --
change.
MIKE
It's still pretty hairy, sir.
KILGORE
(bellowing)
You want'a surf, soldier?
KILGORE
(continuing)
That's good, boy, because it's
either surf or fight.
KILGORE
(continuing)
I'm gonna cover for 'em -- that's
all.
KILGORE
(continuing)
You think that section on the
point is ridable, Lance?
LANCE
I think we ought to wait for
the tide to come in.
KILGORE
Doesn't happen for six hours.
DISSOLVE TO :
KILGORE
They far enough?
LANCE
Sure -- fine --
KILGORE
(through megaphone)
That's far enough -- pick one
up and come on in --
LANCE
(to himself)
Maybe he'll get tubed.
WILLARD
What?
LANCE
Maybe he'll get inside the tube --
where -- where they can't see him.
WILLARD
Incoming !
Lance ducks -- puts his hands over his head. The SHELLS
SCREAM over Kilgore and out towards the point. Kilgore
looks through his glasses -- two EXPLOSIONS in the water
are HEARD.
KILGORE
Son of a bitch.
LANCE
(to himself)
The tragedy of this war is a
dead surfer.
WILLARD
What's that?
LANCE
Just something I read in the
Free Press.
KILGORE
They just missed a good set --
the chicken shits !
KILGORE (O.S.)
(megaphone)
Try it again, you little bastards.
90 BACK TO SCENE
He turns to Willard.
KILGORE
(continuing)
I'm not afraid to surf this place.
I'll surf this place.
KILGORE
Bring that R.T., soldier.
He grabs it.
KILGORE
(continuing)
Big Duke Six to Hell's Angels --
Goddamit, I want that treeline
bombed -- yeah -- napalm --
gimme some napalm -- son of a
bitch -- yeah, I'll take H.Z.
or C.B.U.'s if you got any of
them -- just bomb 'em into the
Stone Age, boy.
KILGORE
(continuing; to himself)
Son of a bitch.
KILGORE
(continuing)
We'll have this place cleaned up
and ready for us in a jiffy, boy.
Don't you worry.
The Chief, mr. Clean and Chef stand watching this sight
alomg with other soldiers. A man guides the descending
copter till the boat settles carefully in the shallows.
The Chief and others leap aboard; unshackle the hoists
-- load on ammunition and fuel. The battle is still
going on around them. They all look up as a wadge
of PHANTOMS streak over low and peel off one by one to
begin their bombing run.
CHIEF
Forget that extra drum -- it's
too damn hot.
CLEAN
Clear on starboard -- Where's
Lance an' the Captain?
CHIEF
I saw that Colonel's Huey on the
point --
Two HELICOPTERS SCREAM over FIRING ROCKETS.
CHIEF
(continuing)
Let's just get outta here.
WILLARD
(to Lance)
Look. There it is; the boat.
LANCE
(whispers)
He'll kill us.
WILLARD
He can't kill us.
(realizing as he says it)
We're on his side.
KILGORE
(almost to himself)
You smell that.
(louder)
You smell that?
LANCE
What?
KILGORE
Napalm, boy -- nothing else in
the world smells like that --
WILLARD
You know, some day this war's
gonna end..
KILGORE
(sadly)
Yes, I know.
KILGORE
(continuing)
The wind --
LANCE
What?
KILGORE
(rising maniacally)
Feel it -- it's the wind -- it's
blowing on shore -- It's on shore !
KILGORE
(continuing; screaming)
It's gonna blow this place out.
It's gonna ruin it ...
WILLARD
The kid can't ride sloppy waves.
WILLARD (O.S.)
The kid can't stand sloppy waves.
WILLARD
You don't expect this kid to
ride that crap, do you? He's
a goddamn artist, he needs
something to work with...
LANCE
Yeah, I'm an artist, goddamit !
KILGORE
(apologetically)
Yeah -- yeah, I can understand
how you feel.
KILGORE
(continuing)
It's the napalm -- it's causing
the wind -- ruining my perfect
left.
KILGORE
(continuing; mumbling)
The napalm -- ruin -- napalm
my perfect left -- my perfect
left point break -- napalm --
LANCE
Yeah... thanks.
WILLARD
Want to say goodbye to the
Colonel?
LANCE
Nah.
WILLARD
Then let's get the hell out of
here.
They break and run like hell toward the boat in the
distance. OUR VIEW TRACKS with them. They are
cheered by the crew -- suddenly, Willard sees some-
thing and stops... Lance continuing. In a pile of
equipment that the Hueys have left are two surfboards
-- Willard looks at them.
LANCE
No -- no, Captain.
WILLARD
Which one's the Colonel's?
LANCE
The Yater -- the clear one
with the thin stringer.
CHIEF (O.S.)
Incoming ! Incoming -- son of
a bitch.
WILLARD
(calm)
This one , Lance?
LANCE
Yeah, Jesus Christ !
CLEAN
What'd you that for?
WILLARD
When I was a kid I, never had
a Yater spoon.
DISSOLVE TO :
LANCE
(yelling)
Maybe we better stay in under
the trees till dark -- we got
his Yater.
WILLARD
He didn't look like he'd take
that sitting down.
WILLARD
(continuing)
Let's put some distance between
us and Charlie.
CHIEF
Lance ---
LANCE
Yeah.
CHIEF
Why don't you roll us a big
joint? I think the Captain'd
like that.
WILLARD
Take one a mine --
DISSOLVE TO :
DISSOLVE TO :
LANCE
You hear it again?
WILLARD
No -- I don't think so. But
it'll be back. They were
circling. It'll be back.
LANCE
You think he'd of shot us?
WILLARD
When?
LANCE
Any time -- us -- Americans.
WILLARD
I don't think he'd of shot us on
the beach but -- he'd of shot us
if he saw me taking the board --
LANCE
A Yater spoon is hard to get --
especially here.
WILLARD
He's a man who knows what he
wants -- he does know what he wants.
CHEF
Can I go get those mangos now?
CHIEF
I'll go with you in a while --
judt hold tight awhile --
LANCE
Captain -- that was all true
about the rats and chocolate
and stuff?
WILLARD
Sure.
LANCE
And you could just tell when
the supplies were booby trapped?
WILLARD
It's a feeling you get in the
jungle. When you get good, you
can find a track and tell not
only how many they are, but
their morale, how far they're
going, whether they're near
their camp, the weapons they're
carrying.
CLEAN
How can you tell their weapons..
an' how far they're going?
Willard smiles.
WILLARD
Mostly from the imprints when they
put them down to rest. their morale
from the way they drag their feet,
or the joints that may be lying
around. If they're near a base
camp, they wouldn't be conserving
food; they'll be throwing it away
half-eaten. If the branches aren't
broken, their weapons are slung.
But all this is just technique..
There's a feeling you get after a
while, that's what's important.
I was going through a village once.
I was looking for a certain party.
I took off my boots, and walked
into each hut. It was midnight.
I went into three like that and
suddenly I realized I'd gone into
each hut the same way -- standing
up -- so the next one I went in on
my belly. An RPD burst took out
the door a bit above my head.
(he shrugs)
Things like that.
KILGORE (V.O.)
(over a loudspeaker)
I'm not gonna hurt or harm you,
boy -- I just want the board
back -- You can understand --
It was one of my best -- You
know how hard it is to get a
board you like, boy. I'm not
gonna hurt or harm you --
Just leave it where I can find
it --
CLEAN
Jesus -- that guy's too damn
much.
CHIEF
I wonder if that was the same
copter.
WILLARD
He's probably got 'em all over
the river with that recording.
We better move now while it's
dark.
CHIEF
Yeah, Chef -- go ahead -- take
Lance with you --
WILLARD
I'll go with him --
WILLARD
(continuing)
I wanta get my feet on solid land
once in awhile --
WILLARD
Chef.
CHEF
Yes, sir --
WILLARD
Why they call you that?
CHEF
Call me what, sir?
WILLARD
Chef -- is that 'cause you like
mangoes an' stuff?
CHEF
No, sir -- I'm a real chef, sir
-- I'm a sauciere --
WILLARD
A sauciere --
CHEF
That's right, sir -- I come from
New Orleans -- I was raised to
be a sauciere.. a great sauciere.
We specialize in sauces; my whole
family. It's what we do. I was
supposed to go to Paris and study
at the Escoffier School; I was
saving the money. They called
me for my physical so I figured
the Navy had better food.
WILLARD
What are you doing out here?
CHEF
Cook school -- that did it.
WILLARD
How?
CHEF
They lined us all up in front of
a hundred yards of prime rib --
magnificent meat, beautifully
marbled.. Then they started
throwing it in these big
cauldrons, all of it -- boiling.
I looked in, an' it was turning
gray. I couldn't stand it. I
went into radio school.
WILLARD
(whispering)
-- quiet --
WILLARD
(silent)
There...
CHEF
It's a motherfucking tiger --
goddamn...
CHEF
(continuing; screaming)
Goddamn -- Jesus Christ tiger --
motherfucking tiger -- ohhhhhhhhh --
They all are armed -- Lance has the twin 50's pointed into
the jungle. Chef comes screaming out of the brush, throws
his rifle into the boat and dives headfirst after it.
CHEF
(hysterical)
Ohhhh -- tiger ! Oh goddamn !
It's a tiger ! Jesus Christ !
Goddamn, a tiger ! Ohhhhhhhh.
The Chief tries to grab him; takes his gun away, but is
unable to take a hold of the Chef, as he slithers around
the boat, trying to find safety. willard follows from the
jungle -- The Chef is moaning and stares off into the night.
LANCE
What's this tiger shit?
WILLARD
No shit... I think I shot the
hell out of him.
LANCE
You think?
WILLARD
I wasn't looking.. I was running.
CLEAN
Was a big tiger -- no shit?
WILLARD
Who stopped to measure him -- let's
get the hell out of here.
CHEF
A motherfucking tiger -- I could've
been killed.
The ENGINE ROARS to life -- the P.B.R. pulls away with great
speed.
CHIEF
You forgot the mangoes, didn't
you?
CHEF
Mangoes? There as a fucking
tiger in the woods -- I could've
been eaten alive. I'm never
going into that jungle again.
I gotta remember never get out of
the boat; never get outta the boat.
WILLARD (V.O.)
He was right, the Chef -- never
go into the jungle, unless you're
ready to go all the way.
DISSOLVE TO :
WILLARD (V.O.)
What was in the jungle? What was
there, waiting for me?
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
... Kurtz was in there. Or was he;
was it Kurtz? He was just a name
to me now; I couldn't remember a
face, a voice -- he just didn't
add up to me. all his liberal
bullshit about the end of savagery
-- and the role of our culture,
our way of life...
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
Our way of life -- I really
started to look forward to
meeting Kurtz again.
DISSOLVE TO :
109 WATERWAY - MOVING FORWARD - DAY
We HEAR:
RADIO
-- must remember that we owe
our thanks for these to the
wonderful services of the U.S.O.
-- here's another oldie -- this
one dedicated...
RADIO
... to the fire team at An Khe
from their groovy C.O. Fred the
Head --
RADIO
The Rolling Stones and "Satisfaction..."
CHEF
Outa sight.
WILLARD (V.O.)
The dossier of A Dtachment
contained letters from the families
and wives of Kurtz' men There
were letters from Kurtz' wife as
well.
WILLARD (V.O.)
Dearest Walt -- I have to confess
something. I know how you feel
about this, but I had to ask Bob
to find out what he could -- I
just couldn't stand it anymore,
not knowing where you are, whether
you're alive or dead. I'm sorry
Walt, I'm sorry I said that. Bob
didn't tell me anything -- he said
he couldn't -- I can't stand it
anymore, Walt -- I just can't
stand it.
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
I have to take the kids to school
every morning now -- carpools just
never work out.
DISSOLVE TO :
WILLARD
Soldier -- where''s your C.O.?
SOLDIER
Stepped on a booby trap, sir --
got blown all to hell --
WILLARD
Well , who's in command here?
SOLDIER
I don't know -- don't have any
idea -- I'm just the night man --
WILLARD
What about you, soldier?
VOICE (O.S.)
(whispering)
Captain --
VOICE (O.S.)
(continuing)
Over here, Captain --
AGENT
You came in on that boat, didn't
you?
WILLARD
Yeah --
AGENT
Where are you headed?
WILLARD
What's it matter? Get to the
point.
AGENT
Look -- you know the girls --
Thta's Terri -- she was playmate
of --
WILLARD
Yeah, I caught your show at Hau
Fat.
AGENT
Oh -- I see -- Well, girls, this
is Captain -- eh --
WILLARD
Captain Willard -- go ahead.
AGENT
Look -- we got in a little trouble
-- they rudely took our helicopter
for MedEvac work on this -- uh
Operation Brute Force -- They just
brought it back this morning.
WILLARD
Yeah.
AGENT
Well I mean like they also took
our fuel -- We've been here two
days.
WILLARD
Dreadful.
AGENT
Look -- the girls could get
killed -- we're not supposed to
be this close combat, I mean
real combat.
WILLARD
Well --
AGENT
We could use some fuel -- just a
half drum -- just enough to get
us out a here.
WILLARD
We need all our fuel.
AGENT
But, Captain, think what these
girls have done for the boys --
think of how they've risked --
TERRI
Captain --
He turns around.
TERRI
(continuing)
It's really rough here -- Captain
-- we're just not built for it --
PILOT
That's rich --
TERRI
Do us a favor -- I'd do one for
you -- if I could --
AGENT
Look -- you know who that is,
Captain -- you know what she's
saying -- you'll never see stuff
that good outside of a magazine
for the rest of your life.
WILLARD
I'm not that fond of blondes --
maybe I like brunettes --
AGENT
Take your pick -- they all like
you -- I can tell --
WILLARD
I like all of them --
AGENT
Good -- like I said, take your
pick.
WILLARD
I said I like all of them.
AGENT
Now just a second -- I'm doing
you a favor, buddy -- what're you
trying to pull?
AGENT
Wait -- wait -- don't get up tight
-- what I meant was we'd need a
whole drum for that --
WILLARD
Sit down -- we'll talk about it.
AGENT
What's there to talk about -- this
whole thing disgusts me.
WILLARD
My men --
AGENT
What !
WILLARD
That's what there is to talk
about -- my man -- I take a good
care of my men --
AGENT
You're out of your skull --
WILLARD
We have a lot of pride in our
unit --
AGENT
How far do you think you can
push -- what kind of people do
you think --
WILLARD
Esprit de corps --
AGENT
No -- absolutely not --
WILLARD
One for all -- all for one --
AGENT
You can keep your fucking fuel --
AGENT
Get out --
WILLARD
Men of all races -- nationalities --
AGENT
Two drums --
AGENT
(continuing)
Two whole drums --
WILLARD
We can use some fifty caliber and
a 16 too --
AGENT
I don't know what you're talking
about -- Get fucked --
WILLARD
I will -- I assure you that --
You got a fifty on that H-34 --
leave the ammo in boxes -- I'll
get my men to bring the first drum
with 'em --
WILLARD
(continuing)
Have the girls freshen up a bit --
comb their hair -- put on
something -- you know what I mean --
He leaves.
CLEAN
You keep this thing in this
condition an' it's gonna jam,
Lance -- mark my words.
LANCE
Why don't you go pet the water
buffaloes -- get off my back.
1 Each --
Buffalo, Water B-1A
U.S. Army No. 15239
CHIEF
Careful, Captain, they've been
known to charge.
WILLARD
All right I got a little surprise
for you --
WILLARD
(continuing)
I've arranged with those people
we saw at Hau Fat to give us some
50 caliber in trade for a couple
a drums of fuel --
CHEF
No shit.
WILLARD
Chef -- since you're such a fan
of Miss December's I think you
should be detailed with Lance and
Clean to take the first drum up
there.
CHEF
I don't believe you --
CHIEF
What're you trying to say, Captain --
WILLARD
You'll see soon enough -- get going,
sailor --
CHIEF
No shit -- hot damn --
CHEF
I've got every one of your
pictures -- I've got the
centerfold -- the Playmate's
review -- the Playmate of the
Year run-off -- everything, even
the calender --
LYNDA
Well, get undressed and let's
get it over with --
CHEF
I can't believe it -- I'd a
never even got to see you if it
wasn't for this war --
CHEF
(continuing)
You wouldn't mind -- uh kinda
draping that jacket over you
sort of the way you were in the
calender, would you?
LYNDA
Come on -- cut this crap -- I
gotta get back to Saigon --
CHEF
Just let me look awhile -- I just
don't believe --
CUT TO:
LANCE
Well -- uh thanks -- see you around.
CATHY
Yeah.
CLEAN
I'm next --
She shrugs.
DISSOLVE TO :
WILLARD
Ma'am -- I'd like to thank you for
what you an' all your friends have
done for us -- I want you to know
that me an' the men appreciate
you coming all this way -- riskin'
your lives -- living uncomfortably
an' doing all you can to entertain
us. I want you to know personally,
Miss, that for the past few minutes
you have made me feel at home.
WILLARD
(continuing)
Just wanted to say that, ma'am.
CUT TO:
WILLARD (V.O.)
Two days and nights later, we
approach the Do Lung Bridge.
SOLDIER
I gotta get out a here -- I'll pay
-- I got money.
CHIEF
Get away from this boat.
WILLARD
Who's your C.O., soldier?
SOLDIER
Fuck you, you'll get what's coming
to you.
LIEUTENANT
Captain Willard?
WILLARD
That's me.
LIEUTENANT
Captain Willard -- we got these
from Nha Thrang two days ago --
they expected you here then --
LIEUTENANT
(continuing)
You don't know how happy that makes
me, sir.
WILLARD
Why?
LIEUTENANT
Now I can get out a here -- if
I can find a way out.
WILLARD
We'll be needing some supplies
and fuel -- do you know anybody
who can give me a hand?
LIEUTENANT
I'd just clear out as soon as I
could if I were you, sir. They're
gonna start working on the bridge
with torches again. Charlie will
start throwing it in hard --
WILLARD
What is this bridge?
LIEUTENANT
It's of strategic importance for
keeping the highway into Bat Shan
open -- the generals don't like to
admit that Bat Shan is surrounded.
LIEUTENANT
(continuing)
Every night we build it and by
0800 they've blown it up -- it
and a lot of good men -- But the
generals like to say the road is
open -- ha ! Nobody uses that
road except Charlie.
LIEUTENANT
(continuing)
This is the cesspool of hell.
SOLDIER (O.S.)
Incoming.
SHELLS WHISTLE OVER and CRASH into the bridge -- MEN SCREAM
in the distance -- the EXPLOSIONS are thunderous.
CHIEF
(yelling)
All right -- Lance, go with the
Captain an' see what you can
scrounge --
CHIEF
(continuing; to Willard)
Better make it fast, sir -- we
don't really need much anyway.
Willard nods and they scurry off the bank under the
bridge.
129 MED. SHOT - WILLARD, LANCE
VOICE
Straight ahead, son of a bitch.
SOLDIER
You came right to it, son of
a bitch --
WILLARD
Son of a bitch, sir.
WILLARD
(continuing)
Where's your chief supply officer?
SOLDIER
Beverly Hills --
WILLARD
What?
SOLDIER
Straight up the road -- a concrete
bunker -- Beverly Hills -- where
else you think he'd be?
WILLARD
C'mon --
SOLDIER (O.S.)
Get your asses down, buddy.
They drop and crawl to the slit trench and run up to the
emplacement. Several SOLDIERS man a M-60. One has a
sniper rifle -- another tries to spot for the Gunner.
Willard and Lance edge up along the trench. Willard
trips.
VOICE
Watch your feet, asshole --
VOICE
(continuing)
You stepped on my face.
LANCE
We thought you were dead.
VOICE
The whole world loves a smart ass.
WILLARD
What're you shooting at, soldier?
GUNNER
Gooks.
GUNNER
(continuing)
I'm sorry, sir.
WILLARD
It's all right, sergeant -- what's
out there?
GUNNER
They were tryin' to cut through
the wire -- I got 'em all I think.
OTHER SOLDIER
Oh yeah -- listen.
GUNNER
He's trying to call his friends --
send up a flare.
SPOTTER
Those are all dead, stupid, he's
obviously underneath 'em --
They think about this as the flare goes out. The SCREAMING
gets more intense.
GUNNER
Wake up the Roach.
ROACH
Yeah, man.
SPOTTER
Slope in the wire -- hear him.
SPOTTER
(continuing)
Bust him.
GUNNER
Hear him?
ROACH
Sure , yeah.
GUNNER
You need a flare --
ROACH
No, it's cool.
ROACH
(continuing)
He's close -- real close.
ROACH
(continuing)
Muhhh Fuhhh ...
CHEF
Geez, I wish they'd hurry.
SOLDIER
Hey, buddy, that boat still runs,
eh?
CLEAN
Yeah, it still runs.
SOLDIER
Do me a favor buddy, please.
CLEAN
What is it?
SOLDIER
Send these out when you get back
to the world.
SOLDIER
(continuing)
It's to everyone I really knew --
the first girl I screwed -- my
brother -- best friend -- I wanted
to tell 'em how much I enjoyed
knowing 'em -- it's been a great
twenty years. I gotta let 'em
know.
CLEAN
What're you askin' me for -- put
'em in the first helicopter comes
in tomorrow.
SOLDIER
Nobody comes in here.
SOLDIER
(continuing)
The N.V.A. 312th -- over there
the 307th -- on that hill we
counted fourteen different guns
in one minute -- they got rockets
mortars, snipers in those trees,
there's a million of those shitty
little bastards out there -- we're
all gonna die.
SOLDIER
(continuing)
I'm gonna be dead.
SOLDIER
(continuing)
You got a chance in that boat --
by morning you could be five miles
down the river.
CLEAN
We ain't goin' down the river.
CLEAN
(continuing)
What's up river from here anyhow --
SOLDIER
Spooky.
CLEAN
Charlie?
SOLDIER
No, it'd be spooky without the war
-- give 'em back.
CHIEF
Wow, you must a found the C.O., eh?
WILLARD
We found some bodies -- let's get
out a here.
DISSOLVE TO :
CHIEF
(to Willard)
I can't see a fucking thing.
CHIEF
(continuing)
We hit a big enough one this
hull will shatter like a Corvette.
Fucking plastic boat.
WILLARD
(shouting to Chief)
What about ducking into one of
those tributaries till this river
slows down?
CHIEF
Who knows what's up there?
WILLARD
Can't be any worse than this.
What do you think?
CHIEF
I think this river wants to take
us home fast. I'm practically
goin' in reverse.
WILLARD
Well, get in there.
CHIEF
This whole area is lousy with
V.C. -- We don't stand a chance.
Lemme turn around and we'll be
in Hau Fat in six minutes.
WILLARD
Get in there !
CHIEF
This is my crew and my fucking
boat, and I'm the responsible
party.
WILLARD
Get in there now or I'll bury
you in this river.
CHIEF
(finally relents,
turns the helm)
You're fucking crazy. You're
going to get us all killed.
The P.B.R. navigates through the rush and into the mouth
of the tributary.
DISSOLVE TO :
LANCE
It breaks through in about
twenty feet.
WILLARD
What do you see?
CHEF
I don't know.
WILLARD
Keep cutting.
CHEF
I know it sounds stupid, but I
feel like the goddamn jungle's
watching us.
WILLARD
Probably is.
CHEF
Whatdoya think it thinks.
WILLARD
That we're dumber than we look.
CHIEF
Lance -- 'bout twenty meters
starboard.
CHEF
There in the trees !
Lance's twin guns return the FIRE. The Chief moves to one
of the heavy guns and joins Lance in returning the FIRE.
CHIEF
(back at the helm)
Elevate Lance, in the tree. No,
I saw another.
CHEF
Thirty meters up, Lance; I saw
the fucking flash.
CLEAN
I'm ripping 'em, man, son-of-a-
bitch, it's jammed, oh God,
it's jammed.
Clean is riddled by MACHINE GUN FIRE.
WILLARD
Throw me that ordnance.
WILLARD
(continuing)
Give me some kind a field a fire --
CHEF
(exhausted)
We're through.
CHEF
(continuing)
Oh, God --
LANCE
(FIRING)
I ain't finished ! I ain't finished !
WILLARD
Bring that bow ordnance into
those trees.
DISSOLVE TO :
CHEF
There's some bad holes, man,
and the cracks -- water's coming
through the cracks. Food's shot
to hell.
WILLARD
How much is left?
CHEF
Less than half -- sure is a
mess down there.
WILLARD
And the grass?
CHEF
Still got a lot of that stuff
from Nha Trang. But we're
running low on the other.
Chief pushes Clean's body into the river.
A light.
WILLARD
Hey.
WILLARD
(continuing)
That's a light down there --
CHEF
Yeah, it is.
CHIEF
What the hell is it?
WILLARD
In the middle of the jungle --
a goddamn light.
WILLARD
Watch it !
They duck as SHOTS RING OUT from the dock, stitching the
water across the P.B.R.'s bow. The crew crouches, guns
trained on the dock as the boat still approaches.
WILLARD
(continuing)
They're not Cong.
CHIEF
(over the loud-hailer)
We're Americans.
CHEF
Maybe you shouldn't say we're
Americans?
WILLARD
Chef, try your French.
CHEF
Nous sommes Americains --
Silence.
CHEF
(continuing)
Nous ne voulon pas vous agresser.
WILLARD (O.S.)
French Nationals -- they may not
be too friendly, though.
FRENCHMAN
(shouting out)
Vous parlez Francais comme une vache
espanole.
CHEF
(to himself)
I thought it was pretty good,
myself.
CHIEF
What'd he say?
CHEF
Said I speak French like a
Spanish cow.
FRENCHMAN (O.S.)
Laisser tomber vos armes --
CHEF
Put the guns straight up -- stand
away from the mounts.
WILLARD
Do it.
They do.
FRENCHMAN (O.S.)
Vous pouvez approcher mais
doucement --
CHEF
Take her in slow.
CHIEF
I can't steer with my goddamn
feet.
CHEF
Hey, they speak American.
GASTON
Who is the commanding officer?
CHIEF
I --
WILLARD
I am -- I'm Captain B.L. Willard.
This is Chief Warrant Officer
Phillips -- it's his boat. We
were shot up bad downriver and
need repairs and food -- we can
pay you in gold.
GASTON
Philippe --
LANCE
I'll help you with --
PHILIPPE
Do not move --
GASTON
Fifty calibers, eh, Captain --
WILLARD
As I said, we can pay you in
gold.
GASTON
Entirely unnecessary, Captain.
GASTON
We share a common enemy -- you
are our guests.
(he steps back)
I am Gaston de marais -- this is
my family's plantation. It has
been such for 121 years. It will
be such after I die.
This is my son, Philippe -- he
has fought in Algeria and held
the rank of Captain. And Henry
LeFevre -- a sergeant; he was
at Dien Bien Phu. My personal
servant, Tran Van Kac ---
GASTON
(continuing)
My youngest son -- Christian --
GASTON
Christian's wife -- Ann-Marie --
GASTON
(continuing)
And my youngest daughter --
Claudine.
WILLARD
American weapons?
GASTON
We took them from the dead.
(smiles)
Now -- I assume you want to rest,
to shower. We'll attend to your
repairs after dinner.
CHEF
Shower.
WILLARD
We don't want to bother you any,
we --
GASTON
A man of war is never bothered to
aid an ally -- you will follow me,
Captain.
WILLARD
A habit of men of war, sir --
you understand.
GASTON
Of course, Captain -- an
unfortunate necessity.
CHIEF
What about the boat?
PHILIPPE
My men will keep it for you --
CHIEF
Yeah -- well, I'll stay with the
boat.
WILLARD
Chief.
(pause)
Come with us.
GASTON
A suitable accomodation for
your men, captain -- you will,
of course, be quartered with us --
He indicates that the men should follow Philippe. The
Chief is hesitant.
WILLARD
Go ahead --
GASTON
Captain, this way.
Willard follows -- they walk over past the house and toward
the jungle, approaching a huge crater, 100 feet across and
about thirty feet deep. The bottom is filled with water and
young French and Vietnamese children swim in it. On the
opposite rim, sit two men and a woman with machine guns.
Gaston strides up and looks down at the crater with pride.
GASTON
(continuing)
Magnificent, eh, Captain?
Willard looks.
GASTON
(continuing)
It is very good -- there is no
current -- It is very good. I
have never seen one like it in
all Indochina. I was in Paris
when it arrived -- do you know
what might have caused --
WILLARD
Looks like a two thousand pound
to me. Yeah, a two thousand
pound bomb.
GASTON
No, I've seen those in Normandy.
This is much better.
(pause)
My country -- my country could
never originate this. Magnificent.
WILLARD (V.O.)
I wondered -- how long has this room
been like this; how long has the
furniture been standing in these
places?
WILLARD (V.O.)
Was it like this sixty years ago?
Eighty years? But here, even
eighty years is nothing.
fascinated
WILLARD (V.O.)
It was jungle, once; and it will
be jungle, again...
CHEF
This food is wonderful ! I can't
believe the chef is a slope.
(turning to Clean)
Some more?
CHEF
(continuing)
Hey -- Lance.
LANCE
Huh? Oh. Um, wouldya ..
wouldya pass me the Rice-a-roni,
please.
GASTON
Roxanne, I hope you are feeling
better.
ROXANNE
Je vais bien maintenant.
GASTON
May I present Captain Willard?
He is of a paratroop regiment.
You know the difference between a
paratrooper and a regular soldier,
don't you , my dear?
ROXANNE
(smiling and taking
Willard's hand)
Yes, they come from the sky.
WILLARD
I would like to know more about
the .. uh, plaque...
GASTON
Attacks repulsed, as I was saying.
(hard)
This is only for this war, Captain.
Viet Cong -- 54; North Vietnamese
regular forces -- 15; South
Vietnamese -- 28 -- regular
forces and otherwise.
(pause)
Americain -- 6. Of course, they
were, perhaps, mistakes, Captain.
WILLARD
Of course. I -- Once we make
our repairs, we could send word,
we could have you evacuated
from here.
GASTON
Captain?
WILLARD
You'll get blown outta here some
day.
GASTON
We will never 'evacuate', Captain
-- this is our home. Indochina is
ours; it has been so for a hundred
and twenty-one years, there is
something to say for that.
WILLARD
The Vietnamese think it's theirs
-- I guess the Americans do,
too.
GASTON
But we civilized it. A place
belongs to those who bring light
to it, don't you agree.
WILLARD
I always thought the French came
here to get the rubber.
PHILIPPE
Excuse me, I must attend to my
men.
ROXANNE
May I ask where the Captain is
going in his little boat?
WILLARD
We were going upriver when we
got caught in a storm, ma'am.
GASTON
Upriver? Why upriver? There is
nothing there, only jungle.
WILLARD
Do you know that jungle?
GASTON
When I was a boy, my father would
take me there, to hunt. There
are a few savages, but no man
can live there, no white man.
WILLARD
What about an American named
Kurtz?
There is a pause.
GASTON
We have never heard of him.
GASTON
(continuing)
Bon nuit, Roxanne -- bon nuit,
Captain.
Willard turns.
WILLARD
Good night.
ROXANNE
You must realize, Captain -- we
have lost much here -- I, my
husband. Gaston -- his wife and
son.
WILLARD
I'm sorry to hear that.
ROXANNE
(rising)
Cognac?
WILLARD
I should be checking on the
boat.
ROXANNE
The war will still be here
tomorrow.
WILLARD
(thinking)
I guess so.
He follows.
ROXANNE
Do you miss your home, Captain?
Have you someone there?
WILLARD
No. Not really.
ROXANNE
Then you are like us.
ROXANNE
(continuing)
What will you do after the war?
WILLARD
I just follow my footsteps, one
at a time, trying to answer the
little questions and staying away
from the big ones.
ROXANNE
What's a big question?
WILLARD
Kurtz.
(pause)
I know you've heard of him.
ROXANNE
Yes.
WILLARD
What did you hear?
ROXANNE
That strange things.. terrible
things have occured around this
American, Kurtz.
WILLARD
What things?
ROXANNE
Gaston would never tell me. It
was asubject not to be spoken of,
Captain.
WILLARD
Yes.
ROXANNE
Did you know -- deeper in the
jungle, upriver -- there are
savages?
WILLARD
I know.
ROXANNE
But Captain, I mean -- cannibals.
A long pause. Then she looks at the cognac she poured for
him.
ROXANNE
(continuing)
What a pity, you don't drink.
Since my husband died, there
are so many things I must do
alone.
ROXANNE
(from the sitting room)
Are you warm, Captain?
WILLARD
The river is beautiful.
ROXANNE
I spend hours watching that
river from my bedroom window.
It fascinates me.
She moves her body close to his; and, in a moment, he is
kissing her.
His hands wander over her body as she clings to him. Then
she takes his hand, and leads him back into the sitting
room, and up the stairs.
It is dark. She leads him into her room and closes the
door. He stands there. In the center of the room is a
large canopied bed with mosquito netting hanging down over
it. The windows also have netting and barbed wire --
there is a .30 calibre machine gun mount in the far one.
He look around. she goes over to the bed, and turns
down the sheets. Then she slips out of her dress and
stands there facing him.
He puts down his gun and strips off his shirt. She lays
down on the bed and watches him.
ROXANNE
I have been lonely here, Captain.
FADE OUT.
CUT TO.
ROXANNE
I will fix you breakfast.
WILLARD
I'm afraid I won't have time --
I gotta --
ROXANNE
Whe you reach the boat you will
find that half your fifty calibre
stores -- a case of grenades, a
mortar and two M-16's and a
case of clips are being
transfered to us by your order.
WILLARD
So that's it.
ROXANNE
You may think what you wish,
Captain, but I like you very
much.
WILLARD
What if I say no.
ROXANNE
Then Philippe will have to kill
all of you.
She leaves.
GASTON
Two of my men deserted last
night. It happens from time
to time. I assume my daughter
told you of our conditions.
WILLARD
Your daughter.
CHIEF
They taking half our ammo,
Captain -- said it was your orders.
WILLARD
That's right -- I did.
WILLARD
I guess this is whAt men of war
do -- eh?
GASTON
We endure, captain -- you can
blow up the house and we will
live in the cellar -- destroy
that and we'll dig a hole in the
jungle and sleep on it. Burn
the forest and we'll hide in
the swamp. all the while, we
do but one thing -- clean the
blood off our bayonets.
(pause)
Au revoir, Captain.
The BOAT ROARS out across the river. The Chief looks over
at Willard. They stare at each other for a moment.
CHIEF
Next time we get in a good fire
fight -- I'd like to know how
she was, Captain.
CHEF
Holy shit.
CLEAN
What did you put in all those
ammo boxes?
WILLARD
Rocks, sand -- those two men
who deserted.
CHIEF
When'd you do it?
WILLARD
While you were sleeping.
The river has narrowed and runs swifter -- the water dark
and deep. The trees are higher in this area and much of
the river is shaded on one side. There is no undergrowth,
just the tall trees and ferms. They move ahead at half
speed, alert, ready for anything.
WILLARD (V.O.)
We moved deeper and deeper into
the jungle. It was very quiet
there. It was like wandering on
a prehistoric planet, an unknown
world ... where the men thought
they crawled to, I don't know.
For me, we crawled toward Kurtz --
exclusively.
CHEF (O.S.)
Flood.
CHIEF (O.S.)
No -- most of 'em are still
standing -- might've been
disease.
WILLARD (O.S.)
I don't know -- there'd still
be some sign -- it's just like
the one this morning.
DISSOLVE TO :
The river widens and the trees at its edge are soft and
seductive. The hills beyond are purple and lush. Strange
orange colored water-fowl swim lazily out of their way.
The water itself is glass smooth and black as if there
were no bottom. The sun is warm and the breeze gentle
and laced with wild gardenians. It is indeed the most
peaceful valley in all the world and each man looks upon
it and has never known such a sense of peace and well-
being.
DISSOLVE TO :
CHIEF
-- All right, Lance --
LANCE
The other one --
WILLARD
No -- leave it --
CHIEF
Why -- Charlie put it there to kill --
WILLARD
Thta's not Charlie's work --
There is silence.
WILLARD
Whoever put'em there didn't do it
to kill people -- They put 'em up
as signs --
CHIEF
Signs?
WILLARD
Yeah -- like keep out --
WILLARD (V.O.)
Toward the night of the fifth
day out of Do Lung Bridge, we
judged ourselves about eight
miles from Kurtz' base.
Everything was still, the trees,
the creepers, even the brush
seemed like it had been changed
into some kind of stone. It was
unnatural, like a trance. Not
a sound could be heard. I began
to think I was deaf -- then the
fog came suddenly, and I was
blind too.
WILLARD
Listen.
CHIEF
What is it?
WILLARD
Listen.
CHIEF
They're on the banks of the
river.
200 VIEW ON LANCE
LANCE
Jesus !
CHIEF
No, Lance. Not while you can't
see.
CHIEF
Will they attack?
WILLARD
If they have boats ... or
canoes... they'd get lost in
the fog. We can't move either --
we'll end up on the shore.
CHEF
God...
LANCE
Sounds like hundreds of them.
WILLARD
Shhhhhh.
WILLARD
(continuing)
It doesn't sound hostile --
it sounds like they've seen us
coming and it sounds like --
I don't know, a funeral. I
don't understand.
WILLARD (V.O.)
Two hours after the fog lifted,
we moved slowly to a spot we
thought was roughly a mile and
a half below Kurtz's camp. We
approached a long sand-bank
stretching down the middle of
the river.
CHIEF
Which way? Right or left?
WILLARD
Who knows? Right.
CHIEF
Looks pretty shallow.
The men are really tense now -- Lances swivels his gun from
bank to bank. Chief keeps his fingers on an M-16. Willard
takes out the TOP SECRET packet he received at Do Lung.
Tears it open. We MOVE IN ON him.
WILLARD
(reading)
Upon reaching objective. Target
key personnel and commence
operation. Should difficulty
arise from which extraction is
impossible, break radio silence
Com-Sec Command code Strong Arm --
indicate purgative air strike --
code -- Street Gang.
(pause)
Purgative air strike ! Purgative !
They'd kill me too !
CHIEF
Shit ! Fucking arrows ! They're
shooting fucking arrows at us.
WILLARD
Steer her right.
WILLARD
Keep going.. keep going.
They're just fucking sticks !
Chief, stay at the helm.
CHIEF
A spear?
He dies.
The men are still crazily FIRING into the empty jungle
long after those who attacked beat their retreat.
WILLARD
Stop it. Stop it !
LANCE
Chief's dead.
Willard unlaces the other boot, and holds the bloody boot
in his hand.
WILLARD (V.O.)
It was the strangest thing --
I don't know that I can explain
it. Two of my men dead, and all
I could think of was whether
Kurtz was dead too. That's all
I wanted: to see Kurtz, to hear
Kurtz.
WILLARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
Somehow, in the middle of this ...
carnival, Kurtz had grown into
something -- a gifted officer;
a great man.
Somehow, he was the only light
in this hopeless, hopeless
darkness.
And now I was too late --
he was probably gone, disappeared...
by a grenade rolled into his
tent -- or by some spear on the head.
Christ, I felt like howling like
those animals in the fog.
WILLARD (V.O.)
Here they are in Los Angeles.
Everything is safe. There's a
supermarket around the corner,
the police station around the
other. It would seem ridiculous
to them that I was shot to hell
because I had lost the privilege
of listening to the mysterious
Colonel Kurtz.
(pause)
Of course I was wrong. He was
waiting for me. Kurtz was alive
and he was waiting for me.
DISSOLVE TO :
The men of the crew are not the same men who began this
voyage. Their manner is lifeless as though in a trance.
The various decorations and paraphenelia that they have
picked up along the way seem oddly relevant to the
savages that stand before them. The Chef has made a
hat of birdfeathers; Lance's face has been painted with
mud under the eyes to block the glare of the sun. He
wears certain animal skins; trinkets; some animal teeth.
Their uniforms have been torn and patched throughout the
difficult journey. They start to move to their gun
positions.
WILLARD
Just stand here with me where
they can see us. Do nothing.
Mus on his face (to protect it from the sun), the palms
of some jungle vegetation protecting his head, he looks
something like atribal chieftan himself. His intuition
was right. He senses that they would be allowed to pass.
The POV OF THE GLASSES MOVE once again and come upon an
astonished sight, a black man dressed in a tatter of
colored fabrics, feathers, and an Australian bush hat.
He looks something like a multi-colored harlequin waving
frantically to the P.B.R. The POV OF THE GLASSES MOVE
OFF of him.
223 VIEW ON WILLARD
WILLARD
We've been attacked.
AUSTRALIAN
(shouting back)
I know, I know, it's all right.
Come in this way. It's mined
over there. This way. It's
all right.
A thick greasy smoke hangs from fires that burn near the
fort; fresh shell craters indicate a recent battle. Near
the dock there is a tangled clump of corpses -- half sub-
merged in the water. Other piles of bodies lie about, some
of them on fire. Fire literally burns from out of the
ground. Chef nods at the bodies.
CHEF
Charlie?
WILLARD
Looks that way.
CHEF
(looking at the Australian)
Who's he?
WILLARD
God knows.
WILLARD
(continuing)
Who the hell are you?
AUSTRALIAN
Moonby. Got any Winstons?
WILLARD
Moonby what?
AUSTRALIAN
Moonby, 4th battalion, Royal
Australian Regiment, Task Force.
Ex-Corporal Moonby, deserted.
WILLARD
(incredulously, indicating
the hundreds of natives)
What is this?
MOONBY
Oh, they're simple enough people.
It's good to see you, baby.
Nobody has any Winstons?
MOONBY
This boat's a mess.
WILLARD
Where's Kurtz? I want to talk
to him.
MOONBY
Oh, you don't talk to Colonel
Kurtz.
(he puffs, then smiles)
You listen to him. God, these
are good. I kept these people
off you, you know. It wasn't
easy.
WILLARD
Why did they attack us?
MOONBY
Simple. They don't want him to
go.
WILLARD
You're Australian?
MOONBY
Pre-Australian, actually. But
I'd dig goin' to California.
I'm California dreamin'.
WILLARD
(almost to himself)
So Kurtz is alive.
MOONBY
Kurtz. I tell you, that man
has enlarged my mind.
MOONBY
(continuing)
But lemme tell you, he is the
most dangerous thing in every
way that I've come on so far.
He wanted to shoot me. The
first thing he said is, 'I'm
going to shoot you because you
are a deserter.' I said I
didn't desert from your army,
I deserted from my army. He
said, 'I'm going to shoot you
just the same.'
WILLARD
Why didn't he shoot you?
MOONBY
I've asked myself that question.
I said to myself, why didn't he
shoot me? He didn't shoot me,
because I had a stash like you
wouldn't believe. I hid it in
the jungle; the wealth of the
Orient: Marijuana -- Hashish
-- Opium -- cocaine -- uncut
Heroin; the Gold of the Golden
Triangle. and Acid -- I make
Koolaid that makes purple Owsley
come on like piss. Now I'm
Kurtz' own Disciple -- I listen
he talks. About everything !
Everything. I forgot there's
such a thing as sleep. Everything.
Of love, too.
CHEF
Love?
MOONBY
Oh, no, not what you think...
Cosmic love. He made me see
things -- things, you know.
WILLARD
Sounds like he's gone crazy.
MOONBY
No, Colonel Kurtz couldn't be
crazy -- if you heard him talk,
just last week, you'd never think
he was crazy.
WILLARD
Is that where he is? By the
shrunken heads.
MOONBY
Those heads, yes. Well, the
rebels...
WILLARD
(to his men)
We're going ashore. Tie her up
-- and leave your guns up, Lance.
LANCE
What?
WILLARD
Bring your rifles, that's all.
(looking at Moonby)
Take us to him.
MOONBY
Right on -- he's been waiting
for --
WILLARD
And shut up.
Moonby nods and shrugs, and hops off the P.B.R. willard
and the men follow.
WILLARD
Who are you?
MOONBY
(breaking in)
His name is...
WILLARD
I'm not ever goin' to tell you
to shut up again.
MAN
Colby. Exec. officer, A-Team...
Special Forces. F-82 -- Col.
Walter Kurtz, commanding.
WILLARD
What happened here?
COLBY
What -- happened here.
WILLARD
Charlie?
COLBY
NVA regulars. They're coming
again tonight. Tet -- their
big -- assault.
WILLARD
I'm taking you back.
MOONBY
Oh, no, don't say that.
COLBY
Take us back. Take us back !
But, the operation -- the team.
Colonel Kurtz has such plans for
-- the team.
WILLARD
Take me to him, Major.
COLBY
I had nothing to do with these
operations -- I did not do the
planning -- none of us did.
It was all Colonel Kurtz -- he
was the genius. You'll see --
the genius of our Colonel. He
should be made a General, don't
you think? A General? It's...
WILLARD
Colonel Kurtz, I guess.
KURTZ
I'm Kurtz.
WILLARD
(he salutes)
Captain B.L. Willard reporting
his presence, sir.
KURTZ
At ease...
(pause, as he regards him)
Sit down.
KURTZ
(slowly)
Why did you come to ... my province.
WILLARD
We were attacked -- down river.
We need supplies and medical
help.
KURTZ
You were not coming here, to
see me?
WILLARD
(finding it more and
more difficult to go
on with this lie)
No -- no, sir.
KURTZ
You came up my river -- in that
small boat. So simple. I
always thought the final justice
would come from the sky, like
we did.
(pause)
You are the final justice,
aren't you?
WILLARD
What do you mean, Colonel?
KURTZ
(gently)
What other reason could you
have come? A Captain. Ranger.
Paratrooper. Graduate of the
Recondo School. Am I right
about these things?
WILLARD
You know you're right.
KURTZ
Then the Agency approached you.
Maybe in a bar in Quinon or
Pleiku. Simple. A year's pay
for one life. Perhaps a village
elder, or a tax collector.
Nobody's orders but your own.
Exciting work.
He remains silent.
He smiles.
KURTZ
You've spent tome at the Royal
Tracking School of Malaysia.
I can tell from the way the
laces on your boots are tied.
I understand you, Captain. We
understand each other.
WILLARD
Do you know me?
KURTZ
Yes.
KURTZ
(continuing)
Do you know me ?
CHEF
Holy shit.
CHEF
Captain -- they've been probed
all this week -- Cong and NVA
regulars. There's gonna be a
big offense any time.
WILLARD
I know.
CHEF
What are we doing here?
WILLARD
Kurtz. I'm supposed to kill him,
just like he said.
KURTZ
Yeah, I can see that. He's
fuckin nuts --
WILLARD
Yeah.
CHEF
He killed that guy without feeling
anything.
WILLARD
Not a thing.
CHEF
When you kill Cong, don't you
feel something.
WILLARD
Sure.
(thinking)
Recoil... I feel the recoil of
my rifle.
WILLARD
This is good -- triple overlapping
fields of fire -- walls so thick
ordinary artillery just cleans
the moss off their surfaces.
WILLARD
(continuing)
I've done things, when I was
alone in the jungle -- that I
never told anyone about.
CHEF
This is evil -- evil, Captain.
We're all gonna die here.
WILLARD
Yeah, I know.
CHEF
I don't get it -- You said your
mission was to kill him. Let's
do it, an' get our asses outta
here. This Kurtz is ruining the
war; I mean, this don't look
good for America !
WILLARD
(lost in his thoughts)
... he's an amazing officer.
CHEF
You got to kill this sonuvabitch
-- Lance and me, we don''t
understand none of this -- Jesus,
Captain -- I don't wanna die here
-- Do it quick.
WILLARD
Yeah. I know.
He thinks.
MOONBY
He's asleep -- don't bother him.
KURTZ
I'm awake.
KURTZ
(continuing)
You. Get out.
KURTZ
(continuing; suddenly)
I said get the fuck out !
(to himself)
I'm going to kill the little
weirdo myself tomorrow.
(he shows some pain
when moving his
midsection)
He's only stayed alive this long
because he's a good orderly and
medic. He knows how to use a
hypodermic.
WILLARD
You're gonna get hit tonight,
bad -- a whole regiment of NVA
regulars.
KURTZ
That's right, the little gook-
pricks. But they are noble
little gook-pricks, noble.
Because they fight with their
guts, like animals. And for an
idea ! That's rich. We fight
with ingenious machines and
fire, like Gods, and for nothing.
But I'll call in a major blotto
airstrike tonight. We'll have
ourselves a helluva airstrike
tonight, a lightshow. How do
you like The Doors': 'C'mon Baby
Light My Fire...'
Willard shrugs.
KURTZ
(continuing)
Do you?
WILLARD
Yeah, I like it...
KURTZ
I love it.
WILLARD
You've gone crazy.
KURTZ
(angrily)
No. My thinking is clear.
(calmly)
But my soul has gone mad.
KURTZ
(continuing)
My gut -- Oh, Christ, my gut !
CHEF
(muttering)
Kill him -- come on, why don't
you kill him
KURTZ
(in pain)
Oh shit -- on the table; morphine.
Willard moves to the table, opens the medical packet. He
takes out a morphine capsule, leans over the writhing
Kurtz and injects him with the drug.
KURTZ
(continuing; looking
up in pain)
You see how stupid it would have
been to blow out my brains? I'm
dying from the gut anyway.
KURTZ
(continuing)
No -- I don't want to sleep.
I want to think. Water. Give
me water.
WILLARD
You can't have water after
morphine.
KURTZ
Still playing by the rules.
(almost
affectionately)
You're a damn good kiler.
WILLARD
(still holding the
second morphine)
How's the pain?
KURTZ
How's yours?
WILLARD
I can handle it.
KURTZ
Pain is easy to handle -- but
nobility.. the nobility of a
man is judged by how much Truth
he can handle.
WILLARD
What Truth?
KURTZ
The truth that you were sent
here to murder me, ans so far
you haven't done it. And do
you know why?
(looks at him)
Yes, you know why.
(he looks)
Your mission makes about as much
sense as those idiots who sent
you on it. Asshole ! Schmuck !
How long does it take you to
figure out that nobody knows
what they're doing here.
(coldly)
Except me.
KURTZ
(continuing)
Gimme water.
WILLARD
No water.
KURTZ
You know what you're doing?
You are interfering with my
plans !
KURTZ
(continuing)
This water's got Moonby's acid
in it --
KURTZ
(continuing)
Drink it -- drink it for tonight.
Think of it. A whole regiment
of those shitty little Cong --
War. Total war -- war like you've
never known it. It's beautiful
-- you'll love it. Trust me.
244 EXT. THE HEADQUARTERS - MED. VIEW - LANCE AND CHEF - NIGHT
CHEF
Lance -- the fucker's not gonna
do it.
KURTZ
Goddamn -- You've gotta dig
napalm on Speed, too. It's
spectacular, you'll see.
Lance stands up holding his M-16, looks into the cavern
with Chef.
KURTZ
Look into the jungle. You can't --
it's too terrible. You have to
smear yourself with warpaint to
look at it -- you have to be a
cannibal.
(whispered)
That's why warpaint was invented.
Then it becomes your jungle.
WILLARD
How did we get here?
KURTZ
Because of all the things we do,
the thing we do best -- is lie.
WILLARD
I think think a lie stinks.
KURTZ
Oh Captain, that is so true.
WILLARD
Stinks. I could never figure --
(he drinks from
the canteen)
I could never figure how they
can teach boys how to bomb villages
with napalm -- and not let them
write the word 'fuck' on their
airplanes.
KURTZ
(angrily)
You could never figure it because
it doesn't make sense.
WILLARD
Fuck no.
KURTZ
I'll tell you what makes sense !
Air strikes ! White Phosphorus !
Napalm ! We'll bomb the shit out
of them if they don't do what
we want.
WILLARD
We'll exterminate the fuckers !
CHEF
Captain -- kill him.
KURTZ
Think of it -- for years, millions
of years, savages with pathetic
painted faces were scared shitless
that fire would rain down from
the sky. And goddamn, we made
it happen. God bless Dow !
CHEF
Kill him !
He has let loose with his M-16 at Chef, like some sort
of mindless, programmed killer.
LANCE
(FIRING)
Hot damn !
SOLDIER
Wow...
KURTZ
Mini-gun. Colby. Sergeant.
Mini-gun.
WILLARD
Napalm.
WILLARD
Code -- Street Gang -- Street
Gang ! Purgative air strike;
Street Gang !
KURTZ
(yelling)
Charles !
The air strike hits with all its force. Balls and rain
of fire sweeps down on the temple, the enemy, everything.
It is the biggest firework show in history.
The wall Kurtz was standing on, and he falls with it.
Willard sees this and makes his way toward him as the
air strike continues. All around us is a spectacle of
MUSIC and light and fire and overwhelming color.
KURTZ
Go away -- hide yourself.
WILLARD
What are you doing?
KURTZ
Going back - to the jungle to
die.
WILLARD
I'm taking you back. You can
still live.
KURTZ
I had immense plans.
WILLARD
I'm gonna get you out of here.
KURTZ
I was on threshold of great
things.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN.
Their eyes are red and glazed, their jaws hang slack and
they tumble occasionally. They stagger away from the
field of slaughter. Willard looks down and sees something.
Moves over to it, kicks several bodies away and in the
f.g. below is Lance, dead.
COLBY
Who is he?
WILLARD
He was the tragedy -- the tragedy
of this war.
CUT TO:
KURTZ
Don't. Don't frighten them away.
WILLARD
So you understand this?
KURTZ
Do I not?
KURTZ
My river... my people... my jungle...
my ideas... my country...
my wife...
(he looks at Willard)
... my death.
WILLARD
You had immense plans... immense plans...
KURTZ
Yes...
WILLARD
I'm taking you back.
KURTZ
The horror, the horror.
COLBY
There.
COLBY
(continuing)
How did they know?
WILLARD
They must have seen the fire.
COLBY
They're coming to rescue us.
They're Medevac.
WILLARD
(to himself)
They're coming to take us back.
WILLARD
(continuing)
Yeah.
COLBY
Colonel Kurtz, he's dead.
WILLARD
Yeah.
He raises his M-16 and FIRES the entire clip at the ap-
proaching rescue helicopter.
WILLARD
Yeah.
WILLARD (V.O.)
... Don't remember a lot about my
rehabilitation... but I was sent
back to the world before the fall
of Saigon...
WILLARD
I never answered questions about
Kurtz -- I gave them a few of his
unimportant papers -- but for the
most part I saved everything.
There were other letters, personal
ones written earlier to his wife.
I brought them to het. I watched
the fall of Saigon on television
in a bar in Alameda...
WILLARD
Hi.
KURTZ'S WIFE
Come in, Captain Willard.
He enters.
KURTZ'S WIFE
Can I get anything for you?
KURTZ'S WIFE
(continuing)
Did you know him very well?
WILLARD
You get to know each other pretty
well out there.
KURTZ'S WIFE
And you admired him?
WILLARD
He was a remarkable man. It was
impossible not to --
KURTZ'S WIFE
Love him... Yes, it is true.
That's the hard part for me... I
knew him better than anyone ... I
knew him best.
WILLARD
You knew him best.
KURTZ'S WIFE
You were his friend... You must
have been, if he had given you
this...
(the packet)
If he sent you to his home. He
was the best this country had --
he was --
WILLARD
Yes, I know...
KURTZ'S WIFE
I'll never get over it -- But
I'll always remember him...
WILLARD
Both of us...
KURTZ'S WIFE
Men looked up to him...
(she loses herself
in a thought)
He died as he lived...
WILLARD
His death was -- yes, he died as
he lived.
KURTZ'S WIFE
Were you with him, when...
WILLARD
Yes I was... He said his last
words to me.
Pause.
KURTZ'S WIFE
What were they?
KURTZ'S WIFE
Tell me.
KURTZ'S WIFE
Tell me what he said.
KURTZ (V.O.)
The horror ! The horror !
WILLARD
He spoke of you, ma'am.
293 EXT. TIGHT HIGH ANGLE ON THE MARINA DEL REY BOAT
DISSOLVE TO:
FADE OUT.
THE END