[PDF] .\\\'BLOOD DIAMOND\\\'\\\' oy Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz

1 .'BLOOD DIAMOND'' oy Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz Draft JuIy 27, 20052 THESE WORDS APPEAR:.'SIERRA LEONE, 19...

.'BLOODDIAMOND'' oy Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz

Draft JuIy 27,

2005

THESE WORDSAPPEAR: . ' S I E R R AL E O N E , 1 9 9 9 " ].

INT.

- A HUT - BEFORE DAWN

A MAN's HAND, hardworking,

rough,

light.s

twigs

under a kettle.

Predawn light trickles Ehrough Lhe tin walls onto well worn pick, axe, a yoke for an ox. farming tools,..hoe, AnimisU Lotems and charms hang. we are in a typical Mende FARMER'S HUT. Excepu for Che ENGLISH SCHOOLBOOKS on a she1f. The HAND EhaE lit. Lhe ketrre t,akes Ehe books off the shelf and gently nudges a 14-year-o1d BOy awake wiEh them. The boy, Ota is his name, groans in sleepy protesE. SOLOMON VANDY smiles

down at his

son.

SOLOMON (in Mende; subtitled) Don't want to be 1aEe. The boy sits up, harf asleep. sleepily pu11s a shirt over his head. His English is more schooled than his faEher's. h Y l

(in ltendli"suUti rted) English boys go Eo school

every

day?

solomon fills a tin cup of powdered milk. lle is a rnan marked by quiet pat.ience, in Lhe worn trousers and whiLe cotEon shirt of a Mende farmer. He hands Ehe cup to the boy. SOLOMON (in Mende; subtiCled) yes, Ehev do. n7l

(in Mendli'"uu.iL1ed)

Not every

day.

SOLOMON (in Mende; subtitled) Every day. Just like you. So you can become a doctor. Not walk behind an ox like your father. T h e b o y c a t c h e s h i s M O T H E R ' se y e a s s h e b r e a s t - f e e d s his TNFANT BROTHER. His twelve-year o1d sister, N,YANDA, snuggles with them. she sticks her congue ouE at her brother. soLoMoN (coNT'D) Don,t worry. She will be joining you next. year. JASSfE sends both her men a kiss

as Ehey head out.

JASSIE (in Mende, subuitled) Be carefuJ on the road. Solomon gives 2

EXT.

wife

his

VTLLAGE -

HUT -

look.

know"

CONTINUOUS

lighc. the early Solomon and Dia emerge into in a hamlet amidsc cassava paEches eeked out

Their of the

huE is jungle.

DIA want Eo be a doctor. (of.f. Solomon's look) want. Eo be President.

Don't f Solomon puts

his

arm around

him.

They

head

into

the

fields.

CREDTTS OVER 3

IT IS A TIMELESS S O L O M O NA S H E W O R K S I N T H E F I E L D S . ONE OF PASTORAL BEAUTY AND SIMPLICTTY. PICTURE.

AT NOONTIME, ,JASSIE AND N'YA}TDA GRING LUNCH. THE STADE OF A HUGE BEOBOB TREE.

THEY STT IN

DIA RETURNS HOME, CARRYTNG HIS BESIDE HIS FATHER.

NOW HE WORKS

T.HE STIN IS ALREADY LOW AS THEY RETURNTO THE VILLAGE

a d

SCHOOLBOOKS.

CREDITS END Solomon stands sEock seill, sensing someEhing A few away wiEhouE crowing. chickens flit The oxen are skiccish. SOLOMON Go back insi-de... NOWI Dia is confused. Solomon pushes him inco the huE as grinning TEENAGEREBELS appear. One wears a Tupac t-shirt. He rakes people. everything wich AX-47 FIRE. Huts. Animals. Sofomon dives eo Lhe ground. VILLAGERS run screamj.ng. Chickens sguawk, oxen bray. A rumble. Two mud-splat.Eered PICK-UP TRUCKSwith sawed-off roofs crash through Ehe brush, f u l 1 o f R . U . P . R E B E L S ,w h o g u i c k l y j u m p o f f - - s h o u t i n g , wielding machetes and automatic rj.f les, BAI{DOLIERSOF AIvIMo criss-crossed on their bare chests, GRENADES on Eheir be1Es. Solomon cowers amidst the gunfire, looks around francically. Men and boys are being rounded up. Huts seE on fire. Suddenly he is yanked up as t.wo REBELS pu1l him away-.lassie

exics

cheir

huc,

infant

in her arms, mad with

fear

JASSIE Solomon ! Only one word'

He shouEs back.

SOLOMON Drrn

She just stands Ehere screaming his She doesn't. Solomon's son and daughter come out of the hut.

name.

Now

DIA PAPA! choking him,

Solomon, the rifle

as he's

dragged away.

SOLOMON RUN! Jassie grabs her son's arm, He resisEs, staring in anquish And with the ewo younger BuE she tugs at hin. at his father. Running. in tow, they join others. children Solomon wacches them disappear

inco

che bush.

rN THE NEXT MOME}IT he's rounded up with the oTHER I'IALES. only a few able-bodied boys. among thern. Most are old, skinny men and terrified R E B E L Sp r o d t h e m w i t h r i f l e s , makingr them form a line. under the watchful sunglasses of an R.U.F. COLONEL.

Al.1

The PIRST VILLAGER is shoved to his knees in front of a tree stu:np. A muscle-bound, SHIRTLESS REBEL wich a gleaminS AxE struLs over, his eyes qlazed from palm wine and marijuana. A second rebel grabs Ehe village man's HAND and places iE on puEs The man pu11s his hand away. Tupac E-shirt Ehe stump. Ehe Ak-47 to his head. The choice

clear.

The vj.11ager tries through his head. The next

man in

Your head or your hands. Eo scramble away. RAT-A-TAT! The choice is made for him.

line

made to kneel

the

Bul1et

sEump.

T U P A CT - S H I R T Long sleeve or short sleeve? The other

sEoned rebels

find

this

hilarious.

O N S O L O M O Nw, i t n e s s i n g h i s m u t i l a t i o n rise around him. The discarded limb The next

1ine,

WAILS as terrified is thrown into a bag.

A STRONGYOUNGMAN, is

pushed to

the

stump.

4. R.U.F. COLONEL He can work.

Not bim.

The STRONGYOUNGI,IAN is herded into a waiEing Cruck. NexE comes ADI OLD MAN. Shaking, he offers his withered hand. ON SOLOMON. The "crunch"

the axe bores

into

The o1d man is lifEed to his feet in clinicaL his forearms end in bloody sEunps.

his

soul.

shock.

BoEb

R . U . F . C O L O N E L( C O N T ' D ) You are the messenger. Spread the word. Guv'menE say da future is in your hands? We say R.U.F. is da fut.ure. Revolution is at hand. Solomon is nexE. He cl,oses his eyes as his hand is placed on Ehe tree st.ump slick with blood. The Colonel looks him Motions Ehe henchmen to stop. over. You will Solomon is 8

R.U. F. COLONEL need your hands.

herded into

the cruck.

EXT. STERRALEONE -- (SEEN FROU ABOVE) A seaplane soars above the bush. AE the scick, DANNYARCHER. He has seen more in his thirty years than mos0 people have seen in a lifetime of watching bad teLevision. He scans Ehe landscape Ehen dips Eoward the esEuary of broad river, eventual-ly splashing Co a sLop.

NEARBY, ON THE SANDY BANK sitcing in a lawn chair is COMI'IANDER RAMBO, a twenty yearoId R.U.F. fighEer with a goaEee, wrap-around sunglasses, and a Bob MarLey E-shirE. Arrayed behind him, several B O D Y G U A R DcSr a d l e a u t o m a t i c w e a p o n s w h i l e e a t . i n g m & m , s . A h u g e B O O MB O X t . h r o b s o u t T u p a c ' s " I f I D i e 2 N i t e . "

TNT. COCKPIT

1_0

FAWAZ, a Ehin Lebanese man, siEs rebels waiting on Ehe riverbank. Say one for

beside Archer and eyes che Murmurs a prayer in Rrabic.

ARCHER me, ny friend.

Archer closes his eyes for a moment, then checks the clip on his 9mmsig-sauer before rucking it. into his belt and pulring his shirE-taiLs over it. Takes a deep breath

5. 11

EXT.

ON SHORE

Eeenagers Imagine Ehe group. wades in and approaches Archer Their menace is in Bed-SEy carrying AK-47's. on a corner palpable even as they laugh and pass around a big spliff-

You are

ARCHER Zero? Colonef

COMMANDER RA],IBO am Commander Rambo.

i{hat No response.

ARCHER happened Eo CoLonel A few of

the

rebels

Zero? gi-ggle.

COMI"LANDERRAIVIBO He was noE comrniEted Eo Ehe You are here to help us revoluEion. againsE the oppressor. in our struggle

I'm They

eye

each

ARCHER Eo do business.

here other

silence.

ARCHER (CONT'D) someEhing for me.

You have

CO}OIANDER RAMBO FirsE you will show me what you brought.

No.

First

ARCHER will @.

pay

for

have

chem.

Archer Rambo looks aE him with dead eyes. looks back with A nasty stand-off. eyes equally dead. Rambo hands Until him a smal-l, filEhy cloth SACK. Archer tips a few rough diamonds inco his hand.

Ihis

ARCHER (CO}M'D) (in xrio; subtiEled) i-s noE what was aqreed. (in

Krio;

COI-,IANDERRAMBO subElcled)

Eheweapons and

;iY:'u:"'lll.iile

Archer closes his eyes again, looks back at Ehe seaplane. The cargo door SLIDES OPEN, revealing the muzzle of a M-130 AssaufE Weapon. Fawaz racks its slide. In

response,

che Rebeis

slide

the

bolEs

on their

weapons.

ARCHER (in Krio; subtitled) Maybe I'11 just do my business with At least E.he Ehe governnent. oppressor pays his bi11s. He turns

and stargs

back Eoward the plane. COMMANDERRAI{BO Wait...

Wait...

Rambo smiles as if it has aff been a joke. He reaches into a rusEy coffee can and pul1s out a huge handful of diamonds. COI'S{ANDERRAI{BO (CONT' D) This is what you wanE? tlere... So many, I don't know whaE to do h/iEh them all. He gestures handful .

for

Archer

to hold

ouE his

hands and pours

him a

COMMANDER You bring a satellite dish nexL time, yah? I want to watch NYPD BIue. 11A

MOMEDTIS LATER

IIfI

As the seaplane takes off, we see the rebels of RPGs with Ukranian markings. 12

INT.

unloading

craLes

PLANE

Fawaz gleefully

L2 examines t.heir

haul .

FAWAZ I'm buying an elecEronics store. SiL on my ass all day, drink sweet Lea and watch dvd's. How abouE it., Danny? Archer

closes

his

eyes for

a moment.

He is

free-

ARCHER Fly che p1ane. 13

EXT. DIAMONDFIELD - SIERRA LEONE _ DAY An open pit a1luvial mine and boys toil knee deep in hands, shoveling silt. into waLchful eyes and guns of banks passing a fat joint

carved beside a jungle river. Men rnuddy water. They dig with their wooden troughs. A1I under Lhe R . U . F . R E B E L Sw h o s t a n d o n t h e rolled in newspaper.

MeanwhiLe, Eheir feader -- cAprArN porsoN -revolut.ionary dogrma to the diggers:

spouts

twisted

CAPTAIN POISON The Freetown guv-a-ment and Eheir white masters have raped your land Eo feed their greed! We have freed you! No more slave and masEer here! We are all broEhers I Solomon. his back straining under Ehe weight of a circuLar si.eve, pauses to wipe sweat f rorn his eyes. He,s prodded wiEh a rif1e, looks up into Lhe fierce FACE of CapEain poison. CAPTAIN POISON (COIVT'D) Back to work ! Your work is your liberat.ion! Work harder! Diq harder! Solomon turns back !o his sieve. his sieve, plucks someEhing out,

AMTHER DIGGER, peers inco hol_ds ic up in his hand.

DIGGER Kunaa ! A11 work stops. A rebel comes over. The digger hand.s him the Einy, milky crysEal. A diamond. WithouE. a word, Che Commander wraps t.he st.one in a piece of paper. As work resumes, solomon watches the piece of paper handed off to a RUNNER, who runs it over to the SAI'{ECoMMANDER,who sits under Lhe shade of a palrn frond umbrel1a read.ing a Hustler magazine. He stuffs the diamond int.o his shirt pocket without even looking at it. Across from solomon, a 3RD DTGGERglances picks a sLone from the sieve and slips ic

around. inco his

Furt.ively mouEh.

He meeEs solomon's eyes. solomon looks away, keeps working. When he becomes aware of CapEain poison's eyes on him solomon cries to shake off Ehe eyes by shaking Ehe sieve. capEain Poison remains staring aE him, intently. Then, calmly walks over co the 3rd digger wicn che diamond in his mouth. AND SHOOTSHIM, ac poinE blank rangre. Everyt,hing sEops. You.

poison

Bring

turns

back co Solomon.

CAPTAIN POISON hirn ouE.

solomon puEs down his sieve. Looks at the BoDy floatinq nex! to him, turning Ehe muddy waEer red soLoMoN (V. O. ) Dear Jassie. I cannot. wriee well enough to put in a letter aII the Ehouqhts in my head.

8. 14

EXT. R.U.F.

DIzu'IONDCA],IP- SUNSET

Solomon devours a meager porcion of rice gruel in a Lin cup. fetid clothes on Ehe ground. Others sleep in their

so LoMoN( v.o. )

Even if I could, let me send it. 15

my quards would not'

EXT. DIA}4ONDCA],IP - NIGHT

looking out at the guards on watch. Solomon sits shivering, Beyond, a 1it TENT where rebels drink and shout back aL a TV playing, saLellite "Whs WanEs To Be a MiTTionaire. "

so LoMoN( v.o. )

I do not know where you are. not even know where I am. 16

I do

IN THE BINTUMANI FOOTHILLS EXT. SOMEWHERE

Jassie and the children are among a group of homeless Mende. Dia carries the infant. Hearing trucks cominq, they scatter into the bush. An R.U.F convoy roars past. After a momenc, they return to tne road.

so LoMoN( v. o. ) I only know that my thought.s over the mount.ains to you. 71

EXT.

BED OF GRASS -

Solomon lays

f Iy

NIGHT

there.

Eyes open

l7 in

a living

nightmare.

so LoMoN( v.o. )

find I will my whole lif 18

EXT.

I"IOUNTAINS -

you. Jassie. ff it takes e. We will be t.ogether.

DAY

A high pass. Misty peaks in the distance. A BRrLLrAIllf RED SHAPE comes into view - the bright headdress of a HAUSA SHEPHERD. He carries a spear as he leads a herd of GOATS, be11s clinking around their necks. Picking up Ehe rear is Archer. SATELLITE PHONEbuzzes. . . ARCHER We're two clicks from WhaE've you got? 19

EXT/INT. Piloted looking

checking

Gps.

His

Ehe strip.

TWIN ENGINE TURBO PROP by Fawaz. He speaks into down on the dense jungle

a handheld

FLYING -

SAI,{E

his SAT phone, canopy.

19 worriedly

FAWAZ

Exr.raom,r-rarrv:"1"il,

sure enough, over the hirr, comes an armed patrol SOLDIERS. The TROOPLEADER approaches Archer. papers. Archer

fishes

ECoMoG

TROOP LEADER

ouc idencificacion.

pllioc

Hands it

over.

ARCHER Snirh, NaEional Geographic.

TROOP LEADER you are crossing into t iberia. ARCHER I have a letEer from Ehe MinisEer of InE,erior and a Liberian visa as-we]f . (as the Captain sEudies che papers) Doing a sEory on the Hausa who, y o u k n o w , a r e a l l o w e d t o c r o s s ' t h las border to get Eo grazins Si"u"A".' Up above, the tiny plane drones pasE. The Eroop l_eader glances up, Ehen ar. Archer, ,l? ;;;;;"";=iu'orr"rs an unopened pack of cigaret.t,es from his snrrt pockeE. A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) Ever read NaEional Geographic? The Eroop leader. ignores him,. waLks over t,o a goaE. and runs his hands down Ehe goaE,s UicL, His hands parE a rufr of hair __ reveali"s undei il=-Jfrir,. ;-"ur;i;"iiy sEraishr line o f S T T T G H E Si n E h e s o a E ; ; k i " . Archer feer-s che shape of the gmm under his around at the rifles. Too many ot Ehem.

shirt.,

100ks

The Eroop reader takes ouc a KNrFE and cuts into Ehe sEicches. The goat squears a rit.re-rttak i c k s angrily. From under Ehe goat,'s skin, he t,akes a dozen smal_l, ,iuqh,DfAI{ONDS. The t,roop leader

draws his

.45 on Archer.

TROOP LEADER You are under arresE for smuggling. Af(LHts.r(

Now you listen here, my man. I am a good friend of ltinister Somora. He will noc be pleased you f."ru-lnEertered wich his business.

10. Clearly ''

Ehe name of Minister

Sornora carries

some weiqhE.

ARCHER (coNT'D) You know who I am, don't you? WhaE I am. . . ? I don't think you want Eo mess wiEh me, Or my friends, eh? (changes his t.ack) How about I jusE look Ehe ot.her way and you pocket one or Ewo of Ehose sEones. Buy someLhing nice for E.he wife. Or maybe Ehe mistress, eh? (re the shepherds) Who's going Lo te11? Thern? The shepherds l-ook, uncertain,

fron

Archer

the soldier.

TROOP LEADER No. The Eroop leader FIRES. One of the shepherds fal1s dead. rhe ot.her i-s cut down as he tries t.o flee, The leader frowns aE Archer, whose worLd has suddenly t.urned upside down. T R O O PL E A D E R ( C O N T ' D ) We will go back to Freetown and ask Minister Somora how he wishes Eo thank his business associaEe. 2I

INI.

AN AIVOIIn.IOUSROOM-_ DAY

Archer is handcuffed Eo a chair. A largre, rotund enEers, silhoueLEed against t.he bright windows.

FIGURE

ARCHER Mr. MinisEer, there seens to have been a Eerrible misundersE-_ SOMORABACKHANDS him. I

Archer's

head rocks

backwards.

MINISTER SOMORA thought. we were friends.

ARCHER you ,re righE, you're righE.. .. I Eook a 1itt.1e init.iauive buL__ Another SLAP. MINISTER SOMORA Have I noE been good t.o you? ARCHER (Iicks his sp1it. 1ip) absolutely. And I was planning to cuE you in. Haven,L f always been__

This lies

backwards Eo the chair Somora fooms over him.

SLAP knocks Archer's for a moment. there

cemenE.

ARCHER (COMI'D) Look. .. if you wanted to ki11 me, you would've done it already. So what is it you want me to do? Somora smiles. 22

INT.

One of

his

THE TINITED NATIONS -

The SECRETARY GENERAL of

Eeeth

has

NEW YORK -

a tiny

diamond.

DAY

Lhe UN Addresses

SECRETARY GENERAL We propose Ehen to prohibit the of all import or indirect rough diamonds from conflict zones to of Member States territory

a a fu11

ASSEI,IBLY.

direct the

at the front He looks row where TWO MEN fN SAVILLE ROw SUITS One is sandy-haired, 4Q, his sit among the Representatives. name is SIMMONS. He serves a distinguished-looking older man, 60, with a shock of white hair. His name is DE WEltTE. SECRETARY GENERAL (COI\lll' D) As we know, these stones are only a smal1 percentage of the legitimate

;::rli:;5, :i$fi :,i:l:li"i: :3x"n:, . support

The well-dressed 23

LATER -

such

diamond

CHAMPAGNE I5

a ban.

indusEry

reps

smile

back.

SERVED

REPS and WIVES in a reception ha11. The Diamond industry with IJN MEMBERSand other US AMBASSADOR mingle DIGNITARIES. De Wente, holds WALKER approaches out his hand.

lilister

AMBASSADOR WALKER De Wente. . . Judd Walker--

Ambassador. you.

DE WENTE Good to finally

meet

AMBASSADOR WAIKER You don't. spend much tj.me this of the Atl.an: rc . DE WENTE f'm hoping to change that. wich your help.

side

Perhaps

la La.

AMBASSADORWALKER Mr. De Wente, f'm afraid I don't in any indusEry's have much faith to police ieself. ability DE WENTE I assure you, sir, we both want the same thing. These 'conf lict' st.ones puE the legitimacy of our entire business ac risk. De WenEe's young blonde WIFE appears aL his side. It's hard to decide which is more beauEiful, Ehe woman or the twomillion-doIlar D I A M O N DN E C K L A C Es h e ' s w e a r i n g . D E W E N T E( C O N T ' D ) This is Ambassador Walker.

Dar1ing... How nice

D E W E N T E ' SW I F E to meet vou.

oe weNre

(his arm around her) f C's my belief , Arnbassador, Ehat diamonds should be associated with romance and beauty. Not warfare. Don't you agree? How can the Anbassador not be d.azzled? diamonds, we cut toi 24

EXT. DIAI{ONDFIELD -

From the glicCering

PIT - DAY

Solomon works in the muddy water, his eyes transfixed by the sparkling reflections of the river and Lhe swaying trees that seejn so unaffected by the brutality beneath.

so L oMoN( v.o. )

Dear Jassie. How can it be that one sEone is worth more than another? Solomon wi11s himself

back to the soul-ki11ing

work.

Suddenly, a WATERPUMP BREAKS-- gushing like a fire hose -knocking over Solomon and several diggers. Solomon,s sieve is swept down river. He swims after the SfEVE. Grabs it. sloshing his way back, when he stops... There, underwater, by the riverbank, is something SHINY ENOUGH to reflect. the sun. As the silt washes away, the objecE remaj.ns underwater, A ROCK of a st.artling pink color. Solomon blinks

down at

it..

The DIAI'IONDsparkles

up at

him.

13. so LoM oN( v. o. ) ( coNT' D)

And how can a Ehing E.hat comes from our moc.her t,he eart.h be so beauEifuL a s E , om a k e p e o p l e w a n t t o k i I I ? Solomon looks around. Rebel guards are fixing shout,ing at. digrgers E.o geE back to work.

Ehe pump,

solomon scoops the diamond inEo his sieve, covers it with silu. His heart is pounding as he wades back t.o Ehe bank. REBEL GUARD You daydreaming? Get back t.o work! solomon nods. 25

silt-heaped

sieve.

EXT. I'IIDERNEATH THE MUDDY WATER - COMIINUOUS solomon overt.urns diamond.

submerges his

Quickly

t,he sieve.

His BARE Foor catches

E,he

EXT. ABOVE THE WATER - SAI'{E

solomon raises his hand Eo get. t,he guards, cluEches his abdomen, painfully.

attent,ion-

SOLOMON I musE go badly. (pleading) Can'E hold iE in, boss. The guard motions him out. solomon climbs ouE, sliding his second foot carefully. He shuffles to the edge of the jungre. CAPTAIN POISON SEop. poison searches solomon. solomon freezes. sEarting with his hair, his ears, nose. squeezing his cheeks to 6ee inuo his mouEh. Frisking his panEs, unrolling his cuffs. Lift Solomon rifts

CAPTAIN POISON (CONT'D) your fooE. his

righE

foot.

They check between his

Eoes.

CAPTAINPOISON (CONT'D) The ot,her. solomon, looking inEo poison,s eyes, lifts Poison checks between Ehe Eoes. Sacisfied. Make it

his

left

fooE,.

CAPTAIN POISON (COMrD) guick.

cl,osE oN soloMoN's Foor, as he lowers it. The Eoes curl lnto Ehe soft muddy earth, obviously ret.rieving someEhing.

2'7

EXT. EDGE OF JLTNGLE- MOMENTSLATER As Sofomon sguats behind a falLen through the broad leaves.

tree,

21 he eyes the guards

He Quickly, his toes release the rnuddy gob under his fooL. rt's raw beauty is almost unnatural, rubs the mud off it. He glances back to make sure he is the cuff off his pants. A CLICK at his

head,

SoLonon sIowly

looks

Give it

into

unobserved

and then rips

t h e B A R R E LO F A C O L T . 4 5 .

CAPTAIN POISON Lo me.

Solomon doesn't move. What difference awaits the crack of the gun, when:

does it

make?

A MORTARROUNDCOMES SCREAMINGOUT OF THE JUNGLE. THE EXPLOSIONknocks

Solomon to

the ground.

government troops appear, fi.ring MOREMORTARS. ECOMOG auLomatic weapons. Solomon scrarnbles over to Poison's bleeding body, removes the MACHETEfrom the belt. As shrapnel shreds the greenery, he furiously digs with the machete. Wraps the DIAI{OND in his ToRIv GREENCUFF and plants it in the hoIe. When he is

STRUCKIN THE HEAD BY A RIFLE BUTT.

He falls. ECOMOG S O L D I E R Sa r e s h o u t i n g a t . h i m i n M e n d e . S o l - o m o nr e a l i z e s h e s t i 1 1 h o l d s t h e m a c h e t e , l e t . s L t . d r o p . Don't

shoot!

SOLOMON I am not R.U.F!

Around him ECOMOG soldiers sti.cks in the distance, 28

beat the rebel prisoners with o t h e r s a r e E X E C U T E Da L r a n d o r n .

- DAY ExT. FREETOI^IN

A c o n v o y o f M I L I T A R Y T R U C K Sr o l l s through teeming streets. W o m e nw a l k w i t h b a s k e t s o n t h e i r h e a d s , t r i b a l bel1s jingling around their ankl-es. "Businessmen,' in white suiCs sip CocaColas outside a hote1. A UN helicopter circles overhead. 29

ExT. BACK oF A MILITARY TRUCK - SAME Solomon sits chained to other rebel prisoners. He's never been to a city, never seen so many people. It's overwhelming.

1:.

He sEares aE the BEGGARSwho run alongside. War orphans, the same age as his own son. He searches every face 30

TNT. FREETOWNPRISON (PADEMBAROAD) -_ DAY Archer looks up from a game of soliEaire are marched past. his dank ce1l.

as REBEL pRrsoNERS

REBEL #1 R.U.F. is eoming! OperaUion Chop Hands I GeE ready, my brothers ! Archer curns his actention back co his game as Ehe ce11 door nexE Eo his is opened and Solomon is E.hrown in. SOLOMON f arn noE R.U.F. My name is Vandy! famafarmer! Archer assesses him.

Solomon

Solomon grives him a hard stare.

MOREPRTSONERS are broughc in, one carried on a streccher. A bandage covers half his face. But when he turns his head, we see that it's capE.ain poison. Solomon turns away. Poison lifcs

his

head, sguinting

Ehrough Ehe CELL BARS.

CAPTAIN POISON What. did you do wirh it? Solomon doesn, E acknowledge poison. CAPTAIN POISON (CONT'D) you hear mel? I'rn t.alking to youl Where is uhe diamond! ? Archer pricks

up his

A pink

ears,

buE, goes on playing

soliEaire.

CAPTAINPOISON (CONT'D) diamond. f saw you uake it! I

Archer's hand-, flipping over a card, stops. int.enCly now buE careful not to show iU. you are mad.

Lisuening

SOLOMON I do not. know you.

CAPTAIN POISON I saw iu wiEh my own eyes | ! Poison reaches int.o his sweaE sEained shirt., an rVoRy CHARM from around his neck. Holds it up for all to see. Thj_s big! Solomon just

CAPTAIN POISON (CONT'D) Biggest I have ever seen!!

shakes his

head, absurdlv.

r9. B U ? A R C H E R ' SE Y E S . . . a r e o n c h e i v o r y c h a r m , e v e n a s h e k e e p s playing solitaire. Poison ca11s to the guards. C A P T A T NP O I S O N ( C O N T ' D i give a t.housand dollars I will Eo the man who cuEs it out of him! These words do somet.hing to Solomon. He stands and rips off Until he st.ands Then his torn pants. Everyching. his shirt. completely naked, facing Captain Poison Ehrough the bars. SOLOMON Where is a diamond? Do you see a diamond!? You devils have taken my farnily. My home. Everything! Here! Look! What is lefrt? What. is left.!? If Ehere is a dianond, then you are the one who has taken it ! ! Poison lifts

his

Liar!

upper body from Ehe stretcher. CAPTAIN POISON He's a LIAR!

The army guards have had enough. They silence Poison with rifle butt to the face. As they drag him away, Ehey give Solomon a "goE my eye on you, Eoo" g1are.

Archer lays out a new hand of solitaire. His eyes move to SoLomon, then away. He's heard all he has Eo. Solomon begins putting his clouhes back on. The fury sti11 in his eyes. Through Ehe bars, he gives Archer a final g1are. Archer turns away, just keeps playing cards. But then ever so carefully he picks out the ACE OF DIAMONDS. Folds iE in ha1f. He gets up and goes ro his ce1l door. W a i t s u n t . i 1 a p R I S O N G U A R Dp a s s e s b v . ARCHER Excuse me, brother. Think you could get a message Eo Minister Somora? The prison guard sees the PACK oF CTGARETTES- and the card - that. Archer holds through the bars. 3].

folded

EXT. PRISON GATE _- NEXT DAY Archer walks out into

3J.

the street,

blinks

the sunliqht.

ACROSSTHE STREET - THE SA}TESCENE is observed in wit.h a reddish FAWAZ appears

uhe REARVIEWMIRROR of a parked crewcut. His name is ,JOOSTand hands Archer

his

hat.

car

by a man

'1 1

How on earth you go?

FAWAZ dld you get

Ehem to

1et

f|llLN.gK

Ihere's a farmer in there. might've found a Plnk.

FAWAZ

iliur|?.1.r"o.

you'd geE rold Somora

fII1L11.E.r(

I need to London.

thought

0lho needs Archer

t.el1

can

thac

- -What ?

contact

our

FAWAZ we were working ARCHER Somora if Fawaz is

him

the

for pink

holdi.ng

Somora.

real?

sornething

back.

ARCHER (CONT'D)

FAWAZ London wanEs nothinq vou. Fawaz hands

friends

a newspaper

do with

clipping.

Al(Ln.gK

( reads ) "The arrest in Sierra Leone on June One of Daniel Archer, former mercenary and smuggler with Eies Eo the De

u:::;,:iil;"S,:;lH'ollflnii:l';,:l:,, (crumples it) Fucki.nq hel1 . He starts

off

down the sEreeL, calling

over his

shoulder.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) His name is Solomon something.. , MorEgage the plane i.f you have co -just gec him ouc. 32

INT.

A SHABBY ROO}TIN AN APARTMENTHOTEL --

Drippi.ng wer from a shower, Archer

DAY

working

the phone.

ARCHER (on the phone) We1l, can you t.eIl Danny Archer called? A...R... JUMP CUT -_ LATER -Archer

smokes his

Mr. De Went,e Archer.

ANOTHERCALL

tenth

cigarette_

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) (on the phone) What time did he say he'd be back? JIIMP CUT --

LATER --

Archer pounds his

ANOTHERCALL

fist

inco a wafJ.

ARCHER (CONT'D) Yes, he definitely knows what this yes. . . . is in regard to. . . Yes.. ..f've been ho1ding.... In frustracion, 33

he throws the phone across

EXT. FREETOV,IN STREET --

the room.

DAY

Archer leaves the shabby hotel, having changed clothes. He is mobbed by che inevitable swarm of beggari who carr him by name. . . . "Arrr-cherrr, Arrr-cherr. " ARCHER

piss off. He pushes his )A

MEANWHILE--

way pasE, without

a t.race of

compassion.

THE DOORTO ARCHER'S HOTEL ROOMIS KTCKED OPEN

.roosr, the man we saw surveilring Archer, ent.ers and begins t o S E A R C Ht h e r o o m . . . H e i s p r o f e s s i o n a r - a n d . b r u t a l -- rlpping apart bedding, smashing the phone machine, even sricting-[r-r" . carpee into chin strips with a razor blade. It

clear

he is

EXT. BEACH BAR --

looking

for

something quite

small.

DAY

Every ra/arzone-has a place like this. Soldiers, smugglers, opporcuniscs of,every stripe stand shoulder to shoulder at a bamboo bar. Bad guys and do-gooders, uN workers and ecobackpackers drink overpriced, watered-down liquor, irade gossip, and hook up for desperate expatriate ,,Sierra sex. Afrigue" blends African drums and el6ctric bass. Every now and !hen, in ghe distant hills, the muted souND oF AN EXPLOSIONand a rising COLUMNoP SMOKE. No one pays any at.tent.ion. There is serious drinking Eo be done.

19. snippets brief As Archer shoulders his way pasc, we OVERFIEAR A Nigerian peacekeeper hiEs on a tipsy of conversaEion. blond Red Cross Worker. PEACEKEEPER this place is noEhing but husElers I will t.ake you back to and dopers. Nigeria. Show You Ehe real Africa. RED CROSSWORKER Is

Ehat, so?

He whispers in her ear and she giggles. SUITS from Ehe Chemical Bank:

NexL to

Uhem, Ewo

SUIT #1 And EhaL's Fif t.y Ehousand in cash. jusE Eo get a meecing with him. SUIT #2 beEween the crooks The only difference who run the country and t.he R.U.F.-The AFRICAN BARTENDER(M'ED) serves

Cheir

drinKs.

AFRICAN BARTENDER(M' ED) --is fifty mi1es. Word on de screeE dey took Marampa yesEerday, He poinEs up into

t.he hil1s

where anoEher explosion

rises.

A F R I C A N B A R T E N D E R( M ' E D ) ( C O M T ' D ) Time to reconfirm dose fliqhc reservations, maybe. Archer approaches the bar. His arrival is cause for whispered remarks among those in Ehe know. How de body,

several

AFRICAN BARTENDER(U' EO1 (CO}flI'D) 1"1r. Archer?

ARCHER Every day above ground, M'ed... (Iooks Eo the hills) Your rebel friends planning co visic us one of Ehese davs? AFRICAN BARTENDER(M' ED) Oh, I 'magine dey come do some shopping verrry soon. He laughs darkly. Archer salutes him wiEh his drink. an ATTRACTfVE WOMANEaps her sw:-zzle seick on Ehe bar '99" ends: Oasis' "ParCy Like It's

Nearby, as

zv. RADTO AI{NOUNCER (V.O. ) AnoEher This is Ehe Voice of America. good day on WaI1 SEreeE,, Ehe Dow ive point.s, t.he lTones up twenty-f In the Whit.e House, Nasdag up forty... again defended his President Clinton with Monica Lewinsky-reLaEionship The woman near

Archer

speaks

up:

WOMAN Are you listening to this? The and aLl we apart worl-d's fal-Iing hear about is Blowjobgace... turns to MADDY BOWEN. Maddy's a 'handful' Archer intelligence the kind of fierce that sends belies for Ehe door. Archer running likes what he sees.

When's fallrnq

ARCHER the last time apart?

the

world

whose beauty most men

wasn't.

MADDY A realist, Been Ehere, done Oh. goE the t*shirt. that, Is that. it" ARCHER Danny Archer. MADDY Maddy

Bowen.

ARCHER (appraising her) American. MADDY Guiltv.

Americans Maddy raises

ARCHER usually are.

an eyebrow.

He plays

rough.

She likes

it.

MADDY Ouch. ARCHER Don't. t.eII me, you're di f ference . And you're Archer

smil-es.

It's

MADDY here to

here

t.o make a

make a buck.

been a long

time

since

he was interested.

2I ARCHER guy? See that Government miniscer disaster caught pockeuing relief money. Bad move, know why? Wasn't giving a big enough cut uo his boss. . . (poincs nearby) Thac one. . . ? Se1ls AK-47's Eo che rebels and waiEs for a cease-fire co buy 'em at a discount, then afcer starts the f ight.ing se11s again, them back at a profit. MADDY point is?

And your

ARCHER it's There is, Africa. You want. anocher?

The point no point.

MADDY Rocks.

Vodka.

Archer

catches

M'ed.

Med's

eye

who nods

approvingly

ARCHER Same aqai.n.

You were

MADDY born here? ARCHER

Rhodesia. MADDY You were there during have been rouqh.

(o:iering Loved ic.

And you're

the

war?

Musu

ARCHER nothing)

MADDY a smuggler. ARCHER

Arn I?

Somehow I

MADDY don'E take

you

che

c)&e. Archer

jusu smiles. M A D D Y( C O N T ' D ) T was going to say 'sol.dier-of fortune' buu it's such a cliche.

UNICEF

Maddy.

How about like thaE

ARCHER grun. hired one.

People

seem to

MADDY Diamonds?

What if

For

ARCHER you I told

was a missionary.

MADDY ( laughs ) De Wente? ltt{'LrlE.t{

It's not just of questions, dangrerous.

rude to ask those kind Ms. Bowen, it's also

MADDY 1'11 take my chances. (1eans closer) So... te11 me about blood diamonds. And then,

suddenly,

gets

Archer

it.

His

face turns

to stone.

ARCHER . . .You're a journalist. MADDY That's Archer

right.

sEands up from his

stool.

AJ1LrlEt(

Piss off. He Ehrows some money onto 36

the bar.

Maddy follows

EXT. BEACH BAR __ COITTINUOUS MADDY De Wente Diamonds closed its buying offices here to avoid U.N. sanctions. But they're using cut-outs to buy sEones from Ehe rebels on the cheap. That way nobody accuses them of profiEing from Ehe war --which they clearly are. ARCHER I'm shocked.

him out. ?6

23. MADDY

I::.::'=:"if;:$ :il';3"'i":3.'::5-r..

you roE in jai1. (grabs him) Don't you want a chance He keeps

even?

walking.

Hey, She qrabs

Eo get

his

MADDY (CONT'D) a second.

waic arm.

Moves closer.

MADDY (CONT'D) (the slightesc sexual promi se ) Help me out here... He can't

help

but

give

a bitter

ARCHER Maddy, righC? (she nods) ...Usua11y I liked to I get fucked. He wal-ks off, JI

INT.

walks

and

THE BATHROOM _-

sees

A FLASH CUT --

the

be kissed

before

inevitable

swarm of

beggars.

AFTERNOON (MUSIC OVER)

che wreckage

MOMENTS LATER

Archer stares ac himself opens a boeEle of vodka 38

A R C H E R ' S H O T E L R O O I ' {- -

Archer ]N

her

leaving

laugh.

his

life.

(MUSIC O\rER)

i.n che remains and chugs ic.

his

mirror.

GRAINY BLACK & WHITE

Souch African Forces BREAK DOWN a door and roust Security a middle-aged sleeping ANC supporter from his bed. His wife puts a bag over the man's head. S C R E A I " I Sa s A r c h e r 39

Archer takes With a pliers 40

BACK TO THE BATHROOM a long pu1l of vodka and Losses the boEcle. he grips a fal-se crown atop A BACK TOOTH.

A.TVOTHER FLASH CUT - The Bl-ack prisoner what is being done as he watches.

GRA]NY BLACK & WH]TE

is naked, tied to co him. Instead,

a chair. we sLudy

we do noE see Archer's face

z4 A'1

BACK TO THE BATHROOM

{l-L

BrighE drops of blood drip into the sink. Ignoring pain, Archer rips ouE Lhe crorrrn. incredible Int,o his A'>

pa1m, he Eaps a bloody

the

ROUGHDfAMOND.

EXT. RAWDONSTREET (FREETOWN)-_ ST'NSET (MUSIC OVER)

A crowded street of lit.cle STOREFROI{TS wit.h hand-painEed signs of diamonds. StreeE merchants lick t.heir palms and hiss as Archer passes. 43

INT. FAST EDDTE'S --

LATER (MUSICOVER)

LiECle more than a corrugated shack. We and rel.uctantly accepting less cash Ehan his QAA

INT. Joost

Archer haggling, st.one is worEh.

FREETOWN- STREETS _ LATER THAT DAY is waiting

Ehe road, A\II'U

making no aEEempt Eo hide.

T! E T1

Joost,.

Long

t.ime,

JOOST mate. ARCHER

How's AIice? JOOST We11, Ehanks.

Tirn must

Big

kids,

Company's

ARCHER be in co11ege. JOOST big problems...

you

know.

ARCHER doing well?

JOOST Can'E complain. Eleven wars on the continent., business is brisk. (looks ar him) Heard you had a bit. of E.rouble in the bush. ARCHER Somora cal1ed you. JOOST Minist,er Somora and old friends.

the

Colonel

are

25. JoosE smiles. Archer Eakes out a pack of cigarettes, offers one. JoosE demurs. Archer pats his pocket.s for a maEch. ARCHER coe a light? Joost reaches into his pocket., t.akes out a lighEer. leans in co lighE Archer's cigareEEe--

As he

ARCHERGRAES HIS HEAD AND SMASHESIT DOWNONTO HIS UP-THRUST KNEE, LOW-PUNCHES HIM IN THE GROIN, SWEEPSHIS LEGS OUT FROM L'NDERHTM, AND THEN STOMPSHIM IN THE KIDNEYS. A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) NexE Eime the Colonel has a quest.ion. A11 he has co do is ask. He walks 45

Joost. wriChing

EXT. CAPE TOWNAIRPORT -Archer

away, leaving

pays cash for

che st.reeE.

DAY (MUSIC OVER)

a round-trip

ticket

Eo London.

EXT. LONDON (CHARTERHOUSE STREET) -_ DAY (MUSIC OVER) The global nexus of the diamond Erade. Archer gets ouE, wearingr a suiE.

A cab pu11s up and

ACROSSTHE STREET, a small group of PROTESTERS wirh signs thaE read, "No Blood Diamonds, " and 'DTC Funds Torture.', One sign has a drawing of a diamond ring on a severed finger. 4'7

TNT. DIAITIOND TRADING COMPANY(DTC) --

DAY (MUSIC OVER)

4'7

Archer passes Ehrough securit.y: fingerprint. reader, scanner, the works. He is buzzed rhrough an ANTI-BAILISTIC DOOR. 48

INT,IN A WAITING ROOM

He glances at Ehe well-lj-E display cases -- one of which feaEures a replica of ehe 530-carac "SEar of Africa". A FLAT-SCREENMONITOR plays a Ridley ScoEt commercial for De WenEe diamonds. RomanEic. Flashy. A young man proposes Co a beauEiful blushing gir1. An older couple celebrate their anniversary. Rappers wearing 'b1ing' on t.he Grammy Awards. DTC CLERK MisEer Simmons will see you now. 49

INT.

DTC EXECUTIVEOFFICES *-

DAY

R O L A N DS I M M O N ' So f f i c e is tasEeful and inoffensive. Rol and Simrnons. We lasr saw him at. Ehe UN.

49 So is

zo. Come in.

S]MMONS Tea? Come in. ARCHER

No Ehanks. SIMMONS Whac brings you Eo London?

So.

Reg...

ARCHER Spare me.

He'd raEher S i m m o n sa d j u s t s t h e E r o u s e r s o f h i s b e s p o k e s u i t . talk about anything but business, but if Archer insisEs: SIMMONS of this company A month ago, officers sat in front of the Uniced Nations and pledged co uphold a ban on diamonds. "confIict" (looks out the window) We are no longer accept.ing the stones you supply. I'm truly sorry you've come all this way, but our relationship is officially over. Archer

Looks around.

Realizes-

ARCHER You're recording this. S i m m o n ss m i l e s .

Archer doesn't

give a shit.

Record this.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) You're losing your hold on the global market. BiS finds in Russia, Canada. You need me more than ever. S i r n m o n sg l a n c e s a t h i s

watch.

SIMMONS You don'c plan t.o lecEure me on the trade, do vou? AT(UtsItsK

The trade? Oh, that has such a nicer ring to it than "cartel," "CarteL" is for Columbian drug dealers and oil sheiks. ft's so... unbecoming. Archer stands distinguished

and walks to a FRAI4ED WALL PHOTO of the older MAN whom we last saw at t.he tJN.

But since Reg, let's

ARCHER (CONT'D) just it's the two of cut the bullshit. (MORE)

us,

zt. ARCHER (COMr' D) You've got eight-billion-dollarsgathering worth of stones dust. in those vaults downstairs. (leans forward) If you didn't keep 'em off the market, that rock on your finger would cost less t,han your shoes.

Fine.

Wrire

SIMMONS a book.

Tell

the

BBC.

ARCHER (continuing over hirn) --Which Ls why it would be a shame if, stsy, anoEher company got all the press, noL t,he mentiOn the prof its from Ehe largesE pink ever Co find its way to market*This

pu1ls

Simmons up short. you're

SIMMONS bluffinq.

ARCHER Probably. But if I'm not, /ou're going to be the one having Eo explaLn Eo Mr. De Wente how it happened. He sEands and st.arEs

ouE.

Nice talking new hairline.

ARCHER (CONT'D) to you, Reg. Love

Simmons holds up a hand., as if flips a switch and MUSIC fills

What are

you

Ten percent fee.

Ehe

'waiE Lo say, the room.

SI!&{ONS asking? ARCHER of markeE as a finder's

SIMMONS Fi_ve. AR.HER seven. SI}O{ONS Agreed. ARCHER ALways a pleasure doing

business.

a second.'

28. He t,urns and walks

out.

Simmons picks

up t.he phone.

SIMMONS Get me De Wente. 50

EXT. FREETOWN PRISON -Solomon walks out

DAY

of prison

find

Fawaz waicing.

FAWAZ Solomon Vandy? SOLOMON What, do you want? FAWAZ Some friends of mine Ehought you look like an honest. man. Fawaz hands him a wad of 51

cash and walks

away.

EXT. HIGH COMMISSIONFOR REFUGEESOFFICE - DAY An abandoned schooll,Ien, women with babies t,ribal cloth. They are impatient, unruly_

swaddled

51 in

solomon sees the line snaking around the block. He walks casually Eoward t.he front., acting as if he knows someone. SOLOMON He11o my broEher. How's de bodv? Do I

REFUGEE#1 know you?

Solomon insinuaEes himself

beside him in

1ine.

SOLOMON Sure, sure. We meE at your cousin's wedding. Don,t, you remember? Another refugee,

farther

back in

1ine,

calls

out angrily.

REFUGEE#2 Back in line! Ot.her ref ugees join in calling solomon ignores t.hern, focusing --and how is The angry

refugee

,'end of the 1ine, ,' eEc. on the man beside him.

SOLOMON che happy couple?

GRABS Solomon by Che arm.

REFUGEE#2 Hey, mon, who you think

you are?

,a Solomon Eurns on him wich quiet

menaee.

SOLOMON If you don't let go, I will break break your your arm. Then I will head. The man Solomon's eye is Eruly terrifying. The oEher refugees stop their grumbling.

The wild look in recoils in fear. 52

INSIDE THE OFFICE Hundreds of NAMES, posted

on reErms of paper

cover

Ehe waI1s.

methodically. Even as he's shoved Solomon searches the list The names he seeks are noE and pushed, he holds his ground. there. soLoMoN (v. o. ) Can it be Ehat no one Dear Jassie. in our country has a horne? He looks around for someone in authority. S O L D I E Rs p e a k i n g M e n d e .

Hears an African

S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) (in Mende, subticled) Please, f must tajk to someone- My faniTy 's nane is not on the List. The soldier, who is being ye1led at by five other people simultaneously, replies angrily in subtiEled Mende: MENDESOLDIER Go to Kambe, there is another

fist.

SOLOMON I have been to Kambe, and Mombolo, and Tibili. and-MENDESOLDIER Talk to che whites. He poinrs onslaught

t o a h a r r i e d R E D C R O S SO F F I C I A L w h o f i e l d s an of questions. Solomon pushes his way to hj-m. SQLOMON Excuse me, sir, my name is-- -Check

I The Brit.

the

RED CROSS OFFICIAL 1is[.

SOLOMON have checkeq the lisrs.

shoucs

Eo be heard

over

Ehe tumult.

RED CROSSOFFICIAI You have to f i1e papers with t.he Office of Refugees! I have fiied

SOLOMON papers!

RED CROSSOFFICIAI Then God help you, man. Because I can' t. Solomon wants to scream at him, but 53

the Brit

right.

E X T . O U T S I D ET H E F I E L D O F F I C E Solomon sit.s

t.he rniddle of

53 the crowded street.

Beref t.

soLoMoN (v.o. ) They told us freedom would rnake our country into a paradise. But it has turned it int.o a sewer instead. 54

IN THE SIERFA LEONE HILLS -EXT. SOMEWHERE

CONTINUOUS

Dia, Jassie and his sister wait for food at an R.u.F. outpost. e rebel wearing a DOO-RAGeyes then. Dia glares as the man offers his twelve year-o1d sister a Milky Way bar. Jassie pu11s her daughrer away bur ANOTHERsoLDrER puts his arm around her waist -- pinning her arms behind her back. R.U.F. SOLDIER Maybe you are my new wifel Doo Rag starts ro lead N'yanda away. Dia flings himself at the rebel, bur OTHERSjump him and begin to bear him with thei.r rif 1e butLs. Jassie's screans are drowned ouL bv t.he laughter of their tormentors. Dia, meanwhile, is truck with several 55

lifted other

u p a n d T H R O W Ni n t o TEENAGEBOYS.

EXT. CAPE TOWNAIRPORT --

the back of a

DAY

Archer walks to the curbJoost His eyes are still black-and-blue

55 is waiting beside a Mercedes. behind sunslasses.

,JOOST He want.s to see you. f|t(Ln.Lt(

I'm going back to Sierra actual 1y.

Leone,

Two square-jawed MERCENARTES emerge from the Mercedes, oucline of handgruns obvious beneath Ehe tails of their

the shirEs.

31. A R C H E R( C O M I ' D ) I don'E suppose, 'I'm sorry,' suffice?

would

hem in The mercenaries unobtrusively JoosE smiles Ehinly. Archer on both sides. He expects Eo be pummeled at any moment. Inst,ead they politely open Ehe car door. ,loosT Af E.er you. 55

EXT. CAPE TOVIIJCOU}i"IRYSIDE--

DAY

The Mercedes winds iE way into che South African Veldt, passing elegant stables, grape orchards and crickec pieches. 57

INSTDE THE CAR

Archer expecLs to be beaten aE any momenE. It, doesn'E happen. 57A

DRIVING DEEPERINTO THE VELDT

5?A

The landscape has grown barren. AL a gaEe lined wit.h barbed wire, a sign -- "ExecuE,ive Outcomes" is flanked by armed wearing crimson berets, soldiers who wave them on. They fol1ow a deserted dirt road, unEil-58

A RUSSIA}I ATTACK HELICOPTER maEerializes out of nowhere. pass, ic flies away.

58 After

making a perilously

BESIDE A}J OLD VTCTORIAI{ FARMHOUSE The Mercedes glides

co a sEop beside

a spreading

acacia.

C O L O N E LT H E O C O E T S E E ,6 0 , Looks like he could still lead a platoon on a fifty mile forced-march in hostile condit,ions. In facE, he stilI does. HeIIo,

THE COLONEL Danny. ARCHER

Sir. THE COLONEL You look beEt,er Ehan JoosE here. ARCHER

rheco,o"", :il:::""".':::,:'ff""

1",",1";arrini.

JZ.

THE COLONEL (raising his glass) Here's to us and Ehose like

us--

ARCHER (f inishing t.he toast ) --Damn few. They sip. THE COLONEL I want you to come back. ARCHER Thanks buE I orefer noE Eo. THE COLONEL We'11 be coming your way soon. Our with Ehe lawyers are in conversation governmenE of Sierra Leone, such as iL is. Archer

smiles

darkly.

T H E C O L O N E L( C O N T ' D ) They wanE us Eo take back Ehe di.amond mines and f need someone who knows his way around up Ehere. Archer

just

takes another

sip.

The Colonel

studies

THE COLONEL ( COI\]II'D) According to our Minister Somora, you've got someEhing in Ehe works. Someching...pink. ARCHER (disrnissive) The fanE,asy of some Mende f armer. . . THE COLONEL There is the small maEter of paymenE, on some RPG's. You haven't forgotten who arranged that shipmenE from our Ukranian friends...? ARCHER But who is iu, I wonder, who tipped off Ehe ECOMOG to the goat routine? The Colonel's

t.one loses

Pay your Eo work.

some of

its

warmEh.

THE COLONEL debt. in cash or come back Your choice.

him.

33. ARCHER

i fu'=tii'"ol"3i'if,'3'3li'I::*:?'"* THE COLONEL ( laughs ) Oh, Danny... You']L never leave. You're African to the bone. (disnrissing him) .loost will" see you back to Cape Town. I appreciaEe

ARCHER thaE. Thank you.

THE COLONEL We'11 meet again soon? ARCHER sj.r, but I hope not. No disrespect, THE COLONEL weapons is beEter You think selling chan using uhem? At least when it's you pulling t.he trigger, lou know you're not the Earget. The Colonel 59

and gives

chuckles,

JoosE a subt]e

nod.

BEHIND THE FARMHOUSE They approach

Ehe parked Mercedes.

Okay, just

59 Archer

turns

to JoosE.

ARCHER get it over with.

The Ewo mercenaries grab Archer's arms. .Ioost smif es s)rmpathetically and then begins to beaE Ehe shit ouL of him. 60

- DAY IIVT. THE "EXECUTIVE HOTEL'' - FREETOWN I{alf of its SIGN has been blown away. leads to a colonial facade.

A filthy

60 red carpet

Soiomon, in a red vesE chaE serves as a uniform, carries a businessman's bags. As the businessman geEs into a cab, a pack of I'larlboro 100's falls out of Ehe man's pocket. soLoMoN (v. o. ) It has been so many Dear .Tassie. weeks and I still cannot find you. Sofomon waiEs until Lhe cab pu11s away. pockets Ehe cigarectes.

Then he kneels

and

34. 61

IN1" THE "EXECUTIVE" HOTEL - LATER

Solomon carries bags up a back stairs. He checks to see if anyone is watching then rifles the bags for anything of value. 62

EXT. FREETOWNSTREET -At an open-air market, other stolen items for

DAY Solomon exchanges the cigrarettes hard eurrency.

and

soLoMoN(v. o. ) The city is loud and crowded and dirty. I miss the farm and cannot help wondering what. has happened to the cassava crop. 63

INT. HOSPITAL -Sol-ornonbribes

DAY

a LNICEF OFFICIAL with

the curreney.

He walks pasE rows of civilian casualties, many of them He forces hirnself to smile aE each face he casses. children. 64

E X T . S Q U A T T E R ' SC A M P - -

NIGHT

Places like this define every ciUy in the third wor1d. Sol-ornonhas Eaken residence in E.he rusted hulI of an old fE is bare excepE for an extra shirt ear. folded neaEly.

soLoMoN(v. o. ) MosE of all I miss our family all Eogether in Che hut. at ni.ghE, Ehe sound of ehe childrens' breaEhing, and your warmEh beside me. He lighEs

a candle before

a wooden animist

st.aEue.

soLoMoN (v.o. ) (coNT,D) Whenever I feel myself losing hope, I think of Ehese chj-ngs and I know i E wi 11 be aI I right. . 55

EXT. SOMEWHERE IN THE BUSH -.- CONTINUOUS Dia sit.s in a dark hut. along wit.h several TEENAGECAPTIVES. The door is flung open and GUARDSbrucally drive E.hernout Eo form a line. Dia sEands, Eerrified, in a driving rain. R.U.F. TRAINER Your moEhers and fathers are dead. Your broEhers and sisEers are dead. You are dead t.oo. BuE. you will be reborn wit.h us. We are your farnily now.

35. 66

ANOTHERDAY Dia and ochers are being

5'1

caughc eo fire

an AK-47. 6'7

ANOTHERDAY jug of paln wine through the rebelDia carries a plastic he inadvercenEly SPfLLS camp. Handing it an older guerilla, The man begins to BEAT him. some on Ehe man's t*shirc.

b U

IrA J. trll

as a cut. is Dia is held down by two rebels powdery drug is poured and an unidenEified 69

opened in hls ineo the cut.

LATER the wal1s of the hut -Dia is bouncing off teenage boys are similarly Several his nind.

.]O

E X T . F R E E T O W NS T R E E T ( A R C H E R ' S H O T E L ) - -

sEoned out wasted.

A MILITAR.Y ,JEEP is parked in f ront of perhaps waiting E C O M O Gt r o o p s loiter, Not

taking

any chances,

Archer

Curns

his for

HOOKER You l-onely tonight, {pul-1s down her I'm safe. No HIV. ExT.

BEACH BAR --

big

His

face

hote1. Several him, perhaps noE.

away.

E X P L O S I O N S L I K E D f S T A N T T H T I N D E Rr u n b l _ e nighc as he walks. A car is on fire. grrowing out of control . A Y O U N GA F R I C A N W O M A N , m i n i s k i r t . ,

NIGHT

Archer gees oul of a cab, carrying his bag. and sunglasses cover a black swollen eye.

.]I

arm

Ehrough the stif ling A sense of things

earrings

beckons

him.

Archer? top) You use condom.

'7)

NIGHT

is burnE. People crowd the remaining Half of it haff, drinking as heavily The African as ever. Techno-BeaE Archer gets Med's attention at Ehe bar, sets down his ARCHER Mj - n d l o o k i n g af cer chis f or (M' ed nods ) ...Like what you've done to

me? the

pIace.

BARTENDER (M'ED) F o k k i n g F . . U .F . r r y r o h i t the guv'ment 'cross da street. building ShiE, mahn, half da people heah be R.U.F. ( M O R E)

throbs. bag.

?( BARTENDER (M'ED) (CONT'D) (halds hin the usual) Ever'body doh. Good for business much as dey can 'fore de rebels drink uP de rest. come an drink ARCHER Mighc be time to get ouL, my friendThe facade

Your

prof essional

Med's

familY

jovialit.y

disappears.

BARTENDER .Jus' f ire uP de And go where, mahn? you people? chopper and f1y away like We here No, mahn, dis my counCry. you came and long after long 'fore you gone. He stares despair.

at Archer, his He turns away.

Fawaz approaches.

He is

eyes

a nervous

Oh, my God,

FAWAZ are you

Where's

ARCHER farmer?

the

a tragic

mask of

defiance

and

wreck.

all

right.?

FAWAZ He found a job at a hotel. Spends his time at Lhe refugee offices. all the behavior Not exactly of a man in possession of a priceless stone. Another

EXPLOSION in

the

distant.

hi1Is.

Fawaz flinches.

FAWAZ (CONT'D) The main road to Masiaka is cut in gonna The governmenE's three places. fa11 any second, and I'm following farmer. some delusional Archer looking

sees Maddy through somewhat dazed as

apart, t.he crowd. She's standing to Ehe music. she moves sIowly

FAWAZ (CONT'D) The man was a digger. The odds of him getting away with even a sma1l They s1it. you open stone is zero. just alive for sweating.

think

ARCHER Somora is lookinq

for

me.

?? FAWAZ (rea11y worried Allah forfend...

now)

ARCHER (moving away) Just. stay on the farmer. FAWA' But-Archer coming niddle bodies

has already begun heading toward Maddy. she sees him and watches him walk t.oward her. They meet in the of a crowded dance floor. All around then, sweaty are swaying to the African beat. MADDY Am f supposed to kiss you or you? I can,t remember. ARCHER How about you dance with

fuck

me.

MADDY Should I ask what happened to your face? He takes

her hand and leads

her

into

the surging

M A D D Y( C O N T ' D ) f guess notThey dance as best. they

can in

the crush.

M A D D Y( C O N T ' D ) This is insane. I,m drunk in an African bar dancing with a mercenary. ARCHER Whar would they say in

Ohio?

}4ADDY Chicago. ARCHER ...you can tell a loc about someone by the way t.hey dance. MADDY Then you can probably te11 right away t.haE f can' t dance. They look at

each ocher.

crowd..

38. M A D D Y( C O M T ' D ) In Mozambigue, you were parE of a search-and-destroy unit EargeEi.ng ANC leaders. Then in Angola, you hooked up with De Wente and started guns for diamonds. trading Is

ARCHER on the record?

this

}4ADDY But you blew it all and trying to go ic

getting greedy a1one. Why:

He doesn'E answer. They are looki.ng at each other. The music is pounding. SweaE is pouring off boEh of then but neither boE,hers to wipe it away. I4ADDY (CONT'D) So you're, what, a Nihilist.? OpporEunist? Scumbag? Maybe I just chi ldhood.

rhink

MADDY I,ve never met people

You think you? I

ARCHER wasn,t breast-fed

ARCHER you gec off on people

MADDY Fuck you. ARCHER That, They

keep

too.

dancing,

Ehei.r

faces

verv

close.

MADDY What T'11. . .never understand. . . is how. . . you can. . . compartmental i ze. . , human suffering. He stops dancing.

Looks at her.

Thanks for He walks

away.

ARCHER the dance.

39. 72

OUTSIDE THE BAR

He lights a cigareEte. she appears and sEands guietly him. Together they watch the dist.ant explosionJ. MANN\/

I didn'a -"..tIIV He cakes

a long

drag.

r,ura your f eetings?

Exhales.

ARCHER How long you been in Africa? MADDY Four rnonEhs. Before

Ehat. Kosovo.

ARCHER Okay. How many BJacks do you know back in the States -- besides the girl who cleans your house and the rnan who picks up your garbage? MADDY What's that. got to do with

it?

ARCHER f know Blacks. Grew up with ,€Jn, fought wiEh ,en. Behind the calm burning with hate for what we,ire done to ,€:rn.They haee you, hate me, haEe each other and hace thernselves. And your bleeding heart isn,t sonna scop 'ern butchering each otherl Half t.he continent is starvinq and the rest is dying of eros while rheir Ieaders selJ medicine ro build pali-es and drive Mercedes. ?hat doesn't

MADDY make it

riqhL.

ARCHER No it doesn't,. But apart from a few do-gooders who show up for a week with their flak jackels, their faptops, and their little bottles of hand sanit.izer Ehe White world doesn,r give a fuck about the Black world.-Look at Sudan. Look aE Rwanda. Your country loses thirty_four marines in Somalia and then does noehing as a nillion people die. it except p -on picEures of starving childrln rv to flagellate their guilty conscience. (MORE)

beside

40. A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) (shakes his head) So someone's got to do Ehe dirEy you Ehink America doesn't work-seI1 arms or hire professionals? You call Ehern'contracCors'. I sell guns. If I don't, somebodyelse will. IIADDY The 1aw of she jungle. (sighs ) If only I had a nickel for every piece-of-shiE. who uses ic to juseify his existence. He Eurns to I

look at her, like

her face radiant. wiEh sweaE.

ARCHER your smell.

Wel1, that

MADDY makes me weak at

the knees.

ARCHER It's all gonna blow any minut.e. should get out. MADDY An ECOMOG relief colurnn leaves the morning. What about you?

You

A!(UtlEt(

Business

f inj-sh

up.

MADDY What could possibly and geccing yourself He looks

her,

offers

a grim

be worth staying ki11ed over? smiIe.

MADDY (CONT'D) Oh. He indicates

Right. the

bare

"wedding

ring"

finger

ARCHER TelI me you never dreamt of having sparkly dianond of your very own. (as he walks away) . . . Peace. 73

EXT.

SQUATTER CAIIP --

her

left.

hand.

NEXT DAy

solomon emerges from his rusted hulk to find Archer waiting. Archer looks as if he's been up all nighc avoidingr the -- which in fact. he has. Minister's troops

4t. ARCHER Mrat did you do, bury

anyone is

liscening.

Solomon in

Ehe eye.

to see if

looks

sofomon insEinctively

it?

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) r would have buried ic. SOLOMON (heart racing) What are you calking abouc? Archer removes his

looks

sunglasses, At(\-tlEt(

WhaE a:n I

abouE?

SOLOMON musE. go Eo work

I Archer

galking

follows

SoLomon walks

through

ARCHER t"Iy friend Fawaz paid an awfully bribe Eo gee you ouE of jail.

Ehe shanEyEown.

large

SOLOMON pay Mister I will Fawaz back. He And now you have my has my word. word. And we have f i.nished speaking. SoJomon runs 14

INT.

for

a crowded

EXECUTIVE HOTEL --

Solomon is gteE ouE of

bus.

Archer

waE.ches him

LATER THAT DAY

carrying bags for WesEern businessmen FreeE,own before it's Eoo late.

Deposicing t.heir bags Eo f ind Archer leaning

in a t.axi, he walks back againsE a post., smoking

ARCHER W h y w o u l d E . h a E .R . U . F . c a p E a i n che bandaged eye make up such Solomon again

t,ries

disappear-

co ignore

franEic

t.o

inEo ghe lobby a cigaret,E,e.

wi t.h a sEory.

him.

whara'e u""T:T:; I:"5:;Dl"rr iE

yourself? To who? For how much? You need he1p, friend, wheE,her you w a n E ,i E . o r n o c . AnoE.herporter is eavesdropping. Solomon escapes inEo E,he aI ley beside t.he hot.el , aurns on Archer.

42. 15

'15

EXT. AILEY - COTITINUOUS SOLOMON And what You f know who you are. Men like You have Eurned mY are. counEry into a land of Ehieves and I do nor need Your he1P. kj-11ers. Al(Lrllitl

I could help

Whau if At. Ehese words,

find

something feral

your

family?

appears in Solomon's eyes'

SOLOMON Whag do you know of my farnilY? ARCHER agenci.es are useless, the The relief There hospiEals are overwhelmed. are oEher ways. SOLOMON Li.ar ! ARCHER t^IhiEe people. f know people. Solomon LTINGES-- pinning Archer He doesn'E. could fight.

againsE

the wall.

Archer

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) The. . .right.. . . sEone-Solomon want,s noEhing more chan Eo sErangJ-e him, but, he also He relaxes his grip. Archer nrighE be his only hope. intuits A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) --can buy anyching. fnformaEion. Even freedom. BuE a big Safety. The minuEe stone doesn't sEay secret.. you show iE, your l-ife j.s worthless. I'rn guessing the onLy reason you're sEi11 alive is because you haven't Right? Eold anyone where it is. Archer's

piEch --

fueled by desperation

is mesmerizing.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) The lasE pink Eo come ouE of Africa dol1ars. fetched Een million I know You know because I carried it ouc. whac I goc for ic? He opens his

shirt.

A H U G ES C A R c r o s s e s h i s

chesE.

+5.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) f learned that a man I was luckY. do anYthing for a diamond. will SOLOMON fou would say anything. Erust you--?

How can f

OF AN EXPLOSION, FOLLOWEDBY THE CHATTER NEARBY, THE CRUIVIP WEAPONS...FROMA BLOCK OR TWO AWAY. OF AUTOMATTC ARCHER TheY IE's started. Hear that? nust've snuck into the city overnight. (1ooks at Solomon) What's it gonna be, fri.end? A BLOCK AWAY Three cut-down trucks of Rebels SQUEAL into view with automatic weapons. spraying everything

and begin

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) Yes or no. can change with

A whole life

a single

sy11able.

SOLOMON Yes. A TRUCK COMESCAREENINGAROUNDTHE CORNER. Archer pushes Solornon as Lhe wa11 behind them is stitched with bul1ets. ARCHER Go. They begin 76

GO!

t'o run. 76

THEY RUN THROUGHTHE CITY Their

fates

suddeniy

And death lurks

joined

by the need to scay a1ive.

ac every corner.

Bands of teenagers roam the sEreels, FIRING AUTOMATICWEAPONS at anything that moves. Signs, store windows, cars. Urban Rap dopplers past as trueks wj.th boorn boxes speed by. At an intersection, an impromptu ROADBLOCK. People are pu11ed out of cars and beaten while their cars are set on fire. Archer and Solomon double back and sprint hotel where a gang of Rebels are entering. the sound of SCREAMTNG and more GUNFIRE.

pase the Executive From inside comes

People are being taken -- black and white alike -- and forced into trucks. M I N I S T E R S O M O R Ai s 1 e d a w a y a t g u n p o i n t .

44. Women are dragged by the hair into out of a fourEh-sE.ory window. In

fact,

alle)ruays.

was much worse t.han anything

Archer, and Solo4on conlinue

to run for

A man is

we can ever their

Ehrown

show.

1ives.

Storefronts are looced. ft's impossible to tel1 Ehe rebels from the civilians. edults carry Lelevisions. T \ ^ / om e n c a r r y a barca-lounqer. Teenage boys wear womens' wigs and Ehrow molot.ov cockt.ails rnade from Swedish vodka. Rebel ceenagers are sacking The Beach Bar -- drinking everything in sight. Me'd lies dead, splayed across the bar. Archer and Solomon run through rockets light up the sky.

t.he darkening

streets

They dive into a resLaurant doorway, taking refuge with others huddled, terrified, on the floor. Windows are shot out. as rounds rip in and plaster rains down on their heads, After a deafeni.ng moment -- quiet. crack in the door as ECOMOGtroops wal1 and executed. '7'7

Archer watches t.hrough a are lined up against a

HOURS LATER - DARK AT LAST Archer

and Solomon set

off

aqain

They do their best to stay in shadows, hugging the wal1s of pock-marked buildings, as Lhey try to sneak past the roving patrols and trucks f i11ed wit.h men, and out of t.he citv. SOLOMON How. . .much. - . . farther? ARCHER Sooner, . .or. . .1ater. the bush. /6

. .we, 11 be in

AN HALF-HOUR LATER

Thev are stili

rLrnninq.

Both men are exhausted, filthy wich soot and shreat, their chests heaving. But neither even considers stopping. Around t.hern, the houses are becoming fewer-

'79

UP AHEAD _ AN OPEN FTELD And then anocher. Nothing beyond except a t.angle of Erees, ruined cassava groves, and the densely-covered

banana hi11s.

ARCHER There-- ! they pick

With renewed energy,

up and run:

themselves

THE SOTINDOF VOICES --

CLOSE AT HA}ID

Sends chem DIVING into

a ditch.

Solomon Three R.U.F. soldiers are seEEing up a machine gun. If they are There is nowhere to go. looks around wi1d1y. If Ehey be discovered. there by daybreak, Ehey will scill be shot. try Eo run, they will A look of resolve sEeaLs over Archer's face as he reaches Without a backward glance, he into his boot for his knife. out of Lhe ditch. slithers 80

THE KTLLTNG OF THE THREE SOLp{ERS

one's chroat is s1it, Is a deadly baI1et. the second is gutted. But his weapon FIRES -- alercing Ehe third soldier, just in time for his body to be scirched by who whirls rounds from the dead man's M-47 -- which Archer now holds. It has all happened in a matter of seconds. has alerted more soldiers from nearby.

But the gunfire

ARCHER COMEON! Archer and Solomon take off soon begin co streak past. 81

into

the field

as TRACERS

AT LAST THEY BREAK INTO THE BRUSH

Vines whipping againsE their faces, rhorns ripping Eheir hands and clothes -- until long after the gunfire has stopped. aE last

chev stop.

Bent over double.

Gaspj.ng for

breath

the humid night.

A 1i v e . The two men look at one anot,her. They could never arciculace it, bur borh inruirively know rhis will be rhe defining journey of their lives. 82

EXT. MAKENI ROAD --

DAWN (FROM HIGH ABOVE)

In Carnbodia, in E1 Salvador, in Sudan as in Sierra Leone, the image of a downErodden, dispossessed multitude traveling on foot coward an uncert,ain end has become Ehe signature image of our cime. It is the Age of the Refugee.

46. Ox-drawn carts Archer and Solomon Erudge amidsg the Ehrong. feeE churn up a sea of dusc. and thousands of shuffling SOLOMON Where are we going? ARCHER camp in Port. Loki. There's a relief ,-lournalisLs will have access co a SAT-phone. I'11 have Fawaz meeE us wich che p1ane. SOLOMON I have agreed to nothing. Archer

looks

straighE.

ahead as he walks. ARCHER

You wiLL. 83

EXT. ECOMOGSTAGING AREA - MASIAKA * DAY

In a soccer sEadium, ECOMOG soldiers distribute stacks of BOXES of MEDICAI, SUPPLIES. GRAIN bearing rhe UNICEF srencil, Archer is ouEside the fence, talking He is to a guard. buffeted by hordes of refugees crying to get Eo the food. flrlLtlt

--I work for E.he Cape Town Herald. My wa11eE, my credentials, everything's sti1l in Freetown. We barely goE out wit.h our lives... GUAR.D Back away from t.he fence-Archer

gives

up.

Solomon has been watching.

SOLOMON You are not a journalisc. f 'm crying

AI(LltEr(

Eo get us out of here.

SOLOMON IE. is as I said. You will anything. Archer

sees 'JOURNAI,ISTS- He waylays

say an Austral-ian

AJ1LNE.t1.

Hey, mate. I'm l"ooking for somone you might know. Nane's Maddy Bowen. American. If you've met her you wouldn't forget it.

CAIVIERAMAN.

4 " 7. AUSSIE

ft-K\-nf.

11-

her Could you te1l got the story I've

I'm out see her

Archer's here she want.s.

and

AUSSIE CA}4ERAI'IAN If I of here in an hour. her. before Ehen, f'11 tell ARCHER Cheers.

Thanks. 84

CAMEFAMAN

know her.

LATER -_

Archer and Solomon are Solomon searches every

broiling passing

under face.

a relenEless sun. Archer dozes.

}IADDY (O. S. ) V^li f vs

^^F :rvL

rrf vqe.

ARCHER This I"laddy.

He110,

Sol0mon Vandy.

I{ADDY How do you do? (to Archer; all business ) I'm on deadline and I've been waiting four hours to use a SAT-phoneWhat do you want Eo tefl me. Archer

moves her

out

So]omon' s earshot.

ARCHER An outfit named Scar blood diamonds.

Mines

buvino

MADDY Ano.

ARCHER De Wente has no visible ties Lo Star but through a maze of crossholdings

;H,::p lfe:1":; :;:ni;.ln:I"3l-"if;,n:" dged they

uo uphold.

MADDY You have proof of chis. (he nods ) y And ou'J-1 go on record? He looks

her.

48. Al:(u.rl.trt(

you help me out. !4ADDY

f knew it. trJLLIl.Cll,

Before you say anyEhing -- Ehe man is a Mende farmer. His village was burned to the ground. He was forced Eo work the mines, buE his fanily fled -- wife and three children. He's been crying Eo find Chembue he's drowning in red Eape. Maddy looks

again

Solomon.

MADDY How do you even know t.his

man?

l+I.Lrl.LK

I Maddy looks

know him. back

You're

Archer.

using

MADDY me. AIILTtEI(

And you're using me. Isn,E ehac how i- t works ? (leaning in) You r.,rant.Eo make a dj_f ference, Maddy? Starc wich this man. you,ve got access Eo U.N. databases, you know all che N.G.O.'s. Look around, does helping

MADDY Archer. What difference one man make?

He looks aE her. Jesus.

M A D D Y( C O N T ' D ) Did I rea11y say EhaE?

Maddy's eyes remain on his, O F H E L I C O P T E RB L A D E S . .. 85

conflicted,

as we HEAR t.he BEATTNG

EXT/INT. UNHCRHELICOPTER- DAY LooKrNG DowN on a su/eep of grassland on which a sea of flapping white Eents suddenly appears...thousands of them... There it

is.

M A D D Y( V . O . )

49. 85

INT. HELICOPTER- SAME

Solomon, Archer and Maddy have hitched a ride on a U.N. chopper. Solomon's never been up in one. He sEares down at the sprawling tenE ciuy below. MADDY At the moment, the second largest refugee camp in Africa. My wife Maddy reads

SOLOMON here? In Guinea?

from Ehe computer manifest

MADDY Jassie Vandy, Kono District. j.nto Guinea six weeks ago.

Crossed

SOLOMON And rny children?

Six weeks. Maddy hesitates.

her hand.

folds

the manifest,

then just

nods.

MADDY You would have found them. Somecines it takes a year before new manifests reach che field offices. (glances at Archer) I was lucky t.o gec access Eo the UNHCRdatabase. SOLOMON know how to thank you.

f do not What can Maddy say? B'7

She nods.

EXT. REFUGEECAr'{p - DAy

Archer, soromon and Maddy step off the chopper SEA OF HUMA}JITYbehind a CHAIN FENCE SLret;hing

to find-A for miles.

WORXERSwith worrd Food program armbands unload supplies REFUGEESrush the fence, pressing forward, shoucin!-. Ihis is like. Solomon stares.

I'{ADDy what a million These are his

c l o s E o N A R C H E Rt . a k i n g i c a l l everything there is to see in

people

look

people. in. He,s seen preccy much 1ife. But no one is-unaffected.

M A D D Y( C O M I ' D ) You might catch a minute of this on CNN somewhere between weather and sport.s. As they approach the fence, Solomon sees that many of che refugees are A]'IPUTEES. Some reaching through the chain link with stumps of arms. Solomon's heart is pounding. M A D D Y( C O N T ' D ) f L says they're in Sector T\,vo. as Maddy shows her Solomon follows reads her slip of paper and points

BADGE to a UN GUARD, who out the right direction-

Archer stares through the fence at 1eg, yet nanaging to kick a plastic

two KfDS, each with one jug back and forth.

OEher amputees stare su11en1y. JOURNAIISTS WITHOUTSSS'

a sign

reads,

" N O P H O T O SF O R

A WRINKLEDOLD MAN blows his lips at Archer through the fence. Archer walks on. The old man shadows him. Until ercher realizes the fe11ow is gesturing to the cigarettes in his shi-rt pocket. Archer takes out a cigarette, is about to slip one through the fence -When he sees the man has no hands. Grimly, Archer sticks Then moves on. 88

j.n the man's mouth.

the cigarette

EXT. REFUGEECAMP - SECTORTWO GATE - LATER A FRENCHUN GUARDrelays Stay at

Ihe paper

Io an AFRICAN WFP MONITOR.

FRENCH GUARD the fence. Quarantine.

Solomon grips the fence, waLching the WFPmonitor disappears into che teeming mass. Archer

has rejoined

thenr.

He notices

as he

Maddy,s expression.

ARCHER

What'" *rorrgi^'Maddy shakes her head. something from him.

But Archer

can tell

she's

keeDinq

Solomon catches sight of the WFp monj.tor. He has a woman with him. A woman carrying a litt1e boy and a young girl. SOLOMON Jassie . . .? (and then he's sure) J a s s i e ! J A S S I EI

f,],

.lassie

her name, looks

hears

up through

t,he hordes

of people.

JASSIE SOLO!

Solo!

SOLOMON . ] A S S I E! ! t.o joy

Solomon's face morphs frorn disbelief Ehrough a crush of bodies t,o him -Their their

as ,Jassie runs

They run fingers GRASPeach oEhers Lhrough Ehe fence. hands over each ot,hers faces, unable to speak.

in her arms, an infant Solomon l-ooks at the one-year-old He t.ouches hirn Ehrougrh the fence, when last he saw himThe girl , silent., of fers a weak smil-e, She's seen t,oo much. Then Solomon looks

puzzled.

around,

S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) Dia? (to .lassie, V'lhere is Dia? The boy is

nowhere in

in Mende)

sight.

(CONT'D) SOLOMON Where is my son? Wagching this,

Archer

Eurns Eo Maddy.

ARCHER He has a son who goes to reads English.

school,

MADDY There were only two children on t.he manifesE.. --Whar.? Maddy turns

list,ed

ARCHER

away, her eyes brinnring.

A T T H E F E N C E . S o l - o m o nr e a d s . l a s s i e ' s

eves.

soLoIlON Where is he ! ? She rubs her cheek against They...took

his

hand,

her body trernbling.

JASSIE him.

Solomon looks at her, incomprehensibly. And Ehe words come out in a flood of Mende - Ehat breaks into a WAIL of grief.

Solomon d,rops Eo Ehe ground as if every muscfe He struggles for breat.h. had been cut. Archer

cannot

grief

waEch their

yet

cannot

in his turn

body

away.

ARCHER Fuck this to pry Solomon's hands from the fence, buE he A GUARDtries the guard cal-l-s ANOTHERGUARD Sensing trouble, won't let go. Both of then cry to pu]l Sol-omon from che fence. over. Let

SOLOMON thern ouc.

,Jassie doesn't

fet

go of her husband's hands. LJAJJT

shaking

S o l - o m o ns t a r t s Let

Sol-o

Solo

the fence.

SOLOMON thern out !

The guards begin Eo beat his hands with their rifle But Solomon keeps shaking the fence as if to uproot posCs.

butts. the steel-

S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) LET THEI{ OUT! Archer

puts

himself

between Solomon and Ehe guards. ARCHER

Get of f hin! A guard points Fj.ne! 89

INT.

his

rifle

and shout.s in an unknown dialecc.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) ,Just get of f him!

HELICoPTER - LATER

Archer and Maddy ride in sil-ence. SoLomon sLares out Ehe chopper window. His knuckl_es bandaged. Devoid of emotion. MADDY They're afraid some of the refugees might be rebel s . They won ' t. be rel-eased until Chere's a cease-f ire. I'm sorry. Solomon sEares out. aC the distant

fog-shrouded

mountains.

SOLOMON What you wanE, Mist.er Archer, is That is where I beyond those hills. buried iL. heart

Archer's rea1.

skips

a beat.

spoken of

Whac was only

now

And then Maddy looks ac Solomon, his face knotted in grief. the pieces together. back at Archer. She is putting 90

EXT. ECOMOGSTAGING AREA - MASIAJ{A - EVENING

Maddy marches away from the helicopter. .f{J(L.FtE,F(

Maddy, waic... He grabs

her

arm.

She wrenches

free

his

ARCHER (CONT'D) take his son! I didn't Don't EhaE on me !

Din

I pin you.

MADDY on all of

us.

grip.

Especially

ARCHER Yah, we fucked the black man. My father did and my grandfather before him. Now the black man fucks himself. Tell me something I don'E know. Tired, 91

EXT.

f urious,

done wich

sparri.ng,

E C O M O GS T A G I N G A R E A - -

solomon and Archer hundreds of fi.res,

she walks

MASIAXA --

o f a M A C H E T Ew i t h a flashlight.

Al1Ln.CK

You say che mine j.s near t.he Moa River. Where exaccly on this map? Solomon's eyes remain on t,he machete blade. SOLOMON I do noE need a mac. ft.I1'\-

We fo11ow his

NIGHT

huddle beside a fire. Around them are each wiEh huddled figures silhouetted.

solomon's sharpens che blade Archer pores over a MAp wich

ttre11, I

of f .

n.L

do.

finger

ON THE MAp as he La1ks.

a whecstone.

ARCHER (CONT'D) We're here.... The press convoy is going to Kaifahun. Diamond mines are here. Where did you bury it?

:il';:l;

a line upone currrNG

:il:',::i.i3i"ui3iiJ"ii3:n.is

ARCHER (CONT'D) You understand, when we get to Kailahun, w€'re gonna have to go overland. You better damn well be able to find it. Solomon is

lost

a worl-d of ritual.

SOLOMON (almost to himself) My son is a very good studenE. He walks f ive miles Eo the Sist.ers' school every rnorning to study English. He is going to be a doctor one day. The pain of self-injury is an attempt to inure himself to the pain of Loss. He turns away to scare inEo the fire. Archer 92

has to walk away.

NEARBY - AN ASANDONEDBUTLD]NG

houses the palcry assortmenc of journalists. Archer waLks past the guards wit.h a wave of Ehe finger. They assume -because he is white -- that he belongs there. MADDYis f ingers.

hunched over a portable tlpewriter, tlping Archer l_eans over her shoulder t.o read. ARCHER "...in the ninety degree heat, farmer Solomon Vandy drops Eo his knees against the chain-link fence--',

Maddy whi.rls

around.

"--rattl_ing hands... "

Archer

finishes

the senr.ence.

ARCHER (CONT'D) Che wire with his

powerful

MADDY (d e f e n s i v e ) . . .What? ARCHER Nothing. You think

MADDY I'm exploiting

his

grief.

with

Lwo

55. Archer just

looks at her.

She loses

it.

M A D D Y( C O N T ' D ) Do you You think f like being here? have any idea what I cou1d make back garbage about in the sLates writing movie stars--? (righteous fury) All anybody sees here are victims. And lives. Noc people. With faces. They deserve a voice. (shaking her head) And the world deserves to know where And the things they buy come from. how much they rea11y cost. (Lurns away) So get out of my face and let. me work. Archer

watches her work

for

a moment.

Rubs his

eyes.

ARCHER . . . Solomon thinks his son is going to be a docEor one day. (she looks up) What's Ehe life expectancy for infants in a camp like this? WhaU's going girl? to happen to a twelve year-old Thac diamond is the only chance he's got of geEting his family out. MADDY You expecE me t.o believe you give rat's ass abouc his familv. No.

ARCHER I'm just exploiting

his

grief.

She glares at him, then looks away. There are cont.radictions in both Uheir intentions.

inherent

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) f need co get to Kailahun. The only way now is with a UN convoy. I'm a TV journalist and he's our cameranan. Maddy's shaking her head.

She won't

do ic.

MADDY No. ARCHER f sewed R.U.F. diamonds into the skins of goats. I was smugrgling them across the border into t,iberia. Maddy is

taken by surprise.

She's wary but

ready to listen.

ARCHER (COI\rI'D) The stones go to a middleman Monrovia. . . 93

FLASH CUT -* Fawaz spills

THE BACK ROOI4 OF A SEEDY SHOP a bag of

rough

diamonds

onto

the

counEer.

ARCHER (V.O. ) ...who pays off a cuscoms official who cerEifies were rnined the dianonds in Liberia...so they can be Legi timacely exported. 94

FLASH CUT --

A CUSTOMS DESK

where a CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN bearing is a Liberian seal signed, stamped and affixed t o a W O O D E NB O X N A f L E D S H U T . ARCHER (V. O. ) Once they reach London or the cuEting houses -- no guestions 95

FLASH CUTS --

IN THE BOWELS OF THE DTC -

A SOR?ER discards che cerEificaEe of DIAI'IONDS onTo a SORTING TABIJE, mixes

They 95

FLASH CUT -There are Electronic

Antwerp asked.

become

ARCHER (V. O. ) like any other

LONDON

-orig,in Them wilh

spil1s the OTHER DIA.MONDS.

diamond.

WIDER

many sorting surveillance

95 tabl-es, each wiEh PILES cameras observe it all.

MADDY (V. O. ) And De WenEe knows about all

OF DIAMONDS.

this?

ARCHER (V. O. ) Supply and demand, Maddy. Control the supply and you keep demand higrh. 91

FLASH CUT --

THE UN

Dewente and Simmons sit before accepting the congratulations

Ehe General Assembly piously for their righteous stand.

A_t(uttEf(

When African rebels flood the markeE with a bj.l1ion dollars worth of rough, De Wente can't afford to ignore it. Technically speaking he's noc promoting the war. He's just giving Ehem the means to do it.

/.) 98

BUILDING -. BACK IN THE ABAI\TDONED Maddy's staring of her career.

NIGHT

He's gi.ving her

at Archer.

Ehe biggest

story

MADDY You'11 go on the record? Archer gives

her a long Iook. AlLLrtE

Nods yes.

l.(

And if f come ouc with this stone... Danny Archer -- such as he is disappears from the face of Lhe earth99

INf.

PRESSBUS - MORNING

on the side of Someoneis using sgrips of tape to write speaks into a ltboard Lhe bus, a Spanish reporter the bus. chats with a French radio A CNN reporter recorder. digiCal A BBC crew plays cards across Lhe seats. type. Solomon stands outside the bus awkwardly holding canera, a laminated PRESS rD around his neck. r cannot

a video-

SOLOMON do chis-ARCHER

Why noE? SOLOMON I am not a journalist. tI]aL.NEf(

Of course you're

noE.

SOLOMON Then how can I say I am? ARCHER how Because you do, because that's you get on the bus-..,fust do it! Archer Archer and Solomon make their way down the aisle, smiling co all like he belongs there, Solomon massively Solomon takes a seac uncomfortable. They nod to Maddy. beside a Spanish reporter. SOLOMON (utterly wooden) I am...Ehe caneraman. lOO

EXT/IMI.

J o U R N A L I S T ' S B U S ( T R A V E L I N G )- -

1OO

DAY

The UNICEF convoy winds its way through Che Kanagari Solomon stares out aE Lhe passing landscape.

hilIs.

58.

(v.o. ) soLoMoN Dia. Yesterday I rode in a helicopter. Oh, my God. You would is noL believe how big and beautiful this land of ours. 101

101

A MUDDYJUNGLE TRATL A platoon of child soldiers trudges along, singing a revolutionary song: "The peopJe wiTl benefiE from Ehe rjches of Eheir land; R.U.F, js Ehe savior we need. " A ninet.een year-o1d leader prods Dia to sing louder.

102

BACKTO THE BUS where Solomon is

IO2 talking

quietly

to Maddy.

so L oM oN( v.o. )

f have been living in the white people' s wor1d. Comput.ers, videoyou phones. caneras and satellite wouLd like it verv much. 103

AN R.U.F.

ENCAMPMENT

TO3

The child soldiers prepare for battle. Under Ehe wacchful eye of their older commanders, some fietd-strip weapons and paint their faces, while oEhers sniff amphet.amines. Tvro strong men hold Dia's arm and inject hinr.

so L oMoN( v.o. )

I hope you are able to keep up wich you must sEudy your schoolwork. hard if you truly hope to be a doctor. 104

A FIREFTGHT IN THE JUNGLE a p l a c o o n o f R . U . F . i s A T T A C K I N Ga s m a l l fighters walk behind the child soldiers, them unless they advance.

104 hamlec. Older threaEening to shoot

D i a f i r e s h i s A I < - 4 ' 7i n d j , s c r i m i n a r e J . y . He kills an ox and then a man who tries to f1ee. Tears strean down his face.

so L oMoN( v. o. )

Your mot.her and sisters are alive, Dia. You must keep yourself alive, too. Unt.i1 I can find you. And bring you home. 105

THE BUS COMESTO A SUDDEN,CREAKING STOP. Everyone looks out the window. Up ahead, the road is blocked by shouting VILLAGERS. ECOMOGsoldiers try to keep order. IRTSH JOURNALIST What's going on?

105

59. A RED CROSSTRUCK lies overturned on the road. hole in its si.de from the RPG thac hit ir. Chrisc.

Charred.

I R I S H J O U R N A L I S T( C O M I ' D ) Must have been an RpG.

The word, "RPG" has a special resonance for Archer. rush to grab Eheir gear. Time to go to work.

Cameramen

ARCHER Wait. The journalists

No... push past him.

ARCHER (COI{II'D) The R.U.F. is out there, just waiting for another target.., It's danqerous. (gives

MADDY him a look)

Duh. She pushes past him down the aisle. ]-06

OUTSIDE THE BUS

]-05

Maddy and solomon navigaEe the confusion of solders and ,,. . . ,,these villagers. Journalises speak into recorders peop)e, having come onJy to heLp, have now become targets.,, A soLDrER eyes solomon suspiciously. camera? Archer lifcs ic to sol0mon's

why isn'E he using the eye and Eurns it on.

THROUGHTHE VIEWFINDER (VIDEO IMAGE) solomon PAIIS rhe tragic scene -- coming to resr begging for someone to help her wounded son.

on a MoTHER

The sound of gunfire. ECoMoGtroops have seen somethinq .he tree-line and have begun exchanging fire.

ARCHER Hurry ir up, folks ! Unless you wanc to end up the same way! solomon can'r

move, just

scares at

uhe boy and mother.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) Solomon--- let's goSolomon put.s down t.he canera and approaches

the boy.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) What. are you doing? solomon picks

up r.he boy and begins

carrying

him co the bus.

50. No. . . 107

ARSHER (CO}IT'D) What are you doing! ?

AT THE BUS Maddy helps

TA]

. the

injured

You can't Let

boy

aboard.

A JoURNAlrsr

seops

him.

FRENCH JOURNALIST do this -- there's no room!

AUSSIE JOURNALIST 'sm on, you bloody frog!

M O R EJ o u R N A L r s r s j o i n i n : " f e r c h r i s s a k e " "might as werl do something!" "Make room" "who the hell needs this? TV CAI'TERAMAIV Lay him across che seat. Easy-The boy's

mot.her chatEers her thanks in Mende. AUSS]E JOURNALIST Where you blokes gonna sit?

Good guestion.

Archer

looks around.

No seats

1eft.

ARCHER Bo11ocks.. . COCKNEY\TOURNALIST They can ride wit.h me. Come on. 1OB LATER _- ARCHER, SOLOMONA.IVDMADDY now ride in is driving.

1nR

the Land Cruiser. A loquacious COCKNEYJOURNALIST Ahead, the bus belches black diesel.

COCKNEY.JOURNALIST --Like the fookin' M-4. Just what this place needs, bit of environmenfaL blight on cop of the resE of iE. Fr9m. Ehe passenger seat, Archer looks back and sees Maddy nodding off in the back, her head resting. against the wihdow. COCKNEYJOURNAIIST (CONI' D) --Diesel fumes, toxic chemicals, pesticides, maybe a nuclear reaccor cr two to melt down... A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION AI{EAD The lead mini*bus has Hrr A iJAIID M]NE. inLo a chirnney of black smoke. AUTOMATICWEAPONSFTRE PROM THE BUSH

A f ireball

rises

51. R.U.F.

fighters

are emerging from Ehe Ereeline.

JUST AHEAD T h e b u s i s R A K E Dw i t . h f i r e . IT SKIDS TO A STOP, blocking their way. Rebels, armed wit.h Ak-47' s, close in. ARCHER GET OFF THE ROAD! But the Cockney falls The against. Archer, SHOT in the head. car KEEPS MOVING as Archer t.ries Eo reach past. Ehe dead man Before he can gain conErol: and grab Ehe wheel. THE LAND CRUISER CAREENSoff SMASHINGinE.o a Eree.

the shoulder

Ehe road,

GUNFIRE shaEEers Eheir windows as Solomon THROWSHIMSELF on of the vehicle. Eop of Maddy, pushing her down Eo the floor ARCHERmanages Eo push the dead journalist Ehrow t.he Land Cruiser int.o reverse.

out

Ehe door and

R . U . F . F I G H T E R S* - w h o h a v e b e e n r u n n i n g t o w a r d t . h e c a r - are forced Eo scaEEer or else be run over. As Archer rarns Ehe shifEer inE.o firsE, a REBELruns up to Ehe car from behind, his weapon held above his head, preparing to shooE down inEo Ehe back seat. JusE as he FIRES, Ehe car lurches forward and his bullets sEitch the carqo hatch. THE LAND CRUISER Swerves away, taking off the front. bumper of the lead Eruck. A rebel raises an RPG Eo his shoulder, takes aim. Fires. ARCHERswerves aE Ehe last moment. The RPG passes by, exhaust trail the only evidence of the near-miss.

its

They crashe headlong into Ehe brush. It's a bone-jarring jagged branches loom and penet.rate Ehe windows, Ehe ride: chassis groans as tires pound over roots and hidden boulders. BACK ON THE ROAD JournalisEs 109

are rousted

EXT. DIRT ROAD --

aE gunpoint. toward an uncertain

AN HOUR LATER -*

faE.e.

AT DUSK

The Land Cruiser emerges from the bush. IE.,s a wreck. The wheels grind against the wells, two E.ires are f Iat, srnashed windshield. bu1leE holes along its length. Archer stops and has to peers under Ehe bonnet.

force the door open to get ouC. He Bullet ho1es. It's hopeless.

1no

62. Grab your

ARCHER things.

They have no choice but 110

Eo seL off

on foot.

LATER - THE NIGHT SKY ]S SPECTACULAR

110

One canopy of sEars. As they Erudge along under a bright Archer uses dead reckoning. mighE even think of diamonds. ARCHER Long as we head The SouUhern Cross. North, we'11 hit the main road. They walk in

silence

for

a moment.

MADDY What do you Ehink happened Eo Lhe people on the bus. ARCHER You rea11y want to think

about

i.t?

Up ahead, Solomon sEares up at a part.icularly Kya kwayera We call

bright

st.ar,

SOLOMON taariq. MADDY Venus.

SOLOMON We say the moon's wife. (pointing) She follows him through the sky. Two days before t.he new moon, she comes out alone, looking for him. The moon and his wife are never separated for very 1ong. He is 111

thinking

of .Iassie.

Maddy is

moved.

AT F]RST L]GHT - A BURNT-OUTCHURCH

111

Looms out of the jungle as they walk a narrow Lrack. Pornographic GRAFFITf has been spray-painted on the church, and "West Side Wiggaz." H E A D L E S SB O D I E S h a n g f r o m t h e t r e e s . II2

SUDDENLY- OUT OF THE .]T]NGLE natives adorned Come a scary-looking band of semi-primiUive wi.th colorful They carry a amulets, she11s and talismans. miscellany of handguns, macheces and spears. SOLOMON Be very sti11. (MORE)

II2

oJ.

S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) not Do :.ook thejn in the eye. (to Archer) They are Kamajor. gestures angrily The HEADSMAN at eyes and responds deferentially.

Archer. Archer

Sofomon lowers his whispers to Maddy:

AKL.lttrK

Protecting

Local militia. homes.

their

The Headsman qestures with his machece. Several prod Archer forward with an old double-barreled 1]3

LATER . THEY WALK A JI]NGLE PATH Archer

114

of his men shoEgun.

looks

around

for

EXT. MENDEVILLAGE --

113

any means of escape.

There is

none.

DAY

LIA

They emerge from the bush to discover a cluster of buildings untouched by the ravages of war. Flowering gardens and neatlyraked paths. After all chey have seen, it seems dreamlike. A GROUPOF CHILDREN Emerge from the buildinq

and race

toward

them.

MENDECHILDREN Where are you frorn? Have you come from America? Do you have CD's? A GENILE VOICE cal]s

ouI.

GENTLE VOICE Don't be bochering the people now. Let them come in. The children inscancly obey. BEN,JAIIINKAPANAYappears in doorway. year-01d distinguishedHe is a EaII, sixty-five looking Mende with a trim whire beard. BENJAI{IN (in Mende; subtitles) you can leave Thank you, Ubani. thern here. I take responsibility. KAMAJOR HEADMAN (in I'lende; subtitles) Good. Now they are your problem. The Kamajors back away, vanishing

into

the foresE.

BEN.JAI{IN If you're looking for money, weapons or fueI, f don't have anv.

54. ARCHER food?

f{ow about

BENJAI,IIN If you ask politely. genjamin Kapanay.

Danny Archer. --Maddy

My name is

ARCHER And this

is--

MADDY How do you Bowen. BENJA}IIN Lhank you.

Very weI1,

do?

Chicago?

MADDY How-BENJAI'{]N the accentrecognize (Eo Solomon; in Mende) Welcome, Brother. --I

SOLOMON (in Mende; subtitles) from am Solomon Vandy,

Bo.

BENJAI'{IN (in Mende; subLitles) I make of your Whac. should Solomon doesn't

know how Co answer.

companions? He lies

badlrr.

SOLOMON (in Mende; subtitles) Ihey are. . . journalist.s.

\h. Solomon

looks

BENJAI.IIN (in Mende; subtitles) And I suppose you are, away,

ashamed.

too.

Benjamin

turns

BENJAMIN (CONT'D) you in a glass Might f incerest lemonade? ]-15

EXT. MENDE VILLAGE Under young

Lo Maddy.

LUNCH

].15

porch, a covered they eat l-unch -Mende wife and his three children. BENJAI'{IN I don't undersLand would willingly live (MORE)

served

why anyone in t.hat cold.

Benjamin's

55. BENJAI{IN (COMT'D) The wind off the lake. I cried night. rny f irsE winter.

How did

you

Because e] se?

every

MADDY end up ac NorEhwestern? BENJAI,IIN PresidenL Kennedy,

who

MADDY Excuse

rne?

BENJA}IIN By way of ,Jarnes McGrat.h, a young Peace Corps vol-unE.eer frorn Winnecka -who found a semi-Jicerace Mende boy and was foolish enough Eo believe he couJd benefit from higher educaEion.

How long

ARCHER were you in

Ehe St.aces?

BENJAMIN Whj.ch Eime? I ended up getEing my -- betCer cJimaEe. MasCers aC Stanford Buc you

MADDY came back?

BENJAI{IN To show my people Che way. They are served a pLat'Cer of ten year-old boy. Benjamin's

Thank you,

You builc

Hah.

vegeLables by a well-mannered son, UCHENNA.

BENJAI{IN (CONT'D) Uchenna. SOLOMON this school?

BENJAI,IIN Scarcing in 1967. Children from all over the district find Cheir way here. Over five hundred graduates since we beqan. Y,ADDY r,alouldyou mind That's remarkabJe. if I Eurned on my cape recorder. BENJA}4IN I'll make you a deal, Miss Bowen -I gi_ve you an interview and you teach at my school for a monEh.

MADDY ( l-aughs ) like that.

I'd

BEN.JA}TIN But you won't do it. I'IADDy No. BENJAIqIN An honest journalist., how refeshing. The Eruth is, f have done well_ Eo k e e p a J - o wp r o f i I e . This is a very dangerous parE of Ehe country with Ehe diamond mj-nes so close by. Solomon, meanwhile, hasn't. been able to take his eyes off Benjamin's young son. The boy smil_es back at him.

SOLOMON My son wanEs to be a docEor. Very good.

BENJA}I]N Where is he now?

A sifence. AJ(LNtsK

We don'E know. BENJAMIN I undersE.and. . . ]-15

A SERIES OF ]MAGES

115

Benjamin gives them a Eour: a group of eight year-o1ds crowd around a single compuEer; a ten year-old girr is being taught to use an arEificial linb; Ewelve year-old boys play cricket. BENJAI.{IN Many of these children were taken by the R.U.F. We have taken them back. (Jooks at Solomon) Some of them have been made to do horribl-e things. We are t,rying Eo b r i n g t , h e mb a c k E o 1 i f e . Solomon turns 1.I'I

LATER --

away to hide

Ehe surge of

emotion,

AT STINSET

They siE drinking

wine.

II7 The African

BENJA},ITN iE was al-1 very clear (MORE)

sunseE is in

1954.

inimitable.

BEN'JAI"IIN (Collll' D) freedom plus economic Political development equals happiness. But leads to chaos sometimes revolut,ion doesn't and economic opportunity necessarily bring out t.he besc in people. Certain personality tlpes realized freedom could be another name for greed. (raises his glass) And here we are. MADDY But Look what you've

accomplished.

BEN,IAI'{IN And Look what good it has done my countrY. . . MADDY "There is no easy wa1k to freedom. " We can only do Ehe best we can. BENJA-I'{IN Mandela. His best is a biE better Ehan mine... He Eakes a long look at his

children.

ARCHER Had manv attacks in the area? BENJA}IIN I've known mosC of the young people in this district since they were born. The local commander is still afraid I'11 come af ter him wiLh nry ruler ARCHER You Ehink because your inEentions are good Ehey'11 spare you? Benjamin takes

the question

in stride.

BENJAI'IIN My heart always told me Ehat people are inherenEly good. My e)q)erience suggests otherwise. Which to believe? Benjamin t.urns his

penetrating

gaze on Archer.

BEN.]A}IIN (COMT'D) What about you, I{r. Archer? In your long career as a. . . journalist. .. Would you say people are mostly good?

T h e s o u N D o f A G H I L D R E N ' sc H o t R ' . .

Archer scares back. '

118

rN THE cElrrER oF THE vTLLAGE --

118

THAT NrcHT

The children are singing "High We Exult Thee, Realm of the Solomon and Free, " the nat.ional anthem of Sierra Leone. Maddy sie wich Benjamin and his family. Maddy sees Archer 119

geE up and walk

away. 119

AT THE EDGE OF THE COMPOUND Archer sEands alone. jug. Maddy steps out Palm wine. the tree, He offers

He t,akes a lonq puII from Ehe shadows. ARCHER Sap comes right

from a plastic

out of

t.o her and she takes a swig.

Makes a face.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) You geL used Eo ic. He takes another

long drink.

Drank chis

He's pretty

drunk.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) as a boy.

MADDY Rhodesia. (off his look) I Eake noces. Indeed, her Iitt.le spiral notebook is already in hand. looks at her -- considering -- then, what the hell, . , ARCHER I got sent Eo South Africa muntz overran Lhe farm in --After

when the '16-

MADDY you lost your parenLs.

ARCHER (dark laugh) ThaE's a polit,e way of puct.ing ic. Mum was raped. Dad was decapitated and hung from a hook in che barn. You were,

Nine.

MADDY whaE, ten

ARCHER Boo-hoo.

years

oLd?

Then

MADDY you eighteen

joined

the

:.m\t

Archer peers -a n"r. ARCHER Want to hear about the banged a journalist? She just

looks

first

time

at him. He takes another

long drink.

Re1ents.

ARCHER (COIIT'D) Yah, yah. First they had us doing dirry 1itr1e jobs in Lhe rownshipsMADDY With Ehe Security services. ARCI{ER You think you know about the SecuriEy servi ces ? (another dark laugh) You don'E know shiEe. That was a picnic compared Eo what we did on Ehe Moz border. Sometimes I think. 'God will forgive us for what we did-' Then r look around and f wonder...what would God want with a place Like this? He takes another

drink

but

the

jug is

empty-

He tosses

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) By '94 I 'm a ten years vet. Then poof. No more apartheid, no more army. Thanks very much, see ya later. Truth and reconciliation. Kumbaya. He raises

his middle

finger

in a universal

gesture.

ARCHER (CO}TT'D) They Lold us we were fighEing Communism. protecting our 'way of Iife.' (a rueful laugh) Tt's about who gets what. Oi]. Coltan. Diamonds- So one dav I decided, fuck it, now I want tnine. MADDY Are you going to steal

his

ARCHER We have no chance rn heLl Che dia-nrond.

diamond? of

getting

it.

MADDY Doesn'E answer the quesEion. ARCHER That diamond -- wheEher I steal iE or just Eake the commissj-on -- is my ticket out of here. I4ADDY To go where? Archer hasn'c I2O

gotten

that

far

in his

Ehinking.

EXT. HILL COUNTRY- NEXT MORNING (SEEN FROM ABOVE) Benjamin drives animal tracks.

them down roads chaE. are 1itt1e more than Bush pigs scamper. Chimpanzees chatcer above.

Solomon looks up into in and out of view.

the canopy of

forest

as the

sun darts

soLoMoN(v. o. )

Dear Dia. I have found a place for your studies once you return home. Benjamin shows Maddy the hippos

splashing

Ehe river.

BENJAM]N Do not be fooled by the movie where Ehey wear pink skirEs and dance on Eheir toes. They are exEremely dangerous, easily angered, and very fast. Benjamin's love of all Chac he sees is infectious. As he plays tour quide, Ehey forget for a moment their dire circumsEances and surrender to the joys of the natural wor1d.

so L oM oN( v.o. )

There is a man I want. you to meet. He is a teacher. You will like hin. nenjamin

turns

a wry eye to Archer. BENJAHIN

1^3:";';:il H'i"Yiln3i,'fiIl'ii3n:l;" ARCHER Thank you for your he1p, I won't forgeE it. BENJA-I,IIN I hope Ehe sEory will you want it to.

end

Mr.

the

Kapanay.

way

120

'7r. I2I

UP A}IEAD .

A TEMPORARY ROADBLOCK

guATded

TWO TWELVE YEAR-OLD CHILD

I2I SOLDIERS.

ARCHER Keep going. BENJAI{IN

What.- - ?

Drive InsEead

ARCHER at them.

righE

Benjamin

slows

Ehe car.

BENITAI{IN Do you know where the word, comes from? IE means child They are just children THE TWO R.U.F.

panic.

They'11

'infanEry' soldier.

SOLDIERS

are indeed children. One wears a Michael tTordan jersey, Ehe other has skateboard stickers gun. on his Ingram submachine BUE Eheir eyes are glazed and deadened.

He11o, litE1e your names?

BENJAI{IN (CONT'D) broEhers. WhaE are

CHILD SOLDIER #1 arn Dead Body. Who dis mothafuckah?

BENJAI{IN We are Eeachers on our Kai lahun.

Only

R.U.F

I undersEand

vray Eo

CHiLD SOLDIER #2 on da road! BENJAJVIIN but we have

Eo--

CHILD SOLDIER #2 ONLY R.U.F I

Now listen The boy FrRES Hrs in the chest..

BENJAMIN herel I am--

wEApoN withouE

ARCHER JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!

warning.

Benjamin

hic

'72. HC 1CANS

OVCT ANd

STOMPS ON THE

GAS

ThC

PEDAL.

CAT

LURCHES

FORWARD,knocking aside the other boy. Archer has Lo pracEically the wounded man Eo speed away' straddle L22

L22

IN THE CAR (TRAVELING) Benjamin Eries

from his

Bl'ood bubbles

Lo speak.

lips'

*lj(uflEt(

not hiE

If You're Do NOT Ery Eo Ea1k. only because you're dead, it's in the lung noL the heart. Solomon is

over

leaning

Ehe seat,

Benjanin's

opening

shirE.

ARCHER (COMT'D) (to Solomon) abouE Ehe enEry wound. Don'E worry going to Lean him forward, there's Press be a big hole in his back. your hand againsc thereit.. Keep it (to MaddY) any wine lefE in chat If there's jug, pour iE al1 over everyLhing. (co Benjamin) How far Eo Kailahun? BEIV.]AI{IN (weakly) You. . .said. . .noE Eo EaIk. ARCHER comedian.

A fucking He pushes I23

Ehe old

car's

acceleraEor --

THE CAR (TRAVELING)

Benjamin

slumped,

How's his

its

limit. T23

DUSK

unconscious,

againsE

the

passenger

door.

ARCHER pulse? MADDY

IL's I24

a pulse. L24

ROUNDING A BEND They are suddenly confronEed by ewo ARI'IORED CARS and a platoon wear all The soldiers of whiEe mercenaries carrying Uzi's. E.o. maroon bereEs wich che initials

725

MOMEIITS LATER _ TWO MEDICS ATTACH AN IV Archer and Solomon help again. conscious

place

him

?O BEN.]AMIN

on a litt,er.

He is

L25

You'11 be all

right.

BENJA}ITN (looks hin in rhe eye) Will you? He is

hurried

away as--

A}T ATTACK HELTCOPTER?AKES OFF NEARBY Raising

a cloud of dust. Archer...what

'TKLr

furiously

appears out of

the confusion.

JOOST the fuck--

Good to see you, Maddy is

Joost

T,r(

too,

scribbling

Joost.

notes

of all

she sees.

JOOST l V e 'r e e v a c u a t i n g a l l n o n - m i l i r a r y personnel. Relief workers, journalisEs. (to Archer) Shi te-bags . How far's

ARCHER the tront line?

JOOST There is no fronr line. buggers are everll^rhere. (starts off) Colonel's this way. 125

Littie

THE COLONEL'SHQ A large tent. a SAT-phone.

I25

The colonel pores over a map while Archer and Joost enter.

THE COLONEL (on the phone) --but if we block their escape by cutting the bridge-(sees Archer) Wait One... (covers the rnout.hpiece)

ilir:l

'r wanEro say r told

ARCHER BuE you wil1.

tarking

THE COLONEL

li:":l'"u T:".:'::::ri;::'.fl:";l#:l5 ARCHER In reEurn for a mining Ewo, no doubt. /trlltr

concession

.\nT.n\]trT.

(a modest nod) I've got a C-130 Eouching down aE 1400. Everybody noE prepared Eo get dirty is on it. (checks his waEch) minutes to make up You've got thirty your mind. You're either with us or ouE of here. He turns 727

back Eo his

conversation-

EXT. A}IOTHERPART OF THE CAMP -l4addy is

waiting

as Archer

walks

Archer

dismissed. I21

N]GHT back.

ARCHER How is

he?

MADDY They say he'11 1ive. ARCHER You're on a plane for an hour. (looks aE her) Do me one last favor.

Ghana in half

I.laddy just looks aE him. Archer indicates sEanding guard in front of a large supply Go te11

that

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) guard you wanL t,o put

F::,:i:'*:;":l:.:"ver

of soldier of

MADDY You're going in. (Archer nods) You and SolomonArcher

nods agaj.n.

a young IiIERCENARY tent.

She shakes her head. M A D D Y( C O N T ' D )

Now? (anorher nod) You're an idiot.

15. ARCHER Help me or noE? Haddy shakes her head sadly. She turns away, pushing t.he hair out of her face as she approaches the YOUNGMERCENARY. Hi, there. You mind if

MADDY I'laddy Bowen, VaniEy Fair. I ask you a few questions?

YOUNGMERCENARY Depends what they are-I'IADDY Oh, so you're faniliar with devious ways, are you?

our

She flashes a devastating smiIe. And while his back is t.urned, we SEE Archer edge pasE toward the back of Ehe cenE. T2B

INSIDE THE SUPPLYTEMI Archer forages for his pack he stuffs

I2B

whatever he can 1ay his hands on. K-rations, a GpS, first-aid kiL-

lnEo

He desperaEely looks for one more thing. And there ie is. A SAT-phone. He sEuffs ic in. outside, t h e S O U N Do f a p l a n e . T29

EXT. AIRSTRIP --

MOMENTSLATER

A giant. C-130 Hercules

I2g

Eouches down.

THE SWARMOF JOURNAJ,ISTS Aid workers, and refugees surge onEo the t,armac. carrying her bag, Maddy moves against. t.he tide, looking around Solomon appears beside her, subEly caking her arm. SOLOMON Thi.s way. ARCHERis wait.ing behind a Eent, t.he pack already shoulders. She turns E.o Solomon. Good luck

l'lADDY E,o you, Solomon Bo.

Solomon t.akes her hand in both of his. soLol'10N Thank you for all you've

done.

MADDY I h o p e y o u f i n d w h a E ,y o u , r e for. She Eurns co Archer.

They look

looking

aE each ot.her.

on his

-7 6.

Yeah.

ARCHER Thanks.

-*Just

I'{ADDY keeping my end of

A moment of

the

She can be as

silence.

deal.

touqh

as he can.

ARCHER Li s ten- -

No, And they

t"lADDY listen--

you

just

stare

another

each

other.

ARCHER life, maybe.

MADDY Okav...

Sure...

ARCHER Find yourself a good man, Maddy. You deserve to be happy. She considers

him

wishing

she were

less

affected

I'IADDY f have three sisters. A11 married to "good men. " Long as their prescript.ions are fi-11ed t.hey're happy. No rhanks. I prefer my 1ife. (hands him her card) phone, home phone, ce11 phone. Office I'm used to being pursued. but what rhe he1l. He smiles.

It's

a world

ARCHER get on the

You should

He smiles

I'IADDY (CON?'D) phone, by the

So should

MADDY you.

and Eurns

away.

Are

you

Soon as

plane.

I'IADDY (CONT'D) going to call me?

I'm

ARCHER near a phone...

way.

by him.

77MADDY Yeah, right. She Eurns Eoward Ehe plane. 130

130

rN THE BUSH Archer

13]-

They head Ehe opposiEe way.

and Solornon begin

co jog' ].31

BACK AT THE AIRSTRIP Maddy is

Ehe plane

abouE Eo board

when JoosE waylays

her.

,JOOST Where is

he?

MADDY Where is who? ' J o o s E .l o o k s a r o u n d . She cont.inues up Ehe sEeps Eo Ehe p1ane, The wheels begin Eo Eurn in his head. No sign of Archer. L32

I32

ARCHER A}]D SOLOMONTREK puEEing disEance beEween They move guickly, inEo the bush. E h e m s e l v e s a n d E h e E . O . c a m p . A s t h e y r u n , T H E C A M E R Ar i s e s up, higher and higher, unEil their ciny figures have disappeaTed and Ehe PRAMEIS FILLED WITH NOTHING BUT GREEN. We sense of

133

the immensity of

E X T . T H E B U S H- -

Ehe challenge

chag lies

ahead.

LATER

133

Archer and Solomon have stopped Eo catch Eheir breaEh. Archer digs out the SAT-phone, fires iE up and punches in a number. ARCHER (on Ehe phone) ...Fawaz? . -.1 know. No gime now.... That 's right. . . .Two days to geE in, one Eo get ouE.. I'11 cal 1 when we're 'Bye. headed for che sEripRighe... He looks up to see if Solomon has been lisrening. is scaring off inco che jungle.

BUE Solomon

soLoMoN (v. o. ) I am coming. Dear Dia. WiEh every I can feel you sLep I am closer. are nearby. I am coming soon. 134

EXT. A ruNGLE TRAIL

ELSEWHERE

A column of R.U.F. guerrillas walk a jungle SEE by t.he gouges of earth EhaE Ehey are in Dia, looking much older, carries an AK-47.

134 We can Erai1. diamond counEry.

t6.

135

BACK TO ARCHERAND SOLOMON

135

as he stuffs the SAT-phone into his a word, knowing Solomon will follow. 136

He sets

off

without

THEY TRAVEL BY NIGHT On narrow dirt

137

back.

135

roads,

1it

only

by the moon.

HEADLIGHTSAPPROACH Archer R.U.F.

137

and solornon take cover as TRUCKSpass fi11ed wich teenagers, laughing, smoking ganja, music blasting.

Solomon studies each passing face. Almost invoruntarily he rises to his feet -- trying ro get a better 1ook. suddinly he thinks he sees a familiar face -- could it be Dia? He moves closer -- but the truck is moving away. SOLOMON Dia! ! Heads turn suddenly ground.

the passing truck.

solomon is grabbed fron Archer looms over him.

It,s behind

not Dia. and thrown

che

fulLnEl{.

What the

fuck

are you doingl !

SOLOMON GET OFF ME! Meanwhile,

on the road,

the trucks

have slowed.

Suddenlv__

THE BRUSH EXPLODESWITH GUNFIRE Red and Green TRACERSshred the dense foliage around them. BulleEs WHrZ by their heads, RrcocHET off ancient trees. They scramble to their feet and race brindly back into bush. Behind them, the SOTINDof eheir pursuers.

the

soon the brush grows more dense. rn the pitch darkness they are 1iLera1ly fighring their way forward, flailing with both arms to rip holes chrough rhe thick foliage. thelr hands and faces are soon cut and bleedino. 13 8

THEY RUN

].3 B

unt.i1 they can run no further. Archer st,urnbles and falrs. solomon crump-1_esto the ground beside him. As they 1ie there, winded, rhey HEAR VOICES: They can see the GLOWOF CIGARETTESthrough rhe foliage a few yards away as R.U.F. soldiers approach.

only

ON SOLOMONAIVD ARCHER as the soldiers' boots pass wiEhin inches of gheir p1ace. They bury t.heir faces deeper in the mud. 139

hiding

DAYBREAK

139

finds them sti11 hiding. Cautiously, Ehey energe -- sEiff, weE, and miserabfe from a night spenE on the jungle floor. ftl(LrlEx,

( furious ) NexE t.ime you pu1l somet,hing like EhaE I will shoot you rnyself . SOLOMON (equally furious) Shoot me nor^r. IE is what planning anyway.

what

you

are

ARCHER taLking

you

are

about,?

SOLOMON You Ehink I do not know che kind of you buy diamonds man you are? from Ehe same people who took my son.

Archer

ARCHER you.

--Maddy

rold

SOLOMON true?

looks

Ehis at

Yes.

him.

And all diamond Eoo, is

ARCHER true.

SOLOMON you have said... How the will free my family. ?his, a lie. fs it not?

ARCHER don't know. Maybe. (looks at. him) BUE I'm not, Che only one who tells 1ies, am I? I

SOLOMON I

do noc lie.

ARCHER No? you don'E give a fuck finding rhe diarnond. (MORE)

abouc

.JU.

ARCHER(CONT'D) You're ouE here looking for your And you'd cut my hearE out in son. a second if it means a chance to get him back. shocked into

Solomon is

Yes. The cwo men stare

silence.

Archer

right.

SOLOMON true.

ac each other. AKLI1Et(

Long as we understand He sets off

into

the brush,

each oEher.

limping

heavily.

SOLOMON You are hurt. (without I'm f ine.

ARCHER looking

back)

Solomon reaches to take Ehe heavy pack from Archer's shoulder. Archer grabs his hand. They lock eyes for a moment.. SOLOMON You ehink I'm going to steal

it?

Archer turns and walks away. Solomon looks down to see BRIGHT D R O P SO F B L O O Df r o m A r c h e r ' s b o o E s t a i n i n g Ehe grround. 140

LATER - THE UNMISTAKABLESOUNDOF APPROACHINGHELICOPTERS

140

forces them Co take cover. Two E.O. gunships streak past. Are the choppers looking for them, or is it a coincidence? ]41

LATER THAT DAY - THE SUN HAS REACHEDITS ZENTTH

T4T

as they trudge onward. Archer's limp is more pronounced. He tips back his canteen and finds it empEy. Solomon notices. He passes his canteen to Archer, who hesit.ates for a moment, then laughs and puts his mouch to a black man,s canteen. ).42

LATER - THEY TRAVERSEA HIGH RTDGE In t.he distance, we see Ehe receding peaks. Archer begins conversation, as much ouE of boredom as anyUhing else. ,+t1LT!L11

So you're Solomon looks

a farmer...

aE him warily.

Nods.

I42 a

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) What do you grow? SOLOMON . Casava. ARCHER I grew up on a farm. (rernernbering. . . ) Hated every minute of End of conversation. 143

it.

They walk on in

silence.

STILL LATER - DEEP PITS IN THE EARTH

143

Begin to appear as Archer and Solomon climb through landscape. Solomon stares at Ehe diamond mines. It He walks on. 144

Archer

SOLOMON they are eating labors

a hi11y

the earth. Solomon's pace.

to keep up with

ABANDONEDHOUSES

:-44

caved-in and 1ist.ing, line a street where deep piLs have been dug beneath Eheir foundations. rmpoverished SQUATTERS fo11ow them with listless, hungry eyes as they pass. Archer is jiccery Lo be observed. everlruuhere. Blood squishes in his 145

people But in Africa, boot as he walks-

are

BY SUNSET

145

They have been walking

for

twelve

hours.

Archer

ARCHER How much farcher--? SOLOMON One day more. He kneels before

Archer.

S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) Let me see your leg, AP'1JtrP

tt's

f ine

Solomon touches

and Archer

GRUNTSin pain.

ARCHER (COMil D) It's infected. From lying there fucking night. Solomon lifEs

Archer's

pant leg.

all

Exarnines ic.

has to sit.

oz.

Give

me your

SOLO}TON knife. A H (

In the other

H F

boot.

Archer grics his teeth. We cannot Solomon takes the K-Bar. see what Solomon does -- but from tbe expression on Archer's face, we can only imagine. Solomon sEands.

Archer

to buE the pain

overwhelming.

SOLOMON be back.

I will Archer pulls

tries

his

Sig-Sauer

9mmfrom his

beLt.

ARCHER No-Solomon sEarts

walking

You think

away.

COCKSthe weapon-

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) I won't shoot you.

SOLOMON Shoot me, then. And try diamond yourself. (keeps walking) f wilL be back. L46

find

the

LATER THAT NIGHT - A SMALL VILLAGE

146

has been Eaken over by CHILD SOLDIERS. They sit, throwing bullets i n t o a b a r r e l f i r e a n d L A U G H I N Ga s E h e y e x p l o d e . Solomon creeps to the edge of a huE --

peering

aE the faces.

No Dia. Six more teenagers are loading Ehe spoils onto a truck. One of them could be Dia, I47

of Ehe village He isn'E.

HOURSLATER - THE MOONHAS RISEN Archer bush.

I47

awakens to see solomon walking Eoward hirn ouE of He carrj.es a poultice made of leaves and mud.

He kneels

and begi.ns Eo apply

Eo Archer's

Ehe

wound.

SOLOMON I thoughE about not coming back. (1ooks at hinr) f Ealked to my son abouE it. Archer

looks

aE him.

WhaE rhe hell

he ualking

abouE?

R? SOLOMON(CONT'D) f talk to him all the cime. (works on the 1eg) He says f must forgive what you have done in the past. And trust that you will help gec my fanily back. Archer doesn't. know how Eo respond to this

simple

absolution.

Af(\-n.trK

You're Solornon finishes f will He stands

fuckingr crazy. wrapping

the poultice.

SOLOMON go and find us water.

agrain and walks

away.

Archer can't bear feeling powerless. FighEing the pain, he stands and tri-es Eo walk. rt.' s excruciat.ing. sti tr rre continues hobbling -- unEil finarly he sics on the ground. 148

CAPE TOI^JNAIRPORT TERMINAL --

NIGHT

14g

Maddy de-planes with a conEingent of journalists. Like everyone else who geEs off a plane chese days, she t.urns on her ceLl phone to check for messages. There are none. Archer hasn't I49

cal1ed.

DAWNIN THE JUNGLE

L4g

is soft and ful1 of promise. Low crouds hang jusE above the treetops as f i-rsE. light touches the moist greenery. Archer's

face is

at peace as he wakes.

solomon sleeps

nearby.

Archer reaches to scratch his nose and realizes he is covered wich BLACKANTS. scrambling co his knees, he frantica:.ty brushes them off. They are in his ears, inside his shirc. solomon awakens and begins Eo laugh at Archer,s frenzv. ARCHER r HATE FUCKING ANTS! I

SOLOMON Ehink you are feeling

beEter.

And then Solomon realizes thac he, too, is infested. He reaches into his pant.s and begins to hop around. Now iE's Archer's turn to laugh. soon Ehey are bot.h sic:ing on the ground, reason -* except.. of course, as a release befallen them.

L A U G H T N Gf o r n o from arl thaE has

150

THE ENDLESS HILLS glow from

150

pink in the dawn as t.hey wa1k. Ehe brush and bound majestically

...You

Me?

anterope

burst,

SOLOMON how o1d?

are

ARCHER One.

ThirEy.

And you

A herd away.

have

SOLOMON no wife? ARCHER

No. SOLOMON No children? ARCHER

r,^ l\u. Solomon

shakes

his

head.

That

a momenc, Archer

can,t

resisE.

ARCHER (COIUT'D)

.-whaE?

Truly, I people.

After

SOLOHON do not. undersEand

makes

whice

ARCHER two of us.

AS THEY CREST A HILL Solomon suddenly sLops. He looks around. Then he fa11s Eo his knees. Archer climbs Eo where he is and looks around-A I4ASS GRAVE has been fashioned piled high -- men,

from an abandoned women, children.

diamond None of

piE. BODTES Lnem soldiers.

ARCHER (CONT'D) Animals. SOLOMON No animal would ever do such IE makes no sense. Solomon forces himself to t.hac his son is not. anong

a thinq.

walk among Ehe corpses, praying then. teirs stream down his cheeks.

SOLOMON(CONT'D) My people value life. The t'tende find ic hard even to Eake the life of a chicken. God gives l j.fe; only he rnay Lake it back. (a strangled cry) How can they do Ehis? Archer

has no answer.

Just

looks

at him.

SOLOMON(CONT'D) (numblY) Why is Ehere so much evil here? What is wrong with us? 1 5 1 - H O U R SL A T E R Archer

151

uses a tree

branch as a cane.

ARCHER (feeling his forehead) I've stopped sweaEing. We've got Eo find water. SOLOMON Then we must move faster. Archer nods and pushes himself L52

pasE Ehe pain

in his

Ieg.

HOURSLATER - THE ST'N IS SCORCHINGAT }{ID-DAY

]-52

Archer stumbles. Solomon offers a hand to lift him to his feet. Archer ignores it. Ahead is a CLEARING,and in it: A BULL ELEPHA}TT stands tal1 and menacing. Beside him, on the ground, male -- grievously wounded and BELLOWINGpiteously. For a moment, Archer Back away.

and Solomon are

too stunned

his

speak.

ARCHER And watch where you step.

Solomon freezes. SOLOMON Is

iE--

A ninefieLd.

ARCHER Yes.

They scare at Ehe MAGNTFICENTCREATUREwho refuses to his fa11en mate. 51ow1y they retrace their st.eps.

leave

No sooner have they turned Eheir backs Chan AII EXPLOSION shakes the ground and A FLOCK OF BIRDS rises over the field.

They '

153

know what

means.

Grimly,

t.hey keep

moving.

THE JUNGLE AT NrcHT

153

place at the bese of times with is a freaky strange shapes, shadows, and noises everpvhere. fn their it. feels state, a bad acid trip. like Solomon hears the WHISPEREDVOICE of his son. He carries on an imagined conversat.ion.

....Why? the upper

SOLOMON The cows will past.ure. ..

do fine

ARCHER Hey. . . SOLOMON (in a kind of trance) -- Yes. And next year we will coffee- -

plant

ARCHER HEY ! (Solomon is startled) You're hallucinatinq.

No. .

I54

HOURS LATER -

SOLOMON am not.

ARCHER

154

Archer is half-asleep as Ehey trudge chrough deep jungle. He stops suddenly. A SNAKE hangs menacingly from a t.ree. Do you

see

ARCHER that? SOLOMON

What? ARCHER The...snake. SOLOMON No.

ARCHER Good. Archer

now sees ehat it

only

a t.ree branch.

THEY WALK ON FOR A MOMENT This

Cime it

Sol,omon who sEops short..

87. SOLOMON Wait. . . (listening) Can you hear it? Archer

listens

hard.

croaking

A weird

sound.

Frogs?

ARCHER Froqs ! ! SOLOMON Y E S! Frogs mean water.

They stumble

forward

themselves onto their

bellies

to discover--

A S]'IALL STREAJVIBED They fling

What if...this

ARCHER water...is

You can wait

SOLOMON for beer.

Good point. 155

Archer drinks

his

and begin

to drink.

bad?

fil1.

THE NEXT MORNING Finds them siEting

155 by the stream.

Archer

studies

his

map.

ARCHER Thrs rnusc be the Meli. f t runs from the North. The Moa runs from the Where the rivers meet is where Easc. the mine is, righc? Solomon says nothing. A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) Righe ? Solomon just

glares

at him.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) You get that diamond, you can hire a Eeam of people to find him. You can buy the whole damn governrnent! (Ieaning in) What are you gonna do, spend the resE of your life searching the bush? Solomon looks I55

aE him.

Yes.

necessary.

HOURSLATER _ THEY FOLLOWTHE STREA}I now grown inEo a broad river.

155

T5'7 HOURSLATER - THEY CLIMB A STEEP RAVINE

T5'7

Archer is sEruggling. a hand to Once again, Sol.omon offers accepts This time, Archer grudgingly help him over a boulder. the hand. The moment is underplayed buE deeply significant. CresEing a hi1l, Solomon looks gorge. A familiar two rivers.

down on Ehe confluence

the

SOLOUON' S POV - THE DIAMONDMINTNG CAI"IP is spread ouE be1ow. HOLES and PITS pock the landscape. Archer joins him at Ehe overlook. That's

it,

ARCHER iE? isn't

Solomon's face is clouded wit.h memory. IE's a place A place he hoped never to see again. nighEmares. A LARGE CONTINGENTOF R.U.F,

from his

TROOPS

Archer can see dozens of is encamped near t.he mines. f ires with trooDs huddled beside t.hem.

tiny

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) Christ.. He kneels

trying

figure

ouE Eheir

next move.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) Okay... He digs

inco his

pack for

Ehe SAT*phone.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) The E.O. would want. to know about a If I call Joost, force this size. he'11 send in an air strike... (the plan unfolds) We use it as a diversion. Below Ehen, TEENAGEREBELS play soccer in a ragged Is Dia arnong them? It is too far away to know. No air

SOLOMON sE.rike.

ARCHER How do we get. in Ehere withouE kind of diversion? SOLOMON No...air...sErike. He isn'!

ARCHER down there.

some

fie1d.

89. SOLOMON How do you know? AJILI

(c o l d l y ) ilm calling iE in. (turns on SAT-phone) They'11 come in at firsu light.. Lor,r. Over Ehat ridge. That's how rnueh Eime you've got.. Solomon turns

and starcs

down the hill.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) HoId up Ehere, boy-- ! Solomon reacEs Eo Archer's

inst.inct.ive

use of

"boy."

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) you get yourself I'm noE letting killed unEiI I have Ehar fuckino sEone. We wait. for dark. A LIST OF CALL NUMBERSis Eaped Eo rhe inside phone's case. Archer punches in a nurnber.

Lhe SAT-

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) (on che SAT-phone) G e E ,m e J o o s t Archer. . . .He'11 know-- Ask if he's interesEed in the location of a major R.U.F. canp. 158

LATER --

THE DIA}4ONDCAUP --

NIGHT

158

is jusE as we remember iE. Muddy and exhaust.ed SLAVE WoRKERS try t.o keep ouE of A DRTVTNGRArN, sguaEt.ing under corrugraged :in roofs while eaEing Eheir tiny poruion of rice gruei. Rebel sordiers -- adults and teenagers alike raEions while Erying to keep warm and dry.

eat. Red cross

ARCHERAND SOLOMON have crawled

forward

t.o the edge of

the camp.

ARCHER I can'c walk in L.here. you scay in

TIl:T:::."ifl::":"*"';:i"':::LI"" jl"oEBIl*erer.

rhe air sErike happens

(racks the sli-de of his Sig-Sauer) You do exacaly as I say. And don't you miscake me for your friend. fuck with me and I,ll surely kiII YOu.

90. A SENTRY huddles miserably

in the rain.

Archer SPRINGS out of the shadows and choke-holds him -then drags him back into the bushes where Solomon is hiding. Archer t.akes his weapon - an H&K assault rifle, Solomon stands up and walks into Che camp as inconspicuously as possible. Archer watches under cover of the brush as: 15 9

SOLOMON

t_5 9

insinuaEes himself among the miserable workers, moving hut to hut -- trying !o see if Dia is among them. He isn't.

Solomon moves deeper into

from

the vi11age.

AT(L11Er(

curses as Solomon walks out of his 1 60

line

sight..

IN THE CA}IP Solomon is

15 O

about, to give

H E . S E E SD I 4 .

up hope, when--

Solomon blinks

back his

disbelief.

D i a ' s w i r h T W O O L D E RR E B E L S , w h o a r e w a t c h i n g h i m r . a k e a h i t from a big spliff, laughing as he chokes on the smoke. Solomon Eries 1 61

Dia to Eurn in his

direction.

ARCHER Scuttles

I52

to will

1 51 Ehrough the bush --

trying

Eo get

a line

sight.

EXT. TWO SENTRIES

162

appear nearby -- carrying food for the sentry Archer has killed. Unable t,o f ind him, rhey begin to CALL out for him. 163

IN THE CAI{P

153

Dia and the other the shadows -

soldiers

separat.e.

SOLOMON (whispering) Dia- Dia turns

Solomon takes

uncomprehending. his

arm.

Solomon moves out

from

91. DIA (suddenly fearful) NO! Dia.

iE's

SOLOMON m e!

Three months of horror, of depravaEion, of lrauma, of unspeakable acts have Eaken rooE in Ehe soul of Ehis young boy. His face conEorts in struggle. Then-lJI1{

GET AWAY FROM ME! ( screaming ) FARMER! TRAITOR! He tries soldiers 164

Lo break free of Solomon's grasp. A few oEher H E A Rh i m c r y o u t . They E,urn Eo look.

ARCHER

164

hears iE as we11. He steps to see what is happening. 165

GET AWAY!

fron

his

hiding

place

tryi.ng

AN R.U.F. SOLDIER

155

sees Solomon holding Dia by Ehe arm. He HITS HIM IN THE B A C Kw i E h h i s r i f l e buEE. Sofomon crumples Eo the ground. 165

ARCHER

155

aims Ehe assault rif1e, buc the GUARDShave picked up Solomon and -- at sixty yards, aE night, in the driving rain -there's no way Archer can get off a clean shotThen-The SOUNDof a SLIDE being is placed against Archer's I5'7

EXT. THE REBEL CAMP --

racked. head.

The barrel

NEXT MORNING

167

Solomon's arms have been TIED behind his back -looped over a tree branch and re-Eied. He looks DIA. standing with several guards. His face is withdrawn. He turns away from Solomon,s gaze, A S H O V E Li s

thrown at

an AK-A7

the rope up Eo see-hard and

Solomon,s feet.

VOICE I knew you would come back. Solomon looks up into the disfigured face of A bruEal scar only adds Eo Ehe malice in his

CAPTAIN POISON. eyes.

Poison motions to the dozens of HoLES Ehat pock the landscape gianE scars of diamond fields thaE have been mined out.

POISON See how I have dug. I have found nothing. (co solomon) You will digr again for me. you will dig up what you have come back for. SOLOMON No. POISON No? Do you think the white rescue you? He turns Solomon's head violently

man will

to the left,

where:

r|I{L.'IE}{

Has been made to kneeL, arms ti.ed behind his back, head to the ground, wich a gun held to the back of his sku11. POISON (COIJT'D) This white man is the cause of your suffering. This white man, his masters abroad -- and his black puppets in t.he government. Poison whips out a dog-eared manifesto

from his

army jacket.

POISON (COM| D) Foday Sankoh say -- resisE and overthrow t.hose who would exploit. you! Shed their blood. He slaps

Solomon's head with

Ehe book.

POISON (CON"'D) Maybe some more digging will you learn this lesson. The rope holding solomon is cuL. is prodded to his feec by several

help

He fa1ls to the ground and soLDrERs holding Ak-47's.

Solomon looks down at the shovel. But doesn,t move. surrepEitious]y Archer glances at his watch. rc is 5:59. pick

Why? With a sigh,

PO]SON (CONT'D) it

uD.

SOLOMON you are going to ki11

poison whispers in

me any*ay.

Solomon's ear:

93. POTSON I do not need to ki1l you, Solomon Vandy. Because now you have a natne. And a family. If you do not give me rhi

il;;

d'i =nanA

;;

;";;;"

He goes t,o Dia and puts

will

f ind

this

round your son. his

fanily

arm around him.

P O T S O N( C O N T ' D ) f will rape your wife in front you, then slit her t,hroat. (smiles ) And I will keep your daughters mysel f.

of for

It is Ehe first t.ime we bave seen the liqht go out of SoLomon's eyes in part because of poiion,i words, buc mostly because of Dia's look of indifference. P O T S O N( C O N T ' D ) You think I am a devil. BuE only because I have lived in hell. I want to geE out. You will help me. Curiously enough, first we met him.

Ehese words could He watehes as:

have been Archer,s

when

Solomon takes the shovel. Ar1 his hopes and dreams end here. He is musr dig the earth one 1ast, timL uo save his family. He looks out at the jungle. Nothing trees SWIRLING. .making him dizzy. f don't

familiar

the

SOLOMON remernber...

Archer, head to the ground, another peek at his watch. .i F r ! l r rnA "'i u ! s ,

looks

^-o91to* vr y\.,ur

watches solomon crosely. Sneaks 0500 hours. No air st.iike. family

will

die!

As if sleep-walking; Solomon begins to walk toward Lhe pits. Poison and severar armed rebels folrow close behind. 168

T H E F I R S T R O C K E TE X P L O D E S

158

in t.he middle of the carnp *- sending a corrugated high. Everyone is knocked to the giound. An E.O. HELICOPTERGUNSHIP sTreaks by overhead, RocKET hits a Eruck -- inst.antry turning iu into

hut

sky

THE SEcoND a firebalr.

THE GTINSHIP'S GATLING GUNS fire.

800 ROUNDSpER sEcoND chew up everything

iE.s path.

94. ARCHER'S GUARD is almosE cut in half by the devastaEing firepower. r o 1 l s b e h i n d a t r e e - - C H U N K SF L Y f r o m i L s b a s e . SOLOMON,CAPTATNPOTSONAND AN R.U.F.

Archer

GUARD

Solomon hugs have been knocked into a muddy DIAUOND PIT. the ground. the ground as the jet SCREAI{Sover -- st.itching toward Dia -- ignoring ARCHERgets eo his feet and sprints Since his hands are sti1l E h e E X P L O S I O N Sa l l a r o u n d h i m . ineo che back Eied behind his back --he hurEles a BODYCHECK of the SOLDIER guarding the boy. He THROWSHIMSELF on top of uhe boy -- as the gunships make anoEher pass -* KILLING R.U.F. soldiers who Lry Lo escape. 159

EXT. AT THE BOTTOMOF THE DIA},IONDPIT

169

Solomon Eurns over Ehe body of a dead guard and finds A MACHETEin his be1E. CapCain Poison looks up from Lhe muck in his holst.er. and reaches for his 9run -- only it isn't Frantically, he digs in ghe mud. It.'s nowhere to be found. Solornon, meanwhile, geEs Eo his feet, and moves Eoward Poison who francically t.ries to climb out of t.he piE --

The sides are high and sli-ck. The closer Solomon gets, the more frant.ically Poison Eries Co claw his way out. BuE Ehe wa1ls are just too slippery.. . He FALLS back -- sliding down -- aE. lasE finding his gun. He raises ic, but. it's Eoo lace -* Solomon RAfSES THE MACHETE. A11 we can see is the 1ip of che pit, buE we can HEAR Poison's SCREAI{Sas Solomon's powerful arm RISES and FALLS. Solomon's face is cont,orEed -- as E.he rage Ehat has been buried for so long finds iEs expression, He brings the machete down again -- and again witn all his night. Blood spauEering him. Unt,i.1 he st.ops. WiEh disbelief 170

and horror

aE whaE he's

done.

TWO ARMORED VEHICLES appear wiEh .50 caliber machine guns FIRING from Eheir mount.s. Behind them, MERCENARIESwearing Ehe red beret of Ehe E.O. Joost organizes blocking posiCions around the perimeEer of -- cut,Eing down anyone who tries Ehe village E,oescape. It, is

all

over

in a mat,Eer of minuEes.

170

95. 171

171

A SILENCE THE As the SMOKEand DUST clears, hardly a soul is moving, COLONELstrides inEo camp followed by TWO BODYGUARDS. ARCHERsquints

int,o the

sun as Ehe Colonel

looms above him.

THE COLONEL in the location. Thank you for calling A}(Utttrt(

You're

welcome. THE COLONEL you had an ult.erior

fhen again, noEive.

from the S O L O M O Ne n e r g e s -- this terrifying sight kind of monster.

pit, covered in blood. gentle man transformed

He is a into some

THE COLONEL (CONT'D) must be the famous Mr. Vandv. (to Archer) us. Introduce fhis

AKL]:TEt(

Ihi.s is Colonel the diamond.

No more Archer

than

True

nods.

(calls JooSE. '' tJ^ .o. o s t a p p e a r s , D y Ln. :l s^ tr^ar l c n e r ' s

Lt. A mercenar"y

Coetsee.

He wants

THE COLONEL rzou.

enouqh. THE COLONEL (CONT'D) ouc)

holding a 9mm to appearance.

Dia's

head.

THE COLONEL (CONT'D) (ca11s out.) Gans.

LIEUTENANT appears.

THE COLONEL (COMT'D) You will organize the wirhdrawal. We move out in thirty minutes. (turns to SoLomon) LeE's take a walk, shall we? The Colonel's

two bodyguards

follow.

Dia

shocked

96. L72

MOMEMIS LATER - ARCHER AND SOLOMON

T12

by the Colonel's are led at gunpoinE inEo the diamond fields BODYGUARDS.The Colonel and Joost follow behind with Dia. JOOST How much fart,her? Solomon doesn'c

answer.

They pass one pie

afEer

another.

by one of t,he Colonef's A SAT-phone RINGS in the pack carried The guard answers it and hands i.t to The Colonel. bodyguards. ?HE COLONEL (on che SAT-phone) ....No ...No transport, for

ffi:i'ffi:i';;; i;'?ff:ifi: .:T::: He hands E,he phone back t,o Ehe bodyguard. I73

HAI,F A MILE ON _ IN A GROVEBY THE RIVERSIDE Solomon sEops.

The oEhers react,,

T73

expectant.

Looming out of the thick growt.h is THE RUBBERTREE. Vines definitely have covered iEs base, but it's Ehe same tree. Solomon measures Ehe distance.

Takes another

few steps.

He is about Eo raise Ehe shovel. Then sEops dead, Ehe rnuscles Tnches from his fooE, unmist.akable -of his arm tensing. i s t h e T R I G G E Ro f a l a n d m i n e - - p a r E i a l l y covered by vines. Solomon glances back to Joost, He doesn't see it,

who stands

Solomon looks back at Ehe urigger curns in Archer's direcEion...

yards

several

an idea

forming-

away. He

SOLOMON (looking around) An elephant. graveyard. What?

JOOST Keep digging.

Archer knows Solomon is Solomon carefully into the earE,h. He sinks

Erying

him someEhing --

in code.

Eakes a st.ep sideways. Sinks Ehe shovel in one piece. Swa11ows. He's sti1l

Ehe shovel

in again.

The Col oneL watches , intent.ly.

And again.

Digging.

91Solomon throws uhe shovel aside. Gecs down on his knees, digging with his hands now. Faster. Scooping out dirc and Uncil there is nothing left rocks and sand. to scrape oue. He stares

int.o Che empty hole,

confounded...

He looks to Joost, then Archer, then back into the ho1e. Grabs the shovel again, starts digging Ehe hole larger, wider. Ic

SOLOMON is noc here it

not here!

THE COLONEL What do you mean? SOLOMON This is where I buri.ed ehe st.one. In this pIace. But it is not here! (beside himself) Someone has taken ic ! Come see for yoursel f 3 The Colonel motions Joosc over co Sofomon. by che Colonel's side. As the mercenary ventures SoLomon glances reads the look.

leaves

Dia

over

at Archer, his eyes convey someching. Archer Out of the corner of his eye, he sees:

The TRIGGER- IE lies Solomon Eries comes closer.

Joost

between Solomon's hole and Joost.

desperaEely not Closer.

to look

Che Erigger

as JoosE

JOOSE'S bOOEHITS ThE TRIC.GER. CLICK. A MiIIiSCCONd Of realizaE.ion on t.he stunned mercenary's face before-T H E E X P L O S I O Nb l o w s h i m E o b i E s . Solomon is Dia is

already

thrown

DIVING behind

a Eree scump as--

t.he ground.

Archer seizes the momenE -- sending an OPEN-HANDSTRIKE Eo Ehe throat of his would-be executioner, Ehen grabbing Ehe AK4J , and shooting him before ripping the gun out of his hands. ARCHER STAY DOWN! SOLOMON remains

flat,tened

behind

the

Eree sEump, head down.

Archer sprays GUNFIRE aE the mercenaries -- hiEting the Colonel and the guards. He e>cpends the entire c1ip. And no one is

lefE

standinq

98. He looks back aE the rebel canp -- knowing mercenaries have heard che GUNFIRE. go !

Let's

that

other

ARCHER (CO}M'D)

S o l - o m o ng e t s u p , o r i e n t s h i m s e l f a n d b e g i n s Spears the shoveL into the earEh. Digs.

to count

steps.

ARCHER (COIVI'D) (admiringly) You lying bastard... Solomon throws

Ehe shovel

down.

THEREfN THE HOLE -- peeking out of the dirc is green cuff of a pantleg. Sol0mon digs it out with

rhe rorn his hands.

FAR OFF VOICES can be heard --

coming their

way.

Armed E.O. mercenaries.

Archer rams a fresh clip into che nrachine gun, and reaches i-nto the dead bodyguard's pack for his SAT-phone. But as he looks up, he sees ULA

holdingr The Colonel's

9mn.

Aimed ac him.

SOLOMON Dia__ Dia's

eyes flicker Dia,

Dia looks into

from Archer

to solomon and t.hen back.

S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) look ac me. Solomon,s eyes.

S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) (in Mende) You are Dia Vandy. Of the proud Mende. Your mother loves you -- and she waits by the fire making plaintains and red palm scew with your sister, N'yanda, and the new baby. (moves closer) The cows wait for you. And Babu Ehe wild dog who minds no one but you. (moves cl_oser sEill) And f am your faEher who loves you. go home with me, and be And you will my son. He walks right up to him, arms around him-

ignoring

the gun,

and wraps his

99. Dia goes limp, allows himself

the gun hangs loosely to be he1d.

aE his

side

as he

BEHIND THEM, THE JUNGLE ERUPTSWITI] .GUNFIRE Solomon Ehrows Dia to Lhe ground.

Archer

eakes cover,

FOUR MERCENARIESARE ADVANCING --

across

the river

firing

Archer

R E T U R N SF I R E , h i t c i n g

as Ehey come. two,

The others

the ground.

hit

ARCHER MOVE, MOVE. MOVE!! ! He SHOVESSolomon and Dia t.o their ANOTHERSPRAY OP GUNFIRE pins

f eeE.

Chem down.

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) When I sCart firing. You g! (scands up) ....NOW! He lays down COVERINGFIRE -- as Solornon and Dia head for the brush. Archer wait.s unEil they are safe, then-IE's

his

Ic's

only

turn

to make a run.

Ehirty

He takes off.

yards or so, buE they seern an ecernity.

He is

almost

inEo the brush when--

He is

HIT in

Ehe baqk.

He grunEs and doubLes over. A R C H E R( C O N T ' D )

Fuck ! He fights the shock and Ehe pain -and stumbles into the dense cover. I'I4

adrenaline

kicking

UP AHEAD - IN THE BUSH He finds Solomon waiEing. has been wounded.

I'7 4 Solornon has no notion

SOLOMON How far? ARCHER (Ehrough gritted teech) Ihere's...a strip...on a ridge... fifteen kilomeEers, . .souch. Fawaz , . r i 1 1m e e t u s . . . . . G O ! They Cake off

chat direcEion.

EhaC Archer

1n n

175

IN THE JTINGLE-An eerie Archer in his

175

MTNUTESLATER

guLet., broken only

by the calls

leads them -- paying for every step. back is sma11, a]mosc unnoticeable.

He stops and pulLs

birds.

The entry

wound

Dials.

the SAT-phone.

out

exotic

ARCHER (on Lhe SAT-phone) ..Where are you? We're tweLve Two hours at most... clicks out...... F A W A Z( O . S . ) --You have it? ARCHER (on che SAT-phone) ...Roger that. F A W A Z( O .S . ) Don't know Carrying a lot of fuel. if I can handle three more onboard. Archer

looks

up ahead to where Solomon and Dia are waiEing.

ARCHER (on the SAT-phone) f'11 get it sorted. He punches the button L76

and starts

off

again.

THREE KILOMETERSLATER SoLomon is arm pit -Archer

I15

STARING at the bloody the stain spreading.

sees him see it.

exit

wound below Archer's

Looks at him.

SOLOMON You must s i. t . f|J(LrlE|(

just

Yeah, let's He starts L11

have tea.

moving again.

THREE KILOMETERS LATER Archer has to stop. rnouth. Looks at his

His breathi.ng is hand. No blood. AJILn-trt(

Missed. . . the lung. . .but it 's sLi11....colLapsed. Could... be. . . .worse. . . .f guess.

L11 Labored.

He wipes his

J.UJ..

SOLOMON not They will

ResE now. looks

Archer

As if

around.

find

sensing

us.

Eheir

pursuiE'

ARCHER good. They're (scruggles to his feeE ) LeE's go... iJe wills 1?8

himself

onward. 178

THREE MORE KILOMETERS have says

t.oIl. taken their Eo Dia something

carry

We will

Archer is Mende.

scunrlcling

now.

Solomon

SOLOMON you. ARCHER

No. SOLOMON Yes. They each take Yoked Eogether, I'79

one of Archer's they st.ruggle

arms on.

over

their

shoulders.

I19

TWO KILOMETERS MORE And Ehey have E.akes ouE the

reached the base of a rocky and sees-binoculars

BINOCULAR POV --

ridge.

Archer

OFF IN THE DISTANCE

T W O E . O . A R I " I O R E DV E H I C L E S c h u r n u p d u s t a s E h e y a p p r o a c h . Behind them come a squad of inf anE.ry on f ooE. IN

THE SKY ABOVE

The Cessna appears,

circling.

THE RIDGE ABOVE THEM IS

VERY STEEP

way. with dense brush blocking their In order sE.rip, they will have Co climb iU. the landing It. would be difficult carry anot.her man --h i s shoufder over

Eo make ic

enough Eo climb on one's own, but Eo as Solomon Eries as he hoisEs Archer is beyond imagining. ARCHER

t.o

1n) SOLOMON No-One step.

Another

sLep. And then another.

Solomon's st.rengLh is tremendous. over hand. Rock by rock.

They make progress.

Hand

solornon's face conEorts with the ef fort. His legs trernble but still he keeps going. The top of the ravine appears, far away, but t.antalizingly in sight. For a moment we might even believe they will make it Lhen Solornon loses his footing. He st.umbles. Archer is slammed to the ground, reaehes to pick him up again.

grunting

pain.

but

Solomon

ARCHER STOPI DAI'TN.T!. Archer's shirt-fronE gasping for breath. No.

i s S O A K E Di n B L O O D . H e i s p a l e a n d Solomon goes to pick him up again.

ARCHER (COI,IT'D) LeE me...see it... SOLOMON

Mr. Archer*ARCHER You. . . .want it a1l. . . for solomon shakes his he realizes Archer He hands Archer

head, smiles is noE going

yourself _

ruefu11y. This to make it.

the wrapped st.one.

Even wrapped in-a dirty cloth, like sonething from the Gods.

Archer takes

peels

is it

the breath

the momenc open. away --

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) ft's He holds

real. . .

up to bhe warm afternoon

light..

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) So. . . .beautifu1. Archer looks up to see solomon sbaring back in the c1oEh. A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) Take it.

at hirn.

He wraps it

1 0 3. SOLOMON I thougrht you would steal me, It

from

ARCHER Lo me.

occurred

Solomon smiles. SOLOMON To me, as well. 180

1BO UP ABOVE The plane 181

touches

down. 181

D O W NB E L O W The Armored Cars are getting

182

closer.

ARCHER

TB2

Looks over Dia.

Solomon --

who has his

arm protectively

around

IN THE BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOONLIGHT The boy looks

the same innocent

he once was.

child

ARCHER Take. . . . .your. . . .boy. . . .home. Solomon looks back at him, He nods. Archer

tears

In deep and simple

nods back.

in his

eyes.

gratitude.

Then-A R C H E R( C O N T ' D )

Help ne... He struggles to pick into his hands.

up the machine gun.

Solomon puts

A R C H E R( C O N T ' D ) Put the strap...over my shoulder. Solomon helps

secure

in p1ace.

.50 CALIBER ROUNDSFROM THE ARMOREDCAR Begin to land -183

short

but getting

closer.

ARCHERFIRES A BURST PROMHIS MACHINE GUN Momentarj.ly stopping

their

progress.

183

J-U{.

ARCHER

co Now.

SOLOMON Goodbye. . . . Danny. Archer's

eyes flicker

for

a moment.. Smiles,

ARCHER Te11 Fawaz if he tries t.o cheat. you, I'11 be waiting for him in He11. Solomon nods once more. Dia meeLs Archer's Solomon leads his ]-84

eyes for

Ehe firsE

time,

Ehen looks

away.

son up the ridge.

ARCHER

18 4

settles himself -- as cornfortably as he is able -- among the He FIRES another burst -rocks. to distracE them from Solomon and Dia as they climb the ridge. 185

DoWNBELoW The attacking

195 mercenaries

scramble for

cover.

We SEE Solomon and Dia run for the plane. whau is said above rhe ROAR OF THE pROp. 187

BACK TO ARCHER

I87

He has taken the sAT-phone from Ehe pack. Maddy's card. He dia1s. 188

We CAI.{NOTHEAR

EXT. CAPE TOI,VN- AN oUTDooR CAFE -Maddy sits

with

a group of

rn his

hand is

INTERCUT

journalists.

188

Her ce11 phone RINGS.

MADDY uaddy Bowen... ARCHER Told you f woul-d ca1l. Maddy is shocked co hear his voice. and walks away from the Lable. MADDY And I'm so glad you did. going to see you? F\

ARCHER

LiEtle

problem there.

She immediately

When am I

gets

| {tl

Whau do you Above

on the

ridge,

MADDY mean--?

Archer

HEARS the

ARCHER Listen...Maddy.. .I want favor. me anocher By now Maddy can hear breaching. Then, the

you..

t.he weakness in SOUND of gunfire MADDY you all

Archer,

are

Listen,

Archer,

MADDY what's going

plane

.to

taking

the his voice, from below.

rigthc?

ARCHER need you to

go to

Guinea.

on--?

ARCHER you just Will shuc up and listen-Got to...meet Solomon aE the UN camp. Found. . .his son. . .but they,re. . .going to need. . .he1p.

You're you? f 'm in And...I

hurt.

MADDY Oh, my God--

where

are

ARCHER a rea11y. . .beautiful place. wish you were here..,

Archer, help- -

oh,

MADDY shit.

Let

me get

. .

you

ftlLLl-t.gJ.(.

Tell

..you take care of Solomon.... his scory f gotta go...

Maddy's eyes are welling

up.

MADDY Archer--ARCHER Goodbye, Maddy... MADDY Archer-The connection

has been 1ost.

Archer

off.

has hung up.

labored

105. 189

ARCHER

189

pushes away the phone and siUs back against a mossy rock, his face in repose. He looks up aE che shafts of sunlight made visible bv the dust and haze. In che quieu, birds flit, insect,s buzz, the leafy branches of trees hundreds of years o1d sway in che breeze. Ic reminds us of how Solornon experienced he found t.he diamond. when first

E,he nat.ural

world

He looks down -- a half-smile o n h i s f a c e a s D R O P SO F H I S B L O O Dm i x w i E h E h e r e d d i r t of Africa. He looks up inEo Che sky -- where THE CESSNAgrows srnaller and smaller as i! flies out of view. 190

A R M E DE . O . M E R C E N A R I E S swarm up Ehe hillside FIRE, buE he doesn't-

190

toward Archer.

We expecE him t,o reEurn

As Ehe firsE soldier reaches his posiuion, we SEE Ehat Archer is dead. He siEs with hj.s back against. t.he mossy rock -eyes closed. At peace aE lasE. 191

E X T . L O N D O N( T O E S T A B L T S H )- -

DAy

191

From pasEoral tranquilicy to t,he chaos of urban 1ife. Solomon sEands Eransfixed by Ehe noise, Ehe Craffic, Ehe crowded sidewalks of t.he City of London. He stands aE a st,reeE. corner, uncomforEable in a suit sizes E.oosrnall and sEif f new leather shoes. Maddy is

Ehere by his Come on.

I92

side.

She gently

touches his

two arm.

MADDY We' re almost. t,here.

THEY REACH THE EMBAI..IKMENT Maddy stops

beside

Just. walk

che Hungerford

I92 fooEbridge.

MADDY t.o t,he middle.

SOLOMON You're not comino? MADDY f 'm noE here. S o 1 o m o nc o l l e c r s h i m s e l f . He has survived hosrile jungle, yet t.his seems as daunEinq. mercenaries and the R.U.F..

1 . 0 1. 193

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BRIDGE Solomon waits.

It,s

Simmons.

SIMMONS Solomon Vandyl

You are solomon nods.

193

A man approaches.

several

paces behind

And you are?

Simmons are

two B.D'GUARD..

SOLOMON

SIMMONS r am Lhe end of your journey. simmons motions for a briefcase. one of the men brinqs forward, unlocks rhe combir.,.tior,, oJJ"J ia. 194

THE IMAGE FREEZES. CLICX Maddy is behind a wa1l,

195

Tg4

taking

pictures

wirh

a telephoco.

EXT. THE BRIDGE - COMIINUOUS

195

SIMMONS You must understand, MisLer Vandy, Ehac your diamond coufd nive enOed up no place else but wlth usSolomon stares

ac the neat

rows of

pOUNDNOTES.

(coN'D)

rr,s ar, Solomon looks

"o,rljYott

from the money, to

Simmons.

rr is nor .":3;f;To* r- assu5e

pounds

is *::: E h a n".rltHStir,rion anyone wilt offei you for chat sEone, under the circurn"iarr""".

r.w?nr,^,nr.i3!o|?l*r""u ro meby Archer.

Mister

SII"DIONS __ ( s w a l l o w i n g i r r i t a c i o n ) ..What was promised to you? SOLOMON M y f a m . il v . your

f ami r"att*ot'

108. SOLOMON They are in a refugee calnp. When get the stone. they are here, you will Simrnons takes

a moment t,o diqest

f wil.l

S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) take the money, too.

Sirnmons sees t.hat Solomon is I"lay t

t.his.

serious.

SIMMONS see what I'm buying?

You will is here.

SOLOMON get Ehe stone once my family

SIMMONS How do I even know you have it? SOLOMON You have my word. He Looks from Simmons, to t.he ot,her men, back Lo Simmons. soLoMoN (co\It,D) Mister Archer told me this business is based on a person's word. And a deal- is made with a handshake. With a cordial 196

INT.

smiLe, he ext,ends his

hand to

SMALL LONDONHOTEL ROOM- EVENING (MUSTC OVER)

Solomon sits on the edge of the BED, waiting. roorn is lit.t.ered with empty boxes of take-out,. I9'7

Simmons.

LATER - TIFPA}IY'S ON BOND ST.

195

The little

(MUSTCOVER)

Igl

solomon st.ares at a DrAI'IONDNECKLACE t.he window. He's never seen a polished stone, let alone forEy in a dazzling set.ting. Now that's He looks

up to

find

I beg your

WOMA}J'SVOICE (ENGLISH ACCENT) what I call bling. an atEractive

E N G L T S Hw o M A N , b l a c k ,

SOLOIV1ON pardon?

BLACK WOMAN . . .You're African. (off his took...) I'm good with accents. She offers

her hand.

30,s.

1nq

Elizabeth

I 198

LATER -

BLACK WOMAN (CO}CT'D) Sweet.

arn Solomon

SOLOMON Vandy. 198

AS THEY WALK ALONG REGENT STREET

BLACK WOMAN(ELTZABETH) --Ehen after unj-versiEy I went to I've to work for Ehe bank. straight always regreEted not having taken Africa more time off to Lravel. especially. It

SOLOMON verv beauciful.

BLACK WOMAN I can only imagine. Te1l me about Sierra Leone... Solomon stops walking.

Suddenly very

SOLOMON How do you know where I

afraid.

come from?

BLACK WOMAN You said-SOLOMON I did not say. (steps toward her) WHO ARE YOU? W}IAT DO YOU WAIVT? No.

BLACK WOT"IAN (backpedaling) Look-cEr Ihey

SOLOMON AWAy FR9M UE! only

BLACK WOMAN want t,o make sure

you have

:ts

Solomon looks around, suddenly frightened, are being observedHe turns and runs off 199

certain now they down the street.

LATER - BACK rN SOLOMON'SHOTEL ROOM (MUSTCOVER) He sics

alone on the bed.

The phone RINGS.

SOLOMON H e l 1o ? His eyes begin

Eo we1l.

He picks

199 it

up.

11n 2OO

INT.

HEATHROWIIITERNATIONAL TERMINAL - DAY

2OO the cusEoms

corning through Solomon watches the travelers gaEe, his eyes rnoving over every face. Maddy is

nearby,

Then..,Ehere

waE.ching from a respectful

Only real-.

Like a vision'

Ehev are'. '

remove'

JASSIE Sola ! Solomon's daughter approaches more She runs to him. Solomon kneels down, scoops her in his arms. tenCaEively. Nearby, Dia sEands awkwardly, something damaged in his S1owly he allows himself Co be drawn int,o his father's Maddy is

crying

as weJl.

The family remains in an embrace as the world Ehem, unaware of the moment's significance. 201

eyes. arms.

moves around

BRIDGE -_ DAY EXT. WATER],OO

2AI

Solomon and Simrnons meet again.

A Bentley

idles

nearby.

SIMMONS You are saEisfied? Solomon nods, starEs

to reach into

pocket.

his

S I M M O N S( C O N T ' D ) Nol here. He climbs 202

inEo the waiting

car.

Solomon warily

foflows. 202

IN THE CAR Simmons Eakes S i m m o n ' s A S S O C I A T Eh a n d s o v e r t h e b r i e f c a s e . panEleg with some distaste, but when he torn-off the dirty, opens ic, his expression changes Eo wonder. SIMMONS Extraordinary. The two associates

stare

the stone in disbelief.

S I M M O N S( C O } I I ' D ) May I drop you somewhere. Mr. Vandy? No.

SOLOMON Thank you.

Solomon opens the door,

uses a phrase

we have heard before.

111. S O L O M O N( C O N T ' D ) Always a pleasure doing business. 203

T- LATER (MUSIC OVER) FOUR STORIES UNDERGROUND

203

The thick STEEL DOORof the VAULT hisses open. The DIAMOND, now locked in a glass box, is wheeled in on a cart, Security calneras foLlow it.. The box is placed in its own STEEL DRAWER, amid a wall of sEeel drawers 2A4

INT. A S}4ALL OFFICE -. Maddy tl4)es

205

SAIUE (MUSIC CONT)

204

away on a laptop.

EXT. FRONT OF DTC BUILDING - LONDON- DAY (MUSIC CONT) As De Wente steps out of a shiny TV CAMERASand REPORTERS.

LIMO, he is

205

met by several

REPORTER Mister De Wente! Cary Wright, CNN. Could you comment on allegations that your company buys blood diamonds from Sierra Leone? BODYGUAF-DS insist

the reporters

keep their

distance.

DE WENTE f 'm not going !o comrnenL on some sensationalisU magazine art,icle. De Went,e fnternational is as concerned as anyone about diamonds from t,hese regions reaching Ehe marketplace. 206

I}ilT. TIN HEARING ROOM Superimpose:

205

UN Sl:bcom4rittee. on Intefnat.ional

Trade,

2002

AIVIBASSADOR WALKER --this situation is accountable for unspeakable Cragedy. . . (scans the room) ...The natural. resources of a nat.ion are the sovereign property of its people... THE FACES OF REPRESENTATIVES,Ehoughtful

and skeptical

TO MADDY'S FACE as she siE,s among the reporters. wash over her. AI"IBASSADOR WALKER (V. O. ) ...They are not ours to sEeal, or take by force, or exploit in the name of our comfort., our corporations, or our consumerism.

alike

The words (CONT'D)

J.72. 2O'I '

INT.

OUTSIDE THE UN CHAMBERS- SAME

sits SOLOMON

207

on a marble bench wearing

his

new suit.

AMBASSADOR WAIKER (V.O. ) The Third World is not a world apart and the witness you will hear today speaks on its behalf. In Solomon's fap is a copy of Vanity l4addy's story on the diamond trade.

Fair.

It. is

open to

workers in a diamond mine; On a facing page are PHOTOGRAPHS: Solomon at the refugee camp; child soldiers cluuching weapons,. An4.g p_icture pf Arc4er. A LIN PAGE opens the They're Solomon closes

Vibrant,

inEense,

haunted.

DOOR.

UN PAGE ready for you, sir.

the magazine.

Stands.

And heads in.

A-},IBASSADOR WALKER (V.O. ) Let us hear the voice of that world, J.et us J.earn from that voice, and let us ignore it no more.

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