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Cool Hand Luke (1967)

by Donn Pearce and Frank Pierson.
Based on the novel by Donn Pearce.
Shooting draft.

More info about this movie on IMDb.com


FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY


FADE IN:

EXT. SOUTHERN CITY STREET EXTREME CLOSEUP PARKING METER 
(NIGHT)

Its irritating head opens a glaring red eye: the red flag 
pops across the entire screen:

							VIOLATION

INSERT: PARKING METER SUPPORT (NIGHT)

CLOSEUP of a pipe cutter attached to the meter neck, metal 
slivers curling out. From o.s. we HEAR -- LUCAS JACKSON 
cheerfully humming and mumbling Auld Lang Syne and then:

		LUKE
	Okay, Mister General, you son of a 
	bitch. Sir. Think you can put things 
	right with a piece of tin with a 
	ribbon hangin' on it? Gonna put you 
	right.

CLOSEUP PARKING METER (NIGHT)

as the meter head falls out of FRAME.

NEW ANGLE ON METER (NIGHT)

as it falls to the ground amidst a forest of meter stands 
and Luke's hand comes into the FRAME to pick it up and we 
SEE him in CLOSEUP for the first time. He is cheerful, drunk, 
wearing a faded GI Field jacket. A bottle opener hangs on a 
silver chain around his neck. He addresses the next meter.

		LUKE
	All right. Helen, honey. I lost my 
	head over you. Now its your turn.

Suddenly the beam of headlights crashes in, FLARING the 
SCREEN.

ANGLE ON PROWL CAR (NIGHT)

sliding up to us, headlights glaring, red toplight revolving 
menacingly. TWO OFFICERS, black shapes, get out and start 
warily toward Luke.

ON LUKE (NIGHT)

illuminated by the headlights. He grins as the Officers 
approach, lifts a bottle of beer, opens it and drinks, 
smiling. On his smile, FREEZE FRAME. ON THE FRAME SUPER-IMPOSE 
MAIN TITLE and as it FADES

							DISSOLVE TO:

OMITTED

EXT. CLOSEUP A YOYO BLADE IN THE SUN

It swings with a pendulum motion, its shining blade topping 
a clump of grass and weeds; it swings on the backstroke, 
lopping more grass, then moves a little away from CAMERA. 
FROM CAMERA RIGHT, a pair of feet move INTO the FRAME, the 
feet of the man swinging the yoyo. They are booted and 
connected by chains, riveted around the ankles. The feet 
move further INTO the FRAME and the SHOT WIDENS. We are on:

EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD (DAY)

and we see the work gang in uniforms (14 men) flailing away 
with yoyos, short-handled scythes in the hot sun, guarded by 
three men. Three of the workers wear chains (Gambler, 
Dynamite, Sailor). The scene is bleached and hot; the men 
sweating and dirty in prison shirts and pants. The light 
shifts during the following:

A MONTAGE OF A FULL DAY - SUPERIMPOSE TITLES AS APPROPRIATE 
OVER FOLLOWING

ANGLE ON RABBIT

He is a trustee. He walks up INTO CAMERA and sets up sign: 
SLOW DOWN -- MEN AT WORK

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE (9:00 A.M.)

He is a giant, covered with sweat and dust. He starts to 
pull off his shirt.

		DRAGLINE
	Takin' it off here, Boss!

		BOSS KEAN
	Yeah, take it off, Dragline!

ANGLE BOSS KEAN (11:00 A.M.)

pulling out watch, looking at the sun.

ANGLE THE BULL GANG

flailing away, most of them naked to the waist.

ANGLE KOKO

He is sweating streams.

		KOKO
	Wipin' it off here, Boss!

		BOSS SHORTY
	Okay, wipe it off there, Koko.

Koko takes out a limp handkerchief and mops his face.

ANGLE ON GAMBLER (A CHAINMAN) (NOON)

his yoyo flashing like a sword. He pauses, panting.

		GAMBLER
	Drinkin' it up here, Boss!

ANGLE BOSS KEAN

		BOSS KEAN
	Awright, drink it up, Gambler. Water 
	'em, Rabbit.

NEW ANGLE GAMBLER AND GANG

as Gambler takes a drink from a tin cup, passed by Rabbit.

FULL SHOT THE GANG (2:00 P.M.)

working away like a machine.

ANGLE PAST BOSS GODFREY TO BOSS SHORTY

Godfrey is the Walking Boss, silent, implacable symbol of 
ultimate judgement. He wears a black hat, globular mirrored 
sunglasses -- the Man With No Eyes, impassive, emotionless. 
He nods to Boss Shorty.

		BOSS SHORTY
	Awright, smoke it up!

FULL SHOT THE GANG

In unison they chant:

		THE GANG
	Yeah, Boss.

ANGLE SOCIETY RED AND BLIND DICK 4:00 P.M.

Society is checking his yoyo edge with a file, covertly 
watching a passing car. Blind Dick sneaks a look, then ducks.

ANGLE BOSS KEAN

		BOSS KEAN
	You eyeballin' there, Society?

SOCIETY RED

		SOCIETY RED
	Checkin' my yoyo, Boss!

KOKO (5:00 P.M.)

He sees something o.s. He speaks, as they all do outside, 
like a ventriloquist, not moving the lips, and in a stage 
whisper, to Dragline.

		KOKO
	Drag... Drag... Newmeat Bus! We got 
	us Newmeat tonight!

ANGLE ON GAMBLER AND DRAGLINE

They look up covertly.

P.O.V. ANGLE ON ROAD

The Newmeat Bus, a prison vehicle, a panel truck with meshed 
windows; and men in it, appears down the road approaching 
the gang. It slows as it passes them and the men covertly 
look at it.

KOKO AND GAMBLER

		KOKO
		(whispering)
	A bunch. Must be halfa dozen Newmeat.

		GAMBLER
	No more than five. For a cold drink.

		KOKO
		(whispering)
	Bet! Babalugats, bet here!

ANGLE BABALUGATS

He is the idiot of the gang. He grins foolishly, making the 
bet official.

NEWMEAT BUS

as it passes, picking up speed, PAN INTO:

CLOSE SHOT GODFREY

looking at the Newmeat Bus.

EXT. CLOSEUP THE EYES OF GODFREY

His sunglasses FILL THE SCREEN, distorting the image of the 
bus as it moves away from us and the last TITLE ROLLS.

								CUT TO:

INT. NEWMEAT BUS

The SCREEN is mostly black, but we see out through the meshed 
rear windows a desolate panorama of gnarled trees and grubby 
landscape, bleak and hopeless.

Now we HEAR outside the barking and baying of bloodhounds, 
not like they're tracking, but just playing as the truck 
turns and stops. The BUS GUARD and DRIVER get out. The back 
of the truck is opened by the guard and through that rectangle 
of bright sunlight, the silhouettes of the Newmeat descend, 
Luke last.

EXT. PRISON CAMP LUKE'S P.O.V. (DAY)

The Scene: in a hollow is a long barracks, white-washed, 
faded gray, one story high. At right is a mess hall and 
laundry. A chain-link fence surrounds the whole compound. 
The corners of the fence are telephone poles with floodlights 
on the tops. These burn all night. Back of the mess hall, 
again outside the fence, are several kennel runs in which 
bloodhounds are now ROARING. A wooden tower with a simple 
board roof stands at two corners of the compound where the 
guards sit when the prisoners are not locked in the barracks. 
A picnic table sits in a grassy area just outside and at one 
side of the gate is a picket fence enclosing a scrubby lawn.

		BOSS PAUL
	Four. Right.

He hands the papers to the CAPTAIN, a small man with a kindly 
face but a firm, set mouth who always carries a golf club. 
In b.g. the bloodhounds are YOWLING:

		BOSS PAUL
	Dogboy, get them dogs shut up!

DOGBOY, a trustee whose leather gloves are always sticking 
out of one back pocket, puts his hand to be licked by the 
dogs who quiet, friendly, like any pets.

		DOGBOY
	They just smell newmeat is all, Boss.

The Captain has been ignoring this, watching the prisoners, 
looking at their records.

EXT. NEWMEAT BUS (DAY)

as the Bosses (BOSS PAUL and BOSS HIGGINS) motion for them, 
the other Newmeat (to be known as TRAMP, ALIBI, and TATTOO) 
stumble into each other and jostle Luke in their eagerness 
to obey orders.

		BOSS PAUL
	You men git lined up here.

The Newmeat jostle into line. They are wearing State Issue 
gray pants and their own Free World shirts. All except Luke 
carry a paper bag or cigar box containing their wordly goods. 
All except Luke look apprehensive, worried. Luke stands with 
languid grace, neither insolent nor hostile, nor fearful. 
The Bus Guard hands Boss Paul a folder that contains records 
as the Captain approaches from his porch.

		CAPTAIN
	What did they bring us today? Gibson. 
	A 507, Manslaughter. Good for a two 
	spot.

		ALIBI
	It was an accident. I've never been 
	in any trouble.

		BOSS PAUL
	You'all call the Captain, Captain.

		CAPTAIN
		(to next man)
	Edgar Potter. A 302 and resisting 
	arrest. One year.

		TRAMP
	I was tryin' to keep outa the rain.

		BOSS PAUL
	Git the wax out'n yore ears. You 
	call the Captain, Captain.

		TRAMP
	Yes, sir.

		BOSS PAUL
	And you call the rest of us Boss, 
	you hear?

		TRAMP
	Yes, Boss.

		CAPTAIN
	This man is gonna make us proud of 
	him, Mr. Hunnicutt.
		(moving on)
	Raymond Pratt.

		TATTOO
	Yes, Captain.

		CAPTAIN
	Breakin', enterin' and assault. Five 
	spot. Hmmm. Able-bodied seaman.

		TATTOO
	That oughta come in handy here, 
	Captain.

		CAPTAIN
	Maybe.
		(turning to Luke)
	Lucas Jackson.

		LUKE
	Here, Captain.

		CAPTAIN
	Maliciously destroyin' municipal 
	property while under the influence. 
	What was that?

		LUKE
	Cuttin' the heads off parkin' meters, 
	Captain.

		CAPTAIN
	Well, we ain't never had one of them. 
	Where'd you think that was gonna get 
	you?

		LUKE
	I guess you could say I wasn't 
	thinkin', Captain.

		CAPTAIN
		(looking at record)
	Says here you done real good in the 
	war: Silver Star, Bronze Star, couple 
	Purple Hearts. Sergeant! Little time 
	in stockades. Come out the same way 
	you went in: Buck Private.

		LUKE
	That's right, Captain. Just passin' 
	the time.

		CAPTAIN
		(staring at him)
	Well, you got yourself some time 
	now. Two years. Hell, that ain't 
	much, we got coupla men here doin' 
	twenty spots. We got one who's got 
	all of it. We got all kinds and you 
	gonna fit in real good. Course in 
	case you git rabbit in your blood 
	and decide to take off fer home, you 
	git a bonus a some time and couple 
	leg chains to keep you slowed down a 
	little -- fer your own good. You'll 
	learn the rules. It's all up to you. 
	I can be a good guy or I can be one 
	mean son-of-a-bitch, it's up to you.

He turns and walks away.

CLOSE SHOT LUKE

His eyes have been wandering during this speech. He sees a 
doleful, lovable bloodhound, nose at the mesh and winks at 
him.

CLOSE SHOT BLOODHOUND

He simply stares dolefully.

INT. BARRACKS (DAY)

Bare, unpainted wood. The windows are barred and covered 
with chain link. The door from the barracks up to the compound 
passes a small area enclosed by a woven metal strap cage. In 
this usually sits the WICKER MAN, whom we generally see as a 
heavy, short shape moving about his own business which is 
making an endless series of rings or jewelry by hammering 
coins with the back of a heavy spoon.

The door to the barracks locks by the tongue of a strap iron 
bar that is thrust through a hole in the wicker where the 
Wicker Man locks it by padlock. Thus he can always see them, 
but they can't reach him. The single big room is filled with 
two and even three-tiered bunks. Bare bulbs hang from the 
ceiling.

CARR, the floorwalker, a 240 pound behemoth, is indoctrinating 
the Newmeat while they change into camp clothing: gray twill 
trousers, shirt and jacket, all numbered, which has been 
piled on the table. Carr squeegees up and down, a restless 
man, and CAMERA in following him SHOWS us the room. At the 
same time, the Wicker Man is moving about the barracks, 
tapping the floors and bunk posts with a broom handle for 
signs of tampering. Carr pays no attention to him, addressing 
the Newmeat.

		CARR
	Them clothes has got laundry numbers 
	on 'em. You remember your number and 
	always wear the ones that has your 
	number. Any man forgets his number 
	spends a night in the box.
		(passing out spoons)
	This yere spoon you keep with you 
	and any man loses his spoon spends a 
	night in the box. There is no playing 
	grabass or fighting in the building. 
	You got a grudge against another man 
	you can fight him Saturday afternoon. 
	Any man playing grabass or fighting 
	in the building spends a night in 
	the box. First bell is at five minutes 
	of eight when you will get in your 
	bunk and last bell is at eight...

O.S. now are heard the SOUNDS of trucks arriving and the 
Wicker Man goes back to the wicker.

		CARR
		(continuing)
	Any man not in his bunk at eight 
	will spend a night in the box. There 
	is no smoking in prone position in 
	bed. To smoke you must have both 
	legs over the side of your bunk. 
	Anyone caught smoking in prone 
	position will spend a night in the 
	box. You get two sheets. Every 
	Saturday you put the clean sheet on 
	the top, the top sheet on the bottom 
	and the bottom sheet you turn in to 
	the Laundry Boy. Any man who turns 
	in the wrong sheet spends a night in 
	the box. No one will sit on the bunks 
	with dirty pants on. Any man sitting 
	on a bunk with dirty pants will spend 
	a night in the box. Any man who don't 
	bring back his empty pop bottles 
	spends a night in the box.

O.S. now are the SOUNDS of men counting off, filling the air 
with the apprehension of impending arrival.

		CARR
		(continuing)
	Any man loudtalking spends a night 
	in the box. You got questions you 
	come to me.
		(attentive now)
	I'm Carr, the floorwalker. I'm 
	responsible for order in here and 
	any man that don't keep order...

Luke mouths the next line with him. At the same time, we 
HEAR the clanking of the Wicker Man's doors opening and the 
thudding of many steps.

		CARR
	...spends a night in the box.
		(to Luke, sincerely)
	I hope you ain't gonna be a hardcase.

NEW ANGLE

As Luke shrugs the chute bursts open and the Bull Gang rushes 
in, men trying to get hands clean, urinate and get back out 
into the chowline. Sudden LOUD CHAOS. The Newmeat are seated 
on the bench, bewildered, except Luke who grins. Koko spies 
the Newmeat and is unhappy that there are only four.

		GAMBLER
		(to Koko)
	Four. You owe me a drink.

		DRAGLINE
		(pushing both aside)
	Get outa mah way you don't want a 
	wet pocket!

		SOCIETY RED
		(passing the Newmeat)
	Gentlemen, welcome to the Family.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Any of you guys from Connecticut?

		CARR
	Awright, let's move it along!

NEW ANGLE

as the flow of bodies reverses and the men stampede for the 
chute, going out, adjusting clothing, etc. Dragline shoves 
Loudmouth Steve along.

		DRAGLINE
	Fill your loudmouth with some beans!

And they are in the chute. The Newmeat still sit there. .in 
the empty barracks, the SOUND of men disappearing across the 
yard.

		CARR
	Well, what are you doin' here? You 
	supposed to be eatin' them beans!

The Newmeat stampede out the chute.

INT. MESS HALL (DUSK)

Most of the other men already have their food and are sitting 
down with no jockeying for places: everybody knows. They are 
shoveling it down as fast as they can, getting back up for 
seconds. Luke and the other Newmeat get their plates and 
while the others stand there, confused, Luke sits at the 
first vacant spot and begins to eat industriously.

		KOKO
		(sotto voce to Dragline)
	Newmeat's a hog-gut.

Dragline looks up, goes back to his food. There is an off-
stage CRASH.

NEW ANGLE TRAMP

He is sitting on the floor, between his knees a mess of stew 
on the floor and his plate upside down. He has made the 
mistake of taking Dynamite's seat. DYNAMITE, the champion 
eater, has casually displaced him and is busy chowing. Dogboy 
is serving; he is the only one to break the rule of silence 
in chowlines.

		DOGBOY
	These pigs is rollin' in thar slops 
	now, Boss!

Tramp makes terrified and ineffectual efforts to scoop the 
stew back onto his plate with his hand, wiping his hand on 
his uniform, etc., then trying to obliterate the stain on 
the floor with a foot.

EXT. BARRACKS PORCH (NIGHT)

The men are being shaken down before entering the barracks 
for the night. They sit and take off their shoes. They empty 
their pockets into their caps. Carr inspects shoes, throws 
them inside door, frisks men who stand with backs turned, 
arms raised. Then Carr mutters a number.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

Through the Wicker Cage toward door. As the men enter, stoop 
to pick up shoes, repeat their number to the Wicker Man, as 
they go through the chute.

INT. BARRACKS NEW ANGLE (NIGHT)

The men are preparing for their hour of free time. Gambler 
has layed out the blanket for the poker game and is shuffling 
cards. Koko and BLIND DICK have their seats, are arranging 
their piles of change. Luke sits at the other end of the 
table, past the blanket line. Dragline who has been talking 
to the Wicker Man now enters casually as we HEAR Dynamite, 
change in hand, moving to the game berating Tramp.

		DYNAMITE
	Next time you stay outa my place! I 
	earned it. You try that agin an' 
	I'll bounce you all over the floor.

		TRAMP
	I didn't know. I was hungry.

		KOKO
	You don't take another man's place, 
	boy.

		ALIBI
	It wasn't his fault. Nobody said 
	anything about seats. We --

		DRAGLINE
		(to Tramp)
	You gotta mind your manners, you 
	actin' like a hillbilly tramp.

		KOKO
		(delighted)
	Tramp! Beautiful!

Dragline nods.

		GAMBLER
		(to Tramp)
	You got your bullgang name, boy.

		TRAMP
		(good-naturedly)
	Ain't no worse than some I been 
	called.

		TATTOO
	In the Navy, we used to call guys --

		DRAGLINE
	Fasten your flap! All you Newmeats 
	gonna have to shape up fast and hard 
	on this gang. We got rules here an' 
	in order to learn them, you gotta 
	keep your ears open and your mouths 
	shut.

Luke snorts.

OMITTED

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

looking up as if he has just heard a strange sound.

		DRAGLINE
	Somebody say somethin'?

		LUKE
	I didn't say nothin', Boss.

		DRAGLINE
	Well, whatta we got here?

		LUKE
	A Lucas Jackson.

		SOCIETY RED
		(at mirror, back turned)
	Dragline gives out the names here. 
	You'll get yours when he figures you 
	out.

		DRAGLINE
		(to Luke)
	Maybe we oughta call you No-Ears. 
	You don't listen much, do you, boy?

		LUKE
		(smiling)
	Ain't heard much worth listening to 
	yet. Just everybody handing out rules.

A feeling of discomfort. Koko assesses Luke, who has remained 
at the poker table.

		KOKO
	Newmeat looks like a poker player, 
	Drag.

		DRAGLINE
	Wouldn't surprise me none.
		(to Luke)
	Wicker Man says you got a hundred-
	twenny and some change in the 
	Captain's safe and you got your five 
	dollars pocket money... That'll buy 
	you a whole fistfull of cards. You 
	in or out?

Luke stares at him for a beat, then shrugs -- who needs it -- 
and walks over to his bunk.

		SOCIETY RED
	Looks like you've got yourself a 
	redhot, Dragline.

Dragline just stares after Luke.

		GAMBLER
		(dealing)
	Awright, let's play some poker. First 
	Jack is the Man... a trey, a duck, a 
	neighter...

He continues to call cards as we PAN AWAY and DOWN the bunks 
showing Alibi writing a letter, Loudmouth Steve reading a 
sex book, STUPID BLONDIE working a rattleskin wallet, SAILOR 
removing his pants through his chains, CHIEF rolling 
cigarettes, etc.

CLOSE THE WICKER

The shadow of the Wicker Man behind it rises and moves to 
the tire rim which he beats with a tire iron.

CLOSE CARR

		CARR
	First bell!

POKER TABLE

The men break it up, some head for the urinal.

ANGLE ON LUKE

He lies in his bunk staring directly into a flyspecked bulb 
hanging from the ceiling about eighteen inches from his face. 
It will be on all night. The tire iron SOUNDS again and men 
hurry for their bunks.

		CARR (O.S.)
	Last bell. Last bell.

INT. BARRACKS MED. SHOT

Carr moves down the aisle, counting lips moving. The barracks 
is silent. Finishing the count, Carr goes to the Wicker.

		CARR
	Fifty, Boss.

		WICKER MAN (O.S.)
	Fifty. Okay, Carr.

ANGLE ON LUKE

staring up at bulb.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE'S VOICE
	Gittin' up here, Carr.

MOVING CLOSE SHOT CARR

Pacing along, his feet squeegeeing on the floor.

		CARR
	Yeeahp.

ANGLE SHOWING LOUDMOUTH STEVE

In the sleeping barracks he gets up and moves toward the 
toilets...

ANGLE ON BABALUGATS

He is crouched in a tortured position to pray, in the space 
between his bunk and the one above.

CLOSE LUKE

He rolls over and goes to sleep. SOUND OVER: Carr squeegeeing 
along, the CREAK of the bunks as men toss and turn, the WATER 
RUNNING in the toilets, the DOGS BARKING a little outside.

OMITTED

OMITTED

ANGLE ON CARR

He sits at the poker table. The sound has dropped now in the 
depth of the night, the chink, chink of the Wicker man 
stopped. Carr simply sits staring at his half-finished game 
of solitaire, a card in his hand, his eyes seeing something 
far distant. He's breathing but he could be carved of stone.

OMITTED

INT. BARRACKS LONG SHOT BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

All others sleeping. Carr at poker table. Suddenly the clamor 
of the iron bar is HEARD.

		CARR
	First bell! First bell! Let's go!

ANGLE ON ALIBI

as, still asleep, he is unceremoniously dumped onto the floor 
by Carr who goes right by. Pandemonium of rushing men all 
around.

EXT. CHUTE MED. SHOT BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

Carr is barring the gate with his body. The door outside is 
unlocked and opened. The gong SOUNDS. Carr opens the gate, 
steps outside to the porch and the men begin counting out.

EXT. BARRACKS PORCH BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

The voices continue to count off as the men run to lockers 
and quickly line up outside the mess hall. Watching them go 
is Boss Godfrey.

GODFREY'S FACE

impassive behind the sunglasses.

EXT. MESS HALL INSIDE YARD BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

The men pour out. There is a little dawnlight, but the 
floodlights are still on. The Yard Man opens the gate and 
the men begin counting off again. Gambler is the last out of 
the mess hall and gets a kick in the ass from Boss Paul to 
get him up with the others.

ANGLE ON CAPTAIN'S PORCH BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

He sits in his rocket watching. We hear the SOUND of the men 
counting, clanging of chains.

TRUCK BEING LOADED (DAWN)

The men clamber inside. The Little Bull Gang truck leaves.

EXT. ROAD NEAR CAMP

Caravan of the Little Bull Gang and Patch Squad trucks moving 
off down the road into the dawn light.

INT. TRUCK (DAWN)

just as the gate is swung shut. We SEE Godfrey's face looking 
in, then all is dim and the truck begins to lurch away, 
gunning fast, throwing the men, searching for their customary 
seats. Chaos.

		DRAGLINE'S VOICE
	Git outa my eyeballin' seat, you 
	Newmeat dummy!

Luke stands, holding a strut in the roof and watching with 
amusement as Tattoo is shoved away by Dragline, then Koko, 
and then pushed from man to man as he tries to sit down but 
always finds a lap in the way. Bawdy laughter; it's a game 
but earnest. As they settle Tattoo winds up on the floor but 
grins, understands, finds a place beside Tramp. Across the 
way Alibi begins a serious conversation with Blind Dick.

		ALIBI
		(nervously)
	Where are we going now?

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	It's the Captain's birthday. They're 
	takin' us on a picnic.

		ALIBI
		(uncertainly smiling)
	I'm a salesman. I used to drive these 
	roads all the time. I never thought -- 
	it was an accident, car skidded, 
	maybe I'd had a drink or two --

ANGLE ON KOKO, TRAMP, TATTOO

		KOKO
	Man! It's gonna be one hot muther 
	today.

		GAMBLER
	Bears gonna be walkin' the road today.

		MECHANIC
		(to Tattoo)
	You ever seen a man bearcaught?

Tattoo and Tramp look uncertain, frightened.

NEW ANGLE

		GAMBLER
	All the salt goes outa his body and 
	the water follers the salt and the 
	brain shrivels up like a dried pea.

		TATTOO
		(trying to ingratiate)
	When I was in the Navy --

		SOCIETY RED
		(to Alibi)
	Convulsions, shivering. Very 
	unpleasant to watch.

		BLIND DICK
		(to Alibi)
	Man's never the same. Makes him lose 
	his sex drive.

ON KOKO, OTHERS

		KOKO
		(to Tramp)
	I'm lucky I got a broom. Work up 
	top. Real easy job. Man, it's gonna 
	be hot down in that ditch.

		ALIBI
	We work down in the ditch?

		GAMBLER
	Ain't you never seen a chain gang, 
	in all your driving around?

		TRAMP
		(to Koko)
	I ain't used to hard labor neither. 
	Done my best to avoid it.

		TATTOO
	I ain't crazy about it myself.

		KOKO
		(shaking his head)
	Gonna be a hot one to learn on.

		SOCIETY RED
	Koko, why don't you let one of these 
	Newmeats take your broom for today?

		KOKO
	Hell, no. I ain't goin' down in the 
	ditch.

		TRAMP
	I shore would appreciate it. I ain't 
	in much shape just now.

		TATTOO
	What about me?

		SOCIETY RED
		(to Tramp and Tattoo)
	Perhaps if you offered Brother Koko 
	a small...
		(makes money gesture)

		TRAMP
	I ain't got much. A quarter?

		DRAGLINE
		(to Koko)
	You was to sell your job, maybe this 
	Lucas War Hero would give you a price.

		TATTOO
	I'll give you fifty cents.

		KOKO
	Fifty cents? Sweet job like that 
	worth at least a buck.

		ALIBI
	I'll make it a dollar.

		KOKO
	Buck is a deal.

		ALIBI
		(apologetically to 
		Tramp, Tattoo)
	I've got this weak heart. Too much 
	drinking, I guess. As soon as they 
	find out about it, they'll probably 
	send me someplace else.

		TRAMP
	If you even need dough in here, I'm 
	in big trouble.

		LUKE
		(to Dragline)
	Where'd you get that about war hero?

		DRAGLINE
	Oh we got our sources... Tearing the 
	heads off... what was it... gumball 
	machines? What kind of thing is that 
	for a grown man?

		LUKE
		(amused by the put-on)
	Well, you know. Small town, not much 
	to do in the evenings. Mostly it was 
	settling up old scores.

		SOCIETY RED
	You'll have to do better than that 
	if you want to impress these men. 
	Some pretty hard numbers here. 
	Dragline's an ex-safe cracker, Koko's 
	a jewel thief. Blind Dick is a rapist.

		BLIND DICK
		(to Luke)
	Show you the clippings some time. 
	News-Dispatch called me "The Shiek 
	of Simmonsville." Five broads in 
	three days...

		GAMBLER
	'Course two of them were sisters.

		SOCIETY RED
	Of course some of them, like Stupid 
	Blondie, were just unlucky... he 
	fell off the fire escape... and one 
	or two don't really belong here at 
	all...
		(indicates Babalugats)
	...or myself, who just made the small 
	error of misspelling a friend's 
	name... on a check.

		DRAGLINE
	Hey, Koko. You hear that? All this 
	time I been thinkin' Society just 
	come here for the sun and exercise.

Everyone laughs.

		DRAGLINE
		(to Luke who is smiling)
	Whatta you so happy about?

		LUKE
	I just always did like truck rides.

EXT. CLAYPIT ROAD (JUST AFTER SUNRISE)

as the trucks pull up and stop and the men pour out, picking 
up tools for the day's work.

EXT. TOOL TRUCK

The guards for the day are: Paul, Kean, Higgins and Godfrey. 
As the men move through the line for tools, Alibi approaches 
Boss Paul:

		ALIBI
	Boss, I made an arrangement with 
	that man to take his broom.

		BOSS PAUL
		(shoving him along)
	Git your shovel and git to work.

		ALIBI
	I don't think you understand. We 
	made a deal ---

		BOSS PAUL
		(canes him on the leg)
	Git movin', I said.

		ALIBI
		(in pain)
	But I made this arrangement --

		BOSS PAUL
		(shoving him)
	Cut that backsass!

Alibi sees the light, accepts a shovel and walks off 
resentfully to where the others are working, casting hurt, 
angry looks at Koko and Society who ignore him.

THE SUN COMES UP

in Godfrey's glasses, and we SEE the gang begin their work. 
In VARIOUS CUTS, in each of which the sun leaps forward, 
time passing inexorably...

FULL SHOT: THE GANG

rhythmically working away.

CLOSE: ALIBI

Trying to pretend to work, not doing it well and getting a 
passing cut from Boss Paul's cane. Resentfully, he goes at 
it, sweating heavily.

CLOSE: LUKE

He is working hard but badly, unused to the awkward tool, 
trying to master it. Society Red works up behind him.

LUKE AND SOCIETY

		SOCIETY RED
	You're working too hard. You won't 
	last two hours. Watch the way the 
	Human Dragline does it.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

He is whipping away with apparently effortless ease but 
accomplishing more than the others.

THE ROAD

An open red Continental with kit zips past, the driver 
grinning at the Gang.

CLOSE: TATTOO

He is suffering along, sweat pouring off him. The sun is 
beginning to really beat down now. Dragline works a little 
behind him.

		DRAGLINE
	Takin' it off here, Boss!

		BOSS PAUL
	Yeah, take it off there.

He takes off his jacket and tosses it to the edge of the 
road where Dogboy collects it. Tattoo decides to imitate, 
tentatively.

		TATTOO
	Takin' it off here, Boss?

		BOSS PAUL
	Yeah, take if off there.

He strips, revealing a tattoo of "Mother" lodged thornlike 
in his flesh and a great garland of flowers and a girl on 
his chest.

		DRAGLINE
		(sotto voce)
	Hey, turn around! Let Koko see the 
	broad.

CLOSE TATTOO

turning so Koko can see, grinning, stopping work.

		KOKO
	Beautiful! A real work of art!

		BLIND DICK
		(low voice)
	Nice broad. Good set.

		TATTOO
		(proudly, flexing it)
	Had it done in Singapore. Bunch of 
	us drunk as coots --

		DRAGLINE
		(hissing)
	Hey, Tattoo!

		TATTOO
		(not hearing)
	-- went down to see this old hag and 
	she had needles the size of that 
	cane.

		MECHANIC
		(quietly)
	Hey. Swing that yoyo or you gonna 
	get a taste of that cane.

Tattoo realizes where he is and goes back to work.

MOVING SHOT TRAMP (LATER)

as he seems to spin, his eyes closed, his arms limp, his 
head lolling back, he stumbles, twists, careens.

CLOSE DRAGLINE

seeing this.

		DRAGLINE
	Man bearcaught, boss!

CLOSE BOSS KEAN

		BOSS KEAN
	Blondie... Sleepy! Git him afore he 
	falls.

STUPID BLONDIE AND SLEEPY

They drop their tools and rush over as Tramp falls. Without 
ceremony, they drag him over the rough ground to the truck, 
where Boss Paul locks him in.

DRAGLINE

He is watching Luke, who is very close to the same fate. 
Although he has achieved some grace, it is apparent that 
Luke is working too strenuously, too determined.

MED. SHOT BOSS KEAN

He reaches into his pocket and takes out a turnip watch, 
looks to Godfrey, who nods.

		BOSS KEAN
	Awright, let's eat them beans!

The men break and head for the chow line.

OMITTED

ANGLE ON LUKE

He has dropped to the ground, examining a blister on his 
hand. At Boss Kean's call, he looks up, ruefully resentful, 
and gets to his feet and slowly walks to the chow line.

		BOSS KEAN'S VOICE
	Hey, you. Bean time!

		DRAGLINE
		(eyeing Luke, to 
		Gambler)
	Cold drink he don't make it.

		GAMBLER
	Bet. Babalugats, bet!

Babalugats grins. Dragline has his chow, passes Luke.

		DRAGLINE
		(whispering)
	You got to snag it, man. You got to 
	stop foolin' around and tear up them 
	weeds.

Luke stumbles past, not paying attention.

FULL SHOT GANG WORKING

It is later in the afternoon.

ON STUPID BLONDIE

He stops.

		STUPID BLONDIE
	Caught short here, boss!

ANGLE BOSS KEAN

		BOSS KEAN
	Awright, Blondie. Take it behind 
	that tree.

ON STUPID BLONDIE

He drops his tool and gratefully trots off in the direction 
of the tree.

ANGLE ON LUKE

It is later. He is working hard, stops a minute as he HEARS 
a crow cawing overhead. He looks up at it.

CLOSE SHOT GODFREY

He snaps his fingers.

ANGLE ON LUKE, TATTOO, KOKO, OTHERS

looking up as Rabbitt goes to the truck and gets out a single 
action rifle which he brings to Godfrey, who puts in a bolt 
and bullets from his pocket.

		TATTOO
	Who's that?

		KOKO
	Boss Godfrey.

		MECHANIC
	The walking boss.

		TATTOO
	Don't he ever talk?

Godfrey has raised the gun and now FIRES.

INSERT CROW ON THE WING

It is hit, explodes in a burst of feathers.

ANGLE ON LUKE AND TATTOO

		LUKE
	I believe he just said something.

OMITTED

FULL SHOT THE MEN

working, Luke flailing away like an automaton.

INT. THE TRUCK (AFTERNOON)

as it is opened from the outside. Tramp sits up against the 
bench, still in rocky shape from his collapse. The others 
step over him as though he weren't there. Luke appears, like 
a sleepwalker. He grabs the side rails, gets one foot up and 
tries to pull himself over the edge of the truck body. But 
the muscles are just used up. Boss Paul sees this and gives 
Luke a kick, timed so that it coincides with his jump. It 
gives him just the added momentum needed to send him over 
the edge of the body and sprawling along the floor. He's the 
last one and as the guards lock them up, he grins up at 
Dragline and Gambler from his prone position.

		LUKE
		(to Dragline)
	You owe that fella a cold drink.

The men are not tired, they smoke and talk and laugh: it's 
been an easy day.

		KOKO
	Hot damn, Drag. Tomorrow's Saturday. 
	Another week almost made.

		ALIBI
		(hopelessly)
	I got two years.

		DRAGLINE
	Only two? Man, I already done eight. 
	Nothin' to it. Just make the days 
	and let the weeks and the years make 
	themselves.

		TATTOO
	I did three hitches in the Navy. It 
	ain't bad. After a while, you get 
	used to it and the time --

Koko is looking out the back of the truck.

		KOKO
	Oh, man, oh man. Look at that. On 
	the bicycle. Lookit them shorts. I'm 
	dyin'.

The men rush to look out at the vision of freedom on the 
bike.

		DRAGLINE
		(knowledgeably)
	She looks just like a lil girl I 
	useta know named Louise Merryweather. 
	Fine lil ol' girl, always partial to 
	home-made whiskey. Remember one time 
	down in the cellar, both of us knee-
	walkin' drunk and ah had this lil 
	pint and Louise wanted a poke of it. 
	So ah said: you wanna poke and I 
	wanna poke, so...

He starts his story. On the floor, Luke sleeps.

EXT. PRISON YARD LATE (AFTERNOON)

as they are counting in through the gate, their hats with 
their personal possessions in them held out to be inspected, 
their pockets turned out. A guard frisks them quickly but 
efficiently. The Captain stands nearby ignoring them, testing 
a golf swing. The men move to the mess hall, most of them on 
the run. Luke moves painfully with exhaustion. Alibi seems 
quiet and cowed, lost in the crowd. They fall into a line at 
the mess hall door. Dynamite, his spoon out, moves to the 
front of the line and Luke winds up somewhere near the rear.

		BOSS HIGGINS
		(yardman)
	Awright, you, Gibson, step out. Boss 
	Paul says you wasn't happy with your 
	job. Done a lot of complainin'. Gone 
	give you a chance to think it over.

Alibi looks around, fearfully steps out, peering up and down 
the line, wondering.

		BOSS HIGGINS
	Get them clothes off.

Alibi is led to the box. A light stands about it shining 
down into it and it always burns when the box is ready to be 
used or when there's someone inside. Now a nightshirt is 
laid out on top of it. Alibi strips and puts on the pajamas. 
Boss Kean opens the heavy lid of the box and we see it is 
grilled with heavy chain link fencing and with strap iron 
bars. A chamber pot is put inside. Alibi stands in the box, 
looking back at them, then lies down out of sight. The lid 
is slammed shut.

FULL SHOT

The men watching this. The mess hall door opens and they 
begin to file in.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

as the Wicker Man whales away at his tire rim outside the 
barracks.

		CARR
	Awright, first bell! Let's hit them 
	bunks!

The men are piling into bunks and the CAMERA FINDS Luke 
heaving himself with a kind of rueful amusement up to the 
third tier bunk he sleeps in; he's exhausted.

		DRAGLINE
	Plumb busted out. Looks like the 
	hard road finally got to Mister Lucas 
	War Hero.

		LUKE
		(agreeably)
	Back at it in the mornin'. Just need 
	a little nap...

He lies back. Across him and in various perspectives are the 
other participants in this conversation, speaking in the 
ventriloquist's whisper while the stragglers get into the 
sack.

		KOKO
	Man, I never thought they'd put him 
	in the box on his first day.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	It was just supposed to be a joke. 
	There ain't no brooms. Whoever heard 
	of a chain gang using brooms?

		TRAMP
	I gotta tell you that I believed it.

		TATTOO
	He should have known; it was a gag.

		KOKO
	You can't switch 'round jobs, anyway. 
	I figured he knew that.

		SOCIETY RED
	You can't expect him to learn 
	everything the first day. Hopefully 
	it's taught him a very valuable 
	lesson.

		LUKE
	Well, you fixed it up so he's got 
	all night to think about it.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	It's not our fault he's a square.

		DRAGLINE
	Course not. He ain't in the box 'cause 
	a the joke played on him. He's there 
	'cause he back sassed a Free Man. 
	They got their rules and we ain't 
	got nothing to do with that. Woulda 
	probably happened to him sooner or 
	later, to a complainer like him. 
	He's gotta learn the rules same as 
	anybody else.

		LUKE
	Yeah, those poor old guards need all 
	the help they can get.

		DRAGLINE
	You tryin' to say somethin'?

Luke rolls over and goes to sleep.

		DRAGLINE
		(to his back)
	You jus' keep flapping your mouth 
	and one of these times, you and me 
	gonna raise a little dust.

The Wicker Man begins hitting the tire rim again.

		CARR
	Awright, last bell!

Silence.

		CARR
		(continuing)
	Forty-nine and one in the box, Boss!

		WICKER MAN'S VOICE
	Forty-nine and one in the box. Right, 
	Carr.

EXT. ROAD CLOSEUP YOYO TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)

It slashes away like a pendulum, golden in the sun, TICKING 
away time, over roads that stretch to infinity -- a SHOT 
that will always tell us that the men are building time. 
SHOT WIDENS. The gang is laboring, filling in washouts by 
the roadside. The bosses are Paul, Kean, Higgins, and, always, 
Godfrey, the Walking Boss.

CLOSE LUKE

He is tanned and hardened now, and has mastered the work 
rhythm. SHOT WIDENS to show Dragline near him, checking his 
shovel for nicks but really eyeballing a passing car. In the 
ditch, Luke expertly scoops up a shovel full of sand and, 
levering the handle on his knee, flips the sand through the 
air so it hits spang in the pan of Dragline's shovel while 
Dragline is still eyeballing. It knocks him off balance and 
by the time he has caught up, Luke is already catching him 
with another shovel full.

		DRAGLINE
	Slow down, man. They ain't passing 
	out medals for slinging dirt.

		LUKE
	I thought you knew, boy... they 
	sentenced me by the mile.

Dragline grins at this insouciance, sneaks a look down the 
road. He digs into his pocket and hauls out a pair of salvaged 
sunglasses, which he holds up.

		DRAGLINE
	Puttin' 'em on here, Boss!

		BOSS KEAN'S VOICE
	Yeah, put 'em on, Drag!

NEW ANGLE DRAGLINE, LUKE

as Dragline hooks on the glasses. Luke, Tattoo and Tramp are 
working around here.

		LUKE
		(to Tramp)
	Lookit that. Some Hollywood movie 
	star jus' joined up with us.

Tramp smiles.

		DRAGLINE
		(to Koko)
	Man, this here Newmeat parking meter 
	bandit thing what calls itself Luke 
	don't know nuthin' 'bout nuthin'.

		LUKE
		(to Tramp)
	But damn if he don't look like a fat 
	old Dragline.

		TRAMP
	Coulda fooled me.

		DRAGLINE
		(to Tattoo)
	These is my eyeballin' glasses. Now 
	I'm gonna play peek-a-boo and ol' 
	Godfrey ain't gonna know if I'm 
	eyeballin' or tootin' the piccolo.

		TATTOO
	That ain't nuthing compared to what 
	we used to do in San Pedro. There 
	was this ensign...

		DRAGLINE
		(has been sniffing 
		the air)
	Ah believe I smell me a blonde-haired 
	lady.

ANGLE ON BULL GANG

They all look up covertly and, sure enough, in the second 
car slowed down by Rabbit's sign, is a lush BLONDE in a sun 
dress that is hiked up high on the thighs and cut low over 
the bosom. She cringes under their gaze and starts the top 
going up on the car as though to hide from them.

		KOKO
	Man, see her legs. She's tanned all 
	over.

		BLIND DICK
	Nice broad. Nice set.

		DRAGLINE
	She looks just like Mrs. Patricia 
	Handy, a married woman... I useta 
	fool with. Man, I kin sniff blondes 
	from a hunnert yards and redheads 
	from a mile and a half.

		KOKO
		(to Tattoo)
	Drag's been chain-ganging so long 
	he's got a nose like a bloodhound.

		LUKE
	Maybe he's been chain-ganging too 
	long.

		DRAGLINE
	Long enough to see redhots come and 
	redhots go.

The car begins to move away. They sigh. The work begins again.

OMITTED

NEW ANGLE ON GANG

Time has passed; they are further down the road. A small 
blue coupe kicks up dust as it jitters down the road and 
stops across the highway before a small home. A blonde, mid-
twenties, gets out, and heads covertly look up.

THE BULL GANG

The woman is too much for them, too close, too blonde, too 
lush. They stop as one and watch as she disappears into the 
house.

CLOSE GODFREY

Seeing their odd behavior, he turns to see what's happening 
but the woman is gone; when he turns back, the men's heads 
are back down.

DRAGLINE, KOKO, LUKE, OTHERS

		KOKO
	Oh, man, did you see her? Did you 
	see her?

		DRAGLINE
	I got eyes, don't I? How my not gonna 
	see something like that?

		BLIND DICK
	Nice broad. Good set.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	How could you tell? You could hardly 
	see her.

		GAMBLER
	She's back!

Heads pop up again as the blonde comes out of the house, now 
dressed in a short house dress, carrying a radio, a pail and 
a sponge. She is clearly buxom. She goes to the outside 
faucet, fills the bucket and drags the attached hose toward 
the car.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Look at that!

		DRAGLINE
	Shut up, you loudmouth jerk!

THE BLONDE

She begins to hose the dusty car, splashing herself, making 
the cotton dress cling to her body, tossing her hair, every 
movement and gesture erotic and provocative.

THE MEN

Their work is completely disorganized as they attempt to 
shovel while watching. Their voices overlap.

		KOKO
	Man Oh Man.

		LUKE
	That is one mean lady. Bet her husband 
	spends one day a week shooting 
	milkmen.

		BLIND DICK
	Lookit her bounce.

		GAMBLER
	Oh lean over here, lady. Lean this 
	way.

		TRAMP
	I wouldn't mind being that hose.

		GAMBLER
	More... a little more.

		TATTOO
	I don't know if I believe it.

		BLONDIE
	She's so big!

		GAMBLER
	Now lean down... a little more.

		DRAGLINE
	Lookit that little honeypot. Lookit 
	those legs.

		MECHANIC
	Oh man, I ain't never been so thirsty 
	in my life.

THE BLONDE

She begins to rub the windshield erotically.

		BLIND DICK
	Oh rub.

		SLEEPY
	Rub.

		DRAGLINE
	Rub!

		BABALUGATS
	Rub-a-dub-dub. Rub-a-dub-dub.

		KOKO
	I'm dyin'. I'm dyin'!

		DRAGLINE
	Look, she's got paint on her toenails! 
	Oh Lord, whatever I done, don't strike 
	me blind for 'nother couple minutes. 
	Oh you Lucille!

DRAGLINE AND LUKE

		LUKE
	Lucille? Where do you get that?

		DRAGLINE
		(whirling)
	That'sa Lucille, you mullet head! 
	Any girl so innocent and built like 
	that gotta be named Lucille.

		LUKE
	Innocent?

		BLIND DICK
	She don't even know what she's doin!.

		LUKE
	She knows exactly what she's doin. 
	She's drivin' you crazy and lovin' 
	it.

		DRAGLINE
	Shut your mouth 'bout my Lucille.

		LUKE
	Your Lucille? Man, you better put 
	them glasses back on and take a look 
	at yourself.

		DRAGLINE
		(glaring)
	Boy. You jus' asking to be handled!

P.O.V. MEN TO GIRL

as Godfrey moves across the scene, blocking their view, 
staring at them, FILLING THE SCREEN.

OMITTED

INT. SHOWERS (NIGHT)

Trashing bodies and heads in the steam. Feeling of tension, 
irritation, except for Babalugats, who is SINGING.

		SLEEPY
	Babalugats, shut up.

		MECHANIC
	Leave him alone. He's happy.

		SLEEPY
	That's because he's a damn moron.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Now why don't you just shut up?

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

The men are in their bunks, sullen, quiet as the tire iron 
SOUNDS.

		CARR
	Awright, last bell.

Carr paces, counting. Beds SQUEAK as men turn restlessly, 
unable to get comfortable. At the far end of the barracks, a 
slow-turning fan CREAKS gratingly. It will continue to do so 
throughout the scene, adding irritation to Carr's SQUEEGEEING 
steps and the regular SQUEAKING of bedsprings.

OMITTED

ANGLE ON MEN

restless, irritated.

		CARR'S VOICE (O.S.)
	Fifty, Boss.

NEW ANGLE ON MEN

		WICKERMAN'S VOICE
	Fifty, right, Carr.

ANGLE ON KOKO

		KOKO
	Man, it's so hot.

NEW ANGLE ON MEN

		GAMBLER
	Gettin' up, Carr.

FULL SHOT BARRACKS

as Carr paces, SQUEEGEEING. The fan CREAKS. Springs SQUEAK.

		CARR
	Yeahhpp.

Gambler gets up, chains JANGLING.

NEW ANGLE ON MEN

uncomfortable, tense, shifting.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Giddyap, Carr.

NEW ANGLE ON MEN

		CARR'S VOICE (O.S.)
	Yeahhpp.

NEW ANGLE ON MEN

Tramp turns, irritated, as Carr SQUEEGEES by.

		TRAMP
	How can you sleep with that damn 
	squeaking!

FULL SHOT BARRACKS

Carr pacing. SQUEEGEEING, the fan CREAKING, springs SQUEAKING.

		DYNAMITE'S VOICE
	Gettin' up, Carr.

		CARR
	Yeahhp.

Dynamite gets up, chains JANGLING.

ON FAN

It is turning slowly, CREAKING, CREAKING, CREAKING. And now 
on the SOUNDTRACK we HEAR low at first, but steadily building, 
the tinny SOUND of the Blonde Girl's radio.

ANGLE ON MEN

tense, annoyed, frustrated as the SOUND of the RADIO GROWS, 
joining the CREAKING, SQUEAKING and SQUEEGEEING.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

as Carr passes by. He speaks in a low whisper.

		DRAGLINE
	Man, that lil Lucille was a lot of 
	lil girl.

OMITTED

ANGLE ON MEN

some turning away, not wanting to be reminded, some staring 
ahead unhappily, thinking the same thing.

		DRAGLINE'S VOICE (O.S.)
	You see how she was jus' poppin' 
	outa the top of that dress.

ANGLE ON KOKO

irritated, anxious.

		KOKO
	Aw, come on, Drag.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

not paying attention.

		DRAGLINE
	And down below, that thing didn't 
	reach no higher than...
		(chuckles)
	She liable to catch cold... runnin' 
	around like that.

ANGLE ON MEN

irritated by Dragline's voice and the SQUEEGEEING and the 
SQUEAKING and CREAKING and the RADIO SOUND, tinny and grating, 
growing in volume.

		DRAGLINE'S VOICE
	...And that thing was so tight 'cross 
	her bottom... made me wanna just 
	reach out my hands and...

ANGLE ON LUKE

		LUKE
	Forget it, man.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

suddenly angry.

		DRAGLINE
	Whatta you mean, forget it?

ANGLE ON LUKE

		LUKE
	Stop beatin', man. You ain't doin' 
	nobody no good.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

his face corroding in fury as the RADIO SOUND and the 
CREAKING, SQUEAKING and SQUEEGEEING are at an unbearable 
peak.

		DRAGLINE
		(with slow menace)
	Boy, you better get some sleep and 
	save your strength. 'Cause you're 
	gonna need it.

OMITTED

ANGLE ON FAN CLOSE

As the SOUNDS threaten to burst our ears with their high-
pitched tension, the CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY into the hub of the 
fan and our nerves scream for relief.

OMITTED

EXT. BARRACKS CLOSE ON LUKE AS GLOVE SMASHES INTO HIS FACE 
(DAY)

and Luke falls back into the dirt. He's hurt, startled, but 
grins. We HEAR a CHEER from the men O.S., as he gets up. He 
is stripped to the waist, wears huge 16 oz. boxing gloves.

FULLER ANGLE

showing Dragline similarly dressed. They are squared off in 
the yard, surrounded by YELLING men who want blood. It is a 
release from the sexual tension built up by the night before. 
The guards stand in the guard boxes, watching. The Captain 
sits up on his porch, so he can see without being too obvious.

Luke gets up and manages a lunging right across to Dragline's 
Adam's apple. Dragline is momentarily staggered but counters 
with a terrible clubbing blow that mashes Luke's gloves into 
his face, knocking him to the ground. Time is called for the 
round.

LUKE AND OTHERS BEHIND HIM

as he gets to his feet.

		TRAMP
	Why don't you just stay there? He's 
	only gonna knock you down agin.

		ALIBI
	It's not your fault. He's just too 
	big.

		SOCIETY RED
	Let him hit you in the nose, get 
	some blood flowing. Maybe they'll 
	stop it before he kills you.

		LUKE
		(shaking his head, 
		grinning)
	I don't want to frighten him.

The second round is called and Luke advances toward Dragline.

TWO SHOT LUKE, DRAGLINE

circling. Luke has to get in his shot before Dragline gets 
too close and clubs him again. He feints a punch that moves 
Dragline off-balance and winds up for a big one, but Dragline 
smashes him backhand. Luke hits the dirt, the men SCREAM AND 
YELL. Wiping some blood from his mouth, Luke rises again. He 
is dizzy. Dragline smacks him down again.

THE MEN

SHOUTING, SHRIEKING, they have blood in their eyes, releasing 
their tensions.

INTERCUT THE VARIOUS REACTIONS

as the fight continues. The Captain on his porch rocks and 
spits dry little spouts of wind, Godfrey, impassive, waiting 
in his guard house. The YELLING gradually subsides as Dragline 
continues to smash Luke, who keeps getting up.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

Without relish, he pokes Luke down again. Now there is no 
cheering, no yelling, just silence.

ANGLE ON CAPTAIN

as he gets up and walks down to the wire where he can see 
what is happening. The silence disturbs him.

ON LUKE

He rises, grinning and winds up to throw another punch. But 
the act of lifting his giant glove is a Herculean task. 
Seconds go by in which he tries to raise the glove high enough 
to launch a punch.

ON DRAGLINE

waiting, gloves at waist level, poised.

		DRAGLINE
		(low)
	Ommana pop you one easy. Stay down.

He pops Luke who reels, goes down on a knee and then slowly 
rises, rises. Dragline is honestly agonized.

		DRAGLINE
	I'm gonna kill you, you go on...

		LUKE
	That's what you're gonna have to do.

ANGLE ON CAPTAIN

concerned.

ANGLE ON BOSS GODFREY

impassive.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

He raises his fists. But Luke is up again. Dragline realizes 
he'll have to kill him to beat him. After a long moment, 
Dragline drops his hands to his sides, looks back toward 
Godfrey and the captain and then starts walking to the 
barracks, fast.

ANGLE ON LUKE

He looks after him and reaches up to wipe the blood away, 
still grinning.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

The poker game. Five card stud. Playing are Gambler, Koko, 
Dynamite, Blind Dick and Luke, bandaged. The mood of the 
barracks is quieter than usual. The men are still assessing 
the fight, uncertain as to who now is their leader, looking 
toward Dragline for an indication. Not playing, Dragline 
lies on his bunk behind Koko, sullenly reading a sex book. 
Gambler deals the third cards.

		GAMBLER
	Ana paira ninas. Koko's the brains.

		KOKO
	Cuter.

Dynamite is already out. Blind Dick now folds.

		GAMBLER
	Ace calls.

		LUKE
	Kick a buck.

		KOKO
		(considers, then chips)
	I'm in.

		GAMBLER
	Ace calls. Here we go.
		(deals Luke)
	King-five gets a tray for no help.
		(deals Koko)
	Paira ninas gets a Jack.
		(deals himself)
	Ana man with the ace gets... slop in 
	the face... Ninas up.

		KOKO
		(regarding Luke)
	Cuter again.

		GAMBLER
	Call.

		LUKE
		(expressionless)
	Kick a buck.

Koko is worried. He looks at his hole card, considers, long 
silence. Dragline looks over from his bunk.

		DRAGLINE
		(to Koko)
	Whatcha got?

		KOKO
	Pair'a nines.

		DRAGLINE
	I kin see that, brick head. I mean 
	your hole card.

Koko hands it over his shoulder to Dragline, who now sits up 
to consider the whole situation.

		DRAGLINE
		(continuing)
	Uh-huh. And he ain't got nothing 
	showing. Raise his head off.

		KOKO
	He's been betting his head from the 
	gun. Gotta have kings.

		DRAGLINE
	So then you just call him.

		KOKO
		(chipping)
	I call.

		GAMBLER
		(studies Luke's cards)
	I gotta believe. Out!
		(folds)
	Now they're rollin'.
		(deals Luke)
	King-five-four gets an eight.
		(deals Koko)
	Pair'a nines with a Jack gets a four. 
	Ninas still up.

		KOKO
		(tentatively)
	Cuter.

		LUKE
		(automatically)
	Kick a buck.

		KOKO
	Damn.

He looks up to Dragline for help.

		DRAGLINE
	Kick him back a buck!

Koko looks uncertain, but listens.

		KOKO
	Back a buck.

		LUKE
		(automatically)
	Kick a buck.

Koko looks up to Dragline: What do we do now?

		DRAGLINE
	Don't look at me, mullet-head.

Koko looks to the others.

		GAMBLER
	Man, you play like a kokonut. You 
	got to call him at least.

		KOKO
	I know he's got a paira kings. He 
	don't have to stick 'em in my ear.

		BLIND DICK
	Gotta have kings.

		GAMBLER
	Sure he's got kings but you still 
	gotta call him.

Koko looks back to Dragline.

		DRAGLINE
	Man's got a paira kings, get your 
	tail out.

Koko folds. Luke reaches for the pot at the same time that 
Dragline reaches for Luke's cards.

		DRAGLINE
	Nuthin'! A handfull of nuthin'!
		(cuffs Koko)
	You stupid mullet-head. He beat you 
	with nuthin'! Just like today when 
	he kept coming back at me.

		LUKE
		(smiling)
	Nuthin' can be a pretty cool hand.

		DRAGLINE
	Cool Hand Luke.

So saying, Dragline saves face and the baton of leadership 
is passed.

EXT. YOYO SHIMMERING IN THE SUN TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)

swinging away the time...

INSERT: ROAD MOVING SHOT DAY

SHOOTING THROUGH cage truck, as it moves swiftly along, the 
landscape a blur of shadows and racing phone poles, etc., 
the men shadows slouched on their benches inside.

							DISSOLVE TO:

BEARCAUGHT AVENUE

This is a country road running over rolling moors, land open 
to the sky and sun, the roads reaching out to infinity. The 
cage truck rolls to the end of the road and stops. Stretching 
out on either side of the road, every five feet is a pyramid 
of freshly dumped sand.

ANGLE ON REAR OF TRUCK

as the bull gang gets down, looks at the sand, are given 
shovels.

		KOKO
	Oh no, man! Not on this hot muther.

		GAMBLER
	All the bears gonna be walking today.

		ALIBI
		(nervously)
	What's the deal?

		DRAGLINE
	Tar truck.

At these bleak words, over the last rise comes a filthy 
blackened tank truck with a fire in its belly and an array 
of pipes and valves at its rear, like a hellish beetle.

		KOKO
		(to Tattoo, Tramp, 
		Alibi)
	You think you've been working hard. 
	This muther'll break your back.

		SOCIETY RED
	This is a big day for the guards. 
	They get to remind us who's boss.

		TRAMP
	I ain't forgot.

ON THE MEN

as the truck driver makes adjustments in the heater, flame, 
etc.

		BOSS PAUL
	Awright, every second man, git to 
	the other side of the road.

Dragline, Dynamite, Gambler, Tattoo, Loudmouth Steve, Alibi, 
Sleepy, Stupid Blondie and Chief cross over, leaving Luke, 
Koko, Society Red, Tramp, Babalugats, Blind Dick, Mechanic 
and Sailor. The tar truck begins to move slowly down the 
road, spreading a black, hot, acrid wake behind it.

		BOSS PAUL
		(continuing; with 
		undisguised malice)
	Captain heard this gang been doin' 
	so good, gave us this special job. 
	We got three miles of tarrin' to 
	cover today. Let's roll it!

NEW ANGLE ON THE MEN

They begin to work, digging a shovel-full of sand, fanning 
it out over the hot tar, moving up to the next pile. Luke 
and Dragline in the lead of their respective groups. The 
guards move up along the ridges behind the men, urging them 
to move faster, caning the slow workers.

		BOSS PAUL
	Let's git with it!

		BOSS SHORTY
	Roll it, heah?

ANGLE GODFREY

He is at the rear of the columns, walking down the center of 
the road. With his stick he points to spots where the tar 
has not been covered and the nearest man flicks a spray of 
sand over it.

ON LUKE WITH KOKO AND SOCIETY RED LATER

They are working steadily but it is hot, hard, back-breaking 
labor. Koko stops for a moment to rub his arm.

		KOKO
	Oh man. I'm gonna twist my arm off 
	if this heat don't kill me first.

Boss Paul canes him across the legs.

		BOSS PAUL
	Roll it!

ON DRAGLINE

sweating and suffering across the road, just keeping up with 
Luke.

		DRAGLINE
	Hey, buddy. Take it easy. You're 
	making me look bad.

		LUKE
	The man wants speed, let's give it 
	to him. Ram it in and break it off. 
	Go hard. Shag it.

Dragline begins to work harder, digging and fanning, keeping 
pace with Luke.

ON DRAGLINE AND DYNAMITE

		DYNAMITE
		(panting)
	Whatta we racin' for?

		DRAGLINE
	Man wants speed, let's give it to 
	him. Use that shovel like you use 
	your spoon. Shag it, man!

Dynamite understands and throws himself into it.

FULL SHOT THE MEN

up to their waists in smoke and dust, splattered with tar, 
working like devils as the word passes down the line.

		BLIND DICK
		(to Society Red)
	Go hard!

		GAMBLER
		(to Tattoo)
	Ram it in and break it off!

		ALIBI
		(to Sleepy)
	Roll it!

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Shag it!

They are all working like hell.

ANGLE ON BOSS PAUL

He looks confused, concerned by this sudden manic activity.

ANGLE ON BOSS GODFREY

forced to walk faster to keep up, finding no unsanded spots 
for his sorcerer's wand.

ON LUKE, DRAGLINE, OTHERS

enjoying the guard's confusion.

		DRAGLINE
		(to Luke)
	They don't know iff'n to smile, spit 
	or swallow.

		LUKE
	They ain't never seen a bull gang 
	before.

		SOCIETY RED
	Work those shovels instead of your 
	mouths.

WORKING ON BEARCAUGHT AVENUE

Essentially a MONTAGE, a wild insane ballet of labor as led 
by Luke and Dragline, the bull gang throws itself into the 
madness, muttering Luke's words of inspiration to each other 
and loving the guards' confusion. (SONG ON SOUND TRACK)

		TRAMP
	Go hard!

		TATTOO
	Ram it in...

		MECHANIC
	Break it off...

		SOCIETY RED
	Roll it!

		DYNAMITE
	Shag it!

		STUPID BLONDIE
	Move it!

Luke grins and works. The guards are tense and uneasy and 
walk the road backward, not daring to turn their backs on 
these madmen. Rabbit runs around with his water bucket but 
the men don't drink, just upturn the water over their faces 
and keep going.

ON BOSS PAUL

confused, angry, has not been able to cane anyone in an hour. 
As Rabbit rushes by:

		BOSS PAUL
	Rabbit! What the hell's goin' on?

		RABBIT
		(knows but isn't saying)
	I don't know, Boss. They must be 
	bearcaught. All of them.

He rushes off, as caught up in the esprit as the others.

WORKING AGAIN

More of the madness but now even faster, sweatier, wilder. 
The men are bearcaught by their sudden power to confound the 
guards. ALL SHOTS FAVORING Luke, splattered with tar, working 
right behind the truck.

ON GODFREY

Replacing his stick with a rifle, as tense and uncertain as 
the other bosses, staring at Luke with blank, hating eyes.

ON LUKE

as he looks up just as the tar truck turns off the road which 
has ended, crossed by a small highway. They have finished. 
Luke stands straight, looking out across the highway to the 
rolling green beyond. Dragline works up to him.

		DRAGLINE
	Where'd the road go?

		LUKE
	That's it. That's the end.

		KOKO
	But there's still daylight left.

		DRAGLINE
		(checking the sun)
	'Bout two hours left.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	What do we do now?

Luke has been looking at the guards who have grouped in 
conference around Boss Paul who has his watch out. They look 
concerned, gesticulating toward Luke and the others.

		LUKE
		(smiling)
	Nothin'.

The others understand. They have beaten the Free Men by 
working harder. They all collapse on the ground, rolling 
about, dazed, tired but happy as hell, laughing.

		DRAGLINE
	Oh, Luke, you wild beautiful thing! 
	You crazy handful of nuthin'!

							DISSOLVE TO:

OMITTED

INT. BARRACKS (DAY)

Sunday afternoon scene. The chain men are dancing, jingling. 
Three RADIOS BLARE in different corners; a hell-fire preacher 
where Deacon and Society Red sit working a letter; romantic 
ballads (Near You, Heart Aches by Ted Weeks, etc.) for the 
men reading fuck books; rhythm and blues, country music for 
a couple of wrestlers, banging into bunks until one depants 
the other and runs off. CAMERA FOLLOWS THIS ACTION SHOWING 
the scene. Other men rolling cigarettes, Dynamite still on 
his rattlesnake wallet, Koko cutting hair, using a board 
over an ash can for a barber's chair. Everyone is barefoot.

		WICKERMAN
	Visitor for Luke!

Luke sits up from his bunk, staring at the Wicker, unmoving, 
amazed.

		GAMBLER (O.S.)
	Steve. Your mother's here!

ANGLE ON LUKE

as he gets up. Behind him Loudmouth Steve gets up, tossing 
down his sex book resentfully:

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Jeez! She never lets me alone.

		TRAMP
	You oughta be glad you got somebody.

Steve tosses him a finger as he leaves.

		ALIBI
	My wife hasn't been here for a month. 
	She must be sick again. She's had 
	this condition of the liver for...

		TATTOO
	Alibi, can't you never say nothin' 
	without explainin' it? Carr says you 
	even explain when you get up at night.

EXT. CAMP GATE (DAY)

By the picnic table set up for visitors. In far b.g., we SEE 
Luke come out of the door and start across the yard toward 
the gate, where he is shaken down and permitted to exit, 
moving down to the table. A few feet from the end of the 
table, Boss Godfrey sits in a kitchen chair, his hands 
discreetly crossed over the pistol in his lap. His mirror 
eyes play over the scene. Loudmouth Steve, his MOTHER -- a 
desperately fortyish blonde -- and a couple of other prisoners 
and visitors occupy the background. Parked next to the table 
is a truck. In the bed lies Luke's mother, ARLETTA. She is 
propped up on pillows and wedged in for traveling.

The whole back is set up as for a chronic invalid, everything 
within reach, etc. She smokes incessantly. Nearby, Luke's 
BROTHER and his nephew, JOHN-BOY, a kid of twelve, enormously 
impressed with the sights and the guns and dogs, etc.

		LUKE
	Comin' out here, Boss?

		BOSS PAUL
		(by the gate)
	Yeah. Come on out, Luke.

A few feet outside the gate, Jackson reaches for the boy, 
pats him on the head. Shakes hands in passing with his 
brother, who is unmistakably a farmer, and stands in the 
doorway looking at his mother. She lies on her side craning 
to see him.

		LUKE
	How'd you find me?

		ARLETTA
	Helen, she sent along your things 
	with a note, and John here, he wrote 
	to the police.

		LUKE
	Yeah. Well.
		(to Godfrey)
	Gettin' up here, Boss.

Godfrey just looks at him, says nothing.

		LUKE
	Well, Arletta, I got to stand down 
	here.

		ARLETTA
	I allus hoped to see you well fixed 
	and have me a crop of grandkids to 
	kiss and fuss around with.

		LUKE
	Like to oblige you, Arletta, but 
	right off I don't know where to put 
	my hands on 'em.

		ARLETTA
	Sometimes I wisht people was like 
	dogs, Luke. Comes a time, a day like, 
	when the bitch just don't recognize 
	her pups no more, so she don't have 
	no hopes nor love to bring her pain. 
	She just don't give a damn. They let 
	you smoke?

		LUKE
	Smokin' it up here, Boss.

Boss Godfrey nods. He lights cigarettes for her and for 
himself.

		LUKE
	Yeah, well, Arletta, you done your 
	best. What I done with myself is my 
	problem.

		ARLETTA
	No it hain't, Luke. You ain't alone. 
	Ever whar you go, I'm with you, and 
	so's John.

		LUKE
	You never thought that's a heavy 
	load?

		ARLETTA
	We allus thought you was strong enough 
	to carry it. Was we wrong?

Luke gives her the cigarette, and smiles at her.

		LUKE
	No. But things ain't always like 
	they seem, Arletta. You know that. A 
	man's gotta go his own way.

		ARLETTA
	Well, I don't know, I just wash my 
	hands of it, I guess I just got to 
	love you and let go.

She catches his hand as he puts the cigarette between her 
lips.

		LUKE
	Yeah.

		ARLETTA
	What are you doin' here?

		LUKE
	We call it abuildin' time, Arletta.

		ARLETTA
	I ain't askin' what you'll do after 
	you get out, because I'm gonna be 
	dead and it don't matter.

His mother's disappointment in him brings Jackson a real 
twinge of pain here. He tries to change the subject.

		LUKE
	You never wanted to live forever 
	anyways, did you? It wasn't such a 
	hell of a life.

		ARLETTA
	Oh, I had me some high old times. 
	Yore old man, Luke, wasn't much for 
	stickin' around, but damn it he made 
	me laugh.

		LUKE
	Yeah, would of been nice to of knowed 
	him, the way you talk about him.

She's looking at him and begins to laugh, losing control and 
coughing to the point it alarms John and Jackson and they 
have to help her. She pays no attention to the cough.

		ARLETTA
	He'd... He'd of... broke you up.

She quiets after the fit and lies back, tired.

		ARLETTA
	You think life is some kind of ocean 
	voyage and you start out with buntin' 
	and hollerin' and high hopes, but 
	the damn ship goes down before you 
	ever reach the other side. Luke?

		LUKE
	Here, Mom.

		ARLETTA
	What went wrong?

		LUKE
	Nothin'. Ever'thing's cool's can be.

		ARLETTA
	No.

		LUKE
	Tried to live always just as free 
	and aboveboard as you been, and well, 
	they ain't that much elbow room.

Arletta is looking hard into his eyes as he speaks. She 
reaches out to him again...

		ARLETTA
	You allus had good jobs, and that 
	girl in Kentucky I taken a shine to 
	her.

		LUKE
	She took off with that convertible 
	feller...

		ARLETTA
	Well, why not? Idee of marryin' got 
	you all choked up, trying to pretend 
	you was respectable you was borin' 
	the hell out of all of us.

		LUKE
		(grinning at her)
	Yeah.

		ARLETTA
	I'm leavin' the place to John.

		LUKE
	That's good: he earned it.

		ARLETTA
	Nothin' to do with it. I ain't never 
	give John the kind of feelin' I give 
	you, so I'm payin' him off now. Don't 
	feel you got to say anything. Way it 
	is, sometimes, you just have a feelin' 
	for a child or you don't, and with 
	John I just didn't.

OFFSTAGE WHISTLE

		LUKE
	Gotta go, Arletta.

		ARLETTA
		(recovering)
	Laugh it up, kid. You'll make out.

She kneads his hand and subsides onto her bed. Luke turns 
away from her to face John, who has stood by. Godfrey is on 
his feet. The other men are getting up and saying goodbye to 
visitors, picking up their packages, etc., and among them is 
a chain man, his chains dragging, holding them up with a 
string. The kid stands by John looking at the chains clinking 
past...

		JOHN-BOY
	Why can't you have chains?

Luke looks up at John, Sr. with amusement.

		JOHN-BOY
	Uncle Luke?

TWO SHOT LUKE AND JOHN, SR.

		JOHN
	John-Boy looks to you. You're a hero. 
	He's braggin' on you all over the 
	county.

		LUKE
		(thoughtful)
	Yeah.

		JOHN
	You must've really flung a binge 
	this time. You really hit that cop?

		LUKE
		(not liking the smug 
		pride in John)
	Much as I'd like to oblige you, John, 
	I didn't hit the cop.
		(beat)
	She's in pretty bad pain, ain't she?

		JOHN
		(nods)
	Fulla dope, Luke.

		LUKE
	Keep it with her all the time. Let 
	her have all she wants.

They understand each other. Luke chucks John-Boy under the 
chin, then stops, looks at John, kneels beside him.

TWO SHOT LUKE AND JOHN-BOY

		LUKE
	You don't want to admire them chains, 
	John-Boy. They ain't medals. You get 
	them put on for makin' mistakes.
		(beat)
	And if you make a really bad mistake, 
	then you got to deal with the Man... 
	and he is one tough old boy.

THEIR P.O.V.

Godfrey stares at them, his glasses mirroring.

BACK TO THEM

		LUKE
	So long, Arletta. Take care.

		ARLETTA'S VOICE
	You know it, kid.

John holds Luke for a beat and reaches into the truck and 
pulls out a battered banjo which he gives Luke.

		JOHN
	Now there's nothin' for you to come 
	back for.

ARLETTA'S TRUCK

LEAVING down the road, kicking up dust. Barracks in b.g.

EXT. HIGHWAY WITH YOYO SUPPORT (DAY)

cutting away at the time...

							DISSOLVE TO:

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

Luke sits on his bunk plunking aimlessly at the BANJO. The 
barracks are quiet, an air of [...]. Suddenly there is an 
unidentifiable SOUND, low, but all the heads in the barracks 
look up, waiting, silently. It has begun to rain, the big 
drops DRUMMING on the roof. It begins to fall heavily. There 
are moving slams around the building as outside the guards 
SLAM the storm shutters. It is hot, oppressive.

		ALIBI
	I guess they have to close those 
	things, or we'd drown. But it's really 
	suffocating.

		TATTOO
	Talk about drownin', I did some 
	trainin' on a submarine once. Boy, 
	when you're under there you really 
	feel it.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Shut up, man. It's too hot to talk.

The air is stifling, desultory. Out of boredom, Dragline 
turns to Dynamite.

		DRAGLINE
	You see mah skinny lid boy at chow 
	tonight. He was matching you plate 
	for plate.

		DYNAMITE
	I wasn't feelin' good. Think I got a 
	ulcer or somethin'.

		DRAGLINE
	He had a spoon like yours, he'd make 
	you look like a possum [...] on a 
	tree bark.

Society Red is lying on his bunk looking at the bottom of 
the bunk above.

		SOCIETY RED
	Oh, come on, Clarence.

Dragline sits up and looks at him aggressively.

		DRAGLINE
	What do you mean, Clarence? You 
	callin' me a liar?

He waits.

		SOCIETY RED
	Not a liar. You just have a common -- 
	and likable -- tendency toward 
	exaggeration.

		DRAGLINE
		(proudly)
	He's the champeen hog-gut of this 
	camp. Hell, I seen him eat ten 
	choc'lat bars and seven cold drinks 
	in fifteen minutes. He kin eat busted 
	bottles and rusty nails, any damn 
	thing. If you'd so kindly oblige as 
	to let me cut off your yankee head, 
	he'd even eat that.

		LUKE
	I can eat fifty eggs.

They turn to look at him as though surprised to find him 
there. Before Dragline can think he says...

		DRAGLINE
	Nobody kin eat fifty eggs.

		SOCIETY RED
		(to Dragline)
	You just said he could eat anything.

		DRAGLINE
		(doubtfully, to Luke)
	You ever eat fifty eggs?

		LUKE
	Nobody ever ate fifty eggs.

		GAMBLER
	Bet! Bet! Babalugats!

		DRAGLINE
	Mah boy say he kin eat fifty eggs, 
	he'll eat fifty eggs.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Yeah but in how long?

		LUKE
	One hour.

		SOCIETY RED
	Well I believe I'll have to take 
	part of that wager.

		DRAGLINE
	Two bucks.

		GAMBLER
	Let's talk money.

		DRAGLINE
	Awright, twenty bucks. Anything! The 
	Syndicate'll cover any money you 
	got. Koko, get paper.

		KOKO
	Dragline... fifty eggs got to weigh 
	a good six pounds.

		DYNAMITE
		(expertly)
	Man's gut can't hold that. They'll 
	swell up and bust him open.

		BLIND DICK
	You're gonna kill him.

		DRAGLINE
	Getcha money, up. Gambler! Dynamite! 
	Everybody. Kokonut Head here is taking 
	the money. Loudmouth -- get it up!

The initial boredom of the scene is dispelled -- a purpose 
has been created to lead them through the endless building 
of time.

		GAMBLER
	How's he gonna eat 'em?

		LUKE
		(cutting in)
	Boiled for fifteen minutes. Then 
	peeled. I eat all fifty in one hour.

Men are all around Dragline and Koko now with money and 
wagers. Koko is frantically scribbling.

		DRAGLINE
	Koko, write down their names, don't 
	just make marks.

		SOCIETY RED
	One rule! No throwing up. He throws 
	up, you forfeit everything.

		DRAGLINE
	You ever see mah boy throw up? Shut 
	your mouth and put up your money!

Koko is on the floor now with Babalugats beside him, assorting 
papers, handing out betting receipts. Dragline turns to Luke.

		DRAGLINE
	Why'd you have to say fifty? Why not 
	thirty-five or thirty-nine?

		LUKE
	Fifty's a nice round number.

		DRAGLINE
	Damn, Luke. What's the matter with 
	you? what's the matter with me?

		LUKE
		(winking)
	Nothin' to worry about. We got a 
	deadlock on that mullet.

EXT. PRISON YARD MOVING TWO SHOT (DAY)

Luke and Dragline jog around the yard like roadwork for a 
boxer and trainer.

		DRAGLINE
	What did I do? Stole and tole lies. 
	I loved mah neighbor and his wife, 
	but what did I do to deserve this 
	lunatic to come in mah happy home 
	and beat me outa hard earned bread.

		LUKE
		(grins)
	We got it locked in the sock.

		DRAGLINE
	Yeah, I know. But what we gotta do 
	first is stretch that l'il ol' belly 
	of yours -- git it all strained out, 
	in fightin' shape, like a barrage 
	balloon.

		LUKE
	You ol' sack of guts. I had a belly 
	like yours, we wouldn't have nothin' 
	to worry about.

		DRAGLINE
		(considers paunch)
	'Atsa sign I got me an affectionate 
	nature.

		LUKE
	Like an elephant.

		DRAGLINE
		(grinning)
	Us elephants may be a lil slow, like 
	in makin' love, but you give us a 
	coupla three days to really get with 
	it an' man -- stand back!

Luke grins.

LUKE IN THE CHOWLINE

taking enormous helpings.

		DOGBOY
	Lookit this hot gut, Boss. Here's a 
	man gone bust the State feedin' his 
	face.

		BOSS HIGGINS
	Wisht I could eat like that.

		LUKE
	Thing about bad food, you got to eat 
	a lot of it.

OMITTED

LUKE

He sits in a yoga position, rippling his stomach muscles 
miraculously. Koko and Gambler pop INTO THE SHOT to watch 
with amazement.

INT. MESS HALL (NIGHT)

Luke refuses food. He moves to his place, sits before his 
empty plate.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

as Dragline stops in front of the Wicker Man.

		DRAGLINE
	Boss! Man needs a brown bomber and a 
	dose of salts.

Instant UPROAR of protest.

		SOCIETY RED
	Rules Committee! Rules Committee!

		ALIBI
	Nobody said nothin' about that!

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Same as dopin' a race horse!

		SLEEPY
	It don't sound right.

		TATTOO
	You can't do that!

		DRAGLINE
	You jes' watch us!

		BLIND DICK
	Fair's fair.

		KOKO
	Got a right to start with a clear 
	gut!

		DYNAMITE
	Man can't eat that much no matter --

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	You can't just change the rules any 
	way you want!

All of this is overlapping: Dragline walks through them 
carrying the pile and cup of salts passed out from the Wicker, 
ignoring it all.

INT. KITCHEN

JABO, the cook, is lowering the sacks of eggs into huge pots 
of boiling water. Carr stands by with a watch, timing. Outside 
the open door are Dragline, Dynamite and Gambler watching 
tensely.

		DRAGLINE
	Take it easy now, Jabo. Them is eggs, 
	not them cathead biscuits.

		JABO
	I know what eggs look like. I ain't 
	seen any around here for three years, 
	but I remember.

ANGLE ON BARRACKS DOOR (DAY)

as a file of men carry the still-steaming eggs in their hats 
from the yard into the building.

		RABBIT
		(adding on a scrap of 
		paper)
	I've got it figured. If he eats an 
	egg a minute, he's got 10 minutes 
	left to swaller them.

		CHIEF
	I just got sent five bucks from the 
	rodeo company.

		RABBIT
	What for?

		CHIEF
	A bull I fell off.

INT. BARRACKS

as the line of men reach the poker table and begin stacking 
up the eggs. The Rules Committee sits around the table leaving 
one side for Luke. It's all set up with towels, etc. They 
are counting eggs carefully, piling them in pyramids. Dragline 
picks up an egg and cracks it smartly on the table. Again 
uproar...

		DRAGLINE
	Awright! Stand back, you pedestrians, 
	this ain't no automobile accident!

		ALIBI
	You're peeling his eggs!

		DRAGLINE
	That's right, Mister Alibi.

		SOCIETY RED
	He peels the eggs himself. That's 
	understood.

		DRAGLINE
	You jus' may be great at hangin' 
	paper around the big cities, but us 
	country boys is not entirely 
	brainless. When it comes to the law, 
	nothin' is understood.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Who made what law about peeling his 
	eggs?

		DRAGLINE
	I'm his trainer, I'm the syndicate 
	what's coverin' all bets, and I'm 
	his official egg peeler.

		SOCIETY RED
	Just wait till the hour starts, that's 
	all.

The champion enters and the talk dies. He's naked from the 
waist. He does some side-straddle hops and deep-knee bends. 
His stomach is markedly concave. He, drying himself from a 
shower, walks to the fragment of mirror on the wall and combs 
his hair, studies his image a second and, at last ready, 
moves to the table and sits down.

		LUKE
		(ingeniously)
	What's goin' on?

Dragline jumps up and gives a second's rubdown to Luke's 
shoulders. There is a flurry of last minute betting, and 
then silence. Everybody gathered around. Luke shuffles his 
feet, twitches his toes. One egg from the pile is peeled and 
in front of him. Carr waits, his eyes on his wrist watch, 
his other hand up in the air, and all eyes rest on that hand. 
All eyes drop as the hand drops. Dragline grabs eggs and 
peels them, his fingers flickering, the shells flying. Luke 
picks up the peeled egg and eats it in a gulp.

CUTS OF LUKE, DRAGLINE, REACTIONS

LUKE

He's eating very fast.

		SOCIETY RED
		(keeping a written 
		tab)
	One, two, three...
		(continues counting, 
		throughout)

		KOKO
	He's gonna lose a finger eating eggs 
	like that.

Dragline reaches over and pops an egg into Luke's mouth, his 
pinkie extended, like tossing a tidbit into the mouth of 
some animal.

FULL SHOT LUKE IN THE CENTER

The others stand around, motionless. Dragline cracks and 
peels and Luke eats in a regular musical rhythm inexorable 
and horrible as it is sustained. Red is checking and counting 
off eggs...

		SOCIETY RED
	...twenty-four. Twenty-five, twenty-
	six...

LUKE

His face bears an expression of ineffable absent pleasure as 
though eggs reminded him of something a long way away.

DRAGLINE

looking at him, neutral...

		DRAGLINE
	Slow down a little.

THE GROUP

Some chew fingernails, some stare, some mouth open, some 
stand with unlighted cigarettes in their mouths, staring. 
Some have eyes shut, their lips silently counting with Red.

		SOCIETY RED
	...thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two.

LUKE

He stops and stands up, stretching. His stomach bulges as 
though he were pregnant. Slowly he walks across the barracks 
toward the water faucet. Dragline stands looking after him, 
alarmed. Luke slowly bends over and washes his mouth out, 
not taking a drink. He stands, turns, walks up and down, 
does some exercises. Silence, no one else moves. He walks 
back, looks at the eggs, making an expression of distaste. 
He turns away and does some more exercises. Gambler moves 
over very close to him. Luke is going up and down, up and 
down doing knee bends. Gambler tries to look into his eyes, 
examine his stomach, listen to his wind. Luke sticks out his 
tongue obligingly for a check. Gambler stands up.

		SOCIETY RED
	Eighteen to go!

There is a flurry of last-minute betting led by Onionhead's 
examination. Koko, Babalugats beside him, are the tellers.

		GAMBLER
	He's had it. I'm throwin' in my last 
	tenner.

Sleepy appears, as does Tramp, to make beta.

		BLIND DICK
	He don't look good.

		DYNAMITE
		(expertly)
	Man's gut can't hold more'n that.

		GAMBLER
	Oh you gonna come crawlin' around 
	beggin' for a cold drink, Drag. Your 
	boy is done for!

Mechanic has been studying Luke as if he were an ailing 
carburetor.

		MECHANIC
		(quietly to Dragline)
	If I give you a dollar and he don't 
	eat all fifty eggs, I get two dollars?

		DRAGLINE
	Mechanic!

Dragline puts his arm around Mechanic's shoulders 
affectionately.

		DRAGLINE
	You're a sweet old boy and I don't 
	like to see you pick up no bad habits. 
	Better use that dollar to buy yourself 
	a new spark plug or something. But 
	as long as you done took a stand, 
	why don't you put some money where 
	your mouth is? Not no measly buck!

		MECHANIC
	All I got is three-seventy-five.

		DRAGLINE
	It's a bet! Koko! I gone this far, 
	I'm backin' mah boy all the way! 
	Come on, who's next? Where are the 
	big money men, I want to hear from 
	some high rollers.

Silence.

		SOCIETY RED
	I believe you've got it all, Dragline. 
	Every nickel in camp is riding.

Dragline turns to Luke and grins. Luke instantly appears to 
recover and walks casually back to the table. It should be 
clear this last was a little put-on between him and Dragline 
to milk the last money into bets. Luke sits and begins eating.

LUKE

cool, confident, but as the egg is crushed in his mouth the 
first real gagging feeling of total surfeit hits him. His 
jaw closes and freezes. His eyes grow desperate and swivel 
toward Dragline, though he doesn't dare move his head lest 
he give way to nausea.

DRAGLINE

reacts.

LUKE

with a herculean effort, he swallows.

		SOCIETY RED'S VOICE
	Thirty-three.

Dragline swallows with relief. Gambler moves and looks about, 
a man feeling victory within his grasp.

		ALIBI
	Carr? What's the time?

		CARR
	Twenty-four minutes to go.

Luke swallows another egg; sweat bursts out on his forehead. 
Dragline signals to a second, Koko, to sit in for him and 
peel eggs. He moves to Luke.

		SOCIETY RED
	Thirty-four.

TWO SHOT LUKE AND DRAGLINE

as Dragline stands behind him, massaging his shoulders and 
neck, tenderly... Luke doggedly eats eggs, one by one. Red 
counts off under...

		SOCIETY RED
	Thirty-nine... forty... forty-one... 
	forty-two...

MEANWHILE:

		DRAGLINE
	Come on, boy, come on, darlin'. You 
	kin do her. Just let that ol' belly 
	sag and enjoy itself. Stay loose, 
	buddy. Eight more, between you and 
	everlasting glory. Little ol' eggs, 
	pigeon eggs, that's all, fish eggs 
	practically.

Luke almost throws up, and Dragline signals Koko to hold 
up... he gets Luke of his feet and begins walking him up and 
down the barracks...

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Carr? Time?

		CARR
	Six minutes to go, Dragline.

		DRAGLINE
		(into Luke's ear)
	Just shakin' it down, that's all, 
	settlin' them eggs down...

He sits him down, takes an egg from Koko and puts it to Luke's 
lips, pursing his lips in a kiss...

		DRAGLINE
	Come on, Baby... don't be that way. 
	Open your little ol' gator mouth.

Luke opens his mouth, in goes the egg, he chews, chews, 
swallows. Another egg...

		SOCIETY RED
	Forty-four...

		CARR
	Two minutes to time...

		DRAGLINE
	All right now: get mad at them eggs. 
	Eat it there boy! Bite it! Gnaw on 
	it!

		SOCIETY RED
	Forty-five.

		CARR
	One minute, thirty seconds.

Another egg goes. Luke closes his eyes and motions to 
Dragline; just stuff 'em in any old how!

		DRAGLINE
	That's it, that's how to do it, chew, 
	chew, chew!

All eggs peeled, Koko is up and dancing wildly, and a couple 
of men, even though they've got nothing but everything to 
lose, are intoxicated beyond power to restrain themselves 
and are yelling and jumping up and down.

		CARR
	One minute, fifty-five... fifty... 
	forty-five... etc.

		SOCIETY RED
	Forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven...

So that it all comes out in a near dead-heat, with Dragline 
yelling and popping in eggs. At the last second before 
deadline, two whole eggs are shoved into Luke's mouth, and 
Dragline rams Luke's mouth shut for him...

		DRAGLINE
	All in: that's it: chew, chew, chew!

		CARR
	Fifteen, ten, nine, eight, seven... 
	six...

Luke looks around, then takes a mighty swallow, as:

		CARR
	One... zero!

Luke collapses with his head on the table, his arms flung 
out.

		SOCIETY RED
	He didn't swallow the last...

He grabs him by the hair and pulls his head back. Dragline 
pries his mouth open with his fingers. Luke is out...

		DRAGLINE
	You think so, huh?

NEW ANGLE PAST LUKE'S EAR

as they all peer down into his throat. Dragline grins, looks 
around at Society.

		DRAGLINE
	Where's the egg?

He slaps Luke on the cheek affectionately, closes his mouth 
and lets his head fall back on the table with a loud thump, 
his arms again sprawled out in the piles of egg shells. A 
dance of victory for Dragline... he collects all over the 
place. Dynamite, shaking his head, quietly knights the new 
champion hog-gut by laying his big spoon on the table next 
to Luke's head.

EXT. ROAD (DAY)

A car ROARS by, leaving a hint of laughter and music in the 
air and a cloud of dust. The men are working rhythmically. 
Godfrey watching.

ANGLE ON LOUDMOUTH STEVE GAMBLER

They have been observing Godfrey.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Man looks like a goddamn bus driver.

		GAMBLER
		(yoyoing)
	He gets too close to me and I'll cut 
	his belly open.

OMITTED

ANGLE ON KOKO

He sees snake.

		KOKO'S VOICE
	Snake in the grass! Boss!

He runs. Men flail at the snake in the grass with their yoyos 
and CAMERA MOVES WITH Snake though we can't see it and we 
follow its progress only by the men jumping, hitting at it, 
yelling.

GODFREY

He rams his cane into the soft sand and Rabbit reaches into 
the truck cab and hands him his rifle. Godfrey slams the 
bolt in.

BACK TO MEN

They jump and yell and chase the snake until they reach Luke, 
who stoops, grabs cooly and comes up with the snake, holding 
it by the tail.

		LUKE
	Pickin' it up here, Boss!

GODFREY

His EYES HUGE IN THE SCREEN: Luke seen there IN DUPLICATE, 
standing tall in the sun, grinning, the rattler wriggling 
and thrashing in his grasp. Godfrey's face holds for a long 
beat then the rifle is brought up so that we can now see 
Luke CLEAR IN ONE LENS and the other he is lined up in the 
rifle sight pointing directly INTO THE LENS -- or just CAMERA 
LEFT. There is a SHOT and the rifle is lowered enough so we 
can see Luke IN DUPLICATE again.

LUKE

looking at Godfrey, grinning, but a little tougher now. The 
snake has no head. He walks down a little and throws the 
body of the snake on the road at Godfrey's feet. It brings 
him close to where Godfrey's cane still stands in the sand. 
Godfrey kicks at the snake. He turns... Luke pulls the cane 
out of the sand and holds it out to Godfrey.

		LUKE
	Don't forget your walking stick, 
	Boss.

Godfrey turns to face him and stares at him. Luke just holds 
the stick out to him. Godfrey slowly takes the bolt out of 
the rifle, looks down the barrel, blows the smoke out, puts 
the bolt in his pocket and hands the gun back to Rabbit before 
finally reaching out and taking the stick from Luke. He turns 
and walks away.

		LUKE
	You shore can shoot, man.

Godfrey's shoulders almost jerk as though at every word he 
were being hit with invisible bullets.

SKY CLOUD THUNDER LIGHTNING

EXT. ROAD DRAGLINE LUKE

working.

		DRAGLINE
	Luke, why you actin' so strange? 
	What you wanna do somethin' like 
	that for? You gone too far when you 
	mess with the Man With No Eyes. You 
	gonna be outa here in a little bit -- 
	whyn't you jus' take it a little 
	easy?

Luke has been staring up at the darkening sky which is growing 
more ominous with clashing clouds and rolling thunder.

		LUKE
	Man, it looks like the Big Boss is 
	getting ready to let us have it!

It begins to rain, large spattering drops, quickly turning 
into a downpour.

		BOSS PAUL (O.S.)
	Awright, you kin git in that truck.

The gang rushes back into the shelter, all except Luke and 
Dragline.

		LUKE
	Look at Him go. Bam! Bam!

		DRAGLINE
	Knock it off, Luke! You cain't talk 
	about Him that way.

Dragline begins to move off toward the truck.

		LUKE
	You still believe in the Big Bearded 
	Boss, Drag? You think he's up there 
	watching us?

He grins at Dragline and then, after a beat, raises his bush 
axe straight up to the sky, grinning at Dragline.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

He is frightened as he backs off toward the truck.

		DRAGLINE
	Get in here! Ain't you scared -- 
	ain't you scared of dyin'?

ANGLE ON LUKE

The rain is torrential. He has to shout to be heard.

		LUKE
	Dyin'? He can take back this nice 
	pretty life any time He wants.
		(looks up)
	You welcome to it, Old Timer. Come 
	on! Make me know you're up there! 
	Kill me or love me, one or the other.

He holds his bush axe again, laughing, soaking wet.

REVERSE BACK OF TRUCK

The men jammed into the frame of the body, a frieze of shocked 
faces staring out at him through the rain. There is a blinding 
flash of lightning and a THUNDEROUS ROAR. They wince but 
don't turn away.

LUKE

He smiles and lowers the bush axe, walking toward the truck.

		LUKE
	Standin' out here in the rain! All 
	alone! Talkin' to myself.

He smiles a little shamefaced, rueful, sad smile and climbs 
into the truck and the men draw back from him.

ANGLE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF THE TRUCK PARKED BEHIND

Godfrey seen dimly through the rain-misted windshield.

EXT. YOYO SHIMMERING IN THE SUN TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

It is the free hour. But instead of the poker game, Dragline, 
Luke and Koko sit at the table dealing with their line of 
debtors from the egg-eating. Koko acts as secretary, changing 
the amounts as the men pay off or borrow more. As Blind Dick 
receives his money and leaves:

		DRAGLINE
		(to Koko)
	Blind Dick is payin' us off three 
	and borrowin' back five. Next!

It is Tattoo.

		DRAGLINE
	Borrowin' or payin' back?

		TATTOO
	Borrowin'.

		DRAGLINE
	Mister Cool Hand here is the soft 
	heart in our Loan Department. Next!

ON CARR AT THE WICKER (NIGHT)

He has just been handed a telegram by the Wicker Man. He 
reads it impassive as always, while in b.g., the business 
continues and we HEAR:

		SOCIETY RED'S VOICE
	I believe I still owe you thirty. I 
	don't suppose you'd take a check.

		TATTOO'S VOICE
		(to Luke)
	My Navy disability didn't come yet. 
	You know how it is.

Carr finishes reading and we FOLLOW HIM as he walks to the 
table.

		LUKE
	Sure do... that's why we didn't bet 
	with the Navy.

		DRAGLINE
	Oh, that's mah darlin' Luke. Grins 
	like a baby and bites like a 'gator.

Carr sets the telegram on the table next to Luke.

		CARR
	Sorry, Luke.

Luke picks up the telegram and reads. Then he sets it down, 
stands and goes to his bunk. Dragline looks after him, takes 
up the telegram and hands it up to Society Red.

		SOCIETY RED
		(after reading)
	His mother's dead.

ANGLE ON LOUDMOUTH STEVE

As he sees Luke go to his bunk, he picks up his sex book and 
moves down to the other end of the barracks. Alibi does the 
same with the cigarette papers and tobacco he has been 
rolling.

ANGLE ON LUKE

sitting on his bunk, bare feet tucked up beneath his drawn-
up legs, softly picking out a slow hymn melody on his banjo. 
Tears slowly stream down his cheeks.

ANGLE ON CARR

as Luke continues playing softly. He walks down to the other 
end of the barracks, too.

FULL SHOT BARRACKS

All of the other men are congregated at the other end, giving 
Luke what privacy they can. There is no conversation, only 
the slow, plaintive plucking of the banjo.

ANGLE ON LUKE CLOSE

playing, the tears coursing.

NEW ANGLE ON LUKE

in his bunk now, staring wet-eyed up at the ceiling.

		CARR'S VOICE
	Fifty, boss.

		WICKERMAN'S VOICE
	Fifty, awright, Carr.

EXT. MESS HALL (PRE-DAWN)

As the men pour out they see that the light on the box is 
burning, a nightshirt is hung on the fence. Their usual hurry-
up pace is slowed to a nervous, apprehensive gait.

		BOSS PAUL
	Awright, git lined up here.

ANGLE ON CAPTAIN'S PORCH

He has been watching, rocking. As the men line up, he gets 
up and goes down the steps toward the yard.

CAPTAIN'S P.O.V.

pushing the gate open, moving in front of Boss Paul, facing 
the men.

		CAPTAIN
	Luke, fall out.

Luke steps forward, pulls off his shirt and jacket. He steps 
behind the latticework screen to take off his pants as the 
Captain speaks.

		CAPTAIN'S VOICE
		(emotionless)
	When a man's mother dies and he gits 
	to thinkin' about her funeral and 
	payin' respects, before he knows it 
	his mind ain't right and he's got 
	rabbit in his blood and runs. We're 
	keepin' you off the road fer awhile.

He has said all he has to say. He walks off.

FULL SHOT LUKE AND THE MEN

They are watching him slip on the nightshirt. Boss Kean opens 
the box.

		BOSS KEAN
		(to Luke)
	Ah'm jus' doin' mah job, Luke. You 
	gotta appreciate that.

ANGLE ON LUKE IN BOX

		LUKE
	Boss, when you do somethin' to me 
	you better do it because you got to 
	or want to... but not because it's 
	your damn job.

ANGLE ON KEAN

His eyes narrow. The box door slams. Greyness.

		BOSS PAUL'S VOICE (O.S.)
	Awright, let's move it out!

And o.s. the SOUNDS of the men counting through the gate and 
the truck engines coughing.

EXT. ROAD DAWN (NIGHT)

The bull gang truck pulling out. In b.g. the barracks and 
the light over the box.

EXT. CAMP

The bull gang truck stopping. The back is opened and the men 
jump out, line up and begin counting off through the gate. 
In b.g. as they count is Luke's voice singing.

CLOSE ON DRAGLINE

He smiles... oh that Luke!

CLOSE ON BOSS GODFREY

listening to the mocking voice.

EXT. BARRACKS

It is the next morning. The tire iron SOUNDS.

		CARR'S VOICE
	First bell! First bell! Let's go!

The figures of Boss Paul and Boss Seven go to the box. Seven 
carries Luke's food.

INT. BOX PAUL'S P.O.V.

as it is opened. The dimness of the overhead bulb illuminates 
Luke.

		LUKE
	Shut the door, Boss. You're lettin' 
	in a draft.

ANGLE ON PAUL

His face corrodes in fury.

		BOSS PAUL
	Git on your feet! Ah'm gonna teach 
	you some respect right now!

Furiously he tries to cane Luke with his walking stick. But 
the cramped quarters restrict him. The cane clangs wildly 
against the sides of the box as Luke crouches in a corner, 
covering his head.

ANGLE ON LUKE

protecting, as Boss Paul retreats. The box door slams! 
Greyness.

EXT. BARRACKS (AFTERNOON)

as the bull gang counts in after the day's work. The light 
on the box still burns. No sound from Luke.

CLOSE ON DRAGLINE

He looks worried.

EXT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

The tire rim SOUNDS and the men scurry for their bunks.

		CARR'S VOICE
	Last bell! Last bell!
		(the pacing of his 
		steps)
	Forty-nine, Boss. And one in the 
	box.

		WICKERMAN'S VOICE
	Forty-nine and one in the box. Right, 
	Carr.

EXT. BARRACKS (PRE-DAWN)

Boss Paul, carrying a shotgun, and Boss Seven are opening 
the box. In b.g. the tire rim SOUNDS.

		CARR'S VOICE
	First bell! First bell! Let's go!

And the uproar of the men getting out of their bunks, hurrying 
to dress and line up by the chute.

INT. BOX CLOSE SHOT LUKE'S P.O.V.

as the door opens and the double muzzle of Boss Paul's shot-
gun stares.

BOSS PAUL'S P.O.V.

Luke is standing at the rear of the box, his arms crossed 
over his chest, his eyes slightly wild, his face dirty and 
stubbled. In b.g. the SOUND of Rudolph, the pet bloodhound 
puppy, yipping.

LUKE'S P.O.V.

Paul's gun draws back. Boss Seven hands Paul a heavy biscuit, 
grinning. Rudolph is sniffing, nipping at Paul's trousers, 
smelling the biscuit.

		BOSS PAUL
	You look hongry, Luke.
		(tosses biscuit in 
		his hand)
	Reckon this would taste mighty good, 
	but Rudolph looks pretty hongry, 
	too. Why don't we split it with the 
	pooch, okay?

He breaks the biscuit and dangles half over Rudolph who nips 
and barks for it.

		BOSS PAUL
		(feeding Rudolph)
	Tha's a good boy.
		(to Luke)
	Well, here's your piece, Luke.

ON LUKE

He speaks in a low, uneven voice.

		LUKE
	Might as well give it all to him, 
	Boss. I just ain't much hungry.

ON BOSS PAUL

Livid with rage, he slams the door! Greyness.

EXT. LAUNDRY FENCE CLOSE ON LAUNDRY FLYING OVER FENCE 
(AFTERNOON)

as LAUNDRY BOY tries to catch the flying sheets, pants and 
shirts being tossed by the men. Behind him we SEE the 
steaming, pumping cleaning machines.

EXT. YARD (AFTERNOON)

Laundry boy and machines in b.g. as Boss Kean and Boss Seven 
go to the box. Boss Seven carries Luke's shoes and a freshly 
cleaned set of state issues. The men turn.

INT. BOX (AFTERNOON)

as the door opens. Luke looks up. Kean's face stares down, 
not unkind. Luke moves forward.

OMITTED

EXT. BOX (AFTERNOON)

as Luke emerges, Kean behind him.

		BOSS KEAN
		(gently)
	She's in the ground now, Luke. Best 
	forget about it. You got a day ana 
	half lay-in... and tomorrow's a 
	holiday.

OMITTED

INT. BARRACKS (EVENING)

The Fourth of July. All hell is breaking loose. Four radios 
going, chain men jitterbugging, one of the men has a mouth 
harmonica, another plucks Luke's banjo. A lemonade barrel is 
in a corner and men dip into it with coke bottles; others 
are banging together bottles as instruments, playing combs, 
etc.

ANGLE ON ALIBI AND DYNAMITE

just filling their bottles with lemonade.

		ALIBI
		(toasting)
	Happy Fourth of July.

		SLEEPY
	Same to you.

		ALIBI
	Boy, if anyone had told me where I 
	was going to be spending Independence 
	Day...
		(shakes his head)

ON MUSIC MAKERS, OTHERS

Most of them are concentrated in front of Luke's bunk, singing 
and screaming, trying to make as much noise as possible. 
Tattoo is reading a new sex book aloud while Dynamite, 
Loudmouth Steve, others listen intently, some avid, some 
confused.

		TATTOO
		(reading)
	Wanda trembled, faced by this awesome 
	decision. It was the moment of choice. 
	Could she take the plunge and wantonly 
	hurl herself into pagan abandon? Or 
	would she remain ever fettered by 
	the bonds of her puritanical 
	upbringing? Could she take this chance 
	to experience the sensual thrill of 
	total release and gratification? Or 
	would she turn her back and retreat 
	into frigid denial? Desire and fear, 
	temptation and terror, yearning and 
	horror, warred within her beautiful 
	young body...

Luke is not to be seen among the music-makers and revellers. 
Moving through the crowd, the CAMERA FINDS Luke on his hands 
and knees, sawing at the floorboard with a piece of hacksaw.

ANGLE ON CARR

as the tire iron SOUNDS and SOUNDS again to be heard over 
the din.

		CARR
	First bell! Let's git to bed. You 
	done had your fun.

The singers and music-makers around Luke finish their song, 
reaching a high, piercing, noisy crescendo. At the same time, 
Dragline has been reading another sex book to Stupid Blondie, 
Blind Dick and Chief who are trying to act out the 
description, tying themselves into an intricate anatomical 
knot.

		DRAGLINE
		(reading)
	She moved her head another inch while 
	he reached up and put his left hand 
	on Carol's cheek as Carol pressed 
	her lips to... Oh Lord, I can't read 
	it!

He wriggles, panting with eye-popping pleasure, attracting 
Carr's attention. Stupid Blondie, Rabbit and Chief are still 
trying to untie themselves.

		DRAGLINE
	Carr. Lookit this. Oh I don't believe 
	it.

		CARR
	What you got there, Drag? You bought 
	yourself another of them dirty books?

Intrigued, Carr sits down on Dragline's bunk and follows 
Dragline's finger pointing out the lascivious parts. He is 
quickly absorbed.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

He looks over toward Luke who can be seen between the legs 
of the surrounding men, poised, waiting to drop down into 
the hole. Dragline winks.

ANGLE ON LUKE

He winks back, grins and disappears through the hole in the 
floor.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE AND CARR

The tutor and the student.

		DRAGLINE
	Here's a real hot one!

Carr reads intently.

ON THE HOLE BENEATH LUKE'S BUNK

gaping, empty, inviting.

VARIOUS REACTIONS OF MEN

A. KOKO - suppressing a giggle.

B. SOCIETY RED - considering it, cowardly.

C. ALIBI - tense, nervous.

ANGLE ON TATTOO

He has been considering it, weighing his chances, his eyes 
darting from the hole to Carr, back again. Now he scurries 
to the hole, drops inside.

ANGLE ON CARR, DRAGLINE

as the tire iron SOUNDS. Carr gets up.

		CARR
	Awright, last bell!

The men are in their bunks, Carr begins to make his count. 
As he comes to Tatto's bunk:

		WICKER MAN'S VOICE
	HEY, CARR! WHAT'S THAT OUTSIDE?

Carr rushes to the window.

		CARR
	Somebody's on the fence, boss!

EXT. YARD ON THE FENCE

It is Tattoo, half-way up the fence, startled by the clamor 
as the Wicker Man whales the GONG. He falls back down, starts 
up again, dogs BARKING.

EXT. YARD NEW ANGLE

as guards come running from the Captain's house, the dogs 
HOWLING.

ON TATTOO

frantically trying to get up the fence, falling down, starting 
to run, seeing the guards approaching with guns and canes, 
turning to the other direction: more guards. Caught like a 
rat, eyes wild with fear, he makes terrified motions to go 
in one direction, then the other but is rooted by fear and 
indecision as the guards move in. He SCREAMS.

INT. BARRACKS ANGLE ON WICKER AND DOOR

which is unlocked. Dogboy is dressed, combing his hair, self-
importantly putting on his gloves while the men lie in their 
bunks, staring contemptuously. Boss Paul, Godfrey and others 
stare with shotguns leveled from the wicker.

		BOSS PAUL
	Who else?

Carr has been tearing a sheet off Luke's bed.

		CARR
	Jackson. He cut a hole in the floor, 
	Boss.

He hands the sheet to Dogboy.

		BOSS PAUL
	He ain't even got the sense to run 
	from the road like everybody else.

		DOGBOY
	Blue'll git him, Boss. We'll git 
	that bastid, Cool Hand Luke.

OMITTED

EXT. DOG PEN MED. CLOSE SHOT (NIGHT)

Boss Paul is unlocking the pen. Dogboy stands by the screen 
letting the yapping, frothing hounds sniff at the sheet.

		BOSS PAUL
	Stan' back, Dogboy. Git the leash 
	here.

As he opens the pen, the hounds rush out. Dogboy grabs one, 
Boss Paul grabs another but Big Blue, the lead hound, has 
the scent and he bolts, howling and tearing off.

		DOGBOY
	Blue! Come back here! Come back, I 
	said.

EXT. SWAMP (NIGHT)

Luke, smiling, running like hell through the murky water. In 
b.g. Blue's baying.

EXT. SWAMP (NIGHT)

Blue in pursuit, sniffing, dashing, on the trail.

EXT. SWAMP (NIGHT)

Dogboy with the other dogs being pulled through the muddy, 
murky, thickly-foliaged swamp. Behind him, wading unhappily 
through knee-deep water are Bosses Paul, Higgins and Shorty.

EXT. ABANDONED RAILROAD STATION NIGHT (LATER)

Boss Paul is on the phone to the Captain, Bosses Higgins and 
Shorty sit disconsolate, dirty, wet, exhausted. Only Dogboy 
is still eager, two hounds by his feet, listening in the 
distance to the howl of Blue baying.

		DOGBOY
	Listen to Blue sing. She's on to 
	him. She says: got him.

		BOSS SHORTY
	Hail, that dog is jus' runnin' in 
	circles.

		BOSS PAUL
		(returning from phone)
	Captain says to wait 'til the Patrol 
	gits here.

		DOGBOY
		(listening to Blue)
	She's on to him. You shoulda waited 
	fer me to git her out -- loose like 
	she is, he kin run her crazy.

		BOSS PAUL
	It ain't my fault you don't know how 
	to handle your dogs.

		DOGBOY
	How my suppose to handle a dog someone 
	jus' let loose?

		BOSS HIGGINS
	I'm beat. This ain't mah job, nohow.

		BOSS SHORTY
	Me neither.

A Highway Patrol car pulls up.

		BOSS PAUL
	Here's the Patrol.

		DOGBOY
		(pulling up dogs)
	She's got him! You hear that?

Higgins and Shorty shake their heads wearily.

		OFFICER
		(to Dogboy)
	Okay, let's get started.

EXT. FARM COUNTRY (PIPELINES) (NIGHT)

Luke steps under and through the pipeline supports and 
vanishes. In b.g. Blue's plaintive HOWLING.

EXT. FARM COUNTRY (PIPELINES) DAY (DAWN)

Dogboy moves ACROSS the SCENE with his pack of dogs, having 
trouble following through the supports. The Officer behind 
him.

CLOSE SHOT DOGBOY

plodding along, exhausted, yanking at the dogs as they pull 
in different directions.

		DOGBOY
	Come on, Rudolph, Austin, you no 
	good buncha chicken-eaters, we're 
	lookin' for a man. We got us a job 
	to do.

EXT. BUSH BY FENCE (NEAR RAILROAD TRACKS) (DAY)

Luke carefully slips through the barbs, runs a few yards, 
slips back through again, runs a few yards, returns to the 
other side.

EXT. BUSH BY FENCE (NEAR RAILROAD TRACKS) DAY (LATER)

Dogboy with his pack and the Officer. In b.g. Blue is HOWLING, 
the dogs are BAYING frantically. It is with trouble that 
Dogboy and the Officer get through the fence, pulled by the 
eager dogs. Then they must cross it again.

		OFFICER
	Your dogs are crazy.

		DOGBOY
	He keeps criss-crossin'. He's 
	smarter'n a dog. But he ain't got us 
	boxed yet... Blue'll get him.

OMITTED

EXT. RAILROAD BRIDGE DAY

A trestle built of creosoted timber. The dogs reach it, break 
up into a milling, confused mass. Dogboy wrestles them out 
of the trestle. In b.g. as always, Blue's plaintive BAYING.

ANGLE ON BRIDGE

as Dogboy fights the dogs to get them across.

ANGLE ON FAR SIDE OF BRIDGE

as Dogboy hauls at the dogs who are pulling in different 
directions.

CLOSE SHOT DOGBOY

exhausted, disappointed, looking around, puzzled.

NEW ANGLE

The dogs are confused, seem to mill around aimlessly.

		DOGBOY
		(almost in tears)
	Dammit.
		(calling)
	Blue! Blue!

No answer.

EXT. FARMLAND ORCHARD TRACKING SHOT OF LUKE

running through the thick overhead cover. It is like a jungle. 
PULLING UP SLOWLY to HELICOPTER SHOT, we SEE that the cover 
is only a small patch of foliage and on the other side is a 
huge panorama of rolling, empty moor-like country in which, 
after a moment, Luke enters, a tiny figure, running free.

EXT. CAMP (LATE AFTERNOON)

The men are coming out of the mess hall, washing their spoons, 
about to line up for inspection. A Highway Patrol car pulls 
up outside the gate; from the back seat comes the yipping of 
dogs. Every head turns. The Captain moves from his rocker 
and starts down the porch. Boss Paul and Godfrey move toward 
the car.

CLOSE ON PATROL CAR (LATE AFTERNOON)

as the Officer (seen at the railroad station) gets out and 
opens the front door. He nudges a sleeping, grizzled figure 
who emerges. It is Dogboy. The back door is opened and Rudolph 
and the other small dogs leap out, cavorting, glad to be 
home. Then the Officer and Dogboy go to the trunk. The Officer 
opens it. Dogboy reaches in and carries out -- the body of 
Big Blue. Staggering with fatigue, tears in his eyes, Dogboy 
stumbles up to the Captain.

		DOGBOY
	Look, Cap'n. Look what he done to 
	Blue. He's dead, Cap'n. Dead! Run 
	hisself plumb to death. That crazy 
	sadis Cool Hand Luke run her 'til 
	her heart bust.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE KOKO

		DRAGLINE
	He made it.

EXT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

		CARR'S VOICE
	Forty-eight, Boss. One in the box 
	and one in the bush.

EXT. ROAD

The Bull Gang is working at the bottom of a high embankment 
and the guards stand on the road high above their heads, 
looking down, shotguns out now, alert. The men work away at 
a rackety pace.

EXT. GODFREY'S EYES (DAY)

as he turns at the SOUND of a distant motor approaching and 
the image of a car coming closer enlarges in his glasses.

EXT. ROAD

The car pulls up beside the guards and the door opens. The 
Captain steps up to the road edge and looks down. He says 
something to Boss Paul.

		BOSS PAUL
	Awright, hold it!

The men stop working, puzzled, looking up. Then from the car 
a guard escorts Luke to the edge of the pavement. Luke grins 
down at the men sheepishly. His prison uniform is filthy and 
torn, his hands are cuffed behind his back, his face is dirty 
and stubbled.

EXT. ROAD PAN REACTIONS OF MEN

They are stunned, saddened.

ANGLE ON LUKE, CAPTAIN, GUARDS

Behind Luke are Godfrey, Paul, Bosses Six and Seven and the 
Captain. Kean and Shorty flank the gang. The guns are held 
levelled at the men. One guard uncuffs Luke's hands; others 
produce a sledge hammer, ballpeen hammer and a set of leg 
irons from the Captain's car. Two guards kneel before Luke 
and begin hammering on the irons. Silence except for the 
HAMMERING AND CLINKING. Luke is silhouetted, a tall, straight 
figure on the low horizon. The Captain looks directly ahead.

		CAPTAIN
		(to Luke)
	You gonna get used to wearing them 
	chains aftera while, Luke. But don't 
	you never stop listenin' to them 
	clinkin'. That's gonna remind you of 
	what I been sayin'.

		LUKE
	Yeah, they sure do make a lot of 
	cold, hard, noise, Captain.

The Captain feeds his fury staring, then reaches out his 
hand and Boss Paul lays the blackjack in it. As the chain 
guards finish and stand up, trembling with rage, the Captain 
takes a convulsive step forward and brings the sap down behind 
Luke's ear. As Luke tumbles down the littered embankment 
toward the men:

		CAPTAIN
	Don't you never talk that way to me! 
	You hear? You hear? Never!

His rage subsides and his voice becomes calm, reasonable.

		CAPTAIN
		(to the men)
	What we got here is a failure to 
	communicate. Some men you can't reach, 
	that is they just don't listen when 
	you talk reasonable so you get what 
	we had here last week, which is the 
	way he wants it, well he gets it, 
	and I don't like it any better than 
	you men.

Nodding curtly, the Captain gets back in his car. Someone 
throws a shovel down the embankment. It CLATTERS until it 
lands beside Luke. Dragline and the others are by his side, 
helping him to his feet. Above Godfrey stares down at them.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE, LUKE AND OTHERS

		DRAGLINE
	Awright, buddy. You be awright. You 
	give 'em a run for their money. Jus' 
	take it slow and easy, baby. You 
	gonna make it fine.

As Luke tries to get his bearings, someone thrusts the shovel 
into his hands and they get him going like a rusty piece of 
machinery.

		DRAGLINE
	Come on, buddy. Show 'em you're 
	awright.

Luke seems to nod and begins to work slowly. The others back 
away, glancing fearfully at the guards, go back to work, 
quiet and sullen.

ANGLE ON LUKE

He is working with great difficulty, stiff, tired, aching.

		BOSS KEAN'S VOICE
	Awright, let's eat them beans.

Luke stumbles gratefully toward the chowline.

ON THE CHOWLINE

Dogboy dishing it out to Luke. Dogboy is gleeful, gloating.

		DOGBOY
	I knew they'd git you. With them 
	chains an a bonus of a coupla years, 
	you runnin' days is over forever. 
	Ah'd like to see you try to run agin. 
	You gettin' so you smell so bad, I 
	could track you myself.

		LUKE
	For a natural born son of a bitch 
	like you, that oughta be easy.

NEW ANGLE THE MEN

as Luke settles down with his beans, the others find spots 
around him so he is the focus of the group. We SEE Tattoo in 
chains, forlorn. Luke wolfs his food hungrily.

		DRAGLINE
	Jus' take it slow, buddy.

		KOKO
		(unable to restrain 
		himself)
	What happened? How far did you get?

		DRAGLINE
	Shut up. Let him eat. Don't pay them 
	no mind, boy.

		TATTOO
		(urgently)
	I gotta know -- How... how'd they 
	get you?

		LUKE
		(between mouthfuls)
	Topflight police work.

		GAMBLER
	Tell us about it.

		BLIND DICK
	You steal a car?

		LUKE
	Yeah, found one in this supermarket, 
	keys in the ignition.

		KOKO
	Well, how far didya get?

		LUKE
		(eating)
	Fat mile'n a half. Hit this red light, 
	highway patrol pulls up alongside.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Didya fight it out with him?

		LUKE
	Nope. I jus' kept lookin' straight 
	ahead waiting for that light to 
	change. And he kept lookin' over, 
	wondering what somethin' that looked 
	like me was doin' drivin' a shiny 
	new car.

		ALIBI
	And then...?

		LUKE
	Then he leans over and sees this 
	state issue... All there was to it. 
	Feller's probably a lieutenant by 
	now.

Luke continues to shovel in his beans. The men are clearly 
disappointed. Only Dragline understands.

		DRAGLINE
	Well now we jus' gonna lay low and 
	build time and afore you know it the 
	heat'll be off you and things be 
	back where they was. Right, sweet 
	buddy?

Luke winks and slaps Dragline affectionately on the cheek. 
During this last, Luke has been idly winding a piece of kite 
string found on the ground beside him. As, idly, he shoves 
it into his pocket.

ANGLE ON BOSS KEAN LATER

The gang has resumed working, Kean stands looking out at the 
horizon, not talking directly to Luke, just leaning on his 
gun, following Luke whenever he moves, his voice as calm and 
secure as a priest in his study.

		BOSS KEAN
	Ah hears tell you don't believe in 
	no God, Luke. Ah was wonderin' how 
	come a nice lookin' feller like you 
	come to get put on the Hard Road. 
	But now ah reckons ah knows. Ah been 
	on the Road Gang for twenny-two year, 
	Luke, and in all that time I ain't 
	never killed no white man but I ain't 
	afeerd to cause a body has to do his 
	work. And I ain't never seen no man 
	that wasn't afeerd to die neither.

		LUKE
	'Scuse me, Boss. Don't mean to 
	interrupt... but... caught short 
	here.

Boss Kean is stunned.

		BOSS KEAN
		(slow, dangerous)
	Awright, Luke. Thas okay... You go 
	on up there in them trees. Man's 
	gotta have some privacy sometime. 
	But you grab a bush and keep shakin' 
	it, hear? Jes' so we know you're 
	there. Jes' keep shakin' that bush.

		LUKE
	Yes, boss.

He begins to trot off, awkward in his chains. Kean looks at 
Godfrey who snaps his fingers to Dogboy, a gesture that means 
rifle. Dogboy runs to the truck and brings back the rifle 
which Godfrey loads and arms with the bolt from his pocket.

ANGLE ON LUKE

Slowly walking off into the rough grass, his chains catching 
on brush and stumps. He disappears behind a large bush.

CLOSE SHOT GODFREY

Luke's bush is in distance. He raises the gun to his shoulder 
and FIRES.

REVERSE HIS P.O.V.

The bush shakes, we can't see Luke.

		LUKE
	I'm shakin' it, Boss. I'm shakin' 
	it!

We see the dust kick up behind the stump and another SHOT.

		LUKE
	Still shakin' it, Boss.

CLOSE SHOT GODFREY

impassively: SHOOTS again, aiming.

REVERSE HIS P.O.V.

The bush goes on shaking. Then it stops.

GODFREY

Caught loading. He brings up the rifle fast, FIRES.

CLOSE THE BUSH

It is still.

FULL SHOT

The gang stops working, looks up stunned.

ANGLE ON BOSS KEAN AND GODFREY

A long beat of shock -- they (and us) think Godfrey's hit 
him. Boss Kean trots hurriedly up to the bush.

ANGLE BY THE BUSH

Boss Kean appears, looking down and off. CAMERA ADJUSTS so 
we see what he sees: a piece of kite string tied to the bush 
and leading off into the brush.

		BOSS KEAN
	Damn!

He turns and rushing back down toward Godfrey, others.

		BOSS KEAN
	He's gone! Git the dogs!

EXT. DIRTY ROAD (DAY)

It is a rutted country road with farms on both sides. Luke 
appears, a filthy wide-eyed, stumbling, bearded beast in 
filthy uniform and chains. PAN with him past sharecropper's 
village of ramshackle huts, rusted junk. An OLD NEGRO WOMAN 
sees Luke and goes inside, closing the door. PAN with him to 
a General Store where an OLD NEGRO MAN watching, quickly 
retreats inside leaving only two small Negro boys (BEN and 
LAWRENCE) staring at Luke as he shambles toward them.

		LAWRENCE
		(looking at chains)
	Whattaya got them on for?

		BEN
	How do you take your pants off?

		LUKE
		(smiling)
	Well -- the best way is to take the 
	leg irons off first.
		(to Lawrence)
	But you ain't strong enough.

		LAWRENCE
	Strong enough for whut?

		LUKE
	You couldn't heft an axe.

		LAWRENCE
	Can, too.

He's off, running toward a house. In the distance now, we 
hear the dogs baying, coming closer. Luke smiles at Ben.

		LUKE
	What's your name?

		BEN
	Ben.
		(a beat)
	Had'n you better take them stripes 
	off your pants?

Smiling, Luke sits in the dirt and begins ripping off the 
stripes as Lawrence appears, dragging a huge double-bitted 
axe behind him.

		LUKE
		(to Ben)
	You wanna see somethin' funny? Go 
	get some chili powder, pepper, curry, 
	dried mustard and like that. A lot 
	of it.

Ben rockets off and Luke turns to see Lawrence, struggling 
mightily, attempting to bring the axe over his head and down 
on the chains.

		LUKE
	Hold it!

He takes the axe, sets the chains up on a stump and begins 
to back heavily, BAYING OF DOGS growing louder.

		LAWRENCE
	No, me, me. Let me do it!

Lawrence cries and stomps unhappily, clouding up dust as 
Luke severs the chain from one shackle. Ben APPEARS with an 
armload of spices.

		BEN
	Here's them spices.
		(looks at Lawrence, 
		crying, stomping)
	What's wrong with him?

Luke begins backing away, scuffing his feet in the dust, 
pouring out the spices as he goes.

ANGLE ON LUKE

stopping at Lawrence. The baying of the dogs is much closer 
now.

		LUKE
	You remember how them dogs do when 
	they get here so you can tell me 
	about it someday.

He is gone.

ON DOGS IN DISTANCE

They are approaching quickly.

ON VILLAGE

Some of the people have reappeared, now go back inside.

ANGLE ON DOGS

They fill the FRAME, milling around the empty street, 
sneezing, howling, stirring up dust, pawing at their noses.

CLOSE LAWRENCE

He is peeping from a corner. His tears stop and he smiles.

EXT. ROAD CLOSEUP YOYO TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)

...cutting away at the time.

INT. CAGE TRUCK (PROCESS) (DAY)

as it passes the Negro Church.

		DRAGLINE'S VOICE
	Thas the church. After he chopped 
	off those old chains and whilst he 
	was layin'd down the pepper --

		GAMBLER'S VOICE
	I heard it was curry powder.

		DRAGLINE'S VOICE
	It was pepper and curry powder and 
	dry mustard. Now shut your face. 
	Whilst he was layin' down them spices, 
	Luke heard them choir practicin' in 
	there. So he just sauntered inside, 
	cool's kin be, and sung along with 
	them... my baby Luke... and he was 
	still singin' when the dogs come by, 
	singing and grinning and eatin' the 
	food the people had brung him.

EXT. ROAD TRANSITIONAL DEVICE

EXT. ROAD (DAY)

The bull gang at the end of bean time.

		BOSS PAUL'S VOICE
	Awright, let's git to work.

Dragline and the others deposit their chow plates, pick up 
their yoyos and start to work.

		DRAGLINE
	He ain't eating beans fer lunch.

		KOKO
	He's eatin' steak and corn with butter 
	and green beans and...

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	...fried clams, pizza, chocolate, 
	malted milkshakes.

		SOCIETY RED
		(yoyoing)
	...and a Brown Bomber.

		DRAGLINE
		(yoyoing)
	Shut your mouth. He's out there doin' 
	it for all of us.

OMITTED

INT. BARRACKS (DAY)

It is Saturday afternoon. Carr is distributing mail and 
packages, the men clustered around; others lying on bunks, 
making wallets, etc.

		CARR
	Magazines for you, Dragline!

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

Dragline sits up from his bunk, astonished.

		DRAGLINE
	Magazines? Who's sendin' me magazines?

He looks at the package. Carr has tossed on his bunk.

		DRAGLINE
	From mah uncle? Ah never heard from 
	him in eight years and now he's 
	sendin' me magazines. He musta gone 
	crazy.

He has torn open the package, looks through the magazines, 
which are movie fan books, lies back to flip the pages. In 
b.g. Carr is continuing the mail call. Suddenly Dragline's 
eyes widen, his mouth opens, but he catches himself and closes 
it before he has revealed himself.

INSERT THE PICTURE

It is taped to page in the magazine. It shows Luke in a suit 
and tie, holding up four aces and a joker in one hand, arms 
around two buxom over-made strippers. On the table in front 
of them is a giant bottle of champagne and glasses. Scrawled 
across it is something in Luke's writing.

ANGLE DRAGLINE KOKO SOCIETY RED OTHERS

Seeing Dragline's reaction, they have gathered around.

		DRAGLINE
	Looka that! Two of them. Oh my...

		KOKO
	I'm dyin'. I'm dyin'.

Dragline suddenly realizes the danger and closes the book so 
Carr and the Wicker Man don't catch on. The others reluctantly 
move away. Dragline casually hands the magazine to Society 
Red.

		DRAGLINE
		(whispering)
	What's the writing say?

		SOCIETY RED
		(opening to the 
		picture, reading)
	Dear Boys. Playing it cool. Wish you 
	were here. Love, Cool Hand Luke.

		DRAGLINE
	Oh my. Oh my... Give it back here!

Red surrenders the magazine. Dragline opens it again and a 
look of pure bliss settles over his face.

		KOKO
	Lemme see it!

		DRAGLINE
		(violently)
	Get away!

He looks over at Carr but Carr has moved away, is talking to 
the Wicker Man, his back to the men. Koko, Loudmouth Steve, 
Gambler and the others hurriedly cluster around Dragline. 
Their voices are eager intense whispers.

		KOKO
	Lookit the brunette...

		BLIND DICK
	The blonde's gotta better set.

		GAMBLER
	Some legs.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	They must be six feet tall.

		TATTOO
	...And the champagne.

		SOCIETY RED
		(from his bunk)
	Domestic.

		TRAMP
	Wonder how he got the dough.

		ALIBI
	He's probably a salesman. You can 
	make pretty good money if you know 
	what your doing in selling.

		GAMBLER
	A salesman! Cool Hand Luke a salesman?

		BLIND DICK
	He's probably a gigolo.

		MECHANIC
	Or a con artist.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	The head of the rackets.

		KOKO
		(reverently)
	Oh lookit that brunette.

		DRAGLINE
	Mah baby! We're diggin' and dyin' 
	but our boy Luke is lovin' and flyin'.

They all gaze at the picture with loving, dreamy, painful 
rapture.

OMITTED

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

Blackass time, dull, sad, boring. Koko sits idly flicking 
cards from the poker deck, men staring into space. The cards 
sail by Society Red who is clipping his nails.

		SOCIETY RED
	Stop that.

		KOKO
	How about you tryin' to make me?

		SOCIETY RED
	Oh for...

They slowly subside.

		KOKO
	Dragline, lemme look at the picture.

		DRAGLINE
		(feigned innocence)
	What for?

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Yeah, Drag. Get it out for a look.

		DRAGLINE
	You're just a kid. Whatta you know 
	about it? You don't wanna see that 
	dirty picture. Luke and those broads 
	an' all that booze.

		KOKO
	Come on, Drag. Lemme take a look.

		DRAGLINE
	It'd go to your coconut head. You'd 
	start getting ideas. Maybe even pass 
	right out.

		BLIND DICK
	Dragline! Be a buddy!

		DRAGLINE
	How much you figure it's worth, a 
	peek at this here picture? A quick 
	look, I'm not talkin' about no 
	memorizin' job.

		KOKO
	A cold drink.

		DRAGLINE
	A cold drink? You mean one cold drink? 
	To feast yore starvin' fishy l'il 
	eyes on The Picture? A true vision 
	of Paradise itself? With two of the 
	angels right there in plain sight a-
	friskin' round with mah boy?

		KOKO
	A cold drink? Okay?

		DRAGLINE
	Well --- okay. It's a deal. One cold 
	drink, if'n you please. In advance. 
	One chilly bottle right here in mah 
	hot l'il hand... That goes for the 
	rest of you mullet-heads, too.

Activity as the men dig out coins to purchase drinks. Dragline 
pulls out the magazine and the men all gather round, gazing 
into it as though it were a crystal ball. Suddenly the wicker 
door slams open and as the men look up...

THEIR P.O.V.

Luke is dumped to the floor, face down, unconscious, by Boss 
Paul, Boss Kean, others. The Captain is standing there over 
him. Luke wears a new prison uniform and two sets of chains.

		CAPTAIN
		(to Luke)
	You run one time, you got yourself a 
	set of chains. You run twice, you 
	got two sets. You ain't gonna need 
	no third set because you're gonna 
	get your mind right... And I mean 
	right.

He looks at the men who are stunned by the juxtaposition of 
their hero in The Picture and the reality of the unconscious 
figure before them.

		CAPTAIN
	Take a good look at your Cool Hand 
	Luke.

With his foot he prods Luke over onto his back.

CLOSE ON LUKE

As he rolls over we can see he has been badly beaten.

OMITTED

NEW ANGLE THE MEN

As the Captain turns and walks out past the guards who follow, 
and the wicket chute CLANGS shut, Dragline, Koko and others 
move forward and gently lift Luke onto the poker table.

		DRAGLINE
	Oh mah poor baby. They done you real 
	good... I don't know if you gonna 
	have them gals chasin' after you for 
	a while...

CLOSE ON LUKE

lying, eyes closed.

		SOCIETY RED'S VOICE
	I've got some aspirin.

		KOKO'S VOICE
	They half killed him.

		ALIBI'S VOICE
	He should have a doctor.

		DRAGLINE'S VOICE
	Don't you never learn nuthin'? They 
	ain't gonna let no doctor see what 
	they dont to him...

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE, OTHERS

Dragline looks up at Carr who stands hovering above them.

		DRAGLINE
	Carr, kin we use your razor to clean 
	up where they cut his head?

Carr moves off to his canteen area.

CLOSE ON LUKE

as Blind Dick, Gambler, others move in...

		GAMBLER
	How you feelin', buddy?

		TRAMP
	He don't hear.

		TATTOO
	Somebody get him something to drink.

		SOCIETY RED
	Here.

Gently he tucks two aspirin tablets into Luke's mouth, holds 
a cup of water to Luke's mouth. Luke's eyes slowly open, he 
drinks the water.

		DRAGLINE
	That's my baby.

		KOKO
	He's gonna be awright.

NEW ANGLE ON MEN

as Carr moves in with a razor, bandage, etc. The men clear 
to give him room.

		KOKO
	Luke?... We got the picture! See?

He holds it up.

CLOSE ON LUKE

His eyes squint open, close.

		BLIND DICK'S VOICE
	A pair of beauties. Best I ever seen.

		TATTOO'S VOICE
	You really know how to pick 'em.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE'S VOICE
	Tell us about 'em. What were they 
	like?

CLOSE ON LUKE

as his lips open. He speaks slowly, painfully.

		LUKE
	Picture's a phoney... Cost me a week's 
	pay.

NEW ANGLE THE MEN

		KOKO
	A phoney? Whatta you mean, a phoney?

		GAMBLER
	We saw the broads.

		BLIND DICK
	Yeah. Did you have them both at once 
	or --

		LUKE
	It's a phoney. Made it up just for 
	you guys.

		LOUDMOUTH STEVE
	Aw, come on. We saw it all.

		TATTOO
	The champagne.

		TRAMP
	Some life.

		FIXER
	You really had it made.

		LUKE
	Nothin. I had nothin, made nothin. 
	Couple towns, couple bosses. Laughed 
	out loud one day and got turned in.

		KOKO
		(about to cry)
	But -- but --

		LUKE
	That's all there was. Listen. Open 
	your eyes. Stop beatin' it. And stop 
	feedin' off me. Now get out of the 
	way. Give me some air.

Stunned, the men shrink back.

		DRAGLINE
	He ain't himself. He's all beat up. 
	Cain't you see that? He don't know 
	what he sayin'.

EXT. ROAD DAY

Luke is working with great difficulty, pained, weary under 
the double set of chains. Bosses Paul and Kean stand right 
over him, watching every move.

ANGLE ON GODFREY

standing far behind, his mirrored eyes on Luke.

ON LUKE

moving, he stumbles on the chains, gets hit by Paul's cane.

		BOSS PAUL
	You was eyeballin', Luke. You can't 
	gitcha mind on them weeds if yer 
	eyeballin'...

		LUKE
		(wearily)
	Boss, you don't need reasons to hit 
	me.

He gets the cane again.

		BOSS PAUL
	Gonna learn you not to back sass!

EXT. THE BOX (NIGHT)

as Luke is slammed into it and the door is closed.

INT. THE BARRACKS (NIGHT)

The poker game is in progress: Dragline, Koko, Blind Dick, 
Gambler, Tattoo with Tramp behind him. Society Red stands at 
the window, looking out as he brushes his hair.

		SOCIETY RED
	He'll never make it.

		KOKO
	What are you talking about?

		SOCIETY RED
	He doesn't know when to give in. 
	They'll kill him.

		KOKO
	Give in? That's our Luke out there.

		DRAGLINE
	That ole box collapse and fall apart 
	before Luke calls quits.

		SOCIETY RED
	Your Luke's got more guts than brains.

		KOKO
	I don't see no sign of guts in you.

		SOCIETY RED
	No. No chains either.

		KOKO
		(heating up)
	You ain't man enough to wear them!

		SOCIETY RED
	But you're dog enough. Maybe they'll 
	let you sleep outside the box near 
	your master.

		KOKO
	Big deal paper hanger! Hell, anyone 
	who can write can pass fifty-sixty 
	dollar checks. Like breakin' open a 
	piggy bank.

		SOCIETY RED
	You've been having bad luck with 
	masters, haven't you? Your last one 
	left you when the cops came... and 
	now Luke. You should complain to the 
	S.P.C.A.

		KOKO
		(rushing him)
	You phony creep!

Dragline steps in to separate them.

		DRAGLINE
	Awright, that's enough. You wanna 
	end up in the box, too?

The tire rim sounds.

		CARR'S VOICE
	First bell! First bell!

INT. MESS HALL (NIGHT)

The men file in from work, sullen and quiet, Dogboy serving 
but without his usual chatter. Higgins leans back, unusually 
alert.

ANGLE ON DOORWAY

Suddenly Luke appears, unshaven but cleaned up and in his 
uniform. The men make room as he moves to his accustomed 
place at the head of the line, before Dynamite.

		DOGBOY
	Here's our champeen hog gut. Ain't 
	et for four days, gonna need a little 
	extra... Well we got plenty for you...

He's heaping food onto Luke's plate.

		DOGBOY
		(continuing)
	Now you know the rules... gotta eat 
	everything on the plate or go back 
	in the box, right, Boss?

Higgins nods, Dogboy continues to pile it on. When Luke tries 
to move on, Dogboy reaches out and grabs the plate with his 
free hand and continues to ladle it out. Behind Dogboy, Jabo, 
the cook, looks sympathetic to Luke.

		JABO
		(to Dogboy)
	We ain't got but one pot of stew, 
	you know. He ain't the only one 
	eatin'.

		DOGBOY
		(piling it on)
	Man use to Free World food gotta big 
	appetite... so here's some more 
	potatoes and here's some ice cream 
	and some cake with choclat fudge 
	sauce... there you go, stretch that 
	hog-belly right out.

Luke looks at the impossibly piled plate and moves off.

LUKE AT A TABLE

He is eating with great difficulty, finally puts his spoon 
down and his eyes close with weariness. Koko reaches over 
and takes a bite off the plate. Luke sits there and one by 
one the men get up and file out, each one passing behind 
Luke and taking a bite until, as Deacon takes the last 
mouthful, the plate is empty and Luke stands up and leaves.

EXT. CAMP YARD (DAY)

It is Saturday afternoon. The men have just returned from 
the road. Luke moves slowly toward the barracks, Dragline 
helping him.

		DRAGLINE
	You made the week, boy. Plenty of 
	time to rest up for old Monday.

They move a few feet until confronted by...

THEIR P.O.V. BOSS PAUL AND BOSS KEAN

		BOSS PAUL
	Luke!

Kean steps forward, draws a long line in the dirt of the 
yard, barring the path, moves three feet back and draws a 
parallel line.

		BOSS PAUL
	Boss Kean say that's his ditch. I 
	tol' him that their dirt is yore 
	dirt. What's yore dirt doin' in his 
	ditch?

Luke looks up at them blindly.

		LUKE
		(weakly)
	I don't know, Boss.

Boss Paul canes him and the other prisoners scatter. Boss 
Kean throws a shovel at Luke's feet.

		BOSS PAUL
	You git yore dirt outa his ditch, 
	boy!

Luke takes up the shovel and starts to dig.

		BOSS PAUL
	Roll! I wanna see you roll it!

He canes Luke across the back, Luke digs.

ANGLE ON BARRACKS

It is later. The men sit on the stoop, the usual Saturday 
activities.

ANGLE ON LUKE

He is hidden up to his waist in the trench he has dug, about 
three feet deep and wide and as long as the lines Kean drew.

ANGLE ON MEN

watching.

ANGLE ON BOSS SHORTY

walking along briskly, feigns surprise at seeing what Luke 
is doing. He stops.

TWO SHOT BOSS SHORTY AND LUKE

		BOSS SHORTY
	Luke, what you think you doin'?

		LUKE
		(not stopping)
	Diggin' my dirt outa Boss Kean's 
	ditch, Boss.

Shorty is carrying a hoe handle with which he hits Luke on 
the head. Luke slumps to the ground.

		BOSS SHORTY
	Be damned iff'n you gonna put your 
	dirt in mah yard. You hear me?

		LUKE
		(getting to his feet)
	Yes, Boss.

		BOSS SHORTY
	Then git it out there. Roll it, heah?

Luke begins slowly shoveling the dirt back into the ditch. 
Boss Shorty nods with satisfaction and walks away.

ANGLE ON LUKE (LATE AFTERNOON)

The dirt is almost all back in the ditch. A shadow falls on 
the dirt beside him. A walking stick falls across his buttocks 
and he staggers to his knees.

		BOSS PAUL'S VOICE
	Ah done told you to get yore dirt 
	outa Boss Kean's ditch, didn't ah?

		LUKE
		(getting to his feet)
	Yes, Boss.

		BOSS PAUL
	Then how come it ain't done yet?

		LUKE
	I don't know, Boss.

		BOSS PAUL
	You don't know!

He canes Luke on the back of the legs. Luke falls and rolls 
over and Paul canes him across the head. Luke gets up on all 
fours and makes a rush right at Boss Paul. He is so weak and 
uncoordinated that the attack does nothing but smear blood 
and dirt over Paul's uniform. The guards beat Luke away and 
he falls on his back in the soft dirt.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

The men are restless, their efforts to ignore what's happening 
are futile. Dragline gets up and looks out the window into 
the yard. Koko leans over beside him. He holds the picture.

DRAGLINE'S P.O.V.

Luke under the lights, working again, slowly, dumps a shovel 
full of dirt and hasn't the strength to move the shovel. 
Momentarily, he stops moving and is hit. We HEAR the thud 
and the groan he gives.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

Dragline goes back to his bunk. We HEAR another thud and a 
cry from outside. Dragline begins to WHISTLE. Koko begins to 
chink his chains. Onionhead and Dynamite join in with their 
chains. Other prisoners rhythmically beat on bunk posts. 
Only Society Red does not join in.

EXT. YARD (NIGHT)

Luke works. From inside we HEAR the music from the prisoners. 
Boss Paul and Boss Kean appear.

		BOSS PAUL
	What's all this dirt in the yard?

		LUKE
	I... I... I...

He can't talk. Paul hits him and he falls again on the dirt. 
Paul hits him again.

		LUKE
	Please! Please!

		BOSS PAUL
	Git to work!

		LUKE
	Don't hit me! Please, for God's sake, 
	don't hit me.

		BOSS KEAN
	What was that? What was that name 
	you said, Luke?

		LUKE
	God. I pray to God you won't hit me.
		(he grovels in the 
		dirt before them, 
		tears streaming down 
		his cheeks)
	I'll do whatever you say, but I can't 
	take no more. Please.

TWO SHOT PAUL AND KEAN

A trace of smiles.

		BOSS PAUL
		(kindly)
	You got your mind right, Luke?

CLOSE LUKE

		LUKE
	Yes, Boss. I got it right.

ON KEAN AND PAUL

		BOSS PAUL
	Supposin' you was to backslide on 
	us, Luke? Supposin' you was to 
	backsass or try to run again...

		LUKE
	No, Boss! I won't. I won't. I got my 
	mind right. I got it right, Boss. 
	Please don't hit me no more.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

The music has stopped, the men listening.

ON KOKO

His face tightens into an expression of contempt, hatred. He 
grabs the picture on the bunk beside him and violently tears 
it in half.

EXT. YARD LUKE, BOSSES PAUL AND KEAN (NIGHT)

		BOSS PAUL
		(kind and reasonable)
	Luke, you run again and we'll kill 
	you.

		LUKE
	I know, I know. Just don't hit me.

The Captain steps in -- out of the dark. He has been watching 
from his porch.

		CAPTAIN
	Okay, son. Go get shaved and cleaned 
	up and get you some sleep. I reckon 
	you need it.

Luke slowly struggles to his feet and begins painfully 
stumbling toward the barracks.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

as the chute opens and Luke staggers inside and the door is 
slammed behind him.

		LUKE
	I got my mind right. I got it right.

He stumbles toward his bunk, passing Tattoo and Alibi who 
turn away embarrassed.

		LUKE
	I got my mind right.

Others like Dragline and Koko stare straight ahead, not seeing 
him; Society Red has his back turned; Dynamite, Blind Dick, 
Loudmouth Steve meet his gaze contemptuously.

		LUKE
		(collapsing on his 
		bunk)
	Where are you now? I got my mind 
	right. You hear me? I got it right!

Silence.

EXT. ROAD (DAY)

The gang is working. Over a week has passed. Luke's wounds 
are healed. He works in a slow, spiritless way, broken.

CLOSE GODFREY

looking somehow less menacing.

BOSS PAUL

He is sitting, not even looking at the men, relaxed, pulls 
out watch looks over to Godfrey in b.g. Godfrey nods.

		BOSS PAUL
	Awright, smoke it up.

The men break and sit down for smoking.

		BOSS PAUL
	Luke! Water 'em.

Without a moments hesitation, Luke jogs over and gets the 
water pail and dipper from Rabbit and moves to the group of 
men.

CLOSE THE GROUP

as Luke moves around filling their cups. The men are silent, 
some embarrassed, some sympathetic, some confused, some 
disappointed.

CLOSE GODFREY

He signals with his cane for his rifle.

ON RABBIT

He hurries to the cab of the truck, gets Godfrey's rifle. 
The other men, but not Luke, watch as Godfrey slips in the 
bolt, loads, fires at something out in the swamp.

ON BOSS PAUL

As Godfrey takes bolt out of rifle, returns the gun to Rabbit.

		BOSS PAUL
	Go git it, Luke.

		LUKE
	Yes sir, Boss Paul!

Grinning, cheerful, he begins to hobble away through the 
swamp and grass.

CLOSE ANGLE ON TURTLE IN THE MUCK

Luke's hands COME INTO FRAME AND OFFER the head a stick. The 
jaws clamp down on the stick and Luke lifts the turtle up.

FULL SHOT LUKE

grinning, holding up the turtle by the stick.

		LUKE
	Here he is, Boss. Deader'n hell but 
	he won't let go.

THE GROUP

as Luke walks back through them carrying the turtle.

		BOSS PAUL
	You cut that up fer lunch, Luke.

		LUKE
	Yes, Boss.

He moves off toward the trucks with the turtle, and we HOLD 
on the disappointed reactions of the men, featuring Dragline.

Then there is the SOUND of a motor starting.

ON THE GROUP NEW ANGLE

as they turn to look, as one man.

THE TRUCK

as Luke tries to get it in gear, there is the SOUND of gears 
grinding and as the truck begins to move the bed of the dump 
body begins to raise. The truck begins to move past the 
prisoners, away from the guards.

ON THE GUARDS

As they begin to run toward the truck, raising their guns.

ON DRAGLINE

on his feet.

		DRAGLINE
	Oh Lord!

		SOCIETY RED
	That fool. That damn fool.

		DRAGLINE
	Oh mah baby Luke.

He starts to run like hell toward the truck coming past.

ANGLE ON GUARDS

stopping to fire but bullets ricochet off the rising bed of 
the dump body.

MOVING SHOT PARALLELING TRUCK

Dragline running alongside trying to grab the door handle. 
Inside Luke, grinning fiercely, as he drives. SHOTS sounding. 
Dragline gets hold of the door, swings inside. HOLD AND PAN 
the truck off down the road until all we can see is the steel 
dump body.

REVERSE THE ROAD

It is littered with tools and equipment dumped from the truck 
body. The guards stand there, their guns empty.

		BOSS KEAN
		(from another truck)
	He's taken the keys. He's got the 
	keys!

Boss Shorty pokes his head out of another truck.

		BOSS SHORTY
	Here, too.

INT. TRUCK LUKE AND DRAGLINE

		DRAGLINE
	We're free, Luke. You terrible man. 
	Think of that. We're free. Free!

Over them, appears the SUPERIMPOSED image of Godfrey's 
glasses, the Man With No Eyes, watching them, denying 
Dragline's words.

									LONG DISSOLVE:

EXT. PALMETTO SWAMP

Dragline is exuberantly hacking away at palm fronds to cover 
the truck while Luke is filing away at his chains.

		DRAGLINE
		(rattling frond)
	Shakin it here, Boss. Shakin it... 
	Oh my baby Luke.

He laughs, shakes his head in appreciation. Luke ignores 
him, continues to file. Dragline does another worshipful 
imitation.

		DRAGLINE
	Don't hit me no more, Boss! Don't 
	hit me! I'll do anythin' you say but 
	just don't hit me! Oh Luke. You are 
	an original, you truly are. You really 
	fooled them.

		LUKE
	Foolin', Hell! I would have eaten 
	that dirt for them. They coulda used 
	my head for a shovel and a my face 
	for a broom... They just never did 
	get a piece of my mind.

		DRAGLINE
	And all the time you was plannin' on 
	runnin' again.

Luke has filed through the chains, stands up.

		LUKE
	Yeah, well... I never planned nothin' 
	in my life...

He tosses the severed chain link into the swamp and starts 
to walk off, Dragline hurrying behind him.

EXT. NEAR NEGRO VILLAGE (DUSK)

Luke and Dragline appear, tired and cold. Dragline is having 
trouble keeping up. Seeing this, Luke stops and rests, looking 
off at church visible in distance.

		DRAGLINE
	Whoee, it's cold. Wisht I had 
	somethin' to eat. Bread, grits, beans 
	even. Soon's we get to my house, 
	we're gonna have us one big meal and 
	then I'm gonna show you some farm 
	girls that...

		LUKE
	We ain't goin' nowhere.

		DRAGLINE
		(confused)
	What you talkin' about, Luke? We're 
	together, you and me, just like 
	always. Now the thing we gotta work 
	out is how to get Koko outa there 
	and then the Terrible Trio be all 
	complete again. Man, this old Free 
	World ain't gonna know which ear to 
	stand on.

		LUKE
	Yeah, well, you and Koko kin handle 
	it without me.

		DRAGLINE
	What you mean, Luke?

		LUKE
	I've done enough world-shakin' for a 
	while. You do the rest for me. Send 
	me a postcard about it.

He gets up, starts off.

		DRAGLINE
	But, Luke...

		LUKE
	Take it easy, Drag.

		DRAGLINE
	Luke. Where you goin?

		LUKE
	On my own.

		DRAGLINE
	But what am I gonna do all by myself?
		(hangs head)
	Oh if'n I hadn't lost mah head. I 
	only had two more years to go. But 
	when I saw you tearin' down with 
	that truck... But you right Luke. We 
	oughta split up. Be safer for us 
	both.

He looks up. Luke is in the distance.

		DRAGLINE
	Luke?
		(calls out)
	Just the same, you're a good old 
	boy, Luke. You take care, hear?

There is no answer.

OMITTED

EXT. NEGRO VILLAGE (NIGHT)

as Luke trots down the main street, passes the church.

		LUKE
	Hey, Old Man! You home tonight?

He starts across the bridge.

		LUKE
	If you kin spare a minute, it's about 
	time we had ourselves a little talk.

INT. CHURCH

Luke mounts the steps of the lectern, looks up.

		LUKE
	Old Man, I know I'm a pretty evil 
	feller who killed people in the war 
	and got drunk and chopped up municipal 
	merchandise and like that. I admit 
	ain't got no call to ask for much. 
	But even so, you ain't dealt me no 
	cards in a long time. I mean it's 
	beginning to look like you got it 
	fixed so I can't never win out. Inside 
	or out, it's just different bosses 
	and different rules. Where am I 
	supposed to fit in? Old Man, I got 
	to tell you: I started out pretty 
	strong and fast but it's starting to 
	get to me... When does it end?... 
	What you got in mind for me next? 
	Old Man. What do I do now? Awright. 
	On my hands and knees a skin'. Yeah. 
	That's what I thought. I guess I'm 
	just a hardcase and I gotta find my 
	way out myself.

We HEAR the SOUND of vehicles outside, telling Luke that the 
police have arrived. He starts for the back just as Dragline 
enters from the side entrance. Seeing him, Luke looks up at 
the ceiling.

		LUKE
	Is that your answer, Old Man? You're 
	a hardcase too, ain't you?

		DRAGLINE
	Luke, are you alright?... They got 
	us, boy. They're out there thicker'n 
	flies. Bosses and dogs and sheriffs 
	and more guns than I ever seen in my 
	life. We don't have a chance, Luke... 
	They caught up with me right after 
	we split up and they was aimin' to 
	kill you, Luke. But I got 'em to 
	promise if you give up peaceful, 
	they wouldn't even whip you this 
	time.

		LUKE
		(amused)
	Do we even get our same bunks back?

		DRAGLINE
	Why sure, Luke. I mean I didn't talk 
	to them about that. But why not? 
	They're reasonable, Luke. Hell, we 
	only been gone a coupla hours.

		LUKE
	You don't understand a thing, do 
	you, Drag?

		DRAGLINE
	Luke, you got to listen to me. All 
	you got to do is just give up nice 
	and quiet, just play it cool.

		LUKE
	Like I always do?

		DRAGLINE
	Thass right. Just play it...

He sees Luke moving toward the window.

		DRAGLINE
	Luke, what are do doin'?

OMITTED

ANGLE BY WINDOW

as Luke steps out of pitch black into the harsh light in 
full view, calm, slight smile, having chosen his moment. His 
voice is loud, clear, mocking:

		LUKE
	WHAT WE GOT HERE IS A FAILURE TO 
	COMMUNICATE...

A SHOT! It catches Luke in the throat and throws him back, 
but he stays in the light, still smiling.

		DRAGLINE
	Luke!

EXT. CHURCHYARD (NIGHT)

ON guards and police, FEATURING Godfrey, who holds his smoking 
rifle. There are confused SHOUTS and movements by the 
sheriffs, but the Captain and the prison guards only look 
toward Godfrey, then turn away, stoic.

INT. CHURCH

as Luke falls to one knee, trying to hold himself up. Dragline 
is by his side, helps him up and to the door.

EXT. CHURCHYARD (NIGHT)

where Bosses Kean and Paul move in to handcuff Luke. Dragline, 
seeing Godfrey, bellows out an INCOHERENT ROAR and charges 
past the surprised guards to knock Godfrey to the ground, 
tear his glasses from him. Confused, bewildered, Godfrey 
gropes for the glasses as the prison guards beat Dragline 
into submission.

ANGLE ON CHURCH (PRE-DAWN) (NIGHT)

as Luke, handcuffed behind his back, is being led toward the 
Captain's car by Bosses Paul and Kean. He is half-paralyzed, 
blood pouring from him. The Captain has turned his back on 
Godfrey, talking to the Sheriff.

		SHERIFF
	You follow me and I'll radio the 
	emergency clinic to open up...

		CAPTAIN
	I'm takin' him to the prison hospital.

		SHERIFF
	But that's an hour away. He ain't 
	gonna last twenty minutes.

		CAPTAIN
	Git outa the way. He's ours.

MOVING SHOT LUKE

as he is brought past Dragline, who is being held by several 
guards. Tears stream down Dragline's cheeks. Luke looks at 
him, still smiling as he is pushed into the Captain's car.

LUKE INT. THE CAR

as it begins to move out. In the b.g. across the road we SEE 
the Negro villagers watching, silently. The window of the 
car is up and the reflections on the glass make Luke already 
dim, a little distant.

MOVING SHOT THE CAR (DAWN)

as it moves down the road, over the trestle. It is the mystic 
hour of dawn, the sun's rays just diffusing as we watch the 
car until it disappears over the rise in the road.

EXT. ROAD CLOSE ON YOYO (DAY)

The yoyo is swinging in the sun. As the shot WIDENS we SEE 
it is Dragline, wearing chains, wielding the yoyo and now we 
SEE the others working around him. Godfrey is gone; Boss 
Paul is now the Walking Boss. The MUSIC gains strength and 
speeds as

Dragline works with strong, certain grace and determination 
and the others also seem more vital and free as imperceptibly 
the CAMERA PULLS BACK and RISES SLOWLY TO:

HELICOPTER SHOT

as the men grow smaller in the limitless field of gold 
stretching in all directions as far as the eye can see, 
intersected by four roads that reach out to infinity. Now 
the men are specks, now invisible in the fields and there 
are only the roads, lines in the gold, going on forever. 
OVER THIS, SUPERIMPOSE the PICTURE OF LUKE, now scotch-taped 
together, HOLD and

							FADE OUT:

				THE END
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