Screenplay by Vlad Vasilescu
Based on Umberto Eco’s novel “The Island of the Day Before”.
EXT. PARIS - CARDINAL MAZARIN'S PALACE - DAY
SUPER: "Paris, 1650"
Sunny day. Small boats on the Seine River. On the shore's
ramparts, Cardinal Mazarin's palace with a large courtyard
between the palace's wings and a water fountain in the
middle.
INT. MAZARIN'S PALACE - LIBRARY OFFICE - DAY
Floor-to-ceiling shelves with books. In the middle, CARDINAL
MAZARIN (48), handlebar mustache, ample blue and white cleric
robes, a fez atop his long hair, sits on an armchair in front
of a desk. He is ambitious and witty. Standing by him, JEAN
BAPTISTE COLBERT (31), dark mustache and long hair.
CARDINAL MAZARIN
(to Colbert; upset)
... lost more territories to the
fault of our astronomers and
cartographers than to our enemies'
greed! -- What is the mystery of
this longitude method?
COLBERT
Your Eminence, there had been many
proposals to solve it, notably that
of Galileo Galilei's celestial
clock --
CARDINAL MAZARIN
(impatient)
-- We are falling behind the Dutch
and British. How can we catch up
with them? What progress did they
make?
COLBERT
We have people in the right places,
Your Eminence, and hope to hear
from them about anything of
importance.
EXT. LONDON - PALACE OF WESTMINSTER - DAY
SUPER: "London, 1650"
Dull weather over Thames River and the palace.
INT. PALACE OF WESTMINSTER – PAINTED CHAMBER - DAY
A long room with wall paintings depicting religious scenes
from the Old Testament's virtues and vices, and secular
representations of the royal families and powers. Tall ogive
windows on one side and toward the far end.
At the far end, an informal meeting of the Privy Council of
England. Twelve members, mostly old, and a few younger, some
wearing white wigs and white collars, sit on chairs or stand
around a long table. Murmur of disapproval and chat between
groups.
A high ranking NAVY OFFICER (65), stands up.
NAVY OFFICER
Honorable members, our sailors are
in deep confusion, contrary to
their mental capabilities, on how
to make good of their dead
reckonings. God Almighty
Providence may not be able to
overcome the wild power of the open
seas.
DOCTOR BYRD (40), burly and rude, curly hair and thin
handlebar mustache, nervously nods at the Navy Officer, then
stands up and slaps his palm on the table. Next to him, a
fat, ROSY-FACED MAN (60) blinks in surprise.
DOCTOR BYRD
(spraying saliva while
talking)
But the answer is not in the magic
of the heavens or the handcrafts
used to watch them. Nor are the
mechanic clocks precise enough to
overcome the pitching and rolling
of the ships sailing through the
high and low temperatures of the
vast oceans! Thus, we must use the
earthly nature and the secrets of
alchemy... that is, the Powder of
Sympathy.
The OLDEST COUNCILLOR (80), white wig, shakes his head
mockingly, in denial.
OLDEST COUNCILOR
(deriding)
No, we don't have to. The science
of astronomy is --
DOCTOR BYRD
(antsy; spraying saliva
while talking )
-- rubbish! I repeat. I've seen
what those boffins did, and...and
say enough of that!
Doctor Byrd signals to the Rosy-Faced Man to stand up, and
they both walk out of the room to the members' surprise and
chatter of approval or disapproval.
INT. PAINTED CHAMBER - CORRIDOR - CONTINOUS
The VIGILANT EYE MAN (40), bulbous eyes and aquiline nose,
steps away from the door through which Doctor Byrd and Rosy
Faced Man come out.
The two men briskly walk along, the Rosy-Faced Man explaining
something to Doctor Byrd, who keeps nodding.
The Vigilante Eye catches up with them, limping with a cane
and trying to pick up on their conversation.
ROSY-FACED-MAN
... give you a letter to Amarillys'
Captain.
Rosy-Faced Man senses the presence of the Vigilant Eye Man
and looks at him. The latter turns on the corridor to the
left.
The Vigilant Eye Man limps away with his stick.
EXT. MACAU - COLLEGE OF MADRE DE DEUS - DAY
SUPER: "Macau, 1650"
Bright day on the Macau island and the canal.
INT. COLLEGE - STUDY ROOM - DAY
Religious paintings, bookshelves by the walls, drawings of
astronomical devices, and a big armillary sphere by a desk
and chairs. By the window, an ANGLE ADJUSTABLE BOARD WITH
HEAVY IRON LEGS. On the board, DRAWING OF STRANGE CURVED AND
TRIANGULAR TRUSSES HOLDING A LONG TELESCOPE -- resembling
TYCHO BRAHE SEXTANT WITH TELESCOPE.
FATHER CASPAR (60), healthy-looking, a Dutch Soldier of God
Jesuit priest by faith, a technology-savvy astronomer by
passion, wearing a blue cassock with the embroidered IHS
order's symbol, looks out of the window.
A large GROUP OF PRIESTS disembarks from a ship moored on the
dock.
FATHER CASPAR
(looking out)
Our brother missionaries expelled
from Japan keep coming and asking
for shelter....
He turns and opens a SILVERY BOX, takes out and squeezes the
empty bag from it.
FATHER CASPAR
And our resources are strained.
CAPTAIN REISS (40), Viking-looking Dutch, fat, rosy cheeks,
sits on a chair by the desk.
CAPTAIN REISS
Then you must consider missionary
work much farther South-East.
FATHER CASPAR
(looking through the
window)
America Septentrionalis is full of
tragic missionary stories similar
to ours.
CAPTAIN REISS
Ours don't need to be. The Spaniard
Mendana discovered alluvial gold in
islands much closer to us. He named
them Solomon, believing that they
were the gold chest for King
Solomon's temples.
He stands up, takes a small pouch from the vest's pocket and
puts an -- OLD JESUIT COIN -- by the silvery box.
CAPTAIN REISS
There's also a legend about a
pirate's treasure on one of the
islands.
Father Caspar picks up the Jesuit coin and looks at it in
doubt.
FATHER CASPAR
(gleaming eyes at the
drawings)
The longitude problem, again. If we
can demonstrate that San Cristobal
is at Punto Fijo, we'll have better
ephemerids for our missionary
quests in the Pacific.
(looking at the coin)
-- A while ago, a ship with our
brothers was lost in those
waters... could be.
EXT. PARIS - NIGHT
SUPER: "Paris, 1650"
Tour Eiffel in the distance, Hotel Rambouillet by the Seine
River.
INT. PARIS - HOTEL DE RAMBOUILLET - NIGHT
In flashy attires, wearing hats and wigs or, some, masquerade
masks, MEN and WOMEN sit on chairs and sofas or stand around
tables, scribble or recite verses, and debate politics. This
is the elite of French renowned and aspiring writers and
their admirers, nobility figures, and socialites invited to
the regular "salon littéraire" held by ARTHENICE, a woman in
her 60's resembling the historical figure of Catherine de
Vivonnes, Marquise de Rambouillet.
BAUDOLINO (35), a -- scar on his left temple -- meanders
through the crowd searching for someone. His attire is neat,
not flashy, his hair parted at the crown and tied in a braid
hanging on the back.
He walks by a room where a MAN sings accompanied by a
FLAUTIST, then by a GROUP where POET 1(58), long curly hair
and mustache, recites.
POET 1
... pleasure so sweet and
enchanting...
Baudolino stops and looks around next to a group of men.
MASQUED MAN 1 (O.S.)
...Rogue Mazarini, levying taxes?
Baudolino resumes his searches and bumps into the Masqued Man
1, who -- elbows him away with an irritated look.
ARTIST
...fit for guillotine...
MASQUED MAN 2
...low life Italian Mazarini...
Baudolino ignores the scuffle, happy to finally spot LADY
LILIA (25), a socialite wearing a FANCY HAT with brims
resembling an exotic bird's wings adorned with COLORFUL
FEATHERS.
The feathers sway as she chats with LOUISE (23), a Rubenesque
woman resembling Duchess de Montpensier, who wears a glitzy
masque.
Baudolino walks to and positions himself behind Louise and,
pointing towards an adjacent room, signals to Lady Lilia to
join him there.
Behind him, the WOMEN in a MASQUED GROUP turn to briefly
scrutinize him neutrally.
The Vigilant Eye Man -- features recognizable in spite of his
masque -- focuses on the threesome. Lady Lilia whispers
something to Louise and, both giggling, walk over to the
adjacent room with walls painted in blue.
INT. BLUE ROOM - DAY
Arthénice, presiding from an armchair beside a baroque
ornated bed, applauds POET 2, who just finished reciting. The
CENACLE PEOPLE chat about the poem. Two of them offer their
seats to Louise and Lady Lilia. Baudolino bends over and
whispers to Arthénice, who nods. He takes the floor to
recite.
BAUDOLINO
The pollen of my soul,
The fertile Powder and its
fragrance.
Open your petals to blossom!
Just not in mere sympathy,
Your smile akin to the Powder
of Sympathy,
Which doesn't heal my throbbing
wounds.
A couple of condescending applause from the audience. Lady
Lilia enthusiastically stands up applauding. Louise follow
suit.
Nonchalantly leaning on the door frame, the Vigilant Eye Man
scribbles.
Lady Lilia approaches Baudolino, picks up a RED FEATHER from
her hat, and inserts it in his vest's boutonniere.
Arthénice smiles, and everybody applauds forcefully now,
since they all understand love.
Lady Lilia whispers something to Baudolino, who elatedly
kisses her hand.
INT. BAUDOLINO APARTMENT - NIGHT
Small apartment elegantly furnished from a noble but modest
inheritance. The SERVANT is about to finish setting the
dining table for two.
Baudolino, at a desk in the back study, finishes writing and
walks over reciting in his mind -- another love poem.
He awkwardly bumps into the exiting Servant. Febrile, he
checks the -- the clock's nine o'clock -- opens a drawer,
gets -- a bracelet, and wraps it around the rolled poem
paper.
One last look at the table set. On his side, the -- red
feather from Lady Lilia tied to the napkin's ring. He sets
the rolled paper and bracelet on her side. A knock on the
door.
Straightening his posture, he happily walks to and opens the
door.
Surprise! It's not Lady Lilla, it's a ROYAL GUARD OFFICER
flanked by TWO SOLDIERS.
ROYAL GUARD OFFICER
Monsieur Baudolino de La Grive.
I cannot explain and am bound by
orders to put you under arrest....
Please do not resist. I hope you
will be able to clarify this
situation with Cardinal Mazarin.
BAUDOLINO
(flabbergasted)
The Cardinal!?
The Two Soldiers advance into the room to grab Baudolino. He
raises his hands, peacefully surrendering and throws a
regretful glance at the table with the -- bracelet wrapped
around the poem and the red feather.
INT. BASTILLE CELL - DAY
The iron barred door slams closed and the latch locks.
Baudolino shakes the door's bars, more in deep confusion than
protest.
BAUDOLINO
(yelling)
Cardinal Mazarin!
He listens to the echo of his voice dyeing on the empty
corridors.
He walks towards the window and, grabbing on the bars, raises
himself to see out. Only the tops of the Bastille walls, a
tower, and a limited street area are visible. A gust of
winter blows through the window, and he leaves the window
shivering.
INT. BASTILLE CELL - NIGHT
Baudolino sleeps. A moon ray spot on the floor through the
barred window. A mouse makes its way on it and squeaks.
Baudolino wakes up, sees it and jolts startled. The mouse
runs away.
Awake on bed, he reclines on the wall. A sunray spot through
the barred window falls on two mice sharing a crumb. He's
rather moved by them, they may be lovers. He closes his eyes.
BAUDOLINO'S FLASHBACK - EXT. PALACE BALCONY - NIGHT
On the lushly landscaped balcony of the palace, he
passionately flirts with Lady Lilla. They touch their glasses
in a toast. He is charmed. She's rather amused, and the
colored feathers of her hat flutter.
Coquettishly pouting, she turns around, dancing away toward
the open doors of the ballroom party. Blown by a gust of
wind, her shawl spreads like the wings of a bird.
END OF FLASHBACK
INT. BASTILLE CELL - DAY
BAUDOLINO
(shaking the bars of the
door)
Cardinal Mazarin! Cardinal Mazarin!
The echo of his voice dies on the empty corridors.
Resigned, he lies in bed and remembers.
BAUDOLINO'S FLASHBACK - EXT. CASALE MONFERAT FIELD - DAY
SUPER: "Casale Monferat Battlefield, 1630"
The Fortress and Castle to the right of Po River flowing
East, Spanish army and Camp sieging on the South, French
army afar to North-East.
A small group of ITALIAN RIDERS, carrying swords and blazoned
shields, fights SPANISH RIDERS armed with long spears and
wearing light leather armors.
LORD SAN PATRIZIO DE LA GRIVE (45), black moustache and
jawline beard, fends off SPANIARD ONE's lance hit and slashes
his hand.
The shields of Baudolino and SPANIARD TWO clash and they fall
off the horses. Spaniard Two recovers and thrusts the spear
down on Baudolino, who fends off. The spear impales the
ground. Agile, Baudolino (15) rolls up, SKILLFULLY PLUCKS THE
SPEAR OUT, AND HITS THE SPANIARD ON THE FRONT OF THE HEAD
WITH THE BACK END OF IT STUNNING HIM. HE QUICKLY FLIPS THE
SPEAR AND STABS THE SPANIARD IN THE CHEST. THE SPANIARD FALLS
FACE DOWN AS THE -- SPEAR PROTRUDES THROUGH HIS BACK.
From the galop of his horse, San Patrizio helps his son
Baudolino up on the saddle.
The Italians win the fight, and the Spanish Raiders are
routed.
San Patrizio fires his arquebus at them.
From afar, INFANTRY SPANIARDS get into the action by firing
muskets at the Italians. The Italians turn around and ride
back to the Fortress.
The Infantry Spaniards' muskets pop, bullets fly -– one
grazes Baudolino's temple, and blood runs down his cheek.
END OF FLASHBACK
INT. BASTILLE CELL - MORNING
Sounds of firearms and shouts. Asleep, Baudolino touches the
scar on his temple.
He wakes up, rushes to the barred window, and lifts himself
up. He partially sees a few HORSEMEN and CIVILIANS exchange
firearm shots down in the street.
BAUDOLINO
(whispering)
The Fronde.
(yelling; shaking the bars
of the door)
Cardinal Mazarin! Why!? Cardinal!
Only the echo of his yelling responds. Hands holding the
bars, he remembers.
BAUDOLINO'S FLASHBACK - EXT. CASALE MONTFERAT FIELD - DAY
Baudolino stands by the side of his father, San Patrizio, on
the rampart of the Fortress. The latter points down.
In the field, a MAN rides a horse in front of the Spanish
Army while doffing his hat and yelling.
MAN
(barely audible; French;
subtitled)
Paix! Paix!
SUBTITLE: Peace! Peace!
PATRIZIO
(happy; to Baudolino)
Mazarini! Cardinal Mazarin!
END OF FLASHBACK
INT. BASTILLE CELL - DAY
Laying in bed, he looks at the window's bars. The noise of
the latch and the squeak of the cell gate opening interrupts
his thoughts. He briskly turns
The Royal Guard Officer nods at him from the gate.
OFFICER
Monsieur Baudolino de La Grive.
EXT. BASTILLE COURTYARD - DAY
The Officer and a GUARD lead Baudolino through the winter
blizzard to a horse carriage blazoned Royal Coat of Arms.
INT. CARRIAGE - DAY
Carriage in motion.
Hands chained, Baudolino sits on one side of the plush
banquettes, shivering. The Officer and the Guard sit on the
opposite side, watching him.
INT. TUILERIES PALACE - CORRIDOR - DAY
A long corridor bordered by large windows, the Seine on one
side, the Tuileries garden on the other. PEOPLE chat or walk
back and forth.
A window is shattered by a stone. People jolt, and withdraw
from it.
The stone ends up in front of the Royal Guard Officer. He
kicks it back to the wall.
ROYAL GUARD OFFICER
Stupid frondeurs! They'll pay
dearly for it.
SERVANTS rush to clean the shards.
INT. CARDINAL MAZARIN OFFICE - DAY
The exquisitely decorated, opened back lids of three boxes on
the desk. On the desk's front side, Cardinal Mazarin looks
inside the boxes, delighted.
He picks up one of the three diamond studded necklaces and
explores with a -- magnifying glass the intricate shapes of
the gems.
The Officer and Baudolino enter the office. Next to the door,
a massive fireplace with lively flames.
Displeased by the interruption, Mazarin regretfully places
the collier back in the box, and closes the lids of the
boxes. On his desk, books and maps, on the side of it a giant
globe of the Earth.
On the office walls, paintings of Queen Anne and her son King
Louis XIV as a child, Cardinal Richelieu, and other religious
scenes.
MAZARIN
(standing up, approaching
the group)
Signore Baudolino de La Grive!
-- Your father, Lord Patrizio,
fought for us at Casale against the
Spaniards.
BAUDOLINO
(proud; extending the
shackled hands)
Your Excellency! I was on the
ramparts of the Fortress when you
waived the flag of truce.
Mazarin nods at the Officer, who signals to the Guard to
remove Baudolino's shackles, then dismisses them.
MAZARIN
(to Baudolino)
Those were good times for France,
for me... and for you -- Now it's
different. The Frondeurs slingshot
stones or shot bullets at us. And
the frondeuses... these ladies are
much more dangerous. Subversive!
They can raise a crowd! -- And you?
Mixing with the likes of Duchess de
Montpensier --
BAUDOLINO
(confident)
-- Oh, Your Eminence, she --
MAZARIN
(raising his hand)
-- Those deserve Bastille or,
better yet, the guillotine -- But
that's half of the reason you are
here.
Baudolino gets confused. The Cardinal walks to his desk,
rings a bell and waits by the globe.
Colbert enters the room through a side door.
MAZARIN
Jean-Baptiste will explain.
The Cardinal paces the office.
Colbert approaches the globe, spins, and stops it at --
France.
COLBERT
France fell behind the Spaniards,
Dutch, and British, who discovered
the passage towards the other side
of the Americas and drew from their
fabulous richness. But not us, not
yet. Our Jacques Cartier did reach
America a hundred years ago and
believed it was... China!
Baudolino can't figure out what this has to do with him.
Puzzled, he looks in turn, at Colbert and the Cardinal. The
latter nods at Colbert to continue.
COLBERT
Even though Álvaro de Mendaña
reached the Islands of Solomon and
correctly recorded their Latitude,
he could not find them again. Why?
Because there was no precise method
to determine the longitude....And
still, there isn't one!
BAUDOLINO
Your Eminence! I am not familiar --
MAZARIN
-- I am told that you are quite
familiar with this... Powder of
Sympathy.
BAUDOLINO
(miffed)
It was just a metaphor in a
poem!....In recollection of my
healing from a duel.
The Cardinal puts an arm around Baudolino's shoulder and
prompts him to walk together.
MAZARIN
(foxy)
Then you see? You know what that
is! And now the British are about
to use it to determine the
longitude on the open seas -- There
were, and still are great rewards
at stake for the discovery of the
method. The Dutch offered 30,000
florins, and even Galileo applied
for it.
COLBERT
(smiling)
And yet, Your Eminence, he did not
get it... got just a golden chain
for trying.
MAZARIN
(to Baudolino; feigning
friendship)
But for our friend here, the prizes
are not only absolution from
charges of conspiracy but also
great rewards upon returning from
this mission.
BAUDOLINO
(astonished)
Conspiracy Your Eminence? Returning
from --
-- LOUIS XIV KING (12), long curly hair, rosy cheeks, bursts
into the room, a CELATONE TOY in his hand.
Mazarin and Colbert greet The King with an ample bow.
Baudolino follows suit when he realizes who the child is.
THE KING
(playful; walking
towards Colbert)
Here you are! Why am I to wait for
my class?
COLBERT
Your Majesty, please excuse --
THE KING
(wrinkling his nose at
Baudolino)
-- this man smells foul-ish.
MAZARIN
Your Majesty, that's the smell of
the Fronde. We kept him in Bastille
for few days -- But he is also a
great asset in our quest to expand
France's colonies beyond the
Americas. If he successfully
returns from his mission, he'll be
rewarded with... the best perfumes
our nation can offer.
The King signals for the meeting to resume. Mazarin prompts
Colbert to continue.
COLBERT
(to Baudolino)
-- returning from the voyage
through the Atlantic and Pacific. A
British Doctor Byrd, wants to
demonstrate that the Powder of
Sympathy method works on extended
itineraries.
BAUDOLINO
But I --
MAZARIN
(paternally)
-- Yes, you do, dear Baudolino. You
speak many languages, including
English. Frankly speaking, you are
in this ideal situation for us,
where your choices are limited.
COLBERT
(to Baudolino)
You'll board this Dutch commercial
ship in Amsterdam, where
"commercial" is just a cover for
the secret British mission. You
listen to what people say about the
trade places, the Dutch and Spanish
colonies, the sailors' practices,
but mostly find out what Doctor
Byrd does -- You are an Italian
poet praising the Italian
Renaissance poets, seeking
inspiration from exotic lands,
actually running away from debtors,
and a duel complications. --
Naturally, you don't understand
English.
(smiling)
Under this excellent cover, they'll
have no reasons to suspect you.
Moreover, our agent will take care
of everything you need and teach
you a few tricks of the trade... in
Amsterdam.
Baudolino seems to seize an opportunity.
BAUDOLINO
Your Eminence! Could I hope to
regain my father's titles?
Noncommittal, the Cardinal smoothens his moustache and taps
Baudolino on the shoulder. The King walks towards the globe.
COLBERT
(to The King)
Your Majesty! I see you playing
with Galileo's celatone. Why don't
we change the class subject to the
secrets of longitude.
THE KING
(spinning the globe)
Let's start from Amsterdam, then.
The King spins the globe and stops it with the finger
pointing at Amsterdam.
EXT. AMSTERDAM HARBOR – SHIP BOARDING DOCK - DAY
On the dock, the melee of PEOPLE walking, some of them
boarding PASSENGERS, and stacks of merchandise about to be
loaded on the ship.
Moored at the dock, -- AMARYLLIS -- a commercial 1600 tons
Venetian carrack with lateen sails, half and quarter stern
decks, a fore above the main deck, eight cannons sticking out
of the starboard's hull below the main deck.
On the merchandise gangplank, SAILORS and PORTERS carry up
loads.
Doctor Byrd walks up on the passenger gangplank, followed by
SWIFT(30), a black mercenary man, carrying a big trunk, a
WHITE MAN (50) with a big, red blemish on the side of his
face, carrying luggage, and TWO PORTERS loaded with coffers.
From the dock, Baudolino watches Doctor Byrd then looks at
the -- The Vigilant Eye Man, sporting dark sunglasses, who
nods acknowledging the identity of Doctor Byrd.
An INDIGENOUS MAN and WOMAN farewell to their older and
younger family members, and walk up the gangplank.
Baudolino steps up behind them, followed by ADLAN (35), an
Arab man with a long mustache, colorful turban, and merchant
attire, a SPANISH and DUTCH MEN, and TWO PRIESTS.
EXT. MAIN DECK - CONTINOUS
From the railing, Swift watches The Vigilant Eye who
disappears in the crowd. Baudolino walks by Swift, who
scrutinizes him, and stops by the two rescue boats on the
starboard. The Adlan joins Baudolino in admiring the ship's
tall riggings.
ADLAN
We hope for fair winds.
BAUDOLINO
(Italian; subtitled)
I am very sorry, Sir, but I do not
understand English.
ADLAN
(Italian; subtitled)
I am happy to speak with an
Italian. I said that we hope for
good winds into the sails. My name
is Adlan Fahreed.
BAUDOLINO
(Italian; subtitled)
My compliments for your speaking
Italian. My name is Baudolino
Grivese.
ADLAN
(Italian; subtitled)
One must learn Italian to
appreciate Renaissance poetry.
BAUDOLINO
(Italian; subtitled)
Oh! You must have read Boiardo's
"Orlando Innamorato". Are you a
poet yourself?
ADLAN
(Italian; subtitled)
Well, no, I just have an interest
in history... traveled the world to
understand people, learn their
language, read books... and trade.
EXT. STERN - HALF DECK - DAY
The Captain and Doctor Byrd walk on the half deck, and
disappear in the Captain's office.
INT. HALF DECK- CAPTAIN'S CABIN - DAY
A long table with chairs, a desk with books, and navigation
tools. On the walls, maps, posters with tabulated data,
drawings, models, and paintings of ships.
Doctor Byrd and the Captain sit at the table, the latter
reading a letter. Doctor Byrd takes two more folded papers
from his leather suitcase and unfolds a -- maritime map. He
waits for the Captain to read the letter.
DOCTOR BYRD
While following Sir Francis Drake's
route...
(finger tracing the route)
from Atlantic, around Tierra Del
Fuego, Pacific's Indiae
Orientalis, and back by Aetiopia
Inferior -- there may be times
when I will have to dictate the
proper route, as indicated in the
letter. I have a special interest
in Solomon Island where I am to
find this... exotic plant. See, one
of my companions is actually a
patient I am treating for a rare
and painful Helicobacter pylori.
That's why...
(unfolding a ship layout)
I need these two cabins, mine and
the one below.
CAPTAIN
This is a locked storage --
DOCTOR BYRD
-- I need it for the treatment of
my patient, please make it
available.
CAPTAIN
(reluctant)
Very well –- In regards to
"dictating" the proper course, the
navigation through unknown routes
and harsh weather conditions
requires a knowledge that only I
possess.
I am also to avoid the usual
pirates' routes....There cannot be
a compromise, especially around
Moluccas Island, where we will
trade the African ivory and Arabian
coffee for spices.
DOCTOR BYRD
(superior)
So, we shall mutually observe our
needs and abilities.
The Captain quizzically looks again at the letter, than at
Doctor Byrd.
CAPTAIN
(standing up)
Pray for fair winds and following
seas, Doctor.
EXT. HALF DECK - DAY
The Captain hands over the ship layout map to OFFICER ONE,
asking him to accompany Doctor Byrd.
Doctor Byrd's companions pick up the trunk and the luggage,
and follow him and Officer One down the stairs to the main
deck.
INT. FORECASTLE - PASSENGERS' QUARTERS - DAY
Depressed by the darkness and tightness of the place,
Baudolino steps down.
Cabins with partitions from light wood and canvas on each
side of the deck. A door at the end of the deck, a "1651
September" marked calendar, and a clock on a traverse above
the door.
He bumps into a long table, his eyes checking the numbers
painted on the flimsy cabins' doors. He stops at a door.
He greets in Italian Indigenous Man and Woman, the two
Priests, Swift and White Man, all heading toward their
cabins. Swift scrutinizes Baudolino without responding to the
greeting.
Adlan stops at the door next to Baudolino's.
ADLAN
(Italian; subtitled)
I'm glad to be your neighbor.
BAUDOLINO
(Italian; courteous;
subtitled;)
That brings me great comfort...
Being on a ship is new to me and...
I am afraid of waves.
ADLAN
(Italian; laughing;
subtitled;)
Do not to worry about waves... for
a while. Atlantic waters are calmer
than those of the Pacific.
They farewell and walk into their cabins.
INT. BAUDOLINO'S CABIN - DAY
A hammock, a folding table, a small rack, and a hanging
lantern. He flips down the table, puts his bag on the rack,
takes a binder from the bag, and puts it on the table.
EXT. ATLANTIC OCEAN - NIGHT
A storm with high winds and waves. The ship rolls, surges,
and pitches.
INT. BAUDOLINO CABIN - NIGHT
Nauseated, Baudolino lies in the swinging hammock. He
attempts to stand up but falls back. He gives up, curls in
the hammock, coughs, and closes his eyes.
EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY
Baudolino, grown beard, comes up from the passengers'
quarters. The tempest is still strong. A big splash from a
wave drenches him, he ingests some of it, chokes, and returns
to the underdeck.
ANIMATION: ATLANTIC EQUATOR MAP
On the 17th century map of the Atlantic, a cartoon ship
sailing from Amsterdam, crosses the Equator close to
Brasilea.
EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY
Calmer ocean. The heavy clouds clear the sky, and the
sunlight breaks through. A fair wind fills the sails.
Sailors belay ropes or climb up and down on the rat lines of
the shrouds.
In better shape, Baudolino walks along Adlan towards the
forecastle. On their way, they pass by the Two Priests who
piously try to engage the Indigenous Couple in a
conversation.
ADLAN
(to Baudolino; Italian;
subtitled)
We drifted away in the headwinds of
the storm. But now... look!
He points at BOWSPRIT YARD where -- a sailor, standing on the
FOOT ROPE unleashes the GASKETS holding the sail. The sail
unfurls, filled by the wind.
ADLAN (O.S.)
(enthusiastic; Italian;
subtitled)
All sails into the wind!
BAUDOLINO
(watching the sailor;
Italian; subtitled)
I'd be curious to know how much we
drifted.
ADLAN
(Italian; subtitled)
Let's check.
He gets Baudolino's arm to walk back toward the stern.
By the railing at the foot of the stairs up to the half deck,
SAILORS ONE and TWO take speed measurements. Baudolino and
Adlan stop to watch.
Sailor One drops the logline's log overboard and watches it --
splashing and dragging in the water behind the ship while
holding the deploying line in his hand. The line gets tout,
pulls on the knotted part wound on the take-up spool nested
in a cradle, and -- the first knot reaches Sailor One's hand.
SAILOR ONE
Now!
Sailor Two flips a -- small SANDGLASS, and the sand runs
down.
Sailor One watches the gradual deployment of the calibrated
knots of the line.
Baudolino is in wonder, interested, and Adlan smiles
knowingly. They climb up the stairs to the half deck.
EXT. HALF DECK - CONTINOUS
By the mizzen sail, SAILOR THREE, and OFFICERS ONE and TWO
get ready for taking navigation measurements. Doctor Byrd
observes and makes notes. Swift keeps an eye on him.
Baudolino and Adlan join the group.
Sailor Three bends over to read the -- SSW compass needle --
then inserts a peg into the -- SSW traverse board's marked
cardinal points. Doctor Byrd advances from the background and
notes the data. Swift gets behind him.
EXT. MAIN DECK - CONTINOUS
The top of the sandglass held by Sailor Two gets empty.
SAILOR TWO
Over!
EXT. HALF DECK - CONTINOUS
SAILOR ONE (O.S.)
(loudly)
Four and a half-knot.
Sailor Three inserts a peg into the -- traverse board speed
array. Baudolino advances from the background, accidentally
bounces Swift, who bounced him back intentionally. Adlan
advances next to Baudolino.
ADLAN
(to Doctor Byrd)
Excuse me, Sir, allow me to
introduce myself. I am Adlan
Fahreed. My friend Baudolino
Grivese is curious about how far we
deviated from the course.
In the background, Officer One aligns the ASTROLABE'S --
alidade holes with the sun.
OFFICER ONE
Altitude twenty-seven!
In the foreground, busy, Doctor Byrd makes a note, and turns
to Swift.
DOCTOR BYRD
(to Swift)
We are about three hours behind
London.
(to Adlan; nasty)
He doesn't have a mouth to ask?
ADLAN
He doesn't speak English. He is
Italian.
Raising an eyebrow, Doctor Byrd looks at Baudolino then at
Swift, who nods.
In the background, Officer One turns the astrolabe around,
and tweaks the dial.
OFFICER ONE
Time! Eight thirty-seven.
DOCTOR BYRD
(to Adlan)
About two hundred miles South-East.
Swift bounces Baudolino and Adlan away from Doctor Byrd.
Doctor Byrd opens the lid of a box with two HEINLINE CLOCKS
inside, one marked -- LONDON showing 11:20. He takes the
other clock out and changes the time from -- 9:30 to 8:37.
Adlan takes Baudolino away from the group toward the main
deck's stairs.
In the background, Officer Two uses a drawing compass, then
makes a -- mark on a map laid on the skylight's board. He
then hurries down the stairs to the main deck, brushing by
Adlan and Baudolino.
MONTAGE: SHIP STEERING - DAY
INT. WHIPSTAFF ROOM UNDER THE HALF DECK- CONTINOUS
OFFICER TWO (O.S.)
Three degrees SSW!
The HELSMAN looks up at the skylight and pulls on the
whipstaff to the left to match -- a division on the deck's
plate.
INT. TILLER ROOM BELOW THE WHIPSTAFF ROOM - CONTINOUS
The tiller moves slightly to the right. Sailor Four fumbles
with the tiller's gears. Sailor Five walks out the next room.
INT. NEXT ROOM - CONTINOUS
OFFICER TWO
Haul away!
Sailor Five joins Sailor Six to tighten the rope-sheet, and
belay it around the cleat. Shrilling sound of the Boatswain's
pipe "All Hands On Deck". Officer Two and Sailors secure the
rope, and obey to the call.
INT. CANNON'S BAY - SAME TIME
Sleepy GUNNERS wake up and, upset, walk toward the stairs to
the main deck.
END OF MONTAGE
EXT. HALF DECK/MAIN DECK - DAY
Boatswain cheeks blowing into the pipe.
The Captain waits for the Crew and Passengers to gather. Next
to him, Doctor Byrd nods at Swift to follow him.
They steps down the ladder to the main deck. White Man joins
them from the main deck, and they all disappear further down.
Baudolino watches the group disappearing.
The Captain addresses the Crew and Passengers gathered on the
main deck.
CAPTAIN
We safely avoided the pirates of
the Trades Routes to Americas, just
crossed the Equator, and heading
South towards Porto Seguro.
BAUDOLINO
(To Adlan; in Italian;
subtitled)
Excuse me, please, I have an
intense headache. It's this foul
smell coming from somewhere.
Adlan excuses Baudolino. Baudolino walks towards the
forecastle and disappears on the stairs down to the
passengers' quarters.
INT. PASSANGERS'S QUARTERS -DAY
On the passengers' quarters deck, Sailor Seven adjusts the
hand of the WALL CLOCK on the transversal beam from -- 9:37
to 8:52 -- then cranks its mainspring.
INT. CANONS' BAY - DAY
Baudolino walks by the cannons toward the stern. No gunners
in sight. At the end of the bay, he disappears down the
stairs.
INT. STORAGE DECK - CONTINOUS
He cautiously moves between stacks of barrels, burlap bags,
and wooden boxes. He arrives at a storage cabin wedged
between them, and is about to listens to the voices coming
from it.
TWO SAILORS walk by, surprising him.
SAILOR EIGHT
Sir, you are not supposed to be
here!
BAUDOLINO
(mimicking bad smell; in
Italian; subtitled)
Pardon me. There is a bad smell
that gives me a headache. I must –-
SAILOR EIGHT
(laughing; finger pointing
behind Baudolino)
-- The bad smell comes from the
other end, Sir... the kitchen!
Baudolino looks back, joins the laughter, nods, and
farewells.
Sailor Eight mimics "nuts" behind Baudolino's back.
ANIMATION: SOUTH AMERICA MAP
On the 17th-century map of Atlantic and Pacific, a cartoon
ship sailing from Amsterdam turns around South America at the
Cap de la Victoire.
SUPER: "Seven hours behind London"
INT. CANONS'S BAY - NIGHT
Baudolino struggles to keep his balance as the ship rolls and
pitches, cautiously walking by the cannons and sailors'
bunkbeds. Along the way, faint light from swinging lanterns.
He disappears down the stairs.
INT. CARGO DECK - NIGHT
He arrives at the storage cabin. A faint whining draws his
attention. Ear to the wall, he listens. Water pouring and
lapping sound. Doctor Byrd berates one of his men.
He tries to find a crack in the wall to see, but he trips, a
bag drops, the sounds from the cabin stop. Tiptoeing,
Baudolino rushes away.
ANIMATION: PACIFIC MAP
On the 17th-century map of Pacific, a cartoon ship sails
through marks of high winds and currents.
SUPER: "11 hours behind London"
INT. PASSENGER'S QUARTERS - EVENING
Around the long dinner table, the passengers have dinner and
chat. The calendar shows "1652 March". On the traverse above
the door, the time on the clock is 6:20.
BAUDOLINO
(reciting; Italian;
subtitled)
Behind the clouds
The sun's not worth a dime --
TWO SAILORS come through the galley door and, barely keeping
their balance, serve the food.
BAUDOLINO (O.S)
-- The dark side of the moon
On lovers cannot shine.
Adlan applauds in sympathy, the Priests out of politeness.
Swift and White Man exchange bored looks –- Doctor Byrd
smirks.
Dutch Man shows his bandaged hand to Doctor Bird.
DUTCH MAN
Is there anything to heal my wound
quicker?
Adlan listens to the conversation.
DOCTOR BYRD
Just clean it and change the
bandage.
ADLAN
I've read intriguing stories about
some magic unguent.
DOCTOR BYRD
(slip of tongue)
That's the Powder of ...
(recovering)
... silly Sympathy stories... like
the dog shitting in the house.
Few passengers stop eating. Aboriginal Man and Woman whisper
in each other ears.
DOCTOR BYRD
(continuous)
The owner of the dog threw the shit
in the fireplace, and the dog
started to yelp, circling to catch
his tail because his arse was on
fire.
All passengers, except Swift, stop eating, disgusted by the
subject.
ADLAN
(laughing)
But there are stories where the
Powder of Sympathy could be used to
heal rather than hurt.
Baudolino leans toward Adlan, asking for translation.
CATHOLIC PRIEST
(to all; changing the
topic)
In this weather, they couldn't take
any coordinates for days. Do we
know where we are?
SPANISH COLONIST ONE
Somewhat. "Dead reckoning", by
speed and compass only is not an
accurate longitude method.
Doctor Byrd smiles, condescendingly.
INT. BAUDOLINO'S CABIN - NIGHT
Baudolino writes at the light of the swinging lantern. At the
sound of steps, he looks through the slightly open blinds,
and sees Swift walking away.
Baudolino waits, gets out, looks at the -- wall clock showing
12:35 -- and cautiously takes the route toward the secret
cabin.
INT. STORAGE DECK - NIGHT
He hides behind bags and boxes, ear to the wall of the secret
cabin. A whining sound.
DOCTOR BYRD (O.S.)
There it is.
COMPANION (O.S.)
With due respect Sir, they do it
most of the time.
DOCTOR BYRD (O.S.)
No, this is different.
COMPANION (O.S.)
We need more -–
-- A burlap bag falls on the floor with a muffled sound, next
to Baudolino. The conversation stops.
The door opens. Swift checks around, sees the box fallen box.
Sound of running steps.
SWIFT
I'll be right back, need to check
something.
He closes the door, climbs up, and hurries through the
sailors' bunkbeds and cannons toward the passenger's
quarters, wobbling to keep his balance as the ship pitches
and rolls.
INT. PASSENGERS' QUARTERS - NIGHT
Swift opens Baudolino's cabin door. Empty. The cabin's
lantern swings widely.
He climbs up the stairs to the main deck.
EXT. MAIN DECK - CONTINOUS
Swift sees Baudolino, who braves the waves splashing over the
railing.
Swift approaches and looks at him intently.
SWIFT
(mimics migraine)
The smell still bothers you?
Migraine?
BAUDOLINO
(body language)
Migrena, ah, si! Male di testa!
Swift looks around. No soul on the deck. He grabs Baudolino's
neck and is about to get his legs to throw him overboard.
Baudolino hits him with the knee in the face, stunning him,
and pulls a stiletto from the back of his vest.
THREE SAILORS run up from the passengers' deck. Swift looks
at the stiletto then at Baudolino, and gives up his
intention, for now.
ANIMATION: SOLOMON ISLANDS MAP
On the 17th century map, a cartoon ship enters an area marked
with high wind arrows, and close to a dotted line marked on
the left and right with "Pridie" and "Postpridie"
respectively.
SUPER: "12 hours behind London"
EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - DAY
The ship rises and falls in the voids between huge waves.
A Sailor on the mast platform yells and points down,
agitated. The Boatswain whistle shrills.
INT. PASSENGER'S QUARTERS - DAY
Some of the passengers try to keep their balance by grabbing
on the edge of the table.
By his cabin, The Indigenous Man holds his Indigenous Woman
in his arms.
The Priest prays and crosses himself, afraid. Adlan gets out
of his cabin and enters Baudolino's.
INT. BAUDOLINO CABIN - DAY
Bravely, Baudolino keeps his balance by holding on a cabin
traverse of the hull. He manages to smile at Adlan.
EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - DAY
The ship rises with a loud squeak of the masts, then falls on
a -- spiky rock.
INT. BAUDOLINO CABIN - CONTINUOUS
The cabin traverse breaks, the hull cracks open, the water
floods in and, as the ship rises, gushes out carrying him and
Adlan out into the Ocean.
EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - DAY
The setting sun's long reflection gently sparkles on the flat
Ocean surface. In the distance, a man on a plank is carried
away by the ocean current.
- LATER
On the plank from Amaryllis's hull, Baudolino lies
unconscious -- face sunburned. He moves, manages to open his
eyes, and looks around. A blurry, calm Ocean. He splashes
water on his face and hands, and, on his knees, scrutinizes
the Ocean. No survivors in sight.
EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - NIGHT
The plank slowly carries Baudolino toward distant islands.
- LATER
Baudolino twitches on the plank.
BAUDOLINO DREAM: MASQUERADE - INT. HOTEL RAMBOUILLET - NIGHT
The Hotel Rambouillet's blue ball room and the chandelier
slowly warp. In slow motion, PEOPLE dressed in dark color
capes and faces covered by masquerade masks chat in small
groups. On the small stage, the CONDUCTOR raises its baton
and jerks it down to start the music.
END OF DREAM
EXT. DAPHNE SHIP - NIGHT
THUD! The plank hits the lower wale of a ship. Baudolino
wakes up, dizzy. He turns face up and sweeps aside his
disheveled hair.
Overjoyed, he looks up at the bowsprit and the ROPE LADDER
hanging a bit away. He attempts to stand, falls off the plank
and, swallowing and coughing up water, barely avoids
drowning.
Back on the plank, he paddles to the ladder. With notable
effort, he grabs it and slowly climbs up by the name of the
ship -- DAPHNE.
He pulls himself over the bulwark and collapses, breathing
hard. Slowly, he looks around. A barrel by the stern deck.
He crawls to it, pulls himself up, and looks inside at -- the
perfect reflection of the full moon. He dips a finger in, and
the ripples upset the reflection.
He lets a drop drip on his tongue. It tastes like water.
Water! He bends over, drinks, chokes as his throat hurts. He
keeps drinking in smaller gulps until sated, then crouches by
the barrel, lies down, stretches, and closes his eyes.
Darkness.
BAUDOLINO DREAM: RATS
A hissing sound in the darkness. A big rat's face right in
front of his.
END OF DREAM
EXT. DAPHNE MAIN DECK - DAY
Sun blisters on his neck and shoulder. He twitches and opens
his eyes. A rat hisses right in his face.
He shudders and stands up. Voice heavily altered by sun and
thirst, he gutturally yells at the rats. They run away.
He looks around. A small Dutch flyboat with three masts,
riggings, and wrapped-up sails. Atop the main mast, a Jesuit
Order flag waves in the slow wind. No crew in sight.
On the starboard side, about one hundred yards away, the
beach of an island with luxurious vegetation atop a tall
escarpment. Faint sound of birds chirping and clacking.
Down in the water, some debris from a shipwreck slowly float
toward the stern.
Relieved, he climbs up the stairs to the stern's half deck.
EXT. HALF DECK - CONTINOUS
He walks by the skylight and stops by a BREECH-LOADING SWIVEL
GUN mounted on the reinforced railing. On the deck, a
latched, LONG WOODEN BOX.
He looks up. A big, colorful bird flies from the beach,
circling above the ship, then back toward the luxuriant
vegetation of the escarpment.
His fantasy takes off as he watches the bird.
BAUDOLINO'S FANTASY: DOVE FLYING - EXT. ISLAND - DAY
The island seems to be divided by a translucent, slightly
reflective vertical surface, one side shedding the night's
mist of yesterday, the other side full of tomorrow's sunny
brightness.
The bird MORPHS into a big Victoria Crowned Dove flying
through the surface on the sunny side, and resting on a tall
Rainbow Eucalyptus tree. The bird fluffs its magically
colorful wing plumage and shakes the long head feathers
resembling those of Lady Lilia's hat.
END OF FANTASY
He shakes his head to clear the vision and yells toward the
island.
BAUDOLINO
(hoarse, guttural voice)
Harghhh-hoooo!
The birds chirping and clacking are the only responses he
gets. He coughs to clear his hurting throat, then manages to
yell again.
BAUDOLINO
(hoarse, guttural voice)
Hayeea-rghhh!
He waits for a human response, but none comes. He walks down
through the skylight.
INT. CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS OFFICE - CONTINOUS
A table with a desk at the end. On the latter, open and
closed BOOKS, maps, a compass, a MAGNIFYING GLASS, FEATHER
QUILLS, and an INK WELL.
Two out of the four chairs are overturned. Shelves with
books, and paper sheets with rows and columns of data hanging
on the walls. A MECHANICAL CLOCK on the wall. On the floor,
ransacked navigation instruments, a small armillary, and a
broken ship model.
An armoire on the side. He tries to open its door but it's
locked. He kicks it and manages to force it open. Inside, the
weapons rack is empty, except for a SWORD and a heavy --
FLINTLOCK with a POWDER CORN and BULLETS POACH, hanging on
it.
He drags and lifts up the fallen chairs to free the passage
toward the open door frame of an adjacent room.
ADJACENT ROOM - CONTINOUS
Similar ravages to those in the Captain's cabin. A hammock by
the window in the back, an angle adjustable drawing board
with heavy iron legs, a small table, and chair. Across the
table a wall tapestry of Saint Ignatius Loyola and the Vision
of Christ.
On the floor, big and smaller drawings, a lithography
partially covered by the sand of a broken sandglass, and a
toppled spatial model of the heliocentric system.
He kneels and looks at the -- drawing copy of GALILEO'S
PENDULUM CLOCK and a few calculations, and Tycho Brahe
lookalike sextant with telescope. He tries to understand what
they are, but gives up and clips them back on the board.
He sweeps off the sand from the -- LITOGRAPHY OF COPERNICUS
as a Jesuit cleric surrounded by graphic symbols of
mathematics navigation tools, astrology maps, and horoscopes.
Under the lithography -- a COLORFUL FEATHER. He picks it up
overwhelmed by loving memories.
BAUDOLINO'S FLASHBACK: LADY LILIA'S COLORFUL FEATHERS
Coquettish Lady Lilia enormous hat with -- colorful feathers
fluttering.
END OF FLASHBACK
OFFICE - CONTINOUS
He returns to the Captain's office.
He opens and flips through the LEATHER-BOUND REGIOMENTANUS
EPHEMERIDS BOOK, pages with -- lists of dates, times, symbols
of stars with Latin names, all in red and black ink. He
glances over the other book, PAPER-BOUND HARDCOVER RUDOLPHINE
TABLES. Under the book, the RUDOLPHINE WORD MAP and a HAND
DRAWN MAP OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.
He picks up the magnifying glass and sweeps it over the
Solomon Islands' map with -- San Cristobal location crossed
by a vertical dotted line.
The third book is the open Captain's NAVIGATION LOG, written
in Latin. He reads through the last record of -- "5 November
1652" -- and stops by placing his finger on "...pestis quae
dicitur bubonica."
BAUDOLINO
(thought; frightful)
Cholera!?
BAUDOLINO'S FLASHBACK: RATS
The rat hisses at his face then runs away with many others.
END OF FLASHBACK
BACK TO SCENE
Scared, he rushes out of the Captain's quarter and looks at
the deserted deck.
He briskly walks to the barrel with water, looks inside, and
quivers. He touches his stomach, wondering if he has any
concerning symptoms. He doesn't. And hunger drives him toward
the forecastle's galley.
INT. CREW'S MESS AND GALLEY - LATER
A long, rough table with benches for ten sailors on each
side. He walks into the galley.
The rack of pots and pans by the pit stove is empty. Tall
cupboards on the left. A wooden platform rigged with pulleys
to the right. He opens a cupboard. Wasted fruits, flies
buzzing, and a loaf of bread. He grabs the bread and bites on
it, but it's rather hard.
On the floor, a couple of discarded small POTS and WOODEN
PLATES. A rat runs away.
EXT. MAIN DECK - LATER
He bends over the barrel and looks at his bearded and
emaciated face reflection. Hesitant, he dips the bread in the
water, drinks some, then dresses his raspy throat.
INT. CAPTAIN'S QUARTER - OFFICE - LATER
He sits at the table, eating the bread.
Sleepy, he walks to the back of the office and into the
Captain's private room.
PRIVATE ROOM - LATER
A bed, an armchair, and a small wardrobe. He opens it.
Inside, the -- Captain's ceremonial uniform. On the opposite
side, a small door by a washing basin with a mirror, a razor
blade, and a few personal care objects. He combs the long
beard with his fingers, wondering about it in the mirror.
At the back, French double doors toward a balcony. He opens
the doors.
EXT/INT. BALCONY/PRIVATE ROOM/OFFICE - CONTINOUS
He looks up at the sky's dusk colors, then down at the ocean.
A beam from a wrecked ship floats away, carried by the
current.
Following its course, he sees a BOAT'S bow sticking out
behind the island's promontory. He wonders what he may have
missed.
He leaves the balcony, walks through the private room and
Captain's office, and, from the doorframe of the office,
looks at -- the empty cradle of the rescue boat.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - NIGHT
He tidies up the office, somewhat restores the broken ship
model, then lays the small armillary next to it on a shelf.
He looks around, satisfied.
Through the open door to the deck, he watches the sunset.
Hit by melancholy, he sits down at the desk, lays the --
colorful feather by the navigation log, lights a candle and,
flipping to an empty page, starts writing:
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
(dressing his voice)
Sun of my shadows, light of my
darkness.
Active writing on paper : *...light of my darkness.*
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
In the wondrous movement of the
Universe, the Providence manifested
itself with ample significance in
divergence, a whole game in the
range from disaster to salvation.
Soul asunder, survivor of a wrecked
ship, I luckily find myself now on
another ship...
He stops writing.
BAUDOLINO
(thinking)
... deserted and threatened by
--
-- He shakes his head, looks at the colored feather, and
resumes writing.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
... with unwavering love aflame by
the memories of you.
He rereads and, satisfied, stands up and is about to close
the office's door. UGGGHH! A dead rat behind it. Quivering,
he shovels it over, kicks it out of the cabin, and slams the
door shut.
INT. PRIVATE ROOM - LATER
He lies on the bed, open-eyed.
BAUDOLINO'S SUBLIMINAL IMAGINATION: RANSACKED SHIP
Deserted Daphne's main deck, ransacked Captain office and
adjacent room, empty beach and rescue boat pad.
END OF SUBLIMINAL IMAGINATION
He closes his eyes and falls asleep.
BAUDOLINO DREAM: CHOLERA NIGHTMARE - EXT. SHIP - DAY
A body wrapped in white sheets is thrown over the railing,
falls, and splashes on the waves. Other bodies fall,
splashing and sinking.
FEW SAILORS drag dead bodies wrapped in sheets to the
railing.
A PRIEST rushes from one dead to another to pray.
The CAPTAIN, bearded, ferocious-looking, long hair flying in
the wind, levitates above the rescue boat, shouting orders
and pointing toward the island.
TWO SAILORS crank the davits of the boat above the railing.
The pulley gets stuck, the boat wildly dangles, and the
sailors fight each other to get in.
The Captain saintly raises his hand, the boat gets unstuck
and floats in the air with the pulley's ropes dangling.
Guided by the levitating Captain, the crew rows, and the man
at the tiller steers the boat.
On the main deck, the Priest raises his hands in prayer
toward the sky.
END OF DREAM
Baudolino wakes up confused. Sleepy, he staggers through the
Captain's office and opens the door to clear the bad dream.
Horror! A rat larger than life stands on his hind legs and
fixedly looks at him.
He slams the door shut, rushes to the armoire, arms himself
with the sword and heavy flintlock, loads the powder in the
lock and locks it, loads the powder and a bullet through the
top of the muzzle, opens the door, and takes aim.
The rat keeps looking hypnotically at him. He pulls the
trigger -- the lock sparks again and again, but the flint
doesn't shoot.
EXT. STERN DECK - CONTINOUS
He forges ahead and hits the rat with the flintlock's barrel.
The rat falls over, stiff.
Cautiously, he checks the strange animal. He had never seen
one like this! Another poke on the belly -- like a sack, no
reaction.
Furious, he kicks the animal on the side, a tear, and -
stuffing comes out through it.
He drops the flintlock, grabs and throws the stuffed animal
overboard on the island side, and watches how -- it slowly
floats away carried by the current and sinks to the visible
bottom of the ocean. The fishes swim away, scared.
He scans the empty deck, pulls out the sword, and makes a few
threatening fencing moves with it. He picks up the flintlock
and disappears down the ladder to the stern's underdeck.
INT. STERN UNDERDECK - CONTINOUS
He climbs down cautiously, sword extended in front of him.
Dim light through the left and right open hatches in the
hull. A door farther away. He tries to open it, but it's
locked. He kicks it hard, a couple of times.
BAUDOLINO
(guttural shouting)
Ghoom ough! Wghagt hew whahn?
Silence. He growls to dress his voice.
BAUDOLINO
(guttural; dressing his
voice)
Khoomeh ougt! Hew heaagr? Hrrr!
Ear to the door. Silence. He turns around and walks away.
INT. CREW'S QUARTERS - CONTINOUS
Bunkbeds without sheets and covers. Some mattresses are cut,
with straw sticking out. Toward the end, stairs lead up to
the main deck. He cautiously walks around, and the flintlock
gets stuck in the narrow passage. CLACK! From somewhere close
by, a low BWOOOK sound.
INT. FOOD STORAGE - CONTINOUS
Light through small hinged hatches in the bulkhead. On the
right, small barrels. Burlap sacks with grains, and exotic
fruits hanging in nets. On the left, a ladder and a hoisting
platform to the galley above. Another low BWOOOOK.
Alert, Baudolino takes a few cautious steps, sword ready.
Under the deckhead, ten hanging nets held by -- BAMBOO STICKS
-- with apathetic, albeit exotic species fowl inside. There
are no grains in the feeders nor water in the bamboo gutter.
Excited by the abundance of food, he grabs a bird from a net.
The bird turns from apathy to desperate resistance, wings
flaps, and feathers fly.
Baudolino wins over by twisting the bird's neck. He picks up
some fruits on the way up the stairs to the galley.
INT. GALLEY - LATER
Feathers in front of the oven. Impaled on the sword on top of
the pit, the bird is ready for roasting.
He looks at the few burned wood logs inside the oven and a
small stack of them on the side, wondering how to start the
fire.
He cuts the bell's rope, frays it to fibers, and makes a
small mound of it. He looks around, sees -- the steel and
flint stock -- and, unskillfully, gets -- few sparks on the
mound, and keeps trying to no avail.
EXT. MAIN DECK - LATER
The sun's focal point of the magnifying glass smokes then
ignites a few wood splinters over the mound of fibers in a
metal plate. He blows onto it to get the flames going.
He pushes the burning mound into the pit-stove, adds more
splinters, and watches the flames growing.
Ecstatic, he's salivating at the prospect of the feast.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Seated at the Captain's desk, shaved beard, dressed in the
Captain's ceremonial uniform, Baudolino chomps vigorously on
the pieces of the roasted bird.
He's sated and bites slowly on a fruit. Delightful taste! He
sighs, content of the providence's turn, covers the leftovers
with a cloth, and pushes them aside.
He looks at a WORLD MAP on the desk, focuses on -- France,
gets the inkwell and the quill, and opens the navigation log
at the -- colorful feather's bookmark.
Caressing his cheek with the feather, he falls into another
fit.
BAUDOLINO'S FANTASY: LE GRAND CROIX - INT. HOTEL RAMBOUILLET -
NIGHT
Lady Lilia looks lovingly at Baudolino dressed in yellow
Justaucorp, and with long, curly parted in the middle
hairstyle. Behind him, Colbert, Louise, Arthénice, and a few
"salon littéraire" Poets.
Cardinal Mazarin wraps over Baudolino's shoulder a sash
embroidered with the French Navy emblems, then pins the --
Grand Croix –- on his chest.
Louis XIV King kid approaches Baudolino, sniffs at him,
gestures appreciation of his perfume, opens a box, and hangs
a -- miniature golden celatone charm -- over his neck.
END OF FANTASY
Inspired, Baudolino writes.
BAUDOLINO
(thoughts)
...anticipation of the return and
regained status within the nobility
ranks... the silver lining of
longitude blackmailing...spy or
die.
Active writing: *...longitude blackmailing...*
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
Until my return, trembling with
devotion... promising togetherness.
Satisfied, he looks again at the world map, then stashes the
navigation log and the map in the desk's drawer.
Tired, he walks to the private room.
INT. PRIVATE ROOM/CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - DAY
He's awakened by the noise of an object dropping on the main
deck.
He grabs the sword from the office and rushes out.
EXT. MAIN DECK - CONTINOUS
He's miffed at what he sees on the deck.
Two stuffed exotic animals, a couple of rusted mechanisms'
gears, an PENDULUM MECHANISM, and two SAND HOURGLASSES, one
broken. An EXOTIC-LOOKING HEN pecks at the swinging weight of
the pendulum.
His peripheral view registers movement. He turns.
A human shape in a dark cloth disappears down the
forecastle's stairs.
Baudolino runs after the human.
INT. FORECASTLE UNDERDECK - CONTINOUS
He climbs down the stairs, sword at the ready. Nobody in
sight. Silence, except for birds' purring. He walks around
the stairs toward the food storage.
INT. FOOD STORAGE/CREW'S QUARTERS/STERN UNDERDECK - CONTINOUS
The exotic birds peck from their cages on the -- replenished
grains feeder and water in the gutter. The birds happily
BWAK! BWAK! Eggs in three of the cages.
He searches for the human shape in the dark cloak. Not in
sight.
Baudolino runs back through the crew quarters all the way to
the stern's underdeck and locked door.
On the stern underdeck, he bangs on the locked door with the
handle of the sword and listens. Silence. He chops the door
with the sword, manages to find the -- latch on the other
side -- and opens the door.
Dim light. He swings open a hatch in the hull for more light,
and looks around. On the right, racks with stuffed exotic
small birds and animals. On the left, racks with mechanical
clocks, sundials, water clocks, sand hourglasses, and
mechanisms with gears of various designs and sizes, some
rusted or covered by spider webs.
Further up, ROPES, TARPS, SMALL BARRELS, TWO-NESTED SIX-FOOT
COPPER BASIN, and a trapdoor.
He opens the trapdoor and climbs down a narrow stair.
BAUDOLINO
(raspy voice)
It's where you're hiding?
He trips, and the flintlock bangs on a thin partition. A
noise of something falling behind the partition. He kicks
the partition away, sword ready to stab.
On a bench covered with a blanket, leaning against the wall,
a human shape holds an egg in his hand and a RED DIARY in the
armpit. On the floor, a tipped over SIX DIAMETER BY SIX
HEIGHT INCHES BRONZE OBJECT. Baudolino bends over to look at
the man's bearded, confused, haggard-looking face. He is
Father Caspar.
Baudolino extends his hand to help him up.
BAUDOLINO
(soothing; raspy voice)
Don't be afraid... come!
Ignoring the hand, Father Caspar picks up the bronze object --
A HEINLEIN CLOCK -- and manages to stand up. He wears a
dirty, black cassock with the embroidered IHS Jesuit order's
symbol.
Slowly, they climb up the stairs, Baudolino offering his
support, and Father Caspar refusing it again.
BAUDOLINO
(raspy voice all dialogue)
Why are you hiding?
FATHER CASPAR
(Dutch accent all
dialogue)
-- Savages! Noises and shouts...
all over.
BAUDOLINO
-- What savages? It's just me! Are
you delusional?
FATHER CASPAR
You have no idea....
EXT. MAIN DECK - CONTINOUS
Walking, Father Caspar blinks to get used with the daylight.
He stops by the railing and, frightfully, points with a
trembling hand at the island. But that hand holds the egg,
which reminds him that he is hungry. He breaks its shell and
gulps down its content.
BAUDOLINO
Is pestis coming from the island?
Father Caspar keeps looking at the island without responding.
BAUDOLINO
I think you are distressed. Come,
there is food inside.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE/ADJACENT ROOM - DAY
Baudolino puts the sword on the table and uncovers the
chicken leftovers. Father Caspar looks at them but goes first
to the adjacent room.
In the adjacent room, he sets the Heinlein clock, showing
2:10 time, and the red diary on a shelf.
He then opens a trapdoor on the floor. Small bags, a few
bottles, an 18"x18"x18" BLACK BOX, a 12"x18"x4" SLIM WOOD
BOX, and TWO OBJECTS, FOUR and TWO INCHES LENGHT WRAPPED IN
ANIMAL SKINS. He picks up a bottle, closes the trapdoor, and
walks back to the Captain's office.
He is about to put the bottle on the table but, looking at
Baudolino, changes his mind, walks to the wall clock, adjusts
the time from 8:30 to 2:12, and winds it.
Baudolino rises an eyebrow watching Father Caspar doings and
gets two glasses from the armoire. The latter finally puts
the bottle on the table, and Baudolino cuts the wax seal. He
is about to pour the wine, but Father Caspar stops him.
FATHER CASPAR
(emphatic)
I am Father Caspar Wonderthrottl, e
Netherlandia Coloniensis Societate
Iesu Collegium --
BAUDOLINO
-- So you must be on a... religious
mission?
FATHER CASPAR
(ignoring the question)
Mathesis et Astrologia Professor!
And who are you?
He gets the bottle and pours wine for himself, offers the
bottle to Baudolino, and starts eating. Baudolino toasts in
the priest's honor and takes a gulp.
BAUDOLINO
(emphasizing)
I am Lord Baudolino di San Patrizio
de La Grive.
Father Caspar continues to eat while waiting for more.
BAUDOLINO
The lone survivor of the Amaryllis
ship... wrecked in a storm a week
ago....Terrible!
FATHER CASPAR
(mocking)
Terrible you say?
BAUDOLINO
(aggressive)
You think that pestis is more
terrible?
Father Caspar laughs briefly, sadly. He opens the cassock at
the neck and shows -- an ugly red boil on his chest.
Shocked, Baudolino pushes back on his chair.
FATHER CASPAR
(calming Baudolino)
There is no pestis.
But then, he is overwhelmed by frightful memories.
FATHER CASPAR'S FRIGHTFUL MEMORY: INT. ADJACENT ROOM - ONE
WEEK AGO - DAY
Father Caspar lies sick in the hammock, cassock open, a
bigger, swollen boil on his chest. Captain Reiss argues with
him, vehemently pointing at a page on a book.
CAPTAIN REISS
Of course, there is! Look!
Behind him, the CHIEF MATE (40), and a SAILOR (20), stand by
the adjacent room's doorframe.
Father Caspar shakes his head, annoyed.
FATHER CASPAR
(aggravated)
No! It is not the same. Those are
many, I have just one. It's
myxomatosis from the bite of
this... monster flea, on the
island.
CAPTAIN REISS
I can't take the risks. We'll leave
the ship and wait on the island.
(to the standing Sailors)
Load the boat with provisions for a
few weeks. Bring them back first.
(to Father Caspar)
We'll come back sooner... if you
get better.
The Chief Mate and Sailor leave.
EXT. MAIN DECK - LATER
Febrile, jolly sailors' activity on the ship. The crew brings
boxes with carpenter tools, galley utensils, and barrels from
the lower decks, and stack them by the starboard railing. A
Sailor rejoices by raising a barrel and yelling towards the
rescue boat.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
Of course, they were all happy to
rest on the island... in the
company of all the barrels with
spirits -- Sinful, foolish
drunkards!
EXT. RESCUE BOAT - CONTINOUS
Two Sailors row and another two stand laughing happily in the
rescue boat loaded with barrels, boxes with tools, and bags.
BACK TO PRESENT TIME
Father Caspar tries to recover from his anger by sipping
wine. Baudolino waits for the continuation of the story.
FATHER CASPAR
The Captain must have told them
that alcohol keeps the cholera at
bay.
FATHER CASPAR'S FRIGHTFUL MEMORY: EXT. ISLAND SHORE - ONE
WEEK AGO - SUNSET
A few fires are still alive, while others smolder. The
sailors drink and sing, some had fallen asleep.
EXT. MAIN DECK - SUNSET
Facing the beautiful sunset, Father Caspar prays.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
And I was praying for God to keep
my soul free of the night's
darkness and fear and bless my
tomorrow with the light of life.
EXT. ISLAND SHORE - MORNING
Most of the crew sleeps, some wobble trying to squeeze the
last drops of spirit from the barrels.
EXT. MAIN DECK - SAME TIME
By the railing, and looking at the shore, Father Caspar
shakes his head at the disgraceful scene.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
But the light of life was not
given...
EXT. ISLAND SHORE - DAY
Two CANOES, paddled by 20 ABORIGINAL MEN approach the island,
disembark, and walk toward the wobbling or sleeping in stupor
sailors.
They carry short spears and wear bone necklaces on shoulders
and headpieces amply adorned with COLORFUL FEATHERS.
The Aboriginal Men walk around the sailors, while their CHIEF
(18), axe in hand, and the Captain, flintlock ready to shoot,
exchange body language greetings.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
Coming from some neighboring
island, they seemed peaceful...at
least while their Chief and the
Captain were trying to communicate.
Aside from them, wobbling, a Sailor pulls a knife and
threatens an Aboriginal Man who rises the axe to caution him.
The Captain catches the scene with the corner of his eye,
misinterprets the threat, turns, and shoots the Aboriginal
Man, who falls dead.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
But then, what followed was...
haunting!
Stunned, the Aboriginal Men prostrate at the Captain.
The Chief removes the necklace from his chest and, bowing
reassuringly, hands it over to the Captain.
The Captain turns, looking at the beach for a gift to give.
The CHIEF'S COLORFUL FEATHERS flutter threateningly as he
swings his axe at the back of the Captain's head.
BACK TO PRESENT TIME
FATHER CASPAR
They butchered them all because the
drunkards could not defend
themselves!
Baudolino is horrified. Father Caspar take a moment to
grieve, then prays.
FATHER CASPAR
We pray for our beloved Jesuit
brothers called home by the Lord.
May our Lord, in His mercy and
compassion, open wide the doors of
paradise and grant them a place of
peace and fullness --
BAUDOLINO
-- And then you hid --
Father Caspar shakes his head and continues his story.
FATHER CASPAR'S FRIGHTFUL MEMORY: EXT. ISLAND SHORE - ONE
WEEK AGO - DAY
The Aboriginal Men threateningly wave their weapons as the
canoes approach the ship.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
No! Not before trying to scare them
away. I am... usually strong on all
accounts, God bless.
EXT. HALF DECK - DAY
Father Caspar ignites -- the SMALL MOUND OF GUNPOWDER
covering the PRIMING VENT OF THE BREECHLOADING SWIVEL GUN
with -- the SLOW MATCH of the LINSTOCK and covers his ears.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
The kaboom and the cluster of balls
stunned them, but it was not
enough. They kept coming.
The GRAPESHOOT PROJECTILES hit the savages and their canoes,
creating havoc. Some savages swim toward the ship.
BACK TO PRESENT TIME
Father Caspar sucks on the last bone of the bird, then gets a
small sip of wine.
BAUDOLINO
-- then that's when you --
FATHER CASPAR
-- what was I supposed to do? They
ransacked the ship. I could hear
the troubling noises!
BAUDOLINO
But they left, why didn't you come
out?
FATHER CASPAR
(tired; slight slur)
I was not sure, and afraid! There
were still noises and savage
yelling. I thought some... were
still around. I needed to scare
them with whatever I had at hand.
Comforted by the food and wine, Father Caspar's head lulls
and the eyelids flutter. Baudolino is under the impression of
the terrible story.
BAUDOLINO
I dread savage people... and rats!
A moment of silence.
FATHER CASPAR
I love my hammock.
EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY
The deck is washed by the afternoon rain.
Father Caspar rushes to cover the pendulum mechanism with a
CLOTH and runs with it toward the Captain's office. He bumps
on Baudolino, who was getting out.
FATHER CASPAR
Get the lids off the barrels to
collect the rain.
He disappears in the Captain's cabin.
FATHER CASPAR (o.S.)
And everything else from the main
down to the underdeck!
INT. STERN UNDERDECK - LATER
They set the objects on the shelves next to many other
mechanical and water clocks, sand hourglasses and sun dials,
small armillaries, quadrants, sextants, and ASTROLABES.
BAUDOLINO
These clocks? Why so many?
FATHER CASPAR
(hesitating )
Ahh...hmm. They're the Captain's.
He wanted to trade them for spices.
Baudolino gets absorbed in checking out some clocks.
BAUDOLINO
Time... time -- Listen! --
But Father Caspar had left, and he rushes after him.
EXT. HALF DECK - DUSK
By the swivel gun, impervious to the rain, Father Caspar
looks at the high tide waves washing the island's beach. The
rain intensifies and thunders strike in the distance.
Baudolino pulls on the sleeve of Father Caspar's cassock.
BAUDOLINO
Father, you're looking at the
island like it's your dreamland.
(pointing Westward)
Can we talk about sailing back to
our lands!
FATHER CASPAR
(thoughtful)
Oh... Yes, but we need to get to
the island first.
BAUDOLINO
(antsy)
What's there to do? Convert
savages? Get killed by them?
FATHER CASPAR
Even savages could open their souls
to the greater glory of God. It is
our duty as the soldiers of God to
march the --
BAUDOLINO
(dismissive; walking to
the main mast)
-- Father! I'm not "marching"
on this island! -- What about the
savages?
FATHER CASPAR
They've paddled back from where
they came --
BAUDOLINO
(soothing)
-- So why do you want to get
there?
FATHER CASPAR
(dreamy)
My treasure.
BAUDOLINO
-- Oh! What treasure?
FATHER CASPAR
(making things up)
Well... King Solomon's treasure!
That's where the gold for his
temples came from. Wouldn't you
like to lay some of it at the feet
of your beloved Lady?
Baudolino is upset by the pun.
BAUDOLINO
Do not deride my love. King Solomon
himself celebrated... you know...
love! The Song of Songs...! And he
had 700 --
FATHER CASPAR
-- stop! I know what you were about
to say. Mind you, that love was an
allegory for the marriage between
Crist and his bride, the Church!
BAUDOLINO
(mocking; upset)
Fine! And the treasure? Is that
another allegory? For what? -- How
did Solomon's mariners get here, by
rowing triremes? Why did they have
to come this far for gold? Africa
had enough of it -- Let's sail back
to our world!
Father Caspar is at a loss for arguments and changes the
subject. He points his finger at the rolled up sails through
the -- mesh of ropes, riggings, stays, and pulleys
crisscrossing in all directions.
FATHER CASPAR
Sail back, hmmm? I have to ask if
you know how to deploy the sails,
control the clewlines or if you
have the strength to pull on the
ropes or push the capstan's
bars....You're just... a poet, not
a roughed --
BAUDOLINO
-- Is this what the Soldiers of God
do? Look down on others? Deriding
love? And my powers? What do you
know about my battlefield honors!?
Mighty upset, Baudolino raises his hands and briskly walks
down the skylight's stairs. The rainstorm rages.
EXT. SHIP'S CATHEAD - NIGHT
The ship rolls and pitches on the rough ocean.
From the ship's cathead on the side of the island, Baudolino
looks down at the ANCHOR'S THICK ROPE disappearing down in
the choppy water, and up into the hole of the ship's hull.
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - SAME TIME
The LANTERN dangles on the wall's hook. Seated by the drawing
board, Father Caspar flips through the pages of the
Regiomontanus Ephemerids book. He opens the Rudolphine Tables
Ephemerids and looks at its -- Word Map.
On it, he traces with -- his finger the locations of Italy,
Isla de Hierro, and Solomon Islands.
INT. FOOD STORAGE UNDERDECK - LATER
Baudolino tries hard to move one of the FOUR CAPSTAN BARS to
the ANCHOR. He gives up then pushes the -- taught thick rope
with his foot.
BAUDOLINO'S IMAGINATION: SLASHING THE ANCHOR'S ROPE - EXT.
SHIP - NIGHT
With a forceful and precise hit, he slashes the thick rope.
END OF IMAGINATION
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - SAME TIME
Father Caspar looks at the Jesuit coin in his open palm and
puts it next to the hand-drawn map of the Solomon Islands.
He pulls closer the red diary and flips through pages with --
hand-drawn sketches of the earth's circumference, arc length
calculations, angles, and latitude and longitude numbers.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
... Punto Fijo at about 180 degrees
by earth circumference...
EXT. SHIP'S CATHEAD - LATER
Struggling to keep his balance, pouring rain impending on his
visibility, he crawls on the bowsprit toward the SPRIT
TOPSAIL WRAPPED ON ITS YARD. The WIND STRIPS flutter under
the tailwind.
He reaches the yard's FOOT ROPE with a hand, pulls himself
up, and looks down.
BAUDOLINO'S FANTASY: SLASHING THE SAIL'S GASKETS - EXT. SHIP -
NIGHT
Nonchalantly standing by the bow's figure-head, drenched by
the rain, hair and clothing blown by the wind, Lady Lilia
waves at him encouragingly with her feathered hat.
Baudolino slashes the gaskets with his sword, and the sail
unfurls.
END OF FANTASY
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - SAME TIME
On the red diary, Father Caspar flips through pages with --
copies of GALILEO JOVILABE'S DRAWINGS, SMALL TABLES WITH
EPHEMERIDS DATA, and mathematical calculations.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
... Galileo ephemerids in Padua...
He taps with his finger at San Cristobal island on the hand
drawn map of the Solomon Islands...
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
... validate with precise --
Baudolino bursts into the room, drenched by rain. Surprised,
Father Caspar covers -- the Jesuit coin with his palm -- and
closes the red diary.
BAUDOLINO
(breathing hard)
I can cut both the anchor's rope
and the gaskets of the small sail
on the bow!
Father Caspar frowns, doubtful.
BAUDOLINO (O.S)
A tailwind could get us on a
maritime route.
FATHER CASPAR
God willing!
Ignoring Baudolino, he turns toward the Saint Ignatius Loyola
tapestry and starts praying.
FATHER CASPAR
We thank thee, our Heavenly Father,
for the hopes we have. Pray help us
fulfill the deeds you guided us to.
Baudolino briskly walks out of the room. Noise of the private
room's slamming door.
EXT. FORECASTLE - DAY
Fumes come out through the open window of the galley.
INT. GALLEY - DAY
Baudolino climbs up from the food storage loaded with fruits
and vegetables. On the stove, a bird roasts on Baudolino's
sword-skewer.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
Father Caspar sets the astrolabe, Heinlein clock, and the red
diary on the desk, then looks around for the Captain's
navigation log.
He finds it in the desk's drawer, under a map. He opens it
but retreats, shocked at the sight of -- the bookmark, the
savage Chief's colorful feather.
FATHER CASPAR'S FLASHBACK: SAVAGE'S FEATHER
The Chief's colorful feathers flutter threateningly as he
swings his axe at the Captain's head.
END OF FLASHBACK
He shudders to dispel the image, then reads Baudolino's
writing to Lady Lilia. His finger follows the lines and stops
at -- "...longitude blackmailing me to spy..."
A shocking revelation. Thoughtful, he looks through the open
door at the galley's fumes.
FATHER CASPAR
The French!....The French?
He rushes into the adjacent room.
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - DAY
He crosses himself in front of Copernicus's lithography, then
hurriedly removes and rolls up the drawings from the drawing
board, opens the trapdoor, and places them next to the
bottles of wine and on top of the other objects. He walks
back into the Captain's office.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE/PRIVATE ROOM - CONTINOUS
He throws another furtive look at the galley's fumes and,
reassured, grabs the astrolabe, Heinlein clock, and red
diary, and walks through the Captain's private room out on
the balcony.
EXT. BALCONY - DAY
He aligns the astrolabe's alidade holes with the sun, sets
the -- analog diagram on its back -- then adjusts the hour on
the Heinlein clock, winds it up, and returns to the Captain's
office.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - DAY
He opens the red diary, dips one of the goose feather quills
in the capstan ink well, and writes -- 13 November 1652 -- He
sees Baudolino walking over from the gulley, stops writing,
and rushes with the astrolabe and red diary into his adjacent
room.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - DAY
A freshly roasted bird on his skewer-sword and a small bucket
with fruits and vegetables on his arm, Baudolino enters the
office and looks at Father Caspar quizzically.
Nonchalantly, Father Caspar winds the wall clock.
BAUDOLINO
(mocking)
You plan on trading the clocks
running?
FATHER CASPAR
(smartly)
We have to keep our awareness of
time in tune with the movement of
the Universe's stars created by the
mighty God.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Late dinner at the lantern light. Baudolino eats with gusto.
Father Caspar does not, just sips wine from a glass and
glances at Baudolino.
FATHER CASPAR
I was glad to realize that you are
not a savage, and hear that you are
Italian. See? Italians had
illuminati like Galileo who
navigated the Universe with his
mind and lunettes. We, as the
Soldiers of God, have our own
mathematicians and astronomers
illuminati because science gives an
insight into the workings of the
Universe, which in turn gives us
appreciation of God's glorious
creation.
Baudolino is bored by the diatribe and takes a gulp of wine.
FATHER CASPAR
And some other people just want to
steal their secrets. So, who wanted
Cardinal Mazarini to spy on?
British, Dutch, Spaniards?
Baudolino gags.
Father Caspar nods toward the end of the table, and,
satisfied by Baudolino's reaction, starts eating.
Open mouthed, Baudolino turns his head toward -- the open
Captain's navigation log.
BAUDOLINO
(hesitating)
I was reciting a poem and used the
Powder of Sympathy as a
metaphor....Mazarin blackmailed me
to spy on the British about this...
longitude method or else... the
guillotine. It was about a British
doctor who planned to test it on
the high seas.
FATHER CASPAR
(laughing)
-- Bogus! Powder of Sympathy bogus.
Not science --
BAUDOLINO
(irritated)
-- Not bogus! It healed my wound
from a duel --
FATHER CASPAR
(impatient)
-- So, what did your British doctor
do?
BAUDOLINO
A couple of days a week, he and his
men retreated to a secret cabin --
FATHER CASPAR
-- Probably at progressively
earlier hours while in London was
midnight. What were they doing?
BAUDOLINO
I couldn't see much. Just heard...
some unhuman whimpering --
FATHER CASPAR
-- Shame! I knew! They wounded dogs
in London and kept them suffering
on the ship. Someone in London was
dipping a cloth from that wound in
the Powder, and the poor dogs were
supposed to yelp. That was to give
them the difference between London
time and the ship's time, thus the
longitude. And?
BAUDOLINO
Doctor Byrd was arguing with his
men about the results --
FATHER CASPAR
(deriding)
-- Shame on royalty of England and
France! Only the House of God is
capable of doing the righteous
thing....So! We have to get to the
island. And you'll swim to it!
BAUDOLINO
Swim? Me? No! I don't know how to
swim! And after Amaryllis's
shipwreck, I abhor the ocean.
FATHER CASPAR
It's time to prove your trumpeted
powers. Find the right motivation
and use them, son! It's for a
worthy cause, mind you!
EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY
Strapped with a rope around the legs and chest, Baudolino is
lowered toward the water's surface.
On the main deck, Father Caspar cranks down the PULLEY'S rope
of the DAVIT'S ARM extending over the starboard railing. He
locks the pulley, walks to the railing and looks down.
Hanging just above the water, Baudolino mimics swimming.
Fishes swarm in the clear water.
FATHER CASPAR
(simulating)
... And breathe in and out as you
move your hands.
Baudolino does his best to follow the instructions.
FATHER CASPAR (O.S.)
Lowering you more!
Suddenly, caused by some crank malfunction, Baudolino's body
drops, splashing the water. Fishes swim away scared. He
struggles to keep afloat, swallows water and chokes.
BAUDOLINO
(chocking; in panic)
Up! Up!
He's hoisted up a bit.
Father Caspar's head over the railing.
FATHER CASPAR
(demonstrating)
Keep your head up, breathe in and
hold. Hands and legs like a frog!
Be calm! Breathe out and repeat...
BAUDOLINO
(angry)
Calm!? You just dropped me. Enough!
Take me up!
FATHER CASPAR
(head over the railing)
No! Show some power of the mind,
for the sake of your lady. Turn
belly up and breathe in. The water
will push you up!
Baudolino turns and, breathing quickly at first then slowly,
and drawing air in his lungs, manages to stay afloat.
Father Caspar locks the -- crank's teeth -- and sits on the
rescue boat's platform to rest. He shakes his head,
disappointed. Behind him, the -- crank's lock slowly unlocks.
EXT. OCEAN - CONTINOUS
Face up, Baudolino floats, smiling. Colorful fish swim around
him.
BAUDOLINO'S FANTASY: MERMAID LADY LILIA - EXT. OCEAN - DAY
Lady Lilia emerges from the water as a mermaid with a hat
adorned with colorful marine plants and corals. She gently
embraces Baudolino, who looks at her with a beatific smile.
Their bodies float, slowly carried away by the current.
END OF FANTASY
EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY
The crank's rim starts rotating slowly, and the tether
extends.
Father Caspar sees the teether and yanks it, forcefully.
EXT. OCEAN - CONTINOUS
The tether flips Baudolino, his head gets under the water, he
erratically tries to get it out, and chokes.
EXT. MAIN DECK - CONTINOUS
Father Caspar keeps cranking up the pulley. Chocking and
inhalation sounds from Baudolino.
Baudolino body appears above the railing and, once moved
above the deck, he stands, furiously unstraps himself, and
walks away, coughing.
FATHER CASPAR
It's all for a worthy cause!
Disappointed, Father Caspar walks to the railing and looks
down at the discernible bottom of the ocean, the narrow
passage through the coral reef, and the island.
INT. UNDERDECK - NIGHT
In a creative mood, at the dim light of a lantern, Father
Caspar fumbles with short BAMBOO STICKS, FABRIC STRIPS, a
bowl with BLACK GOOEY, and a small WOOD BUCKET.
He assembles the bamboo sticks' sections by gluing them with
black gooey-impregnated fabric strips.
He cleans up with a -- KNIFE -- a small hole cut in the
bottom of the small bucket.
He places TWO LENSES on a wide gooey-impregnated fabric
strip, and seals them all around.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE/PRIVATE ROOM - NIGHT
Upset, Baudolino writes in the Captain's navigation book. The
faint noises from the underdeck annoy him and interrupt his
writing.
Tired, he sets the colored feather as a bookmark, stands up,
changes his mind, and takes the feather with him to the
private room.
He lies in bed and, about to fall asleep, dreamily caresses
his cheek with the colored feather.
BAUDOLINO'S DREAM: LADY LILIA FLYING - EXT. SHIP/ISLAND - DAY
The Crowned Victoria Dove feathers on Lady Lilia's hat wave
in the gentle wind.
Wearing a blue-ish masquerade feathery dress and a shawl on
her shoulders, she stands by the ship's railing looking at
the island. A transparent vertical plane separates the
evening's mist clumps on the left from a sunny morning on the
right.
Behind her, Baudolino stands on the palace's balcony garden
lawn.
She opens the ship's railing, takes her shoes off, and walks
on the water toward the island. The shawl on her shoulders,
widely fluttering in the breeze, resembles the wings of a
blue bird. She looks back at Baudolino, invitingly.
She flies hovering above the beach, then through the
transparent plane, and MORPHS into a beautifully colorful
feathered bird. Birds sing a beautiful musical arrangement.
Baudolino takes his boots off, confidently takes a couple of
-- steps on the water -- then falls in splashing. But he
bravely swims with elegant breaststrokes toward the shore.
END OF DREAM
EXT. MAIN DECK - MORNING
Lying on his tummy, Baudolino vigorously practices swimming
breaststrokes.
EXT. MAIN DECK/OCEAN - DAY
Baudolino and Father Caspar stand by the ship's railing,
facing the island. Baudolino is strapped with ropes to the
davit's arm and holds a small bucket with a long tube made
from joined bamboo sticks hanging from it. The bucket is tied
with a rope to the straps on his back. His head is snug
wrapped with a black, wide strip.
Wearing Father Caspar's makeshift goggles with the big
magnifying lenses glued with gooey to the wide strip,
Baudolino practices breathing through the tubes connected to
the hole in the bottom of the bucket.
FATHER CASPAR
It's high tide now thus you will be
above the reef. Keep your head in
the water to see the passage.
Baudolino's body is lowered into the water.
Keeping his head above the water, he breaststrokes toward the
reef with the bucket in tow. Closer to the reef, he gets the
tube in his mouth and lowers his head into the water.
Tense, Father Caspar watches him and loosens the tether rope.
Baudolino struggles to position himself at the passage
through the coral reef.
Father Caspar's eyes suddenly open. Horrified, he looks at
Baudolino.
Blood reddens the water around Baudolino, and above the
corral reef.
FATHER CASPAR (O.S)
Breath in! Be still!
Father Caspar pulls on the rope, first gently, then
forcefully.
Leaving a trace of blood, Baudolino swims toward the ship.
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - NIGHT
Bandage stained with blood around the torso and one hand,
Baudolino rests in the hammock.
FATHER CASPAR
(paternal)
I took care of you the best I
could.
Baudolino just gives him an indignant, long stare and gets up
from the hammock. Movement pains him.
BAUDOLINO
This Solomon treasure is a myth,
isn't it?
Father Caspar gets the Jesuit coin from the pocket of his
cassock and hands it over to Baudolino.
FATHER CASPAR
(hesitating)
A missionary ship with my brothers
was lost in this waters. There is a
convergence of the stories about
these islands' reaches and Punto
Fijo's mystery. If I demonstrate
that this island is at this point
then....
Baudolino takes time to check the coin.
FATHER CASPAR
It was given to Captain Reiss by a
sailor -- Thus, getting to the
island is essential. We need the
rescue boat, anyway.
BAUDOLINO
I know now that when you say "we",
it's actually about me. I'm not
going into the water again! Let's
cut some wood from the ship, build
a raft --
FATHER CASPAR
-- Outrageous thought! Don't
touch the ship! Besides, there are
no tools!
He walks away.
FATHER CASPAR
(turning, then leaving)
Don't worry, I'll go to the
island.
BAUDOLINO
(looking at the coin)
Tools!
He walks up the skylight stairs.
EXT. HALF DECK - NIGHT
By the swivel gun, he picks up one of the mug-shaped
breechloading chambers from the long wooden box and swings it
to smash the railing across the skylight. THUD! No break.
Persevering, he raises the chamber above his head, squirms
in pain from his wounds, the grapeshot mesh and powder bag
fall from the chamber on his head, then onto the deck where
the -- grapeshot mesh breaks and the grape size lead
projectiles spill around.
Father Caspar's head inches from the skylight opening and
nods conclusively.
FATHER CASPAR
That's the silver lining. It's all
in God's hands, for a good purpose!
MONTAGE: THE DIVING BELL - DAY/EVENING
STERN UNDERDECK
In semi-darkness, Father Caspar sifts through a pile of STEEL
RODS and chooses THREE OF FOUR FEET LONG, CURVED AT ONE END.
MAIN DECK
Baudolino drops the steel rods by the davit.
STERN UNDERDECK
Father Caspar pulls out from a shelf a FOUR BY FOUR FEET
FOLDED, THICK WHITE FABRIC.
MAIN DECK
Baudolino drags THREE STEEL CIRCLES OF FOUR FEET DIAMETER
toward the davit. Behind him, Father Caspar drags the folded
fabric.
STERN UNDERDECK
Father Caspar gets a couple of BIG BRUSHES, A BUCKET, and a
BUNCH OF HARNESSES.
END OF MONTAGE
MAIN DECK - NIGHT
The light of the day dimmed to evening. Father Caspar drops
the brushes, the bucket, and the harnesses on the deck.
He unfolds the tarp and hangs it on the claw of the davit's
pulley.
Tired but content, he sits on a bucket.
Mildly puzzled, Baudolino contemplates the cylindrical bag,
the buckets, ropes, and the pile of metal curved rods and
circles.
FATHER CASPAR
I know it's hard for your mind to
cross from the fuzzy realm of the
poetry or atrocities in war, to the
honorable quests of science.
(tapping the side of his
head; paternally)
You have an opportunity to grow, my
son. Don't miss it! -- The Greeks
call it Kairos, the delicate,
crucial moment of the fleeting time
and space that creates... the
opportunity for action!
Baudolino kind of sees the point.
EXT. MAIN DECK/INSIDE THE ACQUATIC BELL - DAY
MAIN DECK
Actively engaged, Baudolino secures the ropes of the davit's
pulley from which the three-foot diameter acquatic bell
hangs.
INSIDE THE ACQUATIC BELL
Inside the three-foot diameter, four feet long AQUATIC BELL --
a fabric bag wrapped around the assembly of the steel circles
and straight rods -- Father Caspar, upper torso slim and
hairy, fastens the bell's top ties to the steel rod's
assembly.
He turns a bit to look through the bell's small glass window
at Baudolino.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
Lift it up!
MAIN DECK
Baudolino cranks up the davit's pulley. The white bell has
here and there patches of black gooey.
BAUDOLINO
I am concerned about you. You do
not know how to swim on the surface
but dare to walk under? This is
unthinkable... very dangerous!
Gradually, Father Caspar's hairy, slim feet appear from the
rising bell.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
It's built based on wisdom of
others and I tested it on the
bottom of the University piscina.
INSIDE THE ACQUATIC BELL
Father Caspar straps his torso to a harness fastened to the
bell's rods. He checks the sturdiness of the ties and
harnesses.
BAUDOLINO (O.S.)
How are you going to get to the
bottom? Didn't you say that the
water pushes up?
He jolts, realizing that he forgot something, and looks at
his -- bare feet.
FATHER CASPAR
(mumbling a curse in
Dutch; subtitled)
Vergat! Je achterlijke gladiool!
SUBTITLED: "Forgot! You retarded gladiolus!"
MAIN DECK
Baudolino pricks his ears.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
(loudly)
I did not say we're ready!
The bell shakes. After a while, Father Caspar gets out on his
four from under the bell.
Baudolino shakes his head while watching the priest's frail
body disappearing on the underdeck ladder. He looks up at the
darkening sky. A gust of wind wiggles the bell.
Coming back from the underdeck, Father Caspar caries with
great effort a hefty, gray brick -- A LEAD BOOT WITH STRAPS.
BAUDOLINO
We should continue tomorrow.
FATHER CASPAR
(huffing and puffing)
We have no time... move!... Go
fetch the other one.
He lays down a lead boot, pushes it under the bell, then gets
inside.
Baudolino drops the second boot on the deck, pushes it under
the bell, and waits.
Father Caspar's hairy legs strapped on the lead boots appear
from under the bottom of the bell. A knife is strapped above
one of the lead boots. The bell wiggles as Father Caspar re
straps himself inside of it.
BAUDOLINO
No time for what? That's plenty of
time! Tomorrow!
FATHER CASPAR
(head behind the bell's
visor)
No, there isn't! I will explain
later. Up! Up! Hurry!
Shaking his head in disbelief, Baudolino cranks up the
pulley's rope.
BAUDOLINO
Ready?
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
Yes, go, go!
Baudolino cautiously hoists up the bell.
The priest's legs strapped to the boots -- dangle like the
clapper of a church bell. Father Caspar moans and Baudolino
stops.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
(in pain)
Don't stop! Whoaaa! My knees... my
heeeep! Queeeck!
Baudolino speeds up cranking and moves the davit's arm over
the ship's railing. Moaning sounds from Father Caspar
continue.
The bell reaches the water and sinks slowly.
FATHER CASPAR (V.O.)
(voice fading)
Cut the tether when....
Baudolino pays attention to the -- tether's slacking on the
balustrade.
The tether unwinds from the big spool, then gets tout. He
cuts it with a hit of the sword on the balustrade. He looks
down and sees -- the bell on the ocean floor disappearing in
a cloud of sediment.
EXT. OCEAN FLOOR/INSIDE THE ACQUATIC BELL/MAIN DECK -
CONTINOUS
OCEAN FLOOR
The sediment surrounds the bell.
INSIDE THE ACQUATIC BELL
Father Caspar's visibility through the bell's glass window
gets diminished. He waits for it to settle.
MAIN DECK
Baudolino waits for the raised sediment to settle. Barely
distinguishable, the bell slowly shifts away to the right of
the coral reef's passage. Concerned, he watches its course.
BAUDOLINO
(gesticulating)
Leeft! Tooo... the... leeeft!
But the bell keeps moving astray, away and closer to the
promontory. A gust of wind ripples the surface of the water,
further reducing the visibility to the bell.
Baudolino looks at the darkening sky. A thunderstorm unfolds
in the distance.
Agitated, he bends over and along the railing toward the
stern. He keeps scanning the water along the reef but there
is no bell in sight.
After a while, his peripheral vision catches something. He
turns and looks toward the promontory.
Away from the promontory and the bow of the rescue boat, the
top of the bell, wobbling above the water, is carried away by
the current and the blowing wind.
BAUDOLINO (o.S.)
Faaaatheeer?!
Distressed, Baudolino gets his head in his hands and bends
over the railing.
BAUDOLINO'S FANTASY: FATHER CASPAR'S DEATH - EXT. SHIP - DAY
Dressed in black, Lady Lilia stands by the davit with a black
hat in her black-gloved hand.
Baudolino moans. Lady Lilia walks toward him then stops.
Hair blown by the wind, she looks up at the dark clouds
briefly illuminated by a thunder.
The thunderstorm rumbles closer, and small thunders sparkle
among the clouds.
The gloved, black hand of Lady Lilia on his shoulder.
A close lightning illuminates them and the ship. A black and
white spectral scene.
END OF FANTASY
Baudolino jolts, looks up, and raises his hands toward the
stormy heavens.
BAUDOLINO
Whyyyy?...Do you have more
challenges for me?...God! Let me
hear your voice!
He waits for a response, drenched in the pouring rain. But no
answer comes.
VOICE
The roooope!Throw... the rooope!
Confused at first, Baudolino realizes that the voice doesn't
come from the heavens but from the ocean. He looks down and
sees Father Caspar rowing with great effort the RESCUE BOAT
closer to the ship.
With the coil of the tether rope in hand, he rushes through
the mizzen sail's shrouds, and throws the coil down.
Father Caspar ties the tether rope to a tow ring, pulls the
oars in the boat and, exhausted, collapses on the boards. The
rain pours on him.
Baudolino pulls the rope toward the main deck, struggling on
the narrow passage between the stern and shrouds.
He ties the rope on the railing of the main deck and climbs
down the rope ladder to the boat.
He carries up Father Caspar, who, weakly, does his best to
support himself on the ladder rungs.
FATHER CASPAR
(faintly)
...couldn't see... lost
orientation...
Baudolino manages to pull Father Caspar over the railing.
Father Caspar's knife falls on the deck.
On his fourth, Father Caspar catches his breath. Baudolino
gets him up, and they walk toward the stern.
FATHER CASPAR
... Water cleared... saw above the
boat... cut....
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - NIGHT
Father Caspar lies in the hammock. Sitting on a stool,
Baudolino pulls up the blanket over Father Caspar's chest.
FATHER CASPAR
(eyes closed)
I let myself be in God's hands...
trustfully, for in his goodness,
wisdom, and love... there's power,
Savior power --
(eyes open; to Baudolino)
-- watching over my treasure....
Content, Father Caspar closes his eyes. Head in his hands,
Baudolino looks at him, admiringly.
EXT. MAIN DECK - AFTERNOON
Next to Baudolino by the ship's railing, Father Caspar points
at the island.
FATHER CASPAR
Now, imagine a line going through
those two palm trees. To the West
is today, and to the East...
tomorrow.
Baudolino smiles.
BAUDOLINO
Sounds almost poetic, but why does
it matter to a priest?
FATHER CASPAR
Astronomy was a prominent pursuit
of our Order for a long time, along
with theology and mathematics.
God's miraculous order in the
Universe allows us to record the
timing of the stars and their
revolution around the Earth.
BAUDOLINO
Hah! Didn't Copernicus write that
the stars revolve around the Sun,
not Earth. I've read --
FATHER CASPAR
-- Blasphemy! Our duty is to study
the classic models of Aristotle and
Ptolemy who --
BAUDOLINO
(annoyed)
-- Please, get back to the island's
treasure.
FATHER CASPAR
(slip of tongue)
My treasure... well ours, right!
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE/ADJACENT ROOM - NIGHT
At the desk in the Captain's office, smiling, Baudolino inks
the quill and writes in the Captain's log. He stops writing
and contemplates the Jesuit coin and colored feather, looking
for inspiration.
In the adjacent room, Father Caspar opens the floor's
hideout, removes the rolled-up drawings, and lays them flat
on the drawing board.
He removes from the hideout the black box, long and short
objects wrapped in animal skin, and the slim wood box with --
inlaid arabesque motifs -- and puts them on floor. He then
takes out and unwraps the skin from the pendulum mechanism,
but, after hesitating, decides to put it back.
He walks through the Captain's office carrying the black box
and the long objects wrapped in animal skin up on the
skylight ladder to the half deck. Baudolino stops writing and
watches him.
Father Caspar comes down back to his room, then out and up
again carrying the Heinlein clock and the red diary.
Baudolino stops writing again and shakes his head, annoyed.
EXT. HALF DECK - NIGHT
The ship slightly rolls. The Moon is at waning gibbous.
Father Caspar prays on the side of the skylight.
FATHER CASPAR
I do my duty to you as a Soldier of
God and unified in my heart, mind,
and soul, I commit to doing more
until my mission is accomplished --
I will educate the weak of the mind
to increase his awareness and
growth.
He crosses himself and shouts through the skylight opening.
FATHER CASPAR
Baudolino! It's time for the seed
of science marvels to be planted in
your poetically inclined mind.
He steps over, waiting. On the skylight -- the celatone
helmet, two and four feet long telescopes, Heinlein clock,
the open red diary, and a candle.
FATHER CASPAR
Bring the writing utensils, if you
don't mind.
Baudolino comes up and looks intrigued at the objects, then
at Father Caspar. He now knows better than showing surprise.
However his glance lingers over the -- celatone's helmet.
BAUDOLINO
(mocking)
That's what the kid King of France
plays with.
Father Caspar smirks.
He mounts the smaller telescope to the celatone's visor and
wiggles the telescope by its handle to check the articulation
to the helmet.
FATHER CASPAR
If you learn how to use this, you
may become the King of all Solomon
Islands.
He then attempts to get the celatone on Baudolino's head.
Baudolino resist, in bad temper. Father Caspar soothes him
and manages to get the celatone on his head.
FATHER CASPAR
(pointing)
Hold on the handle and look up with
your naked eye... that way.
BAUDOLINO
(dreamy)
Oh! A beautiful Lover's Half Moon!
That's hope for the renewed
togetherness to come.
Impatient, Father Caspar gets behind Baudolino and, with both
hands, grabs his head to direct it toward Jupiter.
FATHER CASPAR
We are interested in Jovi's moons,
not our Moon. With the naked eye,
do you see the bright star above
the red one?
BAUDOLINO
Jovi! What's that?
FATHER CASPAR
Jupiter!
BAUDOLINO
(deriding)
Ha! A womanizer, your Jovi.
Cherished by the poets for his
conquest of the maidens Europa, Io,
and --
FATHER CASPAR
-- Forget about poetry! Open your
mind to the reality of the heavenly
skies. Focus on the small lights
close to Jovi.
He gets the long telescope and directs it to Jupiter.
FATHER CASPAR
(whispering enchanted)
There!... All of them, one closer,
the other three farther away.
Baudolino tries to lift the celatone by the handle but -- the
articulation to the helmet gets stuck.
BAUDOLINO
It's broken, doesn't work!
Father Caspar slaps the helmet's articulation. Baudolino
turns his head. Father Caspar ducks to avoid being hit by the
telescope. Father Caspar grabs Baudolino's helmet again to
redirect it toward Jupiter.
FATHER CASPAR
There! Do you see it now? You have
to sweep... slooowly left and
right. The magnification is great,
but the area to see is very small.
Baudolino behaves, while trying to compensate for the roll
and pitch of the ship.
BAUDOLINO
It's hard to follow! The ship's
moving. I see three of them!
FATHER CASPAR
(excited; adjusting the
telescope's micrometer)
Io's about to get behind Jupiter!
An eclipse Providence chose to
gratify us with!
He lowers the telescope, looks at the Heinlein clock, then
writes in the red diary.
FATHER CASPAR
(to Baudolino; dismissive)
You may watch your Moon now!
BAUDOLINO
Why don't you use our Moon for your
measurements?
FATHER CASPAR
(while getting his
instruments)
Crazy Lover's Moon, right?... We
don't know enough about her moves,
she seems to disappear at will, and
that many days throughout the month
-- Jovi's moons are like faithful
wives, and most visible now, when
he is closest to the sun -- And Io,
the nearest to Jovi, gratify us
with her visible presence about
every other night.
He gets the telescope, Heinlein clock, the slim wood inlaid
box, and red diary and disappears through the skylight.
BAUDOLINO
(yelling)
What's this having to do with the
treasure!?
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - LATER
At the light of a flickering candle, Father Caspar
ceremoniously opens the slim, inlaid wood box and stares at
the -- MOCKUP OF GALILEO JOVILABE, a bronze analogue device
with a big and smaller discs connected by sliding arms, and
four tables with etched data on the sides.
He moves the small disc's pointer...
FATHER CASPAR (O.S.)
(to himself)
November 19, Sagittarius Zodiac...
...then pulls on a string from the center to the periphery of
the big disk at the -- number 350 and three marks...
FATHER CASPAR (O.S.)
...Io in eclipse at 353 Degrees...
... and looks at the data on one of the four tables with
geometric coordinates.
- LATER
He writes down -- mathematical formulae and results of
calculations. The consumed candle flickers.
FATHER CASPAR
(sleepy)
... deduct longitude from Padua to
Isla De Hierro.
He keeps writing, sleepy, his head lolling.
- LATER
Head on hands over the table, Father Caspar is asleep. A thin
plume from the wick of the candle.
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - DAY
Solidified wax from a wasted candle. Father Caspar sleeps
with his head on the table.
Baudolino enters the room and stops.
Beatific smile on his face, still under the spell of a dream,
Father Caspar slowly raises his head. He blinks, wakes, and
brightens up by the reality of the Jovilabe, Heinlein clock
and red diary on his desk.
FATHER CASPAR
(ecstatic)
The dream! The dream is reality.
He slaps the open red diary with his hand, and looks at
Baudolino, who wonders.
FATHER CASPAR
We are at the antipode of Isla de
Hierro!...I was right about the
location of my treasure.
He stands up and walks to hug Baudolino, who -- opens his
eyes wide and responds to the hug, suspicious.
BAUDOLINO
Right about the location of your
treasure? What calculations?
FATHER CASPAR
(caught of guard)
Yes... you know... there are two, I
mean at least one --
-- Baudolino stops him with a gesture from saying anything.
BAUDOLINO
(concerned)
Did the sailors already discovered
the treasure?
FATHER CASPAR
No, no! No, that was a secret. They
had to do something else... first.
Confused, then angry, Baudolino could only use body language
to ask what first means.
FATHER CASPAR
There is something we have to do
here, on the ship, then on the
island... before sailing back to
the world.
MONTAGE: INSTRUMENTUM ARCHETRICUM - DAY/NIGHT
-- A FIVE-FEET DIAMETER, FOUR-FEET CYLINDRICAL STRUCTURE MADE
OF METAL RODS, hanging on ropes, gradually sticks out from
the deck's load hatch, then get's stuck.
-- Baudolino cranks up the davit's pulley.
FATHER CASPAR (O.S.)
Easy! Lower it a bit!
-- Father Caspar looks at the structure satisfied. Baudolino
has a questioning look on his face.
BAUDOLINO
Can you --
Father Caspar raises his finger to stop Baudolino's
questioning.
-- Baudolino cranks up from the load hatch a FIVE-FEET
SEMISPHERICAL COPPER BOWL.
-- Father Caspar pulls on the bowl to get it above the metal
structure while Baudolino cranks it down to lower it.
-- Father Caspar checks the little hooks that hold the bowl
nested over the structures tube.
BAUDOLINO
It's a baptism bath!
Father Caspar looks inside the bowl at -- the recessed two
inch half-diameter receptacle. Then, he gets on his four.
On his back, he attaches a tube made of assembled bamboo
sticks to the small armature on the exterior bottom. He then
lets the other end drop through the load hatch.
-- The day at dusk. Baudolino cranks up from the load hatch a
smaller FOUR AND A HALF FEET SEMISPHERICAL COPPER BOWL with a
-- SIX-INCH SPRING ending with a ONE-INCH BALL underneath the
bottom.
BAUDOLINO
(mocking)
It's for twins!
FATHER CASPAR (O.S.)
Make yourself useful. Light a
lantern.
-- Baudolino cranks down the metal bowl over the larger one,
guided by Father Caspar. Lantern in hand, the latter watches
the -- six-inch ball of the smaller bowl nesting into the
recessed cavity on the interior bottom of the larger bowl.
Father Caspar great satisfaction meets Baudolino's blank
stare.
FATHER CASPAR
Enough for today. Tomorrow, we'll
have to be ready before the sunset.
END OF MONTAGE
EXT. MAIN DECK - MORNING
Father Caspar carries a small barrel in his hands followed by
Baudolino, who carries two.
FATHER CASPAR
Think about the first lesson, when
you were not able to hold steady on
Jovi, because the ship was rolling.
Next to the metal bowls, they set the barrels by the other
three.
FATHER CASPAR
Go ahead, pour!
Baudolino starts pouring the whale oil from the barrels
between the two bowls, while Father Caspar watches the rising
level.
He raises his hand while watching the -- two marks on the
upper areas of the two bowls.
FATHER CASPAR
Enough!
FATHER CASPAR
(proudly)
This Instrumentum compensates for
the roll of the ship.
BAUDOLINO
It does?
FATHER CASPAR
It did for Galileo, but the
Admirals rejected it as
impractical... the size, the oil...
and other complications.
BAUDOLINO
So, are you trying to convince them
to the contrary?
FATHER CASPAR
No, because it's not for the narrow
of the mind or lazy of the body. --
-- We, the Soldiers of God, don't
mind about complicated things or
the rigors of physical work....And
there are many places for us to
discover in these waters. We will
find them, then return to build on
the faith in God.
- MIDDAY
Father Caspar takes the sun position at noon with the
astrolabe, adjusts the time on the Heinlein clock, and writes
in the red diary.
- DUSK
A lit lantern, quill, capstan ink well, Heinlein clock, and
the red diary on a barrel. Baudolino sits on another barrel,
next to Instrumentum.
The long telescope sticks out from the net. Inside the net,
celatone helmet on his head, Father Caspar holds the
articulation handle in his hand. The net hangs on the davit
pulley's hook above the Instrumentum.
FATHER CASPAR
Let's start! Io is about to get
again in eclipse.
Baudolino cranks down the pulley and checks Father Caspar's
position as the net dangles on the ship's rolling.
FATHER CASPAR
Wait!... Make sure I'm right in the
center....Slowly, slower!
Baudolino does his best to steady the net, then lower it
further until the net slacks. He releases net's eyelets from
the hook, and spreads it over the edges of the bowls.
Rigid of concentration, Father Caspar watches the level of
the oil with his peripheral view as the outer bowl slightly
rolls. It looks good, he relaxes a bit and cautiously turns
the telescope toward the sky.
FATHER CASPAR
(whispering)
What time is it?
BAUDOLINO (O.S.)
Six seventeen!
FATHER CASPAR
Ooey! Twenty more minutes. My neck
hurts, it gets stiff.
He lowers the telescope articulation, the helmet's hinge
moves down, and the telescope rests on the edge of the bowl.
They both wait.
- NIGHT
At the light of the lantern, Baudolino looks at the Heinlein
clock and gets the quill ready.
BAUDOLINO
It's about the time.
Father Caspar attempts to raise the telescope, but, the --
helmet's hinge gets stuck. He forces the telescope up to
unstuck the hinge, his moves trigger the sway of the bowl,
and some oil spills in.
Baudolino hurries to steady the bowl but trips on the barrel,
the ink well and the clock fly on the deck, one hand lands on
the inner bowl's lip, and a lot of oil pours in.
FATHER CASPAR
(Dutch cussing)
Godverdome you klootzak!
He removes and hands over the celatone and telescope to
Baudolino with the strong resentment on his face matching the
cussing. Kneeled in a puddle of oil, Baudolino looks ashamed
at Father Caspar.
Father Caspar climbs out of the bowl and, standing, raises
his hands up to the heavens, whale oil dripping on the deck.
INT. ADJACENT ROOM - DAY
Father Caspar looks at the drawing with the lookalike Tycho
Brahe sextant with telescope.
He walks towards the Captain's office, nods from the door
frame, returns to the drawing board, and waits.
Baudolino comes in and looks quizzically at him.
FATHER CASPAR
I told you about two treasures.
One is this.
(pointing at the drawing)
The crew of Daphne built it.
This... Specula Militensis is my
development of the two geniuses,
Tycho Brahe and Galileo Galilei.
The first built a giant sextant to
measure the movement of the stars.
The second built a telescope to
have a closer look at them and
understand the clock of the
Universe, the moons of Jovi --
Son....I am sorry about holding
this secret, maybe for too long. I
was afraid of your... spying for
Mazarini....Or you refusing to help
me. Forgive me! -- You may tell
Mazarini whatever you want. It will
not affect me, but it will increase
your reward.
Father Caspar embraces and leans his head on Baudolino's
chest. Baudolino retreats from the embrace.
BAUDOLINO
And what about the second treasure?
-- Father I did not see you praying
as much as measuring the stars.
What are you? A priest? A treasure
hunter or what?
FATHER CASPAR
It's all for the Glory of God, the
builder of the Universe and the
growth of his kingdom here on
Earth. I need to demonstrate a
suitable longitude method.... So
that our Order flourishes --
Baudolino extends his hand, fingers holding the Jesuit coin.
BAUDOLINO
(exasperated)
-- Father! The treasure! The
treasure you promised that I will
lay at the feet of my beloved
Lilia!
FATHER CASPAR
(doubtful)
Yes, yes!... The opportunity is
there, waiting for us. God willing!
Rumbling noise outside. They look at each other, then get out
to the main deck.
EXT. MAIN DECK - NIGHT
The night sky gets covered by clouds, and lightning flares in
the distance.
FATHER CASPAR
I hope it's a short storm. We need
a few clear sky nights.
INT. CAPTAIN'S PRIVATE ROOM - NIGHT
Baudolino lies in bed daydreaming while fingering the Jesuit
coin on his chest. Slight rumbling noise on and off.
BAUDOLINO'S FANTASY: GLORIOUS MASQUERADE BALL - INT. HOTEL
RAMBOUILLET - NIGHT
The brouhaha and movement of the usual ""salon littéraire"
Guests. Baudolino, dressed in gold-shining justaucorps,
makes a grand entry into the salon. The noise and action of
the Guests stop.
His aged father, Lord Patrizio (67), white moustache and
curly jawline beard, hands him a rolled manuscript. Baudolino
unrolls and looks at it, then happily embraces his father.
The Guests' actions and noise resume. Lady Lilia emerges from
the crowd and lovingly embraces Baudolino, then they both
walk through the crowd.
Walking along with them, the Singer sings accompanied by the
Flautist. The Masqued Man 1, 2, and 3 stop their debate to
respectfully make way. The Women in the Masqued Group remove
their masques and look alluringly at Baudolino.
The Vigilant Eye bows as Baudolino and Lady Lilia walk into
the blue room. The sound of the applause resembles the
falling rain.
END OF FANTASY
Sound of pouring rain. Baudolino sleeps, smiling.
EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY
The rain recedes, the clouds make way to the sun.
Baudolino lowers a CRATER over the ship's railing. Down in the
rescue boat, Father Caspar unhooks the crater's ropes.
INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - DAY
Baudolino gets the sword, powder corn, bullets' pouch and
flintlock from the Captain's office cupboard, and loads the
latter.
EXT. RESCUE BOAT - DAY
Flintlock on his shoulder, powder corn, bullets' pouch and
sword dangling on his hip, he climbs down the ship's rope
ladder to the boat.
In an exuberant mood, at the bow of the boat, Father Caspar
looks -- toward the island. Baudolino rows, looking -- at the
ship.
FATHER CASPAR
(singing)
O good Jesus, hear me
My Passion for You, strengthens me
From the evil enemy, defends me.
BAUDOLINO
Exaltation gets you into the
pitfalls of poetry -- How long did
you say the opportunity will wait
for us.
FATHER CASPAR
My temporary poetic mood comes with
God's lasting gifts of creativity
decisive actions, and power of
will.
BAUDOLINO
You never gave credit to my powers.
FATHER CASPAR
I'm giving you credit for rowing.
I'll also give you for free
something that Mazarini will reward
you for, royally.
Doubtful, Baudolino rows around the promontory and onto the
small, hidden beach.
EXT. ISLAND BEACH/ESCARPMET/CLEARING - DAY
Baudolino offloads Father Caspar's crater on the beach. The
latter takes the two telescopes wrapped in skins, and walks
through the narrow stretch leading to the beach.
Baudolino arms himself with the sword, flintlock, and its
accessories, and follows Father Caspar.
ESCARPMENT
Father Caspar leads the way towards the luxuriant vegetation
of the escarpment.
They enter the vegetation of the escarpment through a small
trail going up. Birds chirp and clack.
Close to the top, the start of a rumbling sound stops them.
They look at the sky through the tree's branches at the mixed
sun and clouds. Father Caspar looks at Baudolino -- who
wonders -- then cautiously bends down. On his four, he
approaches the top of the escarpment. He is frightened by
what he sees down in the clearing.
CLEARING
A ceremonial of the Aboriginal People, and louder sound of
drums resembling the monotonous rumbling of a thunderstorm.
Installed in the Specula Militensis chair, as in a throne,
the Aboriginal Chief watches the Aboriginal Women beating on
drums, while the Young Aboriginal Men perform a ritual dance,
and the Old Aboriginal Men and Kids watch sitting crouched
and clapping.
ESCARPMENT
Horrified, Father Caspar looks at Baudolino, who joins him to
look.
CLEARING
The Aboriginal Chief stands up and raises his hands. The
ceremony stops. Aboriginal Kids aflame mounds of leaves set
around the Specula. Plums of smoke rise.
ESCARPMENT
Baudolino turns his head to look at Father Casper and senses
movement behind him.
An Aboriginal Guard thrusts down a spear at him, Baudolino
fends off, the spear hits the ground, Baudolino quickly
plucks it off and, as the Aboriginal Guard -- is about to
yell -- hits him with the back end of the spear in the head,
stunning him.
Bewildered, Father Caspar stands up, ducks as Baudolino
skillfully flips the spear and stabs upwards the Aboriginal
Guard in the chest. The Aboriginal Guard slowly falls on the
spear, which -- protrudes through his back.
The drumming sound resumes in the clearing, as they hurriedly
retreat from the top of the escarpment.
BEACH
They both run.
Holding the telescopes in his hands, Father Caspar runs,
struggling with the bottom of the cassock.
With sword, flintlock, and accessories slowing down his
running, Baudolino helps Father Caspar, who lifts the bottom
of the cassock.
FATHER CASPAR
(running; breathing hard)
The savages... killed... the crew!
Baudolino stops to look back at the escarpment. The plumes of
smoke rising above the vegetation are blown westward by the
wind. He likes that!
Father Caspar disappears into the promontory stretch.
EXT. RESCUE BOAT - DAY
At the back of the boat, Father Caspar looks at the plumes of
the smoke, gets his head in his hands, and, moaning, sits on
the bench.
Looking up the sparse gray clouds with white fringes, hair
blown by wind, Baudolino forcefully rows toward the ship.
BAUDOLINO
(rather happy)
There's a silver lining in
everything. It's all for a good
purpose... God's purpose, as you
put it!
Father Caspar turns to give him an ugly stare. He tries to
say something, but it doesn't come out. He turns back and
sees an Aboriginal Man running out from the escarpment's
vegetation.
FATHER CASPAR
They're coming! Faster! Faster!
BAUDOLINO
So, they didn't go away as you --
-- The rescue boat hits the ship's hull next to the rope
ladder. Father Caspar scrambles toward the bow of the boat
and starts climbing.
FATHER CASPAR
Take the telescopes!
EXT. SHIP - MAIN DECK - DAY
Loaded with the telescopes and weapons, Baudolino escalates
the railing and drops the telescopes by the railing.
Father Caspar is about to get them, but seeing -- a group of
Aboriginal Men running on the beach with a canoe -- rushes
instead toward the half deck stairs.
Baudolino sees the group of Aboriginal Men, drops the
flintlock and its accessories, and, sword in hand, runs to
the forecastle's anchor capstan. He keeps hitting the
anchor's thick rope which -- starts fraying.
He keeps hitting it while the Aboriginal Men paddle the canoe
toward the coral reef's barrier.
HALF DECK
Father Caspar removes the breech lock, pulls out and throws
away the empty breech, picks up a loaded one from the long
wooden box, inserts and locks it in the gun, sticks a pin
into the priming vent, removes the pin, fills the priming
vent with gun powder, turns the swivel gun toward the canoe
then, with -- trembling hands strikes the steel tool on the
flint -- sparks fly -- but the slow match of the linstock
doesn't smolder. He keeps trying to no avail.
EXT. ISLAND REEF - DAY
The Aboriginal Men's canoe gets stuck on the narrow passage
through the coral, and the savages jump over the reef and
start swimming toward the ship.
EXT. MAIN DECK - CONTINOUS
Baudolino sees them, stops hitting the anchor's rope, rushes
to the railing, pulls up the rope ladder, and then runs back
to resume hitting the anchor's rope which -- breaks and
snakes away.
HALF DECK
Father Caspar is distracted by the -- anchor's rope splashing
down -- gives up igniting the slow match, rushes down to the
main deck, grabs Baudolino's flintlock, shoots down on the
swimming savages, and then reloads it.
MAIN DECK
Up on the yard of the spritsail, Baudolino cuts the gaskets
holding the sail with the sword. Sound of Father Caspar
flintlock popping. The sail unfurls and flaps into the wind.
Victorious, he looks down from the bowsprit at the -- ship's
prow parting the waters. Then at Father Caspar who, gives him
a hand-to-heart appreciation.
The top of an arrow pops through the sail, stopping right in
front of his face. He bulks, jumps down on the deck, sees two
canoes approaching the ship from around the island, and
rushes to belay the sail's tack lines to cleats.
BAUDOLINO
(yelling while belaying)
Canoes at the prow!
MAIN DECK/HALF DECK
Father Caspar looks at the canoes, stops ramming the ramrod,
drops the flintlock, and hurries back to the half deck's
swivel gun.
He aims it toward the canoes, manages to light the slow match
and the mound of gunpowder on the priming vent, and KABOOM!
The grapeshot projectiles hit the canoes and savages fall in
the water.
EXT. OCEAN - DAY
With the spritsail filled by a gust of wind, Daphne slowly
sails, living behind the Aboriginal Men swimming and canoes
sinking.
Daphne sails in the distance toward the setting sun.
END OF STORY
SUBTITLES SCROLLING:
One year later, Baudolino earns in Paris a load of the best
perfumes France could offer, his father's titles, but not the
favors of Lady Lilia.
Two years later, Father Caspar returns to San Cristobal,
converts the Aboriginal People to Christianity, and restores
his Specula Militensis.
One century later, John Harrison builds a small watch that
could be used to correctly determine the maritime longitude.