MOVIE ADAPTATION FROM THE ISLAND OF THE DAY BEFORE by UMBERTO ECO (Check the challenges of writing this movie script)
Synopsis Baudolino, the son of an Italian nobleman, falls in love with the wrong woman in Paris and is blackmailed by Cardinal Mazzarin to spy on the British testing a maritime longitude determination method.
Script
INT. PARIS - HOTEL DE RAMBOUILLET - APARTMENT
MEN and WOMEN sitting on chairs and sofas, or standing around tables, scribble or recite verses, and debate politics. Some
wear masquerade masks, rather for necessity than fun. This is
the elite of French renown and aspiring writers and their
admirers, nobility figures and socialites invited to the
regular "salon littéraire" held by MARQUISE DE RABMBOUILLET
(60), aka Arthénice.
BAUDOLINO (35), a scar on his left temple, meanders through
and glances at the guests, searching for someone. A shy poet
and intransigent lover, he is impervious to the poetic
declamations and political debates.
MASQUED MAN 1
...Rogue Mazarini, levying taxes?
ARTIST
...fit for guillotine...
MASQUED MAN 2
...low life Italian Mazarini...
He walks by a room where a MAN sings accompanied by a
FLAUTIST.
Ah! There she is, the subject of his searches. LADY LILIA
(25), large fancy hat with colorful feathers, is a socialite
who made inroads to the artsy circle. She chats with the
rubenesque LOUISE, DUCHESS DE MONTPENSIER (23), fancy masque,
a frondeuse by family association.
Baudolino positions himself behind Louise and, pointing
towards an adjacent room, signals to Lady Lilla to join him
there.
The masqued VIGILANT EYE MAN focuses on the threesome.
Lady Lilia whispers something to Louise and, both giggling,
walk over to the adjacent room with blue painted walls.
BLUE ROOM
Arthénice, presiding from an armchair next to the ample bed,
applauds the POET who just finished reciting. The CENACLE
PEOPLE chat about the poem. Two of them offer their seats to
Louise and Lady Lilla. Baudolino bends over and whispers to
Arthénice, who nods, then takes the floor.
BAUDOLINO
The pollen of my soul,
The fertile powder and its
fragrance.
Open your petals to blossom! Just not in mere sympathy,
With a smile akin of the Powder
of Sympathy,
Which pains my throbbing wounds.
Nonchalantly leaning on the door frame, the Vigilant Eye Man
scribbles. A couple of condescending applauds from the
audience. Arthénice raises an eyebrow.
Lady Lilla enthusiastically applauds, stands up, picks-up a
red feather from her hat, walks to Baudolino and inserts it
in his vest boutonniere.
Everybody applauds and smiles now, since they all understand
love. Lady Lilia whispers something to Baudolino who,
elated, 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
dinning table for two.
Baudolino, at a desk in the back study, finishes writing and walks over reading -- another love poem.
He awkwardly bumps into the exiting Servant.
Excited, he checks the pendulum -- nine o'clock, opens a
drawer, gets -- a bracelet and wraps it around the rolled
poem paper.
A look at the table set. On his side, the -- red
feather from Lady Lilla tied to the napkin ring. He sets the
rolled paper and bracelet on her side. A knock on the door.
Straightening his posture, he walks to and opens the door.
But it's not Lady Lilla, it's a ROYAL GUARD OFFICER flanked
by TWO SOLDIERS.
ROYAL GUARD OFFICER
Monsieur Roberto Patrizio. I cannot
explain but I 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 in the room to grab Baudolino. He
raises his hands -- not necessary -- turns, his glance lingering over -- Lady Lilla feather.
INT. BASTILLE CELL - NIGHT
The iron barred door slams closed and the latch locks.
Baudolino shakes the bars, more in deep confusion than
protest.
BAUDOLINO
(yelling) Cardinal Mazarin!
He turns towards the barred window, walks to, and raises
himself, holding the bars to see. But just the tops of the
Bastille walls and a tower are visible.
DRAFT MONTAGE - MEMORIES AND DREAMS
- NIGHT. Awake in bed, REMEMBERING. Baudolino(15) by the side of his father, POZZO PATRIZIO DELLA GRIVE (45). The latter
points down from the rampart of Casale fortress to the
horseman doffing his hat and yelling "Pace! Pace!".
BAUDOLINO
(whispering)
Mazarini! Cardinal Mazarin!
- NIGHT-LATER. Asleep. A patch of moon light on the floor through the barred window. A mouse makes its way on it and
squeaks. Baudolino wakes up, looks at it and jolts terrified,
IMAGINING its enormous head right in his face. The mouse runs
away.
- DAY. Awake on bed, reclining on the wall. A patch of
sunlight. Two mice face each other, sharing a crumb. He's
rather moved by them, they may be lovers. He closes his eyes
REMEMBERING. On the lushly landscaped balcony, he passionately flirts with Lady Lilla.
They touch their glasses in a toast. She coquettishly pouts, then walks away towards the ball room party inside the palace. Blown by a gust of wind, her shawl spreads like the wings of a bird, and the colorful feathers of her enormous hat flutter.
- NIGHT. Asleep DREAMING-MEMORY. Small group of Italians
fighting Spanish siege rearguards. Spanish riders with
armors, long spears and swords, the Italian riders with
swords and blazoned shields, but no armors. Pozo cuts the
spear of a Spaniard, stabs him through the armor gorget.
Baudolino hits a Spaniard's helm vizor. The Spaniards are
routed. Pozo fires his arquebus at Spaniards. The Infantry Spaniards' muskets fire at the Italians. The Italian
fighters ride back to the fortress. The Spaniards muskets
pop, bullets fly -– one grazes Baudolino's temple, blood runs on his cheek.
BACK TO SCENE - MORNING
Asleep, Baudolino touches the scar on his temple while the
sounds of firearms and shouts continue. Awaken, he rushes to
the barred window but cannot see what's happening on the
street. But he knows what's happening.
BAUDOLINO The fronde.
LATER
Open eyes. The noise of the latch and the squeak of the cell
gate opening interrupts his daydreaming.
The Royal Guard Officer nods at him from the gate.
ROYAL GUARD OFFICER
Monsieur Patrizio.
EXT. BASTILLE COURTYARD - DAY
The Royal Guard Officer and a GUARD lead Baudolino to a Royal
Coat of Arms blazoned, closed horse carriage.
INT. CARRIAGE - DAY
Carriage in motion. Baudolino, hands chained, sitting on one
side of the plush banquettes, the Officer and the Guard on
the opposite side.
INT. TUILERIES PALACE - CORRIDOR - DAY
Long corridor bordered by large windows, the Seine on one
side, the Tuileries garden on the other. PEOPLE chat or walk
to and fro.
A window is shattered by a stone. People jolt, look at and
withdraw from it. SERVANTS rush to clean the glass shards.
The stone ends up in front of the Officer. He kicks it back
to the wall.
OFFICER
Stupid frondeurs! They'll dearly pay for it.
INT. CARDINAL MAZARIN OFFICE - DAY
Open lids of three jewelry boxes on the desk. Cardinal
Mazarin (48), handlebar mustache, picks up a collier and
explores the intricate -- shapes of the gems with a
magnifying glass.
On a long corridor with walls bordered with statues and
paintings, Baudolino group approaches the office.
Mazarin sees them, places the collier back and closes the lids of the boxes.
On the office walls, books and paintings of religious
subjects, monarchs and maps, by his desk, a giant globe of
the Earth.
MAZARIN
(standing up, approaching
the group)
Roberto della Grive! -- Your
father, Lord Pozzo fought for us at
Casale against the Spaniards.
BAUDOLINO
(pleading; extending the
shackled hands)
Your Excellency! I was on the
ramparts of the castle when you
waived the flag of truce with
the Spaniards.
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 you. Now it's
different. Frondeurs slingshot
stones or shot bullets at us. But
the frondeuses... those are more
dangerous, subversive!...They can
raise a crowd! -- And you? Mixing
with the like of Duchess de
Montpensier --
BAUDOLINO
-- But your Eminence --
MAZARIN
(raising his hand)
-- Those deserve Bastille or,
better yet, the guillotine -- But
that's half of the reason you are
here.
Baudolino is speechless, confused.
The Cardinal walks to his desk and rings a bell.
Colbert (31) enters the room through a side door.
MAZARIN
Jean-Baptiste will explain.
Colbert approaches the globe and spins it. The Cardinal paces
the office.
COLBERT
We fell behind the Spaniards, Dutch
British and Netherland. They
discovered the passage towards the
other side of the Americas and draw
from their fabulous richness. But
we did not, not yet. Our Jacques
Cartier did reach America a hundred
years ago and believed that it
was... China!
Baudolino can't figure out what this has to do with him. He
looks puzzled, in turn, at Colbert and the Cardinal. The
latter nods at Colbert to continue.
COLBERT
Even though the Spaniard Mendana
reached the Islands of Solomon in
the Pacific, and correctly recorded
their Latitude, he was not able to
find them again for twenty years.
Why? Because there was no a 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 the Powder of
Sympathy.
BAUDOLINO
(puzzled)
It was just a metaphor in my
poem!...Remembering the healing from a
duel.
The Cardinal approaches Baudolino, putts and arm around his
shoulder and prompts him to walk together, back and fro.
MAZARIN
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
longitude method. The Dutch offered
an award of 30,000 florins for the
solution of this mystery, and even
Galileo applied for it.
COLBERT
(smiling)
And yet, your Eminence, he did not
win... just got a golden chain for
trying.
MAZARIN
(stops and looks at
Roberto)
But for our friend here, the prizes
are not only absolution from
charges of conspiracy, but great
rewards upon returning from this
mission.
BAUDOLINO
(astonished)
Returning from --
-- LOUIS XIV KING (12), long curly hair, rosy cheeks, bursts
into the room, a celatone in his hand.
Mazarin and Colbert greet The King with an ample bow.
Baudolino follows 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 for our quest to
expand France colonies beyond the
Americas. If he successfully
returns from his mission, he'll be
rewarded with... the best perfumes our
nation is capable of offering.
The King signals for the meeting to resume.
COLBERT
(to Baudolino)
... returning from this long voyage
through Atlantic and the Pacific
Ocean. A certain British Doctor
Byrd, wants to demonstrate that the
Powder of Sympathy longitude method
works on the long itineraries.
BAUDOLINO
But I --
MAZARIN
(paternally)
-- Yes, you do, dear Roberto. 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 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,
or from a duel complications. You
naturally don't understand English.
(smiling)
Under this wonderful cover, they'll
have no reasons to suspect you.
Moreover, our agent will take care
of everything you need and teach
you few tricks of the trade... in
Amsterdam.
Baudolino is miffed. The Cardinal smoothens his moustache and
friendly taps Baudolino's 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 subject of the
class to the secrets of Longitude.
THE KING
(spinning the globe)
Then we shall start from here.
King's finger pointing at Amsterdam.
EXT. AMSTERDAM HARBOR – SHIP BOARDING DOCK - DAY
On the dock, the melee of PEOPLE walking, some of them
passengers about to board, and stacks of MERCHENDISE about to
be loaded on the ship.
Moored at the dock, Amaryllis, a commercial 1600 tons
Venetian carrack, a two levels stern deck, a forecastle above
the main deck, eight cannons sticking out of the hull below the main deck.
MAIN DECK – FORECASTLE
By the two rescue boats on the starboard, The Arab Man joins Baudolino in admiring the ship's tall riggings.
ARAB MAN
We hope for good winds.
BAUDOLINO
(Italian; subtitled; with
body language)
I am very sorry Sir, but I do not
speak English.
ARAB MAN
(Italian; subtitled)
I am happy to speak with an
Italian. I said that we hope for
good winds into the sails.
BAUDOLINO
(Italian; subtitled)
My compliments for your speaking
Italian.
ARAB MAN
(Italian; subtitled)
One must learn Italian to
appreciate the Renaissance poetry.
BAUDOLINO
(Italian; subtitled)
Oh! You are poet, then?
ARAB MAN
(Italian; subtitled)
Well, just an interest in history.
I have traveled the world to
understand people, learn their
language, read books... and trade.
STERN - FIRST LEVEL
The Captain invites Dr. Byrd up the stairs to the second
level.
CAPTAIN CABIN
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.
Dr. Byrd and the Captain sit at the end of the table, the
latter reading a letter. Dr. Byrd takes two more folded
papers from his leather suitcase and unfolds a -- maritime
map. He waits for the Captain to read the letter.
DR.BYRD
While following Sir Francis Drake's
route
(finger tracing the route
from Atlantic to Pacific
around Cape Horn and
South Africa)
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 the rare and painful
Helicobacter pylori. That's why
(unfolding a ship layout) I need these two cabins, mine and
the one below, for treatment.
CAPTAIN
This is a storage --
DR. BYRD
-- please make it available.
CAPTAIN
Very well –- In regards to
"dictating" the proper course, the
navigation with our equipment and
weather conditions requires a
knowledge that only we possess. I
am also to avoid the usual pirates'
routes....There cannot be a compromise,
especially around the Moluccas Island, where we are to trade the African ivory and Arabian coffee for the spices of those islands.
DR. BYRD
Very well then, we shall mutually
observe our needs and abilities.
The Captain quizzically looks again at the letter than at Dr. Byrd.
CAPTAIN
(standing up)
Pray for fair winds and following
seas, Doctor.
STERN - FIRST LEVEL
The Captain hands over the ship layout map to OFFICER ONE,
asking him to accompany Dr. Byrd.
Dr. Byrd companions pick up the trunk and the luggage, and
follow Officer One down the stern deck ladder, then further
down the main deck.
FORECASTLE - PASSENGER DECK
Baudolino steps down and gets depressed by the darkness and tightness of the place.
Cabins with partitions from light wood and canvass on each side of the deck. A door at the end of the deck, a 1651 Year, 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.
Greetings in Italian with the Indigenous Man and Woman, the Two
Priests, the Black Man and the White Man, all heading toward their cabins, the latter opposite to his.
He gets into his cabin. A hammock, a folding table, a small rack and a hanging lantern. He flips down the table, lies his bag on the rack, takes a binder from the bag and lays it on the table.
ARAB MAN
(Italian; subtitled)
I'm glad to be your neighbor.
BAUDOLINO
(Italian; courteous;
subtitled;)
That brings me a great comfort. I
am actually afraid of water... heard
that the Ocean may raise monster
waves.
ARAB MAN
(Italian; laughing;
subtitled;)
Not in these waters. Atlantic seems
to be free of the Pacific storms.
ATLANTIC OCEAN
A storm with high winds and waves. The ship sways, surges and
rolls.
BAUDOLINO CABIN - NIGHT
Nauseated, Baudolino lies in the swaying hammock. He attempts
to stand up but fails and falls back. He gives up, curls in
the hammock, coughs and closes his eyes.
MAIN DECK – DAY
Baudolino, beard growing, comes up from the passenger's deck. The tempest is still strong. A big splash from a wave drenches him, he ingests some of it, chokes and returns to the underdeck.
FX - ANIMATION
On the 17th century map a cartoon ship crosses the Equator
and sails by Brasilea.
SUPRA: THREE HOURS BEHIND AMSTERDAM
MAIN DECK - DAY
Calmer day. The heavy clouds clear the sky, the sun light breaks through. By the forecastle, the Two Priests piously try to engage the Indigenous Couple in conversation.
In better shape, longer hair and beard, Baudolino chats with the Arab Man and points at the stern. A fair wind fills the sails.
STERN – FIRST LEVEL
By the mizzen sail, FIVE SAILORS and TWO OFFICERS take
navigation measurements.
SAILOR ONE drops the spool of the log and line in its cradle,
and throws the log into the water. The log pulls the line
tout and -- first knot slips through the sailor's fingers.
SAILOR ONE
Now!
SAILOR TWO flips a –- small sandglass, and sand runs down.
The knots of the line run through the closed fist of Sailor
One.
In the background, SAILOR THREE bends over a -- compass.
Sailor Three reads the rose markings the compass needle points at, then inserts a peg into the -- traverse board's cardinal point SSW.
The top half of the hourglass held by Sailor Two is empty.
SAILOR TWO
Over!
SAILOR ONE (O.S.)
Three and a half knots.
Sailor Three inserts a peg into the -- traverse board speed
array.
Officer One, aligns the astrolabe's -- alidade holes with the
sun.
OFFICER ONE
Altitude twenty-seven!
He turns the astrolabe around –- finger following the complex
etched circles and lines.
OFFICER ONE
Time! O'eight, thirty-seven.
Dr. Byrd compares two of his watches, changes one three hours earlier to -- eight thirty-seven.
Baudolino checks his -- watch.
BAUDOLINO
(to the Arab; in Italian;
subtitled)
It's a quarter to noon!
ARAB MAN
(smiling)
That's in Amsterdam. It takes time
for us to get to noon.
BAUDOLINO
(in Italian; subtitled;
changing the hour of his
watch)
Of course! Thank you, I remember
reading about it.
Officer Two uses a -- drawing compass to determine the ship's
position on a South America map, a point just under the
Equator. He yells through the skylight.
OFFICER TWO
Two degrees SSW!
MONTAGE SHIP STEERING
-- In the room below the skylight, the HELMSMAN rotates the
whipstaff.
-- In the room below the whipstaff, TWO SAILORS maintain the
tiller gears. One of them walks to the adjacent room.
-- In the adjacent room, at the command of Officer Two,
Sailor Six tightens the Main Bonet sail with the capstan.
-- The shrill of the Boatswain pipe from the stern deck calls
for All Hands On Deck.
-- The GUNNERS lazing in the cannon bays stand and walk up
towards the main deck.
END OF MONTAGE
On the stern deck, the Captain waits for the crew and
passengers to gather.
Dr. Byrd nods at his two companions standing next to
Baudolino. They leave to follow Dr. Byrd below the stern's
main deck.
Baudolino looks at them then at his watch.
CAPTAIN
We safely avoided the pirates of
the Trades Routes to Americas, just
crossed the Equator, and heading
South towards Porto Seguro.
BAUDOLINO
(To the Arab; in Italian;
subtitled)
Excuse me please, I have a strong
headache, there is a bad smell
coming from somewhere.
He leaves through the stairs down to the passenger level.
On the passengers' quarters, Sailor Six adjusts the hand of
the clock on a transversal beam from -- 9:52 to 8:52, then cranks its mainspring.
Baudolino walks by the cannons, towards the stern, watching for gunners. None on sight. He disappears further down the stairs to the storage rooms.
He cautiously makes his way between stacks of barrels, burlap
bags and wooden boxes. He finds a cabin wedged between them,
hears distinctive voices. He listens.
TWO SAILORS walk by surprising him.
SAILOR SEVEN
Sir you are not supposed to be
here!
BAUDOLINO
(touching his nose,
mimicking bad smell; in
Italian; subtitled)
Pardon me. There is 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, from the kitchen!
Baudolino turns his head, then joins the laughter, nods and leaves.
Sailor Eight sailors mimics "nuts" behind Baudolino's back.
FX - ANIMATION
On the 17th century map, a cartoon ship turns around the
South America at the Cap de la Victoire.
SUPRA: SEVEN HOURS BEHIND AMSTERDAM
PASSENGER DECK - NIGHT
Baudolino scouts down the cannon, then sailor's decks, on the route to the secret cabin. Along the way, faint light from swinging lanterns. He struggles to keep his balance as the ship rides the waves.
One more level down. He arrives at the cabin. A faint whining
draws his attention. He puts his ear to the wall and listens.
Water pouring and lapping sound. Dr. Byrd berates one of his men. He tries to find a crack in the wall, trips, a bag drops, sounds from the cabin stop. Tiptoeing, Baudolino rushes away.
FX - ANIMATION
On the 17th century map, a cartoon ship in the middle of the
Pacific Ocean.
SUPRA: ELEVEN HOURS BEHIND AMSTERDAM
PASSENGER DECK - DAY
The passengers chat during lunch at the long table. Plates glide as the ship lulls. TWO SAILORS come through the galley door and barely keeping their balance, serve the food. The 1652 calendar marks the month of March. On the traverse above the door, the time on the clock is 4:20.
CATHOLIC PRIEST
(to all)
... they couldn't take any
coordinates for days. Do we know
where we are?
SPANISH COLONIST ONE
Somewhat, by speed and compass. The
sun was behind the clouds... the moon
in its new phase is not visible.
Baudolino plays dumb by not understanding and turns towards
the Arab Man, who translates. The Black Man watches them.
Baudolino is inspired by the translation and draws everybody's
attention by clicking on the plate.
A moment of silence, bored faces, then the chat resumes.
BAUDOLINO
(reciting; in Italian;
subtitled)
Behind the clouds
The sun's not worth a dime
The dark side of the moon
On lovers cannot shine.
The Priests applaud. The Black Man watches his partner who
raises his shoulders and shakes his head, like "maybe".
ARAB MAN
(to Baudolino; mockingly;
in Italian; subtitled)
Yesterday, we may have sunny days.
BAUDOLINO (in Italian; subtitled)
What do you mean?
ARAB MAN (in Italian; subtitled)
We're heading toward the time
line between Yesterday and
Tomorrow.
Baudolino smiles like he understands while he doesn't.
PASSENGER DECK - NIGHT
In his cabin, Baudolino writes at the light of the swinging
lantern. At the sound of steps, he looks through the slightly
open blinds, his glance briefly meeting the Black Man's one.
He gestures a greeting, then looks at his watch -- it's
12:35.
After a while, he gets out and cautiously, down on the route towards the cabin of his interest.
STORAGE DECK
He hides behind bags and boxes. Ear to the wall, eye to a small crack, he listens and watches. A whining sound.
DR. BYRD
There it is.
COMPANYON
With due respect Sir, they do it
most of the time.
DR. BYRD
No, this is different.
COMPANYON
We need more -–
A noise of something falling outside the cabin interrupts
them. The Black Man opens the door, checks around, burlap
bags on the floor.
Sound of running steps.
BLACK MAN
I'll be right back, need to check
something.
He closes the door and climbs up, walks through the sailors' bunkbeds up to the cannons and rushes to the passengers' quarters.
PASSENGER QUARTERS
The Black Man opens Baudolino's cabin door. Empty. The cabin's lantern swings.
He climbs up to the main deck with difficulty, as the ship sails on stormy weather.
MAIN DECK
Baudolino seems to brave the waves splashing over the
railing.
The Black Man stops by and looks at him, intently.
BLACK MAN
(mimics migraine)
The smell still bothers you?
Migraine?
BAUDOLINO
(taken aback; in Italian;
subtitled)
Headache, yes!
The Black Man looks around. There's no one on the deck. He
grabs him by the neck and is about the get his legs. Scared,
Baudolino fights to escape.
THREE SAILORS run up from the passengers' deck. The Black Man
fakes helping him to walk. Struggling, Baudolino
escapes the Black Man's hold and runs down the stairs. The
Black Man looks at him, giving up his intention, for now.
FX - ANIMATION
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 "Yesterday" and "Today" respectively.
SUPRA: 12 HOURS BEHIND AMSTERDAM
PACIFIC OCEAN
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.
BAUDOLINO CABIN
Baudolino tries to keep his balance by grabbing a traverse of
the hull.
PACIFIC OCEAN
The ship rises with a loud squeak of the masts, then falls
on a spiky rock.
BAUDOLINO CABIN - CONTINUOUS
The side of Baudolino's cabin cracks open, the water floods
in and, as the ship rises, rushes out carrying him out into
the Ocean together with a large piece of the hull.
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 floating piece of Amaryllis hull, Baudolino lies
unconscious -- face sun burned.
EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - NIGHT
The plank carrying Baudolino slowly floats towards distant Islands.
LATER
Baudolino twitches on the plank.
BAUDOLINO DREAM
The large blue masquerade ball room slowly sways and the
chandeliers dangle. People dressed in masquerade
costumes walk or chat. On the small stage, the conductor rises its baton and jerks it down to start the orchestra. A strong beat.
BACK TO SCENE
THUD! The hull plank hits the lower wales of a ship.
Baudolino wakes up, dizzy. He turns face up.
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 a notable
effort, he grabs the rope ladder and slowly climbs by the name of the ship -- DAPHNE.
He pulls himself over the bulwark and collapses. Slowly, he
looks around. A barrel by the stern deck.
He crawls towards it, pulls himself up and looks inside --
the perfect reflection of the full moon. He dips a finger in,
ripples upset the reflection.
He lets a drop drip on his tongue. It's water! He bends in, eagerly drinks until sated, crouches by the barrel then stretches on the deck and falls asleep.
BAUDOLINO DREAM
A hissing sound in the darkness. A big rat's face right in
front of his.
EXT. DAPHNE MAIN DECK – DAY
He twitches and opens the eyes. A rat hisses right by this
nose. Shocked by fright, he runs away and up on the stern deck's
ladder. The rats run away.
STERN DECK
From the stern deck of the small Dutch flyboat, he looks at the main deck, its eight cannons, then up at the riggings. Nobody on sight.
On the port side, a reason to rejoice. Only about one hundred yards away, an Island with luxurious vegetation and flying colorful birds. The relief triggers his imagination.
BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION
BAUDOLINO (whispering) Strange --
-- The Island seems to be divided by a vertical, translucent
surface, slightly reflective, one side shedding the mist of
yesterday, the other side birthing the light of today. The birds fly back and forth trough it.
BACK TO SCENE
He shakes his head to clear the vision and yells towards the
Island, rejoicing.
BAUDOLINO
Yoo-hoooo!
Hopeful, he waits for a human response, but he only gets birds' chirping. So, where's the crew? He turns around and enters the Captain's quarters.
CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS - OFFICE
A table with books, maps, compass, magnifying glass and overturned chairs. Shelves with books by an tables with numbers on the walls. On the floor, ransacked navigation instruments, broken ship models and a clock. He drags a chair away, noisily, to make room. An armoire on the side, door locked. He kicks it with his foot and manages to force it open. Inside, the weaponry rack is empty, except for a heavy flint and a sword.
He lifts up two chairs, one falls on the floor with a thud, and drags them away from the open frame toward an adjacent room.
ADJACENT ROOM
The room looks like a partition build from the Captain's cabin. A hammock by the window in the back. Similar ravages, an angle adjustable drawing board with heavy iron legs, drawings on the floor, a lithography partially covered by the sand of a broken sandglass, a toppled spatial model of the heliocentric system.
He picks up the drawings –- strange construction resembling a
chair on gimbles, gears, handles and eyeglasses. He puts the drawing back on the board.
He kneels and sweeps the sand off the lithography --
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
and, overwhelmed by loving feelings, he REMEMBERS
Lady Lilla enormous hat with -- colorful feathers fluttering.
He returns to the Captain's office. On the table, two open books, he flips through the first -- pages with red and black ink of headings with Latin constellation names and rows and columns of numbers. Underneath a map. He picks up the magnifying glass and sweeps it over -- Solomon Islands and a doted line through them.
The other book is open at the last recorded date -- 12 Maart 1652. It's the navigation log written in Flemish, which he doesn't understand, but he -- traces the handwriting with the feather. The feather stops at "...pestis quae dicitur bubonica."
The rats roaming around FLASH in his mind.
BAUDOLINO
(whispering; frightful)
Cholera!
He rushes out of the Captain's quarter, wavers down the
stern's ladder, and towards the forecastle.
CREW QUARTERS
Bunkbeds without sheets and covers. Some mattresses cut, straw sticking out. At the end of the quarters two stairs going up. He chooses the steep one.
GALLEY
A rat runs away. He shivers.
The rack of pots and pans above the stove is empty. On the floor, a couple of discarded small pots and wooden plates. He opens a cupboard. Wasted fruits and a loaf of bread. He grabs the bread and struggles to bite on, but its' rather hard.
On the way back to the Captain's Quarter, he bends over the barrel with water, drinks then dips the bread in it.
CAPTAIN'S QUARTER - OFFICE
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
A bed, an armchair, small washing basin with a mirror, a razor blade and few personal care objects, a small door.
In the back, French double doors towards a small balcony. He opens the doors, steps out, looks at the ocean. A beam floats by carried by the current. On the island, behind a promontorium, the bow of a boat.
He wonders if he missed someting, gets out of the room, office, and looks at -- the empty cradle of the rescue boat. He turns toward -- the island -- so, he thinks that's where the crew must be!
He returns to the room and, tired, lets himself fall on the bed.
LATER – EVENING
He lays the clock next to the broken ship model, then looks around satisfied by the more orderly office. Through the open door to the deck, he watches the moon rising.
Hit by melancholy, he sits down at the desk, lays the -- colorful feather by the Captain's log -- and, flipping to an empty page, starts writing at the candle light.
BAUDOLINO
TBD …unwavering love
Active writing: …unwavering love
BAUDOLINO
everlasting in face of adversity of
faraway waters and ...
But he is overwhelmed by the uncertainty of his fate. He stops writing, drops the quill, and stands up.
BAUDOLINO
Deserted ship? Crew dead? Alive... on the island?
Tired, he is about to close the office's door. Ugghhh! A dead rat behind the door. Quivering, he shovels it over, kicks it out of the cabin, and slams the door shut.
He lies on the bed, RECALLING snippets of the crewless ship,
empty beach and rescue boat (TBD? on Amaryllis boat details? Arab pointing at the two boats?), and falls asleep.
BAUDOLINO DREAM
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 toward the island.
On the main deck, the priest raises his hands in prayer
towards the sky.
END OF DREAM
Baudolino wakes up confused. Sleepy, he staggers out of the room and opens the cabin's door.
Horror! A larger than life rat, standing on hind legs,
fixedly looks at him from the stern deck.
He slams the door shut, rushes to the armoire, arms himself
with the heavy flint and sword, takes aim with the flit and
opens the door.
The rat keeps looking hypnotically at him. He pulls the
trigger, again and again, but it doesn't shoot. He feverishly
hits the rat with the barrel and the rat falls over, stiff.
Cautiously he checks the strange animal. Never seen one like
this! Another poke on the belly -- like a sack. No reaction.
BAUDOLINO (thought)
Someone's here! What does he want?
Furious he kicks the animal on the side, a tear -- stuffing
comes out through it.
He scans the empty deck. Angry, he makes few threatening fencing moves with the sword.
BAUDOLINO
(shouting)
What do you want? Come out!
Silence.
Sword in hand and flint dangling's impeding his moves, he climbs down the ladder to the main deck then disappears further down.
FORECASTLE-TO BE CONTINUED
