The Rover

[JackShea]

Hello: Has anyone ever read Conrad's, THE ROVER? I enjoyed the book as I read it while on The Giens Peninsula where the action of the book takes place. While there I wrote a screenplay adaptation of the book for my own pleasure. I would appreciate any feedback those who have read it might offer. I do not expect anyone to read the whole script...just as much as you would care to get the picture. It can be found on my website in the screenplay section. Many thanks and a joyous holiday to all.

Jack

jackshea.net

[email][email protected]

[JackShea]

Hello: I see 50 or so of you have looked at my thread concerning THE ROVER. For those of you who have read it perhaps you can tell me if the opening below of my screenplay works for you? I have taken the character from the book, The Cripple, and enhanced his role...Many thanks...Jack
jackshea.net
[email protected]


FADE IN:

EXTERIOR- A Cliff Overlooking the Mediterranean - Sunrise

The sun begins to rise over the Porquerolles Island in Southern France. From a cliff top view on the Giens Peninsula, a man on crutches watches as the sky begins to illuminate and the clouds in harmony dissipate. Suddenly, irritated the CRIPPLE swings himself toward us. He mocks.

CRIPPLE
Tell me about my master! Tell me about my master! Over and over, I tell you and you do not listen. Pay attention. I tell you one more time. You see that Island over there. It is called Ile de Porquerolles. That is where he thinks he was born. He lived on the Farmer Peyrol's land with his mother. Then, one day…

INTERIOR - Barn of a Farmhouse - Night

A young boy and his mother sleep on a bed of straw. They are wrapped in rags. Smoke from the fire fills the room. The mother coughs. She is a woman, aged far beyond her natural years. The only sounds we hear are the woman's ragged snores and then a desperate gasp for air. The young boy (PEYROL) listens. The fire hisses.

PEYROL
Mama? Mama?

The young Peyrol crawls to his mother and tries to raise her. Finally, he manages to roll her over. He recoils in fear of his mother's grotesque face, which stares back at him, dead. Crawling backwards to the door, he rises and runs away.

EXTERIOR - A Country Road - Night

The young boy runs, trips and falls, then runs again down this darkened road to the Port of Ile de Porquerolles. Lightening slashes across the sky and the rain begins to pour. Tears run down Peyrol's cheeks. He wipes them away with the sleeve of his shirt. His eyes desperately seek shelter. He sees a fishing tartane close by and climbs aboard. Finding some sailing sheets in the corner of the boat near the cabin, he covers himself, lies down and sleeps.



EXTERIOR - The Mediterranean - Day

Early morning. The tartane with three bearded FISHERMEN is well out to sea. Each man is engaged in his normal daily chores. One of the men goes forward toward the cabin. He sees the pile of sheets move and he investigates. He lifts up the sheet.

FISHERMAN 1
Hey, what's this?

The other fisherman comes forward to investigate. The three bearded men stand towering over the half-asleep boy. One of the men reaches down and grabs the boy by the lapel.

FISHERMAN 2
How did you get aboard?

FISHERMAN 3
What's your name boy? Your name!

Fearfully the boy stares into the three faces. He starts to stutter. The fisherman 2 shakes him.

FISHERMAN 2
He asked you your name boy!

The boy is confused but finally manages to blurt out…

PEYROL
Peyrol, Monsieurs. My name is Peyrol.

EXTERIOR- The cliff overlooking the Mediterranean - Morning

The Cripple is laughing as though he had told the world's greatest joke.

CRIPPLE
Peyrol he told them! That is a laugh. The boy did not know his own name but he remembered the name of the farmer for whom he had worked - Peyrol. And now that name was forever his. And, from that day and fifty years hence Peyrol was a man of the seas; sometimes pirate, when convenient, in the service of France. One day he said I have had my full of the sea. Just after, the world went mad and the King lost his head.
(He spits.)
Vive la Republique! Vive la Nation!
(He spits again.)
Damn fools and their Republic. Aristocrats, Priests, Loyalists, oh yes my friend, heads were rolling.

[JackShea]

EXTERIOR - The streets of Toulon - Dusk

The streets are flooded with peasants and patriots chasing, screaming and thirsting for Loyalist's blood. Men, women and children are slashed and piked to death. Blood everywhere. In the center of town, the guillotine is at work. On the scaffold, CITIZEN SCEVOLA BRON - a brawny, bearded man in his late twenties but looking much older - orchestrates the overworked guillotine. The town is afire. Madness everywhere. The carnage continues all night.

EXTERIOR - The streets of Toulon - Pre-Dawn

The sky is aglow. Shore batteries in and about Toulon are firing at the departing British ships. SCEVOLA with a young girl, ARLETTE, in tow is cutting and slashing his way to the harbor. Reaching the harbor, a tartane awaits him. On board a crewman is fighting off some loyalists. Scevola joins in the fray, firing his pistols point blank into his adversaries. Together he and the crewman slay all on board. Arlette cowers in the corner. There are bodies everywhere. She tries to crawl away. Scevola grabs her, takes her to the cabin and slams the door.

INTERIOR - the Cabin - Pre-dawn

As the sun rises, the sky reddens. Arlette is traumatized. Everywhere she looks in the cabin - blood. In her eyes, everything becomes red, red and redder. From without she hears the sound of splash, splash, splash. Scevola and his ally are tossing body after body into the water. She tries to crawl away from the sound. She reaches out to lift herself up. In her hand, she has grabbed some human hair. She loses all control. She screams.

EXTERIOR - The Tartane - Morning

Scevola is at the tiller and guides the tartane away from Toulon. A WOMAN on shore screams at the departing tartane.

WOMAN
Don't you come back to Toulon, Scevola! No one believes in you anymore! Blood drinker!

Scevola rigid, ignores the woman and sails across the sea to the village of La Madrague. He and his crewman moor the ship; then Scevola takes Arlette from the cabin and follows a trail upward leading to the farm called l'Escampobar.

INTERIOR - l'Escampobar Farmhouse - Day

CATHERINE, an attractive woman in her fifties is pacing frantically. She goes to the door, opens it, sees nothing and closes it again. She tries to busy herself in the kitchen, then hears a noise outside. She rushes to the window. Outside in the middle of the farmyard, Scevola, arrogantly stands. Arlette is at his side, her hand in his. Her clothes are tattered, her face and hair smeared with caked blood. A tattered blanket is draped about her. Catherine rushes out.

EXTERIOR - Farmyard - Day

Catherine stands in the farmyard screaming at Scevola.

CATHERINE
Where is my brother? Where is Francois? Where is my brother's wife?

Catherine's screams frighten Arlette. Scevola stands his ground.

SCEVOLA
You will not see Francois again! Vive la République!

Without hesitation Catherine takes the child from Scevola and rushes her into the farmhouse slamming the door. Scevola, this strange man in his red cap and saber at his side, screams at the departed Catherine.

SCEVOLA
(continuing)
Hear me woman! I, Scevola Bron am now master of Escampbobar Farm! Hear me well!

INTERIOR- The Kitchen of the Farm House - Day

Outside we hear the voice of Scevola still yelling. Catherine has filled a tub with water and lovingly removes Arlette's bloodied clothes. She places the child in the tub and cleans the blood from her hair and body. Arlette cannot look at anything for long - her eyes dart about. She does not speak unless spoken to and then only responds with vague answers.



CATHERINE
Arlette, do you remember who I am? Do you remember your Aunt Catherine?

Arlette responds as if she were far, far away.

ARLETTE
Look how it gushes! Look how pretty and red it is.

CATHERINE
Oh my God!

Catherine dries off the child, takes her upstairs, and puts her in bed. Arlette falls asleep. As she lays in bed, her long black hair draped across the pillow, her cheeks and lips blushed, we realize what a beautiful child this is - and what a beautiful woman she will be. Her aunt tucks her beneath the covers, kisses her on the forehead then silently leaves the room. Catherine returns to the kitchen and there sits Scevola very much at home. Catherine ignores him picks up Arlette's soiled clothes and is about to leave. Scevola starts ranting. He removes his sword and bangs it on the table.

SCEVOLA
I am master of this house now! I lay claim to that child! Someday she will be mine! Do you hear what I say!


EXTERIOR - The Deck of a Prize Ship - Dawn

The revolution has ended. Outside Toulon upon the sea just passing to the east by Cape Cepet, a captured vessel from the Indian Seas turns toward Toulon harbor. A white-haired man, MASTER GUNNER PEYROL, gives the command to head into the harbor to his motley crew then dismisses himself and goes below.

INTERIOR - Cabin on the Prize Ship - Dawn

Peyrol reverently unpacks his shaving kit. He selects a particular favorite; tests for its keenness; and with great care removes his salt-caked whiskers. Replacing the razor in his sea chest, he meticulously removes a shirt, pants and jacket, color coordinated to the French tri color flag. He laughs then shoves his cot in front of the cabin door so as not to be disturbed. He then removes some floorboards from his cabin floor, reaches down and retrieves a hand-sewn waistcoat. Dumping some of the contents within the waistcoat on the cot, we see Peyrol has a hidden stash of Dutch, Spanish, English and various other gold ducats from around the world. Suspiciously he looks about quickly and listens intently least someone attempts to stick his nose in Peyrol's business. Sensing all is well he puts the gold ducats into the waistcoat and dons the jacket. Obviously a heavy burden, Peyrol shifts his body in many different postures. Once assured he is able to walk about in an unencumbered manner he finishes dressing, the waistcoat hidden. He takes his ever-present cudgel from its resting-place, pushes the cot aside and leaves the cabin.

EXTERIOR - The deck of the Prize Ship - Day

Peyrol decked out in the white shirt, blue jacket and white trousers with a red bandana takes off his black, low crowned hat and bows to what is to be his former shipmates.

PEYROL
The hell with you all, by blazes. For all that, you were great
shipmates.

He beckons to a boatman below to come about and row him to the Toulon quay.

EXTERIOR - The Toulon Quay - Day

As Peyrol stares toward the quay a massive mob has assembled to see this man, who has captured a prize ship for the Republic, step ashore. Peyrol steps on the quay and is mobbed. He elbows his way through the crowd. A MAN'S VOICE yells out from the crowd.

MAN'S VOICE
Where do you come from citizen?

Peyrol booms out.
PEYROL
From the other side of the world citizen!