THE GREEN SNAKE AND THE BEAUTIFUL LILY
by
Antonella Bellecca
based on "Märchen" by W. Goethe (1795)
WGA WEST Registry Antonella Bellecca
nr. 1880115 Viale Italia 22
51100 Pistoia
agiulia@yahoo.com
3208616884
FADE IN
1 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - NIGHT
XV Century. April, midnight. It is raining heavily on the
West Bank of the great Rumon River, 300 m wide. Reeds,
trees, bushes are whipped by the rain. The river is
infuriated and almost seems to overflow.
2 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - NIGHT - LATER
The rain has stopped, the sky is cloudy at times. Water
drips from all the leaves, from the plants. The river runs
fast. We see a hut along the river, surrounded by
darkness.
3 INT RIVER WEST SIDE - ARGUS’ HUT - NIGHT
A slight glow enters from the slots in the closed shutters
in the poor interior of a somewhat shabby house. A table
with two chairs in the middle of the room. An extinguished
fireplace with hanging above a copper pot.
On the walls shelves full of messy furnishings: oil lamps
of various sizes, carved wooden ornaments, fruit baskets,
some pipes. Hooks, ropes, jars, buckets. Kitchen crockery.
A broom in a corner. A chest. A dispensation.
Along a wall, a bed with a bedside table; on the bedside
table, an unlit oil lamp. The bed has a wooden headboard
carved in a very simple way, with the inscription: ARGUS.
Under the covers one can see a tall strong man, 60, beard
and hair at his back, usually a little ruffled, who sleeps
placidly: he is ARGUS the ferryman. The house and the bed
seem really too small for such an imposing man.
RICHARD (OS)
(feebly)
Ferryman!
(loudly)
Ferryman!
Argus opens his eyes with difficulty.
JOHN (OS)
HEY FERRYMAN!
Argus stands up on one elbow, amazed, half asleep. He
wears a nightgown.
2.
4 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - ARGUS’ HUT - DOOR - NIGHT
RICHARD
WE WANT TO BE FERRED!
JOHN
GET OUT!
Two Will-o’-the-wisps, as tall as a man, are waiting in
front of the door. One, RICHARD, 35, has a bluish tinge.
The other, JOHN, 35, has a reddish tinge.
They are well differentiated: Richard is a bit corpulent,
a pot-bellied guy; John has a medium build. They are
suspended in the vivid halo of fire, entirely dressed as
gents, with hat, shoes, socks, waistcoats and jackets.
Elegant and not ridiculous clothing. The feet are slightly
connected to the bottom, because of the flame, which
starts from the ground, with the base of which are
confused.
5
The wooden door opens wide with a SHOT. In the light of a
flash, followed by a THUNDER, in the doorway, we see
Argus’ impressive figure. He is completely wrapped in a
large cloak, with a cone cap on his head and big boots. He
keeps a lamp lit up with his arm raised.
RICHARD
We are in hurry! Right, John?
JOHN
We have to go to the other side
of the river! Right, Richard?
Argus looks towards the river. The water runs fast
SEETHING NOISILY because of bad weather and current.
6 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PIER - NIGHT
Argus’ right arm sharply moves away thick rushes. Argus
keeps the lamp high with his left hand, followed by
Richard and John who slalom between plants. They do not
walk with their feet, but flutter at the ground.
Argus stops, raises even the lamp and illuminates a small
wooden pier, which goes into the river for a few meters. A
rowing boat for 4-5 PEOPLE, tied with a rope to a wooden
pylon.
3.
7 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PIER - ON THE BOAT - NIGHT
Argus is standing on the boat and loosens the rope from
the pylon. The lamp is hanging from a vertical perch.
Richard and John are on the boat with a little jump. Argus
pushes with an oar on the dock and the boat comes off
quickly.
8 EXT RIVER - NIGHT
Argus rows painfully, cutting the current from left to
right. It’s starting to rain. A lighting and a THUNDER.
Richard and John WHISTLE very rapidly among them. Suddenly
they burst out laughing and hopping on the edges, on the
benches, on the bottom of the boat.
ARGUS
THE BOAT IS WOBBLING! IF YOU ARE
SO RESTLESS, IT CAN CAPSIZE! SIT
DOWN, LANTERNS!
Richard and John laugh loudly. The boat sways. Richard and
John lullaby.
RICHARD JOHN
The old man is afraid!... The old ferryman is
afraid...
RICHARD (CONT’D)
(mocking Argus)
SIT DOWN, LANTERNS!
Richard and John laugh, jump and spill. Argus looks at
them in a bad mood.
9 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - NIGHT
It rains and THUNDERS. The boat touches the River East
Bank in a sheltered, where is a small pier equal to the
west one. Argus throws the ring-knotted rope on a pylon.
The rope loop falls perfectly on the pylon.
Richard and John rise about twelve inches from the bottom
and remain suspended an instant, then shake themself
vigorously for a few seconds. A bright gold coins shower
falls from all sides of the flames on the boat bottom.
RICHARD
This is for your trouble,
ferryman!
ARGUS
For heaven’s sake, what are you
doing! You want to ruin me! If a
gold coin had fallen into the
water, the River would rise in
frightful waves.
4.
Argus mimics the dreadful waves.
RICHARD
And why?!
ARGUS
It cannot tolerate it! He would
have swallowed the boat, and who
knows what he would do to you.
Take back your money!
JOHN
We cannot take anything back from
what we shaked off. Right,
Richard?
10 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - BOAT AND SHORE - NIGHT
Argus kneels in the boat, under the rain, and takes his
hat. He starts picking up gold coins and putting them in
his hat.
ARGUS
The hassle of having to pick them
up, too...
Richard and John hop off the boat. Argus stands up.
ARGUS (CONT’D)
HEY! WHERE’S MY FEE?!
JOHN
Who doesn’t want gold can work
for free! Right, Richard?
ARGUS
You should know that you can only
pay me with the fruits of the
earth.
RICHARD
The fruits of the earth? We
despise them! We have never
tasted them! Right, John?
ARGUS
I cannot let you go until you
promise to bring me three
cauliflowers, three artichokes
and three purple onions.
5.
11 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - NIGHT
Richard and John laugh. They turn to leave, but despite
the efforts cannot take the flame off the ground. A
lighting and a THUNDER.
RICHARD
All right, all right! Damn
ferryman!
JOHN
We promise!
ARGUS
What do you promise?
RICHARD
We promise to bring you some
vegetables as a reward for
transportation!
ARGUS
NO! Three cauliflowers, three
artichokes and three purple
onions!
JOHN
WE PROMISE BRING YOU THREE
CABBAGES, THREE ARTICHOKES AND
THREE PURPLE ONIONS!
Richard and John draw back; this time the flame detaches,
so they jump backwards. By inertia they jump back several
times for some meters.
12 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - NIGHT
It rains. Argus is standing in the boat that moves away in
the dark, and watches the shore silently. A lighting and a
THUNDER. Richard and John watch the boat move away.
Suddenly they look at each other and give a start.
HEY, OLD MAN!HLISTEN, OLD MAN!
JOHN
WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING!
Their words fall on deaf ears. It pours.
6.
13 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - FURTHER SOUTH - NIGHT
Argus nears the bank. The rain clears and stops. A slight
glow filters through the clouds. Argus throws the loop
rope, which falls perfectly around a broken trunk.
14 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SHORE - NIGHT
Argus is standing on the shore. On the back he has a
spade, tied with a strap. In his right hand he has the
hat, tied with a cord; in his left hand, the lamp. With
his right hand he adjusts as he can the strap and goes
into the bush, dripping water.
15 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - HILL - NIGHT
Argus digs a hole with a spade in the sodden earth, on the
slope of a hill. The lamp rests on the ground next the
tied hat. The wind blows. Argus stops and scans the sky:
the clouds have thinned out and moonlight shines.
16 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - HILL - NEAR THE HOLE - NIGHT
The hole is ready. Argus on his knees spills all the coins
from the hat into the hole.
17 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - HILL - NEAR THE HOLE - NIGHT - LATER
The hill is empty. The hole is covered. A lightning and a
THUNDER. A CRACKLING LIGHTNING hits the point where the
coins are buried.
18 INT UNDER GROUND - NIGHT
The lightning continues its run under the ground,
SPLITTING the layers of rocks: it forms a slit. The bright
coins suddenly fall along the slit.
19 INT UNDERGROUND CAVE - NIGHT
An underground cave, full of stalactites and stalagmites.
The walls give off a light flare. The ceiling splits
RUMORIOUSLY, the lightning enters the cave and ends up by
CRASHING to the ground.
Meanwhile, the bright coins fall in, crossing the cave.
The coins fall on the rock; they TINKLE and sparkle. On
the one hand, a green SNAKE sleeps rolled up; he is about
six meters long.
His name is SEVERUS and the cave is his home. Severus
opens his eyes. He raises his head, looks, unrolls, crawls
towards the coins. He looks amazed at the coins. One by
one he eats them all.
The more he eats them, the more his body becomes bright;
the skin becomes transparent; the light comes from his
7.
inside. He throws the last coins into the air,
triumphantly raising himself to devour them as they fall
back. We see the whole cave illuminated by the
transparent, luminous and throbbing body of Severus.
SEVERUS
(jubilant)
YEEEESS!!!
20 EXT RIVER - NIGHT
The boat back from the east to the west bank. Argus rows
with irritation. DISTANT THUNDERS.
21 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - HILL - NIGHT
Severus advances crawling through grass and bushes. As it
passes, he illuminates the water which drips from the
plants, leaves and flowers; they glow glittered by his
light. Then they come back in the dark. He goes into a
thicket and provokes around him the same glitter
phenomenon.
22 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - BUSH - NIGHT
We see a glade surrounded by woods, and in the distance
the brightness of Richard and John. Severus emerges from
the bush in the glade. He stares. In the distance Richard
and John flutter.
SEVERUS
(to himself)
If I could finally find someone
like me!
23 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - ACROSS THE GLADE - NIGHT
Severus snakes quickly across the glade. He provokes
around himself the glittering phenomenon. Richard and John
play chasing each other, laughing. Severus lunges at them.
SEVERUS
Cheers, cousins!
24 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
Richard and John stop and look at him in amazement.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
I’m glad to find such lovely
gentlemen, between my kinship!
Let me introduce myself: I am the
serpent Severus.
Richard and John fly over him and pass him over laughing.
8.
RICHARD
Cousin Severus, even if you
belong to the horizontal line,
this doesn’t mean anything.
Right, John?
JOHN
We are related only to the part
of light, of appearance. Right,
Richard?
RICHARD
Because, look here...
Richard and John become very thin and sharp, so much
higher, almost double. Severus looks at them in dismay.
They speak louder to be heard from above, preening.
RICHARD (CONT’D)
We are gentlemen of the vertical
line...
JOHN
Look how are good, to us, this
height and this slenderness...
Richard and John return to normal. They flit and laugh.
RICHARD
You don’t take it badly, dear
friend, but what family can boast
about it?
JOHN
Since there are the
Will-o’-the-wisps, no there was
one, who had sat down...
RICHARD JOHN
...OR LYING DOWN! ...OR LYING DOWN!
RICHARD (CONT’D)
But, my dear cousin, I would
think, we both remain what we
are. Right, John?
JOHN
Let’s live without envy or
rancor, without desiring the
title of the other. Right,
Richard?
9.
25 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT - NEXT
Severus lows his head to the ground and snakes around,
awkward. His internal light palpitates. Then he raises his
head to look at them again.
SEVERUS
You gentlemen would give me some
news about the origin of the gold
coins that fell into the
underground cave?
RICHARD
What cave?
JOHN
What coins?
SEVERUS
The underground cave is my
home... It’s beautiful, full of
stalactites... A short while ago,
so many gold coins have fallen
inside...
Richard and John look at each other intentionally.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
Perhaps it was a golden shower
that fell directly from the
sky?...
Richard and John laugh and shake themselves vigorously. A
large amount of bright gold coins falls from the flames
and gushes and TINKLES. Severus rushes over it and begins
to swallow them one by one, greedily.
RICHARD
Much good may it to you, dear
cousin.
JOHN
We can serve them even more!
Richard and John flit around and shake themselves
repeatedly, causing a literal rain of bright coins.
Severus eats the coins and gradually his inner light grows
in intensity.
26 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT - LATER
Severus, Richard and John are standing in the glade. There
are no more luminous coins around, while Severus’s body
shines strongly: he has the thrill of satiety in his eyes.
10.
SEVERUS
Cousin Richard...
Richard smiles gloating.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
Cousin John...
John smiles gloating.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
I... I will be grateful to you
forever! Ask me what you want:
what is in my strength, I will do
it to you.
RICHARD
Very well! Right, John?
JOHN
Tell us, cousin Severus, where
dwells the Beautiful Lily?
RICHARD
Take us as soon as you can to the
Palace and the Garden of the
Beautiful Lily...
JOHN
We die of the impatience of
throwing ourselves at his feet.
Right, Richard?
Severus sighs deeply.
SEVERUS
This is a service that I cannot
immediately make you, dear
cousins. Beautiful Lily lives
beyond the Rumon River.
Richard and John are comically dismayed.
RICHARD
Beyond the river!?
JOHN
Now we have to get us ferry
again, on this stormy night!
The clouds cover the moon again. A lightning and a
THUNDER.
RICHARD
The river is terrible!
11.
JOHN
Would it be possible to call the
ferryman again?
SEVERUS
You would work for nothing.
27 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PIER - NIGHT
Argus moor the boat.
SEVERUS (V.O.)
Even if you find the old Argus on
this side, he will not embark on
it.
28 EST/INT ARGUS’ HUT - NIGHT
Argus pushes the door, comes in and hangs the lamp on a
hook on the wall.
SEVERUS (V.O.)
He can bring anyone on this side,
but no one on the other side.
29 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
RICHARD
Then we are ruined! Right, John?
JOHN
But... but... this makes no
sense!
RICHARD
Is there another way to pass the
river?!
SEVERUS
There’s more than one, but not
right now. I can bring you
myself, but only at midday.
JOHN
It’s an hour in which we do not
travel willingly... Right,
Richard?
RICHARD
(sniveling)
We’re stuck here! Lost in the
Lost Kingdom!
Severus raises his head with sudden dignity.
12.
SEVERUS
NO! The Lost Kingdom IS NOT... at
all... lost.
Pause. Richard and John look interrogatively at Severus,
who makes an effort to control himself.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
If you would like to find
yourself, around noon, in that
corner of the wood...
He points it with his tail.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
...where the bushes come to touch
the shore... I can let you pass,
and introduce yourself to the
Beautiful Lily.
RICHARD
We Will-o’-the-wisps fear the
heat of the noon... Right, John?
JOHN
Do you have a boat too, cousin
Severus?
SEVERUS
I do not need it.
30 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - DAY
Noon. Severus, not luminous, snakes among the high grass
of the shore. He arrives at the water. He raises his head
and extends its forward on the water, more and more
forward. Magically his body stretches to cover the entire
width of the river.
SEVERUS (V.O.)
Our River painfully separates art
from wisdom. I was allowed to
connect the two shores only at
noon, for a few minutes.
The whole body of Severus becomes a bridge of green
quartz, with an arch, one meter wide.
SEVERUS (V.O.)
My body is the offering: I become
a stone and I lose all
consciousness, to give the
inhabitants of the Village the
possibility of fleeting
encounters.
13.
31 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
JOHN
What village?
Severus lowers his head.
SEVERUS
Once on the two banks of the
great Rumon River...
32 EXT VILLAGE - DAY
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
...a prosperous and delightful
Village expanded.
A beautiful village extends over both banks of river, a
hundred meters wide. The vegetation on the banks is well
taken care of. A robust three-meter-wide wooden bridge
connects the two sides. Many boats are moored or cross the
river. THE INHABITANTS are busy in the streets and in the
houses.
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
At that time many boats crossed
the river. A beautiful wooden
bridge connected the two
shores... they were only a
hundred meters away.
33 EXT A VAST PLAIN - DAY
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
Our Prince Cullen was proud in
battle...
Silent scene. A battle with INFANTRYMEN AND KNIGHTS.
PRINCE CULLEN stands out on a rearing horse: 25, a
handsome young man, noble appearance, beardless, brown
hair behind him. He wears a cuirass with a breastplate and
wields the sword. He encourages the fighters.
34 INT ROYAL COUNCIL HALL - DAY
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
...he administered the kingdom
with foresight...
Silent scene. The room is spartan furnished, with a large
rectangular cedar table in the center, swords and
tapestries on the walls, chairs with high wooden backs on
the walls. Daylight enters from the cusped high windows.
A large round wrought iron chandelier hangs above the
table, around which stand Cullen and SIX COUNCILORS, well
dressed, all with a beard. Cullen wears elegant knight
dresses. Some open scrolls are scattered on the table.
14.
Cullen unrolls one of them above the others and
illustrates something to the councilors.
35 INT COURT OF JUSTICE - DAY
Silent scene. A room with a sumptuous high chair, on a
platform, on which Cullen is sitting; on his clothes he
wears a purple cloak, which half negligently covers him.
On both sides there are beautiful empty chairs.
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
...he judged with justice and
truth...
THREE PEOPLE stand in front of Cullen. On the right, a
well-dressed councilor, with a beard and some scrolls in
his hand, in silence. In front, TWO PEASANTS address to
Cullen in turn on a lively way to ask for justice. Cullen
listens carefully to the litigants’ perorations.
36 INT THRONE ROOM - DAY
Silent scene. The Room is not too wide but sumptuous; MANY
DAMES AND KNIGHTS bow to Cullen, who is standing near the
throne, with crown and scepter. The throne is a high
wooden armchair with many embedded gemstones, and
decorated cushions.
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
...his government was wise and
fair.
37 EXT LARGE FARMTERRACE - NIGHT
A peasant festival. FOLK MUSIC. The farmterrace is
decorated with festoons, garlands and lanterns. MANY
PEASANTS dance and fun. There are also SOME HIGHER CLASS
GUESTS.
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
Alas! At a Harvest Moon Ball he
met a really highest rank
princess, from a distant kingdom,
and they fell in love.
Cullen dances with one hand behind his back and holds a
girl’s hand with the other one. She is BEAUTIFUL LILY, 20,
blue eyes, radiant look, long blonde and ringletted hair,
softly intertwined with ribbons and small flowers.
38 INT ROYAL PALACE - LIVING - DAY
Silent scene. A truly sumptuous living room. On the wall a
large picture of a KING and a QUEEN, who in the flesh
stress out furiously and address tough to Lily, who covers
her face with her hands and runs away.
15.
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
The sovereigns took position
against, with all their
strength...
39 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
...but Beautiful Lily was too
stubborn. She asked Prince Cullen
to escape together, she convinced
him by leaning on his love...
40 EXT FOREST - NIGHT
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
They escaped at night, through
the Dark Forest behind the royal
palace.
Lily runs into the deserted dark forest, her head covered
by the cloak hood. She reaches Cullen who waits for her
near a tree, with two horses. Cullen and Lily jump on the
horses and run away at a gallop.
41 INT ROYAL PALACE - LILY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The King and the Queen roam the room furiously, throwing
the furniture on the ground. The Queen throws the blankets
into the air, then raises her fists in the sky, invoking
the curse.
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
Very great was the sovereigns
anger when they discovered it.
The mother threw a curse on the
two young persons.
42 EXT FOREST - NIGHT
A LIGHTNING hits WITH A BANG the gap between the horses of
Cullen and Lily, which rear up. Shying they run away. The
branches of the trees lash Cullen and Lily and tear their
clothes off.
43 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
Since then, Beautiful Lily can
not touch any living being.
Richard and John look at him sadly.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
(lowering his head)
When the Queen inflicted her
curse on her disobedient
(CONT)
16.
SEVERUS (CONT’D) (FOLLOW)
daughter, and on the Prince who
had kidnapped her, our Village
began to fall into ruin, to
perish... like a living being.
44 EXT VILLAGE - DAY
The houses rot, fall into pieces, disappear swallowed by
vegetation. They disappear in pieces, almost magically.
SEVERUS (V.O.)(CONT’D)
Houses and streets are rotten,
fallen into pieces, swallowed up
by vegetation. Only a few of them
have resisted.
45 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
RICHARD
(ruefully)
Desolation, disorder...
JOHN
(ruefully)
Squalor, decay...
SEVERUS
All together...
(pause)
Since then we await, we few
survivors the desolation, that
the ancient prophecy of a new
bridge, which forever unites the
Rumon River banks, is realized.
Then the Lost Kingdom will return
to being prosperous and happy.
JOHN
But then... even the Beautiful
Lily’s Garden is in ruins...
RICHARD
(dismayed)
It is all full of weeds!
SEVERUS
No: Beautiful Lily stayed to live
with us, and her Palace is the
only place in the countryside
that has not been touched by the
ruinous abandonment.
Richard and John breath for the escaped danger, looking at
each other.
17.
46 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT - NEXT
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
You could pass the other side at
dawn, in the Great Giant’s
shadow.
The clouds return to thin out. A little light passes
through the open rips.
JOHN
Which is?... The Great Giant?
What would be like?...
SEVERUS
The Great Giant, he lives not far
from here. With his body he can
not do anything: his hands do not
raise a straw, his shoulders
would not bring a bundle... But
his shadow can do much... rather,
everything.
RICHARD
Oh, what does it mean?...
SEVERUS
That at the rising and falling of
the sun he is very powerful,
because the shadows are long. And
so in the evening you can sit on
his neck shadow... and the shadow
brings the traveler across the
river.
47 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - MOUNT - DAY
The GIANT slowly emerges from behind the east mountain. He
is enormous; resembles the giant of the 1938 Disney
picture "Brave Little Tailor". He yelps by stretching
dramatically.
SEVERUS (V.O.)
The Great Giant is huge, he looks
like a mountain. Nobody knows
where he lives, but he appears
every morning at dawn. He
whenever moves towards the river.
The Giant slowly starts towards the shore.
18.
48 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PLAIN/SHORE - DAY
As the Giant slowly advances, his shadow lengthens across
the river, from east to west.
SEVERUS (V.O.)
That is the moment to jump on the
powerful shadow of his nape.
49 EXT RIVER - EAST SIDE/WEST SIDE - DAY
The Giant takes the first step in the water. The shadow of
his head slides slowly over the water and lands at the
west bank.
SEVERUS (V.O.)
The Great Giant’s shadow is very
long. When he sets foot in the
river, the nape shadow is already
on the opposite bank.
50 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
SEVERUS
He spends all day from that part
of the river, nobody knows where.
51 EXT RIVER - EAST SIDE/WEST SIDE - DAY
The Giant emerges from the West Mountain and slowly moves
towards the river, that is to the east. His shadow
lengthens across the river, this time from west to east.
He takes the first step in the water. The head shadow
slides over the water slowly and reaches the east bank.
SEVERUS (V.O.)
But at sunset he returns to this
side. At that time the shadows
lengthen towards the Levant. Thus
the Great Giant’ shadow traverses
the river in reverse.
52 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
RICHARD
(astonished)
He passes here and there like a
madman!
(pause)
On the nape of his shadow, we
have understood. Right, John?
JOHN
But no, on the shadow of his
nape!
19.
RICHARD
(whining)
It’s the same thing!
JOHN
(to Severus, doubtful)
But the river will want to be
paid again...
SEVERUS
Don’t worry about this... The
Great Giant does not respect any
rule, neither of this world nor
of others. The Rumon River knows
it can not knock it down.
Severus raises his tail and points to a path that branches
off from the glade.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
You can look for the Great Giant
at dawn in the rocky cove at the
end of that path... Certainly he
will be very courteous.
JOHN
And you, dear cousin, what will
you do now?
SEVERUS
I will enjoy my own light.
Richard and John bow, then flit away quickly, toward the
path.
53 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - HILL - NIGHT
Severus turns to look at the thicket from which he came.
All the trees and bushes rustling in the wind. Severus
looks at his luminous body: the light palpitates. He looks
at the thicket again.
He crawls into the thicket, coming back from the clearing.
He shines strongly, illuminates and glitters the plants
and the grass along his passage. He arrives at a rocky
wall, begins to climb it, then enters a cleft in the rock.
54 INT TEMPLE - NIGHT
Severus emerges through a slit into an underground dark
Temple. He raises his head and spreads his glow within a
few meters.
SEVERUS
(to himself)
Finally I’ll see the Underground
Temple!
20.
Severus crawls around. Little by little he illuminates
columns and banisters. Everywhere dust and cobwebs. The
Temple is dipped in the dark and Severus manages to
illuminate only a ten-foot ray.
55 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT
A small stone house, with a thatched roof and a front
garden, leans against the wooded wall of a hill; a low
fence with a wooden gate surrounds it all around. A path
leads to the front door. Despite the some shabby and
slapdash look, the house inspires sympathy, it is pretty.
56 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT
The dark interior is quite large, clean and tidy. The
walls are made of gold bricks and glow in the dim light.
Floor and ceiling are of wood. There is a nice table with
a tablecloth and four chairs. A pantry, benches, chests.
Shelves with a few books, knick-knacks, lamps. A simple
round wrought iron chandelier with eight candles. In front
of the extinguished fireplace there are two old
comfortable armchairs. Door is closed.
57 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
We move to the bedroom, on the other side of the closed
door. These walls are made of golden bricks too, but the
half-light is more deep. The floor and ceiling are made of
wood.
A wardrobe, a chest, a large mirror, a chandelier similar
to that of the living room, but smaller. A small dog
sleeps on the left, on the bedside rug. Two over 60
spouses in nightgown sleep in the bed: PHILINE on the left
and BENJAMIN on the right, each facing own bedside table.
Philine is a little quick intelligent woman, but not too
much; she is not very tall, thin but slightly weighted by
age. Benjamin is a handsome old man with flowing beard and
hair behind him.
Two chairs are at the foot of the bed, with the clothes
above: peasant clothes for Philine, gamekeepers clothes
for Benjamin. On Philine’s bedside table we see an oil
lamp, a hair clip, a little book.
On Benjamin’s bedside table we see a very characteristic
oil lamp, the Magic Lamp: it is a small hexagonal glass
house in a wrought iron cage painted in white, with swirls
and decorations. The roof of the cottage is pierced. One
of the sides is a little door.
21.
58 INT TEMPLE - NIGHT
Bright Severus arrives at a colossal golden statue, seated
on a golden throne: he is the GOLD KING. The throne is on
a gold base, on which the word is engraved: TRUST. Severus
illuminates the statue from the base up up to the face.
The king wears the crown; with his right hand he keeps a
long scepter surmounted by a sphere, his left hand is
wrapped around the refined hilt of a sword that rests on
his knees (all of gold).
Severus’ light arrives at the face of the statue: the
Golden King wakes up and opens his eyes. He looks straight
ahead.
59 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
The Magic Lamp on Benjamin’s bedside table lights on by
itself. The first soft light strengthens and enlivens
itself.
60 INT TEMPLE - AT GOLD KING - NIGHT
GOLD KING
Who wakes up my sleep?
SEVERUS
(a little scared)
I am Severus the Snake.
GOLD KING
Where are you from?
SEVERUS
From the crevasses in which the
gold lives.
GOLD KING
What is more amazing than gold?
SEVERUS
The light...
GOLD KING
What is more life-giving than
light?
SEVERUS
The dialogue.
22.
61 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Benjamin opens his eyes. The Magic Lamp makes a good
strong light now. Benjamin gets up on one elbow and looks
at it. He is amazed and serious. The golden walls sparkle
in the light of the Magic Lamp. Philine moves in bed, she
wakes up.
PHILINE
(moaning)
what’s up?...
BENJAMIN
The Magic Lamp has lighted by
itself.
PHILINE
(moaning)
The Magic Lamp has lighted?...
Benjamin sits up on the bed, takes the trousers on the
chair and begins to put them on.
BENJAMIN
I have to go.
62 INT TEMPLE - AT SILVER KING - NIGHT
The Golden King keeps quiet. Bright Severus gives at him
sidelong glances as he moves within a few feet to the
right. Thus he finds the seated statue of the SILVER KING,
identical to the previous one, but silvery. On the throne
base the word "HOPE" is engraved.
Severus raises his head and illuminates the statue from
the base up up to the face.When Severus’ light arrives at
the face of the statue, the Silver King opens his eyes. He
looks straight ahead.
SILVER KING
Does which solemn day turn away
the sweet night, awakening me
from sleep?
63 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Benjamin is standing near the bed; he wears a modest
medieval gamekeeper clothing and a cloak.
BENJAMIN
Philine, I’m never in favor of
separating me from you, if I can
avoid it.
(pause)
But I have to go.
Philine stretches in bed, half asleep still.
23.
PHILINE
Where are you going?
BENJAMIN
At the Underground Temple.
Philine suddenly gets up to sit in bed.
PHILINE
(shaken)
What you told me that is totally
in the dark and... there are Four
Sleeping Kings... huge...
(widening her arms)
and when they’ll wake up, will
the ancient prophecy come true?!
BENJAMIN
The Magic Lamp doesn’t lie. If it
has lighted up, it means the Four
Kings have woken up.
PHILINE
(laughing nervously)
Benjamin, it’s a Magic Lamp. It
may have lighted up for a
thousand reasons!
BENJAMIN
They need me.
PHILINE
But maybe your prince is back,
now he’ll think of everything. He
was two years away, he may have
found... I don’t know, a
solution...
Philine crumples the sheet nervously.
BENJAMIN
No. The Magic Lamp always finds a
way to communicate with me, and
tonight it’s telling me that life
is back, over there.
64 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT - NEXT
Benjamin is sitting on the bed, by own side, facing
Philine.
BENJAMIN
I left the village fifty years
ago, and the most beautiful gift
the world has given me is your
love. Now that I am in this
desolation again, with you, my
(CONT)
24.
BENJAMIN (FOLLOW)
soul, I want to do my part all
the way. This is all just still
very new, to you: so trust me.
Benjamin comes out of the bedroom and heads for the front
door. Philine is sitting on the bed and leans toward the
door.
PHILINE
But the prophecy says the Temple
must emerge!
We hear the NOISE OF THE DOOR THAT CLOSES.
65 INT TEMPLE - AT THE BRONZE KING - NIGHT
Bright Severus gives at the Silver King sidelong glances
as he moves within a few feet to the right. Thus he finds
the seated statue of the BRONZE KING, identical to the
previous two, but bronzed. On the throne base the word
"LOVE" is engraved.
Severus illuminates the statue from the base up up to the
face, slowly. When Severus’ light arrives at the face of
the statue, the Bronze King wakes up and opens his eyes.
He looks straight ahead.
BRONZE KING
Love held me in delicate arms,
now it’s the joy which calls me
to new precious hours.
Severus lowers his head and walks away, giving at him
sidelong glances.
66 INT TEMPLE - AT THE COMPOSITE KING - NIGHT
He moves within a few feet to the right and so illuminates
the COMPOSITE KING throne base, identical to the previous
three, but without scepter and without sword.
The shoulders, the head and the crown of the statue are
made of gold, its chest and arms of silver, its legs of
bronze. The throne and the base are made of copper.
The Composite King supports with his hands a large copper
sphere. On the throne base the word "HUMILITY" is
engraved.
Severus illuminates the statue from the base up up to the
face. When Severus’ light arrives at the face of the
statue, the Composite King wakes up and opens his eyes. He
looks straight ahead.
25.
COMPOSITE KING
The town resounds with jubilance,
the land resounds in the splendor
of the morning sun.
67 INT TEMPLE - NIGHT
Suddenly on one of the walls a longitudinal crack opens,
with a DULL THUD. A beam of pleasant light comes out from
it and brightens the whole Temple, which is similar to the
Pantheon of Rome.
Benjamin come in the Temple through the cleft. The light
comes from the Magic Lamp that he holds in his hand.
Benjamin approaches the Golden King and raises the Magic
Lamp to his face. He has a movement of amazement.
BENJAMIN
Who called me?!...
Benjamin sees Severus and impulsively approaches the
snake, who is some embarrassed and so withdraws: he rolls
up to a balustrade and hides his head, but he is very
visible given his strong light.
GOLD KING
(to Benjamin)
Why do you come, Gamekeeper? We
already have the light!
COMPOSITE KING
(humbly)
It is too narrow a view...
Benjamin turns to the Golden King and makes a few steps
vehemently in his direction, in the middle of the Temple.
BENJAMIN
The Magic Lamp... ehm... made me
understand the Temple had been
illuminated.
GOLD KING
Maybe has the time come for the
one another’s reciprocal help?
SILVER KING
To invoke themself the each
other?
BRONZE KING
An event is enclosed in the other
one, as in a box.
COMPOSITE KING
An interest is overwhelmed by the
other one.
26.
BENJAMIN
These are all rhapsodic riddles,
my sovereigns. First of all, let
them come back to live in my
soul--
GOLD KING
You linger with thought on old
fairy tales.
COMPOSITE KING
On old books and traditions.
BENJAMIN
(impatiently)
How difficult it would be to give
you satisfaction if I followed
your criteria!
Severus unrolls quickly, exits from behind the balustrade
and advances a few terraces towards Benjamin.
SEVERUS
(to the Gold King)
A fairy tale has its own truth,
and it must have it, otherwise it
would not be a fable.
BENJAMIN
It represents us as possible, in
possible or impossible
conditions, impossible events.
SEVERUS
It’s fabulous and fantastic, but
everything flows in it naturally.
GOLD KING
Forests of symbols with familiar
eyes... Prophecy is still far
from being fulfilled... But light
is the first step.
COMPOSITE KING
For a long time we waited for the
light... But beauty and wisdom
are still lacking...
BRONZE KING
And the sacrifice...
Severus looks seriously at the Bronze King.
BENJAMIN
The improbable sometimes presents
itself as something probable and
indubitable.
27.
GOLD KING
Benjamin... eternal Guardian of
this cursed Temple... Only your
Magic Lamp can give light to the
awakening prophecy.
SILVER KING
I already find all the
distinctive signs of a prophecy,
and in the highest degree the
most important sign.
SEVERUS
Which?...
COMPOSITE KING
It’s easy to see how it refers to
the past as well as to the
present and to the future.
SILVER KING
Benjamin... Does maybe my kingdom
end?...
Benjamin sharply turns to the Silver King.
BENJAMIN
Late or never!
BRONZE KING
Gamekeeper Benjamin, when will I
stand up?
Benjamin sharply turns to the Bronze King.
BENJAMIN
Soon!
BRONZE KING
Who should I join?
BENJAMIN
Your older brothers.
BRONZE KING
And what will happen to the
youngest?
BENJAMIN
He will remain seated...
COMPOSITE KING
I’m not tired!
Benjamin sharply turns to the Composite King.
28.
COMPOSITE KING (CONT’D)
Are you looking for the
immeasurable greatness here?
You’re wrong. My greatness is in
making him the greatest one...
Bright Severus looks at the Composite King carefully,
fascinated.
68 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Philine is in front of the fireplace, in a dressing gown.
A lit lamp is placed on the mantelpiece. She has tied her
hair up with the hair clip on the bedside table. She with
an andiron moves the ash a little.
The ashes of the fireplace reddens. Philine’s hands
approach the embers to warm up. They BEAT at the door.
Philine turns in amazement at the door. We hear a strong
THUNDER.
69 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT - NEXT
Philine is standing behind the wooden door; her head is
slightly bowed towards the door.
PHILINE
(hesitant)
Who are you?...
RICHARD (OS)
We are two wayfarers, Madame.
70 EXT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT
JOHN
It’s very cold, it’s raining. Let
us come in and warm up a little,
until it stops raining.
RICHARD
Please!
71 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Philine hesitates, then with slow gestures unlatches the
door.
PHILINE
(herself)
That’s the night of novelty...
Philine opens the door. As soon as the opening is wide
enough, Richard and John jump into the house, flying on
the ground. Philine has a movement of amazement. She
closes the door and remains a little dismayed. Richard and
John bow.
29.
RICHARD
Nice to meet you, Madame.
JOHN
We are Messer Richard and Messer
John, wills-o’-wisp. At your
service.
RICHARD
(laughing)
I’m Messer Richard.
PHILINE
Nice, wills-o’-wisp. Please
accept the modest hospitality of
my home.
Richard and John fly fast from one side of the house to
the other. The golden walls sparkle. Richard and John look
at them and exchange a knowing look.
JOHN
Is this beautiful little house
all yours, Madame?...
PHILINE
Oh no! This is the gamekeeper’s
house. He is my husband,
Benjamin.
JOHN
(interesting)
And where is he now, your
husband?...
PHILINE
(worried)
He had to go out...
Richard and John smile wickedly.
72 INT TEMPLE - NIGHT
GOLD KING
How many secrets do you know,
Gamekeeper?
BENJAMIN
Three.
SILVER KING
What is the most important?
BENJAMIN
The obvious one.
30.
BRONZE KING
Do you want to reveal it to us
too?
BENJAMIN
As soon as I’ll know the fourth
secret...
COMPOSITE KING
It does not matter... Even in the
end, riddles will always be
enough.
SEVERUS
(weakly)
I know the fourth secret...
Benjamin violently draws close to Severus.
BENJAMIN
Severus!...
Severus rises up to Benjamin’s ear and HISSES something.
Benjamin straightens his shoulders and raises his arms.
BENJAMIN
(powerfully)
IT IS THE TIME!
Benjamin’s voice ECHOES in the half-dark Temple.
73 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT
The door opens wide and Benjamin enters, his cloak soaked
and theamp lit in his hand. It’s raining outside: a
lightning and a THUNDER. Benjamin SLAMS the door.
BENJAMIN
It started to rain again.
The eight chandelier candles are lit. There are no more
ounces of gold on the walls: now they appear to be simple
stone. Benjamin does not notice: he turns off the Magic
Lamp, sets it on a shelf, takes his cloak off and hangs it
on a wall hanger, next to the door of his house.
Now he notices there is some confusion in the room: the
objects on the shelves are overturned, a couple of chairs
are overturned. Philine is seated on one of the armchairs,
in front of the lit fireplace, and cries softly.
She holds a handkerchief on the face. The dog is at her
feet, it seems asleep. Benjamin looks at her. In the
silence we hear the soft weeping. Only now he notices the
room is completely upside down, a chaos. The bedroom door
is open. He approaches her and puts a hand on her head.
31.
74 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
BENJAMIN
Philine...
PHILINE
(weeping)
Benjamin, why did you leave?... I
told you not to go... You left me
alone!
BENJAMIN
What happened?...
PHILINE
(weeping)
Two travelers came, they knocked
on the door... They looked like
two PEOPLE just right! They were
dressed in light flames, I
thought they were
wills-o’-wisp... indeed they
were... I let them in... I’ve
been unwise!
Benjamin sits in the other armchair, reaching out to
Philine, and takes her hands.
BENJAMIN
What have they done?...
PHILINE
They started to make me shameless
compliments! They importuned me!
BENJAMIN
(smiling)
Well... those men certainly only
wanted to joke... it was just a
generic courtesy, given your
age...
Philine jumps up.
PHILINE
But what age!
75 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT - NEXT
Philine starts walking around the room, she is irritated.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
The age! Do I always have to hear
from you about my age? Am I so
old?! A generic courtesy! I know
what I’m saying!
Philine points to the walls with his hand.
32.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
Look! There is not even an ounce
of gold left!
Philine makes a circular gesture, pointing to all the
walls of the room.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
All the gold they licked away!
You can not believe with what
speed!
Benjamin gets up and looks around.
BENJAMIN
You know it’s not a problem...
PHILINE
And they also had the impudence
to say it was much better than
what they usually lick!
Benjamin laughes.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
They have become much brighter
and even more impudent!
(with trembling voice)
They tried to caress me...
Benjamin approaches her and tenderly strokes her face,
takes her arms with affection, while Philine still moves
nervously.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
They called me their queen... But
the worst thing is they started
to shake violently, and they
brought down a shimmering amount
of coins... look...
Only now we notice so many shiny coins on the floor.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
See how they shine again! There,
under the bench!... What a
misfortune!... Benjamin...
Philine is terrified and looks at the dead dog beside the
fireplace. So Benjamin also looks at him.
BENJAMIN
(surprised)
What happened to Stanny?...
33.
PHILINE
(whining)
He ate a bit of coins... I do not
know how many, I could not stop
it...
76 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - FIREPLACE - NIGHT
Benjamin and Philine approach the dog beside the fireplace
and crouch, but they do not touch him.
BENJAMIN
Poor beast...
PHILINE
I cannot be able to console
myself... I saw it only after the
wills-o’-wisp had left...
Philine gets up and Benjamin too.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
...otherwise I would not have
promised to settle their debt
with the ferryman.
Benjamin is dumbfounded and stares her.
BENJAMIN
Why did you do that?!!
PHILINE
I wanted they to go away as soon
as possible! I was afraid they
would not leave!
Pause.
BENJAMIN
Are they debtors of what?
PHILINE
Three cauliflowers, three
artichokes and three purple
onions.
(pause)
I promised to take them to the
River when the day breaks.
BENJAMIN
(uncertain)
Yes, you can do it to them, this
pleasure... Today generosity has
returned to these lands: as I
thought, the Four Kings are the
ones who have made the prophecy.
Perhaps when Prince Cullen will
(CONT)
34.
BENJAMIN (FOLLOW)
return, there will not be any
need to save Beautiful Lily
either. And those two
wills-o’-wisp... it is no
coincidence what is happening...
sooner or later those two will be
useful to us...
PHILINE
I don’t know, however they
promised and swore they would
return the favor.
77 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT - LATER
Philine and Benjamin, with two brooms, finish sweeping the
last coins and mound them all in one corner. Philine opens
a closet and they place the two brooms.
PHILINE
(rueful and tired)
I go to bed, Benjamin.
Philine heads for the bedroom.
BENJAMIN
Yes, Philine, I’ll catch up with
you soon. Now I turn off all the
lights and then put everything
back into place.
78 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Philine enters the bedroom. Inside, the walls are now only
stone. She closes the door behind her.
79 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Benjamin approaches his Magic Lamp with a small stick,
opens the little door and puts the flame to the wick. He
closes the door and leaves the Magic Lamp on the shelf.
He takes a snuffer from a shelf and extinguishes the
candles of the chandelier. He throws ash into the
fireplace and extinguishes the fire. Now only the Magic
Lamp illuminates the room.
Benjamin takes it, raises it slowly and goes around the
room. He illuminates the walls and the fireplace. When the
magic light passes, all the walls become golden.
BENJAMIN (OS)
(to himself)
The power of the Magic Lamp...
when every other light is
extinguished... turns the stone
into gold...
35.
Benjamin approaches the dead dog with the Magic Lamp and
bends over him.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
(to himself)
The power of the Magic Lamp...
transmutes into precious stone...
the body of dead animals...
The dog becomes of onyx.
80 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - COVE - DAWN
Richard and John are waiting standing, in silence.
81 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - MOUNT - DAY
The Giant appears from behind the mountain. Its shadow
stretches over woods and plains.
82 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - COVE - DAY
JOHN
There he is!
Richard makes his teeth rattle with terror.
RICHARD
There he is!
JOHN
Here is his shadow!
83 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY
Benjamin and Philine face each other. They are dressed in
a simple but clean and dignified manner. Philine is
buttoning a heavy jacket; she puts on a shawl, then her
coat.
Benjamin holds with his hands a wicker basket with two
handles: the dog of onyx, three cauliflowers, three
artichokes and three purple onions, are inside.
BENJAMIN
Here is your basket, Philine.
Inside you find...
Benjamin looks in the basket, pointing with his head.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
Stanny, three cauliflowers...
three artichokes and three purple
onion. And your lunch.
Philine covers the basket with a cloth.
36.
PHILINE
(muttering)
Fresh vegetables... it will weigh
a ton...
84 INT/EXT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DAY
Philine crosses the door while she raises the basket on
her head with difficulty. Benjamin keeps the door open.
Philine walks on the path, with the basket on his head. In
the doorway Benjamin looks at her with his hands on his
hips.
85 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - HILL - DAY
Philine comes down the hill; she carries the basket on her
head hardly, through the brush and the clearing.
BENJAMIN (OFF)
Take them to the River and wait
for noon.
Bright and drowsy, Severus advances placidly, in the tall
grass.
BENJAMIN (OFF)
At noon, go with Severus on the
other side...
86 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - LILY’S GARDEN - DAY
Lily is standing in a Garden similar to the Garden of
Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo. Her mature gaze is
absorbed towards the infinite. She wears a princely dress
in which white dominates. She has long blonde hair ringed
and softly intertwined with ribbons and flowers, moved by
a light breeze.
BENJAMIN (OFF)
Visit Beautiful Lily. Tell her
that her extrication is next!
87 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PLAIN - DAY
Philine walks through the East Plain, which slopes down to
the river. The sun is very low and shines brightly on the
water. She suddenly stops: Giant’s very long shadow
through the East Plain, approaching the River.
Philine looks around for an escape route. The Giant sees
her. He stretches his hands until their shadow reaches the
basket. The hands shadow easily moves the cloth and with
two nails it steals a cauliflower, an artichoke and a
purple onion.
37.
The Giant brings the three vegetables to the mouth and
swallows them. Philine is powerless. The Giant carries on
advancing towards the River. Philine, without stopping to
look at him, keeps on to approach the River.
88 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - COVE - DAY
The shadow of Giant’s head reaches and exceeds the Eastern
Cove, covering John and Richard, who jump over the shadow
of his nape.
89 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - DAY
As the Giant advances in the East Plain, his shadow begins
to slide on the water. Richard and John’s flames are
floating on the shadow that slides over the water. The
wills-o’-wisp are motionless, almost breathless.
90 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - DAY
Philine arrives at the Eastern Pier, puts the basket
hardly on the ground and sits on a boulder. She sighs
causes fatigue and distrust.
91 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - BOAT - DAY
Philine is still sitting. Argus’ boat arrives. Argus is
standing and rows. Cullen is standing next to him; he
wears high-quality knight clothes, a breastplate pectoral
and a purple cloak. A full basket is on the bottom of the
boat, it is covered with a cloth.
Philine gets up. The boat approaches the Eastern Pier.
Argus moors it. Cullen hops nimbly off the boat and holds
his hand to his forehead with a brief nod of greeting to
Argus. He bows quickly to Philine and walks off along the
bank.
Argus comes down from the boat. Philine is curious and
looks down at Cullen stepping away, then she turns to
Argus. Cullen in the distance paces back and forth on the
shore, gives some small kicks, as if he wanders aimlessly.
92 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - DAY
ARGUS
What do you bring, Madame
Philine?
Philine lifts the cloth inside the basket.
PHILINE
These are the vegetables the two
wills-o’-wisp owe to you, Messer
Argus.
Argus looks inside the basket. He gets dark and raises his
head.
38.
ARGUS
I cannot accept them.
PHILINE
Please, Messer Argus... Now I
cannot go home to get others of
them!... The basket with the
fresh vegetables is very heavy
for me... Take them, otherwise
I’ll not be able to keep on
carrying it the entire way!
ARGUS
It’s out of my hands, Madame
Philine!... You don’t understand!
I cannot touch anything for nine
hours anyway!
Philine looks at him without understanding.
ARGUS (CONT’D)
Nine hours after the crossing
I’ve to pay the River... And I’m
already late... Only later I can
take my part... that is, two
thirds... A third pertains to the
River... Do you understand? But
there is still a possibility,
Madame Philine. If you guarantee
the River, and recognize you are
still in debt for a cauliflower,
an artichoke and a purple
onion... then I’ll take the six
vegetables... But there is some
danger...
Philine looks at him in astonishment.
ARGUS (CONT’D)
But if you keep your word, you
are not in any danger...
(pause)
You must introduce your hand into
the River... and promise you’ll
pay the debt within twenty-four
hours...
Philine kneels on the pier and leans over to the water.
Argus kneels beside her. Philine pulls back her right
sleeve, a little; slowly she plunges her hand.
39.
93 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SHORE - DAY
Cullen is sitting on an upturned trunk and stares at the
water absently.
94 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - DAY
Philine, with her hand immersed in the water, looks at
Argus and utters the promise.
PHILINE
(slowly)
I promise to pay the debt... of
the two gentlemen...
Argus immediately widens his eyes and his mouth, to stop
her.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
No! of Argus the ferryman...
within twenty-four hours.
Argus approves with the head. Philine pulls his hand out
of the water and SCREAMS. The hand has turned black, like
burned. Argus looks at Philine a little guiltily, as
tumbled.
PHILINE
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!!
ARGUS
Don’t worry, Madame Philine...
PHILINE
My hand!! Just the hands, which
are the most beautiful thing I
have!
ARGUS
In the end it will get well!...
95 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - DAY - NEXT
Philine gets up and is furious; even Argus gets up and is
embarrassed. She is terrified while looking at her hand.
PHILINE
I worked the land for a
lifetime!... But I’ve always been
careful to keep my hands white,
pretty... since I was a child!...
Philine moves her hands in front of herself, turns them
gracefully, observes them and at the same time shows them
to Argus. Then she suddenly conceals her blackened right
hand behind her back.
40.
ARGUS
(clumsy)
Madame Philine...
PHILINE
Ah! It has even reduced! This is
even worse!...
Philine looks at her hands close to each other.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
It’s smaller than the other one!
ARGUS
It seems, it seems, but only for
now!... I assure you it will
return as before, Madame Philine,
as soon as you keep your word!...
But if you don’t give the River
what you have promised, the hand
will shrink little by little...
and at the end it will disappear
completely.
Philine SCREAMS.
ARGUS (CONT’D)
But you’ll still use it: is that,
nobody will see it!...
PHILINE
I would rather not be able to use
it, Messer Argus, but having it
like everyone else! but it does
not matter! I will keep my word,
I will get rid of this burned
skin, and this distress!
96 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PIER - DAY - LATER
Argus hands Philine the basket with only the onyx dog
inside. An annoyed Philine covers the dog with a cloth.
Philine raises the basket very easily and places it on his
head; the basket hovers a few inches above Philine’s head,
floating.
97 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SHORE - DAY
Philine, with the basket on her head, turns from the pier
towards the beach, for where Cullen had headed. Cullen, in
the distance, looks at the river. Philine pulls her skirt
up a little with both hands and hurries to reach him.
In the background Argus enters the boat and stretches to
remove the mooring. Philine reaches Cullen, who looks very
sad, and joins him. In the background, Argus moves away
from the pier with his boat.
41.
PHILINE
Hail, thou noble youth.
CULLEN
Don’t ask me to speak, tell me to
be silent. My secret is my duty.
Passion brings pain...
PHILINE
(perplexed)
Allow me to introduce myself...
I’m Madame Philine, Gamekeeper’s
wife. And you... what’s your
name??
CULLEN
(sighing)
I would like to unveil my whole
soul, but it’s fate I cannot.
Philine takes a breath to answer, but Cullen continues:
CULLEN (CONT’D)
Who will appease my oppressed
heart, which has lost too much?
PHILINE
(pause)
Oh... eh... are you a prince?
CULLEN
(sighing)
Everyone quietens in friendly
arms, but an oath seals my lips.
(pause)
Yes, I am a prince.
98 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SHORE - ALONG THE BANK - DAY
Philine walks along the bank, followed by Cullen, who
pulls up beside her. Cullen walks very slowly: Philine
increases and slows down, to stay close to him.
PHILINE
And from which kingdom?
CULLEN
Know’st thou the land where
lemon-trees do bloom, and oranges
like gold in leafy gloom?
PHILINE
But what’s the king your father’s
name?
42.
CULLEN
He is gone...
PHILINE
Oh, I’m sorry... And the queen
your mother?...
CULLEN
(sighing)
She is gone too...
Philine is piqued while looks at him.
PHILINE
(mellifluous)
You walk too slowly for me, sir.
I cannot waste a moment. I’ve to
cross the Rumon River on the back
of the Green Snake and hand over
my husband’s precious gift to
Beautiful Lily.
99 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SHORE - DAY
Philine hurries the pace. Cullen shakes himself and
immediately reaches her, putting himself at her pace.
CULLEN
(very interesting)
Are you going to Beautiful Lily!?
So we do the same way! What gift
do you bring??
Philine stops in amazement and looks at him, then she
starts walking quickly, without looking at him.
PHILINE
(indignant)
My lord... it’s not right! You’ve
evaded all my questions, and
now!...
CULLEN
Forgive me, Madame Philine! I’m
so rich, but my feeling for her
devours everything! I’m so rich,
and without her everything
becomes nothing!...
PHILINE
I see you’re very interested in
my secrets!
CULLEN
Oh, I didn’t mean to offend you,
kind peasant!
An exasperated Philine stops and looks at him.
43.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
(beseeching)
Sometimes I think, if I could
only once but once, press her to
my heart...
Philine resumes walking, less hastily.
PHILINE
If you want to make an exchange,
prince, tell me about your
affairs, and I will not hide you
about me and my husband’s gift.
CULLEN
First, tell me about the gift...
100 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SHORE - DAY - NEXT
Philine stops, takes the basket and shows it to Cullen.
Cullen raises the cloth and sees the onyx dog
PHILINE
It was our pet... Stanny...
Cullen takes the onyx dog from the basket and turns it
over in his hands.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
It died while eating gold
coins... But my husband has a
miraculous lamp that turns dead
animals into precious stones...
An in real amazement Cullen looks at her. Then he looks at
the onyx dog. He tightens it to his chest.
CULLEN
Happy animal... You’ll be touched
by her hands... she’ll give you
life, while the living, in front
of her, flee... not to know a sad
destiny!...
Cullen puts the onyx dog in the basket and covers it with
the cloth. Philine puts the basket on her head. The basket
hovers a few inches. The two resume their walking.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
Well, why do I say sad?... It’s
more distressing and anguished
being paralyzed by her
presence... than dying by her
hand...
Cullen stops, and Philine even stops.
44.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
Look at me, Madame Philine! what
a poor condition I’m forced to
endure!...
A perplexed Philine looks at him.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
A prince should not reflect the
rays of an extraneous reason; he
should shine with his own light,
like a star...
Philine opens her mouth to say something, but closes it
because she is even more perplexed. Cullen puts his hand
on his armor.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
This armour, which I have borne
with glory in the broil of the
battle, has been converted by
Fate into an unceasing burden...
Cullen grabs a piece of his cloak.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
This purple, which I have earned
by the wisdom of my government,
has been converted by Fate into
an empty honour!...
Philine looks at him with compassion. Cullen resumed
walking with his head bowed, followed by Philine.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
Crown, sceptre and sword are
worthless... I am now as naked
and destitute as every other son
of clay...
PHILINE
Did you miss them during the
trip?
CULLEN
I have traveled a long time
looking for help, ultimately. For
alliances, potions, solutions...
For such is the spell of her
beautiful blue eyes... that they
waste the vigour of every living
creature... One look is enough,
and every man feels reduced to
the condition of breathing
shadows... Those whom the contact
of her hand does not destroy, of
course!...
45.
Cullen and Philine notice something and thus they stop;
they are very amazed as they look ahead.
CULLEN (CONT’D)(OS)
What?...
101 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE - DAY
A single-arched green Pedestrian Bridge shines in the
midday. It has no balustrade. The stones of the Bridge are
cut regularly, but they are precious and of all shades of
green. Cullen looks at Philine.
CULLEN
Can we dare to pass over it?...
Cullen and Philine, with the basket suspended on her head,
walk on the Pedestrian Bridge.
PHILINE
How is it possible?...
CULLEN
The Bridge was sufficiently
beautiful before, when it
stretched before our eyes, with
its decorations, as if it were
made of jasper and prasio and
opal!...
Cullen kneels and caresses the smooth, shiny bridge
surface, enchanted.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
Now it looks of emerald,
chrysoprase and chrysolite...
combined together in the most
enchanting variety...
102 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE - DAY
Cullen and Philine reach the west bank. They make their
way to a path. Behind them, the whole arch begins to
oscillate and tremble, to sway from side to side, and
gradually it sinks to the level of the water. At last it
retreats to the ground, until it resumes the appearance of
Severus, his accustomed luminous shape.
103 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - SHORE - DAY
Brigh Severus follows the Cullen and Philine to the shore.
Cullen and Philine hear his SWISH, stop and turn.
PHILINE
Oh... He’s Severus!
(to Severus)
Thank for your condescension in
(CONT)
46.
PHILINE (FOLLOW)
allowing us a passage on your
back across the stream, Severus!
SEVERUS
(to Cullen, joyfully)
You’re back, Prince Cullen!
Philine turns to Cullen, widens her eyes and almost holds
her breath.
CULLEN
There are evidently more persons
present than are actually
visible...
104 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - SHORE - DAY - NEXT
We hear a LIGHT WHISPERING. Severus turns and answers with
a similar SOUND. Cullen and Philine sharpen the eye.
Richard and John appear from the glare of the sun next to
a very bright Severus, while they are very blurred.
JOHN
Hello, Cousin Severus. It’s a
pleasure to find you again. We’ve
crossed the river on the shadow
of the Great Giant’s nape. Right,
Richard?
RICHARD
A singular experience, to be
honest...
JOHN
From the top we have seen
Beautiful Lily’s palace and
garden...
At that name Cullen’s eyes sparkle.
RICHARD
...but we will first make an
incognito ride... Right, John?
JOHN
Yes sir, we will, in the great
park.
RICHARD
We beg you to introduce us to
such perfect beauty when the
shadows of evening fall, Cousin
Severus...
47.
JOHN
...As soon as we are somehow
presentable. Right, Richard?
RICHARD
You will find us on the bank of
the great lake.
SEVERUS
All right, cousins!
Richard and John flit away quickly. A HISSING SOUND dies
away in the air.
105 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PATH - DAY
Cullen, Philine and Severus resume their walking.
PHILINE
Have you already been in the
Beautiful Lily’s Garden, Severus?
SEVERUS
I know the house, its porch with
pillars tall. The rooms do
glitter, glitters bright the
hall.
CULLEN
The whole ensemble let’s we see
it as the fruit of a serene and
cheerful mood.
PHILINE
(sighing)
Imagination cannot pose demands,
it must wait for what is given to
it.
CULLEN
Yes it cannot, buta Beautiful
Lily doesn’t make plans, doesn’t
set a course.
SEVERUS
It’s true. They are her own wings
to hold her, to guide her.
106 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PATH - DAY - NEXT
We see from behind Severus, Cullen and Philine, on the
path. Severus’ light palpitates. We hear their voices in
the distance.
SEVERUS
We have to decide with what
regard to precedence we should
appear before Beautiful Lily...
48.
CULLEN
Her visitors don’t have to be
never so numerous, they must
enter and depart singly...
PHILINE
If they wished to escape bitter
suffering...
107 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - LILY’S GARDEN - DAY
In the full sun of noon you see all the splendid Lily’s
Garden, then in particular an artificial approx. 10x5m
lake, with paved edge, surrounded by trees and bushes. A
slight BREEZE ripples the water and moves the fronds.
A vast paved terrace opens on one of the smaller edges, in
the shade of a large tree. In the center, a precious but
simple rounded in white cast-iron table; on the
tablecloth, the leftovers of the dinner set for four.
TWO PAGES in refined clothes clear the table. One of them
gradually puts the crockery into a well-made trunk, with
lots of straw, on a low cart attached to a pony.
The other one sets the table again, with cups, jugs and
trays with in medieval-style food, fruit, nuts, etc. The
two pages approach the two sides of the pony and gently
guide it through a secondary path, and leave the scene.
Not far from the table, we see a two-seater in lightweight
white wood sofa, with some cushions. Lily is seated on the
sofa beneath the shade of trees and PLAYS A SMALL HARP.
Three maids in medieval pastel colors clothes, in a very
relaxed attitude, are sitting on comfortable chairs with
armrests and white wood sofas. They have in their hands,
or near them, cushions, flowers, fans, small musical
instruments, a small parasol of white lace, all of value.
The FIRST MAID, 40, a lean mature beauty, dresses with
shades of red. Her black streaked with gray hair is
gathered in a soft chignon, and she have big dark bistred
eyes.
The SECOND MAID, 30, dresses with shades of blue. She has
brown hair gathered in two braids rolled up on the sides
of the head, intertwined with ribbons.
The THIRD MAID, 20, dresses with shades of green. She has
a cascade of red curls on her shoulders, and her skin is
very white.
The opposite side of the pond is bordered by a one meter
high regularly cut hedge, which ends up on both sides in
the distance. A Flowers Arch opens at the center of the
hedge.
49.
Philine comes from behind the hedge. She crosses
composedly and slowly the Flowers Arch, with the basket
under her arm. The right hand is hidden by a shawl.
108 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SOFA - DAY
Lily PLAY THE HARP while staring at Philine. The SWEET
TONES show themselves first in the form of circles upon
the bosom of the calm lake; and then, like a soft breeze,
they impart motion to the grass and to the tremulous
leaves.
Philine advance toward Lily with rapture. She walks calmly
alongside the fountain and arrives in front of her. Lily,
with her eyes down, stops playing. Without moving her
head, Lily only raises her eyes to Philine. Philine bows
briefly without stopping to look at Lily.
PHILINE
What joy to be in your presence,
Beautiful Lily! What a heaven
surrounds you! Since our last
meeting, you had become more
beautiful than ever.
So saying, Philine approached nearer. Beautiful Lily
raised her eyes and let her hands drop.
LILY
Do not distress me with your
untimely praise, peasant. It
makes me feel even more unhappy.
And see!
Lily points to the ground with a look. At the feet of Lily
lies a dead canary.
LILY (CONT’D)
Here is my beautiful canary dead
at my feet, which used to
accompany my songs so sweetly.
Lily’s eyes rise up to Philine again.
LILY (CONT’D)
He was accustomed to sit upon my
harp. I had carefully instructed
it to avoid my touch... This
morning, after I refreshed by
sleep, I tuned a pleasant melody.
The little warbler sang with
increased harmony...
The Second Maid relieves her of the harp and puts it down
on the sofa. Lily leans forward and raises her gaze
dramatically.
50.
LILY (CONT’D)
(excitedly)
...when suddenly a hawk soared
above us!
A hawk SCREECHES across the sky.
LILY (CONT’D)
My little bird sought refuge in
my bosom...
Lily sadly lowers her head. She lies back on the cushions.
LILY (CONT’D)
(sadly)
...and at that instant I felt the
last gasp of his expiring
breath... my darling is dead, and
its grave will but add to the
number of the weeping willows in
my garden...
109 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SOFA - DAY - NEXT
Philine looks at the dead canary and its mistress
compassionately and wipes away a tear.
PHILINE
Take courage, Beautiful Lily!...
and learn from my experience to
moderate your grief. Great
misfortune is often the harbinger
of intense joy. For the time
approaches but in truth the web
of life is of a mingled yarn. It
is the time!
Lily raises her eyebrows and looks at her with skepticism.
LILY
Only those who know nostalgia
know what my pain is. That who
love me is far away... and I
blaze inside.
PHILINE
(uncomfortable pause)
Really in this world all sorts of
tricks happen...
110 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - DAY
Philine pulls out her right hand from under the shawl.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
See my hand, how black it has
become!...
51.
The Three Maids get up and surround Philine by looking at
her hand.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
(to herself)
It has become much diminished in
size!... I must be speedy, before
it be reduced to nothing!
(to the First Maid)
Oh, why did I promise favours to
the Will-o’-the-wisps?...
The First Maid looks at her with understanding.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
(to the Second Maid)
Why did I meet the Great
Giant?...
The Second Maid looks at her with understanding.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
(to the Third Maid)
Why did I dip my hand into the
Rumon River?...
The Third Maid looks at her with pity.
111 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SOFA - DAY
PHILINE (CONT’D)
(to Lily)
Oh, Beautiful Lily, can you give
me a cauliflower, an artichoke
and a purple onion?...
Lily’s eyes widen in surprise.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
I shall take them to the river,
and then my hand will become so
white!... that it will almost
equal the lustre of your own!
LILY
(pause)
Cauliflowers and onions abound.
But artichokes cannot be
procured.
112 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - OUTER PERIMETER - DAY
We see a long privet row. It is an outer perimeter: a two
meters wide dirt track runs along it. Cullen is seated on
a lonely stone bench. Bright Severus is curled up at his
feet, his head slightly above the height of Cullen’s
knees.
52.
CULLEN
Pain and torment meander into my
lonely soul day and night. Like a
lover who is slowly approaching
his belle, listening, to see if
she is alone.
113 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - ROWS/SOFA - DAY
Lily gets up and approaches the rows of trees and bushes,
which form three sides of a 6x6m square, behind the sofa.
The Second Maid takes the parasol. The Three Maids
approach Lily. The Second Maid opens the parasol and holds
it on Lily’s head. All four coast the plants.
LILY
My garden produces neither
flowers nor fruit. But if I break
a twig...
Lily breaks a twig and turns to show it to Philine, who
has remained in place a few meters away.
LILY (CONT’D)
...and I plant it upon the grave
of anything I love... bursts into
leaf at once... and grows a
goodly tree.
Lily points to the rows of trees with her hand.
LILY (CONT’D)
Thus, beneath my eye, alas, have
grown these clustering trees and
copses...
Lily walks beside the trees, pointing to them with her
hand, followed by the Three Maids.
LILY (CONT’D)
These tall pines... these
shadowing cypresses... these
mighty oaks, these overhanging
beeches...
While Lily speaks, Philine is employed in watching own
hand, which becomes every instant of a darker hue, and
grows gradually less.
LILY (CONT’D)
...Were once small twigs planted
by my hand... as sad memorials...
(to Philine)
in an ungenial soil...
Lily gets closer to the sofa again.
53.
LILY (CONT’D)
I’m caught in these torments with
a part of guilt: may a god grants
me to express what I suffer in
secret.
114 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - DAY
Lily is standing in front of Philine. The Three Maids
remain close to her, standing. Philine is about to take
her basket and depart, when she swallows, having forgotten
the most important of her duties. She raises the cloth
inside the basket and shows Lily the onyx dog.
PHILINE
My husband sends you this
present... It’s our pet,
Stanny... You know that your
touch can impart life to this
precious stone...
Philine takes the onyx dog in her arms, and lays it upon
the grass, not far from Lily.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
Stanny is a good and faithful
animal: it will be a joy to you.
The grief its loss causes me will
be alleviated by the thought that
it is yours, Beautiful Lily.
Lily looks at the pretty creature with delight, and
rapture beams from her eyes.
LILY
On this day... sad, like all the
others... many things combine to
inspire me with hope...
(to herself)
But is it not a delusion of our
nature...
Lily bends to caress the onyx dog.
LILY (CONT’D)
... to expect that joy is near
when grief is at the worst?...
Lily sits down and picks up the harp again. The Three
Maids sit on other chairs, Philine remains standing. Lily
SOUNDS and sings.
LILY (SINGING)
Ah! what avail these omens all so
fair?...
54.
115 EXT/INT ALTERNATE - DAY
As Lily sings OFF SCREEN, you can see:
1. the flowing river;
2. Benjamin’s house from outside and inside; Benjamin is
in the vegetable garden and hoes;
3. the Temple immersed in the half-light;
4. Cullen sitting on a stone bench outside the Lily’s
Garden;
5. the Argus’ hut, from outside and inside
6. the Argus boat docked at the west bank dock; Argus is
sitting in the boat and fishing with a rudimentary fishing
rod;
7. all the landscape from above.
LILY (CONT’D SINGING)(OFF)
...My sweet bird’s death, my
friend’s hands blackly dyed? And
the little dog transformed into a
jewel rare? Sent by the Magic
Lamp to guide our faltering
steps. Far from mankind and every
joy I prize, to grief and sorrow
I am still allied. When from the
river will the temple rise? When
will the bridge span it from side
to side?
116 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SOFA - DAY
Lily ARPEGGIATES the last notes.
FIRST MAID
How poignant is the voice of the
poet who sings, to escape death.
LILY
I sing as the canary sings among
the branches. My reward is the
song that breaks out from the
throat.
Philine turns his head around with impatience and
apprehension. We hear a SWISH in the grass; Lily and
Philine get stuck, then all five women look where the
rustling comes from.
Lily just turns her eyes, without moving her head. Bright
Severus appears crawling and raises his head towards Lily.
55.
SEVERUS
The prophecy of the bridge is
fulfilled, Beautiful Lily! Madame
Philine will bear witness how
splendidly the arch now appears!
Formerly of untransparent jasper,
which only reflected the light
upon the sides, it is now
converted into precious jewels of
transparent hue. No beryl is so
bright, and no emerald so
splendid!
LILY
I congratulate you for this,
snake Severus. But, forgive me...
I doubt whether the prediction is
fulfilled. Only foot-passengers
can as yet cross the arch of your
bridge; and it has been foretold
that horses and carriages,
travellers of all descriptions,
shall pass and repass in mingled
multitudes...
Philine’s eyes are fixed immovably upon her hand
LILY (CONT’D)(OS)
Does not the prophecy speak of
mighty pillars which are to
ascend from the Rumon River?...
--
117 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - DAY
Philine gives a little bow.
PHILINE
With your permission, Beautiful
Lily, allow me to bid farewell.
Lily gets up immediately. Even the Three Maids get up.
LILY
(alarmed)
Wait for a moment, Philine!...
take my poor canary-bird with
you! Implore the Magic Lamp to
convert it into a topaz. I will
then reanimate him with my touch.
It and your good Stanny will then
be my greatest consolation.
Lily kneels and takes the dead canary in her hands. She
looks up at Philine and begs her.
56.
LILY (CONT’D)
(thrilled)
But make what speed you can! for
with sunset decay will have
commenced its withering
influence... marring the beauty
of its delicate form.
Philine and the Third Maid crouch beside Lily. The Third
Maid puts some large leaves on the bottom of the basket.
Philine gently takes the dead canary from Lily’s hands and
envelopes the little corpse in some soft young leaves,
places it in the basket, then covers it with the cloth.
Lily, Philine and the Third Maid get up. Philine takes the
basket under her arm, briefly bows to Lily and hastens
from the spot towards the Flowers Arch.
118 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PATH - DAY
Philine walks along the path.
119 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - FARM - DAY
A small farm stands in the middle of the western plain.
From a secondary path Philine arrives and walks to the
door. Philine’s left hand beats on the door. The FARMER
TYRION opens the door, has a pipe in his mouth.
TYRION
Ah Madame Philine!... Come in,
come in...
Philine gets through the front door.
120 INT FARM - DINING ROOM - DAY
The farmer and Philine are standing in the dining room.
TYRION
What can I do for you? You look a
little downcast...
PHILINE
Oh, I’m just hungry... I didn’t
have lunch...
TYRION
Ah but why didn’t you say that
right away!...
The farmer approaches the table and moves a chair away.
TYRION (CONT’D)
Please, please, sit.
57.
Philine puts the basket on a chest and sits satisfied. She
waits with her arms on the table, the shawl over her black
hand.
PHILINE
And how are you, Messer Tyrion?
Tyrion takes a plate from a shelf. He raises the lid of a
large pot hanging in the fireplace, over the extinguished
embers, and places it on a wall.
TYRION
Who longs in solitude to live,
soon his wish will gain. Men hope
and love, get and give, and leave
him to his pain.
He takes a ladle hung on the wall, with which he takes a
large piece of meat from the pot, along with some sauce,
which he puts in her plate.
TYRION (CONT’D)
I just advanced a nice piece of
rabbit from lunch... eh eh eh...
It’s still lukewarm!
Tyrion puts the plate in front of Philine, who rolls up
her sleeves, takes the meat with two hands and bites
hungrily.
121 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SOFA - DAY
SEVERUS
(to Lily)
Despite what you say, the temple
is built, Beautiful Lily. I saw
with my own eyes.
Lily sits regally on her sofa. The Three Maids sit down
too.
LILY
But it does not yet stand upon
the river, Severus.
SEVERUS
It’s true, it rests still in the
bowels of the earth; but I have
seen the Four Kings, and spoken
to them.
LILY
And when will they awake!? I’m
here alone, divided by every joy!
I look at the stars...
58.
SEVERUS
I heard the mighty voice resound
through the temple: IT IS THE
TIME!
LILY
(happily)
Oh, it’s already the second time,
today, that I hear these happy
words! When will the day come
when I will hear them for the
third time?...
122 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - DAY
Lily gets up. The Three Maids get up too. Lily approaches
the onyx pet, left on the ground. She looks at it and
smiles pleasantly. She leans elegantly over it and with
her right touches it lightly.
The pet instantly leaps up; its appearance is slightly
zombie. Lily surveys the pet with a look of pleasure.
Stanny Zombie looks round joyously, hastens to his
benefactress and caresses her tenderly.
Bright Severus bends his head and slithers away cautiously
a few meters. He disappears in the grass. Lily takes
Stanny Z. in her arms and presses it to her bosom..
LILY
You are so cold... endued with
only half a life...
Stanny Z. cuddles her and yelps happily. She hugs and
caresses it.
LILY (CONT’D)
(smiling)
Yet you are welcome to me, little
Stanny... I will love you
fondly... play with you
sportively... kiss you softly...
and press you to my heart!
Lily puts Stanny Z. on the ground. She lets it go a little
from her, calls it back, chases it away again, and plays
with it joyously and innocently.
LILY (CONT’D)
(laughing)
Come on here! Come on!...
Lily swivels on the grass while Stanny Z. chases her. She
laughs. The Three Maids run around with Lily and laugh.
They all call Stanny; Stanny Z. runs and barks happily
from one to the other.
59.
FIRST MAID SECOND MAID
Stanny!... Stanny!...
THIRD MAID LILY
Stanny!... Stanny!...
123 INT FARM - DAY
We see the empty plate and the black hand, with a piece of
bread, which finisches cleaning it. Philine gulps down the
piece of bread. On the table we also see two glasses and a
bottle of wine. Tyrion is sitting in front of Philine.
PHILINE
(full)
Thank you, Messer Tyrion... Just
what I needed!
TYRION
And now do you want to tell me
why you came here?
Tyrion lowers his head towards Philine.
TYRION (CONT’D)
Problems with your husband, the
Gamekeeper Benjamin?... Who has
not experienced the great
advantages that dialogue
ensures?...
PHILINE
Messer Tyrion, I would like you
to take me to the other side of
the river.
TYRION
How?...
Tyrion looks at her hand.
TYRION (CONT’D)
You’ve already committed to
paying someone else’s debt... and
you haven’t done it yet.
PHILINE
You can stole your brother Argus’
boat!
TYRION
What?! Why I should do this
villainy?!
60.
PHILINE
I’ve to go home! I’ve a debt with
the Rumon River! But on my return
I’ll bring you enough
cauliflowers, purple onions and
artichokes to pay off both debts.
An almost stunned Tyrion looks at her.
TYRION
Madame Philine, haven’t you paid
the other debt yet and are even
planning to take out a second
debt?!
PHILINE
Oh, Messer Tyrion, what a fuss!
They’re four of everything in
all, in a few hours you’ll have
what you need--
TYRION
Madame Philine, I cannot take you
anywhere, with a stolen boat! The
river would sink the boat, there
is no doubt about this!
Pause. They look at each other.
PHILINE
(slowly)
Do you mean... as long as I’ll
not settle the Will-o’-the-wisps
debt, I’ll not be able to cross
the river again on your boat?...
TYRION
But... also from this part of the
river you can find cauliflowers,
artichokes e purple onions...
Philine gets up excitedly.
PHILINE
No! I cannot! Here... it’s not
possible... there are no
artichoke nearby!
TYRION
You can still cross the river on
the Great Giant, of course it’s
more inconvenient...
PHILINE
At my age on the Great Giant’s
nape?! I can not afford these ups
and downs anymore! And then... it
(CONT)
61.
PHILINE (FOLLOW)
makes me genuinely disgusted!...
I, well... I can bring you even
now a hundred cauliflowers and a
hundred purple onions, and
then... from my vegetable garden,
all the artichokes you want! The
vegetable is all there, in the
vegetable garden!
Tyrion looks elsewhere with resignation.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
Noo!! Not so!... And tomorrow
morning, before noon...
Philine looks at her hand in horror. She takes the basket
from the chest in a flash, runs to the door, throws it
open and runs out, leaving the door open.
124 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - FLOWERS ARCH - DAY
A melancholy Cullen comes from behind the hedge and goes
through the Flowers Arch, with a very dejected look. He
seems overcome by the heat of the day, and perceptibly
paler at the presence of his beloved. He bears the hawk
upon his wrist, where it sits with drooping wing as
tranquil as a dove. The right fist is tightly closed.
125 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE/SOFA - DAY
As Cullen approaches Lily, he watches her intensely and
breathes deeply. Lily interrupts the game and looks at
Cullen with love. The Three Maids stop but keep laughing.
Stanny Z. jumps happily from one to the other.
Bright Severus appears in the grass and wriggles under and
behind the sofa. He raises his head a little and looks at
Lily and Cullen with curiosity and apprehension.
LILY
Oh, Cullen!... It is not well
that you should vex my eyes with
that odious bird...
CULLEN
However, while it launches itself
in flight, it traces the most
wonderful roads, which are
constantly changing and moving in
others directions.
Cullen caresses the head of the hawk with a finger. Lily
looks at him frowning.
62.
LILY
This monster has murdered my
little favourite only this day!
CULLEN
(irritated)
Don’t insult it! Don’t blame the
luckless bird, rather condemn
yourself, and fate!... Let me
find an associate in this
companion of my grief...
LILY
Cullen, beloved, so long you’ve
been all my delight and all my
singing; you are, alas, my pain
as well now, but all my singing
you still will be.
CULLEN
I would have already gone far, as
far as the world is open, if the
stars, that bound my destiny to
yours, don’t overwhelm me.
126 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - PLAYING WITH STANNY - DAY
Stanny Z. is incessant in his caresses. Lily responds to
its affection with the most gentle tokens of love: claps
her hands to drive it away, and then sportively pursues to
win it back.
Cullen looks at the scene with frowning eyes, in silence
and in sorrow. She catches it in her arms as it tries to
escape, and chases it from her when it seeks to nestle in
her lap.
CULLEN
(to himself)
Frailty, thy name is woman. Where
are the hours, too soon vanished?
The Three Maids participate in the game, run around and
laugh. They call Stanny.
LILY FIRST MAID
Stanny!... Stanny!...
SECOND MAID THIRD MAID
Stanny!... Stanny!...
CULLEN
(irritated)
Lily!
63.
127 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - DAY
Lily stops and looks at him in amazement. The Three Maids
stop but keep giggling and giving each other sideways
looks. Stanny Z. stops and looks at Cullen, waving his
tail joyfully. He loses all patience, in the depth of his
despair.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
So must I look on and behold that
such an against nature abortion
gains your notice--
Lily falls silent. The Three Maids are quiet now and look
at Cullen in awe.
LILY
(uncertain)
Yours are really high and strict
demands...
CULLEN
--wins your love, and enjoies the
paradise of your embrace!... I,
whom a sad destiny compels to
live in your presence, and yet to
be separated from you, perhaps
for ever!...
Cullen quickly raises his right arm: the hawk flies away
SCREECHING.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
The taste is offended more and
more seriously...
Cullen takes a few steps, he is agitated, stops again,
then starts to move a few steps back and forth before
Lily, who is bewildered and remains still, watching him.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
I for you have forfeited
everything, even my own being!...
Must I continue to wander and
measure my solitary way along the
banks of this stream?! NO!...
Lily has a start of fear.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
A spark of my former spirit still
burns within my bosom... and oh
that it will now mount into a
flame!...
64.
LILY
I bear every truth, even the one
that reduces me to nothing. But
this I require: reduce me to
nothing
(shaking her head)
even before you say it...
CULLEN
(with held low voice)
If your touch can kill, I’m
content to receive my death at
your hands!
(out more loudly)
If stones may repose within your
bosom, then let me be converted
to a stone!
128 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - GROUND - DAY
She is scared and steps back. Cullen throws himself on her
with open arms and makes the gesture to embrace her. She
extends her arms to forbid his approach, and touchs him
undesignedly. Cullen drops dead upon her breast.
Lily immediately surrounds him with her arms and tries to
support him; she manages to support his weight hardly. The
Three Maids SCREAM. The Second Maid brings her hands to
her mouth.
The Third Maid turns the horrified head and raises an arm,
as if to defend the eyes from that sight. The First Maid
takes a step and extends her arms, but immediately
withdraws them.
Lily closes her eyes for a long moment. Slowly she kneels
down and places Cullen on the floor, keeping his body up
in her arms. She looks at him, his head is slightly
overturned.
The Three Maids are dismayed and approach and surround the
couple. Lily leaves Cullen entirely on the ground and gets
up. She is standing motionless and gazes intently on the
breathless body. Her eyes are bedewed with tears.
Stanny Z. approaches Cullen’s body, sniffing around. It
lickes Cullen’s face compassionately.
129 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - BODY CIRCLE - DAY
Bright Severus reaches the small group by crawling.
SEVERUS
(to Lily)
He had left wealth and power,
adulation and splendor.
65.
Lily looks at him with a glimmer of hope. The four women
spread backwards the circle around Cullen and Severus.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
He thought of relying on nature,
and returning to live alone with
himself.
Severus unrolls around Cullen’s body and surrounds him
entirely; his light palpitates.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
But his heart here has suffered
even more the ancient torment.
This sublime world, how it vanish
the senses...
Now Cullen is completely within the perimeter formed by
the body of Severus, i.e. a bright oval.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
(to Cullen)
Are you ruler of the day? of the
joy? of the punishment?... No.
Time drags you where everyone has
to go.
Severus winds her serpentine form in a wide circle round
the spot where the body lies, seizes the end of hisr tail
between his teeth, and remains motionless.
130 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SOFA - DAY
Lily has a hint of faint. Immediately the First and the
Third Maid dash to support her, but they stop and look
each other upset. Lily turns and, half-bent, with her
outstretched arm, manages to reach the sofa; sits, as
absent, astonished.
The Third Maid approaches, takes the harp that is on the
sofa and hands it to her; then she remains standing next
to the sofa. Even the Second Maid approaches and remains
standing next to them.
Lily picks up the harp and scarcely strikes the chords,
staring ahead with teary eye. Stanny Z. jumps in front of
her, then stops: it’s perplexed and crouches at her feet.
Once or twice Lily opens her lips to sing, but her voice
refuses utterance; whereupon she weeps.
The harp falls from her hands. The Second Maid catches it
and lays it aside. The First Maid looks at Severus.
FIRST MAID
What can man wish for more, than
being allowed to connect the end
to the beginning?
66.
SECOND MAID
And how can this happen, if not
thanks to the persistence of
trust, love and friendship??
131 EXT RIVER’S VIEW - DAY
We see, from very high up, hills, woods, clearings, Lily’s
Garden and the River in the middle. We hear over the
sobbing cry of Lily.
132 INT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DAY
Benjamin is sitting in his armchair. He smokes a pipe of a
different shape from that of Argus. Above a shelf the
Magic Lamp CRACKLES suddenly. The wick fires on by itself,
SIZZLING. Far away the hawk SCREECHES. Benjamin removes
his pipe and raises his head.
133 EXT SKY - DAY
The hawk furrows the sky. A ray of the sun makes the
feathers of his chest shine for a moment. It SCREECHES.
134 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SOFA - DAY
Lily is sitting on the sofa, she cries silently and stares
blankly into distance.
SECOND MAID
(quietly)
What does crying shorten?
FIRST MAID
(looking at Lily)
(quietly)
The love.
Severus frees his mouth to speak.
SEVERUS
(quietly)
Who will fetch the man with the
Magic Lamp, before the sun sets?
The three maids look at each other. Severus takes his tail
into his mouth again, sadly.
135 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SOFA - DAY - LATER
The afternoon draws to its end. Lily is sitting on the
sofa, her head lowered, her gaze lost blankly into
distance; she has a fire-red veil on her hair, pinned with
precious jewels. The veil is inwoven of gold thread. Gold
threads and jewels send luminous flashes.
67.
Stanny is crouched at his feet, its head stretched on the
ground. Cullen is lying on the ground, surrounded by
bright Severus. The Three Maids are sitting together on
another sofa, and they look at Lily with pity and concern.
THIRD MAID
I don’t envy her...
SECOND MAID
Nor do I... She is a princess,
has a beautiful castle, a
beautiful park, the hunting
reserve, but...
FIRST MAID
Not only. Nature was a generous
mother for her. Already as a
young girl she sang like a
nightingale.
SECOND MAID
In vain so much beauty and so
much grace were reserved to
her...
THIRD MAID
Before the curse she was always
carefree, but even afterwards,
she needed only a little to have
a light soul... Now, who knows...
136 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - FLOWERS ARCH/TERRACE/CIRCLE - DAY
Philine runs breathless with agitation from the Flowers
Arch, with the basket under his arm.
PHILINE
(distraught and terrified)
I’M LOST AND CRIPPLED!
The First and the Second Maid get up. Stanny Z. raises its
head. Philine arrives in the terrace. She sees the corpse,
stops, widens her eyes.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
Prince Cullen... oh!...
Stanny Z. runs happily to hop next to Philine. The First
Maid approaches Lily’s sofa, on the right, followed by the
other two, who are on the sofa’s left, the Second a little
further back.
Philine looks questioningly at the Three Maids and then at
Lily. The Three Maids look at each other ruefully. Lily is
sitting stiffly and stares blankly into distance and with
teary eye.
68.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
What... what happened?!
A horrified Philine lends an accusatory look to Lily.
Philine takes two uncertain steps toward the four women,
then looks at Severus, who forms the bright oval around
Cullen’s body. Stanny Z. hops around her.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
(to all of theme)
The ferryman will not set me
across the river, because I’m
indebted to the stream!
Philine raises her arm and shows the black hand, which has
become a small stump.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
(to all of theme, around)
Look! My hand is nearly withered!
In vain I’ve tempted them with a
hundred cauliflowers and a
hundred onions!
The Three Maids lower their heads. Lily continues to stare
blankly into distance.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
(uncertain)
The River... insists upon the
stipulated three vegetables, but
not an artichoke can be found in
this neighbourhood!...
SEVERUS
Philine, forget your distress,
rather try to give your
assistance here. Perhaps you will
be helped at the same time...
Philine looks at him desperately, with her arm up. Stanny
Z. barks and jumps to catch the raised arm.
SEVERUS (CONT’D)
Hasten as hard as you can to find
out the Will-o’-the-wisps: you
cannot see them by daylight, but
perhaps you may hear them
laughing and flitting. If they
hurry up, the Great Giant may yet
transport them across the river.
They have to find your husband
and send him here before the sun
goes down completely.
Philine remains interdicted for a moment; her look goes
from one to the other of those present. Then she seems to
realize what she has to do, and nods.
69.
PHILINE
Yes... Yes, I do...
She puts the basket on the ground. Stanny Z. sniffs the
inside of it. Philine takes a few steps away, then starts
running towards the Flowers Arch.
Stanny Z. runs after her for a few meters, barking, then
stops. It sits on its hind legs and looks at the Flowers
Arch, across which Philine has run away. Everyone in the
garden is silent. Severus takes his tail in his mouth
again.
137 EXT WEST PLAIN - DAY
Philine runs in the plain with everything she has.
PHILINE
WILL-O’-THE-WISPS!
WILL-O’-THE-WISPS!...
Philine runs around and calls. Sometimes she stops and
calls.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
RICHARD! JOHN!
Philine stops suddenly and pants. We hear SOME HISSES.
Philine looks around and waits, then keeps her eyes in one
place. John’s fire’s fluctuating figure thickens in the
late afternoon light.
JOHN
Madame Philine...
RICHARD
Our queen!
Richard and John laugh and flutter around Philine and
dedicate themselve to a dance of joy.
PHILINE
Stop! STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?
Richard and John dance around her.
RICHARD JOHN
(chanting) (chanting)
Our queen!... Our queen!...
PHILINE
STOP, I TELL YOU!
Richard and John laugh more.
70.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
PRINCE CULLEN IS DEAD!
138 EXT WEST PLAIN - DAY - NEXT
Richard and John stop. They look at each other with a
comically sad air.
RICHARD
It’s terrible! Right, John!?
JOHN
We are deeply grieved. Right,
Richard?
PHILINE
There is a hope still!
RICHARD JOHN
Really? Which?? Which??
PHILINE
My husband, Benjamin the
Gamekeeper, has got a miraculous
Magic Lamp...
Richard and John listen attentively.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
Well, it’s useless to explain it
to you, now! Hurry at my home,
soon! Warn my husband, he knows
what he has to do!
JOHN
But we must remain on this side
of the river, if we want to be
presented to the Beautiful Lily!
Right, Richard?
RICHARD
Our cousin Severus promised it
us! Right, John?
PHILINE
This is how you treat me, after
I’ve payed your debt to the Rumon
River!
JOHN
Madame Philine, we don’t know how
to cross the river!
PHILINE
How you came this morning at
dawn! On the shadow of the Great
Giant’s nape!
71.
RICHARD
And for the return?!...
PHILINE
My husband will think about the
return! And you’ll arrive in time
to know the Beautiful Lily!
Everything must be done before
sunset, otherwise Prince Cullen’s
body will begin his decay, and
the Lost Kingdom will be lost and
decompose altogether!
Richard and John flutter at the ground.
PHILINE
(through cupped hands)
I’LL WAIT YOU IN THE FERRYMAN’S
HUT!
Richard and John hurry away.
RICHARD
Will the Giant’s shadow be strong
enough to carry us, at sunset?
JOHN
It seems a stupid question! But
we’ll find out soon!
139 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SUNSET
The sun is very low on the horizon. The Giant’s head
shadow glides from the water onto the shore. Richard and
John are standing on the his nape shadow and are a bit
scared. The shadow continues to glide on the mainland.
They jump down from the nape shadow.
140 EXT BENJAMIN’S HOUSE - DAY
Richard and John are at the Benjamin’s house gate. They
float towards the front door and stop in front of it.
RICHARD JOHN
GAMEKEEPER! BENJAMIN! BENJAMIN! GAMEKEEPER!
GAMEKEEPER! OPEN! HEY! GAMEKEEPER! Your wife
Madame Philine sends us!
Silence. Richard and John remain silent waiting and then
look at each other.
RICHARD JOHN
GAMEKEEPER! BENJAMIN! BENJAMIN! GAMEKEEPER!
Prince Cullen is dead!
72.
We see Benjamin’s house and the two will-o’-the-wisps at
the door. We hear their repeated calls from afar.
JOHN RICHARD
OPEN! OPEN! OPEN! OPEN!
JOHN
(pause - close)
He is not here!
RICHARD
What a mess!
JOHN
And now how will we do with
Prince Cullen?
RICHARD
He’ll remain dead forever!
Because of us!
JOHN
It’s not our fault if that stupid
Gamekeeper is not here!
RICHARD
(pause)
And now what do we do?
JOHN
What we wanted to do from the
beginning! Going to know the
Beautiful Lily!
Richard and John are going away, then suddenly stop and
look at each other.
RICHARD JOHN
THE RUMON RIVER! THE RUMON RIVER!
141 EXT EAST PLAIN - DAY
partaandacrossheachuotherminlthenrunning.aButgevennturning
in circle, they head for the River.
RICHARD JOHN
What do we do?! What do we HELP!
do?!
RICHARD JOHN
We must go back! Where do we go?!
73.
RICHARD JOHN
Let us look for a way to Let us find a way!
cross the River!
Suddenly Benjamin, with the Magic Lamp held high, stands
out in the clearing.
BENJAMIN
WILL-O’-THE-WISPS!
Richard and John are comically frightened and approach
each other almost to mix the flames. They raise their arms
comically to the chest as a gesture of defense and
tremble.
RICHARD JOHN
HEEEE! HEEEE!
BENJAMIN
Stop running in circles like
plucked hens!
Together Richard and John scoot quickly towards Benjamin,
and stop two meters away from him.
JOHN
(afraid)
Are you the Gamekeeper?
BENJAMIN
No time for presentations! Come
with me!
Benjamin starts quickly but Richard and John remain
motionless, trembling.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
Do you decide or not? !! Don’t
you want to cross the Rumon
River??
Together Richard and John, still terrified, move quickly
to Benjamin, who gets going even before they reach him.
142 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - DAY
Benjamin, closely followed by Richard and John, rushes to
the riverbed and stops. Richard and John reach him, each
on one side. Benjamin raises the Magic Lamp towards the
water.
The light of the Magic Lamp forms a path of light on the
water. The small waves shine. Benjamin proceeds decisively
on the path of light, alone. After a few steps he stops
and turns.
74.
BENJAMIN
What are you waiting for?!
Quickly, I cannot wait on you
hand and foot!
Richard and John make a few hops on the path of light.
Benjamin starts running again. Richard and John begin to
scoot behind him.
143 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - ARGUS’ HUT - DAY
Philine is standing in front of the hut door. She writhes
her hands and looks anxiously forward. Around the house
the tall reeds are still and silent. At a certain point
they move and oscillate.
We hear some HISSES. Richard and John sprout from the
reeds. Philine takes a few steps forward, with
EXCLAMATION. Philine, Richard and John reach each other.
Silence.
PHILINE
So, good will-o’-wisps, did you
talk to my husband Benjamin? What
did the Gamekeeper tell you?
Richard and John look at each other in embarrassment.
RICHARD
My queen...
JOHN
Our queen!
Philine looks at them questioningly and anxiously.
RICHARD
As we arrived... right, John?
JOHN
Very right, Richard! We looked
for him...
RICHARD
We called him...
JOHN
It’s a tragedy...
PHILINE
(impatiently)
What are you saying?...
RICHARD
Majesty,
(gesturing)
he got away!
75.
PHILINE
(pause)
BUT WHAT MAJESTY! WHAT ARE YOU
SAYING? WHERE’S BENJAMIN?!
(pause)
You didn’t find him! There was
not!
Philine turns around, covers her face with her hands,
whines and moans, as she moves towards the hut. Richard
and John reach her on both sides.
RICHARD
Don’t cry, Madame Philine! Surely
he wasn’t doing anything wrong.
Right, John? I don’t know, other
women...
JOHN
What are you saying, Richard?!
The Gamekeeper wasn’t there, but
then we met him!
PHILINE
(almost hysterically)
And where’s he now?!!
JOHN RICHARD
Beautiful Lily’s! Beautiful Lily’s!
Philine pushes the door with her arm out and enters.
Will-o’-wisps are silent and in fear and look suspiciously
over and around as they enter.
144 INT ARGUS’ HUT - DAY
Argus is standing next to the table, with a small tub in
his hand, and looks questioningly at the three newly
entered.
ARGUS
I meet you again,
will-o’-the-wisps.
Richard and John stutter, bringing their hands to their
chest.
ARGUS (CONT’D)
Now don’t laugh...
PHILINE
My husband is already by
Beautiful Lily. I must reach him
right away.
Philine quickly wears shawl and cloak.
76.
PHILINE (CONT’D)
Only the light of his Magic Lamp
can slow down the hand
disappearance.
Philine leaves. Richard and John look at each other
perplexed. With embarrassment they start at the door,
first slowly, then they scoot one behind the other,
SCREAMING.
JOHN RICHARD
MADAME PHILINE! MADAME PHILINE!
145 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - DAY
Silence. Only the crickets BUZZ is heard. The Three Maids
are seated on scattered chairs, waiting. Stanny Z. is
crouched under the table. Philine’s basket is still on the
ground.
Lily is sitting at the usual place, a little bent, and
stares at Cullen, arms outstretched and hands resting on
knees. Bright Severus, with the tip of the tail in his
mouth, agitates impatiently. Lily starts crying softly.
Severus rolls his eyes around worriedly. The golden rays
of the setting sun spread their last beams upon the
highest tops of the trees, and lengthen the mountain
shadows over lake and meadow.
THIRD MAID
The sun is about to set...
First Maid looks at Third reproachfully.
SECOND MAID
If the putrefaction enters the
magic circle, Prince Cullen will
not be able to...
First Maid looks at her and widens her eyes to shut her up
severely. Lily lowers her head, covers her face with her
hands and cries without noise. The Third Maid approaches
her and hands her a lace handkerchief. Lily takes it and
covers her face. The hawk SCREECHES furrowing the sky.
Stanny Z. immediately comes out from under the table and
barks to the sky. Lily stands up agitated, the
handkerchief falls to the ground. Second Maid gets up and
picks it up. Lily stares at the Flowers Arch.
77.
146 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - FLOWERS ARCH/TERRACE - DAY
Slowly Benjamin crosses the arch, in the raised right hand
he carries his lit Magic Lamp. The four women look at him;
even the First Maid gets up. Stanny Z. hops to meet him.
Benjamin arrives in the terrace and stops. Stanny Z.
hovers around his legs.
BENJAMIN
(to Lily)
Who ever ate his bread in tears,
who sat in the sad nights,
weeping, on his bed, doesn’t know
the heavenly powers.
Benjamin looks piously at Cullen’s corpse.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)(OS)
They lead us into life. They let
the wretched stain himself with
guilt, because every fault finds
its revenge on earth.
Lily takes a step towards Benjamin and remains almost
suspended. Bright Severus raises suppliant eyes on
Benjamin, without leaving the tip of his tail.
LILY
What good spirit does it send
you? We want you so much and we
need you so much!
BENJAMIN
The spirit of my Magic Lamp
pushes me, and the hawk guided
me. When you need me, the Magic
Lamp flickers and crackles; then
I just need to look in the air
for a sign... a bird or a
meteor...
The four women are taking a step closer to Benjamin. Lily
has a pleading look.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
Calm yourself, beautiful girl! I
don’t know if I can help you. A
single person doesn’t help...
Lily is astonished. The Three Maids look at each other
questioningly.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
(looking around)
...But more PEOPLE together can
help a lot. Let us wait and hope.
78.
147 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - BODY CIRCLE - DAY
Benjamin crouches next to Severus’ head and places the
Magic Lamp on the ground. Its light covers the entire
perimeter formed by the luminous body of Severus, with the
corpse of Cullen inside. Stanny Z. crouches beside them.
BENJAMIN
(to Severus)
Keep your circle closed.
(to maids)
Bring the sweet canary here and
place it in the circle!
First Maid nods to the Second, who approaches Philine’s
basket on the ground, bends over, lifts the cloth and
takes the dead canary in her hands.
The Second Maid approaches the corpse and lays the dead
canary on the ground, inside the perimeter formed by the
luminous body of Severus.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
As long as they stay under the
light of the Magic Lamp, they
will not decay.
Severus and Benjamin look at each other in silence.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
Now all that remains is to
wait...
148 EXT PARK/GARDEN - SUNSET
The sun sets. As the shades of evening closes around, the
veil of Lily is illumined with a soft brilliancy, and
causes her pale cheeks and her white robe to beam like the
dawn of morning. We see the whole park. The rays of the
setting sun give rise to the highest peaks of the trees.
149 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - SUNSET
Philine arrives in a hurry, followed by Richard and John
floating close to the ground. Philine, Richard and John
see Benjamin. Philine stops.
PHILINE
Benjamin!
RICHARD JOHN
(to John) (to Richard)
The Gamekeeper! He was here! He was already
here!
79.
Philine, shaking, kneels beside Benjamin and lays her
stump under the beam of light. Benjamin and Philine look
at each other anxiously. In front of Lily’s couch, Richard
and John block their run, with a little forward momentum
of their heads. They bow.
JOHN
Good evening, Beautiful Lily.
RICHARD
Good night, Beautiful Lily...
JOHN RICHARD
(awkwardly) (awkwardly)
Princess, my respects. My compliments.
Richard and John look at each other with embarrassment.
Richard declaims, making a large gesture with his right
arm towards the empty garden, behind Lily:
RICHARD
Greetings, noble gentlemen,
greetings, beautiful ladies! How
rich is the sky, how many stars!
Who knows their name? In this
room full of magnificence and
splendor... um... uh...
LILY
Good evening to you,
will-o’-the-wisps.
RICHARD
(gratified)
Do you know us?... It’s like we
lived in the dawn, when the dew
in the field revives us...
JOHN
And after the welcome worries of
the day, the last ray of sunshine
makes us rejoice...
LILY
I know and love my subjects, and
my subjects know and love me.
JOHN
(gratified)
We are honoured. For a long time
we wanted to be presented to Your
Highness the Beautiful Lily.
Right, Richard?
80.
RICHARD
Instead, at the end we presented
ourselves. Right, John?
Richard and John giggle foolishly.
LILY
Thank you for agreeing to cross
the river again, to warn the
Guardian of the Temple.
Richard and John remain astonished.
JOHN
Your Magnificence, who is the
Guardian of the Temple?
RICHARD
We didn’t know it...
(to John)
We didn’t warn him!
LILY
The Guardian of the Temple is
Benjamin, the Gamekeeper.
JOHN RICHARD
Ooohhhhh... Yes yes, sure...
JOHN
But when we arrived he wasn’t
there...
150 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - BODY CIRCLE - SUNSET
BENJAMIN
(to Philine, reassuring)
Your hand will not carry on to
wither, as long as the Magic Lamp
shine upon it.
PHILINE
(ruefully)
If things go on like thus, it
will disappear entirely before
midnight.
151 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - ROWS - NIGHT
The moonlight floods the terrace. Only silence,
interspersed with the cicadas BUZZ. Lily walks along the
rows of trees, quietly followed by Stanny Z., who sniffs
around on the ground.
Lily wears a pearl-gray cloak with the hood thrown back,
and the luminescent red veil. She stops every few steps to
caress the leaves and smell them. Lily looks at the stars.
81.
LILY
A gentle wind blows from deep
blue heaven. The myrtle is thick,
the laurel grows high... I’ld
like to go down there with you,
my beloved one.
152 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - TABLE - NIGHT
The pony cart is near the table. The Three Maids are
seated around the table, distant from each other. They eat
fillets of already clean fish and baked potatoes, with
fork and knife.
The First Page pours the wine. We hear the noise of the
dishes in the silence. The First Maid finishes eating,
leaves the cutlery in the dish and rises. Then, the Second
and Third Maid leave the cutlery in the dish and rise.
The Second Page bends over to Philine and Benjamin with a
tray in his hand. On the tray we see two long sandwiches
and a beer mug. Philine and Benjamin each take a sandwich.
Benjamin takes the beer mug and rests it on the ground.
BENJAMIN
The time is out of joint. What a
cursed spite, that I was born to
set it right.
The Second Page rises with the tray and moves away.
Benjamin and Philine start eating. Severus frees his mouth
to speak.
SEVERUS
Only time will live forever. We
are the flowers that it mows.
Benjamin puts a piece of bread in Severus’s mouth. Severus
swallows the bread, then closes his mouth on the tail.
BENJAMIN
(eating)
The prophecy is coming true, but
something’s wrong. Something’s
missing.
PHILINE
(eating)
In fact, the bridge is not there
and the Temple has not emerged.
BENJAMIN
(eating)
Exactly.
Pause. Severus frees his mouth.
82.
SEVERUS
It misses the supreme sacrifice.
PHILINE
But Prince Cullen is dead: more
sacrifice than that...
SEVERUS
No. Prince Cullen died, but he
didn’t sacrifice himself. He just
has been the victim of evil, of
the queen mother’s wickedness and
her sick love.
BENJAMIN
It’s like that. The true
sacrifice of love is for the
good.
Pause.
SEVERUS
I cannot say whether I’ll be able
to tell you what will happen, or
if this is expressly forbidden to
me.
In the background the Three Maids whisper to each other,
standing.
153 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - NIGHT
In the silence of the Garden only the cicadas BUZZ is
heard. The light of Severus now shines strongly. Benjamin
and Philine are sitting on cushions next to Severus’s
head. Stanny Z. is crouched next to them.
The Magic Lamp, leaning on the ground, shines on Cullen’s
corpse; Philine keeps his damaged hand under the Magic
Lamp light. Lily is sitting on her sofa, with the cape
hood raised, from which the veil luminescence comes out.
Lily holds the harp in her hand, but caresses it absently,
without sounding it. Richard and John float brightly on
either side of Lily, in an attitude of tense expectation.
The Three Maids sleep on a sofa, leaning against each
other. Benjamin looks at the stars, then gets up with the
Magic Lamp. Even Philine gets up. Lily pluckes a harp rope
and turns only her eyes towards Benjamin.
BENJAMIN
It is midnight.
Lily gets up. She approaches Cullen followed immediately
by Richard and John. Among them three and Benjamin there
is Cullen’s body.
83.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
Felicitous moment finds us
together. Let’s us everyone
fulfill his task, everyone does
his duty...
John, Lily, Richard, Philine watch it attentively.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
...and a general happiness will
dissolve the pains of each one...
just as a general unhappiness
destroys the joys of each one...
The thoughts of Severus, Lily, Philine, Richard, John,
overlap as in a canon.
SEVERUS (V.O.) LILY (V.O.)
I’ll go to the Temple... I’ll go to the Temple...
I’ll go to the Temple... I’ll go to the Temple...
RICHARD (V.O.) JOHN (V.O.)
I’ll go to the Temple... I’ll go to the Temple...
I’ll go to the Temple... I’ll go to the Temple...
PHILINE (V.O.)
I’ll go to the Temple...
I’ll go to the Temple...
All the voices hush.
BENJAMIN
WE’LL GO TO THE TEMPLE!...
154 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - HAWK - NIGHT
Suddenly the hawk SCREECHES arriving straight on
Benjamin’s arm. Stanny Z. immediately raises its head.
Benjamin pulls out of a pocket a small round mirror with a
nice silver grip and hands it to the hawk.
BENJAMIN
(to the hawk)
Grasp the mirror!
The hawk nods.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
With the first beam of sun,
illuminate the sleeping maidens
and awaken them by the light
reflected from heaven!
84.
The hawk takes flight. Benjamin straightens his arm to the
sky. The hawk verges on Benjamin’s hand, grasps the grip
of the mirror and flies away into the sky.
155 EXT LILY’S GARDEN - TERRACE - NIGHT
Severus begins to move and breaks the circle around
Cullen’s body. It moves away in long windings, slowly,
disappears, his luminous trail disappears, but without
glittering. Stanny Z. follows him for a few steps.
Lily holds her arms by the cold. Richard and John close to
her. Benjamin poses the Magic Lamp on the ground. Benjamin
and Philine approach the basket, take it from the two
handles and slowly each of them moves back.
The wicker basket SQUEAKS HORRIBLY and slowly extends,
sending luminous glows. They stop when the basket reaches
almost two meters. They carry the basket with difficulty;
now shining strands of light are among the wicker.
They lay the basket on the ground next to Cullen’s body.
Stanny Z. observes with curiosity and shakes his tail.
Benjamin lifts Cullen from under his arms, Philine lifts
him from his ankles. They lay it in the basket.
Benjamin gently takes the dead canary in his hands and
places it on Cullen’s chest. Benjamin and Philine retreat.
The basket hovers at a meter. Stanny Z. jumps and BARKS.
Everyone looks at each other intentionally.
Richard and John set off solemnly towards the Flowers
Arch. The basket flies slowly behind them. Philine walks
behind the basket. She holds the small black hand on the
edge of the basket.
A slight halo of light extends from the basket to the
hand. Lily walks behind Philine, meekly flanked by Stanny
Z. Benjamin takes the Magic Lamp and walks behind Lily.
156 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - FOREST - NIGHT
Through the trees of a thick forest, we can glimpse the
funeral procession: Richard, John, the hovered basket,
Philine, Lily with Stanny Z., Benjamin. The points of
light are Richard, John, the basket, the veil of Lily, the
Magic Lamp. Many fireflies.
157 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE - NIGHT
The funeral procession arrives at the Pedestrian Bridge,
which emanates a green light. They come up the bridge
slowly. The shining, green arch stands out against the
dark sky.
85.
158 EXT ARGUS’ HUT - WINDOW - NIGHT
Argus looks at the far scene from the window of his hut.
He smokes his long pipe frostily.
159 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE - NIGHT
The funeral procession reaches the east bank. Everyone
comes down from the bridge and stops. Everyone turns to
look at the Bridge, arranged in a radial pattern. The arch
of the Bridge begins to oscillate sinking to the water.
Stanny Z. launches towards the Bridge-Snake but remains on
the shore and barks. Bright Severus docks. Stanny Z.
approaches him and smells him. The basket slowly settles
on the ground. Stanny Z. approaches it and sniffs inside.
Severus approaches the basket and surrounds it, again
forming a perimeter with his luminous body. Everyone
approaches. Stanny Z. sniffs the basket. Benjamin bends
over to Severus and places the Magic Lamp on the ground.
BENJAMIN
What did you decide?
SEVERUS
To sacrifice me... Promise me
you’ll leave no stone on the
mainland!
BENJAMIN
I promise you.
160 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SHORE - NIGHT
Benjamin stands up.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
(to Lily)
Touch the snake with your left
hand, and your loved one with
your right hand.
Lily bends one knee and puts her left hand on bright
Severus and her right hand on Cullen’s chest. At the same
instant Cullen moves in the basket. He breathes, slow
first, then deeply.
The canary FLAPS ITS WING, little by little wakes up,
CHEEPS. Stanny Z. hangs and WHINES. Cullen moves his head
and the still closed eyes. The canary takes flight
FLAPPING THE WINGS in the silence.
Cullen opens his eyes and looks into the void. He sits up
from the basket like an automaton. Stanny Z. moves away.
Lily is about to hug Cullen, but Benjamin holds her.
Benjamin helps up Cullen. Lily gets up too.
86.
Benjamin leads Cullen by the arm and pulls him out of the
basket and the perimeter of Severus’s luminous body. The
basket returns to its original size SQUEAKING. Everyone
looks at Cullen with apprehension.
161 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - SHORE - GEMS - NIGHT
Cullen looks at everything without any participation, with
empty stare. The canary comes to flutter on his shoulder.
At that moment Severus’s body shatters into a thousand and
a thousand shimmering precious stones.
Richard, John, Philine and Lily gasp. Cullen remains
motionless to gaze at nothing at all. Philine in alarm
takes a few steps towards the point where Severus was,
unintentionally scattering the precious stones, that
sparkle.
BENJAMIN
Holy poetry ascend to heaven!
Shine, beautiful star, far and
farther away!
LILY
From the serpent’s sacrifice, the
flame of a powerful spiritual
force shines and twinkles.
Benjamin bends down to pick up the shining stones and put
them in the basket. Philine helps him. They raise the full
basket and take it to a small boulder on the bank. Stanny
Z. follows them with curiosity.
Richard and Lily watch the scene, while John is
disinterested and passes the transparent hand in front of
Cullen’s eyes, which do not move. The canary flits about
Cullen and John.
Benjamin shakes the whole basket contents in the river: a
bright rain. Seeing this, Philine has an imperceptible
motion of dissatisfaction. Lily approaches her.
LILY
Why do you want to investigate
where goodness flows away?
(looking at the river)
Your gems, throw them into the
water: who knows who will ever
enjoy them.
The gems float on the waves like bright and shining stars;
then slowly sink.
BENJAMIN
He shines before us, disappearing
like a comet in the river. He
combined infinite light with his
light.
87.
BENJAMIN
(to Richard and John)
My lords, now I’ll show you the
way, and I’ll open the track for
you. But you’ll give us the
greatest favor if you open the
sanctuary door. This time we must
enter the front door, and no one
can force it except you.
Richard and John bow politely and ceremoniously.
162 EXT RIVER EAST SIDE - GLADE - NIGHT
The new procession moves forward: in front Benjamin holds
the Magic Lamp high up; Philine at his side, her hand
stretched out in the light; then Cullen, who walks as
emptied of life; then Lily and beside her Stanny Z.
trotting along, then Richard and John next to each other.
The canary flits about from one to another. Richard and
John exchange glances comically, as who know a thing or
two.
163 EST/INT RIVER EAST SIDE - CLEFT IN THE ROCK/PASSAGEWAY -
NIGHT
The procession arrives at cleft in the rock, the same from
which Severus had penetrated into the Temple. Benjamin
raises the Magic Lamp and illuminates the cleft widening
more and more. DEBRIS FALL, ROCK SPLITS.
BENJAMIN
The harsh rock opens its own
chest.
WAYFARERS come in one by one. At the end of the narrow
passage, WAYFARERS CROWD in front of a large bronze door,
like that of Pantheon in Rome, whose doors are closed by a
golden lock, a real small sculpture.
BENJAMIN
Richard, John, your turn!
Richard and John advance to the door and start to lick the
lock briskly.
164 INT PASSAGE - AT THE TEMPLE DOOR - NIGHT
Richard and John lick the last piece of gold from the
lock.
88.
165 INT TEMPLE - NIGHT
Gate doors widen RESOUNDING STRONGLY. Benjamin advances
holding up the Magic Lamp; next to him Stanny Z. takes a
step inside the Temple. Richard and John, brighter than
before, Lily, Philine, pile up behind Benjamin.
Cullen lags behind, stares at nothing, on the sidelines.
The canary flutters on the small group, which advances
towards the center of the Temple. Philine comes back,
takes Cullen by the arm and leads him into the Temple.
The light of Magic Lamp magically illuminates the whole
Temple, similar to the Pantheon in Rome. Richard and John
bow stupidly to the four kings statues, passing from one
to the other. The Golden King opens his eyes.
GOLD KING
Where do you come from?
BENJAMIN
From the world.
The Silver King opens his eyes.
SILVER KING
And where are you going?
BENJAMIN
Into the world.
The Bronze King opens his eyes.
BRONZE KING
What do you want here, from us?
BENJAMIN
We want to accompany you.
The Composite King is sitting eyes closed.
166 INT TEMPLE - GOLDEN KING - NIGHT
Richard and John sneakily approach the Golden King. They
pull out their tongues in the act of licking the gold of
the base, but are blocked by the Golden King voice.
GOLD KING
Get out of here! My gold is not
for your taste!
Richard and John jump back in fear.
89.
167 INT TEMPLE - SILVER KING - NIGHT
Richard and John hide halfway behind the Silver King.
SILVER KING
You are welcome... even if I
cannot feed you...
168 INT TEMPLE - NIGHT
GOLD KING
(to all)
From where we were born?
LILY
From love!
SILVER KING
How would we be lost?
PHILINE
Without love!
BRONZE KING
What helps us to outdo ourselves?
RICHARD
(dreamy)
Love!...
COMPOSITE KING
How can love be found?
JOHN
With love!
BRONZE KING
Who will dominate the world?!
BENJAMIN
This will be unveiled...
because...
We see the whole interior of the temple.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)(OS)
IT IS THE TIME!
Benjamin words ECHO in the Temple.
LILY
(joyfully)
Father blessed! I thank you
infinitely...
Richard and John start to lick a gold trim wall. The
canary flutters near them.
90.
LILY (CONT’D)(OS)
...It’s the third time today I
hear the prophecy words!...
169 INT TEMPLE - EARTHQUAKE - NIGHT
The earth starts to quake. Everyone looks at the floor.
Richard and John stop in fear guiltily. The whole Temple
moves slowly horizontally WITH A LARGE DIN; earth depths
open up before the Temple to let it pass.
PHILINE
We’re moving!
BENJAMIN
Yes we’re moving to the other
shore!
A thin rain begins to fall from ceiling interstices.
Richard and John look up and flatten themselves against
the wall, along with the canary.
LILY
We are under the river!
BENJAMIN
Soon we’ll arrive at our
destination!
The water ceases to fall. The Temple stops WITH A LOUD
FLINCH. For a moment it stays still, then moves upwards
WITH RACKET again. Benjamin, Philine and Lily try to keep
their balance. Cullen vacillates. Stanny Z. jumps and
BARKS.
PHILINE
We’re going up!
The Temple stops with a BANG.
LILY
We’ve hit something!
170 INT TEMPLE - DOME - HUT LOWER PART - NIGHT
A moment later the dome starts to open slowly and NOISILY,
allowing a glimpse of the lower part of a hut. For a
moment everything stops. Then planks and beams, followed
by the furniture, start to precipitate CRASHINGLY en masse
through the open ceiling.
Argus’ comical SCREAM gets lost in the falling furniture
ROAR. He is prone on the bed with open legs, clinging to
the mattress, in nightgown. Lily and Philine leap to the
side, instead Benjamin grabs Cullen and stays motionless.
91.
Close to the latter Stanny Z. is terrified and BARKS.
Richard, John and the canary flit around crazily and
SCREAM. Through the open ceiling you can see for a moment
the now empty hut. Then the whole small hut SQUEAKS
HARSHLY and collapses abruptly on Benjamin, Cullen and
Stanny. Philine and Lily SCREAM.
171 INT TEMPLE - OPEN DOME - DAWN
Through the open dome you see the dawn light.
172 EXT SKY/LILY’S GARDEN - DAY
A ray of light is reflected by the mirror in the claws of
the hawk, which flies high in the sky. The light strikes
in the eyes the Three Maids and arouses exclamations. They
bring their hands to the blinded eyes.
173 INT TEMPLE - DAY
The dome closes slowly and NOISILY. The Temple starts to
rise NOISILY. Philine and Lily jump terrified exclaiming.
Trembling and exclaiming Richard, John and canary are half
hidden behind the Bronze King and look at the situation.
The dawn light starts to enter through the large windows
as the building rises to the surface. The windows glass is
transparent and perfectly clean. The Temple stops.
174 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - TEMPLE - DAY
The Temple rises completely outside, in the place where
the Argus’ hut stood. We see the view of the west bank and
the river, from left to right.
175 INT TEMPLE - AROUND THE HUT - DAY
Philine and Lily wander around the hut with anguish. THEY
KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND ON THE WALLS VIOLENTLY. On the
sidelines Richard, John and the canary are petrified and
afraid.
JOHN
(very seriously)
As long as this is not clear,
this: die and become!... You are
only a grim host, above the dark
earth.
Richard and the canary turn and look at him in disbelief.
They all three look at each other terrified, then fly out
of the Temple like a shot through the open door.
PHILINE LILY
Benjamin! Benjamin!... Cullen! Cullen!...
92.
PHILINE
Answer!
They knock with more violence. THE WOOD NOISE transforms,
becomes a METALLIC NOISE AND RESOUND. Philine and Lily
stop in amazement and fear. The hut becomes a magnificent
cantilevered silver altar, a temple in the temple, with a
small external ramp to climb the altar roof.
176 INT TEMPLE - ALTAR - DAY
The altar door opens and a completely conscious and human
Cullen appears in the doorway. Behind him, the altar is
completely full of light. Philine and Lily step back.
Cullen comes out.
Behind him Benjamin comes out too, without the Magic Lamp.
Lastly, a completely alive Stanny walks out. Philine and
Lily smile, panting happily, with exclamations. From
inside the altar comes Argus in a nightgown, absolutely
amazed and incredulous. He looks around.
Cullen and Lily look at each other in love, but two meters
away. Argus starts to wander around the Temple, a bit
dazed. Stanny paws behind him. Philine smiles at Benjamin.
Then the smile fades to the lips.
Philine looks at her hand with dismay, then looks at the
others with bewilderment and pain.
PHILINE
I’M THE ONLY ONE LEFT UNHAPPY!
Among so many prodigies... there
is not one that can save my
hand!?...
Lily and Cullen watch her powerless and pity. Benjamin
approaches her and takes her back in his hands.
BENJAMIN
Look...
He points to her the open Temple door.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
The day arises, go and get wet in
the river!
PHILINE
(desperately)
What are you talking about?... I
haven’t paid my debt yet, have
you forgotten it?! I’ll become
entirely black and disappear!...
93.
BENJAMIN
No, all debts have been forgiven!
Go and do what I tell you! Trust
me!
Philine leaves quickly and goes away. Stanny runs after
her, barking happily.
177 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - TEMPLE/LAWN - DAY
Philine runs on the lawn towards the river with Stanny.
Behind Philine, starting from the Temple frontage, a
paving widens to gradually cover the lawn.
178 INT TEMPLE - DAY
Benjamin reaches Cullen and Lily and puts himself between
them. All three turn to the four Kings.
BENJAMIN
(loudly)
Three lords dominate on the
earth.
Argus turns sharply.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
Trust!...
The Golden King stands up with a METAL NOISE.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
...Hope!...
The Silver King stands up with a METAL NOISE.
BENJAMIN (CONT’D)
...Love!...
The Bronze King stands up, with a METAL NOISE. The
Composite King is sitting eyes closed.
179 INT TEMPLE - INVESTITURE - DAY
Cullen approaches the Bronze King. Benjamin and Lily watch
Cullen silently. A still dazed Argus joins them. Cullen
takes the sword at the foot of the statue and girds it on
his left side. During the action the sword reduces to
Cullen’s size.
BRONZE KING
The sword on the left, the right
free!
Cullen goes in front of the Silver King, who lowers his
scepter towards him. The scepter gets smaller. Cullen
takes it with his right hand.
94.
SILVER KING
Feed the sheep!
Cullen goes in front of the Golden King, who takes off the
crown and places it on Cullen’s head. During the action
the crown shrinks to the right size.
GOLD KING
Recognize the paramount good!
Cullen approaches Lily.
CULLEN
Lily! Oh dear Lily! Now I have
everything, but not the most
precious thing: your innocence
and the silent affection that
your heart offers me!...
Cullen throws himself in Lily’s neck. She closes her eyes
on his shoulder, with happiness and emotion.
LILY
If every hour of my life will
pass like this, I’ll have nothing
more to wish for.
Lily pulls her head back and looks at Cullen.
LILY (CONT’D)
I’ve got everything! I want to
enjoy everything! Let’s our
happiness be without shadow, pure
as heaven!
Cullen smiles and surrounds Lily’s waist.
180 INT TEMPLE - COMPOSITE KING - DAY
Cullen puts his hand on Benjamin’s shoulder.
CULLEN
My friend... the kingdom of our
fathers is splendid and safe, but
you have forgotten the fourth
force that dominates the world,
even more certain: the strength
of humility.
The Composite King opens his eyes and gets up. Cullen
approaches the Composite King, who puts the sphere he
holds in his hands on Cullen’s chest. During the action
the sphere shrinks to the right size and remains suspended
in the air.
95.
The sphere lights up, becomes evanescent and penetrates
into Cullen’s chest. Argus happily laughs turning to
Benjamin. Cullen turns to Lily, who approaches him. Lily
surrounds Cullen’s waist with her arms. Cullen smiles at
her.
ARGUS
(to Benjamin)
Beauty makes the whole world
happy, and every being that feels
its enchantment.
Cullen and Lily start towards the open Temple door.
BENJAMIN
(whispering to Argus)
Humility doesn’t dominate the
world... it forms it... and this
is much more...
181 EXT TEMPLE - PATIO - DAY
Cullen and Lily, followed by Benjamin and Argus, leave the
Temple. Now they are on a large patio that has magically
formed, like everything else that will now appear. The
patio is similar to Piazza della Trinità dei Monti in
Rome.
It is entirely surrounded by a balustrade. Two stairs
ramps, similar to lateral ramps of Spanish Steps, branch
off the patio towards a square below.
182 EXT TEMPLE - SQUARE - DAY
The square is similar to Piazza San Pietro in Rome, but
smaller and without the obelisk and fountains. Beyond the
square, a magnificent Wagon Bridge crosses the river,
which is now a hundred meters wide.
183 EXT WAGON BRIDGE - DAY
The Wagon Bridge has many arches; on both sides there are
comfortable and beautiful porticoed lanes for WAYFARERS.
HUNDREDS OF WAYFARERS go back and forth briskly under the
arcades.
The big road in the middle is animated by a stream of
sheeps flocks, horses and donkeys, KNIGHTS and carriages
running in both directions. CALLS, BUZZ, NOISE OF CLOCKS
AND WHEELS. Everyone looks in amaze at the magnificence of
the Wagon Bridge.
96.
184 EXT TEMPLE - PATIO - DAY
Cullen and Lily look out over the balustrade. Cullen holds
an arm around Lily’s waist. They watch PEOPLE’s activity
and bustle.
CULLEN
How my spirit wanders! It makes
its way from everywhere, to
further enlarge my immense
kingdom!
LILY
We’ll have to surround the PEOPLE
with nobles, great, spiritually
rich forms. We’ll close a circle
of excellence around them.
CULLEN
Until appearance surpasses
reality, and the art the nature.
Benjamin and Argus reach them.
ARGUS
Here is the state of the
beautiful appearance!
BENJAMIN
(to Cullen)
Honor the serpent Severus’
memory: you owe him the life,
your PEOPLE owe him the Bridge...
185 EXT WAGON BRIDGE - DAY
We see the Wagon Bridge with its ordered traffic. BUZZ,
NOISE OF CLOCKS AND WHEELS.
BENJAMIN (OS)
For the first time the two banks
are really close. Those shiny
gems...
Some gems glisten in the Wagon Bridge pillars.
BENJAMIN (OS)(CONT’D)
...are the remains of his
sacrificed body... the pillars of
this miraculous Bridge. Severus
has risen up alone, and alone
he’ll hold himself.
97.
186 EXT TEMPLE - PATIO - DAY
CULLEN
For this reason beauty and
equality will dominate in my
Kingdom.
LILY
The waves run beneath him, the
wagons above him. The generous
snake has allowed us all to go to
the other shore.
CULLEN
(musing)
My image will be displayed
proudly in hundred buildings, but
in the end I’ll need little
space, for resting quietly.
LILY
(to Benjamin)
But what was the prodigious
secret--
187 EXT TEMPLE - PATIO/RAMP - DAY
Lily stops as she sees the three maids and Philine climb
up the ramp, followed by Stanny running and barking
excitedly. Philine is more beautiful, as rejuvenated. At
the top the hawk SCREECHES.
The Three Maids run to Lily. The four women hug each other
with exclamations of enthusiasm.
THIRD MAID
What a wonderful PEOPLE,
Beautiful Lily! Not perfect but
good PEOPLE...
SECOND MAID
...Not extraordinary but
interesting, and lovely!
Philine approaches Benjamin and shows him her healed hand.
Stanny jumps around the couple. Benjamin surrounds
Philine’s shoulders with his arm.
BENJAMIN
Now do you believe me, beloved
Philine? Anyone bathing in the
river, this morning, will find
happiness!...
Philine surrounds Benjamin’s life with his arms, he
strokes her head.
98.
PHILINE
The fountain of youth is not a
fable. There is and flows! Really
and always... in the art of
poets.
Philine puts her head on Benjamin’s chest.
BENJAMIN
Philine... today you can also
choose another spouse... From now
on no marriage has any value...
that has not been concluded
again...
Philine raises her face to Benjamin.
PHILINE
But then you don’t know that you
stole my heart irreparably, even
before I realized it was in
danger?...
BENJAMIN
Only in you I can know myself.
Far away from you my thoughts go
round.
PHILINE
A look from your eyes in mine, a
kiss from your mouth to mine;
who, like me, knows something of
it, how can find joy in another?
BENJAMIN
Then I accept your hand again...
I want carry on to live with you,
in the next millennium...
Lily, Philine and the Three Maids descend from one of the
two ramps, followed by Stanny. Cullen, in the middle of
Argus and Benjamin, looks from the patio towards the Wagon
Bridge.
188 EXT WAGON BRIDGE - DAY
The PEOPLE swarm. The Giant, from the east bank, advances
staggering over the Wagon Bridge; he does not seem to have
recovered from the morning’s sleep. He gropes on the wide
pillars.
He moves between men and animals in a very clumsy way and
causes fright and confusion. PEOPLE SCREAM, there’s a big
mess. The sun suddenly dazzles the eyes of the Giant, who
raises his hands to shelter and shakes them awkwardly.
99.
Hands shadow passes violently through the CROWD; men and
beasts are thrown to the ground by the passing shadows.
Some are injured. Some are thrown out of the parapets and
end up in water, or they cling. Everyone SCREAMS.
189 EXT TEMPLE - PATIO - DAY
Cullen observes the bustle with irritation. With a rash
movement he looks for the sword and makes the act of
moving forward. Benjamin holds him by the arm.
BENJAMIN
I guess your thoughts, but we’re
helpless with our strength, in
the face of this helpless. Don’t
worry! He harms for the last
time, and fortunately his shadow
will abandon us.
190 EXT WAGON BRIDGE - DAY
The Giant passes the Wagon Bridge and sees the Temple. He
drops his hands in amazement and gasps. Behind him, along
the bridge, a great confusion, and PEOPLE even in the
water.
191 EXT SQUARE - DAY
Arrived at the center of the square, the Giant before
stops, then makes the act of advancing towards the patio,
but the feet together don’t rise, they are been held at
the ground.
The Giant MOANS, fixes his gaze ahead. He turns into a
stone statue and shrinks up to a height of three meters.
He is tall and straight, almost pointed on the head.
STATUA DEL GIGANTE
Here the teacher erected me on a
high pedestal. Arise, he said:
and I arise for him with strength
and joy.
The statue closes its mouth and remains motionless. PEOPLE
CROWD around it, surround it and observe it in amazement.
Comments and exclamations. From there, part of the
multitude turns towards the temple.
192 EXT TEMPLE - PATIO - DAY
Cullen puts his hands on the balustrade and speaks to the
PEOPLE.
CULLEN
I’ll open spaces where millions
of men will live safe, free and
active, in green and fertile
(CONT)
100.
CULLEN (FOLLOW)
fields. Men and animals, in a
brand new land, united by the
great Wagon Bridge, built by the
sacrifice of the daring and
industrious snake.
The CROWD listens attentively, part in the square, part on
the bridge (where now everyone is stationary), part on the
steps, part on the patio. In the square there are also
Lily, Philine and the Three Maids.
CULLEN (CONT’D)(OS)
A paradise on earth. The waves
don’t rage more to the brim; they
don’t burst violently. Yes, I’ve
consecrated myself to this idea:
the conclusion of wisdom is
this...
Cullen and Lily smile each other.
CULLEN (CONT’D)
Only those who must conquer them
every day deserves freedom and
life. Thus the child, the man and
the old will live, magnanimously.
And we will see such fervor on a
free land, with a free people!
LILY
(aloud, happily)
I say to this instant: you’re so
beautiful, stop! The ages cannot
erase the trace of my earthly
days. Foreseeing such a high joy,
I now savor the supreme moment!
193 EXT TEMPLE - PATIO/RAMP - DAY
The WAYFARERS swarm towards stairs, go up and enter the
Temple. Even Lily, Philine and the Three Maids with Stanny
go up again. The CROWD carries on arriving from the Wagon
Bridge.
So there are PEOPLE at the same time on the bridge, in the
square, on the steps, on the patio, and keep coming. At
that moment the hawk SCREECHES in the sky. It still has
the mirror in its claws.
The mirror reflects the sunlight on the crown of Cullen,
which sparkles. Cullen and Lily glow by a celestial
splendor. Everyone bow in unison to the couple and in
unison they get up.
101.
194 EST/INT TEMPLE - DAY
Cullen and Lily enter the Temple. A ray of light coming
from a window strikes them. The CROWD seems to ignore
them, but the PEOPLE in the immediate vicinity make
themselves to the side, whispering to each other. Lily
takes Cullen by the hand.
LILY
(whispering)
Come with me, my husband!
They go into the CROWD, we don’t see them anymore.
195 INT TEMPLE - DAY
Benjamin and Philine enter the Temple hugging, followed by
Stanny, and mingle with the CROWD. The Three Maids enter,
split up and mingle with the CROWD. Argus enters, takes a
few steps and stops, staring the whole temple.
Lily leads Cullen by the hand behind the Composite King’s
statue, in front of a small wooden door. Lily takes a
small key from her dress pocket and opens the door, which
leads into a dark corridor.
196 INT SECRET PASSAGE - DAY
Lily takes a torch and a fire striker from a space carved
into the wall. She lights the torch, hands it to Cullen
and closes the door. Cullen inserts the torch into a ring
on the wall. Cullen and Lily hug and kiss softly.
CULLEN
Finally in your arms I enjoy what
the birth gave me, and what you
offered me.
LILY
Feel how this breath of love
whispers. My only joy is your
will.
Displays of tender affection.
CULLEN
Where does this passage lead?
LILY
To my castle...
Cullen takes up the torch and with Lily goes into the
secret passage.
102.
197 INT TEMPLE - DAY
PEOPLE disperses in the Temple. Everyone looks with
amazement and admiration. Suddenly, excited voices of joy
come from the patio.
198 EXT TEMPLE - PATIO - DAY
Gold coins seem to fall unexpectedly from the sky on the
screpatio over the PEOPLE, who SCREAM AND SHOUT OUT IN
JOY. Coins RESOUND on the floor. Many come out of the
temple. Two blurry Richard and John giggle as they shake
off their coins off.
They flutter and play with the canary. The WAYFARERS rush
on the coins to get hold of them, with exclamations. The
canary CHIRPS merrily. This miracle is repeated now in one
place now in another of the patio.
199 EXT SQUARE - DAY
Richard and John fly over the square and repeat the same
scene: shake out gold coins and the CROWD shout out in
joy, rushing on the coins. At one point Richard and John
fly away laughing, followed by the canary CHIRPING at its
best.
Greedy PEOPLE carry on arriving from all sides with
exclamations, bumping and running around even when coins
no longer fall.
200 EXT RIVER WEST SIDE - PATH - DAY
The sun begins to decline. In the distance the Three Maids
slowly return, carrying flowers and baskets of coins.
201 INT TEMPLE/ALTAR - DAY
Only Argus remains in the Temple. He enters the silver
altar and looks around. The light arrives from some
loopholes and from the open door. The bed is a bit
battered but still usable.
Argus stands up a table and a chair. In the middle of the
furnishings fallen in bulk, he also finds his lamp. He
lights it and looks around with the lamp in his hand.
ARGUS
What must always unite us?
(little pause)
Love.
He puts the lamp on the table and lies on the bed. Slowly
he falls asleep. The Temple is immersed in silence.
103.
202 EXT WAGON BRIDGE - DAY
Only A FEW WAYFARERS cross the bridge on foot. Benjamin,
holding his Magic Lamp in his hand, and Philine, followed
by Stanny, who trots her tired, cross the Bridge from left
to right. Benjamin puts an arm around Philine’s shoulders
and kisses her tenderly on the temple, without stopping.
203 EXT SQUARE - DAY
Only the stone Giant remains in the deserted square. He
has become a fountain and exudes water, which gushes
SOUGHING gently. Around the fountain we see the circle of
a beautiful Roman numerals sundial. Giant’s shadow
stretches marking the time.
FADE OUT
THE END
