《007之明日帝国》TomorrowNeverDies

bond 18

screenplay

by

bruce feirstein

(for educational purposes only)

fade in on:

ext. desolate mountain range - high angle - dawn

super: the khyber pass, afghanistan

we're looking down at what used to be called 'the end of the known

world.' a landscape that is both beautiful, and forbidding.

in the center of this vista, there is a deep ravine.

pushing in on the ravine, there appears to be a giant icicle hanging

over a cliff:

an ice fall. a 600 foot waterfall whose face is frozen solid.

pushing in still closer, there is a tiny black dot inching its way up

the ice. a human figure. this is:

james bond, british secret service agent, 007.

bond is sweating and straining, four hundred feet in the air. he has

an ice-pick tethered to each hand, ice-cleats on his boots. a black

backpack. as he climbs, spider-like, pulling himself up, he goes to

jam a cleat into the ice, but -

crack! a 50 foot stiletto of ice breaks off, crashing onto the rocks

below. regaining his foothold, bond looks down: certain death. he

looks up: so very, very, far to go. bond shakes his head:

bond

there has to be an easier way to earn

a living.

still, bond climbs. huffing, sweating, he goes up, and up, until -

another angle -

he's 25 feet from the top. he drives a first ice pick in. gets a

toehold. but when he slams the second pick in -

the ice wall shatters, falling away in front of him. in the shock -

bond loses his grip on the first ice pick -

and 007 is now dangling, 575 feet in the air, staring at a torrent of

water - hanging only by the leather thread around his wrist, attached

to the first ice-pick, still embedded in the wall.

bond pauses. thinks. and coolly begins to swing himself back and

forth, in widening arcs, like a clock's pendulum.

at the high point of his swing, bond reaches back to smash his other

pick into the ice -

but

misses

the first ice pick, still embedded in the wall -

beginning to work its way out. the tether, fraying.

return on bond -

cautiously, 007 begins to swing a second time. once. twice. and on

the third arc, he swings the ice-pick viciously - but

misses

again

angle on the first ice pick, still embedded in the wall -

now jutting downward, barely holding. the tether is almost totally

frayed through.

return on bond -

one last chance. bond swings. once. twice. he reaches back, hurls

himself at the wall, lunging - and smashes the second pick into the

ice... just as the tether finally snaps on the first one. still,

he's all but home: he reaches over, grabs the first pick (barely

holding in the ice,) jabs it in, and continues upward.

ext. the top of the water fall -

exhausted, bond reaches up, over the edge. he drives a pick down -

through the ice, into the hard, flat, ground beneath the waterbed.

as he pulls himself up, (his full weight on the first ice-pick,) he

smashes a second pick through the ice, into the waterbed, and -

the entire ice fall gives way -

breaking off with a groan, tumbling onto the rocks below.

in the waterbed -

a torrent of water crashes over 007. fighting the oncoming deluge,

he crawls - on his belly - through the water - 25 feet inland.

new angle - (top of the water fall, inland)

bond stands, walks out of the riverbed. he looks back at the cliff:

bond's pov - the water fall -

on either side of the water, there are two small radar dishes, angled

down, scanning every inch of the area, save for the waterfall itself.

in other words:

this was the only way in

return on bond -

007 shrugs. from his backpack, he takes out two cigar-sized black

canisters, and an elongated black box. he presses a button on the

side of the box, and - fwap, fwap, fwap - snow skis unfold.

he presses buttons on the canisters: telescopic ski poles. bond

slaps on the skis, and takes off, through the snow.

ext. snow-covered forest - bond skis through the pines -

ext. mountain cliff -

bond hurtles over the side, going airborne, landing 100 feet below,

amidst boulders. in perfect olympic form, he skis out, and down.

ext. mountainside -

bond slaloms down, in and out of trees, to avoid detection. at the

bottom, where the snow thins, he comes to:

a rock outcropping.

hiding behind the rock, bond takes off his skis, knapsack. he

unpacks (and unfolds) a high tech automatic rifle. puts on a

headset. he creeps up on the rock, and looks out on:

a secret military base/air strip (bond's pov)

50 feet down, 200 yards away: 50 men are unloading cargo from a dozen

military transport trucks; there are two north korean mig-29s on the

ground (one partially obscured by a truck,) plus flatbeds carrying

helicopters and scud missiles.

near a quonset hut, a truck-mounted radar dish scans the area, with

infrared gatling guns mounted on either side.

bond - at the rock outcropping -

props his rife on the boulder, and peers through the gun sight.

through the telescopic sight -

he sees a closer (but still wide) telescopic view of men bargaining

over weapons, and forklifts loading/unloading crates of munitions.

the same scene on a video wall - mi-6 situation room, london.

bond's voice

(over a speaker)

seven, in position.

tanner's voice

roger, seven.

watching this display is m, tanner, and a handful of military brass,

including a russian general, bukharin, and british admiral roebuck,

an aging sea-lion with no love for m, or mi-6.

m deals with the humorless admiral by, well, humoring him:

m

... what were you saying, admiral?

something about this 'not being a job

for a wine-sniffing, skirt-chasing

playboy spy?'

admiral roebuck

- i'll be sure to acknowledge 007's

'assistance' in my report to the

prime minister. but this is, still,

a

naval operation

m

what do they say in russia, general

bukharin?

(asks questions in

flawless russian)

the general chuckles. translates:

general bukharin

'in a joint operation, someone's nose

always gets put out of joint.'

m turns to admiral roebuck:

m

i'm interested in success, admiral.

not who gets credit.

(turning to:)

mr. tanner: what have we got?

tanner points to the video wall with a red laser pen.

tanner

(ironically)

a regular terrorist swap meet. death

at discount: two chinese long march

scuds, a pair of soviet a-17 attack

helicopters -

bukharin

(interrupting)

stolen -

tanner

and the crates look like american m-16

assault rifles, chilean antipersonnel

mines, six french exocet missiles, and

75 - no maybe a hundred - kilograms of

czech made c-4 semtech explosive.

(beat)

something for everyone. fun for the

whole family.

m

(freezing him with a glance)

what about id's?

tanner

(pushes a button on a console)

one to seven: deal the face cards.

the rock outcropping -

bond adjusts a knob on the scope.

mi-6 situation room -

on the video-screen, the picture zooms to a close up of one of the

arms traders. tanner presses a button, and - almost instantly - the

man's bio and vitals appear on another video screen.

tanner

gustav meinholtz. neo-nazi, former

east german stasi agent. ties to the

beider-meinhoff gang.

(pressing a button)

aces high, seven. bid to the east.

bond shifts his aim, east. (intercut as necessary) he zeroes in on

another face, and the man's stats appear in london.

tanner

vilko barkoviac. bosnian war

criminal; thought to be operating

freelance out of teheran.

(pressing a button)

full house, seven. bid to the north.

bond complies. another face, another set of stats:

tanner

sitoshi isagura. japanese religious

fanatic. wanted for the tokyo subway -

admiral roebuck

(impatiently, cutting him off:)

i've seen enough. let's finish this.

(ordering m:)

tell your man to drop back. we're

initiating plan b -

m

but -

admiral roebuck

-

thank you

than your man can handle.

(to bukharin)

are we in agreement?

bukharin

(hesitant, at first)

- yes.

yes

m

admiral

moving swiftly, the admiral has picked up a red phone:

admiral roebuck

command to nelson: authorization to

fire.

ext. a british warship - steaming in the gulf of oman -

int. weapons control room - british warship -

captain

weapons authorized. prepare to fire.

on my count: five. four. three. two -

ext. deck of the warship -

a launcher rotates, and - boom - a cruise missile blasts off.

int. warship weapons control room -

firing officer

cruise missile away -

mi-6 situation room -

firing officer's voice (cont'd)

time to target: four minutes.

admiral roebuck

i appreciate your assistance, m. but

this is now a military operation.

m

(urgently, to tanner)

bring up the tracking satellite. and

get 007 out of there.

tanner hits a button - and a third video screen appears, displaying a

satellite view of the area, detailing the cruise's path and progress.

tanner

one to seven: exit target area.

repeat -

bond's voice

seven to one.

negative

wait

the rock outcropping -

bond has taken his eye from the scope. he's peering at:

a forklift appears from behind the truck blocking the view of 'mig-l'

a tall bald man is riding the empty fork, with his back to us.

bond -

puts his eye back on the scope, shifts the rifle -

mi-6/video wall -

bond's scope view settles on the bald man. the forklift reaches the

back of the truck. he steps off as the fork begins rising to unload

something. and as the man turns, facing us to scan the area:

tanner

oh, no.

m

who is it?

tanner

(calling up his stats)

kim dae yung. north korean nuclear

specialist.

m

meaning there may be nuclear material

down there?

tanner nods. a look passes from m, to bukharin, to roebuck.

the cruise missile -

hugging the surface, crossing from water to land.

mi-6 situation room -

voice from warship

time to target: three minutes.

(sfx: beep!)

target acquired. weapon armed.

tension. adrenaline. quiet panic. on the screen, the fork lift has

pulled a red box from the truck, a short round man appearing with it.

m

who is that

what's in the box

tanner

(punching buttons)

i don't know. he's not in the database -

m

(to bukharin)

what's in the box, general?

(he shrugs)

what's in the box???

bukharin

(sheepishly)

... we usually... transport...

weapons grade uranium.

shock sweeps the room. m turns on tanner:

m

will it go off?

tanner

maybe. maybe not.

m

abort the cruise.

admiral roebuck

it's too late -

m

get bond out of there.

one to seven - one to seven -

bond - squinting through the rifle at the outcropping -

bond

negative, one.

not yet

the truck/mig-l, on the ground/through the scope -

the bald man slaps the back of the truck obscuring mig-1. the truck

pulls away, revealing mig-l's wing. hanging from the weapons pod: a

nuclear bomb.

bond - at the rock outcropping -

mutters a curse.

mi-6 situation room -

tanner

soviet sb-9 nuclear torpedo. yield,

one kiloton.

m

will the cruise set it off?

tanner

yes.

admiral roebuck

(to bukharin)

jesus. can't you people keep

anything locked up?

general bukharin

we didn't know it was missing.

m

get me the prime minister. alert

nato, the cia, the pentagon.

(presses a button:)

seven: this is a direct order. i

want you out of there. do you copy?

the rock outcropping -

bond's headset lies on top of the rock, along with the telescopic

sight - still broadcasting.

find bond, crouching behind the rock. automatic rifle in one hand,

grenade in the other. he pulls the pin, hurls it 40 feet away.

pauses. waits, counting down time. then -

bond springs. shoots at one of the crates. it blows up, just as -

the grenade explodes.

there's panic on the ground. men running everywhere as the radar/

gatling gun spins, and sends a hail of fire at bond's spanersion.

and with this, bond is off, sprinting into the chaos.

the same scene - video screen - mi-6 situation room.

stoned silence. disbelief. tanner whispers:

tanner

god help him.

the cruise missile - flying through a mountain ravine -

god help the rest of us.

the secret air base -

as various factions shoot at each other (who's the traitor?) bond

streaks toward the action. without breaking stride, he swings his

gun to the right: two bursts. three men die. still running, he

swings to the left: another burst. two more down.

ahead, bond sees the flight crews dashing for the mig's. he makes a

beeline for mig-1.

angle on the bald man -

slamming the gate on the red box in a cargo truck. rushing to the

passenger door. climbing in. the short round man floors the

accelerator, driving them away.

the cruise missile - starting its descent down a mountain

mi-6 situation room - m, watching helplessly -

voice from warship

time to target: thirty seconds.

wide on mig-1 -

the pilot climbs the ladder to the cockpit. running at full tilt,

bond leaps, pulls the man down. they fall to the tarmac, fighting.

bond shoves a knife in the man's ribs, killing him.

kneeling, bond takes the pilot's helmet off. he looks up: a man is

coming at him with a gun. in one unbroken move, bond yanks the knife

from the pilot's body and throws it - thwack - into the man's heart.

angle on mig-2's pilot - watching this from his cockpit.

return on bond - climbing into the cockpit -

where the copilot (having climbed in from the other side,) sees it's

not the right guy. as he fumbles for a weapon, bond bashes him with

the helmet. the copilot collapses into his seat, unconscious.

bond settles into his seat, fires the engines, closes the double

canopy, and begins taxiing out.

the cruise missile - crossing over the perimeter of the air base

mi-6 situation room - roebuck, tanner, m, watching, unable to breathe -

high angle - the runway -

the cruise skims in directly over bond's plane, speeding to takeoff.

(int. bond's mig) bond shoves the throttles to the fireball and -

the video-wall - mi-6 situation room -

ka-boom!!!! the scene on the screen erupts in a giant explosion -

then turns to video-snow. is bond alive? no one in london knows.

high angle - the air base -

the fireball grows and grows, a raging hell. and just when it seems

no one could possibly survive: bond's mig rockets out of the flames!!

int. bond's mig -

bond thinks he's safe. sound. until -

mig-2 flies out of the fireball -

cannons blazing at 007. a hail of metal and tracers.

int./ext. bond's mig -

bond goes into evasive maneuvers - jinks right, jinks left - when,

suddenly, the copilot revives, and starts trying to strangle bond

with a metal lanyard. struggling, bond hears a thin high-pitched

tone -

int./ext. mig-2

the pilot has locked onto bond's mig. boom! two heat-seeking

missiles roar away.

int./ext. bond's mig -

fighting the garrote, bond kicks the throttles forward and pulls back

on the yoke. the mig goes into a spine crushing climb as -

the two heat seeking missiles follow him, looping upward.

int. mig-2 -

bond's mig has disappeared from the pilot's view: not in front. not

on the left. not on the right. where did he go? the pilot looks up:

the pilot of mig-2 is stunned.

int./ext. bond's mig -

fighting against the garrote, bond strains to reach a red button on

the panel: copilot ejector seat.

bond finally taps it, and - the back half of the canopy blows off!

the copilot blasts out of the plane, downward, directly into mig-2's

cockpit. bond peels off.

for a second, mig-2 hangs in the air. until... boom!!! the two heat

seeking missiles blast it to smithereens.

back in mig-1, bond fiddles with the radio.

mi-6 - situation room -

bond's voice

seven to base. i have a full

house. your bid.

the situation room erupts in cheers.

return on bond in the mig -

bond

by the way: thank the general for all

his 'assistance.' over and out.

ext. bond's mig -

goes to afterburners. and from the fiery glow of the engine, we

dissolve to:

the 007 gun barrel. main credits.

after credits, fade in on:

ext. oxford college - day

all ivy and bricks... and a certain aston-martin db-5, parked.

int. book lined office -

afterglow: empty champagne bottle. rumpled sheets on a sleeper sofa.

bond is in bed with a smart, ironic, (and, yes, stunning,) 30-ish

chinese woman, jenny wu. (note: the chinese here is mandarin, spelled

phonetically.)

bond

(running a finger across her lips)

... and what do you call these?

jenny wu

ja-shwa tsway. these are lips.

bond

indeed they are.

(kisses them, lightly)

deadly little things.

she laughs. his hand goes beneath the sheets.

bond

and what do you call these? the gang

of two?

jenny wu

(smacking his hand, laughing:)

stop it!

bond

i was just getting to the interesting part!

jenny wu

we've already done the interesting

part. do you forget?

bond

remind me.

he moves to roll on top of her, but she pushes him off, teasing:

jenny wu

sakwa!

bond

is that mandarin, or cantonese?

jenny wu

mandarin. you jerk.

(tousling his hair)

i'm late. i have to get dressed.

she hops off the bed, leaving frame. bond settles back on the

headboard, ready to enjoy the view... when his cell phone rings.

bond

(lightly)

hello -

(catching himself)

hello.

int. m's anteroom - mi-6.

moneypenny, at her desk.

moneypenny

hello, james. i hope i'm

interrupting something important.

int. office - (intercut as necessary)

(jenny has a leg on the bed, pulling on a full victoria's secret

outfit: nylons, garter/suspenders, bustier, etc.)

bond

not at all, moneypenny. i was just

brushing up on a little chinese.

(in the background, jenny insists 'i am

not

moneypenny

i'm sure she is, james. but i'm

afraid you'll have to 'kiss off' the

rest of your lessons this afternoon.

bond

(mock chagrin)

moneypenny... here i was, finally

getting a feel for a new tongue -

moneypenny

four o'clock. m will meet you in the

conference room.

bond watches with amusement as jenny wu slips a graduation-type gown

over the lingerie. no dress.

bond

4:30. it may take me a little longer

to wrap things up here.

moneypenny

four o'clock. don't be late.

bond

(hanging up:)

tsi tien, chien-penny.

on moneypenny:

moneypenny

ah, james. you always were a cunning

linguist... au revoir, mon cher.

moneypenny hangs up, looks up, and blanches: m is standing there.

moneypenny

don't ask.

m

don't tell.

(walking away)

i don't want to know.

int. hallway - outside jenny's office - oxford -

bond and jenny wu emerge from the office. (she's still in the gown.)

they pass a flock of young students:

student

good afternoon, professor wu.

jenny wu

good afternoon.

(then to bond)

are you sure you can't stay for the

lecture?

bond

i can't. but i did enjoy the dress

rehearsal.

she gives him a wry glance, opens a door to a lecture hall.

jenny wu

tsi tien, mr. bond.

bond

tsi tien, professor wu.

she exits; bond walks off, passing underneath a wall mounted tv set.

on the tv set - the hnn globe logo - the harmsway news network -

spins into view, followed by:

hnn anchor

you're watching hnn, the harmsway 24

hour news network. coming up:

(mortise shot of:)

valentin zukofsky's stunning victory in

the ukrainian presidential elections...

(mortise shot of:)

live coverage of the latest hnn

communications satellite launch from

xichang (shi-chung) china... and -

(mortise shot of:)

a special report on the situation in

hong kong, since the chinese take-

over from great britain.

ext. mi-6 london - day

the db-5 drives past the guard.

int. conference room - day

debriefing: bond, m, and several others listen as nato colonel

dominique everhart, (early 30's, belgian,) refers to video clips from

the khyber pass sequence:

col. dominique everhart

to sum up: after analyzing the tire

inflation of the fork-lift in the mi-6

video tape, nato believes the 'red

box contains approximately eighty

kilograms of u235 weapons grade

uranium - an incredibly hard,

incredibly heavy, incredibly lethal

substance.

m

and that's enough enriched uranium to

produce how many nuclear devices?

col. dqminique everhart

depending on the builder's sophistication

- one crude bomb that could devastate

london, paris, new york, berlin - or all

four if they have the latest technology.

there's a pregnant pause in the room.

m

and the participants?

col. dominique everhart

(pointing at the screen)

kim dae yung. moscow-trained north

korean nuclear weapons specialist;

apparently fell out of favor with the

current north korean regime after a

botched attempt to steal fissionable

material from a british light-water

reactor in south africa - an accident

that left him entirely hairless...

another face appears on the screen:

col. dominique everhart (cont'd)

and rendera sikrahm, also known as

richard stamper. freelance mercenary,

laos and cambodia. his father was

from nepal - a ghurka warrior - con-

scripted by the british government to

fight in china during world war ii -

after which the family settled in

hong kong, where the young stamper

was undoubtedly treated like a second

class citizen by both the hong kong

chinese, and local british.

(beat, aside:)

we've all read about the signs at the

british swimming pools in hong kong

that said 'no ghurka's allowed.'

bond

nothing like a little imperialism to

promote loyalty among the faithful.

col. dominique everhart

(stifles a smile, then:)

in conclusion: both these men have a

vendetta against the world. they are

nuclear armed, and dangerous. and

having failed to get the uz35 through

the old opium route - the khyber pass

- it's nato's belief that their next

attempt will be through bulgaria -

where the nato nuclear strike force

will be there to stop them.

m

thank you colonel everhart.

(stands, turns to:)

007, i'd like to see you in my office.

why don't you and the colonel exchange

numbers if you need more information?

bond

yes, m.

m exits. bond approaches dominique. she smiles, warmly. there's a

mutual attraction - but there's something else going on, unspoken.

bond

interesting presentation.

dominique

interesting video tape.

bond

they point, i shoot.

dominique

(feels her pockets)

do you have a pen? i just got promoted

and don't have my new cards yet.

bond

of course.

bond hands her a pen. she regards it cautiously.

dominique

... does this

do

bond

depends what number you write.

she gives him a wry look; starts to write. he notes her wedding band.

bond

married?

dominique

happily.

bond

... kids?

dominique

three. you? married?

bond

no.

dominique

(smiles)

i didn't think so.

for an instant, something crosses bond's face: bittersweetness? re-

morse? either way, she's scored a subtle victory.

dominique

here. i gave you my

assistant's

knows where to reach me.

bond

thanks.

(beat, holding her gaze)

take care -

dominique

you too.

with a sphinx-like smile, she watches bond leave.

int. hallway outside of conference room - continuous

where bond encounters moneypenny, also walking to m's office.

bond

moneypenny! we've got to stop meeting

like this. they may be on to us.

moneypenny

hello, james. enjoy your meeting?

bond

in the darkest moments, it's what i

live for. especially since i've

heard how much you like to watch...

on the hidden camera.

moneypenny cuts bond a look - and, in the background, sees dominique

leave the conference room, and walk down the hall, away from them.

moneypenny

by the way,

james

never ask, but... weren't you and

that colonel once stranded on a raft

for two weeks in the sargasso sea?

bond

moneypenny! how indiscreet! have

you ever known me to kiss and tell?

they've come to a security door. she punches in a code -

moneypenny

actually,

i've

either... but -

bond

- we all want what we can't have?

moneypenny

not

all

the door opens. they go into:

int. m's anteroom (moneypenny's area) - continuous

bond

what - no lust for adventure?

moneypenny

no, 007. it's just that i've learned

from personal experience - that when

we get what we want -

(beat)

somehow the reality is never as...

satisfying as the fantasy.

bond scowls. moneypenny smiles wryly, points to the inner door:

moneypenny

don't keep m waiting.

int. m's office - day

m is behind her desk; minister peter johnstone sits across - a high-

handed teflon-coated politician, with the survival instincts of

plutonium. they've been arguing.

m

come in, 007. you know the minister?

bond

of course.

(nods to)

minister johnstone.

minister johnstone

007.

bond sits in an armchair. m presses a button, and a video/bio of

eliot harmsway appears on the wall behind her. mid-50's, regal.

m

tell me, 007, what do you know about

elliot harmsway?

bond

(quipping)

only what i read in the newspapers.

minister johnstone

(disdainfully)

his newspapers?

bond

(glancing sideways)

occasionally, yes.

(directly to m)

british media mogul. born in hong kong;

controls newspapers, tv, radio, cable,

satellites; books, magazines, movies,

computer software. theme parks.

m

(holding up a copy of:)

- along with tomorrow - the first

world-wide newspaper. circulation 27

million. daily. -

bond

'able to topple governments with a single

story' - as he says in his press.

johnstone

(hurrumph)

exactly.

bond looks at johnstone quizzically. then a very tight-lipped m. he

senses he's about to enter a minefield:

bond

... what's harmsway done?

m

it seems, 007, we've received a tip

minister johnstone

a rumor - from an anonymous source -

m

- that sir elliot may be involved

with stamper and yung, and the

missing uranium.

minister johnstone

hearsay. idle chatter from a source

you can't identify - who insists on

talking only to 007. nothing but

loose talk and innuendo.

m

that may be the case at present,

minister johnstone... but our own

sources suspect that mr. harmsway

used his considerable russian media

- holdings to elect valentin zukofsky

president of the ukraine - in trade

for the uranium.

(m has punched a button, and valentin's video bio has appeared.)

minister johnstone

more scurrilous, unsubstantiated gossip.

bond

perhaps. but it does explain how an

ex-kgb agent turned illegal-arms

dealer is suddenly portrayed as a

long-time friend of the people.

(beat)

if you believe what you read in the papers.

minister johnstone

(annoyed)

need i remind the two of you that

elliot harmsway -

sir

- is directly descended from the earl

of aberdeen? that his scottish

ancestors practically invented hong

kong - and out of sheer gratitude,

queen victoria herself named the port

'aberdeen harbor' in their honor?

m

(long pause, then:)

... no more than i need remind you,

minister, that merely being a member

of the lucky sperm club - does not

preclude one from a life of criminal

activity.

johnstone is reeling. m continues, to bond, with aplomb:

m

the reason i invited the minister

here, 007, was to reassure him that

this investigation will be handled

with the utmost discretion.

bond

of course.

m

which is also why i've withheld this

information from nato and our allies.

bond

(nods, then, recalling)

... didn't we once investigate harmsway?

m

yes. 1988. he was furious at the

british plan to return hong kong, and

supposedly started his own negotiations

with the chinese government. the inquiry

went nowhere - but it did earn mi-6 a

rather powerful enemy -

minister johnstone

not to mention the chaos it caused at

whitehall when his newspapers began

screaming for the recall of the

sitting government.

m

(a beat, then:)

i'm sending you to venice, 007.

you're to check out the source,

determine whether elliot harmsway is

involved with the enriched uranium,

and, if so, stop him.

bond

how will i meet the informant?

she hands bond a carnival mask:

m

you're to wear this mask at the venice

carnival, and wait to be contacted.

bond

i understand.

minister johnstone

(standing, to leave)

there is one last thing, 007: elliot

harmsway is vital to the economic

interests of this nation. he's also

a major contributor to the party. i

expect him to be given

every

bond

political

minister johnstone

to the best of my recollection,

mr.

bond

(beat, at the door)

in fact, i was never here.

and he exits. m, frowning, hits a button on her intercom:

m

would you send in the new man from

equipment branch?

moneypenny (o.s.)

right away.

bond

.... i hate to ask, but... did you

ever think you'd miss communism?

m

we serve the interests of the british

people, 007. no matter who we may be

foolish enough to elect.

bond is silent, chastised. m looks away, then looks back:

m

but if elliot harmsway

is

with that uranium, i want him

prosecuted to the ends of the earth.

bond

hopefully, it won't get that far.

m looks up: malcolm saunders, q's successor, limps in, looking like a

mummy - plaster casts on his left leg, left arm; neck-brace, crutch.

m

come in, saunders.

saunders

m. 007.

bond

okay, saunders. what is it this

time? rocket in the leg? machine

pistol in the arm?

saunders

q's retirement party. i'd just put

the knife into the cake, and -

bond

come on. i know better than that -

bond thwacks the crutch against the leg. saunders grimaces in pain.

bond

it must do

something

saunders

well... if you insist.

saunders flexes his broken arm; armored spikes pop out of the it.

bond

the die is cast.

saunders exchanges a beleaguered glance with m. he takes off the cast

and neck-brace, and places a briefcase on m's desk.

saunders

now pay attention, 007. we haven't much

time to demonstrate your new q toys.

bond

how is old q?

saunders

gone fishing.

bond

fishing?

saunders

big game fishing.

(beat)

sonar torpedoes. retirement gift

from his friends at the cia.

saunders has opened the briefcase. bond tries to look inside, but

saunders repositions it. saunders continues:

saunders

in the meantime, perhaps this will

spark your interest.

(takes out a disposable lighter)

cigarette lighter. thumb here, press here -

a small flame appears. bond, unimpressed, reaches for it -

bond

saunders, i've lit cigarettes -

saunders

not from forty feet.

saunders flips the lighter sideways and - whoosh! a burst of flame

shoots across the room.

saunders

the disposable lighter also contains

a small self-detonation charge

(beat)

depending on who - or what - you

wish to dispose of.

bond takes the lighter, begins to play with it...

saunders

stop fidgeting, 007. next -

he takes out a pair of shoelaces.

bond

... shoelaces?

saunders

plastique explosive shoelaces.

(holding them out at length)

cut them to regulate the size of the

blast; totally harmless until you

attach the detonator hidden in the

heel of your shoe.

bond

(examining them curiously)

perfect way to tie up a... 'knotty'

problem?

saunders

(frowns)

moving along -

(he produces:)

a typical plastic security card.

name here, magnetic information

stripe here -

(pointing to)

and a code breaking microprocessor

here. swipe it through any card

reader - anywhere - you're in.

bond

does it work on cash machines?

saunders is suddenly stricken. flustered. he blurts out:

saunders

it was an authorized test. i returned the money.

bond

(amused)

i see...

saunders

(ignoring this)

finally, your new watch: blue laser

here for signaling or burning

through locks; press this button, the

sweep hand becomes a geiger counter.

bond

(needling him)

if you can't do the time, don't do

the crime?

saunders

(smirks at bond, pauses, then)

oh. i almost forgot. there is one last

thing: before q retired, he asked that

i give you one other protective device.

he hands bond a wedding band.

bond

a wedding band??? what am i supposed

to be able to do with this?

saunders

i believe q's exact words were:

(imitating q, emphatically:)

'hopefully,

nothing

bond turns from saunder's devious grin to an amused m. smiles:

bond

...i'll give you a ring from venice.

m

good luck on your mission, 007.

he snaps the ring down on her desk.

bond

till death do us part.

cut to:

ext. venice harbor/grand canal - night

a gleaming white yacht - with two on-board helicopters, and a huge

tarped hold - dominates the harbor. (harmsway's sea dolphin ii.)

tonight, however, we find a gondola, gliding through the water...

arriving at a festively-lit dock, crowded with gaily costumed

partygoers and musicians in medieval garb.

wearing the mask from m's office, (and a bright blue cape,) bond

alights the gondola, and plunges into the crowd.

ext. piazza san marco - night

a swirl of colors, noise and music. pushing his way into the chaotic

celebration, bond scans the crowd, looking for a face:

nothing but a sea of masks. white. yellow. red. blue.

caught up in the tumult, he turns left, he strains to turn right,

anxiously looking for the contact. who is it?

three masked women appear in front of bond. they curtsy, and giggle.

woman

buona sera, signore -

he's spun by a masked man with a bottle.

man

vino?

bond waves him off - and is jostled in the other direction, by a

group of celebrants carrying a long banner.

suddenly, the crowd surges forward: a procession, carrying the

effigy of carnival is making its way through the square.

locked shoulder to shoulder in the crowd, bond struggles to look

forward - left, right - when he feels a tug at his cape from behind.

he can only crane his neck to see/hear -

masked woman

i may have been followed. meet me at

the church in five minutes!

with an effort, bond turns to look at her - but sees nothing, save

the wisp of a satin costume, disappearing as the crowd closes ranks

behind him.

san giacomo square - night

five minutes later. almost deserted. a few stray couples. the

masked woman appears, walking tentatively between the shadows and

the moonlight, looking for bond. suddenly -

whomp! - an arm reaches out, and yanks her into an alcove.

bond

looking for someone?

recovering her breath (it was a

violent

removes her mask. she shines a sexy, 1000-watt smile at 007:

paris

hello, james.

bond reacts. he is not happy to see her.

bond

paris?!? what are you doing here?

paris

is that any way to say hello?

bond

i thought your specialty was good-bye.

paris smiles coyly. she lifts a hand to tousle his hair -

paris

oh, james. i've missed you -

bond

(grabbing her by the wrist)

is this another one of your games?

paris

stop it! you're hurting me! can't

you just be nice?

bond

i've got half the british government

breathing down my neck. i don't have

time for your nonsense.

she's surprised - and hurt - by his coldness.

paris

don't you even miss me? didn't i

mean anything to you?

bond

nothing.

she turns away from him, fighting back tears. bond doesn't care:

bond

what about elliot harmsway? or is

this just another one of your stunts?

paris

(anguished)

no! he's crazy - he's insane. he

hates everybody. he's got these

plans -

(facing bond, becoming hysterical:)

you've got to help me, james. i'm

sorry. i'm sorry for everything. i

know i was wrong - but you've got to

protect me. i know you still love -

bond slaps her. she's stunned. he waits. she's angered:

paris

do you feel better now?

bond

(not giving an inch)

do you?

she turns away. bond feels remorse for hitting her. softens:

bond

what about the uranium?

paris

it's on the boat. he's holding a

press conference tomorrow.

bond reaches out to touch her. she falls into his arms, burying her

face in his shoulder.

paris

i'm so sorry, james. i promise, i'll

never leave you again.

bond

(patting her head)

shhhhh...

paris

just hold me.

bond thinks for a moment, then gently pushes her away, a foot

backwards, to look in her eyes:

bond

how do you know harmsway?

paris' eyes flicker at something over bond's shoulder. she swoons:

paris

kiss me.

she pulls bond to her, kissing him - then hauls off, belting him

across the mouth.

paris

bastard! leave me alone!

she shoves him off, darts away. bond is bleeding from his mouth -

and not altogether surprised at her behavior. he turns to see -

another angle - san giacomo square - (bond's pov) -

paris running to four men dressed alike in three-corner hats,

enveloped from head-to-foot in black capes. their faces are

completely concealed behind flat, bone-white masks covering all but

their chins. they look like messengers of death.

closer on paris and the men -

#1 is built like a bank vault.) stamper looks steadily at bond

stamper

who is he?

paris

nobody. just some drunk. leave him

alone -

stamper

(to thug #

3)

take her to the boat.

return on bond -

he sees stamper and the two henchmen approaching. he turns and walks

quickly toward -

ext. rialto bridge - first (up) staircase - night

pushing past carnival-goers, bond rushes up the central staircase of

the bridge. at the top, looking onto the main span, he sees -

the effigy of carnival procession, approaching like a tidal wave.

bond throws a look over his shoulder, and sees the three men, rushing

up the stairs, knocking people out of the way like bowling pins -

completely unaware of the oncoming parade at the top.

bond turns to face the men... and suddenly throws his cape up,

dramatically, like batman - blocking their view of the procession.

stamper and the two thugs hesitate for a moment -

and bond pulls the cape to his body, just as the procession surges

past him, and spills down the stairs, overwhelming stamper & co.

bond

(to himself, flexing the cape)

so that's how he does it.

bond disappears into the oncoming crowd.

stamper and thug #2 are pushed to the bottom of the staircase - but

thug #1 bulls his way up, shouldering through the crowd.

rialto bridge - second (down) staircase - night

as bond nears the bottom of the staircase, he looks back up:

thug #1 is coming down the stairs like an infernal machine, tossing

carnival-goers aside like rag-dolls. spotting bond, he charges -

but gets caught between two men carrying a satin banner. he goes

right through it - ripping the material apart with his bare hands,

pulling the men down, after him.

base of the rialto bridge - canal sidestreet - night

bond turns past the wall at the bottom of the colonnade. he sees:

a group of tourists, posing for a photo by the bridge -

and just beyond this -

a street seller hawking souvenirs from a push cart.

bond approaches the tourist with the camera, offering to take the

picture for him.

bond

prego, prego. permissio.

tourist

grazie.

bond takes the camera. the tourists pose. and with perfect timing,

bond turns, and - pop! - sets off the flashbulb in thug #l's face

just as he comes around the corner.

bond flips the camera back to the tourist -

bond

grazie -

and heads for the pushcart. wheeling it around, he shoves it at the

thug, who is still stumbling, blinded by the flashbulb.

the cart slams into the man, knocking him on his back. the cart

stops on top of him, pinning him down.

bond takes off, threading through the crowd toward a sidestreet.

meanwhile, the street seller rushes to his wrecked cart. it erupts

in the air as thug #1 jumps to his feet. he's getting really pissed

off. he looks around for bond - just catching a glimpse of him, as -

007 disappears down the sidestreet.

thug #1 makes a bee-line for bond - but finds his path blocked by two

motorcyclists, chatting away. barely stopping, thug #1 lifts one of

the motorcycles - with the driver still in the seat - and throws it

into the canal.

return on the base of the bridge -

stamper and thug #2 arrive at the wrecked cart - in time to see thug

#1 disappear onto the side street.

stamper motions for thug #2 to come with him on a parallel course

along the canals toward -

the plaza san salvatore - night

bond enters the deserted plaza from the side-street. sticking close

to the buildings, he ducks into an alleyway.

alleyway - off the plaza san salvatore -

shrinking back into the shadows, bond peers out into the plaza.

bond's pov - the plaza

stamper and thug 2 charge in. bond watches as they split up and

start looking for him.

return on bond - in the shadows -

suddenly, a huge hand grabs 007's shoulder, spinning him around:

thug #1 has bond in his grasp, with murder his eyes. in one fast

move, bond side-steps, ducks, and twists out of the cloak, throwing

it over the thug's head. and as the thug struggles to get out from

under it, bond slams him head-first into a wall, knocking him out.

(he's left sitting upright, slumped against the wall.)

new angle -

bond heads off down the alleyway, away from the plaza, toward the

courtyard of il bovolo.

return on alleyway entrance -

thug #2 enters, spots the figure in bond's cloak. very quietly, he

pulls out his gun, kneels... and as he brings the gun up to the

cloaked figure's head, chambering a round -

hurling him against the opposite wall.

with a frustrated fury, thug #1 rips off the cloak, and stands.

thug #2

marco - i didn't know -

thug #1

after him!

they charge off.

il bovolo - courtyard - night

bond enters from the alley, scans the courtyard: three walls. no

way out... save for a spiral staircase that leads up to the fourth

floor interior balcony, overlooking the courtyard.

the spiral stairs -

bond takes the marble steps, two at a time.

return on the courtyard -

the two thugs enter the square. motioning for quiet, they hear

bond's footfalls on the steps, and race up after him.

the balcony -

coming off the staircase, bond tries the doors to the interior of the

building: locked. too heavy to burst in. he glances down at the

courtyard, and hears the thugs' footsteps running up the stairs.

bond glances up to the roof, just above his head: the only escape.

pocketing his mask, bond hops on the banister, reaches for the

gutter. he pulls himself up, throws a leg over - onto the roof, and

disappears from sight...

just as the thugs enter the balcony from the staircase.

first rooftop -

bond scurries along the steeply pitched terra-cotta roof. there are

sheer drops on three sides - but the fourth side is a one-story drop

to an adjoining building. bond jumps.

second (lower) rooftop -

007 lands on another steeply pitched roof; unable to get a foothold

on the tiles, he slides down, rolling to the edge. he looks down:

the adjoining building is one story lower, with a skylight roof.

as bond struggles to climb back to the peak of the second roof -

return on the balcony -

thug #1 holsters his gun, and climbs on the banister. he's too heavy

to climb onto the roof by himself - so thug #2 shoves him from below.

first rooftop -

thug #1 searches for bond. he hears bond moving, below him, on the

next building. he makes a running leap.

second (lower) rooftop -

bond has hauled himself up to a crouch as thug #1 lands. they

grapple. the thug sends bond sliding down toward the edge of the

roof, then loses his balance, and slides down after bond.

at the edge of the roof, bond is about to slide off, onto the

skylight below, but grabs the copper gutter at the last moment.

007 is now hanging, fifteen feet above a glass skylight... as thug #1

tumbles off the edge of the roof, and saves himself by grabbing onto

bond's legs.

they sway in the air for a second. the gutter bends, breaks, and the

two of them fall -

crashing through the glass skylight, into: -

venice medieval armor museum - night.

they land in a shower of glass on the grand banquet table in the

great hall. bond is winded. thug #1, unfazed. he grabs bond by the

collar, hauling him up on his feet.

thug #1 shoves the nose of his gun under bond's chin, forcing 007 up

on his toes. snarling, he thrusts his face menacingly close to bond:

thug #1

i owe you some pain.

with lightning speed, bond:

1) grasps the thug's elbow and yanks his

gun arm forward, as,

2) bond pitches his head back. bond's chin just

clears the barrel as the gun fires into the ceiling.

the flash momentarily blinds thug #1. bond snatches a candelabra,

and smashes it against the thug's arm, knocking the gun away.

as bond draws his walther, the thug grabs bond's wrist, and brutally

(yet effortlessly) squeezes the gun from 007's hand, onto the floor.

with a sick smile, the thug tosses bond into a corner of the room.

he's having fun.

as bond staggers, picking himself up from the corner -

thug #1 tosses aside a massive table and chairs to get at bond.

bond shoves a suit of armor (on wheels) at thug #1 - who bats it out

of the way, like a gnat.

concerned this might be getting serious, bond grabs an oak leg from

the shattered table. he wields it like a bat, to ward off the thug.

unimpressed, the thug smashes his fist into a glass display table,

and plucks out a claymore - a two-handed 'king arthur' type sword.

with one roundhouse blow, thug #1 slices bond's table leg in two.

the thug swings the claymore a second time, forcing bond back to:

a display wall -

filled with pole weapons. bond snatches a lethal-looking halberd.

(ax, fluke

and

drops the claymore. grabs a pole-ax.

the two men face off in a short, furious battle, which ends with thug

#1 shattering bond's halberd with the pole-ax.

new angle -

gripping the pole-ax horizontally in both hands, thug #1 forces bond

backward, to a second display wall that features an iron maiden.

(something like a hinged sarcophagus, lined with spikes.)

thug #1 tries to push 007 into the case, but bond side-steps at the

last minute. thug #1 lurches forward, and is only stopped from

killing himself by the pole-ax hitting the sides of the iron maiden.

as thug #1 steps back, bond grabs a morning-star from the wall. (a

studded iron ball on a chain attached to a club)

bond swings the morning-star down, snapping thug #1's pole-ax in

two... but loses the weapon in the process.

now, thug #1 lunges for bond's throat. grappling, they slam into the

wall next to the iron maiden - which is starting to come loose from

the leather straps holding it upright. -

in a near death-grip, bond manages to push/kick/smash thug #1

backwards, down onto the floor.

and as bond reaches up for another weapon - a hand-ax -

thug #1 lunges for bond's gun on the floor.

bond can't get the hand-ax off the wall. he turns to see:

thug #1 about to shoot him.

and at the very last second, bond dislodges the hand-ax, slashes the

iron maiden's leather retaining straps and -

new angle - from inside the iron maiden's pov -

the iron maiden falls forward, impaling thug #1 on the wooden floor.

return to scene -

the iron maiden covers all of thug #1, except for his arm, still

clutching bond's gun. bond bends down and retrieves it.

bond

he fought hard...

(holstering the gun)

but the case was terminal.

and on this note, we -

dissolve to:

ext. venice harbor - the next day -

under a beautiful blue sky, the gleaming white sea dolphin ii sits at

dock, festooned with pennants and banners. there's a crowd onboard.

at the same time, however, 500 feet away...

int. dockside cafe -

bond meets with signore digiacomo, a middle-aged italian intelligence

official in shirtsleeves. two underlings hover in the background.

bond

you've confirmed all the legal

details with m?

digiacomo

si. bueno. she's very...

'competent.' ...for a woman.

bond

let's go over this one more time.

digiacomo

you will investigate the boat.

you'll signal us if you find the

enriched uranium. and then -

(distracted)

pardon.

he looks at a woman who has appeared with a baby in her arms.

italian woman w/baby

don franco. i just want to sa