英文片名: the patriot
中文片名: 爱国者
上映: 2000
the patriot
by
robert rodat
march 26, 1999
fade in:
ext. the swamps of south carolina - night
dark. ominous. kudzu hangs from the swamps maples. a
dark and forbidding place. a bird cries eerily in the
darkness. insects hum ominously.
superimposition:
french and indian war
a detachment of french soldiers with several wagons makes
it's way along a muddy road cut through the swamp. the
soldiers are wary, scanning the underbrush, weapons ready.
in the swamp, parallel to the road, shadowed figures,
hidden among the brush, silently track the french
soldiers.
as the lead wagon rolls over a muddy puddle, straddling
it, a mud-covered figure, reaches up, grabs the wagon's
undercarriage, pulls itself up and clings, unseen to the
underside of the wagon. the figure, obscured by the mud,
barely looks human.
as the other wagons roll over other muddy depressions in
the road, three more mud-covered figures reach up, grab
and cling to the underside of other wagons.
fort charles
the gates are opened. the relieved french soldiers
quicken their pace and hurry into the relative safety of
the fort. in the fort yard the weary detachment
disperses.
under the lead wagon
the first dark, mud-covered figure silently drops to the
ground and draws a distinctive tomahawk from his belt as
the other figures drop from the other wagons.
the figures crawl through the shadows toward the sentries
who are closing the main gates. they spring... the lead
figure dashes forward, raises his tomahawk and hacks down
at a terrified french sentry...
the other muddy figures join the attack... stifling the
screams of the french soldiers with vicious knife
slashes... gaining precious seconds...
a french soldier cries out... sounding the alarm... other
french soldiers come running out of the darkness...
the four muddy figures, make a stand at the gate, brutally
killing the french soldiers as they come, holding the
gates open as...
dozens of other muddy figures race out of the surrounding
swamp, tearing through the fort gates, joining the
slaughter...
the lead figure, hacks, again and again with his
tomahawk...
blood and flesh cover his arm as the vicious blade rises
and falls amid the screams in the darkness...
dissolve to:
ext. south carolina countryside - day
beautiful sunlight. aerial shot of a post rider galloping
along a road through peaceful untamed woodlands. soaring
old-growth elms arch over riverside maples along the
shores of the gently curving, deep-water santee river.
superimposition:
south carolina
april, 1776
the post rider rides along a raised swamp road. on either
side of the road, gorgeous shafts of sunlight pierce the
canopy falling onto soft, swaying ferns that cover the
high grounds. hundreds of birds sing. the water is
clear, with fields of floating lily pads, each with a
stark white flower rising from it.
ext. fresh water plantation - day
the post rider approaches a plantation built between the
banks of the river and the deep green of the swamps,
passing acres of perfectly tended rice paddies. twothree adult male african freedmen, joshua, jonah, mica,
planting rice. they look up from their work as the rider
passes. nathan and samuel take off running after the post
rider.
the house
the post rider approaches the house, built of native
brick, well-constructed and well-maintained. there's a
barn, a workshop and a forge. it is a home of substance
rather than wealth. on the front porch, margaret, 11,
pumps a butter churn while her brother, william, 6,
watches. they see the post rider. margaret excitedly
runs off toward the workshop while william stares at the
approaching rider who is trailed by nathan and samuel.
int. workshop - day
a perfect colonial workshop, fastidiously arranged with
every conceivable tool of the period. a foot-powered
lathe. a drop-forge. a lifting saw. racks of tools,
planes, hammers, augers, drills, blocks, all hanging in
their places. all very well-worn.
benjamin martin methodically works his lathe, turning a
piece of hardwood, shaving off tiny curls of wood with a
razor-sharp chisel. he's in his late-forties, strong and
weathered. his hands, though big and callused, handle the
chisel with a surgeon's precision. self-educated and
self-sufficient, he has built himself, as he built his
farm, brick by brick, from the coarse clay of the earth.
a finely-made rocking chair, missing only the dowel on
which martin is working, sits on the work table. the
chair is a work of art, thin and light, a spider-web of
perfectly turned wood, no nails, no glue. sitting on the
woodpile, susan, 4, a silent, stone-face wisp of a child,
watches her father. margaret races in.
margaret
father! a post rider!
martin pointedly continues his work without looking up.
martin
very well.
margaret waits, then, seeing that her father isn't going
to come, she turns and races out.
ext. fresh water plantation - day
the post rider rides up to the house. abigale and abner,
a middle-aged african couple, step out. abigale calls out
to nathan and samuel as they run up breathlessly.
abigale
you go tell your father, there a
post rider.
they race toward the workshop, passing an excited
margaret.
int. workshop - day
martin calmly takes the piece of wood out of the lathe,
carefully fits it into the chair, inserts a peg and taps
it into place. then he steps back and appraises his
handiwork. he picks up the chair and hooks the top rail
to a scale, countering with a three-pound weight. the
chair floats. martin blows softly on the weight which
sinks. susan nods, so far, so good. nathan and samuel
burst into the room.
nathan
father! father!
samuel
a post rider! mail!
martin nods, keeping his attention on the chair.
martin
very well.
the boys wait for more. nothing. they race out.
ext. fresh water plantation - day
gabriel, 18, strong and handsome, walks out of the woods
with a musket in his hand and a dozen game-birds over his
shoulder. at his side walks thomas, 14, also carrying a
musket. they see the post rider giving the mail to
abigale with the other children excitedly watch. thomas
runs over. gabriel restrains himself and strides toward
the workshop.
int. workshop - day
martin takes the chair off the scale and puts it on the
floor. he walks slowly around it, checking every angle.
he takes a deep breath and starts to sit down but stops as
gabriel enters.
gabriel
father, a post rider.
martin
i know.
gabriel waits for martin to share his excitement. he
doesn't.
gabriel
may i bring it to you?
martin pointedly keeps his attention on the chair.
martin
no.
gabriel
may i open it?
martin turns with a surprised and authoritarian glare.
gabriel
uh... i can wait.
gabriel leaves. martin exchanges a look with susan, then
turns back to the chair. he takes a deep breath and
lowers himself onto the seat, gingerly adding an ounce at
a time. not a creak. he smiles and sits back with a
sigh.
crack! the chair splinters under martin's weight, dumping
him on his ass on a pile of broken wood.
martin
damnation!
he picks up some of the wood, about to fling it across the
room but stops as susan shoots him a disapproving look.
he calms himself.
martin
sorry.
susan gets down from the woodpile and puts the remains of
the chair in the fireplace. martin steps over to his wood
rack and extracts a fresh dowel. as susan climbs back up
to her perch, martin fits the dowel into the lathe and
starts it up.
the mail sits, unopened, on the hall table. margaret,
william, nathan, samuel, thomas and gabriel hover.
abigale bustles in and shoos them away.
abigale
you get away from there, now.
that's not your mail. you wash up
for supper... you leave that
alone...
the children reluctantly follow her orders, leaving the
unopened mail on the table.
ext. hilltop - fresh water farm - sunset
the loveliest spot on the farm. a beautiful view of the
house, barns, river, fields and hills beyond. a
gravestone stands in the shade of a soaring oak tree
covered with spanish moss. it reads:
elizabeth putnam martin 1738-1773
above her name is a carving of the night sky, at the
center of which is the north star, steady and guiding.
martin approaches. he gives himself a moment to look at
the grave. a soft wind blows some dry leaves along the
ground. martin turns his head, as if listening to spoken
words. push in on the north star on the gravestone.
margaret (v.o.)
that's her, the north star...
dissolve to:
int. girls' bedroom - night
martin stands in the doorway, unobserved, while margaret
and susan look out the window at the night sky.
margaret
... you start from the front two
stars of the big dipper and count up
five fingers lengths... that's
right... there.
susan gazes up at the north star. the girls notice martin
and climb into bed. he puts a chair against susan's bed
and kisses her. he pulls a blanket up around margaret,
who whispers:
margaret
it helps her to know mother's there.
martin nods with a thin smile, kisses margaret, picks up
his candle and walks out.
int. boys' bedroom - night
martin enters, finding william asleep on the floor and
nathan and samuel both asleep in their beds. he lifts
william into bed, takes a slingshot from nathan's hand.
samuel looks up, three-quarters asleep, murmuring:
samuel
mail, papa...
martin
i know.
he tucks in samuel and walks out.
int. foyer - martin's house - night
gabriel hovers near the still unopened mail. thomas lies
on the floor, deploying squadrons of lead soldiers.
martin walks in and pours a drink.
martin
very well. open it.
thomas and gabriel leap for the mail, battling, tearing
into it. martin steps to the window with his drink,
looking out into the night. gabriel scans, thomas reads
more slowly.
gabriel
the new york and rhode island
assemblies have been dissolved...
martin
the middle colonies?
gabriel
rioting both sides of the bay, in
chestertown they burned the customs
house and tar-and-feathered the
customs agent. he died of burns.
in wilmington they killed a royal
magistrate and two redcoats.
martin
foolish men.
gabriel
who, the rioters or the magistrates?
martin
anything about the convention in
philadelphia?
gabriel
poor richard says they'll make a
declaration of independence by july.
martin extracts a delicate pair of reading glasses from a
wooden pocket-box and motions for gabriel to hand him some
of the newspapers and pamphlets. gabriel does so. martin
sits down and begins reading.
gabriel
scott higgins joined the militia.
martin doesn't respond. thomas looks up from his lead
soldiers.
gabriel
he's seventeen. a year younger than
i.
gabriel and thomas wait for a reaction. none. gabriel
sighs and sits down to open more mail. martin's eyes
drift from the page to gabriel. suddenly gabriel starts:
gabriel
father! the assembly's been
convened! you're called to
charleston!
martin nods, not pleased, not surprised.
martin
we'll leave in the morning.
ext. swamp road - day
the martins drive on a beautiful swamp road. the arching
maples and willows form a tunnel of green. the children
excitedly chatter and sing. martin, driving one of the
wagons, is troubled. gabriel, driving the other, is as
excited as his siblings, but he restrains himself.
ext. bennington overlook - day
the two carriages pass a view of their entire valley.
scattered farms with a patchwork of cultivated fields and
rice paddies surround the town of bennington.
ext. santee road - day
passing through rolling farmland, the martins head toward
the coast. they pass a large contingent of south carolina
militia, drilling in a field. the children, particularly
gabriel, watch avidly.
ext. charleston - day
bustling. martin and gabriel negotiate the carriages
through the busy streets. the children watch, wide-eyed,
seeing taverns, a public gallows, drunkards, street
entertainers, well-dressed ladies attended by their maids,
food venders. they pull up in front of a grand house --
charlotte's.
int. charlotte's house - charleston - day
charlotte selton, mid-thirties, beautiful, with a deep
sadness that she keeps hidden as best she can, runs down
the grand staircase of her mansion. she stops in front of
a mirror and quickly primps, then hurries out the front
door.
ext. charlotte's house - charleston - day
the children leap from the carriages and swarm around
charlotte, embracing her, smothering her with kisses.
the children
aunt charlotte! aunt charlotte!
charlotte
welcome! welcome! margaret,
william, look at you...!
(to martin)
they're huge. what have you been
feeding them?
martin
they're from good stock on their
mother's side.
charlotte
thank you. come, come, inside, wait
until you see what i have...
the children
(simultaneous; all
except susan)
presents! for me? what do you
have?
charlotte
inside, inside...
the children race through the door, forcing martin and
charlotte together. they stand awkwardly, their bodies
close, as the children pass. after the children go,
martin and charlotte stand for an extra instant, then turn
and see susan standing, staring.
charlotte
you, too, susan. there's something
for you...
martin and charlotte watch susan walk inside.
charlotte
she still hasn't started talking?
martin shakes his head. they sigh and head inside
together.
ext. charleston square - night
chaos. a yelling crowd of sons of liberty is massed
around a liberty tree from which hang dozens of glowing
lanterns. gabriel walks through the crowd drinking it all
in, turning his head this way and that, seeing:
drunk men. vendors selling rum, ale, food and banners
emblazoned with a coiled snake and the legend, 'don't
tread on me.' scores of on-lookers, including respectable
people, as well as street urchins, whores and drunkards,
watch the proceedings.
gabriel moves through the crowd, excited by the madness of
the scene, listening in to bits of conversation as he
goes.
gabriel stops, noticing peter howard, a one-legged,
middle-aged man about martin's age, standing with his
family on the edge of the crowd. howard's daughter, anne,
very attractive, around fifteen, stands a bit apart from
her parents.
gabriel makes his way over and stands next to anne. they
exchange a look. she turns back to watch the crowd.
gabriel clears his throat and speaks with earnest, adult
politeness.
gabriel
miss howard, isn't it?
she speaks without looking at him.
anne
you know who i am, gabriel martin.
the last time you saw me i was nine
and you put ink in my tea.
gabriel straightens up and speaks officiously, trying to
appear a man above such childish pranks.
gabriel
i believe that was one of my younger
brothers... perhaps samuel or
nathan.
anne
it was you and it turned my teeth
black for a month.
gabriel
i... uh...
the crowd cheers as several sons of liberty string up
effigies of king george iii and governor wilmington. as
they light the effigies on fire, anne's father, notices
anne talking to gabriel. he motions for her to join him
at his side. anne nods to gabriel, taking her leave.
gabriel watches her go. with extreme effort, she keeps
herself from glancing back at him. gabriel turns his
attention back to the crowd. seeing a small knot of
affluent men gathered in conversation, gabriel walks over
and stands just outside their circle, listening avidly.
ext. charlotte's balcony - night
martin, his children and charlotte watch the mob in the
square below, the children are transfixed. martin is
troubled. charlotte looks closely at martin, gauging his
expression.
thomas
look! there's gabriel!
they see gabriel making his way through the crowd. he
sees them and waves, then enters the house. a moment
later gabriel breathlessly steps onto the balcony.
gabriel
it's coming...
thomas
war? war?
gabriel
harry lee is here from virginia
recruiting for a continental army.
he seeks a levy of troops and money.
the governor has vowed that if the
assembly votes a single shilling to
lee, he'll dissolve the body.
charlotte
which would force our delegates in
philadelphia to vote for
independence.
martin
and send us to war alongside
massachusetts.
gabriel nods enthusiastically. martin shoots him a
sidelong glance, troubled by the prospect. charlotte
notices.
in the square, a pair of drunk sons of liberty, pull down
one of the smoldering effigies, cut off its head, and
start hacking at it's groin with a sword.
martin sees his younger children's expressions as they
watch.
martin
inside, all of you, right now.
they start to protest but a look at their father's face
convinces them otherwise. they file into the house.
gabriel assumes the order doesn't apply to him but a stern
look from martin sends him reluctantly inside, leaving
charlotte and martin alone on the balcony.
charlotte
lee will be counting on your vote.
he'll expect you to be the first to
enlist.
martin looks down at the mob without responding. the
flames of the burning effigies light his face.
ext. assembly hall - charleston - day
the capital building of south carolina. a large crowd of
lower-class men and women is massed in front of the
assembly hall. as well-dressed assemblymen walk into the
building, the crowd yells words of encouragement to some
and berates others.
in the square in front of the assembly hall a squadron of
blue-uniformed american continental soldiers drills. a
recruiting table is being set up by a continental captain
and several military clerks.
int. assembly hall - day
two dozen angry, yelling, men of property. among them are
robinson, hamill and johnson, who are patriots. opposed
to them are simms, withington and baldridge who are
loyalists. as martin makes his way to his seat, the
speaker of the assembly pounds his gavel.
speaker
order! order!
slowly, the room quiets down.
speaker
our first order of business...
simms
and our last if we vote a levy...
the room erupts.
speaker
order! order! mr. simms, you do
not have the floor.
the room settles down.
speaker
our first order of business is an
address by colonel harry lee of the
continental army.
an imposing figure makes his way to the front of the
assembly, colonel harry lee, about martin's age and cut
from the same cloth -- strong, weathered, with a powerful
bearing. lee sees martin and offers a familiar nod, which
martin returns, stone-faced. at the dais lee pauses, then
speaks simply.
lee
you all know why i am here. i am
not an orator and i will not try to
convince you of the worthiness of
our cause. i am a soldier and we
are at war and with the declaration
of independence we all expect from
philadelphia, it will soon be a
formal state of war. in preparation
for that, eight of the thirteen
colonies have levied money in
support of a continental army. i
ask south carolina to be the ninth.
in the balcony, gabriel nods in agreement. simms rises.
simms
colonel lee, massachusetts may be at
war, along with new hampshire and
rhode island and virginia, but south
carolina is not at war.
lee
massachusetts and new hampshire are
not as far from south carolina as
you might think and the war they're
fighting is not for independence of
one or two colonies. it's for the
independence of one nation.
withington
and what nation is that?
robinson, one of the patriots, stands up.
robinson
an american nation. colonel lee,
with your permission?
lee nods.
robinson
those of us who call ourselves
patriots are not seeking to give
birth to an american nation, but to
protect one that already exists. it
was born a hundred-and-seventy years
ago at jamestown and has grown
stronger and more mature with every
generation reared and with every
crop sown and harvested. we are one
nation and our rights as citizens of
that nation are threatened by a
tyrant three thousand miles away.
lee
were i an orator, those are the
exact words i would have spoken.
laughter. martin rises.
martin
mister robinson, tell me, why should
i trade one tyrant, three thousand
miles away, for three thousand
tyrants, one mile away?
laughter from the loyalists. surprise from lee and the
patriots. in the gallery, gabriel winces.
robinson
sir?
martin
an elected legislature can trample a
man's rights just as easily as a
king can.
lee
captain martin, i understood you to
be a patriot.
martin
if you mean by a patriot, am i angry
at the townsend acts and the stamp
act? then i'm a patriot. and what
of the navigation act? should i be
permitted to sell my rice to the
french traders on martinique? yes,
and it's an intrusion into my
affairs that i can't... legally.
laughter.
martin
and what of the greedy, self-serving
bastards who sit as magistrates on
the admiralty court and have fined
nearly every man in this room.
should they be boxed about the ears
and thrown onto the first ship back
to england? i'll do it myself.
(beat)
and do i believe that the american
colonies should stand as a separate,
independent nation, free from the
reins of king and parliament? i do,
and if that makes a patriot, then
i'm a patriot.
martin grows more serious.
martin
but if you're asking whether i'm
willing to go to war with england,
the answer is, no. i've been to war
and i have no desire to do so again.
the room is quiet, the assemblymen having been thrown off-
balance. gabriel is disappointed by his father's speech.
robinson
this from the same captain benjamin
martin whose anger was so famous
during the wilderness campaign?
martin glares at robinson, then smiles.
martin
i was intemperate in my youth. my
departed wife, god bless her soul,
dampened that intemperance with the
mantle of responsibility.
robinson looks derisively at martin.
robinson
temperance can be a convenient
disguise for fear.
martin bristles but before he can answer, lee steps in.
lee
mister robinson, i fought with
captain martin in the french and
indian war, including the wilderness
campaign. we served as scouts under
washington. there's not a man in
this room, or anywhere, for that
matter, to whom i would more
willingly trust my life.
robinson
i stand corrected.
lee
but, damn it, benjamin! you live in
a cave if you think we'll get
independence without war...
martin
wasn't it a union jack we fought
under?
lee
a long time ago...
martin
thirteen years...
lee
that's a damn long time...
the speaker pounds his gavel again.
speaker
gentlemen! please! this is not a
tavern!
martin and lee ignore the speaker.
martin
you were an englishman then...
lee
i was an american, i just didn't
know it yet...
the assemblymen and even the speaker turn their heads in
simultaneous anticipation of each rejoinder.
martin
we don't have to go to war to gain
independence...
lee
balderdash!
martin
there are a thousand avenues, other
than war, at our disposal...
martin speaks slowly and firmly.
martin
we do not have to go to war to gain
independence.
lee says nothing for a moment, then he speaks more
seriously, quietly, grimly.
lee
benjamin, i was at bunker hill. it
was as bad as anything you and i saw
on the frontier. worse than the
slaughter at the ashuelot river.
the british advanced three times and
we killed over seven hundred of them
at point blank range. if your
principles dictate independence,
then war is the only way. it has
come to that.
martin is silent for a long moment. he softens and grows
unsteady, speaking far more honestly than he ever wanted
to.
martin
i have seven children. my wife is
dead. who's to care for them if i
go to war?
lee is stunned by martin's honesty and his show of
weakness. at first lee has no answer, then:
lee
wars are not fought only by
childless men. a man must weigh his
personal responsibilities against
his principles.
martin
that's what i'm doing. i will not
fight and because i won't, i will
not cast a vote that will send
others to fight in my stead.
lee
and your principles?
martin
i'm a parent, i don't have the
luxury of principles.
the other assemblymen, both patriots and loyalists, stare
at him, appalled. martin, feeling weak, sits down. lee
looks at his friend with more sympathy than
disappointment. in the gallery gabriel turns and walks
out.
ext. assembly hall - day
the crowd waits. the doors open and a page boy dashes out
and runs to the continental captain at the recruiting
table.
page boy
twenty-eight to twelve, the levy
passed!
the continental captain motions to an assembled squadron.
they raise their muskets and fire a volley into the air.
other soldiers, strike up a martial air on fifes and
drums. volunteers crowd around the recruiting table,
yelling and jostling for position.
the delegates walk out. both patriots and loyalists give
martin a wide berth.
martin sees gabriel, standing near the crowd at the
recruiting table. martin walks up to him.
gabriel
father, i've lost respect for you.
i thought you were a man of
principle.
martin
when you have children, i hope
you'll understand.
gabriel
when i have children, i hope i don't
hide behind them.
martin looks closely at gabriel.
martin
do you intend to enlist without my
permission?
gabriel
yes.
they lock eyes for a moment, then gabriel turns from his
father and walks away, joining the crush around the
recruiting table. martin stands alone in the middle of
the chaos. the fifes and drums continue to play. martin
doesn't hear them.
lee (o.s.)
is he as imprudent as his father was
at his age.
martin turns and sees lee standing next to him, looking at
gabriel.
martin
unfortunately, so. in other
measures he is his mother's son, but
in prudence, or lack thereof, he is
his father's.
lee
i'll see to it that he serves under
me. i'll make him clerk or a
quartermaster, something of that
sort.
martin
good luck.
they shake hands. then lee walks over to the soldiers.
camera cranes up as martin takes a last look at gabriel,
then heads off through the crowded square, moving against
the tide of men headed toward the recruiting table.
crane up ends on tableau of the sunlit city of charleston.
bustling streets filled with civilians, patriots streaming
into the assembly square and fluttering flags -- the south
carolina state flag and numerous 'don't tread on me'
flags.
dissolve to:
ext. charleston - day
the same view of the city which has radically changed:
superimposition:
two years later
the sky is cloud-filled and dark. the flags have all been
replaced by union jacks. redcoats march in lock-step
unison where excited patriots and civilians ran. a fleet
of british ships is visible in the harbor. defensive
emplacements, bristling with cannons, surround the city.
gabriel (v.o.)
... and i apologize for not having
written in such a long time.
ext. charleston street - day
a detachment of redcoats marches past coldly staring
american civilians.
gabriel (v.o.)
as you must know, the fall of
charleston has been a severe blow to
our cause...
ext. charleston square - day
lord general cornwallis haughtily turns from american
general lincoln, forcing lincoln to present his sword of
surrender to one of cornwallis' subordinates.
gabriel (v.o.)
with the sting of that loss made all
the worse by cornwallis' humiliation
of our general lincoln at the
surrender ceremony...
ext. charlotte's house - charleston - day
charlotte supervises her slaves as they pack a line of
wagons.
gabriel (v.o.)
a letter from aunt charlotte
informed me that she closed her home
in charleston before the city
fell...
ext. charlotte's plantation - day
a backcountry plantation. more substantial than martin's
but not opulent. charlotte, her hands dirty, tends a
vegetable garden with a pair of female slaves, while
several male slaves harvest rice in the paddies beyond.
gabriel (v.o.)
... and moved to her plantation near
you on the santee.
ext. slight rise - fresh water plantation - later
martin stands at his wife's grave, finishing reading the
letter.
gabriel (v.o.)
what little news we get from the
north is disheartening, offering us
little solace in these dark times.
i pray for a turn of fortune for our
cause. then, as now, your loving
son, gabriel.
a soft wind blows. martin turns his head, listening for a
faint voice, but hears nothing. he folds the letter,
takes off his glasses, boxes them, and heads down the hill
toward the lights and laughter coming from the house
below.
int. martin's bedroom - dusk
a trunk lid opens. camera pulls back to reveal thomas in
martin's closet. he lifts out some blankets, uncovering a
trove of martin's old military gear -- a worn battle coat,
a box of medals, a military sword, rusted into its
scabbard, and the tomahawk seen in the opening sequence.
thomas puts on the coat which hangs off his narrow
shoulders. he stands in front of a mirror, appraising
himself. he picks up the tomahawk and hefts it.
footsteps.
martin steps into the room and stops. thomas grimaces,
expecting him to be angry but martin simply shakes his
head, takes the tomahawk, and gently removes the battle
coat.
martin
not yet, thomas.
thomas
when?
martin looks closely at his son, giving him the courtesy
of really thinking about the answer.
martin
seventeen.
thomas
but it's already been two years and
that's two more years. the war
could be over by then.
martin
god willing.
thomas
alright. seventeen.
martin offers his hand. they shake. martin puts the coat
and the tomahawk back in the trunk and closes the lid.
int. fresh water plantation - dawn
all is quiet. a dawn mist hovers close over the ground.
some sparrows feed at the base of the oak tree near the
gravesite. distant thunder. low and rolling. the birds
fly away.
int. martin's bedroom - dawn
another roll of the distant thunder. martin awakes. he
gets out of bed and pulls on his clothes.
ext. front porch - martin's house - dawn
martin steps out to his front porch and listens. he knows
the sound, the distant staccato booms of cannon and the
pattering wave of thousands of muskets firing.
one by one he is joined by his children. thomas, nathan
and samuel listen analytically. margaret and susan press
close against their father.
abigale and abner join the family on the porch. abigale
gathers susan and william to her skirts. joshua, jonah
and mica step out of the slave quarters and listen.
william looks curiously at the cloudless sky.
william
is it going to rain?
thomas
that's not thunder.
the sound becomes deeper, more ominous. they all notice.
nathan
father?
martin
six-pounders. lots of them.
thomas
how far away?
martin
four, five miles.
samuel
waxhaus?
martin
just east of it.
margaret
we could go stay at aunt
charlotte's. she's west.
martin
no, there'll be skirmishers on the
roads. we're safer here.
thomas appears at the doorway with a pair of muskets. he
gives one to nathan and offers the other to his father.
martin
put those away.
thomas
but father, they might come this
way.
martin
put those things away!
int. workshop - day
martin works the lathe, trying to concentrate. susan
watches from her perch on the woodpile. a distracted
martin slips, cutting his finger. the blood, landing on
the spinning dowel, makes a quick, bright red, circle
around the wood. martin continues working.
ext. barn - day
the sound of a crash. a horse runs out of the barn,
dragging a tenacious samuel who is holding onto the
horse's neck. joshua and jonah step out of the barn,
admiring the boy's grit. samuel's grip fails and he lands
in the dirt. seeing that he's unhurt, joshua and jonah
laugh lightly as the horse runs off down the hill toward
the river. joshua stands samuel up and brushes him off.
joshua
you go on and get him, there, boy.
samuel grabs a rope and heads down the hill to get the
horse.
on the riverbank
as samuel approaches the horse he see it skittishly
approaching then retreating from the water. then he sees
the cause -- the water in the river has a pale, pink hue.
samuel stares at it, trying to figure out what it is.
on the porch
abigale sees samuel beyond the yard wall and snaps at
margaret.
abigale
look where your brother is... your
papa said you stay close by this
house... you bring him up here,
right now.
margaret heads after samuel. abigale re-enters the house.
margaret
samuel...
he doesn't respond. william trails after margaret.
margaret
samuel, get up to the house...
papa's gonna be mad...
then she sees it, too. the pale pink is turning redder
and redder. and then the bodies. first one, then more,
many more. torn apart. missing limbs. those with wide-
open wounds, are already drained of blood. others are
still seeping, leaving trails of deep red in the paler red
of the surrounding water.
samuel, margaret and william stand frozen, appalled and
fascinated.
martin steps out of the workshop and sees the children at
the river. he can't see what they're looking at.
irritated, he walks toward them.
then, as he nears the river, he sees the color of the
water and the bodies that have hypnotized his children.
he quickens his stride, speaking calmly but firmly,
careful not to frighten them.
martin
up to the house, now. all of you,
come on. now.
ext. martin's house - night
quiet. dark. martin stands on the front porch, looking
out into the night, listening, hearing nothing. he
glances up at the north star.
behind the house, a figure in the darkness, carrying a
musket, moves from shadow to shadow.
int. kitchen - night
margaret and samuel and william talk, their voices low.
samuel
they're going to come.
margaret
quiet.
samuel
we're going to have to fight them
off.
william
father will do that.
samuel
they'll probably kill us men and do
lord knows what to you women.
margaret
samuel!
a sound. they all stop. something moved behind the
kitchen. margaret silently eases the others out of the
room.
suddenly in front of them, a bloody figure
big. hulking. in uniform. margaret screams. william
and samuel cry out. the figure moves toward them...
martin, on the porch, hears the scream, races into the
house... sees the figure... martin reaches under his vest
and draws a heretofore unseen pistol... cocks and aims in
a fast, practiced motion... he's just about to fire
when...
the figure moves into the light... martin sees...
martin
gabriel!
gabriel is wounded, battered and dirty, carrying a musket
and a dispatch case. he sways. martin catches him and
eases him to a seat. abigale frantically looks at his
wounds.
thomas
the battle, were you there?
martin
abigale, get bandages and water.
thomas, the porch.
they hurry off. martin checks gabriel's wounds.
gabriel
have you seen any redcoats?
martin
not yet. what happened?
abigale brings water and linen to martin who expertly
cleans gabriel's wounds and applies field-dressings as
they talk.
gabriel
it wasn't like saratoga. there, we
stayed in the trees, but this time
gates marched us straight at the
redcoats. they fired two volleys
into us and we broke like straw. i
was given these dispatches... i saw
virginia regulars surrender... as
they laid down their weapons the
british green dragoons rode into
them and hacked them to bits...
killed them all, over two hundred
men.
martin's appalled.
martin
they had surrendered?
gabriel nods. martin's stunned. gabriel tries to rise.
gabriel
i have to get these dispatches to
hillsboro.
martin
you're in no condition to ride.
gabriel
i can't stay here... it's not safe
for any of you and i must get to...
i...
gabriel passes out. martin catches him and carries him to
a day-bed. they hear heavy musket fire, very close.
martin hurries to the door and looks out into the night,
the children cluster around him, seeing a strange sight.
a skirmish in the field below the house
pitch black. then a musket fires, creating a flash of
light that illuminates a tableau of soldiers, about three
dozen redcoats and as many patriots.
the strobe of the musket shot provides targets for an
ensuing volley of shots in every direction. then
darkness, punctuated by screams of pain, confused
hollering and the rustling of armed men in movement.
then the pattern repeats itself: a musket fires,
illuminating a tableau of targets for another murderous
volley of shots.
martin
margaret, take william and susan
down to the root cellar. thomas, go
to the back porch. nathan and
samuel, the side windows. keep out
of sight.
they hurry off. martin steps into the house and opens his
gun cabinet. he extracts two pistols and a pair of
muskets. then he steps back to the front door. he waits
and watches.
ext. lower field - fresh water plantation - dawn
first light. the morning mist lies low over the field.
martin warily approaches the scene of the battle. he
carries a pennsylvania rifle, has another slung over his
shoulder, and has a pair of pistols in his belt.
as martin nears the field he sees, appearing out of the
mist, a nightmarish vision. young redcoats and
continentals are scattered on the ground, dead and
wounded. many have been hideously torn apart by the
massive musket balls. blood is everywhere. martin
hurries back toward the house.
ext. martin's house - fresh water plantation - day
the porch and yard have been turned into a field hospital.
there are about two dozen wounded, a few more patriots
than redcoats. joshua, jonah and mica unload the last
wagon-load of injured men. abigale, thomas, nathan,
samuel and margaret help martin tend the soldiers.
william and susan watch from inside. abner stands on the
edge of the yard as lookout.
gabriel, stronger though still weakened by his wounds,
helps, treating a patriot's arm wound, retying a
tourniquet, stanching an ugly flow of blood. thomas sees
and swoons, then grows embarrassed when gabriel notices.
ext. martin's house - afternoon
triage completed. margaret and samuel give water and
food. martin kneels next to a continental sergeant and a
couple of privates who are less severely wounded than the
others.
continental sergeant
thank you.
martin nods, uncomfortable with the thanks.
martin
sergeant, there are seventeen
wounded men here. seven redcoats
and ten patriots, counting my son.
that puts me in a difficult
position.
the continental sergeant knows what's coming. the
privates and martin's younger children don't. a troubled
gabriel, overhearing, does know.
martin
you three are the least severely
wounded. i have to ask you to leave
and find care elsewhere.
the privates are stunned at the request. the sergeant
looks at martin's children and nods.
sergeant
i understand.
he struggles to his feet and jerks his head for the two
privates to do the same.
sergeant
come on, boys.
nathan, samuel and margaret are confused.
thomas
father?
nathan
but they're wounded.
martin
there are rules, even in war.
martin's children are not convinced. gabriel steps over
in front of martin as the sergeant and the two privates
gather themselves to leave.
gabriel
father, no...
martin
we'll be safe this way.
gabriel
even now you won't pick a side?
martin glances at his younger children then turns back to
gabriel.
martin
i have.
gabriel points to the more seriously wounded of the
privates.
gabriel
you stay, i'll go.
martin
no. his wound is less severe than
yours.
gabriel hesitates. the private tentatively steps up.
private
he's right. i'll go.
gabriel backs down. martin hides his relief and turns to
the sergeant and the privates.
martin
your best chance is in bennington,
seven miles east, along the river
road.
the wounded men nod grimly and start off down the road.
martin
thank you.
martin, gabriel and his children watch them go. a
troubled gabriel heads over to help the remaining wounded.
ext. fresh water road - day
a dirt road runs along the edge of the swamps. beautiful
country. peaceful. the ground begins to shake. a
thunderous sound rises, louder and louder. horses hooves.
from around a bend, a detachment of cavalry gallops:
british green dragoons. the finest light calvary in the
world. hard, strong men. excellent horsemen. their
mounts are powerful, muscled and perfectly cared for. the
dragoons themselves are all hardened veterans, marked with
the blood and dirt of a recent battle. tired and
vigorous.
armed to the teeth, each with a flintlock carbine, a brace
of pistols and a sword. some carry lances. flags
flutter.
and at their head, the most imposing man of all, lt.
colonel william tavington. 'the butcher.' aristocratic.
strong. dark. a powerful horseman on the best mount of
the entire troop. decorated. imperious. no temper, just
hard, cold authority. his men struggle to keep up with
him.
behind them, two dozen loyalist militia calvary. nasty,
local men. civilian clothes. riding at their head, amos
gaskins, grizzled, lower-class, wearing ill-fitting
patrician's clothing.
around a bend
the three wounded patriots who just left martin's farm
hear the horses coming, stand on the side of the road,
raise their arms and a white cloth of surrender.
the green dragoons rein in. tavington stops in front of
the three men. he motions for one of his men to lower his
weapon. then he speaks calmly, quietly, to the wounded
men.
tavington
you're surrendering.
continental sergeant
yes, sir.
tavington
what unit?
continental sergeant
first virginia regulars under
colonel hamilton.
tavington
who cared for your wounds?
they hesitate.
continental sergeant
we did.
tavington
with a lace table cloth?
tavington turns to his second-in-command, major wilkins.
tavington
kill them.
tavington rides off. wilkins and several other dragoons
calmly fire their pistols, killing the three patriots.
the troops ride off, thundering past the bodies.
ext. fresh water plantation - day
martin, his family and freedmen continue tending the
wounded. redcoat infantry appear out of the woods,
heading toward the house. three dozen men. scouts and
flank units covering the main body. martin gathers his
family around him, stands and waits.
joshua, jonah and mica stand among the wounded. abigale
makes her way to martin and the children, gathering the
younger ones closer to her.
the redcoats warily eye the wounded and martin's family.
a young redcoat lieutenant motions his men to check out
the house and barn, then does a silent count of the
wounded.
redcoat lieutenant
these men are of my regiment. thank
you.
martin nods. one of the redcoats emerges from the house
carrying gabriel's dispatch case.
redcoat
rebel dispatches, sir.
gabriel steps up.
gabriel
i carried those. i was wounded,
these people gave me care, they have
nothing to do with the dispatches.
redcoat lieutenant
i understand.
the sound of horses hooves. all turn and see:
tavington and the green dragoons thundering down the road
toward the house. it's an impressive, frightening sight.
they rein in their horses, stopping in the yard, enveloped
by their trailing cloud of dust.
tavington surveys the scene, then speaks to the young
redcoat lieutenant.
tavington
lieutenant, have a detachment take
our wounded to our surgeons at
camden crossing. use whatever
horses and wagons you can find here.
redcoat lieutenant
yes, sir.
he hands the dispatch case to tavington.
redcoat lieutenant
we found this, sir.
tavington opens it and quickly scans the contents.
tavington
who carried this?
gabriel
i did.
tavington
(to lt. re: gabriel)
take this one to camden, he's a spy.
he will be hung.
martin quickly steps between tavington and gabriel.
martin
colonel, he's a dispatch rider and
that's a marked dispatch case.
tavington ignores martin and continues speaking to the
lieutenant.
tavington
fire the house and barns. send the
slaves to acworth... enlist the
young ones. leave the rest of the
goods.
abigale is appalled. joshua steps up.
joshua
we're not slaves, we're freedmen...
tavington
then you're freedmen who will enlist
in the king's army.
martin grows distraught...
martin
colonel...
redcoat lieutenant
and the rebel wounded?
tavington
kill them.
the redcoat lieutenant and several of his men are shocked
by the order. martin is, also, but he's more concerned
with gabriel. he pushes past some redcoats and stands at
tavington's mount, looking up.
martin
a dispatch rider with a marked case
cannot be held for spying.
tavington finally pays attention to martin. he looks down
at his anguished face and offers the barest of smiles.
tavington
we're not going to hold him, we're
going to hang him.
martin
but...
tavington draws his pistol and points it at martin.
gabriel tries to intercede but is held back by a burly
redcoat corporal.
gabriel
father...
tavington
oh, he's your son. you should have
taught him about loyalty.
martin
colonel, i beg you, please
reconsider. by the rules of war, a
dispatch rider with a marked case...
tavington controls his shifting mount, keeping his pistol
trained on martin's face.
tavington
would you like a lesson in the rules
of war?
martin doesn't answer. he looks up at tavington coldly,
taking his measure, waiting to see if he's going to pull
the trigger.
tavington walks his horse a couple of steps and shifts his
aim, pointing the pistol among martin's children.
tavington
perhaps your children would.
the children are terrified. thomas is more angry than
frightened. martin quickly steps between the pistol and
his children and speaks quietly to tavington.
martin
no lesson is necessary.
tavington sees the terrified expressions on the faces of
martin's children. he smiles at the effect. then he
holsters his pistol.
martin and his children watch as one of the redcoats ties
gabriel's hands. thomas is beside himself.
thomas
father, do something.
thomas grows increasingly agitated. he sees that his
father is going to do nothing. he gauges the distance
between gabriel and the cover of the nearby woods.
then suddenly, thomas springs. he runs, throwing himself,
into the two redcoats holding gabriel, knocking them down.
thomas
gabriel! run!
gabriel is too shocked to take flight. a few of the
redcoats, including one of the ones knocked down, shake
their heads with sad laughter at thomas' ineffectual
gesture. one of them grabs thomas by the scruff of the
neck and yanks him to his feet.
tavington sees the commotion. without pausing he draws
his pistol and fires, hitting thomas in the back.
thomas is thrown to his knees by the shot. stunned,
confused, he looks down and sees the massive exit wound in
his chest.
martin, horrified, catches thomas as he falls, easing him
to the ground.
gabriel cries out. the other children are stunned to
silence. abigale sobs.
the redcoats are frozen in place. tavington's green
dragoons are impassive, having seen worse.
martin holds his son, looking at the huge,
incomprehensible wound. he knows that thomas is already
dead, though his body still moves.
martin's stunned agony turns to fury. he rises, his eyes
trained on tavington, then stops as...
tavington raises a second loaded pistol and a dozen green
dragoons raise pistols and carbines, aiming them at
martin, gabriel and the other children.
martin freezes, torn between his fury and fear for his
children. he locks his eyes on tavington.
tavington calmly baths in martin's anger. then, with a
hard yank of the reins, he jerks his horse's head around
and utters a sharp command to wilkins.
tavington
major.
tavington spurs his horse and rides off without looking
back. his green dragoons thunder after him.
martin's children begin to cry. margaret tries to revive
thomas' lifeless body, gently caressing his cheek.
margaret
thomas, please, thomas...
a sobbing abigale tries to pull her from thomas' body.
abigale
come, child, come...
the redcoats watch in silence. martin looks to gabriel
who is stunned, torn between shock and overwhelming guilt.
martin turns to the redcoat lieutenant.
martin
lieutenant, please...
the lieutenant wavers, but a look after the departing
tavington stiffens his resolve.
redcoat lieutenant
i have my orders. sergeant!
the redcoat infantrymen scatter, some to get horses and
wagons from the barn, others to torch the buildings.
martin stands among the children, all of whom look to
martin with pleading eyes, waiting for him to do
something.
margaret
papa, look what they did to
thomas...
nathan
father, they're going to take
gabriel...
with stone-faced fury, martin watches the redcoats do
their work.
with leveled muskets, redcoats motion joshua, jonah, mica
and abner off. as they turn to abigale, she rises up
protectively, putting herself in front of the family.
abigale
i'm not leaving these children...
you can shoot me, you damned
things...
one coarse-looking redcoat raises his musket to oblige.
martin intercedes with icy silence, motioning for abigale
to go. reluctantly she moves away from the children at
gunpoint.
from the barns, they hear the sounds of muskets firing and
the squeals of the livestock being killed.
other redcoats torch the house, barn and outbuildings.
the flames rise.
the redcoats bring out martin's wagons and carriages and
begin loading the redcoat wounded.
the redcoat lieutenant and several of his men walk among
the patriot wo