Braveheart Script If you are going to put this script on your web page, please give me credit, because this took me a long time to make. Thanks for visiting the Ultimate Braveheart Page, at "http://www.aloha.net/~brvhrt/index.html". If there are errors in this script, please e-mail only the errors to "brvhrt@aloha.net". __________________________________________________________ Robert the Bruce (narrator): I shall tell you of William Wallace. Historians from England will say I am a liar, but history is written by those who have hanged heroes. The king of Scotland had died without a son, and the King of England, a cruel pagan known as Edward the Longshanks, claimed the throne of Scotland for himself. Scotland's nobles fought him, and fought each other over the crown. So Longshanks invited them to talks of truce, no weapons, one page only. Among the farmers of that shire was Malcolm Wallace, a commoner with his own lands. He had two sons: John and William. (Malcolm and John are riding to MacAndrews) Malcolm: I told you to stay. William: Well, I finished my work. Where are we going? Malcolm: MacAndrews. He was supposed to visit when the gathering was over. William: Can I come? Malcolm: No. Go home, boy. William: But I want to go. Malcolm: Go home William or you'll feel the back of my hand. John: Go you home, William. (Malcolm Wallace and John arrives at MacAndrews, finding that there is only silence.) Malcolm: MacAndrews; MacAndrews. (Malcolm and John walk in the house to find everyone at the gathering hanged) Holy Jesus! (Malcolm hears someone at the back door. He grabs John's axe, assuming he is English. It is William at the door. When Malcolm approaches William, he panics and runs off, running into the hanging corpses) William: Ah! (screams) Malcolm: It's all right! William! John: William! Malcolm: It's all right. Easy lad. (William is asleep and dreaming) Dead Page Boy: William! __________________________________________________________ (in Wallace's house) Malcolm: I say we hit back now. MacClannough: We cannot fight them. It's suicide. Campbell: Wallace is right. We fight them! MacClannough: Every nobleman who had the will to fight was at that meeting. We cannot beat an army. Not with 50 farmers. Malcolm: We do not have to beat them. Just fight them. Now who's with me. Campbell (among others): I am, Wallace. MacClannough: Alright, alright. Malcolm: Ready. __________________________________________________________ (next morning, Malcolm gets his sword. William is on top of the horse. Malcolm asks.....) Malcolm: Where do you think you're going? William: I'm going with you. Malcolm: Oh, you're going with, are you? And what are you going to do? William: I'm gonna help. Malcolm: Hey, and a good help you'd be, too. But I need you to stay here and look after the place for me while I'm away. William: I can fight! Malcolm: I know. I know you can fight. But it's our wits that make us men. See you tomorrow. John: Ha! __________________________________________________________ (English soldiers ride by the two boys) Hamish: English! William: Get down! Hamish: With your father and brother gone, they'll kill us and burn the farm. William: It's up to us, Hamish. Both boys: Ahhhh! (Throws rocks at sheep skulls) (Hamish misses his throw. William hits both of the skulls. Hamish looks at him and says........) Hamish: Nah! (and hits William. They both horse-around) __________________________________________________________ (Next morning, William just wakes up) William: Da? Da? (William goes out side to get water and sees the men returning from battle. He looks close and realizes that there are two missing and the two are his father and brother. William turns around afraid to hear the bad news.) Campbell: William, come here lad. (William sees his dead father and brother. William places his hand on his dead father's chest. He only feels a dead corpse, not like the father he had just a day ago.) __________________________________________________________ (At funeral) Priest: (speaks Latin) (Everyone from the funeral leaves but young Murron turns around, picks a thistle and gives it to William.) (Argyle rides up) Argyle: William, I am your uncle, Argyle. (Takes a look at William's face) You have the look of your mother. __________________________________________________________ (In William's house, eating dinner) Argyle: We'll stay here tonight. Tomorrow you'll come home with me. William: I don't want to leave. Argyle: You didn't want your father to die either, did ya? But it happened. Did the priest give a poetic benediction? "The Lord bless thee and keep thee"? William: It was in Latin. Argyle: You don't speak Latin? Well that's something we shall have to remedy, isn't it. __________________________________________________________ (Argyle praying with William) Argyle: The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord cause his light to shine on thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee. And give thee peace. Amen. __________________________________________________________ (William's dream) Dead Malcolm: Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it. (Thunder, Campbell plays bagpipes) William: What are they doing? Argyle: Saying goodbye in their own way. Playing outlawed tunes on outlawed pipes. It was the same for me and your daddy, when our father was killed. (William looks at Argyle's sword. Argyle knowing that William has an interest in the sword, he hands it to him then takes it back saying...) Argyle: First, learn to use this (Argyle taps William's head), then I'll teach you to use this (the sword). (Argyle and William leaves the farm with William looking back in sorrow.) __________________________________________________________ Robert the Bruce (narrator): Many years later, Edward the Longshanks, King of England, supervised the wedding of his eldest son, who would succeed him to the throne. As bride for his son, Longshanks had chosen the daughter of his rival, the King of France. It was widely whispered that for the princess to conceive, Longshanks would have to do the honors himself. That may have been what he had in mind all along. (In Longshank's Council Chamber) Longshanks: Scotland; my land. The French will grovel to anyone with strength, but how will they believe our strength when we cannot rule the whole of our own island? (Princess Isabella enters the chamber) Longshanks: (To Princess Isabella) Where is my son? Isabella: Your pardon, my Lord. He asked me to come in his stead. Longshanks: I sent for him and he sends you? Isabella: Shall I leave, my Lord? Longshanks: If he wants his Queen to rule when I am gone, then by all means stay, and learn how. Please. Longshanks: Nobles. Nobles are the key to the door of Scotland. Grant our nobles lands in the north. Give their nobles estates here in England, and make them too greedy to oppose us. Advisor: But sire, our nobles will be reluctant to uproot. New lands mean new taxes, and they are already taxed for the war in France. Longshanks: Are they? Are they? The trouble with Scotland is that it's full of Scots. (Everyone laughs except Princess Isabella) Perhaps the time has come to reinstitute an old custom. Grant them prima noctes. First knight, when any common girl inhabiting their lands is married, our nobles shall have sexual rights to her on the night of her wedding. If we can't get them out, we'll breed them out. That should fetch just the kind of lords we want to Scotland, taxes or no taxes. Advisor: A most excellent idea, sire. Longshanks: Is it? __________________________________________________________ Robert the Bruce (narrator): Now in Edinburgh, gathered the council of Scottish nobles. Among these was Robert, the 17th Earl of Bruce, the leading contender for the crown of Scotland. Robert the Bruce: I hear that Longshanks has granted prima noctes. Craig: Clearly meant to draw more of his supporters here. Robert the Bruce: My father believes that we must lull Longshanks into confidence by neither supporting his decree nor opposing it. Craig: A wise plan. And how is your father? We missed him at the council. Robert the Bruce: Ah. His affairs in France keep him long overdue, (Looks up to find hind his father on top of the castle) but he sends his greetings. And he says that I speak for all the Bruces, and for Scotland. __________________________________________________________ (William, now a man, returns to his boyhood home and smells the air.) __________________________________________________________ (wedding celebration; music playing) (A large man steps in front of William and drops a large rock at his feet) William: You dropped your rock. (To the man standing on the other side of the rock.) Hamish: Test of manhood. William: You win. Hamish: Call it a test of soldiery, then. The English won't let us train with weapons, so we train with stones. William: Well, a test of a soldier is not in his arm, it's here (mind). Hamish: No, it's here (arm) (The man hits William) William: Hamish? Hamish: Uh huh. __________________________________________________________ (drumming, rock throwing contest) (William throws the large rock first, the crowd approves.) Campbell: Here you go, son. Show him how. Come on! (Hamish throws the rock further.) Haha, my boy! William: That's a good throw. Hamish: Aye. Aye, it was. William: I was wondering if you could do that when it matters. As it, as is matters in battle. Could you crush a man with that throw? Hamish: I could crush you, like a worm. William: You could? Hamish: Aye. William: Well then do it. (Asking the crowd) Would you like to see him crush me like a worm? (William walks to the spot where Hamish's last throw landed, picking up an egg sized rock on the way.) Crowd: Aye! William: Then do it. Hamish: You'll move. William: I will not. Campbell: (Handing Hamish a large rock) He'll move. (Hamish misses, William hits him in the forehead with the small rock) Campbell: Fine display, young Wallace. William: You alright? You look a widdy bit shaky. Hamish: I should have remembered the rocks. William: Aye, you should have. Get up you big heap. It's good to see you again. Hamish: Aye, welcome home. Aye, you busted my head. William: Well, you should have moved. (William walks up to Murron and is about to ask her to dance ...) Girl: William, will you dance with me? William: Of course I will. (English ride in on horses) English lord: I have come to claim the right of prima noctes. As lord of these lands, I will bless this marriage by taking the bride into my bed on the first night of her union. Scottish man: O' By God, you will not! (Morrison swings at an English soldier. English soldiers hold him with knives to his throat.) Lord: It is my noble right. (The bride gently moves the knife from her husband's throat with her hand and then whispers something and kisses him. Then the English soldiers ride off with her.) Smythe (English soldier): Ha ha. Ha ha. __________________________________________________________ (Later, William stands in his former house while the rain drizzles through gaping holes in the thatched roof.) __________________________________________________________ (William rides to the MacClannough residence) William: Good evening, sir. MacClannough: Ah, young Wallace. Grand soft evening, huh? William: Aye, 'tis that. I was wondering if I might have a word with your daughter. MacClannough: What do you want to have a word with her about? William: Well, ah, Murron, would you like to come and ride with me on this fine evening? Mrs. MacClannough: In this? You're out of your mind. William: Oh, it's good Scottish weather, madam. The rain is fallin' straight down, well slightly to the side like. Mrs. MacClannough: She cannot go with you. William: No? Mrs. MacClannough: No the now, anyway. William: No the now? MacClannough: No the now. We'll see you later. Murron: 'O the weather's just fine. It's hardly raining. (Murron runs from the house and joins William on his horse.) Mrs. MacClannough: Did you no hear what I said? Now get--Murron. (To husband) It's you she takes after. __________________________________________________________ (William and Murron ride off to the top of the mountain) William: How did you know me after so long? Murron: Why, I didn't. William: No? Murron: It's just that I saw you staring at me and I didn't know who you were. William: 'O sorry, I suppose I was. Are you in the habit of riding off in the rain with strangers? Murron: It was the best way to make you leave. William: Well, if I can ever work up the courage to ask you again, I'll send you a written warning first. Murron: 'O it wouldn't do you much good. I can't read. William: Can you not? Murron: No. William: Well that's something we shall have to remedy, isn't it. Murron: You're going to teach me to read, then? William: Ah, if you like. Murron: Aye. William: In what language? Murron: Ah, you're showing off now. William: That's right. Are you impressed yet? Murron: No. Why should I be? William: (in French) Yes. Because every single day I thought about you. Murron: Do that standing on your head and I'll be impressed. William: My kilt may fly up but I'll try. Murron: You certainly didn't learn any manners on your travels. William: I'm afraid the Romans have far worse manners than I. Murron: You've been to Rome? William: Aye, my uncle took me on a pilgrimage. Murron: What was it like? William: (in French) Not nearly as beautiful as you. Murron: What does that mean? William: Beautiful. But I belong here. __________________________________________________________ (Back at Murron's home; night) Mrs. MacClannough: Murron, come in now. (William gives Murron the thistle she gave him years before. At first she does not know what it is, then realizes that it was the thistle she gave him) __________________________________________________________ (The next day William is patching his roof when MacClannough and Campbell ride up to him.) William: Sir, I know it was strange of me to invite Murron to ride last night, but I assure you I-- Campbell: MacClannough's daughter is another matter. I've come to fetch you to a meeting. William: What kind of meeting? Campbell: The secret kind. MacClannough: Your meetings are a waste of time, Campbell. Campbell: Your father was a fighter, and a patriot. William: I know who my father was. I came back home to raise crops, and God willing a family. If I can live in peace, I will. MacClannough: You say you want to stay out of the troubles? William: Aye. MacClannough: If you can prove it, you may court my daughter. Until you prove it, my answer is no. William: No? MacClannough: No Wallace, no. William: Didn't I just prove it? MacClannough: No. William: No? MacClannough: (Riding away) No. __________________________________________________________ (William calls Murron out by throwing little rocks at Murron's back door. She comes out and William and Murron are alone in a grove.) William: Of course, running a farm is a lot of work, but that will all change when my sons arrive. Murron: So, you've got children? William: Well not yet, but I was hoping that you could help me with that. Murron: So you want me to marry you, then? William: Well, that's a bit sudden but alright. Murron: Is that what you call a proposal? William: I love you. Always have. I want to marry you. (They kiss) William: Is that a yes? Murron: Aye, that's a yes. __________________________________________________________ (That evening William and Murron meet secretly.) William: We best hurry. He'll be waiting. Murron: Wait. William: Where are you going? (She runs behind a tree and returns with a small bundle.) William: What's that? Murron: You'll see. __________________________________________________________ (Under cover of night, they stand before a priest in the woods. Murron is now wearing a finely embroidered dress.) William (to Priest): Father. William (to Murron): I will love you my whole life; you and no other. Murron: And I you; you and no other forever. Priest: (speaks Latin) __________________________________________________________ (Privately, William and Murron spend their honeymoon in the woods.) __________________________________________________________ (Next morning, in the town. William walks up to Murron) William: When am I gonna see you again? Tonight? Murron: I can't. William: Why not? Murron: My dad's gotten suspicious. William: Not as suspicious as you now. When? Murron: Tonight. William: Tonight? Murron: Aye. (The two go their separate ways. Murron is carrying a basket of vegetables.) Smythe: Look lively, sergeant. (Smythe walks to Murron with two other soldiers in the back.) Smythe: Where are you going lassie? Ooh, that looks heavy. Let me help you. Murron: That's fine. Smythe: I'm not going to steal it. 'O, you remind me of my daughter back home. (She tries to lose him, but he finds her.) Smythe: Hello lassie. (Smythe throws the basket from her. In defense, Murron hits Smithe in the face.) Soldier: Keep going, Smythe. (Smythe attemps to rape Murron in the doorway of a private home. Murron bites his cheek, drawing blood.) Smythe: Ah, you bitch. (Smithe hits her in the face.) (William runs in, knocking the seargent aside and kicks Smythe in the face dazing him.) William: Are you alright? (Helps her to her feet.) Murron: Aye. William: Can you ride? Murron: Aye. (William puts Murron on a horse, and is about to get on.) Smythe: Come back here, you bastard. William: Meet me at the grove. Ride. Smythe: They're getting away. (Several soldiers chase Murron and William, who runs on foot trying to draw them away from Murron. But a soldier clotheslines Murron with his spear, knocking her off the horse. Meanwhile, William escapes, not knowing that Murron has been captured, and he and runs to the grove. He looks for her there) William: Murron? Murron? __________________________________________________________ (Back in town, Murron is tied to a stake. The magistrate has assembled the townspeople and soldiers around him.) Magistrate: All of you know full well the great pains I've always taken never to be too strict, too rigid, with the application of our laws. And as a consequence, have we not learned to live together in relative peace and harmony? Ha? And this day's lawlessness is how you repay my leniency. Well you leave me with little choice. An assault on the king's soldiers is the same as an assault on the king himself. (Smythe looks down knowing he is guilty of the consequences he created. The magistrate slits Murron's throat.) Magistrate: Now, let this scrapper come to me. __________________________________________________________ (Later...) Soldier: There. (Points at William, who is riding slowly, directly toward them, his hands held out, palms up, as if asking "Why?".) (As he approaches the soldier, he slowly raises his hands behind his neck. When the soldier takes the reigns of his horse, William hits him in the head with a flail pulled from inside his shirt.) (Fighting starts, and the townspeople join in with rocks and farm implements.) Magistrate (In his fort): Corporal, summon archers on the tower, now. (Arrows are showering down on the towns people. During the fight, Campbell gets hit by an arrow.) Hamish: Hold still, father. (As he tries to pull the arrow out.) Campbell: (Smacks Hamish in the head) Idiot boy! (Pushes Hamish away and breaks the arrow himself.) (William sneaks to the back, killing both of the archers on top of the fort. The fighting continues and the Scots break open the fort's gate. One soldier is left, and surrenders as they close in. The Magistrate and William shares a silent moment, then William kicks him to the ground and grabs him by the shirt, dragging him from the fort. Finally, pushing him against the stake Murron was tied to, he cuts his throat without saying a word.) Campbell: MacAulish, MacAulish! Crowd of Scotsmen: MacAulish, MacAulish, WALLACE, WALLACE! __________________________________________________________ (Murron's Funeral) Priest: (speaks Latin) Mrs. MacClannough: (crying) (William bows down to Murron and kisses her for the last time. Murron is buried. After the funeral, William bows down to MacClannough, and is forgiven.) __________________________________________________________ (In town that evening ...) Campbell: Whatcha waiting for, boy? (Waiting for Hamish to sterilize his wound with a red hot poker.) Hamish: Here. You can do it. I'll hold him down. (Handing the poker to Morrison.) Morrison: Here. You can do it. I'll hold him down. (Handing it off again.) Campbell: Aye, straight in, boy. I know it seems like a waste of good whiskey, but indulge me. (The man pours whiskey on top of the wound. The red hot poker is inserted. Campbell screams with a frightening yell.) Hamish: Hold him! Hold him! Scottish man: Let him go. Sorry. (Campbell jumps to his feet and punches the man, knocking him out.) Campbell: It'll wake you up in the morning, boy. (Everyone laughs.) Watch guard: There's somebody coming. Arm yourselves. Hamish: (To William) There's somebody coming. Campbell: MacGregors, from the next clan. MacGregor: We heard about what was happening, and we don't want you armidants thinking you can have your fun without us. William: Go home. Some of us are in this. We can't help that now. But you can help yourselves. Go home. MacGregor: We'll have no homes left when the English garrison from the castle comes through and burns us out. And they will. William and Campbell: Welcome! __________________________________________________________ At the fort of the English Lord who previously took the bride from the wedding.) English soldier: Patrol returning, my Lord. (The patrol leader approaches the Lord.) English Lord: So, what news? (William pulls off his helmet and hits him. Dressed as English, the Scots catch the soldiers off guard and pin them.) English Lord: I have dispatched 100 soldiers to Lanark. They will be returning now. William: Were they dressed like this? Actually, it was more like 50. (Turns to Morrison now coming up behind him) Make it quick. Morrison: Do you remember me? Lord: I never did her any harm. It was my right. Morrison: Your right? Well I'm here to claim the right as a husband. (Morrison kills the Lord with a ball and chain.) William: I am William Wallace, and the rest of you will be spared. Go back to England, and tell them there that Scotland's daughters and her sons are yours no more. Tell them Scotland is free. Burn it. (The Scots leave with the fort in flames.) __________________________________________________________ (In Longshank's castle, as he walks into his throne room to find the Prince and his followers shooting arrows at a straw target resting on the throne.) Longshanks: Scottish rebels have routed one of my garrisons and murdered the noble lord. Prince: I heard. This Wallace is a brigand, nothing more. Longshanks: And how would you deal with this brigand? Prince: Like any common thief. Have the local magistrate arrest him and punish him accordingly. Longshanks: Leave us. (Punches his son.) Wallace has already killed the magistrate and taken control of the town. Stand up. Stand up. In the morning, I depart for France to press our rights there, and I leave you here to quell this little rebellion, understood? Is it? One day you will be a king. At least try to act like one. (The King leaves and Isabella runs over to help the Prince.) Prince: Get away from me. Convene my military council. (Isabella cries) Nicolette: (in French) I hope your husband goes to Scotland and meets Wallace, and then you'll be a widow. __________________________________________________________ (English light calvary burn a small village. Then they chase a small band of Scots, whom are on foot, into a box canyon.) English soldier: After them. English leader: No point resisting. You're outnumbered and trapped. Now where are the rest of you? Where's Wallace? (William and the others appear above the rim of the canyon, and William throws a rock at the leader's head.) __________________________________________________________ (The Bruce's castle.) Robert: Father? Leper: Ah, come in, come in. Robert: A rebellion has begun. Leper: Under whom? Robert: A commoner named William Wallace. Leper: We will embrace this rebellion. Support it from our lands in the north. I will gain English favor by condemning it, and ordering it opposed from our lands in the south. Sit down. Stay a while. Robert: This Wallace, he doesn't even have a knighthood, but he fights with passion and he inspires. Leper: And you wish to charge off and fight as he did. So would I. Robert: Well, maybe it's time. Leper: It is time to survive. You're the 17th Robert Bruce. The 16 before you passed you land and title because they didn't charge in. Call a meeting of the nobles. Robert: But they do nothing but talk. Leper: Rightly so. They're as rich in English titles and lands as they are in Scottish, just as we are. Admire this man, this William Wallace. Uncompromising men are easy to admire. He has courage, so does a dog. But it is exactly the ability to compromise that makes a man noble. And understand this: Edward Longshanks is the most ruthless king ever to sit in the throne of England. And none of us, and nothing of Scotland will remain, unless we are as ruthless. Give an ear to our nobles. Knowing their minds is the key to the throne. __________________________________________________________ (William and his men are fighting against the English troops at a small village) __________________________________________________________ (Longshank's castle. The Prince, Philip, and his court are walking down the hall. The Prince stops to adjust Phillips gaily colored tunic.) Prince: Wait. Wait. Look. This is right and this is left. Carry on. Carry on. Nicolette: (in French) When the king returns, he will bury them in those new clothes. Scotland is in chaos. Your husband is secretly sending an army north. Isabella: (in French) How do you know this? Nicolette: (in French) Last night I slept with a member of the War Council. Isabella: (in French) He shouldn't be telling secrets in bed. Nicolette: (in French) Englishmen don't know what a tongue is for. Isabella: (in French) Ah. This Scottish rebel, Wallace. He fights to avenge a woman? Nicolette: (in French) I nearly forgot. A magistrate wished to capture him, and found he had a secret lover. So he cut the girl's throat to tempt Wallace to fight, and fight he did. Knowing his passion for his lost love, they next plotted to take him by desecrating the graves of his father and brother, and setting an ambush at the grave of his love. He fought his way through the trap and carried her body to a secret place. Now that's love, no? Isabella: (in French) Love? I wouldn't know. __________________________________________________________ (William's camp. William, Campbell, Hamish, and others are having dinner.) William: You know, eventually Longshanks will send his whole Northern Army against us. Campbell: Heavy cavalry, armored horse; shake the very ground. Hamish: They'll ride right over us. William: Uncle Argyle used to talk about it; how no army had ever stood up to a charge of heavy horse. Hamish: So what'll we do? Campbell: Run, hide, the highland way. William: (He looks up to the tall trees) We'll make spears. Hundreds of them. Long spears, twice as long as a man. Hamish: That long? William: Aye. Hamish: Some men are longer than others. Campbell: Your mother's been telling stories about me again, ah? (They laugh.) Guard: Volunteers coming in. (Two commoners approach Wallace) Faudron: William Wallace, we've come to fight and to die for ya. William: Stand up, man. I'm not the pope. Faudron: My name is Faudron, and my sword is yours. I brought you this. (William's men stop him.) Guard: We checked them for arms. Faudron: I brought you this. My wife made it for ya. William: Thank you. Stephen: (Laughs) Him? That can't be William Wallace. I'm prettier than this man. (Looks at the sky) Alright Father, I'll ask him. If I risk my neck for you, will I get a chance to kill Englishmen? Hamish: Is your father a ghost or do you converse with the Almighty? Stephen: In order to find his equal, an Irishman is forced to talk to God. Yes, Father. The Almighty says don't change the subject; just answer the fooking question. Hamish: Mind your tongue. Campbell: Insane Irish. (Stephen presses a dagger to Campbells throat and William's men counter with swords to his.) Stephen: Smart enough to get a dagger past your guards, old man. William: That's my friend, Irishman. And the answer to your question is yes; if you fight for me you get to kill the English. Stephen: (Putting away his dagger) Excellent. Stephen is my name. I'm the most wanted man on my island, except I'm not on my island, of course. Mores the pity. Hamish: Your island? You mean Ireland. Stephen: Yeah. It's mine. Hamish: You're a madman. Stephen: I've come to the right place, then. (everyone laughs) __________________________________________________________ (Cut to William hunting a deer with a bow, while someone else stalks him. As William takes aim on the deer, Faudron attacks William from the side, his sword raised high above his head. Before he can land the blow, Stephen throws a blade into his chest.) Stephen: Sure didn't the Almighty send me to watch your back? I didn't like him anyway. He wasn't right in the head. (William sits there dumbfounded) __________________________________________________________ (Two men come running in the sunset) Hamish: William, it's our runners. Morrison: The English are devising an army towards Scotland. William: Will the nobles rally? Runner: Robert the Bruce and most of the others will not commit to battle. But word is spread, and highlanders are coming down on their own. Morrison: Aye, in droves of hundreds and thousands. William: Are you ready for a war? __________________________________________________________ (Battlefield at Stirling. The Scots and English stand prepared on opposite sides.) Mornay: Well, what news? Horseman: We're outnumbered, at least 3 to 1. Mornay: How many horse, then? Horseman: 300, maybe more. Mornay: 300 heavy horse? Lochlan: We must try to negotiate. Young soldier: What are they talking about? Veteran soldier: I can't hear, but it doesn't look good. The nobles will negotiate. If they do a deal, then we go home. And if not, we charge. Mornay: 300 heavy horse; we have no chance. (The heavy calvary of the English army appear over the hill and every Scot becomes scared.) Young soldier: I didn't come here to fight so they can own more lands; then I have to work for them. Veteran soldier: Nor me. Alright lads. I have no time for these bastards; lets go home. (The two Scots turn and start to leave the field and several others join them.) Lochlan: (In desperation) Stop men. Do not flee. Wait until we've negotiated. (William and his men into the scene. William's face is painted solid blue except for a sharp wedge of bare flesh pointing down over his left eye.) Young soldier: William Wallace? Veteran soldier: Can't be. Not tall enough. (William and his men ride up to the nobles.) Stephen: The Almighty says this must be a fashionable fight. It's drawn the finest people. Lochlan (To William): Where is thy salute? William: For presenting yourselves on this battlefield, I give you thanks. Lochlan: This is our army. To join it you give homage. William: I give homage to Scotland. And if this is your army, why does it go? Veteran soldier: We didn't come here to fight for them. Young soldier: Home. The English are too many. William: Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace. Young soldier: William Wallace is 7 feet tall. William: Yes, I've heard. Kills men by the hundreds, and if he were here he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse. I am William Wallace, and I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What would you do without freedom? Will you fight? Veteran soldier: Fight against that? No, we will run, and we will live. William: Aye, fight and you may die, run and you'll live. At least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom. Alba gu bra! (Scotland forever!) (The Scots cheer "Alba gu bra" repeatedly) __________________________________________________________ English lord: They seem quite optimistic to me. Maybe they do want to fight. Cheltham: Confrontation might be a foregone conclusion, my lord. But none the less, I think we should deliver the king's terms. Lord: The king's terms; He'll never live up to them. Cheltham: My lord, I think--. Lord: Alright, offer them the terms. __________________________________________________________ Craig: They're coming out. Shall we go and meet them? (They argue over who will speak for them.) __________________________________________________________ Stephen: Fine speech. Now what do we do? William: Just be yourselves. (Turns his horse to the field.) Hamish: Where are you going? William: I'm going to pick a fight. Hamish: Well, we didn't get dressed up for nothing. __________________________________________________________ (As Cheltham offers the terms, Wallace constantly interrupts him.) Cheltham: Mornay, Lochlan, Craig. Here are the king's terms. Lead this army off field and he will give you each estates in Yorkshire, including hereditary title, from which you will pay--, from which you will pay him an annual duty--. William: I have an offer for you. Mornay: Cheltham, this is William Wallace. Cheltham (Ignoring William): From which you will pay the king an annual duty--. William: I said I have an offer for you. Lochlan (To William): You disrespect a banner of truce? William: From his king? Absolutely. Here are Scotland's terms. Lower your flags, and march straight back to England, stopping at every home to beg forgiveness for 100 years of theft, rape, and murder. Do that and your men shall live. Do it not, and every one of you will die today. Cheltham: You are outmatched. You have no heavy cavalry. In two centuries no army has won without--. William: I'm not finished. Before we let you leave, your commander must cross that field, present himself before this army, put his head between his legs, and kiss his own arse. (Cheltham and his escorts return to their own side of the field.) Mornay: I'd say that was rather less cordial that he was used to. William: You be ready and do exactly as I say. On my signal, ride round behind our position and flank them. Mornay: We must not divide our forces. William: Do it, and let the English see you do it. Mornay: They'll think we've run away. William: Take out their archers, and I'll meet you in the middle. Mornay: Alright. __________________________________________________________ (William and the nobles return. William dismounts and joins his men in the front rank.) Priest: (speaks Latin) (All the Scots pray before the priests.) __________________________________________________________ English Lord: Insolent bastard. I want this Wallace's heart on a plate. Archers. __________________________________________________________ (There is a moment of silence, and then the Scots scream and raise their kilts to insult the English. As arrows fly from the English bows, the Scots crouch behind their shields.) Stephen: (To Wallace) The Lord says He can get me out of this mess, but He's pretty sure you're fooked. Ah! (Scots rise again after the arrows stop raining down, scream and moon the English. The English archers launch another of volley and again the Scots take cover under their shields taking only light casualties.) William: (Stands up) Ride! (Signals to the mounted nobles) __________________________________________________________ Lord: See, every Scot with a horse is fleeing. Our cavalry will ride them down like grass. Send the horse; full attack. (The English knights charge across the field while the Scots stand motionless.) William: Hold! Hold! Hold! Now! (As the English close in, the Scots suddenly raise hundreds of long heavy spears from the ground. The horses crash into the spears throwing their riders. The Scots easily defeat the stunned knights.) Lord: Send the infantry. Cheltham: My Lord? Lord: You lead them. (The two armies charge into the field. The battle rages. Swords severe limbs completely and axes cut through helmets. The Scots fight savagely and slaughter the English. The Scot cavalry under Mornay and Lochlan attack the archers and the Lord.) Lord: Sound the retreat! (As the battle processes, Campbell loses his left hand. In the middle of the grotesque battle, William spots Cheltham riding on his horse.) William: (To Cheltham) Bastard!! (William and Cheltham go head to head then William knocks Cheltham off his horse and beheads him with rage.) (The few surviving English ride away.) William (To Mornay): Alright. (William goes in front of his troops, and cheers) Scottish army: (screaming) WALLACE! WALLACE! WALLACE!.... __________________________________________________________ (Castle in Edinburgh) Craig: I knight thee Sir William Wallace. Sir William, in the name of God we declare and appoint thee guardian and high protector of Scotland and thy Captains as aides-de-camp. Stand and be recognized. (William presents necklaces to his men) Robert: Does anyone know his politics? Craig: No, but his weight with the commoners can unbalance everything. The Balliols will kiss his arse so we must. Balliol supporter: Sir William, Sir William. Inasmuch as you and your captains hail from a region long known to support the Balliol clan, may we invite you to continue your support and uphold our rightful claim. Mornay: Damn the Balliol clan! (screaming) William: Gentlemen!, Gentlemen! Balliol supporter: Now is the time to declare a king. Mornay: Wait! Then you are prepared to recognize our legitimate succession. Balliol supporter: You're the ones who won't support the rightful claim. Mornay: Those were lies when you first wrote them. Balliol supporter: I demand recognition of these documents. (Disgusted, Wallace starts to walk out.) Craig: Gentlemen! Please, Gentlemen! Wait! Sir William, where are you going? William: We have beaten the English, but they'll come back because you won't stand together. Craig: Well what will you do? William: I will invade England and defeat the English on their own ground. Craig: Invade? That's impossible. William: Why? Why is that impossible? You're so concerned with squabbling for the scraps from Longshank's table that you've missed your God-given right to something better. There is a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with possession. I think your possession exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it. (The debate starts again) __________________________________________________________ (Outside) Robert: Wait! I respect what you said, but remember that these men have lands and castles. It's much to risk. William: And the common man who bleeds on the battlefield, does he risk less? Robert: No, but from top to bottom this country has no sense of itself. Its nobles share allegiance with England. Its clans war with each other. If you make enemies on both sides of the border, you'll end up dead. William: We all end up dead; it's just a question of how and why. Robert: I'm not a coward. I want what you want, but we need the nobles. William: We need them? Robert: Aye. William: Now tell me, what does that mean to be noble? Your title gives you claim to the throne of our country, but men don't follow titles, they follow courage. Now our people know you. Noble, and common, they respect you. And if you would just lead them to freedom, they'd follow you. And so would I. __________________________________________________________ (William Wallace and his men ride toward York) Royal Governor of York: Damn it! The sodomite my cousin the prince tells me he has no troops to lend and every town in Northern England is begging for help. Soldier: Wallace rides! Governor: To which town? Soldier: To here my Lord. Governor: Bring the food and provisions inside, double the wall guards, seal the gate, now! Soldier: Quickly, bring in the provisions, seal off the gate, NOW! __________________________________________________________ (Wallace's men approach York and attack at night) Soldier: Sir, we can get you out if you leave now. Governor: I am not about to tell my Uncle I've lost him the greatest city in Northern England. (It's night. The Scots have York under seige. They are pushing a huge, wheeled battering ram made of several logs tied together into the castle gates. From the walls above the English drop heavy rocks and pour vats of oil down on them. Then archers shoot flaming arrows, igniting oil and burning the men pushing the ram.) William: Come on! Scottish soldiers: AAAHHH! (Wallace leads more men to drive the ram into the gate. This time the now burning gate caves in and the Scots cheer.) __________________________________________________________ (Back in London, Philip tries to calm the Prince in a chamber high in the castle's keep.) Soldier: Make way for the King. Philip: It's not your fault. Stand up to him. Prince: I will stand up to him and more. (Longshanks climbs up the steep stairway into the room.) Longshanks: What news of the North? Prince: Nothing new, Your Majesty. We've sent riders to speed any word. Longshanks: I heard the word in France, where I was fighting to expand your future kingdom. The word, my son, is that our entire Northern Army has been annihilated. And you have done nothing. Prince: I have ordered conscriptions. They are assembled and ready to depart. Soldier: Excuse me, sire, but there is a very urgent message from York. Longshanks: Come. (The soldier hands over a covered basket and a note.) Leave us. Soldier: Yes, sire. (He is happy to leave the room) Prince: (Reading the note) Wallace has sacked York. Longshanks: What? Prince: Wallace has sacked York. (He lifts the cover of the basket and finds the head of his cousin.) Ah! (Longshanks lifts the head out of the basket) Philip: Sire, thy own nephew. What beast could do such a thing? Longshanks: If he can sack York, he can invade lower England. Philip: We would stop him! Longshanks: Who is this person who speaks to me as though I needed his advice? Prince: I have declared Philip my High Counselor. Longshanks: Is he qualified? Philip: I am skilled in the arts of war and military tactics, sire. Longshanks: Are you? Then tell me, what advice would you offer on the present situation? (The King assumes a kind manner and laying one arm across Philips shoulders walks him over to the window. As Philip begins his reply, Longshanks throws him out the window to his death.) Philip: AAAHHH! (The Prince attacks the King with a dagger, but he is easily disarmed and beaten to the floor.) Longshanks: I shall offer a truce and buy him off. But who will go to him? Not I, huh, if I fell under the sword of that murderer that might be my head in a basket. And not my gentle son. The mere sight of him would only encourage the enemy to take over the whole country. So who do I send? Whom do I send? __________________________________________________________ (Wallace sleeping on the open ground in a wooded area. He is dreaming of a hooded woman walking furtively among the trees. He closes on her and she pulls back her hood -- it's Murron. He kneels.) William: I'm dreaming. Murron: Yes you are, and you must wake. William: I don't want to wake. I want to stay here with you. Murron: And I with you. But you must wake now. Wake up, William. Wake up. William, wake up. (He wakes) Campbell: William, a royal entourage comes, flying banners of truce, with the standard of Longshanks himself. __________________________________________________________ (William is taken to a large, ornate tent where he meets Princess Isabella.) Isabella: I am the Princess of Wales. I come as the king's servant and with his authority. William: To do what? Isabella: To discuss the king's proposals. Will you speak with a woman? (They enter inside the tent) Isabella: I understand you have recently been given the rank of knight. William: I have been given nothing. God makes men what they are. Isabella: Did God make you the sacker of peaceful cities, the executioner of the king's nephew, my husband's own cousin? William: York was the staging point for every invasion of my country. And that royal cousin hanged innocent Scots, even women and children, from the city walls. Oh, Longshanks did far worse the last time he took a Scottish city. Hamilton: (in Latin) He is a bloody murdering savage. And he's telling lies. William: (in Latin) I never lie. But I am a savage. (in French) Or in French if you prefer. (in English) You ask your king to his face, ask him, and see if his eyes can convince you of the truth. Isabella: Hamilton, leave us. Hamilton: My lady? Isabella: Leave us. Now. (After they all leave) Let us talk plainly. You invade England, but you cannot complete the conquest so far from your shelter and supply. The king desires peace. William: Longshanks desires peace? Isabella: He declares it to me, I swear it. He proposes that you withdraw your attack. In return he grants you title, estates, and this chest of gold which I am to pay to you personally. William: A lordship and titles. Gold. That I should become Judas? Isabella: Peace is made in such ways. William: Slaves are made in such ways. The last time Longshanks spoke of peace I was a boy. And many Scottish nobles, who would not be slaves, were lured by him under a flag of truce to a barn where he had them hanged. I was very young, but I remember Longshank's notion of peace. Isabella: I understand you have suffered. I know about your woman. William: She was my wife. We married in secret because I would not share her with an English Lord. They killed her to get to me. I have never spoken of it. I don't know why I tell you now except I see her strength in you. One day you'll be a queen, and you must open your eyes. You tell your king that William Wallace will not be ruled, and nor will any Scot while I live. __________________________________________________________ (Longshanks in his castle, conferring with his war counsel.) Longshanks: Ah, my son's loyal wife returns unkilled by the heathen. So he accepted our bribe? Isabella: No, he did not. Longshanks: Then why does he stay? My scouts tell me that he has not advanced. Isabella: He waits for you at York. He says he will attack no more towns or cities, if you are man enough to come and face him. Longshanks: Did he? The Welsh bowmen will not be detected arriving so far around his flank. The main force of our armies from France will land here to the north of Edinburgh. Conscripts from Ireland will approach from the southwest to here. Prince: Welsh bowmen, troops from France, Irish conscripts. Even if you dispatch them today they will take weeks to assemble. Longshanks: I dispatched them before I sent your wife. So our little ruse succeeded. Thank you. And while this upstart awaits my arrival in York, my forces will have arrived in Edinburgh behind him. You spoke with this Wallace in private? Tell me, what kind of man is he? Isabella: A mindless barbarian, not a king like you, my lord. Longshanks: You may return to your embroidery. Isabella: Humbly, my lord. Prince: You brought back the money, of course. Isabella: (Turns around to face the Prince) No, I gave it to ease the suffering of the children of this war. Longshanks: Ha! That's what happens when you send a woman. Isabella: Forgive me, sire. I thought that generosity might demonstrate your greatness to those you mean to rule. Longshanks: My greatness will be better demonstrated when Wallace returns to Scotland and finds his country in ashes. __________________________________________________________ (York) Hamish: William, there's riders approaching. Personal escort of the princess. You must have made an impression. William: Aye. Hamish: I didn't think you were in the tent that long. (Nicollette and an French soldier arrive.) William: (in French) Miss. Nicolette: (in French) A message from my mistress. William: (in French) Thank you. (William starts to read the note and quickly returns to the castle, leaving Hamish staring and smiling at Nicolette.) __________________________________________________________ (The Scot army is running.) Stephen: It's true. The English ships are moving up from the south. I don't know about the Welsh yet, but the Irish have landed. I had to see it with me own eyes before I could believe it. Hamish: What the hell are the Irish doing fighting with the English? Stephen: I wouldn't worry about them. Didn't I tell you before, it's my island. William: Hamish, ride ahead to Edinburgh and assemble the council. Order it. Hamish: Aye. William: Your island? Stephen: My island! Yup! __________________________________________________________ (Edinburgh) Mornay: This time our only option is to negotiate. Not unless you want to see the-- (William marches in the door.) William: My army has marched for more days than I can remember, and we still have preparations to make. So I'll make this plain. We require every soldier you can summon. Your personal escorts, even yourselves. And we need them now. Craig: With such a force of raid against us, it is time to discuss other options. William: Other options? Don't you wish at least to lead your men onto the field and barter a better deal with Longshanks before you tuck tail and run? Robert: Sir William. Craig: We cannot defeat this army. William: We can. Robert: Sir William. William: And we will. We won at Stirling, and still you quibbled. We won at York and you would not support us. If you will not stand up with us now then I say you're a coward. (Craig stands and draws his sword, but Hamish crashes his battle axe down on the table, shocking the Nobles into silence.) William: And if you are Scotsmen, I am ashamed to call myself one. Robert: Please, Sir William. Speak with me alone. I beg you. (William and Robert walk away from the table together.) Robert: Now you've achieved more than anyone ever dreamed, but fighting these odds it looks like rage, not courage. William: It's well beyond rage. Help me. In the name of Christ help yourselves. Now is our chance, now. If we join, we can win. If we win, well then we'll have what none of us have ever had before: a country of our own. You are the rightful leader, and there is strength in you. I see it. Unite us. Unite us. Unite the clans. (Both Robert and William shake hands) Alright. __________________________________________________________ (Later, Robert is talking with his treacherous father.) Robert: This cannot be the way. Leper: You said yourself, the nobles will not support Wallace. So how does it help us to join the side that is slaughtered? Robert: I gave him my word. Leper: I know it is hard. Being a leader is. Now son, son, look at me. I cannot be king. You, and you alone can rule Scotland. What I tell you, you must do. Not for me, not for yourself, but for your country. __________________________________________________________ (Battlefield at Falkirk. In the early morning the Scots pour oil and tar on the battlefield. Then during the day...) MacGregor: Make way. Coming through. Make way lads. Hamish: The Bruce is not coming, William. William: He'll come. Mornay and Lochlan have come. So will the Bruce. Longshanks: Quite a lovely gathering. (Turning to an unidentified knight.) Wouldn't you agree? General: The archers are ready, sire. Longshanks: Not the archers. My scouts tell me their archers are miles away and no threat to us. Arrows cost money. Use up the Irish. Their dead cost nothing. And send in the infantry and cavalry. General: Infantry, cavalry, advance. (The Irish and the Scots charge across the field, weapons raised, screaming. When they meet in the middle they lower their weapons and greet each other like old friends. The Irish have switched sides!) Longshanks: Irish! William: Glad to have you with us. Watch this. (Concealed Scot archers shoot flaming arrows into the oil soaked battlefield. The English cavalry and soldiers get burnt by the fire. William leads his men, and the fighting starts. William then is boosted above the crowd and signals to the Scottish nobles who are still back at the rear. The nobles turn and ride off the field with their men as the English regulars battle with the Scots and Irish on the field.) General: Mornay, Lochlan? Longshanks: I gave Mornay double his lands in Scotland and matching estates in England. Lochlan turned for much less. Archers. General: I beg your pardon, sire. Won't we hit our own troops? Longshanks: Yes, but we'll hit theirs as well. We have reserves. Attack. General: Archers. (Arrows fall on many English, Scots, and Irish, too busy fighting to shield themselves from the arrows.) Longshanks: Send in our reinforcements. General: Send in the rest. (More English soldiers rush to battle.) Longshanks: Bring me Wallace. Alive if possible. Dead, just as good. Send news of our victory. Shall we retire? (Leaving one of his officers in charge, Longshanks rides off the field with his knights and staff.) (William is hit by an arrow, and finds his troops nearly wiped out. In a rage, he jumps on a horse and rides after the King.) (The General notices Wallace riding up behind them and orders one of the knights...) General: Protect the king. (The Knight turns and charges back toward Wallace, his lance leveled. Wallace comes on, his sword raised. Then the lance snaps as it drives into the horse's chest. Both William and the knight are knocked off their horses in the collision. As William, now on his knees, attacks the Knight, he finds that it's Robert the Bruce. Shocked, he sits back for a moment, with all hope gone, and then collapses into the grass. More English soldiers are riding up with Stephen just ahead of them.) Robert: AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Robert (To William): Get up! Get up! (To Stephen) Get him out of here. (Stephen arrives and Robert lifts Wallace onto the horse.) Stephen: Jesus! Robert: Go! Stephen: (Gives Robert a long stare) Ah! (Robert picks up the embroidery Murron gave William the night of their wedding.) __________________________________________________________ (As night falls, the survivors of the battle tend their wounds.) Campbell: I'm dying. Let me be. Hamish: No, you're going to live. Campbell: I've lived long enough to live free; proud to see you become the man you are. I'm a happy man. (Hamish cries as his father dies.) __________________________________________________________ (Robert is in the field of Falkirk, finding hundreds of dead and dying solders. He fells responsible for the deaths of all his countrymen. He returns to his castle.) Leper: I'm the one who's rotting but I think your face looks graver than mine. Son, we must have alliance with England to prevail here. You achieved that. You saved your family, increased your land. In time, you will have all the power in Scotland. Robert: Lands, titles, men, power, nothing. Leper: Nothing? Robert: I have nothing. Men fight for me, because if they do not, I throw them off my land and I starve their wives and their children. Those men who bled the ground red at Falkirk, they fought for William Wallace, and he fights for something that I've never had. And I took it from him when I betrayed him and I saw it in his face on the battlefield, and it's tearing me apart. Leper: Well, all men betray. All lose heart. Robert: I don't want to lose heart. I want to believe as he does. I will never be on the wrong side again. __________________________________________________________ (Mornay's dreaming of Wallace riding a horse into his room to kill him.) Mornay: Ah! (He wakes to find himself alone in his room) (Suddenly, Wallace kicks the door open with his horse. He guides his horse to Mornay's bed and crushes his skull with a ball and chain. Hearing his scream, guards rush into the room. Wallace turns his horse and goes through a large open window, falling into the moat below.) (Later, gathered at a dinner table, the Scottish Nobles discuss their situation.) Scottish noble: Lord Craig, is it true about Mornay? Craig: Aye, Wallace rode into his bed chamber and killed him. More a liability now then ever he was. And there's no telling who'll be next. Robert: Maybe you, maybe me. (He laughs) It doesn't matter. Craig: I'm serious, Robert. Robert: So am I! Haha! (Red liquid drops on Craig's food. Lochlan's dead body drops on the table) Craig: Search the place. Noble: Lochlan! __________________________________________________________ (Local Scot street) Common Scot: William Wallace killed 50 men. 50 as one. Commoner #2: 100 men, with his own sword. Commoner #3: Cut through them like Moses through the Red Sea. __________________________________________________________ (William runs to the top of a mountain, and admires Scotland.) __________________________________________________________ (London, in Longshank's castle. Coughing frequently, it is apparent that Longshanks is now in poor health.) Longshanks: His legend grows. It will be worse than before. Hamilton: He rallies new volunteers in every Scottish town. And when he replenishes his numbers, -- Longshanks: They're sheep, mere sheep. Easily dispersed if we strike the shepherd. Very well. Take a flock of your finest assassins and set a meeting. Hamilton: My lord, Wallace is renowned for his ability to smell an ambush. Longshanks: If what Lord Hamilton tells me is correct, he warmed to our future queen and would trust her. So we'll dispatch her with the notion that she comes in peace. Hamilton: My Lord, the princess might be taken hostage, or her life be put in jeopardy. Longshanks: My son would be most distressed by that. But in filth, if she were to be killed, we would soon find the King of France a useful ally against the Scots. You see, as king, you must find the good in any situation. __________________________________________________________ (Cut to an isolated hut in Scotland. Two English soldiers guard the door as William and Hamish walk onto the scene. While inside the hut ... ) Assassin: It's William Wallace sure. And he's given up his sword. Be ready. (William and Hamish approach the guards and push them into the hut, closing the door behind them. Then William and Stephen push a cart up to the door as a barracade. Finally, they douse the thatched roof with tar and ignite it. The hut burns with the assasins trapped inside.) __________________________________________________________ (That night Wallace meets Isabella in a home somewhere in Scotland. She is pacing the floor, anxiously waiting for Wallace.) William: My lady. I received your message. This is the second time you've warned me of danger. Why? Isabella: There will be a new shipment of supplies coming nor