LÉON
aka The Professional
Version 1 Script
from an original idea by Luc Besson
Notes:
The beginning is identical to the movie, so we considered useless reporting it here.
It's from Mathilda's first rifle training scene that the original script is totally different from the movie. This version is much more violent and the affective relation between Léon and Mathilda shows no more ambiguities.
* * * * * * * * * *
Léon and Mathilda arrive on the roof of a building which faces Central Park. They get close to a wall and maintain this position. Sunlight floods the park.
LÉON (concentrated) Firstly, you look. For more than one minute. Because there are alarm systems with one minute period. Therefore, you wait and look. Alarms firstly, the sky for helicopters, nearby buildings. Meanwhile, you observe soil's color and will try to wear dresses of the same color. Never lighter.
Mathilda listens very carefully.
LÉON OK. Good. Now you can assemble your weapon.
He opens the violin case and assembles a rifle with telescopic sight and silencer.
LÉON The rifle is the first weapon you learn to use, because you can keep far from the client. The more experience you have, the closer you get.
He finished assembling the weapon and hands it to Mathilda. She's going to pull off telescope's cover.
LÉON No. Always take it off at the last moment, because of light reflexes. They'll see you in two seconds.
They get close to roof's edge. Mathilda sits down and gets in position.
LÉON Relax. You must feel at ease.
Mathilda leans down properly.
MATHILDA OK, I'm fine.
LÉON Good.
He removes telescope's cover.
LÉON Here, this is the light amplificator for night shooting. There, you fix client's distance... How much to the bench down there in the park?
MATHILDA Huh... 500 meters?
LÉON 130... 140...
MATHILDA How can you say it?
LÉON Look. When you can see his fingers, it's 50 meters. When you just see his hands, it's about 80 meters. When you distinguish arms from body, it's 120-130. When you see nothing more than a shape, you don't shoot. Not very sure. You have one chance out of five to miss. A contract means getting all chances on your side. 5 out of 5. You can't miss a client. Never... If the task is delicate or the risk is too big, you double. That is, you insure yourself by another mean.
MATHILDA What, for exemple?
LÉON Well, if the guy is far, in a car, and I know weather is going to be bad, rain for exemple, I think I would plastic the car, with a remote here. I shoot from the distance and if I miss I plastic.
MATHILDA What if you can't approach the car or he changes car?
Léon thinks.
LÉON Rocket launcher.
MATHILDA Oh really?
She looks at the road and imagines
MATHILDA But can you miss the car?
Léon pulls a small box out of the violin.
LÉON (showing a special bullet) It's a coded bullet... You put it in the rifle, you glue it to the car, no matter where. Then you take your rocket launcher and the rocket will get there automatically.
MATHILDA Wow! It's brilliant!
LÉON Yeah... Come on, have a little training.
Mathilda gets in position.
MATHILDA Who'll I aim at?
LÉON Whoever.
Léon pulled out binoculars. Mathilda looks for a victim by telescope. She passes over playing kids.
MATHILDA No women... No kids....
Léon smiles: she learnt the lesson.
LÉON Begin from a steady target. It's easier.
She stops on a man who's reading a newspaper.
The man wears a suit, Herald Tribune, fat.
MATHILDA The fatman down there, on the bench.
LÉON Perfect.
Mathilda aims at the fatman. One of bench's boards explodes. The fatman turns his head. He doesn't understand what happened and resumes reading.
LÉON Try again. The same.
Second shot. The bench explodes on the opposite side.
The man is still curious but doesn't understand.
LÉON (at binoculars) Too much to the left.
Mathilda concentrates again and shoots: nothing happens.
Mathilda wonders whether she missed again and prepares for a new shot.
LÉON Wait...
The fatman softly leans down on his side.
LÉON Bull's-eye.
Mathilda is happy but, evidently, she expected death to be more spectacular.
LÉON Come on, now a walking one.
Mathilda aims at a businessman. She really chooses the ugliest one. She shoots. Man's case explodes and he hides behind a tree: he's scared and doesn't move any more.
LÉON Good! First shot!
MATHILDA Yeah, but I didn't get him, I got his case and now he's behind the tree. What can I do?
LÉON It's not serious, it's just training. You have to learn from the beginning to hit the target, then, to improve precision, you'll train, but on cardboards.
MATHILDA OK.
LÉON Now, try a running guy.
Mathilda gets back to telescope and looks for a jogger.
MATHILDA The yellow and pink.
LÉON OK.
The guy is footing, sweaty, with a walkman and headphones. Mathilda shoots once. Twice. Thrice. The bullets pass around the jogger, who can't see or hear anything.
MATHILDA Shit! It's hard when he runs!
Lèon hands her another charger.
LÉON Don't lose him! Concentrate.
There, reload. OK, keep calm. Calm, breathe deeply.
Look at his movements.
Imagine you're running with him. Breathe... Hold your breathe... His movements... Now...
She shots and the guy gets a bullet in a thig. He's scared, but doesn't know where to go.
MATHILDA Did you see? First shot! It's good, isn't it? Did I learn well?
Mathilda proudly smiles.
LÉON (serious and steady) Put tools away.
Mathilda obeys, seriously.
* * * * * * * * * *
Night over city. The two are on a small building's stairway.
LÉON Codes!
Mathilda gets by his side for her new lesson.
LÉON For codes, there are two solutions. You have to choose depending on your needs. First case: you have time. You need the code for a later time. So, you wait for night, you get a box with soot powder and blow a little on the keyboard.
He does it and pulls out a screwdriver.
LÉON Then you break the little lamp to be sure the client can't see anything. You wait for someone who gets inside, so you have just to see which numbers he touched. Once you know the four or five digits, you have to try all combinations; once per hour and not more than a minute to do not get found.
LÉON (continues) Second case: you have no time but you mustn't get discovered. Screwdriver. He disassembles lock's cover.
LÉON Here, wires need the code. Always four wires. An approximately 40-year-old man climbs the stairway. He evidently lives in the building.
MAN May I...?
LÉON Pardon. [To Mathilda] Let pass.
Léon opens the door by disassembled lock's wires.
The man is going to pass, but doesn't. Léon's going to resume his explanation.
MAN Excuse me, but... What are you doing?
LÉON I teach to the girl.
MAN Do you teach her how to break buildings' doors, don't you? Don't you give a shit about me? Get away before I call the Police!
The man is very nervous, searches in a pocket, then pulls out an anti-aggression bomblet. He'll have no time to use it: Léon pulled out his silenced gun.
A shot to the hand and the bomblet takes off. Shot's energy makes the man turn around. A second shot in the back makes the man get over the parapet and disappear in a decorative bush, almost without noise.
Mathilda is immobilized. Léon looks around, then resumes.
LÉON So... the wire which starts from the bottom of the metal part and then, you try the other three wires, one by one.
At second wire, the door opens. Léon smiles.
LÉON Simple, isn't it?
She nods yes.
LÉON What's up? I don't feel you're concentrated.
MATHILDA Yes, yes...
She gets close to the parapet and looks at the bush.
MATHILDA It's incredible! How did you do it?
LÉON What?
MATHILDA There, the guy... How did you do that, without even touching him? Without noise. It's like you put him away... How did you do it?
LÉON (pause - proud) ...Did you like it?
She pauses and seriously looks at him.
MATHILDA It was brilliant.
* * * * * * * * * *
Léon and Mathilda at cinema. On the screen, Fred Astair breaks out as usual.
LÉON (talking about Fred Astaire) Look at his movements... Whatever he says, whatever he does, he never stops. Sad or happy, the movement always goes on.
Pirouette by Fred Astaire.
LÉON ...Look! Even the wall, nothing stops him. The movement goes on. He uses everything: soil, wall, his rush, his weight. Life is movement, death is a part of it.
Mathilda listens carefully.
LÉON So, you have to let the client finish the movement he started. It's better, he thinks about other things and he can't see death's arrival. He's got no time to suffer. He isn't surprised. He's got no time even to think. He departs without realizing. He departs in the movement he started.
Mathilda looks at the screen, sparkling eyes.
MATHILDA ...It's brilliant.
* * * * * * * * * *
MUSIC
- Series of short sequences -
Morning in the apartment
Television turned on. Mathilda and Léon have some abdominals. After some bendings, Mathilda collapses and remains on the floor. Léon goes on, undisturbed. Mathilda tries again.
Weapons assemblage
Léon disassembled a big weapon in front of him. Mathilda observes, very concentred. Léon reassembles it in record time. She's stunned. He hands her the weapon. Mathilda doesn't know where to start from.
Mathilda's room
In the little room, Mathilda started a collection of target cardboards. The first targets have just two or three off-center hits.
Living room
Léon's making abdominal flexions, feet always blocked under a wardrobe. Mathilda is making gym in front of television. Léon glances at her now and then.
Kitchen
Léon pours a big glass of milk. Mathilda sits in front of him. She's tired. He hands her the glass. She shakes her head no, but he clearly shows she can't discuss. She takes the glass without pleasure.
Weapons assemblage
Mathilda's much quicker now, but makes an error. Léon stops her and takes over to explain her mistake. Mathilda understands and restarts.
Mathilda's room
Cardboard collection expands. More and more impacts on targets.
Living room
Mathilda was able to convince Léon to make his gym in front of television and with music. She teaches him, since he's not used to this and is quite embarassed.
Kitchen
Mathilda pours two glasses of milk. She gives one to Léon: he drinks then they have a race. Mathilda does everything to be fast. Léon is too used: he wins. The two laugh because Mathilda spread milk everywhere. Two kids.
Mathilda's room
Mathilda adds a cardboard to her collection. Five impacts, all virtually on target.
MUSIC ENDS
- END of short sequences -
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