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1.
FADE IN:
1 EXT. PERU - HIGH JUNGLE - DAY 1
The dense, lush rain forests of the eastern slopes of the
Andes, the place known as “The Eyebrow of the Jungle”.
Ragged, jutting canyon walls are half-hidden by the thick
mists.
The MAIN TITLE is followed by this:
PERU
1936
A narrow trail across the green face of the canyon. A group
of men make their way along it. At the head of the party is
an American, INDIANA JONES. He wears a short leather
jacket, a flapped holster, and a brimmed felt hat with a
weird feather stuck in the band. Behind him come two
Spanish Peruvians, SATIPO and BARRANCA. Bringing up the
rear are five Yagua INDIANS. They act as porters and are
wrangling the two heavily-packed llamas. The Indians become
increasingly nervous. They speak to each other in bursts of
Quechua. The American, who is known to his friends as Indy,
glances back at them.
BARRANCA
(irritated)
They’re talking about the Curse
again!
He turns and yells at the Indians in Quechua, his anger
giving an indication of his own fears. The party reaches a
break in the canyon wall and takes the trail through it.
When they emerge, their destination is revealed to them in
the distance. Beyond a thick stand of trees is the
vegetation-enshrouded TEMPLE OF THE CHACHAPOYAN WARRIORS,
2000 years old.
The entire party is struck by the sight. The Indians,
terrified now, chatter away. Suddenly the three at the back
turn and run, dropping their packs as they go. Barranca
yells at the fleeing Indians and pulls his pistol out. He
starts to raise his arm to aim but Indy restrains it in a
muscular grip.
INDY
No.
2.
Barranca looks evilly at Indy’s hand upon him. Indy
releases him and smiles in a friendly way.
INDY
We don’t need them.
Satipo watches this confrontation with some concern.
BARRANCA
I do not carry supplies.
INDY
We’ll leave them. Once we’ve got
it, we’ll be able to reach the
plane by dusk.
He turns back to the trail. Satipo gets the two remaining
Indians moving behind Indy. Satipo and Barranca then have a
fast, silent communication: Barranca indicates his desire
to slit Indy’s throat; Satipo gives him a look that says
“Be patient, you idiot”
2 EXT. THE APPROACH TO THE TEMPLE 2
The party fans out to fight their way through the entwined
trees that guard the temple. Visibility is cut to five feet
in the heavy mist. Satipo extracts a short, native dart
from a tree and examines the point gingerly.
SATIPO
(showing Indy)
The Hovitos are near. The poison is
still fresh -- three days. They’re
following us, I tell you.
INDY
If they knew we were here, they
would have killed us already.
The two Indians jabber in Quechua, near hysteria. Barranca
is sweating profusely, eyes darting. He yells at the
Indians in Quechua to “shut up”.
In the undergrowth, there is slithering movement.
Indian #1 draws aside a branch and is face with a horrific
stone sculpture of a Chachapoyan demon. The Indian is so
frightened no sound comes out when he screams. He turns and
runs silently away.
3.
Indian #2 calls to his friend. Getting no response, he
steps in that direction. A huge macaw, flushed from the
undergrowth, screams and flies away. Indian #2 does exactly
the same thing, never to be seen again.
Indy, Satipo and Barranca, just clearing the trees, look
back in that direction. They all turn to face the Temple.
It is dark and awesome. Vegatation curls from every
crevice, over each elaborate frieze. The entrance - round,
open and black - has been designed to look like open jaws.
INDY
So this is where Forrestal cashed
in.
SATIPO
A friend of yours?
INDY
Competitor. He was good, very good.
BARRANCA
(nervous)
No one has ever come out of there
alive. Why should we put our faith
in you?
Indy takes the weird feather from the band of his hat. From
around its point, he slips a tightly rolled piece of
parchment. Barranca and Satipo exchange a quick “So that’s
where is was!” look. They all kneel as Indy spreads out the
parchment. On it is one-half of a crude floor plan of the
Temple.
INDY
No one ever had what we have --
partners.
Indy fixes them with an expectant stare. Satipo produces a
similar, but folded, piece of parchment. He lays it - the
other half of the floorplan - next to Indy’s. They all
regard it for a moment, then Indy stands and walks toward
the Temple. Barranca’s eyes are shining as they dart
between the floorplan and Satipo.
INDY
(back turned)
Assuming that pillar there marks
the corner and --
4.
Barranca is suddenly on his feet, quietly drawing his
pistol. He raises it toward Indy as Satipo realizes with
alarm what he’s doing. Too late. Indy’s head turns and he
sees Barranca.
Indy’s next move is amazing, graceful and fast, yet totally
unhurried.
His right hand slides up under the back of his leather
jacket and emerges grasping the handle of a neatly curled
bullwhip. With the same fluid move that brings Indy’s body
around to face the Peruvian, the whip uncoils to its full
ten foor length and flashes out.
The fall of the whip (the unplaited strip at the end of the
lash) wraps itself around Barranca’s hand and pistol. He
could not drop the gun now if he tried.
Indy gives the whip a short pull and Barranca’s arm is
jerked down, where it involuntarily discharges the gun into
the dirt. Barranca is amazed, but feels some slack in the
whip and immediately raises the gun toward Indy again,
cocking it with his free hand.
Indy’s face goes hard. And sad.
Indy sweeps his arm in a wide arc. Barranca spins around,
enclosed in the whip, his gun hand stuck tight against his
body. Indy gives one more short jerk on the whip handle and
Barranca’s gun fires. Barranca falls dead.
Indy looks quickly at Satipo, who is shocked and
frightened. He raises his arms in supplication.
SATIPO
I knew nothing! He was crazy!
Please!
Indy looks him over, then nods. He frees the whip from
Barranca’s body and picks up the man. His eyes sweep the
surrounding woods.
INDY
Let’s go.
3 INT. TEMPLE - INCLINED PASSAGE - DAY 3
5.
Indy and Satipo, carrying a torch, walk up the slightly
inclined, tubular passage from the main entrance. The
interior is wet and dark, hanging with plant life and
stalactites. Their echoing footsteps intermittently
overpower the sounds of loud dripping, whistling air drafts
and scampering claws.
4 INT. HALL OF SHADOWS 4
Indy leads the way down a twisting hallway, Satipo’s torch
barely lighting his way from behind. Indy disappears in a
shadow and when he reappears a moment later a huge black
tarantula is crawling up the back of his jacket.
Indy doesn’t notice and disappears into another shadow,
emerging with two more tarantulas on his back.
Satipo sees them and makes a frightened grunting sound.
Indy looks at him, sees what he’s pointing at and casually
brushes all three spiders off with his rolled whip, as he
would a fly. Satipo pirouettes for an inspection and Indy
flicks one off the Peruvian’s back.
Indy begins picking up little pocket-sized artifacts from
the niches and ledges of the Temple. He continues to do
this as the men penetrate the Temple. His collecting is
quick and expert, evaluating the pieces in an instant,
discarding some, stuffing others into his clothes, and
never stopping his forward progress.
5 INT. CHAMBER OF LIGHT 5
The men reach an arch in the hall. The small chamber ahead,
which interrupts the hall, is brightly lit by a shaft of
sunlight from high above. Indy stops, looks it over.
SATIPO
What’s wrong? Are you lost?
Indy picks up a stick and throws it through the shaft of
light. Giant spikes spring together from the sides of the
chamber with a ferocious CLANG! And impaled on the spikes
are the remains of a white man, half-fleshed, half
skeleton, in explorer-type garb. Indy reaches out and takes
hold of the man’s carcass. As the spikes slowly retract,
Indy pulls it free and seats the remains gently on the
floor.
INDY
Forrestal.
6.
SATIPO
(gulps)
We can go no further.
INDY
Now, Satipo, we don’t want to be
discouraged by every little thing.
Indy steps sideways into the chamber. His back pressed
against the very points of the retracted spikes, he moves
along the edge of the light beam, and steps clear on the
other side. Satipo grimaces and begins sweating his way
through.
6 INT. STAIRWAY 6
Indy and Satipo come down stone stairs to a tight landing.
Framing the entry are a carefully strung network of dead
vines, each somehow hooked into the wall, narrowing the
opening even more.
INDY
(taking the torch)
Let me see that.
He lowers the torch to the floor of the landing. The
landing is carpeted with human skeletons, one on top of
another, all squashed flat as cardboard. Satipo gasps. Indy
looks up at the ceiling of the landing, then steps onto the
skeletons, which make a cracking noise under his feet.
INDY
Try not to touch the vines.
7 INT. FOYER OF THE SANTUARY 7
The men are in a high, straight hallway 50 feet long. The
door at the end is flooded with sunlight.
SATIPO
Senor, I think we are very close.
Indy stands still looking at the hall.
SATIPO
(impatient)
Let us hurry. There is nothing to
fear here.
INDY
That’s what scares me.
7.
They begin walking down the hall side by side. Satipo has
inched a little ahead. Suddenly his lead foot comes down
and through the floor! As Satipo beings to pitch forward,
Indy grabs him by the belt and pulls him back. They both
look down at the “floor”.
Indy swings his whip across the floor. Fifteen feet of it
cuts open beneath the lash, falling away to reveal a black
pit as wide as the hall. The illusory floor was made of
dust-covered cobwebs. Satipo picks up a stone and drops it
down the pit. No sound. The two men exchange glances. Indy
looks up at the high roof of the hall. He swings the whip
up around a support beam, tests its strength with a pull
and swings over the pit on the whip. From the other side he
swings the whip back to Satipo, who throws Indy the torch.
Satipo swings across.
When they are both standing on solid floor there is a
moment of quiet in which they hear, from far, far below --
SPLASH! Indy wedges the whip handle into the wall and
leaves it strung to the beam for quick retreat.
8 INT. THE SANCTUARY 8
A large, domed room. Ten evenly-spaced skylights send their
shafts of sunlight down to a unique tiled floor: white and
black tiles laid out in a lovely, intricate pattern. Indy
and Satipo stand at the door and look across the wide room
at the alter. There, in the supreme hallowed spot, is a
tiny jeweled figurine, Indy’s real objective.
Two torches, many years old, are in holders by the door.
Indy takes one down and lights it. He gives the regular
torch to Satipo.
SATIPO
There’s plenty of light, amigo.
Indy kneels and uses the unit end of the torch to reach out
and tap a white tile. It is solid. He taps a black tile.
There is a whizzing sound and a tiny dart sticks in the
torch. Satipo points to the wall nearby: there is a
recessed hole there.
SATIPO
From that hole!
Indy nods, stands and looks around the sanctuary. The
entire room is honey-combed with the same kind of hole.
Satipo sees it too and is properly impressed.
INDY
8.
You wait here.
SATIPO
If you insist, senor.
Torch in hand, Indy beings his careful walk across the
sanctuary. Stepping only on the white tiles, he almost
appears to be doing a martial arts kata. Before each big
move he waves the torch in front of him head to toe,
looking at the flame. Halfway out, he sees something on the
floor and kneels to look at it.
A dead bird lies on one of the white tiles. Its body is
riddled with little deadly darts.
This has great significance to Indy and he stands with even
greater caution. He waves the torch ahead of him and at
waist height an air current whips at the flame. Indy ducks
under it and leaves a burn mark on the white tile beneath
it.
Satipo watches, wide-eyed and mystified.
Indy reaches the alter. The tiny idol looks both fierce and
beautiful. It rests on a pedestal of polished stone. Indy
looks the whole set-up over very carefully. From his jacket
he takes a small, canvas drawstring bag. He begins filling
it with dirt from around the case of the alter. When he has
created a weight that he thinks approximates the weight of
the idol, he bounces it a couple times in his palm
concentrating. It’s clear he wants to replace the idol with
the bag as smoothly as possible. His hand seems ready to do
that once, when he stops, takes a breath and loosens his
shoulder muscles. Now he sets himself again. And makes the
switch! The idol is now in his hand, the bag on the
pedestal. For a long moment it sits there, then the
polished stone beneath the bag drops five inches. This sets
off an AURAL CHAIN REACTION of steadily increasing volume
as some huge mysterious mechanism rumbles into action deep
in the temple.
Indy spins and starts his kata back across the sanctuary at
four times the speed.
9 INT. THE SANCTUARY - THE RETREAT - INTER CUTTING INDY AND 9
SATIPO
The sanctuary has begun to rumble and shake in response to
the mysterious mechanism. Just as Indy goes out the door, a
rock shakes loose from the wall and rolls onto the tile’s
floor. Immediately, a noisy torrent of poison darts fills
the room.
9.
IN THE FOYER, Satipo swings acorss the pit. He makes it
just as the whip comes undone from the beam, leaving Indy
without an escape. Satipo, extremely nervous, regards the
whip a moment then turns back to face Indy, who has run up
to the far side of the pit.
SATIPO
No time to argue. Throw me the
idol, I throw you the whip.
Indy hesitates, eyeing the rumbling walls.
SATIPO
You have no choice! Hurry!
Indy concurs with that assessment. He tosses the idol
across the pit to Satipo. Satipo stuffs it in the front
pocket of his jacket, gives Indy a look, then drops the
whip on the floor and runs.
SATIPO
Adios, amigo!
Indy grimaces. He had a feeling this might happen. He looks
around.
AT THE VINED LANDING, Satipo flies through like a chubby
ballet dancer and takes the steps five at a time.
IN THE FOYER, Indy runs in full stride to the edge of the
pit and broad jumps into space. He doesn’t make it. His
body hits the far side of the pit and he begins to slide
out of view. Only wild clawing with his fingers at the edge
of the pit stops his descent. With just the tips of his
fingers over the edge, he begins pulling himself up.
AT THE CHAMBER OF LIGHT, Satipo has slowed down. He begins
to edge carefully around the light shaft.
AT THE VINED LANDING, Indy sails through sideways and rolls
to stop at the bottom of the steps. His whip is grasped in
his hand. As he raises himself, he hears, from above the
giant spikes of the Chamber of Light CLANG! And an abrupt,
sickening rendition of SATIPO’S LAST SCREAM. Indy runs up
the steps. The rumbling sound grows louder.
AT THE CHAMBER OF LIGHT, Indy slides to a stop. The spikes
have retracted, taking Satipo’s body to one side. Indy
edges into the chamber with his back to the shaft of light.
Soon he is face to face with the dead Satipo; spikes
protrude from several vital spots in the Peruvian’s body.
Indy removes the idol from Satipo’s pocket and moves
quickly out the other side.
10.
INDY
Adios.
10 INT. THE INCLINED PASSAGE 10
Indy shoots out of a cut-off hallway and turns toward the
exit. The rumbling is very loud and now we see why: right
behind Indy a huge boulder comes roaring around a corner of
the passage, perfectly form-fitted to the passageway. It
obliterates everything before it, sending the stalactites
shooting ahead like missiles. Indy dashes for the light of
the exit. His hat flies off his head. Almost immediately it
is crushed by the boulder. Indy dives out the end of the
passage as the boulder slams to a perfect fit at the
entrance, sealing the Temple.
11 EXT. FRONT OF THE TEMPLE - DAY 11
Indy lies on the ground, gasping for air. A shadow falls
across him and he looks up.
WHAT HE SEES. Looming above him are three figures. Two are
HOVITOS WARRIORS in full battle paint and loin cloths. They
carry long blow guns. But the man in the center draws
Indy’s attention. He is a tall, impressive white man,
dressed in a full safari outfit including pith helmet. His
name is EMILE BELLOQ. His face is thin, powerful; his eyes
hypnotic; his smile charming, yet lethal. His heavily
French-accented speech is deep, mellifluous, wonderful.
Back beyond Belloq and his two escorts, thirty more Hovitos
Warriors hover at the edge of the trees.
BELLOQ
Dr. Jones, you choose the wrong
friends. This time it will cost
you.
Belloq extends his hand. Indy looks at it, then produces
the idol and hands it to Belloq. Belloq extends his other
hand, smiling. Indy hands over his gun. Belloq sticks it in
his jacket.
BELLOQ
And you thought I’d given up.
INDY
(eyeing the Hovitos)
Too bad they don’t know you like I
do, Belloq.
BELLOQ
11.
(smiles)
Yes, too bad. You could warn them -
- if only you spoke Hovitos.
With that, Belloq turns dramatically and holds the idol
high for all the Hovitos to see and says something in
Hovitos. There is a murmur of recognition and all the
Indians, including Belloq’s escorts, prostrate themselves
upon the ground, heads down.
Indy is immediately up and running toward the edge of the
clearing.
BELLOQ
(in Hovitos)
Kill him!
AT THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING, Indy disappears into the
foliage. An instant later, the leaves are peppered with a
rain of poison darts and spears.
12 EXT. THE JUNGLE - INDY’S RUN - VARIOUS SPOTS - DAY 12
Indy runs like hell through steadily falling terrain. And
always close behind, a swift gang of angry Hovitos.
Occasionally they get close enough to send a dart or spear
whizzing past Indy’s head.
13 EXT. THE URUBAMBA RIVER - DUSK 13
An amphibian plane sits in the water beneath a green cliff.
Sitting on the wing is JOCK, the British pilot. Indy breaks
out of some distant brush and runs along the path at the
top of the cliff.
INDY
(yelling)
Get it going! Get it going!
Jock hops in and fires up the plane’s engines. Indy reaches
a spot on the cliff above the place, glances back, then
jumps into the river. He comes up, swims to the plane and
grabs a strut.
INDY
GO!
Jock starts the plane moving across the water as Indy walks
across the wing and falls into the passenger compartment.
12.
14 INT. JOCK’S PLANE - DUSK 14
Indy relaxes and lies across the seat, a big smile on his
face. One hand drops to the floor of the cabin and Indy
jumps, hitting his head. On the floor of the cabin is a
huge boa constrictor. Indy tries to get his whole body onto
the seat. Jock sees what’s happening.
JOCK
Don’t mind him. That’s Reggie.
Wouldn’t hurt a soul.
INDY
I can’t stand snakes.
JOCK
The world’s full of them, you know.
INDY
I hate them.
JOCK
Come on now, Sport. Show a little
of the old backbone.
15 EXT. JOCK’S PLANE - TWILIGHT 15
It soars off over the dark jungle.
16 INT. INDY’S OFFICE, SMALL EASTERN COLLEGE - DAY 16
It’s autumn and the pretty, New England campus out Indy’s
window reflects it in dazzling color. A few weeks before
the start of classes. Activity just picking up. Some
students about.
Indy is at a bookcase near the window and he looks quite
different in this setting. His outfit is tweedy, slightly
rumpled in the professional style. Part of his attention is
focused in a book and he wears glasses to see the fine
print. The office is cramped, absolutely inundated with
books, maps, etchings and archaeological artifacts. In
fact, the only neat spot in the room right now is Indy’s
desk, which has been cleared off expressly for the benefit
of--
13.
MARCUS BRODY, the Curator of the National Museum in
Washington D.C. Brody is examining the small artifacts Indy
pocketed on his way into the Peruvian Temple. He
occasionally uses a jeweler's eyepiece to get a closer
look. But he is distracted, his concerns elsewhere, and it
is this that his old friend Indy senses from across the
room.
BRODY
Do you think the idol will ever
show up?
INDY
I don’t know. Just because Belloq
had it doesn’t mean he kept it.
Indy snaps the book closed and puts it on the shelf. He
takes his glasses off and focuses on Brody. At the windowed
door to his office, two pretty COEDS pause for a moment,
look in at their sexy Archeology professor, giggle and
disappear.
INDY
Getting it away from those Indians
would be a neat trick.
(a hard look)
I hope they got him.
A young male graduate student, Indy’s TEACHING ASSISTANT,
taps on the door and then pushes his way in with an arm-
load of reference books. Indy helps him find a spot for
them.
TEACHING ASSISTANT
I couldn’t get the McNabe,
Professor. Someone’s got it checked
out ‘till next month when classes
start.
INDY
That’s all right, Phil. Thanks a
lot.
TEACHING ASSISTANT
(eager to please)
Will there be anything else?
INDY
No. I’ll see you Thursday.
The Teaching Assistant leaves. Brody is scowling as he
examines the last of the artifacts.
14.
INDY
Hey, if you don’t like them, I can
always return them.
BRODY
No, they’re beautiful. The Museum
will buy them as usual. No
questions asked.
INDY
Then what’s wrong?
BRODY
I brought along some people today.
INDY
What kind of people?
BRODY
Government.
INDY
(concerned)
Government?
BRODY
Don’t worry, it’s not about your
business.
(indicates the artifacts)
They’re from the Army.
INDY
I’ve already served.
BRODY
Army Intelligence. They’re looking
for Abner.
17 INT. INDY’S LECTURE HALL - CLASSROOM - DAY 17
Indy’s course - a combination of archaeology and
anthropology - is taught in this amphitheater-type lecture
hall. His desk and lectern hold large reference books;
blackboards line the wall. Bones, maps, charts fasten on
the walls.
Indy leans against his desk talking with Brody and two
uniformed Army officers, COLONEL MUSGROVE and MAJOR EATON,
who are situated around the first seats in the classroom.
MUSGROVE
15.
-- but you did study under
Professor Ravenwood at the
University of Chicago?
INDY
(nods)
We haven’t spoken in ten years. I’m
afraid we had a bit of a falling
out.
EATON
You know nothing of his
whereabouts?
INDY
(negative)
Just rumors. Somewhere in Asia,
last I heard.
Musgrove and Eaton exchange a look; they’re disappointed.
EATON
(to Musgrove)
Maybe Dr. Jones can make sense of
it.
Again, the military men have a silent communication,
deciding what to reveal.
MUSGROVE
Well -- you must understand, Dr.
Jones, this is all strictly
confidential.
INDY
I understand.
MUSGROVE
Yesterday, one of our European
sections intercepted a Nazi
communique from Cairo to Berlin. We
don’t quite know what to make of
it.
Musgrove takes a sheet from his briefcase.
MUSGROVE
Here it is - “Tanis development
proceeding. Acquire headpiece,
Staff of Ra, General Tengtu Hok,
Shanghai. Locate Abner Ravenwood,
U.S.”
16.
Brody is excited. He looks at Indy.
BRODY
Tanis. They must have discovered
the lost ruins.
Indy contemplates this big news; he’s impressed.
INDY
(to himself)
Tanis. Ain’t that somethin’!
EATON
Frankly, we’re a little suspicious
-- An American being mentioned so
prominently in a secret Nazi cable.
INDY
Ah, Ravenwood’s no Nazi.
EATON
Then what do they want him for?
INDY
They’re looking for the headpiece
to the Staff of Ra.
MUSGROVE
(indicates his sheet)
But it says here that’s in China.
INDY
Only half of it. Ravenwood had the
other half.
EATON
What would the Nazis want with this
- this Staff of Ra?
BRODY
I can tell you that. Over the last
two years the Nazis have had teams
of archaeologists running around
the world looking for all kinds of
religious artifacts.
MUSGROVE
That’s right. Hitler’s a nut on the
subject. Crazy. He’s obsessed with
the occult.
EATON
What is this Staff of Ra, anyway?
17.
INDY
It all has to do with the Ark of
the Covenant.
(the Army guys look
mystified)
The chest the Hebrews used to carry
around the Ten Commandments.
Now it’s the Army men who are impressed.
INDY
An Egyptian pharaoh stole the Ark
from Jerusalem and took it back to
the city of Tanis. A short time
later, Tanis was consumed by the
desert in a sandstorm that lasted a
year.
INDY
But before that, the Pharaoh had
the Ark hidden away in a secret
chamber called the Well of the
Souls. Which is where the Staff of
Ra comes in.
Indy moves to the blackboard and makes a quick sketch to
give a rough idea of the system as he describes it. (And we
get a glimpse of what an interesting and enthusiastic
teacher he must be)
INDY
Now this was rather clever. The
Staff was really just a big stick -
- oh, I don’t know, say like this -
-
(he indicates about six
feet)
-- no one really knows for sure.
Anyway, it was capped by an
elaborate headpiece with a carving
of the sun at the top. What you had
to do was take the Staff to a
special room in Tanis -- it had the
whole city laid out in miniature on
the floor. When you placed the
Staff in a certain spot in the
room, at a certain time of day, the
sun would shine through a hole here
in the headpiece and then send a
beam of light down here -- to the
map -- giving you the location of
the Well of the Souls --
18.
MUSGROVE
-- where the Ark of the Covenant
was kept.
INDY
(nods)
Which is probably what the Nazis
are after.
EATON
What’s this Ark look like?
INDY
Look like? Why, it’s right here --
Indy pulls a big format book from the stack on his lectern
and flips through the pages until he finds a large color
print. The other men gather to look.
THE PRINT fills the screen.
It shows a Biblical battle. The Israelite Army is
vanquishing an opposition force. At the forefront of the
Israelite ranks, two men carry the Ark of the Covenant, a
beautiful gold chest, crowned by two sculptured gold
angels. The men do not touch the Ark itself; rather they
carry it by use of two long wooden poles which pass through
rings in the corners of the Ark. The painting is very
dramatic, full of smoke, tumult and sinewy dying men. But
the most astonishing thing in the picture is the brilliant
jet of white light and flame issuing from the wings of the
angels. It pierces deep into the ranks of the retreating
enemy, wrecking devastation and terror.
EATON
Good God!
INDY
Yes. That’s what the Hebrews
thought.
MUSGROVE
What’s that supposed to be coming
out of there?
INDY
Who knows -- lightning -- fire --
the power of God.
EATON
I’m beginning to understand
Hitler’s interest in this thing.
19.
INDY
Oh yes. The Bible tells of it
leveling mountains and wasting
entire regions. Moses promised that
when the Ark was with you, “your
enemies will be scattered and your
foes fell before you”.
(pause)
An army which carries the Ark
before it is invincible.
Eaton and Musgrove exchange worried looks.
INDY
Oh, there’s one other thing that
Hitler undoubtedly believes about
the Ark --
(a long, pregnant pause)
It’s said that the Lost Ark will be
recovered at the time of the coming
of the True Messiah.
MUSGROVE
Dr. Jones, you’ve been very
helpful. I hope we can call on you
again if we have questions.
INDY
Most certainly.
Brody and Indy exchange a look as they all shake and Brody
starts to leave with the Army men.
18 EXT. FRONT DOOR - INDY’S HOUSE - NIGHT 18
Indy’s English Tudor, upper middle class home. Quite toney;
well beyond the financial reach of an honest college
professor. Marcy Brody has already rung the bell. Indy
opens the door. He is dressed in a tuxedo.
BRODY
I’ve got to talk to you.
INDY
This isn’t really a good time.
BRODY
Indy, it’s important.
INDY
All right. Come on in.
20.
19 INT. FOYER - INDY’S HOUSE 19
The lush tone continues here in Art Deco and shiny marble.
Indy motions Brody toward the study to one side.
INDY
I’ll be in in a moment.
As Brody passes the entrance to the expansive living room,
he spots a beautiful, silk-gowned Harlow-type lounging on
the sofa in front of a roaring fire. She is sipping
champagne.
20 INT. STUDY - INDY’S HOUSE 20
Brody enters the book-lined, dark-wooded study. He paces
for a moment before the fire which is dying in the
fireplace, then spots something and goes over to Indy’s big
desk. The surface is covered with open books, monographs,
maps and drawings - all about the Ark of the Covenant.
Brody smiles; he knows his friend very well.
Indy comes in, closing the door behind him. Brody turns to
him with a triumphant expression.
BRODY
They want you to go for it. And
they’ll pay.
INDY
(smiles)
Good work, Marcus. I had a feeling
this would happen. And, of course,
the Museum gets the Ark when we’re
done.
BRODY
(smiles)
Of course.
Indy’s manner is vigorous, aggressive.
INDY
Okay, here’s the way it’s gonna be.
First, I’ll high-tail it to
Shanghai and get the piece from
General Hok. Then I think I know
where I can find Ravenwood. If only
I can get --
BRODY
21.
General Hok’s a tough customer.
They don’t call him the Wild Boar
for nothing. And he’s tied in with
the Japanese.
INDY
I’ll worry about that when the time
comes. My only hope is to find the
Well of the Souls before the Nazis
do.
WIPE TO:
21 EXT. IN THE AIR - DAY - NIGHT 21
A Pan Am Clipper flies west over the Pacific.
WIPE TO:
22 INT. KEHOE’S CAR - SHANGHAI AIRPORT - DAY 22
Indy is barely into the front seat of a dilapidated Ford as
the driver, BUZZ KEHOE, is peeling out into traffic.
In the back seat is a Chinese named BANG CHOW. Kehoe zings
crazily through traffic with only his left hand as he
reaches over to shake with Indy.
KEHOE
Buzz Kehoe, Army Intelligence.
You’ve met Bang Chow.
INDY
What’s the hurry?
KEHOE
Some German agents got here two
hours ago. Luckily, Bang was able
to have them detained at Customs.
We’ll have to hurry.
23 EXT. HOK’S STREET - DAY 23
Kehoe’s car emerges from an alley. Down the block is Tengtu
Hok’s modest, walled palace. Kehoe’s car slows a bit and
Bang steps from the moving car with a small black suitcase
in his hand. While he heads down the street toward Hok’s
place, Kehoe’s car continues across the street and into an
alley on the other side.
22.
24 EXT. HOK’S STREET - IN FRONT OF THE PALACE - DAY 24
A Mercedes limousine appears round a corner and squeals to
a stop at the front gate of the palace, which is manned by
a sturdy Chinese Gateman. There are three Germans inside,
one the driver.
25 EXT. ALLEY BEHIND HOK’S MUSEUM - DAY 25
Kehoe, alone now, pushes a trash container casually into a
position to hide a newly created hole in the rear wall of
Hok’s Museum where several stone blocks have been removed.
He looks around and ambles back to the car.
26 INT. HOK’S PALACE - ENTRY HALL 26
The three Germans wait impatiently in a magnificent foyer.
A chime sounds and huge double doors open to reveal TENGTU
HOK, flanked by two uniformed Japanese Soldiers and a roved
Chinese Advisor. He wears a fantastic gold ornamental robe.
Despite the majesty, however, nothing can disguise the fact
that Hok is basically a wild, fat barbarian; an animal. Hok
and his escort group bow in what is the beginning of a long
welcoming ceremony. The Germans exchange impatient glances
but decide they should play it as it comes. They bow.
27 INT. HOK’S MUSEUM 27
No person in sight. Instead, we see a magnificent display
of ancient artifacts. Glass cases hold the velvet-couched
pieces at random spots on the shining marble floor. We hear
an odd sound. Near the floor on the rear wall of the
museum, a steel ventilation grate moves. A hand slides it
gently across the marble. Indy sticks his head out and
looks around.
28 INT. HOK’S PALACE - TEA ROOM 28
The three Germans are being served tea and exotic
delicacies. A pleased Tengtu Hok watches from a throne-
cushion. When the tray of tiny delicacies is presented to
him, he takes a massive handful, crushing them together on
their way to his smiling mouth.
29 INT. HOK’S MUSEUM 29
23.
A huge golden gong, seven feet in diameter, is suspended
from the ceiling by a hook. An enormous hammer hangs poised
above it, from which emanate myraid tiny threads which run
up and across the ceiling, then down to the various display
cases. Indy looks up at the gong, then continues his quick,
quiet foray among the cases. Beyond him, a high window.
30 INT. HOK’S PALACE - TEA ROOM 30
Hok and his visitors stand to go. The Germans’ pleased
expressions make it clear they’re finally on their way to
the museum.
31 INT. HOK’S MUSEUM 31
Indy arrives at his destination. The lovely, carved gold
section of the headpiece is nested on purple velvet in a
glass case. At the bottom of the piece is a round hollow
where the staff would fit. There is a grunting sound behind
Indy and he spins, already reaching for his revolver.
A fierce Japanese Samurai is running at Indy full speed
down an aisle of display cases. His sword is raised over
his shoulder ready to cut Indy in half. He’s six feet away
when Indy’s gun levels and fires twice, blasting him
backwards. Indy is still looking over his gun when another
samurai sword comes down from the side and knocks the
pistol brutally out of Indy’s grip; his hand avoids
amputation by a quarter of an inch.
An amazed Indy backs away from the crossing aisle as the
Second Samurai steps in to face him, sword raised. Indy
backs away into an open space and his bullwhip appears in
his hand. He gives it one savage CRACK! to announce its
arrival and the Samurai slows down, eyeing it curiously.
The Samurai does not look unhappy about this confrontation.
How pure it is - The Sword versus The Whip.
32 EXT. HOK’S PALACE - SECOND FLOOR WALKWAY - DAY 32
Tengtu Hok and the Germans have obviously heard something.
They are hurrying along the walkway at the side of the
building, Hok in the lead. Up ahead is the foot bridge
which crosses from the palace to the museum entrance over a
moat.
33 EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF THE PALACE - DAY 33
The lovely Mercedes limousine blows up.
24.
34 EXT. HOK’S PALACE - SECOND FLOOR WALKWAY - DAY 34
The Germans spin toward the blast. Drawing weapons, they
run back to investigate. Hok follows them, confused.
35 INT. HOK’S MUSEUM 35
Indy and the Samurai face each other. They’re both
breathing hard from previous, no-contact passes at each
other. Now Indy begins swinging the whip over his head
again. It whizzes out toward the Samurai’s face. The
Samurai take two lightning-quick cuts at the leather, but
misses.
Indy swings for the Samurai’s feet; the Samurai jumps
nimbly, slashing at the whip. Indy does it gain. The
Samurai hops it. Once more. The Samurai is concentrating on
hopping it.
Indy sees it. The split second he wants. The whip flashes
up from the floor and wraps solidly and irrevocably around
the Samurai’s neck. Indy gives it a murderous pull and the
Samurai is dead on his feet.
36 EXT. HOK’S PALACE - SECOND FLOOR WALKWAY - DAY 36
Hok and the three Germans are looking down at the flaming
remains of the Mercedes. A look of concern crosses Hok’s
face. He turns and runs back toward his beloved museum.
37 INT. HOK’S MUSEUM 37
Indy is at the case containing the headpiece. He smashes
the glass with a samurai sword, reaches in and grabs the
piece. Immediately, behind him, the huge hammer falls and
the sound of the gong thunders through the museum.
38 EXT. HOK’S PALACE - SECOND FLOOR WALKWAY - DAY 38
At the sound of the gong, the running Hok skids to a halt
with a crazed expression on his face. He disappears for two
seconds in an alcove and emerges holding a big, black
Thompson Submachine Gun. He runs across the foot bridge and
is just barely over it when it blows up. Hok, safe, looks
behind him in amazement and then turns to the museum.
39 INT. HOK’S MUSEUM 39
25.
The double doors at the entrance slam open to reveal Hok.
Indy is halfway along an unprotected wall back to his
ventilation entry route. Hok opens up on him, cutting off
his retreat. Indy jumps behind a marble column, which is
promptly blasted with machine gun fire.
Indy looks above him, sees the giant disk of the gong.
Reaching up, pushing with tremendous effort, he maneuvers
it off the hook. It bounces to the floor on its side,
chipping the marble with its monstrous weight. Indy
steadies it and then puts his whole body into rolling it
across the room toward the window. As it starts to roll,
Indy slips behind it and runs across the room with it.
Hok can see the rolling gong. He opens up on it. The
vicious cacophony of machine gun fire is joined by the
musical reports of bullets hitting the gong and ricocheting
away. Very, very noisy.
Behind the gong, Indy gauges his move. As the gong is about
to be stopped by a marble bench, Indy takes a long stride
onto a bench and dives through the glass of the high
window. Hok’s bullets hit the wall.
40 EXT. ROOF - DAY 40
Indy lands in a shower of glass on the jutting roof of the
museum’s first floor. He rolls to a crouch and is
immediately being fired upon. The Germans, cut off from the
museum, are standing on the palace walkway firing at him.
Indy takes off fast for the rear of the museum.
41 EXT. ALLEY BEHIND HOK’S MUSEUM - DAY 41
Kehoe, craning to locate Indy, has the Ford rolling slowly
along the back of the museum. Bang scouts from the back
seat. Indy appears on the roof at a run, gauges the
movement of the car and jumps from the roof of the museum
to the roof of the sedan. Unfortunately, the roof of the
old car can’t take it and Indy’s legs knife right on
through to the interior, where he scares the hell out of
Kehoe.
42 INT. KEHOE’S CAR - DAY 42
Indy squirms his way down into the front seat.
KEHOE
Jesus! Are you all right?
26.
INDY
(he’s felt better)
Great. Got it.
Kehoe guns it, throwing Indy back against the cushions.
KEHOE
What now?
INDY
I’ve got to get to Nepal.
WIPE TO:
43 EXT. DC-3 IN THE AIR - DUSK 43
The plane flies west into the sunset.
44 INT. DC-3 - NIGHT 44
Under a meager seat light, Indy is pouring over a journal
article by Abner Ravenwood and a related map of Nepal.
A few rows back, across the aisle, a trench coated European
Spy eyes Indy.
WIPE TO:
45 INT. “THE RAVEN” SALOON - PATAN - NEPAL - NIGHT 45
A huge stuffed raven, wings spread wide, is mounted behind
the long bar in the noisy, crowded saloon. A lively mix of
patrons is represented in the late hour tableau: Nepalese
natives, fierce Sherpa mountain guides, sleazy
international smugglers and fugitives, and, of course,
mountain climbers from every corner of the earth. A tall
Nepalese, MAHDLO, is the bartender.
In a corner near the fireplace trouble breaks out suddenly
between the groups at two neighboring tables. Ferocious
representatives from each table, one a wild-looking SHERPA,
the other a muscular Australian CLIMBER, jump up to face
each other. As the two contenders stand posed for action,
their representative supporters shift in their places,
fondling lethal ice axes and clubs.
SHERPA
Gmoiska! Shurga rintoik!
CLIMBER
27.
Aye! That’ll be your last word.
The bar has quieted ominously and so we hear with startling
clarity when a door behind the bar slams open with a huge
BANG! and some Presence, too small to be seen as it moves
through the forest of towering patrons, makes a beeline for
the troubled corner of the bar. A path clears for it.
The Sherpa and the Climber are about to kill each other
when the Presence arrives directly between them: she is
MARION RAVENWOOD, twenty-five years old, beautiful, if a
bit hard-looking. At this moment, however, that look does
not hurt. She is not intimidated by the combatants; she
jabs accusatory fingers into their chests. She is angry as
hell. The patrons shrink under her gaze.
MARION
That does it! I’ve been patient
with you no-goods long enough. I’m
not open at 2 o’clock for myself,
you know. It’s all for you. And how
do you repay me: Trouble and noise
and blood on my floor! I won’t have
it. Everybody out! Out! Out! We’re
closed. Closed! Do your killing
outside! And don’t leave any bodies
on the porch!
The place clears quickly. Stragglers and grumblers are
given special attention by Marion and Mahdlo, who has come
from behind the bar carrying a big axe handle. Mahdlo herds
the crowd out the front door as Marion turns and walks
behind the bar.
A scowl on her lovely face, she has just begun clearing the
bar of glasses when she notices one remaining Patron
huddled over a glass at the far end of the bar. Grimacing
in exasperation, she heads that way like a locomotive.
MARION
Hey you, deaf one! I said out of
place. I don’t meant next Easter, I
mean now --
She is almost on him when Indy looks up smiling. Marion
stops, stares, shocked.
INDY
Hello, Marion.
She hits him with a solid right to the jaw, knocking him
off the bar stool on the floor. He rubs his jaw and smiles
up at her.
28.
INDY
Nice to see you, too.
MARION
Get up and get out.
INDY
(getting up)
Take it easy. I’m looking for your
father.
MARION
(bitterly)
Well you’re two years too late.
Indy’s attitude changes instantly. This is sad news. He is
silent for a long time. Mahdlo comes in the front door and
hurries forward when he sees Indy with Marion. He looks to
her for guidance, but she stays him with a gesture.
MARION
Go home, Mahdlo. I’ll see you
tomorrow.
Mahdlo is hesitant, but lays the axe handle on the bar and
goes out. Indy has been barely aware of him. Now he settles
again on the bar stool. Marion has a vindictive look.
She’ll let him stay, but she wants to inflict as much pain
as possible.
INDY
What happened?
MARION
Avalanche. Up there. He was
digging. What else? He spent his
whole life digging. Dragging me all
over this rotten earth. For what?
INDY
Did you find him?
MARION
Hell no. He’s buried where he was
working. Probably preserved real
good, too. In the snow.
Suddenly the hardness cracks. She is on the verge of tears
and does not want him to see them. She turns away and takes
a whiskey bottle from the shelf, then turns back to pour
herself a drink.
INDY
29.
Not a bad way to go. Doing what he
loved.
MARION
(vitriolic)
Don’t give me that stuff!
MARION
What do you know?
(she takes a drink)
I’m the one that was left in a bad
way. He didn’t have a penny. Guess
how I lived, Mister Jones. I worked
here. And I wasn’t the bartender.
(another swallow)
Finally the guy that owned the
joint went crazy. Snow crazy. They
took him away screaming. As they
dragged him out, he said the place
was all mine for life.
She looks around the saloon.
MARION
Can you imagine a more evil curse?
(pause)
So far, it’s working.
INDY
Why not leave? Go back to the
States.
MARION
I’ll go back. I’ll get there. Not
that there’s a soul there who knows
my name of cares. But I’ll go. And
when I do, they’ll know me. ‘Cause
I’m going to go back in style. With
money. A goddamn lady!
INDY
Where you gonna get it?
MARION
If I knew that, you think I’d still
be running this dive?
Indy looks at her, thinking. Under his gaze, she blushes,
for reasons only she understands. She looks into her glass
and, for a moment, she softens.
MARION
30.
I’ll tell you something, Indy. I’ve
learned to hate you in the last ten
years. But somehow, no matter how
much I hated you, I always knew
that someday you’d come through
that door. I never doubted that.
Something made it inevitable.
(hopefully)
Why are you here -- now -- tonight?
Indy takes a long time to answer.
INDY
I need one of the pieces your
father collected.
Marion’s eyes go icy. She swings at him again with her
right, but this time he catches her at the wrist. Then he
stops her left, which she has brought up to slap him.
MARION
You son-of-a-bitch! You know what
you did to me, to my life? This is
your handiwork.
INDY
I never meant to hurt you.
MARION
I was a child!
INDY
You knew what you were doing.
MARION
I was in love.
INDY
I guess that depends on your
definition.
MARION
It was wrong. You knew it.
Indy releases her arms.
INDY
Look, I did what I did. I don’t
expect you to be happy about it.
But maybe we can do each other some
good.
MARION
31.
Why start now?
INDY
Shut up and listen for a second. I
want that piece your father had.
I’ve got money.
That stops her.
MARION
How much?
INDY
Enough to get you back to the
States. Where are his things?
MARION
Gone. I sold it all. It was all
junk. The junk he wasted his life
on.
INDY
Everything?
Marion nods.
INDY
(giving up)
That’s too bad.
Indy feels tired, defeated. Marion is pleased.
MARION
You look disappointed. I like that.
How’s it feel?
Indy has to smile at her glee.
MARION
(nods at his empty glass)
What are you drinking?
INDY
Seltzer.
MARION
(refilling his glass)
Real man’s drink. Me, I like
scotch. And I like bourbon. And
vodka and gin. I’m not much for
brandy. I’m off that.
She pours herself another as Indy watches, amused.
32.
INDY
You’re a tough broad now, aren’t
you?
MARION
It’s no act, pal. This ain’t
Schenectady.
INDY
I can only say I’m sorry so many
times.
Marion looks at him thoughtfully, takes a drink.
MARION
You really have money? You don’t
look rich.
(Indy nods)
I may be able to locate some of his
things. I know who’s got them. What
do you want?
INDY
A bronze piece, about this size. In
the shape of the sun. Probably
broken off at the bottom. Has a
little hole in it, off-center. Does
that sound familiar.
Marion thinks, nods slowly.
INDY
Do you know where it is?
MARION
Maybe. How much?
INDY
Three thousand. American.
MARION
(negative)
That’ll get me back, but not in
style. This doodad must be pretty
important.
INDY
Maybe.
A huge smile lights up Marion’s face.
MARION
33.
I knew it would happen eventually.
I knew it. Something had to go my
way.
(pours herself another
drink)
I’ve got to think this out. I’m
used to bargaining with yaks.
INDY
Okay. Five thousand. That’s all I
can give you now. I can get you
more when you land in the States.
MARION
Your word, huh?
(Indy nods)
Just like you said you’d be back
last time? That was your word too.
INDY
I’m back, aren’t I?
Marion sneers and they smile together.
INDY
You can trust me.
MARION
Come back tomorrow.
INDY
Why?
MARION
Because I said so, that’s why. It’s
about time I called the shots in
this relationship.
Indy nods, gets up to go.
MARION
Wait a minute. Leave the five
thousand here.
(Indy hesitates)
You want trust, give some. I want
to smell your money.
Indy thinks about this a moment, then reaches inside his
shirt and pulls out cash from a money belt. He lays five
grand on the bar.
INDY
I trust you.
34.
MARION
You’re an idiot.
INDY
I’ve heard that.
Indy starts for the door. Marion takes another drink. She’s
getting high.
MARION
Hold it. Come here.
INDY
(moving back)
Bossy, aren’t you?
MARION
That’s right. Give me a kiss.
Indy looks into her eyes, then leans over the bar and
kisses her deeply. When the kiss ends, their faces are very
close.
Marion is flushed. She liked it and would like more. She
raises her glass between them to discipline herself.
MARION
Get out of my place.
Indy smiles and walks to the front door. Then, without
looking back-
INDY
Tomorrow.
He’s gone. Marion stares after him, thinking. She takes a
drink. Then slowly, her hand comes up to loose the scarf
that is draped around her throat. It falls away, revealing
her graceful neck above the dipping top of her blouse.
Hanging there on a gold chain against her white skin is a
sun-shaped golden medallion. The bottom looks broken off.
Marion lifts the medallion so she can see it in her hand,
then looks thoughtfully after Indy.
46 EXT. STREETS OUTSIDE “THE RAVEN” - NIGHT 46
Indy sits thinking at the wheel of an old car. Finally, he
puts the car in gear and drives away.
35.
Across the street, the shadow in a doorway comes to life. A
dark form steps out to look at Indy’s departing car; it is
the European Spy from the DC-3. He hurries off in the
opposite direction.
DISSOLVE TO:
47 INT. “THE RAVEN” - NIGHT 47
Marion stands before the fire that is shrinking in the
fireplace. She jabs at it abstractedly with a poker,
thinking. Suddenly tears well up in her eyes. She lets the
poker slip from her hand, wipes away the tears. She walks
across the room to the end of the bar, still cluttered with
bottles and glasses, and stops at the pile of American
money Indy has left. She takes the chain from around her
neck and lets the medallion slide off it into her hand. She
places it on the bar next to the pile of money, thinking.
Then, having reached some decision, she picks up the pile
of bills, walks up the back of the bar and pulls a small
wooden box from under the bar. She flips open the top, puts
the cash inside and closes the top. She leaves the box on
the bar and starts back toward the medallion. The front
door of the saloon bursts open and Four Bad Men come in.
Marion, halfway between the valuable possessions and not
wishing to draw attention to either, stops where she is.
The Four Bad Men who advance on her are:
1) the obvious leader, a short, vile, sadistic German in
spectacles by the name of BELZIG.
2) a trench coated SECOND NAZI.
3) a ratty-looking NEPALESSE and
4) a mean MONGOLIAN. The second NAZI and the MONGOLIAN both
carry sub machine guns.
BELZIG
Good evening, Fraulein.
MARION
The bar’s closed.
BELZIG
We are not thirsty.
The Mongolian and the Nepalese poke around, checking to
make sure there’s no one else there.
36.
Down at the end of the bar, the medallion lies partially
hidden by surrounding glasses and bottles. The Second Nazi
stops very near it, but turns his back to it to face Belzig
and Marion.
MARION
What do you want?
BELZIG
The same thing your friend Dr.
Jones wanted. Surely he told you
there would be other interested
parties.
Marion shakes her head.
BELZIG
Ah, the man is nefarious. I hope
for your sake he has not yet
acquired it.
MARION
Why, are you willing to offer more?
BELZIG
Almost certainly. Do you still have
it?
MARION
No. But I know where it is.
Belzig’s smile fades at this news. He’s not a patient sort.
Marion is chilled by the look. She turns and moves to the
shelf of bottles behind her, reaching high for one, very
near the large stuffed raven. Her hand lingers there a
moment and we see -
From an angle behind the stuffed raven, that the left wing
spread hides a Baretta automatic pistol. Marion’s hand is
very near it, but withdraws with only a whiskey bottle as
the Mongolian walks toward her behind the bar.
Marion opens the bottle before Belzig, who watches her
intently.
MARION
How ‘bout a drink for you and your
men?
The Second Nazi lights up at this suggestion. Belzig gives
him a withering look.
BELZIG
37.
We will stick to the business at
hand, Fraulein.
MARION
(tough)
Fine. Why don’t you come back
tomorrow when Jones is here and
we’ll have an auction?
Belzig gives her a cold look then turns and walks toward
the fireplace. As soon as his back is turned, the Second
Nazi grabs the nearest whiskey bottle and takes a quick
pull. In so doing, he leaves the medallion completely
exposed. Marion is aware of this as she looks at him. But
he quickly puts the bottle down again, obscuring the
medallion, when Belzig speaks from the fireplace.
BELZIG
I’m afraid an auction is not
possible.
(pause)
Your fire is dying here, Fraulein.
(a beat, then
threatening)
Why don’t you tell us where the
piece is right now?
MARION
Listen, Herr Mac, I don’t know who
you’re used to dealing with, but no
one tells me what to do in my
place.
Belzig, still looking in the fire, sneers and shakes his
head.
BELZIG
Americans! You’re all alike.
Fraulein Ravenwood. I’ll show you
what I’m used to.
He motions with his hand. The Mongolian moves up behind
Marion and lifts her roughly over the top of the bar,
knocking over bottles and spilling liquor. He deposits her
on the other side, where the Nepalese and the Second Nazi
flank her and hold her cruelly, arms behind her back.
Marion raises a ruckus.
Belzig turns from the fireplace. In his hand is the poker,
its end glowing orange. He advances on Marion. Marion stops
yelling, her eyes widen in terror.
MARION
38.
Wait! I can be reasonable --
BELZIG
That time is passed.
The glowing poker point moves inexorably across the room
toward Marion’s face.
MARION
You don’t need that. I’ll tell you
everything!
BELZIG
Yes, I know you will.
Belzig has no intention of stopping now. The glowing tip is
approaching Marion’s face. The Nepalese watches with savage
glee.
The tip of the poker is five inches from Marion’s nose when
there is a loud CRACK! and the fall of Indy’s bullwhip
wraps around the middle of the poker and tears it out of
Belzig’s hands. The poker sails high across the room, free
of the whip, and lands in the heavy curtains that over one
window. The curtains immediately burst into flame.
The four Bad Men look in surprise toward the front
entrance. Indy is poised there, the whip in his right hand,
a .45 Automatic raised toward them in his left.
INDY
Hello.
Now everything begins to happen very fast-
The Mongolian had just come around the bar at the end
opposite the medallion. He dives back to crouch behind the
end of the bar, raising his sub machine gun.
Belzig and the Second German dive behind the tables near
the bar. The Nepalese is slower to leave Marion, he draws a
Luger. Indy’s .45 barks and the Nepalese dies spinning
against the bar. Indy fires in the direction of the
Mongolian.
Marion swings up over the top of her bar. Belzig fires at
her, but his bullets smash bottles behind the bar and thud
into the raven.
Marion flattens out on the floor behind the bar as bullets
hit above her. She reaches up, snatches the axe handle from
where Mahdlo left it, and begins crawling down the length
of the bar toward-
39.
The Mongolian, who sticks his sub machine gun out and fires
blindly in Indy’s direction.
Indy is in a crouch behind a table, trying to get a shot at
someone. He doesn’t notice in the din and confusion when
the door bursts open.
An incredible, fearsome GIANT SHERPA, almost seven feet
tall, soars in and tackles Indy from behind. The whip flies
from Indy’s hand as he and the Giant Sherpa roll across the
floor, upsetting furniture.
The Mongolian, seeing this, stands up confidently. Marion
rises behind him and bashes him over the head with the axe
handle. He goes down and out.
Fire has completely engulfed the curtains and is working
across the ceiling on decorative yak skin bunting. A
burning fragment drops to the top of the bar, which
immediately lights up, fueled by the spilled alcohol. Full
whiskey bottles explode like Molotov cocktails.
Rolling on the floor, Indy and the Giant Sherpa are
fighting for control of Indy’s .45. Belzig sees this and
shout to the Second Nazi, who is rising from cover with the
sub machine gun in hand.
BELZIG
Shoot them both!
SECOND NAZI
He’s our man!
BELZIG
Do as I say!
Both the Giant Sherpa and Indy hear this. The Giant Sherpa
exchanges an alarmed look with Indy and together they swing
the .45 around toward the surprised Second Nazi. Two blasts
blow him away.
That done, Indy brings a brass spittoon down on the Giant
Sherpa’s wrist and the .45 slides away. Indy jumps up and
kicks the Giant Sherpa, who barely seems to feel it. He
grabs Indy and flips him effortlessly onto a table.
Belzig now has a clear shot at Indy. He raises his Lugar.
Marion, at the end of the bar, finally gets the hand of the
Mongolian’s sub machine gun. It roars to life in the
general direction of the ceiling.
40.
Belzig runs for cover as Marion gets control of the gun and
levels it. Belzig dives around the end of the bar opposite
Marion. When he has set himself, he peeks up over the edge
of the scorched bar. The alcohol fire has moved down the
bar and now, much to Belzig’s surprise, he finds himself
staring at the fire-blackened sun-shaped medallion! His
eyes widen. He cannot believe his good fortune. Without
hesitation he picks up the metal medallion, palming it.
Immediately there is a sickening searing sound and Belzig’s
expression changes from joy to agony. He screams in pain
and tries to shake the red-hot medallion from his skin.
Marion opens up and the bar starts to splinter in front of
Belzig. The medallion comes free of Belzig’s hand and rolls
across the floor.
Belzig has had enough. In excruciating pain, he turns, sees
a window, runs and dives through the glass.
An exhausted Indy uses his whole body to upend the Giant
Sherpa, who lands hard on his back. They are surrounded by
flames.
48 EXT. THE RAVEN - SNOW BANK - NIGHT 48
Belzig has his burned hand stuck deep in the snow. Now he
withdraws it, steaming, and scurries off into the night
like a wounded animal.
49 INT. THE RAVEN - NIGHT 49
Marion throws down the empty sub machine gun and moves
through the flames to the center of the bar where she left
the box with the five grand. She finds the remains of the
box and its contents: a shapeless pile of ash and charred
wood.
MARION
Unbelievable!
At the end of the bar, the Mongolian has come back to life.
He shakes out his head, then reaches inside his coat and
pulls out a Mauser pistol.
Indy smashes a chair over the head of the Giant Sherpa and
the huge creature goes down.
The Mongolian points his Mauser through the smoke and flame
at Indy. Suddenly, the Mongolian is shot dead.
Marion stands beneath her stuffed raven with the Baretta.
41.
Indy moves quickly through the flames, his eyes scanning
the floor. He picks up his bullwhip and his crumpled felt
hat. He peers through the smoke till he spots Marion moving
among the burning furniture.
INDY
Let’s get out of here!
MARION
Not without that piece you want!
INDY
It’s here?
Marion nods, kicks aside a burning chair. Another burning
beam falls from the roof. Indy pulls Marion close to him
protectively.
INDY
Forget it! I want you out of here.
Now!
He beings dragging her out.
MARION
(pointing)
There!
She breaks away from him, darts back and picks the hot
medallion up in the loose cloth of her blouse.
INDY
Let’s go!
MARION
(looking around)
You burned down my place!
INDY
(figuratively)
I owe you plenty!
MARION
(literally)
You owe me plenty!
INDY
(smiles)
You’re something.
MARION
I am something. And I’ll tell you
exactly what-
42.
She holds up the medallion possessively.
MARION
I’m your partner!
50 EXT. CAIRO - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY 50
First we see the sprawl, the soaring minarets, the ancient
skyline.
Then we’re closer, in the narrow, exotic streets, teeming
with life: fierce-looking men in tattered galabiyas, black-
gowned women with veiled face, ragged, barefoot children.
51 INT. DINING ROOM - SALLAH’S HOUSE - OLD CAIRO 51
Indy and Marion have been welcomed like family into the
crowded home of SALLAH, his wife FAYAH, and their NINE
CHILDREN (ages 4 - 18). Fayah, a huge, imposing woman,
appears, at first glance, to be the power in the house.
Sallah, a small, cheerful, energetic fellow in his forties
defers to his wife in all matters of little importance.
Suddenly the general liveliness at the children’s table
escalates into pandemonium, attracting the attention of the
adults.
FAYAH
Silence!
(there is silence)
Why do you forget yourselves?
The gaggle of grinning off-spring parts to reveal in their
midst -- a MONKEY. It is munching some flat Arab bread.
FAYAH
What is this? Who brought this
animal in?
All the children chatter their innocence at once. The
Monkey chatters too; it’s an entertainer. The Monkey jumps
from the children’s table to the adults’ and struts slowly
up to Marion, who thinks it’s the cutest thing she ever
saw. When it reaches her, it takes off its turban and does
a deep, grand bow to her. She is delighted and takes the
Monkey into her arms. The Monkey kisses her cheek. The
children laugh.
MARION
Why, thank you. I like you too.
43.
FAYAH
Then it shall be welcome in our
house.
MARION
Oh, no! You don’t have to have it
around if you don’t want it-
SALLAH
(cheerfully)
All of Allah’s creatures are
welcome here. You please us by
letting us please you.
52 EXT. COURTYARD - SALLAH’S HOUSE - NIGHT 52
Indy and Sallah sit in the small, protected courtyard.
Sallah holds the two sections of the headpiece, the
medallion and the base, and has for the first time fitted
them together. They fit perfectly and complete the
headpiece. He peruses the markings on the headpiece
quizzically. Indy is cleaning and loading a .45 automatic.
INDY
I knew the Germans would hire you,
Sallah. They couldn’t have an
excavation in the desert without
the best digger in Egypt.
SALLAH
All Arabs look alike to them, Indy.
INDY
Tell me about the map room at
Tanis.
SALLAH
We found it three days ago. I broke
through myself.
INDY
Those Nazis are moving awfully
fast.
SALLAH
The Frenchman is helping them.
Indy reacts.
INDY
44.
Belloq. So he got away from the
Indians. This is going to be more
interesting than I thought.
SALLAH
I’m afraid this has put the Germans
close to finding the Well of the
Souls.
INDY
(indicates the headpiece)
Even Belloq won’t be able to find
it without that. Can you make
anything of those markings? They’re
nothing I’m familiar with.
SALLAH
(shakes his head “no”)
But I know someone who might. You
can go to see him tomorrow.
(a worried expression)
Indy -- something bothers me.
INDY
What it is, my friend?
Sallah finds it hard to say. When he finally speaks, his
words are accompanied by a strange, eerie, foreboding rush
of wind through the courtyard. Just a coincidence we might
suppose.
SALLAH
It is the Ark. If it is there, at
Tanis -- It is not something man
was meant to disturb -- Death has
always surrounded it. It is not of
this earth.
The wind dies down. Indy shakes off a chill and stares
thoughtfully at his friend.
53 EXT. HEAVILY TRAFFICKED CAIRO STREET - DAY 53
Indy and Marion are briskly walking along one of Cairo’s
busy bazaar streets. Vendors with fine cloth, pottery,
baskets, jewelry, etc line the street. Marion has the
Monkey from Sallah’s house on her shoulder.
INDY
Do you really need that monkey?
MARION
45.
I’m surprised at you, Indy. Talking
that way about our baby. He’s got
your looks, too.
INDY
And your brains.
As Indy and Marion turn a corner, the Monkey seems to
notice something and immediately jumps from Marion’s
shoulder and hurries off at a frantic pace down the street.
MARION
(looking disappointed)
Hey! Hey! -- where’re you going?
INDY
(dragging Marion along)
He’ll be OK. Come on. Come on.
54 EXT. ANOTHER CAIRO STREET - DAY 54
The Monkey is seen running around another corner and jumps
into the waiting arms of MONKEY MAN, who appears to be like
a beggar with a dirty turban and an eye patch. MONKEY MAN
immediately hurries down the street and passes into a
building. In the building are two GERMAN AGENTS. MONKEY MAN
and the MONKEY both give the Heil Hitler salute and engage
in quick talk.
MONKEY MAN quickly leaves the two GERMAN AGENTS and gets
back to the street. He is obviously shadowing Indy and
Marion. Indy and Marion are just now passing by and the
MONKEY MAN ducks back behind some baskets.
55 EXT. ANOTHER BUSY CAIRO STREET - DAY 55
Indy and Marion are passing under a balcony where a lone
GERMAN AGENT stands watch. After they pass, the AGENT nods
to some BAD ARABS who are hiding in the shadows of the
street. In a moment, Indy and Marion pass by the break.
Monkey Man turns and looks up at a roof further down the
alley. He waves with his hand. Someone up there waves back.
56 EXT. A SMALL BAZAAR - DAY 56
46.
Indy and Marion have reached a tiny square, made even more
cramped by its use as a small bazaar. They have started
working their way through the crowd when several Bad Arabs
and a German Agent begin to converge on them. Indy
immediately sees what’s happening and pulls the bull whip
from his jacket. The first Bad Arab to reach them gets hit
in the mouth by the handle of the whip.
Now all hell breaks loose, with Bad Arabs, Innocent
Shoppers, baskets of fruit and tables of good flying every
which way in the constricted space.
INDY
(to Marion)
Run! Get out of here!
Indy catches a dagger-wielding Bad Arab around the legs
with the whip and flips him. Marion is reluctant to leave
Indy.
INDY
Go, damnit! Go!
Marion goes. She runs off between two buildings. A Bad Arab
takes off after her. Monkey Man, now standing at the edge
of the square, points at Marion. The Monkey jumps off his
shoulder and follows Marion.
57 EXT. BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS - DAY 57
Marion runs along the narrow space and soon encounters a
five foot wall. She flops over it. The Bad Arab is right on
her heels. He reaches the wall and vaults over. On the
other side of the wall, the Bad Arab lands in a crouch,
looks ahead and doesn’t see Marion. Immediately a heavy
earthen pot smashes over his head, putting him out. Marion
steps from an alcove and starts to run toward the street at
the other end of the walkway. Suddenly another Bad Arab and
a new German Agent appear in the street at that end. Before
they can spot her, Marion retreats to the alcove again.
There is a huge rattan basket sitting there. Marion climbs
in and closes the top above her.
The only witness: the Monkey, who is now perched on the
five foot wall.
58 EXT. THE SMALL BAZAAR - DAY 58
Chaos. An entire booth of pots and pans collapses on a Bad
Arab and a German Agent as Indy whips away a support.
47.
59 EXT. BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS - DAY 59
The chattering Monkey leads a German Agent and two Bad
Arabs to Marion’s hiding place, gesturing manically.
60 EXT. THE SMALL BAZAAR - DAY 60
Indy ducks under the swinging blade of a huge Arabian sword
and kicks the Bad Arab Swordsman in the groin.
61 EXT. SIDE STREET - DAY 61
The German Agent leads the way as the two Bad Arabs carry
the huge basket above their heads. The basket top has been
fastened closed, but Marion is making a fuss inside. As the
place where the street cuts across the far side of the
bazaar, Marion is able to wedge the top open one inch and
screams-
MARION
Indy-y-y-y!
62 EXT. THE SMALL BAZAAR - DAY 62
Indy has heard her. He looks across the square as the
basket and its escorts disappear beyond a building. One
last Bad Arab rises before him. Indy’s whip flashes and the
Bad Arab’s robe falls down to his ankles. Indy frantically
pushes his way through the panicked mass of humanity in the
direction the basket has gone.
63 EXT. THE FOOT CHASE - INTERCUTTING INDY AND THE MOVING 63
BASKET - DAY
The Bad Guys move the basket as fast as they can through
streets, alleys and passageways thick with people. Indy
always seems to round a corner just in time to catch a
glimpse of the basket before it disappears around a new
corner. Indy must fight a flow of humanity as powerful as
an ocean riptide. Finally, at the head of one particularly
crowded alley, Indy leaps up onto a wall for a clearer
view. Whatever he sees gives him an idea and he cuts
between two buildings rather than following the basket.
64 EXT. DESERTED ALLEY - DAY 64
48.
Two Bad Arabs come running down the alley with the basket
between them. Suddenly, Indy’s whip flashes out sending
both Arabs and the basket tumbling. Indy steps into view,
his .45 trained on the sprawled Arabs, and looks at the
basket. The top has come flying off and the contents have
clattered onto the cobblestone: inside is not Marion, but a
load of contraband pistols, rifles and ammo.
Indy is advancing on the trembling Bad Arabs with an ugly
look when suddenly he hears Marion scream around the
corner.
65 EXT. DESERTED SQUARE - DAY 65
Indy rounds the corner and is immediately driven back by
machine gun fire. Taking cover, he gets quick, intermittent
glimpses of this scene: At the far corner of the large,
deserted square is a canvas-covered trunk. Two Bad Arabs
are hurrying toward it with a large rattan basket between
them, Marion screaming inside. A German Agent is covering
the retreat with a machine gun from the cab of the truck.
Indy runs up to see the rattan basket being heaved into the
back of the truck.
66 EXT. BACK OF THE TRUCK - DAY 66
What Indy cannot see is that basket lands among an ominous
load of German munitions, dynamite and firearms. The truck
immediately peels out.
67 EXT. DESERTED SQUARE - DAY 67
The German Agent has stopped firing in order to drive. He
floors it, aiming for a street at the corner of the square.
Indy uses the lull to take careful aim at the German
Agent’s profile and fire off three careful shots. The
German Agent is hit, blasted dead against the steering
wheel. The speeding truck swerves, hits a wall, rolls over
and explodes in an enormous, multi-leveled eruption as its
contents ignite. Several surrounding buildings are leveled.
Indy, blown back across the square, looks on, astonished
and horror-stricken.
INDY
Marion.
68 INT. ARAB BAR - NIGHT 68
49.
A dark, smoke-filled den on iniquity. The patrons, almost
all fearsome Arabs, sit in small shadowy groups around the
room. Indy stands at the bar finishing off a fifth of
bourbon. He is drunk. The ARAB BARTENDER places a new
bottle of expensive bourbon in front of him.
Indy eyes it queerly.
ARAB BARTENDER
The gentleman in the corner sent
it. He would like you to join him.
INDY
(doesn’t even look)
Too bad. I’m drinking alone.
The Arab Bartender does a take, looking at the three, tough
GERMAN HENCHMEN who have surrounded Indy from out of the
smoke, their hands stuffed in bulging trench coat pockets.
Indy notices them now with a bleary glance. He decides he’s
in no shape to kill or be killed and moves with them across
the room, taking his bottle with him. The Arab patrons take
this in and mind their own business.
The occupant of the smoke-shrouded corner table becomes
visible only as Indy reaches there: it is Emile Belloq. He
is drinking wine.
INDY
Belloq
BELLOQ
Good evening, Dr. Jones.
INDY
I ought to kill you right now.
BELLOQ
It was not I who brought the girl
into this dirty business.
Indy knows its true; that’s what’s tearing him up.
BELLOQ
Sit down, please, before you fall
down. We can behave as civilized
people. I’m afraid it will be your
last opportunity.
Indy sits, glancing at the German Henchmen, who settle
nearby, just out of earshot.
50.
INDY
Not a very private place for a
murder.
BELLOQ
(looking around)
These Arabs will not interfere in
the white man’s business. They do
not care if we kill each other off.
BELLOQ
(takes a sip of wine,
refers to it)
Terribly difficult finding a
descent vintage here. You were
quite vigorous in Shanghai.
Unfortunately, our friend the Wild
Boar had taken the precaution of
making several copies of the piece.
Indy registers this as he takes a drink. Belloq watches him
with disdainful amusement.
BELLOQ
How odd that it should end this way
for us, after so many --
stimulating encounters. I almost
regret it. Where shall I find a new
adversary so close to my own level?
INDY
Try the local sewer.
BELLOQ
I know you despise me. We always
hate in others that which we most
fear in ourselves. And you and I
are very much alike.
INDY
Now you’re getting nasty.
BELLOQ
We have always done the same kind
of work. Our methods have not
differed as much as you pretend. I
am a shadowy reflection of you. But
it would have taken only a nudge to
make you the same as me, to push
you out of the light.
51.
There is a certain amount of truth to this; the recognition
of it flickers across Indy’s bleary eyes. Belloq sees it
there.
BELLOQ
You know it to be true! How nice.
And how ironic the timing.
Belloq leans forward, eyes shining, voice suddenly
different.
BELLOQ
Do you realize what the Ark is?
(very intense)
It’s a transmitter.
BELLOQ
A radio for talking to God! And now
it is within my grasp.
INDY
What about your boss, Der Fuhrer? I
thought he was waiting to take
possession.
Belloq glances in the gloom at the German Henchmen.
BELLOQ
(quieter)
When the time is right. When I am
finished with it.
INDY
I hope your friends are patient.
Dangerous work, Belloq.
BELLOQ
Yes. Very. You may consider
yourself fortunate that your
involvement concludes here.
INDY
Tell me, did you get away with the
idol?
BELLOQ
(negative)
I was lucky to get away with my
life. The Hovitos proved quite
narrow-minded about the whole
matter.
Indy takes a drink.
52.
INDY
You know, if it’s God you want to
talk to, maybe I can arrange it.
BELLOQ
(smiles)
You have not changed. But, please,
do not reach for your weapon until
you are ready to die.
The front door of the bar slams open and all nine of
SALLAH’S CHILDREN scamper in and over to a surprised Indy.
Two of the smallest hop into his lap.
LITTLE SON
Uncle Indy, we have been looking
for you.
LITTLE DAUGHTER
Come home now, Uncle. Hurry!
Suddenly the Arab patrons of the bar take an intense
interest in the situation, shifting their weapons.
INDY
Yes. Yes, I’ll come now.
Indy stands up. The German Henchmen are poised. Belloq eyes
the Arab patrons and signals for the Henchmen to relax.
BELLOQ
Next time, Indiana Jones, it will
take more than children to save
you.
The children usher Indy out.
69 INT. SALLAH’S TRUCK - IN FRONT OF ARAB BAR - NIGHT 69
Indy climbs into the cab of Sallah’s truck with a smiling
Sallah as the children pile into the back. Sallah pulls
out.
SALLAH
I thought we would find you there.
(indicating the kids)
Better than the United States
Marines, eh?
INDY
(nods)
Thank you.
53.
(grave)
Marion’s dead.
SALLAH
Yes, I know. I am sorry.
(pause)
More reason than ever to beat the
bastards.
(he touches Indy)
Life goes on, Indy.
(indicates the kids
again)
There is the proof.
Indy looks back there, nods.
SALLAH
I have much to tell you, Indy.
Fayah brings in a tray of food and puts it on the table.
The bowl of dates is in one corner. As Fayah leaves the
room, the Monkey slips out of Sallah’s lap and disappears
under the table. Indy leans over the food tray, his hand
hovering over the dates. But he chooses some cheese and
bread instead.
INDY
And they made the calculation in
the map room?
SALLAH
(nods vigorously)
This morning. Belloq and the boss
German, Shliemann. When they came
out of the map room, we were given
a new spot in which to dig -- out
away from the camp.
INDY
(resigned)
The Well of the Souls.
Sallah nods, moves to the food. He picks up a date, then
changes his mind and drops it, taking a bunch of grapes
instead. Indy picks up a chicken leg in one hand and a date
in the other, his mind distracted. Fayah enters the room
just in time to see Indy flip the date high into the air
and try to catch it in his mouth. It bounces off his chin
and falls to the floor. Indy looks sheepishly at Fayah.
Fayah picks up the fallen date and puts it in the dirty ash
tray she is now removing. Amir speaks in a slow, raspy
voice without looking up.
54.
AMIR
Come. Look.
The two men go and huddle over the old man. The Monkey
peeks up over the edge of the table at the array of food.
He picks up a date and disappears below the table. Amir
points to some markings on the lower part of the headpiece.
AMIR
This is a warning -- not to disturb
the Ark of the Covenant.
INDY
Just what I need.
The Monkey’s paw comes up over the edge of the table and
grabs another date.
INDY
How ‘bout the height of the staff?
Did Belloq get it off of there?
AMIR
Yes -- it is here.
Indy, nervous, goes back to the food tray, picks up another
date. When he turns back to the men, the Monkey’s paw grabs
another date.
We see the headpiece in closeup on the table. Amir’s
crooked fingers trace a line of markings along the bottom
section to the break in the piece.
AMIR
It says it is -- ten jamirs high --
SALLAH
About seventy-five inches.
AMIR
Wait! I am not finished --
Amir’s finger moves across the break as the markings
continue on the sun medallion.
AMIR
(reading)
“And one jamir to honor the Hebrew
God whose Ark this is.”
Indy, still holding the date, exchanges a long look with
Sallah.
55.
INDY
You said their top section was
blank. Are you absolutely sure?
Sallah nods.
INDY
Belloq’s staff is seven and a half
inches short. They’re digging in
the wrong spot!
Sallah and Indy begin to laugh. Amir gives them a glance
and returns to his wine. Sallah leans over and kisses the
old man.
SALLAH
(to Amir)
A home run, my friend, grand slam!
(to Indy)
We have a saying -- “A little luck
is better than much smartness.”
Indy, pardner, you are very lucky
fellow.
Indy hoots. Then he takes the date in his hand and flips it
high in the air. He opens his mouth to catch it, but it
doesn’t come down. He has inadvertently thrown it into a
bowl of a hanging lamp. This makes the men laugh even
harder.
Indy goes over and picks up another date. He turns laughing
to Sallah and doesn’t see as the Monkey’s paw comes up,
slowly, takes another date and begins to withdraw. Suddenly
the paw is stricken with palsy and the unseen Monkey goes
into its death throws. Sallah watches the paw as though
hypnotized. Finally the paw slips from sight and we hear a
solid THUMP! on the floor. Sallah walks around the table
and looks at the floor. The Monkey lies dead among a mess
of date pits.
Indy is in a happy world of his own. He throws his date
high in the air. He positions himself under it and waits
for it to drop in. Here it comes. Right on target. As it’s
about to disappear into Indy’s mouth, Sallah’s hand flashes
in and grabs it. Indy looks mystified and disappointed.
Sallah motions toward the dead Monkey.
SALLAH
Bad dates.
70 EXT. DESERT ROAD - MORNING 70
56.
Two old trucks come down a narrow mountain road and onto
the flat surface of the desert.
Further out into the desert, the one in the lead, Sallah’s
truck, stops and the second one, Omar’s truck, pulls up
beside it. There are half dozen Arab Diggers in Omar’s
truck. Indy, dressed as an Arab, gets out of the cab of
Sallah’s truck and moves over to confer with OMAR, another
old friend. They point off into the desert and reach some
conclusion. Indy gives him a pat on the back; Omar turns
off the road and drives into the desert with his workers.
Indy hops back in the car of Sallah’s truck with Sallah.
As they move down the road we see that the back of the
truck holds three other Arab Diggers.
71 EXT. RISE ABOVE THE TANIS DIG - MORNING 71
Indy and Sallah are lying in classic shouting fashion at
the top of the rise looking down on the Tanis Digs. Down
behind them, Sallah’s truck is parked with the three Arab
Diggers.
INDY
My God! They aren’t kidding!
WHAT HE SEES. The Tanis Digs are laid out below like a
painting. Trucks, bulldozers, Arab workers and German
supervisors are everywhere. The excavations themselves are
extensive and somewhat random holes have been dug and then
abandoned, foundations and passageways unearthed and then
deserted. Beyond the main digs, a crude airstrip has been
created. Sallah points to what appears to be a mound of
dirt with a hole in it near the center of the activity.
SALLAH
There! That is the map room!
INDY
What time does the sun hit the map?
SALLAH
Just after eight.
INDY
We haven’t got much time. Where are
the Germans digging for the Well of
the Souls?
57.
Sallah points out into the desert a short way beyond the
main area of activity. The desert turns to sand dunes out
there, the surface undulating into the distance. Several
trucks and men are out there and a bulldozer is lumbering
noisily toward it.
INDY
Okay. Let’s go.
72 EXT. THE TANIS DIGS - MORNING 72
Sallah’s truck drives through the camp, one of the Arab
Diggers at the wheel. Indy and Sallah are in the back and
look just like the other two Arab Diggers. Sallah’s truck
goes behind a tent and when it appears on the other side,
Indy and Sallah are gone.
73 EXT. AMONG THE TENTS - MORNING 73
Indy and Sallah move stealthily among the tents. Indy
carries a smooth wooden staff almost seven feet tall. They
stop between two tents and look across a path at the
entrance to the map room. What appeared to be a mound of
dirt is actually the roof on the ancient building. The
hole/entrance is a five-foot square skylight. Indy looks
around, then walks casually to the edge of the hole and
looks inside. Sallah joins him, producing a length of rope
from his robes. Indy drops the staff into the unseen map
room as Sallah ties the rope around an oil drum. When it’s
secure, Indy wastes no time disappearing down it into the
map room.
74 INT. MAP ROOM 74
Indy is down the twenty feet to the floor of the room in
seconds. He tugs on the rope and it immediately gets pulled
up. Indy looks around with real wonder and excitement. The
room is lovely, with elaborate wall carvings and frescoes,
all lit by the bright stream of sunlight flooding in from
above. This beam of light leads Indy’s eye to the far end,
and the room’s truly remarkable feature: built into the
floor in meticulous relief is a miniature stone model of
the ancient city of Tanis. Already, the sunlight has worked
its way down the far wall and is edging onto the miniature
of the city. On the floor, to the skylight side of the
miniature, is an elaborate line created by embedded mosaic
tiles. The evenly spaced slots in the line, each
accompanied by a symbol of a time of year, are for the base
of the staff. Indy pulls the headpiece from his robes it
has been welded together and reaches for the staff.
58.
75 EXT. ABOVE THE MAP ROOM - DAY 75
An extremely nervous Sallah has the gathered rope in his
hands and is trying to appear casual as he inches back
toward the oil drum. There is now a good bit of activity
going on up here.
JEEP GERMAN (O.S.)
Hey! You, the skinny one!
Sallah jumps about three feet. The JEEP GERMAN is standing
in an open space ten yards away looking at Sallah.
JEEP GERMAN
Yes, you. What are you doing there?
Sallah gestures his innocence.
JEEP GERMAN
Well bring that rope over here, you
cur.
The Jeep German starts back toward his major concern: his
jeep is stuck in some sand beyond the next tent. Some Arab
Workers are trying in vain to budge it. Now another German
has backed his truck up to it. Sallah can think of nothing
to do except obey. With a worried glance at the map room,
he begins untying the rope from the oil drum.
76 INT. THE MAP ROOM 76
Indy is examining the results of Belloq’s work. Red paint
marks one of the miniature buildings in the layout and a
white calibrated tape has been strung from that building
back to a miniature of the map room. Now Indy begins
examining the mosaic base line for the staff. Sunlight has
moved further down across the miniature.
77 EXT. IN THE CAMP - DAY 77
Sallah watches nervously as his precious rope is pulled
taut between the pulling truck and the stuck jeep. He
doesn’t notice that he has chosen to stand next to a large,
steaming kettle of food until --
HUNGRY GERMAN (O.S.)
Bring us some of that!
He points to the kettle. Sallah looks frantically from the
rope, back to the skylight of the map room, to the kettle
of food.
59.
HUNGRY GERMAN
Now, idiot!
Sallah picks up some serving pieces and gets to work.
78 INT. THE MAP ROOM 78
The moment has arrived. Even the tension of the
circumstances cannot distract Indy from the purity of what
he is about to do. All his calculations are adjustments
complete, Indy takes the Staff of Ra and places it --
CLINK! -- in the right depression on the base line. This is
as active and exciting moment as any archeologist can dream
of and, at heart, that is exactly what Indy is. The
sunlight catches the very top of the headpiece and moves
within a fraction of an inch of the tiny hole in its sun.
The edge of the sunlight moving across the miniature city
is still a good two feet beyond the spot Belloq has settled
on. And now that line of light is broken by the shadow of
an ornate sun at the top of the staff.
Indy’s face reflects his concentration. And then his
immense pleasure. He sees what he came for.
Out of the miniature city, one small building is being lit
by a tiny beam of sunlight in the center of the shadow of
the metal sun. And by some trick of ancient artistry, this
one building responds to the sunlight like none of the
others. The golden light permeates it: it seems to glow.
The building is in a direct line with Belloq’s, all of the
Frenchman’s other calculations were right but it is a foot
and a half beyond it.
79 EXT. IN THE CAMP - DAY 79
Sallah, sweating profusely, has finished serving the line
of Breakfasting Germans and now heads back to replace the
kettle and get away.
HUNGRY GERMAN
Water. Bring us water.
80 INT. MAP ROOM 80
60.
Indy is on his knees at the miniature city, a special tape
measure in his hand. Indy has the tape strung from Belloq’s
mistaken spot to his own correct spot. He gets his reading,
leaps up and crosses to the erect staff. He pulls the
headpiece off the staff and hides it in his robes. He
quickly breaks the wooden staff in two and throws the
pieces behind a pile of debris. Then he moves quickly to
beneath the skylight.
INDY
(stage whisper)
Sallah.
(he waits, then louder)
Sallah!
More waiting. Nothing. Indy looks around for some
alternative means of escape. The room doesn’t offer any. He
looks up at the skylight again.
INDY
(loudest)
Sallah!
A long pause. Then something comes down. A makeshift rope.
Really just a bunch of clothing tied together, tunics,
robes, pants. But what we see first and most prominently,
the first section of Indy’s escape rope, is a bright Nazi
flag. Indy beams and climbs.
81 EXT. ABOVE THE MAP ROOM - DAY 81
Indy sticks his head out the skylight, sees it clear and
flops his body out. Sallah, crouching behind the oil drum,
immediately starts pulling in the makeshift rope. Sallah
stuffs the rope in the oil drum and the two men begin
walking toward some tents.
HUNGRY GERMAN (O.S.)
Hey, you! More water over here!
Sallah glances at Indy, then hurries back in that
direction. The Hungry German focuses on Indy.
HUNGRY GERMAN
Why aren’t you at the digs? Come
here!
Indy bows in wild subservience and hurries off in the
opposite direction.
HUNGRY GERMAN
61.
(yelling after him,
irriated)
No, dummkopf, I said come!
82 EXT. BETWEEN TWO TENTS - DAY 82
Indy hustles between the tents. Up ahead, two German
Officers stop to talk, blocking his exit. He moves along
the side of one of the tents until he finds an opening and
slips inside.
83 INT. THE TENT 83
Indy finds himself in a tent set up for rather comfortable
living. He has just started to cross it when he hears a
loud, excited grunting. He turns toward the sound. In the
corner, tied to a chair and gagged is Marion. Indy rushes
to her, snatches the gag from her mouth and embraces her.
They kiss, deep and long.
INDY
I thought you were dead.
MARION
They were throwing me around like a
rag doll.
INDY
They must have switched baskets.
Thank god for that! Bless those
bastards. Have they hurt you?
MARION
No. Not since I got here. They just
asked about you -- what you knew.
The Frenchman’s got the hot’s for
me. I’ve been playing that along.
Oh, Indy, get me out of here.
Indy pulls out a knife and then stops suddenly, thinking.
MARION
What’s wrong?
INDY
(putting the knife away)
I have to leave you here for a
little while. I know where the Ark
is. If I take you out of here
they’ll start combing the place for
us.
62.
MARION
(louder)
Cut me loose!
INDY
Keep your voice down.
MARION
(screaming)
I said get me out of --
Indy pops the gag back in her mouth. Her eyes widen in fury
and she grunts obscenities at him.
INDY
Look, you don’t know how glad I am
to see you. And I don’t like doing
this. But the whole thing will be
shot if you don’t just sit here
quietly. They haven’t hurt you in
the last twenty-four hours, they
aren’t going to start now. I’ll be
back to get you in no time.
He kisses her forehead, jumps up and hurries out of the
tent.
84 EXT. SAND DUNE OUTSIDE DIGS - DAY 84
With the digs behind them, Indy and Sallah run up to the
ridge of the dune and over the top. At the bottom of the
far side, Omar’s truck is parked. Omar and his men are
waiting.
85 EXT. DIFFERENT DUNE - DAY 85
This new spot gives Indy a higher, better view of the whole
scene. Indy is using a surveyor’s instrument to take a
reading.
WHAT HE SEES. Looking through the instrument, Indy gets a
line from the map room through the site where the Nazis are
digging in the dunes to a spot several dunes over. We focus
on that virgin spot of well-hidden sand as --
INDY
There!
86 EXT. INDY’S DIG - DAY 86
63.
Omar’s truck is parked at the stop just viewed from afar.
Dunes rise on either side. One of Omar’s men has been
posted as a lookout up on a ridge. Everybody else, Indy,
Sallah, Omar, and his men, have begun digging for the Well
of the Souls.
DISSOLVE TO:
SAME SCENE, NIGHT. They continue to dig furiously, all of
them drenched in sweat. The hole has grown but this is
slow, back-breaking work.
87 INT. COMMAND TENT - TANIS DIGS - NIGHT 87
Belloq, SHLIEMANN the ranking Nazi, and Shliemann’s Aide,
GOBLER, come into the tent, which is full of charts and
maps, drawings of the Ark, radio equipment, liquor and
food. The men have been out digging for the Well all day.
They are tired, discouraged, testy. In all matters, Gobler
shows his alliance with Shliemann against Belloq with small
looks and body language. The Frenchman has disappointed
them and he is feelings the isolation of a scapegoat.
Belloq gets himself a drink as Shliemann towels off his
face.
BELLOQ
I cautioned you about being
premature with that communique to
Berlin. Archeology is not an exact
science. It does not adhere to time
schedules.
SHLIEMANN
The Fuhrer is not a patient man. He
demands constant reports and he
expects progress. You led me to
believe --
BELLOQ
Nothing. I have made no promises. I
said only that it looked very
favorable. Perhaps the Ark will
still be found in an adjoining
chamber. Based on the information
in our possession, my calculations
were correct. Perhaps some bit of
evidence still eludes us. Perhaps -
-
GOBLER
Perhaps the girl can help us.
64.
Belloq shoots him an angry look.
SHLIEMANN
My feeling exactly. She was in
possession of the original piece
for years. She may know much.
(really evil)
If properly motivated --
BELLOQ
I tell you, she knows nothing
useful.
SHLIEMANN
I’m surprised to find you
squeamish. That is not your
reputation. But it needn’t concern
you. I have the perfect man for
this kind of work.
Shliemann signals Gobler, who steps outside the tent a
moment, calls someone and then reappears. Belloq looks
warily at the entrance. After a moment Belzig enters,
reeking villiany. When his eyes find Shliemann, his
superior, he snaps a crisp “Heil, Hitler!” at him, holding
his palm rigid a long time, exposing a burned scar in the
perfect shape of the sun medallion.
88 EXT. INDY’S DIG - NIGHT 88
In the eerie conjunction of moonlight and torchlight, Indy
and the other men step back in awe of their discovery:
there, flush with the bottom of their pit, is a heavy stone
entry door to an underground chamber. Special prying tools
are produced. With two men assigned to each of the two long
tools, they work in unison to open the vault. They open it
a foot and the two other men rush in to flop the heavy door
completely open. Down inside, only blackness.
The men quickly prostrate themselves around the edge of the
entry to look inside. Indy and Sallah each take a torch and
hold them down the hole.
65.
WHAT THEY SEE. The Well of the Souls is a spooky chamber
thirty feet deep. The walls are covered with hieroglyphics
and carvings. The roof is supported intermittently by stone
pillars, the closest of which hits the roof very near the
entry hole. The Well is quite large; as Indy and Sallah
wave their torches, more and more of the room is revealed.
Now the far end of the chamber comes into view. There is a
stone altar down there and on this elaborated carved
platform is a stone chest, big enough to enclose the Lost
Ark and protect it from the ravages of time. This altar
appears to be the only place on the floor of the Well that
is not covered by a strange, dark carpet of some kind.
INDY
The Ark must be in that stone case.
What’s that gray stuff all over the
floor --
He breaks off realizing exactly what that carpet is. He
blanches. Indiana Jones blanches.
Indy drops his torch to the floor of the Well. This is
answered by the most horrific HISSING imaginable.
WHAT HE SEES. That thick dark carpet is moving. It’s alive.
It’s thousands and thousands of deadly poisonous snakes.
Egyptian asps. And the only thing that seems capable of
avoiding this venomous ground cover is the altar. The
snakes ebb and flow near it, but never encroach on it, as
though repelled by some invisible force.
Indy shakes his head and talks to himself.
INDY
Why snakes? Why did it have to be
snakes? Anything else.
After a moment of this, he stops. He gathers his energy and
resolve and gets back to the task.
SALLAH
Asps. Very dangerous.
Where Indy’s torch has landed is a circle of snake-free
floor. The snakes hate the flame; they stay away.
INDY
Lots of torches. And oil. I want a
landing strip down there.
89 INT. THE WELL OF THE SOULS 89
66.
Fifteen torches have been dropped to the floor of the
chamber, combining to make a good-sized clear zone. Smoke
begins to fill the room. Several canisters of oil have been
lowered into this space. Now, a large wooden crate is
lowered slowly by rope. Rope handles are attached to each
end of the crate.
Up at the hole, Indy gives Sallah a reassuring pat, takes a
breath, and swings carefully onto a rope hanging from the
hole. Despite his care, he swings a bit and his feet hit
the stone pillar which is so near the entry. Surprisingly,
the pillar casually moves a bit, showering a light rain of
crumbled stone to the floor below.
Indy lands on the floor of the Well. He looks at the altar
over a sea of undulating death. He picks up an oil canister
and splashes two parallel lines of oil and lights them. A
path six feet wide beings to open the altar. Behind Indy,
Sallah comes quickly down the rope.
We begin to INTERCUT all the action in the Well from here
on with insert shots of the snakes outside the flames.
Snakes and snakes. We see: snakes piled and entwined six
inches deep; mother snakes laying snake eggs; snake eggs
hatching little snakes; snakes cannibalizing other snakes.
90 INT. MARION’S TENT 90
Belloq has been talking to the still-bound Marion. He has
removed her gag. He is impatient, angry, uncomfortable.
Caught between two forces.
BELLOQ
Believe me, you made a mistake. If
you would just give me something to
placate them. Some bit of
information.
MARION
I swear to you, I know nothing
more. I have no loyalty to Jones.
He’s brought me only trouble.
He wants to believe her.
BELLOQ
I cannot control them.
Marion’s frightened look shifts suddenly to the entrance of
the tent. There are a few new arrivals there, Shliemann,
Govler and Belzig. Belzig carries a black leather case. He
steps forward and smiles at Marion.
67.
BELZIG
We meet again, Fraulein.
91 EXT. INDY’S DIG - JUST BEFORE DAWN 91
The sky is just beginning to lighten over the dunes to the
east, making dangerously obvious the thin column of smoke
rising from the entrance to the Well. Omar and his men are
peering through the smoke down into the Well.
92 INT. THE WELL OF THE SOULS 92
Indy and Sallah are on the altar. Pushing together with all
their strength, the heavy stone top of the protective chest
begins to slide away. Indy and Sallah exchange slightly
wary but very excited looks, then continue to push. As the
Ark begins to be exposed, the air seems to almost vibrate,
to become electrostatically charged. We hear what sounds
like a low HUM. The sea of snakes around the altar draws
back further from this presence.
As the top of the stone chest is pushed completely off and
slams down beside it, we see THE LOST ARK OF THE COVENANT.
It is awesomely beautiful, breathtaking. 4 feet long, 2.5
feet wide and 2.5 feet high. It’s height, however, is
increased by the two sculptured gold angels mounted facing
each other on the top. Though the body of the Ark is acacia
wood, it has been overlaid with gold. An elaborate gold
crown surrounds the top edge and gold carrying rings are
attached to each corner.
Sallah is mesmerized by the sight. His hand starts to reach
out and touch one of the angels, but Indy grabs it.
INDY
Don’t touch it! Never touch it!
The wooden crate stands open next to the stone chest. Now
Indy extracts the wooden poles from its rings and begins
fitting them through the rings in the Ark. This takes some
maneuvering by the two men, but soon they are able to lift
the Ark clear of the stone chest and into the wooden crate.
They extract the poles, fasten the top of the crate and
stick the poles through the rings of the wooden crate. They
start back toward the space under the hole. The fire strips
have begun to dwindle, as have some of the torches. The
snakes move slowly in toward the clear spaces.
68.
Indy and Sallah eye them nervously as they hurry along with
their heavy load. Under the hole, they hurriedly attach
ropes to the wooden crate and it is pulled up. Indy’s
concentration is on the tide of snakes.
INDY
Hurry up! Why did it have to be
snakes?
Sallah takes the next rope and climbs quickly out of the
Well. Indy has picked up a torch and now throws it at a
pool of snakes who are too close for his comfort. He turns
and takes hold of the exit rope. He gives it a first tug
and it falls down into the Well, landing partly beyond the
ring of fire where it instantly disappears in a tangle of
angry, hissing asps. Indy looks up at the hole.
INDY
What the --
Smiling down at him from the perimeter of the entry are
Belloq, Shliemann and Gobler.
BELLOQ
Why, Dr. Jones, whatever are you
doing in such a nasty place?
Belloq and the Germans laugh.
INDY
Why don’t you fellows come down
here? I’ll show you.
BELLOQ
No thank you, my friend.
(he glances around him)
BELLOQ
I think we are all very comfortable
up here.
93 EXT. INDY’S DIG - DAWN 93
Sunlight is flooding this tableau: Sallah, Omar and his men
are being held at bay by ten armed Nazis. The wooden crate
sits safely nearby. Belzig and another Nazi have the gagged
Marion held in their rough grasp.
BELLOQ
(down to Indy)
69.
After all these years, it is most
considerate of you to aid me in
this way.
As Belloq speaks, Shliemann exchanges a look with Belzig.
Belzig smiles and takes the gag from Marion’s mouth.
94 INT. WELL OF THE SOULS 94
Shliemann smiles down at Indy.
SHLIEMANN
I’m afraid we must be going now,
Dr. Jones. Our prize is awaited in
Berlin. But I do not wish to leave
you down in that awful place --
(he gives a sign)
-- all alone.
Belzig and the Nazi move Marion to the hole and, to
Belloq’s surprise, push her in. Marion falls thirty feet
screaming. Indy drops the torch, braces, and catches her!
Her weight knocks him to the ground, almost into the
snakes. She looks around at the snakes, clinging to him
more desperately as he struggles to his feet trying to
unload her.
MARION
Don’t put me down!
Up at the hole, there’s plenty of dissension.
BELLOQ
The girl was mine!
SHLIEMANN
She is of no use to us. Only our
mission for the Fuhrer matters.
Shliemann glances meaningfully around at the other Nazis.
SHLIEMANN
I wonder sometimes, Monsieur, if
you have that clearly in mind.
Belloq feels how much he is the outsider, his own
vulnerability. He backs down with the wisdom of survival.
He turns to look down at Indy and Marion. His manner is
gallant.
BELLOQ
Goodbye, mademoiselle.
70.
(a pause, then with
respect)
Indiana Jones -- adieu!
Belloq and the others step back from the hole and unseen
Nazis slam the heavy stone door into place. Marion screams.
Her scream is accompanied by --
A huge WHOOSH! as air is sucked out and the chamber is
sealed. Half of the torches still burning go out with the
sound. The remaining torches continue to extinguish at
punctuating intervals throughout the following action and
the snakes immediately flood into the newly-darkened
spaces. Indy puts Marion down and snatches up two burning
torches. He hands one to Marion.
INDY
Don’t panic. There’s plenty of time
for that later. Wave that at
anything that slithers.
Indy holds his torch out like a lantern and begins a slow
360o turn, his eyes peering into the gloom, examining every
inch of the wall and ceiling.
MARION
What are you doing?
INDY
Just watch the floor.
Reminded of the encroaching snakes, Marion waves her torch
at the nearest edge of their circle. She looks faint. Indy
continues his slow turn.
MARION
Whatever you’re doing, do it
faster.
INDY
(he spots something)
There!
His head whips around, looking at the pillars around the
room. He sees what he wants. He grabs one of the oil
canisters, looks back to the spot on the wall he’s chosen
and splashes oil on the floor in that direction, then
lights it. A path opens toward that wall.
INDY
Come on!
71.
Marion is frozen in her spot. Indy drags her after him. He
splashes oil the rest of the way to the wall. It lights and
Indy pulls Marion over to the wall. He pours the remaining
oil in a circle around them, creating a safe zone there.
INDY
Stay here!
MARION
(grabbing him)
Where are you going?
INDY
I’ll be back in a minute. We’re
going through this wall.
Marion looks at the wall, which looks like all the rest to
her. She thinks he’s crazy.
INDY
Just keep your eyes open and get
ready to run. No matter what
happens to me.
MARION
(panicked)
What do you mean?
Too late. Indy runs back through the path of flames to the
center of the room. Snakes strike at his flying heels. Indy
reaches the base of the pillar which he touched briefly on
his original descent. He uses the torch to clear away the
scattered snakes climbing on it, then pulls out his whip.
He draws it back, then wraps it solidly around the pillar
15 feet up. With the torch in his mouth, he beings climbing
the pillar. It moves ominously under his weight.
The last two torches still burning on the floor go out. Now
the only light in the chamber is provided by the torches
held by Indy and Marion and the dwindling oil flames.
Snakes move in and surround the base of Indy’s pillar. The
path between Marion and the center of the room is overrun.
The circle of flame around Marion is dying down.
She looks beyond it with terror-widened eyes, then up
through the increasing smoke at the distant Indy.
72.
Near the top of the pillar, Indy’s hands strain along his
taut whip, which he has moved higher. A snake slithers into
view there, inches from Indy’s straining face. Indy turns
his head so the torch in his mouth can burn it. The snake
falls from the pillar. Indy’s torch is dwindling. Indy
works his body around so that he’s in on the side of the
pillar away from Marion. The pillar moves, showering dust.
Indy looks at the chamber wall five feet away, takes a
breath and swings his legs up against it. He is now braced
between the pillar and wall.
MARION (O.S.)
(screaming)
Where are you?!
Snakes are moving in force up the pillar toward Indy’s
dwindling torch. Indy grasps the pillar for dear life,
grimaces with exertion and pushes against the wall with all
he’s got. The pillar begins to break loose of the ceiling,
then stops. Indy’s eyes are on the torch. It is just a spot
of flame now. Snakes are sliding up toward his hands. Indy
again pushes against the wall and torch falls out of his
mouth.
The pillar goes! In the dim light, we see it fall like a
tree directly at Marion. Indy rides it down. The top hits
the wall three feet from a cringing Marion and smashes
through to a black chamber beyond. Indy flies off into the
darkness. Gone. Marion clutches her torch at the black
hole.
MARION
Indy! Where are you?! Please Lord!
There is a moment that seems an eternity, then Indy appears
like an apparition out of the void.
INDY
Come on!
He grabs her and helps her over the remains of the wall
into --
95 INT. THE CATACOMBS 95
The winding string of connected chambers is revealed to
them only a few feet at a time as their torch lights the
way.
MARION
The snakes -- are they here?
73.
INDY
I guess not. I think I’d be dead.
MARION
Do you know where you’re going?
INDY
Absolutely.
MARION
Thank god. Where?
INDY
Out.
They round a corner and flush a covey of bats. Marion
screams.
INDY
Don’t do that. It scares me.
Marion gives him a look. They round a corner and begin a
walk through a maze of chambers that present for their
inspection: moldering mummies and stacked sarcophagus; a
room decorated with a thousand human skulls; a wall
crawling with huge scabbard beetles. Marion is quite
naturally a nervous wreck; she jumps when Indy grabs her
suddenly and points.
INDY
Look!
WHAT THEY SEE. There, coming through the crack in the
corner of the next chamber, is white blessed sunlight.
96 EXT. THE TANIS DIGS - NEAR AIRSTRIP - DAY 96
Indy and Marion peek out into the light from the shadows of
an abandoned excavation. Before them is the improvised
airstrip serving the digs: a crude runway, a tent supply
depot, two fuel tank trucks. Down by the fuel trucks a
German Mechanic is looking skyward. Now Indy and Marion
look there too, drawn by the roaring sound of --
A Flying Wing, which is circling over the digs in
preparation to landing.
Now a new figure approaches the German Mechanic. It is
Gobler; he yells to the mechanic, indicating the plane.
GOBLER
74.
Get it gassed immediately! It has
an important cargo to take out!
In the distance, the Flying Wing lands and rolls toward the
men. Gobler spins and heads back toward the main camp,
which is hidden from view by a rise. Indy and Marion watch
him go.
INDY
When the Ark gets loaded, we’re
already going to be on that plane.
The Flying Wing rolls up into the space near the fuel
trucks. The German Mechanic puts blue blocks in front of
the tires as the engines continue to roar.
Indy and Marion run in a crouch to a hiding spot closer to
the plane, near the supply tent. Suddenly, a Second German
Mechanic appears behind them. He is as surprised as they
are, but recovers quickly and swings a monkey wrench at
Indy. Indy grabs the swinging arm and the two men tumble
out into the open, wrestling. Marion remains hidden, moving
fast among the crates.
The first German mechanic, who is just pulling the fuel
hose from the tank truck to the plane, sees the combatants
and runs to help his countryman. He is almost upon them
when Indy puts the Second German away with a devastating
left, right, left combination. He turns to find the first
German Mechanic flying at him. The roll toward the rear of
the Flying Wing and its lethally spinning reversed
propellers.
In the cockpit of the Flying Wing, the Pilot has been
fiddling with his gauges just prior to shutting off his
engines. Now he notices the fight going on outside.
The fistfight between Indy and the German Mechanic has
taken on a new stomach-tightening dimension. The men are
fighting and flailing in and out between the spinning props
at the back of the plane’s wings. Each man comes within
inches of the becoming instant mincement.
75.
The Pilot slides away the top of his cockpit and stands up.
He pulls a Lugar from his side and points it, waiting for a
clear shot at Indy. The German Mechanic kicks Indy away
from him and the Pilot aims his pistol. Suddenly, Marion
appears behind the Pilot, standing on the opposite wing,
and bashes him over the head with one of the blue blocks
that was holding the tires. The Pilot drops down into the
cockpit, his body falling on the throttle. The engines roar
louder, revving up. The plane begins to roll, rotating
around its one still-blocked set of tires. Marion grabs
onto the cockpit to keep from slipping into the props. She
bends into the cockpit, trying to pull the Pilot’s body off
the throttle. No luck. She grimaces and climbs inside. Her
shoulder bumps the top of the cockpit; it slides tightly
shut above her.
Under the moving wing, Indy delivers a knockout right cross
to the German Mechanic which sends him staggering back
toward a roaring propeller. Indy’s grimace registers the
man’s demise and a fine mist of blood wafts toward him.
Indy spins toward the sound of crumpling metal and sees --
The other top of the Flying Wing slice into a tank truck.
The airplane fuel inside floods out onto the pavement,
surrounding the plane. Indy backpedals away from the plane,
his eyes searching the scene for Marion. Suddenly, he is
shocked to see her in the cockpit. He runs toward her,
skidding through the gasoline.
INDY
Get out! Get out!
Marion is struggling with the top of the cockpit. She can’t
budge it. She’s trapped.
97 EXT. THE COMMAND TENT - DAY 97
Three Armed Nazis stand guard around the wooden crate
containing the Ark. It is sitting near the flopped-open
entrance to the Command Tent and there is furious activity
going on here. Belloq, Shliemann, Golber, Belzig and
assorted Aides are packing up all the papers and personal
items in preparation for a hasty departure.
A large crowd of Arab Diggers are milling about among the
tents. They all want to get a look at the Ark. Sallah is
among them. All at once, there is an earthshaking
explosion. All eyes turn toward the rise that hides the
airstrip. A huge fireball floats into view over there.
Everyone starts running toward it. Shliemann yells at
Belzig and the Armed Nazis.
76.
SHLIEMANN
Stay with the Ark!
98 EXT. THE RISE ABOVE AIRSTRIP - DAY 98
Almost all the Arabs and Germans in the digs have
congregated here and are staring at the burning remains of
the Flying Wing. Belloq and Shliemann arrive just as the
second fuel tank blows up. The concussion knocks many of
the observers flat. Belloq, Shliemann and Gobler watch the
scene in alarm.
SHLIEMANN
Sabotage!
BELLOQ
We must get the Ark away from this
place immediately!
SHLIEMANN
(to Gobler)
Have it put on the truck. We’ll fly
out of Cairo.
Gobler snaps his heels, turns to go.
SHLIEMANN
And Gobler --
(Gobler stops)
-- I want plenty of protection.
Gobler nods and runs off. Shliemann heads back toward camp.
Belloq hesitates a long moment, studying the burning
wreckage with an odd, suspicious look. Finally, he turns
and leaves, passing a nearby stack of barrels. When he has
passed, Sallah appears from among the barrels. He searches
the crowd for his people and starts a broken field run
along some tents to avoid a group of Germans and is running
flat-out when someone sticks out a leg and sends him
flipping. Sallah, dust all over his face, looks angrily
toward the concealed culprit. At once, a flashing white
grin splits his darkened face. Indy and Marion, splotched
with soot and oil, are hiding in the flap of a tent. Sallah
runs into their arms and the three embrace warmly. When
they break --
SALLAH
Holy smoke, my friends! I am so
pleased you are not dead.
MARION
77.
Us too.
SALLAH
(suddenly remembering)
The Ark! They’re taking it on a
truck to Cairo.
INDY
Where is it?
Sallah gestures to follow and all three run off stealthily
through the mostly deserted camp.
99 EXT. AMONG THE TENTS - DAY 99
Sallah, Indy and Marion run into a hiding spot behind some
water barrels near the Command Tent. They peek out at this
activity --
In the big space near the Command Tent is parked an open
German staff car; inside is a Blond Driver and an Armed
Guard. Directly behind it is a canvas-topped troop truck.
At this moment, Belloq and Shliemann are supervising the
careful placement of the crated Ark in the back of the
truck. When it is securely placed inside, we hear an
ominous marching sound and Nine Armed Nazis appear at a
trot from between some tents and climb into the back of the
truck with the Ark.
Behind the water barrels, Sallah and Marion exchange
hapless looks, but Indy just concentrates on --
The scene by the truck: Belloq and Shliemann are about to
climb into the front staff car when they pause to check out
the final component of the convoy. Rolling into place
behind the truck is another open staff car. But this one is
special, mounted in the back is a big, black machine gun,
manned by a Gunner. At the wheel of the car is Gobler and
next to him sits Belzig.
Sallah and Marion look at Indy. Belloq and Shliemann climb
in the back seat of the front car and the caravan pulls
out.
Indy watches it go, thinking hard.
INDY
You two get back to Cairo quick and
get us transportation to England --
a plane, a ship, anything.
MARION
78.
What about you?
INDY
I’m going to get that truck. I’ll
meet you at Omar’s. Be ready for
me.
Sallah nods. Marion looks at him like he’s nuts. Indy jumps
up, looks around desperately.
MARION
How are you going to get that
truck?
INDY
(still searching)
I don’t know. I’m making this up as
I go.
He runs away between two tents.
100 EXT. AT THE EDGE OF THE DIGS - DAY 100
From among the tents, Indy suddenly bursts into view,
happily astride a magnificent white Arabian stallion. He
gallops off across the desert.
101 EXT. THE DESERT - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY 101
Indy cuts cross-country avoiding the road the convoy has
taken. He leaps gullies, climbs dunes, slides down slopes.
Soon the convoy comes into view far below him. He tears
along a parallel ridge, like an Indian shadowing a wagon
train.
102 EXT. DESERT ROAD - DAY 102
The convoy is entering rougher country. The narrow mountain
road we’ve seen earlier ascends ahead. To the wide of the
road are tall boulders. Suddenly, Indy shoots out from
between two rocks and rides directly for the truck. The
Armed Nazis in the back of the truck can see nothing
because the canvas hides their view. But Gobler, Belzig and
the Gunner in the rear staff car have a brief line on him.
Belzig points and the Gunner fires away at Indy, the
bullets kicking up sand near Indy’s horse.
79.
The Armed Guard in the cab of the truck leans out to see
what’s happening. Indy has been riding alongside. Now he
stands on the horse and leaps to the cab. In a second, he
has flipped the Armed Guard out of the truck. He slides
into the cab and begins grappling with the Truck Driver.
The Truck Driver tries to hit the brakes, but Inyd kicks
his foot away and floors the gas pedal. The truck doubles
its speed and shoots onto the steep mountain road.
103 EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD - DAY 103
The Blond Driver of the front staff car sees the truck move
up on him in the rearview mirror and speeds up. Belloq,
Shliemann and the Armed Guard in the car twist around to
look at the struggle in the truck. The Blond Driver begins
what will be a continuing preview of the twists in the
road. He turns his wheel sharply and takes the lead car
around a bend.
In the cab of the truck, Indy and the Truck Driver stop
their fight temporarily and cooperate in turning the
steering wheel. The truck barely stays on the road.
A full view reveals the incredible geography of this ride.
The convoy is tiny against the spectacular mountainside,
the cliffs drop hundreds of feet.
At the wheel of the rear car, Gobler swerves to stay on the
road and accidentally sideswipes a boulder. The Gunner
perched in the back is flipped head over heels out of the
road through all the dust the convoy is picking up.
The lead staff car reaches the summit of the road and
barely makes the hairpin turn there, delivering a
destructive blow to the guard rail that has been placed
there. The guard rail is now bent.
In the cab of the truck, Indy and the Truck Driver again
stop trying to choke each other long enough to negotiate
the turn together. The bumper of the truck hits the broken
guard rail and sends it flying off the cliff. The truck,
however, holds the road.
In the rear car, Golber and Belzig are trying to see
through the thick clouds of dust. Suddenly is clears
completely.
Unfortunately for them, this happens because their car has
shot out into space at the hairpin turn. They are flying to
their final reward. Belzig, eyes wide behind his evil
spectacles, screams as he goes.
80.
In the cab of the truck, the Truck Driver is distracted by
the sight of the flying staff car. Indy plasters him and he
tumbles out.
Far, far below, Belzig’s staff car explodes on the rocks.
In the back of the truck, a TOUGH SERGEANT takes command of
the situation. He picks out six Armed Nazis and motions for
them to start climbing around the outside of the truck to
the cab. With some trepidation the lucky ones begin that
maneuver. The truck is swerving like crazy.
In the front staff car, the Armed Guard aims his submachine
gun back at Indy, alone now in the truck’s cab. Shliemann
knocks the barrel roughly away.
SHLIEMANN
(yelling)
If anything happens to that Ark,
we’re all dead men! The Fuhrer will
see to it!
Indy sees this from the cab and reacts by speeding up,
putting even more pressure on the Blond Driver.
Along the back of the truck, Armed Nazis are edging up
toward the cab, three on each side. They hang on as the
truck rounds a corner and goes into a straightaway that
leads through a short tunnel.
In the cab, Indy has been concentrating on the lead staff
car. Now, just before entering the tunnel, he looks in the
side view mirror and sees the Nazis on his side. A quick
glance to the other mirror reveals the others. As the truck
sweeps into the tunnel, we see Indy just start to turn his
steering wheel, he’s going to sideswipe the walls of the
tunnel.
At the other end of the tunnel, we hear the roar of the two
engines and two long, screeching, scraping sounds. The lead
staff car shoots out of the tunnel, then the truck, its
sides cleaned of Nazis.
In the rear of the truck, the Tough Sergeant is looking
with distaste back at the tunnel. There remains only him
and two Armed Nazis with the Ark. He sends these two
climbing up over the top of the truck.
In the lead car, the Blond Driver is being pressed hard by
Indy, who now edges up to bump them from the rear. Suddenly
the Armed Guard next to the Driver sees the two Armed Nazis
appear on the top of the truck. Without thinking, he starts
to point them out to Shliemann, then realizes his
stupidity.
81.
In the cab, Indy has seen this and is at first mystified.
He checks his side-view mirrors. Then he figures it out and
slams on his brakes. The brakes lock, the wheels burn and
the truck skids to a dusty halt. The two Armed Nazis fly
off the truck, over the cab to the road in front. Indy
immediately hits the gas again. The two Armed Nazis, just
aiming their weapons, get wiped out.
In the rear of the truck, the crated Ark is bouncing all
along, no one in sight, because --
The Tough Sergeant is on the top of the truck, making his
way steadily forward. This guy clearly knows what he’s
doing. A submachine gun is slung acorss his back.
The truck and the staff car race through a series of S-
curves. In the staff car, Belloq and Shliemann spot the
Tough Sergeant as he reaches the front of the truck’s top
and begins to lower his submachine gun barrel toward the
cab. Indy is unaware. Belloq and Shliemann exchange looks.
Then Shliemann yells to the Armed Guard in the front seat.
The Touch Sergeant has a line on Indy. He points his gun.
The Armed Guard blasts away at the truck. The Tough
Sergeant dies in a hail of bullets and flies off.
Indy, who has ducked the gunfire, is confused. But when he
sees the Armed Guard up front lower his gun, Indy again
floors it and begins bumping the staff car in earnest.
The road is almost down to a level now. In the distance
Cairo. The road takes a little dogleg just before reaching
level ground again. Just as the staff car is about to make
the turn, Indy smashes them from behind. The staff car
flies off the road and down a twenty foot embankment. Indy
takes the truck speeding down the road and off toward
Cairo.
In the staff car, the occupants are bruised but safe.
Shliemann points at the departing truck and yells at the
Blond Driver. The staff car fishtails out of its sandy
resting place and takes off after the truck.
104 EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF CAIRO - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY 104
Indy had an ever-decreasing lead on the staff car as the
race thunders into the narrow streets. People and animals
leap out of the way; carts and barrels go flying helter
skelter. Indy takes the truck down a street so narrow there
are only inches to spare on each side. Pedestrians jump
into doorways.
82.
105 EXT. OMAR’S SQUARE - DAY 105
When the truck clears the narrow street, it is in a small
square. Omar’s garage is gaping open on the opposite side.
Indy hits the brakes and the truck skids across the square
and into the garage. The garage door slams shut and tenting
drops from the building to hide the door. Various Arabs,
friends of Omar, rush out with fruit carts and baskets and
set up a mini-bazaar in seconds. Two Arab Boys sweep the
tracks of the truck into oblivion. They throw aside their
brooms just as the staff car appears from the narrow
street. Belloq and Shliemann look around desperately as the
Blond Driver steers the car through the square and out the
other side.
106 EXT. CAIRO DOCKS - NIGHT 106
The waterfront is dark and misty. An old tramp steamer, THE
BANTU WIND, sits by the pier. Several fierce Black African
Pirates, the crew members, are taking on final stores.
A small light illuminates the top of the gangplank. In its
circle, Indy and Marion exchange long, warm embraces with
Sallah. A short distance away the ship’s Captain, a
handsome, powerful black named SIMON KATANGA, watches the
rail, smoking a pipe.
DISSOLVE TO:
107 EXT. OPEN SEA - THE MEDITERRANEAN - NIGHT 107
The Batu Wind is bathed in moonlight as it cuts across the
even seas.
108 INT. INDY’S CABIN - NIGHT 108
Indy comes in, takes off his hat, jacket, whip and holster.
The door which connects this cabin to the next opens and
Marion appears. She is carrying a half-full glass of
liquor, but what you notice is the long, snow-white, high-
necked nightgown she is wearing. It is very prim. Very
innocent. And very sexy. Marion does a slightly embarrassed
model’s turn for Indy.
MARION
I have a feeling I’m not the first
woman to travel with these pirates.
There’s a whole wardrobe in there.
INDY
83.
It’s lovely.
Indy sits on the cot, takes off his boots. He leans back
against the wall and rubs his eyes. Marion sits on the bed,
leans back against the wall with him and looks down at her
white nightgown. She chuckles.
MARION
I feel like a virgin bride in this.
INDY
That’s what you look like.
MARION
(takes a drink)
There are some things you can
recapture in this life, but that
isn’t one of them.
INDY
What would you like to recapture?
MARION
(after a long pause)
Nothing. That is the way it is.
He watches her closely as she drains her glass and puts it
down.
INDY
Did I ever say I was sorry I burned
down your tavern?
She turns so their lips are very close.
MARION
No. Then again, I burned up that
plane.
INDY
You saved my life.
MARION
And you saved mine.
INDY
Seems things have worked out kind
of even.
MARION
That’s the way I like them.
INDY
84.
Maybe we should consider all past
accounts closed.
Marion thinks about this a long time.
MARION
No. Not yet.
INDY
What else?
She looks into his eyes. A smile jumps from her lips to
his. He kisses her and they sink slowly to the cot.
109 INT. IN THE HOLD 109
The ship’s rats are agitated. They tremble and chitter at
the edges of the compartment, darting about. Out in the
center of the hold, sitting all by itself, is the crated
Ark. HUM-M-M-M.
110 INT. INDY’S CABIN - DAY 110
Marion awakes with a start, alone in the cot. Something’s
wrong. The ship is quiet. Indy is strapping on his holster.
He pulls his whip and jacket from a hook.
MARION
What is it?
INDY
The engines have shut down.
MARION
Why?
INDY
I’m going to find out.
111 EXT. LOWER DECK - DAY 111
Indy runs toward the bow, then climbs some steps four at a
time. A MESSENGER PIRATE is hurrying to get him, but flies
by him on the steps. By the time the Pirate stops himself,
Indy is gone.
MESSENGER PIRATE
Mister Jones! The Captain he say --
85.
112 EXT. THE BRIDGE - DAY 112
Captain Katanga is looking with concern ahead of the ship.
Indy appears behind him.
INDY
What’s wrong?
KATANGA
You have most important friends.
Katanga turns quickly, pointing with a sweeping hand. Indy
looks. Arrayed in a rough semicircle around the ship are
ten German Wolf Submarines. All of their deck guns are
manned and trained on the Bantu Wind. Worse, at least five
heavily-armed boarding parties in rafts are closing quickly
on the ship.
INDY
Holy shit.
KATANGA
(fast)
I sent my man for you. You and the
girl must disappear. We have a
place in the hold. Go, my friend!
113 EXT. UPPER DECK - DAY 113
Indy tears along the deck. He looks over the rail and sees
two Nazi rafts already next to the ship.
114 EXT. LOWER DECK - DAY 114
Indy flies down some stairs and starts to round a corner.
Suddenly he throws himself backwards, out of view. Three
uniformed Nazis are clustered near a cabin door holding the
Messanger Pirate. Now two more come out of the cabin trying
to maintain their grasp on a kicking, yelling Marion. She
is still wearing her white nightgown. More Nazis clamber
onto the deck and head toward Indy, slamming open doors,
rousting Pirates, spouting racial epithets. Indy steps
backwards and fades into the maze of the ship.
115 EXT/INT. THE BANTU WIND - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY 115
86.
The ship is swarming with Nazis. The Black Pirates are
herded forward, subjected to rough physical and verbal
abuse by the Aryan Supermen. The Pirates are clearly under
orders not to resist, but not one of these strong men likes
it. They’d gladly give their lives to rip the throat out of
a few Krauts. In the hold, the door slams open and Nazis
pour in; they smile at the sight of the crated Ark.
116 EXT. THE BRIDGE - DAY 116
Captain Katanga watches as his crew is crowded into a
circle of Nazis on the wide deck below him. He is
surrounded by Belloq, Shliemann and several Nazis, two of
whom are holding Marion. Now the Nazis from the hold appear
on the lower deck carrying the crated Ark by means of the
long poles. Belloq’s eyes shine at the sight.
SHLIEMANN
Take it aboard the Wurrfler!
BELLOQ
And be very careful!
The Ark is taken away.
SHLIEMANN
(to a Sergeant below)
What about Jones?
SERGEANT
Not a trace yet, sir!
KATANGA
Jones is dead.
Belloq and Shliemann regard him suspiciously.
KATANGA
We killed him. He was of no use to
us. The girl, however, has certain
value where we are headed. She will
bring a very good price. If that
cargo you have taken was your goal,
then go in peace with it. But leave
us the girl. It will reduce our
loss on this trip.
SHLIEMANN
87.
Savage. You are not in a position
to ask for anything. We will take
what we wish and then decide
whether or not to blow your ship
from the water.
Belloq steps forward and puts a proprietary hand on
Marion’s arm, fixing Shliemann with a steady look.
BELLOQ
That girl goes with me. It will be
part of my compensation. I’m sure
the Fuhrer would approve.
Shliemann considers.
BELLOQ
If she fails to please me, you can
do with her as you wish.
This appeals to Shliemann’s nature. He signals his
agreement with a gesture. Belloq ushers Marion away with
her two keepers.
DISSOLVE TO:
117 EXT. THE WURRFLER - CONNING TOWER - DAY 117
The Nazis have returned to their subs. Shliemann is on the
bridge with THE WURRFLER’S CAPTAIN and the Captain’s Aides.
The Captain is an honorable career Navy man.
THE WURRFLER’S CAPTAIN
Colonel Shliemann, all torpedoes
are loaded.
Shielmann nods and continues to stare at the Bantu Wind, as
does the Captain. The Pirate crew is all lined across the
bow. Towering above the others, standing on the rail, proud
and defiant, is Katanga. Shliemann looks at the Wurrfler’s
Captain a moment.
SHLIEMANN
What do you think, Captain?
THE WURRFLER’S CAPTAIN
(earnestly)
I think not, Colonel. Nothing is to
be gained. We are not at war.
Shliemann mulls this, then turns to the hatch.
88.
SHLIEMANN
-- yet. Let the vermin live. We
must be on our way.
Shliemann disappears down the hatch. The Captain is
pleased. A Radioman speaks into his headset, then follows
the other Aides down the hatch. In the distance the other
subs begin to move away from the ship. The Captain, alone
on the bridge, looks once more at Katanga.
On the Bantu Wind, Katanga executes what might be taken for
a salute.
The Wurrfler’s Captain smiles, salutes crisply, then goes
below, pulling the hatch closed. Immediately, the Wurrfler
begins to move. And as it does, we see the rail at the aft
of the main deck. From nowhere, a wet sleeve appears and a
hand grabs the rail!
Indy pulls his dripping body onto the sub’s main deck. He
has lost his felt hat once and for all. Other than that,
his outfit is the same as always, just wetter. Suddenly,
water is washing over his feet; the Wurrfler is beginning
to submerge. Indy runs through quickly deepening water
toward the haven of the conning tower. Halfway there, he
slips and goes down.
Only by grabbing the base of the aftmast light does he keep
from being swept away. He struggles to his feet and sloshes
through knee-deep water to the base of the conning tower.
Indy climbs the ladder to the bridge of the conning tower
and looks down. The water is rising toward him fast. Indy
climbs the ladder to the top of the turret and braces
himself between the two uprights there - the 7 foot radio
mast and the 20 foot periscope. Still the ocean comes up to
meet him. Soon the top of the turret is under water and
radio mast is disappearing. Indy shifts his grip to the
periscope, working his way up it and hanging on for dear
life as the ocean whips at his body. The periscope is
quickly going under. Indy hangs on to the top three feet,
all that remains above.
The forward movement of the sub continues, but, to Indy’s
slowly dawning delight, the dive stops. No more of the
periscope goes under. Indy smiles; it’s a pretty good
smile, too, given the circumstances. Indy pulls out his
bullwhip and begins tying himself to the periscope.
118 EXT. THE PERISCOPE - AFTERNOON 118
89.
The sun warms that part of his body Indy has contrived to
keep out of the water. The rest floats out behind. Indy
isn’t comfortable, but all in all, it’s not as terrible as
he might have feared.
DISSOLVE TO:
119 EXT. THE PERISCOPE - DUSK 119
It’s as terrible as Indy might have feared. He looks
wasted.
Waterlogged and exhausted. The wet leather of the whip is
contracting and he must struggle constantly to keep it from
cutting into his skin.
DISSOLVE TO:
120 EXT. THE OCEAN - NIGHT 120
Several shark fins cut the surface, appearing and
disappearing in the bright moonlight. They are shadowing --
121 EXT. THE PERISCOPE - NIGHT 121
Indy looks through barely open eyes at the sharks running
alongside. There is nothing to be done. His eyes close.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
122 EXT. THE PERISCOPE - NIGHT 122
The submarine has stopped. The water is calm. The moon is
bright. A gentle swell splashes Indy awake. He blinks,
tries to regain his senses. He makes an inventory of his
body. Surprised to find himself intact, his spirits lift.
Some hidden reserve of energy flows through him. He frees
his aching arms from the wet leather of his whip, leaving
only one loop around his waist to hold him to the sub. He
rubs his hands and stretches. Once again, he has survived.
To fight again. He looks around.
90.
WHAT HE SEES. A lovely island. No sign of man’s presence.
The sub has stopped at the mouth of a wide cove completely
ringed by tall white rock cliffs. Suddenly the sub begins
to move again. It is headed directly toward the center of
the cliffs. Indy holds on, mystified, alert. When the
cliffs are very close, the sub begins to dive.
INDY
Damn!
He thinks hard. Inspiration hits just before the water.
Indy flips his leather jacket up over his head and holds
the jacket out in front of him. His head is hidden by the
jacket as he goes under water.
123 INT. THE UNDERWATER TUNNEL - NIGHT 123
The sub enters an underwater tunnel that penetrates into
the cliffs. Indy is held to the periscope by his crossed
legs and the whip. His improptu air bubble is working, but
it’s a struggle to maintain it.
The sub begins to cut through thick marine vegetation. Each
dangling growth pulls at Indy’s body and slaps at his
leather bubble. Now a clump of entwined seaweed rips the
leather out of his hands and his bubble of air rises away.
Indy hangs on, holding his breath, but the vegetation gets
denser. Finally, it pulls him off the periscope. The sub
moves on, disappearing ahead.
Indy rises desperately through the dark water, his hand
outstretched. Then, almost simultaneously, hand and head
hit solid rock. But no air. Indy feels along the ceiling of
rock. Nothing. It’s all submerged.
Indy dives, stroking deep into the tunnel. When he has
descended 15 feet, he grabs a vine and steadies himself.
His eyes search the dim roof of the tunnel. He sees his
last hope in the distance, a small blue circle, an air
pocket. He swims for it.
In the air pocket, Indy’s head breaks the surface and
smashes into rock again. The pocket is only six inches
deep. No matter. Indy loves it. He’d like to move in. He
gulps air.
124 INT. THE SUB BASE - DOCKING BAY 124
91.
The Wurrfler has arrived at an extraordinary base built in
the hollow interior of the island. This chamber, with the
docking bay, is almost all water. A huge natural cavern, it
has been reinforced and enlarged by the Germans.
The Wurrfler sits surfaced at the dock. The Ark has been
unloaded and placed on a cart. Shliemann, Belloq and Marion
have just disembarked and been met by a Nazi contingent
from the base. Marion looks worse for the trip. Her white
nightgown is now ripped and smudged.
One of the greeting Nazis, a TALL CAPTAIN, salutes
Shliemann and Belloq. As he speaks to them, we notice that
right behind this group, just above a great deal of sub
unloading activity, Indy’s whip hangs from the periscope.
Working Nazis pass within feet of it unaware; the Tall
Captain would see it in a moment if he were not so focused
on the new arrivals.
TALL CAPTAIN
(to Belloq)
The tents have been arranged in
accordance with your radioed
instructions, sir.
BELLOQ
Good. We must take the Ark there
now.
Shliemann looks a little unhappy about this exchange, but
says nothing. The groups moves swiftly toward the end of a
mine train arrangement. The train, consisting of small,
separate, electric-powered cars, sits on a track which
disappears into a tunnel cut in the rock.
On the turret of the Wurrfler, the Wurrfler’s Captain
lights a cigarette as he watches the mine train disappear,
then returns his attention to the activity on the dock. He
leans idly against the periscope, his head two feet below
Indy’s dangling whip. Something catches his eye, he yells
an order and climbs down from the turret to deal with the
matter.
We hold on the whip for a long moment, until its owner’s
hand appears and quickly reclaims it.
125 INT. TRAIN TUNNEL 125
92.
The Ark and its entourage are moving slowly up the tight
dark tunnel, their way lit by intermittent lanterns. The
tunnel is irregular, but generally about 7 feet wide. It’s
height varies from an average of about 7 feet to a low of
only about 4.5 feet at the points (every 40 feet) where
support beams cross the track. The result is that there is
only about a foot of clearance above the mine cars at those
points; passengers must duck to keep from being hit in the
head. Shliemann, looking worried, and Belloq, very excited,
are focused on the Ark in the car ahead.
SHLIEMANN
I am uncomfortable with the thought
of this --
(spitting it out)
-- Jewish ritual. Are you sure it’s
necessary?
BELLOQ
(playing him)
Let me ask you this -- Would you be
more comfortable opening the Ark in
Berlin -- for the Fuhrer -- and
finding out only then if the sacred
pieces of the Covenant are inside?
Knowing, only then, whether you
have accomplished your mission and
obtained the one, true Ark?
Shliemann doesn’t like any of his alternatives. He looks at
Belloq with some suspicions as the train comes into bright
light.
126 INT. COMMAND CENTER 126
A second natural cavern, even bigger than the first, has
been worked over by the Germans into a rectangular, three-
story high supply center around a huge, open, center court.
Uniformed Nazi Soldiers are everywhere, wrangling supplies
and ammunition, monitoring electronic equipment. At the far
end of the court, a second train tunnel disappears into the
rock.
Across the open court, Belloq sees his destination: a
large, brilliant white silk tent has been erected in the
midst of all this hardware. It looks incongruous, and more
than a little eerie. It is the Tabernacle.
127 INT. TRAIN TUNNEL 127
93.
Indy is making his way up the tunnel. He hears cars coming
from up ahead and steps into the shadows. A mine car passes
with several laughing Nazis. Indy continues on his way.
128 INT. THE TABERNACLE 128
The light in here is lovely, unearthly. Oil lamps burn. The
Tabernacle is really several concentric, silk tents, which
creates a flowing maze effect. The innermost tent has at
its center a 3-foot high, tapestry-covered altar. Belloq
watches with gleaming, obsessed eyes as two Nazis carefully
lift the actual Ark out of its crate by means of the long
poles. The Ark dazzles the eye, seeming to glow gold in
this strange light. The two Nazis place it carefully on the
altar. Shliemann and some Aides hang back. Marion is
nowhere to be seen.
129 INT. COMMAND CENTER - END OF TUNNEL 129
Indy makes a fast break from the shadows of the tunnel to
the protection of a high stack of supplies. He climbs the
back of the stack, peeks over and surveys the area.
WHAT HE SEES. In addition to the Tabernacle, the second
train tunnel entrance, and all the activity, Indy’s glance
rests momentarily on a large, heavy metal door halfway down
one wall toward the Tabernacle. It bears the words in
German: DANGER - MUNITIONS.
Indy continues to scan the scene.
130 INT. THE TABERNACLE 130
In the central area with the Ark, Shliemann and the other
Nazis wait impatiently, eyeing the Ark with some
discomfort. Belloq is not visible, because at the moment he
is --
In the folds of the Tabernacle, the silk of the tents
undulating around him. The light is even stranger, the
scene almost dreamlike. With the help of the Tall Captain,
Belloq lets an extraordinary, gold-embroidered, ceremonial
robe fall over his head and onto his body. Belloq looks
transported, possessed. The Tall Captain unlatches a wooden
case and takes from it a sturdy ivory rod about 5 feet
long, elaborately engraved. Belloq takes it from him, turns
and slips back through the silk. The Tall Captain stays in
the folds.
94.
Back in the central area, Shliemann and the other Nazis are
taken aback by Belloq’s appearance in the rove. They
exchange looks. From one knot of men there is muttering
about “Juden” and such, but when Belloq turns a fiery gaze
on them there is immediate silence. Shliemann looks
uncertain in this presence.
Belloq approaches the Ark. He stops a few feet from it and
begins murmuring an invocation in Hebrew. After a few
moments of this he advances a step and is about to place
the ivory rod in a notch under the lid of the Ark itself.
The end of the rod is an inch from the notch when--
Indy steps into the Tabernacle. On his shoulder is a
bazooka and it is aimed directly at the Ark.
INDY
Hold it.
(the Nazi react)
One move from anybody and I blow
that box back to Moses.
Shliemann makes it clear to the other Nazis that Indy is to
be obeyed.
BELLOQ
Jones, your persistence surprises
even me. You are going to give
mercenaries a bad name.
INDY
What about you? Talked to God yet?
(Belloq’s eyes flash)
Where’s the girl?
SHLIEMANN
Doctor Jones, surely you don’t
think you can escape from this
base.
INDY
That depends on how reasonable
we’re all willing to be. All I want
is the girl. We’ll keep possession
of the Ark only till we’ve got safe
transport to England. Then it’s all
yours.
SHLIEMANN
If we refuse?
INDY
95.
Then the Ark and some of us are
going up in a big bang. I don’t
think Hitler would like that a bit.
Now I don’t want to talk about this
anymore. Show me that girl in five
seconds or--
The Tall Captain flies out of the silk and takes Indy down
by the neck. The bazooka clatters across the cement floor
as two other Nazis help subdue Indy. The three Nazis take
Indy’s pistol from his holster and raise him roughly in
their grasp.
SHLIEMANN
Jones, this is the second time I
have seen you looking very foolish.
INDY
It’s a bad habit. I’m trying to
break it.
Shliemann draws his Luger.
SHLIEMANN
I’ll help you. This time I’ll kill
you myself.
Shliemann raises the pistol.
BELLOQ
No! Not in the presence of the Ark!
Take him outside.
Shliemann eyes Belloq, then the Ark. He lowers the pistol,
motions for the Nazis to take Indy out ahead of him. They
stop a moment only when Belloq speaks.
BELLOQ
Indiana Jones, I salute you. I am
even a little sorry you will miss
this moment.
INDY
Thanks. If you talk to Him, tell
Him I’m on my way up.
Shliemann motions them out and follows. Belloq turns back
to the Ark, raising the ivory rod.
131 INT. COMMAND CENTER 131
96.
Shliemann, the Tall Captain, Indy and the two Nazis holding
him emerge from the Tabernacle. Shliemann points to a
nearby wall and the group starts that way with Shliemann
and the Tall Captain slightly ahead.
132 INT. THE TABERNACLE 132
Belloq has the ivory rod inserted in the notch under the
lid of the Ark. He utters a short phrase in Hebrew and
begins to press down on his end of the rod. The lid of the
Ark begins to lift. It’s difficult work. Belloq puts his
whole weight into one big press on his end and the lid
opens two feet.
Inside the Ark of the Covenant is a preview of the end of
the world. A light so bright, a power so fearsome, a charge
so jolting, that there is nothing in our world to compare
to it. It’s as though this magnificent golden box has been
gathering electric energy for three thousand years, waiting
for just this crack of the lid to release it all in one
fast, cleansing explosion of pure force.
Blinding arcs of light shoot out across the Tabernacle
instantly killing all the Nazis inside and turning the
white silk to flame. But it is Belloq in his obsession who
takes the full blast. His whole body seems lit by a million
volt current and, for a moment, his complete form is white,
then blue, then maybe green, but it is hard to tell because
our eyes are blinded now too. Two aspects of this ghastly,
beautiful display are somehow communicated in the chaos,
although the communication is subliminal. First, that
Belloq, in the instant of his destruction, has experienced
some kind of sublime, transcendental knowledge. If a
death’s-head can smile and look satisfied, that is how
Belloq’s incandescent face would be described. Secondly,
this event is accomplished by a sound like no other. A
sound so intense and so odd and so haunting that the
suggestible among us might imagine it were the whisper of
God.
133 INT. COMMAND CENTER 133
Chaos. Shliemann and the Tall Captain have been temporarily
blinded by the light from the Tabernacle. Indy makes short
work of his two escorts. He bashes their heads together.
When only one goes down at this, Indy uses the handle of
his bullwhip, which has appeared instantly in his hand, to
put the second one down.
97.
Shliemann, hand on his eyes, aims his Luger blindly at the
scuffle. Indy pushes the Tall Captain at Shliemann, who
fires on impact, killing the Tall Captain. Indy knocks out
Shliemann.
Behind Indy, the brilliant light and weird noise of the Ark
have suddenly ceased, but the Tabernacle is ablaze and the
fire has quickly spread to stacks of supplies on either
side. Smoke is already starting to fill the cavern. Nazis
are running around, yelling for firefighting water. A
burning crate at the side of the Tabernacle is pushed over,
only to knock over a drum of heavy black oil. A river of
flame shoots across the cement.
Indy grabs a rifle with bayonet from the prostrate body of
one of his former escorts and runs back into the flaming
Tabernacle.
134 INT. THE TABERNACLE 134
Indy jumps through the flames into what is now a tent of
fire. He looks around at the dead bodies, then at the Ark.
The lid has slammed down shut again and the Ark shines gold
in the flames. Before it, where Belloq once stood, is a
pile of ash and charred debris. Indy registers this, then
continues to scan the scene.
INDY
Marion! Marion, can you hear me?
Suddenly, Indy looks as --
The far side of the Tabernacle burns completely away,
revealing Marion, tied spread-eagle between two upright
posts. Her nightgown is now in tatters, black with soot.
She is gagged but her eyes are screaming, focused on the
flaming river of black oil which is about to engulf her
feet.
Indy rushes toward her, unaware of a uniformed Nazi who has
appeared from the flames. Marion looks up to see Indy and
the Nazi leveling his sub machine gun at Indy. She motions
desperately with her eyes. Indy dives and rolls through the
flames just as the Nazi opens fire. From the floor, Indy
blasts the Nazi.
The river of burning oil is only a foot from Marion.
Indy jumps up and runs toward the bound Marion, his bayonet
aimed directly at her. Her wide eyes flash between the
flames and the shining blade. Expertly, Indy slashes down
both sides at Marion, cutting all four bindings.
98.
Marion falls backwards, away from the flames, but before
she hits the ground, Indy is there, catching her in his
arms. They embrace. They kiss. They break.
INDY
Hi.
MARION
Oh, Indy! Thank god you’re here.
INDY
Glad I could make it.
Indy rises, pulling her up with him. The Tabernacle is
burning away so fast that soon Indy and Marion will be
completely exposed. Indy rushes over and grabs the sub
machine gun and a Luger from the dead Nazi.
INDY
Let’s get out of here.
MARION
What about the Ark?
Indy stops, startled by her spunky attitude. He’s
considering their chances.
INDY
Are you game?
MARION
Hell yes! We’ve made it this far.
INDY
(grins at her)
Okay. Let’s do it.
They approach the altar through the dying flames, Indy
slinging the sub machine gun over his back. The long
carrying poles are still in place.
INDY
Whatever you do, don’t touch it.
Let’s put it on the floor.
Marion nods. Each taking an end with the poles, they lift
the Ark from the altar and lower it to the floor. Marion
grunts under the weight. Indy registers this, hands her the
sub machine gun. He pulls out his whip, motions her back,
and sweeps the whip tightly around the body of the Ark. The
fall wraps snugly around the plaiting and Indy ties it off.
The Ark is now harnessed to the whip handle.
99.
Indy gives it an experimental pull and the Ark slides
across the smooth cement. Indy indicates the direction of
the second train tunnel.
INDY
We’ll go down that side. Shoot
anyone who looks at us cross eyed.
135 INT. COMMAND CENTER 135
Two huge stacks of goods are ablaze and the Nazis are
having trouble getting water to them. The Nazis’ main
concern at this point is an enormous, neat stack of wooden
cartridge boxes which are piled down the wall from one of
the already blazing, and now teetering, stacks of general
goods. Nervous Nazis are moving the heavy cartridge boxes
as fast as they can, but it’s slow work and the threatening
fire is close.
Indy and Marion make their way along the side of the center
court, Indy grimacing with the strain of pulling the Ark.
One Nazi stops directly in front of them, looking at them
queerly. Indy knocks him out with the butt of his Luger
just as Marion is about to fire.
Out in the court, Shliemann has regained his eyesight. Now
he crouches, scanning the scene desperately for Indy. He
looks into the remains of the Tabernacle and spots the
empty altar. Beyond it, the unoccupied posts where Marion
was bound.
At the entrance to the second train tunnel, Indy and Marion
struggle to lift the Ark into a mine car. Marion has the
sub machine gun slung over her back. The Ark drops heavily
into the bottom of the car. The noise attracts the
attention of five water-carrying Nazis. They see what’s
going on and reach for their side-arms. Indy grabs Marion,
pulls her in front of him, as though to use her as a shield
and flips the sub machine gun, still on her back, toward
the Nazis. He opens fire, turning Marion’s body so he can
mow all five down.
Shliemann spins around and looks at the tunnel entrance. He
points at Indy and Marion, who have just hopped into the
mine car with the Ark.
SHLIEMANN
Stop them! Kill them!
100.
A dozen Nazis spin and look at the mine car. Marion is just
leveling the submachine gun. Indy pushes forward the
throttle and the mine car moves toward the tunnel, picking
up speed.
As the Nazis raise their guns to fire, Marion and Indy both
open up, peppering the area with lead. As the mine car is
about to disappear into the tunnel.
INDY
(to Marion)
Get down!
As the car disappears, bullets pock the entrance of the
tunnel. Shliemann runs up with three Nazis. They jump into
the next mine car and take off, disappearing into the
tunnel.
Over at the burning stack of goods, some terrified
firefighters scurry away as the burning pile of general
goods falls over onto the stack of cartridge boxes. The
wooden boxes immediately start burning. Many of the Nazis
just want to get out of there, but a couple of disciplined
OFFICERS are trying to salvage the situation. They point to
the far side of the court, the walls are lines with oil and
gas drums.
OFFICER
We must cover the drums! Protect
them from the bullets!
INTERCUTTING:
Indy and Marion with Shliemann and the Nazis, we see a most
extraordinary pursuit. This tunnel is of identical design
to the first, except more twisty. This early section goes
slightly uphill, as though headed for the summit of a
rollercoaster. The low cross beams and the higher sections
in between are causing the Nazis to alternately stand and
duck in their efforts to get a clear shot at the lead car.
One German times it wrong and gets whacked. Indy is unhappy
with the speed of his car and he’s right, the Nazis are
moving faster and gaining. When both cars are in the same
high section, the Nazis blast away at them. The noise is
deafening, with barking guns, splintering rock, and
twanging ricochets contributing to the din. As Marion fires
a return volley low over the Ark, Indy kicks at the
throttle, convinced it is jammed.
136 INT. COMMAND CENTER 136
101.
The Officers are directing the placement of every movable
item in front of the oil drums. Desks, crates, chairs,
food, all are heaped in front of the fuel. All the workers
cast frequent glances back at the burning cartridge boxes
across the court. Suddenly the worst begins to happen at
the cartridge boxes. Hundreds of thousands of live
cartridges begin exploding, flying around the court like
shrapnel. Hot lead begins to zing off the exposed fuel
drums, leaving big dents.
137 INT. TRAIN TUNNEL - LONG STRAIGHTWAY 137
The car with Indy and Marion looks almost sluggish compared
to the pursuing Nazi car as they both make their way into
an unusually long straightaway. Marion discards her empty
sub machine gun as Indy kicks at his throttle and casts a
worried look back at Shliemann.
Shliemann, sensing victory, smiles evilly and carefully
takes aim. Indy and Marion will be easy targets until they
reach that approaching low cross beam, which is the crest
of the rising tunnel.
138 INT. COMMAND CENTER - CLOSE ON FUEL DRUM 138
A fuel drum, already pocked by bullets is finally
penetrated by high velocity hot lead. It explodes in a ball
of flame. And then its neighbor. Then all is exploding
flame.
139 INT. TRAIN TUNNEL - LONG STRAIGHTWAY 139
Shliemann and his cohorts hear the explosions behind them
and look back that way.
Indy kicks the throttle one more time and it goes! Their
car doubles its speed and shoots under the low cross beam
at the same instant as--
A huge dragon of all-consuming fire shoots up the tunnel
behind the Nazis, catches their car and incinerates
Shliemann and his men. The tunnel collapses in this
section, burying the fried Nazis forever.
140 INT. TRAIN TUNNEL 140
102.
Indy and Marion look back at the low cross beam as the last
tongue of flame makes it there and then is doused by
falling rock and dirt. They look at each other, then turn
their attention back to their own predicament. Their mine
car is going incredibly fast as it moves into a downward
section of wildly twisting tunnel.
MARION
Slow it down!
Indy is already pulling the throttle. It moves easily.
Unfortunately, it is no longer attached to the motor. The
mine car is out of control.
After several moments, far ahead, appears a circle of
bright daylight-- the end of the tunnel! It approaches at a
frightening rate. Indy reaches out grasps Marion’s hand.
They exchange looks and then turn to look ahead.
THEIR POV. We’re taking this last stretch with them. It’s a
familiar nightmare. It has to do with a roller coaster that
ends suddenly and disastrously. The shocking brightness of
sunlight rushes up to engulf us, blinding us in its glare.
141 EXT. THE ISLAND - END OF TRACKS - DOCK 141
High up on the slope of the island, Indy and Marion’s mine
car shoots out of the black tunnel and roars down toward a
little dock at the end of the tracks.
A small Nazi transport launch, carefully disguised as a
Greek fishing boat, sits bobbing by the dock. The only
human: a Nazi Sentry dressed as a Greek peasant. He is
perched on a pile of seed bags which are stacked at the
very end of the train tracks. As the mine care barrels
noisily down toward him, he throws away some burlap to
reveal a mounted machine gun which he spins quickly around
toward the approaching mine car. He opens fire.
In the out-of-control mine car, Indy pulls Marion down with
him. They are squashed into the corner trying to avoid
contact with the bouncing Ark. Bullets clang against the
outside of the car and whiz inches overhead. Indy and
Marion are forced into a tighter and tighter embrace of
life.
At the machine gun post, the Nazi Sentry has been firing
like crazy, but now there is terror in his eyes. He
realizes the car is not going to stop. He lacks faith in
his stronghold.Too late.
103.
The mine car smashes into the seed bag bunker. And right on
through. The Nazi Sentry, his machine gun and a dozen
bursting seed bags are slammed into the ocean in a wild,
hurtling mass. The mine car jumps, bounces and spins
around, then slides to a stop in a cloud of seed at the
edge of the water.
142 INT. COMMAND CENTER 142
Fire. Everywhere. No sign of life. A large gaping doorway,
flames ringing it, blazing into the room beyond. Hanging by
one hinge there, its metal blasted and jagged, is a heavy
door with the signed lettering, in German, DANGER -
MUNITIONS.
The first explosion happens. It’s a baby compared to what’s
coming yet is rocks the earth. It’s terrible. And then,
almost immediately, another. The long, irregular, ever-
larger chain of explosions begins.
143 EXT. THE ISLAND - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY 143
The island rumbles and shakes. From fissures and small
natural caves, dirt and rock shoot out like spraying
water.Still the explosion continues. A huge chunk of white
cliff falls away into the turbulent sea. Birds scream and
soar, afraid to land.
Finally, we settle on a full shot of the island. We can
recognize that the small opening high on the slope from
which a cloud of smoke and dust is billowing is the end of
the mine tunnel. And there below it, quite small from this
distance is the dock. And the boat that looks like a Greek
fishing boat.
There can be no mistake even from this far away, the boat
is chugging out to sea.
144 INT. THE PENTAGON - DAY 144
104.
Indy, Brody and Marion, looking very stylish, are seated in
Colonel Musgrove’s huge office. Sun pours in a window,
through which Washington can be seen sparkling across the
Potomac. Everything is neat and clean and regular.
Including the three men who are arrayed around the office.
Two we know Col. Musgrove and Maj. Eaton. The third is an
unnamed Bureaucrat. He hangs back, smiling and genial, his
features obscured by the glare of the window. He doesn’t
say anything, yet you have a sense that the others defer to
him in the matter at hand. He is the essence of all that is
Byzantine and inscrutable in our scrubbed government
machine.
Indy and Brody are dissatisfied with the way the meeting
has gone. Marion, on the other hand, is very happy and
eager to get out of there. Eaton’s manner is irritatingly
cheery.
MUSGROVE
You’ve done your country a great
service.
EATON
--And we trust you found the
settlement satisfactory?
MARION
Quite.
EATON
Good, good.
(glances around at the
others)
Then I guess that about does it.
BRODY
When can we have the Ark?
Eaton’s glance flicks over to the mysterious Bureaucrat,
then back to Brody.
EATON
I thought we answered that. It’s
someplace very safe--
INDY
(heated)
That’s a powerful force. Research
should be done--
EATON
105.
Oh, it will be, Dr. Jones, I assure
you. We have top men working on it
right now.
INDY
Who?
EATON
Top men.
Indy exchanges a look with Brody.
INDY
We may be able to help.
EATON
We appreciate that. And we won’t
hesitate to call on you.
MUSGROVE
(dismissing them)
Thank you all. Thank you again.
Indy looks them over coldly. He gets up, sullen.
145 EXT. PENTAGON STEPS - DAY 145
Indy, Brody and Marion emerge from the building. Brody bids
them farewell and moves off in another direction.
Marion clings to Indy’s arm in an energetic, very feminine
way, scolding him.
MARION
--Well they aren’t going to tell
you, so why don’t you just forget
it. I’d think you’d had enough of
that damn Ark. Just put your mind
on something else.
Indy stops, looking across the river, his mind occupied.
INDY
Yeah, like what?
Marion makes a face, then puts her arms around his neck and
plants a humdinger of a a kiss on his mouth. It goes on a
while. Finally they break.
INDY
It’s not the Ark -- but it’ll have
to do.
106.
They move down the steps, smiling.
146 INT. GOVERNMENT WAREHOUSE 146
The Ark of the Covenant sits in a wooden crate. A wooden
lid comes down and hides it from view. The lid is solidly
nailed to the crate as we read the stenciled message on
top.
TOP SECRET
ARMY INTEL. #9906753
DO NOT OPEN!
The hammering is completed and hands shift the heavy crate
onto a dolly.
THE END CREDITS ROLL AS WE SEE.
A Little Old Government Ware houseman begins pushing the
crated Ark down an aisle. Soon we see that the aisle is
formed by huge stacks of crates. They come in many shapes
and sizes, but when it comes right down to it, they all
look like the one that holds the Ark. All have markings
like the message we’ve just seen. Pretty soon we’re far
enough and high enough away from the Little Old Government
Ware houseman to see that this is one of the biggest rooms
in the world. And it is full. Crates and crates. All
looking alike. All gathering dust.
And then we notice that the Little Old Government Ware
houseman, pushing his new crate ahead of him, has turned
into another aisle and disappeared from view.
FADE OUT.
THE END