The Fugitive (1993)/Transcript

EXT. CRASH SITE (SOUTHERN ILLINOIS) - NIGHT
News and sheriff's department choppers circle billowing smoke. TILT DOWN to reveal the derailed train. Fire engines hose down the blackened locomotive. Rescue workers work feverishly with jaws-of-life to get into the mangled wreckage. Illuminated by spotlights, transportation investigators in blue coveralls pick through the twisted remains of the bus. State troopers restrain spectators.
Two American-made rental cars pull up. Four deputy U.S. marshals emerge:
BIGGS. Swaggering Midwestern carnivore. Built like a brick shithouse.
RENFRO. Bantam-rooster of a man, no more than 140 pounds fully-equipped.
POOLE. Black woman. Nobody minds having her around during nut-cuttin' time.
NEWMAN, a scrub-faced G-5.
From the second car steps GERARD, a lean coyote -- leader of the pack.
As they walk, a state TROOPER steps into their path, but falls away when he sees Gerard's Marshall star.
GERARD: How ya doing? Who's in charge?
TROOPER: Sheriff Rollins. Just follow the TV lights.
Gerard follows his point to where TV lights illuminate the	scene. He shakes his head - it doesn't please him.
Renfro and Poole share a look, they seem to know what's about to happen.
[As a group they begin moving along the service road above the crash site. Derailed train cars are accortianed below them. They take in the elements of the crash.] 
[Gerard spots something...]
GERARD: Biggs, do a look-and-see down there and take Newman.
BIGGS: Right. (to Newman) C'mon, Newman! Time to go to work.
[They drop down to the crash site. Poole and Renfro remain with Gerard.]
ANGLE - OLD GUARD
[He is surrounded by EMT personnel, and a YOUNG SHERIFF, clearly basking in the event. Television remote news crews are kept only slight back. Gerard appears in the b.g., listening.]
OLD GUARD: ...bus rolls over several times before it settled to the bottom of the hill here. I dunno if I passed out or what, but the train was bearing down on us, fast. I dunno how, I-- I-- it's still kinda hazy, but somehow I grabbed him and-- and, and I pushed him out of the bus!
SHERIFF: You're a brave man. You coulda both been killed.
OLD GUARD: Yeah, I know! But hell, he's my partner. He woulda done the same for me.
[The young Sheriff in charge nods, buying the story. Gerard eases forward, interrupts.]
GERARD: Excuse me, Sheriff Rollins? I'm Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard. I'd like to talk to you.
SHERIFF: (annoyed) Uh, I'll be with you in a minute.
[Beat.]
GERARD: Okay.
SHERIFF: (to Old Guard) One more time, just for the record -- these three are dead?
OLD GUARD: Yeah.
[The Sheriff opens a file and produces a fax-photo of Kimble.]
SHERIFF: And, uh, this one?
OLD GUARD: Look, everything happened so fast, I... (bites lip, decides) Nah, I don't think he made it.
[Sheriff eyes the wreckage that could entomb a hundred prisoners, then files Kimble's fax-photo with the others.]
SHERIFF: Well! Looks like you came a long way for nothing.
GERARD Well, with all due respect, uh, Sheriff Rollins, I'd like to recommend checkpoints on a 15-mile radius at I-57, I-24, and over here on Route 13 east of Chest--
SHERIFF: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Uh, the prisoners are all dead! And the only thing checkpoints are gonna do is get a lot of good people frantic around here and flood my office with calls.
[Gerard finally touches eyeballs with the young Sheriff and we get our first taste of Gerard at close range.]
GERARD: Well, shit, Sheriff, I'd hate for that to happen, so, I guess I'll take over your investigation.
SHERIFF:	[laughs, incredulous:] On what authority?
GERARD: Governor of the State of Illinois, the United States Marshal's Office, 5th District, Northern Illinois...
[Poole produces State and Federal authorization documents from one of her pockets and hands it to the young Sheriff.]
SHERIFF: (back-down beat) Alright, fine! Uh, you want jurisdiction over this mess, you got it. (to assistants) Okay, boys, gather 'round here and listen up! Uh, we're shutting it down. Wyatt Earp's here to mop up for us.
GERARD: "Wyatt Earp". Very funny. "Wyatt Earp..."
[Biggs, spotless, eases ino the group with Kimble's manacles. Behind Biggs we see Newman, covered in mud.]
GERARD: Oh, wow! Gee whiz, look here!
[Seeing the leg irons, the Sheriff and his deputies pile to a stop, sensing a change of story and command.
GERARD: (friendly, to Old Guard) Y'know, we're always fascinated when we find leg irons with no legs in 'em! Who held the key, sir?
OLD GUARD: Me.
GERARD: Where are the keys at?
OLD GUARD: I don't know!
POOLE: Care to revise your statement, sir?
OLD GUARD: What?
GERARD: Care to change your bullshit story, sir?
[Poole reopens the file of photos in front of the man.]
[The Old Guard can't take it - points to Kimble's photo.]
OLD GUARD: (cracking) He mighta got out.
GERARD: He mighta got out.
SHERIFF: What the hell is this?! A minute ago you tell me he's part of the wreckage, and now he mighta got out?!
GERARD: Poole, set up operations right up here, I'll saddle out behind the fire truck. Listen up, ladies and gentlemen! Our fugitive have been on the run for ninety minutes. Average foot speed over uneven ground - barring injury is four miles an hour, that gives us a radius of six miles. What I want out of each and every one of you a hard-target search of any gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse, or doghouse in that area. Check-points go up in 15 miles. Your fugitive's name is Doctor Richard Kimble. Go get him.
GERARD: Newman, what are you doing?
NEWMAN: I'm thinking,
GERARD: Well, think me up a cup of coffee and a chocolate donut with some of those little sprinkles on top. While you're thinking.
INT. U.S. MARSHAL'S OFFICES (CHICAGO) - CLOSE ON AUDIO TAPE - DAY
[REWINDING. The media room - just what it sounds like -banks of audio/video equipment and a sound board.]
[Renfro rewinds the tape. Biggs, Poole and Newman listen closely. Gerard enters, throwing his envelope on the table and sitting.]
GERARD: So, he showed up not dead yet? Let that be a lesson to you, boys and girls -- don't ever argue with the Big Dog. Big Dog is always right.
[Biggs imitates barking.]
POOLE: Yeah, you've been right before.
[Gerard giggles, playfully sinister, then to the sound tech--]
GERARD: Alright.
[The tech hits play. Kimble's VOICE is heard again.]
HENRY: I might be crazy, but that train sounds like an el.
BIGGS: Saint Louis doesn't have an elevated train.
GERARD: How do you know it's an elevated train?
STEVENS: You know, I think he's right? I lived under an el for twenty years.
GERARD: Oh, well then you can explain the difference in the sound of an elevated train as opposed to a train that's running along the ground. You must have ears like an eagle. Play that back, I wanna hear the sound of an elevated train.
RENFRO: Alright, now what cities have els? Uh, New York's got an el...
POOLE: Philly...
BIGGS: We do.
RENFRO: We got an El...
GERARD: (he's heard something) One sec...
RENFRO: Milwaukee's got an--
GERARD: Hold it right there, where the lawyer says that he sounds guilty? There's bells in the background, there's a guy on a PA. I wanna drop everything but the guy on the PA. Can you do that?
TECHNICIAN: Yeah, I'll try it; hold on, Sam.
[He rewinds it, playing the tape again.]
GERARD: Yeah, right there.
[At first the sound is unrecognizable. A BELL. GRINDING MECHANICAL. Then a P.A. VOICE on the tape: "Next stop..."]
GERARD: Right there, what's he saying? Something like "Next", uh... st-- stop-- It sounded like "Next stop", do that again!
[Rewinds.]
GERARD: "Next stop..."
POOLE: "Merchandise Mart."
GERARD: Son of a bitch, our boy came home.
RENFRO: That bell, that bell is the bell on the Wells Street Bridge, it's six blocks away.
[Gerard stands.]
GERARD: I knew that was an elevated train!
BIGGS: (sarcastic) Oh, yeah, Big Dog, you're never wrong! (to Poole) I'm gonna call the CPD.
POOLE: Okay, this is your Chicago file.
GERARD: Excellent. Andiamo, bambini!
RENFRO: Sammy.
GERARD: Yeah?
RENFRO: When I die, I wanna come back just like you.
GERARD: Oh, you mean happy and handsome?
INT. DOWNSLOPE CONDUIT - DAY
[Gerard begins the tricky descent. Slips once. Recovers. Slips again...]
[...and tumbles out of control. GUN and RADIO CLATTER AWAY.]
[Scrabbling for purchase, he finally snags An overhead pipe.]
[Gerard stabilizes. Sweeps his light to locate his Glock, lying down-tunnel. He eases toward it. But another hand gets there first.]
[It's Kimble. Face dark and desperate. Dangerous. Hand flexing on the pistol. They lock eyes for a beat.]
KIMBLE: I didn't kill my wife!
[An adrenal beat.]
GERARD: I don't care!
[For a moment they hold a look. Kimble creeps away. Gerard reaches for his ankle - and pulls a back-up piece.]
INT. CONDUIT - DAY
[Kimble spills around a corner and stops. Ahead lies an orb of light. The tunnel ends. The NOISE is incredible. Kimble moves to the end of the tunnel and stops.]
KIMBLE'S POV
[Water pours from the tunnel into the spillway of Barkley Dam disappearing into a veil of mist below - a great cauldron of mists. No rocks. None visible at least.]
[Behind Kimble, Gerard calls out:]
GERARD: Put that gun down! Put that gun down! Now!
[Kimble tosses the gun, he puts his hands up.]
GERARD: Hands up! Over the head! Turn around!
[For a moment Kimble eyes the water, then Gerard.]
GERARD: Richard, do you wanna get shot?! Pay attention!
[Kimble turns his back on the Marshal, stares again at the water. Gerard moves through the water toward Kimble.]
GERARD: Get down on your knees! Right! Now!
[Kimble bends slowly, stares down into the falls, then does the unthinkable. He jumps.]
EXT. BARKLEY DAM - DAY
[Gerard moves to the top of the massive dam, sees Kimble leap into the sheet of water spilling over dam and disappear into the mists below. He can't believe his eyes.]
INT. DRAINAGE CONDUIT - DAY
RENFRO: Sam!
[Renfro dashes up behind Gerard, frantic].
GERARD: Fro!
RENFRO: Sam!
[Renfro stops right at the tunnel's mouth.]
RENFRO: Whoa... what happened? Where'd he go?!
GERARD: The guy did a Peter Pan right here off of this dam, right here!
RENFRO: What...?
GERARD: Yeah! Boom!
[Gerard stands at the mouth of the tunnel staring down. He stares down into the mists. Impressed.]
RENFRO: (amazed) Holy shit! Alright! Can we go home now?
GERARD: (flustered) No! No. C'mon!
RENFRO: Holy shit...!
INT. BARKLEY DAM - TUNNELS - DAY
[Gerard and co. sprint through the tunnels before Gerard suddenly shows, breaking into a casual pace. The other marshals shout at him, frantic, but he throws his hands up.]
GERARD: There's no way out of this place!
RENFRO: You go down that way! You go down that way!
RENFRO'S POV
[He briefly checks down the stairs leading into the dam.]
BIGGS: Go up! Go up!
GERARD: Go up the stairs! Up, up!
RENFRO: Poole! Get 'em down here now: Helicopters, divers!
EXT. BARKLEY DAM - LOWER RESERVOIR - SUNSET
[Near the top, Poole and her legion of troops run up to meet Gerard and his unit.]
GERARD: ...telephone, tell 'em to turn that water off! Come over here, gentlemen. Put two patrol cars on that bridge down there, four patrolmen. Have them glass this river, upstream and down. Next thing, I wanna see a helicopter come over here. 100 feet off this river. Make him aware of these wires...
BIGGS: Sam! What, are you out of your mind? He's dead!
GERARD: That oughtta make him easy to catch!
INT. FEDERAL LOCKUP - MAIN LOBBY - DAY
[Gerard and Biggs wait for the elevator.]
BIGGS: This is hinky. This guy is a college graduate, he went to medical school, he's not gonna come through all this security, go to the county lockup to find someone his own people say does not exist. Hinky.
GERARD: Well, what does that mean, Biggs, "hinky"?
BIGGS: I don't know, "strange".
HENRY: "Weird".
GERARD: Well, why don't you say "strange" or "weird"? I mean "hinky", that has no meaning.
BIGGS: Well, we say "hinky"!
GERARD: I don't want you guys using words around me that got no meaning. I'm taking the stairs and walking.
[Gerard storms off.]
BIGGS: [sotto voice] How about "bullshit"? How about "bullshit", Sam?
INT. LAUNDRY - ON KIMBLE - NIGHT
[Kimble moves to end of washers, using the machines as cover, when he hears a voice from the other end of the laundry.]
GERARD (V.O.): (above the din) Doctor Richard Kimble!
[Kimble reacts to Gerard's voice, moves away.]
ON GERARD
GERARD: There's no way out of here, Richard! The entire building is locked down. Give it up, Richard, you don't have any time! Chicago Police Department thinks you're a cop killer. They will shoot you on sight.
KIMBLE
[Moves instinctively back into the machinery and carts near the conveyor belts.]
GERARD (O.S.): Richard, I know you're innocent!
[Kimble stops.]
ON GERARD
GERARD: I know about Frederick Sykes!
ON RENFRO
[Moving through the forest of massive bags. Behind him -- Nichols. Also listening. He realizes Gerard now knows he's the killer.]
GERARD (O.S.): I know about Doctor Charles Nichols! Richard, he borrowed your car the night of the murder, he had the keys... no forced entry, Richard.
KIMBLE
[Realizing what Gerard knows. Considering his next move.]
GERARD (O.S.): He telephoned Sykes from your car, Richard!
NICHOLS
[He moves behind the water softener tanks and chemicals - and spots Renfro - and something else -the hanging control for the I-beam.]
ON RENFRO
[He suddenly hears a WHIRRING sound behind him. Renfro turns as an I-beam comes rushing down the open track and knocks him to the floor.]
ON GERARD
[He pauses, looks back, then continues.]
GERARD: It's time to give it up, Richard.
NICHOLS
[Steps out of the shadows, turns Refro over exposing his empty shoulder harness and takes the gun from Renfro's hand as Gerard makes one last appeal:]
GERARD (O.S.): Richard, I'm either lying or I'm gonna shoot you. What do you think?
[He listens, there is no answer.]
KIMBLE
[Starts to move out to meet Gerard, sees Renfro down. His shoulder harness is empty. He knows Nichols is armed.]
GERARD
[Moves into the alley between the two giant washers.]
GERARD: Give it up! It's time to stop running!
NICHOLS
[Steps INTO FRAME behind him and slowly takes aim. Just before he fires-- Kimble swings the stick	and clocks him - sending the gun skittering on the floor behind Gerard.]
GERARD
[Turns on the sound and finds his gun trained on Kimble with Nichols at his feet, unconscious. He realizes instantly that Kimble saved his life and lowers his gun.]
[Kimble, exhausted, leans against the washer.]
KIMBLE: They killed my wife.
GERARD: I know it, Richard. I know it. But it's over now.
[He sighs. Wipes his forehead.]
GERARD: You know, I'm glad? I need the rest.
INT. / EXT. HILTON HOTEL - NIGHT (LATER)
[Chicago Police hold back crowds of onlookers on Michigan Avenue. Police cars and vans, television news trucks vie for space in front of the Hilton Towers.]
[REPORTERS and television cameramen line the sidewalk giving reports and interviewing doctors from the ballroom. We PICK UP pieces of their reports as we MOVE PAST them TOWARD the entrance.]
REPORTER: Who killed Kimble's wife?
CHIEF OF POLICE: As far as I know, Kimble did. He was convicted of it.
FEMALE REPORTER: He says it was the one-armed man, now you've got a one-armed man in custody -- is that the guy that killed his wife?
CHIEF: I have no idea, I--
REPORTER: Oh, come on, how many one-armed men are there around here?
CHIEF: At this point? At this point there are a lot of one-armed men.
FEMALE REPORTER: Couldn't you have made a mistake? Did you make a mistake?
[Just away from the reporters Dr. Charles Nichols is led into the back of a police car, looking on ruefully.]
CUT TO:
[Renfro on a stretcher, loaded into an ambulance.]
RENFRO: Tell Samuel Gerard I'm going home now? I'm taking my vacation.
EXT. HOTEL / INT. CAR - NIGHT
[Kimble, in handcuffs, is escorted by Biggs, Newman, Poole and Gerard, out of the hotel into the waiting chaos.]
POOLE: Clear this area! Everybody, clear! Clear...
[Television lights flood the scene. Kimble lowers his head. Reporters crowd forward, yelling questions The marshals and cops clear a line for Kimble to get into 
	a waiting car away from the media. Biggs opens the back door and helps Kimble inside.]''
BIGGS: Watch your head, Dr. Kimble.
[Newman climbs in behind the wheel. Gerard in the back next to Kimble. He leans out the window and motions to Poole.]
GERARD: (to Poole) Poole! Where is that thing? (to Kimble) Let me see those hands, Doctor.
[Kimble pauses, then holds up his wrists and Gerard unlocks Kimble's handcuffs.]
[Poole hands an ice-pack over the seat. Gerard places the pack on Kimble's bruised and battered hands.]
KIMBLE: I thought you didn't care.
GERARD: I don't. Don't tell anybody, okay?
[They share a look of mutual respect as the car pulls away.]
HELICOPTER POV
[The car carrying Kimble pulls onto Michigan Avenue heading back downtown. As we PULL BACK we see Kimble's car - at	first alone on the great avenue - then gradually joined by other cars until finally becoming integrated in the traffic, movement and lights of the city.]
FADE OUT
THE END