William Goldman - The Ghost and The Darkness

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"THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS"

William Goldman

FADE IN ON

A TINY FIGURE OF A MAN hurrying toward camera. The figure gets larger as

he approaches. But as yet we cannot tell who he is or where we are.

MALE VOICE (over)

This is the most famous true story

of Africa. It happened a hundred

years ago, but even now, when

children ask about it, you do not

tell them at night.

(The FIGURE continues

to grow)

It began with the race to build a

railroad across Africa.

(beat)

But this is not about building a

railroad- it is about Patterson.

And now we can tell that the FIGURE is a YOUNG MAN, A LIEUTENANT

COLONEL. This is PATTERSON. He is gifted and bright and serious, serious

about his life, serious about his career. He has been successful in

everything he's attempted, in part because of his talents, in part

because he is willing to outwork anybody.

AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE: ENGLAND.

More specifically, in a high-ceilinged corridor of an elegant building -

lovely woodwork all around. Everything is neat, everything is clean and

in order.

MALE VOICE (over)

Patterson was thirty. A brilliant

engineer. A fine man, but do not

become attached to him- there are

many fine men in this story but do

not become attached to any of them.

(beat)

So many of them die.

Patterson stops at a large ornate door, knocks. Waits.

MALE VOICE (over)

And remember this: only the

impossible parts of what follows

really happened...

(Now the door opens

and we-)

CUT TO

Just a wonderfully handsome man standing in the doorway. This is ROBERT

BEAUMONT - 40, with an irresistable smile. We're in his office and the

place reflects the man - clean, cold. There are maps and charts on the

walls. He ushers Patterson inside.

BEAUMONT

(The great smile flashes)

John Henry Patterson, come in. I'm

Robert Beaumont.

(They shake hands)

Firm- I like that, tells me a lot

about you-

(beat)

-now why don't you tell me about me?

To get you started, many people find

me handsome, with a wonderful smile.

I'm sure you agree.

(Surprised, uncomfortable,

Patterson nods)

Winning personality, heaps of charm?

PATTERSON

My wife is the game player in the

family, sir.

BEAUMONT

Games?(staring dead at Patterson)

Look at me closely, Patterson: I am

a monster. My only pleasure is

tormenting people who work for me,

such as yourself.

(again the smile - only

now it's chilling)

One mistake and I promise you this:

I'll make you hate me.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, as he realizes Beaumont is serious. Beaumont turns sharply

and moves to a large map.

CUT TO

THE MAP. It covers a great deal of East Africa with a very clear line

that ends at Lake Victoria, a distance of some 600 miles.

BEAUMONT

(pointing along the line)

We are building this railroad

across Africa for the glorious

purpose of saving Africa from the

Africans. And, of course, to end

slavery. The Germans and French

are our competition. We are ahead,

and we will stay ahead providing

you do what I hired you to do-

CUT TO

A MORE DETAILED MAP. This one ends at "Tsavo," 130 miles in.

BEAUMONT

-build the bridge over the Tsavo

river. And be finished in four

months time. Can you do that?

PATTERSON

I'm sure you've examined my record.

So you know I've never yet been

late on a bridge.

BEAUMONT

You've never built in Africa.

PATTERSON

But I have in India- every country

presents problems.

BEAUMONT

You'll need your confidence, I

promise you.

PATTERSON

I've got a reason far beyond

confidence: my wife is having our

firstborn in five months and I

promised I'd be with her when the

baby comes.

BEAUMONT

Very moving, Patterson; I'm touched

you confided in me.

(beat)

But I don't really give a shit about

your upcoming litter. I've made you

with this assignment-

(the smile)

-don't make me break you.

PATTERSON

(smiling right back)

You won't have the chance.

(glancing at his watch)

Any further words of encouragement?

(silence)

Then I've a train to catch.

They look at each other a moment in silence - and it's very clear they

do not like each other. Patterson turns, leaves and we

CUT TO

A RAILWAY STATION, IMMEDIATELY AFTER

A train is loading up. A lot of activity, a lot of noise. Patterson

stands in the midst of it, anxiously looking around.

CUT TO

HELENA PATTERSON, hurrying through the crowd. Early 20s, with the kind

of serene beauty of Jean Simmons. She is still slim, has not begun to

show. She spots him, puts a smile on, goes straight into his arms.

HELENA

I tried to be late, John- it would

have been easier if you'd gone.

PATTERSON

(They are nutty about

each other - he nods)

We're not much good at goodbyes,

Helena.

HELENA

(brightly)

Tell me about Beaumont- does he

understand how brilliant you are,

how lucky he is to have you?

PATTERSON

It was embarrassing- the man showered

me with compliments.

They start to walk hand in hand along the platform toward a quieter

place. Patterson is suddenly very serious-

HELENA

Oh dear-

(beat)

-you're geting that downtrodden look

again-

PATTERSON

-well, it's just...

(beat)

...other men don't abandon their wives

at such a time-

HELENA

(not unkindly)

-oh please- if I'd been against your

taking this, you would have abandoned

me. You've been desperate to see Africa

your whole life.

PATTERSON

What if there are complications?-

HELENA

-not "what if"- there will be, there

always are. Which only means that our

"son" and I- note my confidence- will

have an excuse to come visit.

THE TRAIN WHISTLE sounds.

HELENA

Go, now.

(He kisses her hand)

Such a gentleman.

(Now he holds her)

PATTERSON

I am desperate to see Africa- but I

hate the leaving.

CUT TO

HELENA. She hates it, too.

HELENA

You build bridges, John-

(beat)

-you've got to go where the rivers are.

They hold each other a moment more, then break, then back into each

other's arms a final time, then-

CUT TO

THE TRAIN, and thick clouds of steam-

-Patterson runs into the clouds and disappears.

HOLD FOR A MOMENT.

KEEP HOLDING.

Patterson runs out of the steam and we

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

A DIFFERENT TRAIN, A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, A DIFFERENT WORLD.

This is the train to TSAVO and Patterson is alone on the engine seat- a

wooden bench in front of the engine used by railroad inspectors and

visiting VIPs. Behind it is a white circular piece of wood used to keep

the engine heat from the passengers.

CUT TO

NIGEL STARLING, running as best as he can alongside the train, trying to

pull himself up onto the engine seat.

STARLING is a terribly appealing young man. Clothes do not fit him well,

and he is constantly tugging at this sleeve or that shirttail, trying to

get things right. He wears glasses, tends nonetheless to squint at the

world. He is, above all, a good man, morally impeccable and very much a

product of these Victorian times.

STARLING

(as Patterson helps

him aboard)

Many thanks.

(squints)

You're Patterson, yes?

(Patterson nods)

Nigel Starling- I'll be assisting you

at Tsavo- but surely Beaumont must

have told you that.

PATTERSON

He just gave me his "monster" speech.

STARLING

That. I know Robert seems dreadful,

but when you truly get to know the man,

well, he's much worse.

(beat)

And I'm one of his defenders.

(Patterson smiles)

Forget him for now- it's your first

ride to Tsavo- I think you'll find it

breathtaking.

(And on that word-)

CUT TO

STARLING coughing like crazy, hands over his face which is caked with

dust- he and Patterson stare out at an absolutely dreary desert.

PATTERSON

(shouting toward Starling)

"Breathtaking" doesn't begin to do it

justice.

(As Starling starts to

laugh, his mouth opens

and sand flies in, and

his coughing fit returns

and)

CUT TO

THE DESERT. ENDLESS. LATER IN THE DAY.

CUT TO

THE TWO OF THEM, bent over, arms covering their faces as the dust gets

worse- a wind has kicked up.

CUT TO

THE TRAIN, TRYING TO MAKE IT UP A STEEP GRADE. STILL LATER.

Patterson and Starling are walking beside the train now, helping to push

it, trudging through the dust. All the other passengers spread out

behind them, also pushing- the train obviously needs all the assistance

it can get.

CUT TO

INSIDE A RAILROAD CAR, EARLY EVENING.

Patterson and Starling, filthy, sit together. Starling has nodded off.

Patterson has a book open in his lap-

-we can tell there are drawings of African animals- not all that

accurate.

Now Patterson's eyes close and he sleeps.

CUT TO

THE TRAIN POUNDING THROUGH THE NIGHT.

Stokers shovel coal. They are exhausted but they keep at it.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. WAKING IN THE CAR, RUBBING HIS EYES. IT'S DAWN.

He stares out-

-and from his face it's clear something special has happened. And now,

at last-

CUT TO

SOMETHING SPECIAL- and what it is, of course, is Patterson's first view

of the Africa of his imagination.

Because the desert has ended, and now there are grasses and trees and

one more thing-

-bursts of animals. On both sides of the train.

A flock of birds materializes here, a cluster of gazelles doing there

amazing leap there.

Patterson is like a kid in a candy store.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING, back outside in the engine seat again. Starling

points-

STARLING

Aren't they amazing?

CUT TO

WHAT HE'S POINTING AT: Some giraffes running along, their absurd shape

suddenly graceful as they eat up the ground in incredibly long strides.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING, staring out.

PATTERSON

You know the most amazing thing

about them?- they only sleep five

minutes a day.

(Starling glances at him-

clearly, he didn't know that)

CUT TO

A FAMILY OF HYENAS. Close by, loping in their scary way.

STARLING

Don't much like them.

PATTERSON

(nods)

The females are bigger- only animal

here like that- have to be or they

wouldn't survive because the males

eat the young.

CUT TO

STARLING studying Patterson. Clearly, he didn't know that, either.

CUT TO

SOME HIPPOS moving along. Starling turns to Patterson.

STARLING

Anything special about them?

PATTERSON

Just that they fart through their

mouths.

(beat)

Must make kissing something of a

gamble.

STARLING

(laughs)

I've lived in Africa a year and I

don't know what you know. How long

have you been here?

PATTERSON

(looks at his watch)

Almost three hours.

(beat)

But I've been getting ready all my

life. (Now, from them-)

CUT TO

A BUNCH OF IMPOVERISHED-LOOKING NATIVE WOMEN. They hold children who

wave at the passing train. The children are more impoverished looking

than their mothers.

STARLING

(suddenly touched)

Every time I see something like that,

I know we're right to be here- to

bring Christianity into their lives,

enrich their souls.

PATTERSON

Beaumont says it's to end slavery.

STARLING

(shrugs)

We all have our reasons. Mine is

simply to make them understand

happiness, accept salvation, know the

serenity that comes-

(interrupts himself)

-best I stop. One of the by-products

of my belief is that I can become

amazingly boring. But I know God smiles

on me.

PATTERSON

(They really like each other)

Have you got that in writing?

(Starling, amazingly good

natured, laughs. And now-)

CUT TO

A WHITE CLAW.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

Hundreds of white claws.

KEEP PULLING BACK TO REVEAL

They aren't claws at all, they're thorns as sharp as claws and they're

on a twenty-foot high thorn tree.

And there are dozens of those trees, packed together. All mixed in with

other trees, low and stunted, and thick underbrush and baked red rocks-

-now the train begins to slow.

Smoke drifts across.

A bunch of wildebeest scatter off the tracks.

STARLING (over)

Welcome to Tsavo.

(on the word)

CUT TO

TSAVO.

We have arrived at the train station area and what we see is a place

that is still being built. There are tin shacks; a water tower is under

construction-

-men are working everywhere, for that's what Tsavo is: a place for work.

THE TRAIN goes slower still.

No one stands idly around here.

But no one looks happy either.

ONE MAN is apart from the rest: this is SAMUEL.

An ageless Masai, tall and slender, he has a smile that can light the

world.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING as they step off the train.

STARLING

(indicating Samuel,

who is approaching)

Samuel is camp liaison- absolutely

indispensable- the only man here

everyone trusts.

PATTERSON

(softly)

Does he speak English?

SAMUEL

(not softly enough)

And very poor French.

STARLING

(introducing)

Samuel- John Patterson.

SAMUEL

(as they shake)

The bridgebuilder-

(gesturing to the

working men)

-we have been getting ready for

you.

PATTERSON

Excellent. Could I see the bridge

site? (Samuel nods)

STARLING

I've got medical supplies to

deliver. Come along to the hospital

when you're done.

(starting off)

SAMUEL

I will bring him, Nigel.

We should realize by now that Samuel's was the voice we heard at the

very beginning of the picture.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL, starting to walk. They pass the water tower.

Standing on top of it in a precarious position is an extremely powerful

INDIAN. He waves to Samuel who waves back. This is SINGH.

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"THEGHOSTANDTHEDARKNESS"byWilliamGoldmanFADEINONATINYFIGUREOFAMANhurryingtowardcamera.Thefiguregetslargerasheapproaches.Butasyetwecannottellwhoheisorwhereweare.MALEVOICE(over)ThisisthemostfamoustruestoryofAfrica.Ithappenedahundredyearsago,butevennow,whenchildrenaskaboutit,youdonottellthematnight.(Th...

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William Goldman - The Ghost and The Darkness

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