FADE IN:
INT. BOEING B-247 : AIRBORN - MORNING
RIFLESHOTS, like brittle twigs snapping,
compete with DRONE of aircraft engines.
We are flying over northern China, 1936.
Two American pilots sit at the controls
of a Boeing 247 light bomber. Their heads
turn in unison to side windows after each
volley of GUNFIRE sourced about 2,000 feet
below.
Plane banks steeply and circles above
a small Chinese city of flat-topped
roofs and narrow, unpaved streets. City
entirely encompassed by a big stone wall.
Surrounding countryside looks like God
drew gigantic brush strokes across snow
and dirt.
Kwanchuen is under seige by Communist
bandits. City populated only by 1500
Nationalist Chinese soldiers - part of
the army of Chang Hsueh-Liang, commonly
known as "the Young Marshall".
RIFLESHOTS are from bandits firing at
the B-247 as they dig furiously into
the frozen earth to escape bombs which
they believe will soon drop on them.
Bombs don't come. B-247 is loaded to
the ceiling with bags of Chinese bread.
Bread is balled and doughy like a fist-
full taken from the middle of an American
loaf. Only food for starving troops of
the Young Marshall:
Co-pilot, ROYAL LEONARD (close resem-
blance to the actor Audy Murphy), and
mechanic, FRANK COLE, are positioned
near plane's cabin door (removed months
ago). They prepare numerous twenty-five
pound burlap bags for drop. Freezing
winds roar through the plane as airmen
struggle to accomplish their task. Once
bags staged, men wait for the order to
kick bags out.
Bomber dives to about 600 feet. We see
soldiers in the city running wildly and
waving arms and weapons. Full throttle,
bomber completes dive and levels to drop
its "ordinance".
Pilot, JULIUS BARR, raises his right arm,
and shouts.
.
.
FRANK and ROYAL kick simultaneously at
bags that slide through doorway and swoop
away to earth. An empty rectangular space
the size of a football field has been
designated the target to which bags fall
haphazardly. Most make direct hits. Once
in contact with the frozen ground, bags
skip like flat stones thrown on a lake.
Many break open; spilling contents.
B-247 climbs back to 2,000 feet, and
resumes circling in preparation for
another run. Same procedure; same re-
sult.
RIFLEFIRE zips and pops near plane's
fusalage but no contact, until...
With only twelve bags remaining BARR
tries an experiment and dives somewhat
lower than usual. Just as the bomber
pulls up, a loud IMPACT resounds in
plane's tail section!
.
.
BARR climbs radically then levels at
2,000 feet. Pilot SHOUTS over shoulder
into cabin.
.
.
Rule-of-thumb during Chinese civil war
(Nationalists v. Communists) concurrent
with Japanese invasion of eastern China:
well paid American mercenaries no leave
job until job finished. Ok, Joe?
B-247 circles doggedly to dive again.
COLE quickly goes aft to inspect the
damage. A single bullet has penetrated
the airframe then struck a cast-iron
tool smashing it to pieces. Fragments
have punctured the rear compartment
with scores of holes. Damage is sub-
stantial but not fatal to mission.
Bomber dives. ROYAL stands, boot on bag,
ready to perform. Suddenly his vision
begins to waver and blur. He attempts
to wipe his eyes clear but to no avail.
He seems to fall into rapidly passing
ocean surface where thousands light
points flash in/out of focus.
Eventually, POV moves from ocean surface
to a fixed position thirty feet above.
LEONARD comes into view leaning over
the deck railing of a luxury cruise ship
steaming westward, mid-pacific.
.
EXT. SHIPBOARD : SOUTH PACIFIC - MORNING
Two-hundred miles west of Oahu, Hawaii
on the S.S. President Lincoln, a Dollar
Line vessel registered in the United
States, LEONARD, a short, handsome,
well built, twenty-six year old, turns
to greet another young man as he ap-
proaches.
New friends marvel at the brilliant, rose
colored sky created by volcanic ash from
an eruption on the Big Island.
.
.
LEONARD starts perfunctory answer but
stops; reflects (aside) then looks
deeply into the eyes of companion.
.
.
SERVICEMAN spins, hand in the air, until
he locates a free steward.
.
.
STEWARD approaches as men take ship's
classic, oak and brass deck-chairs.
Formally dressed steward bows, and
receives drink orders.
.
.
STEWARD walks for booz as LEONARD begins
disclosure of personal facts.
.
.
SERVICEMAN smiles. Initially, he thought
the boyish LEONARD might have been lying
when he said he was an airline pilot.
Now he feels assured that his companion
is telling the truth, and prepares to
receive statements of extraordinary fact
revealed by the young professional seated
before him.
.
.
SERVICEMAN smiles and nods in silence.
You can see the admiration in his eyes.
.
EXT. YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - MORNING
Japan's embarcation offices teem with
people of all descriptions and nation-
alities. ROYAL LEONARD presents his
passport to a customs official who
scrutinizes it carefully. Official
speaks politely but firmly.
.
.
CIVIL is spoken by LEONARD as if it were
not exactly true, but necessary to clear
customs without tedious explanations and
or paperwork. CUSTOMS official hesitates
a few moments, then stamps ROYAL's pass-
port. Pilot spins from cage.
.
CUT TO:
INT. RIVERBOAT - MORNING
ROYAL views green, flat rice paddies
from his stateroom porthole onboard a
"luxury" riverboat navigating Yangtze
River toward Shanghai. Great river is
full of Chinese junks displaying sails
that resemble huge window shutters.
.
EXT. SHANGHAI - AFTERNOON
Riverboat churns into Shanghai harbor.
Disgorges numerous passengers dockside
including ROYAL LEONARD.
Disembarked with four trunks and eleven
suitcases stacked next to him (summation
of single man's entire household) ROYAL
shows some concern as a tall, muscular
Russian sporting a long, black beard
presents himself at close quarters.
.
.
American pilot nods - face set in stone.
.
.
LEONARD receives the letter, and opens
it quickly. Contents are brief. FLEW
TO SIANFU WITH YOUNG MARSHALL. SORRY TO
MISS YOU. WIRE INSTRUCTIONS ASAP. JULIUS
LEONARD and RUSSIAN make their way to
four rickshaws, one for the men and
three for the luggage. They pass through
the crowded streets of Shanghai appear-
ing very much as depicted in countless
motion pictures.
After three uneventful but enjoyable
days at the Hotel Metropole sightseeing
and lounging around waiting for JULIUS
to wire instructions. ROYAL receives a
wire from JULIUS that instructs him to
fly to Hankow and join him there.
ROYAL immediately tries to arrange ship-
ment via riverboat of his luggage. No
available airplane can carry so much
luggage.
.
INT. SHIPPING OFFICE - MORNING
Upon arrival at the Shanghai riverboat
shipping office, ROYAL confronts a row
of seven Chinese clerks, all of them
smoking cigarettes (same brand) like
indolent chorus boys in an oriental
musical comedy. None show the slightest
sign of interest in ROYAL.
Pilot sits in a chair and waits about
ten minutes for a clerk. Eventually,
a clerk gets free and ROYAL walks to
his cage. Pilot cannot speak Chinese
so remains silent. Clerk does not ac-
knowledge pilot's presence as he busily
does paperwork.
American eventually speaks in English.
.
.
Clerk makes no reply. Continues to do
paperwork and does not even look up.
After a silent, awkward minute or so,
LEONARD spots the clerk next cage
getting free, and slides over to him.
.
.
Same response: Just as ROYAL is about to
get upset, a third clerk speaks up in
broken English from next cage.
.
.
Helpful clerk sticks two pieces of paper
out cage (slot) and speaks.
.
.
LEONARD completes paperwork at his seat
he waits for same clerk to get free.
When he does, LEONARD jumps up and nar-
rowly beats another person walking over
to get clerk's help. He presents papers
too quickly and drops one on the floor.
He stoops at the feet of the person just
nosed out; retrieves and presents the
document to clerk. Clerk examines papers
and speaks,
.
.
ROYAL smiles for the first time in an
hour. He's so glad to have completed
step one that he turns and leaves without
finding out where the customs building is.
When he goes back to ask directions, clerk
is busy with the "nosed out" person.
LEONARD leans in, and speaks.
.
.
No reply from clerk. Person being served
at cage turns and ooks at pilot with
annoyance. LEONARD smiles insincerely
and waits for clerk's reply.
.
.
No answer. Person at cage again shows
annoyance. American walks away disgusted.
LEONARD now spends many minutes in the
shipping building and outside in the
street trying to find someone (anyone)
who will direct him to the customs building.
DISSOLVE TO:
.
INT. CUSTOMS OFFICE - MORNING
ROYAL LEONARD enters the customs building
which is a carbon copy of the shipping
office. Again the same wait for one of
seven clerks. Again, no acknowledgment
from clerks. This time, after the second
clerk gives him the cold shoulder, ROYAL
starts shouting.
.
.
No response from any of the clerks. One
or two blank stares: clerks continue
with paperwork. One helps a Chinese
national.
Eventually that clerk finishes, and calls
to ROYAL now making something of an ass
of himself before the phalanx of clerks
and passers-by.
.
.
Clerk examines papers slowly, then speaks.
.
.
LEONARD fishes in his pocket, extracts
and counts out the five Chiao. After he
tenders cash, clerk speaks.
.
.
ROYAL exits customs office, and briskly
walks down the street passing and occa-
sionally bumping into a river of people,
richshaws, vendors, etc. before arriving
at the bank. Usually cool pilot walks
into bank showing a little heat. He goes
immediately to the available teller.
.
.
ROYAL, fully cooked now, slides over to
the teller who speaks English, and, with
strained politeness:
.
.
Teller stares at ROYAL for several
seconds without betraying the slightest
emotion in his face. Then teller speaks
very slowly.
.
.
Teller suddenly breaks out in uniquely
Chinese mocking laughter while selecting
the proper stamp, and exchanging if for
ROYAL's bills.
LEONARD does not react to teller's
laughter. He takes the stamp proffered
without a word, and walks out of the
bank and back to the customs building.
Back at customs LEONARD must wait for
the helpful clerk who, perversely, is
the only clerk busy. After a lengthy
wait, clerk gets free and LEONARD lit-
erally runs to him and presents the "fee"
stamp. Teller receives the stamp;
examines it, and then slowly stamps
LEONARD's papers with an official Chinese
seal.
LEONARD leaves the building clutching the
papers and smiling weakly at pedestrians.
.
INT. HOTEL - AFTERNOON
As would be bomber-pilot walks, head down,
into the busy lobby of the Hotel Metropole
he bumps into the big RUSSIAN porter.
.
.
LEONARD's blank stare writes pages of
nasty comment.
.
EXT. HANKOW AIRPORT - AFTERNOON
Antiquated Chinese airliner on final, gear
down and locked: Lands with a bump and a
bounce before settling on the runway and
rolling out to stop at the passenger ter-
minal. Although Shanghai was springtime
warm, Hankow is cold as a witches tit.
ROYAL deplanes with a host of other
travelers, and proceeds through the snow
shrouded terminal in clothing that is
much too light.
Best American airline pilot west of the
Mississippi shivers like school boy in
new home country. He'll be in China
for the next six continuous years. He
will barely survive many harrowing ex-
periences.
A distinguished looking Chinese gentleman:
black hair, shoe button eyes, long trunk
with relatively short legs: stands at the
baggage claim desk obviously waiting for
someone.
Baggage clerk speaks to ROYAL as he ap-
proaches.
.
.
Baggage clerk nobs to the gentleman who
then addresses ROYAL.
.
.
Without luggage (ROYAL got so flustered
at the shipping
office that he shipped all his
luggage including shaving gear.), ROYAL
and LIU walk immediately and briskly
outside and get into a truck that speeds
away toward the train station.
.
EXT. TRAIN STATION - NIGHT
LEONARD and LIU exit the truck, and walk
into the train station. LIU opens station
door for LEONARD.
.
INT. TRAIN - NIGHT
Inside their pullman-car, LIU opens a
sliding door. Gentlemen view a porter
making up a bed. Sheets are clean and
ironed but the blankets are dirty and
stained. As ROYAL turns to his trans-
portation servant, LIU shrugs his
shoulders. Train lurches forward com-
mencing journey to Sianfu.
ROYAL/LIU enter the dining car as train
rocks and rolls hrough the night enroute
to Sianfu. Dining car's table cloths are
soiled as are the waiters' aprons. As
ROYAL watches fellow travelers eat, he
becomes unable to eat the Chinese food
placed before him.
Sixteen travelers in plain view all eat
in the exact same manner. They lift bowls
to their lips, then deftly shovel rice
into their mouths with chopsticks. They
often take in so much rice that they
cannot contain it all, and spew some back
into the bowls -- somewhat like an
American farmer would pitch hay into a
bailer and miss occasionally.
Religiously, as each traveler finishes
his meal, he belches three times, and
afterwards says "Ah" in a tone that sounds
like steam escaping from a locomotive.
Fellow diners use steaming towels, grey
with dirt, to wipe their hands, faces and
shaved heads. Finally, they blow their
noses and spit into the towel before passing
it on to a neighbor.
Mr. LEONARD sits transfixed trying to
mentally accomodate the spectacle before
him as companion LIU dines politely
without comment.
.
INT. TRAIN - MORNING
We're in train's first class section
watching ROYAL and LIU viewing passing
countryside in silence. Mountains speed
past where every inch of land, steeply
sloped centuries ago, is now entirely
terraced to facilitate rice cultivation.
Terraced plots are like bureau drawers
hundereds of feet long and about fifty
feet wide. They are partitioned by
thick, thirty foot high mud walls.
Numerous caves are dug into these walls
and people can be seen living in some of
the caves. Even chimneys stick up from
some of the caves. Somewhere in China, at
this precise moment, Mao Tse Tung is
living in one of these caves planning
the revolution.
After minutes of silence, LEONARD speaks.
.
.
LIU breaks a smile only because he senses
that it's time to do so not because he has
understood the quip. Two men are unusually
happy together...exciting new life is
opening for both of them.
.
EXT. SIANFU TRAIN STATION - EVENING
ROYAL and LIU exit train. LIU leads outside
the station to a new Ford sedan complete
with Chinese chauffeur waiting curbside.
Pair climb into the Young Marshall's car,
and it pulls away n growing darkness.
Enroute, pedestrians, like ghosts,
jump back and forth in front of the car
barely missing the dangerous fenders.
ROYAL is astounded by the jumping spectres.
LIU unmoved.
.
.
The night air is so full of dust it com-
plements and increases the ghostly illusion
of passing streets and pedestrians.
Suddenly, sedan brakes and skids to a stop
before an opening in what appears to be
an endless, ten foot high mud wall. A
thirty year old caucasian man stands in
the opening. He's broad shouldered, husky,
dressed in traditional Chinese costume
and waves a flashlight at the car.
ROYAL and LIU exit car.
.
.
JULIUS BARR and ROYAL LEONARD slap one
another on the back and rejoice together
as MR. LIU looks on, not expressing the
amusement that he feels. Three men walk
through the entrance and into the darkened,
mysterious interior bon hommes.
DISSOLVE TO:
.
EXT. SIANFU AIRPORT - MORNING
ROYAL and JULIUS arrive in the Ford sedan
at the airport. They climb out of the car
near their Boeing-247 light bomber that has
not just a few bullet holes in its fusalage.
BARR immediately starts directing Chinese
soldiers loading scores of burlap bags
into the Boeing as LEONARD looks on ready
for action but a bit self consciously im-
mobile.
BARR spots a civilian approaching, and
walks from the group of soldiers to LEONARD
waving the civilian over to them.
.
.
FRANK wears a continual, bashful grin.
.
.
EXT. RUNWAY - MORNING
B-247 on takeoff - loud bugger:
.
Grey bomber starts its takeoff. POV
opposite end of runway: telephoto -
rack focus - a la Hoffman's run down
middle of 101 re The Graduate. Plane
approaches headon. Lifts closely
overhead seemingly at the last second.
BARR in pilot's seat flying: ROYAL in co-
pilot's seat at ease: BARR speaks.
.
.
Flyers chuckle. Close up of ROYAL's face
begins to defocus just like opening scene.
.
Wavy view of the passing Pacific ocean
replaces LEONARD's face, then fades as
pilot's vision corrects and focuses inches
from burlap bags on which fainted. With
FRANK COLE kneeling next to him, LEONARD
stirs and starts to rise. A shout is
heard from the cockpit up front.
.
.
Slowly rising, LEONARD returns to consci-
ousness and mumbles with embarrassment.
.
.
FRANK shouts again.
.
.
COLE and BARR smile to themselves. Poor
little bastard could be on the beach
today in California... but for the love
of money and adventure. So could they.
FRANK sticks to his grin while JULIUS
hunkers down at ship's controls. ROYAL
lights a cigarette. He hesitates before
blowing out the match - CU. He's had his
faint... it will not happen again.
DISSOLVE TO:
.
INT. BARRACKS SIANFU - NIGHT
An entire barracks contains forty Chinese
Nationalist soldiers under the command
of the Young Marshall. They are either
at rest in their bunks or doing one or
another household chore. In the distance
B-247 engines become increasingly
audible. Some men look up to the ceiling.
An alarm horn sounds and, almost as one
beast, all forty men rush to dress; grab
grab flashlights and run outside into the
snowy darkness.
Each soldier knows just where to go and
position himself along the runway.
Boeing bomber roars downwind about a
quarter mile east as soldiers settle
into equidistant positions, and raise
flashlights skyward.
IFR conditions tonight, but no control
tower or GCA service available: Pilot
turns short baseleg instinctively, and
rolls out on one mile final approach. Over
runway, plane is a winged phantom show-
cased in perpendicular streams of snow
mediated light. Following SCREECH of
rubber and loud ENGINE REVERSAL, phantom
metamorphs back to aluminum light-
bomber, and taxies to hanger.
Flight crew deplanes amidst flashlight
toting soldiers who sweep past shouting
their heartfelt greetings. Compensation
for real men at war:
As ROYAL, JULIUS and FRANK return soldiers'
greetings, they marvel at new holes in the
airframe. FRANK points to the holes, and
POV goes in closely and seems to enter one
of the holes.
CUT TO:
.
EXT. SIANFU - DAY
Sianfu appears from the air and at ground
level in brilliant cinematography.
Sianfu is one of the oldest cities in the
world, with a continuous history of more
than four thousand years. Its walls are
the largest and thickest of any city in
China -- which means in the world -- going
through the gates is like passing through
a train tunnel. Gates are closed at nine-
thirty each night and a special order is
necessary to get in or out after that
time. The gate key is so large that two
men must handle it.
Sianfu - the "fu" is added to denote its
position as the capital of Shensi province
- is a city of five hundered thousand
people including only forty foreigners,
mostly missionaries and the American
flight crew, two of which have just
awakened; washed; dressed, and are now
putting away breakfast in quarters.
.
.
LEONARD is quite relieved that JULIUS has
apparently over looked his fainting spell,
and speaks gladly to old friend/new boss.
.
.
Both men rise from the table then exit the
FADE IN:
INT. BOEING B-247 : AIRBORN - MORNING
RIFLESHOTS, like brittle twigs snapping,
compete with the DRONE of aircraft
engines. We're flying over northern
China 1935. American pilots sit at the
controls of a Boeing 247 light bomber.
Their heads turn quickly to side windows
after each volley of GUNFIRE sourced
2,000 feet below.
Plane banks steeply and circles above
a small Chinese city of flat-topped
roofs and narrow, unpaved streets. City
entirely encompassed by a big stone wall.
Surrounding countryside looks like God
drew gigantic brush strokes across snow
and dirt.
Kwanchuen is under seige by Communist
bandits. City populated only by 1500
Nationalist Chinese soldiers, part of
the army of Chang Hsueh-Liang, commonly
known as "the Young Marshall".
RIFLESHOTS are from bandits firing at
the B-247 as they dig furiously into
the frozen earth to escape bombs which
they believe will soon drop on them.
Bombs don't come. B-247 loaded to the
ceiling with bags of Chinese bread.
Bread is balled and doughy like a
fistfull taken from the middle of an
American loaf. Only food for starving
troops of the Young Marshall:
Co-pilot, ROYAL LEONARD (close resem-
blance to the actor Audy Murphy), and
mechanic, FRANK COLE, are positioned
near plane's cabin door (removed months
ago). They prepare numerous twenty-five
pound burlap bags for drop. Freezing
winds roar through the plane as airmen
struggle to accomplish their task. Once
bags staged, men wait for the order to
kick bags out.
Bomber dives to about 600 feet. We see
soldiers in the city running wildly and
waving arms and weapons. Under full power,
bomber completes dive and levels to drop
"ordinance". Pilot, JULIUS BARR, raises
an arm, and shouts.
.
.
FRANK and ROYAL kick simultaneously at
bags that slide through doorway and swoop
away to earth. An empty rectangular space
the size of a football field has been
designated the target to which bags fall
haphazardly. Most make direct hits. Once
in contact with the frozen ground, bags
skip like flat stones thrown on a lake.
Many break open; spilling contents.
B-247 climbs back to 2,000 feet, and
resumes circling in preparation for
another run. Same procedure; same result.
RIFLEFIRE zips and pops near plane's
fusalage but no contact, until...
With only twelve bags remaining BARR
tries an experiment and dives somewhat
lower than usual. Just as the bomber
pulls up, a loud IMPACT resounds in
plane's tail section!
.
.
BARR climbs radically then levels at
2,000 feet. Pilot SHOUTS over shoulder
into cabin.
.
.
Rule-of-thumb during civil war (Nation-
alists v. Communists) concurrent with
Japanese invasion of eastern China: well
paid American mercenaries no leave job
until job finished. Ok, Joe?
B-247 circles doggedly to dive again.
COLE quickly goes aft to inspect the
damage. A single bullet has penetrated
the airframe then struck a cast-iron
tool smashing it to pieces. Fragments
have punctured the rear compartment with
scores of holes. Damage substantial but
not fatal to the mission.
Bomber dives. ROYAL stands, boot on bag,
ready to perform. Suddenly his vision
begins to waver and blur. He attempts
to wipe his eyes clear but to no avail.
He seems to fall into rapidly passing
ocean surface where thousands light
points flash in/out of focus.
Eventually, POV moves from ocean surface
to a fixed position thirty feet above.
LEONARD comes into view leaning over
the deck railing of a luxury cruise ship
steaming westward, mid-pacific.
.
EXT. SHIPBOARD : SOUTH PACIFIC - MORNING
Two-hundred miles west of Oahu, Hawaii
on the S.S. President Lincoln, a
Dollar Line vessel registered in the
United States, LEONARD, a short, handsome,
well built, twenty-six year old, turns
to greet another young man as he approaches.
New friends marvel at the brilliant, rose
colored sky created by volcanic ash from
an eruption on the Big Island.
.
.
LEONARD starts perfunctory answer, but
stops; reflects (aside) then looks deeply
into the eyes of companion.
.
.
SERVICEMAN spins, hand in the air, until
he locates a free steward.
.
.
STEWARD approaches as men take to ship's
classic, oak and brass deck-chairs.
Formally dressed steward arrives, and
receives orders.
.
.
STEWARD walks for booz as LEONARD begins
disclosure of personal facts.
.
.
SERVICEMAN smiles. Initially, he thought
the boyish LEONARD might have been lying
when he said he was an airline pilot.
Now he feels assured that his companion
is telling the truth, and prepares to
receive statements of extraordinary fact
revealed by the young professional seated
before him.
.
.
SERVICEMAN smiles and nods in silence.
You can see the admiration in his eyes.
.
EXT. YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - MORNING
Japan's embarcation offices teems with
people of all descriptions and nation-
alities. ROYAL LEONARD presents his
passport to a customs official who
scrutinizes it carefully. Official
speaks politely but firmly.
.
.
CIVIL is spoken by LEONARD as if it were
not exactly true, but necessary to clear
customs without tedious explanations and
or paperwork. CUSTOMS official hesitates
a few moments, then stamps ROYAL's pass-
port. Pilot spins from cage.
.
CUT TO:
INT. RIVERBOAT - MORNING
ROYAL views green, flat rice paddies
from his stateroom porthole onboard a
"luxury" riverboat navigating Yangtze
River toward Shanghai. Great river is
full of Chinese junks displaying sails
that resemble huge window shutters.
.
EXT. SHANGHAI - AFTERNOON
Riverboat churns into Shanghai harbor.
Disgorges numerous passengers dockside
including ROYAL LEONARD.
Disembarked with four trunks and eleven
suitcases stacked next to him (summation
of single man's entire household)
ROYAL shows some concern as a tall,
muscular Russian sporting a long, black
beard presents himself at close quarters.
.
.
American pilot nods with face set in stone.
.
.
LEONARD receives the letter, and opens
it quickly. Contents are brief. FLEW
TO SIANFU WITH YOUNG MARSHALL. SORRY TO
MISS YOU. WIRE INSTRUCTIONS ASAP. JULIUS
LEONARD and RUSSIAN make their way to
four rickshaws, one for the men and three
for the luggage. They pass through
the crowded streets of Shanghai appear-
ing very much as depicted in countless
motion pictures.
After three uneventful but enjoyable
days at the Hotel Metropole sightseeing
and lounging around waiting for JULIUS
to wire instructions. ROYAL receives a
wire from JULIUS that instructs him to
fly to Hankow and join him there.
ROYAL immediately tries to arrange ship-
ment via riverboat of his luggage. No
available airplane can carry so much
luggage.
.
INT. SHIPPING OFFICE - MORNING
Upon arrival at the Shanghai riverboat
shipping office, ROYAL confronts a row
of seven Chinese clerks, all of them
smoking cigarettes (same brand) like
indolent chorus boys in an oriental
musical comedy. None show the slightest
sign of interest in ROYAL.
Pilot sits in a chair and waits about
ten minutes for a clerk. Eventually,
a clerk gets free and ROYAL walks to
his cage. Pilot cannot speak Chinese
so remains silent. Clerk does not ac-
knowledge pilot's presence as he busily
does paperwork.
American eventually speaks in English.
.
.
Clerk makes no reply. Continues to do
paperwork and does not even look up.
After a silent, awkward minute or so,
LEONARD spots the clerk next cage
getting free, and slides over to him.
.
.
Same response: Just as ROYAL is about to
get upset, a third clerk speaks up in
broken English from next cage.
.
.
Helpful clerk sticks two pieces of paper
out cage (slot)and speaks.
.
.
LEONARD completes paperwork at his seat
he waits for same clerk to get free.
When he does, LEONARD jumps up and nar-
rowly beats another person walking over
to get clerk's help. He presents papers
too quickly and drops one on the floor.
He stoops at the feet of the person just
nosed out; retrieves and presents the
document to clerk. Clerk examines papers
and speaks,
.
.
ROYAL smiles for the first time in an
hour. He's so glad to have completed
step one that he turns and leaves without
finding out where the customs building is.
When he goes back to ask directions, clerk
is busy with the "nosed out" person.
LEONARD leans in, and speaks.
.
.
No reply from clerk. Person being served
at cage turns and ooks at pilot with
annoyance. LEONARD smiles insincerely
and waits for clerk's reply.
.
.
No answer. Person at cage again shows
annoyance. American walks away disgusted.
LEONARD now spends many minutes in the
shipping building and outside in the
street trying to find someone (anyone)
who will direct him to the customs building.
DISSOLVE TO:
.
INT. CUSTOMS OFFICE - MORNING
ROYAL LEONARD enters the customs building
which is a carbon copy of the shipping
office. Again the same wait for one
of seven clerks. Again, no acknowledgment
from clerks. This time, after the second
clerk gives him the cold shoulder,
ROYAL starts shouting.
.
.
No response from any of the clerks. One
or two blank stares: clerks continue
with paperwork. One helps a Chinese national.
Eventually that clerk finishes, and calls
to ROYAL now making something of an ass
of himself before the phalanx of clerks
and passers-by.
.
.
Clerk examines papers slowly, then speaks.
.
.
LEONARD fishes in his pocket, extracts
and counts out the five Chiao. After he
tenders cash, clerk speaks.
.
.
ROYAL exits customs office, and briskly
walks down the street passing and occa-
sionally bumping into a river of people,
richshaws, vendors, etc. before arriving
at the bank. Usually cool pilot walks
into bank showing a little heat. He goes
immediately to the available teller.
.
.
ROYAL, fully cooked now, slides over to
the teller who speaks English, and, with
strained politeness:
.
.
Teller stares at ROYAL for several
seconds without betraying the slightest
emotion in his face. Then teller speaks
very slowly.
.
.
Teller suddenly breaks out in uniquely
Chinese mocking laughter while selecting
the proper stamp, and exchanging if for
ROYAL's bills.
LEONARD does not react to teller's
laughter. He takes the stamp proffered
without a word, and walks out of the
bank and back to the customs building.
Back at customs LEONARD must wait for
the helpful clerk who, perversely, is
the only clerk busy. After a lengthy
wait, clerk gets free and LEONARD lit-
erally runs to him and presents the "fee"
stamp. Teller receives the stamp;
examines it, and then slowly stamps
LEONARD's papers with an official Chinese
seal.
LEONARD leaves the building clutching the
papers and smiling weakly at pedestrians.
.
INT. HOTEL - AFTERNOON
As would be bomber-pilot walks, head down,
into the busy lobby of the Hotel Metropole
he bumps into the big RUSSIAN porter.
.
.
LEONARD's blank stare writes pages of
nasty comment.
.
EXT. HANKOW AIRPORT - AFTERNOON
Antiquated Chinese airliner on final, gear
down and locked: Lands with a bump and a
bounce before settling on the runway and
rolling out to stop at the passenger ter-
minal. Although Shanghai was springtime
warm, Hankow is cold as a witches tit.
ROYAL deplanes with a host of other
travelers, and proceeds through the snow
shrouded terminal in clothing that is
much too light.
Best American airline pilot west of the
Mississippi shivers like school boy in
new home country. He'll be in China
for the next six continuous years. He
will barely survive many harrowing ex-
periences.
A distinguished looking Chinese gentleman:
black hair, shoe button eyes, long trunk
with relatively short legs: stands at the
baggage claim desk obviously waiting for
someone.
Baggage clerk speaks to ROYAL as he ap-
proaches.
.
.
Baggage clerk nobs to the gentleman who
then addresses ROYAL.
.
.
Without luggage (ROYAL got so flustered
at the shipping
office that he shipped all his
luggage including shaving gear.), ROYAL
and LIU walk immediately and briskly
outside and get into a truck that speeds
away toward the train station.
.
EXT. TRAIN STATION - NIGHT
LEONARD and LIU exit the truck, and walk
into the train station. LIU opens station
door for LEONARD.
.
INT. TRAIN - NIGHT
Inside their pullman-car, LIU opens a
sliding door. Gentlemen view a porter
making up a bed. Sheets are clean and
ironed but the blankets are dirty and
stained. As ROYAL turns to his trans-
portation servant, LIU shrugs his
shoulders. Train lurches forward com-
mencing journey to Sianfu.
ROYAL/LIU enter the dining car as train
rocks and rolls hrough the night enroute
to Sianfu. Dining car's table cloths are
soiled as are the waiters' aprons. As
ROYAL watches fellow travelers eat, he
becomes unable to eat the Chinese food
placed before him.
Sixteen travelers in plain view all eat
in the exact same manner. They lift bowls
to their lips, then deftly shovel rice
into their mouths with chopsticks. They
often take in so much rice that they
cannot contain it all, and spew some back
into the bowls -- somewhat like an
American farmer would pitch hay into a
bailer and miss occasionally.
Religiously, as each traveler finishes
his meal, he belches three times, and
afterwards says "Ah" in a tone that sounds
like steam escaping from a locomotive.
Fellow diners use steaming towels, grey
with dirt, to wipe their hands, faces and
shaved heads. Finally, they blow their
noses and spit into the towel before passing
it on to a neighbor.
Mr. LEONARD sits transfixed trying to
mentally accomodate the spectacle before
him as companion LIU dines politely
without comment.
.
INT. TRAIN - MORNING
We're in train's first class section
watching ROYAL and LIU viewing passing
countryside in silence. Mountains speed
past where every inch of land, steeply
sloped centuries ago, is now entirely
terraced to facilitate rice cultivation.
Terraced plots are like bureau drawers
hundereds of feet long and about fifty
feet wide. They are partitioned by
thick, thirty foot high mud walls.
Numerous caves are dug into these walls
and people can be seen living in some of
the caves. Even chimneys stick up from
some of the caves. Somewhere in China, at
this precise moment, Mao Tse Tung is
living in one of these caves planning
the revolution.
After minutes of silence, LEONARD speaks.
.
.
LIU breaks a smile only because he senses
that it's time to do so not because he has
understood the quip. Two men are unusually
happy together...exciting new life is
opening for both of them.
.
EXT. SIANFU TRAIN STATION - EVENING
ROYAL and LIU exit train. LIU leads outside
the station to a new Ford sedan complete
with Chinese chauffeur waiting curbside.
Pair climb into the Young Marshall's car,
and it pulls away n growing darkness.
Enroute, pedestrians, like ghosts,
jump back and forth in front of the car
barely missing the dangerous fenders.
ROYAL is astounded by the jumping spectres.
LIU unmoved.
.
.
The night air is so full of dust it com-
plements and increases the ghostly illusion
of passing streets and pedestrians.
Suddenly, sedan brakes and skids to a stop
before an opening in what appears to be
an endless, ten foot high mud wall. A
thirty year old caucasian man stands in
the opening. He's broad shouldered, husky,
dressed in traditional Chinese costume
and waves a flashlight at the car.
ROYAL and LIU exit car.
.
.
JULIUS BARR and ROYAL LEONARD slap one
another on the back and rejoice together
as MR. LIU looks on, not expressing the
amusement that he feels. Three men walk
through the entrance and into the darkened,
mysterious interior bon hommes.
DISSOLVE TO:
.
EXT. SIANFU AIRPORT - MORNING
ROYAL and JULIUS arrive in the Ford sedan
at the airport. They climb out of the car
near their Boeing-247 light bomber that has
not just a few bullet holes in its fusalage.
BARR immediately starts directing Chinese
soldiers loading scores of burlap bags
into the Boeing as LEONARD looks on ready
for action but a bit self consciously im-
mobile.
BARR spots a civilian approaching, and
walks from the group of soldiers to LEONARD
waving the civilian over to them.
.
.
FRANK wears a continual, bashful grin.
.
.
EXT. RUNWAY - MORNING
B-247 on takeoff - loud bugger:
.
Grey bomber starts its takeoff. POV
opposite end of runway: telephoto -
rack focus - a la Hoffman's run down
middle of 101 re The Graduate. Plane
approaches headon. Lifts closely
overhead seemingly at the last second.
BARR in pilot's seat flying: ROYAL in co-
pilot's seat at ease: BARR speaks.
.
.
Flyers chuckle. Close up of ROYAL's face
begins to defocus just like opening scene.
.
Wavy view of the passing Pacific ocean
replaces LEONARD's face, then fades as
pilot's vision corrects and focuses inches
from burlap bags on which fainted. With
FRANK COLE kneeling next to him, LEONARD
stirs and starts to rise. A shout is
heard from the cockpit up front.
.
.
Slowly rising, LEONARD returns to consci-
ousness and mumbles with embarrassment.
.
.
FRANK shouts again.
.
.
COLE and BARR smile to themselves. Poor
little bastard could be on the beach
today in California... but for the love
of money and adventure. So could they.
FRANK sticks to his grin while JULIUS
hunkers down at ship's controls. ROYAL
lights a cigarette. He hesitates before
blowing out the match - CU. He's had his
faint... it will not happen again.
DISSOLVE TO:
.
INT. BARRACKS SIANFU - NIGHT
An entire barracks contains forty Chinese
Nationalist soldiers under the command
of the Young Marshall. They are either
at rest in their bunks or doing one or
another household chore. In the distance
B-247 engines become increasingly
audible. Some men look up to the ceiling.
An alarm horn sounds and, almost as one
beast, all forty men rush to dress; grab
grab flashlights and run outside into the
snowy darkness.
Each soldier knows just where to go and
position himself along the runway.
Boeing bomber roars downwind about a
quarter mile east as soldiers settle
into equidistant positions, and raise
flashlights skyward.
IFR conditions tonight, but no control
tower or GCA service available: Pilot
turns short baseleg instinctively, and
rolls out on one mile final approach. Over
runway, plane is a winged phantom show-
cased in perpendicular streams of snow
mediated light. Following SCREECH of
rubber and loud ENGINE REVERSAL, phantom
metamorphs back to aluminum light-
bomber, and taxies to hanger.
Flight crew deplanes amidst flashlight
toting soldiers who sweep past shouting
their heartfelt greetings. Compensation
for real men at war:
As ROYAL, JULIUS and FRANK return soldiers'
greetings, they marvel at new holes in the
airframe. FRANK points to the holes, and
POV goes in closely and seems to enter one
of the holes.
CUT TO:
.
EXT. SIANFU - DAY
Sianfu appears from the air and at ground
level in brilliant cinematography.
Sianfu is one of the oldest cities in the
world, with a continuous history of more
than four thousand years. Its walls are
the largest and thickest of any city in
China -- which means in the world -- going
through the gates is like passing through
a train tunnel. Gates are closed at nine-
thirty each night and a special order is
necessary to get in or out after that
time. The gate key is so large that two
men must handle it.
Sianfu - the "fu" is added to denote its
position as the capital of Shensi province
- is a city of five hundered thousand
people including only forty foreigners,
mostly missionaries and the American
flight crew, two of which have just
awakened; washed; dressed, and are now
putting away breakfast in quarters.
.
.
LEONARD is quite relieved that JULIUS has
apparently over looked his fainting spell,
and speaks gladly to old friend/new boss.
.
.
Both men rise from the table then exit the
building together. JULIUS, leads the way,
as they pass the two Ford sedans provided
for their transportation by the Young
Marshall. ROYAL speaks.
.
.
BARR stops momentarily then replies with
a smile as he continues walking.
.
.
ROYAL replies with a touch of sarcasm.
.
.
Flyers walk miles.
.
EXT. SIANFU - DAY
Always a source of great curiosity to
the native Chinese, the Americans are ap-
proached and crowded so closely they
can hardly continue their walking tour.
Numerous persons handle their clothes
and try to touch their skin.
Pilots eventually reach an end to their
good-natured tolerance, and duck into a
novelty shop where the shopkeeper is so
appreciative of the opportunity to serve
them he goes outside and beats the crowd
away with a broom.
JULIUS buys a trinket for his Chinese girl-
friend, and pilots eventually venture
outside the shop where the crowd has
regathered in goodly, albeit still a bit
dicey, spirit. After a minute or two,
JULIUS points to the sky as if a big
airplane were up there. He makes an
airplane engine sound, and spreads his
arms out winglike. Delighted and childlike
childlike, everybody looks skyward. JULIUS
grabs ROYAL's arm, and famous celebrities
make unceremonious getaway.
Sianfu has a public library...of sorts.
It's a forest of stone tablets assembled
willy-nilly in several contiguous old
temples. JULIUS points out a certain
large tablet, and speaks.
.
.
Walking on, pals come upon a regular
Buddist temple where a troop of young
monks are undergoing what appears to be
spiritual calisthentics. The master monk,
a snaggled toothed, black-robed gentleman,
holds a long rod over twenty-five shaven-
headed monks as they chant from a memor-
ized text.
Periodically, the master smacks the
pavement with the rod and all monks bow.
When he smacks again all monks kneel. A
third smack and all rise to resume chanting.
JULIUS comments.
.
.
One of the monks has gotten out of sync.
Perhaps in a trance, or maybe half asleep;
monk kneels when the others bow and bows
when the others kneel. As other monks rise
to their feet to resume chanting, the master
wacks the bowing monk on his shaven head.
Monk staggers, momentarily, then aligns
himself with the others as the rod smacks
the pavement again,and all bow deeply
from the waist.
FADE OUT:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Comment:
This film can be thought of as a documentary as well
as a biographical "story". Many scenes shot in big,
marvelous IMAX or similar format, somewhat like the
film Everest.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________