I FLEW CHINA
(Part II: thirty minutes on film)
.
FADE IN:
EXT. SIANFU (AIRPORT) - DAY
Close shot: Boeing 247 wheels and under-
carriage rake tarmac on landing. Plane
rolls into offload area. ROYAL exits
alone carrying a long, narrow box.
FRANK approaches and greets. Friends
walk together to the debriefing room.
.

FRANK Welcome back. How
was Hankow?

LEONARD OK. Got the repairs
done. Got laid, too.
.
FRANK spins around to focus on
B-247's new tires.
.

FRANK Good. Nice tires.
Goodyears?

LEONARD Michelins.

FRANK Look like Goodyears.
What's in the box...
golf clubs?

LEONARD Rifle.

FRANK Oh yeah, the .22 you
wanted. You're gonna
shoot crows. Last few
days been crow conven-
vention around here.
Missionaries complain
devil's persecute'n em.
Still peck'n the roof
lookin' for seeds or
...bugs? When do you
start thinning out
the population?

LEONARD Tomorrow.

FRANK Hey! You really mean
it, don't you?

LEONARD Never more serious,
Frank.
.
EXT. SIANFU - MORNING
Townspeople gather to watch ROYAL
LEONARD shooting crows off tree
limbs and roofs as he walks down
Sian's streets. Credulous at first,
people now gleefully kabitz and
carouse until ROYAL stops, and
picks a target. Quiet as death.
Shootist FIRES. As each bird
drops, crowd dances up and
down SHRIEKING approval.
.

PEOPLE Dinghow! Dinghow!
.
After each rare miss, a MURMMER
runs through the crowd. People
always blame misses on crow's
sudden movement, never pilot's
marksmanship.
As ROYAL is about to dispatch
another pesky critter he hears
a false CAUGH. Without moving
cheek from stock or eye from
sight, he speaks to a young
Nationalist officer standing
close by at attention.
.

LEONARD What is it...

OFFICER Orders from the Young
Marshal, sir. You are
to fly to Shanghai to-
morrow morning. There
you will pickup food
for delivery to Gener-
alissimo Chiang Kai-
shek at Loyang head-
quarters. Do you have
any questions?
.
ROYAL does not immediately answer the
officer. He keeps his head on the stock,
and continues to take aim on a particu-
larily plump speciman from the corvus
brachyrhynchos family perched on a
nearby rooftop. Rifle FIRES. Crow slides
bleeding to the edge of the roof before
slowly dropping to earth for the last
time.
People SQUEEL with happiness. ROYAL
swings rifle about thirty degrees left,
and takes aim at another crow. Without
moving his head from the aiming position,
pilot speaks.
.

LEONARD No questions,
lieutenant.
.
Officer moves smartly about face,
and as we spy his shapely backside
walking away, rifle SPEAKS again.
Crowd dances and SQUEELS again.
.
EXT. SHANGHAI - DAY
B-247 with ROYAL LEONARD at the con-
trols, flys over the city of Shanghai.
Plane eventually lands, and taxis to
loading area where two trucks wait.
Pilot waves soldiers in trucks over
to plane. Soldiers begin loading
boxes containing fresh meat and vege-
tables into plane. A genial, bald,
middle-aged Englishman appears. He
asks pilot's permission to board.
.

ELDER Good day, sir. I'm
Jimmy Elder, the
Young Marshal's new
financial advisor.
I have a letter of
introduction here
from the general and
I'll be flying to
Sian with you. Ok?

LEONARD Hop in, Mr. Elder.
.
JIMMY ELDER steps up into the airplane,
and settles in cabin amidst fifteen hun-
dered pounds of food as the soldiers
complete loading. ROYAL starts engines
and rolls. Suddenly, a Nationalist of-
ficer appears running alongside the
airplane. He's shouting and motioning
for< pilot to open cockpit window.
Window slides open.
.

OFFICER Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-shek has within
the last hour flown
to Sian on emergency
mission. You not go
to Loyang. Fly to Sian!

LEONARD Ok! Sianfu it is.
.
Officer stops jogging, and salutes.
B-247 proceeds.
.
INT. B247 - DAY
Just before takeoff, JIMMY ELDER
appears in the cockpit doorway.
.

ELDER Mind if I sit up
here with you?

LEONARD Suit yourself, Mr. Elder.
.
Twin-engine bomber takes off,
and climbs into the air with
grace and style.
.
INT. B247 - DAY
Enroute Sianfu, ROYAL asks JIMMY
a question.
.

LEONARD Your father was an
advisor to the Old
Marshal, Chang Tso-
Lin, wasn't he?

ELDER Yes. He died of a heart
attack soon after the
Old Marshal was killed
by the Japanese. The
Young Marshal and I
were boyhood friends.

LEONARD Do you understand the
situation at Sianfu?

ELDER Perhaps. I'll tell you
what I know. The Young
Marshal and Chiang
Kai-shek are in ser-
ious disagreement over
military priorities.
Chiang Kai-shek wields
the greatest power in
China because he has
the strongest face. His
face is strong because
he's phenomenally strong
willed. The Generalis-
simo's penchant for
sticking to what he
believes to be right
amounts almost to a
mania, but it has
been his salvation
and that of China.
Recently, the Gener-
alissimo was quoted
in a newspaper as saying,
"I will not rest until
every Red in China is
wiped out". One of his
chief instruments for
the removal of the Com-
munists is the well
financed army of the
Young Marshal. Last
month, while in the
northwest with the
Tungei army, the Young
Marshal experienced what
he has described as a
change of heart. His old
grudge against the Japan-
ese for the murder of
his father was apparantly
revived when Japanese
soldiers killed some of
his student proteges. I
attended a meeting last
week in Loyang where the
Young Marshal told the
Generalissimo that his
soldiers kill more inno-
cent peasants than Red
bandits, and that his
most recent battle dem-
onstrates how difficult
it is to rid China of
Communism under present
circumstances. He des-
cribed how the bandits,
once overpowered, merely
vanish into hills to re-
appear for battle at a
more propitious time.
Further more, said our
boss, he has recently
talked with some of the
captured Communist leaders
and they did not seem a
bad sort to him. And
finally, Chang argued
that his troops were so
enraged against the Jap-
anese that they were
seriously considering
going over to the Commun-
ists in order to fight
the Japanese.

LEONARD Interesting. Is it
true the Generalissimo
informally relieved the
Young Marshal of his
command when he refused
to attack Communists
last week?

ELDER The Generalissimo demanded
assurances from the
Young Marshal that he
would obey orders in
the future. When Chang
answered that obedience
was not possible without
troops willing to attack
Communists, the General-
issimo became furious and
ordered Chang Hsueh-Liang
to resign his command or
have it forceably taken
from him. The Young
Marshal stated that he
would not give up his
army as long as his
father lay under the
feet of the Japanese
occupying Manchuria.

LEONARD
The Young Marshal spoke only
praise for Chiang Kai-shek at
at our meeting on the fifth.
No hint of disagreement...but
many of us realize that real
disagreement exists.

ELDER
Where will they be when we land
in Sianfu?

LEONARD If I know the Young Marshal,
he'll suggest they go to Lintung
and steam themselves in the hot
springs there. They'll sweat and
eventually open up to eachother.
Maybe reach some kind of agree-
ment in a few days.

ELDER Fat chance. I'm going back with
the meat and potatoes to take a
ciesta, Ok?

LEONARD Be my guest.
.
JIMMY ELDER rises and walks through
the cockpit doorway.
.
INT. SIANFU (ROYAL'S HOUSE) - EARLY
MORNING
Loud, sporadic GUNFIRE heard - not seen.
JIMMY ELDER steps into ROYAL LEONARD'S
bedroom not without considerable noise.
ROYAL awakens, and jerks up into a
sitting position in bed.
.

ELDER Royal, have you heard the
shooting?

LEONARD Uh-huh.

ELDER What do you make of it?

LEONARD Sham battle.

ELDER Is it customary to have a sham
battle this early?

LEONARD Sure. Go back to bed.
.
JIMMY reluctantly retreats, but in a few
minutes he popped back into ROYAL'S room
causing same lurch into a sitting position,
eyes closed.
.

ELDER Say, are you sure it's a sham
battle?

LEONARD Yes.

ELDER Well, I don't know. Bullets are
whizzing over the house.

LEONARD Doesn't mean anything. They
often use real bullets. Shoot
them into the air.
.
ROYAL slowly decends into a prone
position drawing a sheet over
himself. ELDER returns to his
room.
In a minute or so, sustained rifle and
pistol FIRE shatters the peace. Bullets
strike the roof with solid impact!
LEONARD springs out of bed to confront
ELDER rushing back into the room. Men
stare at eachother wide-eyed.
CUT TO:
.
EXT. KANSU, CHINA - AFTERNOON
For the past six weeks the Nationalist
First Army under the command of General
Hu Tsung-Nan, perhaps the ablest tactician
under the command of Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-Shek, has for six weeks been moving
almost unimpeded into northern KAUSU. Na-
tionalists drive four regiments of the
Communist "Red" Army constantly before it.
Mysteriously, Reds put up only nominal
resistance and almost willingly retreat
toward the Nationalist stronghold of Kansu.
Today is no different. An English newspaper
reporter has managed to reach the side of
GENERAL HU overseeing troop movement.
.

NEWSMAN General, why has the Red Army
retreated before you without
as much as a fire fight?

GENERAL HU They're trying to get us to
join forces with them against
the Japanese. They have dis-
tributed propaganda about a
"united front" and called for
us to halt our offensive. They
say the Red Army will attack
no anti-Japanese troops. They
say "Chinese must not fight
Chinese."

NEWSMAN Do you believe they are sincere?

GENERAL HU They are sincere enough, but
misguided. We need a united
front against the Japanese
but it can come only from
absolute defeat of the rebels.
I have a job to do; to retake
lands taken by the bandits. We
do not waste time wondering why.
Ours is but to do...or die.
.
EXT. NEAR HOLIENWAN - AFTERNOON
Reds continue their retreat until both
armies have almost reached Holienwan.
Reds decide to retreat no farther. It
is time to show GENERAL HU and GENER-
ALISSIMO CHIANG KAI-SHEK, back in NANKING,
that the "united front" has sharp teeth
as well as patience.
Turning suddenly and swiftly, the Commun-
ists maneuver GENERAL HU'S troops into
a valley. Following a brief Nationalist
air bombardment, Reds surround the con-
fused Nationalists at dusk. In the middle
of the night the Red army stages a
surprise frontal attack supported by
bayonet charges from both flanks.
It is zero-degree weather and the Com-
munists' bare hands are so cold they
cannot pull the pins from their hand
grenades. Hundereds of them charge,
nevertheless, into the enemy lines using
their "potato-masher" grenades as clubs.
Fierce combat results in the complete de-
struction of two infantry brigades and a
regiment of calvary. Thousands of
of rifles and machine-guns are captured,
and one entire regiment is turned over
intact to become part of the Red Army.
As the sun rises, a Fokker C2 tri-engine
swoops low over Communist and Nationalist
troops assembled in close juxtaposition.
Most duck down instinctively, then point
and laugh at eachother for the first time
in years.

CUT TO:
.
EXT. SIAN, CHINA (AIRFIELD) - MORNING
A Fokker C2 lands on a dirt runway.
GENERALISSIMO CHIANG KAI-SHEK steps down
from his airplane onto the flying field
of SIAN. It's the morning of December
7, 1936.
China's head of state is respectfully
greeted by GENERAL CHANG HSUEH-LIANG
and GENERAL YANG HU-CHENG.
.

YOUNG MARSHAL If you prefer, Generalissimo,
we can go to Lintung for our
conference. The hot-springs
there will put more warmth
into our discussions.
.
The Generalissimo's eyes penetrate
into CHANG'S for several seconds.
.

CHIANG Lintung it is.
.
Generals enter black official cars
that streak away to the mountain
resort of LINTUNG, about twelve
miles from SIAN.
DISSOLVE TO:
.
EXT. LINTUNG (HOT SPRINGS) - AFTERNOON
Nude male figures are barely discerned
amidst clouds of steam rising from a
grotto in which they sit. Eventually
someone speaks.
.

CHIANG Did you meet with that bandit
Chou En-lai last week?

YOUNG MARSHAL We did.

CHIANG And did he assure you both that the
Communists were loyal patriots with
no ambition to take over our country
but only interested in helping us
save it from the Japanese?

YOUNG MARSHAL He did.
.
Silence: then GENERAL YANG speaks.
.

YANG My subordinate commanders took a
vote three days ago and informed
me they were no longer willing
to fight the Communists.

YOUNG MARSHAL Generalissimo, we both are com-
pletely loyal to you and willing
to obey any order you may give
us. However, our commanders and
troops absolutely refuse to fight
anyone but the Japanese.

YANG Negociations with us or our sub-
ordinates will not accomplish what
you want at this time. You must
accept the situation as it is. We
can no longer force our troops to
fight the bandits.
.
Silence: then the Generalissimo speaks.
.

CHIANG You will force your men to fight
the bandits. Period.
.
Immediately after the Generalissimo
has spoken a disturbance is heard in
the streets below them.
.

YANG Sounds like a damn student
protest march.

CHIANG Then call the damn police,
Yang.
.
Warlords leap from their grotto like
large, pink frogs suddenly attacked
by a natural preditor.
.
EXT. LINTUNG (HOTEL) - AFTERNOON
For several days conferences are held
at CHIANG'S hotel. In the midst of
them a student demonstration begins
in SIAN and spills over into a protest
march in LINTUNG.
A throng of chanting students marches
to the Generalissimo's villa to
present him with an anti-Japanese
petition.
A platoon of nervous soldiers block
the students at villa's outer gate.
.

LEAD SOLDIER No admittance! You cannot
pass through here!

LEAD STUDENT We come in loyalty and peace
to see the Generalissimo
and present our petition.
(waving to comrads) Come on!
.
Students begin to surge forward as
if to pass the troops. Troops open
FIRE. More than a dozen students fall
wounded to the ground. None are
killed; all shot in legs.
A match has been struck over a
powder keg.
The YOUNG MARSHAL, dressed only in a
white bathrobe, rushes to the scene.
In a few seconds he evaluates the
situation, and moves to pick up the
petition still clutched in the hand
of a fallen student. He then marches
alone into the compound and through
the door to CHIANG'S villa.
Inside, the Generalissimo,
also dressed only in a bathrobe,
confronts his general who
silently presents the
petition with a deep bow.
.

CHIANG You cannot represent students
to me. You are already pledged
as my representative.
DISSOLVE TO:
.
EXT. VILLA (GROUNDS) - PREDAWN
At 5:30 am, well before sunrise, we
crane over twenty soldiers appearing
like uniformed ghosts on guard around
CHIANG KAI-SHEK'S villa. Generalissimo
and virtual king of all China is
dressed in sweat clothes and exercises
outside (very cold) in the compound.
He performs classic Tai Chi. It's
December 12, 1936.
From serenity there transitions
certain ominous overtones. CHIANG
has noticed two unfamiliar figures
(silhouettes) atop nearby hill
watching him intently.
As CHIANG completes routine, loud
passing vehicle NOISES are heard.
The Generalissimo stands up on
villa's doorway steps to view a
convoy of military trucks proce-
eding rapidly eastward on the
Sian-Lintung highway.
.
INT. VILLA (INTERIOR) - DAWN
CHIANG, stripped to the waist, is
seen in washbasin mirror splashing
water on face, and toweling to
complete shave. He enters his
bedroom, and begins dressing in
civilian attire. Suddenly, GUNFIRE,
sourced nearby, destroys the tran-
quility.
CHIANG calls out for his personal
bodyguard.
.

CHIANG Lieutenant Mao!
.
Bodyguard enters bedroom, and displays
some distress as he salutes at atten-
tion.
.

CHIANG Go and determine the cause of the
gunfire. Then report back here at
once.

MAO Yes, sir!
.
Bodyguard departs. CHIANG rapidly
resumes dressing. As seconds pass,
GUNFIRE grows louder and louder. The
Generalissimo summons more help.
.

CHIANG Guards! Come here!
.
Two lieutenants enter the bedroom
almost immediately.
GUNFIRE and impact of bullets are heard
continuously. Sounds like war.
.

CHIANG Find out what's causing the dis-
trubance. Report back, immediately.
.
Guards salute and bug. CHIANG
completes dressing. Soon a body-
guard bursts into the room and
reports, almost hysterically.
.

GUARD Mutiny, sir! They're at the second
gate. Lieutenant Mao's in command
of guards near the bridge. He
begs the Generalissimo escape
to the hill behind this villa.

CHIANG What do the mutineers look like?

GUARD Northeastern troops - they wear
the fur caps.

CHIANG Tell Tso Pei-Chi and Chiang Hsiao-
Chung to assemble at the back of
this villa. I shall join them in
less than one minute. Go!
.
As GUNFIRE continues, sporadically.
CHIANG hastily grabs a bag and stuffs
it with essential items. Then, he
departs the bedroom for the back of
the villa. With his two trusted
lieutenants, the Generalissimo starts
the villa. With his two trusted
toward the hill in haste.
.
EXT. VILLA (GROUNDS) - MORNING
After crossing the Fei Hung Bridge
the party finds outer wall's eastern
door securely locked and the key no-
the villa. With his two trusted
where to be found. They decide to
scale the nine foot, terra cotta
and tile wall.
Just outside the wall there's a
moat (no crocs) with only about
about a foot of water in it. Moat
makes the drop from the wall's top
about fifteen feet. Because it's
still dark, especially in shadow
of the wall, CHIANG badly under-
estimates the drop distance, and
falls awkwardly and almost disaster
ously into the moat and one foot of
water.
Back is severely injured, he groans
in pain as he struggles to rise.
CHIANG'S companions realize that
the drop is dangerous, and go down
wall to a place where the drop is
safer. They drop down safely, and
hasten to their commander. With
their help CHIANG manages to rise
to his feet, and walk slowly as
GUNFIRE and bullet IMPACTS get louder.
After about fifty yards they reach
a small temple where other bodyguards
are on duty. About ten guards leave
with CHIANG and help him to climb the
steep hill limping severely and in
constant pain.
When the Generalissimo and guards
reach the top of the hill they sit
down on a level spot to rest. It
is still quite dark. CHIANG talks
to whoever is listening.
.

CHIANG I believe the attack is local...
possibly only Communist bandits.
If the whole Northeastern army
were in revolt my villa would
have been completely surrounded.
If we hang on until mid-morning
the trouble should be over.
.
GUNFIRE now breaks out on all sides
of the little mountain. Bullets WHIZ
and POP close to CHIANG'S body. Several
bodyguards are hit and drop to the
ground bleeding, either dead or dying.
.

CHIANG I was wrong. We are surrounded.
The mutiny is not just local.
It's the entire Northeastern
army under Chang Hsueh-Liang
and Yang Hu Chi'eng.
.
Instead of taking cover like the
guards, CHIANG unexpectedly stands
up, and breaks away groaning with
each painful step. He runs and
stumbles down the mountain in the
direction of his villa.
Halfway down he stumbles and falls
into a cave overgrown with thorny
shrubs and in which there is barely
enough space to admit man's anguished
body. He lays face down and motionless.
GUNFIRE stops.
CUT TO:
.
INT. SHANGHAI (CHIANG KAI-SHEK'S PALACE)
- MORNING
MADAMNE CHIANG KAI-SHEK is holding
a conference for the Commission of
Aeronautical Affairs in the Shanghai
palace China's first couple calls
home. Dr. H.H. KUNG, minister of
finance, appears from the main door-
way full of anxiety. Eventually,
he gains the great lady's ear.
.

KUNG There has been a mutiny, and there
is no news of the Generalissimo.
.
MADAMNE'S high spirited mood is
visibly dampened by the ominous
tone of KUNG'S words. She has been
long accustomed to peril and danger-
ous situations but this is different.
Assembly of animated, conversant
aeronautical officials gradually
falls silent...staring at their
leader.
CUT TO:
.
EXT. B-247 AIRBORN TO SIAN - AFTERNOON
Sun shines bright on our old Seattle
bomber. B-247 flown by ROYAL LEONARD
and carrying MADAMNE CHIANG KAI-SHEK
and her chief advisor, MR. WILLIAM
DONALD, speeds at 2,500 feet toward
danger and history at SIAN.
POV (downward from aircraft window)
MADAMNE CHIANG views shadow of B-247
speeding along a railway line (famous
chinese navigation aid); along and
just over snow covered mountains
including the peak of the sacred
mountain of HWASHAN that looks like
a huge, sparkling ice sculpture.
Distorted plane shadow moves over
the valley that opens to SIAN.
.

DONALD (pointing) There's Lintung, where
the Generalissimo was captured.
.
A walled town framed by white hills
passes below like a tank invented by
Leonardo Da Vinci.
Realizing they are about to land
with a million things on her mind,
MADAMNE gets an odd look on her
face and reaches for her purse,
extracting a .44 caliber revolver.
She addresses DONALD who turns
from his window and is taken
aback by the presentation of
weapon. She rotates the gun
expertly in one hand, then ex-
tends the gun-but to her confidant.
.

MADAMNE Promise me that if troops get
out of control and seize me
you will not hesitate to shoot
me.
.
DONALD stares at her without expres-
sion or comment.
CUT TO:
Plane decends downwind, baseleg,
final...lands without incident.
B-247 taxis to a stop near three
black, chauffeur driven cars. No
troops or civilians in sight.
Before engines completely stop, the
YOUNG MARSHAL exits one of the cars,
and climbs awkwardly, into the Boeing.
As he confronts those enplane he
appears tired, even haggard, and
is quite embarrassed, even ashamed.
.

MADAMNE Greetings my old friend, Chang-
Hsueh Liang. You look tired.
I hope you are feeling well.
Please take us to the General-
issimo at once.
.
CHANG can only bow as MADAMNE CHIANG
and DONALD exit the aircraft. On the
ground MADAMNE CHIANG speaks to CHANG
before they reach cars.
.

MADAMNE Do not let any of your men search
my baggage. I dislike having my
things messed up.

YOUNG MARSHAL Oh, Madamne, I would never dare do
a thing like that.
.
A short, stocky general comes into
view from behind the cars about thirty
yards away.
.

YOUNG MARSHAL General Yang Hu-Chen. Today his
army controls most of Sian. Be
careful.
.
YANG is obviously nervous as he arrives,
and extends his hand to MADAMNE CHIANG.
When she shakes his hand calmly and
cordially he is obviously relieved.
.

YANG You are most welcome, Madamne. I
am humbly at your service.
.
MADAMNE does not reply but rather moves
to enter the car vacated by CHANG. Its
rear door is held open by a caucasian
chauffeur at attention. Once all pas-
sengers onboard, cars speed away.
ROYAL LEONARD remains, impassively,
at the Boeing's controls.
.
EXT. SIAN - AFTERNOON
Three black cars snake through the
streets of SIAN and arrive at a strongly
guarded compound where CHIANG KAI-SHEK
is held captive. Machine-gun placements
are noticed as MADAMNE CHIANG aggres-
sively exits her car, and strides
through the compound into a villa.
.
INT. SIAN (CHIANG'S VILLA) - AFTERNOON
As MADAMNE CHIANG KAI-SHEK walks into
her husband's chambers she sees him in
bed looking very tired. He is surprised
and tries painfully to sit up, but cannot.
.

CHIANG Why have you come? You have walked
into a tiger's lair.
.
CHIANG shakes his head sadly as tears
begin to stream from his eyes.
.

MADAMNE I have come to see you...

CHIANG Although I urged you not to come
in any circumstances to Sian, I
knew that I could not prevent it.
I opened the Bible this morning,
and my eyes lit on the words:
"Jehovah will now do a new thing,
He will make a woman protect
a man."
As you know on December 12th there
was an attempt to asassignate me.
I escaped on foot through the snow
and was injured when I fell into the
moat behind this villa.

I believe Chang Hsueh-Liang is
responsible for my injury and
detention. He has demanded that
I sign a strange document as a
condition for release. I have
refused.
Please do not ask me to sign any-
thing while detained here in Sian.

MADAMNE Of course, my dear, I consider the
welfare of China even above the
personal welfare of my own husband.
Have no fear that I will try to in-
fluence you to sign anything.

CHIANG I am ready to die for the good
of my country.

MADAMNE All of China, even those who
criticized your policies, have
been profoundly affected by
news of your detention. People
throughout the entire world are
praying for your release.

Even the smallest school children
were crying as though they had
lost their father. When it was
reported that you had been asas-
sinated, many soldiers committed
suicide.

CHIANG Your words are most comforting,
my dear, but I am, nevertheless,
prepared for the worse. I will not
hesitate to sacrifice my life for
the well being of my nation.

MADAMNE Please do not speak of sacrificing
your life. To save China there is
more reason than ever for you to
live. Be encouraged, for God is
with us.
.
MADAMNE CHIANG picks up and examines
the Bible on table beside Generalissimo's
bed. She turns to the twenty-third Psalm;
then sits down in a chair to read.
.

MADAMNE "Yea though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death I
will fear no evil for thou art
with me: Thy rod and staff they
comfort me. Thou preparest a
table before me in the presence
of mine enemies. Thou annointest
my head with oil; my cup runneth
over. Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of
my life. And I shall dwell in
the house of the Lord forever."
.
The Generalissimo's eyes slowly close
as the Word is read to him in peace.
CUT TO:
INT. SIAN (YOUNG MARSHAL'S VILLA) - AFTERNOON
MADAMNE CHIANG is calmly but affirma-
tively addressing GENERAL CHANG HSEUH-
LIANG in his villa, a mere stone's throw
from where CHIANG KAI-SHEK is being detained.
.

MADAMNE If you had asked me, I would have
told you that you cannot get the
Generalissimo to do anything by
using force against him.
You and your associates are laboring
under a delusion if you think the
people of our nation are with you.
You have made a real mess of
things. And now the only question
is how are you going to get out
of it.

YOUNG MARSHAL This..."mess" as you call it
would not have happened at all
had you been here, Madamne.
We did wrong to seize the General-
issimo, but we tried to do some-
thing we thought was for the good
of the country.
The Generalissimo would not even
discuss matters of grave concern
to us! He became so angry after
we detained him, he would not talk
at all.
Please try to make Generalissimo
less angry and tell him we really
do not want anything, not even for
him to sign anything.

MADAMNE I believe you. However, you must
now prove your sincerety to the
rest of the world by immediately
releasing the Generalissimo without
obliging him to make unwilling com-
mittments.

YOUNG MARSHAL Madamne, I know I have done wrong
and I am not trying to justify
myself for this action. The
motive was good, and it would
never have happened if you had
been here with the Generalissimo
as you usually are. I tried
again and again to speak to the
Generalissimo, but each time he
would shut me up and scold me
violently.

MADAMNE The Generalissimo only scolds
people for whom he has hope. If
he thinks people are useless he
just dismisses them - he won't
take the trouble to scold them.
You always told the Generalissimo
that you looked upon him as a
father, and he took you at your
word.

YOUNG MARSHAL If he will only let us explain
our ideas everything will be
satisfactory. You can get him
to do that.

MADAMNE Although we could rehash many
issues and policy debates pre-
ceeding this mess, the real
problem for us now is how to
bring this incident to a rapid
conclusion. For every hour the
Generalissimo is detained, the
harder it will be for us to re-
store normal conditions. Tell
me, how shall we go about
solving this problem?

YOUNG MARSHAL As far as I am concerned we can
release the Generalissimo immed-
iately. However, there are others
implicated in this affair and I
cannot make a decision without
their consent.

MADAMNE Well then General, you had better
go and talk to them and tell
them what I have said.

If any of your associates want to
communicate with the Generalissimo
I will speak to him for them. If
they want to see me, or if you
think I can influence any of them
positively, send them here and
I'll see them. I shall wait up
for your reply.
.
The YOUNG MARSHAL stares inscrutably
at MADAMNE CHIANG KAI-SHEK for several
seconds before bowing silently and taking
his leave.
DISSOLVE TO:
MADAMNE CHIANG waits until eleven pm.
The YOUNG MARSHAL has not returned.
She telephones his office and asks
his wereabouts. She is told he's in
meeting.
.

MADAMNE When the meeting is over please
remind him to come and see me.
.
At two am the YOUNG MARSHAL has still
not appeared, and MADAMNE CHIANG calls
his office again. No answer.
A few minutes later he appears looking
dead tired.
.

YOUNG MARSHAL The meeting ended so late I...
thought you'd be asleep and I...
did not want to disturb you.

MADAMNE CHIANG What did they say?

YOUNG MARSHAL Yang and his men are not willing
to release the Generalissimo.
They say that since Madamne
Chiang Kai-Shek is friendly
toward me, my head will be
safe but what about theirs?
They now blame me for getting
them into this affair and say
that since none of our condi-
tions are granted they would
be in a worse fix than ever
if they now released the Gen-
eralissimo. There will be an-
other meeting tomorrow.

MADAMNE CHIANG It is already nearly three o'clock.
We'll talk this over tomorrow.
You'd better get some rest.
.
Next day, December 23, MADAMNE CHIANG
hears that every effort is being made
by the YOUNG MARSHAL to break down the
doubts of his associates.
YOUNG MARSHAL is really bending over
backwards to resolve the crisis, and
he decides to bring CHOU EN-LAI, the
famous Communist leader visiting SIAN
at this time (coincidence?), to MADAMNE
CHIANG'S quarters for a heart-to-heart
chat.
They talk privately for about two hours.
Their discussion runs over many topics
and over the specific issues leading to
CHIANG KAI-SHEK'S arrest.
.

CHOU We have not participated in the
detention of the Generalissmo and
our respect for him remains un-
changed. We do not say that the
Generalissimo does not resist ag-
gression. We say he does not resist
Japanese aggression frequently
enough, or fast enough.
.
As Red leader is leaving he turns and
speaks,
.

CHOU I shall use my influence with Yang
to secure the release of the Gener-
alissimo as soon as possible.

.
EXT. MADAMNE CHIANG'S VILLA COMPOUND
- MORNING
On December 24 - Christmas Eve, MADAMNE
CHIANG is taking a short walk around the
compound in front of her villa. She strolls
pensively along a cleared path in the snow.
Walking alone is her only relief from days
of anxiety and worry. She renters her villa.
Seconds after closing the door and taking a
seat a KNOCK is heard. She opens the door
to view the face of CHANG HSUEH-LIANG.
.

YOUNG MARSHAL Yang has not consented. It will
be difficult without Yang's
consent because the guards at
the city gates are all Yang's
men.

MADAMNE CHIANG We must get the Generalissimo
out by Christmas Day, because
the truce officially ends to-
morrow and if an attack is
launched we'll all be killed.

YOUNG MARSHAL We might have to fight and that
will be very dangerous for you.
I can smuggle the Generalissimo
out. You and Donald fly off to
Loyang. I'll have the General-
issimo disguised and get him out
of the city by car; take him to
where my troops are in barracks;
from there drive him to Loyang to
meet you.

MADAMNE CHIANG He will not be disguised, and if
he cannot go openly by airplane,
then I will stay with him, and
if he is to die because of at-
tacks on the city by the gov-
ernment forces, then I will die
with him.
.
CHANG HSUEH-LIANG looks baffled and
bewildered.
.

MADAMNE CHIANG It is imperative that you persuade
them that the Generalissimo must be
freed at once.
.
CHANG turns to leave but as he grabs
the doorknob he turns back to MADAMNE
CHIANG.
.

MADAMNE CHIANG All of China demands it, and so
does the whole world. Chinese
everywhere are sending cablegram
after cablegram demanding the
Generalissimo's freedom and you
are denounced as a traitor and
worse!

YOUNG MARSHAL I know it. They send the wires to
me. However, they do not under-
stand that I mean no harm to the
Generalissimo in anyway.
.
As the sun goes down on Christmas Eve
there is more dejection than joy as
aimless talk goes on far into the night.
.
INT. CHIANG KAI-SHEK'S VILLA - MORNING
Christmas day...
The Generalissimo and MADAMNE CHIANG
play a game on festive occasions. The
one who gives the first greeting of
the day determines the programme of
the day. From the depths of its bed-
clothes, just after the dawn appears,
a weak voice is heard issuing from a
very strong person.
.

CHIANG Merry Christmas.

MADAMNE CHIANG Merry Christmas to you. I miss
our Christmas tree and presents.
.
The door suddenly opens and in parades
two servants; each holding what looks
like a gargantuan stocking stretched
taut by the weight of objects placed
therein.
One stocking contains a portable type-
writer and a cheerful Christmas greeting
for MADAMNE CHIANG. The other stocking
contains a warm steamer rug and a greet-
ing card for the Generalissimo. His own
rug was lost with other possessions
in the mutiny.
The Generalissimo sits up painfully in
bed, and then throws his head back,
laughing out loud.
.

CHIANG So, Santa Claus has come to Sian!
.
So. Cheer and hope have come to the
captive couple...but their fears remain.
.
We transition to ten-thirty am, same
room. No word has come about release.
MADAMNE CHIANG begins to pack her suit-
case in silence.
.

CHIANG What are you doing?

MADAMNE CHIANG Packing to go.

CHIANG The recalcitrants wanted me to
sign orders before they were
willing to let us go back to
Nanking. I refused.

MADAMNE CHIANG Did they want money or land?

CHIANG Neither.

MADAMNE CHIANG Unusual.
.
China's first lady makes no further
comment as she continues to pack her
bag in faith.
.
INT. ROYAL LEONARD'S HOUSE - NOON
The YOUNG MARSHAL'S pilot is eating
cranberries from a tin can alone in his
house on Christmas afternoon. His cook
enters the room, and makes an emotional
announcement.
.

COOK The Young Marshal's car is waiting
outside for you!
.
ROYAL LEONARD goes outside and gets
into the car. It speeds away at break-
neck speed to the YOUNG MARSHAL'S villa.
Entering the villa, ROYAL is immed-
iately confronted with the fearsome
visage of a chinese warlord about to
do battle.
.

YOUNG MARSHAL Can you be ready to leave Sianfu
in the Boeing within ten minutes?

LEONARD Nine minutes...

YOUNG MARSHAL Get!
.
ROYAL runs to the waiting car. Norweigian
chauffeur dashes pilot back home to grab
his bag, and then rushes him to the airport.
Airport is guarded by several ranks of
GENERAL YANG'S soldiers. All facing
outboard, bayonets fixed and guns ready
to fire. As the car skids to a stop
beside the B-247, ROYAL jumps out;
jerks the charcoal heaters from under
the motors, and yanks off the engine
covers.
Two minutes after arrival at the air-
port pilot is in the cockpit firing up
engines and ready to fly. He observes
in a corner of the field a group of
students talking with enthusiasm.
Several hold banners aloft. A brass
band with highly polished instruments
stands near the students. Chinese
national ANTHEM starts up.
Loud SQUEELING of tires is heard and
three of the YOUNG MARSHAL'S cars come
skidding around a corner at full speed.
They skid on dirt runway; stopping near
plane.
Students take arrival of cars as their
cue, and begin to march forward aggres-
sively. Band remains in place playing
loudly.
YOUNG MARSHAL steps out of his car,
and orders the soldiers to hold back
the students. Soldiers thrust bayonets
at students who escape puncture by
halting their advance only ten yards
from the aircraft.
.

YOUNG MARSHAL Hold them back! Keep them away!
.
YOUNG MARSHAL climbs into the cabin;
comes up to the empty co-pilot's seat
and sits down in silence. ROYAL hears
a woman's voice directly behind him and
turns around to see the beautiful face
of MADAMNE CHIANG KAI-SHEK.
.

MADAMNE CHIANG Are you ready to go?

LEONARD Yes, mam...anytime.

MADAMNE CHIANG Okay, get out of here. Let's go!
.
ROYAL observes the cabin is packed
with people in a mild state of panic.
He speaks to MADAMNE CHIANG.
.

LEONARD Sure those people are ready?

MADAMNE CHIANG We're all set. Get out of here!
.
ROYAL signals soldiers outside to pull
the wheel blocks, then shoves throttles
forward as if commencing an air race.
B-247 leaps into the air. Many Chinese
hearts leap for joy. Some despair.
FADE OUT:

Part III will include scenes from the Mao Tse-Tung / Jiang Qing
love affair and marriage in 1939. Parental discretion, even for
just reading the script, will be advised. Part III will be
completed for you on or before March 1, 2005.
Peace and happiness for all friends and fans.
ShoSho: EMO

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