adventures of huckleberry finn (feature)

ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

A screenplay by

Guy Gallo

Produced by The Great Amwell Company Limited theatrical release, vhs (1985)

2.

N O T E

Huck Finn has been a constant source of controversy since its publication in 1884. For the first half of it's long life, the controversy was about how could a black man be given so much dignity and wisdom. For the second half (or last third) it has been how could we take seriously a book that so liberally tosses about a repulsive pejorative for African-American. I can't even bring myself to type the word here (though I managed well enough in the screenplay, as you will see if you download it) for fear of offending my readers.

The idea that Huck Finn should be banned from public libraries because it contains the n-word strikes me as silly. Twain was a writer limited by his time. And his use of the word is never, in my opinion, racist, never unwarranted, and often stands as a condemnation of the speaker.

To focus only on this one word is to lose sight of the fact that this novel -- quite remarkably -- tackles child abuse, murder, lynching, Abolitionism, Southern bigotry, hypocrisy, as well as the deep love and longing of a slave.

It was decided -- I decided -- to keep the insistent use of the offensive word, leaving it in the mouths of the novel's bigots, leaving it even in the voice of Huck -- who's journey to enlightenment is, after all, the entire point of the book.

The ending as written was not shot. As you will see, I deviated -- with the approval of a raft of Twain scholars -- from Twain's ending, hoping to leave it more ambiguous if Jim ever finds freedom. Giving him an open-ended journey parallel to Huck's "lighting out for the Territories."

This two hour version was released for a brief theatrical run.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG. MISSOURI. MORNING. 1844. 1

A frontier town nestled between thick woods and the Mississippi. It is early Sunday morning. A small paddle wheel ferry pulls up alongside a wharf boat--a small barge that serves as a movable dock capable of rising and falling with the water level of the river.

Passengers disembark: FAMILIES headed for the Meeting House, decked out in their Sunday best. The men seem uncomfortable in their suits, the women lead prim daughters, both generations glad for the opportunity to dress up. A church bell begins to toll.

INSERT CARD:

St. Petersburg, Missouri. 1844.

EXT. MEETING HOUSE. SAME. 2

BELLS tolling. A group of BOYS sneaking around the corner of the white clap-board meeting-house. Two of the BOYS carry gunny sacks. The group stops in front of a wooden crate. The two BOYS empty their sacks: two Tomcats fall into the crate. The CATS screech, the BOYS howl with enjoyment. Each time one of the cats attempts to escape the crate, a BOY pushes it back into the fight. There is something strange and disconcerting in the contrast between the seemingly idyllic town and the boys' sadism.

INT. WIDOW DOUGLAS'. SAME. 3

BELLS tolling. A well appointed sitting room: stuffed chairs, sofa, upright piano, knic-knac shelf. The WIDOW DOUGLAS, a white-haired, gentle-mannered woman in her fifties, enters followed by her tight-lipped younger sister, MISS WATSON. They are dressed for church, on their way out the door.

MISS WATSON And where might he be, do you suppose, on this fine Sunday morning? Out back with the niggers again, I'd say. I declare, I don't know whatever you thought you were taking on when you took that boy into this house!

EXT. SLAVE CABIN. WIDOW'S. SAME. 4

A small building some distance from the main house. MISS WATSON approaches. In the BACKGROUND we see the WIDOW waiting at the gate. BELLS continue.

2.

MISS WATSON stops in front of a very large, middle-aged black man: JIM.

MISS WATSON Where's the boy, Jim? Don't lie. Don't encourage his Godlessness--

A noise catches her attention; she rushes to investigate, reaches around the door sill of the cabin, and withdraws a gawky BOY: HUCKLEBERRY FINN. He is a dark-haired (perhaps a bit too long and a little matted and mussed), tall for his age (mid-fourteen), and quite clearly uncomfortable in his Sunday clothes: the collar chafes and the shoes are tight; the coat is too large. He passes his hat nervously from hand to hand.

MISS WATSON drags HUCK toward the white picket fence, clasping him firmly by an ear. HUCK struggles to free himself. MISS WATSON scolds HUCK as she leads him toward the waiting WIDOW.

MISS WATSON Didn't I tell you, Huck Finn, to stay away from the niggers?! Can't you ever behave like decent folks? Not even on the Lord's day?

INT. MEETING HOUSE. 5

The CONGREGATION is seated, listening to the day's sermon. When the POV shifts to the REVEREND'S, we can see that a handful of SLAVES are standing at the back of the church, in the foyer.

REVEREND We must protect ourselves and our deepest convictions. We must help to guide the growth of our country. And to that end we must wage war with both the Red savages in the Western Territories, and the intolerant and presumptuous of our civilized brethren to the East. I mean the many Abolitionists...

As the red faced REVEREND continues his sermon Off Screen, we see various shots: BOYS recognizable from previous scene, HUCK, WIDOW, MISS WATSON.

The faces of the SLAVES at the back of the church.

REVEREND (O.S.) ...who have so recently taken up residence across the river in the Free State of Illinois. "Judge not, lest you be judged." So sayeth the Lord. We must remind our Neighbors to read the Book. Our ways are sanctioned by God Almighty. And are not to be judged by any other authority.

3.

MCU - HUCK. Watching his struggle to remain still; his boredom; his discomfort in these clothes. He sees a fly on the bonnet in front of him. He grabs at it.

MISS WATSON slaps HUCK'S still moving hands. She pulls him roughly to face the REVEREND. HUCK turns red with rage.

REVEREND We must ask Our Lord to help us reaffirm our convictions, our faith in righteousness. As the Book says, Matthew 7.7: "Ask and it shall be given you." So let us now ask our Lord for a gift of guidance and grace. Amen.

The only part of the sermon which HUCK hears--that is, the part which both catches his interest and coincides with the moment of his rage at being slapped by MISS WATSON--is the final quotation from Matthew 7.7. This idea of magically getting what one asks for appeals to HUCK, as we will later see.

INT. WIDOW'S. PARLOR. LATER. HUCK, WIDOW, WATSON. 6

The WIDOW is seated in a straight backed chair, doing crewel work. MISS WATSON is seated at an upright piano, managing to peck out a tortured version of a popular nineteenth century hymn.

MISS WATSON Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear, It is not night if Thou be near; O may no earthborn cloud arise To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes.

HUCK appears at the door. Still dressed in his Sunday clothes. He doesn't quite know how to enter, what to do with his hands.

MISS WATSON O, do stop gawking, Boy.

WIDOW What is it, Huckleberry?

HUCK Ma'am...I...I was wondering. Can't I take off these fancies now?

MISS WATSON We dress for Sunday dinner. While you live in this house you will do so as well.

4.

WIDOW Come here, Huck. Sit with me until the dinner bell rings.

HUCK crosses to the WIDOW. He sits, tries to get comfortable.

MISS WATSON Don't scrunch up like that, Huckleberry. Set up straight.

HUCK tries to comply. He gets an itch. Reaches to scratch his back. He looks at MISS WATSON, stops scratching. Squirms.

HUCK (To the WIDOW:)

Ma'am? You reckon my Pap's dead? Really dead?

The WIDOW puts down her handwork, looks steadily at HUCK.

WIDOW I don't know. The law says he's only missing.

HUCK I don't think he's dead neither. He's too sly for that.

WIDOW You miss him, don't you Huckleberry?

HUCK No ma'am. He was too handy with the hickory to be missed overmuch.

INT. WIDOW'S. DINING ROOM. 7

HUCK, MISS WATSON, and the WIDOW seated at a formally set table. The WIDOW is ringing a small crystal bell.

HUCK reaches for his water glass and knocks over the salt cellar. He reaches for it quickly--to throw some over his left shoulder, to ward off bad luck--but MISS WATSON slaps his hands away.

MISS WATSON Take your hands away. What a mess you're always making--

HUCK But it's bad luck! You gotta toss some--

MISS WATSON Hush.

5.

A slave WOMAN enters carrying three bowls of steaming soup. As soon as the bowl is set down in front of HUCK he reaches for a spoon and begins. The WIDOW'S gentle voice stops him.

WIDOW Huckleberry, would you say the blessing please?

HUCK (Hesitant:)

Lord. Lord thank you for these here victuals. They's mostly real fine.

(Warming to the

CONVERSATION:) Only maybe sometimes you could have the cook make things all mixed up, in one pot, so's the juices can kind of swap around and the things go better. And while I'm asking: I sure could use some fishhooks. The preacher says "He who asks gets." So I'm asking.

MISS WATSON has grown increasingly distresed by HUCK'S prayer. Now she is enraged. She reaches over and slaps HUCK.

MISS WATSON Enough of your blasphemy, boy. You can leave the table.

HUCK I heard him. He said it.

WIDOW The Reverend meant something else, Huckleberry. He meant we should ask for 'spiritual gifts'. Like courage and charity.

HUCK Well how in dad blame nation is a body supposed to know that!!

MISS WATSON You're a fool, boy. And a sinner whose just and right reward will be the fires of everlasting Hell. Mark my words, boy.

INT. WIDOW'S. HUCK'S ROOM. HUCK. 8

HUCK is hurriedly unlacing his hard shoes. He rubs his sore feet, then rips off the starched collar and jacket. He goes to the open window and stares out into the night.

6.

EXT. WIDOW'S. SAME. 9

The house is in darkness. HUCK climbs out of his window and onto the shed roof; slides down the roof and drops onto the ground. He hits it running.

FOLLOW - as HUCK hurries away. He approaches the Slave Cabin.

EXT. SLAVE CABIN. HUCK. JIM. 10

HUCK stops, peers out at the slave quarters from behind a tree. He smiles upon seeing JIM sound asleep, sitting in a precariously tilted straight back chair, leaning against the shanty wall.

HUCK creeps up. JIM snores regularly. HUCK scratches his head, looking for some mischief and finding it in the form of a length of rope hanging from a nearby hitching post. He takes the rope and tip-toes up to JIM.

HUCK tests the depth of JIM'S sleep: takes off his slouch hat. No response. Fans JIM with it. No response. Pokes his arm. No response.

HUCK hangs the hat on a nail above JIM'S head. He sets to serious mischief: ties one end of the rope to the left dowel of the chairback; and carefully coils the length of rope about JIM'S upper body, binding him loosely to the chair.

HUCK backs away, picking up a tin wash basin, and returns to his hiding place behind the tree.

He throws the tin basin against the wall of the shanty. JIM awakes with a start. The chair starts forward, almost falls over.

JIM realizes he's tied and frantically starts to uncoil the rope. HUCK has been watching all this with a gleeful demeanor.

JIM frees himself and stands quickly. Looks for his hat. Grabs it from the nail.

He turns in place three times, crossing himself each time, letting out a half-moan, half-chant as he does so.

HUCK approaches while JIM is still turning.

HUCK Hello Jim.

JIM Hello Huck.

HUCK What's that you're doing, Jim?

JIM finishes the third turn.

7.

JIM Keeping off the witches. You best do the same.

HUCK turns in a circle, crossing himself.

JIM They'se about tonight. Had me roped and saddled and ready to ride down to Orleans.

(JIM stops and looks at HUCK.)

What you doin' out here this hour? Ain't you made me enough trouble with Missus for one day?

HUCK I'm leaving. I can't stand no more civilizing. It ain't for me. It's real nice the Widow wanting to adopt me and all. But I can't stand the ways of them people: waking up every morning just the same time, and washing so much, and getting combed all to thunder. Eating by the bell and going to church and listening to Old Miss Watson take on all the time about Hell and Damnation. It's just worry and worry and sweat and sweat, and a-wishing you was dead all the time.

(Pause; stares at JIM.)

You ain't gonna tell on me, are you, Jim?

JIM No suh. Not me.

HUCK I say good then.

FOLLOW - as HUCK turns to leave.

HUCK Watch out for them witches.

JIM You watch your own self.

HUCK hurries off, out through the fence and continues on a small street headed for the River.

8.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG. RIVERFRONT. NIGHT. HUCK. 11

Vista of the river in moonlight. HUCK pauses to look out across the water. Then proceeds toward a tumbling down shack, one of several small buildings of an abandoned tanyard.

EXT. TANYARD. SAME. HUCK. 12

HUCK prying open an unhinged door, entering a shack.

INT. SHACK. SAME. HUCK. 13

HUCK takes out a piece of candle and lights it. It is a small and musty barn. He goes toward a corner and starts to make a bed out of straw. His hand strikes something and he pulls it out and toward the light: a whiskey jug. It is empty. Fright registers on HUCK'S face. He hurriedly looks around where he found the jug and comes up with a bundle. Something about it is recognizable and increases HUCK'S fear. He drops jug and bundle and runs out of the shack.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG. SAME. 14

HUCK running through the dark streets, headed back for the WIDOW'S.

EXT. WIDOW'S. 15

HUCK stops at the SLAVE QUARTERS. It is in darkness. No sign of JIM. HUCK still seems very frightened.

He rushes back toward the house and climbs back up the shed roof and into the window of his room.

INT. WIDOW'S. HUCK'S ROOM. SAME. 16

HUCK takes out the piece of candle and lights it. He jumps back when he looks up and sees PAP FINN sitting on the bed.

Twain describes PAP so: "He was most fifty, and he looked it. His hair was long and tangled and greasy, and hung down, and you could see his eyes shining through like he was behind vines. It was all black, no gray; so was his long, mixed-up whiskers. There warn't no color in his face, where his face showed; it was white; not like another man's white, but a white to make a body sick, a white to make a body's flesh crawl--a tree-toad white, a fish-belly white."

PAP My, my. Look at you though.

9.

HUCK Hello Pap. Where you been? We all thought you was dead--

PAP Ain't you become a sweet dandy, though. A bed; and and bedclothes; and a looking glass. Think you're real quality, don't you--

HUCK No sir--

PAP Don't give me none of your lip. I'll take you down a peg before I get done. I hear you been at that school. Know how to read and write. That so?

HUCK Yes sir.

PAP slaps HUCK.

PAP And who said you might meddle with such hifalut'n foolishness?

HUCK The widow. She told me.

PAP I'll learn her how to meddle, to teach my son to swell up and put on airs over his own father and let on to be better'n what he is. You lemme catch you fooling around that school again, you hear? Your mother couldn't read, and she couldn't write, nuther, before she died. died. I can't. Next you know you'll be gettin' religion. How much money you got?

HUCK I ain't got none.

PAP slaps HUCK.

PAP Don't lie to me, boy.

HUCK Don't beat me, Pap-- Here. It's all I got.

10.

PAP'S ratty eyes light up at the sight of the few coppers HUCK pulls out of his pocket.

PAP I'll be back for you. Just you wait. Fancy boy.

PAP crawls out the window. HUCK breathes deeply, trying to calm himself. PAP pokes his head back into the window.

PAP And you mind about that school. I warrant I'll lay for you, and tan you good if'n you don't.

He vanishes; HUCK sits on the bed.

EXT. WIDOW'S. YARD. HUCK, JIM. 17

HUCK passing through the yard, carrying a bundle of schoolbooks. JIM approaches from the opposite direction, carrying a bundle of kindling for the stove, headed for the kitchen.

JIM There you is. The witches done scared you home, eh Huck?

HUCK Witches I wisht. Pap's come back and spittin' mad too.

HUCK continues on his way, wary of finding PAP behind every tree.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG. SCHOOLHOUSE. HUCK, CHILDREN. 18

The street in front of a small schoolhouse. CHILDREN entering. HUCK looks over his shoulder as he approaches. He sees TOM SAWYER sitting on a bench to the side of the building, surrounded by a small group of BOYS. HUCK joins them.

BOY ONE Hey Huck.

BOY TWO Looky what Tom's got.

HUCK It's a beat up old tin lamp.

BOY ONE It's a Magic Lamp.

11.

HUCK A what?

TOM Huck Finn, I swear. If I was as ignorant as you I guess I'd just kill myself. Don't you know what a Magic Lamp is?

HUCK No, I don't. And I don't care neither. I've lived this long without knowing, and had my health too. But as soon as you tell me, I'll know, and that's soon enough.

TOM You rub a Magic Lamp. And the Genie comes tearing in, with thunder and lightening a-ripping around and the smoke a-rolling. And the Genie has to do what you say. If you want a palace forty miles long, out of diamonds, and filled with chewing gum, the Genie has to fetch it.

HUCK So rub on the lamp, Tom. And get us a palace.

TOM

A CAUTION! YOU CAN'T conjure a Genie in broad daylight! It has't'be darkest midnight, in a grave- yard, under a forked branch of an oak tree that's been hit by lightning.

HUCK The whole thing sounds like a stretcher to me.

The SCHOOLMARM appears at the door and rings a brass bell. The CHILDREN slowly file into the building.

EXT. WIDOW'S. YARD. DAY. 19

Two slave women sit on the back porch shucking peas. MISS WATSON and a well-dressed but crooked looking man walk through the yard. JIM is in the background chopping wood.

SERVANT That's a nigger trader sure.

12.

COOK Must be Jim he's lookin' to take. We sure ain't worth nothin'.

JIM notices the strange man with MISS WATSON.

EXT. SCHOOLHOUSE. CHILDREN, HUCK, TOM. 20

HUCK and TOM walking together. HUCK seems nervous. He looks over his shoulder and about, expecting to see PAP.

They've turned a corner onto the WIDOW'S street. There is a crowd gathered in front.

HUCK and TOM sneak up but stay out of sight when they see the cause of the commotion: PAP FINN.

PAP is standing at the WIDOW'S gate, holding a jug in one hand and revolver in the other. He is very, very drunk--weaving, his words slurred, barely able to see straight let alone shoot straight. He faces the crowd, waving the revolver at them.

PAP Get back there. Away now. I ain't got no cause with any here but the widow.

Fires a shot at their feet. The crowd moves back. Audible from the crowd: "Where's the sheriff...etc."

PAP I come to get my own. Send him out here. I got a mind to... Send him out here. I'll teach you all to meddle with Pap Finn, teach you to take his only son like this... Come out here Widow Douglas. And give me my Huck back--

He fires a shot at the house, breaking a window. JIM steps out from around the side of the house and approaches PAP. PAP takes a step toward the house. JIM blocks his way.

PAP Get out of my way, nigger.

PAP pushes against JIM. JIM stands his ground, careful not to actually strike the drunken PAP (for hitting a white man JIM could be lynched), but also not letting him by. PAP spits on JIM and raises the revolver.

PAP You prepared to die, nigger? 'Cause you about to get shot.

13.

HUCK starts to run toward the WIDOW'S. PAP takes aim. A SHERIFF and a DEPUTY break through the crowd and disarm PAP, and start to drag him away from the WIDOW'S house.

SHERIFF Come on, Jimmy Finn. Don't make no more trouble.

PAP Ain't a man got rights?

DEPUTY Ain't seen you for a while, Jimmy. Where you been?

The three men pass HUCK and TOM as they head toward the jail.

INT. COURTHOUSE. DAY. 21

Simply a large room with a long desk along the far wall and many chairs facing it. Its official capacity is marked by a United States flag and the flag of Missouri hanging at either end of the table. A frontier JUDGE sits facing HUCK and the WIDOW on his right and PAP FINN on his left. He is in the middle of delivering a decision.

JUDGE The State don't take lightly the separatin' of a child from its blood. There are, of course, ties that bind not everyone can see in even the most irregular families. However. Considering that you, Jimmy Finn, ain't been seen in these parts for over a year, and been drunk or in jail since coming back, and ain't never had a job within recollection, I hereby say: Huck stays with the widow until such time as you can show me good reason to let him with you.

He gavels the court out of session. HUCK and the WIDOW are led past PAP and out of the room; a DEPUTY restrains PAP.

PAP I ain't gonna stand for it. I got my rights like everybody else. What kind of govment is it takes a man's son from him? For two cents I'd leave this here country and never come back. Call this a govment!

14.

EXT. WOODS. BOYS. 22

A woods near the schoolhouse. A group of BOYS including HUCK and TOM. There is a pile of strapped books under a tree.

They are playing "Robin Hood," or some such game. TOM drops from a tree branch and engages several BOYS in a mock sword fight.

General jubilation; lots of dirt and skinned knees. A truce is called. The BOYS return to the tree and collect their schoolbooks. Slowly they disperse in various directions. HUCK stops TOM:

HUCK You Tom. Think I might borrow that Magic Lamp of your'n?

TOM It ain't a stretcher no more?

HUCK Maybe it is, maybe it ain't.

TOM smiles, takes up the rusty tin lamp and hands it to HUCK.

TOM Remember: things got's to be just right for it to work.

HUCK I remember.

TOM wanders off. HUCK sits beneath the tree, waits for TOM to get out of sight, and then starts vigorously to rub the lamp.

It is dusk, getting darker fast. We can see beyond HUCK and the tree; in the distance, as HUCK rubs the lamp and wishes vervently, we see PAP weaving towards HUCK. HUCK does not hear him approach.

PAP springs out from behind the tree and grabs HUCK by his shirt front and begins beating him about the face. The tin lamp falls to the ground.

PAP Make a fool of your own flesh, will you? I've a mind to kill you now and have done. I told you to stop with this schooling. I told you I'd come for you. And you hiding behind the Widow's skirts. You ain't my son no more. That's sure. Well, I'll show them and you who's Huck Finn's boss. Shut up your whinnin' boy. I ain't begun yet. I ain't half begun.

15.

HUCK, badly hurt, exhausted with struggling, surrenders. PAP pulls him along, holding one of HUCK'S arms twisted behind his back, holding his head pulled back by grasping HUCK'S hair.

EXT. RIVERFRONT. NIGHTFALL. 23

PAP is pushing HUCK into a small skiff. He hurriedly pushes off and begins rowing across river toward Illinois.

EXT. RIVER. ILLINOIS SIDE. HUCK, PAP. 24

PAP rises and indicates that HUCK should take his place at the oars.

PAP C'mon boy, pull us upriver. Let's see if'n all that soft life whilst I was gone done took the strength out of you.

HUCK rows; PAP sits astern and lights a pipe.

EXT. THE CABIN. HUCK, PAP. 25

HUCK and PAP pulling the skiff into a a small creek opening. PAP walks toward the woods. HUCK hesitates. PAP turns to wait for him. HUCK follows.

INT. CABIN. HUCK, PAP. 26

An "old log hut," without windows; a single door. The furnishings are limited to a stove, two cots, two chairs, and a tilting table.

PAP enters with a broad smile on his face--deeply proud of their new home.

PAP Ain't nobody'll find us here.

He pulls a jug down from above the stove and sits at the rickety table. Takes a deep swig. HUCK is still standing near the door.

PAP Well? Don't it suit you better'n those fancies?

HUCK I reckon. Pap? Pap, where you been?

16.

PAP Never you mind where. Stoke up that fire.

PAP takes a key from around his neck and locks the single door to the cabin from the inside; shows HUCK the key; puts it back around his neck.

EXT. RIVER. SKIFF. PAP, HUCK. 27

HUCK is at the bow, pulling the skiff along a trot line--a length of line strung along the bank, attached to which are several shorter lines, hooked and baited. HUCK is unhooking the catch: a number of catfish--and rebaiting the hooks.

PAP lounges astern, smoking his pipe. HUCK pulls out a newly made corn-cob pipe, lights it.

INT. CABIN. 28

HUCK and PAP at table, finishing a breakfast of catfish and grits.

PAP Call this a govment! Why, just look at it and see what it's like. Here's the law a-standing ready to take a man's son away from him--a man's own son, which he has had all the trouble and all the anxiety and all the expense of raising. Yes, just as that man has got that son raised and ready to go to work and to do somethin' for him AND give him a rest, the law up and goes for him. Well, they ain't gonna cheat Pap Finn of his rights.

PAP puts on his coat, prepares to leave; takes the key from around his neck.

HUCK Where you going?

PAP Never you mind.

He goes out and locks the door behind him. HUCK tries the door. He accepts his imprisonment, settles down on a cot.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG. GENERAL STORE. PAP, OTHERS. 29

PAP plops a line of catfish onto the porch of the store; the clerk takes them up; a number of idlers chew tobacco.

17.

PAP I wisht you'd len' me a chaw, Jack. I jist this minute give Ben Thompson the last chaw I had.

JACK You give him a chaw, did you? So did your sister's cat's granny! You pay me back the chaws you've already borry'd off'n me, Jimmy Finn, then I'll loan you one or two ton of it.

The CLERK comes back with a jug of whiskey.

CLERK The Sheriff's been looking for you. Your boy done run off. The Widow claims you stole him away. That so?

PAP Well, you can tell the widder for me: I got what's mine. That ain't stealin'. And I'd rather see Huck dead than brought up to her ways.

PAP takes his jug and turns away.


HUCK sitting on his cot, wrapped in a blanket. The sound of the key turning in the door. PAP enters. He is carrying his jug and a small side of bacon. He locks the door.

He is reeling drunk. He opens the stove door, slams it.

PAP You dang fool. You let the fire go out--

HUCK There weren't no more wood inside--

PAP Don't you sass me. I'll learn you to sass me--

He picks up a hickory switch and goes at HUCK, whips him ten or so hard lashes.

EXT. WOODS. MORNING. HUCK, PAP. 31

PAP is carrying an old rifle; he takes aim and fires. HUCK runs in the direction of the shot. A cry of victory.

FOLLOW - PAP joins HUCK. It is a small buck deer.

18.

PAP That'll do us. That'll do us fine.

EXT. CABIN. 32

PAP is skinning the gutted and hanging buck. HUCK watches, smokes.

A call is heard down by the riverfront: a MAN'S voice hailing.

PAP Get inside, boy!

HUCK scrambles to get inside the cabin. PAP reaches for his rifle. The DEPUTY of St. Petersburg approaches the cabin. He is familiar and easy; confident.

MAN Hello Huck. Hello Finn.

PAP State your business.

MAN I come for Huck.

PAP He ain't going nowheres.

MAN Judge says I gots to hear that from Huck hisself.

HUCK I ain't going back to the widow's. I don't know now how I ever stood it at all. Here all a body has to do is smoke and fish and hunt and cuss. No books, no praying, no all-the-time infernal washin' and combin'. I'd have to tetched to go back to that!

MAN I'll give the judge your message.

The DEPUTY turns toward the river; PAP follows, his rifle pointed at the DEPUTY.

PAP You do that, y'hear. And tell him one from me. The next body comes poking around these parts is gonna float back to town.

19.

The DEPUTY gets into a canoe and starts downstream toward Petersburg.

INT. CABIN, NIGHT. PAP, HUCK. 33

The remains of their meal still on the table. PAP lolls around on his cot, a jug to his lips more often than not. PAP empties the jug, stands. He takes out the key, unlocks the door.

HUCK Pap? You ain't gotta lock me in. Don't lock me in, Pap. It gets powerful bad in here. I ain't gonna run--

PAP slaps HUCK away from him; bends towards him and lashes him with the ever-handy hickory; threatens to lash him again. HUCK cowers.

PAP leaves, locks the door behind him. HUCK listens as his footsteps fade. He tries the door.

HUCK goes to a wash basin. He takes off his shirt. We can now see, for the first time, how severely HUCK has been beaten. As Twain has Huck describe it: "But by and by pap got too handy with his hick'ry, and I couldn't stand it. I was all over welts."

HUCK places a wet rag on his latest lash--one across the face--and bathes those he can reach on his back; gingerly puts his shirt back on.

He moves the table away from the wall, lifts the horse blanket that hangs on it; takes up a rusty old saw that he had hidden there; and stoops to the bottom log. It is already almost half sawn through.

INT. CABIN. NIGHT. HUCK, PAP. 34

PAP entering. He sets down supplies on the table. Coffee, bacon, a jug of whiskey. He pulls a chicken out of a gunny sack.

PAP sits and uncorks the jug; swigs. During the following speech, PAP beheads, guts, and starts to pluck the chicken.

PAP I just saw the God Damnedest thing I ever did see, Huck. There in Petersburg, there was a free nigger. From Ohio, they said, a mulatter, most as white as any white man. He had the whitest shirt on you ever see, and the shiniest hat; and there ain't a man in

-more-

20.

PAP (CONT'D) that town that's got as fine clothes as what he had; and he had a gold watch and chain, and a silver-headed cane. And what do you think? They said he was a p'fessor in a college, and could talk all kinds of languages, and knowed everything. And that ain't the wust. They said he could vote when he was at home. Well, that let me out. Thinks I, what is the country a-coming to? I says to the people: why ain't this nigger put up at auction and sold? Why, they said he couldn't be sold till he'd been in the state six months. Ain't that the damnedest thing?

HUCK listens to this ranting racism almost as amazed as PAP. They are having a fine time.

EXT. RIVERFRONT. HUCK. 35

He is pulling up a trot line tied to a tree branch. Nothing. He tosses it back in and moves on to the next line.

To HUCK'S amazement: a canoe comes floating by not ten yards from the bank. Without a moment's hesitation, HUCK dives into the current and starts swimming for the canoe.

He pulls it ashore downriver of the cabin. Hides it well. And rushes back toward the creek and the skiff.

PAP (Shouting from the cabin:)

Huck! Is you asleep or drowned. What in damnation's keeping you so long?

HUCK I slipped into the river. Damn near landed back in Petersburg--

INT. CABIN. HUCK. 36

Being locked in. He checks the wood in the stove--not much. Not much in the wood hopper. HUCK moves the table, raises the blanket, and bends to the task of sawing through the bottom log of the cabin wall.

INT. FRONTIER BROTHEL. 37

A small room on the second floor of a wood frame building. PAP is seated at a table with three others, including the slaver, playing poker. A WHORE in the background. PAP is already very drunk.

21.

INT. CABIN. HUCK. LATER. 38

Lamp is smoking; oil is low. The fire is out. HUCK hunched on his cot. Rocking. SOUND - thunder; a storm is brewing.

INT. FRONTIER BROTHEL. 39

A brutal looking MAN hovers over PAP; his palm outstretched. PAP places a single copper in his hand, laughs drunkenly. The MAN is not amused; he gestures to others.

PAP That's it. Can't get blood from a rock.

Two MEN pick PAP up and carry him--protesting--to the window. To the amusement of all present, they promptly throw him out the window like so much dirty laundry.

EXT. FRONTIER BROTHEL. RIVER. PAP. NIGHT. 40

From water level, we watch as PAP is hurled out of the second floor window of the brothel, sails through the air, and lands with a loud splash. The brothel is precariously perched at the very edge of the river.

MEN hang from the windows, laughing at PAP.

MAN And don't come again or you'll find a slug waiting.

PAP swims to shore, crawls through mud, clambers up, and finds his skiff. He mutters curses against the crowd above.


HUCK is asleep on his cot. The door bursts open. PAP appears. He is wet and covered with mud; he carries his rifle in one hand and an oil lamp in the other. He looks like an apparition.

No sooner does he enter the cabin than he falls headlong toward HUCK'S cot, sprawling on the floor. The door is still open.

HUCK pulls PAP onto his cot; throws a blanket over him. He is delerious, muttering.

HUCK goes to the open door, pauses, looks at PAP, then closes it. PAP is on the cot, shivering and delerious.

22.

PAP Take him off! Take him off! He's biting me on the neck!

As Twain has Huck describe the incident:

"I never see a man look so wild in the eyes. Pretty soon he was all fagged out, and fell down panting; then he rolled over and over wonderful fast, kicking things every which way, and striking and grabbing at the air with his hands, and screaming and saying there was devils a-hold of him."

PAP Tramp--tramp--tramp; that's the dead; tramp--tramp--tramp; they're coming after me; but I won't go. Oh, they're here! Don't touch me--don't! Hands off--they're cold; let go. Oh let a poor devil alone!

PAP calms a little, and focuses on HUCK.

PAP You're it, ain't you? The Angel of Death come to take me now. Well.

He takes a kitchen knife and starts to chase HUCK around the table; PAP catches HUCK by the sleeve; HUCK manages to wiggle out of his jacket. The chase continues for a moment and then PAP slouches down against the door.

PAP I'm gonna rest a minute. Then I'll kill you.

HUCK takes up the rifle, aims at PAP; lowers it. He retreats to the other end of the cabin, props the rifle up on the chair seat, pointing it at PAP; and tries hard to stay awake.

INT. CABIN. MORNING. HUCK, PAP. 42

PAP is up; the door is open. He is still covered with mud, now dried.

He stands over HUCK--who is sleeping propped against the wall, still holding the rifle balanced on the chair seat.

PAP (Shaking HUCK:)

Git up! What you 'bout! What you doin' with that gun? Answer me boy!

HUCK wakes, dries to focus on PAP; has an instant of fear.

23.

HUCK Somebody tried to get in, so I was laying for him--

PAP Why didn't you roust me out?

HUCK I tried to, but I couldn't. I couldn't budge you.

PAP Another time a man comes a-prowling round here you roust me out, you hear? That man weren't here for no good. I'd a shot him. Next time you roust me out.

HUCK Yes sir. I will. I'll roust you out.


PAP is preparing to leave. HUCK sits still at the table. As soon as the door is locked from the outside HUCK jumps up, a broad smile on his face, and does a jig. He listens at the door, then immediately moves the table out of the way and starts to saw at the log. It is almost cut through. Within minutes the log has been moved and HUCK is squeezing through.


He looks off downstream: can barely make out PAP and the skiff. He runs to the woodpile and grabs the axe; he attacks the door, tearing it to splinters.


Once inside HUCK quickly starts amassing a pile of portables--lamp, candles, coffee-pot--and wraps them all in the blanket. He rushes outside with the blanket.


Depositing his bundle in the canoe; turning around and running back to the cabin.

EXT. CABIN. HUCK. 47

Carrying the side of bacon; sack of meal.

24.


The place is empty. HUCK turns over the mattress of his cot and upsets the table.

EXT. WOODS. HUCK. DUSK. 49

It is getting dark. HUCK is hunting. His expression is serious. He sees a rustle in the underbrush, freezes. A small wild hog comes out, sniffs the air. HUCK fires.


The hog laid on the ground near the mattress. HUCK raises the axe and slits its throat. He douses the mattress then slashes at it with the axe. Pig blood is splattered all over. He coats the axe head and blade; pulls out some of his own air and sticks it to the axe.

HUCK stops, surveys the wreckage of the cabin. Tosses the axe into the corner. He picks up the pig, wrapped in the horse blanket. He clutches the slit-throat closed to stem the bleeding, and with a final look--triumphant--leaves the cabin.

EXT. RIVERFRONT. NIGHTFALL. 51

HUCK lowering the hog and blanket into the swift current. He watches it sink. Then turns to his loaded canoe and pushes off.

HUCK freezes when he hears the sound of oars. He hides beneath low hanging Willow branches. He peeps out: PAP, drunken, rowing for the cabin.

As soon as PAP docks--some distance upstream from where HUCK is hiding--HUCK pushes out from under the Willow branches and paddles as furiously as he can downstream, staying close to the left bank.

In the distance he can hear PAP scream:

PAP Help! Help murder!! murder!!

HUCK paddles all the more furiously. His triumph complete.

INT. WIDOW'S. DINING ROOM. MISS WATSON, WIDOW. 52

They are at dinner; the serving GIRL has just left the room. MISS WATSON speaks quickly, as if she is taking up her sentence where it had been interrupted.

25.

MISS WATSON The man has offered me eight hundred dollars, Sister. Isn't that grand?

EXT. WIDOW'S. JIM. 53

He is crouched beneath the dining room window. Through the window we can see MISS WATSON.

MISS WATSON Well isn't it? That's a lot of money. And we really haven't anymore use for Jim.

WIDOW I don't take to it, Sister. We've always told our slaves they'd never be sold downriver. You know that--

JIM has already begun away while the WIDOW speaks. He does not head for the slave quarters.

EXT. RIVER. HUCK. 54

Across from Petersburg. He can see the lights of the ferry. HUCK can see PAP approaching the ferry landing; and can hear him calling for help, screaming about Huck's murder.

HUCK continues downriver, approaches Jackson's Island: "...about two mile and a half downstream from Petersburg, heavy-timbered and standing up out of the middle of the river, big and dark and solid, like a steamboat without any lights." He paddles swiftly into the channel on the Illinois side of the island and heads in for shore.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG. FERRY LANDING. PAP, OTHERS. 55

A great commotion of people: PAP and the SHERIFF, several other MEN. They carry torches; scramble about the bank looking for skiffs and canoes.

PAP I ain't never seen such a sight. You'll see. You'll see--

MAN This better not be a vision, Pap. Not at this hour.

Several boatloads of men take off upstream in the direction of the cabin.

26.

EXT. RIVERBANK. JIM. 56

A few yards downstream of the ferry landing: JIM is crouching in the reeds; watching the posse leave.

EXT. JACKSON'S ISLAND. HUCK. 57

At the head of the island, HUCK hiding the canoe, arranging his cache of supplies. A long lumber raft passes. In its middle a large camp-fire.

RAFTSMAN Stern oars, there!

EXT. RIVERBANK. JIM. 58

Still crouched in the reeds, watching as the lumber-raft approaches; he wades into the rivers and begins to swim.

RAFTSMAN ...heave her head to stabboard!

EXT. JACKSON ISLAND. HUCK. 59

Watching as the raft passes the head of the island. HUCK curls down in his blanket to sleep.

EXT. ISLAND. DAWN. HUCK. 60

The sun rises over the low, flat vista of the Illinois shore. HUCK watches a moment then sets off to lay a trot line. He walks in direction of the bank and, literally, trips over the sleeping JIM.

JIM jumps to his feet, ready to attack or run; HUCK has sprawled on the forest floor, and now scrambles up, turns, frightened, to see his captor:

HUCK (His face relaxing:) Hello Jim!

JIM Don't hurt me, Huck. Don't. I ain't never done no harm to a ghost. I always liked dead people, an' done all I could for 'em. Now you go an' git in de river ag'in, where you belong, an' don't do nothin' to Ole Jim, 'at was always you friend.

HUCK I ain't a ghost, Jim.

27.

JIM You ain't?

HUCK No. Looky. Do ghosts set trot lines?

JIM I reckon not. How come all anybody talked about last night was you gettin' murdered up there at that cabin--who was it got killed up there if'n it weren't you?

HUCK It weren't nobody. It was a stuck pig. I done it to make it look like I was kilt so I could get shut of Pap and the widow and all those people--but, Jim, how you come to be out here on the island?

JIM Maybe I best not tell.

HUCK Why not?

JIM There's reasons... But you wouldn't tell on me, would you, Huck?

HUCK Blamed if I would, Jim.

JIM Well. I believe you. I... I run off.

HUCK Jim!!

JIM But mind, you said you wouldn't tell--you know you said you wouldn't tell--

HUCK I did. And I'll stick to it. I will. People'll call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum--but that don't make no difference. I ain't a-going to tell, and I ain't a-going back there, anyways.

The loud report of cannon fire interrupts their conversation. Both start, look toward the noise.

28.

EXT. RIVERBANK. HUCK, JIM. 61

Looking out across the river in the direction of St. Petersburg. There is a ferry full of people headed toward the island. The cannon fires at regular intervals.

JIM They's looking for you, Huck. Trying to make your body rise.

The ferry comes in close to the island: HUCK and JIM hide themselves in the thick undergrowth.

Visible on the ferry: TOM SAWYER, JUDGE, SHERIFF, WIDOW, MISS WATSON, PAP, and many others.

CAPTAIN Look sharp, now; the current sets in the closest here, and maybe he's washed ashore and got tangled amongst the brush. I hope so, anyway.

The ferry passes slowly. HUCK and JIM can hear the people discussing the murder.

JACK I reckon it was old man Finn hisself. Didn't I hear him say he wanted the boy dead?

MAN Naw, Pap ain't got the gumption to kill a body.

MAN TWO Most likely was that runaway nigger.

JACK Miss Watson's Jim? What for?

MAN TWO To spite Pap what spit on him, that's what. Ain't he took off just in time? Ain't he?

The ferry continues past the point where HUCK and JIM are hidden.

JIM Lord a'mercy! I'se a runaway nigger and a murderer too! They gonna string me up for sure--

The cannon fire resumes as the ferry turns at the foot of the island and chugs upstream through the Illinois channel.

29.

HUCK I reckon that's the end of Huck Finn. Ain't nobody gonna look for me no more--

He is very pleased.

EXT. CAMPFIRE. DUSK. HUCK, JIM. 62

A low burning fire; HUCK and JIM lazing, smoking pipes. A COCK crows persistently.

JIM Uh-o. That means rain for sure.

HUCK What?

JIM That cock crowin' like that before dark. Ain't you never heard: If'n a cock sings 'fore he goes to bed, he's bound to wake with a wet wet head. Same as if a cat sneezes, or if the bloodstain from a murdered body starts oozing like it's fresh. Them's all signs 'at mean rain. I think we best find us shelter.

HUCK You sure know lots of them signs, Jim.

JIM And there's plenty more: like don't count what your eatin' 'cause it brings bad luck; just like shakin' the table cloth after sundown--

HUCK Ain't there no good luck signs?

JIM If you got hairy arms and a hairy breast, it's a sign you's going to be rich some day. There's some use in a sign like that 'cause it's so far ahead. You see, maybe you's got to be poor a long time first, and so you might get discourage' and kill yourself if you didn't know by the sign you was going to be rich by and by.

HUCK Have you got hairy arms and a hairy breast, Jim?

30.

JIM Can't you see I has?

HUCK Are you rich?

JIM (Smiling:)

No, but one day...

He stops and ponders.

JIM Come to look at it, I'se rich right now. I owns myself. And I'se worth eight hundred dollars. I wisht I had de money. I wouldn' want no more.

JIM pours coffee on the campfire, stirs the ashes, starts gathering up their supplies.

EXT. CAMP. HUCK, JIM. 63

JIM has shouldered the bag of meal, the side of bacon, and holds under an arm a bundle of smaller things. HUCK follows behind him carrying odds and ends--blankets and the rifle. They head toward the interior of the island, climbing the central hill. It starts to rain.

EXT. CAVERN. HUCK, JIM. NIGHTFALL. 64

Much higher ground: a majestic prospect through the trees of the Illinois shore. The rain comes down harder harder. The thunder and lightning begin.

There is a small ledge, protected by an overhang, at the entrance to the cave. JIM sets about making a fire there.

HUCK This is nice, Jim. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here.

JIM Well. We wouldn' be here at all if I hadn' listened to that cock. We'd be drownded and washed away by now. I ain't never seen the likes of this rain--

There is a bright flash of lightning.

JIM (Quickly:) One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!!

31.

He utters "ten" with a tone of victory. A loud clap of thunder.

JIM If you can reach all the way to ten twixt the light and the thunder rumble, then sure you ain't gonna get struck--

EXT. ISLAND. DAY. 65

HUCK and JIM walking down the hill, toward the river. The Illinois shore has been obliterated by the flood: it is now an expanse of bottom land--three feet of water for miles inland. The lower reaches of the island, likewise, are covered in three feet of water. It looks like a primordial swamp: huge trees rising out of still water.

HUCK Can't even see Illinois no more. O Jim, how you gonna run that way now?

JIM I ain't ever thought a' runnin' to Illinois. Too many nigger-hunters. I'd get catched first thing. No suh.

HUCK What are you gonna do, Jim?

JIM Right there. The River.

EXT. ISLAND. HUCK, JIM. DUSK. 66

They are in HUCK'S canoe, paddling slowly between the large trees: "We went winding in and out amongst the trees, and sometimes the vines hung so thick we had to back away and go some other way... on every old broken-down tree you could see rabbits and snakes and such things..."

HUCK pulls a length of snakeskin from a tree branch.

HUCK Jim Looky!

JIM slaps the snakeskin out of HUCK'S hands, picks it up with a stick, tosses it into the water.

JIM Leave that be. That's the worse luck there is--I'd rather look over my left shoulder at the new moon a hundred times than handle a snakeskin once. Don't never handle no snakeskin, Huck.

32.

Stuck between two trees: a section of lumber raft: "twelve foot wide and about fifteen or sixteen foot long, and the top stood above the water six or seven inches--a solid, level floor.

They are both very pleased with their prize, and are out of the canoe and inspecting it, when a frame house comes drifting into the channel on the Illinois side of the island.

JIM Will you look at that. Come on Huck.

They get back into the canoe and make for the house. It snags on the shallow water against the island shore; grinds to a halt.

JIM and HUCK pull alongside; tie up the canoe; and enter the house by a window.

INT. HOUSE. HUCK, JIM. 67

Dim light from the fast declining sun. Enough to make out: a bed and a table, four chairs, clothing strewn all over the room; it is the FRONTIER BROTHEL seen in an earlier scene. JIM enters first and gives a startled cry:

JIM There's a man here. Hello you! You hold still, Huck.

JIM bends down over a naked male corpse; he lifts up the head and recognizes that the corpse is PAP.

JIM It's a dead man. Been shot in the back.

HUCK Turn him over, Jim. I ain't never seen a dead man.

HUCK approaches the corpse. JIM pushes him away.

JIM You leave him be. Get on now. You let the dead be dead by theirself.

HUCK shrugs; turns to examine the room. JIM takes a sheet and carfully covers PAP.

HUCK Look at all this truck!

He starts rooting through the things in the room: dresses and a bonnet; women's underwear; an overcoat; JIM finds a box of candles and small hatchet.

33.

HUCK If'n this is the kind of luck brought by touchin' snakeskin-- I'll touch me another tomorrow.

JIM Never you mind, honey, never you mind. Don't you git too pert. It's a-comin'. Mind I tell you. That skin ain't half worked its charm. What's that?

He has found a wooden leg. He measures it against his own: too short; HUCK takes it, measures it: too long.

HUCK That's a perfectly good leg.

JIM I wonder where the other one is?

HUCK It ain't over here.

They hunt around for the other wooden leg.

INT. CAVERN. NIGHT. 68

HUCK and JIM about the fire. The wooden leg is propped against the wall.

HUCK How you reckon that man came to get shot, Jim--

JIM Leave the dead be. No good'll come of talking 'bout it now.

HUCK But it sure was peculiar: his being naked and shot in the back and all those things throwed about. It's a regular mystery.

JIM I said you leave him be!

HUCK is surprised by the vehemence in JIM'S voice and manner. JIM has surprised himself. He now tries to cover.

JIM You talk about that man and he's gonna come and haunt you sure.

34.

JIM cannot meet HUCK'S gaze. He is having trouble witholding the fact that the man in the house was PAP.

INT. CAVERN. MORNING. 69

JIM is at the fire; HUCK is lazing, just waking up. The sound of church bells tolling. It is a slow, regular toll.

JIM Hear that?

HUCK Sure. It's church.

JIM It ain't Sunday. That's for you.

HUCK What are you talking about, Jim?

JIM That's your funeral them bells is talking about.

HUCK jumps up; excited.

HUCK That's so, ain't it?

HUCK starts to run out of the cavern. JIM grabs him.

JIM Where you going?

HUCK To see me get buried--

JIM How you gonna do that? Ain't you scared o'your Pap no more? They gonna catch you sure.

HUCK stops to consider this.

HUCK No they won't. 'Cause I'll wear me a disguise.

HUCK roots through the pile of clothing they took from the house; pulls out a calico dress and a bonnet; starts putting them on.

35.

INT. CAVERN. 70

HUCK is decked out as a country girl: his face barely visible down the tube-like sunbonnet. JIM is doubtful.

JIM Don't you talk to nobody. They'll catch you sure.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG. 71

HUCK walking toward the church. Several MEN and BOYS pass and take no notice of him. He climbs the church steps and peeks in.

INT. CHURCH VESTIBULE. HUCK. 72

He stays mostly hidden. The mischievous smile on his face fades. HUCK had come thinking this would be a great lark. He is now taken up short to see that no one has come to his funeral.

The WIDOW DOUGLAS is in the front row, genuinely grieved; next to her is MISS WATSON.

MISS WATSON (Sings.) Thine for ever! God of love, Hear us from Thy throne above; Thine for ever may we be Here and in eternity. Guide us to the realms of day.

The REVEREND takes the pulpit. HUCK turns away. He stops short and hides when he turns to find TOM SAWYER standing at the foot of the church steps--trying to decide whether or not to enter. He is holding the tin lamp.

HUCK tries to decide whether or not to call to TOM. He decides not to and pulls further back into the vestibule. Just then TOM'S guardian, AUNT POLLY, approaches and drags TOM away by the ear.

AUNT POLLY Leave that trash go to Hell by hisself, Tom Sawyer--

EXT. CHURCH/ROAD. HUCK, MRS. LOFTUS. 73

As soon as TOM is out of ear-shot, HUCK dashes out of the church and runs full tilt up the street toward the river. He looks over his shoulder once or twice. And runs smack into a WOMAN carrying two bundles--groceries--and when HUCK bumps into her one of the wrapped packages bursts, spilling fruit on the ground. HUCK stoops to help her retrieve them.

36.

HUCK Pardon me, ma'am.

LOFTUS And what might your name be?

HUCK Sarah Williams.

LOFTUS Whereabouts you live, Sarah? I ain't seen you before. Granted, I only been in Petersburg a month next Friday. But I thought--

HUCK I'm from Hookerville, ma'am. About seven miles downriver. My mother's fell sick and out of money and I come to tell my uncle Abner. Do you know him?

LOFTUS No, like I said--

They walk away from the church; HUCK carrying some of the loose groceries.

HUCK Who is it they're puttin' under?

LOFTUS No body at all.

HUCK What?!

LOFTUS Seems they never did find a body to put under.

HUCK How come there ain't nobody there mourning?

LOFTUS On account it was only a shiftless, dirty-mouthed, vagrant boy name ofHuckleberry Finn--

HUCK is grinning at this description of himself--truer than that preached by the Reverend.

LOFTUS He was murdered a week ago tomorrow.

37.

HUCK And who do they say kilt him?

LOFTUS Some say his own Pap. And it is mighty suspicious how he disappeared so soon after. And others say a nigger named Jim. There's a reward out for him of three hundred dollars.

They turn into a fenced yard. She sits on the stoop, gestures for HUCK to follow suit.

LOFTUS Whole gangs is over in Illinois scouring for that nigger. But they ain't gonna turn up a thing.

HUCK How do you know, ma'am?

LOFTUS Because the nigger ain't more than five miles from where you're sittin'.

HUCK starts; drops a piece of fruit and clamps his skirted legs closed to catch it.

LOFTUS See, there's an island downriver a piece. And the other day I seen some smoke, right around twilight. And come to find out ain't nobody living there. So I got to thinking--

HUCK Maybe it was only hunters.

LOFTUS May be. My old man's gonna find out just as soon as the sun goes down tonight. Him and another fella are lookin' to split that three hundred dollars--

HUCK has stood suddenly; LOFTUS pulls him back down.

LOFTUS Now tell me your real name. Is it Tom or Bill or John--

HUCK Please don't poke fun at a poor girl like me, ma'am. I best get--

38.

LOFTUS No sir. You're gonna tell me the secret truth. I'll help you. You're a runaway apprentice, ain't you.

HUCK O, it ain't no good trying to fool you any more. My ma and pa was killed by Indians and the law bound me out to a mean old farmer. And I couldn't stand it any longer. So I snitched some of his daughter's things and started walking, to St. Louis, where I got kinfolk'll take me in. And that's the Lord's truth.

LOFTUS Now. What's your real name.

HUCK George Peters, ma'am.

LOFTUS You do a girl tolerable poor, but you might fool men, maybe. Bless you child, when a girl goes to catch something in her lap she throws her knees apart; she don't clap them together like you done. That's what started me thinking.

HUCK Can I go now, ma'am?

LOFTUS Yes George Sarah Williams Peters. Go on with you. And take this fruit.

HUCK is up and walking away before she finishes speaking. As soon as LOFTUS goes inside HUCK breaks into a run.

It is almost dusk. He takes the river road leading south of St. Petersburg.

EXT. RIVERBANK. HUCK. DUSK. 74

He quickly jumps into the canoe; pulls the bonnet off his head; and starts paddling furiously for Jackson Island.

EXT. ISLAND. HUCK. DUSK. 75

Banking the canoe; pulling it halfway up onto the bank and then running as fast as he can up the hill toward the cavern.

39.

INT. CAVERN. HUCK, JIM. 76

HUCK enters at a run; JIM is sleeping.

HUCK Get up and hump yourself, Jim!! They're after us!!

JIM jumps to his feet, fear showing on his face.

JIM They ain't after us, Huck. They only after Jim--

HUCK has started loading up with sacks and blankets and supplies.

HUCK Load up, Jim. There ain't a minute to lose.

JIM starts gathering their belongings.

EXT. ISLAND. RAFT. HUCK, JIM. NIGHTFALL. 77

Loading up all their possessions onto the raft; including the canoe. They are careful not to make a sound.

INT. CAVERN. HUCK. 78

Knocking out the last of the fire; picking up odds and ends that have been left. Running out of the cave and down the hill toward the raft.

EXT. RIVER. NIGHT. 79

HUCK and JIM are slowly guiding the raft out into the current. It slips into the channel between the island and Illinois and begins to pick up momentum.

The Island recedes as both HUCK and JIM lie back to catch their breath and begin their journey.

EXT. MISSISSIPPI RIVER. HUCK, JIM. DUSK. 80

HUCK, still dressed as Sarah Williams in a calico print dress, stands in the middle of the raft and looks upriver toward Jackson Island. JIM is at the steering oar.

HUCK lifts the calico dress over his head, revealing rolled up pants; rips the bonnet from around his neck; throws both down angrily.

40.

HUCK What are we gonna do, Jim?

JIM It's all right, Huck, I figure we run nights and hide up good days. That way there won't be no trouble.

HUCK That woman said something you oughten to know, Jim. There's a reward on your head. Three hundred dollars.

JIM'S face registers surprise:

JIM That the truth Mars Huck?

HUCK Sure is. Folks back in Petersburg still got a notion you murdered me.

JIM That's a powerful lot of money.

HUCK Sure is.

JIM Don't you wisht you had such a heap of money?

HUCK Me? What in blazin' Satan would I do with such a bundle? Pap would just come and find me and take it all for hisself and I'd be back without two bits. No thank you. I don't want no more money than I already have. Which is nothing.

JIM is silent and sullen. At the mention of PAP his conscience bucks a bit; but he is afraid that if he were to tell HUCK that PAP is no longer a threat, then HUCK might leave, or worse, turn him in.

A beautiful sunset on the Mississippi: the Missouri shore is sheer cliff; the Illinois shore is tall, thick timber.


LS - The raft drifting; a signal lamp hung near the stern.

41.


The first hint of daybreak. JIM standing at the steering oar, looking down at sleeping HUCK.

EXT. RIVERBANK. DAWN. 83

The raft landing on the Illinois shore alongside a tow-head. As Twain has Huck define it: "A tow-head is a sandbar that has cottonwoods on it as thick as harrow-teeth."

HUCK is wielding a hatchet, chopping down cottonwoods. JIM ties the raft securely to the shore. A weeping willow hides a portion of the raft. The remainder must be disguised by the cut cottonwood branches.

EXT. TOW-HEAD. DAY. 84

HUCK is setting a trot line. JIM is fashioning a shelter from planks pulled from the edges of the raft and cut branches. It is large enough for two people

HUCK pulls at a second trot line. He unhooks a flapping catfish.


In the middle of the river. HUCK lying on his back, gazing up at the stars--full moon, clear sky.

JIM bends over HUCK. Grabs a lock of his hair.

HUCK Jim. You reckon all them stars was made? Or did they only just happen? What are you about?

JIM I'se tyin' a bit o'you hair with thread. How can it be they just happen? They'se made for sure, Huck.

HUCK I don't know, Jim. I judge it would take too long for so many to be made. They must've just all happened at once.

JIM There. That'll keep the witches off. May could be that the moon she laid 'em. I seen a frog lay most as many. Sure. That's it. The moon made 'em all.

42.

HUCK And when one of the stars gets spoilt, the moon she hoves it outen the nest, and the spoilt star falls down from heaven trailing glory.

HUCK contemplates this theory of the cosmos; quiet pervades. Perhaps a distant fiddle.

Round the next bend a steamboat comes into view: the sound of the engines faint; in the distance the steamboat belches "a whole world of sparks up out of her chimbleys, and they would rain down in the river and look awful pretty."

HUCK gets to his feet, watches the approaching steamboat. He smiles broadly.

JIM Light the lantern, Huck.

HUCK lights an oil lamp, holds it high. The steamboat heads straight for the raft.

JIM Don't that pilot see us?

HUCK He sees us fine, Jim. He's gonna shave us. Watch. You hold on, Jim, here he comes.

The steamboat skims the side of the raft, actually pulling a board or two off.

A CUB leans over a railing and shouts:

CUB Get off the river you raft rats!!

The PILOT leans out of the wheelhouse and has a hearty laugh.

PILOT Make way, make way for Captain Calder. He'll send this bucket through the needle's eye if'n he's a mind--

The paddle wheel barely clears the raft; the wash rocks the raft. HUCK is delighted. JIM is terrified.

The steamboat continues on its way upriver.


JIM frying catfish. He sings:

43.

JIM Satan's a liah, an' a conjuh too; If you don' watch out he'll conjuh you. Satan's a liah, an' a conjuh too; If you don' watch out he'll conjuh you. Ain' gonna worry my Lawd no mo', Ain' gonna worry my Lawd no mo'. Satan's got a mighty big shoe If you don' watch out he'll slip it on you...

JIM stops singing abruptly when HUCK tosses a half-eaten piece of fish into the river, stands. He takes a string of catfish out of the water and starts walking inland.

JIM Where you going, Mars Huck?

HUCK Trading.

HUCK hears himself using the same curt retort as PAP had when he left the cabin. He stops, turns to explain more fully:

HUCK See if I can't get something else to eat besides catfish.

JIM Don't leave me here, Huck.

HUCK You'll be all right. Just stay hid.

HUCK disappears inland. JIM looks worried.

EXT. ROAD. DAY. 87

HUCK approaching a small wooden building: a general store.

A rotund MAN in overalls sits in a rocking chair on the porch, his eyes closed, swatting flies. A hound curled at his feet.

HUCK Say mister. Mister. I got some real fresh channel cats here, if'n you've a mind to part with some coffee or bacon or cornmeal.

MAN Where you come from, boy? I ain't never see'd you--

HUCK No sir. Me an Pappy, we're runnin' a

-more-

44.

HUCK (CONT'D) trading scow down to St. Louis. I told Pappy to set in more stores, but he just told me to keep it shut and let him worry about stores and such. So now we ain't half-way there and not a ounce of store bought left. And we is all mighty tired of catfish.

MAN All right, boy. You gut'em and skin'em and cut'em thin an' I'll find you some things to take back--

HUCK sets too, unfolding a clasp knife, sitting on the porch and opening the first of several catfish.

The MAN goes inside. The hound comes over to investigate HUCK. HUCK pulls at the loose skin about the hound's neck.

A MAN'S voice is heard in the distance, whooping and calling. The CLERK comes out from the store--carrying a small packet of coffee and a thin section of bacon--and arrives in time to greet the whooping MAN.

MAN Come on, Hank. We done catched that runaway nigger--

Anxiety for JIM shows on HUCK'S face. He tries to hide it from the two men.

HANK Where you taking him?

HANK pulls on a coat; grabs a gun from inside the door. They head away together.

MAN Down to Dobb's. Before the sheriff gets wind of it. We gonna play Hell on that nigger's back. And there's talk of hanging the low-down Abolitionist what helped him escape.

HUCK takes up his packet and follows, hurriedly, but at a safe distance.

EXT. DOBB'S. D 88

A small farm. A crowd gathered past the barn in a field. A black MAN is tied facing a tree trunk; he is being brutally flogged. A white man, the ABOLITIONIST is forced to watch, his own hands tied; he is pelted by the onlookers.

45.

HUCK approaches carefully. He is relieved to see that the tortured black man is not JIM.

A young BOY next to HUCK cheers the scene on. A rope is tossed over a treelimb. The noose is placed over the ABOLITIONIST'S head. It all happens very quickly. The rope is handed to a mounted man, who ties it to his pommel. The horse is whipped; the ABOLITIONIST is hung--legs kicking, then still. The riotous crowd quiets; then an eerie silence. Then the cheering starts up again--as if to break the moment of bewildered shame--and the crowd slowly disperses.

HUCK Ain't they gonna hang the nigger too?

BOY 'Course not. Nigger's worth seven hundred dollars. That nigger stealer ain't worth the rope it cost to hang him--

The BOY joins a stream of MEN headed toward town. HUCK stops at the barnyard, looks down at the chicken-coop.

EXT. TOW-HEAD. THE RAFT. NIGHT. 89

The raft is in darkness: no lantern, no fire. JIM curled under a blanket, inside the wig-wam, peeking out at the passing river.

HUCK bounds on board the raft.

HUCK Come on, Jim. Let's get clear of this town.

JIM Lord Almighty, Huck! I'se glad to see you indeed I am. I thought sure you left me--

They untie the raft together. The cut cotton-wood branches are hastily shoved aside and into the river. The raft is set adrift.

HUCK After what I see'd it might could be I oughta--

JIM What you seen, Huck? Tell Jim.

HUCK Never you mind.

46.

EXT. RIVER. SHORTLY BEFORE DAYBREAK. 90

HUCK and JIM have moored the raft, and hidden it well. They strip and slide into the cool water.

EXT. SANDBAR. DAWN. 91

HUCK and JIM sit on the sandy bottom and watch as the sun colors the Eastern sky with the beginning of day.

HUCK Sure is pretty, ain't it?

JIM takes a drink of water.

JIM Ain't nothing more better for a body than this here yellar Mississippi water. But you got's to drink it fast, before the mud settles out. A man what drinks only muddy river water, he can grow corn in his stomach.

EXT. RAFT. NIGHT. 92

HUCK is at the steering oar. JIM lounges, dozing off.

HUCK'S eyes go wide. He holds onto the oar with one hand and jostles JIM with the other.

HUCK Jim. Jim, wake up!

JIM (Sitting up quickly:) What's the matter. What? Oh Lord--

JIM relaxes when he realizes that there is no danger.

HUCK What's them lights? Looks like a whole swarm of lightning bugs.

HUCK points to a gathering of lights on the Missouri shore.

JIM Looks like heaven. Don't it just!?

HUCK That's Saint Louie! I be dad-blamed if'n that ain't Saint Louie.

JIM Don't city folks sleep?

47.

HUCK I reckon not.

JIM It shore is a wonderful spread of lights.

HUCK Like the whole world lit up.

They stand, mesmerized, as the raft passes St. Louis.

EXT. TOW-HEAD. DUSK. 93

JIM whistles as he gathers things into neat piles: pots and pans in one, his own clothing in another, traps and fishing gear, foodstuffs. He ties each into a bundle.

HUCK What you doin'?

JIM Gettin' ready to quit raftin'.

HUCK Quit rafting? How you mean?

JIM We passed St. Louis, didn't we?

HUCK Yea. So?

JIM So? So that means Kayro ain't far now.

HUCK Kayro. What's Kayro?

JIM That's the Ohio river, Huck. That's freedom. That's what that is. This nigger's gonna slip into the Ohio and hide hisself on a steamer up into the free states and just keep on going. Find hisself a way to New York if there's any luck at all.

HUCK You really gonna run all the way to New York, Jim?

JIM You think I'se just gonna drift down the river forever?

48.

HUCK I don't rightly know what I thought. Really. I mean. I dunno. Seems awful risky. And. People get hung for what it is we's doin'--

JIM Don't I know it?

HUCK And, well, might could be it just ain't right. Your stealin' yourself like this.

JIM doesn't hear, or ignores HUCK'S statement. A silence.

A MAN'S voice breaks the silence:

MAN (O.S.) Ready for crossing!!

HUCK and JIM peek out through the willow branches: "a monstrous long raft that was as long going by as a procession. She had four long sweeps at each end, so we judged she carried as many as thirty men, likely. She had five big wigwams aboard, wide apart, and an open camp fire in the middle, and a tall flag-pole at each end." They watch the raft slowly pass.

HUCK There's a power of style about that there raft. I reckon it amounts to something, being a raftsman on such a one.

The raft continues on its way. HUCK prepares to launch the raft.

JIM (Singing lightly:)

I'm gonna build myself a raft,/ An' float that river down,/ I'll build myself a shack/ In some ol' Texas town./ Mhm, mhm!/ 'Cause the blues ain' nothin'/ No de blues ain' nothin'/ But a good man feeling b-a-d!

JIM stops his song; talks, primarily to himself.

JIM Yes indeedy. Pretty soon, I'll be a-shouting for joy, and I'll say it's all on accounts o' Huck. I'se a free man and I couldn't ever been free if it hadn't been for Huck. Jim won't ever forget you Huck. You's the best fren'

-more-

49.

JIM (CONT'D) Jim's ever had, and you's the only fren' ole Jim has now. The only white genlman that ever kep' his promise to Jim.

EXT. RIVER. RAFT. NIGHT. 94

Moving silently downstream. The "monstrous big raft" visible ahead of them.

HUCK How we gonna know Kayro?

JIM Two mighty big rivers join there. Sure we'll know when we see's that--

HUCK It might could be it'll look just like we's passing the foot of a monstrous big island. And we'll be still in the same old river--

JIM That's so. Lordy, that is so, ain't it? What we can do, Huck?

HUCK I got an idea. I'll swim up to that big raft and crawl aboard and listen and see can I find out how far we is from Kayro.

JIM That's a gran' idea, Huck! Go on. I'll trail on right behind. But don't you get caught. Stay hid in the water, y'hear?

HUCK stands, strips off his clothing.

EXT. RIVER. 95

HUCK sliding into the water and starting off towards the long raft.

EXT. LONG RAFT. 96

The center campfire of the large raft: "There was thirteen men there--they was the watch on deck of course. And a mighty rough looking lot, too. They had a jug, and tin cups, and they kept the jug moving. One man was singing--roaring, you may

50.

say; and it wasn't a nice song--for a parlor anyway. He roared through his nose, and strung out the last word of every line very long."

A very burly man, dressed in buckskins and a ribbon bedecked slouch hat--(call him BOB)--takes center stage:

BOB There was a woman in our town, In our town did dwed'l, She loved her husband dear-i-lee, But another man twist as wed'l.

BOB can't sing. The crowd gets restless. Another burly man, ARKANSAS, speaks up:

ARKANSAS Give us a rest, Bob--

At the edge of the long raft: HUCK watching the MAN singing. He pulls himself along the raft, careful to stay hidden. He pulls himself up onto the raft and crawls in amongst coiled ropes and cargo. The scene continues, intercutting HUCK'S point-of-view and a more general view.

BOB Singing too, riloo, riloo, riloo, Ri-too, riloo, rilay--e, She loved her husband dear-i-lee, But another man twist as wed'l!!

ARKANSAS That's the tune the cow died on. I reckon there ain't crow nor cricket, dying dog nor het' up cat what don't sound better'n what you do Bob.

BOB stops singing, stares at the ARKANSAS.

BOB You reckon that's so?

ARKANSAS I do.

BOB makes a dash for ARKANSAS. A couple of MEN grab to restrain him.

ARKANSAS Set whar you are, gentlemen. Leave him to me, he's my meat.

(tossing down his hat:)

You lay thar till the chawin-up's done. -more-

51.

ARKANSAS (CONT'D) (stripping off his coat:)

You lay thar till his sufferins is over.

The two men circle one another, waving fists, hunching down for the fight. ARKANSAS "jumped up in the air and cracked his heels together...and shouted out:"

ARKANSAS WHOO-OOP! I'm the old original iron-jawed, brass-mounted, copper-bellied corpse-maker from the wilds of Arkansaw! Look at me! I'm the man they call Sudden Death and General Desolation! Sired by a hurricane, dam'd by an earthquake, half-brother to the cholera, nearly related to the small-pox on the mother's side! Look at me! I take nineteen alligators and bar'l of whiskey for breakfast when I'm in robust health, and a bushel of rattle-snakes and a dead body when I'm ailing! WHOO-OOP! Stand back and give me room according to my strength! Blood's my natural drink, and the wails of the dying is music to my ear! Cast your eye on me, gentleman! And lay low and hold your breath, for I'm 'bout to turn myself loose!!

As HUCK describes it: "All the time he was getting this off, he was shaking his head and looking fierce, and kind of swelling a-round in a little circle, tucking up his wrist-bands, and now and then straightening up and beating his breast with his fist...

Then BOB...tilted his old slouch hat down over his right eye; then he bent stooping forward, with his back sagged and his south end sticking out far, and his fists a-shoving out and drawing in in front of him, and so went around in a little circle about three times, swelling himself up and breathing hard."

BOB WHOO-OOP! Bow you neck and spread, for the kingdom of sorrow's a-coming! Don't attempt to look on me with the naked eye, gentlemen. Smoked glass for everyone! When I'm playful I use the meridians of longitude and the parallels of latitude for a seine, and drag the Atlantic Ocean for whales! I scratch my head with the lightning and

-more-

52.

BOB (CONT'D) purr myself to sleep with the thunder! When I'm thirsty I reach up and suck a cloud dry like a sponge. WHOO-OOP! Bow your neck and spread! I bite a piece out of the moon and hurry the seasons; I shake myself and crumble the mountains! Contemplate me through leather! Don't use the naked eye! I'm the man with a petrified heart and boiler-iron bowels! The massacre of isolated communities is the pastime of my idle moments, the destruction of nationalities the serious business of my life! Bow your neck and spread, for the pet child of calamity's a-coming!! You slack-livered, yellow-bellied, river sludge.

"...then they both got at it at the same time, swelling round and round each other and punching their fists most into each other's faces, and whooping and jawing like Injuns..."

ARKANSAS You moss-headed, dunder-brained walking deception. Call yourself a man, do you...

BOB kicks ARKANSAS' hat across the deck. ARKANSAS responds by knocking BOB'S hat off his head. BOB bends to take up his hat.

BOB Never mind about that. I'm a body that don't forget. You'll answer me with the best blood in your body one day.

ARKANSAS (Also backing away:) I won't rest till I've waded in your blood.

BOB I reckon I'll spare you for now on account of your family.

"Both of them was edging away in different directions...and a little black-whiskered chap skipped up and says:--"

DAVY Come back here you chicken-livered cowards and I'll thrash the two of ye!!

"And he done it, too. He snatched them, he jerked them this way and that, he booted them around, he knocked them sprawling faster than they could get up."

53.

The MEN watching are enjoying the spectacle immensely, laughing and clapping hands and chiming in:

FIRST Sail in, Corpse Maker--

SECOND Hi! At him again, Child of Calamity--

THIRD Bully for you, Little Davy--

BOB and ARKANSAS are both on the deck.

DAVY Own up, the two of you, that you're sneaks and cowards and not fit to eat with a dog or drink with a nigger-- Go on. Own!! Shake hands on your confederacy of cowardice!!

BOB and ARKANSAS shakes hand. The crowd cheers loudly. Someone hands the three combatants a jug. They drink deeply.

MAN (O.S.) Ready for crossing!! All hands!!

The group immediately disperses; each man moving to a specific task. ARKANSAS moves to a steering oar nearby where HUCK is hiding.

POV - HUCK: the towering figure of ARKANSAS.

ARKANSAS pulls in the steering oar, reaches down into the pile of melons--where HUCK is hiding--and, upon feeling HUCK'S thigh, pulls back with a start:

ARKANSAS Ouch!! Fetch a lantern or a chunk fire here, boys. There's a snake here a big as a cow!

A couple of men rush over, one carrying a lantern. They discover HUCK. They handle him roughly; he squirms and shouts.

BOB A snake, is it?

DAVY Come out of there you beggar!

BOB Snatch him out by the heels.

54.

ARKANSAS A cussed thief! Lend a hand and let's heave him overboard--

BOB Let's paint him sky blue, then heave him over.

HUCK shouts, pleads with them to leave him be.

ARKANSAS Go for the paint.

EXT. RAFT. JIM. 97

JIM can hear HUCK'S cries. He lets go the steering oar; rushes to the front of the raft, as if he would like to run to the other raft and help HUCK. He paces, frustrated at his powerlessness to help. He goes back to the steering oar. HUCK'S cries continue.

EXT. LONG RAFT. 98

HUCK is struggling against the men holding him.

DAVY What's your name, boy?

HUCK Aleck Hopkins, sir.

DAVY And how long you been hiding there, Aleck.

HUCK Not over a quarter of a minute. sir.

DAVY How did you get dry so quick then?

HUCK I don't know, sir. I'm always that way mostly.

BOB Come, boy. Don't lie.

HUCK It's as true as the world.

BOB comes back with a bucket of blue paint. The MEN laugh as they paint HUCK blue.

55.

ARKANSAS Admit it, boy. You come to steal.

HUCK No sir. Only to ask where was Kayro. See, sir, my Pap and me we're running a small trading scow, but it's our first trip this far south and Pap he don't want to miss Kayro. That there's our lantern back a ways. So I swum up to see could I learn nothing about Kayro. Please, sir.

DAVY Tell your Pap that Kayro is another six crossings; another thirteen bends; three towns and four plantations. Got that? Now back with you.

They heave HUCK into the river. Laughter.

EXT. RAFT. JIM. 99

JIM looking towards the long raft: the MEN are still laughing from their prank against HUCK. JIM steers toward the area where HUCK was tossed into the river.

EXT. RIVER. HUCK. 100

HUCK treading water; watching at the raft's lantern approaches.

EXT. RAFT. HUCK, JIM. 101

HUCK climbing back on board the raft.

HUCK Lord Jim. I'm glad to be home.

HUCK is all over blue. JIM laughs at him.

HUCK It ain't funny, Jim. It sure ain't funny.

JIM laughs the harder. HUCK laughs with him.

HUCK Well. We ain't passed Kayro. I found that out.

56.

EXT. RIVERBANK. DAWN. 102

The raft is moored and hidden. HUCK is at the water's edge, trying to wash off the blue pigment, with little success.

JIM When I gets to the Free States I'm gonna work and not spend a single cent and save up and one day I'm gonna buy my wife Colinda out of slavery-- An' if'n ole Master Johnson won't sell Colinda, I'll find me a abl'litionist to go and steal her.

HUCK Listen at how you're talking, Jim. That's another man's rightful property you're talking of stealing.

JIM Well, so is I.

HUCK But that's different.

JIM How different?

HUCK I don't know. Just is is all. I don't want to hear no more about no Abolitionist. You getting to talking mighty free and easy, Jim.

HUCK continues trying to get the blue paint off, scrubbing hard.

JIM Huck, I got something to say. I reckon I shoulda told you 'fore now. 'Cause maybe you mighta wanted to, well, I dunno, maybe you mighta wanted to do something besides ridin' this here raft if you'd know'd before--

HUCK Know'd what?

JIM Your Pap ain't looking for you no more.

HUCK I know that. He thinks I been kilt.

57.

JIM I mean to say: he ain't no danger at all to you no more. No way. Ever. On account he's dead.

HUCK sits up, stares at JIM.

JIM (talking rapidly:) That man we saw, the one in the house, shot in the back, during the flood. That man. That man was your Pap--

HUCK says nothing for a long moment. He considers.

HUCK It was? It really was?

JIM Yes sir, Mars Huck. It sure was.

HUCK (Almost to himself:) Pap warn't so bad. He warn't. I mean, Jim, I didn't want him dead. I ain't never wanted him dead. You don't suppose he was looking for my murderer. And that's what got him kilt. I sure hate to think that's the way of it.

JIM No, Huck. That ain't it--

HUCK turns suddenly on JIM; angrily:

HUCK Why didn't you say so before?

JIM --I was skeered. Maybe Huck'd leave Jim there on the island. Maybe he'd clear out and head back to Petersburg. Maybe he'd fetch the Judge or the Sheriff--

HUCK Ain't that a damn fool notion! Didn't I tell you I warn't gonna snitch on you?

JIM I'm sorry Mars Huck. 'Deed I am.

HUCK (Anger dissipated:)

We might coulda at least buried him, Jim. We mighta done that.

58.


JIM and HUCK sitting, silent, at the edge of the raft; each holding a fishing line.

HUCK is pensive; JIM is trying to think of a way to lighten the air.

JIM Ain't no fish today.

HUCK No. There ain't.

JIM You ain't gonna leave me now, are you Huck?

HUCK Don't be such a blamed fool. Pick up that line. We ain't never gonna catch no dinner if'n we don't hold our mouth's right.

JIM "When yo'don' speak sof', yo' bait comes off, an' de fish jes' swims away--"

EXT. DUSK. RAFT. 104

HUCK and JIM on the raft; a light fog settling in. JIM at the helm.

JIM Yes indeedy. Pretty soon I'll be a-shouting for joy, and I'll say it's all on accounts o'Huck. Jim won't ever forget you Huck. You's the best friend Jim`s ever had. And you's the only friend ole' Jim has now. the only white genlman that ever kept his promise to Jim.

JIM does a little jig, points to a small gathering of lights visible along the Eastern shore.

JIM There she is. There's Kayro. We's safe, Huck, we's safe! Jump up and crack your heels.

HUCK That ain't Kayro, Jim. That's just a lumber yard.

59.

JIM'S face drops with disappointment. The shore is barely visible through the fog.

EXT. RAFT. FOG. 105

The fog has gotten much thicker. HUCK and JIM stand, straining to see through the mists. Three feet past the edge of the raft is a solid wall of white.

They hear the creak of a row-boat. And a MAN'S voice.

MAN (O.S.) Dern the dern fog. I cain't see a blessed damn thing.

The disembodied voice is very eerie. From the other side of the raft comes the sound of a tin pan being tapped regularly.

JIM It's like spirits, ain't it?

HUCK Spirits wouldn't say dern the dern fog.

JIM We gonna get bust on a snag for sure. We best tie up.

HUCK How we gonna see to land?

JIM Go on ahead in the canoe, Huck. See can you fasten the line to a tree or something.

EXT. RIVER. FOG. 106

HUCK alone in the canoe. The line stretching between him and the raft. He paddles cautiously towards the shore. The sound of a tin pan being beaten.

HUCK runs through a snag: small branches of a fallen tree. He has found the shoreline. Large, looming branches come through the fog.

He grabs for a branch and hurriedly wraps the line around it. The line tightens. It vanishes into the fog like a surrealistic tight-rope and continues to move downstream: the raft is continuing past where HUCK has landed. HUCK'S face shows he is worried whether or not the branch and the rope will be able to stop the raft's momentum. The answer comes: with a sudden crack the branch breaks. HUCK tries to hold the rope. He is pulled out of the canoe. He comes up quickly: hands empty. He scurries back into the canoe.

60.

EXT. RIVER. RAFT. JIM. 107

Pulling in the limp rope. His face shows great anxiety.

HUCK (O.S.) Jim!! Jim!!!

He hesitates, frightened to call, frightened not to.

JIM Here I is, Huck. This way.

EXT. RIVER. CANOE. HUCK. 108

Paddling in the direction of JIM'S call.

JIM (O.S.) This way, Huck.

The call is faint. It continues. And seems to change direction.

JIM (O.S.) Huck! Whoop... whoop...

It fades. HUCK is very confused; seems very small and alone.


In the thick fog. Battering against a shoreline. Tree branches tearing at the raft, pulling part of the wig-wam off, knocking JIM down.

EXT. RIVER. CANOE. HUCK. 110

Alone. He stops paddling. He waits for a sound from JIM. None comes.

The canoe careens against a tow-head. HUCK struggles to avoid the overhangs and snags.

He clears one series of branches and collides with another. He paddles furiously, manages to get into the middle of the river.

He puts down the paddle, hunches over: his arms crossed over his knees, his head resting on his arm. He starts to cry.

He drifts aimlessly.

61.


He sits, defeated; seemingly unconcerned with his own fate or the direction of the raft. There are tears on his face.

EXT. RIVER. CANOE. LATER. HUCK. 112

Visibility is increasing, the fog lifting. HUCK can now make out the shore in fleeting glances between pockets of thick fog. He picks up the paddle and starts downriver.

The moon begins to show through the mists. The sky is turning light with the first traces of daybreak. A rooster crows.

He sees something ahead and starts towards it.

EXT. RIVER. RAFT. DAYBREAK. JIM, HUCK. 113

HUCK is pulling alongside the raft. He boards, pulls the canoe onboard, starts to lash it down.

JIM is sitting, his head between his knees, the steering oar loosely held under one arm, sound asleep.

The raft is littered with leaves and dirt, barely visible in the dim light of daybreak.

HUCK lies down next to JIM. He stretches and groans, as if just waking up, knocking his stretched out arms into JIM'S chest.

JIM begins to stir.

HUCK Hello Jim. Have I been asleep? Why didn't you stir me?

JIM Goodness gracious, is that you Huck? And you ain't dead? You ain't drownded--you's back again? It's too good for true, honey, it's too good for true. Lemme look at you. chile, lemme feel o'you. You's back agin, 'live and soun'--

HUCK What's the matter with you, Jim? You been drinking?

JIM Drinking? Has I been drinking? Has I had a chance to be drinking?

62.

HUCK Well, then, what makes you talk so wild?

JIM How has I been talking wild?

HUCK Ain't you been talking about my coming back, and all that stuff, as if I'd been gone away?

JIM Huck--Huck Finn. Look me in the eye. Ain't you been gone away?

HUCK What in dad blame nation do you mean? I ain't been gone nowheres. Where would I go?

JIM Well, looky here, boss. There's something wrong, there is! Is I meo rwho isI? Is I here, or where is I?

HUCK You're here, plain enough, but I think you're a tangle-headed old fool.

JIM I is, is I? Well tell me this. Didn't you tote out the line in the canoe, to tie us to a tow-head?

HUCK What tow-head. I ain't seen no tow-head.

JIM Didn't the line pull loose and the raft go hummin' down the river, and leave you and the canoe behind in the fog--

HUCK What fog?

JIM The fog. The fog that's been around all night!!

HUCK Well, this is too many for me, Jim. I

-more-

63.

HUCK (CONT'D) ain't seen no tow-head, nor no fog, nor no nothing. I been sitting here talking with you all night--you was singing and talking about freedom--and then you went to sleep about ten minutes ago, and I reckon I done the same. You couldn't've got drunk in that time, so of course you've been dreaming--

JIM Dad fetch it! How am I gonna dream all that in ten minutes?

HUCK Well, hang it all, you did dream it, 'cause didn't any of it happen.

JIM But Huck, it's just plain to me as--

HUCK It don't make no difference how plain it is.

JIM says nothing for a long moment, "studying it over."

JIM Well, then, I reckon I did dream it, Huck. But dog my cats if it ain't the powerfullest dream I ever see.

HUCK Tell me about it, Jim.

JIM It must've been sent for a warning. I got's to 'terpret it. The first tow-head, that stand for the good angel, and the current, that is the bad angel what brings on bad luck. And all the branches and snags and such what knocked me about, them stand for troubles we gonna get into with all kinds of mean folks, but if we mind our own and don't talk back, then we'll pull out of the fog and into the clear water, which is the Free States, and we won't have no more trouble.

HUCK That's sure a powerful dream, Jim. And I reckon you 'terpret it down to the bone. But tell me this, Jim. What does these stand for?

64.

HUCK has gathered a handful of leaves and twigs and branches-- evidence of JIM'S encounter with the shoreline.

JIM looks at the detritus, eyes wide, realizing that HUCK has played him for a fool. HUCK is all ready to laugh. Then he notices JIM'S stony, unsmiling expression.

JIM What do they stand for? I's gwyne to tell you. When I got all wore out wid work, en wid de callin' for you, en went to sleep, my heart wuz mos' broke bekase you wuz los', en I didn' k'yer no mo' what become er me en de raf'. En when I wake up en fine you back agin', all safe en soun', de tears come en I could a got down on my knees en kiss' yo' foot I'se so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin' 'bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren's en makes 'em ashamed.

"Then he got up slow, and walked to the wigwam, and went in there, without saying anything but that. But that was enough."

The sun is almost up. There is a light mist shrouding the raft.

HUCK kicks some of the leaves off the raft, looks after JIM. He heads toward the wig-wam, hesitates, then goes to the opening.

HUCK (Stammers a bit, then:)

I'm sorry, Jim. Truly I am. I didn't mean no--

HUCK'S apology is interrupted by a MAN'S voice calling:

MAN (O.S.) Hello there. On the raft--

HUCK spins around: two MEN in a canoe, each armed with a rifle, are paddling towards the raft.

JIM pulls a blanket over his head. HUCK hurries to the edge of the raft.

You alone boy?

HUCK (After a tortured pause:)

No sir.

65.

FIRST MAN Well, there's five niggers run off tonight, up yonder above the bend. Is your man white or black?

HUCK (After a pause:) He's white.

HUCK blanches a bit; as if the lie was difficult; as if a decision has been reached; a tone of finality to his words.

SECOND MAN I reckon we'll come see for ourselves--

HUCK regains his composure, thinks fast.

HUCK I wish you would. Because it's Pap that's in there, and maybe you could help me tow the raft ashore. He's sick, you see--

FIRST MAN We're in a hurry, boy. But I suppose we've got to--

HUCK Pap'll be much oblidged, I can tell you. Everybody goes away when I ask'em to help me tow the raft ashore, and I can't do it by myself--

SECOND MAN That's infernal mean. Odd too.

FIRST MAN What's the matter with your father?

The MEN are only a few feet from the raft.

HUCK It's the--a--the--well, it ain't nothing much.

They stop paddling; look at one another.

FIRST MAN That's a lie, boy. Square up, now. What's ailing him--

HUCK Don't leave us, please. It's the-- the--gentlemen, if you'll only pull ahead, and let me heave you the head-line, you won't have to come a-near the raft. Please.

They start back-paddling rapidly.

66.

FIRST MAN Set her back, John, set her back!! Keep away, boy. Keep to leeward. Confound it, I just expect the wind has blowed it to us. Your Pap's got the smallpox and you know it precious well. Why didn't you say so? You want to spread it all over.

HUCK Well, I told everybody before, and then they just went away and left us.

FIRST MAN Poor devil. There's something in that. We're right sorry for you, boy, but, hang it, we don't want the smallpox, you see. So, I'll tell you what to do. Don't you try and land by yourself. You continue on 'bout another twenty miles and you'll come to a town on the left-hand side of the river--

HUCK That Kayro, mister?

FIRST MAN No, it ain't Kayro, but it'll do just as good. And when you ask for help, you tell folks your Pap is down with chills and fever. And don't be a fool again and let people guess the truth. You do as I say, boy. I'm puttin' a twenty dollar gold piece on this here log. You catch it when it comes by--

SECOND MAN Hold it, Parker. Here's a twenty from me.

They float the log towards HUCK; then quickly start paddling away.

HUCK How far is it to Kayro.

FIRST MAN You've already passed Kayro. It' about thirty miles upstream, boy. Good-bye, boy. Good luck to you.

SECOND MAN If you see any runaway niggers, you get help and nab them, and you can make some money by it--

67.

HUCK G'bye, sir. I won't let no runaway nigger get by me if I can help it. Thank you. Thank you kindly--

JIM comes out of the wig-wam. HUCK reaches for the floating log. He takes the gold pieces.

HUCK Forty dollars, Jim. We'se rich now.

JIM We passed Kayro.

HUCK Musta passed her in the fog last night. Oh, Lord Jim. I'm sorry.

JIM Poor niggers can't have no luck. I always 'spected that rattle-snake skin you touched warn't done with its working.

HUCK I wish I'd never seen that snake-skin, Jim. I do wish I'd never laid eyes on it--

JIM Let's get hid, honey. Before it's all daylight--


The raft is hid. JIM sits to one side, stewing over their new predicament.

HUCK We could take the canoe and paddle back towards Kayro.

JIM There ain' no place to hide in a canoe.

HUCK We could walk back.

JIM That's worser yet, Huck.

HUCK Then what, Jim?

68.

JIM I 'spect we'll just keep as we is.

There's a tone of defeat in his statement.

EXT. RAFT. DUSK. 115

JIM and HUCK around the fire, eating dinner in silence.


JIM and HUCK both standing at the steering oar. An air of melancholy.

JIM Can you believe it, Huck? A runaway nigger, running straight down the river into the cotton fields? Ain't that a caution!

HUCK Maybe if'n we can make New Orleans, maybe you can catch a sailing ship direct to New York.

This is the first glimmer of hope since learning that they have passed Cairo.

EXT. NIGHT. RAFT. MIST. 117

Not the thick fog of the night before, but still: an eerie atmosphere and low visibility.

Both JIM and HUCK are at the steering oar.

Around a bend comes a huffing and puffing steamboat--sparks flying from the chimneys. It is under full power, bulling "right up the channel against the whole river."

"We could hear her pounding along, but we didn't see her good till she was close. She aimed right for us."

HUCK Here we go again, Jim. Gonna get another shavin' from that steamboat. Hold on--

"...she didn't seem to be sheering off a bit. She was a big one, and she was coming in a hurry, too, looking like a black cloud with rows of glow-worms around it; but all of a sudden she bulged out, big and scary, with a long row of wide-open furnace doors shining like red-hot teeth, and her monstrous bows and guards hanging right over us. There was a yell at us,

69.

and a jingling of bells to stop the engines, a pow-wow of cussing, and whistling of steam--and as Jim went overboard on one side and I on the other; she come straight through the raft..."


HUCK coming up for air, thrashing around in the water. The steamboat has passed him, is now paused: people leaning over the railings looking for HUCK and JIM. The engines start up again. The steamboat continues on its way.

HUCK looks about frantically for JIM. He waits till the steam-boat is out of earshot before calling.

HUCK Jim!! Jim!!!

HUCK starts swimming with the current towards the Eastern shore.

EXT. KENTUCKY. NIGHT. 119

HUCK struggling up the riverbank. He stands next to a large woodpile, scans the river for any sign of JIM or the raft: blackness.

Dogs bark. The sound gets closer and closer; HUCK is still looking out over the river for JIM. He climbs up onto the woodpile as five large hounds snap at his heels.

MAN (O.S.) Be done, boys!

The dogs whimper and quiet down.

MAN (O.S.) Who's there?

HUCK It's me.

MAN (O.S.) Who's me?

HUCK George Jackson, sir.

MAN (O.S.) What do you want?

The disembodied voice scares HUCK. He swallows hard.

70.

HUCK I don't want nothing, sir. I fell overboard off the steamboat.

MAN (O.S.) Oh, you did, did you?

(To someone inside:)

Strike a light there, somebody. (To HUCK:)

What'd you say your name was?

HUCK George Jackson, sir. I'm only a boy.

MAN (O.S.) Look here, George, if you're telling the truth you needn't be afraid. Nobody'll hurt you. But don't try to budge.

(To someone inside:)

Rouse out Bob and Tom, some of you, and fetch the guns.

(To HUCK:) George Jackson, is there anybody with you?

HUCK No sir, nobody.

MAN (O.S.) You know the Shepherdsons?

HUCK No sir.

MAN (O.S.) Snatch that light away, Betsy, you old fool. Put it on the floor behind the door. Bob, if you and Tom are ready, take your places.

BOB (O.S.) All ready.

MAN (O.S.) Step forward George Jackson. And mind you don't hurry--come mighty slow. If there's anybody with you, let him keep back--if he shows himself he'll be shot. Come along, now. Push the door open--just enough to squeeze in--

HUCK climbs down from the woodpile and walks slowly toward the door. He edges into the slightly opened door.

71.

INT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. NIGHT. SAME. 120

HUCK sidling through the door. Standing, waiting for him are: COLONEL SAUL GRANGERFORD, sixty or so--"very tall and very slim ...a darkish-paly complexion,not a sign of red in it anywheres; he was clean-shaved...all over his thin face, and he had the thinnest kind of lips, and the thinnest kind of nostrils, and a high nose, and heavy eyebrows, and the blackest kind of eyes, sunk so deep back that they seemed like they was looking out of caverns at you, as you may say. His forehead was high, and his hair was black and straight, and hung to his shoulders"--RACHEL, his wife, BETSY, a slave woman, BOB and TOM, his older sons, and two daughters: CHARLOTTE and SOPHIA. Quite an impressive group to be staring at the shivering, frightened HUCK.

The house is well-appointed: heavy furniture, rugs, paintings. The GRANGERFORDS are obviously gentry.

BOB Why, he ain't a Shepherdson at all. Ain't no trace of Shep-herdson about him--

TOM touches the outside of his clothing, frisking him. The men all seem rather disappointed to find that HUCK is only HUCK.

SAUL Don't mind our being suspicious, George. We must make certain--

RACHEL Why bless you, Saul, the poor thing's as wet as he can be; and don't you reckon it may be he's hungry?

SAUL True for you, Rachel. I forget myself.

RACHEL Betsy, you fly around and get him something to eat--

BUCK GRANGERFORD--a boy about HUCK'S age, perhaps a little younger although he is a little larger--comes into the room dragging a rifle behind him, digging a fist in his right eye:

BUCK Ain't they no Shepherdsons around?

TOM (Disappointed:)

It was a false alarm.

72.

BUCK If they'd been some, I reckon I'd a got one--

The family laughs at their youngest member:

CHARLOTTE Why Buck, they'd've scalped us all, you've been so slow in coming.

BUCK Well, nobody come after me. It ain't right. I don't never get no show!

SAUL Never mind, Buck, my boy. You'll have show enough, all in good time. Now you can take this little stranger--

BUCK notices HUCK for the first time.

SAUL --and get the wet clothes off him.

BUCK eyes HUCK up and down; smiles, tosses his head toward the stairway.

BUCK Come on.

INT. BUCK'S ROOM. SAME. 121

HUCK is pulling off his wet clothes. BUCK is tossing clothes from a chest of drawers onto the bed.

BUCK What's your name?

HUCK Hu-- George. George Jackson.

BUCK I caught a blue jay and a rabbit in the woods day before yesterday. Great Grandmother died before hardly any of us was born. She had warts. She had an uncle that was bald-headed and had fits. We used to have a calf that ate apples and just chawed up dishrags like nothing. Did you ever see a house afire? I have. Where you suppose Moses was when the candle went out?

HUCK What?

73.

BUCK Where was Moses when the candle went out?

HUCK How should I know?

BUCK Well, guess--

HUCK Which candle?

BUCK Any candle.

HUCK I don't know. Where was he?

BUCK Why, he was in the dark! That's where he was--

BUCK laughs heartily; HUCK turns red with rage.

HUCK Well, if you knowed where he was, what did you ask me for?

BUCK Blame it, it's a riddle, don't you see? How long you gonna stay here? You got to stay always. We can have booming times. I've got a dog that goes in the river and brings out chips that you throw in.

INT. KITCHEN. SAME. 122

The family gathered around a large table. Set on the table is a spread of food, all for HUCK. The family sits and stands watching, smoking pipes.

HUCK is telling the story of his arrival between voracious bites:

HUCK Pap and me and all the family was living on a little farm down at the bottom of Arkansas and my sister Mary Ann run off and got married and never was heard of no more, and Bill went to hunt them and he warn't heard of no more, and Tom and Mort died and then

-more-

74.

HUCK (CONT'D) there warn't nobody but me and Pap left, and he was just trimmed down to nothing, on account of his troubles; so when he died I took what there was left, because the farm didn't belong to us, and started up the river, deck passage, and fell overboard; and that's how I come to be here.

Everyone seems affected by the story. SOPHIA is particularly moved by the part about MARY ANN running off to get married.

SAUL Well, boy. You have a home here for as long as you care to stay. And now. I suggest we retire for the evening.

TOM Good night Father. Mother.

All of the children rise, bow there heads as SAUL and RACHEL leave the room. HUCK has never seen anything like this.

EXT. RIVERFRONT. DAWN. 123

A thick woods. The sky is barely tinged with light. Discover JIM huddled under a large oak, hidden among the large roots at the base; he has pulled leaves and undergrowth over his body. He shivers.

There is a rustling nearby. JIM starts to rise and run, decides there isn't enough time and burrows down deeper beneath the leaves, trying frantically to hide his large frame.

From the direction of the river comes JACK, twenty-five, one of the GRANGERFORD slaves, a fishing pole over his shoulder, a string of catfish in one hand.

JACK (Singing a Spiritual:)

Oh! there was a moanish lady Lived in a moanish land, She had a moanish daughter Could moan at the Lord's command. Moanish lady and you shall be free, Moanish honey, and you shall be free When the good Lord shall call you home.

JACK stumbles over JIM'S leg, sprawls over a root, turns, eyes wide.

75.

JACK WHAT!! Land alive. Who you?! Is you a demon! Stay back now. Go on. Get!!

JIM I ain't no demon. I'se a nigger just like you.

JACK What you doin' in that tree. You don't belong to no one I know's of. You a runaway, ain't you? You a dag-nabbed runaway!! Where you from?

JIM Never you mind.

JACK Where you goin'?

JIM Never you mind.

JACK Well, you ain't goin' far, that's for sure. You stay here you'll get catched in no time at all. Come on, nigger. Follow Jack.

JIM stares at JACK, not trusting. He doesn't move.

JACK All right. Stay where you is.

JACK starts to walk off. JIM gets up and rushes after him.

EXT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. WOODPILE. MORNING. 124

Early morning; mist on the river. HUCK is standing atop the woodpile--as he had the night of his arrival--looking out over the river; thinking of JIM.

BUCK approaches, followed by two young SLAVES. HUCK jumps down.

BUCK This here's Jack. He's to be your nigger for the while you're here.

HUCK gives JACK a sidelong glance, a mixture of shame and befuddlement. They walk away from the river toward the stables.

76.

JACK Mars George. Mars George. If you come down by the swamp, I'll show you a whole stack o'water-moccasins.

HUCK I ain't too much in love with water-moccasins to go out of my way looking for 'em.

JACK B'lieve me, Mars George. You want to see these ones.

HUCK Can't now anyways. We're going hunting.

HUCK takes a last look at the clock, turns to exit. JACK looks after him. Follows.

EXT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. STABLE. 125

BUCK'S slave is on his hands and knees. BUCK is mounting his horse by climbing on the slave's back. There is no show made of this: it's simply the way it's done.

HUCK Say, Buck. You ever seen a drownded man?

BUCK Sure.

HUCK A drownded nigger?

BUCK Naw. My Uncle Henri.

HUCK Oh.

HUCK struggles up onto his mount, clearly not too comfortable riding.

BUCK gallops away. HUCK follows. They both carry shotguns.

EXT. SWAMP. JIM, JACK. 126

JIM eats from a plate of left-overs brought by JACK.

JIM You told him I was here. And he didn't come?

77.

JACK Not exactly. I didn't tell him exactly. I'll fetch him here don't you worry. What you gonna do if'n you get back on that river?

JIM Hide me on a boat to New York. Out of Orleans.

JACK You is for sure crazy. If you do make it as far as Orleans, I know's some people, some free niggers, they can most likely help your ass.

JACK chuckles to himself, shaking his head at JIM'S scheme:

JACK You is for sure crazy!!

EXT. WOODS. BUCK, HUCK. 127

BUCK and HUCK stalking a covey of dove. BUCK throws a stone into the bush. They flush: half a dozen dove fly off, each in a dif-ferent direction.

BUCK fires twice--both barrels--knocks down one bird. HUCK fires once, misses.

BUCK rushes off, cheering, to retrieve his bird.

As he bends to pick it up he freezes. He hears something. He signals to HUCK to come over and crouch down beside him.

The sound is distinct now: a cantering horse. BUCK hands HUCK his empty shotgun, takes HUCK'S.

He creeps in the direction of the sound.

"Pretty soon a splendid young man come galloping down the road, setting his horse easy and looking like a soldier. He had his gun across his pommel..."

BUCK That's Harney Shepherdson, may his soul feel every torture--

BUCK takes a bead on HARNEY'S back as the young man passes.

"I heard Buck's gun go off at my ear, and Harney's hat tumbled off from his head. He grabbed his gun and rode straight to the place where we was hid. But we didn't wait. We started through the woods on a run...I looked over my shoulder, to dodge the bullet, and twice I seen Harney cover Buck with his gun; and then he rode away--to get his hat, I reckon, but I couldn't see."

78.

EXT. WOODS. BUCK, HUCK. 128

Still running. They finally fall in behind a large tree. BUCK immediately starts to reload his gun. He looks for HARNEY.

BUCK Damn him. He's run away.

On BUCK'S young face: an odd mixture of cruelty and jubilation.

BUCK I almost brought him down.

HUCK What'd he do to you?

BUCK Him? He never done nothing to me.

HUCK What did you want to kill him for then?

BUCK Why nothing--only it's on account of the feud.

HUCK What's a feud?

BUCK Don't you know nothing? Where was you raised? A feud is this way: A man has a quarrel with another man, and kills him; then that other man's brother kills him; then the other brothers, on both sides, goes for one another; then the cousins chip in--and by-and-by everybody's killed off, and there ain't no more feud. But it's kind of slow, and takes a long time.

They stand and start back toward their horses.

HUCK Has this one been going on long, Buck?

BUCK I should say so. Started some thirty years ago, or som'ers along there. There was trouble 'bout something, and then a lawsuit to settle it; and the suit went agin one of the men, and so he up and shot the man that won the suit--which he would naturally do, of course, anybody would.

79.

HUCK What was the trouble about? Land?

BUCK I reckon--I don't know.

HUCK Well, who done the first shooting? Was it a Grangerford or a Shepherdson?

BUCK Lord! How do I know. It was all so long ago.

HUCK Has there been many killed?

BUCK Sure. Right smart chance of funerals around here.

INT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. PARLOR. EVENING. 129

SAUL stands towering over BUCK. The family is in the background.

SAUL I don't like this shooting from behind a bush.

BUCK The Shepherdsons'ld do the same. They always take advantage.

SAUL You're not a Shepherdson. Next time you step out into the road, face on. Or don't carry a gun. Am I understood?

BUCK Yes sir.

SAUL Good then.

SAUL strides majestically out of the room. BUCK has been shamed. He hangs his head. The TOM, BOB, CHARLOTTE, then BUCK, file out of the room. SOPHIA hangs at the door. She detains HUCK.

SOPHIA You're quite sure the Shepherdson boy wasn't hit at all?

80.

It seems that MISS SOPHIA is concerned for HARNEY. HUCK does not see this and assumes she is, like the rest of the family, disappointed in BUCK'S performance.

HUCK No ma'am. Buck only tetched his hat. But he tried, he really did try.

EXT. MEETING HOUSE. MORNING. 130

Church bells tolling. A white clap-board meeting house. A small spired bell tower.

INT. MEETING HOUSE. SAME. 131

Viewed from the back of the room: the PREACHER in at the pulpit; the GRANGERFORDS sit on the right hand side. Another clan, just as formal and well-dressed as the GRANGERFORDS, sit on the left. Rifles are leaning against the walls within easy reach of the men seated in the pews.

At the back, near the door, on the right side of the aisle, stands TOM, a rifle in his arms. Across from him, on the left, also cradling a rifle, is HARNEY SHEPHERDSON. HUCK watches the two sides, bewildered.

INT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. DINING ROOM. AFTERNOON. 132

Afternoon meal. Again: very formal. HUCK is stifling in his Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. The family eats in silence.

INT. PARLOR. HUCK. 133

HUCK standing in front of a large mantel clock--"with a picture of a town painted on the bottom half of the glass front, and a round place in the middle of it for the sun, and you could see the pendulum swing behind it." He is mesmerized. MISS SOPHIA comes in.

SOPHIA Hello, George.

HUCK Hey, Miss Sophia. If you're looking for Buck, he's sound to sleep out on the lawn. I reckon that sermon took it out of him. That was the orneriest Sunday meeting I've ever hit.

SOPHIA You like me, don't you George?

81.

HUCK Yes ma'am. I like you fine.

SOPHIA Would you do me a service, and not tell a soul?

HUCK I bet I will.

SOPHIA Good then. I forgot my Testament at the church, in our pew, between two hymn books. Would you be so kind as to retrieve it for me?

HUCK Why sure. That ain't nothing.

The clock strikes three. HUCK'S face lights up: he watches the clock.

HUCK It's real pretty when them bells go off, ain't it?

HUCK hurries out of the room.

INT. CHURCH. HUCK. 134

Deserted. A few hogs have wandered into the church to keep cool, attracted there by the raised floors and the breeze that comes up from beneath the church.

HUCK rustling through the hymn books in the GRANGERFORD pew. He finds SOPHIA'S Testament.

He flips through the Testament and out falls a note: "Half past two." HUCK puzzles over this a moment.

INT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. UPSTAIRS. 135

HUCK going down the hallway. SOPHIA pulls him into her room; she takes the book, quickly looks for the note, blushes when she reads it.

She grabs HUCK and gives him a squeeze.

SOPHIA You are the best boy in the world! Now don't tell anyone about this. Swear?

HUCK (Bewildered:)

Swear!

82.

SOPHIA Go on and play now.

HUCK turns from SOPHIA. She is lost in her thoughts.

EXT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. RIVERFRONT. 136

HUCK moseying along the river, pondering SOPHIA and the Testament. Thinking about JIM. JACK approaches.

JACK Mars George, if you'll come down into the swamp, I'll show you a whole stack o' water-moccasins.

HUCK I told you, Jack, I don't--

JACK has taken HUCK by the arm and with a slightly forceful pull starts away from the house.

EXT. SWAMP. 137

JACK points to a dense gathering of underbrush.

JACK You shove right in there. Just a few steps, Mars George, there's where they is. I seen'em before. I don't care to see'em no more--

JACK steps back; HUCK hesitates, then enters the undergrowth.

FOLLOW - HUCK as he pushes through the brush into a clearing.

From behind a tree steps JIM. HUCK almost faints from fright.

JIM Hello, Huck.

HUCK Don't hurt me Jim. I didn't mean for you to drown. I miss you Jim, and I think about you all the time. Don't go haunting me. Please Jim.

JIM I ain't no ghost, Huck. I didn't drown at all. Here I is.

HUCK You ain't a ghost?

83.

JIM No. C'mon. Touch and see for yourself.

HUCK approaches, lays a hand on JIM'S arm, smiles broadly.

HUCK Good old, Jim. Didn't drown at all. How come you didn't have my Jack tell me you was alive yet? He told me some foolishness about snakes--

JIM He's a smart one, he is. That's so's if there's trouble, he can say he didn't tell you nothing 'bout me. He's a smart one he is.

HUCK Let's get out of here, Jim.

JIM We will. Maybe tomorrow night. Soon as I finish fixin' up the raft--

HUCK The raft?! It warn't all broke to flinders?

JIM Nope. Tore up, but still in a piece. And if we hadn't been such puddn'heads that night in the water we'd a seen her still afloat.

EXT. SWAMP. 138

Several yards away JACK is humming a song, waiting for HUCK.

JACK Didn't you like them snakes?

HUCK The best I ever did see.

They walk together back toward the house.

INT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. BUCK'S BEDROOM. DAWN. 139

HUCK and BUCK sound asleep. The house is quiet. TOM enters the room and wakes BUCK, motions to him to follow. BUCK does so without waking HUCK.

84.

INT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. MORNING. 140

HUCK is half dressed. He comes rushing down the stairs. There is no one to be found.

He looks into the dining room. Into the parlor. Out into the yard between buildings: nothing. In the distance: gunshots.

EXT. GRANGERFORD HOUSE. STABLE. 141

HUCK finds JACK, rushes up to him, breathless.

HUCK What's happened? Where is everybody?

JACK Don't you know, Mars George?

HUCK Know what, dad blame it!!

JACK Miss Sophia's run off. 'Deed she has. She run off in de night, sometime, run off to get married to young Harney Shepherdson. De fambly foun' it out 'bout a hour ago and I tell you, there warn't no time lost. Such a hurring up guns and hosses you never see. The women folks has gone to stir up the relations, and old Mars Saul and the boys took their guns and rode up the river road for to try and catch that young man en kill him before he can get across the river with Miss Sophia.

HUCK Why didn't Buck wake me--

JACK He ain't gonna mix you up in all this. He's just as happy as can be. Loaded up his gun and run off, figuring on fetching back a Shepherdson or bust--

HUCK rushes toward the river. The sound of shooting in the distance continues.

EXT. RIVER ROAD. 142

HUCK hurries toward the gunfire. At the steamboat landing: "four men were cavorting around on their horses in the open place before the log store, cussing and yelling, and trying to

85.

get at a couple of young chaps that was behind the wood-rank alongside of the steamboat landing--but they couldn't come it. Every time one of them showed himself on the river side of the wood-pile he got shot at. The two boys was squatting back to back behind the pile, so they could watch both ways."

HUCK hides behind a large cotton-wood tree. He climbs into the fork. In front of the tree is a large wood-pile.

Across the way: BUCK stands and takes a bead on one of the mounted men, drops him out of the saddle, shouts at the victory.

The other men dismount, help the hit man out of the clearing, dodgng fire from the two boys behind the wood-rank. Then the BOYS make a run for HUCK'S tree (and the wood-pile in front of it) while the men tend to their wounded.

HUCK says nothing. The MEN remount and gallop after the BOYS. The BOYS return fire. "One of the boys was Buck, and the other was a slim young chap about nineteen years old...

The men ripped around awhile, and then rode away. As soon as they was out of sight, I sung out:"

HUCK They're gone, Buck.

BUCK looks up into the tree, astonished.

BUCK George!! What you doing up there?

HUCK Looking for you.

BUCK They ain't gone for long. You look sharp and sing out when they come back. I got one, George. This here's my cousin Joe. Well. The day ain't done yet. That's sure. My father and Tom and Bob, they all been killed. The Shepherdsons ambuscaded us good. We oughta waited for the relations to get here, but Pap was in such a rage.

HUCK What happened to Harney... and Miss Sophia...

BUCK Damn both their souls if they didn't get across the river--

86.

Shots ring out. The MEN have crept up behind the tree and the protected wood-pile and have ambushed BUCK and JOE. "The boys jumped for the river--both of them hurt--and as they swum down the current the men run along the bank shooting at them and singing out, 'Kill them, kill them!' It made me so sick I most fell out of the tree."

HUCK clings to the tree--frightened, tears staining his face.

The MEN yell victoriously, fire a few more shots into BUCK and JOE, then turn to their horse and gallop off.

Gunshots in the distance.

After a long pause, HUCK climbs cautiously down from the tree and heads toward the river. He finds the bodies a few yards downriver. Crying, he pulls them out of the water; and covers their faces with his jacket. He runs away from the landing, headed toward the swamp.

EXT. SWAMP. 143

HUCK pushing into the clearing. There is no sign of JIM. HUCK stands in the center of the clearing, ready to give up. He calls softly:

HUCK Jim. Oh. Lord. Jim?

Then suddenly he screams:

HUCK Jim!!!

JIM (O.S.) Here I is, Huck. Don't make no noise.

JIM appears a few feet from HUCK. He grabs HUCK by the arm and leads him, at a run, toward the river.

EXT. RIVERBANK. RAFT. 144

JIM leads HUCK onto the hidden raft. They both start to tear at the branches.

JIM I was right down sure you was dead--

HUCK Don't lose no time, Jim. Just shove for the big water as fast as you can!

They push the raft out of the creek and into the river proper. Night falls.

87.


HUCK stands at the edge of the raft, looking back toward the Grangerford's.

HUCK Jim? You believe what the Bible says about prayin'?

JIM What do the Bible say?

HUCK You know: ask and you get.

JIM The bible says that?

HUCK Yep.

JIM Then I believe it's true.

HUCK You believe in Magic Lamps?

JIM Magic what?

HUCK Lamps. Tom Sawyer had one. There's a genius what gives you wishes.

JIM That's just Tom's booky foolishness.

HUCK Ain't the bible a book?

JIM That's different.

HUCK How different?

JIM Just is.

HUCK I figure the lamp business for just a fairy story. But this prayin'. Now I thought there might be something to it. But I got to thinking last night. I mean, look at it for a minute, Jim: if

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88.

HUCK (CONT'D) you could pray for something and then get it sure enough, don't you reckon Miss Watson, she would've put some meat on her bones; and the Widow, she'd've found her another man? It stands to reason, don't it? If wishin' and prayin' made any difference at all, I figure we wouldn't've passed Kayro in the fog; and Buck, he wouldn't've been shot dead like he was.

EXT. WOODS. AFTERNOON. 146

HUCK walking inland, searching for berries. He rustles through the underbrush.

HUCK stands up and listens. He hears the sound of men running close by. His eyes show fear. He assumes the men are chasing him.

The sound of dogs barking in the distance.

HUCK runs back toward the raft. He continually looks over his shoulder at the sounds behind him--frantic running; brushes being pushed aside; men's murmured curses.


HUCK bounds onto the raft; JIM is startled. HUCK immediately begins untying the raft.

Into the clearing inshore of the raft come two men, running full tilt, expecting to dive into the river: the KING, sixties, bald, grey-bearded; and the DUKE--thirty; both dressed in denim, both carrying large carpet bags.

They toss their bags into the air and then throw themselves-- expecting to land in the river: instead they (and their bags) land with a thud on the raft floor. Dazed, they look up at HUCK and JIM.

HUCK and JIM are just as frightened, if not more so. The sound of dogs barking draws nearer.

DUKE Please, boy, help us. There're dogs coming this way. We've done nothing--

KING --and now we're being chased for it.

HUCK Come on Jim, there's no time to lose--

89.

They quickly finish unmooring the raft, push it off into the current.

EXT. RIVER. RAFT. DUSK. 148

HUCK is at the steering oar; the DUKE and KING watch the shore-line. A small group of men appear at the bank; they fire shot-guns at the raft. Dogs bark. The KING smiles.

DUKE Thank you, boy. Thank you ever so much--

KING Yeah. Thank you.

JIM is standing near HUCK, frightened, not knowing how to handle the new passengers.

HUCK Don't say no more 'bout it.

DUKE That's as close as I've come to riding the rail in a long while.

HUCK What is it you done to get them people riled so?

DUKE Well, I was selling an article to take the tartar off the teeth--and it does take it off, too, and generally the enamel with it. And you?

KING I was running a temperance revival, and was the pet of the women folks particular. Then it got 'round that I was putting in time with a jug on the side; and sharing it with the judge's wife too.

The DUKE laughs. The KING turns to JIM who is seated, half hidden, next to the wigwam.

KING Get up, nigger, and see can you roust up something to eat--

JIM casts a glance at HUCK, rises.

JIM Yes suh.

90.


JIM at the helm. The other three around the fire, eating dinner.


The KING and the DUKE seated around the fire, drinking from a bottle. HUCK and JIM at the steering oar.

JIM I don't like it, Huck. They ain't no good, no way.

HUCK Well. We'se saddled with'em for a time. And if I never learned nothing else out of Pap, I learnt that the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let'em have their own way.

EXT. RAFT. FIRE. SAME. 151

The KING and the DUKE sitting around the fire. The KING looks as if he might doze off any second. HUCK approaches, sits.

DUKE Alas!

KING What you alassin' about?

DUKE To think I should have lived to be leading such a life, and to be degraded down into such company--

KING Ain't the company good enough for you?

DUKE Good as I deserve. I brought myself down, yes I did it myself.

HUCK Brought you down from where? Where was you brought down from?

DUKE Ah. You would not believe me. The world never believes... let it pass...no matter...the secret of my birth...

91.

KING The secret of your birth--

DUKE Gentlemen. I will reveal it to you, for I feel I may have confidence in you: by rights I am a duke!

KING A duke!!

DUKE My great-grandfather, eldest son of the Duke of Bridgewater, fled to this country to breathe the pure air of freedom. Before he could return to England and reclaim his rightful place in society, his brother seized the title and estates of Bridgewater. Here I am the rightful Duke of Bridgewater, forlorn, torn from my high estate, hunted of men, despised by the cold world, ragged, worn, broken-hearted, and degraded to the companionship of felons on a raft!!

The DUKE buries his head in his hands; sorrowful, heavy sighs escaping, much shaking of head and lamentation.

HUCK Now don't take on so, sir. We're all right sorry you don't have your place as you should.

DUKE Ah, boy. Your comfort is welcome. But...but--

KING But what, damnation!!

DUKE Well, it would do a great deal to repair the world's cruel treatment of one so innocent if you could all see your way to acknowledging me.

HUCK Acknowledging?

DUKE Yes. Addressing me by title. By "Your Highness," or "Your Lordship," or even "Bridgewater."

92.

HUCK That's all? That's easy enough... your lordship--

DUKE And, of course, I should be served first at meals, and sleep beneath the shelter, and you must stand until I say otherwise--

KING Now look here Bilgewater. I'm nation sorry for you, but you ain't the only person what's had troubles like that--

DUKE No?

KING No, you ain't. You ain't the only person that's been snaked down wrongfully out'n a high place--

DUKE Alas!

KING You ain't the only person that's had a secret of birth--

The KING now clasps his head between his hands, shakes it sorrow-fully; moaning and lamentation.

DUKE Hold! What do you mean?

KING Bilgewater? Can I trust you?

DUKE To the bitter death! The secret of your being! Speak!!

KING I am the late Dauphin!!

DUKE You're what?!

KING Yes, my friend, it is too true. Your eyes is looking at this very moment on the poor disappeared Dauphin, Louis the Seventeen, son of Louis the Sixteen and Marry Antonette!!

93.

DUKE Aren't you a bit old for that part?

KING Trouble has done it. Trouble has brung on these gray hairs and this premature balditude. Yes, gentlemen, you see before you, in blue jeans and misery, the wanderin', exiled, trampled-on and sufferin' rightful King of France!!

HUCK You hear that Jim. This here's a King!!

JIM Can you imagine that!!

KING So, I 'spect that means I gets served first, don't it Bilgewater? I shall now place the royal self inside the wigwam for the night.

He goes into the wigwam. The DUKE fumes, drinks, curls down outside the wigwam


JIM lies near the steering oar; HUCK at the helm. The DUKE snores outside the wigwam; the KING snores inside.

HUCK I reckon it must be pretty lonesome for a king here in America.

JIM That's so, ain't it? No wonder he's a scoundrel. What other situation can a runaway king come by?

EXT. RIVER. DAWN. 153

HUCK and JIM landing the raft among willow branches. They tie up. When the raft brushes the shore, the DUKE bounds to his feet:

DUKE What? What's going on here?

HUCK We're tying up for the day, your highness--

94.

JIM An' hiding the raf' wid willow branches, your upness--

HUCK And I didn't know but you and the king didn't want to land and go on about--

The KING comes groggily out of the wigwam--

KING We ain't going nowheres. Untie the raft. We got to put more miles twixt us and that town back there--

HUCK But, lordship, we never run daytimes.

DUKE And why is that, boy? Who you hiding from?

KING This nigger ain't a runaway by no chance, is he?

For a moment, HUCK is stymied. Then:

HUCK No, no sir. Would a runaway nigger run South?

KING No, I reckon not--

DUKE So why are you hiding?

HUCK Well, sirs, it's like this: My folks was living in Pike County, in Missouri, where I was born, and they all died off but me and Pa and my brother Ike. Pa, he 'lowed he'd break up and go down and live with Uncle Ben, who's got a little one-horse place on the river forty-four mile below Orleans. Pa was pretty poor, and had some debts; so when he'd squared up there warn't nothing left but sixteen dollars and our nigger, Jim. That warn't enough to take us fourteen hundred mile, deck passage nor no other way. Well, when the river rose, Pa had a streak of luck one day: he catched this piece of raft. So we

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95.

HUCK (CONT'D) reckoned we'd go down to Orleans on it. Pa's luck didn't hold out: one night a steamboat run over the forward corner of the raft and we all went overboard and dove under the wheel. Jim and me come up all right, but Pa was drunk, and Ike was only four years old, so they never come up no more. Well, for the next day or two we had considerable trouble, because people was always coming out in skiffs and trying to take Jim away from me, saying they believed he must be a runaway nigger. So now we don't run daytime no more. Nights nobody bothers us.

KING So you ain't got papers on him.

HUCK No sir, but he's mine all right.

DUKE Ain't no one going to bother you none while we're aboard. Let's get underway.

EXT. RIVER. RAFT. DAY. 154

JIM once again at the helm. The DUKE and the KING play cards. HUCK watches.

KING Look Bilgewater. We gots to lay out a campaign.

DUKE I'm far ahead of you, Louis Seventeen.

KING What's the game?

DUKE Have you ever trod the boards, Royalty?

KING The boards?

DUKE The stage. The theater. The temple of art--

KING No.

96.

DUKE Well, you shall, before you're three days older, Fallen Grandeur.

KING I'm in, up to the hub, for anything that pays.

DUKE The first good town we come to we'll hire a hall and do the sword-fight in Richard III; and the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet.

KING Sword fightin' I know about. What's this Romeus?

DUKE Romeo. A lovestruck youngster. I will take that part. And you, Highest Highness, will personify the lovely damsel, Juliet, his paramour--

KING But ain't my peeled head and grey whiskers gonna look uncommon odd on a young gal?

DUKE Don't you worry. These country jakes won't ever think of that. Besides you'll be in costume, you know.

The DUKE starts to rummage through his carpet bag; pulls out a white night shirt and a ruffled sunbonnet.

EXT. RIVER. LATER. 155

The KING is wearing the night dress; the DUKE wears a curtain calico jacket. He holds a book.

DUKE Juliet's out on her balcony, taking in the moonlight before settling in for the night. And then she starts a pining for her heart's love, Romeo... First I'll start up, like this:

(Very theatrical:) But soft, what light through yonder window breaks--

He stops, looks at the book, continues:

97.

DUKE It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise--

Again, looks, continues:

DUKE --fair sun, and kill the envious moon.

He stops, expecting the KING to continue.

DUKE Go on. That's your cue. Start in, just like I told you.

KING Romeus, Romeus, where art thou Romeus.

DUKE (Very histrionic:)

She speaks! O, speak again, bright angel!

As the DUKE continues, HUCK turns to JIM:

HUCK I ain't never seen such play-acting and prancing around at the same time.

JIM Me neither. It's a caution for sure, Huck.


LONG SHOT - the DUKE and KING still in costume, still prancing about. We can only see their silhouettes. And hear them from a distance.

KING (Rather loudly:)

Romeo!!

DUKE (Cutting him off:)

You mustn't bellow out Romeo! that way, like a bull--you must say it soft, and sick and languishy, so: R-o-o-meo! Juliet's a dear sweet child of a girl and she don't bray like a jackass!!

98.

EXT. RIVERBANK. RAFT. N 157

The KING and the DUKE are passed out in one another's arms, snoring loudly, still in costume; a jug at their side. HUCK and JIM are at the steering oar.

JIM You reckon we going to run across any more kings on this trip?

HUCK No, I reckon not.

JIM Well. That's all right then. Don't it surprise you, Huck, the way them kings carries on?

HUCK No, it don't.

JIM But these kings of ourn is regular rapscallions, that's just what they is--they'se regular rapscallions.

HUCK It's just all in the breed of kings, Jim. All kings is mainly rapscallions, as far as I can make out--

JIM That so?!

HUCK You read about them once, you'll see. You ought to seen old Henry the Eight when he was in bloom. He was a blossom. Makes this'n look a Sunday-School Superintendent. He used to marry a new wife every day, and chop off her head next morning. And he would do it just as indifferent as if he was ordering up eggs. 'Fetch up Nell Gwynn,' he says. They fetch her up. Next morning, 'Chop off her head!' And they chop it off. 'Fetch up Jane Shore,' he says; and up she comes. Next morning, 'Chop off her head'--and they chop it off. 'Ring up Fair Rosamun.' Fair Rosamun answers the bell. Next morning, 'Chop off her head.' And he made ever one of them tell him a tale every night; and he kept that up till he had hogged a thousand and one tales that way, and

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99.

HUCK (CONT'D) then he put them all in a book and called it Domesday Book--which was a good name and stated the case. You don't know kings, Jim, like I do. This old rip of ourn is one of the cleanest I've struck in history. Kings is kings and you got to make allowances. Take them all around, they're a mighty ornery lot. It's the way they're raised.

EXT. RAFT. LATER. 158

The KING and DUKE dressed; finishing their breakfast. The KING slaps JIM.

KING More coffee, nigger--

JIM We is out of coffee, your good graciousness.

He slaps JIM again, for no apparent reason. The DUKE stands.

DUKE Shall we, O Royal self?

KING We shall. Come on boy.

HUCK I ain't feeling entirely well your lordship. I thought I'd stay here and lie in the day--

KING Lie in my eyelashes. You mean slip off with the raft.

HUCK and JIM exchange a surreptitious glance of disappointment and resignation.

The DUKE ties JIM hand and foot alongside the wigwam. HUCK is powerless to prevent it.

JIM I don't needs to be tied. I can just hide me up real good.

DUKE I'm doing this to protect you. It ain't gonna be that bad. There.

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100.

DUKE (CONT'D) (Stands:)

Now if anyone finds you here, nigger, you just moans and groans like you're real sick. And they won't bother none with you.

HUCK follows the DUKE and KING inland; glancing back at JIM.

EXT. BRICKSVILLE. AFTERNOON. 159

A small town: "The stores and houses was most all old shackly dried-up frame concerns that hadn't ever been painted; they was set up three or four foot above ground on stilts, so as to be out of reach of the water when the river was overflowed. The houses had little gardens around them, but they didn't seem to raise hardly anything in them but jimpson weeds, and sun-flowers, and ash-piles, and old curled-up boots and shoes, and pieces of bottles, and rags, and played-out tin-ware... All the streets and lanes was just mud, they warn't nothing else but mud--mud as black as tar, and nigh about a foot deep in some places; and two or three inches deep in all places."

Beneath the wooden overhang of the general store: several LOAFERS whittling and chewing tobacco; a group of BOYS tie cans to the tail of a scrawny dog and laugh as it trys frantically, and hopelessly, to outrun the noise.

The DUKE nails a broadside to a post. It reads: Shakesperean Revival!!! Wonderful Attraction! For One Night Only! The world renowned tragedians, David Garrick the younger, of Drury Lane

Theatre, London, AND

Edmund Kean the elder, of the Royal Haymarket Theatre, Whitechapel, Pudding Lane, Piccadilly in their sublime

Shakesperean Spectacle entitled The Balcony Scene IN

Romeo and Juliet!!! Romeo...............Mr. Garrick. Juliet..............Mr. Kean. Assisted by the whole strength of the company. Also: The thrilling, masterly, and blood-curdling Broad-sword conflict in Richard III!!! Richard

III.........Mr. Garrick. Richmond............Mr. Kean. For One Night Only, On account of imperative European engagements!

Admission 25 cents; children and servants, 10 cents.

A crowd gathers in front of the broadside. The KING comes out from the store carrying a jug of whiskey, takes a swig, hands it on to the DUKE.

A drunken man, BOGGS, comes galloping into town "whooping and yelling like an Injun, and singing out--"

101.

BOGGS Clear the track, boys, I'm on the war path, and the price of coffins is a-going to rise.

"He was drunk, and weaving about in his saddle; he was over fifty year old, and had a very red face. Everybody yelled at him, and laughed at him, and sassed him..."

MAN Go home, Boggs, you ain't a-scaring nobody--

SECOND MAN Go on back to your hogs, old man--

BOGGS rides up to the store HUCK is standing in front of. He half falls, half leaps off of his horse, approaches the door, turns to HUCK.

BOGGS Where'd you come from, boy? You prepared to die? Sherburn!! Come out here. Come and meet the man you've swindled, the man what's gonna put you to rights for sure. You're the hound I'm after, and I won't settle for none other. You hear me Sherburn? Get out here you speckle-livered coward, come and meet your maker--

While BOGGS is still ranting--facing the store, turning to the gathered crowd--a tall "proud-looking man about fifty-five--and he was a heap the best dressed man in town, too--steps out of the store, and the crowd drops back on each side to let him come."

SHERBURN I've heard enough, Boggs. I'm gonna count ten, and if you open your mouth against me once, only once, after I'm done, then those words will be your last.

SHERBURN takes out a revolver, begins to count. BOGGS looks about the crowd, withdraws his own revolver, points it at SHERBURN.

BOGGS Sherburn. You've swindled me, and you've swindled others, and you ain't gonna swindle no more. You low-down, son of a bitchin' white suited trash. Step here into the street where I can shot you proper.

102.

SHERBURN has slowly raised his pistol until now it is pointed directly at BOGGS. BOGGS holds his own weapon casually. SHERBURN counts ten, pauses; there is an incredibly tense silence. BOGGS is in a sweat. Several men grab at him, pulling him away from the store and towards his horse. They struggle. SHERBURN waits patiently to see if BOGGS will leave or will be shot.

BOGGS I ain't going, I ain't gonna get run out by no snivelling conniving son of a steamboat sinner; no cheating rapscallion of a gentleman's gonna make no fool of--

SHERBURN (Shouting:)

Boggs!

A sudden silence falls over the crowd; the MEN around BOGGS make way. SHERBURN aims his revolver. A moment of panic shows on BOGGS' face; but he hasn't the time to act on it either by running or by raising his own pistol.

BOGGS O Lord. Don't shoot.

SHERBURN fires. BOGGS flies backwards, sprawls in the muddy street. SHERBURN fires again.

SHERBURN turns and walks back into the store. The CROWD surges forward, surrounds BOGGS. HUCK, the DUKE and KING join the crowd. HUCK presses forward until he is crouching beside BOGGS. He watches as the man dies.

INT. TOWN HALL. EARLY EVENING. 160

The KING and DUKE are finishing the balcony scene. POV - from backstage. There are only twelve people in the audience. "And they laughed all the time, and that made the duke mad..."

KING A thousand times good night!

The KING exits; catcalls and boos from the audience.

HECKLER Good night, indeed!!

DUKE A thousand times the worse, to want thy light

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103.

DUKE (CONT'D) Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books, But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.

INT. BACKSTAGE. 161

As the DUKE comes off the stage. The few people remaining in the audience are in the process of leaving. The DUKE is furious.

DUKE Those thick-headed, back-woods, philistines.

He rushes back onstage.

INT. TOWN HALL. 162

POV - from the hall at the DUKE. He bows. The people leaving stop, as if they half expect an announcement of refunds.

DUKE Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor now of performing, at no extra cost, and solely as a gesture of gratitude for your patronage tonight, the single most sublime bit of lyric writing in all our voluminous literature. The most profoundly serious insight into the human comedy: Hamlet's soliloquy. Ahem.

(Pause, then:) To be, or not to be; that is the bare bodkin That makes calamity of so long life; For who would fardels bear, till Birnam Wood do come to Dunsinane, But that fear of something after death Murders the innocent sleep, Great nature's second course, And makes us rather sling the arrows of outrageous fortune Than fly to other that we know not of. There's the respect must give us pause. And thus the native hue of resolution, like the poor cat i'the adage, Is sicklied o'er with care.

The laughter resumes and builds, then diminishes as the audience slowly exits; until there remains in the room only a sleeping boy. The DUKE is livid with rage.

104.

EXT. RIVERFRONT. RAFT. NIGHT. 163

JIM sits rubbing his limbs; his wrists and ankles where the ropes bit.

The DUKE passes the deck; furious.

KING Might could be we'd best just pass on this sublime theater stuff, Bilgewater.

DUKE These Arkansaw lunk-heads ain't up to Shakespeare.

The DUKE and KING set to drinking heavily.

KING I'm fairly done in with all that dancing around.

DUKE I know what they want. And they'll get it too. I can size their style.

EXT. BRICKSVILLE. NEXT DAY. MORNING. 164

The DUKE is nailing another broadside over that advertizing Shakespeare. The new broadside is handdrawn and reads:

AT THE TOWN HALL! For tonight only! The world-renowned tragedians David Garrick the Younger and Edmund Kean the elder In their Thrilling Tragedy: THE ROYAL NONESUCH or THE BURNING

SHAME LADIES AND CHILDREN NOT ADMITTED

The DUKE points to the last line vehemently:

DUKE If that line don't fetch them--I don't know Arkansaw!! What they want is low-comedy. Worse than low-comedy.

EXT. RIVERBANK. RAFT. NIGHT. 165

The sound of snoring from the wigwam. It is the middle of the night. HUCK and JIM are still awake.

JIM I don't know how much more of this king I can bear, Huck.

105.

HUCK Things sure is different with them on the raft. I wisht I'd never set eyes on 'em.

JIM I suppose it's still that snakeskin, working its magic against us. I sure am tired, Huck. I sure am.

INT. TOWN-HALL. NIGHT. 166

Again HUCK is at the door taking admission. This time, however, the room is packed. All men. They crowd to get seats.

INT. BACKSTAGE. 167

The DUKE peers out at the crowded hall. Chuckles to himself.

The KING approaches. He is a sight: "naked...painted all over, ring- streaked-and-striped, all sorts of colors, as splendid as a rain-bow..." Mark Twain couldn't describe the rest of the KING'S costume. Huck only says: "And--but never mind about the rest of his outfit, it was just wild, but it was awful funny. "We can assume, by consulting various sources for The Burning Shame that there was most definitely an obscene aspect to the KING'S performance.

HUCK comes back stage. His eyes go wide on seeing the KING. The DUKE takes him aside.

DUKE Listen to me good, boy. When the laughing stops, and the crowd starts shouting and clapping for more, you make sure that back door is wide open. You understand?

HUCK Yes, my liege, sir.

DUKE Good then. Now get back out of the way--

HUCK But I want to see--

DUKE Ain't you read the sign? No children. Now get back by that door and mind what I said.

HUCK retreats. The DUKE prances onto the stage.

106.

INT. TOWN HALL. CROWD. 168

Lots of hurly-burly and bustle. The room is thick with men and cigar smoke; shouting and cursing and catcalls. They are fully prepared for a night of indecent amusement. The DUKE comes onto the stage and almost immediately the heckling begins.

DUKE Remove all women from the hall No children are allowed at all For men's eyes only is this show The reason why you soon will know. We bring you tonight, For your utter delight, A marvelous spectacle called by name The Royal Nonesuch, or The Burning Shame. It is a too delicate a sight To see but at night. No modesty has this creature, I'm sure it will meet your Approval through and through When you see the antics it can do.

The crowd has grown more and more restless the longer the DUKE recites. Now, as he bows low and exits from the stage, they burst into expectant applause. After a moment, the KING enters. As Huck says in the novel: "The people most killed themselves laughing; and when the king got done capering, and capered off behind the scenes, they roared and clapped and stormed and haw-hawed..."

INT. TOWN HALL. BACKSTAGE. HUCK. 169

The sound of the KING'S performance can be heard. HUCK is standing by the rear exit. He opens the door. The laughter turns to catcalls and howling.

HUCK goes and looks around for the DUKE; then sneakily creeps out of the door.

EXT. TOWN HALL. DOOR. HUCK. 170

The sound of the catcalls and cheers continues. HUCK bars the door with a water-barrel, and runs away, headed for the river.

INT. TOWN HALL. BACKSTAGE. DUKE, KING. 171

The audience is getting noisier. Calling for the performance to continue. The DUKE and KING rush toward the door, stop short when they realize that HUCK is gone. They pound on the door. It doesn't budge.

DUKE Get back out there. Now!

The KING dashes back onstage.

107.

INT. TOWN HALL. AUDIENCE. 172

Laughing, and then falling silent as the KING enters and goes through precisely the same moves as before. They begin to suspect a scam.

HECKLER Where's the rest of the show, you old fool.

The KING ignores this and continues his capering.

EXT. BRICKSVILLE. HUCK. 173

He runs toward the river as fast as he can.

INT. TOWN HALL. BACKSTAGE. 174

The DUKE pushing with all his might at the jammed door. It gives, opens enough to slide out.

He squeezes through, and breaks into a run.

INT. TOWN HALL. STAGE. KING. 175

POV - into the audience. Several large men are now standing, shaking their fists.

HECKLER We been sold, ya'll. And sold good too.

KING Now hold on, boys. The show'll continue on in nothing flat. We having some prolems with the gyascatus--

He dashes offstage. The audience becomes more and more vocal.

INT. TOWN HALL. BACKSTAGE. KING. 176

He sees that the door is ajar and that the DUKE has left him to catch all the hell. He squeezes out, without his blanket, and runs toward the river.


HUCK is bent over JIM, untying his wrists and ankles.

HUCK There ain't no time to lose, Jim. Now's the time to get loose of them kings--

108.

As he hurriedly starts loosening the moorings--JIM unlashing the other side of the raft--the DUKE comes bounding onto the raft.

He grabs HUCK roughly, pulls him away from the mooring ropes, tosses him onto the deck.

DUKE Trying to give us the slip, are you, you pup! Tired of our company, hey?

HUCK No, your majesty, I warn't-- please don't, your majesty!!

DUKE What was the idea then? Quick, before I shake the insides out of you. Stay where you are, nigger!

HUCK There was a man there with a gun, and he said if I didn't take off at a run he was gonna put a bit of lead in my ear, so naturally I didn't dispute him none--

The KING grabs the DUKE'S hand. The DUKE is surprised to see the KING.

KING Let go the boy, you idiot.

DUKE This little traitor was just gonna leave us there--

KING Just like you was gonna run out on me. Shove off there, boy! And be quick.

DUKE I wasn't running out. I thought you was right behind me--

KING I know what you thought, you treacherous no count.

The raft slides into the current


A tense and silent meal around the fire. The KING and the DUKE sit on opposite side, scowl at one another from time to time.

109.

JIM is at the helm. HUCK is waiting on them. HUCK pours a cup of coffee for the DUKE. He spills it, or pours too slow, or too fast--does something wrong in the eyes of the DUKE, who slaps HUCK hard enough to send him sprawling.

KING You and your foolish sublime theater and all that fancy prancin' around. Nearly got us both strung up.

DUKE Perhaps the time has come to dissolve our partnership, old man.

KING That suits me fine.

DUKE Good then. Pour me more coffee, boy.

HUCK Yes, your grace.

KING Leave off with the 'grace' foolishness, boy. He ain't no more a duke than I'm a cypress tree.

DUKE And you ain't no more the dauphin than I'm the big dipper.

KING Leastways I got me enough nobility not to run off on a partner of mine and leave him in the lurch holding the rotten apples.

The KING retires to the wigwam. The DUKE fumes. HUCK cowers as the DUKE passes and threatens to strike.


Snoring from the wigwam. The DUKE curled up and asleep. JIM at the helm.


The KING and the DUKE seated on opposite sides of the raft, looking away from one another.

HUCK is at the helm. JIM stands next to him. "We begun to come to trees with Spanish moss on them, hanging down from the limbs like long gray beards."

110.

HUCK That moss sure makes the trees look solemn and dismal--

The KING stands, looks at HUCK and JIM, then crosses over to the DUKE. The KING bends toward the DUKE and whispers something in his ear. The KING offers his hand to the DUKE.

DUKE All right. That ain't a bad idea. We can set to figurin' out the particulars--

KING I thought it might appeal to you. Boy! Fetch us the jug.

HUCK races to the wigwam, grabs the jug of whiskey, and races back to the KING and the DUKE.

HUCK Sirs? It don't matter none that you ain't kings and such. And, well, I just wanted to say, I'm real glad you've made it up, 'cause what you want on a raft is for everyone to be satisfied. Elseways it ain't like a raft at all, but like everywhere else, ain't it?


The KING and the DUKE "...begun to lay their heads together in the wigwam and talk low and confidential two or three hours at a time."

HUCK watches them from the other side of the raft.

JIM They sure been at it a long time in there. Planning worse deviltry than ever I lay.

HUCK Might could be they're planning to rob a store or a bank or going into the counterfeit money business.


The DUKE paces about on the deck, examines the shoreline. A small town appears around the bend, its lights flickering in the dim twilight. The KING comes and stands next to the DUKE. They both look at the town, as if appraising its usefulness to their scheme. The KING nods.

111.

DUKE We're gonna land below that town, nigger.

JIM Yes suh.

DUKE We're gonna put on another show.

HUCK The Burning Shame again?

DUKE No. Something a little different. And you're gonna be the main attraction.

HUCK Me?!!

EXT. PIKESVILLE. DAY. 183

A small town similar to Bricksville and Pokesville. Dusty streets, unpainted buildings; dogs and hogs and loafers.

The DUKE is standing on the porch of the General Store, waving printed handbills in one hand, and phrenological charts in the other.

HUCK and the KING stand in the gathering crowd.

DUKE Come one and all, come witness the scientific magic of Dr. Armand de Montalban of Paris. Prenologist and Mesmerist extra-ordinaire. For the in- significant price of ten cents I can make you insensible to all pain for a period of two months. For one dollar I will cure the incurably alcoholic For two dollars I will expel any cancer from your body and dispel vile humours at no extra cost. Come one, come all, and witness the scientific magic of Dr. Armand de Montalban. Reader of heads and hearts. For the paltry sum of twenty-five cents I will read the bumps on your head--go on feel your head--there are bumps, aren't there. Well, these bumps each mean a different thing, different on each person. I have the key to understanding the secret of bumps, and will chart your head for, as I said, the paltry sum of twenty-five cents.

No one in the crowd ventures forward.

112.

DUKE I see you are unbelieving. Pity those of little faith, for they will never enjoy the multinudinous benefits of modern scientific magic. All right. I will prove my claims. Can I please have a volunteer from the audience?

No one steps forward.

DUKE Any one will do.

HUCK (Stepping forward:)

I volunteer, sir.

HUCK steps away from the KING and moves toward the DUKE.

DUKE Good boy. Just step right up. Nothing to be afraid of.

HUCK joins him on the porch, steps up onto a soapbox. The DUKE takes out a pocket watch and shows it to the audience.

DUKE I will now render this young boy insensible to all pain through the magic of mesmerism.

The DUKE begins twirling the watch in front of HUCK'S eyes. As HUCK stares at the watch, we see the KING withdraw to the back of the crowd.

FOLLOW - as the KING walks away from the crowd. He looks toward HUCK and the DUKE, then enters a small building.

INT. SALOON. SAME. 184

The KING seated with two SLAVE TRADERS at the back of a saloon.

KING Me and my partner, we found the nigger hiding in the cottonwoods 'bout twenty miles north of here. We ain't got time to make the trip all the way south of Orleans, so we're looking to sell out our chance at the whole reward for a portion, in cash, right now.

TRADER Where is this nigger?

113.

KING Bound and tied and ready to carry. Just a little ways from here.

EXT. PIKESVILLE. GENERAL STORE. DUKE, HUCK, CROWD. 185

HUCK'S eyes are closed. The crowd watches, amazed, as the DUKE takes a long hatpin from his jacket lining, and holds it up for all to see as he says:

DUKE You are totally oblivious now. As if in a sound sleep. When I snap my fingers you will be insensible to all and any pain whatsoever. You will feel the prick of pin but it will hurt no more than the pressure of a fly.

The DUKE snaps his fingers. He then pushes the long hat pin into HUCK'S forearm. We can see HUCK'S face, behind the closed eyes, register the pain. He is not hypnotized at all. He wants to scream, but cannot as the DUKE would surely hurt him more later than the pin does now.

The DUKE preses the point of the pin into HUCK'S arm at several points. At each penetration the crowd believes a little more in the scientific magic of Dr. Armand de Montalban of Paris.

DUKE When I snap my fingers you will awaken. You will remember nothing of this trance. But, and listen carefully, boy: you will still be insensible to pain.

He snaps his fingers. HUCK opens his eyes.

HUCK I thought you was gonna mesmerize me.

DUKE Well, boy, I tried. But you just warn't a proper subject.

As he says this he pushes the pin into HUCK'S arm.

HUCK What's that I feel on my arm? There sure are a powerful lot of flies around here--

The crowd is enthralled.

114.

DUKE Thank you, boy. Now who will be next to have their head read or their pain alleviated? Step right up, don't be shy--

A handful of people push to the front of the crowd. The DUKE welcomes them. HUCK slips back into the crowd. The DUKE smiles as HUCK runs toward the river.

FOLLOW - as HUCK runs toward the river.

EXT. RIVERBANK. RAFT. HUCK. 186

HUCK bounds onto the raft. He immediately starts toward the wigwam.

HUCK We're all right, now!

He bends down, expecting to find the bound JIM. The wigwam is empty,

HUCK Jim? Jim!!!

"I set up a shout--and then another--and then another one..." HUCK dashes off of the raft--

EXT. RIVERBANK. WOODS. SAME. 187

FOLLOW - as HUCK runs "this way and that in the woods, whooping and screeching; but it warn't no use--old Jim was gone. Then I set down and cried; I couldn't help it."

HUCK cries hard, head between his hands.

INT. SALOON. DUKE, KING. 188

The KING and the DUKE are drinking at a table, celebrating the success of their scam. Laughing loud.

KING Warn't nothing to it. So I says, here he is. Take him where you will, I'm off for the West I am.

DUKE We oughta be thinking about sliding out, Royalty. 'Cause soon enough them folks'll find they can still feel pin pricks well enough.

115.

A man stands in the background. He approaches the DUKE and KING. It is the HECKLER from the Bricksville performance of The Burning Shame.

HECKLER Ain't I seen you fellas 'fore?

KING Quite possibly, young man. We travel quite a lot. It's part of our stock and trade.

HECKLER I know, I know!

He grabs them by their collars and starts pulling them this way and that; knocking their heads together.

EXT. ROADWAY. HUCK, BOY. 189

HUCK is walking back toward the town. A boy, older, heads his way.

HUCK Hey.

BOY Hey yourself.

HUCK You seen a tall nigger 'round here?

BOY Sure have. I seen old man Phelps and his brother carrying this big old buck off. He was a runaway nigger. Run off somewhere down south of Orleans. What you want with a runaway nigger? He a friend of your'n?

HUCK I should say not! I run across him in the woods about an hour ago and he said if I hollered he'd cut my livers out--and told me to lay down and stay where I was; and I done it. Been there ever since; a-feared to come out.

BOY Ain't nothing to fear no more. Like I said. They got him.

HUCK It's a good job they did.

116.

BOY Well, I reckon! There's a two hundred dollar re-ward. Like picking money up out'n the road.

HUCK And I could've had it if I'd been big enough. I seen him first, didn't I?

BOY You got a chaw to spare?

HUCK No, I ain't. Where'd they take the nigger? To jail, I reckon.

BOY No, they took him to the Phelps place. About two miles below here. They gonna keep the nigger till the owner calls for him or sends the reward. Well...

The BOY continues on his way. HUCK rushes back toward the river.

EXT. RIVERBANK. RAFT. HUCK. 190

"I went to the raft, and set down in the wigwam to think. But I couldn't come to nothing. I thought till I wore my head sore, but I couldn't see no way out of the trouble."

HUCK picks through the collection of things gathered along the river: clothes from the GRANGERFORD'S; the wooden leg from the floating house. HUCK stands, paces, then stops short, as if struck by a realization. He unties the moorings and pushes the raft away from the bank and into the current.

EXT. RIVER. RAFT. 191

HUCK is steering the raft into the bank of a large tow-head.

EXT. TOW-HEAD. RAFT. 192

HUCK withdraws a bundle of clothing from the wigwam. These are the clothes he acquired while staying at the Grangerfords: store bought of good quality; black pants, white shirt, tie, vest; shoes. (No jacket: he left that covering BUCK'S face.) He lays out the clothing and starts to change.

117.

EXT. ROAD. HUCK. LATE AFTERNOON. 193

HUCK approaching the Phelps Farm. "When I got there it was all still and Sunday-like, and hot and sunshiny--the hands was gone to the fields; and there was them kind of faint dronings of bugs and flies int the a makes it seem so lonesome and like everybody's dead and gone; and if a breeze fans along and quivers the leaves it makes you feel mournful, because you feel like it's spirits whispering--spirits that's been dead ever so many years--and you always think they're talking about you...

"Phelps's was one of these little one-horse cotton plantations; and they all look alike.

A rail fence round a two-acre yard; a stile, madeout of logs sawed off and up-ended, in steps, like barrels of different length, to climb over the fence with, and for the women to stand on when they are going to jump onto a horse; some sickly grass-patches in the big yard, but mostly it was bare and smooth, like an old hat with the nap rubbed off; big double log house for the white folks--hewed logs, with the chinks stopped up with mud or mortar, and these mud-stripes been whitewashed some time or another; round-log kitchen, with a big broad, open but roofed passage joining it to the house; log smoke-house back of the kitchen; three little log nigger-cabins in a row t'other side the smoke-house..."

HUCK approaches the house. A couple of lazy looking hounds rouse themselves from their afternoon naps and start circling HUCK, howling. He holds perfectly still. More dogs join in.

A black WOMAN comes "tearing out of the kitchen with a rolling-pin in her hand, singing out:"

WOMAN Begone! you Tige! you spot, begone, sah!

She lashes at the hounds; as soon as she does so the same hounds that were howling are now slavering over HUCK, tails wagging furiously.

HUCK Ain't no harm in a hound nohow, is there?

WOMAN No, not much. What you want, boy?

HUCK This the Phelps's place, ain't it?

WOMAN Sure--

118.

Before she can finish her response, a white woman, SALLY PHELPS, comes from the house. She is "about forty-five or fifty year old, bareheaded, and her spinning-stick in her hand..."

SALLY It's you, at last!!

A bewildered HUCK allows her embrace.

HUCK Yes ma'am, it's me all right.

SALLY (Talking a mile a minute:)

Where on earth have you been? You don't look at all as much like your mother as I reckoned you would, but law sakes, I don't care for that, I'm so glad to see you!! we was afraid something happen to you.

SALLY Lize, hurry up and get up some warm tea-- Now I can have a good look at you. And laws-a-me, we been expecting you a couple of days and more. What's kep' you? The boat get grounded?

HUCK Yes'm, she grounded--

SALLY Don't say yes'm--say Aunt Sally. Where'd you go aground?

HUCK struggles to think of the appropriate lie.

HUCK It warn't the grounding that kept us back, not really. It was the cylinder head what blowed--

SALLY Good gracious! Anybody hurt?

HUCK No'm. Killed a nigger.

SALLY Well it's lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt. Two years ago last Christmas, your uncle Silas was coming up from Newrleans on the old Lally Rook

-more-

119.

SALLY (CONT'D) , and she blowed a cylinder-head and crippled a man. And I think he died afterwards. He was a Baptist. Yes, I remember now, he did die. Mortification set in. He turned blue all over, and died in the hope of a glorious resurrection.

During the above, SALLY has led HUCK toward the house. Now they enter.

INT. PHELPS'. PARLOR. SAME. 194

A relatively well appointed parlor--not as wealthy or pretentious as that of the Grangerford's. SALLY leads HUCK to a chair, sits him down, takes the settee in front of him.

SALLY But here we're running on this way, and you ain't told me a word about Sis, nor any of them. Now I'll rest my works a little, and you start up your'n; just tell me everything--tell me about'm all--and how they are, and what they're doing, and what they told you to tell me; and every last thing you can think of.

HUCK is at a loss for words. He hems and haws and shuffles; SALLY stares at him as if he were suddenly demented.

SALLY You Tom! What's come over you, boy?

The sound of a wagon pulling into the drive and up to the house. SALLY stands and rushes to the window.

SALLY There's your Uncle Silas now.

She grabs HUCK by the hand and runs toward the front door.

EXT. PHELPS'. FRONT DOOR. 195

As SILAS PHELPS climbs down from his wagon--handing it over to a slave to tend to--SALLY appears at the door. Alone, her hand be-hind the doorsill, apparently hiding something from view.

SALLY Guess what I've got here.

120.

SILAS I ain't of a mind for guessing games, Sally.

SALLY Guess.

SILAS No!

SALLY pulls HUCK from behind the doorsill.

SALLY It's Tom Sawyer!!

HUCK'S eyes light up when he hears the words "Tom Sawyer," "it was like being born again, I was so glad to find out who I was." The burly man grabs HUCK up into his arms.

INT. PHELPS'. PARLOR. 196

SILAS carrying HUCK into the house. SALLY behind.

SALLY He was just about to tell me all the news of Sister and Sid and Mary.

SILAS Let the boy get his breath, Sally. There's the dinner table for talking.

The sound of a steamboat whistle. HUCK looks up towards it.

HUCK Yes'm, Aunt Sally. And I oughta go into town and retrieve my things. I left 'em by the landing.

SALLY Why, child, they'll get stole.

HUCK Not where I hid them they won't.

SILAS I'll go with you, Tom.

HUCK That ain't necessary, sir. I can drive the horse myself. I don't want you taking no more trouble on account of me.

121.

EXT. ROAD. HUCK. 197

Driving the wagon towards the steamboat landing.

EXT. STEAMBOAT LANDING. DUSK. 198

He pulls up to the landing as the steamboat docks and lowers its gangways. HUCK is clearly nervous. He watches as passengers come ashore. HUCK sees TOM SAWYER enter the gangway and come ashore. HUCK jumps down from the wagon and heads for TOM. TOM'S eyes go wide and he stops in his tracks when he sees HUCK.

HUCK Hey, Tom.

TOM Don't hurt me, Huck. I'm nation sorry you're murdered. But I wish, I do, you'd get on back in your grave and don't haunt me no more.

HUCK I ain't a ghost, Tom. I ain't been dead at all.

TOM Warn't you murdered in your Pap's cabin?

HUCK No, Tom. I just played that on Pap to get shut of him. You come here and feel of me if you don't believe me.

TOM approaches, warily. He reaches out a finger to HUCK'S shoulder. Is amazed to find it solid.

TOM Well, I'll be.

HUCK I got trouble, Tom.

TOM It sure is good to see you again. What on earth you doing here?

HUCK It's a long story, and I don't know where to start it. Let it be for now. Your Aunt Sally she thinks I'm you.

122.

TOM I reckon I'm as bewildered as can be. How'd you come to be at Aunt Sally's.

HUCK Climb up here, and we'll head for the farm and I'll try and tell you and we can figure some plan out on the way.

TOM throws his bag into the back of the wagon. Climbs up. HUCK drives back toward the farm.

EXT. ROAD. NIGHTFALL. 199

Along the road "comes a raging rush of people, with torches, and an awful whooping and yelling, and banging of tin pans and blow-ing of horns; and we jumped to one side to let them go by; as as they went by, I see they had the king and the duke, though they was all over tar and feathers, and didn't look like nothing in the world that was human--just looked like a couple of monstrous big soldier plumes.

Well it made me sick to see it; and I was sorry for them poor pitiful rascals, it seemed like I couldn't ever feel any hardness against them any more in the world. It was a dreadful thing to see. Human beings can be awful cruel to one another."

TOM (Delighted:)

Look at them rascals, Huck.

HUCK I see 'em. Human beings sure can be awful cruel, cain't they?

The tortured KING and DUKE pass by; howling in their pain.

HUCK If I had a yaller dog that didn't know no more than a person's conscience does, I would poison him. I tell you, Tom, a person's conscience takes up more room than the rest of your insides, and yet it ain't no good, nohow.

TOM What nonsense you talking, Huck?

HUCK I know them two rascals, and somehow I feel like it's part my fault they're being treated so.

HUCK whips the horse; the wagon jolts forward.

123.

EXT. PHELPS'. NIGHT. 200

HUCK and TOM pulling up to the house.

HUCK There's one other thing, Tom, you oughta know. Your Uncle Silas, he's got Jim under lock and key--

TOM Jim? Miss Watson's Jim?

HUCK The very one. And I'm gonna steal him out of slavery--

TOM But--

HUCK I know what you'll say. You'll say it's dirty and low-down and ornery. Well, so it is and I reckon I am Pap's son after all 'cause low-down or no I'm gonna steal Jim. Say you'll keep mum and not say nothing--

The door is flung open and AUNT SALLY comes out.

SALLY What's this, what's this--

HUCK It's Sid, Aunt Sally. We wanted to surprise you and Uncle Silas--

SILAS (At the door:)

Well, I reckon you did--

SALLY Why dear me, we weren't looking for you at all, Sid, but only Tom. Sis never wrote me about anybody coming but him.

TOM It's because it warn't intended for any but Tom to come, but I begged and begged, and at the last minute, Aunt Polly she let me come, too.

INT. PHELPS. DINING ROOM. NIGHT. 201

Full spread dinner. SILAS bent over in prayer.

124.

SILAS Bless us O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive through Thy bounty, in Christ our Lord. Amen.

SALLY And Mary? How's Mary, Tom?

HUCK does not realize that he's being addressed. Looks up suddenly:

HUCK Fine, fine as ever. Still winning all the Bible reciting ribbons and being a goody-two-shoes--

INT. PHELPS'. BEDROOM. 202

HUCK and TOM in bed.

TOM I thought about it, Huck. And I've decided. I'm gonna help you steal Jim out of slavery.

HUCK What? I don't believe it. Tom Sawyer a nigger stealer!! You're joking, ain't you.

TOM No joking.

HUCK This is too many for me, Tom. You is a respectable boy, well brought up, with a character to lose and all. Not like me. I was brung up to no good. So I reckon stealing niggers is all right for me. But for you--

EXT. PHELPS'. FARMYARD. DAY. 203

HUCK and TOM hunkered down behind a water-trough, watching as a SLAVE carries a tray of food from the kitchen building to a small shed at the back of the yard.

TOM That's where they're keeping him, I warrant.

HUCK Now all we got to do is wait for nightfall.

The SLAVE unlocks a padlock on the door and then enters.

125.

TOM Now you work your mind and study out a plan to steal Jim, and I will study out one, too; and we'll take the one we like best.

INT. PHELPS. DINING ROOM. 204

Dinner being served. The SLAVE comes in and receives the key from SILAS' keychain.

TOM sneaks a spoon into his pants pocket.

INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT. 205

AUNT SALLY blowing out a candle after tucking TOM and HUCK in for the night.

As soon as she closes the door, both boys bound out of bed, still fully clothed, and make for the window.

EXT. PHELPS'. SHED. NIGHT. 206

HUCK and TOM examining the walls of the shed. They stand before the front door. It is flimsy, a few boards tacked up against the window.

TOM What's your idea, Huck?

HUCK My plan is this. We fetch my raft from the tow-head and steal the key out of the old man's britches, get Jim out of there, and shove off down the river on the raft, hiding day-times and running nights, the way me and Jim used to do before. Wouldn't that plan work?

TOM Work? Why certainly, it would work, like rats fighting. But it's too blame simple; there ain't nothing to it. What's the good of a plan that ain't got no more trouble than that in it? It's as mild as goose-milk. I should hope we can find a plan that's more complicated than that!

HUCK But, if it works? Ain't that the point--

126.

TOM If I didn't have no more sense than you, Huck Finn, I'd hold still. Don't I usually know what I'm about? I've read the books, and all the books say it's got to be done a certain way. And that's the way I aim to use.

HUCK So what's your plan?

TOM We'll smuggle in some tools for Jim to work with. Like a rope ladder--

HUCK What's he need with a rope ladder?

TOM --and a white shirt to scratch his journal on--

HUCK Jim can't write.

TOM --and I already filched this here spoon for him.

HUCK What's that spoon for?

TOM To dig hisself out with, of course.

HUCK Ain't them picks and shovels good enough to dig him out with?

TOM Whoever heard of a prisoner having picks and shovels to dig out of jail with?

HUCK It's foolish to dig out with a spoon. It'll take forever--

TOM It's the right way, the regular way. It's the way in The Man in the Iron Mask and in The Count of Monte Cristo. There ain't no other way that I've heard of and I've read all the books that gives any information about these

-more-

127.

TOM (CONT'D) things. They always dig out with spoons and not through dirt, mind you. Generally it's through solid rock. And it don't matter if it takes forever. Why, look at one of them prisoners in the bottom dungeon of the Castle Deef. He dug himself out with a spoon and how long you reckon he was at it?

HUCK I don't know.

TOM Guess.

HUCK I don't know. A month and a half.

TOM Thirty-seven-year--and he come out in China!!

HUCK Jim don't know nobody in China!

TOM What's that got to do with it??

HUCK looks at TOM a long silent beat, realizing that to TOM this is all simply a game.

HUCK turns away, examines the padlock and door closely, leans his face to the door, calls:

HUCK Jim? You in there? It's Huck, Jim. Wake up--

TOM What are you doing? You're gonna wake up everybody--

HUCK I've had enough of your booky foolishness, Tom Sawyer. You go on with your magic lamps and digging to China and writing journals on shirts. I'm taking Jim out, and I'm doing it now. And if you try and stop me, or breathe a word to any soul, I swear you can't travel so far but I will find you.

TOM But Huck, you can't really--

128.

HUCK Yes I can and I aim to. So stand aside.

HUCK picks up a shovel and starts to pry at the door around the padlock. It groans and splinters.

TOM You'll go to hell for this Huck Finn!!

HUCK All right, then, I'll go to hell.

HUCK throws his weight against the door. It splinters and opens, making more noise than HUCK had expected. JIM is standing in the doorway. He smiles upon seeing HUCK, then stops--not knowing what to make of TOM'S presence.

The hounds, awakened by the noise, start barking. The lights come on up at the house. Fear registers on HUCK and JIM.

JIM Hello, Mars Tom.

TOM Hello, Jim.

HUCK Come on, Jim. Let's to the raft fast.

JIM stops, turns to TOM, seriously:

JIM Mars Tom, suh, you tell my Colinda, please suh, tell her I'se still alive.

The sound of MEN and dogs approaching. Visible in the distance: SILAS PHELPS and his slave. SILAS carries a rifle; he lowers it and fires just as HUCK and JIM are turning to run.

They stop. TOM has been hit in the leg. He falls to the ground.

SILAS and the dogs approach. JIM seems to want to stay, to see to TOM. HUCK pulls at his arm.

HUCK Come on, Jim. Hurry.

HUCK pulls JIM into a woods bordering the farm.

EXT. WOODS. STREAM. HUCK, JIM. 207

The sound of the dogs is right on them. HUCK and JIM are hiding among some thick bushes at the edge of a stream.

POV - SILAS has arrived at the shed and is standing over TOM.

129.

SILAS Good Lord, I've shot Sid!! You all right, boy?

TOM Yes sir.

HUCK and JIM hold perfectly still; any motion would betray their position. They can only wait to see what TOM says.

EXT. PHELPS'. SHED. SILAS, TOM, SALLY, SLAVE. 208

SILAS towers over TOM. The SLAVE stands by, holding the dogs. AUNT SALLY approaches in the background.

SILAS Warn't that Tom there with the nigger?

TOM He warn't Tom. I'm Tom--

SILAS You're Tom!! Who's he?

TOM has to decide whether or not to cover for HUCK and JIM. He struggles, decides:

TOM I don't know, sir. He come here to steal that nigger and he forced me to go along and say he was me and I was Sid and he'd cut out my eyes if I breathed a word and I tried to stop 'em--

SILAS Hold on, boy. Catch your breath and tell me which way they were headed.

TOM Yes sir. They said something about horses hiding in the woods back up that way --

TOM points off to the left, inland, away from HUCK and JIM.

TOM --and taking out for the Republic of Texas--

Before TOM can finish, SILAS points the slave and his dogs toward the stream.

130.

EXT. STREAM. 209

HUCK and JIM sliding down as far as they can into the water and under the bushes. SILAS leads the dogs into the stream and over onto the opposite bank. SILAS hurries on, away from HUCK and JIM.

EXT. PHELPS'. SHED. 210

AUNT SALLY is helping TOM to his feet. They head toward the house.

SALLY Poor darling! Having to suffer through such a thing. Why didn't you tell us? I knew he didn't look nothing like Sister.

TOM looks over his shoulder toward HUCK and JIM.

EXT. STREAM. 211

HUCK and JIM moving downstream as quickly and quietly as they can. They stay in the water, hoping to mask their scent from the dogs.

EXT. RIVERFRONT. 212

HUCK and JIM thrashing through undergrowth and onto the raft. They reach for the moorings.

EXT. RIVER. RAFT. 213

The raft is gliding downriver in the middle of the current. HUCK and JIM lie on the deck, exhausted, breathing heavily.

JIM Good God Almighty, Huck!! I'm powerful glad to be back on this here piece of freedom!

HUCK Tom sure did us good.

JIM Orleans ain't but two days from here. And then, by God, I'll be free for sure. Your nigger Jack back at the Grangerford's, he told me of some folks run a railway to Canada. I'm gonna be free, Huck. I just know I'll be free.

131.

HUCK I believe you, Jim. Free as any creature on earth.

JIM Thank you, Huck.

EXT. RIVERBANK. RAFT. NIGHT. HUCK, JIM. 214

LONG SHOT - the raft silhouetted against the water. Silver moonlight.

HUCK (V.O.) We was mighty glad to be back on the raft, and alone with the monstrous big river again. No rapscallion dukes nor kings. Just me and Jim and all that time.

EXT. RIVER. RAFT. DAWN. 215

LONG SHOT - the raft continues downstream as daybreaks.

HUCK (V.O.) In a few days we pulled into shore a little north of New Orleans. And Jim he took off to look for them people Jack told him about. I reckon he's got free by now. I hope so. I do.

EXT. RIVER. DAYBREAK. 216

LONG SHOT - the river. No sign of the raft.

HUCK (V.O.) And so there ain't nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I'd a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn't a tackled it and ain't a-going to no more. I'm lighting out for the Territories ahead of the rest. Looking for change.

T H E E N D . Y O U R S T R U L Y , H U C K F I N N .

adventures of huckleberry finn (feature)

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