Click to subscribe to Countermissionary
THE SUFFERING OF THE SERVENT
This is the start of a screenplay that, to be honest, was inspired by Mel's Movie, "The Passion of the Christ."
I haven't yet figured out how to format it correctly with this program. Stay tuned for revisions.
All comments and suggestions are welcome.
THE SUFFERING OF THE SERVANT
FADE IN
EXT. HIGH ABOVE THE DESERT - AFTERNOON - ESTABLISHING
Three caravans travel into the sun. The leaders, on horseback, ride close enough to talk to one another. The rest of the caravans fan out behind them. We zoom towards the three leaders, each in royal robes, though each with a different pattern. The middle rider, the king of Assyria, is about forty, has a thick beard, and is muscular though a little overweight. He shields his eyes from the sun and peers into the distance ahead of him.
ASSYRIA Straight ahead is the oasis, just like I saw in the dream. By the gods, there is something unnatural about all this. I don't like it. |
The king to his right, Babylon, is short, clean shaven, very overweight, and sneers a lot.
BABYLON Nor I, Assyria. Still, we've come this far. We might as well rest a bit under those trees and have a bite to eat. |
The third king, Persia, is square faced, also clean shaven, and looks more intelligent.
PERSIA
(Laughs)
If I know you, Babylon, it will be far more than a single bite.
PAN TO - a lush oasis a few miles away.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. THE OASIS
The three kings sit under a grove of palm trees. They eat meat, rice, vegetables, and nuts, and drink from silver goblets.
PERSIA This is bizarre. Why are we sitting here enjoying this meal? None of us have ever met. We lived in different eras. I remember being on my deathbed, and then I awoke with the memory of the strange dream, the one that began with every last detail that we now see. ASSYRIA (Chewing noisily.) Yes, the same with me. I was old, and now I'm young again. I'm not complaining. (Beat) My dream ended in this oasis. I too saw everything in front of us, even that scrawny wench who refills your goblet. She looks terrified. (Laughs). Persia, maybe she's afraid you'll take her to your bed tonight. BABYLON So now only the final part of the dream remains to be played out. I tell you, brothers, I have been uneasy since that first meeting three months ago, when we gathered in your palace, Assyria, and I recognized the room and the furnishings. I had never been to that palace before. I knew it only from my dream. There is a powerful sorcery here. Could the Jews be involved? ASSYRIA Don't be silly. Had they that kind of power, I never could have carried off ten of their tribes. PERSIA Strictly speaking, the Jews are the people of the lower tribes, the ones you did not carry off. ASSYRIA What's the difference? They're all the same people. They all claim the same ancestor. BABYLON Besides, I carried off the rest of them a few decades later. They showed no great power then. PERSIA And 70 years after that, I released them. Still, our brother Assyria has a valid point. These visions we've shared indicate power. If the Jews could summon forces that strong, they wouldn't suffer the pains and indignities we inflict upon them. BABYLON Where then, did these dreams come from? PERSIA I suspect we will soon find out. |
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. THE DESERT - LATE AFTERNOON
Two mountain cliffs converge to form a pass wide enough to admit only one horse and rider at a time. A high pitched wind whistles softly and mournfully through the pass, and stirs up small sand flurries. The three kings with an aide behind each of them sit on their horses at the V on the cliffs. Unnatural looking red sunlight shines through the pass. The horses are obviously nervous.
BABYLON And this is how you dreamed the final part of this trip? PERSIA Yes, to the last detail. The three of us here with our aides and that hellish light was shining through the pass. ASSYRIA In your dream, who went first? PERSIA (Wry smile.) Let us put these visions to one final test. You two decide in what order we go through. I'll tell you afterwards what the order was in my dream, but we will follow what you two decide whether it was in the dream or not. ASSYRIA Persia, it sounds like you don't want to be the first one. PERSIA It doesn't matter to me. I'll go first if that's what you two decide. BABYLON (Turns to ASSYRIA.) Don't you want to take the first turn? Your mighty prowess is known throughout the known world. You could be the leader and show the rest of us how to do it. ASSYRIA Translation. You don't want to go first. BABYLON No, no. I don't mind. One of the aides rides up to PERSIA. His uniform has the same colors as the king's, but is less elaborate. SATRAP Sire, may I speak with you. PERSIA Yes, Satrap. |
While they are talking, BABYLON and ASSYRIA argue over who is afraid to go first.
SATRAP The council of elders met last night and asked me to give you a message. These visions and this expedition worry them. They feel it is not worth the risk. If you did not return, what would the kingdom do without you? PERSIA (Looks puzzled) Do you think civil war would break out? Surely the crown prince is capable of governing. SATRAP Sire, we're worried about you. How would we manage without you, our sovereign king if by some tragedy you didn't return? PERSIA Why Satrap, I think you actually do care about me as a person. How touching. How unusual. But don't fear. It isn't reasonable to think the gods would go to so much trouble just to kill a man, even a king. After all, they could just strike me with lightning if they wanted me dead, or even arrange so I didn't awaken some morning. But to arrange a series of dreams among three kings, and then to lure them out into the middle of this forsaken wilderness simple to kill us? No, they wouldn't bother. SATRAP We have several armed men in the camp. Will you at least allow some of them to accompany you? PERSIA The dreams were specific. Only we three heads of state can go through to whatever is beyond those rocks. ASSYRIA Persia, we have decided. I am to go first. Then you and Babylon will decide who goes second. PERSIA Fair enough. ASSYRIA Is that how you dreamed it? PERSIA (Smiles) I'll tell Babylon after you have gone through. ASSYRIA Then damn you Persia. But I'll be waiting for you just beyond that pass. Assyria whips his horse and rides through the pass. As soon as he reaches the spot between the rocks, he disappears in a bright flash of light. BABYLON Well Persia, was that what your part of the vision displayed? PERSIA Yes, exactly that. A flash of light, and he disappeared. BABYLON I suppose you want me to go next. PERSIA You still don't understand. I have no desires in this matter. We are called upon for some purpose that none of us understand. I will follow whatever the will of the gods may direct, and I suggest you do the same, if only because, after all has transpired, we cannot do otherwise. Babylon, with a look of anger, whips his horse towards the pass and disappears in a flash of light. SATRAP My lord, was all of this in your dream? PERSIA Yes, Satrap, all of it. (Sighs.) Now it is my turn. SATRAP My lord, please, may I ask of you a favor? PERSIA What is it? SATRAP If you return - when you return, will you tell me what you saw over there? PERSIA (Grins) Surely. I will give you a full report. |
Persia turns his horse towards the pass, whips it on, and disappears like the others in a flash of light.
EXT. DESERT BEYOND THE PASS
The three kings on their mounts are standing on a sandy ledge. Behind is a sheer black cliff. In front of them, the desert floor falls away into a huge sandy crater. Roiling red and purple clouds cover the sky. The sound of the wind here is distinctly lower pitched than it was on the other side of the pass.
ASSYRIA
By all the gods, what is this place? Are we still on Earth or are we in hell?
PERSIA
I rather suspect that hell contains more than the souls of three puzzled monarchs.
BABYLON
(Points towards the crater)
What's that?
A sand tornado forms in the crater. It's gray and broad so that it looks like an equilateral triangle when seen directly on edge. The image of a crucified man forms inside the tornado. He is fat, bald, clean shaven -- obviously not Jesus. A broken nose and the pain contorting his face make him hideous. His expression is so agonized we hope he is dead, but he jerks suddenly and tries to speak. Flies buzz around blood oozing from wounds on his shoulders. We zoom in until the image of the man fills the screen and the tornado is not visible.
PERSIA (O.S) My Satrap wanted to know what we saw here, but who would believe what we say? ASSYRIA (O.S) Who is that? BABYLONIA (O.S) That's a Jew. I told you they were involved in this. ASSYRIA (O.S.) He's hideous. He didn't send the dreams. Whoever sent those dreams must have power and majesty. That poor wretch has nothing, no glory, no greatness that we should respect. |
We zoom out showing, not the tornado, but two more crosses with men nailed to them. One is motionless, the other is cursing. We zoom out more quickly showing a line with hundreds of crosses surrounding a walled city, Jerusalem. In the distance, a chariot approaches.
CUT TO:
ROMAN CHARIOT
Two soldiers stand in the chariot. In the background are burned trees, stumps, the ruins of houses, and general desolation. The older soldier, ANTONIUS, is about forty, thick and muscular, with a short, thick beard. He whips the horses on. The younger, MARCUS, is about twenty, handsome and well built but not as muscular.
MARCUS (Nervous) What's so special about this one that he's entitled to a reprieve? ANTONIUS Who knows? He probably has rich friends or relatives who bribed some crooked official to take him down. If it was up to me, we'd crucify all of these bastards. That would bring peace and quiet to the empire. |
As the chariot approaches the city, crosses are seen in the background.
MARCUS (Turns head quickly.) By Zeus, was that a woman hanging up there? ANTONIUS Probably. MARCUS I've never seen a crucified woman before. ANTONIUS (Laughs) It doesn't matter if you're a cunt or a prick. Anyone who rebels against Rome gets nailed. The empire doesn't discriminate. (Glances at MARCUS) Why? Do you feel sorry for her? MARCUS No, no. It was just a surprise. I've never seen a woman hung up before. (Beat) Like you said, rebels have to be punished. (Beat) How do you know which person to take down? ANTONIUS Oh, I'll recognize that son of a bitch. I'm the one who put him up the day before yesterday. The bastard started cursing me. MARCUS (Trying not to smile) Really? ANTONIUS Yes, really. And what can I do? MARCUS Nothing. He's already being crucified. ANTONIUS Exactly. And now I have to take the asshole down. Ah well, orders are orders. Maybe he'll be dead when we get there. MARCUS (Tongue in cheek) Even if he's still alive, after two days, he'd be in pretty bad shape. He'd probably die while we were taking him down. ANTONIUS (Laughs) Not a bad idea. I'll make a soldier out of you after all. |
They pass a cross on which a youth is hanging.
MARCUS (Staring at the youth) By Apollo, that one can't be more than 15 years old. ANTONIUS Yeah, there are some kids here. Last week there was a boy who didn't even have hair on his balls. Well, our - ahem - friend should be somewhere around here. Antonius stops the chariot. The soldiers walk over to the line of crosses. We see the different figures in various stages of agony and dying. MARCUS This is a wretched business. ANTONIUS Yes, it is. MARCUS I heard they made a god out of one of these. ANTONIUS A god? From a crucified man? You have to be kidding. MARCUS What I heard is that one of these people about 30 years ago had a bunch of followers. They took him down after he died - only three hours after being put up - and later said that he came back to life. ANTONIUS (Laughs) He died after only three hours? He was lucky. MARCUS Well, for a crucified man, I guess he was. |
Antonius looks up at a man on one of the crosses.
ANTONIUS Ah. This is the one we want. Isaac Cohen, are you still alive? MARCUS I guess not. Should we take down the corpse or leave it? ANTONIUS Leave it. Taking down corpses isn't our job. |
The man on the cross next to Isaac turns his head towards Antonius with obvious excitement.
MAN ON CROSS That man isn't Isaac Cohen. I'm Isaac Cohen and yes, I'm alive. Did you come to take me down? Please, please, I'll bless you with all my heart. ANTONIUS (Turns to the man and grins.) You faker, you aren't Isaac Cohen. He had a beard. You don't. Besides, I remember his ugly face, not that yours is any prettier. MAN ON CROSS But I'm innocent. I love Rome. I would never rebel against the empire. I'm sorry for anything wrong I've done. Please, take me down. ANTONIUS What? Are you suggesting that the justice of the empire is flawed? Are you saying that Rome is so cruel as to execute an innocent man? These statements are treasonous my good sir. MAN ON CROSS (Body shakes with dry sobs) No, no. I love Rome. I'm not trying to say anything bad about Rome. I don't know what I'm saying. Please take me down. ANTONIUS Oh, poor soul. Are you suffering, then? MAN ON CROSS Yes, I'm suffering. I'm suffering horribly. Please, have mercy. Take me down. ANTONIUS (Turns to Marcus) He asks for mercy from a Roman soldier. (Break) Get the 'mercy stick' from the chariot. MAN ON CROSS No, no, not that kind of mercy. I know what that is. |
Marcus frowns but goes to the chariot and returns with a heavy metal club. Antonius takes the club in one hand, and slaps it in his other.
ANTONIUS Oh, it's not that bad. It stings a bit at first, but after a few minutes your suffering will be all finished. MAN ON CROSS No, please, I beg of you, don't. Leave me be. ANTONIUS I'm too merciful to let you continue to suffer so. (With a fierce swing he smashes one leg. We hear a crunch. The man screams.) Now, I'll admit that hurts a bit, but when I break the other leg, you'll fall and won't be able to breath. It will be uncomfortable for a while, but then you'll have the mercy you wanted. Antonius smashes the other leg. The man's screams are now mixed with a horrible gasping sound. The two soldiers return to the chariot and ride off. ANTONIUS This is not a pleasant day's work, I'll admit. But don't worry. Tonight we'll get drunk and I'll introduce you to a whore who will tickle your balls so wonderfully, you'll forget all about these wretches. |
They drive off. The camera pans back to the crosses. We see the man still convulsing and gasping. A high pitched wind blows.
SMASH CUT:
EXT. DESERT BEYOND THE PASS
The wind has a distinctly lower pitch than in the road outside Jerusalem.
Let Zvi know what you think about this page.
Check out ZVI's HOME PAGE
Revised 4/04
