Braveheart
Writers: Randall Wallace
"BRAVEHEART"
by
Randall Wallace
Early Draft
FADE IN:
EXT. THE SCOTTISH COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
Epic beauty: cobalt mountains beneath a glowering purple sky
fringed with pink, as if the clouds were a lid too small for
the earth; a cascading landscape of boulders shrouded in
deep green grass; and the blue lochs, reflecting the sky. We
hear a voice, husky, Scottish...
VOICE OVER
I will tell you of William Wallace.
EXT. MACANDREWS FARM - DAY
A farmhouse and a large barn lie nestled in a Scottish valley.
Riding down the roads that lead in from opposite sides are
Scottish noblemen in full regalia: eye-popping tartans,
sparkling chestplates. Even the horses are draped in scarlet.
Behind each nobleman rides a single page boy.
VOICE OVER
Historians from England will say I
am a liar. But history is written by
those who have hung heroes.
Another noble rides in from the opposite side. Two more appear
down the road, converging on the barn.
VOICE OVER
The King of Scotland had died without
a son, and the king of England, a
cruel pagan known as Edward the
Longshanks, claimed the throne for
himself. Scotland’s nobles fought
him, and fought each other, over the
crown. So Longshanks invited them to
talks of truce. No weapons, one page
only.
The nobles eye each other cautiously, but the truce holds.
They enter the barn, with their pages...
EXT. SCOTTISH FARM - DAY
Nestled in emerald hills are the thatched roof house and
barn and outbuildings of a well-run farm. The farmer, MALCOLM
WALLACE, and his nineteen-year-old son JOHN, both strong,
tough men, are riding away from the farm. They hear hooves
behind them and turn to see a boy riding after them.
VOICE OVER
Among the farmers of that shire was
Malcolm Wallace, a commoner, with
his own lands and two sons: John...
We FAVOR JOHN WALLACE, the nineteen-year-old sitting easily
on his horse, beside his father...
VOICE OVER
...and William.
WILLIAM, a skinny eight-year-old riding bareback, catches up
to his father and older brother.
FATHER
Told ya to stay.
WILLIAM
I finished my chores. Where we goin'?
FATHER
MacAndrews'. He was supposed to visit
when the truce was over.
They ride on, over the lush hills.
EXT. THE MACANDREWS FARM - DAY
The horses are all gone; the place looks deserted. UP ON THE
HILL we see the three Wallaces, looking down.
FATHER
Stay here.
He means William. He and his elder son spur their horses.
AT THE BARN - DAY
The Wallaces ride up, looking around.
FATHER
MacAndrews!... MacAndrews!?
Malcolm finds a pitchfork, John the woodpile axe...
INT. THE BARN
POV from within as the door opens and a widening block of
sunlight illuminates the dusty shadows. Malcolm and John
Wallace step in, and are shocked to see...
POV THE WALLACES
Hanging from the rafters of the barn are thirty Scottish
noblemen and thirty pages, their faces purple and contorted
by the strangulation hanging, their tongues protruding.
Malcolm stabs the pitchfork into the ground in useless anger;
John still grips the axe as he follows his father through
the hanging bodies of the noblemen to the back row, to see
the one man in commoner's dress, like theirs...
FATHER
MacAndrews.
A SHUFFLE; John spins; William has entered the back door.
JOHN
William! Get out of here!
WILLIAM
Why would MacAndrews make so many
scarecrows?
Before his father and brother can think of anything to say,
William, with a boy's curiosity, touches the spurred foot of
the hanged noblemen we first saw riding in. It's too solid;
he takes a real look at the face, and suddenly --
WILLIAM
R -- real!!!... Ahhhhhgggg!...
He turns to run, but knocks back into the feet of the hanged
man behind him! In blind panic he darts in another direction,
and runs into another corpse, and another; the hanged men
begin to swing, making it harder for William's father and
older brother to fight their way to him.
FATHER
William! William!
Then, worst of all, William sees the pages, boys like himself,
hanged in a row behind their masters!
Finally his father and brother reach William and hug him
tight. There in the barn, among the swinging bodies of the
hanged nobles, Malcolm Wallace grips his sons.
FATHER
Murderin' English bastards.
CUT TO:
EXT. WALLACE FARMHOUSE - NIGHT
The cottage looks peaceful, the windows glowing yellow into
the night. From outside the house we see John rise and close
the shutters of the kitchen, where men are gathered. We PAN
UP to the upper bedroom window...
INSIDE THAT BEDROOM
Young William is in nightmarish sleep. He mumbles in smothered
terror; he twitches. We see
HIS NIGHTMARE
In the blue-grays of his dream, William stands at the door
of the barn, gazing at the hanged knights. We WHIP PAN to
their faces, garish, horrible... Then one of the heads moves
and its eyes open! William wants to run, but he can't get
his body to respond... and the hanging nobleman, his bloated
tongue still bursting through his lips, moans...
GHOUL
Will--iam...!
WILLIAM tears himself from sleep; looking around, swallowing
back his tears and panic.
IN THE KITCHEN
A dozen strong, tough farmers have huddled. Red-headed
CAMPBELL, scarred and missing fingers, is stirred up, while
his friend MacCLANNOUGH is reluctant.
CAMPBELL
Wallace is right! We fight 'em!
MACCLANNOUGH
Every nobleman who had any will to
fight was at that meeting.
MALCOLM WALLACE
So it's up to us! We show them we
won't lie down to be their slaves!
MACCLANNOUGH
We can't beat an army, not with the
fifty farmers we can raise!
MALCOLM WALLACE
We don't have to beat 'em, just fight
'em. To show 'em we're not dogs, but
men.
Young Wallace has snuck down and is eavesdropping from the
stairs. He sees his father drip his finger into a jug of
whiskey and use the wet finger to draw on the tabletop.
MALCOLM WALLACE
They have a camp here. We attack
them at sunset tomorrow. Give us all
night to run home.
EXT. WALLACE FARM - DAY
Malcolm and John have saddled horses; they are checking the
short swords they've tucked into grain sacks when William
comes out of the barn with his own horse.
MALCOLM
William, you're staying here.
WILLIAM
I can fight.
These words from his youngest son make Malcolm pause, and
kneel, to look into William's eyes.
MALCOLM
Aye. But it's our wits that make us
men. I love ya, boy. You stay.
Malcolm and John mount their horses and ride away, leaving
William looking forlorn. They wave; he waves back.
EXT SCOTTISH HILLS, NEAR THE WALLACE FARM - DAY
It's strangely quiet, until William and his friend HAMISH
CAMPBELL, a red-headed like his father, race up the hillside
and duck in among a grove of trees. Breathless, gasping,
they press their backs to the tree bark. William peers around
a tree, then shrinks back and whispers...
WILLIAM
They're coming!
HAMISH
How many?
WILLIAM
Three, maybe more!
HAMISH
Armed?
WILLIAM
They're English soldiers, ain't they?
HAMISH
With your father and brother gone,
they'll kill us and burn the farm!
WILLIAM
It's up to us, Hamish!
Hamish leans forward for a look, but William pulls him back.
WILLIAM
Not yet! Here he comes, be ready!
They wait; heavy FOOTSTEPS. Then from around the edge of the
grove three enormous, ugly hogs appear. The boys hurling
rotten eggs. The eggs slap the snouts of the pigs, who scatter
as the boys charge, howling. We PULL BACK... as the sun goes
down on their play.
EXT. THE WALLACE HOUSE - SUNDOWN
The boys walk toward the house, beneath a lavender sky.
HAMISH
Wanna stay with me tonight?
WILLIAM
I wanna have supper waitin'.
HAMISH
We'll get those English pigs tomorrow.
WILLIAM
Aye, we'll get 'em.
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
William's face appears at the window, looking toward
THE DISTANT HILLS
of trees and heather, where there is no sign of life.
INT. THE HOUSE - NIGHT
William has cooked stew in a pot, and now spoons up two
steaming bowls full and sets them out on the table. But he
is only hoping. He looks out the window again; he is still
all alone. So he leaves a candle burning on the table beside
the stew, and moves up the stairs.
EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAWN
The house is silent, fog rolling around it in the dawn.
INT. FARMHOUSE - DAWN
William has been awake all night, afraid to sleep. He rises,
and in QUICK CUTS: he dresses; he moves down the hall, stops
at the door of his father's bedroom and sees the undisturbed
bed. He moves on, passing the door of his brother's room,
also unrumpled.
IN THE KITCHEN
He finds the two cold bowls of stew, beside the exhausted
candle. He spoons up his own cold porridge, and eats alone.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
William is in the barn loft, shoveling corn down to feed the
hogs, while he glimpses something coming.
THE BOY'S POV
An ox cart is coming down the curving lane. Its driver is
Campbell, with MacClannough walking behind it. The farmers
glance up at William, their faces grim...
From his perch in the loft, William sees that the neighbors
have brought: the bodies of his father and brother. The cart
stops; Campbell, with a bandage around his left hand where
more of his fingers are now missing, studies the back of the
ox, as if it could tell him how to break such news. The butt
of the ox seems to tell him to be matter-of-fact.
CAMPBELL
William... Come down here, lad.
William looks away, he takes quick breaths, he looks back...
but the bodies are still there.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
It's now surrounded by horses, wagons, and neighbors. The
undertaker arrives in his hearse.
INT. THE SHED - DAY
On a table the undertaker has laid out the bodies and is
preparing them. Cloths around the lower jaw and top of the
head bind their mouths shut; pennies cover their eyes.
Softly, William enters the shed, drawn to his father and
brother. Campbell follows him in, wanting to stop him -- but
what can he say now? The undertaker goes on with his work.
William approaches the table; the bodies don't look real to
him. He sees the wounds. The dried blood.
The undertake pours water from a bowl and scrubs off the
blood. But the wounds remain.
EXT. GRAVESIDE - DAY
CLOSE on a grave, with a headstone marked ANNE WALLACE. We
INCLUDE the two new graves freshly dug beside it, and see
the mourners gathered before them. The sight of the boy,
standing alone in front of the graves of his dead mother, as
the bodies of his father and brother are lowered with ropes
into the ground beside her, has all of the neighbors shaken.
The local parish PRIEST drones mechanically in Latin.
The farmers who were secretly gathered in Malcolm Wallace's
kitchen the previous night are now glancing at William; but
no one is anxious to adopt a grieving, a rebellious boy.
Behind MacClannough are his wife and two daughters; his
youngest is barely four, not half William's age; she's a
beautiful girl with long auburn hair, and she clings to her
own mother's hand, as if the open graves are the mouths of
death and might suck her parents in too.
PRIEST
...Restare in pacem eternis, Amen.
With the final Amen, the neighbors drift from the graveside,
pulling their Children along, to give William a last moment
of private grief before the grave diggers cover the bodies.
The boy stands alone over the open graves, his heart so
shattered that he can scarcely cry; a single tear makes its
way down his face. And the tiny girl feels for William in a
way that the adults cannot. From the ground she pulls a
Scottish thistle, moves to the softly weeping William and
places the beautiful wild blossom in his hand.
William looks up and their young eyes meet; her sad blue
eyes hold William's as the grave diggers cover the bodies.
Then a lone, mounted figure appears at the crest of the hill
above them. Tall, thin and angular, in black clerical garb,
he looks like the grim reaper.
The girl hurries back to her mother's side; everyone watches
in silence as the figure rides down to them. He is ARGYLE
WALLACE. He looks like a human buzzard, his face craggy,
permanently furious.
PRIEST
You must be the relative of the
deceased... William, this is your
Uncle Argyle.
Argyle glowers at the man, dismounts, and glares at William.
William stares up at this frightening figure. They are
interrupted by the ominous sound of approaching horses; a
dozen mounted English soldiers, armed with lances, are
approaching. Argyle rattles to the priest...
ARGYLE
You were wise to hurry.
The soldiers ride right in among the mourners and stare down
from their saddles, haughty, menacing, their LEADER brusque.
LEADER
Someone dead from this household?
ARGYLE
We just had a funeral, isn't that
what it means in England as well?
LEADER
What it means in England -- and in
Scotland too -- is that rebels have
forfeited their lands. We were
ambushed last night. But the Scots
dragged their dead away.
ARGYLE
My brother and nephew perished two
days ago, when their hay cart turned
over.
LEADER
Then we'll just have a peek at the
wounds.
(to his men)
Dig 'em up!
ARGYLE
They've been sanctified and buried
in the holy rites of God's church,
and any hand that disturbs them now
takes on eternal damnation. So please --
do it.
Outmaneuvered, the leader reins his horse away. Several of
the farmers spit on the ground. Argyle glares at them.
ARGYLE
Funeral's over. Go home.
INT. THE KITCHEN - NIGHT
William and Argyle are sitting at the table, eating. Argyle
has laid out a proper meal, with exact place settings.
ARGYLE
Not that spoon, that one's for soup.
Dip away from you. And don't slurp.
Argyle sits down and begins to dine with the boy.
ARGYLE
We'll sleep here tonight. You'll
come home with me. We'll let the
house, and the lands too; plenty of
willing neighbors.
WILLIAM
I don't want to leave.
ARGYLE
Didn't want your father to die either,
did ya? But it happened.
Argyle pushes his food away; he has no appetite now.
ARGYLE
Did the priest say anything about
the Resurrection? Or was it all about
Judgment?
WILLIAM
It was in Latin, sir.
ARGYLE
Non loquis Latinum? You don't speak
Latin? We have to fix that, won't
we?
(beat)
Did he give the poetic benediction?
The Lord bless thee and keep thee?
Patris Benefactum et --
(beat)
...It was Malcolm's favorite.
INT. WILLIAM'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Argyle knows nothing about tucking a boy in bed; he stands
awkwardly idle as William scrubs his face at the washstand
and crawls into bed.
WILLIAM
Good night, Uncle.
Argyle grunts and starts out. Then he stops, turns back,
leans down over William... and with great tenderness the
grizzled old uncle kisses his nephew on his hair.
INT. THE KITCHEN - NIGHT
Argyle sits by the hearth, staring at the embers. He holds
the huge broadsword that belonged to his brother. He looks
at the handle, like a cross. He whispers...
ARGYLE
"The Lord bless thee and keep thee..."
Tears of grief spill down the old man's cheeks.
INT. THE HANGING BARN - IN WILLIAM'S DREAM
Once again the boy stands in the doorway of the barn, looking
at the garish, hanged faces in his nightmare. Then a mangled
hand comes from behind him and grasps his shoulder, William
gasps, but the hand holds him gently. He turns to see his
father, and his brother! They are wounded, bloody, but they
smile at him; they're alive! Weeping in joy, William reaches
to hug them, but his father stretches forth a forbidding
hand.
William keeps reaching out helplessly. His father and brother
move past him to the hanged knights. Two empty nooses are
there. Before the boy's weeping eyes they put their heads
into the nooses, and hoist themselves up.
William's grief explodes; his tears erupt and
HE WAKES IN HIS BEDROOM
tears flooding down his face. A dream! Still upset, still
grieving, he gets up and goes looking for his uncle.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
William moves down to the room where his uncle would be
sleeping. He opens the door. The bed has been slept in --
but his uncle is not there. He moves downstairs to
THE KITCHEN
But his uncle is not there either. Then William hears a
strange, haunting sound-distant, carried by the wind. He
moves to the window and sees only moonlight. He opens the
window and hears it more clearly: bagpipes. William lights a
candle and throws open the door. Wind rushes in, blowing out
his candle. But he hears the pipes, louder in the wind.
EXT. WALLACE HOUSE - NIGHT
William is barefoot and in only his nightshirt; but the sound
of the pipes is growing louder. He moves through the
moonlight, drawn toward -- the graveyard! He stops as he
realizes this, then forces himself on.
EXT. GRAVEYARD - NIGHT
William moves to the top of the hill where his ancestors are
buried, and discovers a haunting scene: two dozen men, the
farmer/warriors of his neighborhood, are gathered in kilts --
and among them, a core of bagpipers. The pipes wail an ancient
Scottish dirge, a tune of grief and redemption, a melody
known to us as "Amazing Grace." Uncle Argyle has heard them
and walked out too; he stands at the fringes of the
torchlight, still holding the massive broadsword. He glances
down, noticing William as the boy moves up beside him. William
whispers...
WILLIAM
What are they doing?
ARGYLE
Saying goodbye in their own way --
in outlawed tartans, with outlawed
pipes, playing outlawed tunes.
The farmers file by the graveside, crossing themselves, each
whispering his own private prayer. Argyle whispers, half to
William, and half to himself...
ARGYLE
Your Daddy and I, we saw our own
father buried like this, dead from
fighting the English.
William takes the sword from his uncle, and tries to lift
it.
Slowly, Argyle takes the sword back.
ARGYLE
First learn to use this.
He taps William on the temple with the tip of his finger.
ARGYLE
Then I will teach you to use this.
With an expert's easy fluidity, he lifts the huge sword. It
glistens in the torchlight. The music plays, the notes hanging
in the air, swirling in the Scottish breeze as if rising
towards the stars...
EXT. WALLACE FARM - DAY
William and his uncle ride off in a farm wagon. William has
a bundle of clothes in his lap, and glances at his uncle as
if afraid of his disapproval if he looks back. But he does
glance back just once, to see the deserted farmhouse.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. WESTMINSTER ABBEY - ROYAL WEDDING - DAY
Amid the scarlet and ermine robes of officiating lords, with
gemstones sparkling everywhere, we hear...
VOICE OVER
Twelve years later, Longshanks
supervised the wedding of his eldest
son, also named Edward, who would
succeed him to the throne.
LONGSHANKS, King of England, stands in the jeweled light of
the ancient Abbey. Known as Longshanks because of the spindly
legs that make him almost seven feet tall, he has a hawk's
nose and a snake's eyes, punctuating a face of distinct
cruelty. Historians of his day considered him and the line
of Plantagenets from which he came to be devil worshipers.
VOICE OVER
As bride for his son, Longshanks had
chosen a relative of his rival, the
king of France.
GENEVIEVE, a nineteen-year-old virgin of stupendous beauty
moves down the aisle, the light in her face outshining her
blindingly white wedding gown. As she reaches the altar her
hands tremble, but she maintains her poise and control.
She looks toward EDWARD, Prince of Wales. Pampered young men
surround him as his retinue. He takes her hand coldly and
goes through the ceremony under his father's stare.
VOICE OVER
It was widely whispered that for the
Princess to conceive, Longshanks
would have to do the honors himself.
That may have been what he had in
mind all along.
The ceremony concluding, attendants lift back the bride's
veil. Her wedding day, the ultimate moment -- and Prince
Edward ignores her, to turn back to his friends. But prompted
by one of the sour lords, he leans over and pecks his new
Princess on the cheek. For an instant, we see in her eyes
that her heart is dying. But she keeps her poise.
VOICE OVER
Having seen to his obligations to
provide for a successor, Longshanks
set about his fondest business -- to
crush Scotland, and turn his power
against France...
CLOSE - A MAP OF THE BRITISH ISLES
Longshanks' narrow finger jabs Scotland.
LONGSHANKS
Scotland! Scot-land!
We are in the --
INT. ROYAL ENGLISH PALACE - DAY
Longshanks is being listened to by his advisors, all in the
outrageous splendor of royal military dress, and all deathly
afraid of him.
LONGSHANKS
The French will grovel to anyone
with strength! But how will they
credit our strength when we cannot
rule the whole of our own island?!
He punches the map, then sees the Princess enter softly.
LONGSHANKS
Where is my son?
PRINCESS
Your pardon, M'lord, he asked me to
come in his stead.
Longshanks' eyes expand in fury; it is frightening to see.
LONGSHANKS
I sent for him -- and the little
coward send you?!
PRINCESS
Shall I leave, M'lord?
LONGSHANKS
If he wants his queen to rule, then
you stay and learn how! I will deal
with him.
He spins back toward his generals. Ignored, the princess
settles silently onto the cushions of the window seat.
LONGSHANKS
Nobles are the key to the Scottish
door. Grant their nobles land here
in England. Give our own nobles
estates in the north. Make them too
greedy to oppose us.
One OLD ADVISOR speaks up hesitantly.
OLD ADVISOR
Sire... Our nobles will be reluctant
to relocate. New lands mean new taxes,
and they are taxed already for our
war in France.
Longshanks glares at him, but takes the point. The wheels
grind in his brain; his dark eyes falling on the Princess,
he is inspired.
LONGSHANKS
Perhaps it's time to reinstitute an
old custom. Grant them prima noctes,
"First night." When any common girl
inhabiting their lands is married,
our lords shall have sexual rights
to her on the night of her wedding.
That should fetch just the kind of
lords we want in Scotland.
INT. PRINCE EDWARD'S ROYAL APARTMENTS - DAY
The prince and a muscular young friend, PHILLIP, are stripped
to the waist and fencing. They pay no attention to the
KNOCK, or to the Princess as she enters. She watches them --
they are dancing more than fencing. Edward loses his sword;
it clatters to the polished floor. He looks up at his wife,
as if angry at her for having seen his clumsiness.
EDWARD
What is it?!
PRINCESS
You directed me to report to you the
moment the king's conference was
ended.
EDWARD
So I did! And what was so important
about it?
PRINCESS
Scotland. He intends --
But Edward and his friend are fencing again, the clanging of
their blunted swords so loud that she can't hear herself.
PRINCESS
He intends to grant --
Edward loses his weapon again, and whirls on her.
EDWARD
Shut up, would you! How can I
concentrate?!
PRINCESS
...His majesty was quite keen that
you should understand --
EDWARD
All so very boring! He wants me to
learn to fight too, so let me do it!
For an instant, anger flares into her eyes. She glances at
Edward, and at the young man with him, then lowers her eyes
and starts to back out. But Edward has noticed.
EDWARD
Stop there.
She stops, but does not raise her eyes.
EDWARD
Do you disapprove of Phillip?
He lifts his hand and draws his friend Phillip to his side.
Still the Princess does not lift her eyes.
PRINCESS
(barely audible)
No, M'lord.
EDWARD
Look at me. I said LOOK AT ME!
She lifts her eyes. But she could not brace herself enough
for what she sees: Edward nuzzling Phillip, the prince's
bare chest to his muscular friend's bare back, both men
glistening with sweat and sexual excitement.
The Princess's eyes quiver... but she does not look away.
EDWARD
Now, my flower, do you understand?
PRINCESS
Yes. I had thought that... I was
loathsome to you. Perhaps I am. If I
may be excused, M'lord.
EDWARD
You may.
She starts to leave, as quietly as she came. But her husband
calls after her.
EDWARD
Don't worry, m'Lady, it is my royal
responsibility to breed. And I assure
you, when the time comes, I shall...
manage.
She closes the door softly, on her husband and his lover.
VOICE OVER
Now in Edinburgh were gathered the
council of Scottish nobles...
ESTABLISHING COUNCIL - DAY
The picturesque heart of Scotland, with its CASTLE on a fairy
tale plateau above the Firth of Forth.
INT. EDINBURGH CASTLE - DAY
The nobles are gathered around a huge table. They rise at
the entrance of young ROBERT THE BRUCE, a handsome young
man, full of intelligence and power.
VOICE OVER
Among these was Robert, the 17th
Earl of Bruce, a leading contender
for the crown of Scotland.
Robert strides to his seat in the center of the table, and
the others settle in respectfully. MORNAY, another young
warrior, gives him a bow, as does CRAIG, a grizzled noble.
CRAIG
Young Robert, we are honored --
ROBERT
My father hears that Longshanks has
granted prima noctes.
CRAIG
Clearly meant to draw more of his
supporters here.
MORNAY
The Balliol clan has endorsed the
right, licking Longshanks' boots so
he will support their claim to the
throne. If we make a show of
opposition, the commoners will favor
us.
ROBERT
It is too soon to step out alone. My
father believes we must lull
Longshanks into confidence, by neither
supporting his decree nor opposing
it.
CRAIG
A wise plan. And how is your father?
We have missed him at the council.
ROBERT
He strained his leg so that it pains
him to ride. But he sends his
greetings -- and says that I speak
for all the Bruces. And for Scotland.
EXT. SCOTTISH VILLAGE, AT THE EDGE OF TOWN - DAY
Flutes and dancing; laughter and garlands; village families
have gathered for a wedding celebration -- we see the happy
bride and groom. Farmers cart in fresh bread and hoops of
cheese; villagers arrive with casks of beer or strings of
smoked fish.
And watching the people are ubiquitous English soldiers,
battlescarred veterans with missing eyes and ears.
Riding along the road comes William Wallace. Grown now, a
man. He sits his horse as if born there, his back straight,
his hands relaxed on the reins. He has a look of lean, rippled
power. He looks dangerous.
And the soldiers notice him, nudging each other as he passes.
He carries a dead wild goose hanging across his saddle; he
stops his horse at the edge of the clearing and surveys the
scene. Farmers are roasting a pig; women are comparing
handiwork; young men are tossing huge stones in the
traditional Highland games -- and everyone is noticing
William's arrival, especially the farm women with daughters
of marriageable age.
Among those watching William arrive is Campbell, grown older
now; and with his old rebel friend, MacClannough. William
dismounts and ties his horse to a willow. One of the English
SOLDIERS shoves William from behind.
SOLDIER
Hey boy! You hunt this bird?
William's eyes fix themselves on the soldier.
SOLDIER
It's against the law for Scots to
own bows. You shot this bird?
His buddies, enjoying their role as intimidators, grab the
bird and begin to search it for evidence.
WILLIAM
I hit it in the head. With a rock.
They don't believe that -- but they can't find any puncture
wound on the bird. William reaches his hand out for the return
of the bird. The soldiers drop it onto the ground.
Slowly, William picks it up, and heads into the clearing.
The farmers watch him come.
Among those noticing William's arrival, but pretending not
to, is MARION MacCLANNOUGH, grown now into a stunning young
woman; her long auburn hair reminds us of those years long
ago; she wears it the same way, straight and full down her
back. Her dress is plain, like the grass that surrounds a
wildflower. She's the most beautiful girl in the village,
maybe in all of Scotland, and the soldiers who hassled William
notice her too.
William reaches the food table and contributes his goose to
the feast. FARM WOMEN eye him; he nodes to one.
WILLIAM
Miz MacDougal. You look well.
FARM WOMAN
...William? It's William Wallace,
back home! -- Have you met my
daughter?
The daughter mentioned is missing teeth. William nods to
her. It's impossible for him to giver her a smile as bright
as her hopes, and she lowers her head in disappointment. But
then raises her face in surprise as William takes her hand
and gives her a respectful bow.
He moves away from the table, passing through the crowd like
a stranger. Then he glances toward the knot of girls. He
sees Marion. She sees him, then looks away. Do they remember
each other? He moves toward her; she is shy, her eyes
downcast, but then she raises them and looks at him.
They move closer and closer together. Just as they are about
to reach each other, a huge round stone THUMPS to the earth
at Williams' feet.
He looks up to see one of Marion's suitors -- the broad,
muscled young man who has just tossed the stone in William's
way. Now everybody's looking to see how William will handle
the challenge. He tries to move around, but the guy cuts him
off. Then William thinks he recognizes the big red-head.
WILLIAM
Hamish?
It is his old friend, but Hamish won't admit it, or be put
off from the challenge. He points to the huge stone.
HAMISH
Test of manhood.
WILLIAM
You win.
HAMISH
(blocks him)
Call it a test of soldiery, then.
The English won't let us train with
weapons, so we train with stones.
WILLIAM
The test of a soldier is not in his
arm. It's here.
He taps his temple. Hamish stretches out his hand, as if to
show William something in his palm.
HAMISH
No. It's here.
With a sudden movement, he slams his fist into William's
jaw, dropping him. A few men move to interfere, but Campbell,
MacClannough, and the other farmers who are the true leaders
here, stop their neighbors from interrupting. Hamish stands
over William, waiting for him to get up.
WILLIAM
A contest, then.
William stands and hoists the huge stone, eighteen inches in
diameter. Straining with the effort, he lugs the stone to
the line scratched in the rocky field. Beyond the line are
the muddy dents from previous tosses. William takes a run
and heaves the stone. It flies past the other marks in the
field; people are impressed. William looks at Hamish.
WILLIAM
I still say this is no test. A
catapult can throw a stone farther
than a man can.
HAMISH
That depends on the man.
Hamish walks out, lifts the stone, and lugs it back to the
line. He takes a run and heaves with a great groan! The stone
flies, passing William's mark by a couple of feet.
People laugh and whistle. William nods, impressed.
WILLIAM
Can you do it when it matters? As it
matters in battle? Could you crush a
man with that throw?
HAMISH
I could crush you like a roach.
William walks to the dent made by Hamish's throw.
WILLIAM
Then do it. Come, do it.
Hamish scowls at William, at everybody watching. He lifts
the stone and carries it back to the line. William stands
calmly. Hamish backs up for his run. William yawns.
HAMISH
You'll move
WILLIAM
I will not.
Hamish backs up a few more feet, for a longer run.
FARMER STEWART
That's not fair!
CAMPBELL
He's tired, he should get a longer
run.
William seems completely unafraid. He leans down, picks up a
small smooth stone and tosses it up in the air casually.
Stung by this show of calm, Hamish takes furious run, and
heaves! The stone flies through the air, just misses William's
head, and buries itself halfway into the earth behind him.
William never flinches. The people cheer.
CAMPBELL
Brave show!
Hamish is miffed; it's like William won.
HAMISH
I threw longer than last time!
CAMPBELL
An ox is strong, but not clever.
HAMISH
An ox is stupid enough to just stand
in one place.
WILLIAM
That's not the point.
William turns, walks double the distance Hamish threw, and
turns and hurls the rock he holds! It whistles through the
air, hits Hamish in the forehead, and drops him like a shot.
WILLIAM
That is.
Everybody cheers and laughs! They surround William.
CAMPBELL
A fine display, young Wallace!
William takes a tankard of ale from a farmer, walks over and
tosses the cold liquid into Hamish's face; he wakes, and,
his eyes uncrossing, accepts William's hand, pulling him up.
WILLIAM
Good to see you again.
HAMISH
I should'a remembered the eggs.
Grinning, they embrace. MUSIC plays, the dancing begins.
William walks to the knot of young ladies... but passes
Marion, and moves to the girl with the missing teeth.
WILLIAM
Would you honor me with a dance?
She's thrilled to accept; they begin to dance.
GIRL
You've taken over your father's farm?
(beat)
They say he died long ago. Fighting
the English.
WILLIAM
He died in an accident, with my
brother. Their cart turned over.
The musicians interrupt their playing; a group of heavily
armed horsemen, with banners and flying colors, ride up,
reining their horses into the middle of the celebration. In
the middle of the group is an English NOBLEMAN; he is gray,
in his fifties, and stops in front of the BRIDE and groom.
NOBLEMAN
I have come to claim the right of
prima noctes. As the lord of these
lands, I will bless this marriage by
taking the bride into my bed on the
first night of her union.
Stewart, father of the BRIDE, lunges forward.
STEWART
No, by God!
The horsemen point their lances at the unarmed Scots -- who
see that the English soldiers from the village have moved to
the edge of the gathering, as if to dare any resistance.
NOBLEMAN
It is my noble right.
Even unarmed, Stewart is about to attack -- but the bride
intervenes. She grabs her father and whispers to him. She
moves to her husband and does the same. Holding back tears,
she allows herself to be pulled up behind one of the horsemen.
Marion MacClannough is looking on, sobered by her friend's
courage and sickened by her fate -- and Marion is even more
unsettled as she notices that one of the soldiers, a
particularly nasty looking brute with a scarred face, is
leering at her. William Wallace sees this too.
The noble and his escorts ride away, and as they do it begins
to rain. The celebration destroyed, the Scots gather the
food and disperse to their homes. But Wallace remains,
standing in the downpour, keeping his thoughts to himself.
EXT. THE WALLACE FARMHOUSE - MAGIC HOUR
The farmhouse looks lonely and forlorn. William stands at
the open door, and gazes out at the rain; it leaks on him,
through his roof; he doesn't seem to notice.
EXT. THE MACCLANNOUGH HOUSE - MAGIC HOUR
A thatched cottage, lit with a cozy fire, beneath the rain.
A hand KNOCKS on the door, and MacClannough opens it to find
William, on a horse! MacClannough frowns.
WILLIAM
Good evening, sir. May I speak with
your daughter?
Mrs. MacClannough shoulders up beside her husband, and Marion
appears behind her scowling parents.
WILLIAM
Marion... Would you like to go for a
ride on this fine evening?
MOTHER
The boy's insane!
WILLIAM
It's good Scottish weather, Madam,
the rain is fallin' straight down.
MOTHER
She absolutely may not, she'll --
Marion!
Marion has grabbed a cloak off the back of the door; she
runs out to hop up behind William, and they gallop away.
THE RIDE - MAGIC HOUR
William and Marion race along the heather, up and down hills,
through swollen streams. The rain stops, as the sun sets;
the Scottish mists lift, revealing stunning natural beauty.
William stops the horse and they look out over it all
together. He speaks, without turning to face her.
WILLIAM
Your father doesn't like me, does
he?
MARION
It's not you. He dislikes that you're
a Wallace. He just says... the
Wallaces don't seem to live for very
long.
WILLIAM
Thank you for accepting.
MARION
Thank you for inviting.
WILLIAM
I'll invite you again, but your mother
thinks I'm crazy.
MARION
You are. And I'll come again.
He lingers; he wants to say something, or maybe he just
doesn't want the moment to end. Finally he spurs the horse.
EXT. THE MACCLANNOUGH HOUSE - NIGHT
They reach the door. William hops off the horse and reaches
up to help her down the moment she touches the ground, they
look into each other's eyes... but the door is snatched open
so quickly by her mother that there is not time for a kiss.
MOTHER
Marion, come in!
He walks her closer to the door. They turn and look at each
other again. She waits for him to kiss her...
MOTHER
Marion, come in!
She still hesitates; he isn't going to kiss her. She starts
in, but he grabs her hand. And into it he puts something he
has taken from his pocket; it is wrapped in flannel. He hops
on his horse, glances at her, and gallops away.
She stands in the open doorway; she looks down at what he
left her. She unwraps the flannel; it is a dried thistle,
the one she gave him years before.
EXT. WALLACE FARM - DAY
William is re-thatching the roof of his barn, when he hears
riders approaching, and looks down to see that it is
MacClannough, backed by Campbell and Hamish. Uh-oh.
MACCLANNOUGH
Young Wallace --
WILLIAM
Sir, I know it was strange of me to
invite Marion to ride last night. I
assure you, I --
CAMPBELL
MacClannough's daughter is another
matter. We come to fetch you to a
meeting.
WILLIAM
What kind of meeting?
CAMPBELL
The secret kind.
William goes back to repairing his roof.
CAMPBELL
Your father was a fighter. And a
patriot.
WILLIAM
I know who my father was. I came
back home to raise crops. And, God
willing, a family. If I can live in
peace, I will.
Campbell shakes his head and reins his horse away, with
Hamish. MacClannough lingers.
MACCLANNOUGH
If you can keep your intention to
stay out of the troubles, you may
court my daughter. If you break your
intention, I'll kill you.
MacClannough rides away. William sits down on the roof, and
looks out at the graves of his father and brother.
EXT. MACCLANNOUGH HOUSE - NIGHT
Outside the half-timbered house, William stands in the shadows
of moonlight and tosses a pebble against the wooden upper
window. Marion opens the shutters and slips out onto the
vines, dropping into William's arms.
Giggling, suppressing laughter, they run to the trees...
SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS - NIGHT
Hand in hand through the heather they run, silhouettes along
a ridge, their breath blowing silver clouds in the moonlight,
the Scottish wind whipping through their hair.
They stop at a grove at the edge of a precipice, overlooking
a loch gleaming in the moonlight. So beautiful it's sacred.
MARION
You've been here before?
WILLIAM
Some nights. I have dreams. Mostly
dreams I don't want. I started riding
at night to fill up my mind so that
when I did sleep I'd dream only of
the ride and the adventure.
MARION
Did it work?
WILLIAM
No. You don't choose your dreams.
Your dreams choose you.
He looks at her. They kiss suddenly, so long and hard that
they tumble into the heather, rolling, devouring each other.
Through their passion...
WILLIAM
I want... to marry you!
MARION
I... accept your proposal!
WILLIAM
I'm not just saying it!
MARION
Nor I!
WILLIAM
But I won't give you up to any
nobleman.
MARION
(stopping)
You scare me.
WILLIAM
I don't want to scare you. I want to
be yours, and you mine. Every night
like this one.
MARION
This night is too beautiful to have
again.
WILLIAM
I will be with you, like this.
Forever.
They kiss again...
EXT. LANARK VILLAGE - DAY
Marion moves through the market. English soldiers admire her
as she walks. She stops, looking at white lace and cloth.
William casually passes, poking a note in her basket. Subtly
she withdraws his note, and reads:
INSERT - HIS NOTE
Tonight. By the trees.
EXT. MARION'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Marion slips out of the house and runs to the trees, where
William waits with horses. She fetches a bundle she's stashed
in the crook of a tree, and they mount and ride off.
EXT. RUINS OF AN ANCIENT CHURCH - NIGHT
The church is at the base of the precipice, beside the loch.
INT. THE CHURCH - NIGHT
This ancient Gaelic place of worship has been destroyed by
the occupying army, and yet it looks devoutly holy this way,
lit only by candles and moonlight through the open roof. The
village PRIEST whom we saw at the wedding celebration is
waiting at the altar. Marion steps into the confessional, as
William moves to the altar and kneels in prayer.
Marion emerges; she's changed into the wedding dress she
made from the cloth she bought. William stands and watches
her float down the aisle; his whole life was worth this
moment.
Together, the two lovers turn to the priest.
PRIEST
You have come to pledge, each to the
other, before Almighty God.
From within his shirt, William withdraws a strip of cloth
woven in his family tartan. He and Marion each lift a hand
to the priest, and he binds their wrists with the cloth.
WILLIAM
I will love you my whole life. You
and no other.
From her dress she takes a handmade handkerchief, embroidered
with a thistle to look like the one she first gave him those
years ago.
MARION
And I you. You and no other. Forever.
The Priest waits for them to go on, but neither can; they're
too taken with emotion, looking at each other. The Priest
intones holy phrases...
PRIEST
Agus bhayd lauch... The Lord bless
and keep thy love, now and forever.
The lovers kiss. As they break their embrace, a figure
carrying something dark and spiky appears at the broken door
of the church, and William spins as if to attack, but the
Priest catches his arm; they see the man carries bagpipes.
PRIEST
I trust him -- or I'd'a killed him
me'self. A weddin' needs pipes.
The piper begins to play, and the tune from his primitive
chanter is wispy, ethereal, beautiful. The lovers look into
each other's eyes, as the single melody of the pipes merges
into a swell of music, UNDERSCORING MONTAGE
William and Marion ride the path to the top of the precipice,
where, in the shelter of the grove, they spend their
honeymoon. The MUSIC CONTINUES as, still sweaty from their
love-making, he returns her to her house just before dawn.
She waves from her window, as William rides away, as we
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. VILLAGE OF LANARK - DAY
It's Market Day in the village, busy with Highlanders,
merchants of all kinds, and a few special attractions like
jugglers and fortune tellers. Marion moves along a table
full of flowers and fruit... William, concealed behind hanging
baskets, watches her unseen, savoring the beauty of his
beloved, bathing his soul in the sight of her. Then she looks
up and spots him, her smile sudden and luminous, before she
remembers to conceal it. He moves up beside her.
WILLIAM
I've missed you.
MARION
Shush. It's only been a day.
(beat)
And it's seemed like forever.
WILLIAM
Tonight then.
MARION
My parents are growing suspicious! I
can't keep meeting you every night!
Playfully he pokes his finger under the collar of her dress,
pulling up the strip of checked cloth he gave her at their
wedding, which she now wears hidden around her neck.
WILLIAM
Then when?
MARION
...Tonight!
Tucking in the cloth strip, she hurries away, smiling.
ANGLE - DRUNKEN ENGLISH SOLDIERS - BY AN ALE CASK - DAY
They spot Marion moving through the fair, glowing, beautiful.
The soldiers smirk at each other; as Marion passes, one of
them grabs her wrist. It's the soldier with the scar, the
one who's been staring at her.
SOLDIER
Where are you going... lass?
MARION
Let go.
A second drunken SOLDIER pipes up.
SOLDIER #2
Why don't you marry my friend here?
Then I'll take the first night!
The scarred soldier pulls Marion into his big arms; she shoves
him away with surprising strength, and he staggers back, to
the laughter of his friends. Then he snatches her again and
kisses her hard on the lips.
She breaks free and SLAPS him fiercely, hard enough to draw
blood from his mouth. Tasting the trickle, he slings her
down against sacks of grain, and the soldiers are all over
her, pinning her down, ripping her clothes, a full scale
public gang rape. As the townspeople try to move in the three
soldiers waiting their turn at Marion pull their knives,
keep them townspeople back.
SOLDIER #1
Bitch, who do you think you are?
He slams his mouth down against hers for a long, awful time,
comes up clawing at her dress to rip it from her body... and
is hit in the face by a rock thrown at great speed!
It takes a moment for the other soldiers to realize what
just happened, and in that instant William is on them. He
wrenches one soldier's arm in a direction it was never meant
to go, breaking the elbow, separating the shoulder, and
slinging the howling soldier into his comrades.
Two of the soldiers leap at William, swinging their short
swords; William ducks, knocking their ale cask into their
knees; William lifts the whole table where they were sitting
and slams it into the faces of two more attackers.
MARION
William!
She shouts to warn him that the scarred soldier, now
bloodyfaced, has recovered from the rock and is behind William
with a knife. William sidesteps the first thrust, snatches a
leg from the shattered table and crushes the man's skull.
MARKET WOMEN
Wallace Wallace! William Wallace!
But there's no time for celebration. There's blood and ale
everywhere, and the fallen soldiers are yelling...
FALLEN SOLDIER
Rebels! Help!
MORE SOLDIERS hear the call and come running, reinforcements
converging from all over the village.
VILLAGE FOLKS
Run, William! Run!
Will sees the horse that pulled the flower cart and throws
Marion up onto its back. He slaps the horse's rump and it
plunges with Marion into the twisting village lanes. William
darts off through the crowd, as the MAGISTRATE and more of
his soldiers arrive -- dozens of them!
William pauses out in the central street of the village,
just long enough to be sure they've spotted him, and darts
into a side lane in the opposite direction Marion went;
William weaves through the narrow streets of the medieval
town, knocking over baskets, jumping carts.
As the soldiers stumble after him, the Magistrate looks down
at his mangled soldiers. The one with the ruptured arm is
lying in agony.
MAGISTRATE
What happened?
SOLDIER
...girl.
MAGISTRATE
What girl?!
SOLDIER
...on horse.
MAGISTRATE
The girl on the horse! Stop her!
The shout rings through the village; Marion hears it, and
when she sees more soldiers at the far end of the lane she's
trying to take out of town, she urges the horse into an even
narrower back alley. She sees a clear route to freedom...
But the flock of pigeons pecking on the scraps thrown there
behind the shops rise into the horse's face with a sudden
thrashing of wings, and the horse shies against a wall.
Marion controls him, but a flap of her ripped dress has caught
on a crude nail, and as the frightened horse lunges forward
again, she is pulled off its bare back, her dress catching
and ripping at the same time, dropping her hard.
WILLIAM
reaches the edge of the town and slips into the trees by the
river; the soldiers are running every which way, but they've
lost him. Thinking Marion's made it too, William heads deeper
into the trees.
IN THE TOWN, MARION
recovers; her dress has torn free! She starts to get up; but
the soldiers' pikes appear over her, and the magistrate leers.
MAGISTRATE
So this is the little whore he was
fighting for.
EXT. THE GROVE AT THE PRECIPICE - DAY
William moves into the shelters of the trees, expecting to
see Marion. He doesn't. He listens; only the rustling of the
wind through the treetops.
WILLIAM
Marion!
Nothing, except the wind.
INT. ROYAL MAGISTRATE'S HEADQUARTERS - DAY
Marion is thrown into a chair and her arms are bound with an
oak staff behind her elbows. She and two dozen soldiers are
in the tavern the English have commandeered.
The Magistrate is a battlescarred veteran, a brutal pragmatist
angry with his CORPORAL.
MAGISTRATE
One Scot buggers six of us? Hell to
pay when that gets round.
CORPORAL
Burn the village.
MAGISTRATE
But he is free. You never catch 'em
in the Highlands.
He studies Marion, her mouth now stuffed with burlap. He
notices the strip of cloth around her neck, and touches the
weave curiously.
CORPORAL
Clans weave that cloth in their own
patterns.
MAGISTRATE
So why is this strip concealed?
(beat)
He fought for you, eh?
EXT. TOWN SQUARE - DAY
The Magistrate and his men bring Marion into the village
center, and tie her to a post of the well. The townspeople
don't want to be near the soldiers, but they hang on the
fringes of the square, too curious to pull away.
MAGISTRATE
An assault on the king's soldiers is
the same as assaulting the king!
He looks down at Marion, her mouth bound, her eyes defiant.
He jerks out his dagger and slices Marion's throat!
Her eyes spring open like a doe's; then she sags, dead. The
townspeople are speechless; even some of the soldiers are
shocked. The Magistrate turns calmly to his men.
MAGISTRATE
Now. Let this scrapper come to me.
LONG SHOT - EXT. THE GROVE AT THE PRECIPICE - DAY
From a distance, we see Hamish approaching the grove, the
same one where he and William played as boys. Hamish moves
reluctantly, forcing himself forward; as he reaches the grove,
William appears, hurrying out to him.
We STAY IN THE LONG SHOT, seeing William asking anxiously
for any news, and seeing Hamish's great shoulders as he tells
him something that makes William step backwards...
EXT. LANARK VILLAGE - DAY
At a barrier across the main road into the center of the
village are twenty professional soldiers, entrenched, fully
armed -- bows, pikes, swords. They hear A HORSE'S SNORT...
THE ENGLISH SOLDIERS' POV - WALLACE, ON HIS HORSE
He has stopped, rock still. The soldiers hush; there is
something unsettling about this man alone, staring at the
twenty of them, as if to steel himself for the butchery.
Wallace raises his sword, screams... and charges!
EXT. VARIOUS ANGLES - LANARK VILLAGE - DAY - THE FIGHT
We FAVOR WALLACE'S SUBJECTIVE POV: the barrier as his horse
pounds toward it, the faces of the enemy soldiers with their
eyes white with fear... They stand to shoot at him with their
bows; the arrows WHISH toward the lens, fly past...
The arrows tear through Wallace's clothes, but don't catch
his flesh. He charges on; his horse LEAPS the barrier as
Wallace simultaneously swings the broadsword -- and he's
more than an expert: the tip, at the end of a huge arc, nearly
breaks the sound barrier and the blade bites through the
corporal's helmet, taking off the upper half of his head!
The soldiers try to rally, to shoot him in the back as his
horse leaps over them. One of them has sighted William's
back... But Hamish and his father crash into them! It's a
wild fight; old Campbell takes an arrow through the shoulder
but keeps hacking with his sword; Hamish batters down two
men -- and more Scots arrive! They overwhelm the soldiers.
WALLACE RACES THROUGH THE VILLAGE - FAVORING HIS POV
He dodges obstacles in the narrow streets -- chickens, carts,
barrels. Soldiers pop up; the first he gallops straight over;
the next he whacks forehand, like a polo player; the next
chops down on his left side; every time he swings the
broadsword, a man dies.
Wallace gallops on; his farmer neighbors, and people from
the village, follow in his wake.
EXT. IN THE VILLAGE - DAY
The Magistrate hears the APPROACHING SHOUTS. He and thirty
more of his men are barricaded around the village square.
MAGISTRATE
Don't look surprised! We knew he'd
bring friends!
The see Wallace gallop into sight; but he stops, then heads
down a side street.
The Magistrate and his men don't like this; where did he go?
Which way will he come from? And then they hear the horses,
and see the other Scots, at the head of the main street. The
soldiers unleash a volley of arrows at them.
They are loading to fire again when Wallace runs in -- on
foot! -- and cuts down two soldiers! The other Scots charge!
The startled soldiers break and run in every direction.
The Magistrate, abandoned, runs too. Wallace pursues.
Not far along a twisting lane, the bulky Magistrate falters.
He turns to fight, and Wallace slashes away his sword.
MAGISTRATE
No! I beg you... mercy!
IN THE TOWN SQUARE
As the Scots see Wallace, they break off pursuing the English
soldiers and stop to watch; dragging the Magistrate by his
hair, Wallace hauls him back into the village square, slams
him against the well, and stands over him with heaving lungs
and wild eyes, staring at Marion's murderer.
MAGISTRATE
Please. Mercy!
Wallace's eyes shift, falling on
THE STAIN OF BLOOD
Marion's blood, in a dark dry splash by the wall of the well,
the stain dripping down onto the dirt of the street. Wallace
spins, jerks back the Magistrate's head, and cuts his throat
with the sword.
ON THE OTHER SCOTS
Silenced by what they've just seen and done. On old Campbell's
face is a look of reverence, and awe.
CAMPBELL
Say Grace to God, lads. We've just
seen the coming of the Messiah.
William staggers a few steps, and collapses to his knees.
And then not just the Scottish farmers but the townspeople
too begin a strange, Hi-Lo chant.
CROWD
AHHHHHHH-UHHHHHH! AHHHHHH-UHHHHHH!
William's wild eyes slowly regain their focus. And there in
the dirt beside the well, he sees the severed cloth strip he
gave to Marion, now stained with her blood. He lifts it,
crushes it in his hand, as the Highlanders chant for war.
EXT. LANARK VILLAGE - NIGHT
The villagers are still excited by what just happened; at
the blacksmith's forge, men tend to Campbell's wound...
CAMPBELL
Pour it straight into the wound. I
know it seems a waste of good whiskey,
but indulge me.
They obey, then take a glowing poker from the fire and run
it through Campbell's shoulder, where the arrow went. There
is a terrible SIZZLE, and Campbell reacts to the pain.
CAMPBELL
Ah. Now that'll clear your sinuses,
lads.
Campbell looks down at his left hand. His thumb is missing!
CAMPBELL
Well bloody Hell, look at this! Now
it's nothing but a fly swatter.
Wallace is sitting alone nearby, staring at nothing. Hamish
moves over and puts a hand on his shoulder. Wallace looks at
his friend, and looks away; killing the Magistrate did not
bring Marion back.
SHOUTS of alarm: ARMED MEN are coming! The farmers scramble
for their weapons, ready to fight; even Campbell jumps up;
but what they see coming out of the darkness are twenty more
farmers, with hayhooks, knives, axes, anything they could
find for weapons. Their leader is MacGREGOR.
CAMPBELL
MacGregor -- from the next valley!
MacGregor leads his men into the circle of rebels.
MACGREGOR
We heard about what was happenin'.
And we don't want ya thinkin' ya can
have your fun without us.
WALLACE
Go home. Some of us are in this, I
can't help that now. But you can
help yourselves. Go home.
MACGREGOR
We'll have no homes left when the
English garrison at the castle comes
through to burn us out.
They all look at Wallace.
EXT. ENGLISH MILITARY STRONGHOLD - NIGHT
Furious preparations: armorers pound breastplates, hone
spears, grind swords in a shower of sparks. The garrison is
led by BOTTOMS, the English lord who claimed the right of
prima noctes. Now he shouts to his scurrying soldiers.
LORD BOTTOMS
Gather the horses! Align the infantry!
(grabs a man)
Ride to the Lord Governor in Stirling.
Tell him that I will hang five rebels for every good
Englishman killed! FORM FOR MARCH!
The troops begin to scramble into the courtyard. At the same
time, the messenger gallops to the gate and nods for the
keepers to open it. They pull up the chains and the heavy
gate rises. The messenger spurs his horse to gallop through --
and is hit in the chest with an axe!
The Scots, hidden just outside the gate, come pouring through,
led by Wallace! Arrows pick soldiers from their perches,
Scots drop over the wall; the surprise is so complete that
it's over almost without a fight. Lord Bottoms looks around
in confusion...
LORD BOTTOMS
Stop them... Don't let... Align...
Scots drag Lord Bottoms off his horse; an arrow in a flexed
bow jabs right up to his eye, the archer ready to drive the
shaft through Bottom's eye socket and into his brain; but
Wallace's hand closes on the archer's fingers -- and Bottoms
sees that the archer at the other end of the arrow shaft is
none other than the Highland farmgirl he forced into his bed
on her wedding night. Beside her is her husband, holding a
scythe, red with English blood.
WALLACE
On your way somewhere, M'lord?
LORD BOTTOMS
Murdering bloody bandit!
The point of Wallace's sword jumps beneath the Lord's chin.
WALLACE
My name is William Wallace. I am no
bandit who hides his face... Find
this man a horse.
The green eyes of the defiled highland bride flash fire.
William takes his hand from her bow and looks at her, grief
for Marion in his eyes; for the sake of that she does not
release the string.
WALLACE
Give him a horse.
Hamish extends the reins of the Lord's thoroughbred.
WALLACE
Not this horse. That one.
He nods to a bony nag hitched next to a glue pot.
WALLACE
Today we will spare you, and every
man who has yielded. Go back to
England. Tell them Scotland's
daughters and her sons are yours no
more. Tell them Scotland is free.
As the Scots cheer, Wallace throws Lord Bottoms onto the
nag's back and slaps the horse's rear. IT shambles away,
followed by the English survivors, as the Scots chant...
SCOTS
Wal-lace, Wal-lace, Wal-lace!...
CLOSE - A GRAVESTONE - EXT. HIGHLANDS - DAY
The marker is carved with the name MARION MacCLANNOUGH, and
beneath her name A THISTLE is chiseled into the stone.
Bagpipes wail like banshees and the Priest who married Marion
and William now mutters ancient prayers as her body, wrapped
in burial canvas, is lowered into the earth, under the sad
eyes of those who just fought in the battle.
Opposite William stands old MacClannough; he stares across
the open hole that accepts the body of his daughter, his
eyes full of pain, and then staggers away.
Wallace kneels at the graveside in unspeakable grief. From
within his shirt he withdraws the embroidered handkerchief
she gave him, and the bloodstained strip of cloth he gave
her. He places the strip over her heart, and as the
gravediggers fill the hole her returns the handkerchief to
its spot over his own heart.
EXT. LONDON PALACE - DAY
Prince Edward is in his garden, playing the medieval version
of croquet with his friend. The Princess, ignored, sits
watching. Longshanks marches through the game, furious.
LONGSHANKS
Scottish rebels have routed Lord
Bottoms!
EDWARD
I hear. This Wallace is a bandit,
nothing more.
Longshanks slaps his son, knocking him down among the colored
balls and wickets. Everyone gasps, stunned.
LONGSHANKS
You weak little coward! Stand up!
Longshanks jerks him to his feet.
LONGSHANKS
I go to France to press our rights
there! I leave you to handle this
little rebellion, do you understand?
DO YOU?!
Longshanks grabs his son by the throat.
LONGSHANKS
And turn yourself into a man.
The king leaves. The friends of the humiliated Prince hurry
to him and lift him; as the Princess moves to him too...
EDWARD
Get away from me!
He slaps her! Her personal guards, Frenchmen in distinctive
uniforms, jump from their seats at the edge of the garden,
but the Princess raises a hand to show she needs no
assistance, and curtseys to Edward, who shouts --
EDWARD
Convene my military council!
As Edward marches off with his entourage, NICOLETTE, a
beautiful raven-haired Handmaiden, rushes to the Princess,
who is wobbly, hurt more than she let show. Nicolette whispers
to her in French, with subtitles...
NICOLETTE
They say this Wallace killed thirty
men to avenge the death of his woman.
I hope your husband goes to Scotland.
Then you'll be a widow.
INT. BRUCE'S CASTLE - BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT
Robert the Bruce is in bed with a young Nordic beauty with
vacant blue eyes. She drowses; but the lovemaking has not
defused the restlessness of Robert's spirit. He lies on his
stomach, turned away from her on the bed. Stirring, she kisses
his neck; but he doesn't respond.
WOMAN
I wanted to please you.
ROBERT
You did.
But he is numb as she nuzzles him again. She sags back, and
he still stares away, lost in thought. Realizing her hurt,
he explains...
ROBERT
In Lanark village, the king's soldiers
killed a girl. Her lover fought his
way through the soldiers and killed
the magistrate.
She looks at him blankly.
ROBERT
He rebelled. He rebelled. He acted.
He fought! Was it rage? Pride? Love?
Whatever it was, he has more of it
than I.
WOMAN
(hurt)
You might have lied.
ROBERT
I'm too arrogant to lie.
CLOSE - ROBERT THE BRUCE
On his FACE as he moves grimly up a dark castle staircase.
He follows a servant who carries a candle against the gloom.
They reach a door, which the servant unlocks. Young Robert
takes the candle, and enters --
A DARKENED ROOM
Robert wills himself forward, and places the candle on a
table in the center of the room. A SHUFFLE in the dark; then
moving into the light is a LEPER whose once-noble features
are decaying with the disease. Isolated in his disfiguration,
he looks at his visitor -- his son -- with the eyes of the
condemned. Young Robert forces himself not to look away.
ROBERT THE BRUCE
Father. A rebellion has begun.
THE LEPER
Under whom?
ROBERT
A commoner named William Wallace.
THE LEPER
A commoner? So no one leads Scotland?
The old man thinks, and points a half finger at his son.
THE LEPER
You will embrace this rebellion.
Support it, from our lands in the
north. I will gain English favor by
condemning it and ordering it opposed
from our lands in the south. Whichever
way the tide runs, we will rise.
ROBERT
This Wallace. He doesn't even have a
knighthood. But he fights with
passion, and he is clever. He inspires
men.
THE LEPER
You admire him. Uncompromising men
are easy to admire. He has courage.
So does a dog. But you must understand
this: Edward Longshanks is the most
ruthless king ever to sit on the
throne of England, and none of us,
and nothing of Scotland, will survive
unless we are as ruthless, more
ruthless, than he.
Young Bruce rises heavily, and moves to the door.
THE LEPER
Press your case to the nobles. They
will choose who rules Scotland.
With a last long look at his father, Robert leaves.
EXT. SCOTLAND - MONTAGE - DAY
-- Troops ride through the countryside, intimidating and
questioning civilians; all refuse to talk.
-- Wallace's house burns, as soldiers dig up the graves of
his father and brother, and scatter their bones to dogs.
-- The English search through the woods, finding nothing.
EXT. WALLACE LANDS - NIGHT
William and Hamish ride, to see the damage. They find the
smoking ruins, and the defiled family graves.
HAMISH
Ah, William... I am so sorry.
William is struck by an awful, urgent thought...
EXT. UNDERBRUSH NEAR MARION'S GRAVE - DUSK
We open on Marion's grave, with the thistle-carved marker,
looking peaceful; but up the hill in the underbrush, English
soldiers wait in ambush. Edgy, they perk up at the sound of
muffled hoofbeats -- then their eyes bug as a cloaked figure --
Wallace -- suddenly looms up behind them, galloping and
swirling fire! He hurls burning torches into the clustered
soldiers, setting some of them on fire!
MEANWHILE, HAMISH has crawled to Marion's grave and is digging
frantically. The new dirt parts easily and he pulls the
shrouded body out, cringing with the effort.
MORE SOLDIERS rush from behind the rocks at the far side of
the graveyard. Wallace charges them, driving them back. He
grabs the reins of Hamish's horse, hidden among trees, and
gallops to him.
Hamish hands the shrouded body up to William and bounds into
the saddle of his own horse. They spur the horses and ride
away, William clutching Marion's shrouded body to his chest.
EXT. SECRET GROVE ON THE PRECIPICE - NIGHT
William dismounts, stretching the body gently on the ground.
Hamish dismounts too, with the spade he used to dig up the
old grave. He sees the emotion on William's face.
HAMISH
I'll wait... back there.
WALLACE
Hamish, I... thank...
Hamish puts a hand on his friend's shoulder, then quietly
leads the horses away. William starts to dig...
LATER IN THE GROVE
William sits looking at the new grave, covered with leaves --
completely hidden. He touches his hand to the earth.
EXT. WOODS - BY THE STREAM - NIGHT
Hamish is waiting as William comes out of the grove. There
is nothing to say. They mount their horses and ride away, as
the MUSIC of William and Marion's love haunts us...
EXT. WOODS - ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT
Wallace and his inner circle hare huddled around a small
fire. Other highlanders guard the perimeters. Old Campbell
is lovingly honing the broadswords to razor edges and sharing
a whiskey jug with Hamish, who stares at the fire. Wallace
is using a stick to draw diagrams in the dirt.
CAMPBELL
What're ya doin'?
WALLACE
Thinking.
CAMPBELL
Does it hurt?
WALLACE
What do we do when Longshanks sends
his whole northern army against us?
They have heavy cavalry. Armored
horses, that shake the very ground.
They'll ride right over us.
At a loss, Wallace looks up at the sky. HE SEES: the trees
stretching into the night like spikes to skewer the stars.
WALLACE
We make spears. A hundred spears.
Fourteen feet long.
HAMISH
Fourteen? --
SENTRY (O.S.)
Volunteers coming in!
They look to see a half dozen new volunteers being led in,
blindfolded. When the guides remove the blindfolds, the new
recruits see Wallace and rush to him, bowing.
RECRUIT (FAUDRON)
William Wallace? We have come to
fight and die for you!
WALLACE
Stand up, man, I'm not the Pope.
FAUDRON
I am Faudron! My sword is yours! And
I brought you this tarta --
As he reaches into his cloak, both Hamish and Campbell
instantly draw their swords and put the points to his neck.
SENTRY
We checked them for arms.
Carefully, Faudron pulls out a beautiful tartan scarf, and
replaces Wallace's tattered old one.
FAUDRON
It's your family tartan! My wife
wove it with her own hands.
WALLACE
Thank her for me.
A loud voice interrupts...
VOICE
Him? That can't be William Wallace!
I'm prettier than this man!
They all look at a slender, handsome young man, STEPHEN, who
is talking to himself -- or more accurately, seems to listen
to some unheard voice, then answer it...
STEPHEN
All right, Father, I'll ask him!
(to William)
If I risk my neck for you, will I
get a chance to kill Englishmen?
HAMISH
Is your Poppa a ghost -- or do you
converse with God Almighty?
STEPHEN
In order to find his equal, and
Irishman is forced to talk to God.
(quickly)
Yes, Father!...
(to Wallace)
The Almighty says don't change the
subject, just answer the fookin'
question.
CAMPBELL
Insane Irish --
Stephen whips a dagger from his sleeve and puts it at
Campbell's throat.
STEPHEN
Smart enough to get a dagger past
your guards, old man.
Wallace jerks his sword to the Irishman's throat, and grins.
WALLACE
That's my friend, Irishman. And the
answer's yes. You fight for me, you
kill the English.
Stephen grins, and happily tucks away the dagger.
STEPHEN
Excellent! Stephen is my name. I'm
the most wanted man on the Emerald
Isle. Except I'm not on the Emerald
Isle of course, more's the pity.
HAMISH
A common thief.
STEPHEN
A patriot!
Wallace shakes his head and moves back to the fire, as the
sentries take the newcomers to find their own spaces.
EXT. SCOTTISH COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
A column of English light cavalry -- a hundred riders --
moves through the picturesque beauty of the Highlands.
English LORD DOLECROFT is in command, wearing a hat with a
pompous white plume. UP AHEAD, the English SCOUT sees five
Scots, including Hamish, walking out of the forest. The Scots
run; the Scout rides back to Dolecroft.
SCOUT
Scotsmen, Sire! Headed west!
DOLECROFT
They've blundered at last! After
them!
The English force charges off. Hamish and his men changed
direction but the English spot them crossing a hilltop and
ride after them. The Scots run for their lives; the English
horses gallop. The Scots run down one slope, up another; the
English follow, find their horses stumbling, and see...
SCOUT
We're in a bog!
DOLECROFT
Here, it's firm this way --
But as they move toward the firm ground, fifty Scots appear
on the crest of the hill. Hamish leads them, smiling.
Dolecroft wheels and looks to his rear; Wallace appears there,
with fifty more, and more Scots appear to the left and right
of the English, who are surrounded in the bog. Too late,
Dolecroft realizes his blunder. Wallace lifts his broadsword,
screams, and leads the charge...
EXT. SCOTTISH WOODS - DAY
The Scots are moving through deep woods; they are laden with
the booty they took from the English cavalry: extra weapons,
clothing, food -- and one man even wears the late Dolecroft's
plumed hat. Wallace is leading them, traveling with his heavy
sheathed broadsword across his shoulders.
WALLACE
Stop here and rest.
They collapse to the leaves and loam, greedily squeezing
water from sheep belly canteens.
INT. STIRLING CASTLE - DAY
LORD PICKERING, English commander, is handed news of the
disaster. He reads the message, and pales.
PICKERING
Another ambush! My God! ...What about
our infiltrator?
ASSISTANT
He has already joined them, M'lord.
EXT. SCOTTISH WOODS - NIGHT
The moon is high above the Scots, encamped for the night.
Most everyone is sleeping, but William sits leaning against
a tree, lost in lonely thoughts. Suddenly William freezes; a
shaft of moonlight illuminates a cloaked woman standing twenty
feet ahead of him. Something about her is familiar -- and
then she pulls off the hood, revealing her auburn hair,
cascading in the moonlight... It is Marion!
WALLACE
Marion! Is... is it you?
Joy explodes on his face, and he runs to her, but stops before
he touches her, as if she might evaporate.
WALLACE
I'm dreaming.
MARION
Yes, you are. And you must wake.
WALLACE
I don't want to wake. I want to stay
with you.
MARION
And I with you. But you must wake.
WALLACE
I need you so much! I love you!
MARION
Wake up, William. Wake up!
HAMISH'S VOICE
Wake up, William!...
MARION/HAMISH
Wake up!...
William clutches at Marion, but his arms can't enclose her.
HE WAKES
lying on his new tartan, in camp, with Hamish shaking him,
William's arms clutched empty to his chest.
HAMISH
William! Hounds!
Wallace jumps up, hearing the DISTANT BARKING that alarmed
Hamish. Stephen, the new Irish recruit, races up.
STEPHEN
We must run in different directions!
HAMISH
We don't split up!
STEPHEN
They used hounds on us in Ireland,
it's the only way!
WALLACE
He's right, Hamish! Campbell! Divide
them and run!
Shoving groups of men in different directions, Wallace then
takes off. His group is about a dozen; they race through the
woods, dodging trees, running aimlessly. They stop and listen.
The BARKS are getting closer.
WALLACE
Split again!
Again they divide, and race in different directions.
But no matter how they run and dodge, the BARKS grow nearer.
We INTERCUT with the approaching of the dogs -- a large PACK
OF HOUNDS, with keepers like on a fox hunt, and behind the
dogs, Lord Pickering, with his soldiers, prepared for a long
chase, cloaked against the wet darkness, carrying torches.
Wallace and others pause, hear the dogs, and run again, in a
new direction. The hounds are relentless. Wallace's group is
down to Hamish, Stephen, and Faudron.
WALLACE
No matter how we go, they follow.
They have our scent. My scent.
FAUDRON
Run! You must not be caught!
Faster now, faster. The barks are getting very close.
Wallace and his friends are starting to panic. The blood
beats in their ears, their breath scalds their lungs. And we
MOVE IN on Wallace's eyes. He stops, gasping.
STEPHEN
We can't stop!
WALLACE
They've tricked us.
STEPHEN
What's the crazy man saying, Lord?
WALLACE
The dogs have a scent. My scent.
Someone must have given it to them.
STEPHEN
Who would do such a thing?
WALLACE
Exactly.
Wallace pulls out his dagger...
THE DOGS
bark frantically now; they smell a kill; they tug so hard at
their leashes that the handlers are almost dragged along.
HANDLER
Be ready! We have them!
The soldiers grip their weapons, ready to take their
prisoners. They burst into the little clearing; the dogs
find a body, stabbed, his throat cut; the dogs plunge their
snouts into the gore, yipping wildly. The handlers must fight
furiously to tear the dogs from the body.
Lord Pickering approaches the body and looks down. It is
Faudron, mangled now but clearly identifiable -- with the
scarf he gave William, in place of William's own, tucked
into his shirt.
LORD PICKERING
Damnation! Damnation!
As Pickering rants, his men look at the darkness all around.
LORD PICKERING
After him! Get them going again!
HANDLER
Their noses are drowned in new blood,
they'll follow nothing now!
And just as the realization hits Pickering that he can't
pursue Wallace any further, a cloaked figure mixed in among
his men leans in from behind him to whisper...
STEPHEN OF IRELAND
The Almighty says for you to give
His regards to the Devil.
Pickering's eyes go wide, then roll back as Stephen's dagger
slides expertly through his back ribs and into his heart. As
Pickering falls and his men realize what has happened, Stephen
has already run back into the trees.
Pickering's men freeze at this sudden turn of events. Even
the dogs whimper, picking up the rising fear of the men around
them. Then from the darkness all around them comes a chorus
of demonic, bloodcurdling yells --
WALLACE/HAMISH/STEPHEN
ARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHH!
Three wild men tear out of the darkness from different
directions, their swords slashing. Pickering's men panic and
run, their dogs yelping, and the other soldiers, evident by
their torches, fell with them in all directions.
Wallace, Hamish and Stephen are left alone in the heart of
the woods, howling, barking like dogs, snarling like wolves --
and then laughing like hyenas!
STEPHEN
I thought I was dead when ya pulled
that dagger!
WALLACE
No English lord would trust an
Irishman!
HAMISH
Let's kill him anyway.
They laugh again; then Wallace's laughter leaks away, and he
stares into the trees, where he saw Marion in his dream.
VARIOUS SHOTS - THE STORY SPREADS THROUGH SCOTLAND...
Two men are talking in A VILLAGE...
VILLAGER
...and William Wallace killed fifty
men! Fifty, if it was one!
The same tale is exchanged by two farmers AT A CROSSROADS...
FARMER
A hundred men! With his own sword!
He cut a through the English like --
The tale is repeated IN A TAVERN...
DRINKER
-- Moses through the Red Sea! Hacked
off two hundred heads!
DRINKER #2
Two hundred?!
DRINKER
Saw it with my own eyes.
And the rumors are discussed even INSIDE THE PALACE GROUNDS
IN LONDON, where the Prince and his friends are trying on
elaborate attire presented them by fawning tailors, and the
Princess, ignored by her husband, strolls and chats with her
Handmaiden, Nicolette (in subtitled French).
NICOLETTE
When the king returns he will bury
them in those new clothes. Scotland
is in chaos. Your husband is secretly
sending an army north.
PRINCESS
How do you know this?
NICOLETTE
Last night I slept with a member of
the War Council.
PRINCESS
He shouldn't be telling secrets in
bed.
NICOLETTE
Ah, Oui! Englishmen don't know what
a tongue is for.
The Princess blushes, whacks her with her fan, and smiles.
PRINCESS
This Scottish rebel... Wallace? He
fights to avenge a woman?
NICOLETTE
A magistrate wished to capture him,
and found he had a secret lover, so
he cut the girl's throat to tempt
Wallace to fight -- and fight he
did.
The Princess is pained at such cruelty; Nicolette warms to
share the juicy gossip...
NICOLETTE