Scene 37 ~ The Corsairs of Umbar

Ships are sailing up the river. You can see the
mercenaries on them. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli await the ships on the shore.
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ARAGORN: |
You may go no further.
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The ships boson stands up
in response.
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ARAGORN: |
You will not enter Gondor
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BOSON: |
Who are you to deny us passage?
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ARAGORN: |
Legolas, fire a warning shot past the boson’s ear.
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GIMLI: |
Mind your aim.
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Legolas fits an arrow to his bow and takes aim. Just as he releases the arrow
Gimli deliberately knocks the bottom of the bow sending Legolas’ aim off. The
arrow kills a mercenary standing next to the boson. Legolas glares at Gimli,
Aragorn looks across at Legolas.
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GIMLI: |
Oh! (He puts his hand to his mouth) That’s
it, right, we warned you! Prepare to be boarded!
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The mercenaries laugh.
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MERCENARY: |
Boarded, by you and whose army?
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ARAGORN: |
This army.
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The King of the Dead and his army emerge through Aragorn and attack the ships.
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Scene 38 ~ Shelob's Lair

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Frodo and Gollum are climbing up the stairs of Cirith Ungol. They arrive at a
cave entrance. Gollum points.
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GOLLUM: |
In there.
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FRODO: |
(Looking uncertain) What is this place?
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GOLLUM: |
Master must go inside the tunnel.
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FRODO: |
Now that I’m here I don’t think I want to. (He
backs off)
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GOLLUM: |
It’s the only way. Go in… or go back.
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FRODO: |
I can’t go back. (He walks into the tunnel
entrance. Gollum watches him and then follows him.)
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FRODO: |
What’s that smell.
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GOLLUM: |
Orcses’ filth. Orcses come in here sometimes.
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They walk further into the tunnel. It is pitch black.
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GOLLUM: |
Hurry! This way.
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Frodo walks on alone.
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FRODO: |
Smeagol? (He calls Gollum. Gollum’s voice sounds distant. )
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GOLLUM: |
Over here.
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Frodo stumbles towards the voice. He falls against the wall and gets spider web
stuck to his hands.
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FRODO: |
Ah aah! Its sticky, what is it?
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GOLLUM: |
(From the distance) You’ll see. Oh yes, you
will see.
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Frodo moves slowly forward.
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FRODO: |
Smeagol? (shouts) SMEAGOL! SMEAGOL!
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Frodo is alone. Tears start to his eyes.
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FRODO: |
Sam. (He walks forward onto some bones. He looks
terrified and looks around him to see various animals hanging up in webs. He
begins to panic and starts to run through the tunnels.)
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Meanwhile… Sam is climbing back down the stairs. He is crying. He slips and
falls down the remainder of the stairs to the bottom
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SAM: |
Ow! (He groans and tries to sit up. He sees the remains of the lembas bread
and their leaf wrappings sitting on a rock beside him. He picks one up, thinks
for a minute and then crushes it in anger. He turns and looks back up the
stairs.)
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Back in the tunnel Frodo is still running in fear. He falls and gets tangled in
webs on the floor. He fights to stand up. He staggers back again. A voice sounds
in his head.
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GALADRIEL VOICEOVER: |
And you Frodo Baggins, I give you the light of Eärendil, our most
beloved star. (He fumbles in his pocket and pulls out the Phial of Galadriel and
looks at it.) May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go
out.
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He closes his eyes.
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FRODO: |
Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalimë (Hail Eärendil brightest of the
Stars!)
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He thrusts the phial forward and it blazes forth with a bright light he looks at
it surprised. Frodo senses a movement behind him and turns his head slowly
around to look. He leaps up and Shelob a huge spider advances on him. He holds
the light up to her, which she doesn’t like and she stands back from him. Frodo
falls over backwards as he tries to get away. She advances on him but he stands
up and thrusts the light at her, making her back off. He falls over again and
she thrust her stinger at him. He slashes at it with sting, jumps up and runs
off. Shelob chases him. He manages to escape from her by falling through a hole
too small for her to fit through. He drops the light.
Frodo continues to run away through the tunnel but he gets stuck in a web. He is
suspended in the web powerless.
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GOLLUM: |
Naughty little fly. Why does he cry? (Gollum
appears in front of him to gloat over him) Caught in a web. Soon
you’ll be eaten.
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Frodo gets angry and begins to slash at the web with Sting. Shelob comes up
behind him, but Frodo is beginning to escape from the web. Gollum sees this and
looks worried. He turns and runs away. Frodo advances through the web with
Shelob behind him. Sting gets caught in the web, so Frodo lets go of it and runs
after Gollum. He escapes through a narrow entrance and is struggling to release
himself from the entangling webs around him. Immediately Gollum jumps on him and
grabs him by the ears.
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GOLLUM: |
Got away did it precious? Not this time. Not this time.
(He tries to grab the Ring.)
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FRODO: |
NO! (Gollum throws him against the rock face.
Frodo runs back to attack him and pushes him down on the floor. He punches
him.)
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SMEAGOL: |
It wasn’t us. It wasn’t us. (Frodo has him by the
throat) Smeagol
wouldn’t hurt master. We promised. You must believe us. It was the precious. The
precious made us do it.
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Frodo lets him go and falls back. He looks at Gollum who is also lying down and
gasping. He gets up.
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FRODO: |
I have to destroy it Smeagol. (Gollum looks at him.) I have to destroy it
for both our sakes.
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He turns away and Gollum’s face changes to a nasty grimace.
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GOLLUM: |
NO! (He launches himself at Frodo from behind. Who
falls to the ground and pushes him straight over the top of his head. Gollum
falls down to the bottom of the cliff.) Aaaaaaaaa.
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Frodo gets up and starts to stagger along the path. He staggers against a rock.
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FRODO: |
I’m so sorry Sam. (He falls to his knees.)
I’m so sorry.
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He falls to the ground, which is covered in grass in broad daylight. He lifts
his head to look around him and looks up to see Galadriel standing in front of
him. She walks towards him with her arms open to him.
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GALADRIEL: |
This task was appointed to you, Frodo of the Shire. If you do not find a
way, no one will.
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She bends down close to him and offers him her hand. He looks at it and her and
then with a determined face he grabs her hand. She smiles at him and pulls him
upright.
Frodo is on his feet back on the dark pass. He breathes heavily, a new look of
determination on his face. He starts to walk along the path.
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Scene 39 ~ Merry's Simple Courage

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The Rohirrim are stopped beside a lake. Eomer gallops up.
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EOMER: |
The scouts report Minas Tirith is surrounded. The lower level’s in
flames. Everywhere, legions of the enemy advance.
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THEODEN: |
Time is against us. Make ready!
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The scene changes to show Eowyn.
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EOWYN: |
Take heart Merry. (Merry, who is eating something,
looks at her.) It will soon be over
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MERRY: |
My lady. You are fair and brave and have much to live for
(She looks at him.) and many who love you. I
know it is too late to turn aside. I know there is not much point now in
hoping. If I were a knight of Rohan capable of great
deeds…but I’m not. I’m a Hobbit. And I know I can’t save Middle Earth. I just
want to help my friends; Frodo, Sam, Pippin. More than anything I wish I could
see them again. (He smiles up at her.)
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EOMER: |
Prepare to move out!
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THEODEN: |
Make haste. We ride through the night.
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A soldier blows a horn. Merry and Eowyn exchange looks. Merry puts down his
sandwich and puts on his helmet. He stands up and looks at her. She puts on her
helmet too.
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EOWYN: |
To battle
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MERRY: |
To battle
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Scene 40 ~ Grond - The Hammer of the
Underworld

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Back at Minas Tirith it is dark. Catapults fire balls of flame over the walls.
The trolls all pull on a rope each which suspends Grond on its scaffolding. They
pull the battering ram back as the Orcs continue to chant. It is released and
crashes hard into the gate which shudders with the impact.
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GANDALF: |
Back to the gate! Hurry!
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Archers and Gandalf rush to defend the gate. Grond is released a second time.
The gate shudders.
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