FADE IN:
EXT. WU TAI SHAN MOUNTAIN RANGE – NIGHT
Title over: “WU TAI SHAN MOUNTAINS – CHINA – HAN DYNASTY”
A small crescent moon illuminates the night. Two young men in dark clothing, YING KAI and XIAOGOU, are climbing up a sheer cliff in the heart of the mountainous region of Wu Tai Shan in Northern China. Xiaogou leads Kai up the cliff to a 145-foot tall ivory tower behind a stone wall built into the mountain cliff near the summit. The two men are connected by a silk cord tied around their waists. It is an arduous climb.
As they near their destination, Xiaogou gasps as Kai slips and drops out of frame. Kai’s fall is stopped by the silk cord. Xiaogou – looking down at Kai dangling helpless below – steadies himself against the cliff and pulls his fellow climber up.
XIAOGOU
Are you sure you want to do this?
KAI
We had a deal.
You bring me to the tower
and I make a new tea set for your mother.
XIAOGOU
I’m just worried my mother won’t get her tea set
if you die out here.
KAI
Don’t worry. I trust you to look out for me.
Xiaogou smiles at his friend then continues up the cliff.
XIAOGOU
All right then.
Concentrate on your climbing
and forget about everything else.
Kai takes his friend’s advice and concentrates on his climbing. Soon the two young men are at the base of the stone wall surrounding the Ivory Tower.
EXT. WU TAI SHAN MOUNTAIN RANGE – STONE WALL – MOMENTS LATER
Xiaogou and Kai sit next to a wall built out of massive rough-hewn stones.
XIAOGOU
This is as far as I go.
KAI
But you said you’d take me to the Ivory Tower?
Xiaogou unties the silk cord around Kai’s waist and wraps it around his own waist.
XIAOGOU
It’s on the other side of this wall.
KAI
And you want me to just climb up and over by myself?
XIAOGOU
With the precise way this wall was built, anybody,
even a lamebrain like you, can get over this wall.
KAI
But…
Xiaogou stands and shows Kai how the size and shape of the stones make it easy to climb.
XIAOGOU
Put your foot here, like this,
reach your hand there and pull yourself up.
Keep doing that and you’ll be at the top in no time.
Kai follows Xiaogou’s suggestion and starts climbing the wall. He stops once he realizes Xiaogou is not following him.
KAI
(pleading)
Don’t you want to know if it’s true?
XIAOGOU
I already know. The legend is a lie.
KAI
Really?
XIAOGOU
Tell me, has anyone ever seen her?
KAI
No. But that doesn’t mean anything.
People say Aijun Gong has married
the most beautiful woman in the world.
XIAOGOU
People tend to exaggerate.
KAI
And she’s rumored to live here, inside that Ivory Tower.
XIAOGOU
I know, You’ve told me a thousand times.
But that’s all it is, a rumor.
KAI
Where’s your spirit of adventure?
XIAOGOU
Let’s just say, for argument’s sake, the rumors are true.
Aijun Gong would never leave this place unguarded
so anyone could just come and spy on his wife?
KAI
You have a point. But what if the rumor is true.
We’d be the only ones who’d’ve ever seen her.
I could put her likeness on all sorts of pottery
and sell them to tourists and pilgrims that come to Taihuai.
XIAOGOU
That’s your business.
Mine is guiding people through these mountains.
Sorry Kai. But this is as far as I go.
KAI
Suit yourself.
Kai starts climbing up the stone wall again and then stops for a second time.
KAI (CONT’D)
You know,
I was willing to share the profits with you?
XIAOGOU
I’m happy with our arrangement.
Now hurry up, it’ll be dawn soon.
Xiaogou waves at Kai. Kai shrugs and continues climbing into the darkness.
EXT. IVORY TOWER COURTYARD GARDEN – MOMENTS LATER
An Ivory Tower rises from the center of a small but beautiful garden. There is a shallow reflecting pool surrounding the windowless tower. The only visible opening is a slim archway on the narrow parapet at the top of the tower. Kai carefully climbs down the stone wall and drops into the garden. He hides behind a small shrub. Convinced that no one has seen him, Kai makes his way toward the reflecting pool.
Kai walks around the pool looking for a way into the tower. There are no doors or windows anywhere. A reflection in the shallow pool causes him to move back into the shadows.
From his hiding place Kai looks up. He sees a female figure, silhouetted by the moonlight, standing near the edge of the parapet. It appears as if the figure may fall or jump off the ledge. After a beat, the mysterious figure swiftly turns around and re-enters the tower.
Kai runs to the edge of the reflecting pool. He hesitates going any further.
A hand reaches out of the darkness and comes down on his shoulder.
Kai jumps with fright. The hand quickly covers his mouth before he has time to yell. Kai is spun around and comes face to face with Xiaogou. Xiaogou removes his hand once he’s certain Kai has recognized him. At first the two young men whisper to each other.
KAI
You scared me nearly half to death.
XIAOGOU
Sorry.
KAI
I thought you were only going as far as the outside wall?
XIAOGOU
I got to thinking, I came this far,
it would be foolish not go see this through to the end.
KAI
And my offer to share my profits had nothing to do with it?
XIAOGOU
Well Grandfather could use a new goat.
KAI
I thought so.
Kai smiles and clasps Xiaogou’s hand.
KAI (CONT’D)
I saw someone.
XIAOGOU
Was it her?
KAI
I don’t know.
(a beat)
All I know is there’s someone inside that tower.
XIAOGOU
So what are we waiting for?
KAI
I don’t know how to get in.
XIAOGOU
We climb.
KAI
How? The surface of that tower is as smooth as ice.
XIAOGOU
Trust me. If a man built it, then it can be climbed.
Xiaogou steps into the shallow pool.
KAI
I trust you.
XIAOGOU
Just remember what I showed you.
You’ll be fine.
Kai follows him.
EXT. IVORY TOWER – MOMENTS LATER
Xiaogou runs his hands along the Ivory bricks of the tower. He detects slight irregularities.
XIAOGOU
See. There’s enough of an edge.
We should be able to climb up.
KAI
Maybe you can. But not me.
Xiaogou unwraps the cord from his waist and hands one end to Kai.
XIAOGOU (CONT’D)
Here. Tie this around your waist.
Kai takes the cord and begins to tie it around his waist as Xiaogou makes his way up the ivory tower.
XIAOGOU
Watch how I use my hands and feet.
The climb is precarious, but Xiaogou manages to get to the top. Kai watches every move that Xiaogou makes.
Once Xiaogou is on the parapet, he grips the cord, braces his legs and gestures for Kai to follow him up.
Kai takes a deep breath and follows Xiaogou’s path to the top of the tower. He stumbles a few times but Xiaogou keeps him from falling.
FYI – the level of insult in most pop Asian culture is far worse than calling someone a lamebrain. The goal of this is not to try to approximate or translate – this is an original story in the style of a Chinese fairy tale (spoiler alert – no happy endings – but morality lessons). What we do learn about the girl in the ivory tower is that once she realizes that she truly is beautiful her entire demeanor changes – she becomes petulant, difficult and manipulative. The concept at work here is “be careful what you wish for”… Also in regard to screenplays – the descriptive element is – by design – left to a minimum. I have considered turning this into a novella – which is where more detail can (an should) be added to paint a more “fleshed out” vision of the venue and the characterizations of the people. The problem that we try to address, as screenwriters, is how to relate the craft of writing to the needs and goals of a screenplay. I have been at it professionally for a long time and find that the best script writing is akin to blank verse poetry.
I like the setting and the characters, but some of the dialogue struck me as needing work. Would they really say “lamebrain” and “I got to thinking?” This didn’t seem fitting to me, although I admit that I am no expert on translating Asian languages into English. I have this scene in my head, but I would like a few more descriptive elements about the courtyard and tower. In all, well done effort on a difficult scene to write. I look forward to more posts, so we can find out more about the mysterious lady in the tower.