Rev. 08/31/93 (Pink) Rev. 11/15/93 (Blue)

1 Rev. 08/31/93 ( pink )Rev. 11/15/93 ( blue )MAVERICKA Western byWilliam GoldmanNo portion of this script may be performed, reproduced,or used by any means, or quoted or published in anymedium without the prior written consent of Warner DRAFTGARTHORPE association with: August 18, 1993 WARNER BROS. 19934000 Warner Boulevard WARNER , California 91522 All Rights ReservedCREDITS COME flourish, just what do we hear?This SONG: the theme from the television IS THE TALL DARK STRANGER THERE?MAVERICK IS THE THE TRAIL TO WHO KNOWS IS HIS IS HIS AS THE HANDLE OF A GUN,MAVERICK IS THE AS THE WIND IN UP A CANYON, EASIER TO RING YOUR , ANNABELLE,LUCKY IS THE LADY THAT HE LOVES THE TO NEW ORLEANSLIVIN' ON JACKS AND QUEENS,MAVERICK IS A LEGEND OF THE the SONG FINISHES ---- CREDITS COME TO AN the movie IN ON:1 EXT. DESOLATE LANDSCAPE - HANGING TREE - DAY 1 Rocks.

2 Cactus. The occasional a place you'd like to spend your summer there are sounds: A WHIPPING WIND begins to getLOUDER. And in the distance, but GROWING: STARTS TO MOVE --SLOWLY, INEXORABLY, ACROSS this dead place ---- suddenly it are in a Sergio Leone TIGHT CLOSEUP of just a hideous-looking man. One eye looks straight ahead. The MOVES wind is really kicking up ---- suddenly, another Leone second man. This guy makes the first one lookhandsome. Both his eyes work, which is an his neck has been horribly burned as if from a IS MOVING THUNDER. A storm is coming are LOOKING AT the least appetizing of the three. Notthat he's scarred, not that all his parts aren't inproper working order -- it's just that he's so to mention is THE ANGEL and like the other two, he is seated ona horse. And he is staring intently at something. FROMThe Angel -- we go MAVERICKfor this is who the trio is looking at.(CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 1 MAVERICK's 30, give or take.

3 Enormously that's because of his considerable physicalskills or his sunny personality, who knows. It mightbe his quiet any case, we are looking at a handsome young man thateverybody likes ---- oops ---- make that almost just now he is seated on a horse beneath a treeand a thick hope has been tied around his neck, the ropethrown over a branch. His hands have been tied behindhis back. We are about to watch a hanging. ANGEL(riding closer)I almost got hung myself once,didn't much care for it, how aboutyou?(as Mavericksays nothing)We're gonna leave now, but I'mworried about your just stares at him, makes no ANGELHe gestures for the other two to ride, and they ANGELSee, I don't think it's a goodthing for a man to be alone outhere. Your mind can do now he takes a burlap sack, tosses it towardMaverick. It lands ANGELE njoy the spurs his horse, rides to turn his head in the direction The Angeltook.(CONTINUED) CONTINUED: (2) 1 THE ANGEL AND OTHER TWOdisappearing over a nearby EXT.

4 SKY - DAY 2 The sky. Storm clouds EXT. HANGING TREE - DAY 3 Maverick. He takes a deep breath, tries to wrigglefree of the knotted rope around his that bad horse has been surprised by his movement, takes ahalf relaxes, settles EXT. SKY - DAY 4 The sky, and a EXT. HANGING TREE - DAY 5 Maverick, staring at his horse. The noise was the horse is deaf or it likes thunder. Doesn'tbudge an starts to try and work his neck free time the horse doesn't move at sighs with relief, glances SACKIt is starting to wriggle.(CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 5 MAVERICKHe holds his hasn't spotted the sack more. Pretty soon it's going to be hardnot to spot to the winds now, trying desperately tosomehow get free of the noose ---- and miraculously, he's starting to make a Nothing flusters this more headway -- he's in pain but he ignores EXT.

5 SKY - DAY 6 The sky. More EXT. HANGING TREE - DAY 7 The horse. Standing EXT. SKY - DAY 8 The clouds are EXT. HANGING TREE - DAY 9 The horse. It could be a eye on the sack as he continues to work to free hisneck. Now --SACKas a rattlesnake peeks out.(CONTINUED)MAVERICK - Rev. 11/15/93 CONTINUED: rattlers are moving out of the sack by. Some of them are big, some of them are verybig. All of them have harder than ever, and he's actually makingmore headway. It's exhausting labor. As he continueshis fight for life --MAVERICK ( )It had been just a shitty week forme from the , FROM that --9A FLASHBACK - EXT. ROAD - LONG LENS - AFTERNOON 9AA lone rider rides through dusty area up and down dipsin the road.

6 It is Maverick. He rides a mule. Angel *follows and then Coop follows. *9B EXT. DUSTY CANYON - AFTERNOON 9 BMaverick rides his mule along dusty trail; as we PAN WITHhim a wagon train travels in opposite direction; kidsplay poker in the -- one smokes a corn cob pipe; weCONTINUE PAN WITH Maverick and REVEAL the town of CrystalRiver, a ferry coming across the river in the ( )I was heading into Crystal Riverto take some money from the I should have expectedbad luck on the horizon when myhorse got stolen and I had toreplace it with something lessthan a EXT. CRYSTAL RIVER - AFTERNOON 10 Crystal River. Not much of a place. Dusty. One mainstreet -- and almost every storefront indicates that itis either a saloon or a gambling hall.(CONTINUED)MAVERICK - Rev. 11/15/93 6. *10 CONTINUED: 10 Just now the stagecoach comes off the ferry and drivesthrough town kicking up EXT.

7 CRYSTAL RIVER - AFTERNOON 10 AMaverick, riding into town from the other direction, asthe dust whips up. He's wearing different clothes thanin the hanging ( )My luck had to change fast -- thepoker game of the century wasstarting in St. Louis in just tendays, and I was still short threethousand for the entrance OMITTED (STABLE SCENE MOVED TO 11B) 10B11 EXT. BANK - AFTERNOON 11 Maverick rides toward the bank, stops. A sign in frontindicates "Closed 'til Morning."11A NONE 11A11B EXT. STABLES - AFTERNOON 11BA stable as Maverick dismounts, does his best to beatsome dust from his riding clothes. He grabs hissaddlebag as a STABLE BOY hurries (indicating the mule)How much?STABLE BOYBy the day, week or month?MAVERICKNo-no -- Not how much to takecare of him, how much to justtake him.

8 BOYPa. The man wants to sell burro's not worth a cent.(CONTINUED)MAVERICK - Rev. 11/15/93 6A. *11B CONTINUED: 11 BMAVERICKYou just made yourself a finedeal.(they shake)How 'bout the saddle?PAFive dollars. Nice doing businesswith you. Thank you. He doesn'teat much. He's a regular likes to be called opens the door. He bumps into Angel. They look ateach other. Maverick exits and Angel looks and TO:12 EXT. CRYSTAL PALACE - AFTERNOON 12 The biggest establishment in town. This place actuallyhas a second floor and advertises rooms as well as INT. CRYSTAL PALACE - STAIRCASE - AFTERNOON 13 Maverick is starting up the stairs when the REGISTRATIONCLERK hurries over from his got a wire, want me to read itto you?MAVERICK(reaching for it) (reading)It just says, 'Watch your back.'(beat)No signature.(hands it over) takes it, glances at it, heads EXT.

9 CRYSTAL RIVER - SUNSET 13 AThe town and river look beautiful as the sun is INT. CRYSTAL PALACE - DUSK 14 The place is busy enough, the bar doing a brisk poker game is in session. Half a dozen play. Acattlehand, a preacher, a small-time local it's the other three we pay most attention is a very young man. Late teens, looks Small. A hundred and thirty pounds after a bigmeal. This is THE KID. Seems to him sits, of all things, a woman. But notordinary, certainly not in these surroundings. She'selegantly-dressed, close to being beautiful. She'smarried, has a deep Southern accent, and hasn't beenpoor for a long time. Maybe she's thirty. She seemsa rotten poker player, but a wonderful flirt. Thisis ANNABELLE to her sits The Angel. We met him already -- hetossed the burlap bag of rattlesnakes at Maverick justbefore the hanging. Huge, powerful, not much makes himsmile, except winning at is an empty seat at the Maverick descends.

10 If before he was grimy fromtravel, he isn't anymore. He wears a black hat, a blackjacket, a black string tie ---- and just the most beautiful white lace shirt you GAMEas Maverick (indicating theempty chair)Taken?ANNABELLE(lilting Southernaccent)It is now.(smiles at him)My name is Annabelle what do people call you?MAVERICKBret Maverick, ma' as he starts to sit --(CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 14 THE ANGEL glaring at Maverick. (We know that within a week,he'll hang Maverick. But they haven't met before.)THE ANGELI like the game the way it bring all kinds of plusses tothe table. I hardly ever bluff andI never ever ANGELI don't believe do ANGEL(voice rising, notin pitch, butintensity)I like the game just the way I can change your mind.(beat)I promise to lose for at leastan ANGEL(without a pause)We're playing five card Maverick sits --MAVERICK losing a hand to The Angel. The Angel smiles ---- but so does again, this time to Annabelle.