FULL METAL JACKET


                The screenplay by

  Stanley Kubrick, Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford

Based on the novel The short-Timers by Gustav Hasford

                      1987


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FADE IN:


            WARNER BROS. LOGO:

          WARNER BROS. PICTURES

                   WB

     A WARNER COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY


LOGO FADES OUT:


   Music: Johnny Wright's "Hello Vietnam"

     TITLE: A STANLEY KUBRICK FILM


CUT TO:


       TITLE: FULL METAL JACKET


CUT TO:


1 INT. BARBERSHOP--PARRIS ISLAND MARINE BASE--DAY


  Marine recruits having their heads shaved with
  electric clippers. The hair piles up on the floor.


2 INT. BARRACKS--DAY


  Marine recruits stand at attention in front of their
  bunks.

  Master Gunnery Sergeant HARTMAN walks along the
  line of blank-faced recruits.

            HARTMAN

     I am Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, your Senior
     Drill Instructor. From now on, you will speak
     only when spoken to, and the first and last
     words out of your filthy sewers will be "Sir!"
     Do you maggots understand that?

            RECRUITS
            (in unison)

     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! I can't hear you. Sound off like you
     got a pair.

            RECRUITS
            (louder)
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     If you ladies leave my island, if you survive
     recruit training ... you will be a weapon, you
     will be a minister of death, praying for war.
     But until that day you are pukes! You're the
     lowest form of life on Earth. You are not even
     human fucking beings! You are nothing but
     unorganized grabasstic pieces of amphibian
     shit!

     Because I am hard, you will not like me. But
     the more you hate me, the more you will
     learn. I am hard, but I am fair! There is no
     racial bigotry here! I do not look down on
     niggers, kikes, wops or greasers. Here you
     are all equally worthless! And my orders are
     to weed out all non-hackers who do not pack
     the gear to serve in my beloved Corps! Do
     you maggots understand that?

            RECRUITS
            (in unison)
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! I can't hear you!

            RECRUITS
            (louder)
     Sir, yes, sir!

  Sergeant HARTMAN stops in front of a black recruit,
  Private SNOWBALL.

            HARTMAN
     What's your name, scumbag?

            SNOWBALL
            (shouting)
     Sir, Private Brown, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! From now on you're Private
     Snowball! Do you like that name?

            SNOWBALL
            (shouting)
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Well, there's one thing that you won't like,
     Private Snowball! They don't serve fried
     chicken and watermelon on a daily basis in
     my mess hall!

            SNOWBALL
     Sir, yes, sir!

            JOKER
            (whispering)
     Is that you, John Wayne? Is this me?

            HARTMAN
     Who said that? Who the fuck said that? Who's
     the slimy little communist shit twinkle-toed
     cocksucker down here, who just signed his
     own death warrant? Nobody, huh?! The fairy
     fucking godmother said it! Out-fucking-
     standing! I will P.T. you all until you fucking
     die! I'll P.T. you until your assholes are
     sucking buttermilk.

  Sergeant HARTMAN grabs cowboy by the shirt.

            HARTMAN
     Was it you, you scroungy little fuck, huh?!

            COWBOY
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     You little piece of shit! You look like a fucking
     worm! I'll bet it was you!

            COWBOY
     Sir, no, sir!

             JOKER
     Sir, I said it, sir!

  Sergeant HARTMAN steps up to JOKER.

            HARTMAN
     Well ... no shit. What have we got here, a
     fucking comedian? Private Joker? I admire
     your honesty. Hell, I like you. You can come
     over to my house and fuck my sister.

  Sergeant HARTMAN purnches JOKER in the stomach.
  JOKER sags to his knees.

            HARTMAN
     You little scumbag! I've got your name! I've
     got your ass! You will not laugh! You will not
     cry! You will learn by the numbers. I will
     teach you. Now get up! Get on your feet! You
     had best unfuck yourself or I will unscrew
     your head and shit down your neck!

            JOKER
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Private Joker, why did you join my beloved
     Corps?

            JOKER
     Sir, to kill, sir!

            HARTMAN
     So you're a killer!

            JOKER
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Let me see your war face!

            JOKER
     Sir?

            HARTMAN
     You've got a war face? Aaaaaaaagh! That's a
     war face. Now let me see your war face!

            JOKER
     Aaaaaaaagh!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! You didn't convince me! Let me see
     your real war face!

            JOKER
     Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!

            HARTMAN
     You didn't scare me! Work on it!

            JOKER
     Sir, yes, sir!

  Sergeant HARTMAN speaks into cowboy's face.

            HARTMAN
     What's your excuse?

            COWBOY
     Sir, excuse for what, sir?

            HARTMAN
     I'm asking the fucking questions here,
     Private. Do you understand?!

            COWBOY
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Well thank you very much! Can I be in charge
     for a while?

            COWBOY
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Are you shook up? Are you nervous?

            COWBOY
     Sir, I am, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Do I make you nervous?

            COWBOY
     Sir!

            HARTMAN
     Sir, what? Were you about to call me an
     asshole?!

            COWBOY
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     How tall are you, Private?

            COWBOY
     Sir, five foot nine, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Five foot nine? I didn't know they stacked shit
     that high! You trying to squeeze an inch in on
     me somewhere, huh?

            COWBOY
     Sir, no, sir.

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! It looks to me like the best part of
     you ran down the crack of your mama's ass
     and ended up as a brown stain on the
     mattress! I think you've been cheated!

            HARTMAN
     Where in hell are you from anyway, Private?

            COWBOY
     Sir, Texas, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Holy dogshit! Texas! Only steers and queers
     come from Texas, Private Cowboy! And you
     don't look much like a steer to me, so that
     kinda narrows it down! Do you suck dicks!

            COWBOY
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Are you a peter-puffer?

            COWBOY
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     I'll bet you're the kind of guy that would fuck
     a person in the ass and not even have the
     goddam common courtesy to give him a reach-
     around! I'll be watching you!

  Sergeant HARTMAN walks down the line to another
  recruit, a tall, overtweight boy.

            HARTMAN
     Did your parents have any children that lived?

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     I'll bet they regret that! You're so ugly you
     could be a modern art masterpiece! What's
     your name, fatbody?

            PYLE
     Sir, Leonard Lawrence, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Lawrence? Lawrence, what, of Arabia?

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     That name sounds like royalty! Are you
     royalty?

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Do you suck dicks?

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! I'll bet you could suck a golf ball
     through a garden hose!

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     I don't like the name Lawrence! Only faggots
     and sailors are called Lawrence! From now on
     you're Gomer Pyle!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

  PYLE has the trace of a strange smile on his face.

            HARTMAN
     Do you think I'm cute, Private Pyle? Do you
     think I'm funny?

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Then wipe that disgusting grin off your face!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Well, any fucking time, sweetheart!

            PYLE
     Sir, I'm trying, sir.

            HARTMAN
     Private Pyle, I'm gonna give you three
     seconds--excactly three fucking seconds--to
     wipe that stupid-looking grin off your face, or
     I will gouge out your eyeballs and skull-fuck
     you! One! Two! Three!

  PYLE purses his lips but continues to smile
  involuntarily.

            PYLE
     Sir, I can't help it, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! Get on your knees, scumbag!

  PYLE gets down on his FEnees.

            HARTMAN
     Now choke yourself!

  PYLE places his hands around his throat as if to
  choke himself.

            HARTMAN
     Goddamn it, with my hand, numbnuts!!

  PYLE reaches for HARTMAN's hand. HARTMAN jerks
  it away.

            HARTMAN
     Don't pull my fucking hand over there! I said
     choke yourself! Now lean forward and choke
     yourself!

  PYLE leans forward so that his neck rests in
  HARTMAN's open hand.

  HARTMAN chokes PYLE.

  PYLE gags and starts to turn red in the face.

            HARTMAN
     Are you through grinning?

            PYLE 
            (barely able to speak)
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! I can't hear you!

            PYLE
            (gasping)
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! I still can't hear you! Sound offlike
     you got a pair!

            PYLE
            (gagging)
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     That's enough! Get on your feet!

  HARTMAN releases PYLE's throat. PYLE gets to his feet,
  breathing heavily.

            HARTMAN
     Private Pyle, you had best square your ass
     away and start shitting me Tiffany cuff links
     ... or I will definitely fuck you up!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!


3 EXT. PARRIS ISLAND--DAY


  The training platoon is double-timing in formation.
  HARTMAN is calling cadence.

            HARTMAN
     . . right, left, right, left! Left, right, left,
     right, left! Left, right, left, right, left!

            JOKER
            (narration)
     Parris Island, South Carolina.... the United
     States Marine Corps Recruit Depot. An eight-
     week college for the phony-tough and the
     crazy-brave.

            HARTMAN
     Mama and Papa were laying in bed.

            RECRUITS
            (chanting in. cadence)
     Mama and Papa were laying in bed.

            HARTMAN
     Mama rolled over, this is what she said...

            RECRUITS
     Mama rolled over, this is what she said...

            HARTMAN
     Ah, gimme some...

            RECRUITS
     Ah, gimme some...

            HARTMAN
     Ah, gimme some...

            RECRUITS
     Ah, gimme some...

            HARTMAN
     P.T....

            RECRUITS
     P.T....

            HARTMAN
     P.T....

            RECRUITS
     P.T....

            HARTMAN
     Good for you!

            RECRUITS
     Good for you!

            HARTMAN
     And good for me!

            RECRUITS
     And good for me!

            HARTMAN
     Mmm, good.

            RECRUITS
     Mmm, good.

            HARTMAN
     Up in the morning to the rising sun.

            RECRUITS
     Up in the morning to the rising sun.

            HARTMAN
     Gotta run all day...


4 EXT. PRACTICE FIELD--SUNSET


  Recruits, silhouetted against the sun, climbing
  ropes, nets and ladders.

            HARTMAN
     ...till the running's done!

            RECRUITS
     Gotta run all day till the running's done!

            HARTMAN
     Ho Chi Minh is a son-of-a-bitch!

            RECRUITS
     Ho Chi Minh is a son-of-a-bitch!

            HARTMAN
     Got the blueballs, crabs and the seven-year-
     itch!

            RECRUITS
     Got the blueballs, crabs and the seven-year-
     itch!


DISSOLVE TO:


5 EXT. PARADE DECK--DAY


  HARTMAN marches the platoon across a wide
  expanse of asphalt. The recruits carry rifles.

            HARTMAN
     Left, right, left, right, left! To your left
     shoulder . . . hut! Left, right, left! Port . . .
     hut!

            HARTMAN
     Left, right! Platoon ... halt! Left shoulder ...
     hut!

  PYLE momentarily places his rifle on the wrong
  shoulder and immediately corrects himself:

  HARTMAN spots this and walks up to him.

            HARTMAN
     Private Pyle, what are you trying to do to my
     beloved Corps?

            PYLE
     Sir, I don't know, sir!

            HARTMAN
     You are dumb, Private Pyle, but do you
     expect me to believe that you don't know left
     from right?

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Then you did that on purpose! You want to
     be different!

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir.

  HARTMAN slaps PYLE hard across the left cheek.

            HARTMAN
     What side was that, Private Pyle?!

            PYLE
     Sir, left side, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Are you sure, Private Pyle?

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

  HARTMAN slap PYLE hard across the right cheek,
  Knocking his cap off:

            HARTMAN
     What side was that, Private Pyle?

            PYLE
     Sir, right side, sir.

            HARTMAN
     Don't fuck with me again, Pyle! Pick up
     your fucking cover!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!


DISSOLVE TO:


6 EXT. PARADE DECK--DAY


  HARTMAN marching the platoon. - bringing up the
  rear is PYLE, his fatigue pants down around his
  ankles; he is sucking his thumb and he carries his
  rifle muzzle down.


7 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  HARTMAN walks along the line of recruits in skivvies
  holding their rifles and standing at attention in.
  front of their bunks.

            HARTMAN
     Tonight ... you pukes will sleep with your
     rifles! You will give your rifle a girl's name!
     Because this is the only pussy you people are
     going to get! Your days of finger-banging old
     Mary Jane Rottencrotch through her pretty
     pink panties are over! You're married to this
     piece, this weapon of iron and wood! And you
     will be faithful! Port ... hut! Prepare to
     mount! Mount!

  On HARTMAN's command the platoon mount their
  bunks with their rifles and lie on their backs at
  attention.

            HARTMAN
     Port . . . hut!

  The recruits snap their rifles to the port arms
  position. over their chests.

            HARTMAN
     Pray!

            RECRUITS
            (in unison)
     This is my rifle. There are many like it, but
     this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It
     is my life. I must master it, as I must master
     my life.

     Without me my rifle is useless. Without my
     rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I
     must shoot straighter than my enemy who is
     trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he
     shoots me. I will.

     Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and
     myself are defenders of my country. We are
     the masters of our enemy. We are the saviours
     of my life. So be it .. . until there is no enemy
     ... but peace. Amen.

            HARTMAN
     Order . . . hut!

  The recruits snap their rifles down to their sides.

            HARTMAN
     At ease!

  HARTMAN turns off the barracks lights.

            HARTMAN
     Good night, ladies.

            RECRUITS
            (in unison)
     Good night, sir!

            HARTMAN
            (to duty guard)
     Hit it, sweetheart!

            DUTY GUARD
     Sir, aye-aye, sir!


8 EXT. PARADE FIELD--DAWN


  HARTMAN drills the platoon.

            HARTMAN
     Right shoulder ... hut! This is not your
     daddy's shotgun, Cowboy. Left shoulder ...
     hut! Move your rifle around your head, not
     your head around your rifle. Port ... hut!
     Four inches from your chest, Pyle! Four
     inches!


9 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  HARTMAN marches the recruits through the squad bay.
  Their rifles are at shoulder arms and their
  left hands clutch their genitals.

            HARTMAN
     This is my rifle! This is my gun!

            RECRUITS
     This is for fighting! This is for fun!

            HARTMAN
     This is my rifle! This is my gun!

            RECRUITS
     This is my rifle! This is my gun!

  They repeat this over and over again as they
  march up and down the squad bay.


DISSOLVE TO:


10 EXT. PARADE DECK--DAY


  HARTMAN marching the platoon, calling cadence.


11 EXT. "ARMSTRETCHER" OBSTACLE--DAY


  Hand over hand the recruits swing along the
  "Armstretcher."

            HARTMAN
     Ten fucking seconds! It should take you no
     more than ten fucking seconds to negotiate
     this obstacle! Quickly, move it out! There
     ain't one swinging dick private in this pla-
     toon's gonna graduate until they can get
     this obstacle down to less than ten fuck-
     ing seconds!


12 EXT. "TOUGH ONE" OBSTACLE--DAY


  HARTMAN watches as the recruits climb ropes and
  ladders to a high wooden tower above the platform


13 EXT. PUGIL-STICK CIRCLE--DAY


  PYLE and another recruit, wearing football-style
  helmets, batter each other with pugil sticks.

  The recruits are formed up around them in a cir-
  cle. They cheer as PYLE is beaten, to the ground.


14. EXT. "DIRTY NAME" OBSTACLE--DAY


  RECRUITS waiting in two lines for their turn.

            HARTMAN
     Next two privates! Quickly!

  The next two recruits struggle over the obstacle.

            HARTMAN
     Get over that goddamn obstacle! Move it!
     Next two privates! Quickly! Hurry up! Get
     up there!

  JOKER and another recruit go over easily.

            HARTMAN
     Private Joker, are you a killer?

            JOKER
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Let me hear your war cry!

            JOKER
     Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh!

            HARTMAN
     Next two privates, go!

  PYLE and another recruit. PYLE is hopeless.

            HARTMAN
     Quickly! Get your fat ass over there, Private
     Pyle! Oh, that's right, Private Pyle ... don't
     make any fucking effort to get to the top of
     the fucking obstacle! If God wanted you up
     there He would have miracled your ass up
     there by now, wouldn't He?

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Get your fat ass up there, Pyle!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     What the hell is the matter with you anyway?
     I'll bet you if there was some pussy up there
     on top of that obstacle you could get up there!
     Couldn't you?!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

  PYLE drops heavily to the groulzd.

            HARTMAN
     Your ass looks like about a hundred and fifty
     pounds of chewed bubble gum, Pyle. Do you
     know that?

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!


15 EXT. CHINNING BAR--DAY


  Recruits are doing pull-ups. HARTMAN watches
  JOKER finishing many, many of them.

            HARTMAN
     One for the Corps! Get up there! Pull!

  JOKER finally drops to the ground.

            HARTMAN
     I guess the Corps don't get theirs. Get up
     there, Pyle!

  PYLE tries to do a pull-up but can't get to the top of
  the bar.

            HARTMAN
     Pull! Pull, Pyle, pull! One pull-up, Pyle! Come
     on, pull! You gotta be shitting me, Pyle! Get
     your ass up there! Do you mean to tell me
     that you cannot do one single pull-up?

  PYLE, exhausted from his efforts, drops to the
  ground.

            HARTMAN
     You are a worthless piece of shit, Pyle!! Get
     out of my face! Get up there, Snowball!


16 EXT. "CONFIDENCE CLIMB"--DAY


  PYLE climbs a high obstacle.

            HARTMAN
     Get up here, fatboy! Quickly! Move it up!
     Move it up, Pyle! Move it up! You climb
     obstacles like old people fuck. Do you know
     that, Private Pyle? Get up here! You're too
     slow! Move it, move it! Private Pyle, what-
     ever you do, don't fall down! That would
     break my fucking heart! Quickly!

  PYLE freezes at the top.

            HARTMAN
     Up and over! Up and over! Well, what in the
     fuck are you waiting for, Private Pyle? Get
     up and over! Move it, move it, move it! Are
     you quitting on me? Well, are you! Then quit
     you slimy fucking walrus-looking piece of
     shit! Get the fuck off my obstacle! Get the
     fuck down off of my obstacle! Now!

  PYLE climbs back down his side of the obstacle.

            HARTMAN
     Move it! I'm gonna rip your balls off so you
     cannot contaminate the rest of the world! I
     will motivate you, Private Pyle, if it short-
     dicks every cannibal on the Congo!


17 EXT. ROAD--DAY


  The platoon is irregularly strung out on a road
  nearing the end of a rapid, forced march.

  PYLE is at the end of the line ready to drop.
  Supported by JOKER, PYLE Staggers along as
  HARTMAN bellows at him.

            HARTMAN
     Pick'em up and set'em down, Pyle!
     Quickly! Move it up! Were you born a fat
     slimy scumbag, you piece of shit, Private
     Pyle? Or did you have to work on it? Move
     it up! Quickly! Hustle up! The fucking war
     will be over by the time we get out there,
     won't it, Private Pyle?

  HARTMAN gives PYLE a shove.

            HARTMAN
     Move it!

  PYLE gasps for breath.

            HARTMAN
     Are you going to fucking die, Pyle? Are you
     going to die on me!! Do it now! Move it up!
     Hustle it up! Quickly, quickly, quickly! Do
     you feel dizzy? Do you feel faint? Jesus H.
     Christ, I think you've got a hard-on!


18 EXT. MUD OBSTACLE--DAY


  The platoon tries to run, through the mud. PYLE
  half carried by JOKER and COWBOY falls taking
  JOKER down with him.

            HARTMAN
     Quickly ladies! Assholes and elbows! Move it
     out! Get up there! Move it! Move it, move it,
     move it!


19 INT. BARRACKS--PRE-DAWN


  HARTMAN and two Junior Drill Instructors stride
  into the Squad Bay. The lights go on. HARTMAN
  bangs loudly on an empty metal garbage can which
  he carries into the room.

            HARTMAN
     Reveille! Reveille! Reveille! Drop your cocks
     and grab your socks! Today is Sunday! Divine
     worship at zero-eight-hundred! Get your
     bunks made and get your uniforms on. Police
     call will commence in two minutes!

  HARTMAN stops in front of JOKER's bunk.

            HARTMAN
     Private Cowboy! Private Joker!

            COWBOY
     Sir, yes, sir!

            JOKER
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     As soon as you finish your bunks, I want you
     two turds to clean the head.

            JOKER & COWBOY
            (in unison)
     Sir, aye-aye, sir!

            HARTMAN
     I want that head so sanitary and squared
     away that the Virgin Mary herself would be
     proud to go in there and take a dump!

            JOKER & COWBOY
            (in unison)
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Private Joker, do you believe in the Virgin
     Mary?

            JOKER
     Sir, no, sir!

  HARTMAN throws down the garbage can with a loud
  bang.

            HARTMAN
     Private Joker, I don't believe I heard you
     correctly!

            JOKER
     Sir, the private said "No, sir," sir!

            HARTMAN
     Why, you little maggot! You make me want to
     vomit!

  HARTMAN slaps JOKER, hard, across the cheek.

            HARTMAN
     You goddam communist heathen, you had best
     sound off that you love the Virgin Mary . . . or
     I'm gonna stomp your guts out! Now you do
     love the Virgin Mary, don't you?!
     
            JOKER
     Sir, negative, sir!!

            HARTMAN
     Private Joker, are you trying to offend me?!

            JOKER
     Sir, negative, sir!!! Sir, the private believes
     that any answer he gives will be wrong! And
     the Senior Drill Instructor will beat him
     harder if he reverses himself, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Who's your squad leader, scumbag?

            JOKER
     Sir, the private's squad leader is Private
     Snowball, sir!!!

            HARTMAN
     Private Snowball!

  SNOWBALL double-times up to HARTMAN.

            SNOWBALL
     Sir, Private Snowball reporting as ordered,
     sir!

            HARTMAN
     Private Snowball, you're fired! Private Joker is
     promoted to squad leader!

            SNOWBALL
     Sir, aye-aye, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Private Pyle!

            PYLE
     Private Pyle reporting as ordered, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Private Pyle, from now on Private Joker is
     your new squad leader, and you will bunk
     with him! He'll teach you everything. He'll
     teach you how to pee.

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Private Joker is silly and he's ignorant, but
     he's got guts, and guts is enough. Now, you
     ladies carry on.

            JOKER, COWBOY & PYLE
            (in unison)
     Sir, aye-aye, sir!


20 EXT. TRAINING FIELD--DAY


  JOKER patiently explains the disassembly of an
  M-14 rifle to PYLE.

            JOKER
     The bolt. The bolt goes in the receiver.
     Operating rod handle. Operating rod guide.


21 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  JOKER and PYLE sitting on their footlockers. JOKER
  instructs PYLE in the correct method of lacing his
  combat boots.

            JOKER
     And the left one ... over the right. Right one
     over the left. Left one over the right. Right
     one over the left.


22 EXT. CONFIDENCE CLIMB--DAY


  On. top of the confidence climb, JOKER gently talks
  PYLE over the top.

            JOKER
     Just throw your other leg over ... that'a boy.
     That's it. Now just pull the next one over .. .
     and you're home free. Ready? Just throw it
     over. That'a boy. Just set it down. All right?

  PYLE breathes heavily. He is scared but he manages
  to get over.

            JOKER
     There you go. Congratulations, Leonard. You
     did it.


23 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  JOKER instructs PYLE in the correct way of making
  his bed.

            JOKER
     You fold the blanket and the sheet back
     together. Make a four-inch fold. Okay?
     Got it? You do it.

  PYLE looks down. uncertainly at the bed.


24 EXT. PARADE DECK--DAY


  JOKER works with PYLE on the Manual of Arms.


25 EXT. OBSTACLE COURSE--DAY


  COWBOY, JOKER and PYLE run up a ramp, grab the
  ropes and swing across a ditch. PYLE makes it
  without trouble.


26 EXT. PARADE DECK--DAY


  HARTMAN is drilling the squad, calling the cadence
  and watching PYLE who makes no mistakes.


DISSOLVE TO:


27 EXT. RIFLE RANGE--DAY


Targets are raised and lowered, red markers
indicating hits. HARTMAN addresses the recruits.

            HARTMAN
     The deadliest weapon in the world is a ma-
     rine and his rifle. It is your killer instinct
     which must be harnessed if you expect to sur-
     vive in combat. Your rifle is only a tool. It is
     a hard heart that kills. If your killer instincts
     are not clean and strong you will hesitate at
     the moment of truth. You will not kill. You
     will become dead marines. And then you will
     be in a world of shit. Because marines are not
     allowed to die without permission! Do you
     maggots understand?

            RECRUITS
     Sir, yes, sir!


28 EXT. PARRIS ISLAND STREET--DAY


  The recruits are double-timing to HARTMAN's
  cadences.

            HARTMAN
            (chanting in cadence)
     I love working for Uncle Sam!

            RECRUITS
            (chanting in cadence)
     I love working for Uncle Sam!

            HARTMAN
     Lets me know just who I am!

            RECRUITS
     Lets me know just who I am!

            HARTMAN
     One, two, three, four! United States Marine
     Corps!

            RECRUITS
     One, two, three, four! United States Marine
     Corps!

            HARTMAN
     One, two, three, four! I love the Marine Corps!

            RECRUITS
     One, two, three, four! I love the Marine Corps.

            HARTMAN
     My Corps!

            RECRUITS
     My Corps!

            HARTMAN
     Your Corps!

            RECRUITS
     Your Corps!

            HARTMAN
     Our Corps!

            RECRUITS
     Our Corps!

            HARTMAN
     Marine Corps!

            RECRUITS
     Marine Corps!

            HARTMAN
     I don't know, but I've been told.

            RECRUITS
      I don't know, but I've been told.

            HARTMAN
     Eskimo pussy is mighty cold!

            RECRUITS
     Eskimo pussy is mighty cold!

            HARTMAN
     Mmm, good!

            RECRUITS
     Mmm, good!

            HARTMAN
     Feels good!

            RECRUITS
     Feels good!

            HARTMAN
     Is good!
            
            RECRUITS
     Is good!
     
            HARTMAN
     Real good!

            RECRUITS
     Real good!

            HARTMAN
     Tastes good!

            RECRUITS
     Tastes good!

            HARTMAN
     Mighty good!

            RECRUITS
     Mighty good!

            HARTMAN
     Good for you!

            RECRUITS
     Good for you!

            HARTMAN
     Good for me!

            RECRUITS
     Good for me!


29 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  The recruits in their skivvies stand at attention in
  two facing rows on top of their footlockers, arms
  outstretched, hands held rigidly in front of them,
  palms down, for inspection.

  HARTMAN moves along the row of men. He smacks
  a recruit's hand.

            HARTMAN
     Trim 'em.

  HARTMAN points at the feet of another recruit.

            HARTMAN 
     Toejam!

  To another recruit.

            HARTMAN
     Pop that blister!

  HARTMAN stops in front of PYLE and notices his foot-
  locker is unlocked. He picks up the lock and holds it
  up to PYLE.

            HARTMAN
     Jesus H. Christ! Private Pyle, why is your
     footlocker unlocked?

            PYLE
     Sir, I don't know, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Private Pyle, if there is one thing in this
     world that I hate, it is an unlocked footlocker!
     You know that, don't you?

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     If it wasn't for dickheads like you, there
     wouldn't be any thievery in this world, would
     there?

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Get down!

  PYLE steps down, from the footlocker. HARTMAN flips
  open the lid with a bang and begins rummaging
  through the box.

            HARTMAN
     Well, now .. . let's just see if there's anything
     missing!

  HARTMAN freezes. He reaches down and slowly picks
  up a jelly doughnut, holding it in disgust at arm's
  length with his fingertips.

            HARTMAN
     Holy Jesus! What is that? What is that,
     Private Pyle?!

            PYLE
     Sir, a jelly doughnut, sir!

            HARTMAN
     A jelly doughnut?!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     How did it get here?

            PYLE
     Sir, I took it from the mess hall, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Is chow allowed in the barracks, Private Pyle?

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Are you allowed to eat jelly doughnuts,
     Private Pyle?

            PYLE
     Sir, no, sir!

            HARTMAN
     And why not, Private Pyle?

            PYLE
     Sir, because I'm too heavy, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Because you are a disgusting fatbody, Private
     Pyle!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Then why did you hide a jelly doughnut in
     your footlocker, Private Pyle?

            PYLE
     Sir, because I was hungry, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Because you were hungry?

  Holding out the jelly doughnut, HARTMAN walks
  down the row of recruits still standing with their
  arms outstretched.

            HARTMAN
     Private Pyle has dishonored himself and
     dishonored the platoon! I have tried to help
     him, but I have failed! I have failed because
     you have not helped me! You people have not
     given Private Pyle the proper motivation!
     So, from now on, whenever Private Pyle
     fucks up, I will not punish him, I will punish
     all of you! And the way I see it, ladies, you
     owe me for one jelly doughnut! Now, get on
     your faces!

            HARTMAN
            (to PYLE)
     Open your mouth!

  He shoves the jelly doughnut into PYLE's mouth.

            HARTMAN
     They're paying for it, you eat it!

  HARTMAN turns to the recruits.

            HARTMAN
     Ready . . . exercise!

  The platoon does push-ups.

            RECRUITS
            (chanting in cadence)
     One, two, three, four!
     I love the Marine Corps!
     One, two, three, four!
     I love the Marine Corps!
     One, two, three, four!
     I love the Marine Corps!
     One, two, three, four . . .

  While the platoon does push-ups, PYLE swallows
  hard to get down. bites of the doughnut.


DISSOLVE TO:


30 INT. BARRACKS--DAWN


  JOKER checks PYLE's Uniform.


            JOKER
            (quietly)
     You really look like shit today, Leonard.

            PYLE
     Joker? Everybody hates me now. Even you.

            JOKER
     Nobody hates you, Leonard. You just keep
     making mistakes, getting everybody in
     trouble.

            PYLE
     I can't do anything right. I need help.

            JOKER
     I'm trying to help you, Leonard. I'm really
     trying.

  PYLE grins, trustingly.

            JOKER
     Tuck your shirt in.


DISSOLVE TO:


31 EXT. TRAINING FIELD--DAY


  The platoon does squat thrusts as PYLE sits, his
  cap on backwards, sucking his thumb. HARTMAN
  watches.

            RECRUITS
            (counting in unison)
     One, two, three . . . nineteen!
     One, two, three . . . twenty!
     One, two, three . . . twenty-one!
     One, two, three . . . twenty-two!
     One, two, three . . . twenty-three!
     One, two, three . . . twenty-four!
     One, two, three . . . twenty-five!
     One, two, three . . . twnty-six!
     One, two, three . . . twenty-seven!
     One, two, three . . . twenty-eight!
     One, two, three . . . twenty-nine!
     One, two, three . . . thirty!



FADE TO BLACK


32 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  We see a towel on a bed. A bar of soap is tossed
  on the towel. The towel is folded over the soap
  forming a weapon.

  A hand picks up the towel-weapon and bangs it
  on the mattress making a dull thud.

  PYLE is asleep in his bunk.

  The platoon silently slip out of their beds and
  form up around PYLE.

  A blanket is thrown over PYLE, each corner held
  down by a recruit, pinning PYLE to the bed.

  COWBOY shoves a gag in PYLE's mouth.

  PYLE is helpless.

  The platoon files past beating PYLE with the bars
  of soap wrapped in towels.

  PYLE's screams are muffled by the gag.

  JOKER is the last one. He stands back from the bed.

            COWBOY
            (to JOKER)
     Do it! Do it!

  JOKER hesitates, then moves forward and hits
  PYLE hard several times.

  Then JOKER jumps into his bunk.

  The recruits yank the restraining blanket of PYLE
  and run back to their bunks.

            COWBOY
            (removing gag)
     Remember, it's just a bad dream, fatboy.

  PYLE sobs loudly and sits up, holding himself in
  pain.

  Lying in, his bunk, JOKER covers his ears.


FADE IN:


33 EXT. PARADE DECK--DAY


  The platoon is lined up.

            HARTMAN
     Port... hut! Left shoulder ... hut! Right
     shoulder ... hut! Port ... hut! Do we love
     our beloved Corps, ladies?

            RECRUITS
            (shouting in unison)
     Semper fi, do or die! Gung ho, gung ho,
     gung ho!

  PYLE says nothing, just stares straight ahead.

            HARTMAN
     What makes the grass grow?

            RECRUITS
     Blood, blood, blood!

  PYLE stares. Does not join in the shouting.

            HARTMAN
     What do we do for a living, ladies?

            RECRUlTS
     Kill, kill, kill!

  PYLE remains silent.

            HARTMAN
     I can't hear you!

            RECRUITS
     Kill, kill, kill!

            HARTMAN
     Bullshit! I still can't hear you!

            RECRUITS
     Kill, kill, kill!

  PYLE continues to stare blartkly ahead.


34 EXT. BLEACHERS--DAY

  The platoon sits on bleachers facing HARTMAN.

            HARTMAN
     Do any of you people know who Charles
     Whitman was?

  No response.

            HARTMAN
     None of you dumbasses knows?

  COWBOY raises his hand.

            HARTMAN
     Private Cowboy?

            COWBOY
     Sir, he was that guy who shot all those people
     from that tower in Austin, Texas, sir!

            HARTMAN
     That's affirmative. Charles Whitman killed
     twenty people from a twenty-eight-storey
     observation tower at the University of Texas
     from distances up to four hundred yards.

  HARTMAN looks around.

            HARTMAN
     Anybody know who Lee Harvey Oswald was?

  Almost everybody raises his hand.

            HARTMAN
     Private Snowball?

            SNOWBALL
     Sir, he shot Kennedy, sir!

            HARTMAN
     That's right, and do you know how far away
     he was?

            SNOWBALL
     Sir, it was pretty far! From that book
     suppository building, sir!

  The recruits laugh at "suppository. "

            HARTMAN
     All right, knock it off! Two hundred and fifty
     feet! He was two hundred and fifty feet away
     and shooting at a moving target. Oswald got
     off three rounds with an old Italian bolt action
     rifle in only six seconds and scored two hits,
     including a head shot! Do any of you people
     know where these individuals learned to
     shoot?

  JOKER raises his hand.

            HARTMAN
     Private Joker?

            JOKER
     Sir, in the Marines, sir!

            HARTMAN
     In the Marines! Outstanding! Those
     individuals showed what one motivated
     marine and his rifle can do! And before you
     ladies leave my island, you will be able to
     do the same thing!

  Camera slowly moves in on PYLE staring at
  HARTMAN.


35 INT. BARRACKS--DAY


  Recruits standing at attention in two facing rows.
  HARTMAN walks between the rows, leading them
  in song.

            HARTMAN & RECRUITS
     Happy Birthday to you,
     Happy Birthday to you,
     Happy Birthday, dear Jesus,
     Happy Birthday to you!

            HARTMAN
     Today ... is Christmas! There will be a
     magic show at zero-nine-thirty! Chaplain
     Charlie will tell you about how the free
     world will conquer Communism with the
     aid of God and a few marines!

     God has a hard-on for marines because we
     kill everything we see! He plays His games,
     we play ours! To show our appreciation for
     so much power, we keep heaven packed
     with fresh souls! God was here before the
     Marine Corps! So you can give your heart
     to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the Corps!
     Do you ladies understand?

            RECRUITS
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     I can't hear you!

            RECRUITS
     Sir, yes, sir!


36 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  The recruits are seated on footlockers, cleaning their
  rifles. HARTMAN prowls among them, watching.

  PYLE talizs softly to his rifle.

  JOKER looks at him uneasily.

            PYLE
            (to his rifte)
     It's been swabbed.... and wiped. Everything
     is clean. Beautiful. So that it slides perfectly.
     Nice. Everything cleaned. Oiled. So that your
     action is beautiful. Smooth, Charlene.


DISSOLVE TO:


37 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  A few recruits, including PYLE, are mopping the
  floor.


38 INT. LATRINE--NIGHT


  In the latrine COWBOY and JOKER are also mopping
  the floor.

  JOKER stops, looks around to be sure they are alone,
  and turns to COWBOY.

            JOKER
     Leonard talks to his rifle.

  COWBOY keeps mopping.

            COWBOY
     Yeah!

            JOKER
     I don't think Leonard can hack it anymore. I
     think Leonard's a Section Eight.

  Pause.

            COWBOY
     It don't surprise me.

  They both go back to mopping.

  JOKER speaks again after some silence.

            JOKER
     I want to slip my tubesteak into your sister.
     What'll you take in trade?

            COWBOY
     What have you got?


39 EXT. FIRING RANGE--DAY


  HARTMAN kneels behind PYLE, looking on with
  approval.

  PYLE finishes a good group and reloads his M-14.

            HARTMAN
     Outstanding, Private Pyle! I think we've
     finally found something that you do well!

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!


40 EXT. PARADE DECK--DAY


  HARTMAN inspects the recruits.

            HARTMAN
            (to JOKER)
     What's your sixth General Order?

            JOKER
     Sir, the private's sixth general order is to
     receive and obey and to pass on to the sentry
     who relieves me ... all orders ... Sir, the
     private's sixth ... Sir, the private has been
     instructed but he does not know, sir!

            HARTMAN
     You slimy scumbag, get on your face and give
     me twenty-five!

            JOKER
     Sir, aye-aye, sir!

  HARTMAN walks to PYLE.

            HARTMAN
     How many counts in that movement you've
     just executed?

            PYLE
     Sir, four counts, sir!

            HARTMAN
     What's the idea of looking down in the
     chamber?

            PYLE
     Sir, that is the guarantee that the private is
     not giving the inspecting officer a loaded
     weapon, sir!

            HARTMAN
     What's your fifth general order?

            PYLE
     Sir, the private's fifth general order is to quit
     my post only when properly relieved, sir!

            HARTMAN
     What's this weapon's name, Private Pyle?

            PYLE
     Sir, the private's weapon's name is Charlene,

            HARTMAN
     Private Pyle, you are definitely born again
     hard! Hell, I may even allow you to serve as a
     rifleman in my beloved Corps.

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!


41 EXT. PARRIS ISLAND STREET--DAY


  HARTMAN double-timing the recruits, calling
  cadence.

            HARTMAN
     I don't want no teenage queen.

            RECRUITS
     I don't want no teenage queen.

            HARTMAN
     I just want my M-14.

            RECRUITS
     I just want my M-14.

            HARTMAN
     If I die in the combat zone.

            RECRUITS
     If I die in the combat zone.

            HARTMAN
     Box me up and ship me home.

            RECRUITS
     Box me up and ship me home.

            HARTMAN
     Pin my medals upon my chest.

            RECRUITS
     Pin my medals upon my chest.

            HARTMAN
     Tell my mom I've done my best.

            RECRUITS
     Tell my mom I've done my best.


DISSOLVE TO:


42 EXT. FOREST--DAY


  Woods. For the first time the platoon marches in
  full combat gear carrying rifles.

            JOKER
            (narration)
     Graduation is only a few days away and the
     recruits of platoon thirty-ninety-two are salty.
     They are ready to eat their own guts and ask
     for seconds.


43 EXT. FIELD--DAY


  In full combat gear and with fixed bayonets, the
  recruits charge through green smoke.

            JOKER
            (narration)
     The drill instructors are proud to see that we
     are growing beyond their control. The Marine
     Corps does not want robots. The Marine
     Corps wants killers. The Marine Corps wants
     to build indestructible men, men without fear.


44 INT. BARRACKS--DAY


  HARTMAN talks to the recruits formed up in a
  school-circle.

            HARTMAN
     Today you people are no longer maggots.
     Today you are marines. You're part of a
     brotherhood.


45 EXT. PARADE GROUND--DAY


  Graduation. A marching band. Spectators.
  Hundreds of marines parade by in dress uniform.

            HARTMAN
            (voice over)
     From now on, until the day you die, wherever
     you are, every marine is your brother. Most of
     you will go to Vietnam. Some of you will not
     come back. But always remember this:
     marines die, that's what we're here for! But
     the Marine Corps lives forever. And that
     means you live forever!

DISSOLVE TO:


46 INT. BARRACKS--DAY


  HARTMAN talks to the platoon, again in a school-
  circle.

            HARTMAN
     Pickett!

            PICKETT
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     O-three-hundred, Infantry. Toejam!

            TOEJAM
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     O-three-hundred, Infantry. Adams!

            ADAMS
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Eighteen-hundred, Engineers. You go out
     and find mines. Cowboy!

            COWBOY
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     O-three-hundred, Infantry! Taylor!

            TAYLOR
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     O-three-hundred, Infantry. Joker!

            JOKER
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Forty-two-twelve, Basic Military Journalism.
     You gotta be shitting me, Joker! You think
     you're Mickey Spillane? Do you think you're
     some kind of fucking writer?

            JOKER
     Sir, I wrote for my high school newspaper, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Jesus H. Christ, you're not a writer, you're
     a killer!

            JOKER
     A killer, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     Gomer Pyle!

  PYLE doesn't answer.

            HARTMAN
     Gomer Pyle!

  We see PYLE in close-up, now completely with-
  drawn, barely able to answer HARTMAN.

            PYLE
     Sir, yes, sir!

            HARTMAN
     You forget your fucking name? O-three-
     hundred, Infantry. You made it. Perkins!

            PERKINS
     Sir, yes, sir!


47 INT. BARRACKS--NIGHT


  The platoon sleeps. JOKER walks slowly down the
  squad bay with a flashlight.

            JOKER
            (Itarration)
     Our last night on the island. I draw fire
     watch.

  JOKER hears a muffled sound. He isn't sure where
  it comes from. He slowly enters the latrine.


48 INT. LATRINE--NIGHT


  Running his flashlight across the room JOKER Sees
  PYLE sitting on a toilet, loading a magazine for
  his M-14 rifle.

  PYLE looks up at JOKER and smiles. It is a
  frightening smile.

            PYLE
            (strange voice)
     Hi, Joker.

  JOKER stares at PYLE for a few seconds.

  PYLE has suite clearly snapped.

            JOKER
     Are those ... live rounds?

            PYLE
     Seven-six-two millimeter, full metal jacket.

  PYLE smiles grotesquely.

            JOKER
     Leonard .. . if Hartman comes in here and
     catches us, we'll both be in a world of shit.

            PYLE
     I am .. . in a world . . . of shit!

  PYLE gets to his feet, snaps his rifle to port arms,
  and starts executing the Manual ofArms.

            PYLE
            (shouting)
     Left shoulder ... hut! Right shoulder ...
     hut! Lock and load! Order ... hut!

  PYLE picks up the loaded magazine, inserts it into
  the rifle and smartly brings the rifle down to the
  order arms position.

            PYLE
            (shouting)
     This is my rifle! There are many like it, but
     this one is mine.



49 INT. BARRACKS HALLWAY--NIGHT


  By now the platoon is awake.

  HARTMAN bursts from his room, wearing his
  skivvies and D.I. hat.

            PYLE
            (offscreen)
     My rifle is my best friend! It is my life!

            HARTMAN
     Get back in your bunks!

            PYLE
            (o.s.)
     I must master it as I must master my life!
     Without me ...


50 INT. LATRINES--NIGHT


  HARTMAN Storms into the latrine.

            HARTMAN
     What is this Mickey Mouse shit? What in the
     name of Jesus H. Christ are you animals
     doing in my head?
            (to JOKER)
     Why is Private Pyle out of his bunk after
     lights out?! Why is Private Pyle holding that
     weapon? Why aren't you stomping Private
     Pyle's guts out?

            JOKER
     Sir, it is the private's duty to inform the
     Senior Drill Instructor that Private Pyie has a
     full magazine and has locked and loaded, sir!

  HARTMAN and PYLE look at each other. PYLE Smiles
  from the depths of his own hell.

  HARTMAN focuses all of his considerable powers of
  intimidation, into his best John- Wayne-on-Suribachi
  voice.

            HARTMAN
     Now you listen to me, Private Pyle, and,you
     listen good. I want that weapon, and I want it
     now! You will place that rifle on the deck at
     your feet and step back away from it.

  With a twisted smile on his face PYLE points his
  rifle at HARTMAN.

  HARTMAN look suddenly calm. His eyes, his manner
  are those of a wanderer who has found his home.

            HARTMAN
     What is your major malfunction, numbnuts?!!
     Didn't Mommy and Daddy show you enough
     attention when you were a child?!!!

  BANG!

  The round hits HARTMAN in the chest.

  He falls back dead.

  JOKER and PYLE stand looking at the body.

  Then PYLE looks at JOKER and slowly raises his rifle.

            JOKER
             (trembling)
     Easy, Leonard. Go easy, man.

  PYLE breathes heavily, and Keeps the rifle aimed at
  JOKER.

  JOKER is scared shitless.

  PYLE looks at JOKER for several seconds and slowly
  lowers the rifle. Then he stumbles back a few steps
  and sits down, heavily on the toilet.

  PYLE turns away from JOKER and stares into space,
  a strangely peaceful look transforming his face.

  He places the muzzle of the rifle in his mouth.

            JOKER
     No!!!

  BANG!

  PYLE pulls the trigger and blows the back of his
  head over the white tiled wall behind him.


SCENE FADES TO BLACK


FADE IN:


51 EXT. DA NANG STREET, VIETNAM--DAY


  Motorcycles, cars, Vietnamese civilians. Swinging
  her hips ruith exaggerated sexiness, an attractive
  HOOKER in a mini-skirt walks toward a cafe' table
  on the pavement ulhere JOKER and RAFTERMAN are
  seated.

  Music: Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made
  for Walking."

  The girl stops at JOKER's table.

            HOOKER
     Hey, baby, you got girlfriend Vietnam?

            JOKER
     Not just this minute.

            HOOKER
     Well, baby, me so horny. Me so horny. Me
     love you long time. You party?

            JOKER
     Yeah, we might party. How much?

            HOOKER
     Fifteen dolla.

            JOKER
     Fifteen dollars for both of us?

            HOOKER
     No. Each you fifteen dolla. Me love you long
     time. Me so horny.

            JOKER
     Fifteen dollar too boo-coo. Five dollars each.

            HOOKER
     Me suckee-suckee. Me love you too much.

            JOKER
     Five dollars is all my mom allows me to
     spend.

            HOOKER
     Okay! Ten dolla each.

            JOKER
     What do we get for ten dollars?

            HOOKER
     Everything you want.

            JOKER
     Everything?

            HOOKER
     Everything.

            JOKER
     Well, old buddy, feel like spending some of
     your hard-earned money?

            RAFTERMAN
     Just a minute.

  RAFTERMAN raises his Nikon and starts
  photographing JOKER and the HOOKER.

  The girl strikes quick poses for the camera and
  coughs.

  JOKER puts his arm around her.

            JOKER
     You know, half these gook whores are serving
     officers in the Viet Cong.

  The girl coughs again.

            JOKER
     The other half have got T.B. Make sure you
     only fuck the ones that cough.

  A young vietnamese boy walks up behind
  RAFTERMAN and grabs the Nikon camera from his
  hands.

  The boy runs to an accomplice sitting on a waiting
  motorbike and tosses the camera to him. Then in
  mockery the BOY excecutes a few, Bruce Lee moves
  before jumping on the bike and zooming off:

  JOKER laughs.


DISSOLVE TO:


52 EXT. U.S. MARINE BASE--DAY

  The main gates of the base. High-security fencing.
  Tanks, jeeps, trucks. A military helicopter lands.


DISSOLVE TO:


53 EXT. DA NANG BASE--DAY


  JOKER and RAFTERMAN walk down the base street
  past rows of hootches and other buildings. In the
  background some marines play basketball.

            JOKER
     That little sucker really had some moves on
     him, didn't he?

            RAFTERMAN
     Yeah ... You know what really pisses me off
     about these people?

            JOKER 
     What?

            RAFTERMAN
     We're supposed to be helping them and they
     shit all over us every chance they get ... I
     just can't feature that.

            JOKER
     Don't take it too hard, Rafterman. It's just
     business.

            RAFTERMAN
     I hate Da Nang, Joker. I want to go out into
     the field. I've been in this country almost
     three months, and all I do is take handshake
     shots at awards ceremonies.

            JOKER
     You get wasted your first day in the field and
     it'd be my fault.

            RAFTERMAN
     A high school girl could do my job. I want to
     get out into the shit. I want to get some
     trigger time.

            JOKER
     If you get killed, your mom will find me after
     I rotate back to the world and she'll beat the
     shit out of me. That's a negative, Rafterman.


54 INT. SEA-TIGER HUT--DAY


  A Quonset hut. An editorial meeting of The Sea
  Tiger, the official marine newspaper, is in progress
  presided over by LIEUTENANT LOCKHART.

  JOKER, RAFTERMAN, and six other marine
  correspondens are seated around a large messy
  table covered with cameras, photographs,
  newspapers artd magazines.

            LOCKHART
     Okay, guys, let's keep it short and sweet
     today. Anybody got anything new?

            JOKER
     There's a rumor going around that the Tet
     ceasefire is gonna be cancelled.

            LOCKHART
     Rear-echelon paranoia.

            JOKER
     A bro in Intelligence says Charlie might try to
     pull off something big during the Tet holiday.

            LOCKHART
     They say the same thing every year.

            JOKER
     There's a lot of talk about it, sir.

            LOCKHART
     I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. The Tet
     holiday's like the Fourth of July, Christmas
     and New Year all rolled into one. Every
     zipperhead in Nam, North and South, will be
     banging gongs, barking at the moon and
     visiting his dead relatives.

            LOCKHART
     All right ... Ann-Margret and entourage are
     due here next week. I want someone to be
     there on the airfield and stick with her for a
     couple of days. Uh, Rafterman, you take it.

            RAFTERMAN
     Aye-aye, sir.

            LOCKHART
     Get me some good low-angle stuff. Don't make
     it too obvious, but I want to see fur and early
     morning dew.

            RAFTERMAN
     Yes, sir.

            LOCKHART
            (reading)
     "Diplomats in Dungarees--Marine engineers
     lend a helping hand rebuilding Dong Phuc
     villages . . ." Chili, if we move Vietnamese,
     they are evacuees. If they come to us to be
     evacuated, they are refugees.

            CHILI
     I'll make a note of it, sir.

            LOCKHART
            (reading)
     "N.V.A. Soldier Deserts After Reading
     Pamphlets --A young North Vietnamese Army
     regular, who realized his side could not win
     the war, deserted from his unit after reading
     Open Arms program pamphlets." That's good,
     Dave. But why say North Vietnamese Army
     regular? Is there an irregular? How about
     North Vietnamese Army soldier?

            DAVE
     I'll fix it up, sir.

            LOCKHART
     Lawrence Welk Show's gonna go out on TV in
     two weeks. Dave, do a hundred words on it.
     AFTV'll give you some background stuff.

            DAVE
     Yes, sir.

            LOCKHART
            (reading)
     "Not While We're Eating--N.V.A. learn
     marines on a search and destroy mission don't
     like to be interrupted while eating chow."
     Search and destroy. Uh, we have a new
     directive from M.A.F. on this. In the future, in
     place of "search and destroy," substitute the
     phrase "sweep and clear." Got it?

            JOKER
     Got it. Very catchy.

            LOCKHART
     And, Joker ... where's the weenie?

            JOKER
     Sir!

            LOCKHART
     The Kill, JOKER. The kill. I mean, all that fire,
     the grunts must've hit something.

            JOKER
     Didn't see 'em.

            LOCKHART
     Joker, I've told you, we run two basic stories
     here. Grunts who give half their pay to buy
     gooks toothbrushes and deodorants--Winning
     of Hearts and Minds--okay? And combat
     action that results in a kill--Winning the War.
     Now you must have seen blood trails ... drag
     marks?

            JOKER
     It was raining, sir.

            LOCKHART
     Well, that's why God passed the law of
     probability. Now rewrite it and give it a happy
     ending--say, uh, one kill. Make it a sapper or
     an officer. Which?

            JOKER
     Whichever you say.

            LOCKHART
     Grunts like reading about dead officers.

            JOKER
     Okay, an officer. How about a general?

  A few laughs.

            LOCKHART
     Joker, maybe you'd like our guys to read the
     paper and feel bad. I mean, in case you didn't
     know it, this is not a particularly popular war.
     Now, it is our job to report the news that
     these why-are-we-here civilian newsmen
     ignore.

            JOKER
     Sir, maybe you should go out on some ops
     yourself. I'm sure you could find a lot more
     blood trails and drag marks.

  Some laughs.

            LOCKHART
     JOKER, I've had my ass in the grass. Can't say
     I liked it much. Lots of bugs and too
     dangerous. As it happens, my present duties
     keep me where I belong. In the rear with the
     gear.


DISSOLVE TO:


55 EXT. DA NANG BASE--DUSK


  Rows of hootches. In the distance, fireworks.

            JOKER
            (voiceover)
     Tet. The Year of the Monkey. Vietnamese
     Lunar New Year's Eve. Down in Dogpatch, the
     gooks are shooting off fireworks to celebrate.


DISSOLVE TO:


56 INT. HOOTCH--NIGHT

  JOKER, RAFTERMAN, PAYBACK and the others are in
  their bunks, reading, lazing, smoking grass. JOKER
  is writing in a notebook.

            JOKER
            (yawns and stretches)
     I am fucking bored to death, man. I gotta get
     back in the shit. I ain't heard a shot fired in
     anger in weeks.

            PAYBACK
     Joker's so tough he'd eat the boogers out of a
     dead man's nose ... then ask for seconds.

  Some laughs.

            JOKER
            (John Wayne voice)
     Listen up, pilgrim. A day without blood is like
     a day without sunshine.

            PAYBACK
     Shi-i--i-t! Joker thinks the bad bush is
     between old mama-san's legs.

  Some laughs.

            PAYBACK
     He's never been in the shit. It's hard to talk
     about it, man. It's like on Hastings.

            CHILI
     Aw, you weren't on Operation Hastings,
     Payback. You weren't even in country.

            PAYBACK
     Eat shit and die, you fucking Spanish-
     American! You fucking poge! I was there,
     man. I was in the shit with the grunts.

            JOKER
            (John Wayne voice)
     Don't listen to any of Payback's bullshit,
     Rafterman. Sometimes he thinks he's John
     Wayne.

            PAYBACK
     You listen to Joker, new guy. He knows ti ti.
     Very little. You know he's never been in the
     shit,'cause he ain't got the stare.

            RAFTERMAN
     The stare?

            PAYBACK
     The thousand-yard stare. A marine gets it
     after he's been in the shit for too long. It's like
     ... it's like you've really seen beyond. I got it.
     All field marines got it. And you'll have it too.

            RAFTERMAN
     I will?

            STORK
     Hey, Payback. How do you stop five black
     dudes from raping a white chick?

            PAYBACK
     Fuck you, Stork.

            STORK
     Throw'em a basketball.

  Laughter.

  They are startled by the dull boom of mortar shells
  outside.

            DAVE
     Incoming.

            PAYBACK
     Oh, shit!

            CHILI
     They're outgoing.

            DAVE
     That ain't outgoing!

  Some closer explosions, much louder.

            CHILI
     That ain't outgoing!

            DAVE
     Now what I just say?

  The men grab their helmets, flak jackets and
  weapons and run outside.

            RAFTERMAN
     Joker, is this for real?

            JOKER
     Yes, it is, Rafterman.


57 EXT. DA NANG BASE--NIGHT


  Men running everywhere. Sirens. A mortar round
  lands in the distance, then others nearer. Fires
  are breaking out.


58 INT. BUNKER--NIGHT


  JOKER loads an M-60 machine gun, then hunches
  down watching the main gate of the perimeter.

            JOKER
     Hey, I hope they're just fucking with us. I
     ain't ready for this shit.

            STORK
     Amen.

  The sound of a truck approaching.

  The marines get set.

  The truck smashes though the gates.

  The marines open fire.

  The truck is hit by a hail of automatic fire; it
  explodes and starts burning.

  N.V.A. troops follow the truck through the gate.

  The attackers are cut down by a withering fire
  from the marines.

  The attack peters out.

  People yell, "Cease fire."

  The firing trails off:


DISSOLVE TO:


59 EXT. DA NANG BASE--DAWN


  JOKER and RAFTERMAN walk through the wreckage
  of the night's battle.

  Prisoners are led past.

            LOCKHART
            (voice over)
     The enemy has very deceitfully taken
     advantage of the Tet ceasefire to launch an
     offensive all over the country. So far, we've
     had it pretty easy here. But we seem to be
     the exception.


60 INT. SEA-TIGER OFFICE--DAWN


  Dirty and still in. their combat gear, JOKER,
  RAFTERMAN, PAYBACK and the other correspondents
  are slumped in, their chairs around the table.

            LOCKHART
            (walking)
     Charlie has hit every major military target
     in Vietnam, and hit 'em hard. In Saigon, the
     United States Embassy has been overrun by
     suicide squads. Khe Sahn is standing by to
     be overrun. We also have reports that a divi-
     sion of N.V.A. has occupied all of the city of
     Hue south of the Perfume River. In strate-
     gic terms, Charlie's cut the country in
     half... the civilian press are about to wet
     their pants and we've heard even Cronkite's
     going to say the war is now unwinnable.
     In other words, it's a huge shit sandwich,
     and we're all gonna have to take a bite.

  Long, serious pause.

            JOKER
     Sir ... does this mean that Ann-Margret's not
     coming?

  Laughter.

            LOCKHART
            (pissed off)
     Joker.... I want you to get straight up to Phu
     Bai. Captain January will need all his people.

            JOKER
     Yes, sir.

            LOCKHART
     And Joker, you will take off that damn button.
     How's it gonna look if you get killed wearing
     a peace symbol?

            RAFTERMAN
     Sir? Permission to go with Joker?

            LOCKHART
     Permission granted.

            RAFTERMAN
     Thank you, sir.

            JOKER
     Sir, permission not to take Rafterman with
     me?

            LOCKHART
     You still here? Vanish, Joker, most ricky-tick,
     and take Rafterman with you. You're
     responsible for him.


61 EXT. HELICOPTER SHOTS--DAWN


  A military helicopter flies past a huge sun.


62 INT. AERIAL HELICOPTER--DUSK


  JOKER Sits looking out the door.

  RAFTERMAN is frightened and airsick.

  The DOORGUNNER laughs and yells as he fires his
  M-60 machine gun.

  We see Vietnamese below running and falling.

            DOORGUNNER
     Get some ... get some ... get some ... get
     some ... yeah ... yeah ... get some ... get
     some.

  After a while the DOORGUNNER stops firing and
  grins at JOKER.

            DOORGUNNER
            (shouting to be heard)
     Anyone who runs is a V.C. Anyone who
     stands still is a well-disciplined V.C.
            (laughs)
     You guys oughtta do a story about me
     sometime.

            JOKER
     Why should we do a story about you?

            DOORGUNNER
     'Cause I'm so fucking good! That ain't no
     shit neither. I've done got me one hundred
     and fifty-seven dead gooks killed. And fifty
     water buffaloes, too. Them're all certified.

  RAFTERMAN gags.

            JOKER
     Any women or children?

            DOORGUNNER
     Sometimes.

            JOKER
     How can you shoot women and children?

  RAFTERMAN gags.

            DOORGUNNER
     Easy. You just don't lead 'em so much.
                (laughs)
     Ain't war hell?


DISSOLVE TO:


63 EXT. LZ HUE--DAY


  The helicopter lands.

  JOKER and RAFTERMAN jump out, duck down low
  and move away through pink smoke blown by the
  rotor blades.

  Marines run by carrying wounded on stretchers.

            JOKER
            (to a sergeant)
     Top, we want to get in the shit.

            MASTER SERGEANT
     Down the road, two-five.

            JOKER
     Two-five. Outstanding! Thanks, Top.


DISSOLVE TO:


64 EXT. ROAD TO HUE--DAY


  A road next to a small canal on the outskirts of
  Hue.

  Tanks, trucks and marines are moving into the city
  past a column of refugees heading the other way.

  JOKER and RAFTERMAN catch up to a Lieutenant,
  salute him and walk alongside.

            JOKER
     Excuse me! Sir ... we're looking for First
     Platoon, Hotel two-five. I got a bro named
     Cowboy there.

            TOUCHDOWN
     You people one-one?

            JOKER
     No, sir. We're reporters for Stars and Stripes.

            TOUCHDOWN
     Stars and Stripes.

            JOKER
     Yes, sir.

            TOUCHDOWN
     I'm Cowboy's platoon commander. Cowboy's
     just down the road in the platoon area.

            JOKER
     Oh. You mind if we tag along, sir?

            TOUCHDOWN
     No problem. Welcome aboard. By the way, my
     name's Schinoski. Walter J. Schinoski. My
     people call me Mister Touchdown. I played a
     little ball for Notre Dame.

            JOKER
     Notre Dame?

            TOUCHDOWN
            (laughing)
     Yeah.

            JOKER
     All right!

            TOUCHDOWN
     You here to make Cowboy famous?

            JOKER
     Ha! Never happen, sir.

            TOUCHDOWN
     Well, if you people came looking for a story,
     this is your lucky day. We got Condition Red
     and we're definitely expecting rain.

            JOKER
     Outstanding, sir. We taking care of business?

            TOUCHDOWN
     Well, the N.V.A. are dug in deep. Hotel
     Company's still working this side of the river.
     Street by street and house by house. Charlie's
     definitely got his shit together. But we're still
     getting some really decent kills here.

            JOKER
     We heard some scuttlebutt, sir, about the
     N.V.A. executing a lot of gook civilians.

            TOUCHDOWN
     That's affirmative. I saw some bodies about
     half a klick this side of Phu Cam Canal.

            JOKER
     Can you show me where, sir?

            TOUCHDOWN
     Here's the canal...


65 EXT. MASS GRAVE--DAY


  JOKER stands looking down into a large open grave
  at a row of white, lime-covered corpses.

  Journalists, marines and civilians are grouped
  around the grave.

  A work detail leans on their shovels, their faces
  covered with bandanas against the stench.

            JOKER
            (voice over)
     The dead have been covered with lime. The
     dead only know one thing. It is better to be
     alive.

  JOKER approaches a young lieutenant-- CLEVES.

            JOKER
     Excuse me. Good morning, Lieutenant.

            LT. CLEVES
     Good morning.

            JOKER
     I make it twenty. Is that the official body
     count, sir?

            LT. CLEVES
            (sharply)
     What outfit are you men with?

            JOKER
     Sir, we're reporters from Stars and Stripes.

            LT. CLEVES
            (warms up)
     Oh, I see.

            JOKER
     I'm Sergeant Joker and this photographer's
     Rafterman.

  RAFTERMAN starts shooting pictures of the
  Lieutenant.

            LT. CLEVES
     I'm Lieutenant Cleves. I'm from Hartford,
     Connecticut.

            JOKER
     Have you got a body count, sir?

            LT. CLEVES
     We think it's twenty.

            JOKER
     Do you know how it happened, sir?

            LT. CLEVES
     Well, it seems the N.V.A. came in with a list
     of gook names. Government officials,
     policemen, ARVN officers, schoolteachers.
     They went around their houses real polite and
     asked them to report the next day for political
     re-education. Everybody who turned up got
     shot. Some they buried alive.

  A marine COLONEL who has been watching JOKER
  turns from the group arourzd the grave and strides
  up. JOKER snaps to attention.

            COLONEL
     Marine !

            LT. CLEVES
     Colonel.

            COLONEL
     Marine, what is that button on your body armor?

            JOKER
     A peace symbol, sir.

            COLONEL
     Where'd you get it?

            JOKER
     I don't remember, sir.

            COLONEL
     What is that you've got written on your
     helmet?

            JOKER
     "Born to Kill," sir.

            COLONEL
     You write "Born to Kill" on your helmet and
     you wear a peace button. What's that
     supposed to be, some kind of sick joke?!

            JOKER
     No, sir.

            COLONEL
     You'd better get your head and your ass wired
     together, or I will take a giant shit on you!

            JOKER
     Yes, sir.

            COLONEL
     Now answer my question or you'll be standing
     tall before the man.

            JOKER
     I think I was trying to suggest something
     about the duality of man, sir.

            COLONEL
     The what?

            JOKER
     The duality of man. The Jungian thing, sir.

            COLONEL
     Whose side are you on, son?

            JOKER
     Our side, sir.

            COLONEL
     Don't you love your country?

            JOKER
     Yes, sir.

            COLONEL
     Then how about getting with the program?
     Why don't you jump on the team and come
     on in for the big win?

            JOKER
     Yes, sir!

            COLONEL
     Son, all I've ever asked of my marines is that
     they obey my orders as they would the word
     of God. We are here to help the Vietnamese,
     because inside every gook there is an
     American trying to get out. It's a hardball
     world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until
     this peace craze blows over.

            JOKER
     Aye-aye, sir.


DISSOLVE TO:


66 EXT. FIELD--DAY


  JOKER and RAFTERMAN Walk through a field
  toward a pagoda.


67 EXT. PAGODA--DAY


  Marines are moving supplies. Some men are rest-
  ing on the ground. A helicopter flies overhead.

  Music: Sam the Sham's "Wooly Bully."

            JOKER
     Hey, bro, we're looking for First Platoon,
     Hotel two-five.

            MARINE
     Around the back.

  JOKER and RAFTERMAN lualk to the back of the
  building.

            JOKER
            (to another marine)
     First Platoon?

            MARINE
     Yeah, through there.


68 INT. PAGODA COURTYARD--DAY


  Through a moon-door opening on to the pagoda
  courtyard, We see COWBOY shauing. Other marines
  are sprawled around the courtyard walls.

  JOKER walks up behind COWBOY.

            JOKER
     Hey, Lone Ranger.

            COWBOY
     Holy shit!

            JOKER
     You old motherfucker.

            COWBOY
     It's the JOKER.

            JOKER
     What's happenin'?

  They hug each other.

            COWBOY
     Boy, I hoped I'd never see you again, you
     piece of shit!

            JOKER
            (laughs)
     What's happening, man?

            COWBOY
     Oh, I'm just waiting to get back to the land
     of the big PX.

            JOKER
     Yeah? Well, why go back? Here or there,
     samey-same.

            COWBOY
     Been getting any?

            JOKER
     Only your sister.

            COWBOY
     Well, better my sister than my mom, though
     my mom's not bad.

  COWBOY leads JOKER to the center of the courtyard.

            COWBOY
     This is my bro Joker from the Island. And
     this is...

             JOKER
     Rafterman.

            COWBOY
     ...Rafterman. They're from Stars and
     Stripes. They'll make you famous.

  Adlibs of "All right!"

            COWBOY
     We're the Lusthog Squad. We're life-takers
     and heartbreakers.

  Adlibs.

            COWBOY
     We shoot 'em full of holes and fill 'em full of
     lead.

  Adlibs of "Yeah!" etc.

  A big grunt, ANIMAL MOTHER, approaches JOKER.

  Trouble.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Are you a photographer?

            JOKER
     No ... I'm a combat correspondent.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
            (smiles)
     Oh, you seen much combat?

  JOKER returns the smile.

            JOKER
     Well, I've seen a little on TV.

  The other marines laugh.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     You're a real comedian.

  Some more laughs.

            JOKER
            (pause)
     Well, they call me the JOKER.

  Adlibs. "Oooooooooo!" and laughter.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
            (moves closer)
     Well, I got a joke for you. I'm gonna tear you
     a new asshole.

  Adlibs, laughter.

            JOKER
            (John. Wayne voice)
     Well, pilgrim ... only after you ... eat the
     peanuts out of my shit!

  Loud laughs and shouts.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
            (moves in close)
     You talk the talk. Do you walk the walk?

  Anticipatory adlibs of "Ooooh!" and "Whoooa!"

  EIGHTBALL, a black grunt, gets up and steps between
  JOKER and ANIMAL MOTHER.

            EIGHTBALL
            (to JOKER)
     Now you might not believe it but under fire
     Animal Mother is one of the finest human
     beings in the world.

  Laughter.

            EIGHTBALL
     All he needs is somebody to throw hand
     grenades at him the rest of his life.

  Laughter.

  EIGHTBALL leads ANIMAL MOTHER away.

            COWBOY
            (laughing)
     Come on, sit down. Come on, new guy.

  EIGHTBALL and ANIMAL MOTHER sit down together.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Hey, jungle bunny. Thank God for the sickle
     cell, huh?

            EIGHTBALL
     Yeah, mother.

  CRAZY EARL sits on the ground next to a figure
  sprawled in a chair.

            CRAZY EARL
     Hey ... photographer! You want to take a
     good picture? Here, man ... take this. This
     ... is my bro.

  CRAZY EARL lifts the hat which has been, covering
  the man's face. We see he is a dead N.V.A. soldier.

  Laughter.

            CRAZY EARL
     This is his party. He's the guest of honor.
     Today ... is his birthday.

  Adlibs: "Happy Birthday, zipperhead!" etc.

            CRAZY EARL
     I will never forget this day. The day I came
     to Hue City and fought one million N.V.A.
     gooks. I love the little Commie bastards, man,
     I really do. These enemy grunts are as hard
     as slant-eyed drill instructors. These are
     great days we're living, bros!'We are jolly
     green giants, walking the earth with guns.
     These people we wasted here today ... are
     the finest human beings we will ever know.
     After we rotate back to the world, we're gonna
     miss not having anyone around that's worth
     shooting.


69 EXT. A FIELD, OUTSKIRTS HUE CITY--DAY


  COWBOY's platoon, advancing towards the city in a
  sweep formation behind tanks.

  Cuts of the squad, nervous and alert.

  Mortar rounds explode ahead.

  LIEUTENANT TOUCHDOWN is hit and goes down.

  The platoon dives for cover.

  DOC JAY crawls to him and starts mouth-to-mouth.

  SERGEANT MURPHY crawls up, has a look, moves to
  the back of the tank and picks up a field radio.

  The platoon stays flat.

            MURPHY
     Delta Six Actual, this is Murphy. Over. Delta
     Six Actual, this is Murphy. Over.

            DELTA SIX
            (o.s.)
     Delta Six.

            MURPHY
     Delta Six, we are receiving incoming fire from
     the ville. The Lieutenant is down. We're going
     to stop here and check out what's in front of
     us. Over.

  CRAZY EARL, keeping low, scrambles up to the
  LUSTHOG SQUAD.

            CRAZY EARL
     Okay. Lusthog Squad, listen up! We're gonna
     move up these two roads here and check the
     ville. I want the third team up this road here.
     First and second fire team behind me up this
     other road, okay?

  Adlibs of "Right!" and "Okay!"

            CRAZY EARL
     Let's go! Let's get it done!

  Bending low the squad moves out past the tanks,
  leapfrogging toward some ruined buildings a couple
  of hundred yards in front of them.

  HAND JOB peers cautiously around the corner of a
  house and is killed instantly by a burst of
  automatic fire.

  ANIMAL MOTHER opens fire with his M-60 machine
  gun at some windows where the shots came from.

  Everyone opens fire, blasting chunks out of the
  building with a zillion rounds.

  T.H.E. ROCK fires an M-79 grenade, blowing out a
  window.

  RAFTERMAN photographs the action, his Nikon
  violently shaking.

  The fire slackens.

  Then it gets quiet.

  All their senses alert, everyone watches the
  building, listening hard.

  They reload.

  As CRAZY EARL reloads he spots six V.C. dashing
  across the street fifty yards away. They are out of
  sight in a second.

  Having missed his first chance, CRAZY EARL gets
  set hoping for another.

  Two more V.C. rush out into the open. He fires a
  long burst from his M-16 and they both go down.

  CRAZY EARL turns to the squad with a big grin.

  Music: "Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen. This car-
  ries over through the next scene.


70 EXT. LOW WALL--DAY


  The platoon are hunched down behind a low wall.
  Tanks fire at some distant buildings. A three-man
  TV crew, ducking low, moves past them, filming.

            JOKER
            (John Wayne voice)
     Is that you, John Wayne? Is this me?

            COWBOY
     Hey, start the cameras. This is "Vietnam--
     the Movie!"

            EIGHTBALL
     Yeah, Joker can be John Wayne. I'll be a
     horse!

            DONLON
     T.H.E. Rock can be a rock!

            T.H.E. ROCK
     I'll be Ann-Margret!

            DOC JAY
     Animal Mother can be a rabid buffalo!

            CRAZY EARL
     I'll be General Custer!

            RAFTERMAN
     Well, who'll be the Indians?

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Hey, we'll let the gooks play the Indians!

  Laughter.
 

71 EXT. HUE CITY RUINS--DAY


  The bodies of LIEUTENANT TOUCHDOWN and HAND
  JOB laid out on ground sheets. The LUSTHOG SQUAD
  are gathered around them. The camera moves to
  each man, pausing for them to speak.

            T.H.E. ROCK
     You're going home now.

  Camera move.

            CRAZY EARL
     Semper fi.

  Camera move.

            DONLON
     We're mean marines, sir.

  Camera move.

            EIGHTBALL
     Go easy, bros.

  Camera move.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Better you than me.

            RAFTERMAN
     Well, at least they died for a good cause.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     What cause was that?

            RAFTERMAN
     Freedom.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Flush out your head gear, new guy. You think
     we waste gooks for freedom? This is a
     slaughter. If I'm gonna get my balls blown off
     for a word ... my word is "poontang."

            COWBOY
     Tough break for Hand Job. He was all set to
     get shipped out on a medical.

            JOKER
     What was the matter with him?

            COWBOY
     He was jerkin' off ten times a day.

            EIGHTBALL
     It's no shit. At least ten times a day.

            COWBOY
     Last week he was sent down to Da Nang to
     see the Navy head shrinker, and the crazy
     fucker starts jerking off in the waiting room.
     Instant Section Eight. He was just waiting for
     his papers to clear division.


72 EXT. HUE CITY--VARIOUS PLACES--DAY


  The television crew interviews members of the
  LUSTHOG SQUAD.

            REPORTER
     You ready?

            CAMERAMAN
     Yeah.

            REPORTER
     Turnover.

            CAMERAMAN
     Rolling.

            REPORTER
     Hue City interviews. Roll thirty-four.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Well ... like, like you see, you know, it's a
     major city, so we have to assault with, uh ...
     tanks. So, they send us in first squad ... to
     make sure that there are no little Vietnamese
     waiting with, like, B-40 rockets that blow the
     tanks away. So we clear it out and we roll the
     tanks in and ... basically, blow the place to
     hell.
            (chuckles)

            COWBOY
     When we're in Hue ... when we're in Hue City
     ... it's like a war. You know like what I
     thought about a war, what I thought a war
     was, was supposed to be. There's the enemy,
     kill 'em.

            RAFTERMAN
     Well, I don't think there's any question about
     it. I mean we're the best. I mean all that
     bullshit about the Air Cav ... When the shit
     really hits the fan, who do they call? They call
     Mother Green and her killing machine!

            CRAZY EARL
     Do I think America belongs in Vietnam? Um
     ... I don't know. I belong in Vietnam. I'll tell
     you that.

            DOC JAY
     Can I quote L.B.J.?

            REPORTER
     Sure.

            DOC JAY
            (imitating L.B.J.)
     "I will not send American boys eight or ten
     thousand miles around the world to do a job
     that Asian boys oughtta be doin' for
     themselves."

            EIGHTBALL
     Personally, I think, uh ... they don't really
     want to be involved in this war. I mean ...
     they sort of took away our freedom and gave it
     to the, to the gookers, you know. But they
     don't want it. They'd rather be alive than free,
     I guess. Poor dumb bastards.

            COWBOY
     Well, the ones I'm ... I'm fighting at are some
     pretty bad boys. I'm not real keen on ... some
     of these fellows that are . . . supposed to be on
     our side. I keep meeting'em coming the other
     way. Yeah.

            DONLON
     I mean, we're getting killed for these people
     and they don't even appreciate it. They think
     it's a big joke.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Well, if you ask me, uh, we're shooting the
     wrong gooks.

            RAFTERMAN
     Well, it depends on the situation. I mean,
     I'm--I'm here to take combat photos. But if
     the shit gets too thick, I mean, I'll go to the
     rifle.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     What do I think about America's involvement
     in the war? Well, I think we should win.

            COWBOY
     I hate Vietnam. There's not one horse in this
     whole country. They don't have one horse in
     Vietnam. There's something basically wrong
     with that.
            (laughs)

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Well, if they'd send us more guys and maybe
     bomb the hell out of the North, they might,
     uh, they might give up.

            JOKER
     I wanted to see exotic Vietnam, the jewel of
     Southeast Asia. I wanted to meet interesting
     and stimulating people of an ancient culture
     and ... kill them. I wanted to be the first kid
     on my block to get a confirmed kill.


73 EXT. WRECKED MOVIE THEATER--DAY


  The marines are seated outside the theater on rows
  of broken movie seats.

  A motor-scooter, driven by a young ARVN soldier
  with a pretty teenage Vietnamese HOOKER sitting
  behind him, and pulls up in front of the LUSTHOG
  SQUAD.

  The girl gets off slowly, swinging her hips as she
  walks.

  Adlibs, hoots anal hollers.

            COWBOY
     Ten-hut!

  More hoots and hollers.

            COWBOY
     Good morning, little schoolgirl. I'm a little
     schoolboy, too.

  Adlibs and laughter.

            COWBOY
     What you got there, chief!

  The girl stands facing them, hands on hips.

            ARVN PIMP
     Do you want number one fuckee?

  Adlibs and laughter.

            COWBOY
     Hey, any of you boys want number one
     fuckee?

  Adlibs.

            JOKER
     Oh, I'm so horny. I can't even get a piece of
     hand.

            DONLON
     Hey! Hey! Me want suckee.

            ARVN PIMP
     Suckee, fuckee, smoke cigarette in the
     pussy, she give you everything you want. Long
     time.

  Laughter.

            COWBOY
     Everything you want! All right! How much
     there, chief!

            ARVN PIMP
     Fifteen dolla each.

  Adlibs: "Nooooooo!"

            COWBOY
     Number ten. Fifteen dolla beaucoup money.

  Laughter.

            COWBOY
     Five dolla each.

            ARVN PIMP
     Come on. She love you good. Boom-boom long
     time. Ten dolla.

            COWBOY
     Five dolla.

            ARVN PIMP
     No. Ten dolla.

            COWBOY
     Be glad to trade you some ARVN rifles. Never
     been fired and only dropped once.

  Laughter and derisive adlibs.

            ARVN PIMP
            (angry)
     Okay, five dolla. You give me.

  Adlibs.

            COWBOY
     Okay, okay!

  EIGHTBALL, a black grunt, walks up to the girl.

            EIGHTBALL
     Let's get mounted.

            HOOKER
            (speaks in Vietnamese)

            ARVN PIMP
            (argues in Vietnamese)

            EIGHTBALL
     Something wrong there, chief?

            ARVN PIMP
     She says, uh, no boom-boom with soul
     brotha.

            EIGHTBALL
     Hey, what the mother fuck?

            ARVN PIMP
     She say soul brotha too boo-coo. Too boo-coo.

            EIGHTBALL
     Hey, what is this, man?

            COWBOY
            (breaiting up)
     I think what he's trying to tell you is that
     you black boys pack too much meat.

  Laughter.

            ARVN PIMP
     Too boo-coo. Too boo-coo.

            EIGHTBALL
     Oh, shi-i-i-t! (laughs) This baby-san looks
     like she could suck the chrome off a trailer
     hitch.

  Laughter.

            ARVN PIMP
     She say too boo-coo. Too boo-coo.

            EIGHTBALL
     Uh, excuse me, ma'am. Now what we have
     here, little yellow sister, is a magnificent...
            (takes out his dick)
     . . specimen of pure Alabama blacksnake.
     But it ain't too goddamn boo-coo.

  The girl looks at it.

  Hoots and catcalls.

            TEENAGE HOOKER
     Okay. Okay. Emjee.

  More hoots.

            COWBOY
            (mimicking Vietnamese word)
     Okay! Okay! Emjee! Emjee!

  Adlibs of "Emjee."

  EIGHTBALL starts to lead her away.

            EIGHTBALL
     All right! This is my boogie!

            COWBOY
     Hey, we need a batting order.

  ANIMAL MOTHER grabs the girl's arm, EIGHTBALL
  holds on to the other one.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     I'm going first.

            EIGHTBALL
     Hey, now back off, white bread. Don't get
     between a dog and his meat.

  ANIMAL MOTHER slaps EIGHTBALL on the wrist like
  he's a naughty boy and pushes the girl into the
  movie theater.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
            (jokingly)
     All fucking niggers must fucking hang.

  Adlibs of "Fuck you!" and laughter.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Hey, hey! I won't be long. I'll skip the
     foreplay.

FADE IN:


74 EXT. HUE CITY RUINS--DAY


  The LUSTHOG SQUAD on patrol moves slowly in
  single file, fifteen yards apart, through the ruined,
  smouldering city.

            JOKER
            (voiceover)
     Intelligence passed the word down that during
     the night the N.V.A. had pulled out of our
     area to positions across the Perfume River.
     Our squad is sent on patrol to check out the
     report.

75 INT. BOMBED FACTORY--DAY

  The patrol moves carefully through the gutted shell
  of a building. The clink of their gear as they walk
  sounds loud in the unnatural silence.

  CRAZY EARL stops to pick up a child's stuffed toy.

  BANG!

  The toy triggs a booby trap, blasting CRAZY EARL
  across the room.

  The squad dives for couer.

            COWBOY
     Face outboard and take cover! Do it!

  DOC JAY scurries up to CRAZY EARL, who is
  unconscious and gives him mouth-to-mouth
  resuscitation.

  COWBOY scrambles up to them. He looks at CRAZY
  EARL. Then JOKER runs in.

            DOC JAY
            (stops for a second)
     He aidt gonna make it.

            COWBOY
            (to himself)
     Shit.

  COWBOY doesn't know, what to do. Then he fumbles
  for his field radio.

            COWBOY
     Hotel One Actual, this is Cowboy!

  DOC JAY continues the mouth-to-mouth.

            COWBOY
     Hotel One Actual, this is Cowboy!

            MURPHY
            (o.s.)
     Hotel One. Over

            COWBOY
     Murph, this is Cowboy. Craze is hit. Booby
     trap.

            MURPHY
            (o.s.)
     Roger. Understand. Wait One.

  COWBOY looks around edgily.

            MURPHY
            (o.s.)
     You're senior N.C.O. You take charge and
     continue on with the patrol. Call in at the
     next checkpoint. Over.

            COWBOY
     Roger. Out.

  COWBOY stares at the radio. He looks scared. He
  turns to JOKER.

            COWBOY
     I'm squad leader.

  JOKER punches him reassuringly in the arm.

            JOKER
     I'll follow you anywhere, scumbag.

  DOC JAY stops working over CRAZY EARL and slowly
  looks up.

            DOC JAY
     He's dead.

  The three men stare at the body.


76 EXT. BURNING FALLEN BUILDING--DAY


  The squad moves past a burning five-storey
  building that has collapsed and is lying on its side.


DISSOLVE TO:


77 EXT. LOW CONCRETE WALL--DAY


  EIGHTBALL, on point, studies a map as he walks.
  Then he slours to a stop and signals to halt the
  squad.

  The squad stops ancl crouches down in the rubble.

  EIGHTBALL gestures for COWBOY to move up.

            EIGHTBALL
            (quietly)
     Cowboy!

  COWBOY moves up and they kneel behind a low
  concrete wall.

            COWBOY
     What's up?

            EIGHTBALL
     I think we made a mistake at the last
     checkpoint.

  He shows COWBOY the map.

            EIGHTBALL
     Here ... see what you think. I think we're
     here and we should be here.

  COWBOY studies the map.

            COWBOY
     We're here?

            EIGHTBALL
     Yeah.

            COWBOY
     We should be here?

            EIGHTBALL
     Yeah ...yeah ... that's right.

  COWBOY is confused and scared.

  He checks his compass. Then he peers over the wall
  through his binoculars.

  COWBOY looks back nervously at the squacl strung
  out behind him.

            COWBOY
     Fuck ... What do you think?

            EIGHTBALL
     Well, I think we should change direction.

  EIGHTBALL doesn't sound like he really knows what
  to do either.

  COWBOY knows he has to make a decision.

            COWBOY
     Okay. We'll change direction.

  COWBOY motions to the squad to come up. They
  rattle up and take positions behind the low wall.

            JOKER
     What's up? 

            COWBOY
     Changing direction.

            JOKER
     What, are we lost?

            COWBOY
     Joker, shut the fuck up!

            COWBOY
            (to squad)
     Okay! Listen up! Can you hear me?

  Adlibs of "Yeah!"

            COWBOY
     Okay, we're changing direction. We're heading
     over that way.

  COWBOY points over the wall to some ruined
  buildings across an open space to their Left.

            COWBOY
     Eightball's gonna go out and see if he can
     find a way through.

  EIGHTBALL shrugs, apprehensiuely.

            COWBOY
     Got it?

  Adlibs of "Yeah!"

            COWBOY
     Eightball ... let's dance.

  EIGHTBALL slowly gets to his Knees and peers
  over the wall.

            EIGHTBALL
     Put a nigger behind the trigger.


78 EXT. RUINED STREET HUE--DAY


  EIGHTBALL climbs over the low wall and moves
  cautiously out into the open, heading for the
  damaged buildings.

  The squad covers him.

  EIGHTBALL reaches the buildings and stops to
  study the smoke-filled square.


79 SNIPER P.O.V. -- DAY


  P.O.V. from a concealed position on the second
  floor of a building on the square, an AK-47 rifle is
  slowly raised and aimed at EIGHTBALL.

  EIGHTBALL turns back to wave the rest of the
  squad up.

  BANG!

  The SNIPER fires.

  EIGHTBALL is hit in the leg.

  Seen in slow motion, EIGHTBALL twists and
  crumples to the ground.

  The LUSTHOG SQUAD fires blindly, wildly, at every
  door and window in the direction of the shot.

            COWBOY
     Okay, cease fire! Cease fire, goddamn it!

  Some of the squad keep firing.

            COWBOY
     Cool it, goddamn it! Cool it! Cease fire!

  AdLibs of "Cease fire!"

  The firing stutters to a stop.

            COWBOY
     Okay, listen up! Did anybody see a sniper?
     Did anybody see anything?

            T.H.E. ROCK
            (down the line)
     
Did anybody see a sniper?

            DOC JAY
     No!

            DONLON
     Nothing!

            RAFTERMAN
     Negative!

            T.H.E. ROCK
     Nothing!

  Adlibs of "No!"

            COWBOY
     Okay, then save your ammo! Nobody fire till I
     tell you!

  Seen, in slow, motion, the SNIPER fires again and hits
  EIGHTBALL in the arm. He screams in pain.

  The squad opens fire at buildings facing them.

            COWBOY
     No, no! Cease fire! Cease fire! Animal, cease
     fire!

  Keeping low, DONLON comes up and hands COWBOY
  the radio.

            DONLON
     Cowboy, it's Sergeant Murphy.

            COWBOY
            (into radio)
     This is Cowboy. Over.

            MURPHY
            (o.s.)
     This is Murphy. What is your present
     position? Over.

            COWBOY
     Murph, we're receiving enemy sniper fire.
     Eightball is down. Our position is about half
     a klick north of checkpoint four. Believe pos-
     sible strong enemy force occupying buildings
     in front of us. Request immediate tank
     support. Over.

            MURPHY
            (o.s.)
     Roger. Understand. I'll see what I can do.
     Over.

            COWBOY
     Roger. Over and out.

            COWBOY
            (to Donlon)
     Stay close.

            DONLON
     Got it.

  COWBOY thinks hard for a few seconds.

            COWBOY
            (to squad)
     Okay, listen up! I think we're being set up
     for an ambush. I think there may be strong
     enemy forces in those buildings over there.
     I've requested tank support. We're gonna sit
     tight until it comes, but keep your eyes open.
     If they decide to hit us, we'll have to pull
     back fast.

  The SNIPER fires, wounding EIGHTBALL again, this
  time in the foot. He shrieks in agony.

  Again the squad opens fire.

            COWBOY
     Goddamn it! Hold! Cease your fire, Mother!
     Cease your fucking fire!

  The firing stops.

            DOC JAY
     Cowboy!

            COWBOY
     What?

            DOC JAY
     We can't leave him out there!

            COWBOY
     We're not leaving him! We'll get him when the
     tank comes up.

            DOC JAY
     He's hit three fucking times! He can't wait
     that long!

            COWBOY
     I've seen this before! That sniper's just trying
     to suck us in one at a time!

  The SNIPER fires and hits EIGHTBALL in the thigh.
  His cries echo across the open space ground.

  ANIMAL MOTHER fires madly.

            COWBOY
            (shouting)
     Goddamn it! No!

  The squad continues firing.

            COWBOY
     Goddamn it, cease fire!

  The firing trails off:

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     He's out there alone!

            COWBOY
     Cease fire!

  The firing stops.

            DOC JAY
     Man, fuck this, fuck this shit! I'm going out to
     bring him in!

            COWBOY
     No! You stay the fuck down!

            DOC JAY
     Cover me!

  DOC JAY jumps over the wall and, ducking low, zig-
  zags across the open ground.

  The squad fires to cover him.

  DOC JAY gets there safely and momentarily drops out
  of sight.

            COWBOY
     Goddamn it! Goddamn it! Okay, cease fire!
     He's there!

  Adlibs of "Cease fire!"


80 SNIPER P.O.V.--DAY


  DOC JAY, Seen over the sights of the SNIPER's AK-47,
  drags EIGHTBALL toward cover.


81 EXT. THE SQUARE--DAY


  The SNIPER fires. DOC JAY is hit and falls next to
  EIGHTBALL.

  The squad opens fire again.

            COWBOY
     Hold your fire! Hold your fire!!! Cease fire!
     You can't see the sniper! Save the ammo!
     Nobody fire till I tell you! Nobody!

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     What the fuck do we do now, Cowboy?

            COWBOY
     Gimme that fucking radio.

  DONLON scuttles over with the radio.

            COWBOY
            (into radio)
     Murph? This is Cowboy. Over.

            MURPHY
            (o.s.)
     This is Murphy. Over.

            COWBOY
     Murph, we're in some deep shit. I got two men
     down. What's the story on that fucking tank?
     Over.

            MURPHY
            (o.s.)
     Sorry, Cowboy. No luck so far with the tank.
     Will advise. Over.

            COWBOY
     Roger. Out.
            (muttering to himself)
     Numbnut bastards!
            (to the squad)
     Okay, listen up!

            T.H.E. ROCK
     Listen up!

            COWBOY
     Can't afford to wait for the tank. I think
     they're gonna hit us any minute. When they
     do we won't have time to pull out. We gotta do
     it now. Let's get ready to move.

  No one moves or says anything.

            T.H.E. ROCK
     Get ready to pull out!

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Wait a minute! Hold it! Hold it! Nobody's
     pulling out! There's only one fucking sniper
     out there!

            COWBOY
     Back off, Mother! I'm calling the plays! I say
     we're pulling out!

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Yeah, well, what about Doc Jay and Eightball?

            COWBOY
     I know it's a shitty thing to do, but we can't
     refuse to accept the situation.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Yeah, well, we're not leaving Doc Jay and
     Eightball out there!

            COWBOY
     Doc Jay and Eightball are wasted! You know
     that!

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Bullshit! Come on, you guys! We gotta go
     bring'em back! Let's go get 'em! Let's do it!

            COWBOY
     Stand down, Mother! That's a direct order!

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Fuck you, Cowboy! Fuck all you assholes!

  ANIMAL MOTHER jumps over the wall and runs
  screaming and firing his M-60.

  The squad fires to cover him, blasting chunks of
  mortar and concrete from the buildings.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
            (screaming)
     Fucking son-of-a-bitch! You motherfucker!
     Aaagh! Whooo!

  ANIMAL MOTHER reaches the buildings and drops
  down against a shattered wall. He calls across the
  open street.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Doc! Doc! Doc! Where's the sniper?

  DOC JAY tries to speak.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Doc, where's the sniper?

  Barely able to move, DOC JAY tries to point in the
  direction of the SNIPER.

  Suddenly he and EIGHTBALL are riddled by a burst
  of automatic fire from the SNIPER, Killing them
  instantly.

  ANIMAL MOTHER's eyes widen in horror.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
            (under his breath)
     Shit!

  ANIMAL MOTHER gets to his feet and edges forward to
  the corner of the building.

  He carefully looks around the corner across the
  square at the black building, from where he thinks
  the shots were fired.

  BANG!

  A shot from the SNIPER ricochets off the wall a few
  inches from his head.

  He ducks back around the corner, breathing hard.

  ANIMAL MOTHER looks around and carefully works
  his way to a safer spot behind another building.

  He shouts to the squad.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Hey, Cowboy!

            COWBOY
     Yeah!

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Doc Jay and Eightball are wasted! There's
     only one sniper, nothing else. Move up the
     squad! You're clear up to here! Come on!

  COWBOY isn't sure what to do.

            COWBOY
            (mutters)
     Son-of-a-bitch.

  The squad look to him.

  He takes a couple of thoughtful breaths and decides
  to go.

            COWBOY
     Okay, listen up!

     No-Doze, Stutten, Donlon, Rock--you come
     with me, we'll take a look! The rest of you
     stay put and cover our ass! We may be
     coming back in a big hurry!

            JOKER
     I'm going with you.

            RAFTERMAN
     I'm coming, too.

            COWBOY
     Okay.
            (To the others)
     You all set?

  Adlibs "Yeah!"

            COWBOY
     Let's move out!

            T.H.E. ROCK
     Let's do it!

  The five men clamber over the wall and dash
  across the broken ground to the smouldering
  cluster of buildings.

  When they reach ANIMAL MOTHER he leads them
  to a street off the square where they duck down
  against a shattered building.

  They catch their breath and move forward to the
  next building, where they crouch down against
  the wall.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
            (pointing)
     Cowboy .. . top of the black building,
     around the corner.

  COWBOY cautiously moves to the corner of the
  building and studies the strange-looking black
  building which commands the square.

  Then. he ducks back around the corner, more
  uncertain than ever what they should do.

            COWBOY
     Donlon ... give me that radio.

  COWBOY moves to DONLON to take the radio.
  Facing away from the black building, COWBOY does
  not notice that from the place he has moved to he
  can be seen. by the SNIPER through a jagged hole in
  the building.


83 SNIPER P.O.V. OF COWBOY


  The SNIPER's P.O.V. --COWBOY's upper body is just
  visible through the hole in the building.


84 EXT. SQUARE--DUSK


            COWBOY
     Murphy, this is Cowboy. Over!

  A gunshot reverberates.

  In slow-motion COWBOY falls.

            JOKER
     Cowboy!

  ANIMAL MOTHER starts firing his M-60.

            RAFTERMAN
            (shouting)
     Holy shit! The sniper's got a clean shot
     through the hole in the wall.

  Much yelling, shouting and confusion as the men
  realize where the shot came from.

            JOKER
            (shouting)
     Get him! Get him the fuck outta here!!

  COWBOY is carried behind the building.

  All talk at once.

            JOKER
     Easy! Easy!

            DONLON
     Get him on his back.

  Adlibs.

            COWBOY
            (weakly)
     Oh, I don't believe this shit.

  Adlibs, fumbling for bandages, etc.

            JOKER
     Shut up! You'll be all right, Cowboy.

            T.H.E. ROCK
     Take it easy, Cowboy.

  Four pairs of hands doing things.

            COWBOY
            (moaning)
     Uhhh, that son-of-a-bitch!

            JOKER
     You're gonna be all right.

            T.H.E. ROCK
     You're going home, man. You're going home.

            DONLON
     Easy, man. Easy. Easy.

            COWBOY
     Ohhhh, don't shit me, JOKER! Don't shit me!

            JOKER
     I wouldn't shit you, man. You're my favorite
     turd.

  COWBOY begins to lose consciousness.

            JOKER
     Cowboy...

            DONLON
     Hang on, man. Hang on!

            COWBOY
            (coughs)
     I ... I can hack it.

            T.H.E. ROCK
     You can hack it.

            COWBOY
     I can. I-I...

  COWBOY spits up some blood and dies in JOKER's
  arms. 

  JOKER bends down and hugs COWBOY.

  Nobody moves.

  Then, one by one, they slowly get to their feet.
  JOKER is the last to get up.

  They stand looking at the body.

  ANIMAL MOTHER leaves two men to continue firing
  at the SNIPER, and he scuttles around the corner to
  the group around COWBOY's body.

  He looks at COWBOY and then at JOKER.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Let's go get some payback.

  JOKER looks up slowly.

            JOKER
            (in cold anger)
     Okay.

  ANIMAL MOTHER leads then down a narrow street.

  They stop to take cover behind a building just off
  the square.

  They have to cross the open. square, ruhich would
  give the SNIPER a clear shot at them.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Give 'em some smoke.

  He and JOKER toss three smoke grenades into the
  square. They explode ruith a dull bang.

  They wait while the square slowly fills with
  smoke.

  ANIMAL MOTHER waves and they run out blindly
  through the thick smoke to the other side of the
  square.


85 INT. BLACK BUILDING


  They work their way into the shattered, burning
  building, past twisted steel girders and huge broken
  chunks of concrete.

  They come to a place where they have to split up.
  ANIMAL MOTHER points one way.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Donlon, Rock--that way. You two with me.

  DONLON and T.H.E. ROCK move off as ordered.

  JOKER and RAFTERMAN follow ANIMAL MOTHER the
  other way.

  They come to another place where they have to
  choose which way to go.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
            (pointing)
     JOKER, in there! New Guy with me.

  JOKER cautiously enters one door. ANIMAL MOTHER
  and RAFTERMAN disappear through the other.


86 INT. WRECKED AND BURNING LOBBY--DAY


  JOKER finds himself in what was the lobby of the
  building, a large room, which is on fire, with
  shattered columns, oriental arches, and windows
  with large decorative grillwork.

  JOKER inches slowly into the room.

  He hears a noise, ducks behind a column and peers
  around it.

  He sees a small, b lack-clad figure standing at a
  window - the SNIPER.

  He raises his rifle, aims and squeezes the trigger.

  A loud click.

  In slow motion the SNIPER turns to face JOKER.

  We see the startled face of a beautiful Vietnamese
  girl of about fifteen.

  In slow motion JOKER frantically works the bolt of
  his M-16.

  With the hard eyes of a grunt, the SNIPER fires her
  AK-47 rifle.

  In slow motion JOKER ducks behind the column,
  desperately trying to unjam his M-16 rifle.

  In, slow motion the SNIPER fires and runs down a
  few steps to get a better shot at JOKER.

  The bullets from her AK-47 tear large chunks of
  masonry from the column shielding him.

  Suddenly the SNIPER's body seems to explode as she
  is hit by a burst of automatic fire.

  RAFTERMAN has come up and fires his M-16 into the
  girl's body.

  JOKER stands trembling against the shattered
  column.

  RAFTERMAN snaps another M-16 magazine into
  place, gestures JOKER to stay put, and moves
  forward like Supergrunt to check out the rest of the
  room.

  It's clear.

  He moves to the window, and shouts to the two men
  in the square.

            RAFTERMAN
     We got the sniper!

  The SNIPER lies on the floor, writhing in pain.

  JOKER and RAFTERMAN cautiously approach her.

  RAFTERMAN kicks away her AK-47.

  The two men stare at her in disbelief:

  The SNIPER is a child, no more than fifteen years
  old, a slender Eurasian. angel with dark beautiful
  eyes.

  They are startled by a faint sound.

  They dive for cover.

  They listen.

  ANIMAL MOTHER calls from behind cover at the other
  end of the room.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Joker?

            JOKER
     Yo.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     What's up?

            JOKER
     We got the sniper.

  RAFTERMAN and JOKER circle around the SNIPER as
  DONLON and T.H.E. ROCK and ANIMAL MOTHER walk  up.

            RAFTERMAN
     I saved JOKER's ass. I got the sniper. I fucking
     blew her away.

  RAFTERMAN laughs hysterically, and kisses his rifle.

            RAFTERMAN
     Am I bad? Am I a life-taker? Am I a heart-
     breaker?

  No one pays any attention to RAFTERMAN.

  The SNIPER gasps, whimpers.

  DONLON stares at her.

            DONLON
     What's she saying?

            JOKER
            (after a pause)
     She's praying.

            T.H.E. ROCK
     No more boom-boom for this baby-san. There's
     nothing we can do for her. She's dead meat.

  ANIMAL MOTHER stares down at the SNIPER.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Okay. Let's get the fuck outta here.

            JOKER
     What about her?

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Fuck her. Let her rot.

  The SNIPER prays in Vietnanese.

            JOKER
     We can't just leave her here.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     Hey, asshole ... Cowboy's wasted. You're
     fresh out of friends. I'm running this squad
     now and I say we leave the gook for the
     mother-lovin' rats.

  JOKER stares at ANIMAL MOTHER.

            JOKER
     I'm not trying to run this squad. I'm just
     saying we can't leave her like this.

  ANIMAL MOTHER looks down at the SNIPER.

            SNIPER
            (whimpering)
     Sh . . . sh-shoot . . . me. Shoot . . . me.

  ANIMAL MOTHER looks at JOKER.

            ANIMAL MOTHER
     If you want to waste her, go on, waste her.

  JOKER looks at the SNIPER.

  The four men look at JOKER.

            SNIPER
            (gasping)
     Shoot . . . me . . . shoot . . . me.

  JOKER slowly lifts his pistol and looks into her
  eyes.

            SNIPER
     Shoot . . . me.

  JOKER jerks the trigger.

  BANG!

  The four men are silent.

  JOKER stares down at the dead girl.

            RAFTERMAN
            (laughs)
     JOKER ... we're gonna have to put you up for
     the Congressional Medal of... Ugly!
            (laughs)

  JOKER looks at RAFTERMAN, blankly.

            DONLON
     Hard core, man. Fucking hard core.


87 EXT. BURNING CITY--NIGHT.


  The platoon moves through the city, silhouetted
  against the raging fires. A scene in, hell.

            JOKER
            (narration)
     We have nailed our names in the pages of
     history enough for today. We hump down to
     the Perfume River to set in for the night.

  The marines start to sing.

            MARINE PLATOON
     Who's the leader of the club that's made for
     you and me?
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.
     Hey there. Hi there. Ho there. You're as
     welcome as can be.
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.
     Mickey Mouse. (Mickey Mouse.)
     Mickey Mouse. (Mickey Mouse.)
     Forever let us hold our banner high.
     High. High. High.
     Come along and sing a song and join the
     jamboree.
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.

     Here we go a-marching and a-shouting
     merrily.
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.
     We play fair and we work hard and we're in
     harmony.
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.
     Mickey Mouse. (Mickey Mouse.)
     Mickey Mouse. (Mickey Mouse.)
     Forever let us hold our banner high.
     High. High. High.
     Boys and girls from far and near you're as
     welcome as can be.
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.

     Who's the leader of the club that's made for
     you and me?
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.
     Who is marching coast to coast and far across
     the sea?
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.
     Mickey Mouse. (Mickey Mouse.)
     Mickey Mouse. (Mickey Mouse.)
     Forever let us hold his banner high.
     High. High. High.
     Come along and sing a song and join the
     family.
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.

            JOKER
            (voiceover)
     My thoughts drift back to erect nipple wet
     dreams about Mary Jane Rottencrotch and
     the Great Homecoming Fuck Fantasy. I am so
     happy that I am alive, in one piece and short.
     I'm in a world of shit . . . yes. But I am alive.
     And I am not afraid.

            MARINE PLATOON
            (singing)
     Come along and sing this song and join our family.
     M-I-C-K-E-Y- M-O-U-S-E

  The marines march off into the distance.

            MARINE PLATOON
            (singing)
     Who's the leader of the club that's made for
     you and me?
     M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
     Hey there! Hi there! Ho there!
     You're as welcome as can be.

     Mickey Mouse ...

  The sound fades aulay as the scene fades to black.