Sharpe's Peril - Shooting Script

EPISODE ONE

1. EXT. POPPY FIELDS/VILLAGE #1 - DAY

Fields of POPPIES. Blooms gone, their fat seedheads bow in the breeze. Beyond, the deep blue of far distant mountains.

SUPERIMPOSE: "NORTH EAST INDIA -- 1818"

A GIRL, (5), runs through the poppy fields. Now WE HEAR, the crackle of fire, shots and screams. Behind her, the huts and byres of her small VILLAGE are aflame.

In the thick of it - COLONEL ALEXEI DRAGOMIROV, (40s), of the 3rd Native Cavalry, HUNTING HORN to his lips. With a terrifying war-cry, a particularly FEARSOME INDIAN FIGHTER charges towards him, TULWAR raised to strike.

DRAGOMIROV parries the blow, then counters, driving the FIGHTER back - hacking at him even after he has gone down.

Weeping, the GIRL runs on through the poppy fields.

A NATIVE HORSEMAN canters after her, TULWAR drawn. He closes on the running GIRL and swings his blade.

At the last moment, the GIRL twists aside, and the TULWAR cleaves the air, missing her neck by a hair's breadth.

The HORSEMAN rowels on his reins, turning his HORSE about, and scans the field for his prey, only to see:

Nothing but the poppy stalks, bending in the breeze. Assuming a kill, he gallops away back towards the VILLAGE.

ANGLE ON: A POPPYHEAD - nicked by the blade, a white gum weeping from the incision.

2. EXT. GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE - NIGHT

A ball in progress. Dancing within the residence.

Leaning upon a balustrade, looking out over the gardens where sundry entertainments are in progress, and dressed in the well-worn uniform of a Rifleman, Lt.Col.Richard SHARPE.

In SHARPE's hands, a locket:

ANGLE ON: The locket; a miniature of a GIRL aged about six years of age; a lock of dark hair is curled about the picture.

SHARPE lost in recollection and regret, as we hear:

MARIE-ANGELIQUE (O.S.)
You. Soldier. Dance with me.

SHARPE snaps the locket shut, and turns to see MARIE-ANGELIQUE Bonnet, (20s), a beautiful young woman in a stunning gown.

SHARPE
I do not dance.

MARIE-ANGELIQUE
(playfully)
Do not, sir? Or can not?

SHARPE
Will not, then. If it please you.

MARIE-ANGELIQUE
It does not please me.

SHARPE just looks at her. Laughter off. SHARPE and MARIE-ANGELIQUE turn to find: A cluster of other YOUNG WOMEN fresh off the dance floor looking at them.

MARIE-ANGELIQUE (CONT'D)
I am resolved to step a measure with every man here present, and have a wager of my friends to the same. What do you say to that?

SHARPE
You lose.

SHARPE holds her gaze. MARIE-ANGELIQUE slaps SHARPE across the face, then, turns on her heel and stalks off, passing HARPER who arrives bearing wine.

HARPER
Not lost your touch with the ladies, then.

(off SHARPE's look)

The hell're we doing here, anyway?

SHARPE
You saw the dispatch.

HARPER
Aye. "The Governor requests your presence." But why?

(off SHARPE's shrug)

I'd thought we were for home.

SHARPE
We are. I promise.

A HAVILDAR comes across.

HAVILDAR
Colonel Sharpe?

SHARPE follows the HAVILDAR off. We stay on HARPER -- a cloud of pain mars his features. He puts out a hand to steady himself upon the balustrade. The moment passes.

3. EXT. GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE/GARDENS - NIGHT

The HAVILDAR leads SHARPE to a PAVILION TENT in the garden.

HAVILDAR
One moment, sir.

HAVILDAR enters the tent. A beat, and DRAGOMIROV emerges.

DRAGOMIROV
Damn the man! Damn him to hell!

(seeing SHARPE, he smiles)

God rot all quill suckers! Hmm? We sweat and bleed and die upon their whim, and for what thanks?

SHARPE
It's gratitude you're after, happen you joined the wrong army.

DRAGOMIROV
You may well be right, at that. Colonel..?

SHARPE
Sharpe. Richard Sharpe.

DRAGOMIROV
Count Vladimir Alexeivich Dragomirov. 3rd Native Horse. You've business with the Governor?

SHARPE
So I'm told.

DRAGOMIROV
If you hope upon a fat commission, take thought. These Company placemen care little to make any man wealthy but their shareholders.

SHARPE
I've no thought for a commission, fat or otherwise. I'm retired.

DRAGOMIROV
Ah! The happiest of man's estates. I wish you joy of it...

HAVILDAR emerges from the tent.

DRAGOMIROV (CONT'D)
...and, it would appear, bid you goodnight. But tread lightly. Sedgefield's a wily old devil.

DRAGOMIROV walks off.

Viscount SEDGEFIELD, (60s), emerges from the tent.

HAVILDAR
Your Excellency, Colonel Sharpe. Colonel, His Excellency Viscount Sedgefield, Governor of the province.

SEDGEFIELD
I'm told you've a nose for mischief, Colonel Sharpe.

SEDGEFIELD walks back towards the Ballroom, and SHARPE falls into step alongside.

SHARPE
Told, sir?

SEDGEFIELD waves a letter in SHARPE's general direction.

SEDGEFIELD
His Grace. Lord Wellington... This late rebellion only recently put down, we find ourselves alas already facing fresh danger. Bandits, Sharpe. In the high hills. Under thrall of a cut-throat named Chitu, and causing no end of havoc with Company operations. Villages put to fire and sword. The harvest disrupted.

SHARPE
I'm sorry to hear it.

SEDGEFIELD
Indeed. A Company squadron under Count Dragomirov has been dispatched to find this Chitu, but so far without success. You are requested, upon the highest authority, to do better.

SHARPE
I am no longer in service of His Majesty. My business in India concluded, I'm for Calcutta, and England.

SEDGEFIELD
I cannot persuade you..?

SHARPE's silence is answer enough.

SEDGEFIELD (CONT'D)
Perhaps, then, might at least you be prevailed upon to perform one last duty, in which, I assure you, there is no peril to yourself.

SHARPE
If I can.

SEDGEFIELD
I have in my care a property, like yourself, bound for the North. May I look to you for its conveyance?

SHARPE
Aye. Very well.

SEDGEFIELD
Your word?

SHARPE
What is it, then, this property?

They have reached the Ballroom. A throng of ladies is outside. One of them turns to greet SEDGEFIELD.

SEDGEFIELD looks to: MARIE-ANGELIQUE.

SEDGEFIELD
Colonel Sharpe, I have the honour to present Mademoiselle Marie-Angelique Bonnet.

SHARPE reacts.

4. SCENE DELETED

5. EXT. ROAD - DAY

MARIE-ANGELIQUE rides some way ahead of SHARPE and HARPER.

HARPER
Who is she?

SHARPE
Damned if I know! Her fiance's a Company Major, name of Joubert. Stationed at Kalimgong.

HARPER
Where in God's arse is Kalimgong?

SHARPE
Company Hill Station. On our way, Sedgefield says.

(off HARPER's reaction)

Trust me, Pat. For all she's a haughty piece, she were the best of a bad bargain.

HARPER
I don't know. The other might not have been so bad. And maybe a bit of gold for our trouble at the end of it.

SHARPE
Gold? The only thing at the end of that road is death. I'm too bloody wore out for that game. We're for home, Pat. Straight home. And no bugger's stopping us.