Shakespeare and the Courtesan
by Paul Streitz
[email protected]
www.shakespeareidentified.com
REGISTRATION: WGA 1722944
EXT. SCOTLAND GLASGOW UNIVERSITY - AFTERNOON
NOTE: DIALOGUE There are two principal groups in this film:
the English and the Italians. It should be made clear in the
accents that these are different cultures when speaking
English. The English parts should all be spoken with a
distinctive English accent. The Italian parts should all be
spoken with an European Italian accent, not an American
Italian accent. Oxford should undergo rehearsal to speak
his Italian lines correctly.
2014 students are walking to class, backpacks, males, females
contemporary clothing, talking on iPhones.
OXFORD (LATE 20's) appears out of nowhere. He is dressed in
a rather sporty sport coat, turtle neck, slacks.
The students walk past him without noticing. One female
student walks straight toward him, closer and closer. He
does not move. Then she walks through him and continues on
the other side.
OXFORD
If thou didst ever hold me in thy
heart
Absent thee from felicity a while,
And in this harsh world
Draw thy breath in pain
To tell my story.
Oxford turns and watches her walk away.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
I have absented myself from felicity
a while, to tell my own story, or at
least a good part of it. This act
is "My Travels to Italia."
It begins with Professor. Ernesto
Grillo, who, in the 1930's, was a
professor of English literature at
this Glasgow University.
Ox ford waves his arm. The students walking by are now
dressed in 1930's style.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
He accepted the position before World
War II and stayed here the rest of
his life.
2.
Oxford waves his hand.
INT. SCOTLAND GLASGOW CLASSROOM - AFTERNOON
ERNESTO GRILLO (40's) speaking with an Italian accent is
lecturing before a class of students.
GRILLO
William Shakespeare of Stratfordupon-Avon visited Italy. That is
incontestable. The frequent use he
made of Italian poems and novella
points to only one conclusion, that
he was fluent in both reading and
speaking Italian.
Often he understands the differences
in dialect between the various cities
of Italy. There were no translations
of many of the Italian works he used
in England at the time of his writing
these glorious works.
Oxford is standing at the side of the classroom. No one
sees him. He nods his head in approval to what Grillo is
speaking. Oxford is listening and reacting.
GRILLO (CONT'D)
In the tales by Ser Giovanni
Fiorentino, there is the whole plot
of The Merchant of Venice.
In Cinthio's Hecatomiti, there is
the whole plot of Othello.
In the adventures of Isabella, there
is the whole plot of Measure for
Measure.
OXFORD
Ah yes, the wonders of Cinthio's
Novelle.
GRILLO
But the man from Stratford does more
than borrow plots from the Italian
poets, novelists and playwrights.
He breathes the life of the Italian
cities, the colors of the sky and
the blue of the Mediterranean.
(MORE)
3.
GRILLO (CONT'D)
Shakespeare's knowledge of Italy is
so staggering that we can only
conclude that he visited Venice.
Yes, two plays staged in Venice.
And the cities of Milan, Mantua,
Padua and Verona. We must also
conclude that he did not visit Rome,
the site of the Pope, because nowhere
are there any descriptions of the
Holy City. We can therefore conclude,
because we know the life of William
Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon,
that Shakespeare visited Italy in
the summer of 1594 through the next
year, the summer of 1595.
Oxford is at the back of the classroom.
OXFORD
T'is so. T'is so. But the dates
are wrong.
(Waves his arm)
INT. VENICE 1574 BALLROOM - NIGHT
A rousing, drunken affair. Much carousing, dancing, etc.
More opulent and decadent than England.
Paintings, statues, tapestries. Oxford is accompanied by
GIOVANNI FLORIO (30'S). Florio bows and then whispers
Oxford's ear. Florio brings Oxford over to a number of women.
FLORIO
Miei cari signore, posso presentare
Edward De Vere, 17 conte di Oxford.
The women curtsey. Oxford goes over to one, bows and puts
out his hand. The woman takes it and they step out to dance.
The music swirls.
The ball goes on. Oxford dances with many and is particularly
attracted to a woman VERONICA FRANCO (late' 20's) in the
yellow dress. He catches her staring at him and when he
notices her. She looks the other way and runs her hand
through her hair. She is interested.
Oxford ends dancing with his partner.
returns to the side of Florio.
He bows to her and
4.
OXFORD
Signore Florio, the woman in the
yellow dress. The one with the fan.
FLORIO
Il Vostro, Eccelenza. Lei e molto
pericoloso. Veronica Franco.
OXFORD
I understand that she is very
dangerous. But very, very.
FLORIO
Splendida.
Splendida.
OXFORD
Yes, beautiful indeed.
FLORIO
Veronica Franco.
Veronica.
OXFORD
Is she?
FLORIO
Niente affatto. Il più grande
cortigiana a Venezia.
OXFORD
The greatest courtesan in Venice.
Will you introduce me?
FLORIO
Naturalmente!
Oxford and Florio walk over to where Veronica and three women
are standing.
FLORIO (CONT'D)
Le mie signore, mi scusi, ma lasciate
che mi permetta di introdurre, Edward
de Vere, 17 conte di Oxford, che
visita la nostra fiera Venezia
dall'Inghilterra.
Oxford bows and kisses the hand of each female.
OXFORD
La signorina Veronica, vuoi mi onorare
con il piacere di questa danza.
5.
VERONICA
Naturalmente, Conte di Oxford.
The ball goes on. Musicians play. Courtiers woo ladies.
Ladies respond. Oxford and Veronica drink wine and dance
again.
FADE TO BLACK:
INT. VENICE BEDROOM - MORNING
The light is shining in through shuttered windows. Veronica,
dressed in a nightgown, her shoulders showing, goes to the
windows and opens it. Light streams into the room. She
turns toward Oxford lying in the bed.
VERONICA
Conte di Oxford. Buongiorno.
Buongiorno. È ora di svegliarsi.
La giornata sta iniziando
Oxford is sleepy.
He slowly wakes.
OXFORD
Yes, I know it is morning. After
the evening comes the morning. After
the wine comes the headache. After
the dance.
VERONICA
Comes the bedroom.
OXFORD
Yes, comes the bedroom.
EXT. VENICE GRAND CANAL - MORNING
Florio is exiting a gondola and entering a house.
up the stairs.
EXT. VENICE APARTMENT OUTSIDE THE DOOR - MORNING
Florio knocks on the door.
FLORIO
Conte di Oxford. Buongiorno.
Buongiorno.
INT. VENICE BEDROOM - MORNING
Oxford goes to the front door.
He goes
6.
OXFORD
Signore Florio, what is it?
you want? Cosa vuoi?
What do
EXT. VENICE BEDROOM OUTSIDE THE DOOR - MORNING
FLORIO
Conte di Oxford. Today, we go to
the magnificent studio of Tiziano
Vercello, Titian.
INT. VENICE BEDROOM - MORNING
On the other side of the door.
OXFORD
Yes, ah yes. I was, I was detained.
We will be down in a few minutes.
Veronica, come along. Get dressed.
We go to visit the artist. The great
artist.
VERONICA
Of, course. It will be a pleasant
day. We will visit Signor Titian.
OXFORD
You know him?
VERONICA
Of course. Signore Titian is renowned
through the world. All famous people
coming to Venice see him. Kings,
dukes, earls.
OXFORD
You have been there.
VERONICA
Several times. The paintings are
magnificio. They are sent all over
the world.
EXT. VENICE GRAND CANAL - MORNING
Florio is outside the door waiting. Oxford and Veronica
come out of the building. Oxford (Looking very tired), and
Veronica, looking very bright and alert. She has worn him
out.
They board a gondola and begin to travel down the canal.
7.
OXFORD
È lontano?
VERONICA
No, è ma un breve viaggio.
OXFORD
You said, many people visit Titian?
VERONICA
Yes, kings, princes, dukes, earls.
They all want to have their portrait
done by Titian.
OXFORD
A very fortunate artist.
VERONICA
He is a very healthy man. He was as
fortunate as any other artisan. He
has received nothing from the heavens
but favor and felicity. He is a man
who is very well bred. He has the
gentlest of habits and manners. He
has had many rivals in Venice, but
none of great worth.
OXFORD
There were other painters in Venice.
VERONICA
He easily surpassed them. The
excellence of his art. His ability
to deal with and to make himself
pleasing to the nobility.
OXFORD
How old is he. He must be a very
old man.
VERONICA
Very old. No one knows. He seems
to become three years older every
year. He adds to his age to increase
his stature.
Oxford says nothing.
VERONICA (CONT'D)
I am told you are a poet.
8.
OXFORD
Who told you? The ladies of the
court.
VERONICA
It is always told who is coming to
Venice, what and who they are. It
is said you are a poet from
Inghilterra.
OXFORD
Yes, I am a poet and a playwright.
I have written some plays.
VERONICA
Performed in the theaters?
OXFORD
No. Performed at court for the
pleasure of her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth.
VERONICA
It is too bad the people of London
cannot see them.
OXFORD
But they do. There are theaters.
Theaters in taverns and inns. The
Bull, the Red Lion, the Bell Inn.
VERONICA
You have no proper theater?
No.
OXFORD
There is none in London.
VERONICA
Ah, dalla campagna.
OXFORD
From the countryside. From the
countryside indeed. Yes, you are
right. I am from the county side.
They travel along the Grand Canal until they reach the Ca'
Grande, the artistic studio of TITIAN.
9.
EXT. VENICE TITIAN'S STUDIO - MORNING
They disembark. It is an immense four story building. TITIAN
(80's, TIZIANO VECELLO) greets Oxford as they disembark from
the gondola. Florio and Veronica accompany Oxford.
TITIAN
Buongiorno, signor Oxford.
OXFORD
Buongiorno, signor Tiziano.
TITIAN
Buongiorno, signorina Franco.
VERONICA
Buongiorno, signor Tiziano.
TITIAN
Lei ha avuto un buono soggiorno in
Vencie?
OXFORD
Meraviglioso, signor Tiziano.
Titian bows.
They walk inside.
TITIAN
My noble prince, from childhood, I,
Titian of Cadore, have endeavored to
learn the craft of painting. Not
out of avarice, but in order to earn
a modicum of fame and for my family.
I have been most urgently requested
in the past and in the present by
His Holiness the Pope and other
gentlemen to enter into their service.
I have always cherished the wish, as
a true and faith faithful subject of
our Excellency the Doge of Venice to
leave a monument to his famous city.
They continue to walk by paintings. There are assistants
working on canvases, working on the details. Paintings of
all sorts are stacked around.
TITIAN (CONT'D)
I do not believe that I shall ever
achieve the tenderness or skill of a
10.
TITIAN (CONT'D)
Michelangelo or the man from Urbino,
nor Corregigio.
But the natural talent I possess,
which is not less than theirs allows
me to take a new direction that has
made me famous for something in the
same way the others became famous
for what they do.
INT. VENICE TITIAN'S STUDIO - MORNING
The bottom floor is filled with paintings by Titian: Venus
of Ubanis, Battle of Lepanto, portraits of nobles and kings,
etc., etc. Large paintings. Assistances and painters move
about, working on the paintings.
TITIAN
Will you stay many months in Venice?
OXFORD
I will stay two months. Then I travel
to Padua, south to Naples, then to
Palermo.
They continue to walk and look at the paintings.
TITIAN
If the grand designs I have in my
mind and in my heart truly correspond
with what my hands and brushes have
created, then I have satisfied my
wish to serve my patrons.
Would you like to see something I am
working on?
OXFORD
Of course.
They continue to walk until they reach a wall where there
are several paintings hanging with the portrait side is facing
the wall. Only one painting has the face showing.
TITIAN
This is a portrait of the diplomat
Baidassare Castiglione.
OXFORD
Il libro del cortegiano.
of the Courtier.
The Book
11.
TITIAN
You know of it.
OXFORD
Yes, it is read by every king and
duke in Christendom. He has drawn
for us the figure and model of a
courtier. A work to which nothing
can be added. There is no redundant
word. A portrait of the courtier
which we shall recognize as that of
the highest and most perfect type of
man.
I have read it in Italian. It has
not been translated into Latin as
yet.
TITIAN
You are that man? The courtier?
OXFORD
I serve my queen with what skills I
have.
Titian turns to the portrait.
TITIAN
I have laid down a bed of color.
The portrait has been here a few
months. I wait until I am disposed
to bring the brush to the portrait
again.
Titian motions and an assistant comes over with a palette
and brushes. Titian makes very slight strokes on the face
and beard with the brushes.
He moves closer and hands the palette to his assistant.
TITIAN (CONT'D)
I now must breathe life into the
face.
He then uses the tips of his fingers to blend one color into
another. He takes a dab of paint off the pallet held by his
assistant. He puts it on the painting and takes a step back.
TITIAN (CONT'D)
Finto. As God may will it.
as perfect as I can paint.
It is
12.
Titian turns to Oxford.
TITIAN (CONT'D)
Signor Oxford, you must excuse me.
I am but an old man and require rest.
Please go about my studio and observe.
Signorina has been here before. She
is an astute student of the arts.
She may answer what questions you
have.
Titian bows.
As does Oxford.
Titian leaves.
OXFORD
Buongiorno, Signor Vecello.
INT. VENICE TITIAN'S VENUS AND ADONIS PORTRAIT - MORNING
Oxford goes closer to the painting and continues to stare.
Lost in thought. Veronica approaches and puts her arm in
his and gently moves him away.
They walk away to look at other paintings.
VERONICA
There is much to see.
Veronica and Oxford walk among the paintings.
each painting to him.
She explains
They come to a painting.
VERONICA (CONT'D)
This is...
OXFORD
The Death of Actaeon.
He goes closer.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
In Ovid's account in the
Metamorphoses, Actaeon surprises Diana
bathing naked in a stream. She
transforms him into a stag.
VERONICA
Then he is torn to pieces by his own
hounds.
OXFORD
Yes.
13.
VERONICA
The moral of the story is "do not
look upon a naked goddess --without
her permission."
Oxford and Veronica continue to walk and admire the paintings.
Most often saying nothing. The paintings are huge.
Staggering in color and intensity.
OXFORD
And this?
VERONICA
Emperor Charles V, on Horseback, at
Mühlberg.
They approach the painting Venus and Adonis with a hat.
VERONICA (CONT'D)
Signor Oxford. This is.
OXFORD
Venus ed Adonis.
VERONICA
Yes, Venus and Adonis. Titian has
painted many the same. They are in
courts throughout Europe.
Yes.
OXFORD
But this one has a bonnet.
VERONICA
A what?
A bonnet.
cappello.
OXFORD
A hat. A cap.
Un
VERONICA
Yes.
OXFORD
I have heard of many others described.
But none was described with Adonis
wearing a bonnet.
VERONICA
True. I have seen others as well.
None had Adonis with un cappello.
14.
OXFORD
Why would Titian paint Adonis with
un cappello?
VERONICA
I do not know.
Oxford walks up to the painting. He stares at the painting.
The camera shows the painting in great detail. Then Oxford
slowly merges into the painting and then out into the setting
of the painting, an English park wearing the clothes of
Adonis, including the cap.
EXT. ENGLAND COUNTRY PARK - EVENING
VENUS (40'S) ACTRESS DOUBLES AS QUEEN ELIZABETH.
seducing Adonis/Oxford. Oxford is on a horse.
She is
The action as Venus describes it.
NOTE: This is a long monologue of seduction. It requires
creative staging, costumes and acting to make the scene come
alive. The dialogue can be cut, if necessary, to fit the
artistic vision of director and staff.
VENUS
Vouchsafe, thou wonder, to alight
thy steed,
And rein his proud head to the saddlebow;
If thou wilt deign this favour, for
thy meed
A thousand honey secrets shalt thou
know:
Here come and sit, where never serpent
hisses,
And being set, I'll smother thee
with kisses;
Oxford dismounts.
VENUS (CONT'D)
And yet not cloy thy lips with loathed
satiety,
But rather famish them amid their
plenty,
Making them red and pale with fresh
variety,
Ten kisses short as one, one long as
twenty:
(MORE)
15.
VENUS (CONT'D)
A summer's day will seem an hour but
short,
Being wasted in such time-beguiling
sport.
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
I have been woo'd, as I entreat thee
now,
Even by the stern and direful god of
war,
Whose sinewy neck in battle ne'er
did bow,
Who conquers where he comes in every
jar;
Yet hath he been my captive and my
slave,
And begg'd for that which thou unask'd
shalt have.
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Over my altars hath he hung his lance,
His batter'd shield, his uncontrolled
crest,
And for my sake hath learn'd to sport
and dance,
To toy, to wanton, dally, smile and
jest,
Scorning his churlish drum and ensign
red,
Making my arms his field, his tent
my bed.
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Thus he that overruled I oversway'd,
Leading him prisoner in a red-rose
chain:
Strong-tempered steel his stronger
strength obey'd,
Yet was he servile to my coy disdain.
O, be not proud, nor brag not of thy
might,
For mastering her that foil'd the
god of fight!
Continued
16.
VENUS (CONT'D)
Touch but my lips with those fair
lips of thine,-Though mine be not so fair, yet are
they red-The kiss shall be thine own as well
as mine.
What seest thou in the ground? Hold
up thy head:
Look in mine eye-balls, there thy
beauty lies;
Then why not lips on lips, since
eyes in eyes?
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Art thou ashamed to kiss? Then wink
again,
And I will wink; so shall the day
seem night;
Love keeps his revels where they are
but twain;
Be bold to play, our sport is not in
sight:
These blue-vein'd violets whereon we
lean
Never can blab, nor know not what we
mean.
Continued
VENUS
The tender spring upon thy tempting
lip
Shows thee unripe; yet mayst thou
well be tasted:
Make use of time, let not advantage
slip;
Beauty within itself should not be
wasted:
Fair flowers that are not gather'd
in their prime
Rot and consume themselves in little
time.
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Were I hard-favour'd, foul, or
wrinkled-old,
(MORE)
17.
VENUS (CONT'D)
Ill-nurtured, crooked, churlish,
harsh in voice,
O'erworn, despised, rheumatic and
cold,
Thick-sighted, barren, lean and
lacking juice,
Then mightst thou pause, for then I
were not for thee
But having no defects, why dost abhor
me?
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Thou canst not see one wrinkle in my
brow;
Mine eyes are gray and bright and
quick in turning:
My beauty as the spring doth yearly
grow,
My flesh is soft and plump, my marrow
burning;
My smooth moist hand, were it with
thy hand felt,
Would in thy palm dissolve, or seem
to melt.
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Bid me discourse, I will enchant
thine ear,
Or, like a fairy, trip upon the green,
Or, like a nymph, with long
dishevell'd hair,
Dance on the sands, and yet no footing
seen:
Love is a spirit all compact of fire,
Not gross to sink, but light, and
will aspire.
CONTINUED
VENUS (CONT'D)
Witness this primrose bank whereon I
lie;
These forceless flowers like sturdy
trees support me;
Two strengthless doves will draw me
(MORE)
18.
VENUS (CONT'D)
through the sky,
From morn till night, even where I
list to sport me:
Is love so light, sweet boy, and may
it be
That thou shouldst think it heavy
unto thee?
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Is thine own heart to thine own face
affected?
Can thy right hand seize love upon
thy left?
Then woo thyself, be of thyself
rejected,
Steal thine own freedom and complain
on theft.
Narcissus so himself forsook,
And died to kiss his shadow in the
brook.
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Torches are made to light, jewels to
wear,
Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for
the use,
Herbs for their smell, and sappy
plants to bear:
Things growing to themselves are
growth's abuse
Seeds poring from seeds, and beauty
breedeth beauty
Thou wast begot; to get it is thy
duty.
CONTINUED
VENUS (CONT'D)
Ay me, young, and so unkind?
What bare excuses makest thou to be
gone!
I'll sigh celestial breath, whose
gentle wind
Shall cool the heat of his descending
sun:
I'll make a shado for the of my hairs;
(MORE)
19.
VENUS (CONT'D)
If they burn too, I'll quench them
with my tears.
Continued
VENUS
The sun that shines from heaven shines
but warm,
And, lo, I lie between that sun and
thee:
The heat I have from thence doth
little harm,
Thine eye darts forth the fire that
burneth me;
And were I not immortal, life were
done
Between this heavenly and earthly
sun.
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Art thou obdurate, flinty, hard as
steel,
Nay, more than flint, for stone at
rain relenteth?
Art thou a woman's son, and canst
not feel
What 'tis to love? How want of love
tormenteth?
O, had thy mother borne so hard a
mind,
She had not brought forth thee, but
died unkind.
Continued
VENUS
What am I, that thou shouldst condemn
me this?
Or what great danger dwells upon my
suit?
What were thy lips the worse for one
poor kiss?
Speak, fair; but speak fair words,
or else be mute:
Give me one kiss, I'll give it thee
again,
And one for interest, if thou wilt
have twain.
20.
Continued
VENUS
Fie, lifeless picture, cold and
senseless stone,
Well-painted idol, image dun and
dead,
Statue contenting but the eye alone,
Thing like a man, but of no woman
bred!
Thou art no man, though of a man's
complexion,
For men will kiss even by their own
direction.
Continued
VENUS (CONT'D)
Within this limit is relief enough,
Sweet bottom-grass and high delightful
plain,
Round rising hillocks, brakes obscure
and rough,
To shelter thee from tempest and
from rain
Then be a deer since I am such a
park
No dog shall rouse thee, though a
thousand bark.
Continued
VENUS
Fondling, since I have hemm'd thee
here,
Within the circuit of this ivory
pale,
I'll be a park, and thou shalt be my
deer:
Feed where thou wilt, on mountain or
in dale:
Graze on my lips; and if those hills
be dry,
Stray lower, where the pleasant
fountains lie.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. VENICE THEATER - EVENING
Oxford is sitting in the seat on the aisle.
sitting next to him.
Veronica is
21.
A man four rows ahead, across the aisle from Oxford, keeps
looking back. Once, twice. Oxford notices him. The man
turns away. Then looks back. He gets up and walks toward
Oxford and Veronica.
AUDIENCE MEMBER
Bella, bella. La signorina Franco.
It is so beautiful.
He turns to Oxford.
AUDIENCE MEMBER (CONT’D) (CONT'D)
Signor, you are so lucky the poetry
is so lyrical, so beautiful.
Oxford takes this as the complement is meant for him.
OXFORD
Really.
AUDIENCE MEMBER
You have not heard? All Venice has
heard, signorina Franco, has had her
poetry published, in this little
volume.
Oxford is taken aback that she is a poet.
AUDIENCE MEMBER (CONT'D)
Just this year. In Venice.
He pulls out the book.
Begins to recite the poetry.
AUDIENCE MEMBER (CONT'D)
This letter your Veronica writes to
you,
Ungrateful lord and disloyal lover,
She who lives in constant mistrust
of you.
Faithless man, you know full well,
How many ways I've assured you of my
love,
Ways I never revealed to anyone else.
Members of the audience turn to watch him. This only
encourages him to make the audience his stage.
AUDIENCE MEMBER (CONT'D)
My charm and my beauty,
Is still prized and valued by many
(MORE)
22.
AUDIENCE MEMBER (CONT'D)
noble souls,
But so that I may see and speak to
you in person,
That you answer me with your own
mouth,
And that you come to me in a few
hours time.
The audience applauds this small performance.
Member comes toward her.
The Audience
AUDIENCE MEMBER (CONT'D)
Signorina Franco,
Let me kiss the hand, no the fingers
of the hand that wrote such lovely
verses.
Veronica extends her hand. With much ceremony. He kisses
it. He bows, and goes back to his seat. Some members of
the audience applaud.
Oxford looks at Veronica. She looks back.
down to black as the performance begins.
The lights go
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. VENICE BEDROOM - NIGHT
Oxford and Veronica are lying in bed.
side of the table.
Candles are on each
OXFORD
(Softly)
Read to me.
She takes out a book of poetry and reads.
VERONICA
I would die with you, felled by the
same blow,
Oh, empty hopes, over which cruel
fate forces me to weep forever,
But hold firm, my strong, undaunted
heart,
And with that felon's final
destruction,
Avenge your thousand deaths with
this one,
Then end your agony with the same
blade.
23.
She looks over and Oxford is asleep.
She blows out the candle.
She kisses him gently.
EXT. VENICE OUTDOOR RESTAURANT - DAY
Oxford and Florio are sitting in a café eating overlooking
the Grand Canal. They are eating and drinking wine. A
messenger arrives and stands at their table.
MESSENGER
Lord Oxford?
OXFORD
Yes?
MESSENGER
I have a message from Count Foscari,
an invitation to dine.
Oxford takes the message opens it.
Reads it.
OXFORD
(Reading)
It is a message to dine at noon at
the Villa Foscari in two days time.
Where is the Villa Foscari? It is
obviously on terra firma.
FLORIO
It is a magnificent villa, on the
Brenta Canal. The Foscari are one
of the oldest families in Venice.
It is magnificent. It has wonderful
gardens on the side of the house.
OXFORD
How far is it?
FLORIO
Twenty miles for the day.
OXFORD
Twenty miles?
FLORIO
Five miles on the ferry to the
Tranect. Five miles to the Villa
Foscari. Then return.
I see.
OXFORD
What is the Tranect?
24.
FLORIO
It is at Lizza Fusina where the ferry
arrives. The Tranect is where the
boats are pulled across from the
lagoon across dry land into the canal.
And the reverse. There is machinery
there. Horses operate it.
OXFORD
(To messenger)
Tell Count Foscari, we will be
delighted. We will be at the Tranect.
In the early morning. Two mornings
hence.
Messenger bows and leaves.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
We are very popular in Italy.
FLORIO
Yes, Venice has guests from all over
the world. Yet, we receive few from
England. It is far. The way is
long.
OXFORD
Perhaps that will change.
FLORIO
And your business with the Doge this
morning. It went well?
OXFORD
Yes, I delivered the Queen's message.
The English ambassador was there.
The Doge welcomes English ships to
come to Venice to trade. Now that
Spain is concerned more with the New
World, there will be more access
through the Mediterranean for English
ships.
FLORIO
Excellent.
Messenger Two arrives and stands by the table.
MESSENGER TWO
A message for Lord Oxford.
25.
OXFORD
We are even more popular in Venice,
than I thought.
He takes the message.
Reads it.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
It is an invitation from Domenico
Venier to meet at his salon, this
Saturday evening, at seven in the
evening.
FLORIO
Delightful. These evenings are full
of gaiety. Music is played. The
wine flows. Poetry is read.
Oxford is delighted.
OXFORD
We are being welcomed in
(sings)
Oh, Venezia,
My heart belongs to Venezia
There is no other
But the pale blue of your waters,
The magnificence of your shores,
The excellence of your art.
Oh, Venezia
My heart belongs to Venezia.
They both drink more wine.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. VENICE FERRY - DAY
Oxford and Florio are on a ferry to the mainland. They land
at Lizza Fusina. They go past the Tranect and the machinery
that pulls the boats across the strip of land that separates
the lagoon with its salt water from the fresh water of the
Brenta Canal.
They board the canal boat pulled by two mules, and they travel
through the countryside.
EXT. VENICE VILLA FOSCARI GARDEN SIDE - DAY
Oxford and Florio arrive at the villa Foscari. They are
escorted to the house where COUNT FOSCARI (40's) meets them.
The house faces the canal.
26.
Greetings.
FOSCARI
Welcome to Italy.
OXFORD
Greetings, from our majesty,
Elizabeth, Queen of England.
They bow and shake hands.
They walk toward the villa.
FOSCARI
You must be tired from your journey.
Cramped from sitting. Let us take a
walk around the garden. Then we
shall dine in the household.
OXFORD
The garden is magnifico!
FOSCARI
Thank you. We enjoy a quiet walk in
the morning. It soothes one's soul.
OXFORD
No doubt this is a noble effort,
worth doing.
FOSCARI
We in Venice live by trade. We are
always influenced and threatened by
forces beyond our control.
OXFORD
The Turks?
FOSCARI
Yes, we trade with them. And they
attack us. Enslaving our sailors to
life on the galley. Attacking
Christian islands. If they had
conquered Malta, they would have
controlled the Mediterranean. From
that central island they would have
attempted to conquer Sicily. Then
Venice.
OXFORD
But they did not.
FOSCARI
No. Through the heroism of Valleta
and the honest knights of Malta,
they were defeated.
27.
OXFORD
What now?
FOSCARI
They will always be our enemy.
will always try to enslave us.
They
They look at the villa.
FOSCARI (CONT’D) (CONT'D)
My father and uncle, Nicolo and Luigi
Foscari commissioned Andrea Palladio
to design and build the villa. It
was completed in 1560, fourteen years
ago.
They walk about.
FOSCARI (CONT'D)
It is built on a high pedestal because
we are so low and the villa is subject
to flooding. There is no subterranean
basement. Most villas have farm
buildings attached, but this does
not. It was only used by my family
for retreats from the crowded city
of Venice.
Shall we go inside?
Foscari gestures and they walk up the steps, through the
open windows into the grand hallway. Foscari points out
various art treasures.
FOSCARI (CONT'D)
The frescoes are by Battista Franco
and Giambattista Zelotti. They are
scenes from Ovid that alternate on
the allegories of the arts and
virtues.
OXFORD
Noble virtues.
FOSCARI
Yes. And here a painting that shows
the beauty of Italian life. Astraea
showing Jove the pleasures of the
Earth.
28.
INT. VENICE VILLA FOSCARI - DAY
COUNTESS FOSCARI (40'S) enters the room.
FOSCARI
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.
May I present my wife, Countess
Foscari.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
So happy to meet with someone from
the far north. My pleasure, your
lord.
(Bows)
They move toward a large dining table.
Footman and servants stand on each side. They help the Count,
Countess, Oxford and Florio take their seats.
COUNTESS FOSCARI (CONT'D)
This is the Villa Foscari, also known
as La Villa Malcontenta, the Villa
of Malcontent women.
OXFORD
Why is that?
COUNTESS FOSCARI
One of the wives of a Foscari was
less than enthusiastic about doing
her conjugal duties. So her husband
locked her up in the house.
OXFORD
I see. Are there still malcontented
women here?
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Not so malcontented that they need
to be locked up.
Food and wine is served.
COUNTESS FOSCARI (CONT'D)
Last summer, Henry III of France was
sitting at this table. This was the
house of his official reception by
the Veneto and Venezia. Then the
king went to the Doge's official
residence in Venezia.
29.
OXFORD
Am I sitting in the King's seat?
COUNTESS FOSCARI
No. He was a king. He sat where my
husband is sitting. A man may be a
king in his household, but a king of
a country is king of all households.
Therefore, the king sits at the head
of the table in any household.
OXFORD
I concur.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
You are an Earl in England. We do
not have earls on the continent.
OXFORD
It is an English title. An old
English title before William.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
I see. In Italian and other
languages, the wife of a Count, is
the feminine, Countess Foscari. Is
then your wife an Earl-ess?
OXFORD
(Laughing)
No, your count-ess, the wife of an
earl, is called a countess. To avoid
the confusion. Otherwise, she might
be called an "ear-less." I assure
you my wife has all her ears, two of
them at last count.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Your wife, I understand, is the
daughter of Sir William Cecil, advisor
to Queen Elizabeth.
OXFORD
Lord William Cecil. He was made
Baron Burghley by the Queen before I
married his daughter. The Queen
attended the ceremony.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
How nice of her to do so. He had to
be made a lord. Otherwise you would
have married a commoner.
30.
OXFORD
My wife is fine Christian woman.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Yes, that may be. However, our
ambassador reports that you have not
lived with your wife since you married
her, for two years. How do you expect
to have any children at that rate?
Or perhaps, you plan to remain without
an heir, or you might say, "Heirless".
OXFORD
Quite the contrary, Countess. We
are expecting a child. It should be
delivered while I am, unfortunately,
abroad.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
An immaculate conception, no doubt.
Since you were not living with your
wife.
OXFORD
A bed trick, Countess.
A bed trick.
INT. ENGLAND COURT BANQUET HALL - EVENING
Oxford and several companions, and a few wenches, sit on one
side of a long table, the QUEEN ELIZABETH (40's) and ROBERT
DUDLEY (40's) in the middle. ANNE CECIL (early 20's) sits
between her father, WILLIAM CECIL (50's) and her mother,
LADY CECIL (50's) at the other end of the table.
There is much drinking, eating and revelry, with the exception
that Anne Cecil is quite alone, overwhelmed and distraught.
Her father, William Cecil, pays no attention. Oxford becomes
more flirtatious with a winsome blond female as the banquet
progresses.
Oxford stumbles to his feet. Claps together two metal goblets
to gain attention. Spills wine on himself.
OXFORD
My Queen. My worthies. I have but
good news to impart to thee. My
gracious sovereign hath granted me
leave to depart her kingdom to travel
to Paris, then to Germany to stay
(MORE)
31.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
with the noted scholar Johannes
Sturmius.
Then to Italy. To Venice. To fair
Genoa, Florence, Sienna. And last
to Padua, nursery of the arts.
To fruitful Lombardy, the pleasant
garden of great Italy … Quiet, my
friends, we shall all be quiet in
Rome for there we shall hear the
great water clocks strike the hours,
and did our noble Caesar hear,
"Cassius, The clock hath stricken
three."
Oxford falls over backward and is helped to his feet. The
dining and drinking goes on without him. Oxford leaves with
two men helping him to his feet.
The blond wench is being very affectionate toward Oxford.
William Cecil nods to his daughter and wife. The three arise
and exit.
Oxford looks at Ann Cecil leaving.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
I did wed her. But swore I would
not bed her. And bed her, I have
not. And bed her, I will not. Amen.
INT. ENGLAND BEDROOM - NIGHT
There is a large canopy bed and Oxford is groping and pawing
the blond wench. He is struggling to push or pull her onto
the bed, through the curtains that are on all sides of the
bed.
WENCH
No, my noble lord. I must be prepared
for you in my best of robes. Robes
fitting of a king. Lie here, I shall
enter from the other side.
She pushes and cajoles Oxford on the bed. He climbs on the
bed and lies back. She closes the curtains.
WENCH (CONT'D)
Preparest thyself for a garden of
earthly delights, my lord.
32.
Wench goes around the bed. On the other side, she meets Ann
Cecil, who is waiting in a night gown.
OXFORD
T'is as dark as Hades, with no fires.
Black as pitch on a heath with no
moonlight. I wait expectantly, with
wild anticipation.
Anne Cecil goes to the curtain of the bed. Drops her robe
and pulls back the curtain and climbs into bed.
ANNE CECIL
My lord, it will be a night of
delights. Grand surprises.
OXFORD
I cannot see you.
ANNE CECIL
It makes little difference, my lord.
All cats are black at night.
INT. ENGLISH COURT BEDROOM - MORNING
Oxford looks over and sees the woman sleeping beside him.
He and is stunned to recognize that it is his wife.
INT. VENICE VILLA FOSCARI - DAY
COUNTESS FOSCARI
A miraculous form of conception. No
doubt. Tell me of your Queen. I am
told she has hair like a carrot.
OXFORD
How true, countess. Her majesty is
a ravishing ginger-haired woman.
The same color hair as her father,
Henry VIII.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Yes. Your majesty, Elizabeth is the
daughter of which wife? Third or
fourth?
OXFORD
Second countess. Queen Anne Boleyn.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Yes, a queen for a very short time.
33.
OXFORD
Unfortunately so. But, she was a
fine queen, who produced a noble
daughter.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Our ambassador reports that your
queen has had several children by
Lord Robert Dudley.
OXFORD
Slanderous lies, countess. Lies
told by unhappy Catholics and others
who wish to defame her.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
How are the Catholics treated in
England?
OXFORD
The Church of England is the official
religion. Many Catholics practice
privately. Other Catholic factions
wish Mary Queen of Scots to take the
throne of England. That is treason.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
To be sure.
OXFORD
Never has the Queen burned Catholics
at the stake, or slaughtered
thousands, as the King of France did
to the Huguenots.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Lord Oxford, have you ever heard of
Lady Jane Dormer, the Duchess of
Feria.
OXFORD
She is English? Spanish?
COUNTESS FOSCARI
The Duchess is English. She married
a Spanish duke during Queen Mary's
reign. She was a lady-in-waiting to
your Queen Mary. Upon the ascension
of King Edward, she fled to Spain
with her husband.
34.
OXFORD
Why do you ask?
COUNTESS FOSCARI
The Duchess has put forth that there
was bruit during the reign of Queen
Mary, that Princess Elizabeth
delivered a child by Sir Thomas
Seymour.
OXFORD
That is outrageous slander. More
slanderous rumors started by enemies
of her majesty.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Lady Dormer said the rumor was abroad
in the countryside. Started by a
midwife who had delivered a child.
OXFORD
Countess, I cannot keep track of
every slanderous rumor, simply
slanderous, that is made about Queen
Elizabeth. In my opinion, and to my
best knowledge, she remains the Virgin
Queen.
EXT. ENGLAND CHESHUNT - NIGHT
SUPERIMPOSE: JULY 21, 1548
Midwife's voice over continues through the next two scenes.
MIDWIFE
In King Edward's time, I was brought
from my house blindfold. And so I
was returned. I saw nothing in the
house while I was there, but
candlelight. It was a very fair
young lady. There was a bruit of a
child born and miserably destroyed,
but could not be discovered whose it
was. There was muttering of the
Admiral, Lord Thomas Seymour, and
this lady, who was then between
fifteen and sixteen years of age.
If it were so, it was the judgment
of God upon the Admiral; and upon
her, to make her ever after incapable
of children
35.
EXT. ENGLAND COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT
Full moon. Two horsemen gallop to a small farmhouse.
dismount and bang on the door of the small cottage.
They
EXT. ENGLAND CHESHUNT COTTAGE HOME - NIGHT
They yell that they want the midwife to come out.
opens the door.
RIDER ONE
Get ye outside, woman.
business to be done.
A man
There's
The men shove him aside and pull the woman out of the cottage.
She carries a bag. Outside, they blindfold her. They throw
her up on the horse and ride away.
MIDWIFE
Where are we going?
RIDER ONE
If we wanted you to know, we wouldn't
have blindfolded you.
MIDWIFE
There is a child. There is a child
to be born?
RIDER ONE
Why else would we seek out a midwife
in the middle of the night?
MIDWIFE
Whose child? Whose child is to be
born? There are no women in the
village with children?
RIDER ONE
Hush, woman. Better that you not
ask questions. Better that you not
know whose child. And don't be going
and spreading tales to your neighbors.
MIDWIFE
I will tell no one.
RIDER ONE
I doubt you can do that.
have been told.
(MORE)
But you
36.
RIDER ONE (CONT'D)
Keep your lip buttoned or the powers
that be will be dreadfully upset.
They reach a rather large estate.
INT. ENGLAND CHESHUNT ESTATE HOUSE - NIGHT
The two horsemen dismount and take the woman off the horse
as the men enter. A woman in labor can be heard screaming
in pain.
They bring the midwife up to a floor, still blindfolded. At
the top of the stairs stands an aristocrat, William Cecil.
The woman cannot see him. He points to a door. The men
open the door and push her inside. They take off the
blindfold. She goes to attend to the young woman on the
bed.
The camera view is from the back of the head of red hair of
the young woman on the bed. It is Queen Elizabeth's hair.
Her face is not seen.
INT. ENGLAND CHESHUNT COUNTRY HOME - NIGHT
The camera comes back up on the red hair of Elizabeth. It
goes in and out focus. Camera swirls to Sir William Cecil
standing at the top of the stars and then into the room where
Elizabeth is having a child.
INT. ENGLAND CHESHUNT COUNTRY HOME BIRTHING ROOM - NIGHT
Princess Elizabeth lies there with her legs spread as the
midwife brings out the baby. The baby is slapped and cries.
The midwife yells.
A boy.
MIDWIFE
T'is a boy.
INT. ENGLAND CHESHUNT COUNTRY HOME
Outside the room, pacing, is William Cecil. He smiles when
the baby is brought to him by the midwife. He looks at it
but does not hold it.
WILLIAM CECIL
A prince is born.
FADE TO BLACK:
37.
INT. VENICE VILLA FOSCARI - DAY
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Perhaps so. Enough of politics.
What cities will you visit in Italy?
OXFORD
I will visit Padua, the site of legal
learning in Italy.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
(Interrupting)
Are you a lawyer?
OXFORD
I attended Gray's Inn in London.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
What is Grey's Inn? An inn, a tavern,
where one can drink and lounge about
legal London. Pick up enough to go
before a high court.
OXFORD
No, in fact. One attends lectures,
on property law, heraldry, and so
forth.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Do you have a city that has such a
scholarly endeavor as Padua and its
school of law?
OXFORD
No. But my former tutor, Sir Thomas
Smith, attended the Padua law school.
Sir Francis Walsingham also attended
the law school. I am anxious to
visit Padua. Discuss legal ideas
with the learned scholars there.
Conjectural issues, about a fact;
definition, definition of an issue;
nature of the act, legal process,
the nature of the legal process.
Right and just according to the
customs of the community.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
Yes, right and just according to the
customs of the community.
(MORE)
38.
COUNTESS FOSCARI (CONT'D)
Always, the hardest point of law.
Law is meant to regulate. To stop
transgressions. While the customs
of the community might be to forgive
the individual.
OXFORD
Are you in fact a lawyer?
COUNTESS FOSCARI
No. But simple-minded women are not
to be legal scholars. But, my Lord
Oxford, do not think that women know
nothing of the law because they walk
with mincing steps, not a manly
stride. While we do not study the
laws at Padua, we study the men who
study the laws at Padua. We know
the intent of the law by what is
written, and the intent of the law
by how it is enforced.
OXFORD
Agreed, countess.
COUNTESS FOSCARI
What should be done with husbands
who are less than enthusiastic about
their conjugal duties? Should we
women lock them up in their
households?
Oxford takes a sip of wine.
Eats a slice of venison.
OXFORD
Excellent venison.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. VENICE GRAND CANAL - EVENING
Oxford and Florio exit a gondola.
to a building.
They walk down a street
Oxford enters the building. There are the literati of Venice.
Men and women. They are drinking wine. Conversing. Servants
move about with wine glasses on trays.
A harpsichord is playing in the background. It ends a song.
Everyone applauds and it begins playing again.
39.
A distinguished-looking older male, DOMENICO VENIER (50's),
comes over to Oxford.
VENIER
Lord, Oxford. I have heard so much
about you. Welcome to Venezia.
OXFORD
Thank you, my lord. It is a pleasure
to be here. It is especially
enjoyable to be welcomed to a group
of artists and poets.
VENIER
We are delighted to have you here.
Let me introduce you to our very
talented harpsichordist. She plays
so brilliantly.
They shake hands.
OXFORD
Please do.
They move their way through the crowd. Eventually, the crowd
opens and Oxford is looking at Veronica.
VENIER
She is as beautiful as she plays.
OXFORD
Clearly. A diamond among the many
gems of Venice. She outshines them
all.
VENIER
Clearly.
Veronica finishes the piece and Oxford and Venier approach.
VENIER (CONT'D)
Signorina Franco, let me introduce
you to the Earl of Oxford, Edward de
Vere.
Veronica holds out her hand and Oxford slowly kisses it.
VERONICA
It is so nice to meet you, your
Lordship. I have heard so much about
your poetry.
40.
OXFORD
And I about yours.
VENIER
A meeting of the minds I see.
Venier bows and moves away.
VERONICA
You are enjoying your stay in Venice.
OXFORD
Ever so delightful. One meets the
most accomplished people.
VERONICA
Our circle. This literary group
meets here frequently. We exchange
letters. Read poetry. Domenico
Venier is our patron. Patron of
many of the literary people of Venice.
My patron also.
Oxford reaches over to a servant holding a tray with wine
glasses.
OXFORD
A toast to Venice.
A toast to poetry.
VERONICA
Salute. We often talk of the nature
and properties of a language.
Sometimes the most profound questions
are discussed. The nature of art.
The meaning of beauty.
OXFORD
You have them all resolved.
VERONICA
(Laughing)
We have none of them resolved.
Otherwise, there would be no reason
to meet and no reason to drink wine
with friends of the literati.
Oxford and Veronica mingle with the guests.
chatting, etc
Talking,
DISSOLVE TO:
41.
INT. VENICE VERONICA'S BEDROOM
Oxford is lying in bed. A maid is standing over Oxford.
Slowly she comes into focus.
MAID
Signor Oxford. Signor Oxford. It
is almost noon. Perhaps, you should
rise before the sun goes down.
Ah yes.
OXFORD
Yes I should.
Maid hands him a shirt.
Oxford puts it on.
MAID
Signorina Franco awaits you. She
has prepared some breakfast for you.
But you slept so long, she ate by
herself. There is still some left
for you at the table.
OXFORD
Yes, of course. Too much wine. Too
much. Yes, definitely too much.
Oxford goes out the door. He is escorted by a maid and into
a sunlit room where Veronica is sitting at a large table,
writing.
INT. VENICE VERONICA'S HOME - MORNING
Oxford enters. He goes about the room and looks at the
portraits and painting.
OXFORD
You are writing poetry: the poetess
writing by the stream of sunlight
bathing her words in sunlight. A
romantic notion indeed.
VERONICA
I am doing my taxes.
OXFORD
Doing your taxes? What taxes?
VERONICA
Yes, we in Venice pay taxes on land
we own and agricultural goods we
produce.
(MORE)
42.
VERONICA (CONT'D)
I own some property in Venice and
some small properties on terra firma.
Although the properties on terra
firma cost more than they bring in.
Oxford goes over to a small portrait.
Henry III?
OXFORD
King of France?
VERONICA
Yes. He was in Venice last July.
There were two weeks of celebrations.
Carnivals, dancing, flotillas on the
canal. It was exciting. Many foreign
dignitaries.
OXFORD
You met Henry.
VERONICA
Yes, from him a small portrait as a
remembrance. To him, a small portrait
of my likeness.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. VENICE GRAND CANAL -- NIGHT
Two men in cloaks emerge from a palazzo on the Grand Canal.
They climb into a gondola and the gondolier moves the boat
down the canal. The two men keep their faces hidden.
Eventually, they stop. They disembark and move down a street.
They knock and are admitted to the house by a servant. The
servant then brings them down a hall and opens the door.
One of the men enters first, while the other waits and enters
after the door has been opened for him.
INT.
VENICE VERONICA'S HOME - NIGHT
FIRST MAN
Signorina Franco, Henry III, King of
Poland. Crowned King of France.
VERONICA
Your majesty, I am honored to meet
you.
(She bows)
43.
KING
I am honored to meet the most
beautiful woman in Venice. Kings
bow before beauty. Beauty do I see.
(He bows)
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. VENICE LITERARY SALON - EVENING
Veronica is back in front of the literary group.
standing. She reads.
She is
VERONICA
My King, paragon of virtue and
perfection,
Pray take what my extended hand holds
out to you,
This carved and colored face,
Which is meant to present my true
And living one.
If your blessed gaze is unaccustomed
to such lowly and imperfect work,
Consider the cause and not the effect.
For, even a small spark can kindle a
great flame. And, just as your valor,
immortal and divine,
Tried in a thousand tests in peace
and war,
Filled my soul with noble surprise,
So, now, observe a woman's heartfelt
desire to raise you,
Above the world and to the skies,
Steadfastly expressed in this likeness
of mine.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. VENICE VERONICA'S BEDROOM - MORNING
OXFORD
Henry, a powerful man, now king of
France.
VERONICA
Indeed, but those who would insinuate
themselves into my love, most dear
to me, are those who labor in the
practice of the liberal arts and
disciplines of which, (even though I
am a woman with little knowledge) I
(MORE)
44.
VERONICA (CONT'D)
am so fond. And it is with great
delight that I converse who those
who know so, that I might have further
occasion to learn, for if my fate
allowed, I would live my entire life
and spend all my time with delight
in the academies of virtuous men.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. VENICE GHETTO - DAY
Oxford and Florio are walking on a city street. They come
to a walking bridge. They walk over the bridge onto a small
island which is the ghetto of Venice. Oxford is dressed in
common clothes, as is Florio.
FLORIO
(To one of the guards
seated the bridge.)
Good day, signor Gobbo.
GOBBO
(Bows)
Buongiorno.
OXFORD
How will we recognize the house of
the money lender?
FLORIO
It is the only penthouse. A house
built on pillars. It is easy to
find.
INT. VENICE MONEY LENDER'S HOUSE - DAY
Enter Oxford and Florio
MONEY LENDER
You are here for a loan. A loan you
want, is it? What else would you be
here for except a loan? You cannot
buy grain or clothes here, so what
is it, a loan?
OXFORD
Yes, a loan. We are here.
here for a loan.
I am
45.
MONEY LENDER
A loan. I thought so. A loan.
much of a loan do you want?
How
OXFORD
Three thousand ducats.
MONEY LENDER
What is the loan for? Three thousand
ducats? A loan for three thousand
ducats?
OXFORD
To travel. I am traveling to Palermo.
The ship with the letter of credit
has not arrived in Venice. It is
two weeks late. It will be here.
MONEY LENDER
I see. Two weeks late. A ship with
a letter of credit. Who backs this
letter of credit?
OXFORD
William Cecil backs it. He is my
father-in-law. He is the treasurer
of England. The treasury of England
backs it.
MONEY LENDER
A loan to travel. Money to travel.
The treasurer of England, aye. Your
father-in-law, aye. William Cecil,
your father in law, aye. Treasurer
of England, aye. Aye, you shall
have the loan.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. VENICE INQUISITION COURT - DAY
Court room of the Inquisition.
Judges in robes, etc.
CLERK OF THE COURT
The Lord Purcurator, Paul Scravino,
in attendance and before the very
reverend Father, Master Alberto
Vincenti Ruggiero, inquisitor, the
reverend lords Roberto Capone, auditor
of the lord papal nuncio and Father
Alphonse Marchase, vicar to the
(MORE)
46.
patriarch of
ed below was
om his home:
patriarch of
CLERK OF THE COURT (CONT'D)
Venice. The man nam
brought fr
the Moranno, Gaspar Ribeiro for examination by
Venice. The man named below was brought from h
INTERROGATOR
Please state your name, your surname,
your country of birth, your age,
your time in Venice, your occupation,
and your religion.
RIBEIRO
I am Gaspar Ribeiro. I was born in
Portugal. I have lived thirty years
in Venezia. I am eighty-seven.
What else did you ask me?
INQUISITOR
Your occupation and your religion?
RIBEIRO
I am a merchant. I trade with the
Levant. I am a Catholic.
INQUISITOR
When did you become a Catholic?
When did you become a Christian?
RIBEIRO
I became a Christian in Portugal.
INQUISITOR
When was that?
RIBEIRO
I don't remember. When I was younger.
Not a few years ago. Many decades
ago.
INQUISITOR
You were baptized a Christian?
RIBEIRO
I was. I was baptized a Christian
in Portugal.
INQUISITOR
What is your parish, in Venice?
RIBEIRO
Saint Maria Formosa.
47.
INQUISITOR
Is your wife a Christian?
baptized a Christian?
Born and
RIBEIRO
My second wife died last year. She
was born and baptized a Christian.
My first wife was a Marrano. She
converted to Christianity with me.
I am a good Christian.
I carry a candle behind the Host on
Good Friday.
I am a good Christian.
I take communion at St. Maria
Formosa.
I am a good Christian.
I lend hangings to the Church for
special Holy Days.
I am a good Christian.
I had a tabernacle for the Host
redecorated in the Chapel.
I am a good Christian.
INQUISITOR
But are you a good Christian in
Portugal and Venice, but a Jew in
the Levant?
RIBEIRO
No. No. I am a good Christian
everywhere.
INQUISITOR
Do you make the sign of the cross?
RIBEIRO
Of course, I make the sign of the
cross. I am a good Christian.
INQUISITOR
Do you observe no meat or poultry
during Lent?
RIBEIRO
I did. I did.
I am a good Christian. But not now.
I have a dispensation from a doctor.
I am much older and I have a complaint
with my liver. I did, though. I
did once.
48.
INQUISITOR
Did you do the family shopping
yourself? For food and other items.
RIBEIRO
Yes. I did the shopping. I did the
shopping. You could not trust the
servants. They would buy food for
themselves and eat it. Themselves,
they would eat them. They took my
money and spent it on themselves.
They spent my money.
INQUISITOR
Did you beat your servant girls?
RIBEIRO
When they deserved to be beaten.
they spent my money.
If
INQUISITOR
Did you buy Alumbrua gold bracelets?
Were these gold bracelets with
precious stones? Imbedded with
diamonds?
Yes.
Yes.
RIBEIRO
I gave her gold bracelets.
INQUISITOR
Did you give her earrings?
Yes.
Yes.
RIBEIRO
I gave her earrings?
INQUISITOR
Why did you give her this Jewish
maiden these presents?
My son.
her.
RIBEIRO
My son, wanted to marry
INQUISITOR
Did you encourage your son to marry
this Jewish maiden?
RIBEIRO
No. Never. Never did I encourage
him. He wanted to marry her.
49.
INQUISITOR
You told him not to?
RIBEIRO
I told him it was not a good idea.
That she would not become a Christian.
INQUISITOR
Why not.
RIBEIRO
She only wanted the money.
INQUISITOR
Were you not bribing her to become a
Christian?
RIBEIRO
I was showing her that my family
could take care of her and any
children that she had with my son.
INQUISITOR
Your son was a Christian.
Yes.
Yes.
RIBEIRO
My son was a Christian.
INQUISITOR
How could your son, a Christian,
marry this Jewish maiden?
RIBEIRO
He wanted her to convert. He wanted
her to convert to Christianity.
INQUISITOR
Did she say she would do this?
RIBEIRO
She did not say "yes." She did not
say "no." So my son continued to
court her.
INQUISITOR
Did he marry her?
Yes.
RIBEIRO
He married her.
INQUISITOR
Where did she live?
50.
RIBEIRO
She lived in the ghetto.
INQUISITOR
Did your son promise that they would
move to Constantinople?
RIBEIRO
Yes. He promised her that.
never did. He died.
But he
INQUISITOR
The bride's family sued you for the
dowry. They said they had a contract
with your signature.
RIBEIRO
A forgery. It was a forgery. I
never signed a contract. They made
a forgery so they could take my money.
They wanted my money.
INQUISITOR
You have a daughter. Violante?
RIBEIRO
Yes. I have a daughter. Violante.
Violante is my daughter. She is my
daughter. Daughter of my wife, Donna
Isabella de Medina.
INQUISITOR
Your son beat her. Beat her to marry
a Jew.
She lied.
RIBEIRO
She lied.
She lied.
INQUISITOR
Didn't she refuse to marry from the
Abravanel family? Isn't that why
your son beat her?
RIBEIRO
She lied. She lied. She made up
such a story. She slandered my son.
She slandered me.
INQUISITOR
She married, did she not?
51.
Yes.
Yes.
RIBEIRO
She married.
INQUISITOR
Did you attend the marriage?
I did not.
ceremony.
RIBEIRO
I did not attend the
INQUISITOR
Why not?
RIBEIRO
He was marrying her for the money.
He was marrying her for my money.
My money, he was marrying her for.
INQUISITOR
Was there a dowry to the groom's
family?
RIBEIRO
There was not contract.
no marriage contract.
There was
INQUISITOR
You did not want your daughter to
marry a Christian noble.
RIBEIRO
I did not like the man. I did not
like her husband. Venezia.
A noble family. She left our merchant
family for a noble family. She has
children. I have never seen the
children. I have never seen my
grandchildren.
INQUISITOR
Did you know a Jew named Abraham
Albencini, from the Levant?
RIBEIRO
Yes. I knew him. He is a liar.
liar.
INQUISITOR
Did he borrow money from you and
your son?
A
52.
RIBEIRO
Yes. Yes. He borrowed money from
me to make a payment for a shipment
that arrived from Alexandria.
INQUISITOR
How much did he borrow?
RIBEIRO
Three thousand ducats. He borrowed
three thousand ducats. That is what
he borrowed. Three thousand.
INQUISITOR
Did you not require the borrower to
buy a shipment of twenty-five sacks
of nutmegs as security?
RIBEIRO
The nutmegs were worth thirty-five
hundred ducats. That was fair.
INQUISITOR
Were not these transactions usury if
there was no risk to the lender?
Were you not forcing him to buy
something that was undervalued?
RIBEIRO
There was risk. There was risk.
There was great risk.
INQUISITOR
Did the court not find you guilty of
usury against the Jew named Abraham
from the Levant?
RIBEIRO
They were wrong. Wrong.
INQUISITOR
Were you not fined three thousand,
eight hundred and fourteen ducats?
RIBEIRO
The fine was reduced to one thousand
ducats.
INQUISITOR
Do you not think that it is against
Christian law to have a Moranno, a
(MORE)
53.
INQUISITOR (CONT'D)
convert to Christianity, be guilty
of usury against a Jew from the
Levant?
RIBEIRO
I am not a lawyer. I do not make a
living interpreting the law.
Clerk of the Court interrupts.
CLERK OF THE COURT
The inquisition into the affair of
Gaspar Ribeiro will be adjourned.
The court will be adjourned until
Thursday, two weeks from today.
The court is adjourned.
INT. VENICE INQUISITION COURT - DAY
The court is assembled.
But Ribeiro is not in his seat.
CLERK OF THE COURT
The court will come to order.
Everyone settles down.
CLERK OF THE COURT (CONT'D)
News has been received that Gaspar
Ribeiro has died. He has been buried
in the cemetery of the St. Maria
Formosa.
INQUISITOR
We seek that the case be adjourned
until further notice.
CLERK OF THE COURT
The court is adjourned.
INT. VENICE INQUISITION COURT - DAY
The court is assembled.
CLERK OF THE COURT
The court will come to order.
PRESIDING JUDGE
The holy tribunal has seen and heard
the aforesaid evidence for and against
(MORE)
54.
PRESIDING JUDGE (CONT'D)
the aforesaid defendant Gaspar
Ribeiro.
The tribunal has heard his testimony.
The testimony of his daughter. The
testimony of the parish father of
St. Maria Formosa. The testimony of
those that knew Gaspar Ribeiro. The
testimony of parishioners of St.
Maria Formosa.
The holy tribunal condemns Gaspar
Ribeiro as an apostate who did live
surreptitiously as a Christian. The
holy tribunal orders that his body
be removed from the Christian cemetery
in accordance with the laws pertaining
to such procedures.
That his body be removed at night
and buried in the Jewish grave yard
without light or cross.
CLERK OF THE COURT
The holy tribunal is adjourned.
EXT. VENICE JEWISH CEMETERY - NIGHT
It is raining.
candle.
Two grave diggers operate by the light of a
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
Get us out on a night like this.
Bahh. Digging graves in the dark.
It is not right.
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
It's part of the job.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
Well what do you think about it?
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
I don’t know.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
I mean, was he not?
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
Was he not what? What was he not?
55.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
Was he not an apostate?
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
Well, he could have been not. Then
again, he could have not been not.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
He charged usury against a Jew.
Against a Jew.
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
So he did.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
His son married a Jew and then died.
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
Yes, he did both. Married then died.
Not uncommon. Often comes close
together. Some say that one is the
cause of the other.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
His daughter would have no part of
marrying a Jew. Her brother beat
her. Tried to force her.
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
That she did. Neighbors complained.
She screamed so loud.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
So, what do you think?
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
I think we should hurry and bury him
before the sun rises. That might
bring a spell down on us.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE
It could.
They put the coffin in the ground. Grave Digger Two takes
out something from beneath his cloak, and opens the casket.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE (CONT’D) (CONT'D)
Yo, what are you doing?
Grave Digger Two shows him a small silver cross.
the lid to the coffin.
He raises
56.
GRAVE DIGGER ONE (CONT’D)
That's a cross.
Yes.
GRAVE DIGGER TWO
It is a cross.
He kisses cross and puts it the coffin.
GRAVE DIGGER TWO (CONT'D)
You never know. He might need it.
Wherever he is going. Maybe not.
You never know.
They close the coffin and fill in the grave.
EXT. VENICE GRAND CANAL - EVENING
It is a warm summer evening. Oxford and Veronica are on a
gondola. She is playing a small guitar and singing. They
have a bottle of wine and are drinking.
OXFORD
A beautiful evening.
VERONICA
Yes it is.
He leans over and kisses her on the cheek.
OXFORD
Another wonderful day. Another
wonderful evening in fair Venice.
VERONICA
You are leaving soon?
OXFORD
In two days.
VERONICA
How will you travel back to England?
Through Milan?
OXFORD
I am not going back to England yet.
VERONICA
Where, then?
To Palermo.
OXFORD
Sicily.
57.
VERONICA
Why there?
OXFORD
To see the sights.
See fair Sicily.
VERONICA
Will you come back to Venice?
OXFORD
No. Back to Verona.
Alps from there.
Then over the
VERONICA
I will be so sad. I will miss you.
I will only see you for two more
days. Then we must say goodbye.
Two more days.
Oxford kisses her on the cheek.
OXFORD
I don't think so. My sweetheart.
do not think so.
I
He raises his glass.
To Sicily.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
To Palermo.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN BOAT - NIGHT
A howling storm, wind is knocking the ship about. Oxford is
standing on the boat. The wind swirling around his cape is
blowing and Veronica is tightly holding on to him.
To Sicily.
OXFORD
To Palermo.
MASTER BOATSWAIN
My hearts! Cheerly, cheerly, my
hearts! Yare, yare! Take in the
topsail.
Tend to the master's whistle.
Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if
room enough!
Down with the topmast. Yare! Lower.
Bring her to try with main-course.
A plague upon this howling!
(MORE)
58.
MASTER BOATSWAIN (CONT'D)
They are louder than the weather or
our office.
Lay her a-hold, a-hold.
Set her two courses off to sea again.
Lay her off.
A wave crashes over the deck.
All is lost.
All lost.
MARINERS
To prayers, to prayers.
The mast crashes. A giant wave sweeps over the ship. Oxford
and Veronica are swept overboard. Oxford and Veronica
struggle through the seas. Oxford and Veronica grab on to
the mast that floats in the water.
They toss about in the sea. Grasping for breath. They are
finally washed up on a sandy shore and crawl away from the
water.
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN VULCANO BEACH - NIGHT
As Oxford and Veronica crawl away from the surf, ARIEL (A
SPIRIT) appears as a flash of light, a figure ahead of them.
VERONICA
We are alive.
OXFORD
Half-drowned water rats.
be alive.
Lucky to
Oxford gets up, staggers a few feet, and collapses on his
back.
ARIEL
How now, my fine lord and lady.
Who is that?
OXFORD
What are you?
VERONICA
It's the devil. We have washed up
in hell!
ARIEL
I have been sent to bring you to
safety. Follow me.
59.
Oxford and Veronica follow Ariel.
the shore.
In here.
storm.
They climb up a hill off
ARIEL (CONT'D)
Come in here. Out of the
INT. MEDITERRANEAN VULCANO OXFORD CAVE - MORNING
Oxford and Veronica enter the cave. They are shivering.
Ariel produces some blankets. Oxford and Veronica huddle
together, clutching the blankets.
ARIEL
You need some food, something to
drink.
Ariel vanishes in a flash.
in London.
He reappears in a lowly tavern
EXT. ENGLAND LONDON PUB - EVENING
BARTENDER
What brings you here to the stillvex's Bermoothes, fair spirit?
ARIEL
Some spirits. Some food.
The bartender pours two mugs and piles food on a plate.
Ariel conjures up some coins, gives them to the bartender,
picks up the mugs and plate, disappears and reappears back
in the cave.
INT. MEDITERRANEAN VULCANO OXFORD CAVE - MORNING
ARIEL
Here is something to eat.
to drink.
Something
VERONICA
Food. I am famished. The storm
lasted days. I could not keep
anything down.
Veronica starts to eat immediately.
OXFORD
Fair spirit. Where have we landed?
What is this island?
60.
ARIEL
This is Vulcano. North-west of
Sicily.
Of stinking pitch where the sea rushes
in to dash the fire out.
Oxford and Veronica finish the food.
Ariel snaps fingers and Oxford and Veronica fall into a deep
sleep.
ARIEL (CONT'D)
Now, you need some sleep. Sleep,
babes, until morning.
Ariel disappears and reappears in the well-appointed cave of
Prospero.
INT. MEDITERRANEAN VULCANO PROSPERO'S CAVE - DAY
It is comfortable, furnished with a writing table, candles
and bookcase with books. PROSPERO (60's, OXFORD DOUBLES ON
THIS ROLE) stands inside the cave.
ARIEL
All hail, great master! Grave sir,
hail!
I come to answer thy best pleasure;
be't to fly, to swim, to dive into
the fire,
To ride on the curl'd clouds, to thy
strong bidding task Ariel and all
his quality.
PROSPERO
Hast thou, spirit, perform'd to point
the tempest that I bade thee?
ARIEL
To every article.
I boarded the king's ship; now on
the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every
cabin,
I flamed amazement: sometime I'd
divide,
And burn in many places; on the
topmast,
The yards and bowsprit, would I flame
(MORE)
61.
ARIEL (CONT'D)
distinctly,
Then meet and join. Jove's
lightnings, the precursors.
O' the dreadful thunder-claps, more
momentary
And sight-outrunning were not; the
fire and cracks
Of sulphurous roaring the most mighty
Neptune
Seem to besiege and make his bold
waves tremble,
Yea, his dread trident shake.
PROSPERO
My brave spirit!
Who was so firm, so constant, that
this coil would not infect his reason?
ARIEL
Not a soul but felt a fever of the
mad and play'd some tricks of
desperation.
All but mariners Plunged in the
foaming brine and quit the vessel,
Then all afire with me: the king's
son, Ferdinand, with hair up-staring,-then like reeds, not hair,-Was the first man that leap'd; cried
'Hell is empty
And all the devils are here.
PROSPERO
Why that's my spirit!
But was this not night shore?
ARIEL
Close by, my master.
PROSPERO
But are they, Ariel, safe?
ARIEL
Not a hair perish'd;
On their sustaining garments not a
blemish,
But fresher than before: and, as
thou badest me,
In troops I have dispersed them 'bout
the isle.
62.
PROSPERO
Of the king's ship
The mariners, say how thou hast
disposed
And all the rest o' the fleet.
ARIEL
Safely in harbour
Is the king's ship; in the deep nook,
where once
Thou call'dst me up at midnight to
fetch dew
From the still-vex'd Bermoothes,
there she's hid:
The mariners all under hatches stow'd;
Who, with a charm join'd to their
suffer'd labour,
I have left asleep; and for the rest
o' the fleet
Which I dispersed, they all have met
again.
And are upon the Mediterranean flote,
Bound sadly home for Naples,
Supposing that they saw the king's
ship wreck'd
And his great person perish.
PROSPERO
Ariel, thy charge exactly is
perform'd: but there's more work.
What is the time o' the day?
ARIEL
Past the mid season.
PROSPERO
Where are they now?
ARIEL
They lie asleep in a cave below.
PROSPERO
Fetch them here when they awake,
They will greet us with joy and
thankfulness.
ARIEL
I will make it so, great master.
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN VULCANO OXFORD CAVE - DAY
Ariel reappears in the cave with Oxford and Veronica.
63.
ARIEL
You are awake. We must go to see
the Duke.
OXFORD
What do you speak of? What Duke
would be on this accursed isle?
ARIEL
That is a story to be told.
by me.
But not
Oxford and Veronica go outside and start up a trail up a
mountain.
Spirit.
OXFORD
Where lives the Duke?
ARIEL
In a fair dwelling on the other side.
VERONICA
How far?
ARIEL
But two miles or so.
They continue to walk. They walk past steaming pits and
sulphurous pools. Finally they reach the entrance to a cave.
Ariel zooms into the cave. Then emerges.
ARIEL (CONT'D)
The Duke will see you now.
INT. MEDITERRANEAN VULCANO PROSPERO'S CAVE - DAY
Oxford and Veronica enter.
Prospero sees them.
PROSPERO
What have you brought me?
not Antonio or Ferdinand.
is the wench?
This is
And who
ARIEL
They are the shipwrecked.
landfall.
Who made
PROSPERO
You have brought the heavens down on
the wrong ship. This is not the
Duke of Milan, nor his party. They
are still at sea.
64.
ARIEL
I must conjure up the seas and the
storms again. I must bring the proper
Ferdinand to you.
PROSPERO
Not so soon. The ship of these
travelers still lies in the nook.
OXFORD
Sir, please tell us where we are and
what you have done.
How did you come to be exiled upon
this isle?
Are you the Duke of Milan?
PROSPERO
I was once the Duke, until kidnapped
and sent to this foul place.
Only with the dark arts was I able
to survive.
And you sir, who might you be?
OXFORD (CONT'D)
I am Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of
Oxford. I come to Venice, and to
Italy, from England. We were bound
for Sicily.
PROSPERO
Who is this lady?
OXFORD
Veronica Franco, a poet from Venice.
PROSPERO
A poet. I did not poets were as
lovely as you.
Prospero bows.
OXFORD
Kidnapped, you say.
this done?
And how was
PROSPERO
My brother call'd Antonio-I pray thee, mark me--that a brother
should
Be so perfidious!-- He whom next
(MORE)
65.
PROSPERO (CONT'D)
thyself
Of all the world I loved and to him
put
The manage of my state; as at that
time
Through all the signories it was the
first
And Prospero the prime duke, being
so reputed
In dignity, and for the liberal arts
Without a parallel; Those being all
my study,
The government I cast upon my brother
And to my state grew stranger, being
transported
And rapt in secret studies. Thy
false uncle-Dost thou attend me?
OXFORD
Sir, most heedfully.
PROSPERO
Being once perfected how to grant
suits,
How to deny them, who to advance and
who
To trash for over-topping, new created
The creatures that were mine,
I say, or changed 'em,
Or else new form'd 'em; having both
the key
Of officer and office, set all hearts
in the state
To what tune pleased his ear; that
now he was
The ivy which had hid my princely
trunk,
And suck'd my verdure out on't.
Thou attend'st not.
OXFORD
O, good sir, I do.
PROSPERO
I pray thee, mark me.
I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all
dedicated
To closeness and the bettering of my
mind
(MORE)
66.
PROSPERO (CONT'D)
With that which, but by being so
retired,
O'er-prized all popular rate, in my
false brother
Awaked an evil nature; and my trust,
Like a good parent, did beget of him
A falsehood in its contrary as great
As my trust was; which had indeed no
limit,
A confidence sans bound. He being
thus lorded,
Not only with what my revenue yielded,
But what my power might else exact,
like one
Who having into truth, by telling of
it,
Made such a sinner of his memory,
To credit his own lie, he did believe
He was indeed the duke; out o' the
substitution
And executing the outward face of
royalty,
With all prerogative: hence his
ambition growing-Dost thou hear?
OXFORD
Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.
PROSPERO
To have no screen between this part
he play'd
And him he play'd it for, he needs
will be Absolute Milan.
Me, poor man, my library Was dukedom
large enough: of temporal royalties
He thinks me now incapable;
confederates-So dry he was for sway--wi' the King
of Naples
To give him annual tribute, do him
homage,
Subject his coronet to his crown and
bend
The dukedom yet unbow'd--alas, poor
Milan!-To most ignoble stooping.
VERONICA
O the heavens!
67.
PROSPERO
Mark his condition and the event;
then tell me If this might be a
brother.
VERONICA
I should sin to think but nobly of
my grandmother:
Good wombs have borne bad sons.
PROSPERO
Now the condition.
The King of Naples, being an enemy
To me inveterate, hearkens my
brother's suit;
Which was, that he, in lieu o' the
premises
Of homage and I know not how much
tribute,
Should presently extirpate me and
mine
Out of the dukedom and confer fair
Milan
With all the honours on my brother:
whereon,
A treacherous army levied, one
midnight
Fated to the purpose did Antonio
open
The gates of Milan, and, I' the dead
of darkness,
The ministers for the purpose hurried
thence
VERONICA
Wherefore did they not that hour
destroy you?
PROSPERO
Well demanded, wench:
My tale provokes that question.
Dear, they durst not,
So dear the love my people bore me,
nor set
A mark so bloody on the business,
but
With colours fairer painted their
foul ends.
In few, they hurried us aboard a
bark,
Bore us some leagues to sea; where
(MORE)
68.
PROSPERO (CONT'D)
they prepared
A rotten carcass of a boat, not
rigg'd,
Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very
rats
Instinctively had quit it: there
they hoist us,
To cry to the sea that roar'd to us,
to sigh
To the winds whose pity, sighing
back again,
Did us but loving wrong
OXFORD
How came you ashore?
PROSPERO
By Providence divine.
Some food we had and some fresh water
that A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,
Out of his charity, being then
appointed
Master of this design, did give us,
with
Rich garments, linens, stuffs and
necessaries,
Which since have steaded much; so,
of his gentleness,
Knowing I loved my books, he furnish'd
me from mine own library with volumes
that
I prize above my dukedom.
OXFORD
And what now, gentle Duke?
Prospero puts on his cape.
PROSPERO
Now my noble sir and lady.
You must return to your ship, sail
on to Sicily.
Prospero waves his arm and Oxford and Veronica are on board
their boat in the grotto.
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN VULCANO GROTTO - DAY
A boat is sailing out of the grotto which is large enough
for a ship with a tall mast. The ship is tall.
69.
The day is beautiful.
VERONICA
T'is such a lovely beauty.
on the ocean.
A cave
OXFORD
I feel I was awake, yet asleep. I
feel I was in a dream. I awoke.
VERONICA
Perhaps it was a dream.
OXFORD
Too real to be a dream.
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN BOAT - DAY
Oxford and Veronica are on deck looking back at Vulcano as
they sail away. He puts his arm around her. They kiss and
she snuggles up closer against his shoulder.
OXFORD
Perhaps we should have something to
eat.
VERONICA
Sono molto affamato.
Meraviglioso.
A lunch is brought for them and they sit in the sunlight,
drinking wine and eating cheese and bread.
OXFORD
I read your poetry.
Terza Rima.
VERONICA
Your opinion?
OXFORD
They were fine. Excellente.
VERONICA
You have nothing more to say?
suggestions?
No
OXFORD
They were in poetic form. But more
as letters. Long letters to express
your feelings or your thoughts to
someone.
70.
VERONICA
You disapprove?
OXFORD
There is to neither approve or
disapprove. You felt it best to
send a message this way.
VERONICA
The poetic form?
OXFORD
Well accomplished.
further, no doubt?
You will write
VERONICA
I will write further.
published your poems.
You have
OXFORD
A few under the name Earl of Oxford.
I have published others under various
names.
VERONICA
When was this?
OXFORD
When the 16th Earl of Oxford died.
VERONICA
Your father?
OXFORD
Perhaps, but that is a story for
another day. William Cecil, the
Queen's counselor, became my guardian.
He did not approve a noble writing
for the common view.
VERONICA
And so.
OXFORD
I published under various names.
Ovid's Metamorphoses I wrote as a
poem. A long poem and it was
published under the name of Arthur
Golding.
VERONICA
Who was he?
71.
OXFORD
A retainer in the service of William
Cecil.
VERONICA
I see.
OXFORD
Ovid's Metamorphoses, in Latin, it
is a story. I turned it into a long
poem.
To the Right honorable and his
singular good lord, Robert Earl of
Leicester: Baron Denbigh, Knight of
the most noble Order of the Garter.
R.C. Arthur Golding: Gent, Wish
Continuance of Health, with prosperous
estate and felicity
The Epistle. At length my chariot
wheel about the mark hath found the
way,
And at their weary races end, my
breathless horses stay.
The work is brought to end by which
the author did account.
(And rightly) with external fame
above the stars to mount.
For whatsoever hath been writ of
ancient time in Greek,
By sundry men dispersedly, and in
the Latin seek,
Of this same dark Philosophy of turned
shapes,
The same Hath Ovid into one whole
masse in this book brought in frame.
Bravo.
VERONICA
Bravo. Bravissio!
OXFORD
A little gem for her majesty.
VERONICA
Your Queen.
OXFORD
My Queen, aboard ship.
72.
VERONICA
Words of flattery will smooth your
journey, whatever the destination.
OXFORD
My destination is your destination,
mia bella donna!
VERONICA
You have written plays?
OXFORD
Oh, yes. Before the Queen. Palaemon
and Areite, was performed before the
Queen at Oxford. She attended the
ceremony there and the one at
Cambridge as well.
VERONICA
(Raising her glass)
To the future, great playwright.
OXFORD
Yes. To write plays as the Italians
do. Perform them before her majesty.
VERONICA
And the world will know your name.
INT. ENGLAND BLUE BOAR INN - NIGHT
Shakspere enters.
room.
Quincy and Mistress Smalltree are in the
QUINCY
Har, har. T'is "Mr. Shake-speare."
What be ye doing in London. Here to
see the new motions on the stage.
Perhaps buy a bit of tobacco. Eye,
"Mr. Shake-speare."
SHAKSPERE
You're an ignorant lot. T'is
Shakspere, t'is it. You are a man
that don't know a shak from a shake,
nor a bat from a bate, nor a rat
from rate, nor a fat from a fate.
My father was a shak, my father's
father a shak. I was born a shak.
A Shakspere is written on me
Christening.
73.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
Shak or Shake. T'is no difference.
SHAKSPERE
T'is a great difference.
a gentleman.
When I be
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
Pray tell, how might ye get this
coat of arms.
SHAKSPERE
I shall not speak a word.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
That ye be seen with a most notable
personage. That it was in Red Bull.
Ay it was.
QUINCY
That ye be agreeing to things that
cannot be told. Lest ye loose yer
hand to the chopping block.
SHAKSPERE
I say neither "nay," nor "yea" to
that.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
T'is easy indeed to confuse a spear
and a spoon. Shak and a shake.
QUINCY
Some would not know a moon from a
spoon. Nor a spoon from a June.
T'is easy to confuse.
SHAKSPERE
I say neither "nay," nor "yea" to
that.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
That ye be agreeing to say you write
things. You being a man who signth
his name with a mark.
SHAKSPERE
I say neither "nay," nor "yea" to
that. Draw 'round me.
They come closer.
74.
SHAKSPERE (CONT'D)
If one day, I should buy me a fine
house, in me hometown of Stratford.
Let's just say, that there I was,
the wrong man, with the right name.
Eye, the wrong man, with the right
name. I be telling you something.
It was a week ago yesterday, a certain
noble gentleman, whilst I be
recovering from a bit too much of
ale on the previous occasion of the
previous night, had his gentleman
come upon me to fetch me to a certain
Red Bull.
INT. ENGLAND ABOVE THE TAVERN - NIGHT
The scene is shown as Shakspere describes it.
SHAKSPERE VOICE OVER
In a room above the tavern, there be
this gentlemen a dressed in the finest
of the finery, be sitting across
from him, but two men with pens a
scribbling a'scribbles as fast as
they could scribble. I come in and
disturb this man who is a saying a
many things while a pacing back and
forth. He is going on about something
that the Danes are coming, a ghost
of a father.
OXFORD
(He reads from a script)
HORATIO: What art thou that usurp'st
this time of night,
Together with that fair and warlike
form
In which the majesty of buried Denmark
Did sometimes march?
By heaven I charge thee, speak!
Marcellus:
It is offended.
Bernardo: See, it stalks away!
SHAKSPERE VOICE OVER
What he be saying I haven't a clue
from St. Bartholomew, but at any
rate, he stops in mid sentence, if
it be a sentence, it more be like a
(MORE)
75.
SHAKSPERE VOICE OVER (CONT'D)
sort of sing-song type of speech
that you be hearing in the thea-aters, if you catch my meaning. There
he stops in mid sentence and looks
at me a sort of taking it all in
like he had never seen the likes of
me before.
Oxford looks around and is startled to see Shakspere. A
male secretary hands Shakspere a manuscript. Gives him a
few instructions and then gives him some coins. Shakspere
leaves.
INT. ENGLAND BLUE BOAR INN - NIGHT
SHAKSPERE
I cannot tell more.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
What does he say to you? Out with
it, damn you.
SHAKSPERE
Nay, I cannot tell more.
Enter three men. CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE (20'S), FRENCHMAN (20'S)
and a THIRD MAN (20'S). Their cloaks cover their faces.
They look around suspiciously and take seats in a corner
table.
They order a couple of pints. They start talking secretly,
but soon they lose themselves and begin arguing.
FRENCHMAN
The ambassador of the pope has
secretly disembarked.
MARLOWE
We will all go to the hangman for
this.
FRENCHMAN
Marlowe, Many others will be with
us.
MARLOWE
William Cecil will know everything.
FRENCHMAN
He will know nothing.
76.
MARLOWE
Our heads will be on a post on the
city walls.
FRENCHMAN
I hardly worry, the blood of Christ
will be with me.
MARLOWE
Your recklessness will get us all
tortured and killed.
FRENCHMAN
You are such a coward.
die for your God.
Enough.
Afraid to
MARLOWE
Enough!
Marlowe with quick move slashes the Frenchman's throat.
Marlowe and the Third Man flee out the door. The Frenchman
takes a few steps toward the others and falls to the floor,
blood gushing from his throat. He dies.
Everyone in the room rushes over and stands around him.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
Dead he be.
SHAKSPERE
Dead as a man hung from the gibbet
in East Cheap.
QUINCY
Dead as a man that hath his head
forty days atop a pike on London
Bridge.
SHAKSPERE
Dead as a man who be in the grave,
dug up, returned to the grave after
St. Peter's mass.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
Shut your traps. You be prattling
on about how dead the man be. He's
only struck down by an evil villain
a moment ago. His blood still be
warm, his spit be fresh.
SHAKSPERE
Ye, be right about that you are.
77.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
This man hath so soon passed away to
his maker.
QUINCY
It be fitting that we do the proper
thing.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE
Aye, it be fitting, we do the proper
thing.
The three pause a moment, and look at each other, then
together, they pounce on the body and search the pockets and
pull out a bag of coins. Smalltree grabs the bag and hands
out the coins, one at time to each of the three.
MISTRESS SMALLTREE (CONT’D) (CONT'D)
Pull out this heap of dung. On the
cart. Bring it down to the river.
Dump it there.
They pull the body out the side door.
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN BOAT - DAY
On the ship.
Still eating.
VERONICA
You are married?
OXFORD
Yes. To the daughter of William
Cecil, Lord Burghley. Anne, Anne
Cecil.
VERONICA
You do not sound happy about it?
OXFORD
It was a marriage of politics?
marriage for mutual advantage.
A
VERONICA
Aren't all marriages such?
OXFORD
Some more than others. I have known
her since we were children. I lived
in Cecil's house with her. She is
like, no, as a sister. She is sweet,
but not a wife for me.
78.
VERONICA
There are other ladies of the court.
OXFORD
A marriage of politics. The Queen
wanted it. She raised William Cecil
to the peerage to have his daughter
of equal rank. Are you married?
VERONICA
I was married once. But the marriage
simply went away.
OXFORD
Do you have any children?
VERONICA
I have had three children. One did
not live through infancy. I support
two of them now. No matter about
your wife. There are women of the
court who will tend to your needs.
OXFORD
Ah yes, the women of the court.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ENGLAND COURT HALLWAY - EVENING
Oxford and ANNE VAVASOR (20's) Vavasor and Oxford walk down
a quiet corridor. They are alone under a burning torch.
OXFORD
If women would be fair and never
fond,
Or that their beauty might continue
still.
VAVASOR
Yes, my lord.
OXFORD
I would not marvel though they made
men bond,
By service to mark what choice they
mare,
And how they change, how leaving
best.
The worst they chose out still.
(MORE)
79.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
And how like haggards wild, about
they range,
Scorning after reason to follow will.
And let them fly (Fair Fools) which
way they list.
Long, to purchase their goodwill,
But when I see, how frail, these
creatures are,
Laugh, that men forget themselves so
far, so far.
He continues walking.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
Yet for our sport, we fawn and flatter
both,
To pass the time, when nothing else
can please,
And train them on, to yield by subtle
oath,
The sweet content, that gives such
humor ease.
And then we say, when we their follies
try,
To play with fools,
Oh what a fool was I.
Oxford and Vavasor continue down hallway.
INT. ENGLAND OXFORD'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Oxford and Vavasor lie in bed beneath the covers.
VAVASOR
Methinks, my Lord does think too
much.
OXFORD
Your opinion.
VAVASOR
Methinks, that thinking without
action, is a man without a woman, A
flower without a bee.
OXFORD
The idle drone, labours not at all
and sucks up the sweet honey from
the bee. Those that worketh they do
receive the least share. Due deserts
with reward will never be.
80.
VAVASOR
The noble Romans would never have
talked as such. For them, action
was the thing. To stand by and idly
contemplate would be unthinkable.
OXFORD
Consequences can be ruinous.
VAVASOR
Idleness begets nothing.
OXFORD
I have no army. I have no arms.
What action do you propose?
VAVASOR
Thou hast a very sharp pen.
OXFORD
Oh, hoh! What shall I skewer with
my pen?
Shall I rip the boar to save Adonis?
VAVASOR
Thou shalt rip thine enemies. There
be other ways to catch the conscience
of a king. Thou hath the printers.
OXFORD
A good thought.
VAVASOR
Thy cannot put thy name on such,
even though the world will know who
hath written them. Nor, must they
be but plays. The Italians wrote
their novellas, songs, political
pamphlets. My lord can write other
than plays.
OXFORD
I shall sharpen my pen.
VAVASOR
T'is time for a little more action.
I shall smother thee in kisses.
Vavasor rolls over on top of Oxford and smothers him in
kisses.
81.
INT. ENGLAND SAVOY STUDIO - DAY
A wealthy apartment complex in London. Fine furnishings.
Fine linen. It is an artist, writers studio with books,
pens, maps, etc. Two men are in the apartment.
Florio and JOHN LYLY (30's). Lyly is at a lectern type desk,
writing in a large book. Florio is pacing about.
FLORIO
Signor Oxford, he is the most
brilliant. They write about him,
"his countenance shake-a-speares."
Beautiful, wonderful. The English
Virgil. He makes the plays and the
Queen loves them. The new Horace.
LYLY
Wonderful. Beautiful. Mister a
Flor-i- o. What do you think this
is? Art? Art? Horace. A classic.
Look at this.
Lyly shows him the cover.
FLORIO
Titus Andronicus. A beautiful title.
A classic Roman. An artistic
masterpiece.
LYLY
A bloody mess, that's what. Looks
in front page, in case you weren't
keeping count. One human sacrifice,
nine murders, four executions, two
rapes, four amputations, one act of
treason, and one bastard child.
Art? Art!
FLORIO
Expression of the soul.
LYLY
The bloodiest stage direction in all
history.
FLORIO
What?
82.
LYLY
(Reads)
"Latavia stands there, her hands cut
off, her tongue cut out, she can
neither point to her rapist, or call
out his name."
FLORIO
Bellisimo expression of the human
spirit.
LYLY
"She takes a stick in her mouth and
writes out her rapist's name in the
sand."
FLORIO
Signor Oxford always has a happy
ending.
Into the room burst two men.
young, very pregnant woman.
Lord Oxford!
Then the stately entrance of a
VAVASOR
Where is Lord Oxford?
LYLY
Madame Vavasor, I believe he had an
appointment with Lord Burghley.
VAVASOR
I have been to Lord Burghley's. The
servants tell me that neither Lord
Burghley nor Lord Oxford is there.
They could be lying.
LYLY
Is there something that concerns
you?
VAVASOR
Is there something that concerns me?
(Rubs belly)
I should say there is something that
concerns me, and concerns Lord Oxford
as well. Where do you think he hath
gone?
Oxford enters the room.
OXFORD
Be gone!
83.
Everyone but Vavasor and Oxford leaves.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
My lady.
Note: This seems like an overly long soliquy. It is not.
We have had a stage reading of this. The actress displayed
a full range of emotions from anger, to grief, the jealousy.
It works just fine.
VAVASOR
Enough of your words, words, words.
Words of passion spoken in haste in
dark corridors.
Words of trust spoken in moonlit
gardens.
Words of understanding. Words of
desire.
Words spoken on soft meadow grass.
Words spoken on soft pillows in the
moonlight.
Words spoken between perfumed sheets.
Shall we have clever words of jest?
Shall we write words of poetry?
May I his favour match with love, if
he my love?
May I requite this birth with faith?
Then faithful will I die? Ay.
Words, ever more, words.
What words shall we have now?
Words of contrition?
Words of sorrow?
Words of pity?
Words of remorse?
More words.
What words shall we have for your
wife?
What words for this poor child?
What words for the scorn of her
father?
What words shall we have for the
wrath of the Queen?
What words shall we have for that
entanglement that surpasses
understanding?
The queen shall not be pleased when
she hears the words that will be
told her.
The Tower for you.
Will she give me such grand
accommodations?
(MORE)
84.
VAVASOR (CONT'D)
Or shall I be thrown in the Fleet
Prison and be treated as common
rubbish?
What words do I say to my jailor?
To fall from the Queen's grace is to
fall as far as Lucifer fell from
heaven to hell.
What words shall we have for the
newborn?
What words shall we have for this
creature?
What words shall be its name?
Shall the word be the truth?
Shall the word be de Vere?
Or shall we have another word?
Shall the creature become a
changeling?
VAVASOR (CONT'D)
Shall we place the creature in another
nest to be raised as stranger to us
both?
What words shall we use, my Lord?
Oxford attempts to speak.
VAVASOR (CONT'D)
No more words, my Lord.
We have had our words.
We have had our time in the sun.
We have had our day at court in the
radiance of all our glory.
We will have our time in ruin,
disgrace and torment.
Oxford attempts to speak.
VAVASOR (CONT'D)
No my Lord.
No more words.
Words cannot build a castle
Wherein love can dwell.
My Lord.
She curtsies and exits.
85.
INT. ENGLAND COURT
- DAY
Queen Elizabeth is sitting attended by members of her Court.
Robert Dudley is there.
Cecil enters.
ELIZABETH
Good morning, Lord Burghley. You
are pale and wane. What, pray tell,
is the matter?
CECIL
Good morning, your majesty.
report unpleasant news.
I am to
ELIZABETH
From your face, it must be unpleasant
indeed. Hath Spain invaded France?
CECIL
No, your majesty.
ELIZABETH
Hath France invaded Spain?
CECIL
No, your majesty.
ELIZABETH
Hath either arrived on the shores of
England?
CECIL
No, your majesty.
ELIZABETH
Then pray tell, what is it?
with it.
Out
CECIL
A lady of your court is with child.
ELIZABETH
Which one?
CECIL
Lady Vavasor.
ELIZABETH
She is but a low born drab.
(MORE)
86.
ELIZABETH (CONT'D)
It was a mistake to bring her to
court. She was given entre to her
betters. She must be removed from
court immediately. Send her back to
her uncle, let him bear the shame
and cost of this. The ladies of the
court are not to be common courtesan,
who give their favors to any who
comes calling.
CECIL (CONT’D)
Yes, your majesty.
ELIZABETH
Who, may I ask is the father of this
drab's child?
CECIL
He is a member of the court.
ELIZABETH
Of course, he is a member of the
court. Would we think that he is an
apparition? Would we think he is a
member of the French court? Would
we think he was a Prince from Denmark?
CECIL
Never, your majesty.
ELIZABETH
Out with it, Lord Burghley.
CECIL
It is… Lord Oxford.
Queen says nothing.
CECIL (CONT'D)
My son-in-law. Husband of my
daughter.
Queen says nothing.
CECIL (CONT'D)
Your majesty?
Queen says nothing.
87.
ELIZABETH
Remove Lady Vavasor to the Fleet
Prison. There she shall birth her
bastard child. Remove Lord Oxford
to the Tower.
INT. ENGLAND NAVAL PRISON - DAY
Dark corridors. Not a pleasant place. A woman can be heard
screaming. Camera goes down corridor, around corners.
A group of ladies, well-dressed are standing outside a door.
A woman in labor yells. Finally, a baby cries. The women
wrap the baby. The young woman lies three exhausted, pale.
MIDWIFE TWO
It is a male.
VAVASOR
My sweet Lord. My sweet Oxford. I
delivered my sweet lord, a son. A
sweet bastard son. As is my love,
sweet Lord Oxford.
INT. ENGLAND COURT - DAY
Cecil is sitting at a table.
enters.
KNYVET, uncle of Vavasor,
KNYVET
My good Lord, Lord Oxford hath
disgraced my niece. If only I could
seek revenge. He hath disgraced our
family. By rights, I should have a
duel of honor with Lord Oxford.
CECIL
Yes, my good Lord.
KNYVET
Her Majesty would frown on such a
duel of honor. Her Majesty hath
said that the gentleman's neglect of
the nobility shall teach the peasant
to insult both.
CECIL
Yes, she hath given that opinion.
88.
KNYVET
When our good Lord Oxford called Sir
Philip Sidney a "puppy," the Queen
interceded.
CECIL
Her majesty viewed that there could
not be a duel between two nobles of
such unequal rank.
KNYVET
Lord Oxford was thus saved much
disgrace, if not his life.
CECIL
The Queen was in much affection for
both Sir Philip Sidney and Lord
Oxford.
KNYVET
Does she retain this affection for
Lord Oxford?
CECIL
Her majesty is now much offended by
the actions of Lord Oxford.
KNYVET
Her majesty hath shown her displeasure
by placing Lord Oxford in the Tower.
CECIL
Her majesty hath shown the greatest
displeasure with Lord Oxford. Lord
Oxford's fall in her court is punished
as far or farther than any like crime
hath been.
KNYVET
The Queen is displeased, England
shakes.
CECIL
Not the world, but England, most
certainly.
KNYVET
If the Queen is displeased with
Oxford, then perhaps her majesty
would not frown on a matter of honour.
89.
CECIL
That is for you to judge, sir. I
cannot speak for the Queen, but to
say, her highness is most enraged by
this matter.
KNYVET
Honor shall be restored.
INT. ENGLAND TOWER CELL - DAY
The cell in the tower is comfortably furnished. Oxford is
finishing a meal brought in by a servant. This is a luxury
prison.
Oxford writes with quill pen.
reads.
He then stands, paces, and
OXFORD
Were I a king, I could command
content.
Were I obscure,
Hidden should be my cares,
Or, were I dead,
No cares should me torment.
Nor hopes, nor hates, nor loves, nor
griefs, nor fears;
A doubtful choice--of these three
which to crave,
Kingdom, or a cottage, or a grave.
Were thou a king yet not command
content,
Since empire none thy mind could yet
suffice,
Are thou obscure still cares would
thee torment;
But were thou dead, all care and
sorrow dies;
An easy choice of these things, which
to crave,
No kingdom, nor a cottage, but a
grave.
EXT. ENGLAND LONDON STREET - DAY
Oxford and several men exit the Tower. As they turn the
corner, Sir Knyvet and several men await them.
KNYVET
Lord Oxford, halt.
90.
OXFORD
Who orders Lord Oxford to halt?
What rank of man be you?
THOMAS KNYVET
It is not my rank you should know,
but my relations. I am the uncle of
Anne Vavasor. I demand satisfaction
for this foul deed.
He draws his sword.
OXFORD
Satisfaction will be on the end of
my sword.
He draws his sword.
Men surrounding Oxford and Knyvet stand back. Oxford and
Knyvet duel. Both come close to death. Oxford is slashed
in the leg.
THOMAS KNYVET
Anne Vavasor hath satisfaction.
Thomas Knyvet and his men exit. Oxford is bandaged.
a serious wound. His men carry Oxford away.
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN BOAT - DAY
Oxford and Veronica are aboard the ship.
OXFORD
Ah, yes. Women of the court. "And
how like haggards wild, about they
range."
VERONICA
What are you saying?
OXFORD
Nothing. Nothing. A few thoughts
that are floating above. Like clouds
that blow along with the wind.
Tomorrow, Palermo.
Bit first to the countryside. To
visit ruins. Then later we will
meet with the Duke.
It is
91.
Delightful.
VERONICA
My lord.
Delightful.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN SICILY COUNTRYSIDE - MORNING
Oxford and Veronica are riding horses through open fields.
They come to the Temple of Segesta. A Greek temple like the
Parthenon of Athens. Six columns across the front. Fourteen
on each side.
They ride until they overlook the temple.
VERONICA
Magnificent.
OXFORD
Exactly.
VERONICA
A temple for which God?
OXFORD
Venus.
VERONICA
Really.
OXFORD
A temple so beautiful. What else
could it be named for? The Roman
goddess of love, beauty, sex,
fertility and prosperity.
The eternal feminine, enobles all
men.
VERONICA
Or at least produces them.
They ride to the temple and dismount. They are tourists at
the temple. Looking up at the high pillars.
OXFORD
It does not look like it was ever
finished.
VERONICA
Why not?
92.
OXFORD
The columns here. They have these
markings. They are to aid in the
construction. They would be removed
when the building was finished. The
tops of the columns are not fluted
as they would be if they had been
finished.
VERONICA
The Greeks built it?
OXFORD
I do not know. But certainly people
who knew of their architecture.
Their builders.
VERONICA
How do you know such things?
OXFORD
I read Greek. I have read much of
their history. Latin also. Italian
and a little French.
VERONICA
Well, if this is the temple of Venus,
then I must be Venus and you must be
Apollo. Is it not for you to catch
me?
Veronica runs behind another column. Oxford goes after her.
She ducks behind another column. They play this game until
Oxford catches her and kisses her.
VERONICA (CONT'D)
My sweet Apollo.
OXFORD
My tender Venus.
Oxford spreads out a blanket and brings out a jug of wine,
cheese and bread. They eat and drink.
VERONICA
My mother was a courtesan.
OXFORD
Was she?
93.
VERONICA
Yes. A courtesan. She was listed
as an honored courtesan of Venice.
OXFORD
Listed where?
VERONICA
In the catalogue of all the Principal
and Most Honored Courtesans of Venice.
A list of names, addresses and fees.
OXFORD
You are listed there?
VERONICA
Yes. Of course. This is my business.
It pays for me and my family. For
my children. Perhaps I will have
enough for a dowry for my daughter.
My mother taught me.
OXFORD
The art of seduction.
VERONICA
Of course.
OXFORD
And what is the secret of the art of
seduction?
VERONICA
To give pleasure, you must receive
pleasure.
OXFORD
Of love.
VERONICA
Of love is different. Of pleasure
is to lust for the pleasure itself.
To let it embrace you. To overwhelm
you.
OXFORD
Of love.
VERONICA
I do not speak much of love.
94.
OXFORD
Yes.
VERONICA
Painful delusions. Disappointments.
A moment of sunshine and then endless
rain.
OXFORD
If you were to love a man?
VERONICA
I would want his child. Want a part
of him to be part of me. Now and
into the future. Love is a child.
A burbling, bambino. To love the
child is to love the man that made
the child.
They drink some wine. The sun is setting. They snuggle
together, and pull the blanket over themselves.
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN PALERMO CASTLE - EVENING
This is a lavish ballroom. The nobility, wives and courtesans
dressed in their finest, women as well. There is drinking
as men and women mingle and chat. Nobles, courtiers, priests,
ladies are in attendance. Present is the Duke of Sessa,
SESSA (40's)
The door opens and Oxford and Veronica stand in the open
doorway. They enter.
HERALD ONE
Your excellency, we present Edward
de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
dall'Inghilterra.
Oxford bows.
HERALD ONE (CONT'D)
Your excellency, we present note the
famous poetess and author from our
beloved city of Venezia, Veronica
Franco.
Veronica curtseys.
95.
HERALD ONE (CONT'D)
My lord Oxford and Signorina Franco,
let us present, Oxford Gonzalo
Fernández de Córdoba y Fernández de
Córdoba, Duke of Sessa.
Oxford walks forward to the Duke of Sessa and stands before
him. Oxford bows and Veronica curtsies.
SESSA
The island of Sicily welcomes our
foreign visitors. We hope that you
will entertain yourself well on our
beautiful island. That you will see
much and learn more.
OXFORD
Your excellency, I bring you greetings
and felicitations for my majesty,
Queen Elizabeth of England. She
wishes you well and desires closer
ties with Palermo. She hopes that
many English ships will in the future
find a welcome port in Palmero.
Oxford bows again.
SESSA
I see you have brought with you the
esteemed poetess and literary femme
fatale, Signorina Veronica Franco.
We in our isolated island of Sicily
have heard of your Venetian fame.
Your book Terza Ryme graces our
libraries and is appreciated by our
nobility, scholars and poets.
VERONICA
Your are most gracious, your
excellency.
Veronica bows.
SESSA
Count Oxford and Signorina Franco,
please join me for our entertainment.
Come sit with me.
Oxford and Veronica go and sit on each side of Duke Sessa.
The table is on a platform raised above the floor.
96.
Entertainment soon comes on to the floor. Jugglers, acrobats,
dancers. They are accompanied by musicians.
Oxford is enjoying himself. He has a few glasses of wine.
Veronica is talking to Duke Sessa.
SESSA (CONT'D)
Count Oxford, I believe that you are
also a poet in England?
Yes.
OXFORD
I have composed some poetry.
SESSA
What do you think is your most notable
accomplishment?
OXFORD
I translated Romeo and Juliet from
the Italian, into a poem of rhymed
couplets.
SESSA
Ah, Romeo and Juliet, the Italian
novella by Matteo Bandello.
OXFORD
Yes, your excellency.
SESSA
Have you composed poetry for the
court of your Queen?
OXFORD
My works are dedicated to her majesty,
Queen Elizabeth.
SESSA
Perhaps, you can for our humble court,
present one of your esteemed poems.
OXFORD
Your majesty.
VERONICA
You must, my lord. The court would
enjoy such a guest reciting his
poetry.
Oxford is drinking his wine.
97.
OXFORD
If it pleases your excellency.
Oxford stands up. Sessa rises and taps his knife on a glass,
bringing the assembled to attention and to quiet.
SESSA
Our esteemed guest, the Count of
Oxford, of Angleterre, will now recite
a poem he dedicated to his majesty,
Queen Elizabeth of Angleterre.
OXFORD
Beauty, truth and rarity.
Beauty, truth, and rarity.
Grace in all simplicity,
Here enclos'd in cinders lie.
Beat is not the phoenix' nest;
And the turtle's loyal breast
To eternity doth rest, Leaving no
posterity:
'Taws not their infirmity,
It was married chastity.
Truth may seem, but cannot be;
Beauty brag, but 'tis not she;
Truth and beauty buried be
To this urn let those repair
That are either true or fair;
For these dead birds, sigh a prayer.
The crowd applauds.
dance.
Oxford bows.
Sessa stands Sessa to
Couples move onto the floor, the music and the dance begin.
Sessa takes Veronica's hand and goes to dance.
Oxford continues to drink. He is thoroughly enjoying himself.
Two nobles are off to the side sitting and talking to each
other.
NOBLE ONE
Who is this fool from Inghilterra?
NOBLE TWO
He has brought with him the most
noted whore from Venezia.
NOBLE ONE
She does foul our court.
strumpet.
The
98.
NOBLE TWO
Inghilterra. Inghilterra. But a
cold island inhabited by barbarians.
Neither culture, art, nor beauty.
His queen is but the bastard daughter
of Henry VIII.
NOBLE ONE
A heretic who should be burned at
the stake.
The dance concludes. Oxford and Sessa go back to their seats.
As they sit, Oxford stands and goes before the assembled
audience. He is slightly drunk.
OXFORD
For his excellency, the Duke of Sessa,
and his honoured guests, I propose a
tournament on the morrow afternoon.
A joust of all manner of weapons,
against all manner of person, wherein
the right honorable Earl of Oxford,
me, will fight a combat in whatsoever
manner, joust on horse and armour or
at the barriers, in the defense of
my Queen, her majesty, Elizabeth
Queen of England.
The crowd is rather thunderstruck by this challenge.
SESSA
The right honorable Earl of England
is to be commended as a chevalier
and nobleman of England who will
rightly and with his life defend his
prince.
Sessa bows to Oxford. It seems that this is over and the
crowd begins to disperse.
Noble one stands up.
NOBLE ONE
Fair, Lord. Let us not wait until
the morrow afternoon. Let us joust
now with sword in but a friendly
contest. He pulls his sword from
the scabbard.
Oxford stands.
99.
OXFORD
Most certainly, my esteemed lord. A
sword, a sword, a kingdom for a sword.
Veronica grabs his jacket to pull him down.
No, my lord.
cups.
Stand aside.
VERONICA
You are well into your
OXFORD
For Queen and country.
Someone hands Oxford a sword. The duel begins. It doesn't
go well for Oxford, who has his clothes torn several times.
In a clinch.
NOBLE ONE
Your Queen is a whore.
brought one among us.
And you have
They duel and go into a clinch.
NOBLE ONE (CONT'D)
A slip, a fall, and a friendly duel
turns deadly.
Oxford realizes that the nobleman wants to kill him.
They go into another clinch.
Face to face:
NOBLE ONE (CONT'D)
(Under his breath)
A slip of the blade across the throat.
Will bring your holiday to a bloody
end.
The duel picks up pace. Chairs and cups are knocked flying.
The audience gasps as they realize that this is a fight to
the death.
Finally, they are in front of the Duke and Veronica. The
table is on a platform and Oxford slips. He falls on a rug
that goes under the table.
Noble One stands over Oxford, sword pointed at Oxford's
throat. Veronica bends down beneath the table, grabs the
rug and gives it a strong pull. Noble One loses his balance
and falls off the platform, his sword goes flying.
100.
Oxford picks up his head to see what has happened and then
falls into a drunken stupor.
EXT. VERONA BALCONY - EVENING
The same balcony used in the 1968 Romeo and Juliet movie.
Juliet comes to the window.
JULIET
O Romeo, Romeo!
Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn
my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
ROMEO
[Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall
I speak at this?
JULIET
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a
Montague.
What's Montague?
It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other
part Belonging to a man.
O, be some other name!
What's in a name?
That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as
sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo
call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he
owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy
name,
And for that name which is no part
of thee
Take all myself.
ROMEO
I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new
baptized;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
101.
JULIET
What man art thou that thus bescreen'd
in night
So stumblest on my counsel?
ROMEO
By a name I know not how to tell
thee who I am:
My name, dear saint, is hateful to
myself,
Because it is an enemy to thee;
Had I it written, I would tear the
word.
JULIET
My ears have not yet drunk a hundred
words
Of that tongue's utterance, yet I
know the sound:
Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?
ROMEO
Neither, fair saint, if either thee
dislike.
JULIET
How camest thou hither, tell me, and
wherefore?
The orchard walls are high and hard
to climb,
And the place death, considering who
thou art,
If any of my kinsmen find thee here.
ROMEO
With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls;
For stony limits cannot hold love
out,
And what love can do that dares love
attempt;
Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to
me.
JULIET
If they do see thee, they will murder
thee.
ROMEO
Alack, there lies more peril in thine
eye
(MORE)
102.
ROMEO (CONT'D)
Than twenty of their swords: look
thou but sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity.
JULIET
I would not for the world they saw
thee here.
ROMEO
I have night's cloak to hide me from
their sight;
And but thou love me, let them find
me here:
My life were better ended by their
hate,
Than death prorogued, wanting of thy
love.
JULIET
By whose direction found'st thou out
this place?
ROMEO
By love, who first did prompt me to
inquire;
He lent me counsel and I lent him
eyes.
I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
Interrupting.
Mr. Howard (50's), the film's director walks on to the stage
revealing that this is a filming of Romeo and Juliet
MR. HOWARD
Cut. Cut. We've got to work on
this. Juliet, let's talk. Talk to
Mr. Howard.
The scene switches out to reveal that this is a movie
production. Camera lights, crew, tables, grips, wires etc.
Romeo staggers on with his lines.
ROMEO
As that vast shore wash'd with the
farthest sea, I would adventure for
such merchandise.....
103.
MR. HOWARD
Cut. Cut. Romeo, cut. Romeo, talk
to Mr. Howard. Here, both of you
Mr. Howard paces around while the two actors come around to
stand in front of him.
MR. HOWARD (CONT'D)
Listen kids. This is a professional
movie. This is a classic scene. Un
cri du cœur.
ROMEO
A what?
MR. HOWARD
A cry from the heart.
JULIET
Ok, a cry from the heart.
MR. HOWARD
A deep yearning. A desire to be
together. Not just a few lines
written by the Bard, hundreds of
years ago.
ROMEO
We've got it. A cry from the heart.
MR. HOWARD
It doesn't seem like you two even
like each other. Think about your
acting classes. Stanislavsky. Method
acting.
Juliet has a complete blank look on her face.
MR. HOWARD (CONT'D)
You have heard of Stanislavsky. The
Method.
JULIET
I'm thirteen.
MR. HOWARD
You have been to acting school?
Juliet looks at him blankly.
MR. HOWARD (CONT'D)
Haven't you?
104.
JULIET
Well, no.
MR. HOWARD
Really. What method do you use to
"act Shakespearean?"
JULIET
I just do what they tell me.
Listen, in
mean there
the play.
a window.
ROMEO
Shakespeare, the play, I
is no balcony. I read
There's no balcony. It's
How come we have a balcony?
MR. HOWARD
Tradition. Every play, every movie,
every poster has Juliet on the
balcony. If we didn't have a balcony,
Juliet on the balcony, people would
want their money back. No balcony,
no tradition. Like popcorn at the
movies. No popcorn. Not a real
movie. Not a balcony. Not a real
"Romeo and Juliet."
INT. INDIA BOMBAY STAGE - EVENING
All actors are from India.
BENVOLIO
Here comes the furious Tybalt back
again.
ROMEO
Alive, in triumph! And Mercutio
slain! Away to heaven, respective
lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my
conduct now!
Tybalt re-enters.
ROMEO (CONT’D) (CONT'D)
Now, Tybalt, take the villain back
again,
That late thou gavest me; for
Mercutio's soul Is but a little way
above our heads,
Staying for thine to keep him company:
Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.
105.
TYBALT
Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort
him here,
Shalt with him hence.
ROMEO
This shall determine that.
They fight; Tybalt falls.
BENVOLIO
Romeo, away, be gone!
The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
Stand not amazed: the prince will
doom thee death,
If thou art taken: hence, be gone,
away!
ROMEO
O, I am fortune's fool!
BENVOLIO
Why dost thou stay?
Romeo exits.
Citizens & company enter.
FIRST CITIZEN
Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio?
Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran
he?
BENVOLIO
There lies that Tybalt.
FIRST CITIZEN
Up, sir, go with me;
I charge thee in the prince's name,
obey.
Prince enters, attended; Montague, Capulet, their wives, and
others.
PRINCE
Where are the vile beginners of this
fray?
BENVOLIO
O noble prince, I can discover all
The unlucky manage of this fatal
brawl:
There lies the man, slain by young
(MORE)
106.
BENVOLIO (CONT'D)
Romeo,
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
LADY CAPULET
Tybalt, my cousin!
O my brother's child!
O prince! O cousin! Husband!
O, the blood is spilt,
O my dear kinsman!
Prince, as thou art true,
For blood of ours, shed blood of
Montague.
O cousin, cousin!
PRINCE
Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?
BENVOLIO
Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's
hand did slay;
Romeo that spoke him fair, bade him
bethink
How nice the quarrel was, and urged
withal
Your high displeasure: all this
uttered
With gentle breath, calm look, knees
humbly bow'd,
Could not take truce with the unruly
spleen
Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he
tilts
With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's
breast,
Who all as hot, turns deadly point
to point,
And, with a martial scorn, with one
hand beats
Cold death aside, and with the other
sends
It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity,
Retorts it:
Romeo he cries aloud, 'Hold, friends!
Friends, part!'
And, swifter than his tongue,
His agile arm beats down their fatal
points,
And 'twixt them rushes; underneath
whose arm
An envious thrust from Tybalt hit
(MORE)
107.
BENVOLIO (CONT'D)
the life
Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt
fled;
But by and by comes back to Romeo,
Who had but newly entertain'd revenge,
And to 't they go like lightning,
for, ere
I could draw to part them, was stout
Tybalt slain.
And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and
fly.
This is the truth, or let Benvolio
die.
He is a kinsman to the Montague;
Affection makes him false; he speaks
not true:
Some twenty of them fought in this
black strife,
And all those twenty could but kill
one life.
I beg for justice, which thou, prince,
must give;
Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not
live.
PRINCE
Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;
Who now the price of his dear blood
doth owe?
MONTAGUE
Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's
friend;
His fault concludes but what the law
should end,
The life of Tybalt.
PRINCE
And for that offence immediately we
do exile him hence:
I have an interest in your hate's
proceeding,
My blood for your rude brawls doth
lie a-bleeding;
But I'll amerce you with so strong a
fine
That you shall all repent the loss
of mine:
I will be deaf to pleading and
excuses;
(MORE)
108.
PRINCE (CONT'D)
Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase
out abuses:
Therefore use none: let Romeo hence
in haste,
Else, when he's found, that hour is
his last.
Bear hence this body and attend our
will:
Mercy but murders, pardoning those
that kill.
INT. USA CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER
Class, we have just watched the final
scene of the movie Romeo and Juliet.
We are now going to have some
character analysis of the major
characters. When we see Romeo, we
see a character full of passion. He
is in love with love. Marcia, what
do you think of Romeo?
Marcia is staring at some handsome dude.
MARCIA
Huh?
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER
What do you think of Romeo?
MARCIA
He's dreamy.
Teacher reacts.
Rolls his eyes.
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER
Allison, what do you think of Romeo?
ALLISON
I agree. I think he's dreamy. I
mean look. The guy's crazy about
her. Climbs a wall and everything.
He's really into her. Of course,
the parents don't like it. But
they're parents, so you can get that.
Romeo is way cool. She's really
into him. Stabs herself to death
cause he's dead. She can't live
without him. Really.
109.
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER
Justin. What are your thoughts on
the character of Juliet?
A hottie.
JUSTIN
Definitely hot.
Excellent.
The teacher shrugs his shoulders.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. VERONA TOMB - EVENING
Juliet wakes.
JULIET
O comfortable friar!
Where is my lord?
I do remember well where I should
be,
And there I am. Where is my Romeo?
Noise within.
FRIAR LAURENCE
I hear some noise. Lady, come from
that nest
Of death, contagion, and unnatural
sleep:
A greater power than we can contradict
Hath thwarted our intents.
Come, come away.
Thy husband in thy bosom there lies
dead;
And Paris too. Come, I'll dispose
of thee
Among a sisterhood of holy nuns:
Stay not to question, for the watch
is coming;
Come, go, good Juliet, Noise again.
JULIET
Go, get thee hence, for I will not
away.
Friar Laurence leaves.
JULIET (CONT’D) (CONT'D)
What's here? A cup, closed in my
true love's hand?
(MORE)
110.
JULIET (CONT’D) (CONT'D)
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless
end: O churl!
Drunk all, and left no friendly drop
To help me after?
I will kiss thy lips;
Haply some poison yet doth hang on
them,
To make die with a restorative.
She kisses him.
JULIET (CONT'D)
Thy lips are warm.
FIRST WATCHMAN
[Within] Lead, boy: which way?
JULIET
Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O
happy dagger!
(Snatching Romeo's
dagger)
This is thy sheath; She stabs herself.
There rust, and let me die.
INT. USA CONCERT STAGE - NIGHT
Reflections are performing as girls dance a la go-go.
song is (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet.
REFLECTIONS
Findin' a job tomorrow mornin'.
Gotta little somethin' I wanna do.
Gonna buy (gonna buy) somethin' I
could ride in. A-take my girl (take
my girl) datin' at the drive-in.
Our love's gonna be written down in
history,
A-Just like Romeo and Juliet.
INT. USA AMERICAN BANDSTAND 1964'S - NIGHT
Teens dancing like American Bandstand, Dick Clark
REFLECTIONS
I'm gonna buy her pretty presents
Just like the ones in a catalog.
Gonna show (gonna show) how much I
love her.
(MORE)
The
111.
REFLECTIONS (CONT'D)
A-Let 'er know (let 'er know) one
way or the other.
Our love's gonna be written down in
history,
A-Just like Romeo and Juliet.
EXT. USA CAR PARKED - NIGHT
Teenagers are making out at drive-in.
REFLECTIONS
(Doop-doop-doop, doo-doot-doot-dootdoot-doot-doot, doo-dopo.)
Just like Romeo and Juliet."
Just like Romeo and Juliet.
Just like Romeo and Juliet.
Just like Romeo and Juliet. Talk
about love and romance,
Just wait till I get myself straight.
I'm a-gonna put Romeo's fame,
Right, smack, dab on the deed.
Alright, now, I'm speculatin',
Wonder what tomorrow's gonna really
bring.
EXT. ENGLAND LONDON PARK - AFTERNOON
Couples are walking, holding hands.
Snuggling.
REFLECTIONS
If I don't (if I don't) find work
tomorrow,
It's gonna be (gonna be) heartaches
and sorrow.
Our love's gonna be destroyed by a
tragedy,
A-Just like Romeo and Juliet.
INT. USA CONCERT - NIGHT
Reflections are performing 2001.
REFLECTIONS
(Doop-doop-doop, doo-doot-doot-dootdoot-doot-doot, doo-dopo.)
Just like Romeo and Juliet.
Just like Romeo and Juliet.
Just like Romeo and Juliet.
112.
Just
Just
Just
Just
(Fade)
Romeo and
Romeo and
Romeo and
Romeo and
like
like
like
like
Juliet.
Juliet.
Juliet.
Juliet.
EXT. VERONA SYCAMORE - EVENING
In the sycamore trees outside the West Wall of Verona, Oxford
and Veronica are walking. They have cloaks with hoods.
VERONICA
What are these trees?
Very different.
OXFORD
They are sycamore trees.
white bark.
With their
VERONICA
Yes. This is where lonely lovers
are supposed to walk. Verona is
famous for doomed lovers.
I know.
OXFORD
Romeo and Juliet.
VERONICA
Have you read the novella?
OXFORD
Yes. I wrote an epic poem telling
the story. Romeus and Juliet.
(Recites)
There is beyond the Alps, a town of
ancient fame,
Whose bright renown yet shineth clear:
Verona men it name;
Built in a happy time, built on a
fertile soil
Maintained by the heavenly fates,
and by the townish toil
The fruitful hills above, the pleasant
vales below,
The silver stream with channel deep,
that thro' the town doth flow,
The store of springs that serve for
use, and eke for ease,
And other more commodities, which
profit may and please,--Eke many
certain signs of things betide of
old,
(MORE)
113.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
To fill the hungry eyes of those
that curiously behold.
Oxford stops, puts his arms around Veronica and kisses her.
VERONICA
You kiss by the book. As if it is
something you read about. That you
should feel certain things but you
do not.
OXFORD
I would hardly lie to you.
VERONICA
Your lips cannot lie.
OXFORD
I think that is false.
VERONICA
You are a courtier. Educated in the
ways of love. By the book. To put
it down in sonnets of fourteen lines.
Each precisely measured. You are
trained to write from what you have
learned. Not by your experience.
OXFORD
That is false. I kiss you because,
because….
VERONICA
Because you love me?
men make love to me.
Hardly, many
Few love me.
OXFORD
I, I.
VERONICA
You are the romantic young English
courtier. On your tour of Italy -it is only appropriate that you have
a beautiful woman on your arm, to be
seen with you, to sleep with you.
If it were not me, it would be
another.
OXFORD
There is none such as you in all of
Italy.
114.
VERONICA
True.
OXFORD
Do you think it would make a good
play?
VERONICA
What make a good play?
OXFORD
Romeo and Juliet.
VERONICA
Doomed lovers?
OXFORD
Yes.
VERONICA
It would make a very good play.
suggestion though.
OXFORD
I am glad you like the idea.
so too.
One
I think
VERONICA
Rome-e-o. Because you are my Rome-eo.
(Snuggling up)
You are my Rome-E-Earl. O of Oxford.
Rom-e-o.
She kisses him. They continue to walk. He then grabs her,
pulls her toward him and puts her on the ground. He is on
top of her and passionately kissing her.
My darling.
OXFORD
My darling.
My love.
VERONICA
(into his ear)
That's better. Much better.
EXT. VERONA STREET - MORNING
Oxford and Florio walk down street. Oxford is carrying a
large basket of flowers. Turn into their building and enter
building.
115.
INT. VERONA OXFORD'S RESIDENCE - MORNING
Oxford bounds the stairs, followed by Florio. He hears women
screaming in his room. He rushes in. Veronica on the bed,
the covers are all tossed about and bloody. A woman wraps a
dead infant in a blanket. She hurries away. Veronica is
wailing.
VERONICA
Il mio bambino, il mio bambino. Il
mio bambino, il mio bambino è andato.
Il mio bambino è morto. Il mio
bambino è morto.
Oxford rushes to the bed; kneels down.
OXFORD
You are with child?
VERONICA
Il mio bambino è morto.
bambino è morto.
Il mio
OXFORD
You did not tell me.
VERONICA
I want your child. I want tuo
bambino.
OXFORD
I will be gone.
VERONICA
I don't care. I don't care. You
would know someday. Someday you
would know you had a fine bambino.
Our child. Our child. You would
see him. You would see him. A fine
young man. Tuo bambino. Tuo bambino.
EXT. VERONA STREET - MORNING
Oxford and Veronica are walking on a street.
shops.
VERONICA
You will return tomorrow.
dall'Inghilterra.
There are many
Return to
116.
OXFORD
Yes. Yes. I am leaving.
news. News from England.
I have
VERONICA
Yes?
OXFORD
My wife has given birth.
VERONICA
That is good news.
OXFORD
No. She gave birth months early.
Months before her day. The child is
not mine. I will be the fable of
the world. Cuckolded.
VERONICA
I have something for you.
OXFORD
What is it?
VERONICA
Into this shop. It is here.
They go into the shop.
BOOKSELLER
La Signorina vi piacerebbe?
VERONICA
Ho ordinato un libro ieri.
pagato.
Si è
BOOKSELLER
Ah sì, per essere certi.
The Bookseller brings a large book and hands it to Veronica.
She turns to Oxford with the book.
VERONICA
La historia d'Italia by Francesco
Guicciardini.
She hands the book using two hands to Oxford.
VERONICA (CONT'D)
Something to remember me by.
He takes it.
117.
OXFORD
I, I, I, no, never.
VERONICA
In time we grow old. Memories dim.
Flames become glowing embers. Embers
to coals. Coals to ashes. Ashes
are scattered on the wind.
OXFORD
No.
No.
VERONICA
There will always be Venice.
(She kisses him on
the cheek)
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ENGLAND CHANNEL DECK OF SMALL SHIP - DAY
The ship is a small sloop. It is sailing in the English
Channel toward England. The weather is cold. They all are
warmly dressed.
SAILOR
Ship to stern. Pirates!
Captain and Oxford go to the stern.
the spyglass.
Captain looks through
CAPTAIN
Pirates. They are giving us chase.
We are slow of sail.
OXFORD
This is not a ripe cargo ship. We
have nothing of value. Nothing worth
the chase.
CAPTAIN
My Lord, they still give chase.
The ship is closer.
OXFORD
They are armed. They have drawn
their swords.
To arms.
CAPTAIN
To arms.
118.
The sailors arm themselves.
OXFORD
Florio. To my chest. Bring the
small sack. With dispatch. With
dispatch.
Florio disappears into the hold.
The pirate ship is pulling alongside.
railing.
Oxford stands on the
PIRATE CAPTAIN
T’is the Earl of Oxford.
Florio comes on deck and hands Oxford a small sack. Pirates
are almost ready to throw grappling hooks to tie up to the
ship and board.
OXFORD
Hey ho, my captain. Better to take
the prize without the bloodshed.
Live to see a bright tomorrow. Or
perhaps dance on the end of sword.
PIRATE CAPTAIN
You boast.
OXFORD
Here, my lads.
Oxford reaches in the sack and pulls out a few gold coins to
show the captain. He throws one on to the deck of the other
ship.
OXFORD (CONT'D)
What shall it be, my lads? A bag of
gold or a taste of steel?
PIRATE CAPTAIN
The better part of valor is
discretion. Down with ye arms.
OXFORD
That's better.
PIRATE CAPTAIN
Throw the bag aboard.
OXFORD
I could miss and the gold would be
at the bottom. Throw us a line.
119.
The
and
the
The
pirates rig a line, a double line, like a clothesline,
throw it on to Oxford's ship. Oxford ties the bag to
line. The line is reeled across, like a clothesline.
transfer is made.
PIRATE CAPTAIN
Lord Oxford, a good day to you.
Pleasant sailing. Heave starboard.
FLORIO
Brilliante, Lord Oxford. Brilliante.
(Pauses)
How did they know who you are?
OXFORD
My father-in-law prepared this
welcome, to assassinate me. He would
be left with a daughter. My daughter.
My heir. A princess.
Make sail for England, captain.
Back to the star. This star of
England.
INT. ENGLAND COURT - AFTERNOON
Queen Elizabeth is in the same orange dress of Venus and
Adonis. She is on the throne. Oxford is standing before
her.
The full court is there for Oxford's return. Queen Elizabeth
is on her throne, while Robert Dudley stands beside her.
William Cecil stands on one side.
HERALD TWO
Your Majesty, Edward de Vere, 17th
Earl of Oxford.
Oxford strides through the courtiers and ladies. He has
something wrapped in his hand. He approaches Queen Elizabeth
and bows.
ELIZABETH
Our cousin, the Earl of Oxford,
returns from Italy. Bearing gifts,
I see.
OXFORD
Yes, your majesty.
(Hands the Queen a
small packet)
120.
ELIZABETH
Such wonderful gloves.
Diamonds.
Embroidered.
OXFORD
Fit for a Queen, your majesty.
ELIZABETH
I am a Queen, so they must fit me.
She puts on the gloves.
OXFORD
A small bottle, your majesty.
Oxford hands her a small bottle.
Oxford stands back. He notices a very attractive handmaiden
of the Queen, looking directly at him: Anne Vavasor.
She gives that unconscious female signal of great interest
in a man. She runs her hand through her hair, looks directly
at Oxford, and then looks away.
Elizabeth opens the bottle.
ELIZABETH
What a delicious smell.
OXFORD
Again, suited for a Queen.
ELIZABETH
From hence, we shall call this the
Oxford perfume. You shall have the
license to import this from Italy.
OXFORD
As it pleases your majesty.
ELIZABETH
How are you, my lord?
adventures in Italia.
OXFORD
Older, your majesty.
After your
Older.
THE END
Paul Streitz has an AB from Hamilton College and an MBA from
the University of Chicago. He served as a Infantry Officer
with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam.
121.
He is co-author of the musicals Oh, Johnny and Madison Avenue,
the subliminal musical. He is the author of The Great American
College Tuition Rip-Off and America First, Why Americans
must end free trade, stop outsourcing and close our open
borders.
His book, Oxford: Son of Queen Elizabeth I, revealed that
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was the son of Queen
Elizabeth I and her stepfather, Sir Thomas Seymour.
Most recently, he has completed a screenplay, Washington and
Arnold, a story of two patriots and one woman based on the
book by Gen. Dave R. Palmer, former superintendent of West
Point. His works can be found on Amazon.com.

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