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+THE BIG BLUE by Luc Besson Bob Garland Marylin Golden "God is at the bottom of the sea and I dive to find him." Enzo MaiorcaFADE IN:EXT. GREEK ISLAND - SUNSETCREDIT SEQUENCE:The image is in black and white.The sun disappears behind arid cliffs which cast giantshadows on the sea.A little boy around 8 years old -- tanned from head to toe-- sprints along the cliffs, scrambles from one rock toanother with amazing agility.In one hand, he carries a transparent plastic bag. In theother, a net bag containing flippers, mask, pants andsweater.The only thing that slows him down is his bathing suit --obvious hand-me-downs -- way too big. He tugs on them ashe goes, holding them up... Until they slide again... ashe leaps again... and pulls them up...The little boy is JACQUES MAYOL.End credits.EXT. GREEK ISLAND - SUNSETJACQUES reaches a ledge jutting out over a deserted cove.He spits in his mask... expertly spreads the spit with afinger... locks his feet into the flippers... and dives.He surfaces a long way out... adjusts his mask... andswims away from shore.IN OPEN SEAThe boy stops swimming -- starts to gulp air -- sucks itin -- oxygenating his blood in a series of deep rapidbreaths -- almost hyperventilating, almost alarming ifwe've never seen this before.His gaze is glued to the ocean floor. Clear clear water.40 feet deep. And intensely blue.Suddenly, he catches his breath and dives -- into theblue.UNDERWATERJACQUES touches bottom. Clamps his legs around a rock tohold himself down. Unhurried, thoroughly at home, 40 feetunder... he opens the plastic bag. A huge speckled morayeel appears in a hole in the rock, slithers toward him.The carnivore's jaws are bigger than the boy's head.The boy smiles at him. Pulls a piece of raw meat out ofhis bag and holds it out. The eel takes the morseldelicately -- and slithers back into his hole.Gravely, JACQUES takes another morsel out of the bag.EXT. VILLAGE - DUSKJACQUES walks up a steep road bordering the port, almostdry now.Two boys about his age run up the streets; call out, catchup with him and gesture toward the port. THE BOYS Jacques! Come quick!EXT. PIER - DUSKThe little boys tug JACQUES to the end of the pier andpoint to something in the water. BOYS Look! Right there! It's shining!JACQUES walks over, and sure enough sees something shininga few feet down in the water. JACQUES (squinting) A coin. FIRST BOY I found it. SECOND BOY Liar!Camera pans and we see a middle-aged PRIEST loadingsupplies into a small boat. He stops to watch thechildren's negotiations. Little JACQUES is putting hisflippers on. JACQUES Ok. I'll get it, but no fighting, all right?The two boys nod as they point to the coin. JACQUES We'll split it. FIRST BOY You can't split a coin. That's stupid. SECOND BOY He's right. You're stupid.The pope smiles. JACQUES Then we'll buy something and split that. SECOND BOY A helicopter... JACQUES It's a small coin. FIRST BOY A Ferrari. SECOND BOY I don't want a Ferrari... What is it? JACQUES (interrupting them) Maybe a little radio.The two boys look at each other. JACQUES Well. We'll decide later. The light is going. SECOND BOY I get the radio from after school, until midnight. FIRST BOY Since when do you stay up until midnight? JACQUES All right, all right... Can I concentrate? And you can stop pointing. I've seen it. VOICE (O.S.) I've seen it too.The voice is ENZO'S. Another young boy wearing littleround glasses. FIRST BOY (annoyed) Shit, it's the Italian!He is slightly older than JACQUES but he is taller. ENZOis with ROBERTO, his younger brother, the only one allowedto carry his flippers. Five kids are behind him. ENZO Well, if it isn't the little Frenchman! How is the little Frenchman? JACQUES (cool) Fine!ENZO pats JACQUES on the shoulder and leaves his handthere -- a lightly intimidating gesture. ENZO You don't mind if I go instead, do you? JACQUES (intimidated, and pretending not to be) No... ENZO If you did mind, you'd tell me, wouldn't you?ENZO pats his shoulder reassuringly. ENZO (to his brother) Roberto, mio palmo!ROBERTO who has already started to moisten his bigbrother's gear in the water, holds a pair of drippingflippers and a glistening mask. The pope watches thescene with obvious pleasure. ENZO (to his brother on the edge of the pier) Count!Sure of himself, ENZO takes a deep breath and dives in thewater. ROBERTO counts out loud. ROBERTO 1... 2... 3...The kids all walk over to the edge of the pier. A fewfeet away, JACQUES takes off his flippers. ROBERTO 4... 5... 6...ENZO bursts out of the water, the coin in his hand. Thechildren cheer and clap. ROBERTO rushes to catch theequipment that comes flying at him, piece by piece.ENZO walks over to JACQUES. ENZO (showing him the coin) Who's is it now? You saw it but I dove for it!JACQUES doesn't answer.ENZO smiles and slowly puts the coin in his pocket. Hepulls it out again and waves it under JACQUES' nose. ENZO (without turning around) Roberto? How long? ROBERTO Six seconds.ENZO looks at JACQUES for a while. ENZO I'll throw it back into the water. You dive and if you do less than six, it's yours.JACQUES doesn't say anything, then finally shakes hishead, negatively. ENZO smiles, taps him on the shoulder. ENZO Brava!The first boy finally sums up his courage to speak. BOY (timidly) Enzo? I saw the coin first... We split? ENZO (smiling) You can't split a coin, stupid.ENZO laughing, sticks the coin in his pocket and leavesthe pier with his gang.The pope smiles and pulls a coin from his pocket.With his flippers dangling from one hand, JACQUES sadlystares out at the sea. The pope calls him over. PRIEST Jacques... Come, look.JACQUES goes over to him, sees where he is pointing, thefaint gleam of the coin underwater. PRIEST Is it a coin shining down there? JACQUES (overjoyed) It is. It's a coin! I'll get it for you, Father! PRIEST It'll be for the poor.JACQUES, intent on the coin's glimmer, quickly slips onhis fins, prepares his mask. He swims in the water like afish, goes directly to the coin. Scoops it up, brings itto the surface.He breaks water, waves the coin, looks for the priest andsees he is no longer there. JACQUES Padre?He looks at the ancient impression on the coin -- "Boy ona Dolphin". DISSOLVE TO:ON JACQUES - UNDERWATERHe's swimming near the spot where he fed the moray eel.He senses something behind him and turns around. He seesa dolphin, still and silent, floating vertically. Itseems to be watching him. The surprise is such thatJACQUES is in a panic, leaps up to the surface...ON JACQUES - IN BEDHe bolts upright, as if suddenly awakening from a dream.INT. ROOM - ON JACQUES' FATHER - DARKA BURLY MAN, around fifty, crosses the room in the shadowsand throws open the shutters with a bang. Sunlight poursin. He walks over to JACQUES' bed in the one room house,and runs his hand through his hair. FATHER (with a smile) ... Come on, time to get up, Jacques!JACQUES rubs his eyes. His father walks over to a pile ofblankets on the floor, on the other side of the room. Hegives the pile a kick. FATHER (screaming at the top of his lungs) Louis, wake up!He uncovers a kettle on the fire and ladles up a big bowlof soup for Jacques. A fifty year old man pokes his headout from under the pile of blankets. It's UNCLE LOUIS,who is having a very hard time, waking up.EXT. HOUSE - DAYJACQUES bursts out of the house, running. Diving gearunder his arm. A piece of buttered bread in his mouth.He catches up with his father and UNCLE LOUIS. They're ona path winding down to the port. JACQUES slows downabruptly. Tries to imitate their stride. The weather isbalmy and the sea lies before them, peaceful and blue.EXT. SEA - DAYTheir boat on the water. The chug of its ENGINE ECHOESoff the cliffs. A few gulls -- drawn by the sound -- skimthe waves of its wake.EXT. BOAT - DAYOn board. JACQUES' Father checks the antique air pump.JACQUES polishes the enormous copper diver's helmet andlays out the rest of an old fashioned deep sea diver'ssuit.At the foot of an old monastery another boat passes.The Priest is in it.JACQUES' Father and LOUIS take off their caps. JACQUEStakes the gold coin out of his pocket.The pope nods to JACQUES. His father looks over at himwithout understanding. The child quickly puts the coinback in his pocket.EXT. BOAT - DAYLOUIS casts anchor. A few feet away, siting on a rock,the kid with little round glasses is fishing. He turnsaround to the boat. JACQUES smiles and waves at him.ENZO waves back, obviously disturbed in his fishingsession. FATHER Jacques, come help me.JACQUES helps his father into the diver's suit. The burlyman struggles into a pair of weighted lead shoes. Heseems sluggish and tired. JACQUES watches worriedly. Hehas a weird feeling. JACQUES You shouldn't dive everyday, Papa. UNCLE LOUIS Then you shouldn't eat everyday, Jacques.His father catches him fondly by the scruff of the neck. FATHER (winks at him) Don't worry. When I'm tired down there, the mermaids help me out.Father and son smile at each other. Then his father putsthe helmet on. JACQUES joins LOUIS at the pump.The heavy diver's suit disappears slowly underwater. Thegleaming copper helmet is the last thing to slide out ofsight.JACQUES and LOUIS work the pump. Regular, steady motionsto maintain the flow of air. UNCLE LOUIS (to Jacques) Hey! Have you ever seen a mermaid? JACQUES No.They keep on pumping for a while, then... UNCLE LOUIS I've seen them.UNCLE LOUIS goes on. JACQUES doesn't budge. UNCLE LOUIS Don't you want to know where?JACQUES looks at the bottom to watch his father.He doesn't answer.UNDERWATER - JACQUES' FATHERHe moves along slowly in his cumbersome diving suit. Heis working the top of a rock outcrop on the sea floor. Hesees a sponge, hooks it; puts it in a bag that's attachedto a life line from the boat fastened to his waist. Hemoves on.INT. BOAT - JACQUES AND LOUIS PUMPINGThey keep up the rhythm. Sitting on a rock at a distance,ENZO watches them. UNCLE LOUIS is bored stiff. UNCLE LOUIS Why don't you ask me? JACQUES What? UNCLE LOUIS Where I saw the mermaids?! Why don't you ever ask any question? I'm always the one asking the question! We're sitting here like two stones and I'm taking to myself. Ask me something, Goddamnit!JACQUES calmly looks over at him, slows down his pumpingand almost serenely asks him: JACQUES (in a completely flat tone) Why did my mother leave?UNCLE LOUIS seems disturbed by the question. A beat. UNCLE LOUIS (ill at ease) Come on now, pump!UNDERWATER - JACQUES' FATHERHe is walking with difficulty at the bottom. His bag isfull of sponges. He seems to be having trouble breathing.EXT. BOAT - JACQUES AND LOUISJACQUES and LOUIS are pumping silently. UNCLE LOUIS feelsobliged to answer JACQUES' question.UNCLE LOUIS finally breaks the silence and explains: UNCLE LOUIS Your mother didn't leave. She went back to America, that's all. It's her home. She's allergic to this Island. She likes refrigerators and machines that clean the floor... so one day she left. Woman are like that, unpredictable, like the sea.They haven't been paying attention to the bubbles gushingat the surface. The air hose is being pulled down in avery worrisome way. JACQUES (with a slight grin) So where did you see mermaids?UNCLE LOUIS smiles. UNCLE LOUIS In the bars in Athens!Very pleased with himself, UNCLE LOUIS burst out laughing.JACQUES shyly shrugs his shoulders. The air hose issuddenly yanked down. JACQUES immediately sees all thebubbles. He is white as a sheet.JACQUES rushes to the side of the boat and starts yellingdown at his father. He grabs the life line and startspulling at it hysterically. The air hose snaps andstarts flying around like some crazy snake. JACQUES triesto jump overboard. UNCLE LOUIS catches hold of his footat the last second. JACQUES is slapping the water withhis hands, trying to go down but UNCLE LOUIS won't lethim. JACQUES is yelling desperately. ENZO is nowstanding on his rock, watching the scene, horrified.The sea now looks as if it were boiling.UNCLE LOUIS grabs hold of JACQUES and hugs him in hisarms. Standing on his rock, ENZO is now cryingdesperately. ENZO (screaming) Jacques! Jacques!The last air bubbles are now breaking on the surface; itlooks as if they will never stop. DISSOLVE TO:EXT. ITALIAN VILLAGE STREET - DAYThe image is now in color.A rocky pink cliff over looks the very bright sea whichfills the screen.SUPERIMPOSED: 1987 SICILYALFREDO runs (skips) up the cobbled street as fast as hecan go, surprisingly fast.He runs to the large terrace of a restaurant which heenters. We have time to read the sign carrying therestaurant's name: "LA MAMMA".INT. RESTAURANT - DAYALFREDO skips in. He is panting, covered in sweat. Hispanic is palpable. The whole room watches him approach along table where a large family is having a birthday partyfor a very old lady.He has to stop a second and catch his breath before he canget the words out. Then leans over and whispers in theear of a great big man -- around 30 -- built like a bull,wearing little round glasses.The man listens, then stiffens.EXT. HARBOR - CONSTRUCTION SITE - DAYA beat-up FIAT, towing an equally beat-up trailer, stops.ENZO unfolds out of the driver's seat, like a circus clownemerging from a toy car.The construction SUPERVISOR, an American, wearing a threepiece suit, hurries over to him.ENZO has already started undressing. ROBERTO unloads thediving gear from the trailer. SUPERVISOR (exhausted) Signore Molinari? ROBERTO (shaking his hand) Yes. ENZO (calmly undressing, expressionless) How did it happen? SUPERVISOR (upset) The company asked me to extract everything I could from the wreck; so the divers were trying to get at the engine... and then the boat turned over... in the current... and... look, I fucked up! Can you help? ENZO How many are, down there?ENZO goes back to the car. SUPERVISOR Just one... We're feeding him air, but he's not breathing regularly... You've got to get him out fast.ENZO glances at the map, then at the accident site. ENZO (a beat) Ten thousand. SUPERVISOR Lira? ENZO Dollars. SUPERVISOR You're going to hold me up at a time like this? ROBERTO You do understand you're talking to the champion diver of the world? SUPERVISOR Yes, but ten thousand dollars...ENZO opens the trunk of his FIAT and pulls out the jack.He slams the trunk shut, and stands looking at theAmerican, straight in the eyes. ENZO Okay. You tell me. How much would you say the man's life is worth?Extremely uncomfortable, the SUPERVISOR doesn't answer. ENZO In my village, we have a saying: when the wind blows, the flags of all nations flap in the same direction. SUPERVISOR (baffled) What does that mean? ROBERTO That you should get your checkbook. Damn quick.EXT. UNFINISHED PIER - ENZOHe's at the end of the pier, his feet dangling in themuddy water of the port. A few feet away a pump sends airHISSING through a rubber tube to the diver trapped below.ENZO inhales steadily, his chest heaving like a bellow.He carefully puts his spectacles inside his shoes, donshis flippers, etc., with his usual flair of suspense.Behind him the SUPERVISOR and other construction workerswatch expectantly. ROBERTO heaves a stone weight into thebay, a cable attached to it plays out from a drum on thepier.ENZO ignoring everyone, grabs the ordinary tire jack,flip-flops over to the now taut cable, the stone has hitbottom. He takes a deep breath and dives into the bay.UNDERWATER - WRECKENZO dives down a chimney of muck. Picks his way over andaround every hazard, until he reaches the diver, trappedunder a huge piece of debris.He pats his shoulder to comfort him, he then inserts thetire jack under a piece of concrete... And, as if he werechanging a tire, begins to pump the handle...Slowly, in a swirl of mud and water, the chunk of debrisrises off the diver's leg.EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - DAYEveryone is staring at the water silently, suspensefully.The SUPERVISOR has his checkbook in hand, but hascompletely forgotten it, intent upon what's going onunderwater. ROBERTO taps him on the shoulder. ROBERTO Since we have a little time, what do you say you write that check?UNDERWATER - WRECKENZO cuts the cables tangled around the diver's torso.Then he takes off his flippers, plants his bare feet onthe concrete, grabs the diver by the shoulders and pullshim free.The diver drops the air tube and climbs as quickly aspossible toward the surface.EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - DAYThe diver surfaces, gasping for breath. A cheer goes upfrom the crowd. Several men hurry to pull him onto dryland. But there is no sign of ENZO. Everyone waits,breathless. ROBERTO (to the Supervisor) Sign here.Suddenly, ENZO appears, burst out of the water, holdinghis flippers up in the air like a trophy. The onlookerscheer, help him out of the water, slapping him on theback.ENZO tosses the jack and his flippers to ROBERTO.Impassive and silent, he slips his arms into the prizefighter's robe that ROBERTO holds out for him, walkssolemnly back to his car.ROBERTO takes the check and walks over to the car. ENZObends down into the car and opens the roof. SUPERVISOR (through the open roof smiling) Thanks, thanks a lot. I mean that too... You extortionist bastard!The car rushes off. In the distance we see a police(carabinieri) car and an old fire engine rolling in thedirection of the construction site.INSIDE FIAT - DRIVING AWAYENZO'S car drives past them. ENZO looks at ROBERTO out ofthe corner of his eye, then suddenly explodes with joy. ENZO Dollars, Roberto! We took him for ten thousand dollars!ROBERTO whoops and whistles. ENZO reaches over and leanson the horn. The little car races by and finally stops atthe top of the cliff facing the sea.EXT. TOP OF CLIFF - DAYThe two brothers sit back, relax.Stare out to sea. ROBERTO (after a while) Enzo, what are you going to do with the money? ENZO Have the car painted. ROBERTO Santini will do that for 25 dollars! ENZO Then tell him to wax it too. ROBERTO Enzo, really. What are you going to get? ENZO (thinking) A rosary for Mama, a dress for Angelica, something with rhine- stones for what's her name, and get yourself a suit that fits... But most important... ROBERTO Yes? ENZO Find the Frenchman. Find me Mayol.EXT. FLAKES OF SNOW - MOUNTAINS - DAYMountain peaks, stark and white. A winter sky which isstrangely and disquietingly dark. A landscape swept bysnow.SUPERIMPOSED ON SCREEN: PERU - LAKE HUACRACOCHA - MAY 1987A yellow light comes out of the storm -- advances towardus. The headlight of a train.A narrow gauge locomotive steams up grade pushing piles ofsnow in front of it.INT. TRAIN - DAYSitting in the train, leaning against the misty window,JOHANA CROSS, 27, has clear quick charm and a sort ofromantic fragility. She is dressed simply but warmly.She looks through the window; all she sees is white.It is clear that she was not the one who decided on thistrip. Reading the key phrases from a beat-up note book,she calls upon an old Peruvian. JOHANA (in Spanish) Is this the Lago del Demonio? (Es bien aqui el Lago del Demonio) ... Huacracocha?The old man goes into a long, rambling explanation.JOHANA nods without understanding a thing. JOHANA Gracias. OLD MAN You welcome.EXT. TRAIN STATION - DAYThe train pulls in, slowly pushing piles of snow in frontof it and finally stops in front of an old shack whichserves as the station.A man, FRANK, bundled in a parka, comes out of asnowmobile parked by the station, and walks up to thetrain.JOHANA steps down, carrying her suitcase and drops twofeet in the snow as she comes off the last step. FRANKwalks over and leans down towards her. FRANK (smiling) Welcome to Peru!INT. SNOWMOBILE - DAYFRANK throws the luggage into the back of the snowmobile,jumps in and turns the ignition on. JOHANA takes her hat,scarf and gloves off. FRANK glances over at her, he isboth amused and charmed. JOHANA Don't you have a heater? FRANK (hitting at the dashboard) Yeah... Sure... Is this your first trip to Peru? JOHANA Does anybody live to make a second?FRANK smiles and kicks the heating system, then leans overto check it, his eyes off the road. JOHANA (a little worried) Forget about the heater!EXT. LAKE OF THE DEMON - CAMP - DAYThe storm is at its peak. The frozen snowmobile plowsalong side the lake HUACRACOCHA and stops in front of acluster of quonset huts almost completely buried in snow.FRANK gets the bags out of the back. The suitcases are bynow frozen stiff. JOHANA follows in his steps.A couple of llamas are huddled up against the hut inattempt to protect themselves from the storm.JOHANA is bewildered. Shacks in the middle of the Andes,the lake of the "Demon", and now llama that have to bepushed aside to enter one's home.As FRANK opens the door, a man is leaving the hut. Theman is JACQUES MAYOL. JOHANA and JACQUES pass each otherin slow motion. Everything seems suddenly suspended:time, sound, cold...JACQUES MAYOL instantly makes an impression on her. He isnow 34, still dark-haired, with dark eyes. He is wearinga red diving suit and a pair of round goggles. He lookslike some legendary creature one would dream about.Everything finally regains its formal speed. The doorslams, the man is gone. She and FRANK are in the middleof the entrance hall. JOHANA hasn't yet gotten over thevision she has just had, but she regains composure andenters the next room.INT. QUONSET HUTJOHANA happily takes her gloves off.FRANK puts down the bags and walks into the next room.It's a sort of laboratory, filled with ultra modernequipment.A big bay window overlooks the lake on which is built along wooden dock.Sitting in a corner, an old Peruvian man is preparing hotdrinks. JOHANA drops into a chair. FRANK A drink to warm up? JOHANA Yes, thank you. Intravenous if possible. FRANK (pulling out a flask) Tea... or whiskey? JOHANA ... both. Did I just see a man in a red suit and goggles?FRANK smiles and pours some whiskey in her tea cup. FRANK ... right. (calling out) Dr. Lawrence? The insurance man... uh... The insurance person is here! LAWRENCE It's about time!FRANK smiles and pours JOHANA some tea. She warms herhands on the cup. She asks blankly. JOHANA Would it be out of place to ask what he's doing? FRANK Who? JOHANA The guy in the Halloween suit!LAWRENCE comes in from the other side of the room.He walks straight over to the bay window. LAWRENCE Did you have a nice trip? We were getting restless, it's been three weeks since the accident.JOHANA walks over to the bay window and starts staring atsomething in the distance.EXT. DOCK - ON JACQUESAt the end of the dock, JACQUES who is sitting on the edgeof a hole which is cut in the ice, is putting a pair ofgloves on. He then grabs the handles of a strange machinewhich emerges from the water and starts taking deepbreaths, oblivious to the cold, his mind completelyelsewhere.BACK IN LABJOHANA watches JACQUES. She just can't believe her eyes.LAWRENCE is bent over one of his machines, fiddling withdifferent switches. LAWRENCE (to Johana) You should get things moving, you know. We're out of equipment and we can't do half of our experiments...! Frank, check the program!JOHANA is finally able to speak. JOHANA Who... Who is that? LAWRENCE Mayol... Jacques Mayol. JOHANA That's the experiment? Dumping a guy into a frozen lake?LAWRENCE turns one last knob. LAWRENCE ... The truck fell into a very deep crevasse. We weren't able to save the equipment. JOHANA I'll have to talk to the driver. LAWRENCE In the spring when he melts!JOHANA walks closer to the window. She isn't hearing athing he's saying.JACQUES is putting on his flippers.JOHANA can't believe it.JACQUES is standing by a hole cut in the ice. He isholding onto the machine in the water. He is waving amask. JOHANA (dumbfounded) You really send him under the ice? He isn't a slave or a convict or anything? LAWRENCE My dear, science is a cruel mistress. JOHANA But... how is he going to breathe? LAWRENCE He isn't going to breathe.JACQUES takes a deep breath, turns a handle and a weightyanks him straight down into the water. LAWRENCE sets hisstop watch off and flips a few switches.JOHANA grabs his arm as if they could do something aboutit. LAWRENCE Listen...He raises the volume: we hear the man's heartbeat througha small speaker. LAWRENCE That's his heartbeat. (excited) Can you hear the speed at which it's slowing down, it's incredible.LAWRENCE tears off the sheet with the heartbeat measureson it and hands it to JOHANA.JOHANA feels she's on the verge of crying, and can'tfigure it out.UNDERWATER - JACQUESJACQUES stops his machine by turning one of the handles.He's deep beneath the surface of the frozen lake. Heswims deliberately, carefully into a large tube which ishinged open. He closes it around himself. His heart isstill slowing down. He pushes a button on the machine,and a flash of light bursts in the opaque nightsurrounding him.BACK IN LAB - ON VIDEO SCREENWe see a moving X-ray image. LAWRENCE He's in the fluoroscope now. Listen to his heart. Impressive, huh? The flow of blood is concentrated in the brain and doesn't even feed the limbs anymore. It's a phenomena that has only been observed with dolphins... until now. JOHANA How long can he stay down? Without breathing? LAWRENCE It depends. He should come up soon. (smiling) Unless he's decided to stay for the night. JOHANA Why is he doing this? LAWRENCE For one thing, it's his job... as for the rest of it, I wish I knew.JOHANA sighs with relief as JACQUES appears at the surfacein one big breath. JOHANA Shouldn't somebody take him a blanket or something? LAWRENCE (smiling at Frank) Coffee might be nice.She heads towards the Old Peruvian and pours a cup ofcoffee... JOHANA (afterthought) Will he understand Spanish? LAWRENCE His mother's an American. He spent half of his life in the states. I'd try English if I were you.EXT. DOCK - JACQUES SURFACINGHe's groggy, half hypnotized. He looks up at the dock,sees JOHANA with a cup of coffee. He stares at her. Shehands him the coffee. JACQUES (puzzled) I recognize you. JOHANA We saw each other a little while ago. JACQUES (serious) In the lake? JOHANA (wondering whether he is joking or not) No... in the hut.After a long beat... JACQUES (with a beautiful smile) Then it was somebody that looked a lot like you... Thank you.JACQUES then turns around and walks toward the huts.JOHANA still hasn't moved, as if petrified by her emotionsand the severe cold. She then walks up to the hole in theice and peers into the dark water. She shudders.INT. CABIN - DAWNJOHANA emerges from a down sleeping bag. She's wearing abig sweater and a wool hat. She is not sleeping.Intrigued by the sound of the snowmobile, she gets up andwalks over to the frozen window. JACQUES and FRANK areloading their luggage onto the snowmobile.Outside, LAWRENCE is saying "Goodbye" to JACQUES. Unseen,JOHANA also waves from behind her curtain. JACQUES sensessomething: he turns around toward the cabin and smiles,waving his hand at JOHANA. She hides behind the curtainand shyly waves back.JACQUES gets into the snowmobile and drives out of theframe. We are left with an endless array of snow-capedmountains. DISSOLVE TO:EXT. COTE D'AZUR - DAYFixed image of the Cote d'Azur. The sparkling blue seafades into the distance.A French taxi rides along the winding road overlooking thecreeks.INT. - TAXIFrom behind all his bags, JACQUES obsessively stares atthe sea.The driver smiles. DRIVER It's beautiful, isn't it?JACQUES smiles. DRIVER We had some bad wind this week. The "Mistral"!! "Peuchere"! There isn't one olive left on its tree. It suddenly left us this morning... I sure won't be the one to call it back.EXT. ANTIBES - ROAD TO MARINELANDThe taxi comes to a stop in front of Marineland. JACQUESgets out, carrying one of his bags. JACQUES (to the driver) I'll only be five minutes.He enters Marineland.EXT. MARINELAND - ON JACQUESThe park is closed, the paths are deserted. JACQUESapproaches the Dolphin's tank. All three dolphins rise upin the water. Greet him with a click and clatter oftongues. JACQUES sits down at the edge of the tank. JACQUES Good morning, everybody! Did you sleep well? I slept in a plane, and it wasn't too great.He opens his duffel bag. Hunts around, comes up with twopackages wrapped in brownpaper. The dolphins stare athim, intrigued. JACQUES (calling out) Hey! presents.The dolphins CACKLE some more. JACQUES You think I'd forget you?He laughs. The driver, who seems to be quite familiarwith the place, walks in heading straight over to the sodamachine. Out of the corner of his eye, he takes in thescene, very intrigued.JACQUES has not noticed him.He starts unwrapping the first package. JACQUES For Bathsheba.He produces a little ceramic Llama.ON BATHSHEBAlooking at the llama, bewildered. As bewildered as adolphin can be. JACQUES turns the llama upside down. Itmoos: HIAK, HIAK... JACQUES It's a Llama. You understand? From Peru. It's fighting.BATHSHEBA shakes her head. JACQUES throws the llama intothe water. He unwraps the second package. A pair ofPeruvian gloves and hat. Wide eyed, the driver sits inthe stands to watch the show. JACQUES That's for you, Darjeeling. We wouldn't want you to catch cold!He throws them to DARJEELING who catches them. JACQUES And now... (singing out) "Ta, da..." For you Tina.He pulls out a thermos. JACQUES Something you've never seen either.He opens the thermos. JACQUES Snow!He sprinkles snow flakes on TINA'S head. She tries totaste it. JACQUES (smiling like a child) A new experience, Tina. (nostalgic) I missed you little rascals. Did you get my post card?The three dolphins leap into the air and land with a hugesplash which soaks JACQUES. He takes his shirt off. JACQUES (pretending to be serious) Oh? Is that what you want? Alright, but five minutes, no more. I have a taxi waiting.He takes off his pants. The taxi driver gets up, as if tokeep him from going in. JACQUES dives into the pool.UNDERWATER - ON JACQUESHe swims under the dolphin, reaches out and grabs hold ofthe dolphin's snout.The dolphin pulls JACQUES around and around the basinwhile JACQUES pets his chest and belly. We have neverseen JACQUES so relaxed and happy. DISSOLVE TO:EXT. MANHATTAN - DAWNOverview of a gray and dirty Manhattan morning. JOHANAdepressed, stares blankly out of the window of a yellowcab. She watches the muddy brown water flow under theBrooklyn Bridge.The driver keeps yelling obscenities to all the carsaround him.EXT. MANHATTAN - DAYA suitcase in each hand, JOHANA gets out of the cab andwalks up the stairs of her apartment.INT. HALLWAY - DAYJOHANA puts down her suitcase wearily. Catches her breathand gets out her keys. She tries one in the top lock. Itdoesn't work. She tries harder. There's a woman's voiceyelling angrily from inside the apartment. SALLY (O.S.) I changed the lock you son of a bitch! JOHANA ... Sally?The door opens. SALLY You're back! Hello. We were burgled. JOHANA Again? SALLY They got the new T.V.JOHANA comes in, looks at the ransacked apartment. SALLY ... And the new stereo. JOHANA I hope they remembered to take the microwave this time? SALLY Yep. How was your trip...? Help me clean up, okay? JOHANA You called the police? SALLY They're going to send detectives. When they get around to it. JOHANA (shrugging) So what, all they ever want is your phone number anyway.JOHANA goes over, slumps into an easy chair and sighs.After a beat... SALLY Well? JOHANA What? SALLY How was your trip? JOHANA (flatly) Nice... Very interesting... Great! (doubtfully) ... I guess. SALLY (ironically) Okay... Who'd you meet?JOHANA opens her handbag, takes out the strip ofelectrocardiogram paper, hands it to her. SALLY A cardiogram...? You met a doctor! Congratulations, you're in the chips... (an afterthought) Unless they have socialized medicine in Peru. Do they? JOHANA (indicating paper) It's his heartbeat. SALLY Oh Jesus...! I'll make some coffee. (starts toward kitchen) They left the stove. TIME DISSOLVE:INT. APARTMENT - LATERThe living room is almost completely put back together...SALLY is replacing books in the bookcase, JOHANA is usinga carpet sweeper, and talking away. JOHANA (nonstop) 6'3", 6'1", maybe 5'9" -- You can't be sure, you know the flippers, they add height or they take it away, or something. Anyway short dark hair... Not punk or anything, just short. And the cutest smile. He wasn't smiling at me, I don't think -- just smiling. And he thought he saw me in the lake. I mean that was a figure of speech... They're so romantic, the French. SALLY (bored, half asleep) I thought you said he was Peruvian? JOHANA (annoyed) Haven't you been listening?SALLY opens the drapes, revealing it's dawn outside. SALLY ... Since eight o'clock last night...! You're in love. JOHANA Don't be a jerk. (emphatically) There's no such thing as love at first sight. DISSOLVE TO:UNDERWATER - SWIMMING POOLJACQUES is swimming alone at the bottom of a giganticswimming pool. He wears a monofin, his head and chest arewired up to an assistant who runs back and forth alongsidethe pool.A man's feet are seen walking over to the side of thepool.JACQUES is swimming laps, arching his body like a dolphin.As he approaches one end of the pool, he sees a coinslowly falling in front of him. JACQUES picks it up andlooks at it: it's an old Greek coin.JACQUES smiles and swims to the surface.EXT. ON SIDE OF SWIMMING POOL - DAYJACQUES pokes his head out of the water and pulls off hisgoggles.ENZO stands over him, smiling. ENZO Jacques, my friend, how are you? JACQUES (happy) Enzo...A beat. ENZO I leave you swimming and twenty years later, you're still in the water! What the hell are you doing? Training? JACQUES Yes.An uneasiness sweeps over ENZO'S face and quicklydisappears. ENZO That's good. (smiling again) You never would have recognized me, huh? Check out the suit! Looking good, no? You know I'm the world champion? JACQUES Yes, I know. ENZO I dove 315 feet! JACQUES Great! ENZO They say I'm like Lazarus. You know, the guy who was raised from the dead?!He laughs. JACQUES smiles. ENZO goes on. ENZO (serious) Doesn't it surprise you that I just show up like this... Listen, the world championship starts in ten days in Taormina. Be my guest.ENZO puts down an airplane ticket on the side of the pool. ENZO Your ticket.Surprised, JACQUES looks over at the ticket. JACQUES Why? ENZO Because I'm sure you're dying to beat me. JACQUES (shaking his head) I don't want to be in any competition... I dive because I like to, not to beat a record... don't you have to be very mad at somebody to want to beat him? ENZO No. All you need is to want to be the best. JACQUES (smiles) You're the best, Enzo! ENZO (with a tense grin on his face) That's too easy! Every time I beat a record there's always some dumbshit asking me: "D'you know that French guy, Mayol? He's supposed to be very good! Too bad he doesn't compete." So, you're going to come with me to Taormina! First, because you're my friend and second, because you don't have one reason to keep on spoiling my pleasure. (he pushes the airplane ticket to Jacques) ... I'll see you there...EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - NEW YORK - DAYINT. DUFFY'S OFFICE - DUFFY - JOHANAShe is seated across the desk from him. He's readingthrough her report. Behind him, outside the large plateglass window, window-washers are seated on a scaffoldsuspended far above the city. They eat lunch.JOHANA'S eyes wander (bored) around the office as DUFFYreads. He looks up. DUFFY (indicating report) This is good work... unfortunately it's incomplete. (he glances at the window) Could you eat a sandwich 40 floors above the street. JOHANA (absently) What kind? DUFFY Johana, am I boring you? JOHANA Sorry. Of course not, definitely not... well, maybe a little. What did you say? DUFFY I said that the file is incomplete. See if you can get through to this Lawrence character and have him send the Peruvian registration for his missing truck... and don't let him tell you it was in the glove compartment. JOHANA Right Chief!She starts out of the office. DUFFY (to her back) Did the driver really freeze? JOHANA Like a popsicle. They're keeping him on a stick until spring. DUFFY My God! I'm glad I didn't go. JOHANA (under her breath, leaving) ... So am I.INT. QUONSET HUT - PERU - DAYDoctor LAWRENCE covers one ear with his hand as he yellsinto the phone. LAWRENCE (screaming) ... I said, all the truck papers are in the glove compartment!INT. JOHANA'S OFFICE - MANHATTANJOHANA sits at her desk, she too is yelling into thetelephone. Her colleague looks over at her and smiles. JOHANA (with a sigh) Okay, listen, just get the custom's office to send me a copy as fast as possible. We can't send you new equipment until our file is complete. Okay?INT. QUONSET HUT - PERU - DAY LAWRENCE Okay, okay. You'll have it by the end of the week, how's that? JOHANA (V.O.) You've made me a happy insurance person. LAWRENCE Then, goodbye.He is just about to hang up.INT. JOHANA'S OFFICE - MANHATTANJOHANA jumps up. JOHANA Wait! Professor...? LAWRENCE (V.O.) ... Yes?JOHANA starts snooping around the papers on her desk,embarrassed by the presence of her colleague. JOHANA (as softly as possible) You don't know how I could reach that diver of yours... Mayol... We need some additional information... I mean, we have a few questions to ask him.INT. QUONSET HUT - PERU - DAY LAWRENCE The last thing I heard, he was off to Taormina for the world diving championships. That's Taormina, in Sicily!INT. DUFFY'S OFFICE - DAYJOHANA dashes in without knocking. JOHANA Listen, I just found out we've got real problems in Sicily! DUFFY (alarmed) What d'you mean? JOHANA (improvising) The mafia! La Cosa Nostra! Coppola! De Niro...! I knew it! I knew we shouldn't have written that policy!! DUFFY (pale) What's happened?? JOHANA The documents are forged. DUFFY No! JOHANA Yes! The notary is a phony. He has the same signature as the contractor! DUFFY (outraged) It can't be true! JOHANA (fast talking) We have to send somebody over there immediately! If we prove the forgery we can cancel the policy. We'll be off the hook. There's a flight to Rome in two hours and from there its just a short hop to Sicily. DUFFY (reaching for phone) I'll send Cardoza, he'll be able to... JOHANA (interrupting) I tried him, he can't go. His son is being Bar Mitzvohed tomorrow... I'll go, boss. DUFFY I thought it was Spanish that you spoke? JOHANA (after a beat) Italian is practically the same thing.EXT. PORT OF MESSINE - DAYA ferry comes into the dock, as a plank is slowly lowered.As it descends, four rail cars lie in wait in its belly.JOHANA comes off the boat, carrying her suitcase, shewears a light summer dress. She looks around, seeming alittle lost.A white FIAT taxi screeches to a halt beside her. JOHANAjumps. The driver whose arm loosely dangles from the carwindow, grins at her. DRIVER ... Taxi?EXT. SAN DOMENICO - DAYThe white FIAT taxi pulls up in front of the SAN DOMENICOhotel, but it is JACQUES who gets out of it. The driverhelps him with his bags. RECEPTIONIST (checking the books) Mayol... Mayol... No reservation. JACQUES (uncomfortable) ... Are you sure? RECEPTIONIST Positive, Sir.JACQUES looks down at the piece of paper stapled to histicket. JACQUES This is the hotel San Domenico? RECEPTIONIST Yes Sir, and it has been so for 127 years. JACQUES (more and more uncomfortable) Yes, but... So, you haven't got a room left? RECEPTIONIST No Sir, the hotel is full because of the Diving championship. JACQUES Ah?!The Receptionist starts working on his papers again.JACQUES, completely lost, stares blankly at the hotelclerk, wondering what to do next.INT. HOTEL - DAYThe tiny FIAT clatters onto the sidewalk in front of thehotel narrowly avoiding the Countess' limo. Parks itsfrontwheels on the sidewalk, rear end in the road.ENZO, followed by ROBERTO, get out of his car, like a kingdescending from his carriage. On the way, he stops andkisses a distinguished elderly woman's hand? The hotel'sCONTESSA.ENZO tosses his keys to a doorman who stepped up tocomplain. ENZO (to doorman) Be careful with that car, it's a new paint job.ENZO enters the hotel and sees JACQUES. ENZO (yelling across the lobby) Giacomino! My friend! My brother!ENZO and JACQUES. The two men kiss each other on bothcheeks, pound each others back. They are both moved. ENZO (looking at him) So you finally decided to join us? You did the right thing! ENZO (to the desk clerk) Hey Paolo! Come stai? Get my key! (to Jacques, gesturing over his shoulder) You remember my little brother Roberto?Roberto (26) nods to JACQUES who shakes his hand. JACQUES I remember. Hi Roberto! ENZO What room have you got? JACQUES I don't have one. ENZO You don't have a room? (at the top of his lungs) Paolo? What did I just hear? I personally called you to reserve a room for my good friend Jacques Mayol and you treat him like a stranger?! JACQUES (embarrassed) It's okay, Enzo. I'll go somewhere else. ENZO Not only is Jacques Mayol a very special friend, but he happens to be one of the best divers in the world! And you're throwing him out! Are you crazy, or what? Stupido! JACQUES (really embarrassed now) Enzo drop it, I'll find something.ENZO looks at him for a moment and gives him a warm smile.He hands him his own keys. ENZO Take mine. I'll take the Countess' suite. She told me she was leaving for the cemetery... She'll be more comfortable there.PAOLO half-heartedly, hands him the key. ENZO glances atJACQUES to make sure he's properly impressed. He throwshis arm around JACQUES' shoulder, hugs him and gives him areal smile. ENZO (sincerely) I'm glad you're here.EXT. HOTEL TERRACE TAORMINA - JACQUES - ENZO - DAYThey're at a table on a terrace that overlooks the sea.They've just arrived and all around them people arelunching away furiously.ENZO beckons to a passing WAITER who comes to the table.He's a very handsome, slightly effeminate young man. ENZO (to waiter) "Spaghetti del mare" (to Jacques) It's delicious here. It's the one thing they really know how to make. WAITER Del mare for two? JACQUES (nodding quickly) Yes, sure, for two. ENZO And a bottle of "Frascatti". Two bottles! WAITER Si Signore, grazie mille.The waiter hurries away. ENZO watches his departure, thenthoughtfully. ENZO He moves just like a woman. (then, as if he were speaking to Jacques) It must be hard to live in two worlds like that, huh? To breathe in one, swim in the other...JACQUES nods without really knowing. ENZO (suddenly louder) Anyway! Nothing beats a sexy broad! Huh, Jacques!ENZO starts laughing. JACQUES would like to crawl underthe table. TIME DISSOLVE TO:EXT. HOTEL TERRACE TAORMINA - JACQUES - ENZO - LATERTheir lunch is on the table, half eaten. ENZO ... So, after all these years, you must have lots of questions to ask. Am I right? JACQUES (quickly) Yes, of course. Lots of questions.JACQUES is satisfied with his answer. He thinks that thesubject is closed. They eat silently for a moment. ENZOwatches him. Then: ENZO Well, what are they? JACQUES (giving up) I'm sorry... I don't know how to ask the questions.ENZO bursts out laughing. ENZO Well, then. I'll do the asking for you. "Tell me dear Enzo, how did you become World Champion?" Oh, that's a long story. (his voice changes) Well, after you left Amorgos, I went back to Italy and joined the Navy. So you now have in front of you -- Captain Molinari, who's been on leave of absence for the past 14 years... JACQUES That's good. ENZO How do you make a living? Your experiments, does it pay well? JACQUES It's okay. ENZO ... You married?JACQUES doesn't seem to have ever thought about marriage. JACQUES No. ENZO Me neither, 'cause of my Mother. She's a curse, my Mamma, a tornado. Stubborn as a mule! I was engaged... for a week. After that, Mamma was so mad, I tell you, pasta was bouncing off the walls.JACQUES smiles. ENZO So, not married. Well, good for you. You play the field, like me. A girl in every port, huh? JACQUES (bluffing) Exactly, I mean, after all, we're men! ENZO (slapping the table top) Damn right! That's what I tell them when people say you've turned into a fish. JACQUES (concerned) People say that? ENZO (sorry he went too far) Forget it. I was joking.EXT. ENTRANCE TO TERRACE - ON JOHANAJOHANA comes out of the stone tunnel which leads to theterrace. She looks over the crowd, trying to findsomeone.JACQUES is sitting with his back to her. She finallyspots him and walks over to the table. ENZO Eh! La Madonna! This one is for me. I'll bet you my watch that she's in my bed tonight.JACQUES turns around and recognizes her. JOHANA smilesand walks up to the table. ENZO takes his watch off andputs it on the table. ENZO (quickly) I tell you she's mine! JOHANA (to Jacques) Hello! ENZO (surprised) You know each other? JOHANA Yes. ENZO Enzo Molinari.ENZO kisses her hand and brushes his watch off the tablein the same movement. ENZO This is a great pleasure. JOHANA (laughing at the protocol) Johana Cross, pleased to meet you. (then to Jacques, faking surprise) Well! Isn't this a coincidence. I really wasn't expecting this... All the way out here. It's incredible! JACQUES Please, have a seat. JOHANA Thank you. I wouldn't want to interrupt anything.JOHANA sits down. JACQUES No, no! ENZO Not at all! JACQUES You're staying at the hotel? JOHANA I wish, but it's full. They recommended a pension in town. They say that all of Taormina is full. What's going on here? ENZO It's the Free Diving World Championship. I am by the way world champion!JOHANA has turned toward JACQUES, paying no attention toENZO. JACQUES can't stop looking at JOHANA. JACQUES But what brought you to Sicily? JOHANA I was doing an insurance investigation in Palermo. (to Enzo) I work for an insurance company. (back to Jacques) So, I decided to take a few days off. (uncomfortable) I don't know this island at all. It really is gorgeous. ENZO There is no place in the world more beautiful than Sicily!The waiter passes behind them. ENZO reaches out, grabshim by the arm, pulls him to the table. ENZO (to waiter) A spaghetti del mare for the super dedicated traveling insurance agent. JOHANA (smiling) I think I'll have a coffee. JACQUES No, no. You'll like it. It's superb. JOHANA ... Okay. I'll try.ENZO pours the wine.JOHANA shrugs fatalistically. The waiter leaves.JACQUES, intrigued, stares at JOHANA. She pretends not tonotice. ENZO (impatient) Where did you two meet? JOHANA In a lake. ENZO I might have known. (to Johana) As I was telling you earlier, I'm the world champion free diver. JOHANA Congratulations. ENZO Some people say it's the most virile sport in the world. One has to admit that when you see those men diving head first in that deep blue sea, all muscles contracted in one super human effort... JACQUES (interrupting) Enzo? ENZO (annoyed) What? JACQUES Your mother? ENZO Ahi, ahi, cazzo! Ma mamia! Where...? God, she'll kill me... (pushing the plate in front of Johana) ... if she catches me eating pasta in a restaurant.He quickly brushes off the crumbs in front of him.ON ENZO'S MOTHERheading toward them. She's a huge woman in widow's black.She shoulders her way through the tables.ROBERTO carrying her suitcases follows at her heels.ENZO jumps to his feet. Throws his arms around her. ENZO ... Mamma! MAMMA MOLINARI (expressionless) You expect me to carry all the luggage myself? ENZO Mamma. Roberto and an elevator... Isn't that enough?A beat. Signora MOLINARI inspects the plates on thetable. MAMMA MOLINARI (suspiciously) What have you been eating? ENZO Coffee only, I'm diving tomorrow. You remember little Jacques, Jacques Mayol... JACQUES (timidly) Madame... ENZO ... And his friend, Johana...Signora MOLINARI nods grudgingly. WAITER (arriving proudly) Spaghetti del mare!Dead silence.ENZO is the only one with no plate in front of him.Signora MOLINARI'S eyebrows condense into a dark stripeacross her forehead.JOHANA hands ENZO'S plate to the WAITER and takes the fullone. JOHANA (to waiter) Thank you.And begins to eat, ignoring the expressions of amazementall around her. MAMMA MOLINARI Americana?JOHANA nods enthusiastically, her mouth too full to speak. MAMMA MOLINARI (impressed, to Johana) Benvenuto!MAMMA MOLINARI has a huge grin on her face.EXT. TAORMINA STREET - JACQUES, JOHANA - TWILIGHTThey emerge onto the street in front of the entrance of asmall rooming house.JACQUES is carrying JOHANA'S luggage. The old pension iscovered in bright pink bougainvilliers, there is laundryhanging on the other side of the street. JOHANA Thanks for helping with the bag. (she looks up at the pension with little enthusiasm) It looks great! JACQUES I thought it was a nice place. (suddenly doubting) Isn't it? JOHANA I'm being a pain in the ass. (looking at him) It's beautiful here.They look at each other. JACQUES is silent. He juststands there, a suitcase in each hand.JOHANA breaks the silence. JOHANA You're going to be very busy these days aren't you? JACQUES I don't know... why? JOHANA Just because... I would have liked to visit the town... See the coast... I don't know anybody... Expect for you. (feeling she has gone too far) But you are going to be very busy. You must have tons of things to prepare, interviews... And a competition like this one must require a great deal of concentration, right? JACQUES (shakes his head negatively) Yes... Maybe... I don't know. I don't like competitions... It ruins the fun. Don't you think? JOHANA (with a faint smile) I guess... But you know... I'm American and I've mostly been taught to be competitive... There's always pleasure of being the best? JACQUES Maybe on earth there is one... but not when you dive... You see, to dive deep into the sea, for no reason... just to do it. It's a feeling... I don't know how to say this... Voluptuous?He looks up at her as he pronounces the last word. Shesmiles at him, lovingly. JOHANA (laughing) You can put down the suitcases, you know.He lets go of the suitcases. Suddenly, behind them, thereis a loud screech of tires. The FIAT tears across thestreet.ENZO in his FIAT. He pokes his head out of the window. ENZO C'mon, you two... Jacques, we have to get ready for the ceremony tonight. We have a new world champion. JACQUES I'm a little tired, I don't know if... ENZO Get in the car!INT. ENZO'S SUITE - ENZO, JACQUES, ROBERTO - NIGHTThey're in front of a wardrobe looking JACQUES over in thefull-length mirrors. He's wearing an evening shirt and atuxedo of ENZO'S. The collar is too big, the sleeveshangover his hands. He looks at himself dubiously in themirror. ENZO Roberto! The bow-tie!ROBERTO hands ENZO the bow-tie, he hooks it aroundJACQUES' collar. ENZO (taking a few steps back) Very good.JACQUES looks down at his tennis shoes. ROBERTO What about the shoes? ENZO Very chic. (hesitates) Anyway, you don't have anything else, do you? JACQUES No. ENZO Then, it's very chic. Avanti!EXT. RECEPTION ON TERRACE - NIGHTA big reception is organized on the terrace of the hotel.The official divers and technicians are all gathered infront of a podium. The terrace is loaded withphotographers.ROBERTO keeps turning round and round the long buffettable.JACQUES is alone at the bar. Incongruous detail: awhiskey bottle on the table beside him.JOHANA enters. She has also had a few drinks. JOHANA I thought you'd be at the dinner. JACQUES It's too loud for me.He tugs at his over-sized tuxedo. JOHANA You look adorable. JACQUES Thank you... JOHANA (smiling) ... Especially the sneakers.JACQUES looks down at his feet, doesn't know what to makeof her comment. JOHANA sits down beside him and poursherself a drink. They touch glasses.EXT. ON PODIUM - NIGHTOn the podium, NOVELLI, the organizer of the championship,stands in his tuxedo, talking into a microphone. An olderman in a worn out suit, stands next to him. NOVELLI Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention, please. Mr. Andre Bonnet, President of the International Diving Championship Committee, is going to present this trophy to the new world champion of free diving. This afternoon, our new champion descended to the remarkable depth of 280 feet.The audience applauds. NOVELLI This young man Tia...NOVELLI can't quite read his notes. NOVELLI Tiraro... Tirao-re... Moa...ANDRE BONNET takes his turn to read the note. A youngTahitian jumps up, heads for the podium. TAHITIAN Tiraero Moameora.NOVELLI hesitates to repeat the name. NOVELLI ... Let's all give him a big hand.The audience cheers and applauds the new champion. ENZOsits at a table, watching the ceremony. ENZO (very sarcastic) A one day hero!He gets up and walks out of the room.INT. BAR - NIGHTJACQUES and JOHANA are sitting at the bar. The whiskeyshave gone to their heads. ENZO walks over to them. ENZO A new world record! That's great! It gives me something to beat tomorrow! (to Johana) You ever been to Tahiti? JOHANA No. ENZO I'll take you there. We'll live in the sun. You'll cook fresh fish and we'll make love under the coconut trees.JOHANA smiles and shakes her head. JOHANA You forgot the Hula! ENZO Yes, of course, I'll do the Hula! JOHANA You'll be lovely, but no thanks. (to Jacques) Jacques, would you do a native dance for me? JACQUES I don't know how... Excuse me.JACQUES leaves the bar. JOHANA watches him go. ENZOnotices her way of watching him. He's a little jealous. ENZO He looks strange, doesn't he? Like a baby that just learned to walk. JOHANA Have you known him long? ENZO Forever. We used to live on the same island in Greece, when we were kids. JOHANA What was he like, when he was little? ENZO Little. Very little. And skinny, very skinny too. That is compared to me. JOHANA (amused) I get it, Enzo you were a superior child. ENZO Exactly! What is it Johana? You're so crazy about him, you don't see the truth?!She doesn't answer. ENZO Forget it, don't think of Jacques as a human being. He's from another world.She smiles. JOHANA And just where are you from? ENZO Italy!EXT. TERRACE OF THE HOTEL - NIGHTENZO sits at the grand piano in the corner of the terrace.Beethoven was always a favorite of his.JACQUES, very tipsy by now walks over, a glass in eachhand. He hands ENZO a glass, then takes off his tennisshoes and sits them neatly on the piano. ENZO There is nothing like music. It speaks from the heart. Can you tell me why we bother diving in the dark, the cold, without ever taking the time to breathe? Huh? Can you tell me why we do it?JACQUES nods. ENZO Why? JACQUES ... For the mermaids.ENZO smiles, moved. ENZO My father used to see them everywhere too... but the only one he ever caught was my mother... Actually she caught him.A beat. JACQUES Today at lunch, you asked me if I had any questions. ENZO Ah ha. You finally want to know about women. JACQUES Why? Are they what's most important? ENZO No... It depends... Sometimes they are... What, exactly do you want to know? JACQUES ... Everything. ENZO Everything about what? JACQUES (thinking) Well... about everything.ENZO grins at JACQUES and starts playing again. TIME DISSOLVE TO LATER:JACQUES AND ENZOThere are now several empty champagne bottles around.They are both quite drunk. ENZO is philosophizing.JOHANA is looking for them. ENZO ... So, between Mamma, Roberto and the sisters, we yell and scream all day long. Except with Angelica. She just cries. And then finally, we all end up kissing. Can you explain that to me?JACQUES can't answer. ENZO Because that's what love is all about. It's a pain in the ass but keeps us together. (then, in a half dreaming, half desperate tone) A large and beautiful family!JOHANA walks over to them. JACQUES (suddenly) Enzo... We must quit the competition.ENZO hits a wrong note on the piano. ENZO (worried) Why? JACQUES If we don't... I'm going to beat you.JOHANA stands next to JACQUES. ENZO (with a nervous laugh) Huh? Well listen to him! (to Johana) Do you hear that? JOHANA No. ENZO He looks me in the eye like some fuckin' gold fish, and says: "I'm going to beat you". JOHANA (with a smile) ... That's what he's here for, isn't he? ENZO Listen to her! "That's what he's here for"! He's here to loose, that's what he's here for. First of all, I'm unbeatable. Second, how old are you? JACQUES Two years younger than you. ENZO As I said, second of all you're too skinny. You've got tiny lungs. I still don't understand how you can dive without getting sick. JACQUES The size of the lungs has nothing to do with it! ENZO Look at me. These aren't lungs. These are... Tanks. How long can you hold your breath?ENZO is getting really angry. The drinks have a lot to dowith it. JACQUES (impatiently) I don't know. Longer than you.ENZO pulls open his collar and rises. ENZO We'll see.EXT. HOTEL - SWIMMING POOL - UNDERWATER - NIGHTJACQUES and ENZO dive into the pool in their Tuxedos.Each one carries a beach umbrella in a concrete base tohelp them stay at the bottom.ENZO takes two goblets out of his pocket, hands them toJACQUES. Takes a bottle of Champagne out of the otherpocket and opens it. The cork floats out of the bottle.Above on the surface of the pool there's a splash. JOHANAfinds a mask on the side of the pool and watches them.Her dress is soaked by now.ENZO pours champagne. Courteous and grave, they clinkglasses and begin to drink. They have already beenunderwater longer than a minute. They can't really drinkout of the glasses and ENZO offers JACQUES the bottle.JACQUES studies the label like a connoisseur. He drinks,passes the bottle back to ENZO.INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - NIGHTParamedics roll two stretchers toward the elevators atfull speed. ENZO on one, JACQUES on the other. Both menkeep throwing up water.INT. JACQUES'S ROOM - NIGHTThe paramedics roll the stretcher toward the bed.JOHANA very worried, follows them. JOHANA Take it easy... PARAMEDIC Don't worry, he's empty now. He needs sleep, that's all.The two men leave the room.JOHANA walks over to the chair and rearranges JACQUES'shirt and jacket which the paramedic had thrown down.JACQUES looks like he's just had a very rough night. Hesits up and grabs the sides of the bed, as if he were on amoving boat. JACQUES Who won?JOHANA turns around, furious. JOHANA Won what? The Ass Hole Award? Well, let me tell you, it's a tie!She walks over to the bed. JOHANA Acting like a pair of two year olds! You could have died in that damn pool! JACQUES Please move slowly, you're rocking the boat. JOHANA (smiling) Lucky I was there to save you. JACQUES (seeing her wet dress) You jumped in? JOHANA Only to help the medics, I assure you. JACQUES My wallet.JOHANA wet, walks over to the wet clothes on the chair.She pulls out JACQUES soaking wallet from one of thejacket pockets. JOHANA It's still here.She tries to wipe it. JACQUES No. I want to show you. Is it ruined? JOHANA Well, water isn't exactly the best thing for pictures... Not even for pictures of dolphins... JACQUES Give it to me.JOHANA hands him the photograph. He stares at it, lookingvery sad. Worried JOHANA sits down next to him. JACQUES (on the verge of tears) My real family... (he looks at the picture and cries) What kind of man has such a family?She takes the picture out of his hands.He is so upset that JOHANA can hardly help from cryingwith him. She sits next to him and strokes his hair. JACQUES I'm sick of never feeling at home anywhere.JOHANA takes him in her arms. He breaks down.EXT. HOTEL - DAWNThe early morning sun slowly lights up the water. A yachthas left the hotel dock. It is moving out to sea off thecoast of TAORMINA.EXT. YACHT - ON DECKThis is the Committee Boat for the diving competition.On the boat, ROBERTO is worried. He checks his watch andfinally decides to wake up his brother. ENZO is asleep inthe fore peak, curled up on a coil of line, snoring away.He wears his tuxedo jacket over a skimpy bathing suit. ROBERTO Enzo, wake up! ENZO (pulled from his dream) Eh? Si! Avanti!He gets up on one arm. ROBERTO The medics are looking all over for you. ENZO (irritated) I'm meditating, can't you see? Jacques does two hours of yoga before going down. I can take a five minute nap, can't I?The boat stops. The anchor is thrown over board.The sailors, technicians and officials are getting readyfor the competition. Today is ENZO'S turn to dive. A manis hooking a plaque indicating the depth (324 feet) onto alead disk which he heaves into the water on a cable.INT. YACHT - DOCTOR'S CABIN - DAYA medic is bending over ENZO, taking his blood pressure.ROBERTO pulls the tuxedo jacket down. The doctor puts ablood pressure band around ENZO'S upper arm, pumps it up.He listens with his stethoscope. DOCTOR Mr. Molinari, I'm terribly sorry but I cannot allow you to dive in such an advanced state of exhaustion.ENZO jumps to his feet, grabs the doctor by his lapels,lifts him in the air. ENZO (outraged) What do you know about the sea? Huh? Nothing! So you just put your tubes and tin cans away. The sea is mine! I know when she is ready for me and when she isn't. And today, she is ready. Understand? DOCTOR You dive at your own risk. You're been warned.ENZO smiles and pats the doctor on the shoulder. ENZO Brave.EXT. YACHT - ON DIVING PLATFORMIt's a large float, rigged to the stern of the CommitteeBoat. ROBERTO and an assistant help ENZO down the swimladder to the platform. He's wearing a wet suit and fins.He flip-flops to the end of the platform.ROBERTO hands him his mask. The goggles are filled withpolystyrene to eliminate as much air pressure as possible.Only two pinholes to see through. The mask fits tightlyover his nose. When ENZO puts it on, he looks like anastonished insect. ENZO breathes faster and faster.ROBERTO holds the wire controlling the weighted divingapparatus. ENZO crosses himself, takes a last long gulpof air.ROBERTO releases the weight. It sinks and drags ENZOdown, he quickly disappears into the dark water...BLACK AND WHITEBut this is JACQUES as he was a child. He swims along thebottom, finds and picks up a gold coin. We can see itsancient markings, a youth on a dolphin.JACQUES looks up. In front of him is a dolphin, floatingvertically, still, apparently just watching. JACQUESisn't scared anymore. But every time he swims toward thedolphin, it moves further away. It finally disappears.INT. HOTEL ROOM - JACQUES - DAYHe sits bolt upright in bed, awakened by his dream. Helooks around the room, trying to get his bearings.JOHANA is asleep in a chair across the room. On the wallbehind her, her last nights dress is drying on a hanger.She's wrapped up in a hotel bathrobe fast asleep.JACQUES finally awake from his dream, sees JOHANAsleeping. He walks over to her, touches her shoulder.She wakes up, starts out of the chair. She grabs theblanket to cover herself, and in doing so, a book falls onthe floor. It's one of his. JOHANA You scared me!JACQUES picks up the book. JOHANA smiles. JOHANA Just checking up on your family. (then embarrassed) I guess I was drunker than I thought and the idea of going back to my hotel in a wet dress... Well... JACQUES I'm glad you stayed. Thank you. JOHANA (getting up) I'd better get back now. JACQUES You... You wouldn't want to spend the day with me?She sits back in her chair, amazed that he would even ask. JACQUES (self conscious) ... No? JOHANA No? Huh? (she says "No" as if she had asked the question) Yes, of course!!EXT. MARINELAND - TAORMINA - DAYJACQUES and JOHANA enter the dolphinarium. JOHANA iswearing an old pair of JACQUES SHORTS along with anoversized T-shirt and rolled up sweater. She seems quitepleased with her new attire.JACQUES and JOHANA walk straight through MARINELAND andhead toward the dolphin pool. It's pretty crowded, mostlykids.The dolphins are lying motionless at the bottom of thepool. The trainer is tired of throwing fish in the pooland getting absolutely no reaction. JACQUES What's the matter? TRAINER I don't understand. We've tried for two days. They won't eat. They won't perform. It's since we got the new one.CLOSE ON DOLPHINsurfacing. It thrusts its head over the edge of the pool,looks to JACQUES and SPEAKS. JACQUES Is she the new one?Surprised, the trainer nods.JOHANA looks over at JACQUES then at the dolphin. Shedoesn't understand. JOHANA How can you tell it's a female? JACQUES ... The way she moves.Three other dolphins gather around the one that JACQUES ispatting.JACQUES is staring at the female dolphin. It looks likethe animal is trying to tell him something. Suddenly thedolphin grabs him by the sleeve and pulls him into thepool.UNDERWATER - DOLPHIN POOLJACQUES hangs onto the dolphin's muzzle. Let's it pullhim along. The dolphin swims to a far corner of the pool,and pulls JACQUES to the bottom. The other dolphinscircle above.EXT. DOLPHIN POOL - DAYJACQUES pops up. As he does, three dolphins leap in theair behind him. JOHANA walks closer to the pool. She isso excited by what JACQUES is doing, she finally fallsinto the pool.After a while, JACQUES gets out of the pool and helpsJOHANA out. TRAINER Did you ever think of trying the public pool? JOHANA He's a dolphin specialist. TRAINER In that case what's wrong with the new one? Is she sick or not. JACQUES (taking his time to answer) Not the way you mean. TRAINER What am I supposed to do? Do I call the dealer...? The investment, you understand... I certainly am entitled to complain! JACQUES It's going to cost you more than you think!JACQUES turns around and walks off. JOHANA catches upwith him. JACQUES She's not like the others. She can't stand to be away from the sea. JOHANA (impressed) How do you know that? JACQUES (stopping) I don't know, I just feel it.INT. HALL - HOTEL - DAYJACQUES and JOHANA are walking across the corridor.ENZO walks up to them, followed by his tribe. Everybodyis congratulating him.ROBERTO is screaming, MAMMA MOLINARI is crying. ENZOsmiles as he talks back to them. He sees JACQUES. ENZO (screaming) Ah! Jacques!ENZO grabs hold of his shoulders. JACQUES and JOHANA arecompletely soaked. ENZO Don't be sad, I only took back what was mine.He gives JACQUES the diving plaque, it reads 280 feet. ENZO Here, it's a present.JOHANA and JACQUES smile at each other. JACQUES has wonhis bet. JACQUES (touched) ... Thank you.ENZO slaps him on the shoulder. ENZO (to Johana) Tonight we're having a little party among ourselves. 8 o'clock in my suite? JOHANA Okay.ENZO walks off then turns back toward them. He whispersin JACQUES' ear. ENZO Tell me... Can you explain why you are soaking wet?A beat. JOHANA ... We're in training.ENZO walks off.INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - NIGHTThree formally dressed officials are waiting in front ofone of the hotel rooms. One of them holds a medal in hishand, a glass of champagne in the other. NOVELLI (through the door) Mr. Roberto, tell your brother to be reasonable. Everyone is waiting for him upstairs. The photographers are there, the press... ROBERTO (O.S.) He can't, he's indisposed. NOVELLI (trying to keep his calm) Shall we call a doctor? ROBERTO No, it's okay. Mamma is going to try something.JACQUES and JOHANA walk up from the other side of the halland stop in front of the same door. NOVELLI Mr. Mayol, help us. He refuses to receive his medal and everybody is waiting for him up there. We already have problems with the press because of the danger, and if we don't even have the divers help...! JACQUES (dubious) ... I'll do my best. NOVELLI That's very kind of you.JACQUES knocks on the door. JACQUES It's Jacques... Mayol!A beat. Then ENZO opens the door himself. ENZO Jacques! My friend! Come on in!The officials look at each other baffled. NOVELLI Mr. Enzo Molinari, allow me to impress upon you the importance of your attending the Award Ceremony... For the press... ENZO (loosing his temper) I think my brother told you I was indisposed, that should do it, no? I'm allowed to be indisposed, right? So, you just tell the press that the "big" Enzo Molinari, overwhelmed by his inspiring descent to 324 feet, will not be able to receive this trinket because he is...He looks inquisitively at the three men. ENZO looses histemper. ENZO Because he is?! ONE OF THE THREE MEN ... Indisposed. ENZO (smiling) Brave!He slams the door in their face.INT. HOTEL - ENZO'S ROOM - NIGHT JACQUES Tell me, why don't you go and get your medal? ENZO Because pasta should be eaten "Al Dente". So the trinket will just have to wait a bit.ENZO takes JACQUES by the shoulder. Inside his room isabsolute chaos: dancing, singing, eating. Wet suits hungout to dry everywhere. MAMMA MOLINARI is whipping upmountains of spaghetti on an improvised stove in themiddle of the room. A lot of smoke... steam... color...noise... All of Italy crammed into a few square feet.JOHANA taken in by the warm atmosphere, sits in a cornerof the room. JACQUES walks over and sits down at herside. ENZO (to Mamma) Mamma! La pasta?! MAMMA MOLINARI Arrivo! Arrivo!She points at ROBERTO who is taking forever to grate thecheese. ENZO grabs the guitar from his other brother'shands and starts playing. ENZO ... It's easy. You go down. You come up. (to Johana) ... Right, Johana? JOHANA (smiling) Congratulations, Enzo. ENZO Don't you agree, Jacques? JACQUES ... You always were the best.ENZO laughs then sees his mother. ENZO Ah! La pasta!ENZO starts singing in Italian. MAMMA MOLINARI serves thepasta, ROBERTO follows her around, sprinkling his cheeseon the plates. She serves JOHANA a huge plate of pasta,enough for three giants. MAMMA MOLINARI (with a smile) Buon appetito, Signorina!JOHANA who isn't even hungry, grins uncertainly. JACQUEShas walked up to ENZO. He doesn't dare ask his question. ENZO (smiling) What's the matter? You still have a bunch of things to ask me? You want to know the price of tea in China of how we landed on the moon? Is that it?ENZO laughs. JACQUES is serious. JACQUES No, I have to ask you a favor... (a beat) You're the only one who'll understand. ENZO (seriously) ... I'm listening.INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT MAMMA MOLINARI Tutto va bene?The three officials are eating pasta, plates on theirknees. Their mouths are too full to speak, they nodenthusiastically. NOVELLI (mouth full) Gracie mille, chignora.MAMMA MOLINARI smiles and slams the door.INT. FIAT - NIGHTJACQUES is driving, JOHANA sits beside him. ENZO crammedin the back seat, very uncomfortably, because of astretcher which takes up all the space.They are dressed as they were at ENZO'S party. ENZO (leaning forward) Hey! Will you slow down! When did you learn how to drive? JACQUES Driving isn't the problem, it's remembering the right road.JACQUES runs a red light. ENZO And the lights! Running lights, stealing stretchers...! You'll have us in jail. JOHANA Enzo, stop bitching, will you?EXT. MARINELAND PARKING LOT - FIAT - NIGHTThey get out of the car. JACQUES starts to change intohis swimming trunks. ENZO shakes his head, can't believehe's really come along. He laughs and starts undressing.INT./ EXT. FIAT - STREET TAORMINA - NIGHTIt's a very narrow street. The car moves down it quickly.JACQUES drives. The back seat is now occupied by thedolphin. Its nose and tail protruding through thewindows.JOHANA is in the front seat, turned around, spraying thedolphin with a watering can.EXT. BEACH - NIGHTThey have driven to the public beach. They slowly lowerthe stretcher into the water. The dolphin, leaving thestretcher, swims around a little but won't go away.He won't leave JACQUES. JACQUES (moved) You can't stay here! Come on! Go away!JACQUES swims off with her for a while.ENZO walks back toward the car with the stretcher.JOHANA, standing by the water looks at JACQUES and thedolphin who are swimming off together.JACQUES keeps splashing the dolphin as they swim. ENZO You can stop that now, she has all the water she needs.JACQUES cannot get rid of the dolphin. ENZO All right, we did it. Let's go back to the party.JACQUES and the dolphin can't seem to part. JACQUES Just one minute.JOHANA is worried, she walks up to ENZO who goes back intothe water and takes JACQUES by the arm. ENZO Jacques, the dolphin is home now. And that's where we're going. Come on! Hurry up now. Our girlfriend is freezing over there.The dolphin starts swimming off. JACQUES follows ENZOhalf-heartedly.EXT. JOHANA'S PENSION - NIGHTENZO stops the FIAT in front of the pension. The three ofthem get out. ENZO hasn't bothered to dress.JOHANA heads for the gate, she obviously has no desire ofleaving JACQUES. JOHANA Well, good night, then... ENZO You going to sleep here, all by yourself? JOHANA Yes...She looks over at the pension, having a hard timeconcealing her lack of enthusiasm. JOHANA ... It's a comfortable place. ENZO Sinister is what I'd call it...! Ours is so much cheerful! Why don't you come and stay with me... There's plenty of room in my suite. JOHANA (smiles) The Mamma's there too. ENZO (face clouds up) Yes, the Mamma is is there. JOHANA Good night Enzo, Good night Jacques. JACQUES Good night. ENZO (to Jacques) You don't need a stretcher to take her with you. You know that, don't you? JACQUES What? ENZO The dolphins aren't the only ones who don't feel very good sometimes. JOHANA Leave it alone, Enzo, it's okay.She rings the bell for the concierge, then looks back atJACQUES. JOHANA Can I come watch you dive tomorrow? JACQUES (lost) Uh... Yes, of course!The concierge comes out and opens the iron gate for her.JOHANA disappears into the parc. ENZO turns to JACQUES. ENZO You really do have a few things to learn about women!EXT. SEA - DAYThe sun is rising on a rough sea. The Committee Boat isanchored in the open sea, 600 feet above the sea bed.EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT - BAY OF TAORMINA - DAYJACQUES who is on the foredeck of a boat at sea has justlaid a towel down before him. He's suited up, sitting inthe lotus position, staring straight ahead, clearly self-hypnotized.JOHANA, NOVELLI, and other officials are in the stern ofthe boat watching last minute preparations.The scuba divers in brightly colored wetsuits andaqualungs, flop out onto the diving platform, plunge intothe water, disappear. JOHANA What are they for? NOVELLI They're paramedics. They wait at 180 feet. JOHANA (just checking) If there was a problem, they could do something right? NOVELLI Of course, that's what they're for.JOHANA sees scuba divers with weird air tanks. JOHANA (pointing) ... And those? NOVELLI Those are the divers who go down 300 to 330 feet. They dive with a Helium-oxygen mixture. At that depth, compressed air is too dangerous because it contains carbon dioxide. JOHANA What's that little air bottle on the machine? NOVELLI That isn't for the divers actually. It's for the balloon. It blows up and pulls the diver up like an elevator. Without it, with the pressure at the bottom, the diver would just stay pinned to the sea bed. JOHANA (shocked) But doesn't Jacques dive without anything? NOVELLI (smiling) Yes... It's magic.INT. BOAT - DAY - LATEROn the boat, NOVELLI checks his watch. JACQUES comes outof his room. He's dressed to dive. He ignores everyoneas he goes down the ladder to the diving platform. Heseems to be in another world. All sounds coming to himare drowned out.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - DAYJACQUES sits in the diver's slot. Opens his eyes slowlyand looks around. He puts his flippers on, an assistantstands at his side.HIS POVThe figures on the platform are vague, the VOICES areGARBLED and incomprehensible. Moving almost in slowmotion he raises three fingers. TECHNICIAN Tre minuti!BACK TO SCENETen other divers have waited for this signal to dive.They disappear one by one into the blue.JACQUES uses contact lenses instead of a mask. He putsthem in, and now, his view of the world is as distorted ashis hearing... bodies deform... sounds fade...Already euphoric from the vast amount of oxygen in hissystem, he moves into another reality altogether... seemsto empty himself out. TECHNICIAN Due minuti!JACQUES fills a small tube with water. Pours it into hisnostrils... tilts his head... then lets it run out... Heputs on his gloves... all his movements are slow, he seemsto be operating in a different time zone... He seemsunable to take his eyes off the water.EXT. END OF DIVING PLATFORM - DAY TECHNICIAN Uno minuto!JACQUES puts his nose clip on. He puts his hand on thegueuse. Closes his eyes and inhales slowly. Then hetakes a sudden last breath, nods, the technician releasesthe gueuse and in one flashing movement, he disappears.UNDERWATERThe gueuse slides down the cable. JACQUES hangs on like aribbon in the wind, past a marker, 90 feet down.Above him, the boat disappears from sight.He moves faster and faster... through a sea that lookslike a cloudy sky. The light fades rapidly around him.Below, white spotlights pierce an ocean dark as night.JACQUES reaches them in a matter of seconds. Turns thebrakes, brings his machine to a halt, 180 feet down.The medics are waiting for him there. They take hispulse. Check his eyes... 15 seconds... normal... thebubbles from there scuba tanks churn the water aroundthem...JACQUES closes his eyes... a tap on the shoulder, hereleases the brake on the gueuse. Plunges further, thistime into pitch black.Below him a faint spotlight glows on the bottom. Hereaches it and the dark diver moves to him. JACQUESbrakes his machine. Moving very slowly, turns his bodyright side up. Like a sleep walker, JACQUES starts totake the plaque off the plumbline... pauses in the middleof the gesture.The dark diver flashes the high sign to JACQUES, thumb andforefinger touching, fingers extended, all clear. JACQUESdoes not respond. The diver repeats the signal. JACQUESdoes not respond.The diver taps JACQUES on the shoulder... a beat... andthen JACQUES responds, thumb and forefinger touching okay.Slowly, reluctantly, he wraps his hand around the handleof the balloon.The dark diver quickly turns the handle for him. Theballoon inflates. JACQUES hangs on... lets it carry himup.At the plague marking 210 feet, JACQUES lets go of the theballoon. With a burst of speed, it darts toward thesurface.JACQUES follows slowly, undulating like a fish... He'sgetting warm now... He closes his eyes.Passes the medical control without stopping... withouteven seeing it like someone asleep.He's moving faster now, toward the warmth, toward the air.JACQUES opens his eyes, watches the lights grow brighter.The silhouette of the boat comes back into view. 60 feetto go.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - DAYIn slow motion JACQUES' hand holding the plaque breaks outof the water followed by his arm, in one continuousmovement, his shoulders and head.He gasps for air.A trickle of blood comes from his nose.Flashbulbs flicker, spectators cheer.EXT. OPEN SEA - A DOLPHINThe dolphin, the one rescued last night, leaps into theair, in perfect harmony with JACQUES' triumph.EXT. DOLPHINARIUMThe dolphins in the dolphinarium leap into the air at theexact same moment.The trainer doesn't understand what's going on.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - DAYJACQUES falls back into the water. Two divers run overand pull him up onto the dock.JACQUES seems completely dazed, almost in a trance. Heslowly comes to and starts screaming louder and louder.It is the scream of his body in need of the surface,reality and the feel of the land.JOHANA is terrified. She can hardly breathe. Everybodyapplauds.EXT. HOTEL DOCK - DAYJACQUES and JOHANA walk down the gangway. NOVELLI haslead the way and the news has been spread.JACQUES looks very weak and punchy.JOHANA holds him up.The spectators applaud as he goes by. Intrigued, JACQUESlooks at them all. JOHANA (excited) Jacques, listen to the applause.He doesn't respond. JOHANA (trying to keep up) Jacques, you set a world record. JACQUES I did? JOHANA Aren't you happy? Don't you feel proud...? I feel proud and all I did was watch.He is staring at her, he's returning to the real world.Slowly he smiles.She grabs hold of his arm and gives him a proud kiss onthe mouth. JACQUES is a little stunned.EXT. TERRACE - SWIMMING POOL - DAYENZO walks into the hotel, his arms filled with packages.He sees JACQUES and JOHANA. From the look on his face wecan tell he knows that JACQUES has beaten his record. Hedeliberately puts on a huge smile as he walks over tothem.INT. TERRACE - SWIMMING POOL ENZO Congratulations Jacques! It's wonderful! Wonderful!He drops his packages on the bar and gives Jacques a bighug. ENZO I'm happy for you!He kisses him and starts handing out his presents. ENZO (to Jacques) Here... (to Johana) Here... JACQUES What is it? ENZO Little presents, nothing much... I knew it, I just knew it! Look here!He holds up his arm: he is wearing two watches. ENZO Roberto's watch! I won it! He bet that you couldn't beat me!JACQUES opens his present. It's a little ceramic dolphin. ENZO You still collect them? JACQUES Yes. ENZO You don't have that one, do you? JACQUES No. Thank you. It's really beautiful. ENZO Oh it's nothing. I knew it. I told Roberto "He's very good that little Frenchman, very good". I lost my title but I won a watch!JOHANA has opened her package. It's a big plate with atext engraved on it. JOHANA Is it a poem? ENZO No, it's the recipe for spaghetti "Frutti del mare". (to Jacques) You see I was right in getting you out here. You're a world champion, my friend!JACQUES has opened the last small package. It's ameasuring tape. He looks at it without understanding.ENZO explains: ENZO It's a measuring tape.He grabs hold of the tape and lets it roll to the ground. ENZO You see this is your record, three feet more than mine! Looking at it from here, it doesn't look like much, does it?JACQUES looks at him without saying a word.ENZO hands him the measuring tape. ENZO Keep your little measuring tape, my friend, it will be a nice souvenir when I beat you next.ENZO taps his shoulder and smiles.INT. ELEVATOR ASCENDING - JACQUES - JOHANAThey're locked in a long kiss. He untucks the bottom ofher shirt and slides his hands under it.INT. HOTEL ROOM - JACQUES - JOHANA - TWILIGHTThey're in bed, making love in their fashion. Moonlightshines in the silver sea. In the background are thelights of the bay of TAORMINA.LATERJACQUES is in bed with JOHANA. They are both asleep.Suddenly, he sits up, as he always does after hisrecurrent dream.He's wide awake, looks over at her sleeping. She sleepspeacefully like a baby. Quietly, gently, he eases out ofbed and walks to the open window.He stands on the balcony, staring at the sea. Then in thedistance in the moonlight, a dolphin leaps out of thewater, once, twice, a third time.JACQUES laughs and goes back to the bed where he sits downnext to JOHANA. She is still sound asleep.EXT. HOTEL - PIER - NIGHTJACQUES quickly gets into one of his diving suits. Heputs on his flippers. The dolphin is still jumping in andout of the water. JACQUES jumps off the pier and swimsover to her.INT. JACQUES' HOTEL ROOM - NIGHTJOHANA rolls over and feels the bed in her sleep.JACQUES' absence wakes her. JOHANA Jacques?She gets up and walks over to the balcony. She doesn'tsee anything.EXT. PIER - NIGHTJOHANA walks down the pier and notices the little pile ofclothes JACQUES has left behind. She looks around butstill can't see anything. She decides to sit next to thepile of clothes, and waits, her eyes riveted to the sea.EXT. PIER - DAWNThe sky has just begun to light up again. JOHANA is stillsitting next to the pile of clothes.She is wearing JACQUES' sweater. She looks sad, yetserene. The look of a woman who has been thinking overthe situation and who has made up her mind.Tired, JACQUES swims back to the pier. It looks as if hehas come out of nowhere.He is exhausted. He takes off his flippers and gets uponto the pier in front of JOHANA. He looks at her, alittle surprised to find her there. JACQUES (warm) What are you doing here?She answers in a far away voice, with the same serenesadness. JOHANA I'm going to leave, Jacques.Dripping with water, he sits down next to her. His faceis drawn from fatigue. She continues. JOHANA I'm going back home. JACQUES Why? JOHANA Because one shouldn't fall in love with creatures from the sea. JACQUES I'm not from the sea... I don't understand what you're talking about. JOHANA Yes you do. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You're afraid I want to hold onto you, and I do, but you're not ready... at least not for me. JACQUES But it's not true, I feel good with you... It feels right...She looks at him for a moment, then takes his face in herhands and rests it on her bosom, as if a small child. JOHANA I've got to get back to the hotel... and get my suitcase packed.INT. TRAIN STATION - JACQUES - JOHANA - DAYThe train station faces the sea. JACQUES and JOHANA arestanding on the platform, amid others. In the distance wehear the rumble and whistle of a train.JOHANA gets on the train. The station master blows hiswhistle. JACQUES Will... will we see each other again?JOHANA'S eyes are filled with tears. JOHANA Take good care of yourself, Jacques.The train starts pulling out of the station. JACQUES Where can I call you? Johana, tell me where can I call you?JOHANA doesn't answer. JACQUES stands helplessly in thestation, his eyes filled with tears.INT. ENZO'S ROOM - DAYENZO opens the door of his suite. His hair is messed up,he's got "sheet prints" on his face and is wearing the topof a diving suit. JACQUES Can I come in? ENZO No problem, I enjoy talking in my sleep.ENZO walks back into the apartment and crashes on the bed.He's lying on his stomach. JACQUES walks in and letshimself drop in a chair. ENZO Wake me up at 11:00.ENZO closes his eyes. JACQUES looks over at the clock, itsays 11:25. JACQUES doesn't say anything and staresblankly out of the window. ENZO (opening one eye) Hmmm! Something wrong?JACQUES doesn't answer. ENZO Is it the girl?JACQUES stares out the window. ENZO Did she leave?No answer. ENZO gets up and sits on the side of the bed. ENZO Hey! I'm going to take care of you! I've got this job, on an oil rig, no sweat! I'm taking you along... Come on! Get your bags packed! You're coming with me, I tell you!He pats him on the back. ENZO We'll make a great team, the two of us. You'll see!EXT. OIL DRILLING PLATFORM - AT SEA - DAYThe platform shines in the morning light.There are several stories of crew housing and officesabove the deck. Long steel legs disappear into theswelling slate-gray ocean. We hear WHOP-WHOP-WHOP of ahelicopter.EXT. HELICOPTER - PLATFORMThe helicopter is landing. Crewmen rush to secure it tothe oil rig's deck. Doors open and two passengers getoff: JACQUES and ENZO. They each carry a duffel bag ofpersonal belongings. They're both wearing fluorescentdiving suits.The DRILLING SUPERINTENDENT comes to meet them. SUPERINTENDENT Mayol, Molinari...?They nod. SUPERINTENDENT We've been waiting for you for three days. Goddamnit! ENZO Is that the way you talk to the best diver in the world...? And to his friend Jacques Mayol!The SUPERINTENDENT smiles sourly, and gestures to acrewman. SUPERINTENDENT Show them their quarters.Five minutes later, JACQUES and ENZO are following thecrewman. JACQUES (whispering) He doesn't like us. ENZO So what!? His job is to hand out the paychecks. And he does that very well, let me tell you.INT. DIVING CAPSULE - DAYThe diving capsule, suspended by cables, begins itsdescent through a trap door in the deck. It plunges intothe sea.The three men in the capsule are: JACQUES, ENZO and thetough looking CAPSULE COMMANDER NOIREUTER, who is much tooprofessional for ENZO'S tastes.ENZO watches through a porthole while the COMMANDERconcentrates on the control console. He runs through achecklist of systems. JACQUES responds with a "check" ashe verifies each one. ENZO is already bored and fed up bythe procedures.JACQUES is lost in thought, they don't look cheerful. ENZO (suddenly) You still thinking about her?JACQUES doesn't answer. ENZO goes on. ENZO Don't think about her anymore! Let me tell you, you're just making yourself unhappy! There are so many women in the world!He takes a cigarette from a pouch in his diving suit andstares at NOIREUTER. ENZO Plenty of women everywhere right? NOIREUTER (coldly) Smoking is absolutely forbidden. ENZO It isn't lit yet. NOIREUTER You shouldn't even carry cigarettes on board! ENZO Listen we're not supposed to piss either but that doesn't stop you from carrying "it" on board?! NOIREUTER (stubborn) The rules are the rules. ENZO (checking out this creature) ... What's your name again? NOIREUTER Noireuter. ENZO And where did you say you were from? NOIREUTER I didn't say... (contemptuous) Brussels!ENZO smiles sardonically, shaking his head very slowly.The COMMANDER'S answer explains it all.INT. DRILLING PLATFORM - CONTROL ROOM - DAYA technician is overlooking the capsule descent on avideo screen.The SUPERINTENDENT watches over the technician's shoulder. TECHNICIAN They're at 450 feet.INT. DIVING CAPSULE - DAYENZO, a cigarette dangling from his lips, looks throughthe porthole. ENZO ... I was seventeen, I loved her so much I tried to die for her. Two years later I couldn't even remember her name! Let me tell you, time erases everything! JACQUES I don't want to erase anything. ENZO You'd rather think about it and make yourself miserable? JACQUES (after thinking about it) ... Yes. ENZO (smiles) I give you this. You're stubborn... Dumb, but stubborn. JACQUES (taking it as a compliment) Thank you.INT. CAPSULE - DAYThe technician fiddles with a few knobs. TECHNICIAN Minus 800 feet. End of descent.INT. DIVING CAPSULEThe diving capsule ends its descent. The COMMANDER turnsto ENZO and JACQUES who is still staring out the porthole. NOIREUTER (with a Mickey Mouse voice) You have enough air for 15 minutes.ENZO bursts out laughing. ENZO (with Donald Ducks voice) What's with the voice? NOIREUTER It's nothing. It's just the helium, because of the air pressure. ENZO (worried) And... does the voice come back? NOIREUTER For others, yes... For you, who knows? ENZO (still a little worried, to Jacques) Try speaking to me? JACQUES (with Daffy Ducks voice) I don't find this funny. We were having a serious conversation.ENZO and JACQUES burst out laughing. They keep these samevoice till the end of the scene.ENZO pulls out a tiny silver flask out of his pocket. ENZO (to Jacques) Here, give me your finger.ENZO taps a drop onto JACQUES' finger, then on his own.Then NOIREUTER blows up. NOIREUTER (in a panic) Is that alcohol? Are you out of your mind? Alcohol is strictly forbidden. ENZO (loosing his temper) Hey! D'you have any other complaints? Just make a list and we'll stick it on the porthole! Okay?ENZO pours a second drop on his own finger. ENZO Go on, suck your finger.JACQUES hesitates. ENZO has no qualms about it and suckshis own finger. NOIREUTER is petrified. NOIREUTER Are you crazy? At this pressure? JACQUES It's very deep down here. ENZO Come on, suck your finger, you'll be seeing mermaids everywhere!JACQUES, convinced sucks his finger too. ENZO smiles.The alcohol has an immediate effect on them. ENZO (to Jacques) A thousand commanders and we get a Belgian from Alcoholic's Anonymous.UNDERWATERENZO gets out of the diving capsule, head first.He is connected to the capsule by a number of cables.JACQUES, who follows him, gets completely tangled up inthem. They are both hilariously drunk.INT. DRILLING PLATFORM - CONTROL ROOMThe SUPERINTENDENT hears them laughing through the controlroom speakers. He flips a communication switch. SUPERINTENDENT Can you hear me? What's going on? (to the technician) Are you sure you're on the right channel?The technician nods back to him.UNDERWATERThe two divers have gotten to the spot they are supposedto be working on. They have their arms around each otherand are dancing.NOIREUTER watches them through the porthole. He shakeshis head in complete disbelief.INT. CONTROL ROOMWe hear the two friends humming the tune of a Viennesewaltz. SUPERINTENDENT If those guys are playing a radio down there they'd just better watch out!!INT. JOHANA'S APARTMENTSALLY is talking away, pointing around the apartment. SALLY ... And if we repaint the walls, we'll need new curtains, you put the painters on you Visa and I'll do the curtains on American Express... for the couch there's Bloomingdales... or are you still over your limit? JOHANA (flatly) Way past it. SALLY Does that have a hidden meaning? JOHANA No. I'm just depressed. SALLY You look it too. You haven't been working out, you haven't been taking your vitamins! You haven't been drinking your herbs, you haven't been... JOHANA (stopping her) I know, I know! I'm a terrible person... (after a beat) It's... I'm so damn, damn sad. SALLY What is it honey... the frenchy? JOHANA (tentatively) Do you think I should have stayed? Don't you think maybe I should have stayed? I've been a jerk, right? (then, emphatically) I should have stayed! I was supposed to be in love... I was in love! I am in love, why did I act like a bitch? He went swimming. All the man did was go swimming! I must be crazy. It was too good to be true. SALLY Vitamins, exercise, herb tea... and see a doctor, will ya?INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - JOHANA - DAYThe doctor enters with a folder, speaks to JOHANA DOCTOR Well Miss Cross, herbs aren't going to do the trick this time. JOHANA (worried) It's serious, right? DOCTOR I think so. You're pregnant... Congratulations! If that's in order?JOHANA breaks into a wide grin. JOHANA It's in order! Thank you. Thank you. DOCTOR I don't think it's me you have to thank.INT. DUFFY'S OFFICE - DUFFY - DAYDUFFY is at his desk. His lunch is spread out in front ofhim. Outside the window, the window-washers are eatingtheir lunch too. JOHANA hurries in. DUFFY Good afternoon. JOHANA (agitated) I came to make a clean breast of everything... the whole business. DUFFY (bluffing, with his mouth full of sandwich) Yes. Of course. Very wise. JOHANA (in a rush) Remember when I went to Italy and canceled the policy on the new stadium. Well, we weren't being cheated by the Mafia or anybody except maybe by me... (she sees the window- washers) ... Do they come for lunch everyday? I really went on my own business, to see a man that I happen to be in love with... and I'm glad I did it, but I'm sorry about the policy and I'll be happy to make up the money the company didn't get... of course just now I don't have... (she checks a note she's holding) One million, four hundred and ten thousand dollars. But if you were to dock my salary, say, twenty dollars a week, in a few hundred years we'd be even... and I think this is where you fire me? DUFFY (swallowing sandwich) You're right. You're fired. JOHANA Will that interfere with my getting maternity leave? I'm pregnant. DUFFY The Italian, I presume? JOHANA No. He's French, he was just in Italy for the competition. DUFFY (smiling) He seems to have won it. JOHANA Yes, isn't it wonderful? I'm so happy. I'll bet I'm the happiest pregnant fired person in the world!She starts to leave... calls out to the window-washers. JOHANA Bon appetit and Adieu!INT. JOHANA'S APARTMENT - NIGHTJOHANA stares out of the bay window of her Manhattanapartment. Hesitant, she walks around her telephone.Finally she makes up her mind, picks up her address bookand dials the number. JACQUES (V.O.) Hello? JOHANA It's me... Johana.INT. JACQUES' APARTMENTJACQUES is on the telephone, in front of a little windowoverlooking the sea. He is very glad to hear her voice. JACQUES How are you?INT. JOHANA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT JOHANA I got fired. JACQUES (V.O.) ... That's funny... I had this job with Enzo... we got fired too.JOHANA'S face lights up with a huge smile. DISSOLVE TO:LATERJOHANA is still on the phone, sitting in front of the baywindow. Day is dawning. JOHANA (looking out at the skyline) It's getting light out. JACQUES (V.O.) Here, it's getting dark.JOHANA smiles. She stretches, lies down on the carpetedfloor. JACQUES seems to have gone through all topics ofconversation. JACQUES I've been thinking about you a lot, you know...JOHANA is by now completely stretched out on the floor. JOHANA So have I. (a beat) ... Hello? JACQUES I'm still here. JOHANA Well, then, talk to me some more. JACQUES ... It's hard you know. You're so far away and I don't know what else to say. JOHANA Then, tell me a story. JACQUES Uh... Ah! A story?He turns around and sits on the window sill, his feetdangling in mid air.He looks at the sea, seeking inspiration. JACQUES Do you know how it is? (starting again) Do you know what you're supposed to do to meet a mermaid? JOHANA (with a smile) No... tell me. JACQUES You go down to the bottom of the sea, where the water isn't even blue anymore, where the sky is only a memory... and you float there, quietly, quietly and stay there... and you decide that you will die for them... Only then do they start coming out. They come and greet you and they judge the love you have for them... If it's sincere. If it's pure... They will be with you and take you away forever.JOHANA listens with the abandon of a child being put tosleep.INT. JACQUES' ROOM - ANTIBESThe sun hits the roof tops. The sea is sparkling.The phone rings on the window sill. JACQUES answers. JACQUES Hello? JOHANA (V.O.) It's me again.JACQUES smiles. JOHANA (after a silence) I'm being a pain, huh? JACQUES ... Not at all. JOHANA (V.O.) You sure? JACQUES (smiling) Absolutely positive. JOHANA (V.O.) Okay. In that case... I'm at the airport in Nice.JACQUES doesn't know what to say. He looks around him,can't figure out what to do. JACQUES (lost) Okay... huh, I'll be right over.INT. AIRPORT - DAYJOHANA is standing in front of the airport.JACQUES sees her. They smile shyly at each other.EXT. STREET - NICE - OPPOSITE THE NEGRESCO HOTELJACQUES and JOHANA are sitting in the back of a taxi. Thedriver stops in front of the hotel. DRIVER (loud) The Carlton! Enjoy your siesta.JACQUES and JOHANA look at each other.INT. HOTEL ROOM - JACQUES - JOHANA - DAYThe room is in semi-darkness, despite the blazing sunlightcoming through cracks in the shutters. JACQUES and JOHANAare making love. JACQUES is on top of her, his whole bodycovered in sweat. The rumpled sheets and the movements oftheir bodies suggest the movements of the sea. ALL SOUNDSare disproportionate and slightly distorted, they areunderwater...ALL JOHANA'S reluctance has vanished. Both of them actlike people who have never felt anything like this before.A certain astonishment at the depth of their feeling. Anincreasing freedom. All the muscles of their bodiesstretch to their limits.JACQUES, progressively, finds himself disappearing. Hisimage dissolves point by point... disintegrates intounbroken blue... The effect creates the impression ofsomeone melting, the screen is now totally blue.A thin, HIGH-PITCHED SOUND.From the bottom of the image, a tiny pinpoint startsTOWARD the CAMERA. It is JACQUES, naked, swimming out ofthe deep blue ocean toward the light as if he were comingout of a dive. He comes CLOSER and CLOSER to theCAMERA...Until his head almost touches the lens...A sudden DEAFENING NOISE... and we find JACQUES on top ofJOHANA. He looks down at her, speechless. JOHANA (a little frightened) Are you okay?After a long beat. JACQUES ... I think I love you.INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - ANTIBES - DAYJACQUES and JOHANA step out of the elevator of a 19thcentury building.JACQUES is carrying her suitcases. JOHANA Why did you take me to the hotel, if you live here. JACQUES You'll understand.JACQUES rings the door bell and sticks his key in thedoor. JOHANA (surprised) Someone in there?JACQUES nods and pushes the door open with the bags he'scarrying. They enter a huge, very old apartment filledwith models and paintings of boats.JACQUES leads JOHANA to the other end of the apartment.INT. BATHROOM - ON UNCLE LOUIS (SORT OF)It's a huge old-fashioned bathroom. The centerpiece is adeep ancient bathtub on faded gild feet. There's arippling shadow of a body under the bath water.JOHANA gasps. JACQUES Don't be afraid. It's my Uncle... Louis.He goes to the tub and pinches the end of a tube. UNCLELOUIS, underwater, has been breathing through it. LOUIS'head pops out of the water, furious. UNCLE LOUIS Assassin! JACQUES (loud, as if speaking to a deaf man) Uncle Louis, this is my friend Johana. UNCLE LOUIS Did you buy the cassettes? The Wagner, the Berlioz? JACQUES I brought Johana to meet you. UNCLE LOUIS Are you crazy? I have no use for a woman! Since my accident. JACQUES No, no. Johana is visiting me. JOHANA (tentatively) Bonjour Monsieur... Louis. (she looks to Jacques) JACQUES (whispering to Johana) Uncle Louis. He's a 75 year old amazing guy, isn't he? JOHANA I'm very pleased to meet you, Uncle Louis. UNCLE LOUIS (to Johana) Did you bring the cassettes, the Wagner, the Berlioz? (pointing to Jacques) This idiot never listens to anything I say. Sometimes I wonder if he isn't deaf.LOUIS climbs out of the bathtub, and pulls on a bathrobe.Behind him he's pulling two insulated wires out of thebathtub. We see that they're connected to smallunderwater speakers. As they surface, incredibly LOUDMUSIC BLASTS: the finale of the "1812 Overture",(trumpets, timpani, cannons, etc...) The sound fills theroom, the apartment, and probably all of ANTIBES.INT. DINING ROOM - JACQUES - JOHANA - LOUIS - LATERThe three of them are at the table. There are a fewscraps on their plates on a threadbare lace tablecloth.Incredibly LOUD SYMPHONIC MUSIC is PLAYING. LOUIS is asdeaf as a fence post.Everyone has to scream over the music. UNCLE LOUIS Where are you from, Henrietta? JACQUES (correcting him) Johana... New York. UNCLE LOUIS What kind of name is that? To be named after a city? JACQUES (smiling) He doesn't hear too well. JOHANA (yelling) I said I was from New York. UNCLE LOUIS (yelling at Jacques) That explains it! The best lays are from New York! JACQUES Uncle Louis! UNCLE LOUIS No, no. It's true. When I was in New York, oh boy! (to Johana) Before my accident, you understand? (then back to Jacques)JACQUES stands up and lowers the music. JACQUES (impatient) Uncle Louis! Johana is my friend. She's come to stay with me for a while. UNCLE LOUIS Good. That way I'll see more of you... Where are you going to stay? JACQUES Well... here. UNCLE LOUIS (outraged) In my apartment? JACQUES (with a sigh) It's my apartment. UNCLE LOUIS (jumping up) Liar! Thief! Torturer! When you were an orphan I nursed you at my breast. JACQUES Uncle Louis, we have a guest! UNCLE LOUIS I'm going to put a lock on the telephone. (them calming down, to Johana) Did you bring the cassettes?INT. BEDROOM - JACQUES - JOHANAJACQUES' room looks like a diving equipment storage roomwith a bed in it. JACQUES notices JOHANA'S gaze. JACQUES (solicitously) You think it'll be all right? You'll be comfortable here? JOHANA (catching her breath) It's going to be... interesting.EXT. PORT OF ANTIBES - DAYJACQUES, JOHANA and ROBERTO are waiting at the port. ROBERTO (glancing at his watch) ... It's not like him to be late. Of course sometimes he doesn't show up at all. Once in Capri, he... JOHANA (interrupting) We get the picture, Roberto. (looks over her shoulder) Jacques, I think Louis needs help.JACQUES turns around. UNCLE LOUIS is a few yards behindthem at a fish stand on the dock. He's holding up an eeland screaming at the fishmonger. UNCLE LOUIS (yelling) Two dollars for this! This fish wasn't caught. It died of cancer!JACQUES shrugs his shoulders and gives up on the idea ofinterfering. ROBERTO (pointing) Here he comes!A speed boat races along the water. It's a beautifulhighly-varnished mahogany Riva. It races into the port.Standing at the helm, looking like Christopher Columbushis hair brushed back by the wind, is ENZO.Next to him hanging on to the windscreen is an impressivesix foot, dark haired beauty. She has a scarf over herhair. She wears a purple leather micro-mini with a cerisehalter top and her ruby fingernails are three inches long.If she ever actually would get cast in a movie, she'd makeRaquel Welch hide in shame. Her stage name is BONITAMARIPOSA.ENZO kills the THROTTLE, swings the speedboat into aperfect landing at the dock. ROBERTO takes the lines. ENZO Jacques! Johana! JOHANA Enzo! JACQUES Enzo!During all of this, everyone's attention is actually onBONITA who is tugging at her long black hair. They're allawestruck except for ROBERTO. ROBERTO (meaning the speed boat) Where did you get that? ENZO (meaning Bonita) "That"! This is not a "that"... This is Bonita Mariposa, the famous Spanish actress. (whispering to Bonita) ... Who is going to be careful with the varnish... (back to Roberto) And who has come to spend a few days with us. (and very quickly) Where's Mamma? ROBERTO (checking watch) You have eight hours before she gets here.ENZO glances at his watch and sighs with relief. BONITAsays hello to JACQUES, kisses JOHANA.INT. LIVING ROOM IN JACQUES' APARTMENT - DAYLoud classical music booms from the stereo. The noisepins JACQUES, ENZO and ROBERTO to their chairs.UNCLE LOUIS gets a bottle of whiskey and serves everybody. ENZO He's really going totally deaf! UNCLE LOUIS I'm not as deaf as you are blind, my boy! You take care of your eyes, I'll take care of my ears! ENZO (laughing) I'm sorry Uncle Louis.UNCLE LOUIS pours him a whiskey. UNCLE LOUIS Come on, drink up, my boy! It might just save us from your bullshit.The bottle is empty. UNCLE LOUIS goes to the kitchen.JACQUES turns down the music, and finally hears the bellwhich has been ringing. JACQUES opens the apartment door:it's Professor LAWRENCE. Suit and tie and carrying abottle. JACQUES I'm glad you could come. I want you to meet Enzo.ENZO and LAWRENCE shake hands. LAWRENCE (with a smile) So you're the famous Enzo Molinari? ENZO (with an even bigger smile) In the flesh. I have that honor!INT. BATHROOM - NIGHTJOHANA comes into the bathroom, closes the door, cuttingdown the blaring music. The paint is peeling off theceiling.BONITA is standing under a 40 watt lamp, putting on make-up in front of JACQUES' cracked shaving mirror. BONITA You're going to live here permanently? JOHANA ... Maybe, if Jacques will let me fix up the place a little.JOHANA walks over to the mirror and watches BONITA put onher make-up like a professional. BONITA (wistfully) He's shy, not like Enzo. JOHANA Yes. Not like Enzo. BONITA (putting on eyelashes) I think, he's really nice... He's a funny guy... sometimes even very moving. JOHANA (after a long silence) ... I'm pregnant, Bonita!BONITA stops working on her make-up and looks pensively atJOHANA. BONITA Are you going to keep it? JOHANA Yes. BONITA Does he know? JOHANA No. BONITA (thinking) Maybe you should talk to him about it. JOHANA I can't... I just don't know how to...BONITA looks at her with the same pensive look.JOHANA goes on. JOHANA I was thinking of something kinda stupid last night. You know those women in the greek mythology that made love with the Gods. Take Leda for example, sleeping with Jupiter, who came to earth as a swan... Well, can you imagine Leda announcing to her swan "You're going to be a father, my little chick-a-dee"? BONITA (starts laughing) But your man isn't quite a God! JOHANA (smiles) Probably not, but I still don't have the nerve to tell him. BONITA Well, you're going to have to tell him, sometime!Unconvinced, JOHANA nods. She changes the subject. JOHANA And you...? Do you love Enzo? BONITA (earnestly) Very much, I think. (a beat) But, there's going to be a problem.EXT. TERRACE OF RESTAURANT - NIGHTThe "problem": MAMMA MOLINARI sits between ENZO andROBERTO, looking like a malevolent storm cloud, staringacross at BONITA. ROBERTO (desperately) Mamma, calimari fritti... Zuppa de pesci. Sono buoni. MAMMA MOLINARI (eyeing Bonita) Nothing. I'm not hungry. ENZO Mamma, Bonita is an actress like Sophia Loren, Anna Magnani... BONITA (icy) Sarah Bernardt. I sing too... a hell of a Carmen. Want to hear? MAMMA MOLINARI (coldly) No thank you.There's an interminable awkward silence. Then UNCLE LOUISat last finds his way to the table. JACQUES who is toograteful for the interruption springs to his feet. JACQUES Uncle Louis, you remember Enzo's mother Signora Molinari from Amorgos? UNCLE LOUIS (screaming) The whale! How could I forget? Always was something fishy about that woman!MAMMA MOLINARI is having trouble breathing. UNCLE LOUIS What were Italians doing living in Greece anyway? JACQUES Louis, we were French! UNCLE LOUIS That's different! What's the matter with you? ROBERTO (complete panic) Mamma, pesce di spada?All of them are gasping for air, trying so hard not tolaugh. UNCLE LOUIS (to Mamma) Hey, whale! Can you pass down the squids?They all burst out laughing.EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT AT SEA - DAYThe diving platform is out. The competition has begun.ENZO is at the gueuse, getting ready to dive. ROBERTOworks around him busily.BONITA on deck above him is making little gestures ofencouragement. ENZO isn't amused.Other competitors watch from the Committee Boat.ENZO turns the handle on the gueuse, plunges into thewater.Professor LAWRENCE, taking notes, stands a few feet away.UNDERWATER - ON ENZOHe dives down, further and further down. He approachesthe two medics in aqualungs at the control point (210feet).They move toward him.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - ENZOSurfacing. Assistants help him onto the platform.ROBERTO pulls off his fins. ENZO rips off his mask. Helooks furious. He tosses the depth plaque (which proveshe is qualified) back into the water. ENZO A shit dive.He looks around angrily for an official. Sees NOVELLI. ENZO Those goddamned frogmen doctors waiting around at 200 feet they just kill your concentration. NOVELLI They're required by law. ENZO (climbing off platform) There's no law down there! The only law is what your lungs can take. (to the next diver) ... Have fun! They waiting for you down there, to take the temperature of your ass.He keeps on walking across the boat, runs into JACQUES,who's just about to begin his yoga preparation.JACQUES sees ENZO'S expression, looks concerned. ENZO (defensively) Anybody can have a bad day! JACQUES I've had many... when the sea doesn't want you. ENZO (disgusted) It's never the sea! It's Roberto, Mamma, that stupid actress... Oh shit! Jacques, what do you know? Go do your Hindu exercises and don't break my balls!ENZO stamps into one of the cabins.INT. JACQUES' APARTMENT - NIGHTJOHANA is reading a child birth catalog. She throws itaway upside down, as soon as she hears JACQUESapproaching. JACQUES comes in and sits opposite her. Heseems bitter. JOHANA Well, how was it?In an involuntary gesture, JACQUES flips through thecatalog. JACQUES (sadly) Enzo had a bad day.JOHANA wonders if JACQUES will understand the presence ofthe baby magazine. JOHANA (tense) And you? JACQUES I didn't dive. JOHANA (she takes the magazine) You'll try again tomorrow? JACQUES I don't know... it didn't feel right. I'm going to bed. I'm tired.He goes away. JOHANA You forgot your magazine!He hasn't heard.JACQUES goes to the bedroom, and throws himself on thebed.JOHANA looks as if she had wished he'd put two and twotogether. JACQUES What? JOHANA ... Nothing. DISSOLVE TO:EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT AT SEA - DAYENZO bursts out of the water. He rips off his face mask,throws it on the diving platform, roaring with pleasure.He tosses the depth plague to ROBERTO. ENZO Let them try.INT. JACQUES' APARTMENT - DAYJOHANA opens the apartment door. BONITA is standingthere, a suitcase in one hand. BONITA I wanted to say goodbye, Johana.They kiss each other goodbye.JOHANA is very uncomfortable. JOHANA You're leaving? BONITA Yes... (she hands her a note) Could you please give this to Enzo. JOHANA Of course.BONITA grabs the note back and tears it up. BONITA It's no use... Just tell him I said goodbye... And give him a kiss for me, Okay?The two women hug again. JOHANA (sorry) Bonita, you shouldn't be discouraged so easily. BONITA I don't have the strength to fight off la Mamma... Anyway who wants to spend their whole life waiting at the end of a pier.BONITA rests her hand on JOHANA'S stomach. BONITA Did you tell him? JOHANA Not yet... I'm waiting for the right moment. BONITA ... You take care of yourself, Johana.BONITA smiles at her and disappears down the stairs.EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT - DOCKING - DAYOfficials, NOVELLI, LAWRENCE, ROBERTO and of course ENZOdisembark. There is a lot of excitement on the dock.Everyone has already heard the news.People swarm around ENZO.LAWRENCE spots JACQUES in the crowd, and goes to him. JACQUES (smiling) Good huh? LAWRENCE He really was unbelievable, 328 feet, deeper than the world record... (then eagerly) ... And, Jacques! He held his breath for four minutes and fifty seconds! JACQUES (smiles too) Good... I guess I have tomorrow's work cut out for me as Enzo would say... LAWRENCE (seriously) You must be very careful, Jacques. At these depths, to hold your breath for over five minutes is... You'd really be pushing it. I think it's very, very dangerous.JACQUES sees ENZO being carried past on the shoulders ofthe crowd. He ignores LAWRENCE, runs beside ENZO. JACQUES (yelling) Enzo, Enzo! Congratulations!EXT. AWARD CEREMONY - NIGHT ENZO (in answer to the crowd's applause) Thank you, thank you very much!ENZO and NOVELLI stand on a little stage facing the crowd.ENZO is holding a gold trophy, waving to friends in theaudience. NOVELLI ... Now I'm sure you've heard that some people have suggested it is too dangerous for us to continue. Dangerous, because we don't know how to measure the physiological consequences of this type of dive and also because the scuba divers are not used to going down below 300 feet.While the attentive crowd listens to NOVELLI, ENZO isgesturing to ROBERTO, explaining what appetizers he wantsfrom the cocktail trays.The crowd laughs. NOVELLI But, we polled the free divers and they insist that the competition continue!There's wild applause. ENZO lifts the trophy over hishead, smiles like a champ and yells into the microphone. ENZO (yelling) Good luck to you all!EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT - DAYENZO and ROBERTO are on the front deck watching thedivers.A German diver comes up to the surface, empty handed.ENZO smiles.The Tahitian comes out of the water in a semi-coma. Thedoctors carry him away. Once he's sure that the diver isout of danger, ENZO smiles again.A whole team of Japanese walk over to the diving platform.The team consists of one diver and six assistants, threeof them playing music to help the diver concentrate. Thediver wears a white wet suit with a red circle on hisforehead. He is concentrating very hard, so much thatENZO walks over to him to make sure he's okay. TheJapanese diver concentrates with such strength that hefaints. ENZO (smiling to his brother) Fabulous, what a dive, huh?ROBERTO smiles.The diver from the Philippines stands at the end of thediving platform. He concentrates for a moment then givesup and walks away. ENZO He's right. What's the point of knocking yourself out?INT. BEDROOM - JACQUES - JOHANA - NIGHTThey're in bed, side by side, both of them half asleep.The only light in the room comes from the open windows.He rolls over and watches her sleep, looking down at heradoringly. He slips off the chain with the gold coin.Slowly, holding the chain, he runs the coin gently overher body, stops at the level of her stomach and lets itrest there. She opens her eyes and looks at him,wondering if he senses something. JOHANA (softly) What are you doing? JACQUES I'm putting you on the coin... Your essence... That way you'll always be with me when I dive.She smiles, closes her eyes. He swings the coin over herface gently, some kind of private ceremony. She looksjust a little intimidated.The coin is now dangling in front of her mouth. Shehesitates then opens her mouth, JACQUES lets the coinslide into it.EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT - DAYJACQUES walks up to the diving platform.LAWRENCE has fixed scientific equipment on his chest.JACQUES wets and slowly puts them on.ENZO watches from the deck, his expression has changed.JOHANA, on the deck also, opposite ENZO, watches a littleworried. JACQUES concentrates then releases the gueuseand lets himself disappear under the water.UNDERWATERJACQUES dives down very fast. The control takes place at200 feet, the doctors check him and let him go. Hecontinues his descent, it's getting darker and darkeraround him.The gueuse stops at the level of the underwater platform,just below the diver, who swims over to him in a sea ofbubbles from his oxygen bottles. He asks JACQUES if he isalright, JACQUES nods and gives him a huge smile beforeswimming off, downwards!The diver realizes and starts after him. He grabs JACQUESby one of his fins and pulls him back to the roundplatform. JACQUES lets go of the balloon.The diver panics. JACQUES slowly motions that everythingis fine and slowly paddles up to the surface.EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT - DAYThe boat's huge stop watch indicates min: 4:50, then5:00, then 5:10. JACQUES has been down there for over 5minutes.JOHANA is worried sick. ENZO doesn't know what to make ofit and LAWRENCE feels completely helpless. The stopwatchindicates 5:20, then 5:25 and JACQUES, half unconscious,brakes through the surface of the water.JOHANA screams and cries with joy when she sees him. Thecrowd applauds. ENZO is somber.NOVELLI takes the plaque from JACQUES' hands and turns tothe crowd. NOVELLI (stunned) 360 feet! He dove 360 feet!!!The crowd cheers in excitement.ENZO is sullen. LAWRENCE is very worried.EXT. ON PORT - END OF THE DAYThere's a pile of gear on the dock.ENZO is in the boat loading one piece of luggage at atime, JACQUES comes up to the boat. Parked in thebackground, we see a taxi waiting with JOHANA sitting inthe back seat. ENZO pretends not to notice JACQUES'arrival.JACQUES watches him for a moment then finally dares tospeak. JACQUES (pointing at taxi) ... There's a party at the hotel tonight.ENZO keeps loading up the boat. ENZO (busy) That's good. JACQUES (after a beat) Enzo, don't be angry. I was lucky... that's all.ENZO throws the last duffel bag into the cockpit. ENZO (serious) I'll see you in Amorgos.ENZO turns around and jumps onto his boat.JACQUES walks off the dock, past the cab. JOHANA opensthe door to let him in, but he keeps walking. JOHANA Jacques...? JACQUES You go back, I'll walk.He walks off.EXT. MARINELAND - DOLPHIN POOL - ANTIBES - NIGHTThe park is empty as JACQUES approaches the pool.TINA the dolphin, jumps out of the water, swims to meetJACQUES. JACQUES pats her and kneels to talk to TINANINA. JACQUES (sadly) I won today. I dove very deep, Tina.The dolphin giggles. JACQUES What's so funny? Can you dive deeper?The dolphin nods "yes".JACQUES smiles. JACQUES (smiling) So you understand everything?The dolphin nods. JACQUES That's good... So tell me why they're all angry at me? Why is Enzo angry? I never wanted to compete with him. I never wanted to be champion of anything... All I want is to escape from them all... For just a few minutes, no people... No noise... Nothing but the sea.The dolphin nods and giggles. JACQUES Do you really understand me? Huh? Are we actually having a conversation here?Again the dolphin nods "yes". JACQUES All right then, tell me: can I ever dive as deep as you? Stay under as long...?A beat. Then the dolphin nods "yes". JACQUES Are you sure?The two other dolphins stick their heads out of the water.They all nod together.JACQUES is awed and perplexed at the same time.EXT. AMORGOS - DAYThe little town of Amorgos is beautiful, mountainous.It's surrounded by a luminous turquoise sea, with whitevillas clinging to hillsides. There is a small port. (wesaw it in the opening sequence) Further along the coast,we see the Diving Federation Committee Boat surrounded byall sorts of activity.INT. HOTEL ROOM - JACQUES - JOHANA - DAYThrough the open windows we can see parts of the villagewhere JACQUES grew up. He's staring out the window, lostin his own thoughts. JACQUES It's beautiful, isn't it?Behind him, JOHANA is hiding and throwing up. He walks toher. JACQUES What's wrong? JOHANA It's nothing. Just the long trip. I'm a little jet-lagged. JACQUES You want to lie down for a while? JOHANA No, I'll be fine. Can you just hand me a glass of water?While JACQUES gets her the water, JOHANA stares at theview.EXT. ENZO'S BOAT - IN THE LITTLE PORTROBERTO stands on the port, waiting for his brother.Suddenly the sound of a motor boat and twelve note hornechoes in the bay.The boat has just arrived at the town dock.ENZO, tears rolling down his cheeks from the wind, throwsa duffel bag on the dock and looks up at ROBERTO. ENZO Is he here? ROBERTO (uncomfortable) He's training.ENZO makes a face.EXT. SMALL PORT - DAYJOHANA sits on the little dock in front of the hotel.JACQUES pulls on his fins, looks out into the water.She clutches a stopwatch, ready to set it off.A few yards behind, hidden between two bungalows, ENZOwatches them. JACQUES takes a few deep breaths and divesa few feet underwater.JOHANA starts the stopwatch.ENZO, who sees JACQUES disappear, walks over to JOHANA andsits down beside her. ENZO Okay, now we have a good five minutes to have a nice peaceful talk. JOHANA What are you doing here? ENZO Checking out the competition. JOHANA Enzo, why do you guys do this? ENZO (teasing) What else is there? JOHANA (seriously) You know what I'm talking about. Why do you and Jacques risk your lives diving? ENZO (avoiding the question) You risk your life when you cross the street. JOHANA (frustrated) Damn it! Why won't you give me a straight answer, for once?! ENZO Because you'd laugh. JOHANA I won't, I swear. ENZO (seriously) I dive in search of God. If I go deep enough I'm going to find him. To me, the sea is a religion... That surprises you, doesn't it? JOHANA (looking down at Jacques in the water) A little... You think it's the same for Jacques? ENZO (shaking his head) No. Jacques is a creature of the sea. He isn't meant to live on earth, among us... You should know this, Johana. JOHANA (reassuring herself) He can learn. He is learning. ENZO You really think so? Did you tell him you were pregnant? JOHANA (surprised) How do you know that? ENZO You told Bonita, but you didn't tell him, right?JOHANA shakes her head negatively. JOHANA ... Not yet. ENZO Don't. JOHANA Why? ENZO Because he won't understand and it will just hurt you... Jacques has been put on earth by complete mistake. And he's only waiting for one thing: that some God up there will turn him into a fish! How long has that moron been down there? JOHANA (looking at the stopwatch) Five minutes and fifty seconds. ENZO (grabbing away the stopwatch) That idiot!They jump up. ENZO dives into the water.As JOHANA watches panicky, ENZO pulls JACQUES up onto thedock, in his arms. JACQUES is unconscious.ENZO is furious. The fear of loosing his friend hasabsolutely enraged him. He starts pacing up and down thedock. JOHANA Is he alright? What happened? ENZO (furious) The fool was asleep! If I weren't around, he'd already be dead!!! Is that who you want to live with? Well, good luck! You better learn to look after him because I won't always be here to do it!Once again he marches off, then comes back. JACQUES (mumbling) ... How long was I asleep? ENZO (to Jacques) Long enough to die. Listen, if you really want to die, that's your problem, but don't do it under my nose, okay?A few steps away, then coming back. ENZO (to Jacques) I'll never let you take away my title. D'you hear me? Never!ENZO stalks off defiantly.EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT - ANCHORED OFF THE COASTThere's activity. The competition has begun.MUSICA SERIES OF QUICK SHOTS of different competitors atvarious points in their dives.The Tahitian comes up unconscious.The German comes up unconscious.So does the diver from the Philippines.NOVELLI doesn't know what to think.EXT. TERRACE OF RESTAURANT - JACQUES - JOHANA - SUNSETJACQUES is in a T-shirt and jeans, rope-sole sandals.JOHANA wears a light white cotton dress. They both sit onthe restaurant's terrace overlooking the sea.Below them, a small boat passes. In it are baskets filledwith sponges. JACQUES stares at them for a long time. JOHANA Do you ever sometimes just stop and think how sweet life can be?A beat. JACQUES ... Sure.JOHANA wants to say something. JOHANA ... When you dive... with that machine... What does it feel like? JACQUES (after thinking about it) ... The feeling of slipping without falling... The hardest is once you are at the bottom. JOHANA Why? JACQUES Because you have to find a good reason to come back up again... And I always have a hard time finding one.JOHANA has never looked so sad and lost.JACQUES doesn't notice.ENZO who is sitting at the piano behind them, starts toplay, staring at the sea.JACQUES and JOHANA turn around and look at him. ENZO (smiling) ... You should start playing the piano, the piano is really refreshing, it clears the sinuses. Very good the piano! Tomorrow is going to be a big day!EXT. COMMITTEE BOAT UNDERWAY - ON JACQUESHe's alone in the bow. The others are clustered in thesaloon, cockpit in the stern. The boat is moving close tothe cliffs. The monastery looms above them.CLOSE ON JACQUESHe's scanning the apparently abandoned monastery searchingfor signs of life.A red and blue taxi-boat pulls up alongside the CommitteeBoat. In it, LAWRENCE waits to climb on board.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - DAYENZO puts his flippers on and grabs his gueuse. He isserious, concentrating hard.LAWRENCE'S boat slides along the big Committee Boat andthe DOCTOR climbs onto it.INT. COMMITTEE BOAT - LAWRENCE - NOVELLI - OTHERSLAWRENCE'S briefcase is open. There's a stack of graphpaper on a cabin table. LAWRENCE ... When I analyzed the data from Mayol's last dive, it became apparent... (taps the graph paper) ... At the depths these men are diving, it is a physiological impossibility that they can retain enough oxygen in their blood to make it back to the surface. It's a function of how long it takes to get to the bottom, orient themselves and to return... To attempt to break Mayol's record is simple suicide. (to Novelli) For the last time. I'm telling you cancel the competition.NOVELLI and the MEDIC look over at the diving platformwhere ENZO is concentrating. MEDIC Molinari's a seventeen time world champion. Do you want to tell him he can't dive.LAWRENCE doesn't answer. NOVELLI is thinking. NOVELLI Get Mayol in here.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - ENZOENZO is preparing. He sits at the edge of the platformhyperventilating, almost in a trance.We see JACQUES in the background, talking to NOVELLI, hethen walks over to ENZO and climbs down next to him. JACQUES Enzo? (no response) Enzo... I know you're angry at me. (no response) Enzo, it's important.ENZO opens one eye. ENZO I'm concentrating. JACQUES (quickly) We can't dive anymore. They want to cancel the competition for a while.ENZO looks at him coldly. Takes another deep breath. JACQUES (rushing on) It's not safe, they say. The doctors say it isn't possible to go deeper and live. Free diving is over as a sport. ENZO You say that because you have the title! JACQUES No! I would never cheat you. ENZO Well that's very nice of you.He takes a last breath, signs himself and reaching for thegueuse, disappears into the water.LAWRENCE, NOVELLI, the MEDICS, and others are arguing.LAWRENCE is furious that ENZO is diving. NOVELLI isballing out his assistants.JACQUES is on the platform watching the others as if theywere a gaggle of geese. He listens to the sound of thegueuse playing out, watches the depth indicator, thestopwatches. He knows something is wrong.He walks over to the edge and grabs hold of a littleoxygen bottle which is there for security. He takes a fewbreaths of the oxygen as he puts on his flippers and divesdown after ENZO.UNDERWATER - JACQUESJACQUES pulls himself down the cable, hand over hand.80 or 90 feet down he sees a group of MEDICS coming towardhim carrying ENZO'S unconscious body.JACQUES struggles with them, pushes them away, takes ENZOin his arms and climbs toward the surface, frantic,screaming silently at him, desperate to get away from theflow of air bubbles from the scuba tanks, the commotion,the memory of death.ENZO has a big serene smile on his face. The MEDICS pushboth divers toward the surface.As if they were on land, JACQUES starts shaking ENZO towake him up. He then slaps his face but ENZO remainsunconscious.They finally break the surface in each others arms.EXT. ON DIVING PLATFORMThey pull ENZO out of the water. The doctors open hisjacket. ENZO motions to JACQUES to come close. He stillhas that long smile. ENZO (faintly) You were right. JACQUES (moved) ... I was right about what? ENZO (after a long silence) ... It is much better down there. It's a better place.He tries to take a deep breath, the effort is exhausting.JACQUES smiles, holding back his tears. ENZO ... Push me back in the water... JACQUES (crying) I can't. ENZO Jacques, take me back down... Please.His smile freezes, he stops breathing. His eyes close.JACQUES puts his head down on his friend's chest and sobs.The doctors gently try to move him away, but JACQUESresists. LAWRENCE Just give him five minutes! What does it matter now, anyway... Come on, just leave him alone!LAWRENCE encourages everybody to leave the platform.JACQUES quickly grabs the nearest rope and ties it to hisbelt. Before anybody can stop him, JACQUES rolls ENZO'Sbody back into the water and dives after it.UNDERWATER - JACQUESHe holds ENZO in his arms. Lets the dead weight of thebody pull him down, deeper and deeper. The rope aroundJACQUES' waist runs out, stops his descent with an abruptjerk. When he feels it, JACQUES lets go... watches asENZO'S body continues to drift by itself into thebottomless blue...EXT. DIVING PLATFORMThe doctors have run over and are pulling the cable thatJACQUES is attached to. He is unconscious when they pullhim up. They hold him up by his feet. JACQUES throws upgallons of water. They put an oxygen mask on his face. A DOCTOR (listening to his heartbeat) The heart is going to stop! The stimulator, quickly.Suddenly, everything collapses for JACQUES. Soundsdisappear. The image slows down, the light fades.JACQUES only hears his heartbeat, which slows down.His heart stops.Among the crowd around him, he sees JOHANA, fresh, gentle,smiling. Her movements are smooth and slowed down. Shesmiles at him, simply. JACQUES smiles back. The heartstarts again slowly.The image goes back to normal.Sounds multiply (doctors, the panic, etc...) and slowlycome back.JACQUES falls unconscious. A DOCTOR The heart started again! It's all right!NOVELLI falls back in his chair, relieved.INT. JACQUES' ROOM - NIGHTJACQUES is lying on the bed, he has a strong fever.JOHANA sits at his feet.LAWRENCE rummages through a medical kit. He takes a pillfrom a bottle and gives it to him. LAWRENCE Take this. Have a good sleep.JACQUES swallows the pills. JOHANA walks over from thebalcony. LAWRENCE Sweet dreams.LAWRENCE motions to JOHANA that they should let him sleep.He goes out of the room. JACQUES (tenderly to Johana, who had started to leave the room) Kiss me.JOHANA bends over and kisses him.JACQUES holds her by the arm, doesn't want her to leave. JOHANA Sleep now. We'll talk later.JOHANA kisses him on the forehead and leaves the room.EXT. HOTEL BAR - ON TERRACE - LAWRENCE - JOHANAThey're at the little zinc bar. Not talking, not reallydrinking either, just toying with their glasses.ROBERTO passes, stops. ROBERTO I've packed all of... Enzo's clothes. (a beat) I'm going to the radio telephone... (swallowing) ... to call Mamma.They watch sadly as he leaves.INT. JACQUES ROOM - NIGHTJACQUES sitting up in bed finally lies down under thesheets. He turns off the light by the bed.INT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - LAWRENCE - JOHANAThey've moved from the bar to the table. There is uneatenfood in front of them. A third place is set.JOHANA looks at the wall clock. JOHANA I'll go see how he's doing. LAWRENCE Let him sleep.INT. JACQUES ROOM - JACQUESJACQUES is lying on the bed, he is not moving anymore. Heis breathing loudly, as if tired out. From his POV theroom becomes very dark and blue. The noise is unbearable.The ceiling turns into water.JACQUES' eyes are wide open. His face is sweating. Thewater level, from the ceiling, comes down to him, until heis swallowed by it.As he falls into the water, we see a dolphin gulping airat the surface and going back very quickly to the blue.The dolphin meets his group, about ten of them, 250 Kg ofmuscles, swimming at more than 40 km/H underwater. Theyall break through the surface to gulp air regularly.Suddenly, one of them, leaves the group. He crosses theblue and seems to make sonar-like sounds. We see a sonarpicture. It's an image in which the dolphin will appear afew seconds later. The dolphin comes up like a rocket,gulps air and goes back down.The sonar image appears again. Finally, the dolphin,locates a group of fish and starts hunting them, exactlylike a war plane. He manages to break the group in two,then in four, and this way, he isolates his victim.He breaks the surface to gulp air and goes back down. Hegoes full power. The fish he is after are even moredivided. There is only one left, totally lost and in apanic.The exhausted fish is swallowed.The dolphin slows down, goes back up, breaks the surfacein slow motion. Images becomes pale and bright.He screams inhumanly.Image is white, black, silence.INT. HOTEL ROOM - JACQUESJOHANA opens the shutters.The room is a shamble of broken glass, water pitcher andglasses, lamps and vases. The windows are blown out.JACQUES is lying in bed. There is a thin trickle of bloodcoming from his nose and ears. JOHANA (in a panic) Jacques... Are you alright?EXT. DOCK - JACQUES - JOHANA - NIGHTJACQUES jumps into ENZO'S boat. JOHANA (still worried) Jacques? Are you alright? Answer me! Are you alright?She jumps down into ENZO'S boat. He starts the engine.The boat is racing out of the port. JOHANA yells over thesound of the engine. JOHANA You've got to tell me what happened? JACQUES I saw how it has to be.JACQUES parks the boat in front of the COMMITTEE BOAT'SDIVING PLATFORM. He turns on the platform lights: aboveand underwater. He throws down the diving cable: 60, 90,120 feet...JACQUES gets undressed and sits down in the lotusposition, concentrating...JOHANA sits down a few feet away and watches him,wondering just how far he is going to push this wholething.As the cable unrolls, JOHANA starts crying. Sheunderstands that JACQUES is going to dive to the bottom,into the blue, into himself. JOHANA Jacques, you know I love you.JACQUES is putting on his flippers, and stands facing hisgueuse. JACQUES (after a silence) Don't be sad... It's not because of you, it's me. It's all going on inside me! (a beat) I've gotta go and see.JOHANA starts pacing up and down the diving platform. JOHANA See what? There is nothing to see! It's pitch black down there! It's cold. You'll be all alone! Look at me, Jacques! I am here! I exist! Look!!! (she starts waving her arms) I'm real! I am not a dream! Jacques will you look at me? (she breaks down) Please!JACQUES has not moved, he still sits motionless, facinghis gueuse.JOHANA doesn't know what to do or say. She is totallydrained. JOHANA Jacques? I'm pregnant. JACQUES That's good... that's wonderful. It's wonderful for you. JOHANA You are the father.Silence. JACQUES is petrified, without any reaction. Hedoesn't understand. She realizes it's hopeless and staresat the sea. JOHANA (after a while) I lied... to keep you here.She kisses him. JOHANA Promise me one thing. JACQUES Anything. JOHANA Promise you won't forget me.She pulls the line releasing the gueuse.JACQUES takes a deep breath and grabbing hold of thegueuse, disappears into the water -- as if swallowed bythe ocean.UNDERWATERJACQUES slides along the cable, pulled by the weight ofthe gueuse. He has a beautiful smile on his face. He isin his element. Night has closed in around him. He turnson the headlight of the gueuse, it casts a dim lightaround him.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - NIGHTJOHANA has walked over to the edge of the platform. Sheis holding the cable, to "hear" JACQUES' descent.The counter shows that JACQUES is quickly passing the 300feet mark.UNDERWATERJACQUES keeps going down, as serene as ever. He hasgained a lot of speed.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - NIGHTJOHANA holds her face in her hands. The counter indicatesthat JACQUES is going very fast.UNDERWATERThe gueuse jerks to a stop and shakes the cable. JACQUESturns his body right side up.EXT. DIVING PLATFORM - NIGHTThe counter now indicates a depth of 600 feet.JOHANA has felt the jolt of the cable. She cries hertears and looks down at the water.UNDERWATERThe headlight on the gueuse illuminates only a few feetaround JACQUES, as if he were standing in a circle oflight. He stays there, patiently floating around andaround his cable... as if he were waiting for something.A long form circles the border between the darkness andthe light.JACQUES holds out his hand. A dolphin comes and pressesits body against it. Two other dolphins come out of thenight. JACQUES watches in amazement.A dolphin lays his muzzle in JACQUES' hand, ready to leadhim off. JACQUES hesitates.JACQUES lets go of the cable and lets himself be led away.Their silhouettes disappear in the deep blue night. THE END
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