Far from the Madding Crowd Page #5

Then barking, the sound of the bells, further off this time.

He runs -

FFMC Shooting Script Sept 2013

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21 EXT. CLIFFS, NORCOMBE HILL - DAWN 21

A natural basin leads up to cliffs and, beyond that, the sea.

The precipice is fenced off, but it is towards this cliff

edge that the flock have been harried by YOUNG GEORGE.

GABRIEL stumbles across the darkened hillside after them.

...but it’s too late. The young, impetuous dog is barking and

snapping at a single remaining sheep, forcing it through a

gap in the broken fence and into the darkness beyond. The

sheep has gone.

YOUNG GEORGE runs to his master, desperate for approval. But

GABRIEL is numb. With a terrible sense of foreboding, he

walks towards the gap in the hedge, knowing already what

he’ll find.

GABRIEL’s POV. A glimpse of white below.

22 EXT. BEACH, NORCOMBE HILL - DAY 22

At the bottom of the limestone cliff, the corpses of the

flock. Two hundred sheep, all dead.

The sun is up, the water lapping at the corpses. GABRIEL

stands exhausted, numb. All of his hopes, his ambitions, the

rewards of twenty years hard work, all dead. At his side,

YOUNG GEORGE licks his hand, awaiting his reward for a job

well done.

He kneels next to YOUNG GEORGE, places his forehead against

the dog’s and speaks to him quietly.

GABRIEL:

Least we didn’t marry, eh Georgie?

Then he quickly stands and, without malice but with an awful

resignation, he raises his gun.

A shot rings out.

23 INT. GABRIEL’S COTTAGE - DAY 23

Keys and cashbox handed to two GENTLEMAN FARMERS.

FIRST FARMER:

Good luck to you, Mr Oak.

SECOND FARMER:

And our sympathies.

FIRST FARMER:

Where are you heading?

(no reply)

We take no pleasure in this.

FFMC Shooting Script Sept 2013

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GABRIEL ignores them and goes instead to OLD GEORGE.

GABRIEL:

Sorry, old boy.

24 EXT. EGDON HEATH - DAY 24

Another day. GABRIEL walks on, everything he owns now in the

pack on his back.

Now snow falls. The road across Egdon Heath has disappeared.

Desperate for shelter, he sees a barn.

25 INT. BARN - NIGHT 25

GABRIEL wraps himself in his blanket and tries to sleep, his

breath hanging in the frozen air.

There’s a hole in the roof. GABRIEL looks to the skies,

thinks of BATHSHEBA -

26 EXT. MRS HURST’S FARM - DAY 26

MRS HURST:

Bathsheba!

A shout. BATHSHEBA, working in the fields, stands. MRS HURST

runs towards her, waving something in her hand.

BATHSHEBA:

What is it?

A letter. She hands it to BATHSHEBA, breathless. Gasping for

air MRS

HURST:

Oh my love, it’s your poor Uncle’s

will.

BATHSHEBA:

What does it say? What’s happened?

Breathless, MRS HURST indicates.

MRS HURST:

Read it! Read!

BATHSHEBA does so -

BATHSHEBA puts her hand to her mouth. Then she embraces her

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