FADE IN ON:

1

EXT. DESOLATE LANDSCAPE -HANGING TREE -DAY 1

Rocks. Cactus. The occasional tree.

Not a place you'd like to spend your summer vacation.

Now there are sounds: A WHIPPING WIND begins to get

LOUDER. And in the distance, but GROWING: THUNDER.

CAMERA STARTS TO MOVE -SLOWLY,

INEXORABLY, ACROSS this dead place ---

suddenly it STOPS.

We are in a Sergio Leone TIGHT CLOSEUP of just a hideous-

looking man. One eye looks straight ahead. The other

wanders.

CAMERA MOVES AGAIN.

The wind is really kicking up ---

suddenly, another STOP.

Another Leone CLOSEUP.

A second man. This guy makes the first one look

handsome. Both his eyes work, which is an improvement.

But his neck has been horribly burned as if from a noose.

CAMERA IS MOVING AGAIN.

LOUDER THUNDER. A storm is coming fast.

CAMERA STOPS.

We are LOOKING AT the least appetizing of the three. Not

that he's scarred, not that all his parts aren't in

proper working order --it's just that he's so damn

frightening.

Not to mention huge.

This is THE ANGEL and like the other two, he is seated on

a horse. And he is staring intently at something. FROM

The Angel --we go to...

BRET MAVERICK:

for this is who the trio is looking at.

(CONTINUED)

2.

1 CONTINUED:
1

MAVERICK's 30, give or take. Enormously appealing.

Whether that's because of his considerable physical

skills or his sunny personality, who knows. It might

be his quiet wit.

In any case, we are looking at a handsome young man that

everybody likes -

--oops -

--make that almost everybody.

Because just now he is seated on a horse beneath a tree

and a thick hope has been tied around his neck, the rope

thrown over a branch. His hands have been tied behind

his back. We are about to watch a hanging. His.

THE ANGEL:

(riding closer)

I almost got hung myself once,

didn't much care for it, how about

you?

(as Maverick

says nothing)

We're gonna leave now, but I'm

worried about your well-being.

Maverick just stares at him, makes no reply.

THE ANGEL:

He gestures for the other two to ride, and they take

off.

THE ANGEL:

See, I don't think it's a good

thing for a man to be alone out

here. Your mind can do cruel

things.

And now he takes a burlap sack, tosses it toward

Maverick. It lands nearby.

THE ANGEL:

Enjoy the company.

He spurs his horse, rides away.

MAVERICK:

managing to turn his head in the direction The Angel

took.

(CONTINUED)

3.

1 CONTINUED:
(2) 1

THE ANGEL AND OTHER TWO

disappearing over a nearby hill.

2 EXT. SKY -DAY 2

The sky. Storm clouds convene.

3 EXT. HANGING TREE -DAY 3

Maverick. He takes a deep breath, tries to wriggle

free of the knotted rope around his neck.

No luck.

Make that bad luck.

The horse has been surprised by his movement, takes a

half step.

MAVERICK:

Freezing.

HORSE:

It relaxes, settles down.

4 EXT. SKY -DAY 4

The sky, and a THUNDERCLAP.

5 EXT. HANGING TREE -DAY 5

Maverick, staring at his horse. The noise was loud.

Either the horse is deaf or it likes thunder. Doesn't

budge an inch.

Maverick starts to try and work his neck free again.

This time the horse doesn't move at all.

Maverick sighs with relief, glances around.

BURLAP SACK:

It is starting to wriggle.

(CONTINUED)

4.

5 CONTINUED:
5

MAVERICK:

He holds his breath.

HORSE:

It hasn't spotted the sack yet.

SACK:

Wriggling more.

not to spot it.

Pretty soon it's going to be hard

MAVERICK:

caution to the winds now, trying desperately to

somehow get free of the noose ---

and miraculously, he's starting to make a little

headway.

HORSE:

Calm. Nothing flusters this animal.

MAVERICK:

even more headway --he's in pain but he ignores it.

6 EXT. SKY -DAY 6

The sky. More THUNDER.

7 EXT. HANGING TREE -DAY 7

The horse. Standing still.

8 EXT. SKY -DAY 8

The clouds are darker.

9 EXT. HANGING TREE -DAY 9

The horse. It could be a statue.

MAVERICK:

one eye on the sack as he continues to work to free his

neck. Now -SACK

as a rattlesnake peeks out.

(CONTINUED)

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