Into Verdun

A script I wrote a few years ago for practise. Designed for television about the battle of Verdun in World War One

Scene one

Camera opens with view of a long dark tunnel with light at the end. Dark tunnel starts rushing past and light gets bigger shoots out to quick red glow glance of green landscape
The red glow starts to appear again at bottom of the screen until you see the large burning city of Verdun. Camera seems to be falling then crashes into the ruins.
Shot of German gunners frantically reloading the gun standing back then firing it again.
Gun Captain
(Gazing at city) Switch over.
Gunner
Any news on them breaking Captain?
Gun Captain
No but they wont be able to stand it much longer. (Quieter to himself) who could?
Scene Two

Next shot on long dusty road with thousands of weary troops marching along it. Zoom in on the company.
Jean Luc
Were marching into hell.
Jacques
With nothing but the guns in our hands.
Jean
And the sacks on our backs
Captain Basly
In rotten boots.
Jacques, Jean simultaneously
Sir?

Captain Barsly

Come on lads i'm sure the place will brighten up when we get there.
Attempts a grim smile.
Jacques, Jean Luc
Aye sir!
Captain Basly
Come on pick it up, Lieutenant Denton can I trouble you a moment.

Lieutenant Denzon

Yes Sir.
Captain Barsly
What do you make of it?

Lieutenant Denzon

 Action seems very brisk sir. (Voice breaking slightly)

Captain Barsly
Certainly does Denzon, Certainly does.  We’ve been hearing the cannonade from miles away. Consistent never stopping. We must set an example to the men, show were not afraid.
Lieutenant Denzon
Yes sir.
Captain Barsly
I know this is your first real battle experience, it doesn’t look the best place to learn, but you will.
Lieutenant Denzon
Yes Sir. Sir why is this city so important.
Captain Barsly
The Germans want it and it’s our duty to stop them.
Scene three

Camera moves down the line to Jacques and Jean who are talking together. Some of the men flinch at a particularly large explosion.
Jean
Not far now.
Jacques
Should at least get a break when we get there.
Jean
(Gives short hollow laugh) You really think so.
Jacques
We deserve one.
Jean
Were soldiers no one thinks we deserve anything.
Jacques
The Captain will see to it he knows how to treat us right.
Jean
Yes he is but I don’t trust our new lieutenant.
Jacques
No one does he fresh.
Jean
At least we’ve got an experienced Captain.
Scene five

Camera shows birds eye view of city with the company marching into it.
Captain Barsly
Lieutenant stay here I’m going to see where were needed.
Lieutenant Denzon
Ye sirrrrrr!
Camera shakes from a large explosion. Stones and dirt fly everywhere. Shouts come all directions in the chaos. It’s the beginning of an extended reign of shells.
Lieutenant Denzon
Find cover!
(Men are seen diving left and right. Shot of an arm going flying through the air. Large crash as one of the defensive guns gets blown off its carriage.
There is an eerie almost quiet moment with the dull thud of fewer guns as the attack eases off. A wall next to Lieutenants Denzon’s head as dust begins to settle. Men start to peer from out from what little cover they could find.
The barrage then begins again and more shouts and screams occur. When it stops the men take a few minutes longer to start looking out. There’s a close up of Jean face who looks shaking. Lieutenant Denzon is kneeling he takes a deep breath then stands up and starts looking around.)
Scene Six

Lieutenant Denzon
Captain. Captain Barsly! C company report to me. C company on your feet now!
A few men get reluctantly to their feet.
Lieutenant Denzon
Where are the others? Has anyone seen the captain? Sergeant Rourkner.
Sergeant Rourkner
Yes Sir?
Lieutenant Denzon
Take a roll call.
Sergeant Rourkner
Sir.
Lieutenant Denzon
And find the Captain!
Sergeant Rourkner
Right Sir. C company form into files. Jean, Jean.
Camera moves round and zooms in on Jean who’s knelt by his dead friend Jacques.
Jean
He’s dead Sergeant!
Sergeant Rourkner
Come on jean.
Jean
Why?
Sergeant Rourkner
(Quiet for a moment) It’s hard to
Jean
We’ve only just got here it doesn’t seem right does it?
Sergeant Rourkner
No.
Jean
Killed so suddenly before he even got to see the enemy.
Sergeant Rourkner
Come on lad.
Jean stands up and looks at the remains of the company it’s visibly shrunken. There is shouting all around as the different companies try to regroup and there is still the threat of falling shells.
Sergeant Rourkner
Lieutenant!
Lieutenant Denzon
Sergeant. How many?
Sergeant Rourkner
29 dead, 6 seriously wounded, 2 took only minor injuries, and 12 are unaccounted for including Captain Barsly. Me and Kendell are the only Sergeants left. The other one has been found dead the other one is unaccounted for.
Lieutenant Denzon
(Gulps and takes a moment to think) Thank you sergeant. Keep looking for the missing Sargent Kendell find the medics. Private Retan find out who’s the commander here and see what’s happening.
Retan
Yes Sir.
Shot of Retan running off having to dodge several bodies on the way.
(The shot pulls back to show more of the city. It is still under a shell barrage with soldiers trying to sort the dead and injured.
The sun is beginning to set and the camera zooms back in on the German Battery.)
Scene Seven

Exterior, nighttime, line of German guns.
German Gunner one
Not a bad days work eh.
German Gunner two
We’ve done our jobs.
German Gunner one
We’ll make the fatherland proud.
German Gunner two
If we see it again. It’s been over a year now.
German Gunner one
They must be tired of the killing by now.
German Gunner two
Like we are?
German Gunner one
There weak we will win.
German Gunner two
I just pray it ends soon.
Scene Eight

Interior, daytime Verdun hospital
(Scene opens with Lieutenant Denton looking around a dark and dirty medical centre. He spots his captain.)
Lieutenant Denton
Captain!
Captain Barsly
(Looks weakly up at him, he is covered in blood.) Denton? The men?
Lieutenant Denton
Fine Sir.
Captain Barsly
Really?
Lieutenant Denton
We got off lightly Sir!
Captain Barsly
Good. Except you’ve lost a Captain.
Lieutenant Denton
(Mumbling slightly) We haven’t lost you yet Sir. You, you will recover.
Captain Barsly
(Gives short pained laugh) You’ll need that kind of attitude to get the men through this wretched place.
Lieutenant Denton
Yes Sir!
Captain Barsly
(Grabs Denzons arm weakly) Do your duty! (Captain Barsly dies, the sound of other patients crying out rises again.)
Lieutenant Denton
I will Sir. I will!
Lieutenant Denzon walks out trying not to look at all the injured. He walks up the steps into the daylight.
Scene Nine
Exterior, Daytime outside one of Verdun’s buildings.
(Sergeant Rourkner and Sergeant Retan are sat talking on pile of rubble.)
Sergeant Rourkner
We really should get on with our jobs.
Sergeant Retan
Yes we should!
(Neither moves. They continue staring into the sky.)
Sergeant Rourkner
What a mess.
Sergeant Retan
A right mess
Sergeant Rourkner
Almost half the company dead.
Sergeant Retan
In just 10 minutes.
Sergeant Rourkner
Just 10 minutes.
Sergeant Retan
Were not going to survive this are we?
Sergeant Rourkner
It’s unlikely.
Sergeant Retan
Who will?
Sergeant Rourkner
There are always…
Sergeant Retan
What survivors?
Sergeant Rourkner
It can’t last.
Sergeant Retan
War shouldn’t be like this.
Sergeant Rourkner
(Snorts)What did you expect?
Sergeant Retan
I don’t know.
Sergeant Rourkner
No one expected it to be like this.
                   Sergeant Retan
So much death. Mindless, indiscriminate death.
Sergeant Rourkner
(Looks aound) There’s more to come.
Sergeant Retan
Much more?
Sergeant Rourkner
I feel it’s just started.
Scene Ten

Exterior, behind a defensive wall, early morning.
Lieutenant Denzon
Were at the defence line now.
Private Gutan
(Looks at part of defensive wall, which has been, destroyed camera zooms in on it.)
Great!
Sergeant Retan
Quite!
Lieutenant Denzon
Seargent Retan! Set up position. Sergent Rourkner to me.
Sergeant Rourkner
Sir.
Lieutenant Denzon
Half the company dead.
Sergeant Rourkner
A few more sir.
Lieutenant Denzon
Thank you Sergeant. How are the men?
Sergeant Rourkner
                        Shocked sir.
Lieutenant Denzon
Can they still fight.
Sergeant Rourkner
(Angry) They’ll fight… I’m sure.
Lieutenant Denzon
Good.
Sergeant Rourkner
Sir may I ask a question.
Lieutenant Denzon
Yes Seargent.
Sergeant Rourkner
Will our fighting here do any good?
Lieutenant Denzon
Seargent this…
Sergeant Rourkner
Don’t mistake me sir. Half our men are gone. What have the Germans lost?
Lieutenant Denzon
A lot.
Sergeant Rourkner
They can’t be suffering as much as us.
Lieutenant Denzon
We’ll hurt them. Command has a plan.
Sergeant Rourkner
What plan?
Lieutenant Denzon
Classified.
Sergeant Rourkner
Really…. Sir!
Lieutenant Denzon
Your now Sergeant major.
Sergeant Rourkner
I thought so Sir.
Lieutenant Denzon
Carry on sergeant.
Sergeant Rourkner
Yes sir.
Scene Eleven

Exterior, daytime In a ditch by a defensive wal.l
Private Gutan
The smells just as bad here.
Private Jean
It stinks everywhere.
Private Gutan
True.
Private Jean
The stench of death.
Private Gutan
Other things too.
Private Jean
I don’t want to think about the other smells.
Private Gutan
There the all cause the same thing.
Private Jean
Death.
Camera moves along line of men to another company whose eyes are swollen from tiredness.
Private Jean
We better not be here long.
Private Gutan
Why not?
Private Jean
Well get like that.
Private Gutan
They’ve been here less than a month.
Private Jean
No.
Private Gutan
It’s true.
Private Jean
We are dead what ever happens
Private Gutan
What’s that noise?
(Camera zooms in on German line as a large barrage starts. Men start running towards the defences.)
Sergeant Rourkner
Enemy in sight sir.
Lieutenant Denzon
Thank you Sergeant.
Private Jean
Oh no.
Lieutenant Denzon
Make ready!
The men release the safeties on their weapons. Close up of a gun spring being pulled back.
Lieutenant Denzon
Fire!
Men along the line are shown firing, camera moves in on a couple of dispassionate faces.
Moves across to the running Germans and zooms in on a young officer.
German officer
Keep go…
(The German officer is shot. Camera moves back showing the shrinking distance between the two enemies.)
Lieutenant Denzon
Grenades!
(Men pull grenades out and start lobbing them with devastating effect.  The Germans then crash into the French lines.)
Private Jean
Sarge look out!
(Sergeant Rourkner dodges aside avoiding an attacking Germans bayonet thrust. He then kills the German with a hard blow to the head from his gun.)
Sergeant Rourkner
Thanks Jean.
(Fierce hand to hand ensues until with many men falling until a group of French reinforcements manage to drive the Germans into retreat.
A lieutenant who led the reinforcements walks close to Lieutenant Denzo.).
Lieutenant Denzon
(Gasping for breath) Thank you.
(Close up of Lieutenant as he looks blankly at Lieutenant Denzon, then carries on walking.)
Lieutenant Denzon
Sergeant Rourkner.
Sergeant Rourkner
Sir!
Lieutenant Denzon
How did we do?
Sergeant Rourkner
We lost 6 more, three wounded.
Lieutenant Denzon
Where are the wounded?
Sergeant Rourkner
Over here Sir.

Scene Twelve

Ext, day, trench
(They move over to a slightly more sheltered part of the Trench where there are several badly injured men.)
Lieutenant Denzon
Hold tight help will be here soon.
Wounded man one
Sir?
Lieutenant Denzon
Yes?
Wounded man one
Did we hurt them?
Lieutenant Denzon
Yes. They’ll think twice before attacking us again.
Wounded man two
Good.
Wounded man one
I’ve got a letter in my pack. Can you pass it on to my wife when I die?
Lieutenant Denzon
You’re not going to die.
Wounded man two
Tell them we fought well.
Lieutenant Denzon
You all fought well.
Wounded man one
Thank you Sir.
Lieutenant Denzon
Hang on. I’ll get you all out of here soon.
Wounded man one
Yes Sir.
Wounded man two
You did well Sir.
Lieutenant Denzon
I…
(Wounded man two dies)
Lieutenant Denzon
Sergeant Retan!
Sergeant Retan
Yes Sir!
Lieutenant Denzon
Find some stretcher bearer quickly. Get these wounded men to the hospital.
Sergeant Retan
Yes Sir!
Scene thirteen
Ext night time German lines.
German soldier one
They’re still fighting.
German soldier two
They certainly are.
German soldier one
I didn’t think there would be many left to fight.
German soldier two
There is still alot left.
German soldier one
How ?
German soldier two
Who can tell?
German soldier one
We need more guns.
German soldier three
Would there be any space to put them?
German soldier one
Be better than going out there again.
German soldier three
The place is in ruins. Yet that city is  still a strong defensive position.
German soldier two
I hate the French defensices
German soldier three
We took Fort Douaumont and Harcourt. We can take fort  Verdun.
German soldier two
Were you at Douaumont or Harcourt?
German soldier three
No.
German soldier two
I was. It will be a long bloody business.
German soldier one
I wonder if anyone will be left to savour victory.
German soldier three
If there's anything left to savour.
German soldier two
The price may be too high to consider it a victory.

Copyright © Nathan Groves http://wondersandparodies.blogspot.com/
This Work Is Not To Be Reproduced With Out Permission.