INT GRAND STAIRCASE NIGHT

The Camerlengo, escorted by two Swiss Guardsman, descends the

Royal Staircase that leads to the Sistine Chapel.

Though he is injured and limping, he radiates confidence, even

benevolence, a man certain this is the greatest day of his life.

He approaches the chapel doors, speaks to the Swiss Guard posted

there as he approaches.

CAMERLENGO

I have been summoned by the College of

Cardinals.

Oh, they know all about it. They lift their swords, the doors

sweep open, the Camerlengo strides boldly across the threshold --

INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT

-- and stops, right there, the look of imminent ascendancy frozen

on his face.

The Cardinals are looking at him, all right, but not in joy, not

in wonder, not for leadership. One hundred sixty-one faces are

turned toward his, with an expression of ---

-- utter condemnation.

He stands there for a moment, searching their faces, trying to

figure out what could possibly have happened.

But it doesn't matter.

They know. And he knows they know.

He takes two steps backwards, almost involuntarily.

Starts to teeter, balances himself in the doorway.

Then straightens himself, smoothes his cassock.

And turns and walks away, back up the staircase.

Two Swiss Guard move to go after him, quickly, but Cardinal

Mortati gestures to them.

MORTATI

Gently. But within our walls.

The Swiss Guard follow the Camerlengo up the staircase.

CUT TO:

129.

INT ST. PETER'S BASILICA NIGHT

The Camerlengo comes out of a doorway and into St. Peter's

Basilica. He heads for the main doors --

-- just as HALF A DOZEN SWISS GUARD step in from outside,

blocking his way. Some MURMUR softly into their radios.

He stops, turns around to come back the way he came ---

-- but TWO SWISS GUARD appear in that doorway, also with radios.

He turns again, no way to go but toward the front of the Basilica.

He sees the candlelit balustrade near the front, the one that

leads to the grottoes and the Necropolis. He picks up his pace.

The Swiss Guard follow, at a slight distance.

The Camerlengo reaches the spiral staircase and stops, looking

down, seeing the oil lamp he kicked over earlier.

He thinks. He picks up a fresh lamp, holds it to his face --

-- and blows out its flame with a soft PUFF.

ACROSS THE BASILICA,

we're with the Swiss Guard as they walk slowly toward him.

But they hear a CRY from ahead, he's gone down the stairs a short

distance, and they can hear the sound of liquid SLOSHING.

They break into a run as they realize what he's about to do,

they're twenty feet away, then ten, then just close enough to see

the Camerlengo as he --

-- SMASHES a burning oil lamp at his feet. The flames leap

onto his oil-soaked clothes and --

-- HE IGNITES IN A PILLAR OF WHITE FLAME.

CUT TO:

INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT

CLOSE ON a bundle of one hundred sixty-one slips of paper, pierced

by a needle and strung together.

They're tossed into the fireplace in the Sistine Chapel, where

they too burst into flame.

We rise up again, ahead of the smoke this time, all the way up to --

130.

EXT ST. PETER'S SQUARE DAWN

-- the chimney above St. Peter's Square, where the throng is

still gathered, waiting for some word as the sun rises on the

horizon. And this time, the smoke that billows from the chimney --

-- is white.

There is a new pope. The crowd ROARS its approval, BELLS begin

to toll --

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 578