EXT -- A TRAINING GROUND -- DAY
(Various soldiers are perfecting their battle tatics. The leading player leads the young man through the training ground.)
LEADING PLAYER
Preparations for the Visigoth campaign were reaching a peak. Marksmen tested their bows and arrows. Swordsmen tested themselves against each other. The sights and sounds of glory were in the air.
(Her eyes land on Pippin watching in wonderment.)
Glory's in the air, Pippin.
PIPPIN
(To himself.)
Glory....
(A soldier hands Pippin a sword.)
SOLDIER
Your sword, sir. Oh, I'm sorry.
PIPPIN
No, wait! I'll keep it.
SOLDIER
But you're not one of us.
PIPPIN
I'm Prince Pippin.
SOLDIER
Who?
PIPPIN
Prince Pippin. One day I'll be king.
SOLDIER
Oh.
(Hands Pippin the sword with a dubious look and leaves. Pippin gets used to the feeling of a sword in his hands.)
PIPPIN
I think I'm going to talk to my father.
INT -- KING CHARLES' COURT -- DAY
(Charles sits on the throne, surrounded by his subjects. A courtier addresses the crowd without much enthusiasm.)
COURTIER
The royal court of Charles the Great, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire....
CHARLES
And a giant in the bedroom....
COURTIER
And a giant in the bedroom...
(The leading player lets out a laugh from the crowd. Charles gives her a look and she quickly stifles it.)
...is prepared to hear petitions.
(A baron steps forward and kneels.)
BARON
Oh, great leader, blessed by God, sent to us from Heaven to protect us from the Infidel....
CHARLES
(Impatient.)
Oh, what is it?
BARON
I beseech you to reduce my levy of footsoldiers, cattle and wheat. Due to a famine....
CHARLES
Denied. Next.
BARON
But, sire, my cattle are dying and my fields are barren.
CHARLES
Denied. Next.
BARON
But, sire, that is unjust and tyrannical! I object....
(The crowd gasps. The leading player whispers to the young man.)
LEADING PLAYER
Oh, holy shit.
CHARLES
Take that man away and hang him!
(A soldier takes the baron away.)
Next!
(A reluctant petitioner steps forward.)
PETITIONER
Oh, great leader, blessed by God, sent to us from Heaven....
CHARLES
Oh, no! Not all that bullshit again! Out! Out! Everybody out! Council is dismissed.
(As the crowd clears, Pippin rushes in.)
PIPPIN
Wait, father!
CHARLES
Yes?
PIPPIN
I know what I want to do now.
CHARLES
Good. Good.
PIPPIN
I want to be a soldier.
CHARLES
What?!
PIPPIN
Yes, I want to join you in yoru campaign against the Visigoths.
CHARLES
Denied.
PIPPIN
But that's not fair!
CHARLES
To an emperor, fairness is irrelevant.
PIPPIN
But you're taking Lewis.
CHARLES
Your brother Lewis is an ideal soldier. He's strong and stupid. You, on the other hand, are educated.
PIPPIN
But I'm your oldest son. That means I might be king one day. Isn't fighting wars an important part of being king?
CHARLES
It's the most important part of being king. The Pope and I have dedicated ourselves to bringing Christianity to the entire world.
PIPPIN
That's what I'm talking about. You're dedicated to something and I want to be dedicated to something, too, with all my heart and soul, and whatever is it, I want to do it as well as I possibly can. Otherwise, my life won't have any meaning at all.
CHARLES
So you want your life to have meaning, do you?
PIPPIN
Yes, I do.
CHARLES
Well, that's very ambitious of you, Pippin.
PIPPIN
Father, stop all this... bullshit... and take me with you.
CHARLES
(Pauses.)
Well, that's more like it. Get yourself a decent helmet and come along.
(Pippin rejoices and runs toward the door. He stops to talk to the leading player.)
PIPPIN
I'm a soldier!
LEADING PLAYER
Right.
(Pippin runs out and the leading player and the young man follow him. "War is a Science" underscoring begins.)
INT -- THE TENT, BEFORE BATTLE -- EVENING
(Charles is surrounded by a group of soldiers, Pippin and Lewis.)
CHARLES
Now, men, the enemy is stationed on the hill, so what we have to do is get them down here. We'll send these troupes out to lure them down and then....
PIPPIN
(Interrupting.)
And then we slaughter them!
CHARLES
Pippin, be quiet!
EXT -- THE BATTLE FEILD -- VARIOUS
(Various shots of the army marching, setting up camp, etc.)
INT -- A TENT -- DAY
(Lewis, Pippin and Charles stand together.)
LEWIS
You're going to be very proud of me, father.
PIPPIN
I'll try not to disgrace you, sir.
(Charles rolls his eyes.)
EXT -- THE BATTLE FEILD -- VARIOUS
(More shots of marching, setting up camp, etc.)
INT -- A TENT -- DAY
(Charles addresses his soldiers.)
CHARLES
Gentleman, be ready. Soon, we go against the Visigoths.
EXT -- THE BATTLEFEILD -- DAY
(The opposing sides march to meet each other. All is silent. The leading player and the young man watch from a distance. The music starts.)
LEADING PLAYER +
Glory, glory!
Glory, glory!
Praise be to Charles, our lord.
Triumphant is his sword.
Allegiance is his word.
Glory, glory!
Glory, glory!
(The battle begins. Shots intersperse with shot of the leading player.)
Blood.
Blood is red as sunset.
Blood is warmer than wine.
Warmer than wine.
The taste of salty summer brine.
Steel.
CHORUS +
Steel is cold as moonlight.
Steel is sharper than sight.
Sharper than sight.
The touch of bitter winter white.
Shout it out from the highest tower.
Shout it out in the darkest hour.
Charlemagne, you lead us on to power!
EXT -- THE BATTLEFIELD -- NIGHT
(The soldiers limp back to their tents after a day of fighting the leading player walks through the middle of the field.)
LEADING PLAYER +
War is strict as Jesus.
Was is finer than spring.
CHORUS +
Service to Christ and to our king.
Shout it out from the highest tower.
Shout it out in the darkest hour.
Charlemagne, you lead us on to power!
EXT -- WAR SEQUENCE -- VARIOUS
(The music changes mood. Various pieces of actual war footage are played on the screen.)
EXT -- THE BATTELFIELD -- NIGHT
(At the end of this music, Pippin is seen killing an opposing soldier as the leading player looks on.)
LEADING PLAYER
Ta da.
(Charles' soldiers march triumphantly onto the battlefield.)
CHORUS +
The gates of heaven await,
Thrown wide my Charles the Great.
We follow him through by serving his state.
Glory, glory!
Glory, glory!
Glory!
CHARLES
We've won!
(The soldiers cheer.)
LEWIS
I killed at least twenty-five of them myself father.
CHARLES
Yes, you and Pippin both did very well. Well, now we rape and sack.
(Pippin looks dubious at the prospect. The others march off, leaving him with the leading player. Pippin looks around and finds a head on the ground.)
PIPPIN
I suppose it's a little late to wonder who is man was.
LEADING PLAYER
He was a Visigoth. Just a common man, really.
PIPPIN
He was also a very lucky man. He had the privilege of dying for your king.
LEADING PLAYER
(With a laugh.)
Words are failing him now, I'll tell you.
PIPPIN
Is this how all battles are?
LEADING PLAYER
Well, unless you get killed, my guess is they're all pretty much the same.
PIPPIN
I was afraid you'd say that.
(Underscoring begins. As Pippin sings, the seen gets darker and darker until he is no longer on a battlefield, but in the darkness of his own empty heart.)
Rivers belong where they can ramble.
Eagles belong where they can fly.
I've got to be where my spirit can run free.
Got to find my corner of the sky.
(Various soldiers are perfecting their battle tatics. The leading player leads the young man through the training ground.)
LEADING PLAYER
Preparations for the Visigoth campaign were reaching a peak. Marksmen tested their bows and arrows. Swordsmen tested themselves against each other. The sights and sounds of glory were in the air.
(Her eyes land on Pippin watching in wonderment.)
Glory's in the air, Pippin.
PIPPIN
(To himself.)
Glory....
(A soldier hands Pippin a sword.)
SOLDIER
Your sword, sir. Oh, I'm sorry.
PIPPIN
No, wait! I'll keep it.
SOLDIER
But you're not one of us.
PIPPIN
I'm Prince Pippin.
SOLDIER
Who?
PIPPIN
Prince Pippin. One day I'll be king.
SOLDIER
Oh.
(Hands Pippin the sword with a dubious look and leaves. Pippin gets used to the feeling of a sword in his hands.)
PIPPIN
I think I'm going to talk to my father.
INT -- KING CHARLES' COURT -- DAY
(Charles sits on the throne, surrounded by his subjects. A courtier addresses the crowd without much enthusiasm.)
COURTIER
The royal court of Charles the Great, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire....
CHARLES
And a giant in the bedroom....
COURTIER
And a giant in the bedroom...
(The leading player lets out a laugh from the crowd. Charles gives her a look and she quickly stifles it.)
...is prepared to hear petitions.
(A baron steps forward and kneels.)
BARON
Oh, great leader, blessed by God, sent to us from Heaven to protect us from the Infidel....
CHARLES
(Impatient.)
Oh, what is it?
BARON
I beseech you to reduce my levy of footsoldiers, cattle and wheat. Due to a famine....
CHARLES
Denied. Next.
BARON
But, sire, my cattle are dying and my fields are barren.
CHARLES
Denied. Next.
BARON
But, sire, that is unjust and tyrannical! I object....
(The crowd gasps. The leading player whispers to the young man.)
LEADING PLAYER
Oh, holy shit.
CHARLES
Take that man away and hang him!
(A soldier takes the baron away.)
Next!
(A reluctant petitioner steps forward.)
PETITIONER
Oh, great leader, blessed by God, sent to us from Heaven....
CHARLES
Oh, no! Not all that bullshit again! Out! Out! Everybody out! Council is dismissed.
(As the crowd clears, Pippin rushes in.)
PIPPIN
Wait, father!
CHARLES
Yes?
PIPPIN
I know what I want to do now.
CHARLES
Good. Good.
PIPPIN
I want to be a soldier.
CHARLES
What?!
PIPPIN
Yes, I want to join you in yoru campaign against the Visigoths.
CHARLES
Denied.
PIPPIN
But that's not fair!
CHARLES
To an emperor, fairness is irrelevant.
PIPPIN
But you're taking Lewis.
CHARLES
Your brother Lewis is an ideal soldier. He's strong and stupid. You, on the other hand, are educated.
PIPPIN
But I'm your oldest son. That means I might be king one day. Isn't fighting wars an important part of being king?
CHARLES
It's the most important part of being king. The Pope and I have dedicated ourselves to bringing Christianity to the entire world.
PIPPIN
That's what I'm talking about. You're dedicated to something and I want to be dedicated to something, too, with all my heart and soul, and whatever is it, I want to do it as well as I possibly can. Otherwise, my life won't have any meaning at all.
CHARLES
So you want your life to have meaning, do you?
PIPPIN
Yes, I do.
CHARLES
Well, that's very ambitious of you, Pippin.
PIPPIN
Father, stop all this... bullshit... and take me with you.
CHARLES
(Pauses.)
Well, that's more like it. Get yourself a decent helmet and come along.
(Pippin rejoices and runs toward the door. He stops to talk to the leading player.)
PIPPIN
I'm a soldier!
LEADING PLAYER
Right.
(Pippin runs out and the leading player and the young man follow him. "War is a Science" underscoring begins.)
INT -- THE TENT, BEFORE BATTLE -- EVENING
(Charles is surrounded by a group of soldiers, Pippin and Lewis.)
CHARLES
Now, men, the enemy is stationed on the hill, so what we have to do is get them down here. We'll send these troupes out to lure them down and then....
PIPPIN
(Interrupting.)
And then we slaughter them!
CHARLES
Pippin, be quiet!
EXT -- THE BATTLE FEILD -- VARIOUS
(Various shots of the army marching, setting up camp, etc.)
INT -- A TENT -- DAY
(Lewis, Pippin and Charles stand together.)
LEWIS
You're going to be very proud of me, father.
PIPPIN
I'll try not to disgrace you, sir.
(Charles rolls his eyes.)
EXT -- THE BATTLE FEILD -- VARIOUS
(More shots of marching, setting up camp, etc.)
INT -- A TENT -- DAY
(Charles addresses his soldiers.)
CHARLES
Gentleman, be ready. Soon, we go against the Visigoths.
EXT -- THE BATTLEFEILD -- DAY
(The opposing sides march to meet each other. All is silent. The leading player and the young man watch from a distance. The music starts.)
LEADING PLAYER +
Glory, glory!
Glory, glory!
Praise be to Charles, our lord.
Triumphant is his sword.
Allegiance is his word.
Glory, glory!
Glory, glory!
(The battle begins. Shots intersperse with shot of the leading player.)
Blood.
Blood is red as sunset.
Blood is warmer than wine.
Warmer than wine.
The taste of salty summer brine.
Steel.
CHORUS +
Steel is cold as moonlight.
Steel is sharper than sight.
Sharper than sight.
The touch of bitter winter white.
Shout it out from the highest tower.
Shout it out in the darkest hour.
Charlemagne, you lead us on to power!
EXT -- THE BATTLEFIELD -- NIGHT
(The soldiers limp back to their tents after a day of fighting the leading player walks through the middle of the field.)
LEADING PLAYER +
War is strict as Jesus.
Was is finer than spring.
CHORUS +
Service to Christ and to our king.
Shout it out from the highest tower.
Shout it out in the darkest hour.
Charlemagne, you lead us on to power!
EXT -- WAR SEQUENCE -- VARIOUS
(The music changes mood. Various pieces of actual war footage are played on the screen.)
EXT -- THE BATTELFIELD -- NIGHT
(At the end of this music, Pippin is seen killing an opposing soldier as the leading player looks on.)
LEADING PLAYER
Ta da.
(Charles' soldiers march triumphantly onto the battlefield.)
CHORUS +
The gates of heaven await,
Thrown wide my Charles the Great.
We follow him through by serving his state.
Glory, glory!
Glory, glory!
Glory!
CHARLES
We've won!
(The soldiers cheer.)
LEWIS
I killed at least twenty-five of them myself father.
CHARLES
Yes, you and Pippin both did very well. Well, now we rape and sack.
(Pippin looks dubious at the prospect. The others march off, leaving him with the leading player. Pippin looks around and finds a head on the ground.)
PIPPIN
I suppose it's a little late to wonder who is man was.
LEADING PLAYER
He was a Visigoth. Just a common man, really.
PIPPIN
He was also a very lucky man. He had the privilege of dying for your king.
LEADING PLAYER
(With a laugh.)
Words are failing him now, I'll tell you.
PIPPIN
Is this how all battles are?
LEADING PLAYER
Well, unless you get killed, my guess is they're all pretty much the same.
PIPPIN
I was afraid you'd say that.
(Underscoring begins. As Pippin sings, the seen gets darker and darker until he is no longer on a battlefield, but in the darkness of his own empty heart.)
Rivers belong where they can ramble.
Eagles belong where they can fly.
I've got to be where my spirit can run free.
Got to find my corner of the sky.