BRAZIL

                                  Screenplay by

                     Terry Gilliam, Tom Stoppard & Charles McKeown

























               Final Draft
               Copyright (C) October 1983



               EXT. CITYSCAPE - SUNSET

               A beautiful golden sun is setting. The sky is on fire. The 
               CAMERA starts to move downwards. A large neon sign rises 
               into shot. It rests on top of a skyscraper and fills the 
               frame. The building is neither past nor future in design 
               but a bit of both.

               Slowly we pan downwards revealing the city that spreads 
               below... A glittering conglomeration of elevated transport 
               tubes, smaller square buildings which are merely huge, 
               with, here and there, the comparatively minuscule relics 
               of previous ages of architecture, pavement level awnings 
               suggesting restaurants and shops... Transparent tubes carry 
               whizzing transport cages past us... an elevated highway 
               carrying traffic composed primarily of large transport 
               lorries passes through frame. As we descend, the sunlight 
               is blocked out and street lights & neon signs take over as 
               illumination. Eventually we reach the upper levels of a 
               plush shopping precinct.

               INT. SHOPPING PRECINCT - NIGHT

               Xmas decorations are everywhere. PEOPLE are busy buying, 
               ogling, discussing, choosing wisely from the goodies on 
               display. SHOPPERS are going by laden with superbly packaged 
               goods... the shop windows are full of elaborately boxed 
               and be-ribboned who-knows-what. In one window is a bank of 
               TV sets  on the great majority of the screens is the face 
               of Mr. Helpmann  the Deputy Minister of Information. He is 
               being interviewed. No-one bothers to listen to Helpmann.

                                     INTERVIEWER
                         Deputy minister, what do you believe 
                         is behind this recent increase in 
                         terrorist bombings?

                                     HELPMANN
                         Bad sportsmanship. A ruthless 
                         minority of people seems to have 
                         forgotten certain good old fashioned 
                         virtues. They just can't stand 
                         seeing the other fellow win. If 
                         these people would just play the 
                         game, instead of standing on the 
                         touch line heckling

                                     INTERVIEWER
                         In fact, killing people

                                     HELPMANN
                         In fact, killing people  they'd 
                         get a lot more out of life.

               We PULL AWAY from the shop to concentrate on the shoppers. 
               Helpmann's voice carries over the rest of the scene.

                                     INTERVIEWER
                         Mr. Helpmann, what would you say 
                         to those critics who maintain that 
                         the Ministry Of Information has 
                         become too large and unwieldy... ?

                                     HELPMANN
                         David... in a free society 
                         information is the name of the 
                         game. You can't win the game if 
                         you're a man short.

               Fur bedecked shoppers pass in front of what appears to be 
               banks of snow but as we pan along with them the "snow" 
               turns out to be fire-fighting foam. It oozes out of a shop 
               front that is a charred twisted mass of metal frames. 
               WORKMEN are busily sealing the opening with plywood sheets, 
               SHOPPERS pay no attention to this. Xmas carols are being 
               played by a Salvation Army style band calling themselves 
               Consumers For Christ. Santa Claus's grotto is busy, all is 
               well with the world.

                                     INTERVIEWER
                         And the cost of it all, Deputy 
                         Minister? Seven percent of the 
                         gross national produce...

                                     HELPMANN
                         I understand this concern on behalf 
                         of the tax-payers. People want 
                         value for money and a cost-effective 
                         service.

               INT. OFFICE - NIGHT

               CUT TO TV screen with Helpmann still talking.

                                     HELPMANN
                         That is why we always insist on 
                         the principle of Information 
                         Retrieval Charges. These terrorists 
                         are not pulling their weight, and 
                         it's absolutely right and fair 
                         that those found guilty should pay 
                         for their periods of detention and 
                         the Information Retrieval Procedures 
                         used in their interrogation.

               PULL BACK to reveal a rather clinical office. The TV rests 
               on a desk. A WHITE COATED TECHNICIAN is sorting out his in-
               tray. Several Christmas cards are amongst he paperwork. He 
               comes upon a Christmassy package which he rips open, to 
               discover a shiny, metal "executive toy".

                                                                 CUT TO:

               THE BEETLE

               Droning up near the ceiling.

               The Technician is disturbed by the buzz of the BEETLE as 
               it whirrs around the fluorescent light. He rolls up some 
               paper and forms and gets up to swat the insect.

               INT. OFFICE - NIGHT

               The Technician gets up and balances a chair on top of his 
               desk. He climbs up onto it attempting to swat the Beetle 
               still buzzing about the room just out of reach. Beneath 
               him an automatic type-writing machine rattles away compiling 
               a typed list of names under the heading "Information 
               Retrieval, Subjects For Detention & Interview". The machine 
               is being fed from a spool of paper which is being 
               rhythmically chopped by an automatic guillotine which neatly 
               leaves each name on a separate sheet, with the title above 
               each name, each sheet following its predecessor into a 
               holding basket. In CLOSEUP we see the names on the sheets 
               of paper building up in the holding basket: "TONSTED, 
               Simon... TOPPER, Martin F... TROLLOPE, Benjamin G... TURB, 
               William K... TURNER, John D..." Every name begins with T.

                                     INTERVIEWER
                         Do you think that the government 
                         is winning the battle against 
                         terrorists?

                                     HELPMANN
                         On yes. Our morale is much higher 
                         than theirs, we're fielding all 
                         their strokes, running a lot of 
                         them out, and pretty consistently 
                         knocking them for six. I'd say 
                         they're nearly out of the game.

               The Technician is tottering on one leg on the chair on the 
               desk as he strains to swat the Beetle. Swish, swash, oops, 
               WHAP! Gottcha!!

                                     INTERVIEWER
                         But the bombing campaign is now in 
                         its thirteenth year...

                                     HELPMANN
                         Beginner's luck.

               The Beetle's career comes to a halt... squashed flat on 
               the brilliantly clean ceiling... or has it? As the 
               Technician clambers down from the rickety heights, the 
               Beetle's carcass comes unstuck from the ceiling and drops 
               silently into the typewriting machine which hiccoughs, 
               hesitates and then types the letter "B" and hesitates and 
               then continues so that the next name is Buttle, Archibald. 
               The Technician fails to notice this and the machine 
               continues smoothly "TUTWOOD, Thomas T... TUZCZLOW, Peter..."

                                     INTERVIEWER
                         Thank you very much, Deputy 
                         Minister.

                                     HELPMANN
                         Thank you, David... and a very 
                         merry Christmas to you all.

               EXT. HOUSING TOWERS - NIGHT

               ZOOMING past foreground outdoor Xmas decorations we TIGHTEN 
               in on one of several massive residential tower blocks that 
               loom over what appears to be a poorer part of the city

               INT. BUTTLE FLAT - NIGHT

               Helpmann and Interviewer are on the TV, the end credits 
               rolling over them to the beat of a Mozart theme tune. 
               PULLING BACK we reveal that the TV is in a conventional 
               sitting room, conventionally decorated for Christmas; out 
               the room is oddly encumbered by huge metal conduits that 
               snake unpleasantly across and through the walls. Smaller 
               conduits radiate from the main one connecting the various 
               services that Central Services (the name emblazoned on the 
               metal) supply to this household. A conventionally poor but 
               proud family occupies the room. MRS. BUTTLE is reading 
               Dickens' Christmas Carol to GIRL BUTTLE who is about six. 
               BOY BUTTLE plays quietly with a toy machine gun and some 
               action men dressed in security gear. MR. BUTTLE is putting 
               the final touches to a neatly wrapped Christmas present 
               which looks identical to the "executive toy" we have just 
               seen in he Technician's office.

               Faintly from outside comes a burst of laughter. A tilt of 
               the CAMERA indicates that the laughter is coming from the 
               floor above.

               INT. JILL'S FLAT - NIGHT

               The flat is very bare and basic. The laughter is coming 
               from a cheap portable television showing "Sgt. Bilko. From 
               BILKO'S POV we look through an open door of a bathroom 
               straight at a mirror propped up by the bath, to enable the 
               person in the bath to watch the TV. The person in the bath 
               is JILL LAYTON, washing the grime off herself while she 
               watches Bilko in the mirror. From her POV in the mirror, 
               the TV screen is suddenly obscured by part of the body of 
               a MAN in uniform.

                                     JILL
                              (scared)
                         Who's there?

               INT. BUTTLE'S FLAT - NIGHT

               The Buttle Family as before. Mrs. Buttle is closing the 
               book.

                                     MRS. BUTTLE
                         There, that's enough for tonight. 
                         He won't come Xmas Eve if you don't 
                         get plenty of sleep.

                                     GIRL BUTTLE
                         Father Christmas can't come if we 
                         haven't got a chimney.

                                     MRS. BUTTLE
                         You'll see.

               The Girl exchanges goodnight kisses with her parents and 
               leaves the room.

                                     GIRL BUTTLE
                         How will he get down from upstairs?

                                     BOY BUTTLE
                         It's a secret.

               We follow Girl Buttle out of the sitting room into...

               INT. HALLWAY AND CHILDREN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

               Girl Buttle enters her bedroom. There is little or no light 
               there, and she sees a bulky figure apparently lowering 
               himself into the room from the direction of the ceiling.

                                     GIRL BUTTLE
                              (unalarmed)
                         You've come...

               As she moves, the light from the hallway shows us the figure 
               of what looks like a commando on a night raid, slowly 
               sliding down a pole in he middle of the room. The pole at 
               the top end disappears through a hole in the ceiling. Things 
               become immediately clearer

               INT. BUTTLE SITTING-ROOM - NIGHT

               Crash! It's a raid! Battle-dressed SECURITY TROOPS smash 
               trough the door. Another one, swings from a rope, kicks in 
               the window from the outside and enters that way. Most 
               alarmingly of all, a shower of plaster comes down from the 
               ceiling in which a fairly neat round hole appears and 
               through the hole comes a fireman's pole down which slide 
               TWO MORE SECURITY TROOPS. The whole thing is short, brutal 
               and violent.

               Buttle is grabbed violently and stuffed into a baglike 
               canvas device that covers him from head to waist. A metal 
               clamp goes round his neck, a metal bar slides up the back 
               of the bag. His hands are handcuffed to the metal bar. In 
               seconds he has become a canvas parcel. Meanwhile, Girl 
               Buttle has been carried out of her bedroom and dumped into 
               the lap of her screaming mother. Boy Buttle has his toy 
               machine gun knocked out of his hands by a Trooper who we 
               see is identical in dress to the action men Boy Buttle has 
               been playing with. He rushes to his mother as guns are 
               viciously trained on them. Troops are kicking open the 
               doors of other rooms and generally doing a good job. An 
               OFFICIAL, wearing plain clothes, now enters from the front 
               door and during the turmoil is reading aloud from an 
               official document. It goes something like this:

                                     OFFICIAL
                         I hereby inform you under powers 
                         entrusted to me under Section 47, 
                         Paragraph 7 of Council Order Number 
                         438476, that Mr. Buttle, Archibald, 
                         residing at 412 North Tower, Shangri 
                         La Towers, has been invited to 
                         assist the Ministry of Information 
                         with certain enquiries, the nature 
                         of which may be ascertained on 
                         completion of application form 
                         BZ/ST/486/C fourteen days within 
                         this date, and that he is liable 
                         to certain obligations as specified 
                         in Council Order 173497, including 
                         financial restitutions which may 
                         or may not be incurred if 
                         Information Retrieval procedures 
                         beyond those incorporated in Article 
                         7 subsections 8, 10 & 32 are 
                         required to elicit information 
                         leading to permanent arrest  
                         notification of which will he served 
                         with the time period of 5 working 
                         days as stipulated by law. In that 
                         instance the detainee will be 
                         debited without further notice 
                         through central banking procedures 
                         without prejudice until and unless 
                         at such a time when re-imbursement 
                         procedures may be instituted by 
                         you or third parties on completion 
                         of a re-imbursement form 
                         RB/CZ/907/X...

               ... and more of the same, most of which is part of the 
               audible wall paper while the chaos reigns. As the front 
               door slams behind the captive relative peace returns, broken 
               by Mrs. Buttle's anguished sobbing.

                                     OFFICIAL
                              (proffering a pen 
                              and a thick book 
                              of pink receipts 
                              to Mrs. Buttle)
                         Sign here please.

                                     MRS. BUTTLE
                              (dazed; she signs 
                              weakly)
                         What? Where have you taken him?

                                     OFFICIAL
                              (taking the book)
                         Thank you.
                              (he hands her another 
                              book, this one of 
                              blue receipts)
                              (indicating place 
                              to sign)
                         Same again please. Just there.
                              (checking first 
                              book of receipts)
                         Press harder his time. Good.

                                     MRS. BUTTLE
                              (signing again)
                         What is this all about?

                                     OFFICIAL
                              (tearing out sheet 
                              from pink book)
                         That's your receipt for your 
                         husband.
                              (taking blue book 
                              from her)
                         Thank you. And this is my receipt 
                         for your receipt.
                              (he turns to leave 
                              along with troopers)

               Jill's shocked face appears looking down through the hole 
               in the ceiling. The faces of the workmen BILL and CHARLIE 
               also appear, above and behind her.

                                     JILL
                         Mrs. Buttle, are you alright?

               The helmeted Security Troops in Buttle's flat drop to 
               defensive positions and swing their machine guns up towards 
               the hole in the ceiling. All three faces retreat.

               INT. JILL'S FLAT - NIGHT

                                     CHARLIE
                              (starting back from 
                              the hole with Bill 
                              and Jill)
                         Eh! Eh! Eh! We're Department of 
                         Works! Department of Works up here! 
                         Careful with those bloody things!

               Jill, Charlie and Bill are hustled aside by a SECURITY MAN 
               who clears the fireman's pole from the hole. We can see 
               the Troops in the room below leaving. A SECOND SECURITY 
               MAN has untied a rope hanging out of the open window. He 
               coils the rope up neatly and the two Security Men leave 
               the flat.

                                     BILL
                              (to Jill as they 
                              watch this highly 
                              efficient operation)
                         Don't take any notice, love, it's 
                         their training makes them like 
                         animals. Best in the world, though.

                                     JILL
                         Who are you?

                                     CHARLIE
                         Don't you worry love, we'll have 
                         everything shipshape in a jiffy.

                                     BILL
                         That's it. Nothing to worry about.

                                     CHARLIE
                         It's Buttle downstairs who can 
                         worry, eh?

                                     JILL
                         There must be some mistake... Mr. 
                         Buttle's harmless...

                                     BILL
                         We don't make mistakes.

               So saying, he drops the manhole cover, which is faced with 
               same material as the floor, over the hole in the floor. To 
               his surprise it drops neatly through the floor into the 
               flat below.

                                     CHARLIE
                         Bloody typical, they've gone back 
                         to metric without telling us

               INT. BUTTLES' FLAT - NIGHT

               Mrs. Buttle stands stunned in the middle of her decimated 
               flat. The kids wail. Slowly Mrs. Buttle collapses  slumping 
               to the floor with the receipt in her hand: we tighten into 
               CLOSEUP of "Receipt".

                                     JILL (O.S.)
                         Mrs. Buttle? Mrs. Buttle?

               INT. RECORD CLERK'S POOL - DAY

               We come in on a CLOSE-UP of a pink version of the RECEIPT 
               being stamped and impaled on desk spike as we PULL OUT to 
               reveal an infinite expanse of regularly arranged metal 
               desks, each desk with a built-in TV console, and each 
               (except one) occupied by a CLERK. Every desk is snowed 
               under with pieces of paper much like the receipts seen in 
               the previous scene. More pacers are delivered to each desk 
               intermittently by way of pneumatic tube. OFFICE BOYS bustle 
               about with even more paperwork. From the back of the room 
               we get a view of the screens which show graphs, tabulations, 
               figures... All of this activity is supervised from an 
               elevated walkway by MR. KURTZMAN. Satisfied that all is 
               well with his clerks he turns and walks towards his glass 
               enclosed private office at the top of the room, his name 
               lettered on the opaque glass door. Mr. Kurtzman goes through 
               this door and as he closes it behind him, all activity in 
               the Clerks pool ceases. each Clerk adjusts his TV screen 
               with the flick of a switch, and all the screens change to 
               something which looks very like "The Good, The Bad And The 
               Ugly".

               INT. MR. KURTZMAN'S OFFICE - DAY

               Mr. Kurtzman also has a TV console. He sits behind his 
               desk, reaches for his In-tray, and without looking at the 
               console he turns his screen on. He looks through a number 
               of files in his In-tray. He is surprised to hear a VOICE 
               say, "Turn around real slow, amigo". Mr. Kurtzman turns 
               around real slow, his expression relaxes, he thumps his TV 
               console with a large fist, and the screen obediently flicks 
               to a display of figures. He picks up a file which we see 
               as marked "Buttle, Archibald". He opens the file and starts 
               punching the keyboard of the console. The TV starts bleeping 
               in an alarmed way. Mr. Kurtzman is puzzled. He punches 
               more figures. The screen starts to flash "Error, error, 
               error". Mr. Kurtzman sighs with frustration. He presses an 
               intercom.

                                     MR. KURTZMAN
                              (into intercom)
                         Mr. Lowry, will you step in here 
                         please?

               He returns his attention, puzzled to the file. Nobody comes 
               into the office. Mr. Kurtzman gets up and walks over to 
               his door and opens it. Beyond the door the room full of 
               CLERKS is obediently concentrating on the bleeping and 
               whirring consoles. From Mr. Kurtzman's POV we see that in 
               the centre of the room is an unoccupied desk.

                                     MR. KURTZMAN
                         Does anyone know where Lowry is?

               Nobody knows. Mr. Kurtzman closes his door again. A moment 
               later it seems to him, and to us, that he has heard the 
               crash of six guns blazing away at each other. He re-opens 
               the door. The only sound again. He goes back to his desk. 
               He punches a few keys. The machine starts emitting even 
               more alarming beeps, then horse whinnies, then "Admit you're 
               whupped, you drygulching scum". Kurtzman explodes with 
               anger, and presses the intercom again.

                                     MR. KURTZMAN
                              (shouting into 
                              intercom)
                         Where the hell is Sam Lowry?!

               EXT. SKY - DAY

               CUT TO brilliantly clear sky. From on high an odd bird- 
               like figure swoops down on the CAMERA. As it comes closer 
               we can see that it is, in fact, a MAN wearing strange wood 
               and metal bird wings. In the bright sunshine their flapping 
               movements create a brilliant, flashing effect. Along with 
               the wings, SAM LOWRY (for this is he) wears an outfit that 
               combines the best of Flash Gordon and a WWI fighter pilot. 
               He sweeps past the CAMERA and then, banking, rises BACK 
               INTO SHOT IN MEDIUM CLOSEUP. An ethereal voice can be heard 
               calling "Sam... Sam... Sam". He hovers, looking beyond the 
               CAMERA to something wonderful. CUT TO face of stunningly 
               beautiful GIRL, she is the idealised twin of Jill Layton... 
               Her long hair swirls across her face partially obscuring 
               it and making her appear slightly mysterious. The CAMERA 
               PULLS AWAY from her as soft billowing material sinuously 
               undulates about her. It rises and falls like waves carried 
               on the wind. As the CAMERA GLIDES BACK through this sea of 
               gossamer we can see that the Girl is being held aloft by 
               and in it. A vast landscape stretches below her. The sun 
               frames her in the sky. She and Sam are engaged in a 
               beautiful sensual aerial ballet.

               Romantic music fills the soundtrack.

               Sam swoops up and away. The Girl floats in the distance as 
               Sam. rises in the foreground. She beckons to him. Sam begins 
               to flap back towards her. But then the dreamy quality of 
               this scene is interrupted by threatening rumble. Sam looks 
               down.

               The ground far below him suddenly erupts as a massive, 
               monolithic stone skyscraper bursts through the surface and 
               soars upwards with a mighty rush.

               CUT TO THE GIRL IN LONG SHOT. The monolith rises up into 
               FRAME partially cutting her off from view.

               Before Sam can do anything, another stone skyscraper breaks 
               through the ground and rushes upwards. Then another and 
               another. There is nothing Sam can do. The Girl is being 
               cut of from him by these gigantic faceless structures. And 
               then she is finally lost from view somewhere in the depths 
               of this strange stone metropolis. Sam lies closer. The 
               stone skyscrapers appear to be solid. No windows. No doors. 
               Nothing whatsoever to interfere with their clean, harsh, 
               rectilinear design. As he flies among these towering blocks 
               he sees no sign of the Girl, only sheer walls rising high 
               above him. Below him the walls plummet vertiginously into 
               the darkish streets. No sound but the creaking flapping of 
               his wings can he heard in this dead place. Coming round a 
               corner he sees something in the distance. far below him a 
               dark procession is wending its way through the narrow 
               passages... away from him.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               LOW ANGLE SHOT

               Of the procession making its way past the CAMERA. Black-
               robed and cowled, the sinister figures look like heavily 
               armed monks. These are the FORCES OF DARKNESS. Together 
               they are straining at several heavy hawsers that rise in 
               long arcs up to a huge metal cage floating above and behind 
               the procession. Binding the cage are metal straps to which 
               ropes are attached. Inside is the Girl  still enveloped in 
               gossamer which billows as if there were a breeze in constant 
               attendance.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               SAM

               As he dives out of shot.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               THE FORCES OF DARKNESS

               Suddenly stopping in their tracks. They've seen something.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               THEIR POV

               There at the end of the passage between two stone 
               skyscrapers stands Sam... barring the way.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               SWORDS BEING UNSHEATHED

               Cowls being thrown back. Underneath are rotting, broken 
               dolls' faces. All the faces are the same except for the 
               manner in which they have decayed. They smile  slobbering, 
               sickeningly. Suddenly the robed bodies change shape  some 
               rising up to become long, others expanding sideways to 
               become bulbous, others shrinking. From the folds of cloth 
               come evil weapons. The Forces are massed ready to charge. 
               CUT TO LONG SHOT of Sam. He removes his arms from his wings 
               and folds the wings behind him. He is ready.

                                                                 CUT TO:

                                     THE FORCES
                         Nothing moves... except for the 
                         constant dribble from their cracked 
                         mouths.

               CUT BACK TO SAM

               Stillness. The tension is unbearable. Suddenly Sam unleashes 
               a terrifying scream and charges the fearsome horde. Unarmed!

                                                                 CUT TO:

                                     THE FORCES
                         Thundering down to Sam. Weapons 
                         flailing madly.

               Sam skillfully dodges the swordthrust of the leading field, 
               and karate chops him senseless  at the same time catching 
               his sword as he falls. Spinning around he parries a 
               spearthrust and skewers a third attacker. Slash! Hack! 
               Stab! He lays waste to the Forces. Nothing can stop this 
               boy. The pile of black-robed bodies grows with each swing 
               of Sam's sword. Wham! Bam! Smash! Sam carves his way through 
               the mob with nary a scratch. And then, suddenly, they are 
               all dead, but a heap of blackness to commemorate Sam's 
               prowess. The Girl is beaming as Sam makes his way toward 
               the hawsers holding the cage. But then a noise behind him 
               makes him turn. There, behind him the pile of black shapes 
               begin to rise. The ropes become a mass of flapping black 
               cloth. This evil churning cloud coalesces and lifts off 
               the ground. The horrible flapping apparition emits a 
               terrifying maniacal laughter as it flies away. Sam is about 
               to rush after it to halt its escape but is stopped by the 
               sound of a telephone ringing. He looks around  confused.

               INT. SAM'S BEDROOM - MORNING

               TIGHT SHOT of telephone. The ringing continues. A hand 
               grapples with the receiver. Sam is in bed in a darkened 
               room. Sleepily he drags receiver to his ear.

                                     SAM
                         Hello... What... what? Oh... Mr. 
                         Kurtzman!... You're up late. Oh, 
                         is it?

               There is an electronic box of tricks by his bed, 
               incorporating an alarm. Sam thumps it. The alarm goes off.  
               This sets of a series of other things... The window shutters 
               roll up letting in the morning light. Both taps turn on in 
               the bathroom...

                                     SAM
                              (into phone)
                         The electronics here are up the 
                         spout. Yours too, sir? Don't worry 
                         sir  I'll be there.

               Sam puts down the phone and gets into his suit which is 
               moving towards him. Noticing one of his film posters is 
               loose he pushes the pin in firmly.

               In the kitchen a coffee maker starts up. In the sitting 
               room the television switches on. Back in the bedroom a 
               cupboard door springs open and a rack slides out with Sam's 
               clothes neatly hanging  ready to be put on. Sam comes out 
               of the bathroom, having turned off the bath taps, and starts 
               to get dressed. In the kitchen the coffee- maker has 
               finished making s small pot of coffee. Sam pours a quick 
               cup and is gone at the door. Throughout all this we have 
               had a chance to get a glimpse of Sam's flat. It is 
               functional, soulless and, though neat, has not been 
               assembled with a loving hand. Most of the furnishings are 
               built in. The walls are divided into two-foot square metal 
               panels painted a non-committal colour. Certain of the wall 
               panels have Central Services logos on them with the 
               admonition "Do not obstruct or remove" below. Sam has 
               livened his bedroom up with large and colorful film posters.  
               The sitting room sports several framed pictures of wide 
               beautiful vistas.

               INT. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION LOBBY - DAY

               This is a gigantic, vaguely 30's monumental-style building. 
               The lobby is a vast impressive space containing reception 
               desks, fountains, statues etc. Prominent are the security 
               measures, which include automatic mobile cameras, video 
               screens and groups of SECURITY MEN who search all who enter. 
               Sam is finishing going through Security when he meets JACK 
               who is on his way out of the building.

                                     JACK
                         Sam!

                                     SAM
                         Jack!

                                     JACK
                         Long time no see!

                                     SAM
                         Well, since you disappeared up the 
                         ladder of Information Retrieval... 
                         I don't expect to see you slumming 
                         in Records  what's the problem?

                                     JACK
                         Problem?  No problem.  Yes, 
                         everything's going fantastically 
                         well, wonderful, marvelous, great 
                         career prospects, Alison in great 
                         shape, kids fine, beautiful home, 
                         I'm on Security Level Five now, 
                         and Mr. Helpmann relies on me more 
                         and more, yes, couldn't be better, 
                         I feel terrifically motivated and 
                         job- rewarded

                                     SAM
                         You sound worried.

                                     JACK
                         Me?  if I'm worried about anyone, 
                         it's you. What happened to you, 
                         Sam? You were the brightest of us.

               As they have been talking, a nearby bank of closed circuit 
               TV screens has been displaying shots of people entering 
               the lobby. As each one enters the CAMERA ZOOMS IN TIGHT on 
               their faces for a frozen CLOSEUP. Jill has just entered 
               and the CAMERA ZOOMS IN and freezes on her face. Sam happens 
               to glance up at this moment. He is startled  the over-
               exposed TV image is the face of the GIRL FROM THE DREAM. 
               The face is only there a few seconds before being replaced 
               by another picture. Sam looks about to see where the Girl 
               is, but Jill, in overalls, has her back to him as she stands 
               in the queue for the Information desk and so there is no-
               one even vaguely reminiscent of the Dream Girl. Sam decides 
               he must have imagined it. Over this Jack has been talking.

                                     JACK
                         What's the matter?

                                     SAM
                         Sorry. Nothing.
                              (snapping out of it)
                         See you  I'm going to be late.

                                     JACK
                              (looking at his 
                              watch)
                         You are late.

                                     SAM
                         Even later.

                                     JACK
                         Sam, your life is going wrong  let 
                         your friends tell you  Records is 
                         a dead end department, no Security 
                         Level worth a damn, it's impossible 
                         to get noticed

                                     SAM
                         Yes, I know, fantastic, marvellous, 
                         wonderful  remember me to Alison  
                         and the er..  Twins.

                                     JACK
                         Triplets.

                                     SAM
                         Really?  God, how time flies!

               As Sam heads off to the lift, he passes a group of MEN 
               standing around a temporary TV monitor. Several of them 
               are dressed in white lab coats. They are being explained 
               the benefits of a new surveillance system by a salesman 
               type. His assistant is operating the controls. On the 
               monitor we can see Jill standing in the queue for the 
               Information desk. The CAMERA appears to he tracking in on 
               her.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               JILL

               At top of queue with several forms in her hand. A strange 
               prototype radio controlled camera on a wheeled base is 
               whirring and clicking as it approaches her. Throughout the 
               next sequence it pokes around Jill in an annoying manner  
               thrusting itself at her face, trying to see what is written 
               on the forms, peering over her shoulder. Jill hands a form 
               to the Information Porter.

                                     JILL
                         I want to report a wrongful arrest.

                                     PORTER
                              (looking at form)
                         You want Information Adjustments. 
                         Different department.

                                     JILL
                              (exasperated but 
                              controlled)
                         I've been to Information 
                         Adjustments. They sent me here. 
                         They told me you had a form I had 
                         to fill in.

                                     PORTER
                         Have you got an Arrest Receipt?

                                     JILL
                         Yes.

                                     PORTER
                         Is it stamped?

                                     JILL
                              (producing Buttle 
                              receipt)
                         Stamped?

                                     PORTER
                              (examining receipt)
                         No, there's no stamp on it. You 
                         see! I can't give you the form 
                         until it's stamped.

                                     JILL
                         Where do I get it stamped?

                                     PORTER
                         Information Adjustments.

               The radio-controlled camera noses right up to Jill's face 
               as she turns. She swats the annoying thing with her stack 
               of forms as she storms off. The camera overbalances and 
               crashes into the desk  sparking and spluttering.

               CUTTING BACK TO THE GROUP AROUND THE MONITOR

               We see a deeply hurt SALESMAN and several sceptical white-
               coated TECHNICIANS.

               INT. MR. KURTZMAN'S OFFICE - DAY

               Sam is busily working at the console, unraveling a problem 
               while Kurtzman looks on anxiously and ineffectually.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Perhaps the machine's on the blink! 
                         It keeps picking up old films. 
                         That can't he right, can it?

                                     SAM
                         It's not the machine. There's a 
                         mismatch on the personnel code 
                         numbers... Ah there we go! That's 
                         a B58/732 when it should be a 
                         T47/215... Tuttle... he should 
                         have £31.06, debited against his 
                         account for electrical procedures, 
                         not Buttle.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Oh my God, a mistake!

                                     SAM
                         It's not our mistake!

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (eagerly)
                         Isn't it? Whose is it?

                                     SAM
                         Information Retrieval.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Oh, good!

                                     SAM
                         Expediting has put in for electrical 
                         procedures in respect of Buttle, 
                         Archibald, shoe repair operative, 
                         but Security has invoiced Admin 
                         for Tuttle, Archibald, heating 
                         engineer.

               Sam is still punching keys.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         What a relief! I don't know what 
                         I'd do if you ever got promoted.

                                     SAM
                         Don't worry.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         But if they did promote you

                                     SAM
                         I've told you before. I'd turn it 
                         down.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Would you really, Sam?

                                     SAM
                         Really.

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (churned up)
                         You've been promoted.

               Kurtzman hands Sam a sheet of printed paper. Sam takes the 
               paper, not pleased, and glances at it.

               CLOSE-UP OF PAPER:

               "LOWRY, S. (RECORDS. MIN OF INF.) TRANSFER TO INFORMATION 
               RETRIEVAL  (Expediting, Security Level 3)."

                                     KURTZMAN
                         It's your mother isn't it? Pulling 
                         strings again.

                                     SAM
                              (explodes)
                         What a BITCH!

               INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE  DAY

               CUT TO AN OLD WOMAN'S FACE

               Reflected in triplicate in a three-panelled mirror. A pair 
               of MAN's hands have a grip on her flabby cheeks, pulling 
               them out several inches on either side of her face. When I 
               say several inches that's just what I mean. Not only are 
               her jowls being stretched like silly putty but they are 
               also being wrapped around to the back of her neck to 
               demonstrate how tight and smooth her face can be made by 
               DOCTOR who is prattling on over this freak show.

                                     DOCTOR
                         Now, when you come in tomorrow, 
                         Mrs. Lowry, we'll make a little 
                         tuck here... and there...

                                                                 CUT TO:

               WIDE SHOT OF DOCTOR'S SURGERY

               It looks a bit like a cross between an operating theatre 
               and a boudoir. The cold steel, glass and plastic surfaces 
               are badly disguised with pastel coloured chintz and satin. 
               At the dressing table sits the old woman, SAM'S MOTHER. 
               Behind her stands the Doctor. He is much like his surgery. 
               He has tailored his surgical garments like a gigolo's 
               dressing gown. It seems that he has done a bit of tuck-
               taking on himself. There is a certain plastic smoothness 
               to his skin, but all in all he has been fairly successful. 
               Sam is pacing around, raving.

                                     SAM
                              (angrily)
                         I just wish you would stop 
                         interfering, mother! I don't want 
                         promotion. I'm happy where I am.

                                     MOTHER
                         No you're not. Jack Lint is a lesson 
                         to you  he never had your brains 
                         but he's got the ambition. You 
                         haven't got the ambition but luckily 
                         you've got me. And Mr. Helpmann. 
                         Mr. Helpmann was very close

                                     DOCTOR
                         Now, Mrs. Lowry, don't get upset
                              (so Sam)
                         Please wait in reception, Mr. Lowry, 
                         you're giving her wrinkles.

                                     MOTHER
                         You see!

               Sam groans.

                                     DOCTOR
                         Now Mrs. Lowry, try to relax. You 
                         must trust me. I'll make you twenty 
                         years younger...

                                     SAM
                         Huh!

                                     DOCTOR
                              (giving Sam a dirty 
                              look)
                         ... twenty-five if we just drain 
                         the excess fluid from the pouches...

                                     MOTHER
                         Dr. Jaffe, you're a genius. Would 
                         you like to be Surgeon General? 
                         Four Star. I know everybody.

                                     DOCTOR
                         Well they won't know you when I've 
                         finished with you.

               The Doctor reaches into his smock pocket for a coloured 
               marker. He starts colouring up her face with strokes of 
               different coloured markers.

                                     DOCTOR
                         First we must eliminate the excess 
                         derma... so!... Then the flaccid 
                         tissues under the eyes... And now 
                         the forehead... Zip! I lift the 
                         wrinkles and worry lines right up 
                         into the wi into the hairline, 
                         comme ca...

               Sam looks disgusted.

                                     DOCTOR
                         And now the template... There... 
                         there... there... Now a bit of 
                         sticky... There we go!
                              (triumphantly)
                         Already she is twice as beautiful 
                         as she was before  voila!

               The Doctor moves his body aside, revealing Mrs. Lowry's 
               face, covered with coloured lines and wrapped in cellophane 
               held in shape by cellotape. Sam stares at her.

                                     SAM
                         My God, it works.

               INT. POSH RESTAURANT (ENTRANCE) - DAY

               The conversation between Sam and his Mother takes place 
               while they are going through the sort of security checks 
               familiar at airports. They are, however, just outside the 
               velvet rope of the posh restaurant.

                                     MOTHER
                              (in full flow)
                         Mr. Helpmann was very close to 
                         your poor father. He was very close 
                         to me. Still is. He'll take you 
                         under his wing at Information 
                         Retrieval. You'll like it when you 
                         get there.

                                     SAM
                         You're not listening, mother.

               A warning buzzer goes off as Mother's handbag goes thru 
               security check. It turns out to have been activated by a 
               gaily wrapped package. A SECURITY GUARD relieves her of it 
               and unwraps the package which contains the same kind of 
               executive toy which we have seen twice before.

                                     MOTHER
                         It's a present for my son.

               She takes the toy back and hands it to Sam.

                                     MOTHER
                         I hope you like it. It's very 
                         exclusive.

                                     SAM
                         What is it?

                                     MOTHER
                         It's something for executives.

               At this point the MAITRE'D arrives on the scene.

                                     MAITRE'D
                         Madam Lowry, how exquisite to see 
                         you again. Merry Christmas.

               He pulls aside he velvet rope with a grand flourish. He 
               looks disdainfully at Sam's unfashionable clerk's suite

                                     MOTHER
                         Hello, Spiro. Merry Christmas.

                                     SPIRO
                              (blocking Sam's way)
                         I'm sorry but...

                                     MOTHER
                         You remember Samuel, my son.

                                     SPIRO
                              (suddenly unctious)
                         Oh, but of course...

                                     MOTHER
                         We're meeting Mrs. Terrain.

                                     SAM
                         Are we?

                                     SPIRO
                         Ah yes, the lady is waiting.

               Spiro leads the way. Sam and his Mother follow, across the 
               restaurant which is much like the Palm Court at the Plaza 
               New York. Trellises, marble columns, antique mirroring, 
               potted palms combine to impress us with their sophistication 
               and taste. A string quartet can just be made out against 
               the far wall. Except for the unfortunate intrusion of metal 
               tubing and ducting brutally thrusting across areas of the 
               ceiling, occasionally penetrating right through the middle 
               of a particularly valuable- looking mirror, the general 
               effect is one of confident wealth and breeding. Sam, Mother 
               and Maitre'd make their way across the room. The waltzing 
               strains of the string quartet accompanying them.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               GROUP OF TABLES WITH DINERS

               At one of them sits a wealthy-looking OLDER WOMAN with a 
               rather plain-looking DAUGHTER in her 20s. The Older Woman 
               is easily distinguished from the other clientele by a large 
               bandage that covers a goodish part of her head. The two of 
               them (the Mother and Daughter, not the Mother and bandage) 
               are perusing the menus. Sam notes the Daughter, unpleased.

                                     SAM
                         Mother, I thought we were going to 
                         be able to talk... Oh God, she's 
                         got what's he name with her.

               Sam and his Mother arrive at the table.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Ida! Sam!

                                     MOTHER
                         Alma, how are you? You're looking 
                         wonderful! Hello, Shirley.

                                     SHIRLEY
                              (shy to Sam)
                         Salt?

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                              (to Shirley)
                         Not yet.
                              (to Sam and Mother)
                         Happy Christmas, Sam.

               She hands Sam a gaily wrapped package which obviously 
               contains the same executive toy.

                                     MOTHER
                         Sorry we're late. Shall we order? 
                         Get it out of the way. What are 
                         you going to have Alma?

               She starts to hunt through the huge menu the Maitre'd has 
               just handed her with full colour photos of the splendid 
               dishes available.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         I can't make up my mind whether to 
                         have a number one or a number two. 
                         What do you recommend, Spiro?

                                     SPIRO
                              (conspiratorially)
                         Between you and me, Madam, today 
                         the number two.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Thank you, Spiro. Shirley, what 
                         are you going to have?

                                     SHIRLEY
                              (panics quietly)

                                     SPIRO
                              (conspiratorially)
                         Between you and me, Mademoiselle, 
                         today the number one. Madam Lowry?

                                     MOTHER
                         Oh, to hell with the diet, a number 
                         eight, please.

                                     SPIRO
                         A most perceptive choice, Madam, 
                         if I may say so.
                              (to Sam)
                         Monsieur?

                                     SAM
                              (brusquely)
                         A steak, please. Rare.
                              (to his mother)
                         Mother, I need to...

                                     SPIRO
                              (piqued)
                         Monsieur. Quel numero.

                                     SAM
                              (handing back menu)
                         I don't know which numero.

                                     SPIRO
                              (writing on pad)
                         Numero, trois.

               Everyone is a bit embarrassed here. Mother gives Sam a 
               withering look. Spiro stalks away.

                                     MOTHER
                              (trying to restart 
                              things)
                         Alma, you wicked thing...
                              (indicating bandages)
                         you've started your treatment.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         You noticed.
                              (enthusiastically)
                         I must tell you all about it.

                                     SAM
                              (to his mother)
                         Mother, will you listen to At this 
                         moment the food arrives. Spiro 
                         elaborately lifts off the silver 
                         covers and with a flourish 
                         distributes the plates of food. 
                         Each order looks identical  a big 
                         splodge of brown lumpy stuff. The 
                         only differences between the lumps 
                         are the Identifying photographs on 
                         sticks stuck in each. The beautiful 
                         colour photos match the photos 
                         which were on the menus.

                                     SPIRO
                              (showing off that 
                              he remembers who's 
                              ordered what)
                         Numero huit, braised veal in wine 
                         sauce.
                              (he sets it in front 
                              of Sam's Mother)

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         It's too exciting. I've left Dr 
                         Jaffe and gone to Dr. Chapman.

                                     SPIRO
                         Numero deux, duck a l'orange.
                              (he sets it in front 
                              of Mrs. Terrain)

                                     MOTHER
                         The acid man?

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Really, Ida, just because his 
                         techniques are revolutionary... I 
                         don't go around calling Dr. Jaffe 
                         the knife man.

                                     SPIRO
                         Numero une, crevettes à la 
                         mayonaaise.
                              (he sets it in front 
                              of Shirley)

                                     MOTHER
                         I'm sorry Alma, I didn't mean to 
                         sound so...

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         That's all right Ida... it's just 
                         that he's such an artist. To him, 
                         cutting is so crude... so primitive.

                                     SPIRO
                         Numero trois, steak.
                              (he sets this in 
                              front of Sam)
                         Monsieur, Mesdames, Bon appetit.

                                     ALL BUT SAM
                         Merci.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Acid on the other hand, can be 
                         used for such wonderfully subtle 
                         shading, such delicate nuances  
                         just like a Rembrant etching... 
                         and it's so much quicker. Why, if 
                         it weren't for a teensy-weensy 
                         complication  the doctor said it 
                         could have happened to anyone  I 
                         would have had these bandages off 
                         yesterday.

                                     SHIRLEY
                              (to Sam, after 
                              attracting her 
                              mother's attention 
                              and receiving a 
                              nod)
                         Salt?

               They are just about to dip into their respective splodges 
               when there is a terrific explosion  a huge hole is blasted 
               out of the wall to the kitchen. Chaos erupts around the 
               carnage as WAITERS try putting out the flames with 
               extinguishers. PEOPLE, bloody and dying, are moaning. The 
               DINERS not actually affected by the blast look up for a 
               moment and then, with a few raised eyebrows, go back to 
               their meals.

               IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EXPLOSION

                                     MOTHER
                         What were we saying?

                                     SAM
                              (picking bomb debris 
                              out of his brown 
                              lump)
                         This isn't rare!

                                     MOTHER
                         By the way, I saw a wonderful idea 
                         for Christmas presents at the 
                         chemists. Gift tokens. Medical 
                         gift tokens.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Oh, that sounds marvellous.

                                     MOTHER
                         Yes, they're good at any doctor's 
                         and at many of the major hospitals  
                         and they're accepted for 
                         gynecological complications 
                         including Caesarian section.

               Sam, in the act of taking in another forkful of his 
               unappetising meal, drops his form in disgust

                                     SAM
                         Look  please  I'm sorry  but 
                         honestly, mother, this is MOTHER.

               I quite agree!  It's impossible!

               Mother raises her arm to gain the attention of the Maitre'd 
               who is frantically trying to deal with the emergency. The 
               activity in the background has increased throughout the 
               conversation. The fire-brigade has arrived with sirens 
               blaring. Ministry TROOPS have charged in and are arresting 
               WAITERS. Stretchers have been bought in for the injured 
               and these are being rushed past our little group's table. 
               The Maitre'd comes to the table, his DJ now blood-spattered.

                                     MAITRE'D
                         I am sorry, Madam... I don't know 
                         what to say... this very rarely 
                         happens to us  I'll do what I can 
                         straight away He hurries away.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Really, Sam  when are you going to 
                         do something about these terrorists?

                                     SAM
                         What? Now? It's my lunch hour.

                                     MOTHER
                         Actually, Alma, that's one of the 
                         little things I was dying to tell 
                         you... Sam's been promoted to 
                         Information Retrieval.

                                     SAM
                              (angry and surprised)
                         Mother!

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Oh that's wonderful! Congratulations 
                         Sam...

                                     SHIRLEY
                         You can show those fucking murderous 
                         bastards a thing or two.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                              (shocked and 
                              embarrassed)
                         Shirley!

                                     SAM
                         Stop this!
                              (leaping to his 
                              feet)
                         I'm not being promoted. I'm not 
                         going to Information Retrieval!
                              (he scrumples 
                              promotion 
                              notification which 
                              he has been holding 
                              and throws it on 
                              the floor)
                         If I want you to stick your oar 
                         in, mother, I'll tell you where to 
                         stick it!

               Everybody is shocked. He recovers his composure slightly. 
               Embarrassed, he bends, and picks up the ball of paper which 
               he starts smoothing back into Its flat state.

                                     SHIRLEY
                              (back to her 
                              uncertain form)
                         Pepper...?

                                     SAM
                         Look  I've got to get back As Sam 
                         goes, Maitre'd reappears with a 
                         group of WAITERS  those remaining 
                         unarrested whom he has organised 
                         to gut up a folding screen around 
                         the table. This cuts of the sight 
                         if not the noise of the victims of 
                         the explosion.

                                     MOTHER
                         Sam... you haven't had dessert.

                                     SAM
                         I'm sorry. I don' t want dessert. 
                         I don't want promotion. I don't 
                         want anything.

                                     MOTHER
                         Don't be childish, Samuel. Of course 
                         you want something. You must have 
                         hopes, wishes, dreams.

               Their voices have been rising towards a shout in order to 
               rise above the volume of the growing chaos around them.

                                     SAM
                              (shouts loud)
                         NO, NOTHING. NOT EVEN DREAMS!

               EXT. BRILLIANT SKY - DAY

               Sam as his dream-self rises INTO SHOT, his wings straining 
               as he tows the floating cage imprisoning the girl. They 
               are rising up and away from the monolithic stone skyscrapers 
               that stretch away below them.

                                     SAM
                         I'm taking you to a safe place. A 
                         place where they will never be 
                         able to get at us... ever.

               An eyeball is scanning the sky. PULLING BACK we see it is 
               but one of thousands, tightly packed side by side forming 
               a landscape that extends as far as we can see. As Sam and 
               the girl in her cage come into view it becomes apparent 
               just how big these eyeballs are  they are gigantic  about 
               10 feet in diameter. All of them follow Sam as he comes to 
               rest on a platform high atop a column that rises from the 
               centre of this bizarre place.

                                     SAM
                         There's no way they can approach 
                         us without being seen. You're safe 
                         here.

               He anchors the hawser holding the cage and takes off his 
               wings. Just as he starts climbing up to the cage a terrific 
               cracking noise is heard. Sam freezes.

               A dead straight crack is bisecting the sky from somewhere 
               beyond the horizon  running right up the sky and over the 
               camera. Sam follows it as it continues over the Girl and 
               down to the opposite horizon. Another crackling noise is 
               heard. Another crack appears. Then another. And another. 
               All these cracks are emanating from a vanishing point over 
               the horizon. Soon the sky is covered with these cracks 
               from horizon to foreground. Then cracks begin appearing at 
               right angles to them. Very quickly the sky is covered with 
               a mammoth grid. Once it is complete, another noise is heard. 
               Something like massive blocks of stone sliding against one 
               another. One of the squares formed by the grid pattern 
               begins to slide upwards as if being pulled out from the 
               back side of the sky. A square hole is left in its place. 
               We can see the sides of the hole as it extends upwards 
               into blackness. As soon as this first block of sky is 
               withdrawn, another begins to slide up and away. Sam is 
               frozen in position as this terrifying spectacle goes on 
               above him. The eyeballs are madly looking this way and 
               that. The grinding noises are deafening as block after 
               block of sky is removed. With each successive loss the 
               light decreases. The Girl is crying out for Sam to save 
               her. Frantically Sam tries to haul the cage down to the 
               platform but it's too late. Where the sky was is now pitch 
               black. Only one block of sky remains. Slowly that final 
               bit of sky is pulled up and out of shot. Total blackness. 
               A maniacal laughter can be heard. A beam of light is 
               switched on. Sam has a searchlight in his hand and is 
               searching the darkness. The laughter continues. Suddenly 
               the beam catches something black and moving. it's the same 
               black, flapping cloth that appeared at the end of the 
               previous dream. The horrible flapping thing comes thundering 
               down on Sam. He is engulfed in the black awfulness.

               INT. SAM'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

               Sam is in bed, grappling with the bedclothes. He is dripping 
               with sweat and screaming. The room is oppressively hot. He 
               gets up and looks at the thermostat. It reads 99. He fumbles 
               with it, but to no avail. It's stuck.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               SAM

               Coming into the sitting room. He rushes over to the window 
               and tries to open it. But it wasn't designed to be opened. 
               Screws hold it firmly shut. Sam heads to the kitchen He 
               finds a knife which he uses to unscrew the window. He swings 
               the window open and takes a deep breath.  GAG! COUGH! HACK! 
               A terrible greeny-brown smog pours in through the window. 
               Desperately Sam shuts the window and madly tightens up the 
               screws. Swinging a newspaper, he tries clearing a path 
               through the clouded atmosphere. He makes it to the front 
               door and staggers out into the hall gasping for air. CUT 
               TO telephone being lifted from its cradle. Pull back as 
               Sam with opened telephone directory in front of him dials. 
               He is seated in his kitchen. In front of his open 
               refrigerator. The phone rings at the other end.

                                     SAM
                              (into phone)
                         Hello  Central Services  I'm at 
                         579B Block l9, Northwestern Section 
                         D  that's exit 1 on Green Pastures 
                         Highway at the Orange Blossom 
                         Flyover  and I've got trouble with 
                         the air- conditioning

                                     PHONE VOICE
                         Thank you or calling Central 
                         Services. am sorry, due to temporary 
                         staff shortage, Central Services 
                         cannot take service calls centrally 
                         between 2300 and 0900 hours  have 
                         a nice day  this has not been a 
                         recording, incident-

                                     SAM
                         This is an emergency!

                                     PHONE VOICE
                         Thank you for calling Central 
                         Services. I am sorry, due

                                     SAM
                         Yes, but. I've got to have a heating 
                         engineer

                                     PHONE VOICE
                         Thank you for calling Cen..

               Sam slams the phone down.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               SAM

               Sitting in front of the refrigerator. The door is open and 
               he has wedged a chair into the gap in a desperate bid to 
               keep cool. He is nodding off. As his head slumps against 
               one of the shelves, a jar of pickled onions falls to the 
               floor. The onions scattering everywhere.

               EXT. DARKNESS - NIGHT

               The milky white spheres tumble everywhere. But they are 
               not onions, they are the giant eyeballs burtling through 
               space. Sam is clinging desperately to one. He grabs the 
               pupil for a better handhold and it opens like a hatch cover. 
               Sam manages to pull himself inside. Once out of the 
               intergalactic maelstrom, Sam turns to survey the cramped 
               and dark space inside the eyeball. It seems to be bisected 
               by a dividing wall, from which a thin sliver of light is 
               escaping. Pushing on the wall in the area of the slit, Sam 
               is able to move a section. More light shaftes into the 
               tiny space from around the edges of what appears to be a 
               small hatch. Sam scrunches down and really puts his shoulder 
               to the hatch. with a metallic rasp it gives way and Sam 
               crashes through.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               OTHER SIDE OF OPENING

               As Sam topples through. He catches himself in the nick of 
               time as the camera zooms back revealing his close call 
               with disaster. He is high on a vast wall of what looks 
               like filing cabinets. The hatch he came through was the 
               front of one of the millions of files-drawers composing 
               this wall. As he scrambles back into the opening we can 
               see that the wall drops away for hundreds of feet, disappear 
               into a steaming mist. Other walls of files enclose this 
               vast space. From where Sam is it looks like the view from 
               the 50th storey of the Time Life building in NYC. These 
               millions of files are being tended by MEN arising themselves 
               up and down, as well as sideways, on modern skyscraper 
               window-cleaners' platforms. The attendants are seen putting 
               PEOPLE in different period costumes into drawers. Sam's 
               attention is distracted by a sound overhead. Looking up he 
               sees a window washer platform being lowered in his 
               direction. Leaning over the side is a JOLLY GENT, who 
               happens to look like Mr. Helpmann (as seen on TV).

                                     GENT
                         Ah ha... there you are, Sam.

                                     SAM
                         What? How do you know my name?

                                     GENT
                         We know everything here. This is 
                         the Storeroom of Knowledge.

                                     SAM
                              (climbing onto the 
                              platform)
                         Then perhaps you can help me. I've 
                         lost someone who...

                                     GENT
                              (interrupting)
                         We know that too. You've come to 
                         the right place.

               The platform carries them along the files.

                                     GENT
                         Oh, yes. We've got everything here. 
                         Every bit of knowledge, wisdom, 
                         learning... every experience, every 
                         thought neatly filed away.

                                     SAM
                              (incredulous)
                         What? You mean you've got...

                                     GENT
                         Well not exactly. But, if you help 
                         us we'll help you. The Forces Of 
                         Darkness have won the day... but, 
                         tomorrow is another one

                                     SAM
                         What do I have to do.

                                     GENT
                         You must save the day.

               The platform has stopped. The Gent pulls out a drawer. He 
               reaches inside.

               The Gent pulls out a wonderful sword and helmet.

                                     GENT
                         This is the Sword Of Truth... and 
                         this the Helmet Of Justice.

               As Sam begins to strap on the weapon the Gent brings out a 
               cape.

                                     GENT
                         And this completes the outfit.

               He puts the cape around Sam's shoulders and helps him step 
               into the drawer. A moment's hesitation and then Sam outs 
               the helmet on and lies down in the drawer. It fits just 
               like a coffin.. As he lies back the Gent pushes the drawer 
               in.

                                     GENT
                         It won't be pleasant but, trust 
                         me.

               As the drawer is pushed in Sam suffers a sudden bout of 
               claustrophobia. Looking up at the diminishing opening he 
               is surprised to see  not the face of the Jolly Gent  but a 
               terrifying SAMURAI WARRIOR'S MASKED HELMET. Sam struggles 
               to prevent the drawer being closed.

               INT. SAM'S FLAT - NIGHT

               Sam is grabbing the walls of the fridge. Water from the 
               defrosted freezer compartment drips on his head. He wakes 
               up. Before he can really take in where he is the phone 
               rings. He staggers over to it.

                                     SAM
                         Hello... hello...

                                     PHONE VOICE
                         Hello. Mr. Lowry?

                                     SAM
                         Who's that?
                              (pause)
                         A sound at the kitchen door turns 
                         Sam's head  and ours  just in time 
                         to half see a quick blurred 
                         movement, but then a rapid voice 
                         in his ear-piece brings his head 
                         back.

                                     PHONE VOICE
                         Put the phone down and your hands 
                         up.

                                     SAM
                              (into the phone)
                         What? Who is this?

               Sam realises that the voice is also in the room behind 
               him. He turns round and sees TUTTLE. Tuttle is middle-aged, 
               a short tough figure dressed in dark clothes suggesting a 
               cross between a cat burglar and a night-raid commando. In 
               one hand he holds a gun pointed at Sam. The other hand is 
               holding a telephone receiver which Tuttle is in the act of 
               placing in the large capacious bag at his feet. Sam puts 
               down his phone, and his hands up.

                                     TUTTLE
                         Nice and easy now. Keep your hands 
                         where I can see them.

                                     SAM
                         What is this?
                              (indignantly)
                         Who the hell are you?

               Tuttle, keeping the gun on Sam, goes to different doors, 
               leaning backwards into bedroom, bathroom and closet.

               Tuttle suddenly relaxes and pockets his gun.

                                     TUTTLE
                         Harry Tuttle. Heating engineer. At 
                         your service.

                                     SAM
                         Tuttle! Are you from Central 
                         Services?

                                     TUTTLE
                         Ha!!

                                     SAM
                         But... I called Central Services.

                                     TUTTLE
                         They're a bit overworked these 
                         days. Luckily I intercepted your 
                         call.

                                     SAM
                         What?

               By now, both are pouring with sweat. Tuttle heads across 
               the room and swiftly begins to undo a wall panel.

                                     SAM
                         Wait a minute, what was that 
                         business with the gun?

               Tuttle hands Sam the panel and plunges his arm into the 
               space behind it.

                                     TUTTLE
                         A little precaution, sir. I've had 
                         traps set for me before now. There 
                         are people in Central Services 
                         who'd love to get their hands on 
                         Harry Tuttle.

                                     SAM
                         Are you saying this is illegal?

               By now Tuttle has managed to pull out some sections of 
               flexible ducting from the welter of mechanical offal behind 
               the removed panel. It is all very complicated and greasy 
               and it looks as though there is a lot more where that came 
               from. Tuttle is amazingly neat and deft as he works. A 
               real pro. As he works he hums a wee tune... yes... 
               "BRAZIL"!!

                                     TUTTLE
                         Well, yes... and no. Officially, 
                         only Central Service operatives 
                         are supposed to touch this stuff... 
                         Could you hold these.
                              (he hands Sam a 
                              bunch of wires 
                              that he has detached)
                         ... but, with all the new rules 
                         and regulations... unncgh, c'mon, 
                         c'mon... they can't get decent 
                         staff any more... so... they tend 
                         to turn a blind eye... as long as 
                         I'm careful.
                              (he hands Sam a 
                              torch)
                         ... Mind you, if ever they could 
                         prove I'd been working on their 
                         equipment... well, that's a 
                         different matter... up a bit with 
                         the torch, sir.

                                     SAM
                         Sorry. wouldn't it be easier just 
                         to work for Central Services?

                                     TUTTLE
                         Couldn't stand the pa.. Ah, we're 
                         getting warm

                                     SAM
                         The pace?

                                     TUTTLE
                         The paperwork, couldn't stand the 
                         paperwork.
                              (indicating the 
                              torch)
                         Over to the left please, if you 
                         don't mind sir. Hold it there. 
                         Yes, there's more bits of paper in 
                         Central Services than bits of pipe  
                         read this, fill in that, hand in 
                         the other  listen, this old system 
                         of yours could be on fire and I 
                         couldn't even turn on the kitchen 
                         tap without filling in a 27B/6... 
                         Bloody paperwork.

                                     SAM
                              (mildly)
                         Well I suppose one has to expect a 
                         certain amount

                                     TUTTLE
                         Why? I came into this game for 
                         adventure go anywhere, travel light, 
                         get in, get out, wherever there's 
                         trouble, a man alone. Now they've 
                         got the whole country sectioned of 
                         and you can't move without a form. 
                         I'm the last of a breed. Ah ha! 
                         Found it!
                              (he holds up a small 
                              charred gadget)
                         There's your problem.

                                     SAM
                         Can you fix it?

                                     TUTTLE
                         No. But I can bypass it with one 
                         of these.

               He pulls another gadget from his bag.

                                     SAM
                         Fine.

               The door bell. Tuttle grabs for his gun.

                                     TUTTLE
                         Are you expecting anyone?

                                     SAM
                         No. Wait here.

               He goes out closing the immediate door and goes to the 
               front door which he opens. He is confronted by two officious 
               little men in boiler suits who are standing outside his 
               door. Their names are SPOOR and DOWSER. Dowser is Spoor's 
               echo.

                                     SAM
                         Yes?

                                     SPOOR
                         Central Services.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... ervices.

                                     SAM
                         Uh  what?  I...

                                     SPOOR
                         You telephone, sir.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... elephoned sir.

                                     SPOOR
                         Trouble with your air-conditioning.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... ditioning.

                                     SAM
                              (gulps)
                         No, not at all. I mean, it's all 
                         right. It's fixed.

                                     SPOOR
                         Fixed?

                                     DOWSER
                         Fixed?

               They don't like that.

                                     SAM
                         I mean it fixed itself.

                                     SPOOR
                         Fixed itself.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... ixed itself.

                                     SPOOR
                         Machines don't fix themselves.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... fix themselves.

                                     SPOOR
                         He's tampered with it, Dowser.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... ampered. with it, Spoor.

                                     SAM
                         Look, I'm sorry about your wasted 
                         journey.

               Sam tries to close the door but Spoor prevents this.

                                     SPOOR
                              (to Dowser)
                         I think we'd better have a look.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... have a look.

                                     SAM
                         No you can't.

               He is pushed aside. Spoor followed by Dowser, heads for 
               the door behind which is Mr. Tuttle. Sam is paralysed. 
               Spoor approaches the door as if it is dangerous. He turns 
               the handle quietly and gives the door a little nudge. The 
               door begins to swing slowly open. Sam suddenly finds 
               inspiration.

                                     SAM
                         Just a minute!

               Spoor and Dowser turn round as the door continues to swing 
               open. When the door is open, behind their backs Tuttle is 
               seen holding his pistol in a two-handed grip, his knees 
               slightly bent. Tuttle freezes like that, pointing his pistol 
               through the open door.

                                     SAM
                         Have you got a 27B/6?

               Dowser looks very angry. Veins stand out on his forehead 
               and he goes into what looks like some sort of fit. Spoor 
               knocks him to the ground.

                                     SPOOR
                              (to Sam)
                         Now look what you've done to him.

                                     SAM
                         Have you got one or haven't you?

                                     SPOOR
                         Not... as such...

               Dowser moans and begins to get back on his feet.

                                     SPOOR
                         But we can get one.
                              (worried about Dowser)
                         It's all right, Terry, it's all 
                         right, everything's all right.

                                     SAM
                              (ushering them to 
                              the door)
                         I'm sorry, but I'm a bit of a 
                         stickler for paper work. Where 
                         would we be if we didn't follow 
                         the correct procedures?

                                     SPOOR
                         We'll be back.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... Be back.

                                     SAM
                              (closing the door 
                              on them)
                         Thank you.

               Sam turns back to Tuttle who is coming forward pocketing 
               his gun.

                                     TUTTLE
                         Thanks, Lowry, you're a good man 
                         in a tight corner.

               Tuttle returns to work, fitting in the new by-pass gadget 
               and tightening the nuts, and happily humming "BRAZIL".

                                     SAM
                         Listen... um... I don't want to 
                         get involved in any of this. But I 
                         work at the Ministry of Information, 
                         and I happen to know that 
                         Information Retrieval have been 
                         looking for an Archibald Tuttle, 
                         Heating Engineer. You wouldn't by 
                         any chance be..

                                     TUTTLE
                              (pleased)
                         My friends call me Harry. 
                         Information Retrieval, eh? 
                         Interesting!

                                     SAM
                         What do they want you or?

                                     TUTTLE
                         Time to go.

               Tuttle finishes the job and throws his tools into the bag.

                                     SAM
                         Thank you very much. How much will 
                         it...?

                                     TUTTLE
                         On the house. You did me a favor. 
                         Check the corridor.

               Sam goes to the front door, opens it and looks out.

                                     SAM
                         All clear.

               Tuttle slips out and heads off down the balcony corridor.

                                     SAM
                         Hey that's a dead end.

               But Tuttle merely undoes a pre-arranged rope and swings 
               Tarzan-like off the end of the balcony and across a multi- 
               story void to a neighboring block. Sam is amazed  not to 
               say  stunned.

               INT. RECORDS POOL - DAY

               Sam is at his desk among all the desks. Documents are being 
               delivered right, left and centre through the vacuum tubes. 
               All the CLERKS are busy. The screens are devoted to their 
               proper use. All this activity is explained by the fact the 
               Mr. Kurtzman's door is wide open. At the next desk is 
               another Clerk much like Sam, his Neighbour.

                                     NEIGHBOUR
                         I think Kurtzman getting is 
                         suspicious.

                                     SAM
                         What have we got on today?

                                     NEIGHBOUR
                         Casablanca.

               Kurtzman appears in his doorway.

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (calls out)
                         Mr. Lowry! Would you step in here 
                         a moment please.

               We go with Kurtzman as he closes the office door behind 
               him, we are now in...

               INT. KURTZMAN'S OFFICE - DAY

               Kurtzman is pacing anxiously. Sam walks into the office. 
               During the brief opening and closing of the door we just 
               manage to hear the piano player in "Casablanca" singing, 
               "... a kiss is just a kiss..." Kurtzman is too worried to 
               notice. He is holding a piece of paper gingerly as if it 
               were contagious. He waves it frantically as Sam enters.

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (hysterically)
                         Thank God you're here! We're in 
                         terrible trouble! Look at this! 
                         Look at this!

               He thrusts the piece of paper at Sam.

                                     SAM
                              (taking the paper)
                         A cheque.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         The refund for Tuttle!

                                     SAM
                              (startled)
                         Tuttle?

                                     KURTZMAN
                         I mean, Buttle! It's been confusion 
                         from the word go!  He's been wrongly 
                         charged for Electromemorytherapy 
                         and someone somewhere is trying to 
                         make us carry the can!

                                     SAM
                         I've never seen a Ministry cheque 
                         before.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         We've got to get rid of it!  There's 
                         been a balls-up somewhere, and 
                         when the music stops they'll jump 
                         on whoever's holding the cheque!

                                     SAM
                         Send it to somebody else. Send it 
                         to Buttle. It's his cheque.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         I've tried that! Population Census 
                         have got him down as dormanted, 
                         the Central Collective Storehouse 
                         computer has got him down as 
                         deleted, and the Information 
                         Retrieval have got him down as 
                         inoperative... Security has him 
                         down as excised., Admin have him 
                         down as completed

                                     SAM
                         Hang on.

               Sam sits down at the console and punches keys. He does 
               this very efficiently, muttering to himself and generally 
               demonstrating an expertise which obviously leaves Kurtzman 
               way out of his depth, until

                                     SAM
                         He is dead.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Dead! Oh no! That's terrible! We'll 
                         never get rid of the damned thing! 
                         What are we going to do?

                                     SAM
                         Try next of kin.

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (a revelation)
                         Next of kin!

               Sam punches more keys.

                                     SAM
                         There we go. Mrs. Veronica Buttle. 
                         What's the number on the cheque?

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (reading it)
                         27156789/074328/K.

               Sam has been efficiently punching this in.

                                     SAM
                         Into memory. Now... Central 
                         Banking... Buttle, Veronica... 
                         Deposit Sam rips off a print out, 
                         rapidly stuffs it and the cheque 
                         into a cannister and then into a 
                         vacuum tube. A job well done.

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (fervently)
                         Please don't come back! Please 
                         don't come back!

               Unfortunately Kurtzman's prayers are not answered and the 
               vacuum tube returns almost immediately. Sam opens it up. 
               From the computer screen comes a voice "Play it again, 
               Sam"  Sam and Kurtzman look at the screen. We get a quick 
               glimpse of Humphrey Bogart before the screen reverts to 
               numbers.

                                     SAM
                         Problem. She doesn't have a bank 
                         account.

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (hysterically)
                         Well, that's it! I may as well go 
                         and hang myself! This sort of thing 
                         couldn't have happened before the 
                         stupid seventh tier reorganization!  
                         That was Simmons doing! And he and 
                         Jeffries always sit together at 
                         lunch! The bastards!
                              (he thumps his hand 
                              hard on the desk 
                              top)
                         Ow!
                              (he picks up the 
                              offending cheque)
                         Perhaps we can lose it... behind 
                         the filing cabinet... or destroy 
                         it... burn it... eat it...

               Under this tirade Sam has begun to hum "BRAZIL"  not 
               entirely sure what inspired him.

                                     SAM
                         You'd never get away with it. 
                         Besides, you can't do that to 
                         somebody's refund. It's Christmas. 
                         There is one more option.

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (depressed, not 
                              really believing 
                              it)
                         What?

                                     SAM
                         Drive out to Mrs. Buttle, give her 
                         the cheque, tell her to sign her 
                         name on the back, cash it at the 
                         corner sweet shop.

               Kurtzman is dumbfounded by the audacity of this.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         That's brilliant!

               Sam takes over. In no time at all he has battered away at 
               the keyboard, slammed a cannister into a vacuum tube and 
               received almost immediately a cannister containing a sheaf 
               of different coloured papers.

                                     SAM
                         I'll do it for you. Authorise the 
                         cheque. What's the address?

               Kurtzman scribbles it down for him.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Here. What do I do next?

                                     SAM
                         Call the motor pool and authorise 
                         personal transport.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Of course, of course. Leave it to 
                         me. How do I authorize a cheque?

                                     SAM
                              (separating the and 
                              blue sheets)
                         Here we are. Pink and blue receipts. 
                         All you've got to do is sign these 
                         and the back of the cheque.

               Kurtzman takes out his pen and tries to sign the papers 
               but his hand is giving him trouble.

                                     KURTZMAN
                              (exhausted after 
                              all the emotion)
                         Oh God! I think I've broken a bone. 
                         What a pathetic thing I am.

                                     SAM
                              (taking the pen 
                              from him)
                         Here.

               Sam signs the cheque and receipts. A big CLOSEUP shows 
               that he is scribbling Kurtzman's signature. Sam pockets 
               the papers and the pen.

                                     SAM
                         That's it.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         You are good to me Sam.

                                     SAM
                              (leaving)
                         Don't mention it. See you later.

               EXT. MOTORWAY TUNNEL - DAY

               CUT TO Sam at the wheel of the little car, beetling along 
               in a seemingly endless, tube-like tunnel, menaced fore and 
               aft by huge buses, lorries and other carriers which 
               literally lift the little three-wheeler from the road 
               surface and shake it by the scruff of its tiny neck.

               CUT TO Sam in interior of the Messerschmidt. He is singing 
               along to an obscure arrangement of "BRAZIL".

                                     RADIO
                              (plays music for a 
                              moment which then 
                              fades out)
                         ... We interrupt this programme to 
                         bring you news of a terrorist 
                         bombing at the...
                              (Sam switches off)

               EXT. MOTORWAY TUNNEL - DAY

               CUT TO EXTERIOR VIEW OF MESSERSCHMIDT still merrily 
               progressing in arterial tunnel. CUT TO very tiny exit sign: 
               "Exit 49"

                                                                 CUT TO:

               SAM

               Peering at sign.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               MESSERSCHMIDT

               Taking the exit just as a huge lorry roars by.

               EXT. BUTTLE FLATS - DAY

               Beautiful utopian block of high-rise flats gleam in the 
               sunlight. Pulling back we reveal it to be an architect's 
               model in a protective perspex case standing in the centre 
               of a decorative fountain that has long ceased to work  
               graffiti and junk are now the only decorations. In the 
               background is the grim reality of the massive housing tower. 
               Sam's Messerschmidt is just puling up in the shadow of the 
               building which is grey, decrepid, vandalised. Huge conduits, 
               pipes, and tubing frame the scene. Sam gets out of the car 
               under the cool and none-too-friendly gaze of a few LOCALS. 
               Self-consciously, Sam looks around him, then at the paper 
               in his hand. A little group of KIDS sit pitching pennies 
               against a wall. Sam goes over to them.

                                     SAM
                              (super polite)
                         Excuse me. Can you tell me...

               But before he can finish, the smallest, tiny KID looks up.

                                     KID
                         Eff off.

               Sam, uncomfortably, effs off.

               He is watched, at some distance, imapassively by the little 
               Girl Butttle. As Sam enters the buildings one of the kids 
               gets out a can of something and approaches the car. Another 
               is fiddling, with a box of matches.

               INT. BUTTLE FLATS - DAY

               CUT TO Sam hesitantly walking into the semi-derelict lobby 
               of the big block of flats. Graffiti, vandalism are in 
               evidence everywhere. He walks up to the lift. Pushes the 
               button. Nothing happens. He pushes again. This time the 
               lift door shudders and sparks. Sam tries to pull the doors 
               apart. They jam open with a three-inch gap between them  
               still shuddering and grinding. In the sparking light, Sam 
               can make out an interior crammed with garbage, junk, old 
               furniture, dead cats. Yechhhh. Resignedly, he turns towards 
               the stairs.

               INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

               CUT TO Sam coming breathlessly out of the stairwell. On 
               the wall next to it is the number 37. Walking down the 
               corridor he looks at the number and starts to knock, but 
               then notices that the door is cracked open. Sam tries to 
               knock on the door, but it keeps edging open and he settles 
               for knocking on the door frame a bit feebly.

                                     SAM
                         Mrs. Buttle
                              (silence)
                         Uh, Mrs. Buttle?
                              (silence)
                         Sam stands not knowing what to do. 
                         Sam pushes the door a bit more 
                         open gingerly and puts about 65 
                         per cent of his body into the hall 
                         of the flat. CUT TO SAM'S POV of 
                         darkish hall.  Mrs. Buttle...

               INT. BUTTLE SITTING ROOM - DAY

               CUT TO Sam entering extremely tacky sitting-room shrouded 
               in half-darkness. This is the same flat from which the 
               FATHER was taken at the beginning of the film: the hole is 
               still in the ceiling. Sam becomes aware of a woman sitting 
               absolutely still at a small table by the only (still broken) 
               window in the room.

                                     SAM
                         Are you Mrs. Buttle?

               The woman nods very slightly without looking at him.

                                     SAM
                         My name is Lowry  Sam Lowry. I'm 
                         from the Ministry of Information.
                              (no response)
                         I've come to give you a cheque.

               Sam takes the cheque out of his pocket and puts it on the 
               table to tempt Mrs. Buttle into a flicker of interest but 
               she fails to notice it  or him for that matter. Sam pushes 
               the cheque a little way towards Mrs. Buttle but she does 
               not respond.

                                     SAM
                              (indicting cheque)
                         It's a refund... I'm afraid there 
                         was a mistake.

                                     MRS. BUTTLE
                         Mistake?

                                     SAM
                              (encouraged)
                         Yes. Not my department... I'm only 
                         records. It seems that Mr. Buttle 
                         was overcharged by Information 
                         Retrieval. I don't think they 
                         usually make mistakes... but, er... 
                         I suppose we're all human.

               Sam looks around and sees the hole in the ceiling.

                                     SAM
                         Oh... what happened to the...?

               He gets nothing back.

               Actually, my bringing this here is rather unorthodox... 
               Usually any payments are made through the central 
               computer... but, er... there were certain difficulties, 
               and rather than cause delay, we thought you might appreciate 
               this now... it being Christmas.

                                     MRS. BUTTLE
                         My husband's dead, isn't he?

                                     SAM
                         Er... I assure you Mrs. Buttle, 
                         the Ministry is always very 
                         scrupulous about following up and 
                         eradicating error. If you have any 
                         complaints which you'd like to 
                         make, I'd be more than happy to 
                         send you the appropriate forms.

                                     MRS. BUTTLE
                         What have you done with his body?

                                     SAM
                         Um...

               Mrs. Buttle starts to cry.

                                     SAM
                         Look, I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid 
                         I don't know anything about it... 
                         I'm really just delivering the 
                         cheque. Er... If you wouldn't mind 
                         signing these receipts
                              (producing blue and 
                              pink receipts)
                         I'll go and leave you in peace.

               Sam picks up the cheque and gives it to Mrs. Buttle together 
               with the receipts. Mrs. Buttle tears them up and throws 
               them in his face.

                                     SAM
                         Uh...

                                     MRS. BUTTLE
                         He hadn't done anything... He was 
                         good... What have you done with 
                         his body?

               Sam looks around for an escape and sees a Young Buttle 
               standing in the doorway. The Boy is looking at him with a 
               blank tearful face. Suddenly the Boy launches himself at 
               Sam with terrible ferocity. Sam is knocked against the 
               wall. A mirror falls off the wall and smashes on the floor. 
               The Boy is all over Sam kicking and pulling his hair. Mrs. 
               Buttle's reaction, however, is to try and pull the Boy 
               away from Sam. By the time she succeeds, Sam is on his 
               hands and knees, in pain. The Boy is crying and shouting, 
               and Mrs. Buttle is loudly trying to quieten the Boy. From 
               SAM'S POV, a piece of broken mirror lying on the floor 
               reflects the hole in the ceiling... with Jill's head and 
               shoulders framed in the hole. The moment is unreal for Sam 
               in his dazed condition. The vision seems unreal too. Jill 
               is staring at Sam out of the piece of mirror and. she's 
               very much the Girl from his dream now.

                                     JILL
                         Are you alright?

                                     SAM
                              (mumbles)
                         It's you... it's you...

                                     JILL
                         Mrs. Buttle, are you alright?

               Sam grabs at the image, i.e. at the mirror, shifting the 
               angle so that the vision disappears. He looks for the vision 
               on the floor but can't find it. Then he begins to realise 
               the reality of what he has seen. He stands up, dazed and 
               battered. Mrs. Buttle has been looking up at the ceiling. 
               Sam looks up at the ceiling but there is now only the empty 
               space of the hole.

                                     SAM
                         Wait! Stop! Come back!!

               Mrs. Buttle is shouting. Sam rushes out of the flat.

               INT. BUTTLE'S CORRIDOR - DAY

               Sam looks both ways and heads for the stairs.

               INT. BUTTLE'S STAIRCASE - DAY

               Sam runs up the stairs to the floor above and finds himself 
               in

               EXT. SIMILAR CORRIDOR - DAY

               He runs along the corridor but has omitted to count the 
               doors downstairs and now doesn't know which door to knock 
               at. He hesitates. He rings the bell on what he hopes is 
               the right door. The bell doesn't work. He bangs on the 
               door. The door opens a crack. A malevolent eye looks at 
               him.

                                     SAM
                         Girl... fair hair...

               The door shuts firmly. Sam rushes to the next door.

               INT. JILL'S FLAT - DAY

               Sam bursts into Jill's flat. He sees the hole in the floor. 
               The place looks derelict. He hears an explosion and looks 
               out of a window to see his car in flames. Jill is apparently 
               retreating from it across the forecourt. She is carrying a 
               suitcase and bundles.

               INT. STAIRCASE - DAY

               Sam rushes down the stairs.

               EXT. BLOCK OF FLATS - DAY

               Sam charges out into the open air. Jill has disappeared. 
               The Messerchmidt, however, is in flames. Sam doesn't know 
               which way to turn. Spotting an old mattress lying by the 
               building he grabs it and throws it over the car in an 
               attempt to smother the flames. The group of CHILDREN watch 
               him silently. Suddenly with a great roar, Jill's lorry 
               comes round the corner at speed. Sam sees that Jill is at 
               the wheel. Sam runs after the lorry.

                                     SAM
                              (shouting)
                         Wait! It was nothing to do with 
                         me!

               The lorry roars away. Sam dashes back to his smoldering 
               three-wheeler. He flings himself into it and starts it up. 
               He also roars away, except that he doesn't move... all 
               three wheels have been removed. He turns round in despair 
               and sees the group of children regarding him 
               expressionlessly.

               They include the little Girl Buttle.

               Defeated, he slumps down against his charred vehicle. A 
               shadow passes across his face. Looking up he sees Girl 
               Buttle standing over him.

                                     SAM
                         Go away.

                                     GIRL BUTTLE
                         Her name is Jill.

                                     SAM
                         What?... Jill? Jill who? Jill who?

                                     GIRL BUTTLE
                         Layton.

                                     SAM
                         Jill Layton...
                              (getting up)
                         You're a very good little girl. 
                         What are you doing here?

                                     GIRL BUTTLE
                         I'm waiting for my daddy.

                                     SAM
                              (uncomprehending)
                         He will be pleased when he comes 
                         home.

               Girl Buttle doesn't answer and Sam starts to walk away. 
               After a few yards, the thought strikes him: he turns back 
               to look at the little Girl Buttle who stands alone patiently 
               in the vandalised wilderness.

               INT. RECORD CLERKS POOL - DAY

               It is the end of the work day. The Clerks are busily getting 
               their coats and leaving the office. As the last one goes 
               Mr. Kurtzman comes out of his private office with his hat 
               and coat on. He turns out the office light. He sees Sam 
               isolated in the empty room, still working at his computer 
               console. Totally absorbed in what he is doing.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Oh... Sam. I've had the transport 
                         pool onto me... You don't know 
                         anything about a personnel 
                         transporter gone missing do you?

               Sam doesn't seem to hear him. On the computer screen is a 
               front and side view picture of Jill. Her name and code 
               number is at the top of the screen. Sam is punching up 
               personal dossier information like "age", "height", "weight", 
               "colour of hair", "colour of eyes", "distinguishing marks" 
               etc.

                                     SAM
                              (preoccupied)
                         A "personnel" transporter?  They've 
                         got it wrong. I had a personal 
                         transporter. I'll do the paperwork 
                         tomorrow Sam punches up a few more 
                         categories for Jill's dossier.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Is it all right about Mrs. Buttle's 
                         cheque?

                                     SAM
                         I delivered it.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Can I forget it?

                                     SAM
                         Yes.

               Sam punches a few more buttons on the computer.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         What a relief!
                              (on reflection)
                         I shall probably have nightmares.

               At this point the word "Classified" superimposes itself 
               over most of the screen and "IRQ/3" starts agitating at 
               the bottom

                                     SAM
                         Damn! Blast!

                                     KURTZMAN
                         What's the matter?

                                     SAM
                         You don't happen to know how I can 
                         get around an IRQ/3 do you?

                                     KURTZMAN
                         All information on 3rd Level 
                         Suspects is classified.

                                     SAM
                         I know that.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         All enquiries to Information 
                         Retrieval. Which is hopeless, of 
                         course. They never tell you 
                         anything. But come the time they 
                         want something from us...

               Throughout this verbal wallpaper Sam has been punching 
               keys cancelling the CLASSIFIED overprint. He then punches 
               in the code for a hard-copy print-out. Jill's two-view 
               computer portrait rolls out as Sam ponders his options.

                                     SAM
                              (cutting off Kurtzman)
                         I've go to accept that promotion 
                         to get behind this, haven't I?

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Yes.
                              (realising what 
                              he's suggesting)
                         NO! You can't! You've only just 
                         turned it down!
                              (thinking Sam is 
                              joking)

                                     SAM
                         I never signed the form.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         I did it for you.

                                     SAM
                         What! Shit!

                                     KURTZMAN
                         It's what you wanted isn't it?

                                     SAM
                         Yes... No... I don't, know.

               Kurtzman picks up Jill's print-out and glances at it. He 
               grimaces and drops it back on the desk with a shudder.

                                     KURTZMAN
                         Come on, before they turn the lights 
                         out.

               Sam nods. He turns off the machine. He stands up and follows 
               Kurtzman towards the door. The door is some distance away, 
               and before they get there all the lights go out. Kurtzman 
               bumps into a desk and curses.

               INT. TRANSPORT CAGE - EVENING

               Packed tightly between other passengers Sam is busy drawing 
               long flowing hair with a pencil on the computer print-out 
               of Jill turning her into the Dream Girl. The transport 
               cage rattles through its elevated tube towards a tower 
               block.

               INT. SAM'S CORRIDOR - EVENING

               The transport cage arrives at the platform forming the end 
               of Sam's corridor. Passengers disembark and head for various 
               doors along the corridor. Sam almost fails to get off in 
               time  so concentrated on Jill's picture is he. Looking as 
               if he's trying to make up his mind about something he heads 
               for his own front door.

               INT. SAM'S FLAT - EVENING

               Sam enters. The place is in a state of turmoil. Servicing 
               panels are off the walls. Conduit, ducting, pipes, unknown 
               mechanical horrors spew from the wall as if the place was 
               disemboweled. Spoor stands in the middle of it all trying 
               to direct two other WORKMEN who are poring over wiring 
               plans which seem to make little sense to them. Dowser is 
               not visible but there is a great deal of clunking and 
               banging going on somewhere behind the wall.

                                     SAM
                         What the  ? How did you  ?

                                     SPOOR
                         Emergency procedures.

                                     DOWSER (O.S.)
                              (muffled)
                         ... ergency procedures.

                                     SAM
                              (angrily)
                         I haven't got an emergency. Get 
                         out of here.

               For reply Spoor whips a small tape-recorder out of his bag 
               and plays back Sam's original phone call to Central 
               Services, claiming "an emergency". Spoor shuts off his 
               machine, puts back into his bag and comes out with what 
               looks like a quite thin phone hook with carbon paper between 
               each page. Spoor indicates the bottom of page 1.

                                     SPOOR
                         Sign here please.

                                     SAM
                         What is it?

                                     SPOOR
                              (surprised)
                         It's a 27B/6, what did you think 
                         it was?

               Sam takes out Kurtzman's old-fashioned fountain pen from 
               his pocket, signs where indicated. Spoor registers that 
               Sam's signature has hardly penetrated through he first 
               carbon let alone the other 43.

                                     SPOOR
                              (sourly)
                         Haven't you got a ballpoint?

               Sam resignedly starts signing all the other pages one by 
               one. Spoor realises that Dowser's echo has gone missing.

                                     SPOOR
                         Now where's he got to?
                              (shouts)
                         Dowser!

               Dowser bursts through a panel in the wall. This is the 
               panel which Tuttle had removed and replaced. A few of the 
               flat's intestines have come out with Dowser. Dowser has 
               made a find  Tuttle's spare part.

                                     SPOOR
                         What have you got there?

                                     DOWSER
                              (highly excited)
                         Got there!

               Dowser points to Tuttle's spare part which is hanging out 
               of the wall attached to rubber tube. Spoor examines this 
               closely. Sam watches alarmed. The two men go into a mumbling 
               huddle.

                                     SPOOR
                         Mumble... mumble... mumble... Tuttle

                                     DOWSER
                         Mumble... Tuttle...

                                     SPOOR
                         Tuttle!... mumble!
                              (to Sam)
                         You've had that scab Tuttle here, 
                         haven't you?

                                     DOWSER
                         ... aren't you?

                                     SAM
                         What?

                                     SPOOR
                         Who fixed your ducts?

                                     DOWSER
                         ... your ducts?

                                     SAM
                         I fixed it myself.

                                     SPOOR
                         Oh yeh? Where'd you get this from 
                         eh...
                              (he holds up Tuttle's 
                              spare part)
                         ... out yer nostril?

                                     DOWSER
                         ... Yer nostril?

                                     SPOOR
                         Central Services don't take kindly 
                         to sabotage!

                                     DOWSER
                         ... sabotage!

               Spoor and Dowser and the other workmen gather up their 
               tools  put them in the bag, grab everything else that 
               belongs to them and are leaving. Spoor grabs the form-book 
               out of Sam's hands, rips out the last page, thrusts that 
               page at Sam, shoves the book into his bag. The workmen 
               begin leaving the flat.

                                     SAM
                         Hang on! Wait a minute! You can't 
                         just go and leave it like this!

                                     SPOOR
                              (mock innocent)
                         Why not? All you've got to do is 
                         blow yer nose and fix it, haven't 
                         you?

                                     DOWSER
                         ... ven't you?

                                     SPOOR
                              (leaving)
                         You're putting your talents to 
                         very odd use Mr. Lowry  yes, odd 
                         use  to pit wits against Central 
                         Services

                                     DOWSER
                         ... sod you, stupid twit.

               They go, slamming the door behind hem, leaving Sam in the 
               ruins of his flat.

               Sam stands in the maimed sitting-room. Wall panels are 
               off. Tubes, ducting wires etc. spill out into the room 
               like greasy intestines. Sam more or less collapses onto a 
               couch. He stares at the ceiling. The room is gently 
               hiccoughing and belching around him. He stares at the print-
               out of Jill's face. Slowly it dissolves into the Dream 
               Girl.

               EXT. CONDUIT FOREST - NIGHT

               Dream Girl's face fills screen. The camera pulls back to 
               reveal that she is separated from us by a tangled forest 
               of conduit/ducting-like vines. Sam is struggling through 
               the vines, which grab at him, entwine and entangle him. 
               Finally bursting free he reaches out for the Girl hovering 
               before him, But as he embraces her she dissolves in smoke 
               and he plummet into a void beneath his feet.

               EXT. CLOUDS - NIGHT

               CUT TO Sam plummeting down through dense clouds, his cape 
               twisting around him. Somehow he manages to wrestle it clear 
               of his body. Gripping the corners he whips the cape up and 
               over his head. The wind catches it and fills it out until 
               it acts as a parachute slowing Sam's descent. Suddenly the 
               clouds thin out and Sam can see below him.

               EXT. STRANGE LANDSCAPE ANTI - DAY

               Sam is heading down towards a barren landscape. Strange 
               mounds dot the barrenness  they ooze smoke and the 
               occasional flame. Near one of the mounds are two long lines 
               of shrouded FIGURES being forced into two giant cages, 
               suspended beneath two great misshapen balloons. The black-
               robed Forces of Darkness (FOD) surround the PRISONERS, 
               relentlessly herding them towards the cages. The entire 
               scene is strangely coloured by unearthly light. The sky is 
               blood red and where the sun should be is a black disc. Sam 
               descends on his cape-parachute.

               CUT TO PRISONERS in their grey shrouds, shuffling towards 
               the jaws of the brutal cages. They are defeated, destroyed, 
               without hope. The FOD prod and whip them forward. One of 
               the FOD raises his spear to force a stumbling PRISONER to 
               his feet but stops with the spear raised above his head.  
               He has seen something. Other FODS turn to see what it is. 
               CUT TO

               Sam landing on the beach  a short distance away. The 
               prisoners stop and look up. We see their faces clearly for 
               the first time. One of them is Mrs. Buttle. Others are 
               people Sam saw in the flats, and the kids. Sam recognises 
               them. He is slightly taken aback. A look of determination 
               crosses his face. He draws the sword. Everyone is frozen 
               in place. Sam starts forward. But he is stopped by a violent 
               tremor as the earth begins to tremble and shake. Everyone 
               looks terrified. With a mighty roar a crack opens up in 
               the ground between Sam and the others. Brilliant rays of 
               light shaft upwards from the opening. And then, with a 
               maniacal shriek, the large black flapping thing shoots out 
               of the crevasse and streaks high into the sky. Sam hesitates 
               and turns to look down into the light. There, under several 
               meters of the earth's crust are fluffy white clouds darting 
               about in a beautiful blue sky. Sam is delighted but as he 
               looks up he is frozen in his tracks by an enormous FIGURE 
               that straddles the crevasse. This terrifying Creature stands 
               over 12 feet high. He is encased in a frightening concoction 
               of ancient Japanese armour which seems on closer examination 
               to he made of computer parts. His face is hidden behind a 
               horrific steel mask. It is the Giant Samurai Warrior that 
               was pushing the drawer closed in the Storeroom of Knowledge. 
               In his hand is an evil-looking spear. Sam is unsure which 
               way to turn. The grey Prisoners are being loaded into the 
               cages with more speed. He turns to face the Giant Warrior. 
               As Sam steps forward the Giant stands ominously still. 
               Then very slowly he raises his spear in an almost religious 
               gesture. POOF! He vanishes. As he does the light from the 
               day is cut off. Looking down, Sam sees that he crevasse 
               has vanished as well. Maniacal laughter from the flapping 
               black thing makes Sam look up to see the ballooned cage 
               packed with grey Prisoners rise up from the ground and 
               begin to float away escorted by the Black flapping Thing. 
               Sam rushes after it grabbing one of the trailing ropes. 
               But as he is hoisted into the air it is severed by the 
               FODS. He tumbles to the ground. Looking around he sees 
               that, for some reason, the second ballooned cage is still 
               tethered nearby. Sam rushes over to it and begins chopping 
               the tethers away. The cage bobbles ungainlily as Sam cuts 
               the last restraining rope. Grabbing hold he is pulled 
               upwards, but before he can reach the cage something clutches 
               his leg halting his progress. As he struggles his other 
               leg is caught. He is being pulled back by two giant hands. 
               Looking down he can see that from the top of one of the 
               smoking mounds a head an

               d two giant arms protrude. The face looks like Mr. Kurtzman. 
               Sam desperately clings on to the rope as he struggles with 
               the restraining hands.

                                     MR. KURTZMAN OF THE MOUND
                         Don't go! It's a trap! She's not 
                         what she seems.

               Sam kicks and strains but the hands hold firm.

               INT. SAM'S FLAT - NIGHT

               Sam wakes up. His feet are entangled in some wiring and 
               ducting. He is still in his devastated sitting room. As he 
               untangles himself the door bell rings. It takes a moment 
               for Sam to recognise it as the door bell. Annoyed and still 
               disturbed by the dream he gets up and goes to the door. He 
               opens it. In bursts a GIRL dressed in a silly bell-boy 
               costume with lots of glitter, net stockings and big-bowed 
               tap dancing shoes. She launches into a terrible song and 
               dance routine.

                                     GIRL
                              (singing)
                         Mrs. Ida Lowry requests the pleasure 
                         of your companyyyy at her apartment 
                         tonight, from eight thirtyyyy 
                         midnight to celebrate the completion 
                         of her recent cosmetic surgeryyyy 
                         The guest of honour will be Mr. 
                         Conrad Helpmann, Dep. Under Minister 
                         of State for Public Information, 
                         R.S.V.P. by singing telegram.

               Sam and the Girl stand looking at each other uneasily for 
               a moment.

                                     SAM
                         Er... Thanks...

                                     GIRL
                         It's reply paid.

                                     SAM
                         Oh...
                              (he sings uncertainly)
                         Thank you very much, mother, but 
                         actually

                                     GIRL
                         You don't have to sing it.

                                     SAM
                         Oh, right...

               The Girl begins to dance again  but this time in a rather 
               strange strangled fashion.

                                     SAM
                              (he looks at his 
                              watch)
                         Aren't you a bit late?  the party 
                         started half an hour ago.

                                     GIRL
                         Yes, I know. It's the backlog, 
                         everybody complains. Was it all 
                         right otherwise?

                                     SAM
                         Yes, it was... very nice... thank 
                         you.

                                     GIRL
                         Do you mind if I use your bathroom?

               INT. MOTHER' S CORRIDOR - NIGHT

               Sam rings the doorbell to his mother's flat. He is wearing. 
               an unstylish tuxedo and bow tie  obviously his only dress 
               outfit. The door is opened by a LIVERIED FLUNKY who's about 
               to speak when an attractive 40-year old woman's face appears 
               over his shoulder and addresses Sam over the threshold.

                                     WOMAN
                         Sam, I'm so glad you came. Do come 
                         in.

               INT. MOTHER'S FLAT - NIGHT

               Sam steps inside, where the flunky proceeds to search him. 
               The place is full of sleek people  smartly but less formally 
               dresses than Sam. It is an elegant baroque room  lavishly 
               appointed but still violated by the ubiquitous Central 
               Service ducts that thrust through antique tapestries and 
               gilt mirrors with little regard for aesthetics or the 
               interior decorator's feelings.

                                     SAM
                              (bewildered)
                         Mother? Is that you?

                                     MOTHER
                              (taking his arm  
                              looking slightly 
                              askance at his 
                              clothes)
                         Of course. Isn't it wonderful? The 
                         bandages came of this afternoon. 
                         Come and join the fun. Everybody's 
                         here.

                                     SAM
                         Is Mr. Helpmann here?

                                     MOTHER
                         Yes he is  he wants to talk to 
                         you.

                                     SAM
                         I want to talk to him.

               Sam pushes away the Flunky who is by now passing a metal 
               detector over him.

                                     MOTHER
                         It seems you're the first person 
                         ever to turn down a promotion. He 
                         thinks you should see a doctor.

                                     SAM
                         Actually, I've decided...

               DR. JAFFE hoves into view.

                                     MOTHER
                         Oh, Louis! You know Sam.

               Dr. Jaffe is no longer suave. He has been transformed by 
               drink and success. Mostly by drink.

                                     DR. JAFFE
                              (as high as a kite)
                         Can you believe it?! Just me and 
                         my little knife! Snip  snip  slice  
                         slice  Can you believe it?

                                     SAM
                              (repelled)
                         Congratulations...

                                     DR. JAFFE
                         And this is just the beginning!!

                                     SAM
                         Really?

                                     DR. JAFFE
                         Chirst yes, you've seen her with 
                         her clothes off. Faces are a doddle 
                         compared to tits and arse.
                              (explains)
                         No hairline.

                                     MOTHER
                              (primly)
                         Really, Louis.

               A handsome young piece of BEEFCAKE delivers a drink to 
               Mother.

                                     BEEFCAKE
                         I've been looking everywhere for 
                         you, Ida.

               The beefcake takes Mother away.

                                     DR. JAFFE
                         Ah, dear boy... And what do you 
                         think of your mother now?

                                     VOICE
                              (off camera)
                         It will never last.

               Sam and Dr. Jaffe turn to see who is speaking. It is DR. 
               CHAPMAN a tall, pipe-smoking, professional-looking gent.

                                     DR. JAFFE
                              (a trifle haughtily)
                         Excuse me, Dr Chapman, did you say 
                         something?

                                     DR. CHAPMAN
                         That technique... I've tried it. A 
                         nice effect. But highly unstable.  
                         In six months she'll look like 
                         Grandma Moses.

               Sam wishing to escape from this bitchery turns away but 
               suddenly freezes  the reflection in the large wall mirror 
               next to him is not that of the party guests  but of the 
               grey Prisoners in his dream  they are massed in the room 
               looking pleadingly towards him.

                                     DR. JAFFE
                              (unsuave again)
                         Now see here, Chapman. At least 
                         mine don't look like they've been 
                         mugged.

               Through the grey Prisoners pushes Mrs. Terrain.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                              (calls)
                         Sam!

               Sam turns around to see her pushing through the party 
               guests.

               Mrs. Terrain is limping and is even more heavily swathed 
               in bandages than the last time.

               Dr. Chapman hastily moves away as Mrs. Terrain comes up. 
               She claims Sam, taking his arm.

                                     SAM
                              (looking at her 
                              worriedly)
                         Whatever happened to you?

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         There was a slight complication. 
                         Dr. Chapman says it often happens 
                         with a delicate skin like mine. 
                         Nothing to worry about. He's 
                         promised me I'll have these bandages 
                         off in a...

                                     SAM
                              (trying to disengage)
                         Actually, there's someone I want 
                         to meet...

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                              (roguishly)
                         I know, I know...!

               She drags Sam through the party and we arrive at her 
               daughter, SHIRLEY, who is, of course, a wallflower.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Here we are! I'm going to leave 
                         you two lovebirds in peace.

                                     SAM
                         I... uh...

               But he is alone with Shirley, standing at the entrance to 
               his Mother's embarrassingly rampant boudoir style bedroom.  
               In amongst the diaphanous curtains enclosing the bed Mother 
               is playing hide and seek with a YOUNG STUD.

                                     SAM
                         Can I get you a drink, Shirley?

               Shirley looks at him terrified.

                                     SAM
                         Look... Shirley... your mother... 
                         and my mother... they seem to have 
                         got the idea... I mean, I'm terribly 
                         flattered, of course, but, um, the 
                         thing is, I don't want you to be 
                         under any false...

                                     SHIRLEY
                              (struggling into 
                              speech shyly)
                         It's... it's... all right... I 
                         don't like you either...

               This isn't what Sam expected. He smiles weakly at her.

                                     VOICE
                              (off camera)
                         Sam!

               Sam turns round, to see Jack Lint a few paces away.

                                     SAM
                         Hello, Jack!

                                     JACK
                         You remember Alison?

               He indicates his cute blonde perfect junior executive's 
               WIFE

                                     SAM
                         Hello, Alison. You look different.

                                     ALISON
                         Well, I'm two years older.

                                     JACK
                         And she's been to Dr. Jaffe!

               Alison locks displeased.

                                     JACK
                              (winking at Sam)
                         She doesn't like me telling anyone 
                         but she's pleased as anything 
                         really.

                                     SAM
                         Er, I knew you looked different.

                                     JACK
                         Remember how they used to stick 
                         out?

                                     SAM
                         What?  Oh, yes  vividly. I used to 
                         wonder if they were real.

                                     ALISON
                         What, my ears?

                                     SAM
                         Your ears?

                                     JACK
                         Dr. Jaffe has pinned her ears back.

                                     SAM
                              (covering up 
                              hopelessly)
                         Quite, absolutely  I always thought 
                         they were false.

                                     JACK
                              (looking past Sam)
                         Mr. Helpmann!

               Sam spins round and sees a very pleasant-looking 
               distinguished OLD MAN moving in their direction. He is in 
               a wheelchair.

                                     HELPMANN
                         Hello, Jack.

                                     JACK
                         You remember my wife... Alis

                                     HELPMANN
                         Of course. Barbara isn't it? How 
                         are you?

                                     ALISON
                         Um...

                                     JACK
                              (instantly. Conveying 
                              to Alison that she 
                              mustn't object)
                         Barbara's very well, thank you, 
                         sir. How are you?

                                     HELPMANN
                         Fine, thank you. Hello, Sam. Ida 
                         said you might be here. Have you 
                         got a minute?
                              (to Jack)
                         Would you excuse us?

               Jack is taken aback, envious and eager to please.

                                     JACK
                         Of course... of course... Come on 
                         Alison  Barbara Jack propels his 
                         wife away.

                                     HELPMANN
                         I need your help, Sam.

               INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

               It's the sort of bathroom you would expect of Mother, an 
               adjunct to her boudoir. The pink or purple lavatory is in 
               the process of flushing, while Sam holds Mr. Helpmann 
               vertical, grasping him under the armpits, while Mr. Helpmann 
               is zipping his fly.

                                     HELPMANN
                         Thanks very much Sam.

                                     SAM
                         That's all right Mr. Helpmann. 
                         Glad to help.

               He is lowering Helpmann into the wheelchair.

                                     HELPMANN
                         If I can help you...

                                     SAM
                              (broaching the 
                              subject)
                         Well, I...

               In maneuvering Helpmann Sam clumsily knocks over one of 
               the pretty pots which fussily decorate Mother's bathroom 
               shelf. A thin layer of powder is spread over the wash-stand.

                                     SAM
                         Sorry...

                                     HELPMANN
                         Your father and I were very close. 
                         Of course Jeremiah was senior to 
                         me but we were close friends... 
                         especially after the bombing...
                              (he indicates his 
                              legs)
                         ... and I...
                              (chuckles)
                         ... keep his name alive at the 
                         office every day.

               With his finger Helpmann is tracing letters in the powdered 
               surface.

                                     HELPMANN
                         It's as though he's there speaking 
                         to me  "'ere I am, J.H.!" The ghost 
                         in the machine.

               We see that Helpmann has traced the letters "EREIAMJH" in 
               the powder.

                                     HELPMANN
                         I know he would have wanted me to 
                         help you... And I promised your 
                         mother I'd take you onto the team 
                         at information Retrieval. But I 
                         gather that...

                                     SAM
                         Mr. Helpmann. I've changed my mind. 
                         I'd like to accept the transfer  
                         am I too late?

                                     HELPMANN
                         Too late? That's for me to say.

                                     SAM
                         Well... well, I...

               Helpmann puts out his hand. Sam takes it.

                                     HELPMANN
                         Welcome to Information Retrieval!

               Helpmann blows away the spilled powder and "EREIAMJH" with 
               it.

               INT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL LOBBY - DAY

               CUT TO WIDE SHOT of massive imposing lobby  much like the 
               Records lobby  but this one is very austere. No crowds. No 
               statues. No decoration. Not even the ever-present security 
               checks. Impressive. And a bit unnerving. Framed in the 
               doorway is a lone TINY FIGURE. CUT TO CLOSEUP. It's Sam. 
               He hesitates and then enters.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               VIDEO SCREEN

               The video camera follows Sam across the lobby  til he stops 
               in tight profile at Reception Desk. We tilt up revealing 
               Sam standing facing us just beyond the monitor which is on 
               the desk.

                                     SAM
                              (diffidently to the 
                              porter)
                         My name is Sam Lowry. I have to 
                         report to Mr. Warren.

                                     PORTER
                              (looking down his 
                              nose at Sam's 
                              unsleek clerk's 
                              suit and then 
                              handing him an 
                              I.D. badge)
                         Thirtieth floor, sir. You're 
                         expected.

                                     SAM
                         Er, don't you want to search me?

                                     PORTER
                         No, sir.

                                     SAM
                              (taken aback. 
                              Reaching into his 
                              pocket)
                         My I.D. cards.

                                     PORTER
                         No need, sir

                                     SAM
                              (nonplussed)
                         But I could be anybody.

                                     PORTER
                         No you couldn't, sir. This is 
                         Information Retrieval.
                              (indicating to the 
                              right)
                         the lift's arrived, sir.

               INT. 30TH FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY

               Sam steps out of the lift.The lift doors close. Sam looks 
               up and down the corridor hearing nothing. Silence. Then 
               he, and we, begin to hear a sound. It is a curious whirring 
               murmuring tummeling sound, and it seems to be growing 
               closer. Suddenly a scrum of PEOPLE swings into view around 
               a corner at the far end of the rather long corridor. At 
               the centre of the scrum is a TALL MAN with a magisterial 
               expression and an air of eternal bustle. This is MR. WARREN. 
               He is surrounded by the EXPEDITERS who are competing for 
               his attention with bits of paper and bits of sentences. 
               Mr. Warren is snapping out decisions. Satisfied Expediters 
               drop out of the scrum at intervals, disappearing one at a 
               time through one of the many doors which line both sides 
               of the corridor.The scrum doesn't get any smaller because 
               new Expediters dart out of other doors and join the milling 
               MOB. The whole circus is coming by Sam at the rate of knots. 
               The sound it makes breaks down into something like this.

                                     EXPEDITER #1
                              (waving pager)
                         Mr. Warren, this order...

                                     EXPEDITER #2
                              (waving same)
                         Mr. Warren...

                                     EXPEDITER #3
                              (ditto)
                         About this invoice... Victim's 
                         list...

                                     WARREN
                              (dealing on all 
                              sides)
                         Yes... No... send that back... 
                         wrong department... of course... 
                         of course not... yes... no... maybe.

               CUT TO Sam watching this caravanserai with awe as it starts 
               pass him.

                                     EXPEDITER #4
                         ... about these requisitions...

                                     EXPEDITER #5
                         Mr. Warren... EX/27 has 15 suspects 
                         still outstanding.

                                     EXPEDITER #6
                         ... a decision, Mr. Warren...

                                     WARREN
                         ... cancel that... okay... put 
                         half as terrorists, the rest as 
                         victims... yes... yes... no... 
                         definitely no...

               Sam doesn't have the nerve to jump into this. The scrum 
               sweeps by and fades away along the corridor, and finally 
               disappearing around the corner at the other end. Sam 
               follows. Silence has descended again.

               INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

               Sam gets to the corner of the corridor and finds a similar 
               corridor at right angles. He hesitates and continues. Then 
               he starts to hear the sound again. It is coming up from 
               behind. Mr. Warren has circumnavigated the building. The 
               same sort of business is being enacted at the same pace. 
               As the scrum reaches Sam he gathers his nerve and jumps 
               right in beside Warren, and keeps going.

                                     SAM
                              (in a hurry)
                         I'm Lowry, Mr. Warren... Sam Lowry.

                                     WARREN
                              (putting arm around 
                              Sam)
                         Ah. Lowry... yes.
                              (still dealing with 
                              Expediters)
                         ... no, cancel that... glad to 
                         have you aboard... yes... no... 
                         don't be ridiculous Jenkins... 
                         Yes, yes, yes... you'll like it up 
                         here... send that back... we've 
                         got a crack team of... are they 
                         kidding?... decision makers... No, 
                         in triplicate... I'm expecting big 
                         things... two copies to Finance... 
                         of you... send that to Security... 
                         uh, uh, uh.
                              (poring over forms)
                         Uh, don't let Progress see this... 
                         between you and me, Lowry, this... 
                         no, no... department... tell Records 
                         to get stuffed... is about to be 
                         upgraded and...

               Warren suddenly pivots around, swinging Sam 240 degrees in 
               the direction they came from plus a bit.

                                     WARREN
                         Ah, here we are!
                              (they are standing 
                              facing a door  one 
                              of the hundreds of 
                              identical doors 
                              lining these 
                              corridors)
                         What do you think?

               The door says: "OFFICER DZ/015"

               Sam has no idea what he ought to say.

                                     WARREN
                              (solemnly)
                         Your very own number... on your 
                         very own door... and behind that 
                         door
                              (he turns the knob 
                              and opens the door)
                         ... your very own office. 
                         Congratulations, DZ/015, welcome 
                         to the team.

               Warren whirls off in a flurry of paperwork and Expediters 
               leaving Sam standing dumfounded at the entrance to his 
               office.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               SAM'S POV OF THE OFFICE

               It is about four feet wide. A small blacked-out window 
               high on the far wall is bisected by what looks like a 
               recently constructed side wall. The room is bare except 
               for a chair and a desk which is also bisected by the new 
               wall. Pneumatic tubes hang from the ceiling. Sam slowly 
               enters the room.

               INT. SAM'S OFFICE - DAY

               Sam looks lost... disoriented. He doesn't know where to 
               begin because there's nothing to begin with. He squeezes 
               in behind his desk and for want of anything else to do 
               starts arranging his "in" and "out" baskets. There in his 
               "in" basket is one of the ubiquitous executive toys  gaily 
               wrapped with a card from Helpmann  Merry Xmas & Welcome. 
               Sam can't quite believe. He returns to lining up his 
               pencils, placing a couple of bocks (phone books) against 
               the wall on the left extreme of his desk. Sam turns his 
               attention away from the books when suddenly they both fall 
               over with a "plop". Puzzled, he stands the books up again, 
               turns his eyes away and "plop". Same result. Intrigued, a 
               bit exasperated, Sam carefully, and before his very eyes, 
               the desk begins to disappear into the wall, and "plop", 
               the books topple over. Puzzled, Sam grabs hold of the desk 
               and begins to try to pull it back through the wall. The 
               desk moves back an inch or so, but then stops, somehow 
               held stubbornly. Sam grits his teeth, reallllly pulls, 
               grimacing a bit, but the desk won't budge. Intrigued, Sam 
               gets up, goes around his desk and heads for the door.

               INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

               CUT TO Sam coming out of his office, turning right and 
               walking to the next door, the nameplate of which reads:

               "OFFICER DV/048."

               As is his custom, Sam opens the door without knocking.

               INT. LIME'S OFFICE - DAY

               CUT TO SAM'S POV. Here is an office much like his. It's 
               the other half of his room bisected by the partition wall. 
               The other half of his desk is occupied by a slimy looking, 
               round-headed little JUNIOR EXECUTIVE wholly occupied with 
               trying to drag a bit more of the desk into his office. He 
               is unaware of Sam.

                                     SAM
                         Hello.

               Lime startled, lets go of his desk and vents his irritation 
               on Sam whom he mistakes for someone else.

                                     LIME
                         No, you can't have any more chairs! 
                         There's only one left in here now, 
                         and I need that to sit on!
                              (realizing his 
                              mistake)
                         Oh... er, sorry. Who are you?

                                     SAM
                         Sam Lowry.

                                     LIME
                              (becoming unctuous)
                         Ah, yes, you're the new boy from 
                         next door, ha ha!
                              (he advances toward 
                              Sam with hand out 
                              to shake; shaking 
                              hands)
                         My name's Lime. Harvey Lime. Welcome 
                         to Expediting.

                                     SAM
                         Ah.
                              (he pauses  looking 
                              around)
                         Would you mind if I borrowed your 
                         computer console?

                                     LIME
                         What?

                                     SAM
                         I'll bring it back in ten minutes.

                                     LIME
                         You want to take my console into 
                         your office?

                                     SAM
                         Yes.

                                     LIME
                              (after a moment's 
                              consideration)
                         I'll tell you what... You tell me 
                         what and I'll do it for. I'm a bit 
                         of a whizz on this thing.
                              (indicates computer 
                              console)
                         Sam hesitates, but sees that there's 
                         no other way.

                                     SAM
                              (taking print-out 
                              on Jill from his 
                              pocket)
                         Alright. There's someone I want to 
                         check out. A woman called Gillian 
                         Layton.

                                     LIME
                              (leering)
                         A woman eh? I see.

                                     SAM
                              (trying to ignore 
                              this)
                         I know her age and distinguishing 
                         marks. But I need an address or a 
                         place of work or something

                                     LIME
                              (continuing to leer)
                         This is your dream girl, is it?

                                     SAM
                              (taken aback)
                         What?
                              (recovering)
                         Look, let me use the console for a 
                         few minutes.

                                     LIME
                              (trying to be jocular)
                         You must be joking
                              (entirely 
                              unconvincing)
                         When there's a woman involved  
                         there's no stopping me. Now, let 
                         me have that sheet.

               He takes Jill's print-out sheet from Sam and begins to 
               punch the keys laboriously with one finger. Nothing happens.

                                     LIME
                         Sod it, it's broken!

                                     SAM
                         You haven't switched it on.

                                     LIME
                         Oh  yes. Look you're putting me 
                         off, standing there! Go back to 
                         your office and I'll give you a 
                         knock when I've finished.

               Sam hesitates, but goes.

                                     LIME
                         Go on. I'm not going to elope with 
                         her.

               Sam exits.

               INT. SAM'S OFFICE - DAY

               Sam is sitting in his office listening to the protracted 
               one finger exercise which is going on next door. He stares 
               dumbly at the shining, absolutely useless, executive toy.

               EXT. ICY SEA ANTI - DAY

               The CAMERA skims along over an icy sea. This is SAM'S POV 
               as he wings his way over the water with his new gleaming 
               wings. In the distance rises a strange massive ship.

               As he gets closer we can see that the snip is listing 
               heavily to one side. In fact it is barely afloat. Closer 
               still, it becomes apparent that the ship is made of stone. 
               Dark, evil, grey blocks of granite form not only the hull, 
               but the super-structures and smokestacks. It looks like a 
               massive medieval fortress gone to sea. The screen is 
               engulfed in stone. The CAMERA heads up the side of the 
               ship. Higher and higher we climb  past course after course 
               of mammoth stones. Reaching the first deck, we continue 
               upwards. There appears to be no entrance. Sam is looking 
               frustrated and angry. But then he spots an opening. A few 
               stones have come loose  one of them juts out forming a 
               ledge. As the cage passes, Sam jumps and managed to gain a 
               foothold on the outcropping. Squeezing thru the gap in the 
               rocks, he makes his way thru a dark passage. Emerging from 
               the opening he finds himself teetering over an enormous 
               abyss formed by the outer hull and the inner stone core of 
               the ship. Great stone ribs curve downwards thru the darkness 
               broken only by narrow shafts of brilliant light streaming 
               from occasional cracks and fissures in the stone core. For 
               a brief moment Sam gets a glimpse of blue sky thru one of 
               the openings but his attention is distracted by a distant 
               moan. Huddled far below him at the bottom of the dark abyss 
               are hundreds of grey shrouded Prisoners. Their moan blends 
               with the creaks and groans of the stones as the ship slowly 
               wallows back and forth. Suddenly a great boom resounds 
               throughout the ship. Sam is unsure where it comes from. 
               And then another boom reverberates about him. He has to 
               steady himself as the ship quivers from the noise. Another 
               book. He clutches at the wall.

               INT. SAM'S OFFICE - DAY

               Sam's head is leaning against the wall of his office. The 
               boom repeats. LIME is knocking on the other side. Sam leaps 
               up. As he leaves his office he looks back to see the desk 
               creep through to Lime's office a little bit more.

               INT. LIME'S OFFICE - DAY

               Sam enters. Lime is standing, proudly holding out a sheet 
               of paper.

                                     LIME
                         Computers are my forte.

                                     SAM
                              (reading)
                         Gillian Layton, age twenty three, 
                         eyes, blue, hair, black, weight, 
                         one hundred and twenty-one pounds, 
                         distinguishing marks, blemish on 
                         right shoulder, scar on left elbow 
                         He stops, having come to the end. 
                         He looks at the other side of the 
                         paper but there's nothing there.  
                         Is this all you got?

                                     LIME
                         It's a start isn't it.

                                     SAM
                              (disbelieving)
                         But I already knew this!

                                     LIME
                         Best to take it slowly where some 
                         women are concerned.

               Sam sits on Lime's chair and deftly punches the computer 
               keys.

                                     LIME
                         Hey  that's my desk!

                                     SAM
                              (working quickly)
                         Gillian Layton  Suspect S/5173. 
                         Truck driver! All enquiries, 
                         reference officer 412/L  Room 5001.
                              (switching off the 
                              machine and getting 
                              up)
                         That's what I wanted to know. Thank 
                         you very much.

               INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

               Sam heads off down corridor. WARREN & CO. appear.

                                     WARREN
                         Ah, Lowry, glad I caught you...
                              (he continues to 
                              deal with expediters 
                              in between dealing 
                              with Sam)
                         No, send it back for... Are you 
                         settling down?... I want this order 
                         rescinded... There's a query on a 
                         personnel transporter you took out 
                         from the pool... Tell them no, 
                         tell them yes,... or was it a 
                         personnel carrier you took out 
                         from transportation... Send that 
                         up to Security... Some kind of 
                         eight-wheel- half-track, was it?... 
                         Tell him I want to see him... Send 
                         round the paperwork, Lowry... 
                         Arrange a conference on that one... 
                         Anyway, tidy it up, Lowry, there's 
                         a good chap  get a new suit. Did 
                         you want the lift?

               The cavalcade is passing the lifts. Sam backs away into 
               the open lift. The cavalcade passes on out of sight. The 
               lift contains a CHARLADY with a bucket and mop. She remains 
               in the lift as Sam joins her.

               INT. THE LIFT - DAY

               Sam presses the button for the 50th floor. The lift doors 
               close on him and the Charlady. From somewhere far away 
               there is the groaning shriek of a man in pain. Sam glances 
               around the lift. There appears to be an air conditioning 
               vent in the ceiling.

               Sam glances enquiringly at the Charlady who merely smiles 
               at him. Another scream is heard.

                                     SAM
                         What's that?

               The Charlady smiles again.

                                     SAM
                         Doesn't that disturb you?

               The Charlady fiddles with something in her ears and pulls 
               out a pair of wax earplugs.

                                     CHARLADY
                         Beg your pardon?

               The lift arrives.

               INT. 50TH FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY

               The lift arrives. Sam steps out. The Charlady remains in 
               the lift. The doors close. Sam heads down surgically clean 
               white-tiled corridor.

               Passing a white-coated TECHNICIAN monitoring what appears 
               to be electric meters, Sam comes to a door with 5001. Above 
               the door a red light is glowing. Sam knocks. The red light 
               goes out and a green light comes on. Sam enters.

               INT. ROOM 500L - DAY

               Inside there is a connecting door to he next door room but 
               the only person in the immediate room is a pleasant-looking 
               FEMALE TYPIST, wearing headphones, chewing gum and typing 
               with great facility. Sam approaches the Typist who, busily 
               typing, twinkles a greeting (mimed) and silently mouths 
               the words...

                                     TYPIST
                         It won't be long now.
                              (she carries on 
                              typing)
                         Sam nods, and stands quietly by 
                         her. He can hear tiny sounds coming 
                         through her headphones. He looks 
                         down at the piece of paper in the 
                         typewriter. He reacts a bit 
                         strangely, perhaps even winces. We 
                         see he close up of the words being 
                         struck crisply on paper.

                                     ON TYPEWRITER
                         AHHHH, Oh God... No, don't... UHH, 
                         please... I... STOP!! I can't 
                         stand... AIIEEEE.

                                     TYPIST
                              (quietly, still 
                              typing)
                         Can I help you?

               She is looking at Sam helpfully, holding one of the 
               earphones away from her ear. From this earphone we can 
               just hear quietly...

                                     EARPHONE
                         Oooooooh... aaaaaahhh... please... 
                         arrrrrghhhh no... please... Oh 
                         God, No... No, stop, I don't know...

                                     SAM
                         I'm looking for Officer 412/L.

               The Typist nods smiling. She puts back the earphone and 
               carries on typing.

                                     TYPIST
                         I'm sure he won't be long now.

               She types a little more but suddenly stops.

                                     TYPIST
                         I thought so!

               She takes off the earphones and takes the paper and 
               carbonums out of her typewriter and starts collating all 
               the different copies.

               Through the frosted glass door leading into the next area, 
               Sam can see a FIGURE come through a double door and turn 
               left, making a silly 'hi' sign to the Typist as he exits 
               from sight. She is charmed. Almost immediately after them, 
               a white-coated TECHNICIAN exits, but to the left.

                                     TYPIST
                         You can go in now.

               INT. JACK'S OFFICE - DAY

               Sam goes through the glass door and is about to push open 
               the double doors in front of him. He is halted by a noise 
               from the Typist  she indicates that he is to go to the 
               left. He does so and enters an office. An antique desk 
               with a large collection of executive toys and other 
               tastefully reassuring furniture fill the room which is a 
               rather oddly shaped... distorted as it by the curved wall 
               of the much larger room that Sam was stopped from entering. 
               Nevertheless the feel of the room is confidently successful. 
               A buzzing noise draws Sam's attention to the wash basin in 
               the far corner. The Information Retrieval Technician is 
               standing by a sink massing his temples with old-fashioned 
               scalp vibrators. His back to us.

                                     SAM
                         Excuse me. Are you office 412/L?

               The Technician makes no sign of having heard this. He 
               continues vibrating his temples.

                                     SAM
                              (a bit louder)
                         Er, excuse me!

               Getting no response Sam walks over to the Technician. As 
               he passes the desk he notices a strange mask lying face 
               down on the desk top. It seems strangely familiar  but as 
               it is a negative concave image Sam isn't sure. He continues 
               over to the Technician.

                                     SAM
                              (louder)
                         Excuse me.

               He touches the Technician on the shoulder, who jumps with 
               a start. He spins around and turns out to be none other 
               than Jack Lint. He is amazed to see Sam.

                                     SAM
                              (surprised)
                         Jack!!

                                     JACK
                              (recovering slightly)
                         SAM! What a surprise!

                                     SAM
                              (even more surprised)
                         Are you officer 412/L?

               Jack looks confused. He pauses, and then removes ear plugs.

                                     JACK
                              (shaking Sam's hand)
                         Sorry about that... Mr. Helpmann 
                         told me you were coming aboard  
                         congratulations!

                                     SAM
                         Thanks. Are you officer 412/L?

                                     JACK
                         For my sins. Are you settling in 
                         alright?

                                     SAM
                         Yes, thanks.

                                     JACK
                         Terrific. I'm really glad you 
                         dropped by. Unfortunately, I don't 
                         have any time right now I've got a 
                         queue of customers to deal with  
                         er, why don't we have a drink 
                         tonight?

                                     SAM
                              (diffidently)
                         Ah...

                                     JACK
                         What?

                                     SAM
                         I don't want to take up your time 
                         now, but I was hoping you could 
                         give me some information on 
                         somebody. It's a security level 
                         three matter and Information 
                         Retrieval records says to refer to 
                         you.

                                     JACK
                         OK. Come back this afternoon, about 
                         four o'clock. If you give me the 
                         number of the case, I'll have the 
                         dossier here waiting.
                              (he pulls card from 
                              his pocket  pushes 
                              it towards Sam)
                         My tailor,... well worth the 
                         investment.

                                     SAM
                              (taking print-out 
                              sheets from his 
                              pocket)
                         I've got numbers all over these  
                         I'm not sure which is the one you 
                         want.

                                     JACK
                              (looking at the 
                              print-out picture 
                              of Jill over Sam's 
                              shoulder)
                         Layton! Oh shit!

                                     SAM
                         What is it?

                                     JACK
                         You clever bastard! I might have 
                         guessed. You only moved in today 
                         and you're already hot on the bloody 
                         trail.

                                     SAM
                         Am I?

                                     JACK
                         Please, Sam, we're going to have 
                         to be open to each other on this 
                         one. If you make a reputation with 
                         this case, it'll be at my expense.

                                     SAM
                         How do you mean?

                                     JACK
                         How much do you know?

                                     SAM
                         Not much.

                                     JACK
                         Enough though, eh?

                                     SAM
                              (getting sucked 
                              into this exchange)
                         Not really, no.

               Jack goes over to the sink and turns on the taps full blast, 
               splashing the water noisily into the basin.

                                     JACK
                         OK. OK. Let's not fence around... 
                         This is the situation. Some idiot 
                         somewhere in the building, some 
                         insect, confused two of our clients, 
                         B58/732 and T47/215.

                                     SAM
                         B58/732, that's A. Buttle isn't 
                         it?

                                     JACK
                         Christ! You do know it all!

                                     SAM
                         No, no, I don't. I'm just beginning 
                         Honestly. Sorry, carry on.

                                     JACK
                         Well, your A. Buttle has been 
                         confused with T47/215, an A. Tuttle. 
                         I mean, it's a joke! Somebody should 
                         be shot for that. So B58/732 was 
                         pulled in by mistake.

                                     SAM
                         You got the wrong man.

                                     JACK
                              (a little heated)
                         I did not get the wrong man. I got 
                         the right man. The wrong man was 
                         delivered to me as the right man! 
                         I accepted him, on trust, as the 
                         right man. Was I wrong? Anyway, to 
                         add to the confusion, he died on 
                         us. Which, had he been the right 
                         man, he wouldn't have done.

                                     SAM
                         You killed him?

                                     JACK
                              (annoyed)
                         Sam, there are very rigid parameters 
                         laid down to avoid that event but 
                         Buttle's heart condition did not 
                         appear on Tuttle's file. Don't 
                         think I'm dismissing this business, 
                         Sam. I've lost a week's sleep over 
                         it already.

                                     SAM
                         I'm sure you have

                                     JACK
                         There are some real bastards in 
                         this department who don't mind 
                         breaking a few eggs to make an 
                         omelette, but thank God there are 
                         the new boys like me who want to 
                         maintain decent civilized standards 
                         of terrorist eradication. We've 
                         got the upper hand for the moment, 
                         but they're waiting for us to slip 
                         up, and a little slip- up like 
                         this is just the chance they're 
                         looking for.

                                     SAM
                         So how...?

                                     JACK
                         What I've got to do now is pick up 
                         Tuttle, interrogate him at the 
                         same voltage as Buttle, to the 
                         same meter reading to the last 
                         penny, and juggle the books in 
                         electrical banking.

                                     SAM
                         What has Tuttle done?

                                     JACK
                         We suspect him of freelance 
                         subversion.

                                     SAM
                              (dumbly)
                         He's a freelance subversive?

                                     JACK
                         He's a compulsive heating engineer. 
                         A maverick ex-Central Service repair 
                         man with a grudge against society. 
                         Now, fortunately, we're nearly out 
                         of the wood, I think. At least we 
                         will be when I get this Layton 
                         woman under arrest.

               Jack turns off taps and goes behind screen.

                                     SAM
                              (agitated)
                         What's she done?

                                     JACK
                         You didn't know as much about this 
                         business as you pretended to, did 
                         you?

                                     SAM
                         Er... no.

                                     JACK
                         Very smart.

                                     SAM
                         Er... but I would've found out 
                         anyway.

                                     JACK
                         Yes. I'm impressed.

                                     SAM
                              (playing the game)
                         Tell me about Layton.

                                     JACK
                         She witnessed the Tuttle arrest  
                         the Buttle arrest  and since then 
                         she's been making wild allegations, 
                         obviously trying to exploit the 
                         situation  she's working for 
                         somebody, and she's not working 
                         for us.

                                     SAM
                         A terrorist?

               Jack comes from behind the screen with a look confirming 
               just what Sam fears, and hands him a suit.

                                     SAM
                         Ah... thanks.

               Sam begins to put the suit on.

                                     SAM
                              (hesitantly)
                         But surely, I mean, perhaps she 
                         just happened to live above the 
                         Buttles, and...

                                     JACK
                              (picking up 
                              photograph of wife 
                              and kids from his 
                              desk)
                         Look after that suit, eh. Barbara 
                         chose it for me.

                                     SAM
                         Right. Er, you're not going to 
                         keep calling her Barbara, are you?

                                     JACK
                         Barbara's a perfectly good name, 
                         isn't it?

                                     SAM
                              (preferring to let 
                              his drop)
                         Look, about the Layton woman  maybe 
                         she's just trying to help the Buttle 
                         family.

                                     JACK
                         Why?

                                     SAM
                         Why? Hell, not for any reason...

                                     JACK
                              (baffled)
                         I don't follow you.

                                     SAM
                         Out of kindness.

                                     JACK
                              (utterly baffled)
                         Kindness? What's the purpose behind 
                         this line of enquiry?

                                     SAM
                              (deciding to abandon 
                              this line of country)
                         So what are you going to do about 
                         her?

                                     JACK
                         Get her out of circulation  I've 
                         put her on the detention list.

                                     SAM
                              (thinking fast)
                         You mean you're going to invite 
                         her in so that she can spill the 
                         beans inside the department?

                                     JACK
                              (taken aback)
                         Well, I... Good point. What do you 
                         suggest?

                                     SAM
                         Let me try to get to her. I'll 
                         deactivate her.

                                     JACK
                         What does that mean? I don't want 
                         to be involved in anything 
                         unsavoury.

                                     SAM
                         Trust me. You do trust me, don't 
                         you?

                                     JACK
                         Of course. We went to school 
                         together. You're my oldest friend.

                                     SAM
                         And you're mine.

                                     JACK
                         You're the only person I can trust.

                                     SAM
                         Then we'd better keep this business 
                         just between the two of us.

                                     JACK
                         Right! Just between as and the 
                         Security Forces.

                                     SAM
                         They weren't at school with us.

                                     JACK
                         But, I've already put her on the 
                         search and detain list.

                                     SAM
                         Take her off the list.

                                     JACK
                         There's no procedure for that until 
                         she's been arrested.

                                     SAM
                         Say it was a mistake.

                                     JACK
                         We don't make mistakes.

                                     SAM
                         Well, I'd better get out there and 
                         try to get to her before security 
                         does. Let me borrow her dossier 
                         for a while.

                                     JACK
                         Er... alright. For Christ's sake 
                         don't lose it. Here, you'd better 
                         sign for it.

               Jack presents Sam with something to sign. He then gives 
               him the dossier.

                                     SAM
                         Thanks, Jack. I'll be in touch.

                                     JACK
                         Do you know what you're doing.

                                     SAM
                              (about to say no, 
                              then pauses)
                         Trust me.

                                     JACK
                              (admiring Sam's new 
                              look)
                         Sam... we're proud to have you at 
                         Information Retrieval. Merry Xmas.
                              (he hands Sam another 
                              executive package)

               INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

               Sam steps out of Room 5001, newly suited with old suit 
               over arm. TWO GUARDS are guiding a BAGGEE down the corridor 
               ahead of him. Suddenly, the Baggee breaks away from his 
               Guards and begins to cannonball down the corridor directly 
               at Sam. Sam is flattened against the wall as the Baggee 
               rockets by.

               CUT TO GUARDS strolling past Sam.

               CUT TO BAGGEE running full tilt to the end of the corridor, 
               smashing into the wall, bouncing back, getting up (now 
               cross-ways in the corridor), bouncing off that wall, then 
               the wall behind him, then...

               INT. LIFT - DAY

               Slightly unnerved, Sam gets in the lift, pushes the button 
               for his floor  the 30th  and immediately begins perusing 
               Jill's dossier. The lift descends. But unnoticed by Sam 
               continued past his floor without stopping. It stops at the 
               Lobby Mezzanine. Sam looks up and realizes he is on the 
               wrong floor. Angrily he pushes the correct floor number 
               but before the doors close he hears an angry woman's voice 
               echoing through the massive lobby. He looks in the direction 
               of the porters desk. There stands Jill arguing with the 
               PORTER.

                                     JILL
                         But you've stamped this form before! 
                         Why won't you stamp it now?

                                     PORTER
                         You've just said yourself, Miss, 
                         we've already stamped it. Why should 
                         we stamp it twice?

               Sam is frozen. He can't believe what he sees. The lift 
               doors close. Sam is too slow to stop them. Madly he pushes 
               the buttons  to no effect. The lift descends. (At this 
               point we had better describe the lift. It is a cross between 
               the old metal grille lifts with accordion grille doors and 
               the super-sleek modern lifts that rise and fall in glass 
               tubes so that one can have panoramic views of dramatic 
               architectural spaces such as the lobbies of the Ministry.)

               Sam can see Jill and if Jill were to look up she could see 
               Sam descending. He is shouting and rattling the bars of 
               the lift cage but no sound escapes to catch her attention. 
               Sam sinks below the floor of the lobby desperately trying 
               to stop the demon lift. From his POV we see Jill 
               disappearing from view still arguing with the Porter.

               INT. BASEMENT - DAY

               The lift comes to rest. Sam is still trying to get it to 
               respond and return him to the lobby. TWO TECHNICIANS are 
               waiting as the doors open. From Sam's POV he sees them 
               hang a sign on the door and walk away. He bangs the buttons 
               for another moment with no result. He looks out of the 
               lift and is able to read the sign  "LIFT OUT OF ORDER".  
               Frantically he looks around for another lift. All the others 
               are on distant floors  then he spots one off to one side, 
               its doors standing open. Rushing over to it he leaps inside 
               and reaches to push the floor number  but there are no 
               numbers on the buttons, only letters. Before he can sort 
               this out a voice shouts at him.

                                     VOICE
                         Hey, you  get out of there.

               A GUARD approaches looking tough and mean.

                                     GUARD
                         What do you think you're doing... 
                         that's the Deputy Minister's lift.

                                     SAM
                         Sorry, I'm in a hurry.

                                     GUARD
                         Hold on, sonny... let's see your 
                         I.D.

               Sam fumbles through his pockets desperate to get back to 
               the lobby before Jill leaves. He has forgotten he is wearing 
               his new I.D. badge. The Guard can't see it because Jill's 
               dossier is covering it.

                                     SAM
                         Shit... it's here somewhere. My 
                         name's Lowry, Sam Lowry  
                         Expediting... can't this wait?

                                     GUARD
                         No, sir...
                              (getting out book 
                              of forms)
                         I'm going to have to file a report 
                         on this. Now... what date is it 
                         today?...

               Sam gives up trying to find his I.D. card.

                                     SAM
                              (frantic)
                         Sorry, it'll have to wait.

               He runs off  dropping suit  towards some stairs he has 
               spotted.

                                     GUARD
                         Stop!! Come back!

               He starts to run after Sam. TWO OTHER GUARDS also give 
               chase.

               INT. STAIRS - DAY

               Sam scrambles up the stairs. GUARDS in pursuit.

               INT. BASEMENT - DAY

               The original Guard rushes over to a guard desk and inserts 
               key into cover of what is clearly an alarm button.

               INT. STAIRS - DAY

               Sam still running.

               INT. LOBBY - DAY

               Jill is still arguing with Porter.

                                     JILL
                              (sweetly)
                         You're a stupid, fat arsed, 
                         obstructive, fascist moron aren't 
                         you?

                                     PORTER
                         If you say so.

                                     JILL
                         You think these are tits don't 
                         you?

                                     PORTER
                         Ah.

                                     JILL
                         I bet you'd like to touch them?

                                     PORTER
                         Oh.

                                     JILL
                         Well don't. You're looking at twenty 
                         pounds of high explosive! And if 
                         you don't stamp this form I'm going 
                         to blow the place up!

               Jill thumps the desk with her fist.

               INT. BASEMENT - DAY

               The Guard throws the alarm switch.

               INT. LOBBY - DAY

               Alarm bells start ringing and from secret doors heavily 
               armed GUARDS leap out, their guns trained on Jill as she 
               appears to be the only person around.

                                     GUARD
                              (shouting)
                         DROP IT!!

               Jill has only the form in her hand  which she dutifully 
               drops. She is terrified by the suddenness and size of the 
               response to her hitting the desk. The Guards close in.

               Sam rushes out of the door leading to the stairs. He can't 
               believe the sight that greets him. He responds 
               instinctively,

                                     SAM
                         STOP! Let her go!

               He rushes over to the Porter's desk just as the Guards 
               behind him come through the door. He doesn't have a clue 
               what he is going to do but, as he reaches the group of 
               Guards they snap attention. Confused he looks around and 
               then realizes his I.D. badge, is on his lapel and the Guards 
               are responding as trained. The Guards chasing him screech 
               to a halt when they see the others snapping to attention.  
               Everyone looks confused, embarrassed, hesitant to make the 
               next move. Sam breaks the silence.

                                     SAM
                         Well done... uh... excellent work... 
                         quick thinking. I'll take charge 
                         of her now...

               Realising he has Jill's dossier, he shows it to everyone  
               her print-out pictures are on the front page. It's a 
               classified matter... I'll include your fine handling of 
               the situation in my report

               Sam is suddenly aware he is still holding the executive 
               toy present  he hands it to the Porter.

                                     SAM
                              (grabbing Jill)
                         Come with me, please.

               He hustles her towards the door.

               EXT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL BUILDING - DAY

               Sam marches Jill out of the main door and down the front 
               steps of the Information Retrieval building. As he struggles 
               with her some of the papers in the dossier slip out 
               unbeknownst to Sam and leave a trail of litter behind them.

                                     JILL
                         Who are you? Let go!

                                     SAM
                         Don't look back! Act naturally!

                                     JILL
                         How can I act naturally, when you've 
                         trying to break my arm?

               CUT TO THE POV of the Ministry of Information front door 
               Guards. They are looking down the steps at the retreating 
               backs of Sam and Jill who are jostling each other. The 
               Guards see Jill elbow Sam in the ribs.

                                     SAM
                              (wincing)
                         Ow! That hurt!

                                     JILL
                         Good!

                                     VOICE FROM BEHIND
                         STOP! Come back here!

                                     SAM
                         Oh, God... no!

               He turns around, knowing that the game is up. But instead 
               of one of the Guards shouting  it's an OLD LADY angrily 
               glaring at him and pointing to a "Keep your city tidy" 
               sign above a litter bin.

                                     OLD LADY
                              (screaming)
                         Can't you read english? You 
                         illiterate foreign pig! You come 
                         here from your own filthy country 
                         and think you can mess our streets 
                         up! You should be fried alive, you 
                         dirty verminous... etc. etc.

               Sam sees the trail of dossier litter blowing about the 
               pavement. He lets go of Jill for a moment to grab at the 
               papers. The Lady continues screaming at him, her little 
               Pekinese dog (who incidentally wears a plaster over his 
               bum hole) yaps at his ankles, ripping Sam's new trousers. 
               Sam is torn between trying to regain the pages of the 
               dossier and following Jill who has disappeared round the 
               corner. He gives up retrieving the paper and rushes after 
               Jill.

               CUTTING BACK to the two Guards, who have been observing 
               all this bizarre activity, we see one of them reading one 
               of the pieces of paper.

                                     OTHER GUARD
                         Hey, you shouldn't be reading that 
                         it's classified.

               EXT. JUST AROUND THE CORNER - DAY

               Jill is behind the steering wheel of her lorry which is 
               just starting to move off. Sam frantically runs towards 
               the lorry, leaps on the running board and pulls himself up 
               into the cab.

               INT. LORRY CAB - DAY

                                     SAM
                              (climbing in)
                         Well done, that's it... Let's go! 
                         Vrmmm. Vrmmm.

               Sam looks up and down his side of the street anxiously 
               before realizing that Jill has switched off the engine and 
               is sitting glaring at him. They are stopped, right in front 
               of the Ministry building.

                                     SAM
                              (frantic)
                         What are you doing? For Christ's 
                         sake! Get moving!

                                     JILL
                         Who are you?

               Desperately Sam pulls roller blind down over window.

                                     SAM
                              (hurriedly)
                         Sam Lowry. Hello. This sounds 
                         insane, I know, but I've been 
                         dreaming about you. Even before I 
                         saw you you were in my dreams. 
                         Weird isn't it. I mean... I don't 
                         know what it means... but it might 
                         mean something... mightn't it? I 
                         hope so. Anyway you're in danger 
                         and I think we should get out of 
                         here, now, quick! Come on!

               Still Jill does nothing. Sam pulls down roller blind over. 
               window.

                                     SAM
                              (desperate)
                         Bloody hell! Do as I say!

                                     JILL
                              (hard, icy cool)
                         No.

                                     SAM
                              (beginning to lose 
                              his bottle)
                         Please!

               Jill continues to sit, glaring.

               Sam delves into his pockets and drags out a handful of 
               I.D. cards and papers, most of which fall onto the floor. 
               He then remembers that the badge he's looking for is pinned 
               to his jacket. He thrusts it forward at Jill.

                                     SAM
                              (beside himself 
                              with panic)
                         Alright! Alright! Alright! I'm 
                         Information Retrieval Officer
                              (he checks the number 
                              somewhere. On the 
                              badge?)
                         DZ/015, and I'm arresting you for  
                         your own good! Now start up and 
                         get moving before I hand you back 
                         to them!
                              (indicating M.I. 
                              building)

                                     JILL
                         Them?

                                     SAM
                         Us. Them. I don't know... just get 
                         going.

               Jill starts up and moves off, very cool, in her own time. 
               By now Sam has got the shakes.

                                     JILL
                              (indicting the papers 
                              that Sam has dropped)
                         Don't litter my cab!

                                     SAM
                              (picking them up)
                         Oh, sorry.

               EXT. CITY FREEWAY - DAY

               A high shot of the lorry, moving through the city among 
               traffic.

               INT. TRAVELLING LORRY - DAY

               Jill is preoccupied with driving. She is smoking a 
               cigarette. Sam occasionally glances at her.

                                     SAM
                         ... This is amazing... for me... 
                         being here with you. I mean, in my 
                         dreams you...

                                     JILL
                         I don't want to hear about your 
                         fucking dreams!

                                     SAM
                         Oh. But... Look, I'm sorry I shouted 
                         at you.

                                     JILL
                              (mainly to herself)
                         Why are they all pigs at Information 
                         Retrieval?

                                     SAM
                         I don't know.
                              (realizing that 
                              this includes him)
                         Hey, that's not a very nice thing 
                         to say.

               Jill blows smoke in Sam's direction.

                                     SAM
                              (waving the smoke 
                              away)
                         You know, smoking's bad for you.

                                     JILL
                         It's my fucking life.

                                     SAM
                              (winding down the 
                              window)
                         Yes, of course. Sorry.

                                     JILL
                              (lighting up another 
                              cigarette)
                         I know you. I saw you through the 
                         floor, didn't I?

                                     SAM
                         Yes. Ceiling. Why did you run away?

                                     JILL
                         I didn't run away. I left the flat.

                                     SAM
                         Why?

                                     JILL
                         I didn't like it.

                                     SAM
                         Why not?

                                     JILL
                         It had a hole in the floor. Where 
                         are we going? Where are you taking 
                         me?

                                     SAM
                         What?

                                     JILL
                         Where are you taking me?

                                     SAM
                         Ah... Er... It looks as if you're 
                         taking me.

                                     JILL
                         It does doesn't it?

                                     SAM
                              (slightly worried)
                         Where are you taking me?

               EXT. TRAVELLING LORRY - DAY

               WE PULL BACK and lift off to see that the beautiful 
               countryside through which we've been travelling is in fact 
               a solid wall of giant bill-boards, advertising all sorts 
               of wonders like pine scented lavatory paper, sea spray 
               flavored cigarettes  you name it  These advertisements 
               form an unbroken corridor down which the road travels. 
               From a bird's eye POV we see that the land behind the 
               hoardings is blasted and blighted with garbage etc.

               EXT. POWER PLANT - DAY (LATE AFTERNOON)

               The power plant is an extensive, brutal, Dante's Inferno 
               of a landscape made mainly of steel... towers, chimneys, 
               huge pipes, buildings which look like bomb shelters... It 
               is still daylight but the whole scene is murky and 
               forbidding because of the swirling steam and smoke. In the 
               murk can be seen sinister-looking FIGURES in protective 
               clothing and hard hats.

               This is the world which is now entered by Jill's lorry... 
               The lorry halts at a despatching hut near the crane and 
               Jill jumps down from the cab. Sam stays inside, looking 
               around. Something catches his eye.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               FACADE OF HOUSE

               Window boxes with flowers and shrubbery surrounded by a 
               white picket fence provide domestic charm, however, in the 
               doorway stands a MAN with protective clothing and something 
               like a gas-mask over his face. He is waving to someone. 
               Slowly the house rises out of frame.

               In a WIDER SHOT we can see the house is suspended from and 
               a giant crane that swings it through the air  air filled 
               with stead, smoke, evil-smelling fumes. It is lowered onto 
               the back of a lorry and we can see that the house is one 
               of many prefabricated houses used in the construction of 
               the power plant.

               INT. LORRY CAB - DAY

               Sam watches Jill walk away from the lorry and enter the 
               despatcher's hut. He looks around uneasily and then he 
               start examining the inside of the lorry and opens a 
               compartment which seems to be full of maps, rags, etc. He 
               gets grease on sleeve of his suit. In the space behind the 
               seats he finds the pieces of luggage which Jill had carried 
               away from the flat. He starts to examine this cautiously 
               and is startled by the sudden opening of the cab door.

                                     JILL
                         Don't act guilty. Act like me. I'm 
                         just getting on with my job. Or, 
                         are you just getting on with yours?

               Jill gets into the cab and closes the door and drives to a 
               forward looking position.

                                     SAM
                         What's going on here?

                                     JILL
                         What does it look like... I'm 
                         collecting empties.

               The lorry stops and Jill gets out. From Sam's POV, the 
               house suspended from the crane starts moving through the 
               sky towards the lorry. He glances back to see Jill slip a 
               package out from behind the seat. She glances 
               surreptitiously over her shoulder and slipping the parcel 
               inside her jacket she walks away.

               EXT. LORRY - LATE AFTERNOON

               Sam climbs down from the cab trying to keep an eye on Jill. 
               He ends up standing next to a rusty Kodak Photospot 
               standard. The picture on it  though faded by pollution  is 
               of the beautiful valley that has now been replaced by the 
               murk and mess of the power plant. Jill has made her way 
               over to a rather SHADOWY FIGURE lurking around the corner 
               of one of the metal structures. They appear to be exchanging 
               parcels. Sam is worried by this suspicious behaviour  
               reinforced as it is by a Ministry poster on the side of 
               the building that illustrates, almost identically, the 
               action we have just seen along with the warning: "MIND 
               THAT PARCEL. EAGLE EYES CAN SAVE A LIFE".

               CUT TO the house being lowered and secured onto the lorry.

               INT. LORRY CAB - LATE AFTERNOON

               Jill is starting up the lorry. Sam is glancing over her 
               shoulder at the suspicious parcel which is tucked behind 
               her. They move off. The last view of the power plant is of 
               a group of MEN all in protective clothing and masks happily 
               playing a game of volleyball.

               INT. TRAVELLING LORRY - LATER AFTERNOON

                                     SAM
                         OK. What's in the parcel?

                                     JILL
                         What parcel?

               Sam nods knowingly in the direction of the parcel.

                                     JILL
                         I don't know. Christmas present.

               Sam picks it up.

                                     SAM
                         It's heavy.

                                     JILL
                         A heavy Christmas present.

               He glances at her suspiciously.

                                     JILL
                         Open it if you don't trust me.

               Sam hesitates and puts the parcel down.

                                     SAM
                         I'd rather trust you.

               Jill gives him a quizzical look and smiles slightly, in 
               spite of herself. She turns away so that he won't notice.

               INT. TRAVELLING LORRY IN CITY TRAFFIC - DUSK

                                     JILL
                         What are you doing in Information 
                         Retrieval?

                                     SAM
                         Looking for you.

                                     JILL
                         No, really.

                                     SAM
                         Really.

                                     JILL
                         I mean, it doesn't suit you.

                                     SAM
                              (looking at his 
                              jacket)
                         Suit me?

                                     JILL
                         Don't you know the sort of thing 
                         that Information Retrieval does?

                                     SAM
                         What do you mean? Would you rather 
                         have terrorists?

                                     JILL
                         We've got both.

                                     SAM
                         Things would be worse without 
                         Information Retrieval.

                                     JILL
                         They couldn't be worse for the 
                         Buttles.

               Sam is at a loss.

                                     JILL
                         Why don't you say, no system is 
                         perfect.

                                     SAM
                         Well, no system is.

                                     JILL
                         Say, all wars have innocent victims.

                                     SAM
                         Well, all wars do

                                     JILL
                         Who is this war against, Sam?

                                     SAM
                         Well, terrorists of course.

                                     JILL
                         How many terrorists have you met? 
                         Actual terrorists?

                                     SAM
                         Actual. terrorists? Well... it's 
                         only my first day.

               Jill bursts out laughing. Sam joins in. They are both 
               laughing hysterically as they approach the Central Supplies 
               depot.

               EXT. CENTRAL SUPPLIES - DUSK

               The impression is that the place could be an abandoned 
               airfield out to the use of a vast open air warehouse whose 
               contents is arranged in a grid pattern of "streets", all 
               the streets being lined by stacks, piles, ranks, jumbles 
               of goods and objects which seem at first to be arbitrarily 
               grouped, some of them (like the stacks of prefabricated 
               houses) standing in the open others protected under simple 
               areas of roofing. Each group of Assorted Supplies lies 
               inside the squares of the grid of streets. The streets are 
               eerily lit by lights just being switched on, and each square 
               is also lit by harsh localized lighting. The effect is a 
               nightmarish gigantic Aladdin's cave of black shadows and 
               garishly lit mountains of stuff.

               INT. LORRY - DUSK

               Jill's lorry starts down one of the "streets".

                                     JILL
                              (as they pass a 
                              clock in "C"s)
                         Look at that  right on time.

                                     SAM
                         What? I thought you were free to 
                         come and go as you please.

                                     JILL
                         Well, almost... unfortunately I do 
                         have to punch in by 5.00 every 
                         day.

                                     SAM
                              (slightly surprised)
                         Every day?  Turn around!

                                     JILL
                         What?

                                     SAM
                         They'll be there waiting.

                                     JILL
                         Who will?

                                     SAM
                         Security.

                                     JILL
                         You're joking.

                                     SAM
                         No. Please. They're going to arrest 
                         you.

                                     JILL
                         I thought you arrested me.

                                     SAM
                         Yes... but, this is real. Now, 
                         stop!
                              (he grabs for the 
                              emergency brake)

                                     JILL
                              (pushing his hand 
                              away)
                         Cut it out, Sam.

                                     SAM
                              (grabbing at the 
                              steering wheel)
                         Will you please turn back.

                                     JILL
                              (shoving him back)
                         Get away!

                                     SAM
                              (lunging for the 
                              steering wheel)
                         Turn!

                                     JILL
                              (unable to control 
                              him)
                         Stop it... damn you!

               Sam throws the lorry into a gut-sucking skid.

               EXT. CENTRAL SUPPLIES - DUSK

               The lorry skids around a corner and roars down a side street 
               of containers.

               INT. LORRY - DUSK

               Sam and Jill are fighting for control of the lorry.

                                     JILL
                         You're mad! You're out of your 
                         mind!

               At that moment the air is split apart by the wail of sirens. 
               Sam and Jill look back.

               EXT. CENTRAL SUPPLIES - DUSK

               From inside two strategically placed wooden containers 
               stacked amongst the piles of containers marked "AUTOMOBILES" 
               burst forth two Security vehicles. Wood flying, lights 
               flashing, wheels smoking  they squeal away in pursuit.

               INT. LORRY - DUSK

                                     SAM
                         I was right! Step on it!

                                     JILL
                         Let go! We've got to stop!

                                     SAM
                         Now you're the one that's out of 
                         your mind.

                                     JILL
                         Sam... we can't outrace them. You'll 
                         kill us!

               They struggle for control of the lorry.

               EXT. CENTRAL SUPPLIES - DUSK

               The lorry rumbles down the street of containers lurching 
               from side to side as the battle in the cab wages back and 
               forth. Containers are smashed open and their contents spill 
               out only to be further damaged as the pursuing Security 
               vehicles crash through them. The lorry escapes from the 
               streets of containers and cannons through the main gate 
               and out on to the streets of the city.

               INT. LORRY CAB - DUSK

               Sam and Jill are still struggling violently for control of 
               the lorry. Sam is terribly inexpert as a driver but he 
               behaves like someone possessed. Through the rear view 
               mirrors he can see the Security vehicles catching up with 
               them. He starts fumbling with he multiple gear levers.

                                     JILL
                         Don't touch those!

               EXT. DOMESTIC STREETS - DUSK

               The lorry roars down a street of terraced houses and then 
               screeches around a corner.

               INT. LORRY - DUSK

               Sam pushes Jill's hand back and grabs for the lever that 
               he thinks is overdrive. But rather than gaining speed there 
               is a terrible lurch as the house and trailer disconnect 
               from the cab.

               EXT. DOMESTIC STREET - DUSK

               The house slides off the trailer which is skidding sideways 
               and crunches to the ground just as the Security vehicles 
               round the corner.

               INT. SECURITY VEHICLE - DUSK

               From behind the DRIVER we can see that the house has settled 
               across the roadway at right-angle to the other houses, 
               making it appear to be a normal dead end street. So shocked 
               is the Driver that he fails to stop in time and KABLOW!! 
               the car smashes into the house.

               EXT. DOMESTIC STREET - DUSK

               Hot on the heels of the 1st car, the 2nd vehicle skids and 
               then smashes into the house which collapses and then 
               explodes in flames.

               INT. JILL'S LORRY - DUSK

               Sam sits paralysed with shock. The lorry has come to a 
               halt. Jill is desperately trying to get him to move.

                                     JILL
                         Come on, let's go! Let's get out 
                         of here!

                                     SAM
                         Oh God! What have we done?

                                     JILL
                         We? Don't blame me!

                                     SAM
                         It wasn't supposed to happen like 
                         this.

                                     JILL
                              (looking behind)
                         Shit! The house is on fire!

                                     SAM
                         "And your children all gone."

                                     JILL
                         What?

                                     SAM
                         "Lady bird, lady bird, fly away 
                         home, your house is on fire and 
                         your children all gone"... Do you 
                         think anyone's hurt?

                                     JILL
                         Yes.
                              (tapping him on the 
                              forehead)
                         Come out, I know you're in there

               EXT. DOMESTIC STREET - DUSK

               A Security vehicle in full banshee howl roars through the 
               streets. We roar along with it as it rounds a corner and 
               skids to a halt at a safe but striking distance from Jill's 
               lorry. Heavily armed SECURITY POLICE pour out and take up 
               firing positions behind parked cars or whatever other cover 
               is available. Searchlights are played on the lorry. The 
               OFFICER IN CHARGE appears with a loud-hailer.

                                     OFFICER IN CHARGE
                         Come out, we know you're in there! 
                         You cannot possibly escape. Throw 
                         your weapons from your vehicle and 
                         come out slowly with your hands on 
                         your heads. Obey my instructions 
                         and no harm will come to you. But 
                         if you force us to shoot we'll 
                         shoot to kill.

               During the above speech a SMALL BOY on a tricycle "roars" 
               around a corner behind the Security Police. He rides into 
               a gap between them, rolls his tricycle over and "takes 
               cover" behind it. He points his toy rifle at Jill's lorry 
               and takes shot. In reaction to the noise made by the kid's 
               rifle the Officer In Charge dives for cover and the Security 
               Troops open fire and pepper Jill's lorry cab with holes. A 
               few of the Security Troops then rush forward and fling 
               open the cab door. The cab is empty. The Officer In Charge 
               gets to his feet and looks about. His uniform is covered 
               with dust, oil and shit from the street. He just misses 
               seeing the back of the Boy as he disappears round the corner 
               on his tricycle.

               INT. LINGERIE DEPARTMENT / SHOPPING CENTER - DAY

               To the lush sound of musak we glide through the glittering 
               sensuous, supportive world of ladies undergarments. As we 
               slip past girdles, bras, panti-hose for a variety of exotic 
               occasions we come upon Sam and Jill pushing a shopping 
               trolley. In the trolley is the "suspicious" parcel which 
               Jill was given at the power plant.

                                     SAM
                         This is a hell of a time to buy a 
                         nightie.

                                     JILL
                         Are you still following me?

                                     SAM
                         Please, Jill... I love you.

                                     JILL
                         Go away.

                                     SAM
                         There are plenty of other safe 
                         places. Why don't we go back to my 
                         flat?

                                     JILL
                         Leave me alone!

                                     SAM
                         You've got to trust me. It sounds 
                         silly but I know we were meant to 
                         meet.

                                     JILL
                         You mean you were meant to hijack 
                         my truck, make me crash it, and 
                         have every security man in town 
                         looking for me?

                                     SAM
                         I was just trying to help. I decided 
                         to trust you. Maybe I was wrong. 
                         Whose side are you on really? Who 
                         are your friends? Who was the man 
                         who gave you the parcel?  What's 
                         in it? It's the only thing you 
                         saved from the lorry... It must he 
                         something very special.

                                     JILL
                         I saved you from the lorry and 
                         you're not very special.

                                     SAM
                         ... It's a bomb isn't it?

                                     JILL
                              (exasperated)
                         Oh... Jesus!

               Sam grabs the parcel from the trolley and tries to start 
               tearing it open.

                                     SAM
                         I'm going to open it!

                                     JILL
                              (grabbing parcel 
                              and trying to take 
                              it from him)
                         No you're not!

               They start an ugly little struggle for the parcel. Sam's 
               suit gets slightly ripped. Their tug-of-war is interrupted 
               by a voice off camera.

                                     VOICE
                         SAM!!

               Sam turns to see Mrs. Terrain and Shirley a short distance 
               away. Mrs. Terrain is heavily bandaged and sitting in a 
               wheelchair which Shirley is pushing.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         It's me and Shirley!

               From the Terrains' POV Sam looks as if he is wrestling 
               with a dummy, or with himself if he is beside a full length 
               mirror. The mirror or something obscures Jill. Mrs. Terrain 
               and Shirley exchange puzzled looks and proceed toward Sam.

                                     SAM
                         Ah... hello, Mrs. Terrain. Sam 
                         lets go of the parcel and pushes 
                         Jill away. She moves off.
                              (after Jill for 
                              Mrs. Terrain's 
                              benefit)
                         I think that'll hold it.
                              (to Shirley)
                         Hello Shirley. Just helping someone 
                         tie up a Christmas present. How 
                         are you?

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         My complication had a complication, 
                         but Dr. Chapman says I'll soon be 
                         up and bouncing about like a young 
                         gazelle. Are you buying a Christmas 
                         present for your mother?

                                     SAM
                              (trying to keep an 
                              eye on Jill who is 
                              disappearing from 
                              sight)
                         Er, yes...

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                         Shirley and I come here regularly. 
                         I love romantic lingerie.

               She unwraps a set of red and black, fur trimmed things 
               with strategic holes in them.

                                     MRS. TERRAIN
                              (coyly)
                         Picture me in these.

               At this moment there is an almighty explosion from the far 
               corner of the store. It is the corner that we last saw 
               Jill moving towards. Sam races towards the smoke, dust 
               covering his suit. He finds bras, knickers, broken shop 
               dummies, bleeding CUSTOMERS and SHOP ASSISTANTS all over 
               the place. On the edge of this devastated area he sees 
               Jill struggling out from under a pile of negligees and 
               plaster dust. He rushes over to her.

                                     SAM
                              (frantic)
                         Are you alright?

                                     JILL
                         Yes.

                                     SAM
                              (anxiety giving way 
                              to anger)
                         You don't deserve to be! You should 
                         be dead, or maimed like them... 
                         How could you... ?
                              (indicating the 
                              wounded)
                         What a bloody stupid thing... I 
                         should. have made you open it in 
                         the lorry.

               She has dug the parcel out of the debris and has ripped it 
               open. Under the brown paper are a dozen brightly coloured. 
               Christmas packages  yes you guessed it  executive toys. 
               She throws the parcel and its contents hard into Sam's 
               chest. He topples back-wards  tangling himself up with the 
               severed limbs of a shop dummy.

                                     JILL
                         There's your bomb! Our annual bribes 
                         for official ass-holes like you!

               Sam sits in the debris  ashamed and relieved. Liquor oozes 
               from the broken bottle all over Sam's suit. He is at a 
               loss for words.

               Jill's attention is attracted by moans coming from the 
               badly hurt BOMB VICTIMS. She goes to help them.

                                     JILL
                              (to Sam)
                         Come on, make yourself useful, 
                         there are people hurt!

               Jill goes around trying to make the injured comfortable. 
               Sam follows her. He takes off his jacket with his 
               Information Retrieval badge on the lapel and uses it to 
               make a pillow for one of these victims. By now sirens are 
               wailing, water sprinklers are functioning, and there is 
               general pandemonium. SECURITY GUARDS run into the area and 
               begin arresting everyone, including the dead and injured. 
               ONE OF THE GUARDS tries to drag off the WOMAN whom Jill is 
               attending.

                                     JILL
                         Hey stop... she's hurt!

               The Guard gives Jill a thump in the side of the face with 
               his gloved hand. Sam sees red.

                                     SAM
                         DON'T TOUCH HER!!

               The Guard looks up and as he does so he is transformed 
               into the Giant Warrior from Sam's dream. He towers over 
               the wounded, the dying and the debris of the blasted 
               lingerie department. Sam grabs for a weapon and comes up 
               with one of the arms (now detached) of the shop dummy. It 
               makes a passable club.

                                     JILL
                         SAM... don't!!

               The two combatants square off... looking for an opening... 
               a chink in the other's defences  at which point Sam is 
               flattened from behind by a TROOPER'S gun butt.

               INT. STONE SHIPANTI - DAY

               Sam is falling down the inner wall of the stone ship. He 
               tumbles end over end  unable to stop his crashing descent. 
               With a thud he hits the bottom. Stunned, bruised and 
               battered he tries to get up. Standing over him are the 
               grey Prisoners. They press forward.

                                     SAM
                              (feebly)
                         Where is she? Is she here?

               The grey Prisoners dissolve into what looks like several 
               BAGGEES.

               INT. BLACK MARIA - EVENING

               The Baggees hang from a track on the ceiling of the Black 
               Maria. Sam is lying on the floor, covered by his jacket, 
               with his badge prominently displayed. He is dazed and 
               mumbling... the only Baggee in the wagon apart from TWO 
               GUARDS who have removed their helmets and are relaxing 
               while travelling back to base.

                                     GUARD A
                              (scratching his 
                              head)
                         These helmets don't half make your 
                         scalp itch.

                                     GUARD B
                         Ooh, don't mention it.
                              (beginning to scratch 
                              his head)
                         And they make you sweat. Half the 
                         time I can't see where I'm going  
                         there's a great Niagara of 
                         perspiration coming down.

                                     GUARD A
                         I'm lucky, I've got thick eyebrows. 
                         That keeps it up and channels it 
                         out to my ears.

               SAM STIRS AND GROANS

                                     GUARD B
                         Who's he?

                                     GUARD A
                         Someone from Information Retrieval 
                         they're always hanging about in 
                         lingerie.

               Sam is coming to his senses. He takes in the situation, 
               sees all the BAGGEES and staggers to his knees.

                                     SAM
                         Jill! Jill! Are you there?!

               He begins rummaging through the Baggees. One of which is 
               dressed as FATHER CHRISTMAS. Sam opens the "face vent" of 
               the Baggee's' hoods. A pair of strange eyes look out.

                                     GUARD A
                         Excuse me, sir  that's government 
                         property.

                                     SAM
                         Is here a girl here? Tall, fair 
                         hair, blue eyes?

                                     GUARD A
                         Dunno sir. They check all that at 
                         the depot.

               Sam continues fumbling about the Baggees.

                                     GUARD #3
                              (pulling Sam back)
                         We can't allow you to do that sir, 
                         it's more than our job's worth.

                                     SAM
                              (shaking Guard off)
                         I've got to find her! Jill! Jill!

                                     GUARD A
                         You can always fill in an 
                         application form, if you're a 
                         relative, sir. Please stop, sir.

               Sam takes no notice.

                                     SAM
                         Jill! Jill!

               Guard A hits Sam, knocking him out again.

                                     GUARD A
                         Sorry about that sir. Regulations. 
                         We'll have you safely back in your 
                         office in no time.

               INT. SAM'S OFFICE - EVENING

               Sam recovers consciousness to find himself sitting at his 
               desk in his office. He is bruised and battered and has a 
               black eye. His suit is torn and bloody. Mr. Warren is 
               gripping him by the throat and giving him a lecture. Behind 
               Warren, crowding the doorway, are the PEOPLE who circulate 
               around him and are the cast of the Warren high energy 
               circus. Lime is with them.

                                     WARREN
                         This is a black eye for the 
                         department, Lowry!... And I don't 
                         care how you behaved when you were 
                         at Records! Information Retrieval 
                         is an executive branch! We're proud 
                         of our reputation and we protect 
                         it!

               One of his Accolytes thrusts a paper into his hand  he 
               glances at it.

               He slams the form down onto the desk which is covered with 
               other forms.

               And what the hell is this mess? An empty desk is an 
               efficient desk.

               He has picked up some of the forms.

                                     WARREN
                         Good God!... queries from Security, 
                         searches from Central Banking about 
                         a cheque, clarification notices 
                         from Accounting concerning 
                         unreturned receipts, another demand 
                         from the Motor Pool.

                                     SAM
                         Mr. Warren... I have to find out 
                         about...

                                     WARREN
                         Shut up! I don't know what's going 
                         on here, Lowry, but don't think 
                         you can intimidate us with your 
                         friends and relatives in high 
                         places! Now shape up!

               He dumps the papers and folders onto Sam's desk and storms 
               off with his ENTOURAGE, leaving a gleeful Lime in the 
               doorway.

                                     SAM
                              (grabbing Lime as 
                              he starts to slip 
                              away)
                         Lime, I need to use your computer

                                     LIME
                         Sorry, a bit busy at the moment.
                              (he indicates Sam's 
                              smothered desk)
                         You seem to have quite a lot to do 
                         yourself.
                              (he disappears into 
                              his office)

               INT.30TH FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY

               Sam rushes out of his office after Lime. But, Lime has 
               locked his door. Sam bangs on the door.

                                     SAM
                         Shit!

               INT. SAM'S OFFICE - DAY

               Sam storms back into his office. Reaching a peak of 
               frustration, he stuffs all his paperwork into the pneumatic 
               tube and sends it off into oblivion. Within seconds it 
               returns. Sam sends it off a second time. It doesn't return 
               a second time, periodically something passes through the 
               tubes causing them to move. Sam's pneumatic tubes continue 
               to pulsate, pressure building up. At this point Sam's desk 
               begins, as before, to creep through the wall. He grabs it 
               violently. He pulls it. There is a scream from the other 
               side of the wall. Sam smiles. The pneumatic tubes give a 
               final convulsion and then there appears to be a muffled 
               explosion outside Sam's office door. It shakes the whole 
               building. Sam goes to his door and opens it.

               INT. SAM'S CORRIDOR - CONTINUATION

               Every door in the corridor has been opened by the occupants 
               of the room. All the occupants stick their heads into the 
               corridor, all gazing with Sam at the variously coloured 
               blizzard of paper which has errupted through the whole 
               length of the corridor ceiling, from which protrudes the 
               intestines of the pneumatic system.

               INT. JACK'S OFFICE CORRIDOR & INFORMATION - EVENING

               RETRIEVAL CORRIDORS

               It is the end of the working day. Jack is leaving for home. 
               He is putting on his executive-styled bullet-proof vest 
               and packing his "Secret Connection" briefcase. As the scene 
               progresses Sam and JACK proceed out of the door and down 
               he corridor, passing other I.R. OFFICIALS. Sam is 
               dishevelled and causing acute sartorial embarrassment to 
               Jack to is trying to distance himself from him.

                                     SAM
                         Come off it, Jack! Of course you 
                         can check to see if she's been 
                         arrested.

                                     JACK
                         I'm sorry, Sam, I'm afraid this 
                         whole case has become much more 
                         complicated since last we talked.

                                     SAM
                              (exasperated)
                         She's innocent, Jack  she's done 
                         nothing wrong.

                                     JACK
                         Tell that to the wives of the 
                         Security men she blew up this 
                         afternoon. Listen, we've also had 
                         a report just in from Central 
                         Services that Tuttle has wrecked 
                         an entire flat and sabotaged 
                         adjacent Central Services systems  
                         as a matter of fact, in your block. 
                         I'd keep my eyes open if I were 
                         you, Sam. Bye.

                                     SAM
                              (catching up with 
                              Jack)
                         You don't really think Tuttle and 
                         the girl are in league?

                                     JACK
                         I do. Goodbye.
                              (steps into lift)

               INT. LIFT - EVENING

                                     SAM
                         It could all be coincidental.

                                     JACK
                         There are no coincidences, Sam. 
                         Everything's connected, all along 
                         the line. Cause and effect. That's 
                         the beauty of it. Our job is to 
                         trace the connections and reveal 
                         them.
                              (whispers)
                         This whole Buttle/Tuttle confusion 
                         was obviously planned from the 
                         inside. Bye bye.

               INT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL LOBBY - EVENING

               Jack and Sam have just emerged from the lift. The lift 
               doors close. Sam agitatedly speaks.

                                     SAM
                         Jack, she's innocent!

                                     JACK
                         Sam  we've always been close, 
                         haven't we?

                                     SAM
                              (eagerly)
                         Yes we have, Jack!

                                     JACK
                         Well, could you stay away from me 
                         until this thing blows over.

               EXT. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION RETRIEVAL - NIGHT

               Sam is leaving the Ministry of Information Retrieval. The 
               lights in the foyer are blazing behind him, the street 
               lamps are lit. He is exhausted and depressed and anxious 
               about the safety and whereabouts of Jill. He begins to 
               retrace their first journey together, down the Ministry 
               front steps and around the corner to where Jill's truck 
               was parked.

               EXT. JUST AROUND THE CORNER - NIGHT

               Sam stands in the passageway where Jill's lorry was first 
               parked. The only hint of its once-upon-a-time presence is 
               a small splodge of oil by the kerb. Sam stands lost and 
               beaten under a street light. He slumps down to the pavement 
               unsure his next move. The street light is reflected in the 
               pool of oil. As he stares at the reflected light it expands 
               and becomes a patch of blue cloud-filled sky. Sam turns to 
               look at the actual street light. It has become a crack of 
               blazing light coming thru the inner wall of the great stone 
               ship.

               INT. STONE SHIPANTI - DAY

                                     DREAM GIRL'S VOICE
                         I'm here Sam. Don't give up.

               Sam is pushing through the grey Prisoners. The light from 
               the crack shafts across the space in which they find 
               themselves imprisoned, striking the opposite wall. There 
               in the bright pool of light are Sam's wings  beautiful, 
               shimmering silver... But, nailed to a large stone cruciform  
               like a crucified eagle. Sam rushes towards them and begins 
               to pull them loose, But before he can, a great cracking 
               noise reverberates through the ship and a black shadow 
               falls across Sam and the wings. Looking round he sees the 
               inner wall has split open to the level of the floor  but, 
               blocking the opening is the Giant Samurai Warrior. Sam 
               draws his sword and rushes toward the Giant. The Giant 
               stands ominously still. Then very slowly he raises his 
               spear in front of himself in an almost religious gesture. 
               Poof! He vanishes! Sam is confused. Suddenly a Prisoner 
               shouts a warning and Sam spins round just in time to avoid 
               a slash of the spear by the gigantic Warrior who is now 
               standing directly behind him. Sam parries a couple more 
               thrusts of the spear and then strikes with his sword. At 
               thin air!  The Giant has vanished again. Sam can't figure 
               it out. But he hears something whoosh and instinctively 
               dodges as the Giant who is once again behind him brings 
               the spear crashing down. Again Sam manages a few parries 
               as he is forced backwards. He trips and falls to the ground. 
               The spear goes into the ground.

               Before the Giant can wrench the spear loose, Sam slashes 
               at him with his sword. But again the Giant disappears. Sam 
               spins around. The Giant is a short distance from him. Sam 
               rushes him. Again he vanishes. This time he reappears next 
               to the spear and tries to free it. But Sam attacks again 
               and the Giant is forced to do his vanishing act before he 
               can recover the spear. Sam is becoming exasperated with 
               his behaviour, and as the Giant reappears he shouts at him 
               to hold still, at the same time throwing his sword at the 
               big fellow. The sword pins the Giant's foot to the ground 
               before he can disappear. Instead of blood pouring from the 
               wound, fire issues forth. Sam takes advantage of the 
               situation and manages to wrench the spear from the ground. 
               The Giant is unable to escape as Sam charges, but manages 
               to dodge a bit. However the spear catches his arm and opens 
               a gash. Again fire pours out. As the big guy tries to stop 
               the fire, Sam charges again. This time he succeeds in 
               striking dead centre. The Giant gasps as fire gushes from 
               his chest. He staggers and crashes to the ground. The wounds 
               continue to bleed fire.

               Sam gets his breath back and approaches the fallen Warrior. 
               Reaching down he removed the Giant's mask. Fire rushes 
               forth from all the facial orifices. But the thing that 
               makes him catch his breath is the face itself. It's his... 
               Sam's! While he stares in amazement the fire begins to 
               melt the face. In a moment it is unrecognizable. Sam stands 
               there stunned. Somewhere in the distance a bell tolls.

               EXT. JUST AROUND THE CORNER - NIGHT

               Sam's face is reflected in the puddle of oil. He is staring 
               wide-eyed. A church bell tolls in the distance. Sam is 
               definitely spooked. He scrambles to his feet. He's got to 
               get out of here. He heads off down the passageway but is 
               brought quickly to a halt. There, in the shadows, is SOMEONE 
               smoking a cigarette. He hesitates and reverses direction 
               but, before he manages 2 paces a familiar voice comes from 
               behind him.

                                     JILL
                         You're late.

               Sam spins around. Stepping out from the shadows is Jill  
               cigarette in her mouth.

                                     SAM
                              (stunned)
                         Jill! What are you do... I mean... 
                         how did you... Are you alright?

                                     JILL
                         Yes.

                                     SAM
                         What happened to you after...

                                     JILL
                         Your face... are you hurt?

                                     SAM
                         No. No. I'm fine. I was worried 
                         sick about you... I thought...

               A patrol car approaches. Quickly Sam grabs Jill and goes 
               into a kiss to explain their presence. The car hesitates 
               for a moment and drives on.

                                     JILL
                              (through kiss)
                         They're gone.

                                     SAM
                              (through kiss)
                         Are you sure?

                                     JILL
                              (through kiss)
                         Yes.

               They resume passionate kiss. After a moment...

                                     SAM
                              (urgently)
                         C'mon, we've got to get you off 
                         the streets.

               They head off clutching one another.

               INT. SAM'S CORRIDOR - NIGHT

               The Elysian Fields train arrives clattering. Sam and Jill 
               are the only passengers to emerge. They can't keep their 
               hands off one another. This is young love at its freshest 
               and most exciting. Sam looks up and down the platform 
               cautiously but there is no-one in sight as the train 
               clatters off again into the darkness. Sam and Jill approach 
               Sam's front door. He puts a key in the door and tries to 
               open the door but has some difficulty. Something creaks. 
               He gives the door a heavy shove and the door opens and a 
               shower of white powdery ice falls on his head...

               INT. SAM'S FLAT - NIGHT

               Sam enters, followed by Jill. His breath immediately starts 
               come out of his mouth like clouds of steam. The flat looks 
               as though it has been disembowelled and then deep frozen. 
               Icicles are hanging down from everywhere. The flat looks 
               like a scrap dump. Every wall has spilled out its disgusting 
               steel and rubber entrails, filling most of the available 
               space and making progress through the flat difficult. Half 
               a dozen MEN are at work. They are impossible to identify 
               because they wear arctic clothing and look more like 
               spacemen. Their voices however belong to Spoor and Dowser.

                                     SAM
                         For God's sake, what's happened?

                                     SPOOR
                         Thermostat's gone. And then some.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... And then some.

                                     SAM
                         What have you done to my flat?

                                     SPOOR
                         Sign here, please.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... ere please.

               Spoor offers a clipboard and pencil. He bangs the clipboard 
               against the furniture to knock the ice off it.

                                     SAM
                         What is it?

                                     SPOOR
                         It's a 27B/6 of course.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... B/6 of course.

                                     JILL
                              (to Dowser)
                         Do you repeat everying?

                                     DOWSER
                              (nods)
                         ... Everything.

                                     SPOOR
                              (indicating the 
                              mess)
                         This is what you get when you have 
                         cowboys round yer ducts.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... yer ducts.

                                     SPOOR
                         I think you've got your T41 crystal 
                         inductor wired up to a reverse 
                         bobbin- threaded-solenoid-control. 
                         It's either that or a new washer.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... new washer.

                                     SPOOR
                         Sign the form so we can get to it.

                                     DOWSER
                         ... get to it.

               Sam grabs the clipboard and smashes it over Spoor's head. 
               The board is so cold that it snaps in two. The paper on it 
               also snaps in two.

               INT. SAM'S CORRIDOR - NIGHT

               Sam pulls Jill out into the corridor.

                                     JILL
                         Don't you like parties?

                                     SAM
                         C'mon. We've got to get out of 
                         here.

               As Sam and Jill begin to move down the corridor they see a 
               cigarette glow brightly in a dark recess.

                                     JILL
                              (seeing cigarette 
                              light)
                         TOO LATE!

               They ere about to run when Tuttle steps out of the shadows.

                                     TUTTLE
                         I'll fix the damage when they've 
                         gone. I'll be ready for you 
                         tomorrow.

               INT. MOTHER'S CORRIDOR - NIGHT

               A venerable Porter carrying a single key on a large ring 
               is preceding Sam and Jill along the corridor which we have 
               seen before. The Porter's name is MATTHEWS.

                                     SAM
                         My mother said it would be all 
                         right.

                                     MATTHEWS
                         She didn't say anything about it 
                         to me.

                                     SAM
                         Well, she's my mother, not yours.

                                     MATTHEWS
                         I won't be held responsible.

                                     SAM
                         How long will she he away?

                                     MATTHEWS
                              (darkly)
                         There are some who go to Dr. Jaffe's 
                         clinic who never come back at all.

               Matthews unlocks Mother's door.

                                     MATTHEWS
                              (to Jill)
                         You're not a professional, are 
                         you?

                                     JILL
                         No, amateur.

                                     SAM
                              (firmly)
                         Thank you, Matthews.

               With which he ushers Jill through the door and closes the 
               door in Matthews' face.

               INT. MOTHER'S FLAT - NIGHT

                                     SAM
                         Make yourself at home. Don't answer 
                         the phone or open he door to anyone. 
                         I won't be long.

                                     JILL
                         Where are you going?

                                     SAM
                         I'm going to pull some strings. 
                         It's our only hope.

                                     JILL
                         Don't do anything silly.

                                     SAM
                         Thanks for the vote of confidence.

                                     JILL
                         Take care.

               Sam goes.

               INT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL FOYER - NIGHT

               Sam arrives at the Ministry of Information Retrieval 
               reception It's late. GROUPS OF CLEANERS are operating 
               cleaning machinery. Sam approaches the Desk Porter who is 
               playing with the executive toy Sam gave him.

                                     SAM
                         Excuse me, Dawson, can you put me 
                         through to Mr. Helpmann's office?

                                     PORTER
                         I'm afraid I can't, sir. You have 
                         to go through the proper channels.

                                     SAM
                         And you can't tell me what the 
                         proper channels are, because that's 
                         classified information?

                                     PORTER
                         I'm glad to see the Ministry's 
                         continuing its tradition of 
                         recruiting the brightest and best, 
                         sir.

                                     SAM
                         Thank you, Dawson.

               Sam crosses the foyer, checks to see that Dawson is no 
               longer watching him engrossed as he is with the executive 
               toy, and slips past the lift which, at that moment, 
               disgorges a leg-bandaged, be-crutched Lime who hobbles 
               across the lobby without seeing Sam, who slips down the 
               stairs which he knows lead to Helpmann's private lift.

               INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT

               Sam creeps along the corridor to the lift door  avoiding a 
               GROUP OF SECURITY MEN who are singing carols in close 
               harmony. ONE GUARD is conducting and giving instruction. 
               They are all incredibly big and brutal looking.

                                     CHOIR MASTER
                              (stopping them)
                         No, no, no, Arthur, you're going 
                         flat on that G. It's your breathing. 
                         Take a breath on the end. of the 
                         previous line, after Noel. Right, 
                         one, two, three.

               The CHOIR begins singing again. Sam reaches the lift and 
               looks at the small panel of letters set into the wall.

               CLOSEUP of Sam's face concentrating. He hears, we hear, a 
               reprise of Mr. Helpmann talking to Sam in Mother's bathroom.

                                     HELPMANN (V.O.)
                         Of course, Jeremiah was senior to 
                         me, but we were close friends, and 
                         I keep his name alive at the office 
                         every day. It's as though he's 
                         there speaking to me. "Here I am, 
                         J.H."

               Sam is already typing the letters "EREIAMJH" into the 
               keyboard. The lift judders and star s to ascend.

               INT. MR. HELPMANN'S OFFICE - NIGHT

               Sam steps out of lift into an ante-room. No-one is there. 
               Tentatively he knocks on the connecting door into the 
               office. No reply. He slowly opens door.

                                     SAM
                         Mr. Helpmann? Are you there? Hello?

               The office is empty. Sam looks around  not sure what he 
               wants to do. He notices his Mother's picture on Helpmann's 
               desk. He is just about to leave when his eye is caught by 
               an elaborate computer console in a side room. It 
               occasionally chatters away. Paper print-outs fill a large 
               bin. Hesitantly Sam approaches it. Looking around to make 
               sure the room is still empty he punches the On key and the 
               machine lights up.

               He cautiously pushes a couple more keys. The teleprinter 
               machines have paused but one starts chattering now. He 
               looks at the one which is busy. A CLOSEUP shows us the 
               message coming through: "TOTAL  TOTAL TOTAL  CAR 15 REQUEST 
               FEEDBACK STATUS ON SUBJECT BENJAMIN GEORGE TROLLOPE  VAGRANT  
               DETAINED TERRORIST/SUSPECT/ASSOCIATE". This is followed by 
               a code number. The teleprinter falls silent.

               Sam returns to the keyboard and switches it off. He turns 
               to leave. The teleprinter starts chattering again. Sam 
               stops and goes back to it and looks at the page again. A 
               CLOSEUP shows us: "UPDATE  SUBJECT TROLLOPE DECEASED  CAUSE 
               OF DEATH GUNSHOT RESISTING ARREST. PLEASE DELETE FROM 
               SPECIAL CATEGORY". The computer spool revolves back and 
               forth for two or three seconds and then stops. Sam ponders 
               this for a moment and then heads back to the keyboard and 
               swtiches on the machine. He has he answer.

               INT. MOTHER'S FLAT - NIGHT

               Sam enters the flat. Jill is nowhere to be seen. The lights 
               are out but, from the partially opened bedroom door beams 
               a shaft of bright light. Music pours forth... it is...

               "BRAZIL".

                                     SAM
                              (cautiously)
                         Jill?

               Getting no answer he goes to the door and peers through. 
               There is Jill but, transformed. She is wearing one of Sam's 
               Mother's wigs which billows in the air blown by a fan. She 
               is also wearing a diaphanous nightdress borrowed from the 
               extensive wardrobe and is dancing slowly. She looks like 
               the Dream Girl. Sam stands open-mouthed. Jill notices him 
               and smiles.

                                     JILL
                         What do you think?... is it me?

                                     SAM
                              (still stunned)
                         You don't exist any more. I've 
                         killed you. Jill Layton is dead.

               He holds out a print-out. She reads it and slowly looks 
               up.

                                     JILL
                         Care for a bit of necrophilia?

               They rush together.

               INT. STONE SHIPANTI - DAY

               The screen is filled with brilliant white clouds rushing 
               about a beautiful blue sky. They course this way and that.  
               Pulling back we reveal that this patch of sky is inside a 
               mammoth glass-like cube held aloft by four stone columns. 
               The absolutely amazing scale of this cube is revealed as 
               Sam sweeps up into shot  his wings gleaming in the light. 
               He is a tiny speck but, overjoyed he has found the day. 
               far below him the grey Prisoners gather beaming with 
               happiness. Diving back to the ground  Sam unsheaths his 
               sword and holding it aloft rushes to the base of one of 
               the great columns. The Forces of Darkness who have been 
               lurking in the shadows slink back. Sam, with one mighty 
               swing, strikes the column  the noise reverberates as cracks 
               begin to race up and through the column. It is 
               disintegrating. As it crumbles the mammoth cube begins to 
               topple. Everyone steps back. Down it plummets. And smashes 
               into a million pieces. The bright blue sky escapes in all 
               directions. The grey Prisoners' iron collars and chains 
               fall from their necks as they stand, surrounded by a 
               beautiful blue sky. They look up to the sun. Sam is 
               exultant.

               INT. MOTHER'S BEDROOM - DAWN

               Pull back from the sun through a window. The light falls 
               on Sam's smiling sleeping face. Showly he wakes. He little 
               by little remembers where he is and reaches over for Jill. 
               She isn't there. Sam panics.

                                     JILL
                         Merry Xmas.

               She is sitting at the foot of the bed grinning at him. She 
               crawls over to him  they start to embrace.

                                     SAM
                         Everything is going to be all right.

               But crash!!! It's a raid! Like a giant drill a whirling 
               cylinder has plunged through the ornate moulded ceiling of 
               Mother's bedroom, and we now see what made the neat hole 
               in the Buttle ceiling... CUTS show doors being burst open 
               by SECURITY TROOPS. Jill and Sam are frozen in panic. 
               Security Troops are sliding down a fireman's pole" from 
               the hole in the ceiling.

                                     SAM
                              (shouts)
                         She's dead. Check the list!

               But it is Sam they have come for. He is being dragged out 
               of the bed.

                                     GUARDS
                              (as they struggle 
                              with him)
                         You Turncoat Bastard! JUDAS!! 
                         TRAITOR!!

               A canvas bag is plunged over his head. All goes black.

                                     SAM
                              (muffled)
                         JILL!!!

               A shot rings out. Jill screams. It echoes through the 
               blackness.

               INT. PROCESSING AREA - DAY

               In absolute inky darkness, Sam and the CAMERA move through 
               space and time marked only by voices and sounds encountered 
               on the way. This sound-sequence fades in and out a few 
               times, indicating that the journey is longer than the real-
               time period of the blacked-out sequence. We hear:

               Footsteps of Sam and GUARDS.

               Distant howl of pain.

               Muzak.

               Iron gate.

               Footsteps again.

               Lift doors opening and closing.

               Muzak.

               Typing pool.

                                     FEMALE VOICE
                         a wonderful gift, I changed it at 
                         the chemist for some antibiotics 
                         and bathroom scales and there's 
                         enough left on the voucher for a 
                         tonsilectomy if I want to treat 
                         myself...

               Office door opens and closes.

                                     GUARD'S VOICE
                         Christmas Parcel for you, sir... 
                         sign here please...

               What looks like a rectangular hatch in the blackness opens. 
               It is the eyeslit on the front of Sam's bag being opened 
               by a SECURITY GUARD.

               The Security Guard peers in for a moment and then steps 
               back to reveal two SMART OFFICIALS sitting at a desk. They 
               are looking up at Sam/us.

                                     OFFICIAL A
                         93/HKS/608, you are charged with 
                         the following: Passing confidential 
                         documents to unauthorized personnel  
                         viz IR dossier/Gillian Layton. 
                         Destroying Government property  
                         viz an indeterminate number of 
                         personnel carriers. Taking 
                         possession under false pretences 
                         of said personnel carriers. Forging 
                         the signature of the Head of 
                         Records, Third Department.  
                         Attempting to misdirect Ministry 
                         funds, in the form of a cheque to 
                         A. Buttle, through unauthorized 
                         channels. Tampering with Central 
                         Services supply ducts. Employing 
                         unqualified suspected persons for 
                         this purpose. Attempting to conceal 
                         a fugitive from justice. Obstructing 
                         the forces of law and order in the 
                         exercise of their duty. Giving aid 
                         and comfort to the enemies of 
                         society. Bringing into disrepute 
                         the good name of the Government, 
                         and the standing within the 
                         community of the Department of 
                         Information Retrieval. Attempting 
                         to disrupt the Ministry of 
                         Information Retrieval's internal 
                         communicating systems. Wasting 
                         Ministry time and paper.

                                     OFFICIAL B
                         We would advise you that a plea of 
                         guilty will save you and the tax 
                         payer money, and will always be 
                         looked upon more favourably than a 
                         plea of not guilty. All you are 
                         requested to do at this stage is 
                         to sign this form.

               Official B waves a sheet of paper. We hear Sam's voice.

                                     SAM
                         Where's Jill?

                                     OFFICIAL A
                         Not interested?

                                     SAM
                         What have you done with Jill?

                                     OFFICIAL A
                         Right. Next!

               The Security Guard appears briefly and zips up the hood 
               again plunging us back into darkness. We get more muffled 
               shouts, heavy breathing and subterranean son et lumiere.

               Another Security Guard opens the flap on Sam's hood. We 
               see another TWO OFFICIALS.

                                     SAM
                              (more hysterical)
                         Where's Jill? What's happened to 
                         Jill?

                                     OFFICIAL C
                         93/HKS/608, you've got quite a 
                         list of misdemeanours here, haven't 
                         you?  All this is going to take 
                         time and money, and I'm afraid, 
                         according to your bank statement 
                         and credit rating here, you're 
                         likely to be in deep financial 
                         trouble by the end of it. Now, 
                         either you plead guilty to say, 
                         seven or eight of these charges, 
                         which'll bring the costs down to 
                         within your reach, or you can borrow 
                         a sum to be negotiated, from us, 
                         at very competitive rates. We can 
                         offer you something at say, eleven 
                         and a half per cent, over thirty 
                         years. But you will have to buy 
                         insurance to qualify for his scheme.

                                     OFFICIAL D
                         All you have to do is to agree to 
                         sign the appropriate boxes on these 
                         forms. Yes or no?

                                     SAM
                         I'm not guilty! Not guilty you 
                         stupid bastar...

               The Guard closes the flap. Once again darkness and 
               confusion, until another SECURITY GUARD opens the flap 
               again to reveal another TWO OFFICIALS.

                                     OFFICIAL E
                              (examining forms)
                         Now, since you've elected to plead 
                         not guilty on all these charges, 
                         you'd be well advised to take some 
                         sort of insurance cover. Preferably 
                         comprehensive, or if you'd prefer, 
                         something more specific  say, 
                         against electrical charges over 
                         f70.00. And for food and 
                         accommodation costs of say, £800.00. 
                         Detention can be a very expensive 
                         business.

                                     OFFICIAL F
                         Now, before we bore you with the 
                         small print perhaps you'd like to 
                         tell us whether you'd like to sign 
                         this insurance acceptance form or 
                         not. Think carefully before you 
                         decide. Thinking ahead in financial 
                         matters is always the wise course.

               The flap is closed and opened again very quickly  NEW 
               OFFICIALS are revealed. This process repeats again and 
               again  getting faster and faster. The Officials' faces 
               seem to become a changing blur. Their voices overlap in a 
               growing cacophony. The desk and the other items in the 
               room remain static. To add to this disturbing effect the 
               Forces of Darkness begin to gather in the room behind the 
               Officials. As they increase in number they begin to press 
               forward unseen by the Officials. Soon they fill the view 
               through the flap.

                                     OFFICIAL
                         We're here to save you and the tax 
                         payer money.  Would you like to 
                         pay the premium for a single room 
                         with a shower and a soft bed?  For 
                         a small charge we can keep visits 
                         from friends and relatives down to 
                         to a minimum.  Plead guilty, it's 
                         easier, quicker, and cheaper for 
                         everyone.  We're doing a survey... 
                         Aimed at providing a better service.  
                         Do you think the present system is 
                         A. efficient, B. inefficient?  As 
                         a taxpayer are you A. impressed, 
                         B. unimpressed

               INT. STONE SHIP - TIMELESS

               CUT TO Sam struggling with the Forces of Darkness. He is 
               overwhelmed by the black hordes. They fill the screen. Sam 
               disappears under their onslaught. A pause. Then Sam is 
               raised, spread-eagled, above the black sea of the Forces. 
               Strong hands hold him. The maniacal laughter starts up. 
               Sam is turned in its direction.

               CUT TO a shot over the top of the mass of robed FIGURES. 
               Rising from the ruins of the stone columns, the black cloth 
               thing flaps menacingly towards camera. We can see the 
               towering filing cabinet skyscrapers of the Storeroom of 
               Knowledge in the background.

               Sam looks terrified. As the thing hovers above Sam in all 
               its huge twisting awfulness, it slowly begine to unfold 
               like some deadly flower blooming in stop motion.

               Sam freezes as the interior becomes invisible. There in 
               the billowing blackness is the Girl. She is beckoning.

                                     GIRL
                         Sam.

               But the VOICE is no longer the mysterious feminine voice 
               of before  it is the voice of the maniacal laughter.

               Sam struggles with the restraining hands. He twists and 
               turns, but to no avail. From the darkness above him descends 
               the Jolly Gent looking just like Mr. Helpmann) on his window 
               washer's platform. However he is now dressed as Father 
               Christmas.

                                     GENT
                         Sam, what are we going to do with 
                         you?

                                     GIRL
                         Ha ha ha ha ha.

               INT. CELL  DAY / NIGHT

               The filing cabinets of the Storeroom of Knowledge dissolve 
               squares of padding that form the walls of a cell. The 
               laughter echoes round the cell. Sam sees that Mr. Helpmann, 
               in his wheelchair is watching him. He is dressed as Father 
               Christmas. They are alone in the cell. Sam scrunches up 
               into the corner.

                                     HELPMANN
                         Sam, what are we going to do with 
                         you? Can you hear me, Sam?

                                     SAM
                              (in a hoarse urgent 
                              whisper)
                         Where's Jill? What have you done 
                         to her? Where is she?!

                                     HELPMANN
                         Gillian Layton?

                                     SAM
                         Yes, you've got to get me out of 
                         here. I've got to find her.

                                     HELPMANN
                         I understand, Sam, I know exactly 
                         how you feel. So I brought you a 
                         bottle of barley water.

               Helpmann holds up a bottle of barley water.

                                     SAM
                              (desperately)
                         Help me!

                                     HELPMANN
                         I assure you, Sam, I'm doing 
                         everything within my power. But 
                         the rules of the game are laid 
                         down, and we all have to play by 
                         them  even me.

                                     SAM
                         This is all a mistake! Don't you 
                         understand?!

                                     HELPMANN
                         Yes, well, from the Department's 
                         point of view you're certainly a 
                         bit of an own goal, but...

                                     SAM
                         I'm not a terrorist! You must know 
                         that! I'm not guilty! Get me out 
                         of here!

                                     HELPMANN
                         Sam, if you've been going out there 
                         and playing a straight bat, all 
                         the way down the line, you've got 
                         absolutely nothing to worry about.

                                     SAM
                         Please, I've got to find Jill.

                                     HELPMANN
                         Sam, I think I ought to tell you... 
                         I'm afraid she's upped stumps and 
                         retired to the pavilion.

               Sam looks blank.

               Thrown in the towel.

                                     SAM
                              (takes a moment to 
                              work this out)
                         Dead?

               Helpmann nods.

                                     HELPMANN
                         Yes, it's all a bit confusing but, 
                         it seems she was killed resisting 
                         arrest.

                                     SAM
                              (relieved)
                         No, no... I did that...

               Helpmann looks surprised. Sam shuts up.

                                     HELPMANN
                         The odd thing is it appears to 
                         have happened twice... a bit of a 
                         disputed call, I'm afraid.

               Sam has gone catatonic.

                                     HELPMANN
                              (starting to go)
                         So, there you are. All I can say 
                         is, don't fall at the last fence. 
                         The finishing post's in sight. See 
                         you in the paddock. Good luck. 
                         Keep your eye on the ball. Got to 
                         go... Can't keep the orphans 
                         waiting.

               Helpmann goes. A GUARD helps him out and then returns with 
               ANOTHER to help put the restraining bag over Sam.

                                     GUARD
                         Don't fight it, son... confess 
                         quickly... Before they get into 
                         the expensive procedures. If you 
                         hold out too long you could 
                         jeopardise your credit rating.

               The bag blacks everything out.

               INT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL ROOM - NIGHT

               The bag comes off. Sam finds himself strapped into an 
               Information Retrieval chair. The CAMERA tracks back 
               frighteningly fast revealing that he chair stands in an 
               unbelievably vast room. The walls curve up and out of sight.

               The floor doesn't seem to be a floor at all  strange light 
               undulates beneath. The whole effect is one of total 
               disorientation and overwhelming size. Sam is desperately 
               trying to take it in. Next to the chair is a porcelain 
               tray of evil and frighteningly ambiguous instruments. 
               Worrysome electrical connections and meters are near at 
               hand. As the Guards leave Sam to take up their positions 
               near the distant door they hand over documents to the white-
               coated INFORMATION RETRIEVAL OFFICER.

                                     GUARD
                         11/AFT/607, sir.

               They all sign the document which the I.R. Officer retains 
               after giving carbon copies to the Guards. The Guards then 
               proceed to the door and take up positions on either side 
               of it. The I.R. Officer heads toward Sam. We can now see 
               he wears a mask. It is the face of the Forces of Darkness. 
               A smiling baby doll face. Sam sits, mesmerized, watching 
               him approach. Within fifteen or twenty yards of Sam the 
               I.R. Officer comes to an abrupt halt. He seems to sway. 
               After a moment he turns slightly, hesitantly, giving the 
               impression that he may return to the door. He looks at the 
               Guards, pauses, straightens himself up, takes a deep breath 
               and continues again towards Sam, rather more briskly than 
               before. Sam watches, terrified and fascinated. The I.R.  
               Officer goes to the table which is covered with evil-looking 
               surgical-type instruments  he blunders clumsily into it, 
               knocking a couple of them onto the floor. He picks then up 
               quickly and replaces them.

                                     SAM
                         Jack?

               The I.R. Officer reacts to this as if he's been hit in the 
               solar plexus, and he tries to disguise it by simulating a 
               coughing fit. He then picks up a nasty looking implement 
               and advances on Sam.

                                     SAM
                         Jack?... Jack?

                                     JACK
                              (hysterically from 
                              behind mask)
                         Shut up!

                                     SAM
                         Jack, I'm innocent! Help me.

                                     JACK
                         Bastard!!!

                                     SAM
                         This is all a mistake. Jack, please 
                         take that mask off.

               Jack is very close to Sam, he is shaking. He lifts up his 
               mask to reveal sweaty face, contorted with fear and anger.

                                     JACK
                         You stupid bastard!

                                     SAM
                         What?

                                     JACK
                         How could you do this to me?

                                     SAM
                         Help me, Jack! I'm frightened!

                                     JACK
                         How do you think I feel? You shit!

                                     SAM
                         Jack...

                                     JACK
                              (pulling down mask)
                         Shut up! This is a professional 
                         relationship!

               Jack comes at Sam with the horrifying implement.

                                     SAM
                         JACK!!... You can't... No, don't!

               Sam's eyes widen in terror. From his POV we look up at 
               Jack approaching. The ceiling above and behind Jack is 
               suddenly and. loudly penetrated by the Ceiling Hole Machine, 
               and in an instant without benefit of "fireman's pole", the 
               commando-like figure of Mr. Tuttle gun in hand, leaps 
               through the hole. Tuttle is immediately followed by similar 
               looking MEN with balaclavas, guerilla-type clothing, and 
               very efficient guns. Jack is cut down. So are the TWO GUARDS 
               who have opened the door from the corridor and are shooting 
               into the room.

               Tuttle raps out into a walkie-talkie

                                     TUTTLE
                         Detonate!

               From somewhere near at hand there is a large explosion 
               which rocks the room. Tuttle is already unstrapping Sam.

                                     TUTTLE
                         Let's go!

               INT. CORRIDORS - NIGHT

               CUT TO RESCUERS, with Sam in the middle, fighting their 
               way in the terrific battle with GUARDS, until they get to 
               a door leading to the stairs.

               INT. ENDLESS STAIRWAYS - NIGHT

               CUT TO RESCUERS, their members thinning, and Sam, fighting 
               down flight after flight of stairs with lots of neat-oh 
               violence and blood and, gunshots and... falling and bleeding 
               and

               INT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL LOBBY - NIGHT

               CUT TO THE RESCUERS fighting their way to the entrance. 
               Another group of RESCUERS at the door are providing cover 
               fire The Porter sits behind his desk watching the battle 
               on his bank of monitors.

                                     2ND GROUP
                         Quick! We've only got thirty seconds 
                         to get clear!

               Tuttle tosses Sam a dark overcoat to cover his light grey 
               detainee outfit. Together, the TWO GROUPS burst out through 
               the door into the large empty forecourt.

               EXT. FORECOURT - NIGHT

               The forecourt is suddenly illuminated by huge arc lights. 
               Machine gun installations open fire. The rescuers are 
               totally exposed.

               They are cut down left and right. Desperately they battle 
               their way across the open space. Time running out. Sam, 
               knowing the way, leads Tuttle towards a shielded spot. 
               Will they make it? As the last rescuer is cut down Sam and 
               Tuttle dive for cover. KOWBLAMMPOW!  A massive explosion. 
               Then another. And another. SECURITY TROOPS caught 
               unprotected are decimated. Sam looks up. Christ! The 
               building is being blown to bits. Certain windows are lit. 
               They spell out "MERRY XMAS". With a final massive 
               haemorrhage the building erupts in a geyser of masonry, 
               steel, paper and dozens of TV consoles and visual aid 
               apparatus including, in large chunks, Mr. Helpmann's 
               masterpiece. But also tons and tons of paper.

               Every file in the building has burst its seams and ejected 
               its load skywards. The night sky is full of white 
               rectangular wisps. Ashlike they flutter down over the city. 
               Sam looks around and can't see Tuttle anywhere. He shouts 
               for him. But the remaining Troops have spotted Sam and Sam 
               runs.

               EXT. CITY PASSAGES - NIGHT

               Sam runs madly through paper-littered passages

               EXT. SHOPPING PRECINCT - NIGHT

               Eluding his pursuers, Sam dives into a crowded, garishly 
               lit, shopping centre. Once among the protective company of 
               he mindlessly shopping MOB, Sam slows down and proceeds 
               casually. The SHOPPERS go about their programmed business 
               paying no attention to the paperwork swirling about them. 
               Searching the crowd, Sam spots Tuttle making his way towards 
               him. Tuttle is having a bit of trouble walking against the 
               steadily increasing wind. As he proceeds across an open 
               area a blown piece of paper. catches on his foot. He tries 
               shaking it off.

               It remains firmly stuck. While he is struggling with the 
               piece of paper another, larger piece catches his other 
               leg. He begins to lose his temper trying to dislodge the 
               flying debris. Another hits him and twists around his arm. 
               Still more paper blows against him. He is having difficulty 
               staying upright. Twisting this way and that he tries to 
               free himself, but more and more paper covers him. He is 
               practically obscured from view. Sam can't believe what he 
               is seeing. Shoppers continue about their business, 
               apparently unaware of Tuttle'S terrible plight. Apart from 
               ONE SHOPPER who loses control of her shopping trolley  and 
               watches it career down the steps of the shopping precinct. 
               By now Tuttle is totally encased in this cocoon of litter. 
               He is now just a ball of paper writhing about on the ground. 
               Sam has to do something. He rushes out from his hiding 
               place and tries to pull the litter off Tuttle. The pieces 
               come loose with surprising ease. The wind carries them 
               away as Sam frantically tears at the pile. But there is no 
               sign of Tuttle. Nothing. The last few pieces of paper 
               flutter away leaving Sam standing there with a couple of 
               posters in his hands. He realises that he is suddenly very 
               visible. All the shopping bustle has stopped. They are all 
               staring at him. Sam spots TROOPS shouldering their way 
               towards him. He turns tail and dashes off.

               INT. MOTHER'S FLAT - NIGHT

               The drawing room door burst open as Sam dashes in. Sam 
               goes straight through and into the bedroom. The room is 
               empty of all terrestrial human life forms. A hollow wind 
               blows the curtains.

               INT. MOTHER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

               The room is in chaos (and there is a hole in the ceiling). 
               Sam turns and sees a silhouette in the doorway. He rushes 
               forwards.

               INT. MOTHER'S FRONT DOOR - NIGHT

               But it's Matthews the porter who is at the door watching 
               Sam running towards him.

                                     MATTHEWS
                              (piously)
                         A sad loss. Your mother was with 
                         her at the end. The doctor said 
                         there was no pain.

               Sam grabs Matthews round the neck and shakes him.

                                     SAM
                         Where is she?

               EXT. A CORNER - NIGHT

               Sam comes running around corner. He is suddenly bathed in 
               a strange blue light. He halts and looks up. There opposite 
               him is a large blue neon cross above the entrance to a 
               chapel of dully modernistic design. Holy music from an 
               electric organ can be heard. Sam rushes up the stops and 
               through the door.

               INT. CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF THE CHECK-OUT COUNTER - NIGHT

               CUT TO Sam slipping into the chapel (in tight spot) and 
               suddenly being confronted by Spiro the Maitre'D.

                                     SPIRO
                         Ah, yes, Mr. Lowry. It's so good 
                         you could make it. Right this way.

               Sam, dumbfounded, follows.

               CUT TO Sam being lead into the middle of the cold, modern 
               chapel which, possibly for the occasion, has been tarted 
               up with some red velvet curtains that help make it a bit 
               theatrical. A large flower-smothered coffin rests on some 
               sort of raised stand in front of the altar, a VICAR stands 
               in the pulpit, and a fair sprinkling of PEOPLE sit in 
               stepped seats on three sides of the room.

               The coffin is closed, but a length of bandage has escaped 
               the lid. Standing amidst the floral tributes is a large, 
               rather idealized, colour portrait of Mrs. Terrain looking 
               not so much young as beautiful. Among the mourners are 
               Drs. Jaffe and Chapman and others in their operating gowns.

               To enlarge on the scene, we see Shirley T snuffling in her 
               hanky and a few others chatting amongst themselves, the 
               Vicar standing in his pulpit waiting to get on with it, 
               etc. CUT TO Sam trying to take all this in, stopping in 
               the middle of the room. Don't forget Dr. Chapman sobbing.

                                     SPIRO
                              (stopping and looking 
                              back at Sam)
                         Mrs. Lowry? Mrs. Lowry is...

               In the background the Vicar begins speaking, and we hear 
               his voice throughout the following action. CUT TO SAM'S 
               POV...

                                     VICAR
                              (in background)
                         At these times of giving and 
                         receiving let's remember the 
                         greatest gift of all: not a gift 
                         to be spurned, not a gift to be 
                         opened and carelessly set on one 
                         side, not a gift to be taken back 
                         and changed, but the gift of eternal 
                         life. Mrs. Terrain has just received 
                         that most wonderful of all gifts. 
                         She came to us physically new, she 
                         goes hence from us not so physically 
                         new. But the spirit never grows 
                         old. And in the domain of the 
                         Eternal Giver, Mrs. Terrain shall 
                         dwell in bountiful joy forever.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               SAM'S POV

               ... past Spiro to a section in the bleachers directly across 
               from the coffin and the Vicar where a WOMAN (her back to 
               Sam) is surrounded by a buzzing flock of very handsome and 
               well-dressed YOUNG MEN.

                                     SAM
                              (trying to take in 
                              scene)
                         What?... Oh...
                              (starts to follow 
                              Spiro)

                                     SPIRO
                              (coming up to back 
                              of woman)
                         Madam...

               CUT TO WOMAN turning, half in flirtatious conversation. It 
               is Sam's Mother, but miraculously another twenty years 
               younger and... a parody of Sam's Dream Girl.

                                     MOTHER
                         Sam!!!
                              (uncertainty in her 
                              expression)

                                     SAM
                              (staring dumbly, 
                              not knowing what 
                              to say)
                         Mother?... What... what's... you've 
                         got to help me...

                                     MOTHER
                              (embarrassed, unsure)

                                     NOT NOW... PLEASE
                         YOUNG GALLANT
                              (belligerently)
                         Ida, is this fellow bothering you?
                              (getting up)

                                     I'LL
                         But before we can find out what 
                         he'll:

               SFX: TERRIFIC CRASH.

               CUT TO entrance to Chapel as a squad of TROOPS come crashing 
               in. PEOPLE begin to scatter, screaming. The Troops spot 
               Sam who dashes away from his Mother and heads for a door 
               behind the altar. In his panic he crashes against the coffin 
               which topples over spilling its contents... a hundredweight 
               of offal. Sam covers his mouth and dashes through the door.

               EXT. MAZE-LIKE DARK PASSAGES - NIGHT

               CUT TO Sam, really dashing madly, tripping over things, 
               hurting himself, getting up running. He is in a maze of 
               machinery. Every way he turns his path seems blocked by 
               either Troops or Figures from his dreams. The walls of the 
               maze become more simplified as he goes deeper into it. 
               More rectangular, higher. We see a top shot of the maze 
               with Sam separate from the pursuing Forces but they are 
               closing in on him from all sides. The maze extends as far 
               as we can see. Sam turns left and right through it, always 
               there is a chance of turnings. Until... he rounds a corner 
               and for the first time there is nowhere to go. The maze 
               leads straight ahead to a dead end. At the end of the maze 
               is a great pile of detritus from the consumer society. 
               Televisions, washing machines, hair dryers, junk. Sam can 
               do nothing but try to dig through this pile.

               Maybe he can defend himself with something here. He 
               scrabbles away. Looking back he sees the massed Agents, 
               Troops, Forces of Darkness heading toward him. No escape. 
               He digs, harder, faster. Junk flies everywhere. He actually 
               reaches the end wall. Back to it, he turns to face the 
               foe. But as he moves against the wall his hand touches 
               something. A door knob. He turns. It's a door. The knob 
               turns easily. The door swings open. Sam dives through it.

               INT. HABITATION UNIT - NIGHT

               Sam finds himself in a strange little house empty of 
               furniture except a few fitted cupboards and a fitted bed 
               frame. He tries to lock the door behind him but there is 
               no key. He puts his weight against the door to keep it 
               shut. From outside there is the general noise of pursuit 
               but this fades and resolves itself into a fairly quiet 
               uniform engine-sound. Sam lets go of the door carefully. 
               He looks around but there is only one window and it is 
               shuttered. He carefully opens the door a crack and he sees-

               SAM'S POV

               A rapidly receding street.

               EXT. CITY - NIGHT

               Jill's truck, with the house on its back, is driving 
               dangerously through he streets. It lurches round the corner.

               INT. HABITATION UNIT - NIGHT

               The lurch throws Sam to one side. He picks himself up, 
               and, fighting the centrifugal force, works his way to the 
               shuttered window which is at the front end of the house, 
               in the wall opposite the door. Sam undoes the shutters and 
               finds himself looking at the rear window of Jill's cab. He 
               sees the back of the DRIVER's head. The Driver is wearing 
               Jill's cap. He sees the back of the Driver's cab. He bangs 
               on the glass of the cab. The Driver raises her head so 
               that the face is visible to Sam in the driving mirror. He 
               sees that it is Jill, in a flat cap. She smiles at him. 
               Sam sobs with relief and love.

               EXT. THE ROAD - NIGHT

               The lorry, travelling slowly now, approaches then breasts 
               the rise beyond which lies... looking more than ever... 
               JILL'S VALLEY. We ZOOM towards it through a MIX...

               INT. TRAVELLING LORRY - NIGHT

               Through the windscreen we see the dawn coming up ahead. 
               The reverse shot shows us Jill driving and Sam next to 
               her. They glance at each other.

               EXT. SMALL ROAD - EARLY MORNING

               The lorry, travelling slowly now, approaches and then 
               breasts the rise beyond which lies... A STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL 
               UNTOUCHED VALLEY. We ZOOM towards it through a MIX...

               EXT. BEAUTIFUL VALLEY - DAY

               Half hidden in the heart of the valley is the truck with 
               the house on its back. Creepers and wild roses have grown 
               up over the truck and some of the house. A curl of smoke 
               rises from a makeshift chimney which has been attached to 
               one of the walls. A small piece of ground around the truck 
               has been cleared and made into a pretty garden with a 
               vegetable plat. There is also a pretty cow, and some 
               chickens. Jill appears locking like Crusoe carrying a basket 
               of eggs.

               INT. HOUSE - MORNING

               Sam is in the bed, just waking up. He opens his eyes, 
               locking calm. Off screen we hear the door opening.

                                     JILL
                              (off screen)
                         Morning. Sleep well?

               Sam nods his head slightly, on the pillow.

                                     SAM
                              (quietly)
                         I don't dream anymore.
                              (he embraces her)

               EXT. HOUSE AND GARDEN - MORNING

               A high shot. Everything in the garden is definitely lovely. 
               The music tells us. The music swells and the camera slowly 
               pulls back, and back. It's a happy ending. And then, in 
               the foreground, TWO HUGE HEADS appear looking straight at 
               the camera. It is Mr. Helpmann and Jack. They both shake 
               their heads.

                                     MR. HELPMANN
                         He's got away from us, Jack.

                                                                 CUT TO:

               INT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL ROOM - DAY

               Sam is sitting in the I.R. chair. He is strapped in. His 
               eyes are open but miles away. His face is wreathed in a 
               benign and very happy smile.

                                     JACK
                         I'm afraid you're right, Mr. 
                         Helpmann. He's gone.

               A WIDE SHOT Of the room shows us Helpmann and Lint turn 
               away and leave. Sam is left alone. He is humming... The 
               CAMERA PULLS BACK AND BACK. The Information Retrieval room 
               with Sam in it floats away into the most beautiful glorious 
               sky ever.

               Sam's humming into a full orchestra, and we hear...

               "Brazil, where hearts were entertained in June, We stood 
               beneath an amber moon, And softly murmured 'Some day soon' 
               We kissed and clung together, Then, tomorrow was another 
               day. The morning found me miles away, With still a million 
               things to say, Now, when twilight beams the sky above, 
               Recalling thrills of our love, There's one thing I'm certain 
               of, Return, I will, To old Brazil."

               THE END: