1 Avenging Victorio A Screenplay by Dave DeWitt based on the novel published by Rio Grande Books. ©2011 Dave DeWitt Not for distribution or resale. For reading purposes only. Contact: [email protected] 2 “AVENGING VICTORIO” By Dave DeWitt FADE IN: 1. INT. OFFICE – DAY (FALL, 1880) In the “war room” of the 9th Cavalry at the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe, three cavalry noncoms, dressed in blue uniforms without caps, are clustered around a desk with Phelps Electro-Motor Telegraph machine, which is printing out a message on a thin tape of paper. Two ANGLO SERGEANTS are standing; the Hispanic sergeant ROBERTO is seated. ANGLO SERGEANT 1 Jesus Christ! Look at that. ANGLO SERGEANT 2 I'd better show it to the general. ROBERTO I'll take it to him-- ANGLO SERGEANT 1 Go to hell, Mexican! ROBERTO (mutters) Hijo de puta... ANGLO SERGEANT 2 Speak English, asshole! VOICE (O. C.) Bring me the goddamned telegram, Gonzales! Roberto tears off the tape of paper out of the telegraph and stands up, grinning at the two Anglos. He walks out the door, down a short hall and looks into the adjoining office. Seated is COL. EDWARD T. HATCH, commander of the 9th Cavalry. He has graying hair and a mustache and is dressed in a three-piece dark blue suit with shoulder straps. Roberto hands him the telegram. ROBERTO Good news, General. 3 TELEGRAM 18 OCT. 1880 COL. EDWARD T. HATCH COMD'G, DIST. N.M.T. SANTA FE APACHE. RENEGADE VICTORIO KILLED FRIDAY BY FORCES OF GEN. JOAQUIN TERRAZAS AT TRES CASTILLOS, CHIHUAHUA. DISPATCH WITH DETAILS FOLLOWS. LT. J.F. GUILFOLYE COMD'G. CPY B INDIAN SCOUTS FT. CUMMINGS. HATCH Fetch Captain Loud. ROBERTO Yessir. EXT. PLAZA IN SANTA FE - DAY CAPT. JOHN LOUD is reviewing troops on the Plaza. Roberto hurries up to him and talks briefly to him (MOS). Loud dismisses the troops and turns toward the Palace of the Governors. INT. HATCH'S OFFICE - DAY Loud is with Hatch in his office. Hatch gives the telegram to Loud and makes a futile attempt to suppress his sudden elation. His right hand slaps the desktop as if smashing a troublesome insect and he grins broadly. Loud returns the grin. HATCH We should inform the staff. LOUD You should make the announcement yourself, General. Why don't you join us in the mess for lunch? I will instruct your staff officers to be present. HATCH What's for lunch, John? LOUD Venison chile and beans for you, General. Pork cutlets for the men who don't eat chile. HATCH The sissies, you mean. Yes, I'll join you and the other officers in the mess promptly at noon. 4 INT. OFFICERS' MESS - DAY In a small dining room decorated with American flags and Navajo rugs on the walls, the nine officers are chatting. There is a SERGEANT standing by the door. Hatch enters the mess. SERGEANT Ten-hut! The officers rise to attention. HATCH At ease, gentlemen. The officers sit silently and are attentive. Hatch moves to a lectern at the front of the room. HATCH Before we eat, I have a brief lecture.... The officers groan good naturedly. Hatch grins. HATCH First, the good news. Victorio is dead. The officers applaud and one exclaims “All right!” HATCH But of course, all of you knew that. It's impossible to keep a secret at here at headquarters. Second, the end of the campaign against Victorio represents a tremendous victory for the Ninth and Tenth Cavalries--despite the fact that the Mexicans actually finished off Victorio's forces. Maybe now the goddamned newspapers will let up on us. I'm tired of being called a “political colonel” and a “total incompetent.” Hatch pauses while a shy, plump, Mexican woman about forty years old places mugs beside each plate on the tables. HATCH: The Ninth has successfully executed my military strategy: to subdue Victorio and put him out of business. We had to use some unusual methods to do that. We recruited and deployed Indian scouts to track down and kill their own kind. We sent our Negro troopers, known for their incredible endurance, against the tough Apaches. The result was that Victorio's men fled back to 5 Mexico... for the last time. The Mexican woman interrupts Hatch by carrying in a tray filled with bottles of Anheuser-Busch lager beer and distributing the bottles to the officers. None of the staff make any attempt to pour their beers into the mugs, and Hatch ignores the presence of the beer that was set before him. HATCH In retrospect, the biggest problem we had was that we could not prevent the Apaches from getting arms. They were easily resupplied with guns and ammunition--in fact, the Apaches were sometimes better armed than our own men. Over four hundred people died by the hand of Victorio's Apaches, but not in vain. Because of their efforts and ours, New Mexico Territory is safer than it's ever been before. His staff breaks into applause again. Hatch lifts his bottle of beer and inspects it. HATCH Now what is this? You gentlemen know that alcohol is prohibited at headquarters. LOUD We thought that a toast was in order, general. And it's socially unacceptable to toast victory with coffee. HATCH You'll make a good politician, Loud. Carry on. Loud rises to attention, holding up his bottle of beer. LOUD Gentlemen, pour your beers. I propose a toast to our commander on the occasion of the fortunate demise of Victorio! The officers cheer and raise their mugs high in a salute to Hatch, who smiles and then drinks with them. The Mexican woman serves the food and they begin eating. LOUD General, shouldn't we inform Governor Wallace about Victorio? HATCH Yes. I'm going to send him a telegram at Crawfordsville this afternoon. In fact, captain, see to it. 6 LOUD Yes sir. I was thinking that perhaps the governor might enjoy hosting a reception at the Adobe Palace to celebrate the return of peace. Hatch pauses, a spoonful of red chile near his lips. HATCH Now that's an interesting notion. But Governor Wallace won't return from Indiana until after the election next month. He won't even be here when President Hayes visits." MAJOR JAMES LEE, the quartermaster of headquarters, looks up from his pork cutlet. LEE Why not make the reception a Christmas Ball? The wives would love that. And it could be a publication party, too. HATCH Excellent idea, Major. Make it so. Gentlemen, by order of the commander, the remainder of this afternoon is declared a holiday. EXT. SANTA FE STREETS - DAY Hatch leaves the headquarters compound and walks under the portal of the Adobe Palace on Palace Avenue, which is extremely dusty from the lack of rain and the heavy horse and wagon traffic. Several Indians from nearby pueblos are selling pots and turquoise jewelry which is spread out on their blankets. A man and his wife, both over-dressed for the territory and looking like they just got off the stage, are prospective buyers of the handicrafts. Hatch turns left on Washington Avenue and strolls the short half-block to the commander's residence. It is a two- story frame structure with a white picket fence enclosing the yard and garden. Hatch enters the house. His wife, EVELYN is in the kitchen peeling roasted green chile. EVELYN Ed! What are you doing home so early?" HATCH I declared the rest of the day a holiday. He kisses her on the cheek. 7 EVELYN What's the occasion? HATCH The end of Victorio. EVELYN He's dead? HATCH Quite dead. The Mexicans caught up with him and his band and killed nearly all of them. EVELYN Thank God. Sit down and tell me all about--” She is interrupted by a loud knocking on the door. Hatch opens the door, sees who it is, and steps out on the porch to confront CHARLES GREENE. HATCH (coldly) Good afternoon, Mr. Greene. GREENE Afternoon, general. Your office said I might find you here. HATCH You found me. What do you want? GREENE An interview. HATCH Oh? About what?" CONTINUED: GREENE What else? The death of Chief Victorio. I'd like your reaction, general. HATCH My reaction? I'm pleased, of course. GREENE But disappointed that you didn't kill him yourself? 8 HATCH Not at all. We were not fighting a duel, mind you. It was a military action. GREENE And a frustrating one-- HATCH (irritated) Listen, Greene, you wrote that I was incompetent, yet look at the results: my men chased him out of the territory and now he's dead. How can you get any more competent than that? GREENE I apologize. Now we have the chance to rectify that. HATCH Are you saying that if I cooperate with you and give this interview you will finally tell the complete story of our strategy? GREENE Of course. Would you say, general, that the Apache threat to the Territory of New Mexico has ended? HATCH Yes, definitely. CUT TO: INT. HOUSE – DAY Twenty minutes have passed. Evelyn is cleaning up the kitchen. Hatch opens the door and walks inside, shaking his head. HATCH Damn all the reporters. EVELYN I peaked out the window and saw Mr. Greene. I heard what you told him. HATCH All I can do is hope that he writes the truth. I couldn't just ignore him. 9 EVELYN Of course not. You were very polite, Ed. HATCH I have to play politics.