Copyright 2009 by Ronald L. Ecker
All Rights Reserved
FADE IN:
EXT. A DIRT ROAD - DAY (1914)
A Ford Model T comes down the road on a hot summer day.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
In the state of Chihuahua, during
the Mexican Revolution, an English
rancher named William Benton set
out in his Ford Model T for the
home of the rebel general Pancho
Villa.
INT. MODEL T - MOVING - DAY
Driving alone is WILLIAM BENTON, 55, in coat and tie. He
wipes sweat from his face with a handkerchief. He looks
angry and resolved.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Benton was an arrogant, self-made
man who was used to pushing people
around. And he figured he could
push around Pancho Villa just like
anyone else.
EXT. VILLA'S HOUSE - DAY
Sitting leisurely on the front porch of the unluxurious home
is mean-looking RODOLFO FIERRO, 35, in civilian clothes, and
armed with a holstered pistol.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Now to see Villa, Benton would
have to get past Villa's right-hand
man, Rodolfo Fierro.
Fierro idly removes his new hat and admires it. It's a white
campaign hat, like a drill instructor's hat with its rather
pointy crown.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
Fierro was so cruel and ruthless,
he was known and feared by Villa's
own men as El Carnicero. The
Butcher.
Two 30-ish Villistas, EDUARDO and TORIBIO, on casual guard
duty with their rifles, cartridge belts, and sombreros, stand
talking together near the porch.
Fierro puts on the hat, and looks at the two Villistas.
FIERRO
How do you like my new hat?
Eduardo and Toribio smile graciously at Fierro.
EDUARDO
It is a very nice hat, sir.
TORIBIO
It looks very good on you.
EDUARDO
Yes.
Fierro smiles. Eduardo and Toribio resume their private
conversation,
EDUARDO (cont'd)
That hat looks like shit.
TORIBIO
El Carnicero is proof, my friend,
that the devil wears a hat.
Benton arrives in front of the house in his Model T.
Fierro casually rises. Benton gets out of his car and walks
toward the porch. Stopping at the steps, Benton looks up
haughtily at Fierro. Eduardo and Toribio watch and listen.
BENTON
I am here to see General Villa.
FIERRO
The general is busy right now,
Mister Benton.
BENTON
Busy doing what?
FIERRO
Helping lead a revolution. Haven't
you heard?
Benton wipes his sweaty brow with his handkerchief, which he
returns to his hip pocket.
BENTON
I care not a whit, sir, for your
revolution. I will see Pancho
Villa this instant, or I will cause
the man plenty of trouble.
Fierro calmly removes his hat. He wipes the inside rim with
a handkerchief, then wipes his brow. He smirks at Benton.
FIERRO
Wait here, Mister Benton. I will
convey your message to the general.
Dropping the hat on his chair, Fierro goes inside.
Eduardo and Toribio glance at each other as they regard the
Englishman waiting at the steps.
TORIBIO
I have never heard anyone speak
that way to El Carnicero.
INT. VILLA'S OFFICE - DAY
Benton, his jaw firmly set, is shown into the office by
VILLISTA #1, who leaves.
Stocky, moustachioed PANCHO VILLA, 34, sits leisurely behind
an uncluttered desk. Nearby stands hatless Fierro, his
holstered pistol on his hip. They stare at Benton.
VILLA
What do you want, Mister Benton?
BENTON
Money.
VILLA
Money?
Sweating Benton steps closer to the desk.
BENTON
Your men have been rustling cattle
of mine. I am here to have it
stopped, and to receive compensation.
Villa glares at Benton.
VILLA
You, sir, have been stealing land
and cattle from the people of
Chihuahua for the past twenty
years. You have the nerve to
come here, you English thief, and
accuse me of stealing your cattle?
BENTON
I am not accusing you, General
Villa. I am accusing your men.
VILLA
Then you go and talk to my men.
BENTON
No. You are accountable.
Benton reaches for his hip pocket. Fierro draws his pistol
and shoots Benton in the heart, as Benton pulls out his
handkerchief.
Waving the handkerchief like a white flag, Benton falls.
Villa rises. He and Fierro walk over and look down at
dead Benton.
VILLA
You fool, he was only going for
his handkerchief.
Fierro is unfazed.
FIERRO
Then it's the last handkerchief
he'll ever go for.
Fierro tries to touch his hat brim, then feels his head.
FIERRO (cont'd)
I left my hat outside.
Villa seems unsure what to do. Fierro looks unworried.
FIERRO (cont'd)
I'll take him out somewhere and
bury him.
Villa nods agreeably and heads back to his desk.
FIERRO (cont'd)
They'll probably come asking about
him. What would you like me to say?
VILLA
Oh, he came here and went. He has
vanished from the face of the earth.
FIERRO
What about his Ford Model T? It's
sitting outside.
VILLA
Drive it to the camp and have it
dismantled. We can always use
spare parts.
EXT. A WOODED AREA - DAY
Eduardo and Toribio are digging a hole with shovels.
VILLISTA #2 holds the reins of the horse over which Benton's
body is draped. There's no pine box or shroud.
As they toil, Eduardo and Toribio cast glances at Fierro, who
sits relaxed under the shade of a tree, the front of his hat
brim pulled low.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
You can bet that Eduardo and Toribio,
the Villistas who were digging the
grave for Benton, would have loved
to throw El Carnicero in with him.
But they didn't dare say so.
Eduardo stops momentarily, checking a blister on his hand.
Toribio pauses to watch. They are startled by a gunshot,
the bullet hitting the pile of dirt.
They look at Fierro with his pistol in hand.
FIERRO
Get that hole dug or I'll bury you
with him. Both of you.
Eduardo and Toribio get busy digging.
EXT. VILLA'S HOUSE - DAY
Fierro, wearing his Sunday best with his hat and pistol, sits
on the porch as another Ford Model T arrives. Two Model T's
are already parked near the house.
Festive mariachi music is heard from inside the house. Near
the porch, Eduardo and Toribio, also looking their best,
stand eating from plates.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
But William Benton wouldn't stay
buried for long. The very next
day, there was a small wedding at
Villa's house.
EXT. INNER COURTYARD - DAY
Villa, wearing a suit, and his 30-ish bride LUZ CORRAL dance
to the music of MARIACHIS. A small group of WEDDING GUESTS
is present.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Luz Corral was one of over twenty
women whom Villa would marry -
or pretend to marry with fake
weddings - in his lifetime.
EXT. IN FRONT OF HOUSE - DAY
Fierro, putting an unlit cigar in his mouth, strolls down
the front steps to meet the two 40-ish gentlemen, MURANTE
and RIVERA, who approach from their Model T.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Villa liked to marry the ladies -
or pretend to - so they wouldn't
feel guilty about going to bed
with him.
Fierro lights his cigar.
MURANTE
Good afternoon, sir. We need to
speak with General Villa, please.
FIERRO
The general doesn't wish to talk
business right now, Murante. He
just got married.
MURANTE
Married? Again? Why wasn't I
invited to the wedding?
Fierro removes his hat. As he wipes the inner rim, then his
brow,
FIERRO
It was arranged on short notice,
as usual.
MURANTE
Who did he marry?
Fierro puts the hat back on.
FIERRO
Luz something. He met her two days
ago. How do you like my new hat?
RIVERA
Well the reason we're here is
pretty important, El Carni - I
mean Mister Fierro. It's about
William Benton.
FIERRO
William Benton? What about him?
MURANTE
He came here yesterday, and hasn't
been heard from since.
Fierro purses his lips. He pulls his hat brim low, and looks
down his nose at the gentlemen.
FIERRO
You didn't tell me how you like my
new hat.
Murante and Rivera glance at each other.
RIVERA
It's a nice hat.
Fierro smiles.
EXT. INNER COURTYARD - DAY
Villa stands jovially talking with JUDGE DE LA TORRE, 65,
other guests in b.g.. Fierro, his hat in hand, whispers
something to the general. The judge swills a drink.
INT. A SITTING ROOM - DAY
Villa joins the waiting Murante and Rivera. Fierro, wearing
his hat and pistol, observes from the doorway. The mariachis
(O.S.) can be faintly heard from the courtyard.
RIVERA
General Villa, our congratulations.
We are sorry to disturb you on such
a joyous occasion.
VILLA
Then why are you doing it?
MURANTE
There is a problem, General Villa,
concerning the Englishman William
Benton. It is known that he came
here on a delicate matter, and,
well -
VILLA
He came here and left.
MURANTE
Was he alive when he left?
(on Villa's look)
General, as your attorneys we must
know.
RIVERA
Benton is a well-to-do British
citizen. His death - depending on
how he died, if he did - could
cause an international incident.
Bad for the revolution.
MURANTE
It is not like shooting some cowboy
from Texas. There is going to be
an inquiry. We have to be prepared.
VILLA
The scoundrel came here to kill me.
He went for his gun, and Rodolfo
Fierro here stopped him with a
bullet, thank God.
Murante and Rivera look at Fierro, who smiles.
RIVERA
Attempted assassination. That is
sufficient grounds for his trial
and execution, is it not?
MURANTE
Yes, but that is the problem. He
should have been tried and convicted
before execution. A military
tribunal would have been perfectly
legal, you would be in the clear.
VILLA
We can try him today. How is that?
MURANTE
Hmm. Well, why not? A military
tribunal, three judges, no jury -
VILLA
I'll have Rodolfo bring Benton in.
MURANTE
- with an official record of the
trial. I'll serve as recorder.
Rivera can represent Benton.
RIVERA
But isn't it safe to assume that
Benton is already buried?
VILLA
We will dig the man up. Is that a
problem, Rodolfo?
FIERRO
Well, that depends on how you look
at it.
Villa chuckles. He glances at Fierro, then does a take,
noting Fierro's hat. Fierro smiles and touches the brim.
FIERRO (cont'd)
How do you like my new hat?
Villa turns again to Murante and Rivera.
VILLA
And when Benton's found guilty,
he'll be drilled full of holes -
after Rodolfo takes out his bullet,
eh? Then we rebury him. Then
Benton will have died from a firing
squad's bullets.
RIVERA
Who will be the judges?
VILLA
Three of my Villistas. What are
they going to say?
MURANTE
It would look good, General, if we
could include a civilian judge. A
civilian and two Villistas.
VILLA
Judge De la Torre is here for the
wedding. We can use his courtroom
and let him preside.
RIVERA
De la Torre. Now there is a judge
for you.
VILLA
We should pay him off, you think?
MURANTE
No, but trying a dead man, I suggest
that we get the judge drunk first.
VILLA
That's easy. He is half-drunk
already.
INT. DE LA TORRE'S COURTROOM - DAY
Drunk Judge De la Torre sits semiconscious at the bench.
The other two judges, seated on either side of De La Torre to
help keep him awake, are mean-looking Villista TOMÁS URBINA,
35, and VILLISTA #3. Both wear cartridge belts.
At one table sit Murante and Rivera. Behind the other table
is an empty high-backed chair. No one else is present.
Villa and Fierro come in, Fierro removing his hat. Fierro
and Urbina smile as they look at each other.
FIERRO
(to Villa)
Tomás Urbina as a judge in a court
of law. That is a good one, jefe.
VILLA
Bring in the accused.
Fierro goes to the door and gestures to someone outside.
Eduardo and Toribio bring in the dirt-caked corpse of Benton
in an upright position, as if he were walking between them,
his head tilted forward.
Villa and Fierro whisper,
VILLA (cont'd)
Couldn't you clean him up a bit?
FIERRO
With the judge as drunk as he is,
what difference will it make?
Eduardo and Toribio put Benton in the high-backed chair. It
supports Benton's head once Eduardo gets the head to stay up.
Fierro sits down in a front-row seat. Crossing his legs with
one knee high, he proudly sets his hat on the knee.
Eduardo and Toribio leave, brushing the dirt off their hands
and smelling them.
VILLA
Wake up the presiding judge.
Urbina hits De La Torre hard in the ribs with an elbow. De
La Torre wakes up with a cough and grimace, holding his side.
DE LA TORRE
What happened?
VILLA
We are ready to proceed, Your Honor.
JUDGE
Who are we trying?
VILLA
William Benton, sir.
The judge squints at Benton as if trying to focus blurred
vision.
JUDGE
Is he awake? He looks like he's
drunker than I am.
FIERRO
I can vouch for the fact that he's
stone cold sober, Your Honor.
JUDGE
When was the last time the man took
a bath?
VILLA
William Benton, you are charged
with . . .
(to Murante)
What is the charge?
JUDGE
I'm charging him with contempt of
court for the condition he's in.
MURANTE
He is charged with the attempted
assassination of General Pancho
Villa, commander in chief of the
revolution's Northern Division.
VILLA
A capital offense. I am prepared
to call as a witness my associate
Rodolfo Fierro.
FIERRO
Well, this man Benton -
VILLA
Be quiet, you haven't been called
yet.
Villa takes the hat from Fierro's knee and looks at it.
VILLA (cont'd)
I meant to ask you, Rodolfo. Where
did you get the hat?
FIERRO
I took it from a man in Coahuila.
Villa tries on the hat.
VILLA
He didn't object?
FIERRO
Let's just say that he won't be
needing it.
Villa chuckles and returns the hat to Fierro's knee.
VILLA
Before we proceed, Your Honor, the
defendant must enter a plea.
De la Torre has again dozed off. Urbina hits him hard in the
head with the heel of a palm. De La Torre wakes up holding
his head. He looks at Urbina, who stares straight ahead.
VILLA (cont'd)
A plea, Your Honor.
JUDGE
How do you plead, General Villa?
VILLA
The defendant must enter a plea.
William Benton, how do you plead?
(no response)
Hah. He pleads no contest.
JUDGE
Could the defendant please speak
a little louder?
VILLA
He didn't say anything, Your Honor.
His silence speaks volumes. Is the
defendant represented in court?
MURANTE
I represent the accused.
JUDGE
You do? Why aren't you sitting
with your client?
MURANTE
As Your Honor has noted, he is in
serious need of a bath.
VILLA
(to Murante)
Do you agree that his plea is no
contest?
MURANTE
Yes. My client is resigned to
his fate.
VILLA
Well that's clear thinking on his
part. We're ready for a verdict,
Your Honor.
MURANTE
Excuse me, I think we should hear
from the witness, just for the
record.
VILLA
(to Fierro)
All right. Tell this tribunal what
happened.
FIERRO
Well, that stinker tried to shoot
General Villa, but I wrestled his
butt to the floor.
Fierro notes a speck of something on his hat and takes the
hat from his knee.
MURANTE
Why didn't you shoot him?
Fierro removes the speck from his hat.
FIERRO
I wanted to, but the general said,
"No, that wouldn't be right."
VILLA
You swear that's the truth?
FIERRO
Yes. There's nothing I wouldn't
swear to.
MURANTE
(to Rivera)
Strike that last sentence.
VILLA
We have heard from the witness.
I am a witness too, of course, and
I could not tell that story about
the shooting of Benton any better.
Judges of this tribunal, how do you
find the defendant?
Judge De la Torre is slumped forward asleep.
URBINA
Guilty.
VILLISTA #3
Guilty.
VILLA
Two out of three is enough.
Urbina reaches over and slaps De La Torre on the side of the
head from Villista #3's side. De La Torre wakes up and looks
at Villista #3.
VILLA (cont'd)
Your Honor, do you wish to make it
unanimous?
JUDGE
You mean guilty?
VILLA
The verdict is unanimous. What
sentence do the judges give this
defendant?
VILLISTA #3
Death.
URBINA
Death by firing squad.
VILLA
Take him out and shoot him.
Villa heads out of the room.
JUDGE
Has the court been dismissed?
MURANTE
Yes, Your Honor.
JUDGE
Court is dismissed!
EXT. A BULLET-POCKED WALL - DAY
Eduardo and Toribio sit Benton up against the wall. They
quickly move out of the way.
Urbina, wearing a sombrero, gives the order to the firing
squad, composed of SIX VILLISTAS with rifles,
URBINA
Ready! Aim! Fire!
The Villistas fire. Urbina laughs. He turns to the
Villistas.
URBINA (cont'd)
Well, that's it. I'm afraid there
is no one else to shoot today.
Eduardo and Toribio sullenly watch.
EDUARDO
That mean scoundrel can laugh . . .
Toribio, but not Eduardo, sees Fierro, wearing his hat,
quietly step up behind them.
EDUARDO (cont'd)
Guess who has to bury Benton again.
Glancing at Toribio, Eduardo sees Fierro, who smiles meanly.
EDUARDO (cont'd)
(to Toribio)
Let's go bury Benton.
Eduardo and Toribio move off. Fierro smugly takes a puff on
a cigar as he watches.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
But El Carnicero's time was coming.
EXT. A LAKE - DAY
Riding their horses, Fierro and twelve Villistas stop near
the marshy banks of a lake in the woods.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
About a year later, Fierro and a
band of Villistas were at Casas
Grandes Lagoon in Chihuahua.
LATER
The twelve Villistas, including Eduardo, Toribio, CARLOS, and
VILLISTAS #4 and #5, wait idly with disgust on their horses.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
They were going to wade across the
lagoon on their horses . . .
There are bushes near where the Villistas wait.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
. . . as soon as Fierro finished
answering nature's call.
Fierro comes out of the bushes. He fastens his pants, which
apparently isn't easy because of something bulky and heavy
in his pockets.
The Villistas watch as Fierro walks toward the bank of the
lake, his boots leaving depressions in the marshy ground.
Fierro stops to look over the lake and the mountains beyond.
He removes his hat and runs a hand through his hair. He
looks at the hat, and puts it back on.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
Fierro should have walked back
toward his horse over the same
ground he walked away from it on.
Fierro turns and walks toward his horse.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
Fierro was weighed down by some
stolen gold in his pockets. Which
is not a good thing when you walk
into quicksand.
Fierro walks into a pit of quicksand, indistinguishable from
the rest of the marshy ground. He struggles as he starts
going down.
The Villistas look surprised, but simply watch, doing nothing
to help him.
FIERRO
Hey! Get me out of here! Throw me
some rope!
NARRATOR (V.O.)
It looked like the Villistas who
were with him would finally get
to bury El Carnicero after all.
Fierro sinks deeper.
FIERRO
Come on! There's a pocket of gold
for the man who gets me out of here!
Eduardo dismounts.
EDUARDO
Toribio, give me that rope.
Toribio hands Eduardo some coiled rope.
FIERRO
That's a good man! Throw me that
rope!
Eduardo tosses the end of the rope to Fierro. Fierro reaches
for it. Eduardo pulls it away with a smile.
FIERRO (cont'd)
This is no time to play games!
Give me that rope!
Eduardo throws the rope again, then again pulls it away
before Fierro can reach it.
FIERRO (cont'd)
Damn you!
The Villistas laugh. Fierro is now up to his neck in the
quicksand.
FIERRO (cont'd)
I'll be waiting for you in hell.
Fierro's head slowly goes under. The Villistas watch it
disappear.
Fierro's hat remains on top of the quicksand.
VILLISTA #4
He left his hat.
CARLOS
Good. Let it mark the spot.
VILLISTA #5
We can't leave it there. Someone
may try to pick it up and go down
like Fierro.
EDUARDO
You are right.
Eduardo gets his rifle and carefully retrieves the hat with
the barrel.
EDUARDO (cont'd)
We will take it to General Villa,
with the very sad news.
Eduardo wipes specks of mud from the hat.
EDUARDO (cont'd)
He will keep it as a memento of El
Carnicero.
Eduardo mounts his horse. Removing his sombrero, he puts on
the hat.
EDUARDO (cont'd)
Meanwhile I will wear the hat around
here.
Eduardo laughs.
CARLOS
Eduardo, that hat looks as ugly on
you as it did on Fierro.
VILLISTA #5
Eduardo, you could catch lice from
that hat.
Eduardo quickly takes the hat from his head. Putting on his
sombrero, he tosses the hat to Toribio.
EDUARDO
Toribio, you are in charge of the hat.
TORIBIO
You want me to catch lice?
EDUARDO
I didn't say wear it.
VILLISTA #4
Eduardo, when we take him the hat,
General Villa will be suspicious,
why we couldn't get Fierro out.
CARLOS
El Carnicero drowned in crossing
the lagoon. We couldn't find his
body. Only his hat was left
floating.
EDUARDO
Good thinking, Carlos. That is
what I will tell him. Let's go.
Eduardo starts leading the Villistas toward the lake, one of
them bringing Fierro's horse, then,
EDUARDO (cont'd)
Wait! Why should we wade through
that water? What's the big hurry?
VILLISTA #5
That's what we wondered too.
EDUARDO
Fierro no longer gives orders.
Let's go around it.
The Villistas turn and start riding, except for Eduardo and
Toribio. Toribio hasn't moved. Eduardo sees him, the hat in
hand, gazing at the quicksand pit.
Eduardo rides over to Toribio.
EDUARDO (cont'd)
Toribio, what is it?
TORIBIO
What a pity, losing all of that gold.
EDUARDO
Yes. But it was lost for a good
cause, amigo. Vámanos!
Eduardo rides off after the others.
Toribio looks at the hat in his hand. Removing his sombrero,
he puts on the hat. He seems to like the fit. Then he
snatches it from his head with concern.
TORIBIO
This hat could rob me of my soul.
Toribio puts the hat on his saddle horn. Putting on his
sombrero, he looks at the quicksand and gestures farewell.
TORIBIO (cont'd)
Adiós, El Carnicero.
Fierro's muddy hand emerges out of the quicksand. The top of
his head breaks the surface of the mud from below.
Toribio watches wide-eyed as the hand reaches out, trying to
grasp something, anything.
Toribio's horse acts as frightened as Toribio. Toribio turns
the horse and takes off.
The hand slips back into the quicksand, the top of the head
re-submerging.
EXT. NEAR THE LAKE - DAY
Eduardo and the other Villistas ride their horses at a
gallop. Eduardo looks back.
EDUARDO
Where is Toribio?
CARLOS
Here he comes now.
Toribio rides past Eduardo and the others as if they were
standing still. They watch Toribio leaving them.
EDUARDO
He is in a hurry to get rid of
that hat.
INT. VILLA'S OFFICE - DAY
Villa thoughtfully holds the hat as he sits at his desk.
Eduardo and Toribio, standing before him, look tense as they
await Villa's word. Villa looks sad, but then shrugs.
VILLA
There is one consolation for my old
friend Rodolfo.
Villa smiles at Eduardo and Toribio.
VILLA (cont'd)
In hell it's too hot to wear a hat
or anything else.
Villa laughs. Eduardo and Toribio smile.
Villa offers the hat to Urbina, standing near the side of
Villa's desk.
VILLA (cont'd)
Tomás, my new right-hand man, how
would you like to have the hat of
Rodolfo Fierro?
Eduardo and Toribio stop smiling as they watch Urbina look
at the hat in his hands.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
There's one thing for sure -
Eduardo and Toribio watch mean-looking Urbina put on the
hat and smile at them.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
- when Tomás Urbina put on that hat.
Eduardo and Toribio look at the audience.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
Eduardo and Toribio knew they had
seen this movie before.
Eduardo and Toribio look again at smiling Urbina.
URBINA
How do you like my new hat?
FADE OUT.
THE END
Return to the beginning of this script.
Go to The New Howell Theater.