SAMARITAN

Independent Films, Social Responsibility Movies, Drama

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU SAW SOMEONE IN TROUBLE? WOULD YOU HELP?

SAMARITAN (2008) - 7m:40s

Martin’s life is turned upside down one morning when he goes to the aid of a young woman being beaten by a man with a gun. In a matter of seconds, the shooter attacks Martin and murders another man also trying to help diffuse the situation. While recovering from the experience, Martin must deal with the enormity of the consequences arising from the incident and his feelings of guilt over the death of the other man trying to help.

Transcripts / Production notes / Scripts

2nd draft, and shooting script for SAMARITAN by Ben Warner, March 2008.

FADE IN.

Black.

MARTIN
(V.O.)
It could’ve happened to any one. And it happened to me.

Gun shot.

Screams, becoming muffled...


SCENE 1. EXT. STREET. MORNING. 1.

A second gun shot – the flash of the gun firing engulfs the FRAME, revealing the face of the SHOOTER.

The SHOOTER appears frantic, yet his uncharacteristic clean-cut yet tough looking face shows no sign of remorse. The SHOOTER is well built, cleanly dressed in his late twenties, but there is a sinister edge to his look, as if something dark is lurking beneath the surface.

The SHOOTER runs away from the scene. He tucks the gun he is carrying underneath his shirt at the back of his pants.

ALISON
(V.O.)
Do you ask yourself why this happened to you?

Ambulance sirens emerge in the distance.

Fade to Black.

MARTIN
(V.O.)
Every day of my life.

TITLE: “SAMARITAN”.


SCENE 2. EXT. BEACH. SUNRISE. 2.

The sun rises over the ocean, revealing a peaceful, quiet beach, devoid of people. Sounds of the waves coming in to the beach, birds, and the soft wind.
MARTIN, mid-forties slightly dishevelled, walks along the beach, enjoying the morning sun.

MARTIN freezes in his place.

DAVID appears in front of MARTIN several metres away.

DAVID is early-thirties, well dressed but casual, and clean-cut.

DAVID observes MARTIN, not offering any sign of emotion.

ALISON
(V.O.)
Did you know them?

MARTIN
(V.O.)
No. None of them. But I know them all, now. Especially David. I see him all the time.


SCENE 3. INT. ALISON’S OFFICE. DAY. 3.

ALISON, mid-fifties, soft appearance, and long hair, sits forward in her seat.

MARTIN sits on a couch near ALISON’s seat.

ALISON
Why did you get involved?

MARTIN
I had to. What would you do if you saw someone in trouble who needed help?


SCENE 4. EXT. STREET. DAY. 4.

The SHOOTER pulls ISABEL’s hair, dragging her across the street towards a car.

ISABEL is early-twenties, and has an underground, arty look to her.

ISABEL struggles with the SHOOTER, trying to break free.

MARTIN appears further up the street, walking, lost in his own thoughts.

ISABEL screams.

MARTIN snaps to attention. He sees ISABEL.

ISABEL manages to hit the SHOOTER and briefly breaks free. The SHOOTER retaliates, punching her across the face. ISABEL hits the side of the car and collapses to the ground. The SHOOTER bends down to pick her up.

MARTIN races toward ISABEL.

DAVID appears from a nearby building. He sees what is happening and runs to assist.

MARTIN grabs the SHOOTER and they struggle. MARTIN gets punched in the head, and he is thrown backwards, dazed.

The SHOOTER reaches in to the back of his pants and pulls out his gun.

DAVID lunges at the SHOOTER and they struggle. The SHOOTER quickly hits DAVID in the head, knocking DAVID to the ground, hard.

MARTIN moves to get up. He sees the gun emerge.

The SHOOTER points the gun.

DAVID gets up.

The SHOOTER fires the gun. DAVID takes the impact of the bullet in his chest, knocking him violently to the ground.

MARTIN sits there, stunned.

The SHOOTER fires again.

MARTIN freezes in his place.

DAVID lies motionless on the ground.

The SHOOTER, now frantic and unsure what to do, hurriedly tucks the gun in to the back of his pants and runs away down the street.

ISABEL slowly regains consciousness, her eyes widening as she sees DAVID dead next to her.

MARTIN stares at DAVID, still motionless.


SCENE 5. INT. ALISON’S OFFICE. DAY. 5.

MARTIN stands up from the couch and walks over to the window. He shakes his head.

MARTIN
I froze.

ALISON
That’s a natural reaction.

MARTIN
And they wonder why people don’t help people any more.

ALISON
What do you mean?

MARTIN
I saw this story on TV last night.


SCENE 6. INT. MARTIN’S FLAT. NIGHT. 6.

The 1-bedroom flat is comfortable and workable. A bedside lamp perched on a table gives the room a soft yellow glow.

MARTIN sits on the couch in front of his television. His feet are resting on the coffee table.

TELEVISION
(V.O.)
And with our hidden cameras, we’ll find out just how many people are going to help our producer when his car gets hit by our staged hit and run car.


SCENE 7. INT. ALISON’S OFFICE. DAY. 7.

MARTIN turns to face ALISON.

ALISON
What did they find?

MARTIN
What do you think?


SCENE 8. INT. MARTIN’S FLAT. NIGHT. 8.

A REPORTER’s face appears on the television screen. MARTIN watches the screen, fixated.

TELEVISION
(Reporter V.O.)
How does that make you feel knowing that all those people who saw our car get hit did nothing about it?
(pause)

(Bystander V.O.)
They just sat there. It’s terrible. It’s the decent thing to do. If something happens to someone and you can do something, you should. What’s happened to people?


SCENE 9. INT. ALISON’S OFFICE. DAY. 9.

MARTIN turns to face the window again. ALISON looks on, concerned.

MARTIN
I should have helped. I could have, but I froze. And I’m still alive.

ALISON
Do you regret that?

MARTIN
Of course people don’t help people; that’s why that news story was so ridiculous. You could end up dead by helping another person in today’s ‘civilised’ society.
ALISON
There was no way for you to know he had a gun.

MARTIN
Exactly. I couldn’t know. And how will any one ever know?

ALISON
You did what you thought you had to do. You were very courageous.

MARTIN
Courageous...


SCENE 10. EXT. STREET. DAY. 10.

MARTIN tilts his head to the side, observing DAVID’s motionless body.

Suddenly, DAVID’s head turns and he looks at Martin. DAVID’s eyes appear soulless.

MARTIN recoils, closing his eyes.


SCENE 11. EXT. BEACH. SUNRISE. 11.

MARTIN opens his eyes.

MARTIN remains still as he observes DAVID walking towards him. DAVID stops in front of MARTIN.


SCENE 12. INT. ALISON’S OFFICE. DAY. 12.

MARTIN sits down on the couch. ALISON adjusts herself in her seat to face him.

MARTIN
I’m sure there were a whole bunch of people who saw me on TV after the shooting, saw David lying dead in a pool of his own blood on the street... and decided then that they would keep to themselves from now on. And I don’t blame them. I showed them what can happen if you help someone!

ALISON
Do you feel angry?

MARTIN
Of course I feel angry! That man had a wife, a new kid who will grow up without him! A family! Why did he have to die?

ALISON
Do you feel guilty that it was him and not you?

MARTIN
I don’t have a family. I’m on my own. It would have made more sense.

ALISON
Martin, life doesn’t make sense. And nothing happens the way it should. And it still would have been as bad as it was if it was you and not him.


SCENE 13. EXT. BEACH. SUNRISE. 13.

MARTIN and DAVID stand in front of each other.

DAVID’s face breaks out in to a broad smile. DAVID takes MARTIN’s arm in his. MARTIN steps forward.

MARTIN and DAVID hug. MARTIN starts to cry softly.


SCENE 14. INT. ALISON’S OFFICE. DAY. 14.

MARTIN puts his head in his hands. ALISON stands up, walks over to the couch and sits down next to MARTIN. ALISON rubs his back and hugs him from the side.

MARTIN
It’s been a few years.


ALISON
There are no time limits on healing.

MARTIN
I just wish these bastards who do these horrible things actually realise how much they’re fucking up people’s lives. But that’s the whole point, they don’t.

ALISON
Don’t hold your life back because of what someone else did to you. You had no control over what happened. As you said before, it could have happened to any one.

MARTIN
It’s hard.

ALISON
I know. But if you do let it hold you back, it will be the same as if he shot you dead ten years ago.

MARTIN looks up at ALISON. He gathers himself, appearing focused.

MARTIN
Thank you.

ALISON smiles. MARTIN laughs for the first time.


SCENE 15. EXT. BEACH. SUNRISE. 15.

MARTIN stands alone on the beach, allowing the wind to blow across his face and through his hair. He smiles as he watches the sun rise over the horizon.


FADE OUT.

THE END.

Tags

• samaritan
• short film
• small wave films
• Crime
• shot
• ben warner
• drama
• community