by Neil Jordan
She brings her lips close to the bars.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
Kindness.
ALEXANDER
Kindness?
CATHERINA
A soft word. A gentle touch, can often achieve what the whip and the rack cannot.
ALEXANDER
Ah…
He touches her lips with his hand.
ALEXANDER (CONT’D)
We could unlock that indomitable heart, with just a word or two?
CATHERINA
Perhaps.
ALEXANDER
Well, let us put it to the test. Perhaps you could join us for supper, some days hence.
CATHERINA
Still in chains?
ALEXANDER
And if words can melt you, we will do our best to find them.
EXT. BALCONY. VATICAN. DAY.
A balcony overlooking the gardens. Micheletto and Cesare.
CESARE
So my father’s pleas carry more weight than mine?
MICHELETTO
It was time. And he made me realise. I am weaker without you. As are you, without me.
CESARE
Did you explain your absence to him?
MICHELETTO
You had me kill one I loved.
CESARE
I had you kill one that played with you. And me.
MICHELETTO
Still...it scared me...
CESARE
Where?
Micheletto takes Cesare’s hand and places it on his heart.
MICHELETTO
Here.
CESARE
So. You have a heart?
MICHELETTO
Not anymore.
CESARE
Ah, so you are fit for service once again?
Micheletto glances down into the gardens, where we can see Rufio, waiting.
MICHELETTO
Is there still room for me?
CESARE
For one I trust such as you? Of course.
MICHELETTO
And you trust him?
Cesare smiles.
CESARE
So far.
MICHELETTO
You shouldn’t.
CESARE
Prove it to me then. Why I shouldn’t. And we will be as one, once more.
Cesare embraces him.
CESARE (CONT’D)
Come. Meet your... other...
MICHELETTO
Must I?
CESARE
Yes. Things have changed here. Greatly.
INT. CELL IN NUNNERY. NIGHT.
Pia, dressing for bed. As she takes off her bonnet, we see her hair is shorn.
Lucrezia takes off her bonnet, but keeps white wimple on underneath.
PIA
You sleep with your wimple –
LUCREZIA
Yes. As I did last night. And the night before that –
PIA
Does the Reverend Mother know?
LUCREZIA
Not unless you tell her.
PIA
There are rules here, that govern every minute of our day. And we are sworn to keep them –
LUCREZIA
Well can you keep a secret then?
Pia stares at her.
PIA
Yes.
Lucrezia comes close to her. Almost lip to lip.
LUCREZIA
Promise?
PIA
I shouldn’t, but I do.
LUCREZIA
I obey no rules.
She takes off her wimple, and her beautiful hair spreads down around her shoulders.
Pia gasps. As if she has never seen such beauty.
PIA
You are not a nun. Not even a novitiate?
Lucrezia smiles.
LUCREZIA
I am serving penance.
PIA
What penance?
LUCREZIA
The penance of Sappho.
PIA
Sappho?
LUCREZIA
Yes. She made the mistake of loving a woman.
PIA
A woman?
LUCREZIA
A long time ago. On the island of Lesbos.
Lucrezia lies down on her hard bed.
LUCREZIA (CONT’D)
But when my penance is done, my father has promised. To take me back. To barter me in marriage, like any other child bearing beast of burden.
PIA
I would rather be a nun, sister Angela.
LUCREZIA
And some nights, sister Pia, so would I.
EXT. GARDEN. NIGHT.
Cesare approaches Rufio, with Micheletto.
CESARE
Rufio. Meet my Micheletto.
They look at each other and nod.
CESARE (CONT’D)
You know each other?
RUFIO
I have heard of him.
Cesare looks at Micheletto.
CESARE
And you?
Micheletto slowly shakes his head. Rufio holds out his hand.
RUFIO
You are a legend.
MICHELETTO
Ah. Where?
RUFIO
Throughout the whole of Italy. Wherever men fight.
Micheletto shakes Rufio’s hand.
MICHELETTO
You were Catherina Sforza’s man...
RUFIO
I was.
MICHELETTO
And you can change allegiance so easily? From Florence to Rome?
RUFIO
She is the past. He is... the future...
Micheletto looks from Cesare to Rufio.
MICHELETTO
And long may he remain so.
INT. CASTEL ST ANGELO. DAY.
Adriana, the servant girl, washes Catherina Sforza’s hair.
CATHERINA
My confinement is improving.
ADRIANA
Is it?
CATHERINA
It must be, if they allow you to wash my hair.
She takes a dead louse from the water.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
But it will never end.
ADRIANA
They cannot keep you here forever.
CATHERINA
Oh yes they can. And will. Among rats and lice.
She takes Adriana’s hand in hers.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
The Pope sent you, did he not? As a peace offering, of kinds?
ADRIANA
I was told to do whatever would make you comfortable...
CATHERINA
And give His Holiness a message from me then, will you?
ADRIANA
He so rarely speaks to me.
CATHERINA
But I am sure you can find a way.
She brings the hand to her cheek.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
Tell him, when he asks after my comforts, that I would happily dine with him. But only if I can make myself presentable...
ADRIANA
Presentable?
CATHERINA
Hair washed and curled. Face and lips with all of the necessary unguents. I would be beautiful again, if only for one night... For him...
INT. VATICAN GARDENS. DAY.
Adriana hurries past the Pope, eyes downcast.
ALEXANDER
You girl –
ADRIANA
Holiness –
ALEXANDER
How is our charge?
When Adriana is afraid to answer, he interjects.
ALEXANDER (CONT’D)
Catherina Sforza?
ADRIANA
She is sad, Your Holiness.
ALEXANDER
Of course. Wouldn’t you be? In chains?
ADRIANA
But she told me she would happily dine with you. If she could make herself presentable.
ALEXANDER
Indeed? Could this tigress at last be in the process of being tamed?
/> He considers.
ADRIANA
She would be beautiful again, if only for one night... for you...
ALEXANDER
Touching, indeed.
ADRIANA
Have I then your Holiness’ permission to supply her with all of the necessary comforts?
ALEXANDER
You have indeed. Whatever she needs.
INT. CELL IN NUNNERY. NIGHT.
Pia, asleep in bed. Then her innocent shorn head suddenly shivers, as if from a nightmare. She sits bolt upwards.
Lucrezia wakes.
LUCREZIA
What is it?
PIA
I cannot keep your secret.
LUCREZIA
Why not?
PIA
I dreamt of the fires of hell. They burnt my clothes. What is left of my hair. I have sworn to hide no detail of our lives from our Reverend Mother. I cannot swear a lie. . .
LUCREZIA
Can I let you in on a secret, Pia?
PIA
What?
LUCREZIA
She already knows.
PIA
She does?
LUCREZIA
My father, who would have me marry some fat merchant for some bagful of coins is a benefactor of this place.
Pia lays her head back down.
PIA
And now I cannot sleep.
LUCREZIA
You can smell the sulphur? Of the fires of hell?
PIA
And I miss my mother.
LUCREZIA
Come here.
PIA
Over to you?
LUCREZIA
Yes. Let me be mother. Tonight.
And Pia rises, comes over the Lucrezia’s bed. She crawls in underneath the poor blanket.
PIA
Thank you –
LUCREZIA
You are far too young to have fled the nest, little Pia –
INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE CELL. NUNNERY. NIGHT.
A harsh looking nun with a stick prowls the corridors. Her name is sister Benvenuta. She looks in each barred window as she goes.
She stops at their cell. POV - SISTER BENVENUTA -
Lucrezia’s long hair spilling down. Little Pia in her arms.
INT. CASTEL ST ANGELO. DAY.
Catherina Sforza writes out the equivalent of a shopping list.
CATHERINA
A bleach, for the hair. For the face, a mixture of mercury and vermillion. Though if my skin were any paler, it would probably fade away. And for the lips, a salve
that a former servant of mine knows of.
She scribbles a note.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
But this note is for him, alone. For his eyes only.
Adriana looks at the note.
ADRIANA
Rufio?
CATHERINA
Currently in the Duke Valentino’s employ.
INT. RUFIO’S APARTMENTS. NIGHT.
Rufio, with Adriana. He examines Catherina’s note.
RUFIO
Who wrote this note?
ADRIANA
The lady Catherina. She dines with the Pope tomorrow. She would look her best.
RUFIO
One last time, perhaps.
He looks at her.
RUFIO (CONT’D)
And who else knows of this request?
ADRIANA
No-one, my Lord.
RUFIO
It is unusual, to say the least.
ADRIANA
She wanted a salve.
RUFIO
A lip-balm.
ADRIANA
And you have such a thing?
RUFIO
And what, may I ask is the occasion?
ADRIANA
She dines with the Pope, tomorrow.
RUFIO
God bless her.
He smiles to himself.
RUFIO (CONT’D)
Come back in the morning. I will have it then.
INT. RUFIO’S APARTMENTS. DAWN.
Rufio hands Adriana a small glass container.
RUFIO
For her lips, only...
INT. CASTEL ST ANGELO. EVENING.
Catherina, in her cell, applying her make-up. Adriana helps her.
Micheletto walks by, behind the bars.
MICHELETTO
You dine with the pope tonight, my Lady.
CATHERINA
I had hoped to. Has His Holiness changed his mind?
MICHELETTO
Not at all. His Holiness has sent me to escort you to your carriage.
CATHERINA
That is a privilege, indeed. A carriage...
As Adriana finishes with her face-paint, she reaches for the bottle Rufio gave to her.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
No, my dear. Don’t touch. Allow me...
She takes the bottle, and applies the salve carefully to her lips.
Checks herself in whatever is there of the mirror. Turns to Micheletto.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
How do I look?
MICHELETTO
A vision.
CATHERINA
Thank you. And if you would be so kind as to release me. . . for the evening, at least. . .
Micheletto nods to the jailor, who begins to open the locks on the doors.
INT. VATICAN. GRAND STAIRCASE. NIGHT.
Micheletto walks, with Catherina on his arm, up the grand staircase.
A figure appears. Cesare Borgia.
CESARE
My Lady.
CATHERINA
My Lord. You are to dine with us?
CESARE
Sadly, no. But let me escort you from here.
She removes her arm from Micheletto’s, and takes Cesare’s.
CATHERINA
For old times sake.
CESARE
Indeed. Old times.
As they walk upwards.
CESARE (CONT’D)
Will my father be safe, alone with you?
CATHERINA
Were you safe?
CESARE
Hardly.
CATHERINA
Perhaps the hint of danger is what excites His Holiness.
CESARE
I am sure of it.
At the top of the staircase. He pushes her into an alcove. Brings his lips close to hers.
CESARE (CONT’D)
No tricks, Catherina.
CATHERINA
I have no tricks left. Alas.
She looks into his eyes.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
Would you kiss me, my Lord?
CESARE
Not tonight.
CATHERINA
Again, alas.
CESARE
That may be my father’s pleasure. Your lips, on his ring.
CATHERINA
I believe that is the point of this exercise.
He leads her on.
CESARE
Come then.
INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT.
The Pope at the door of an elaborate dining room, beautifully set.
Cesare emerges into view, with Catherina on his arm.
ALEXANDER
Catherina Sforza.
CATHERINA
It is no-one else.
The Pope moves towards her.
ALEXANDER
And the pleasure is ours. Tonight.
He takes her arm.
ALEXANDER (CONT’D)
Thank you, my son...
INT. CASTEL ST ANGELO. NIGHT.
Though it is always night in here. Micheletto walks through, alone, looks at Catherina’s empty cell.
And he hears a sound, which alarms him. The squealing of a rat.
He looks in the bars. He sees a rat, by the discarded vial of salve, bleeding from the mouth.
He rattles the doors, alarmed.
MICHELETTO
Guards!!! Guards!!!
INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT.
> The Pope hands Catherina a glass of wine. They stand overlooking the Roman evening.
ALEXANDER
Rome can be beautiful on an autumn evening.
CATHERINA
Your view is better than mine Holiness. All I see of an evening are damp walls and cobwebs.
ALEXANDER
Not quite the same.
CATHERINA
But must I suffer that view indefinitely, Your Holiness?
ALEXANDER
Perhaps the answer is up to you, Catherina Sforza.
INT. CASTEL ST ANGELO. NIGHT.
The guards come running. Open the door for Micheletto.
He runs inside the cell, and rummages through the straw. He finds a dying rat, beside the vial of salve Rufio gave Adriana.
MICHELETTO
Poison –
And he runs.
INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT.
Catherina and the Pope.
CATHERINA
I have knelt only once, Holiness. Of my own free will.
ALEXANDER
So. If it is your will to kneel now, perhaps your freedom can be assured.
CATHERINA
And is that all I must do, Holiness? Kneel?
ALEXANDER
Kneel. Kiss this ring. Swear eternal obedience to the Pope of Rome.
She looks at him. Holding the glass between two delicate fingers.
CATHERINA
So. You have won. I finally declare myself...
She drops the glass. It smashes on the floor.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
Beaten.
She kneels, beside the broken glass.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
This is me, kneeling.
She takes his hand. Kisses the papal ring.
CATHERINA (CONT’D)
This is me, kissing the papal ring.
EXT. CORRIDOR. NIGHT.
Micheletto, running up the enormous staircase. He calls out for Cesare.