Henry Jones and the Lost Treasure of the Orient (PDF)

Henry Jones and the Lost Treasure of the Orient
By
Alexander Benjamin Petit

The Indiana Jones Films

Copyright 2014.

Alexander Petit
facebook.com/abpetit
alexanderbenjaminpetit@gmail.com

SCENE 1 "UNIVERSITY OFFICE"
Open on a map of the world covered in pins. Slowly pan right
to to show busy college professor Henry’s boots perched on
the corner of his desk. Continue until we see Henry
reviewing a stack of reports and thumbing through a large
book in the dim lamp light. His desk in inhabited by a
laptop, lamp, chessboard and a globe. To the left of his
desk, under the pin-riddled map, is a record player which is
playing "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin. It is quite
late for a Saturday. Henry is wearing a tweed jacked with
worn elbow patches and a loose necktie. His spectacles are
perched on his nose and we can see he is quite tired
although visibly determined to complete his work.
Henry is interrupted by Caroline, his secretary, who walks
into the shot. She is a young attractive woman who cares for
Henry and wishes he had more of a social life. Currently,
she is clearly upset and has her arms on her hips holding a
memo, letter and plane ticket.
Henry finally looks up and furrows his brow at Caroline.
After a long sigh he looks back to his report and prompts
her.
HENRY
What is it this time? A lecture
request? Did I miss another
meeting? Let me guess - the Dean’s
office CAROLINE
I’m afraid not Dr. JCaroline is abruptly cut off by Henry.
HENRY
For the thousandth time, please
just call me Henry.
CAROLINE
Fine, Henry... This is far more
important than any old lecture
anyways.
HENRY
And what makes you say that?
Caroline tosses the papers onto the desk. Henry looks up to
her surprised then down to the documents.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.
HENRY
A plane ticket to Japan? What’s
this?

The ticket surprise causes Henry to remove his feet from the
corner of the desk and sit up in his chair.
CAROLINE
Well, believe it or not, they are
finally executing your
grandfather’s will, in Kyoto, Japan
of all places! You are the only
named beneficiary and need to be
there in person to claim anything.
I’ve taken the liberty of clearing
your schedule next week.
HENRY
Caroline... My grandfather passed
away over fifteen years ago. And...
And... I can’t just up and take off
to Japan! I’ve got papers to
grade, lectures to prepare...
Caroline cuts him off, leans in and places her hand over his
that was holding the documents.
CAROLINE
You need to do this okay? This is
important! You haven’t taken off in
years and the Dean has already
approved your leave of absence, and
Colin will be so excited to see
you!
HENRY
Colin? Colin McCraw? That kid who
was here two semesters ago? The one
who was determined to pass my and
every other class with one hundred
percent credit? What’s he got to do
with this?
CAROLINE
He’s studying in Kyoto! He is so
excited that you wanna get coffee
with him!
HENRY
(Sighs)
Oh Caroline, how is it that I can
always count on you to do exactly
what I don’t want you to?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.
CAROLINE
Hmmm... I dunno Henry, it’s a gift!

Caroline leans up and turns to leave before she has an after
thought. Leaning on the door frame she queries Henry.
CAROLINE
Oh and Dr. JHENRY
Henry!
CAROLINE
Sorry... Anyways, Henry, they made
a very specific request that you
bring your grandfather’s diary,
apparently it is mentioned in the
will. Other than that, it’s late,
I’m going home and so should you!
HENRY
If I am going to be gone for a week
the last thing I should be doing is
leaving early!
CAROLINE
Leaving at four is early, five is
expected, six is acceptable, seven
is late and since it is eight
fifteen, on a Saturday, I can say
with great confidence you are
certifiably insane.
HENRY
Good night Caroline.
CAROLINE
Good night Henry...
Caroline departs and Henry looks down to the ticket for a
moment and then walks over to a bookcase adjacent to his
desk and pulls out an old cigar box. Lifting a piece of
cloth out of the box he reveals the contents: the
diary. Plopping back down in his chair Henry leans back and
ponders aloud.
HENRY
Now what would they want with this?
The camera pans to the map again and slowly zooms in on
Japan. The scene fades to a flier with outline of Japan in
the background, it then pans left to reveal Henry standing
outside a humble Japanese coffee shop. Henry is awaiting the
arrival of his old student: Colin McCraw.

4.

SCENE 2 "JAPANESE CAFE"
Open on fade from previous scene and pan to Henry standing
outside the Japanese coffee shop. Henry is in Kyoto, Japan
awaiting Colin McCraw, an former student of his obsessed
with perfection. Henry is now wearing dark khaki pants and
the same boots from before. He is sporting a worn leather
jacket and casual shirt with a skinny tie loosely hanging
from his neck. His hair shows signs of travel. Henry checks
his watch and sighs, he begins to walk away. The camera
shifts left to Colin Mcraw, a young, bumbling, college-aged
student. He is the very definition of the word eager. He is
wearing a pair of worn jeans and a hoodie, under the jacket
is a messenger bag worn to the side. He cautiously tries to
draw Henry’s attention.
COLIN
Sumimasen? Sumima- Excuse me?
Doctor? Dr. JHenry turns and cuts off Colin.
HENRY
Henry is just fine Mr. McCraw. You
haven’t been a student of mine in
years.
Henry walks up and extends his hand. Colin eagerly reaches
out to make contact and shakes Henry’s hand using both of
his.
COLIN
Oh, okay, um... Henry it is then!
It is great to see you again sir!
This is the cafe I was telling you
about in my email. Let’s get a
seat!
The two men enter the cafe and take a seat. As soon as they
settle in a waitress rushes over with water and towels.
Colin quickly and impressively orders for the two in
Japanese.
COLIN
Doc, is coffee okay?
HENRY
Black please.
COLIN
Sumimasen, Koohii o futatsu
kudasai.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

Henry is clearly impressed by his former student’s comfort
level of the Japanese language.
HENRY
Not too bad Colin, how long have
you been here in Kyoto?
COLIN
Only about six months now sir, I
pick up on the language easily.
HENRY
How many hours do you study it a
day?
COLIN
Oh, I don’t know, three? Four?
HENRY
Well it is certainly paying off. I
know it helps. What brings you here
anyways? You never showed even the
slightest interest in Japanese
culture during any of my
cartography lessons.
COLIN
Well, it’s not the love of country
that brought me here Doc. It’s
well, I hope I can trust you with
this Doc. I can trust you right?
HENRY
Yes, of course Colin, is everything
all right?
COLIN
Oh of course. It’s just that I am
working on a fairly confidential
project.
HENRY
(Laughs)
I’m sorry I didn’t realize you had
put on double-o status since
college.
COLIN
Doc! I’m serious!
Colin leans in close to Henry and lowers his voice.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

COLIN
Look this is pretty exciting stuff
I’m working on! Surely you’ve heard
of the Imperial Regalia of Japan?
HENRY
If you thought that laughing at you
was insulting, how are you gonna
feel when I call you insane?
COLIN
Listen! You know the tale, the
Imperial Regalia of Japan, also
known as the three sacred treasures
of Japan consist of the...
COLIN & HENRY
The sword of valor, the mirror or
wisdom and the jewel of
benevolence.
HENRY
Yes, and I also know the story of
the three little pigs.
COLIN
Look, I know as much as the next
guy that this is the stuff of
legends, but there is ample
evidence that the Japanese
government has all three items, the
sword, mirror and jewel, in
safekeeping.
HENRY
And it is also believed that
Ninigi-no-Mikoto brought these
items to Earth when he was sent to
pacify Japan by his grandmother,
the legendary sun goddess
Amaterasu. What’s your point? A
legend is legendary for a reason.
What’s this got to do with you?
COLIN
Well, it is commonly believed that
the sword is said to be at the
Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the mirror
in the Grand Shrine of Ise in Mie
Prefecture and the stone...

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.
HENRY
Is in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo!
Yes, I’ve heard this bedtime story.
COLIN
Haha, well I can tell you that’s
where the stone was in 1940!
HENRY
What exactly are you implying
Colin?
COLIN
Recent evidence has surfaced that
the jewel was moved during the
second world war to a safe location
far from Tokyo and someplace that
would be relatively safe from a
nuclear attack!
HENRY
You mean... here... in Kyoto.
COLIN
Yes! And my employer has three
quarters of a map leading to the
supposed hiding place. He obtained
the map from the estate of Koichi
Kido who was Lord Keeper of the
Privy Seal of Japan during the war.
He was responsible for the
treasures!
HENRY
Well, I’ve got to tell you Colin,
that’s one hell of a story, but
what about that last quarter of the
map? I presume it is the one
showing the jewel’s final hiding
place.
COLIN
Um... Yeah, that has been kind of a
downer lately, but our expedition
leader has shown great confidence
that we could be on the verge of a
great breakthrough!
HENRY
I can’t say I’m not impressed by
you and your employer’s ambitions
on what seems to be a wild goose
chase. I wish you the best of luck
in finding the missing map quarter.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

COLIN
Thanks, Doc... Um... I mean Henry.
I hope so too. We don’t have much
to do until we find it.
HENRY
Then Godspeed kid. I’ve got to be
off, I’ve got business later today.
It was nice catching up.
COLIN
No problem. I understand sir! It
was good seeing you again.
HENRY
Likewise Colin.
The waitress comes to pick up their empty cups but before
Colin has a chance to speak Henry pipes up in impressive
Japanese to cover the ticket.
HENRY
Domo arigato. Ikura deska?
The waitress responds and Henry pays.
COLIN
Wow Doc, I didn’t know you studied
Japanese.
HENRY
I didn’t - looks like you aren’t
the only quick learner. Say kid,
did you ever get that perfect one
hundred percent you were going for
in college?
COLIN
Well, funny you mention that. You
once gave me a 95% on an
assignment, I hate to tell you
those were to only points keeping
me from my goal.
HENRY
Oh Colin, I don’t recall that.
Terribly sorry. I hope you don’t
hold that against me.
COLIN
Oh no sir, just a silly goal.

(CONTINUED)