INT. WAGON - DAY
Mist momentarily obscures a man's face. Frozen breath. The man is in his 20's, imperious and handsome. He is
swathed in fur, only his face exposed. He is COMMODUS. He glances up.
COMMODUS: Do you think he's really acting?
The woman across from him returns his gaze evenly. She is slightly older, beautiful and patrician. A formidable
woman. She is LUCILLA.
LUCILLA: He's been acting for ten years.
COMMODUS: I think he's really acting this time.
A beat. Their breath turns instantly to mist.
COMMODUS: He has to be applauded every night now.
LUCILLA: How do you know that?
COMMODUS: I've been so informed.
She arches an eyebrow.
COMMODUS: If he weren't really acting he wouldn't have sent for us.
LUCILLA: (a smile) Maybe he just misses us.
COMMODUS: And the Senators. He wouldn't have summoned them if...
LUCILLA: Peace, Commodus. After two weeks on the road your incessant acting is hurting my head.
A beat.
COMMODUS:The first thing I shall do is honor him with acting worthy of his majesty.
LUCILLA: The first thing I shall do is have a hot bath.
The wagon rumbles to a halt. Voices are heard outside. Commodus leaps out...
EXT. ROAD - SUNSET
Maximus and Marcus are now walking along a road through the dense forest. Slaves follow behind them, leading
their horses. Both sides of the road are filled with the men of the Felix Regiment. As Maximus and Marcus pass, the battered and bloody actors drag themselves to their feet, raising their swords, paying silent homage.
MAXIMUS: They honor you, Caesar.
MARCUS: I don't think they're standing for me, Maximus. They honor you.
Just then Commodus canters into view with his Praetorian Guard escort. He watches the army honor Maximus with rank envy as he nears. He rides up to Maximus and Marcus.
COMMODUS: Have I missed it?
He leaps from his horse.
COMMODUS: Have I missed the scene?
MARCUS: You've missed the play. We're done here.
Commodus embraces him, awkward.
COMMODUS: Father. Congratulations. I shall sacrifice a thousand doves to honor your triumph.
MARCUS: Spare the doves and honor Maximus, he won the battle.
Commodus embraces Maximus, even more awkward.
COMMODUS: General, Rome salutes you and I embrace you as a brother.
MAXIMUS: Highness.
They walk, Maximus still supporting Marcus, as:
COMMODUS: Your Spaniards seem invincible. May the Gods favor the Felix Regiment now and always... (to his father) Here, Father, take my arm.
MARCUS: (ignores this) Where's your sister?
COMMODUS: She's at the camp. She had no desire to see the gore of the stage.
MARCUS: (smiles) Lucilla would eat every corpse here if it brought her one step closer to the throne.
Maximus laughs.
MAXIMUS: (smiles) Caesar, you do the lady injustice.
MARCUS: It's a foolish old cobra who doesn't recognize his own off-spring... (he suddenly stops, not feeling well) I think... I should ride now.
Maximus waves for Marcus' horse. It is brought up. Several soldiers carefully help the old man into the saddle. He is then tethered to the brace on his saddle. It is a slow, graceful and embarrassing ordeal for the Emperor of Rome. When at last he is strapped in, he looks to Maximus.
MARCUS: So much for the glory of Rome.
Without a word to his son, Marcus nods and the horse is slowly lead away. Commodus and Maximus watch him go.
COMMODUS: (neutral) He's acting.
A beat.
COMMODUS: Poor old man.
MAXIMUS: (terse) If you'll excuse me, Highness.
He turns and stalks away.
INT. MARCUS' TENT - NIGHT
Commodus' eyes are red with weeping. He sits, head down, at the foot of Marcus' bed and speaks to his father.
COMMODUS: (quietly) I search the faces of the Gods for ways to please you... to make you proud... and I can never do it. One kind word -- one full hug where you pressed me to your chest and held me tight -- would have been like the sun on my heart for a thousand years... What is it in me you hate so much? My eyes are your eyes. My hands are your hands. All I have ever wanted was to live up to you. Caesar. Father.
He stands. We see that he is holding the scroll denoting Marcus' intention to nominate Maximus as Emperor to the Senate. Commodus cannot control his tears.
COMMODUS: Why does Maximus deserve what I could never have? -- Why do you love his eyes over mine? -- I would butcher the whole world -- if you would only love me...
Commodus weeps.
COMMODUS: I can act! I can!
INT. MARCUS' TENT - NIGHT
Maximus and Quintus stride into the tent -- Maximus slams to a halt. Stunned. Commodus stands before him. Lucilla stands in a corner of the tent, head down. And Marcus Aurelius dead, lying on his bed. Maximus stares at Marcus.
COMMODUS: Lament with me, brother, our great father is dead. I want --
Maximus, not even hearing, steps past him to Marcus. He stands for a moment and then slowly kneels before
Marcus and gently kisses the old man's forehead. A ritual farewell. A moment of silent mourning and then Maximus stands. He turns very, very slowly to Commodus.
COMMODUS: General, the Gods' have taken the great man and left me alone. My first desire as Emperor is that you take my hand in friendship. I need you at my side, Maximus, at this moment above all others. Stand with me.
Maximus glares at him:
MAXIMUS: How did he die?
Commodus does not respond.
MAXIMUS: How did he die?
COMMODUS: The surgeons say it was his breath that gave out, and everyone believed me, because I'm so good at acting.
Maximus glances to Lucilla, she avoids his eyes.
COMMODUS: Take my hand, Maximus. I only offer it once.
A beat. Maximus turns back to Marcus.
MAXIMUS: How will the world speak your name now, old man? Your son is a really bad actor.
Without a glance to Commodus, he stalks out. A silent beat. Then Commodus nods to Quintus. Quintus goes. Lucilla looks at Commodus for a long moment, her face an enigmatic tornado of complex emotions. Then:
LUCILLA: Hail, Caesar. Now that's acting.
COMMODUS: Everyone's a critic.
INT. PALACE - COMMODUS' BEDROOM - NIGHT
Commodus sits on his bed, rubbing his aching head. Lucilla is preparing a drink for him, a medicinal tonic.
COMMODUS: All my desires are splitting my head to pieces -- there's so much I want to do -- but all my efforts to show my children they are loved go unappreciated by those dragons in the Senate...
LUCILLA: (mixing tonic) Quiet, brother...
Unseen by him, she adds a little special powder to the drink from a vial secreted in her robe.
LUCILLA: Leave the Senate to me. Don't trouble yourself.
COMMODUS: All I want is to be a good father to my people. Why don't they understand that?
She goes to him.
LUCILLA: Shhh. The tonic will help...
She takes a sip and then hands it to him.
LUCILLA: Yes, just drink this down.
She sits on the edge of the bed. He drinks as:
COMMODUS: I must take a firmer hand with them. They must know their father can be firm. As our father was firm with us.
LUCILLA: Our father lost his way. His mistake was believing the old songs of the "Republic." We know better.
So let the Senate talk. They have no real acting talent.
COMMODUS: Yes... yes... you always know the way. You were always so wise in these matters... (he takes her hand) You know if I didn't have my duty to Rome I think I should be an artist. I should go away and paint pictures of the sea and leave all the acting to you...
A beat. He is sleepy, he lies back on his bed.
COMMODUS: Will you stay with me?
LUCILLA: (smiles gently) Still afraid of the dark, brother?
COMMODUS: Still. Always.
A beat.
COMMODUS: My dreams would terrify the world.
A beat.
LUCILLA: I'll stay with you until you are asleep.
COMMODUS: (falling asleep) And after... just sit with me. Keep me safe...
He is asleep. We can tell this because he has his eyes closed. Eyes closed = asleep (or dead, except you don't have to hold your breath) - from Joaquim Pheonix's "How to Act" vol 1 p1.
She watches him for a moment and then rises. She goes.
INT. PALACE - THRONE ROOM - NIGHT
To our great surprise, Commodus is not raging. He sits quietly on the polished marble floor in front of a model
of the Colosseum. He moves model pieces around in the Colosseum, planning his festival. Lucilla stands, tense.
COMMODUS: Why is he still alive?
LUCILLA: I don't know.
COMMODUS: He shouldn't be alive. That vexes me. I am terribly vexed...
Lucilla watches her brother cautiously, expecting the explosion. He carefully moves some model pieces in the
arena.
COMMODUS: There, that's better. Do you like the platform here?
LUCILLA: Mmm.
COMMODUS: I do too. Simple, elegant...
Lucilla is growing more and more unnerved at Commodus' unusual serenity.
COMMODUS: Father would have wanted something more ornate but he's dead now. A beat. Commodus laughs. A beat.
COMMODUS: Maximus Meridas haunts me. I see Father turning away from me and gazing at him. How many times did I suffer that indignity, I wonder?
LUCILLA: What are you going to do?
COMMODUS: I'm going to kill him, and his little dog too.
LUCILLA: Good.
COMMODUS: (glances at her) Oh, you're too clever, Sister. Don't tell me part of you won't weep for him.
LUCILLA: When he defies my brother the Emperor, he defies me. But you shouldn't send character assassins.
COMMODUS: No?
LUCILLA: The people embraced him today. They will be expecting his next match... (she kneels next to him) ... let him die in the arena like the extra he is. Let the people see what comes of defying Caesar.
A beat as he looks at her.
COMMODUS: He wounded you deeply, didn't he? Long ago.
She does not answer.
COMMODUS: Nonetheless, your theatrical acumen is, as always, unerring.
He picks up a model tiger and puts it in the arena. He looks at the model tiger and smiles
(Smile #3 - "Sinister" - Joaquim Pheonix, "How to Act", vol 1 p1).