MARDI - At the Crossroads of Life and Art - A Film Script - 2. Parts 3 and 4

.

[Part 3 – Adolescence – I: Your Pleasure; Our Command]

EXT. BEACH ON JUAM – NOON

Vi-vi’s horn BLARES. Bare-chested YOUNG MEN carry Media’s launch onto the beachhead and set it down. At the head of a trail, several bamboo sedan chairs wait with PORTERS. Media and his party sit on these and are taken into the interior.

 

EXT. VALE OF THE PALACES

The sedans are brought into a clearing. On three sides, a sharp ascent is covered in deep foliage. On the slope to the right, a large building is set halfway up. A path wanders to it. On the left slope is a near-identical structure and path. Where the paths merge with the road, a pole stands with three ominous masks hanging from it. Off to the side of the road, a stream meanders, and a pool forms fed by several small waterfalls. In the pool, several YOUNG MEN bathe and horse around, laughing. The sedans pause, and the party stretches its legs. While they admire the sites, a double-wide sedan with curtains comes thundering down the right slope with PORTERS. It pulls up before MEDIA, and a curtain is drawn back. DONJALOLO sits in an uncaring attitude. He is about seventeen, pale, anemic-looking, but still as handsome as a child. Behind him, two YOUNG WOMEN fan and fuss over him.

 

DONJALOLO

Ah, brother Media.

 

Donjalolo perks up, seeing the men in jocular play in the water, but then remembers his duty, and draws the side curtain to cut out the ‘offending’ sight.

 

DONJALOLO (CONT’D)

You look well. I must proceed to the palace of the evening before sunset, where I will entertain you. I would be pleased if you bathe at your leisure.

 

MEDIA

Your pleasure is our command.

 

The curtains are drawn and the sedan totters up the left-hand slope.

 

INT. PAVILION BY THE BATHING POOL – LATE AFTERNOON

The party sits with wet hair. Tapa towels cover shoulders, heads, and waists. REDBURN sits with his toes in the water watching the local YOUNG MEN play. The others sit in a circle.

 

MEDIA

Historian, dear Mohi, you must tell of chief Donjalolo’s situation in this beautiful vale.

 

MOHI

Two generations ago, brothers ruled in equanimity from here – one from each palace. Donjalolo’s grandfather wanted to rule alone and plotted revolt. After many wins, he claimed both palaces and paved the yard of the palace of the dusk with the bones of his equals and of his brother. Since then, they have never ventured out of this vale, fearful of divine righting of a grievous wrong. Donjalolo, timid and womanly, is a prisoner here. He travels between palaces, as ordained by the priests, to try and maintain cosmic balance, but he spends no time with men for fear they will harm him; thus he’s the thrall of his harem, and effeminized by constant contact with them.

 

BABBALANJA

Even so, the proof of his mana being dangerously low is that he has no male heirs. All his manliness is tapped into the feminine void. So many youth in transition from boy to man are equally emasculated to female forms.

 

JARL

(tries to sound bemused)

And, Babbalanja, what do you know

of mana?

 

BABBALANJA

I know what we all know. Mana is the force of the universe – the indivisible point in time and space where it began. The more mana a person has, the more connected he is to that moment when all possibilities were one moment of intense light – the force he can constantly tap to influence the direction these possibilities retake over and over, out to the remoteness of our lives and times.

 

MOHI

And a man’s mana is drained by its counterforce – creation, life, birth – the powers of Earth, the generative soil; of woman who bears all that must be born to perish.

 

[Part 3 – II: Where the Light of Love Penetrates]

EXT. YARD OF ‘THE PALACE OF THE DUSK’ – NIGHT

As YUMI sings the following song, a slow pull back reveals the skull of the usurped king. It’s eyes are set with cockle shells, and a red fringe of feathers madden the eye sockets. Pulling farther back, we see the wall is tiled in human bones. Farther back still, and every inch of the long and low retaining wall of the yard is set with human trophies; bones and skulls. This wall encloses the yard on three sides, and centered in each section is a doorway with a bamboo gate. The open side backs up on the palace and its veranda. Torches line the perimeter on all four sides, and a slow drift of VOICES in mid-party become louder. The center of the yard is decked out in a feast. DONJALOLO and several YOUNG WOMEN are drunk and playing suggestively with him, and each other. Media’s party is seated facing each other in two rows at ninety-degrees to their host. They exhibit varying levels of enjoyment and discomfort. Seated MUSICIANS and a standing YUMI are off to one side. Only JARL seems to listen to him, so as Yumi sings, he increasingly sings only to Jarl.

 

YUMI

(SINGS)

“Of adolescent angst, the song –

Insists none understand me;

Whisper how youth’s a prison where

Penetrates no light of love to see.

 

Of adolescent angst, the song –

Of dark beat and darker words be;

Because skull and crossbones never

Offer up a happy thought to free.”

 

Jarl leads a round of otherwise tepid applause. Yumi bows at him and wanders off.

 

DONJALOLO

Well Media, do you agree?

 

MEDIA

What with, great brother?

 

DONJALOLO

That I am the handsomest man in Mardi? For so I have been told many times.

 

MEDIA

You are fair, brother – more than passing fair.

 

Donjalolo laughs as if Media has said something uproarious. This trails off into an odd lip-smack at one of his attending women. He shouts over her head.

 

DONJALOLO

Bring on the dancers!

 

The musicians start up a rhythmic song, and from the left and right gates, bare-chested YOUNG WOMEN appear and dance around the party. While he thinks his guests are distracted, Donjalolo pushes the head of his two attendants towards his crotch, and rolls his eyes back in pleasure. Jarl eyes this a moment, then a dancing girl touches his ear from behind. He flicks at her hand like it is a gnat. The other men clap to the music and follow the girls around with their eyes, but Jarl rises with a curt glance at Redburn, and wanders off.

 

EXT. PATH IN FRONT OF ‘THE PALACE OF THE DUSK’

MUSIC from the dance wafts behind JARL as he comes up to a handrail. He looks out on the beautiful vale brightly lit by the waxing moon high in the sky. In a moment, YUMI comes up next to Jarl and leans with his elbows on the railing. He looks out, then turns a wicked grin up to Jarl. Jarl half smiles, folds his arms, and turns to rest his backside on the railing.

 

YUMI

Don’t like the chief’s choice of company?

 

JARL

Sex between un-equals always seems tawdry. How old are you?

 

Yumi slowly rises and comes to stand right in front of Jarl.

 

YUMI

Eighteen.

 

Jarl stands. His arms drop.

 

JARL

You are the same age as Donjalolo, but you’re a bit pushy for a teen.

 

Yumi takes a step forward. He is less than a foot away. He turns half his face up into Jarl’s gaze.

 

YUMI

Oh – but I’ve come out of my awkward phase, and know myself quite well.

 

Jarl bends down. He seems to almost inhale the scent off the nape of the young man’s neck. He speaks from the heart.

 

JARL

From the first I saw you…well, it’s as if I’ve known you. It’s like we’ve met many times before. But. You can see I love another.

 

Jarl pulls back.

 

YUMI

I have more than eyes, Sky-man. My heart sees also; sees that Taji seeks the one he will be happy with.

 

Yumi steps closer.

 

YUMI (CONT’D)

I see he offers you no such commitments.

 

Jarl sinks into slack-jawed sadness, but stiffens as Yumi brushes his cheek.

 

YUMI (CONT’D)

But, big man, if Taji meets his goal, remember who can meet your love as an equal; maybe you already do.

 

Yumi glides to his knees before Jarl. Jarl looks about, sadness lingering on his features, but his hands go to the back of Yumi’s head. Soon, Jarl is lolling his head back in untamed pleasure, as he loves this form of physical affection, and he climaxes with suppressed, wild, cries. Yumi rises again. Jarl swallows hard and looks Yumi straight in the eye. Yumi parts his lips and kisses Jarl with tender abandon – Jarl’s hand helplessly returns to the back of Yumi’s head and draws the youth’s kiss deeply into his own.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

FIRST MORNING OF THE TRIP:

 

A time-lapse series of shots convey the passage of a month’s time.

 

[Part 4 – Man in His Prime – I: Sunshine to Song]

INT. MEDIA’S ROYAL BAURUA – NOON

The royal craft are being rowed quietly through intercoastal waters. The sun is warm, and the breeze fair. The men lounge and smoke. REDBURN eyes disapprovingly as JARL pulls out his ganja cask and fills pipes for he and YUMI. Jarl makes a sardonic ‘Want some?’ gesture to Redburn, who only turns away. Yumi and Jarl inhale from the same ember, and the young man instantly mellows with Jarl. VI-VI jostles about collecting ashes, etc.

 

REDBURN

Babbalanja; Mohi – tell, what do lizards mean, when seen in a vision or dream; when used as decoration?

 

MOHI

(fake esteem – to Babbalanja)

With your permission...?

(Babbalanja waves his hand)

Historically, lizards on family crests, clothes, and other possessions, link the person with the unbroken connection of time.

 

BABBALANJA

(clears his throat)

With deference, learnèd Mohi. Lizards – dark green ones are symbols of the Earth; of the brooding foliage from which man arose. Light ones, with speckles, of the night sky with stars and moon – both—

 

MOHI

Both are symbols of mana’s counterforce – time and nihilation. They are used, great Taji, to remind man his life is short on this plane of being.

 

Babbalanja rolls his eyes, clicks his tongue, but says nothing – looks out at the waves. Media grabs Vi-vi; pulls him into his lap.

 

MEDIA

(to the boy)

Rest.

(to Babbalanja)

Philosopher. What was it you were saying about an intermediate young man? Something about putting his thralldom aside…?

 

BABBALANJA

True, great chief. A youth must put aside desire to please both his parents, and young women, to fully mature.

 

MOHI

Our next visit, Great Taji; Sky-man, is a perfect example. Chief Uhia was a wanton and moody youth like Donjalolo, but at age twenty, the stripling vowed abstinence from sex with females and grew as strong as a whale; as broad-shouldered as a palm tree. Now, ten years later, he is the envy of most men in Mardi.

 

BABBALANJA

Mana multiplies in contact between equals, and does not diminish. For those boys raised in isolation in some parts of Mardi, destined to be sacrificed – if, on the night before his sacrifice, a woman brings him to orgasm, he is released forever. Drained of his store of mana, the Great Gods have no use for him, so he marries her and does as the dumb Earth demands – has babies, and no more.

 

MEDIA

Yumi – poet – please sing something. Remind my dear distinguished colleagues what it means to be young.

 

Yumi stands, makes his way to stand facing the party with his back to the bow. As Yumi sings, he grows increasingly tender towards Jarl. Jarl is caught between touching flattery and concern that Yumi is being too open. Only Redburn and Media pick up on any of this.

 

YUMI

(SINGS)

”None know – save me, save me

Full round, full strength, those sturdy arms

Shelter me safe from the world’s harms.

None know – save me, save me.

 

Diving deep in the sea,

He takes sunshine along –

Dawning light throughout me,

As if dolphins a throng.

 

His foot, a falling sound,

Running over the beach,

That in my ears resound

Where to find him in reach –

Where we no one can find

A trace we’ve left behind.

 

Together we are free,

We turn sunshine to song,

Drawing light from within me

As of seagulls a throng.”

 

(recap: ”None know – save me, save me…” etc.)

 

[Part 4 – II: Convex into Concave]

INT. UHIA’S PALACE – NIGHT

Uhia’s baritone LAUGH reverberates. UHIA’s laughing face is reflected in clear water. He presides over a kingly feast of vegetables and a large variety of fish and shellfish. These float in serving dishes on a huge round and low basin, while blossoms decorate the water’s surface too. Media’s party sits around the edges and drink kava. They peck at the food as it drifts by.

 

MEDIA

Brother Uhia, such a fine feast.

Only seafood?

 

UHIA

And kava, brother Media. And kava. Abstain I say from strong meat, but rejoice in strong drink!

 

Media raises his cup.

 

MEDIA

Hear; hear!

 

Uhia and the rest raise cups. Uhia waits until JARL drinks, then gestures a second time, intimately, before he drains his drink in his honor. YUMI catches this and is saddened. There is a slow drift from him to REDBURN, who half smiles, and continues eating.

 

REDBURN (V.O.)

A wondrous kindness grew between Uhia and Jarl. Strange to tell, but from the first, our kingly host regarded my Viking with a friendly eye – stranger to add – Jarl returned this feeling. But how? Uhia is jolly and loud; Jarl demure and taciturn. Uhia, a king; Jarl a lowly Viking. So, how came they to fancy each to the other? Because they are matched – thus the affinity. As the convex fits into the concave – so do men fit into matching opposites. And so fitted Uhia’s jolly paunch into Jarl’s abdomen, hollowed to receive it. In sum, Uhia loved Jarl; and Jarl esteemed Uhia the most sensible man he had yet seen in Mardi.

 

Redburn laughs out loud, apparently at nothing. Jarl pokes him with his elbow and makes a questioning face. Redburn leans in for a confidence.

 

REDBURN

Speak to him. He’s dying to be flattered with your company.

 

Redburn pushes on Jarl’s shoulder with his own. Jarl rights himself, and a slow wave of sadness washes over him.

 

INT. UHIA’S PALACE – NIGHT – LATER

The feast is over. Empty dishes and fading flowers float on the waters of the basin. Pulling back, several empty cups litter the floor around the ‘table.’ Back farther, and the adjoining space comes into view. It is littered with the sleeping forms of Media’s party. They seem to have fallen where they partied: VI-VI asleep in MEDIA’s lap, his head on the chief’s chest. Panning over to the veranda, UHIA and JARL stand alone. Before them is a moonless sky ablaze with a streak of the brilliant Milky Way.

 

INT. UHIA’S PALACE VERANDA

UHIA and JARL speak in quiet honesty.

 

JARL

Funny to think – I’ve never been so admired as here in Mardi.

 

UHIA

Then the world’s a collective fool. One you’d best retire from.

 

JARL

(laughs)

I can’t express how flattered I am – you are obviously a man of the best of taste…

(Uhia laughs)

…But, I love Taji, who loves another, and I am loved by that poet – the youth Yumi – whom I may also love.

 

Uhia puts a reassuring hand flat on Jarl’s forearm.

 

UHIA

Be prosaic, as I am. Love must be increased in the world; never diminished. Remember, if things change in your future – you can return here. Perhaps you and your poet too.

 

INT. UHIA’S PALACE

A slow pan tracks from the backs of UHIA and JARL, along the sleeping forms of Media’s party, and stops on the dreaming face of REDBURN. His sleep becomes agitated. He jerks slightly, and his lips twitch.

 

[Part 4 – III: Fourth Nightmare]

EXT. FLOWERY CLEARING – DAY

REDBURN stands wearing a native kilt; flowers wreath his hair. He rips it from his head and dashes it to the ground. The wreath dissolves into hundreds of wasps. As they circle and fly off, the THREE WOMEN stand before him in black robes. Now the setting has changed, and they stand on a perfectly formed black round of glass. The foliage darkens and recedes back from view. Redburn puts his hand to his eyes in frustration.

 

REDBURN

Why do you torment me so – explain – something. Anything.

 

FIRST WOMAN

Who to you is Yillah?

 

REDBURN

Ask you me that? You should tell if

you know –

 

SECOND WOMAN

Look within, and conform. Man’s duty is to conform. Forget art, forget the drive to express your thoughts and feelings – such is for adolescence – these are childless.

 

REDBURN

How?

 

THIRD WOMAN

Man’s duty is to wed. Hautia wants you to wed—

 

THREE WOMEN

To reproduce yourself, no more.

 

The bottom drops out from under Redburn’s feet. He plunges into water over his head. He looks up. The Three Women stand by the margin in their pilot fish clothes of black and silver, and peer down at him. He tries to swim up; something has his leg. He looks down and loses a big bubble of air: ALIMA, mossy-green and soap-like, latches onto his foot. Redburn is shocked, because behind Alima, YILLAH sinks to the bottom, lifeless, but with open eyes on him.

 

INT. UHIA’S PALACE – NIGHT

REDBURN starts awake. His head is in JARL’s lap, and his Viking is soothing his sweating brow. Still in his lap, Redburn turns and hugs his lover close. Jarl’s arms go to caress his back, his lips coming down to kiss the top of Redburn’s hair.

 

 

_