The Borgia Apocalypse: The Screenplay Read online

  MICHELETTO

  Come, my lady –

  LUCREZIA

  This horror has a name. It is called Borgia –

  Micheletto grabs her wrist.

  MICHELETTO

  We must flee, my lady - now –

  EXT. ROAD FROM NAPLES. DAY.

  Cesare, and the Wild Bunch, riding back towards Rome. Baglioni whispers to Paulo Orsini, as they ride.

  BAGLIONI

  Where is his henchman? Micheletto?

  Orsini shakes his head. He looks worried.

  ORSINI

  He’s not with us. Something’s up.

  BAGLIONI

  Can you call off your Orsini band?

  ORSINI

  For all I know, it could already be too late.

  BAGLIONI

  So what do we do? Sneak off into the night?

  ORSINI

  An admission of guilt, if there ever was one. No, we have no option but to sit tight...

  INT. ST PETER’S. DAY.

  Lucrezia sits in the half empty church, like a widow in mourning. She looks up and sees Cesare walking towards her.

  CESARE

  Is the rumor true. Sis? That you considered taking Holy Orders?

  LUCREZIA

  I even considered a name, brother. Sister Angela.

  CESARE

  Sister Lucrezia is infinitely preferable.

  He stands above her.

  LUCREZIA

  There is something to be said for the quiet of a nunnery. Those sisters are at peace in their hearts.

  CESARE

  And this sister is not?

  He places his hand against her cheek.

  LUCREZIA

  No. Not as yet.

  And she can’t resist it. She touches his hand.

  CESARE

  May I sit?

  LUCREZIA

  You may.

  CESARE

  I heard another rumor. That my sister, whom I love so much, was hiding from me.

  LUCREZIA

  I am afraid, brother. To be in the same room as you.

  CESARE

  You are afraid of me?

  LUCREZIA

  You know what I’m afraid of. Myself. You’re here. And I have that old illusion. That God has stepped in the room with us.

  CESARE

  We are in St Peter’s. God’s very room.

  LUCREZIA

  Ah. So that explains my beating heart.

  She lays her head on his shoulder.

  CESARE

  And will you hide from me again?

  LUCREZIA

  Yes. I will leave again. You will do your damndest. To track me down again.

  CESARE

  I have another solution, sis. You could marry.

  LUCREZIA

  I have tried that. Twice.

  CESARE

  You could marry as I have done. For convenience. Then we would both be free to meet. To love.

  Without scandal.

  LUCREZIA

  Marry whom?

  CESARE

  Some duke. Some noble. Some prince. Whom such an arrangement suited. Marriage should be nothing to do with the heart, Lucrezia. I learned that in France. Never confuse love with marriage.

  LUCREZIA

  Yes. The results can be lethal.

  CESARE

  So have I your permission to begin the search?

  LUCREZIA

  You? The way our father did?

  He reaches for her. She turns away.

  LUCREZIA (CONT’D)

  Don’t you understand, brother? I want to find a love... that will free me from this love...

  He sits, watching her for a moment.

  CESARE

  I have had news, sis. I am to be a father.

  And she turns, and is overwhelmed.

  LUCREZIA

  Oh, Cesare –

  She takes his hand, brings it to her cheek.

  LUCREZIA (CONT’D)

  Oh my love, I cannot wait. To think, a child of yours, to play with Giovanni...

  And she turns away again.

  LUCREZIA (CONT’D)

  You have won again, haven’t you? You knew the effect those words would have.

  CESARE

  Can I be blamed for hoping?

  LUCREZIA

  No.

  She plays with his hand, over her lips.

  LUCREZIA (CONT’D)

  So. You would find me a husband. The way my father did.

  CESARE

  Ferarra has made overtures.

  LUCREZIA

  You already have one in mind.

  CESARE

  They need our alliance. The Duke is past his youth. He would need an heir. But make no demands beyond that...

  He rubs her lips.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  On your heart.

  LUCREZIA

  Ah, so. My heart can still belong to you...

  INT. PAPAL APARTMENTS. DAY.

  Cesare and his father.

  ALEXANDER

  So Naples is... somebody’s...

  CESARE

  Naples is ours, father.

  ALEXANDER

  Ours. King Louis’. Queen

  Isabella’s.

  CESARE

  Without a drop of French blood spilt.

  ALEXANDER

  So we heard.

  He fixes Cesare with his beady eye.

  ALEXANDER (CONT’D)

  And Lucrezia has returned, from whatever sanctuary you drove her towards.

  CESARE

  She spent some time with God.

  ALEXANDER

  Almost an eternity, we have heard.

  CESARE

  There was a plot to seize her. Hold her hostage.

  ALEXANDER

  A plot by whom?

  CESARE

  Orsini. Baglioni. Vitelli.

  Alexander smiles.

  ALEXANDER

  You do choose your friends.

  CESARE

  They had their uses.

  ALEXANDER

  And we shall have our revenge. But on our terms. There will be no more public massacres.

  CESARE

  Instruct me then, father.

  ALEXANDER

  You will bide your time. Wait. Put them at their ease. Take them to your bosom. And when you strike, do it outside Rome.

  CESARE

  Yes, father.

  ALEXANDER

  I want your word on this.

  CESARE

  You have it. Outside Rome.

  ALEXANDER

  Italy applauds a beautiful deception, an elegant revenge. We will give them one they can celebrate.

  INT. VATICAN CORRIDOR. NIGHT.

  Cesare, walking. Micheletto behind him.

  CESARE

  Bring me to Paulo Orsini.

  INT. ORSINI’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

  Paulo Orsini asleep. Micheletto, above him. He puts a knife to his throat, and clamps his hand over his mouth.

  MICHELETTO

  Hush Paulo, hush. It is all good. And my master would speak with you...

  The silhouette of Cesare appears behind the curtain, on the balcony.

  EXT. BALCONY. NIGHT.

  The situation now reversed. Cesare and Paulo Orsini, on the balcony, overlooking Rome.

  Micheletto is silhouetted on the curtain, from inside.

  CESARE

  Was it you or your brother, Paulo, who sent those assassins?

  PAULO

  It was neither, my Lord. I swear. The convent was on Orsini lands. My cousin was an Orsini nun.

  Word travels, as you know.

  CESARE

  Yes, it does. And the Orsini clan is a force of nature.

  PAULO

  They are territorial, my Lord.

  CESARE

  To say the least. There was a bloodbath.

  PAULO

  Nothing of my doing.

  Cesare sighs.

  CESARE

  We wi
ll forget this unfortunate incident. Because I need my band of brothers. Orsini. Vitelli. Baglioni.

  We have a hard task ahead of us, and will only succeed together. But you will keep this conversation between us. Your word?

  Cesare holds out his hand. Orsini stares. Cesare’s words sound too good to be true. But he shakes, because he has to.

  PAULO

  My word.

  INT. BORGIA VILLA. NIGHT.

  Lucrezia and Vanozza dine.

  LUCREZIA

  Have you heard mention of the word Ferarra, mother?

  VANOZZA

  I must confess I have.

  LUCREZIA

  Another marriage? To the Duke D’Este this time?

  VANOZZA

  Only when... and if... you are ready for it.

  LUCREZIA

  Ferarra has one advantage, mother. It is neither Rome nor Naples. And the Duke, Cesare tells me, is old.

  VANOZZA

  He is not young.

  LUCREZIA

  And you think I could find peace there? With my boy?

  VANOZZA

  Ferarra is a haven of the arts. Poetry, music, sculpture. Some call it the Florence of the North.

  Lucrezia takes a breath. She lifts her mother’s hand.

  LUCREZIA

  I have two demands here, mother. That you take care of all negotiation. And that you, if these negotiations prove successful, move with me to my new home.

  VANOZZA

  Out of Rome? That would be a blessing. But you think me up to such a task?

  LUCREZIA

  I can think of no-one better.

  VANOZZA

  They have sent an ambassador, to present Ferarra’s terms. A poet. Pietro Bembo.

  INT. VATICAN GARDENS. EVENING.

  A figure, standing there in the flickering lamplight. Pietro Bembo. He is handsome, elegant, refined, beautifully dressed. A real stunner.

  Lucrezia appears behind him.

  LUCREZIA

  Pietro Bembo –

  BEMBO

  Hush –

  LUCREZIA

  Why should I hush?

  BEMBO

  Because you might disturb them.

  LUCREZIA

  Disturb what?

  BEMBO

  The fireflies –

  She walks closer. Sees that he is holding a lace handkerchief, covered in fireflies.

  He blows them, and they flicker up across her face.

  BEMBO (CONT’D)

  And you are?

  LUCREZIA

  Lucrezia Borgia. Come to take you to dine with His Holiness the Pope.

  BEMBO

  How sad.

  LUCREZIA

  Sad?

  BEMBO

  That my task is to negotiate such beauty into another’s palace.

  LUCREZIA

  But you are part of the palace, I have been told?

  BEMBO

  Of course. Now I am happy again.

  LUCREZIA

  Its poet in residence.

  BEMBO

  I plead guilty.

  LUCREZIA

  I have never been in a palace, with a poet in residence.

  BEMBO

  You must come then. And never leave.

  INT. BAGLIONI’S VILLA. NIGHT.

  A banquet, in Baglioni’s villa. Half naked girls sing around a table, while our Wild Bunch eat.

  VITELLI

  What are we celebrating, Baglioni?

  BAGLIONI

  Our survival.

  VITELLI

  But does anyone yet know what happened? At that bloody convent?

  Paulo Orsini looks from one to the other. He knows something bad happened, but he is not sharing it.

  BAGLIONI

  Come on, Paulo –

  ORSINI

  My cousins came - but they had already left.

  BAGLIONI

  They?

  ORSINI

  Lucrezia Borgia. And his – Micheletto.

  Vitelli takes a breath.

  VITELLI

  So he knew. Something was in the offing.

  ORSINI

  How could he have known? We still live.

  VITELLI

  Can you call this living? I can hardly sleep at night.

  ORSINI

  Stay the course. Bide your time. He suspects, perhaps, but he doesn’t know. And, our moment will come, believe me –

  And he raises his eyes. Because a figure has come into view, led towards him by a manservant.

  MANSERVANT

  Signor Micheletto Corella.

  Micheletto bows.

  MICHELETTO

  Gentlemen.

  They all nod their heads. Disdainful, or nervous, it is hard to tell which.

  ORSINI

  Micheletto.

  MICHELETTO

  We all celebrate, it seems, the liberation of Naples.

  VITELLI

  Yes. We freed their souls all right.

  MICHELETTO

  And there will be more, it seems, to celebrate.

  He looks around as the hush descends.

  MICHELETTO (CONT’D)

  My Lord would meet with you tomorrow. Fully armed, your forces ready for the next campaign. The Pope Himself will bless you in your endeavours.

  The bunch look at each other. Once more off the hook.

  VITELLI

  Where are we headed?

  MICHELETTO

  Only the Duke knows. He keeps his counsel.

  And Micheletto bows, and leaves.

  The bunch listen until the front door closes. Then they raise their glasses.

  VITELLI

  The Pope Himself will bless us –

  INT. VATICAN GARDENS. NIGHT.

  A beautiful table, set out on the lawns. The Pope dines, with Vanozza and Lucrezia and Pietro Bembo.

  ALEXANDER

  So, tell us about your patron, Pietro Bembo.

  BEMBO

  Well the Duke D’Este is a man of impeccable taste.

  He glances at Lucrezia.

  BEMBO (CONT’D)

  In all of the arts. Painting, sculpture...

  LUCREZIA

  And poetry, no doubt.

  ALEXANDER

  He is a collector then. But not of wives, we hope...

  BEMBO

  He was married once before. He has long been a widower.

  VANOZZA

  You can cut to the chase, signor Bembo. What he most wants in a woman is...

  BEMBO

  An heir. His first wife was barren. He is of an age where men of his substance must think about succession.

  VANOZZA

  And beyond that?

  ALEXANDER

  Vanozza –

  VANOZZA

  Hush Rodrigo. Be so kind as to let me handle this one.

  BEMBO

  Beyond that, his future wife will be free to live as she sees fit.

  VANOZZA

  With her own household? With quarters of her own?

  BEMBO

  With a palace of her own. The Duke has his male companions.

  ALEXANDER

  Ah. He hunts? He jousts?

  BEMBO

  Far from it. He enjoys the company of artists. And their models.

  And here we can see the subtext, however delicately expressed. The Duke is gay.

  ALEXANDER

  So his wife, once an heir is produced, shall be free of further... marital responsibilities?

  BEMBO

  She will be free, as a bird.

  Lucrezia is staring at him. He returns her gaze.

  LUCREZIA

  I do like poetry. Tasso. Petrarch. Dante.

  BEMBO

  We shall have a lot to talk about then. Should you ever reach Ferarra.

  Alexander and Vanozza exchange a glance.

  INT. BALCONY. VATICAN. NIGHT.

  Cesare, on a balcony, outside the Pope’s chambers. He is watching, down below –

  POV - VATICAN GARDEN
S –

  Lucrezia, Bembo and Vanozza, laughing, at the remains of the supper table.

  ON THE BALCONY –

  The Pope comes to join Cesare.

  ALEXANDER

  Bembo. What do you know of him?

  CESARE

  A poet, I have been told. In the court of Ferarra. The Duke D’Este is known to enjoy his male companions.

  ALEXANDER

  Is that a bad thing in a husband?

  CESARE

  It depends on what one wants of a husband.

  ALEXANDER

  Your sister will want as little as possible. And we will need allies in the North. After tomorrow –

  CESARE

  Tell me.

  ALEXANDER

  Sinigaglia has signaled its willingness to surrender its fortress. We have summoned its Lord here, to hand the titles to us. Send your condiotorre there, to take possession. And do what you will with them.

  INT. VATICAN PALACE. DAY.

  The Wild Bunch there, in full armor. Cesare, still dressed casually, as if he has just woken up.

  BAGLIONI

  So what is our goal today, my Lord?

  CESARE

  Our goal? Today as every other day?

  He smiles.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  Survival.

  He looks around at them, and smiles.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  But you have a simple task ahead of you. Sinigaglia.

  VITELLI

  You intend another siege?

  CESARE

  The Lord of Sinigaglia has told me his willingness to surrender. In person, to me. In fact, he rides here as we speak.

  He smiles again.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  Our reputation for ferocity precedes us now. Citizens will revolt, Dukes will willingly fall, rather than face what happened at Naples.