by Neil Jordan
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.
