Back to the Future - 3 bttf-3 Read online

  Doc: I know, I know, I know! I wish..... wait, I've got it! We can roll it down a steep hill..... no, we'd never find a smooth enough surface. Unless..... of course..... ice! We can wait until winter when the lake freezes over...

  Marty: Winter! Doc! Monday! It's three days away!

  Doc: Wait. Let's just think this thing through logically. We know it can't run on its own power, and we know we can't pull it. But, if we can figure out a way to push it up to 88 miles per hour... huh?

  Outside, we can hear a train whistle. A steam engine pulls into the station. Doc looks outside and spots it.

  Doc: That's it!

  Cut to the station. Doc and Marty are talking to the train engineer.

  Engineer: How fast she can go? Why, I've powered her up to 55 myself. I hear that fearless Frank Fargo got one of these up to near 70 out past Verde Junction.

  Marty: Is it possible to get it up to 90?

  The engineer laughs.

  Engineer: 90? Tarnations, son, why'd ya ever be in such a hurry?

  Doc: (covering) Well, it's just a little bet that he and I have, that's all. Theoretically speaking, could it be done?

  Engineer: Well, I suppose if you had a straight stretch of track with a long level grade, and you weren't hauling no cars behind you - and if you could get the fire hot enough, I mean hotter than the blazes of hell and tarnations - well yes, you might be able get her up that fast.

  Doc: When's the next train coming through here?

  Engineer: Monday morning at 8 o'clock.

  Cut to the waiting area. Doc and Marty are looking at a map of Hill Valley. The clock for the clocktower is on the platform - it's just been delivered. And the time on it is 10.04am! CLARA CLAYTON can also be seen waiting for someone to pick her up, although neither Doc nor Marty see her. As Doc describes the places, he shows Marty on the map.

  Doc: Here. This spur runs off the main line 3 miles down to Clayton Ravine. There's a long stretch of track that will still exist in 1985. This is where we'll push the DeLorean with the locomotive. Funny, this map calls Clayton Ravine Shonash Ravine. Must be an old Indian name for it. It's perfect. Nice long run that goes clear across the bridge over the ravine, you know, over near that Hilldale housing development.

  Marty: Right, Doc, but according to this map... there is no bridge.

  And as we cut to the Ravine, we see Marty is right. There is a dead end for the tracks, and a sign saying the bridge is scheduled for completion in 1887.

  Marty: Well, Doc, we can scratch that idea. I mean, we can't wait around a year and a half for this thing to get finished.

  Doc: Marty...it's perfect! You're just not thinking fourth dimensionally!

  Marty: Right, right. I have a real problem with that.

  Doc: Don't you see? The bridge will exist in 1985. It's safe and still in use. Therefore, as long as we get the DeLorean up to 88 miles per hour before we hit the edge of the ravine, we'll instantaneously arrive at a point in time where the bridge is completed. We'll have track under us, and coast safely across the ravine!

  Marty: What about the locomotive?

  Doc grins.

  Doc: It'll be a spectacular wreck. Too bad no one will be around to see it.

  Clara: (o.s) Argh! Help me!

  Doc turns to where the sound is to see a woman, Clara Clayton (who was at the station earlier) in the distance riding on a buckboard with out of control horses. They are heading for the edge of Shonash Ravine.

  Doc: Great Scott! (to horses) Git!

  Marty: (to his horse) Hiyah!

  Doc catches up to Clara and manages to shout to her.

  Doc: Jump!

  She jumps off into Doc's arms just in time. The horses veer left at the end of the ravine, the wagon breaks off and falls down the ravine.

  Doc: (to his own horse) Whoa.

  Clara's hat sits on her head and covers her face.

  Clara: Oh, thank you, sir, you saved my...

  Clara lifts her hat and we (and Doc) see her face for the first time. Clara looks at Doc and can't speak for a moment.

  Clara: ...life.

  Doc stares back and his eyes grow wide. We get the felling both have fallen instantly in love with each other - love at first sight.

  Doc: Emmett Brown, at your service, Miss...

  Clara: Um...um...Clayton. Clara Clayton.

  Cut to Marty. He gets the photo out of his pocket and looks at it, then to Doc and Clara.

  Doc: Clara. (pause) What a beautiful name.

  Cut to a about half an hour later. Everyone is riding to Clara's cabin. Clara is on one of the horses that took her to the ravine, supplies are on the other one. Marty and the supply horse ride a bit behind Doc and Clara. When they reach the cabin, Doc and Marty take the supplies and put them on the porch.

  Doc: May I help you inside with these?

  Clara: Oh no, that won't be necessary. You've done more than enough already.

  Doc: But it's really no trouble.

  Marty: Doc, she says it's fine, and we gotta get going. (to Clara) Ma'am, good luck with the school teaching and everything.

  Doc: Clara, I'll straighten everything out with Mr Statler from the buckboard rental - don't you worry about that. I feel somewhat responsible for what happened.

  Clara: Oh, well, that would be very gentlemanly of you, Mr Brown (slight pause) Emmett. You know, I'm almost glad that snake spooked those horses. Otherwise, we might never have met. I suppose it was destiny. Well, thank you for everything.

  Doc: You're quite welcome.

  Clara: I will...see you again, won't I?

  Doc replies casually, even though he knows he is lying.

  Doc: Of course, you'll see lots of me, I'm sure, I have a shop in town. I'm a local scientist...uh...uh...blacksmith.

  Clara: Science? What sort of science? Astronomy? Chemistry?

  Doc: Actually I'm a student of all sciences.

  Marty: Hey Doc, we gotta get going.

  Doc: Oh yes, well, excuse us Clara, we have to get...going.

  Doc and Marty start to leave, and Doc turns to wave back to Clara.

  Doc: Toodle-ooh.

  She waves back as they leave. We stay with Marty and Doc as:

  Marty: What do ya mean, you're gonna be seeing' lots of her, Doc?

  Doc: Well, I might see her again, just in passing.

  Marty laughs. He suspects Doc is in love.

  Marty: C'mon, Doc, did you see the way she was looking at you?

  Doc: Well, she did have quite a scare, right? After all, Miss Clayton almost ended up at the bottom of Clayton Ravine... Clayton Ravine!

  Both Doc and Marty realise the connection.

  Marty: Holy shit! Hey Doc! Clayton Ravine was named after a teacher. They say she fell in there a 100 years ago.

  Doc: A 100 years ago? That's this year!

  Marty: Every kid in school knows that story because we all have teachers we'd like to see fall into the ravine.

  Doc: Great Scott!

  Doc stops his horse.

  Doc: (continued) Then she was supposed to go over in that wagon...and now, I may have seriously altered history.

  Marty: Look, Doc, what's the worst that could happen, huh? So they don't name the ravine after her. Let's just get the DeLorean ready and get the hell out of here.

  Doc ignores Marty and speaks to himself.

  Doc: I wish I'd never invented that infernal time machine - which caused nothing but disaster.

  Doc rides slowly away. Marty looks at Doc for a second in a "what's going on?" look and then follows him.

  SEPTEMBER 5, 1885

  Cut to the blacksmith shop, the next day. Doc and Marty are working on the DeLorean on opposite ends of the room. Doc is working on the tyres. They speak to each other through walkie-talkies, this will be denoted by (w.t).

  Marty: (w.t) Doc, Doc, this is Marty. Can you read me? Over.

  Doc: (w.t) Check, Marty.

  Marty: (w.t) Great Doc, these things still work.

  Doc: All right. />
  Both Doc and Marty moves towards a model railroad that Doc has built. There is a train, various named locations and a small model DeLorean marked "Time Machine".

  Doc: Marty, once more, let's go over the entire plan and layout. I apologise for the crudity of this model...

  Marty remembers the conversation he and Doc had in 1955 in Doc's lab when Doc showed Marty the model of the town square.

  Marty: Yeah, I know, Doc, it's not to scale. It's OK, Doc.

  Doc: All right. Tomorrow night, Sunday, we'll load the DeLorean on to the tracks here on the spur right by the old abandoned silver mine. The switch track is where the spur runs off the main line 3 miles into Clayton...(correcting himself) Shonash Ravine. The train leaves the station at 8:00 Monday morning. We'll stop it here, uncouple the cars from the tender, throw the switch-track, and hijack - (he smirks here as he "corrects" himself again) borrow the locomotive and use it to push the time machine. According to my calculations we'll hit 88 miles per hour just before we hit the edge of the ravine, at which point we'll instantaneously arrive in 1985 and coast safely across the completed bridge.

  Marty spots a sign near the model windmill. It says "Point Of No Return."

  Marty: What does this mean? "Point of no return"?

  Doc: That's: our failsafe point. Up until that point we can stop the locomotive before it plunges over the ravine. But once we pass that windmill, it's the future or bust.

  A few minutes later, Doc is sorting out the electricity to work the model.

  Doc: Here you go, Marty. Connect that to the positive terminal. All right, Marty, you all set?

  Marty: Yeah, yeah, go.

  During the following, Doc says his lines as if he is singing them slightly. He also pushes the switch down more to get the train's speed up.

  Doc: Train pulling out of the station! Coming up the switch track! Stop at switch track! Throw switch! Pull up the DeLorean! Pushing the DeLorean up to 88 miles per hour!

  Both model DeLorean and train fall off the table once they hit the "ravine". The car is caught by Doc, the train lands onto a pillow placed underneath.

  Doc: It couldn't be simpler!

  There's a knock on the door.

  Clara: (o.s) Hello? Emmett?

  Doc sees it is Clara.

  Doc: It's Clara! Quick, cover the DeLorean.

  Marty and Doc cover it with a sheet, and as Clara lets herself in, Marty hides the model DeLorean.

  Clara: Hello.

  Doc: Why, hello. This is quite a surprise.

  Clara: Well, I hope I'm not disturbing anything.

  Doc: Oh no, we were just doing a little model railroad.

  Clara: Emmett, when my bags were thrown from the wagon, my telescope was damaged. And...since you expressed an interest in science, I thought you might be able to repair it for me. (pause) I would pay you, of course.

  Doc: Oh, no, no, no, I wouldn't think of charging you for this.

  Marty sighs and runs his hand through his hair.

  Doc: (continued) Well, let's have a look at it.

  He opens the case and takes the telescope out. He puts it to his eye and closes his other one.

  Clara: I think the lens may be out of alignment, because if you move it this way, the image turns fuzzy, see?

  She moves closer to Doc and turns the telescope slightly.

  Clara: (continued) But if you turn it ... the other way...

  Doc takes the telescope from his eyes and lowers his hand. He turns to face Clara and they gaze at each other.

  Doc: ...everything becomes - clear.

  We get the feeling they will kiss if left alone much longer. Marty does too, so he coughs loudly and causes Doc and Clara to look away from each other quickly. She moves towards the door and Doc hold the telescope with a goofy look on his face. He's definitely in love.

  Doc: I will repair it right away and have it for you tonight.

  Clara: Oh, tonight's the town festival. I wouldn't dream of having you work on my telescope during such an important event. You are panning on attending, aren't you?

  Marty: Well, actually ma'am...

  Doc: Of course, the festival...

  Clara: Well, in that case, I'll see you this evening at the festival, Emmett.

  She turns to Marty as she leaves.

  Clara: Mr Eastwood.

  Marty: Ma'am.

  Clara turns back to look at Doc.

  Clara: Thank you for taking care of my telescope.

  Doc: You're quite welcome.

  Clara leaves and we see that Doc has the most goofiest look on his face we've ever seen him with. Marty goes up to him.

  Marty: It's a nice telescope.

  That evening. It's the festival, and everyone in Hill Valley has arrived for it. Mayor Hubert stands in front of the clock that will eventually be in the Courthouse.

  Mayor Hubert: Ladies and gentlemen! As mayor of Hill Valley, it gives me great pleasure to dedicate this clock to the people of Hill County. May it stand for all time! Tell me when, gentlemen!

  Townspeople: 3...2...1...now!

  The Mayor starts the clock and fireworks are released into the sky.

  Mayor Hubert: Let the festivities begin!

  Doc and Marty are at the festival too, a bit behind everyone else. Out of sight, they watch the dedication of the clock. Doc thinks back to their history with the clock.

  Doc: Y'know Marty, in a way it's fitting that you and I are here to witness this.

  Marty: Too bad I didn't bring my camera.

  There is a flash of light, and we see the PHOTOGRAPHER taking pictures of people beside the clock. Marty and Doc look at each other. Cut to in front of the clock a few seconds later.

  Photographer: Ready, gentlemen?

  Doc: (to Marty) The only problem is we'll never be able to show it to anybody.

  Marty: Smile, Doc.

  The picture is taken. We cut to the dance. There is a band there, who have a surprising resemblance to ZZTop! :-)

  Band Member: Yee Har!

  Music: Doubleback (Instrumental Version) by ZZTop

  As the music begins, Doc and Marty again step back into the background of the festival.

  Doc: What great music!

  Marty: Yeah, it's got a beat and you can dance to it!

  In the background the COLT GUN SALESMAN can be seen.

  Colt Gun Salesman: Step right up, gentlemen, and test your mettle with the latest products from Colonel Samuel Colt's patent firearms of Hartford, Connecticut. Take this model for example.

  As Marty turns to watch the gun demonstration, Doc wonders off.

  Colt Gun Salesman: (continued) The new, improved and refined Colt Peacemaker. Available to you tonight for the low, low price of $12.

  Doc spots Clara and smiles at her. She walks over to him.

  Doc: Good evening.

  Clara: Evening.

  Doc: You look very - nice.

  Clara: Thank you.

  Doc looks at the festival for a few moments - he's very nervous - before turning back to Clara.

  Doc: Would you like...uh...would you care to, uh...

  Clara: I'd love to.

  Doc and Clara start to dance. Cut to Marty, still watching the demonstration. The Colt Gun Salesman turns to Marty.

  Colt Gun Salesman: Young man, want to give it a try?

  Marty: No, no, thanks.

  Marty turns to where Doc was standing earlier.

  Marty: Hey Doc, this...

  Of course, he notices Doc isn't there. He looks for his friend and spots him on the dance floor with Clara.

  Colt Gun Salesman: (to Marty) Son! Sonny boy!

  Oblivious to the Colt Gun Salesman, Marty carries on watching the dance.

  Marty: The Doc can dance?!

  Colt Gun Salesman: Son! Son! Son!

  The Colt Gun Salesman nudges Marty's shoulder with the gun, and Marty turns around.

  Colt Gun Salesman: Hey! I just told you that even a baby can handle this weapon. Surely you're not afraid to try someth
ing that a baby can do.

  Marty: Hey, I'm not afraid of anything.

  Colt Gun Salesman: Well then, step right up like a man.

  He hands Marty a gun. Marty stands in front of an Old West Diorama - this is where he must shoot. It looks very similar to the Wild Gunman game Marty played (will play?) in the Cafe 80's in 2015.

  Colt Gun Salesman: Now, what you do is just ease that hammer back there and squeeze off a round.

  Marty points it to the diorama but shaking his head, the Colt Gun Salesman guides Marty's hand into position.

  Colt Gun Salesman: No, no, no, right on out there and be real smooth. That's how you do it.

  Marty shoots - and misses. Big time. The Colt Gun Salesman starts laughing.

  Marty: Hey listen, can I try that again?

  Colt Gun Salesman: Sure, go ahead.

  The Colt Gun Salesman laughs again. Marty aims the gun, shoots - and hits a direct shot. He repeats this again a few more times. Everyone is amazed.

  Colt Gun Salesman: Hey, just tell me one thing. Where'd you learn to shoot like that?

  Marty: (seriously) 7 Eleven.

  Cut to the entrance of the festival. Buford Tannen and his gang arrive on their horses.

  Gang Member 1: Buford, you sure that blacksmith is gonna be at this here shindig?

  Buford: Sure he's here. (darkly) Everybody's here tonight.

  The DEPUTY MARSHALL arrives to check the visitors.

  Deputy Marshall: You gentlemen are gonna have to check your firearms if you want to join in on the festivities.

  Buford: (laughing) And who's gonna make us, tender-foot...you?

  Marshall Strickland: (o.s) I am.

  Buford (and the audience) turn to see MARSHALL STRICKLAND holding a rifle to Buford's shoulder. You guessed it, he's the grandfather of our very own Mr Strickland from 1955 and 1985.

  Buford: Marshall Strickland. I didn't know you was back in town.

  Marshall Strickland: If you can't read the sign, Tannen, I presume you can read this.

  He means the rifle. Buford turns to him.

  Buford: Pretty tough hombre when you're pointing a scattergun at a man's back.

  Marshall Strickland: Just like you, Tannen, I take every advantage I can get. Now are you gonna check your irons?

  Buford knows when he's beat, and backs down.

  Buford: I was joking with your deputy. Of course I'm going to check my iron. We all were, weren't we boys?