EXT.

OPEN OCEAN ABOARD JAMES CAIRD TIMELESS

The JAMES CAIRD is in open waters in the middle of severe

storms. There are six men inside; three are laid down or
otherwise at rest. Begin slow zoom on one awake man manning an
oar.

MUSIC CUE: FADE IN “Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads

Zoom continues as man, now clearly ERNEST SHACKLETON struggles

with the oar. The tiny boat is dangerously close to capsizing
at any moment. The zoom is completely in on SHACKLETON’S face
as the song reaches the line “How did I get here?”

CUT TO EXT. OPEN OCEAN ABOARD ENDURANCE DAY

Timestamp in the bottom-left of the shot reads ‘October,

1915.’ The Endurance is sailing on open ocean through drift
ice until running aground on a large floe.

SHACKLETON
(shouting)
She’s going down!

The crew of the Endurance spill out onto the pack ice with
their supplies with time to spare.

UNNAMED CREW MEMBER

Uh, boss?

SHACKLETON
Wait for it…

The ship suddenly slips off the ice and sinks underwater at
comical speeds.

CUT TO EXT. ICE FLOE ENCAMPMENT DAY

Timestamp reads ‘April 9, 1916.’ The encampment is fully

raised, and people are moving about between temporary
structures. Suddenly the ice underfoot cracks in two.

SHACKLETON
(shouting)
She’s going down!

The crew of the Endurance spill out into their lifeboats with
their supplies with time to spare.

UNNAMED CREW MEMBER

Uh, boss?
 SHACKLETON
Wait for it…

The ice floe suddenly rips in half and flops apart in the
water.

CUT TO EXT. CAPE VALENTINE NIGHT

Timestamp reads ‘still April, 1916’ The exhausted crew flop

onto the beach exhausted, save for SHACKLETON himself who
strides in front of the mass with full confidence.

SHACKLETON
Well that was a nuisance. Anyway I need a party of
five to sail with me to South Georgia for rescue,
any volunteers?

TOM CREAN crawls out of the pile.

CREAN
Oh please, boss! Please! Oh please, boss!

SHACKLETON
Calm down man, there’s plenty space.

SHACKLETON pulls three more men from the pile; FRANK WORSLEY,
JOHN VINCENT, and TIMOTHY MCCARTHY. HARRY MCNISH is already in
the boat, James Caird written on the side.

SHACKLETON
Tim, John, Frank, Harry, you’re with me. We’ll be
back in a jiffy!

The James Caird drifts out to sea with the six men aboard. The
rest of the Endurance’s crew wave them off enthusiastically.

MCNISH
Uh, boss? I’m still on the boat…

SHACKLETON
I know. (beat) Have some faith in your work, man!
We’ll be there and back in no time!

END MUSIC; CUT TO PRESENT

Timestamp reads ‘May 9, 1916.’ The three wakened men struggle

relentlessly with the water as before, bailing the water
constantly until the storm finally abates.

SHACKLETON
About time, now we can land and cross the island!
 CREAN
What, on foot?

SHACKLETON
Well we’re hardly going to take the boat with us,
now are we?

CREAN
Couldn’t we sail?

CUT TO EXT. INLAND SOUTH GEORGIA NIGHT

CREAN
Guess not.

Timestamp reads ‘May 20, 1916.’ It is pitch black.

SHACKLETON
Just a few more miles now!

SHACKLETON barely avoids slipping on some loose gravelly

ground, the stones clattering down a hitherto undetected
ravine. The three do not hear them settle.

SHACKLETON
Good heavens that was close! Can’t stop now though,
our men depend on us.

CREAN
We’re going to die out here.

CUT TO INT. STROMNESS WWHALING STATION DAY

A NORWEGIAN is shuffling papers at his desk. There is a

telegram machine in the background. SHACKLETON, CREAN and
WORSLEY crash through the door in a crumpled heap, though
SHACKLETON is conscious enough to close the door behind him.
The NORWEGIAN exclaims an obscenity in Norwegian from the
shock.

SHACKLETON
I say good man, there’s no need for language like
that! Now, would you happen to know anyone with a
seaworthy boat?

The NORWEGIAN backs away to the telegraph machine and starts

frantically using it.

CUT TO EXT. SS SOUTHERN SKY EVENING

Timestamp reads ‘May 1916.’ SHACKLETON is speaking with the
five of his compatriots, each worse for wear but listening
intently.

SHACKLETON
So the plan is to take the Southern Sky and pick up
our lads from Elephant Island. Should be simple
enough and in no way frustrated by-

CUT TO EXT. SS SOUTHERN SKY NIGHT

SHACKLETON
-Damnable sea ice! Not to worry, I hear Uruguay has
been so generous to led us a ship to-

Timestamp reads ‘Mid-June 1916.’ Another cut replaces the ship

with the Uruguayan ship, though everything else is the same
otherwise.

SHACKLETON
-Get stuck in the same ice apparently! Still, we can
doubtless rely on the Emma and her completely
reliable engines-

CUT TO EXT. FALKLND ISLANDS, LIKELY STANLEY DAY

Timestamp reads ‘August 1916.’ A large bang is heard from

outside the Emma and the crew are hustling about or
evacuating. SHACKLETON and company are watching from the
docks.

SHACKLETON
…Piss arse and wank! (sigh) My apologies, gentlemen,
I just can’t help but think of my fellows still
stranded down there.

A loud horn startles the six explorers, emanating from the

YELCHO that has pulled up alongside them unnoticed.

UNNAMED CHILEAN
¡Hola Señores! ¡It is our time to shine!

CUT TO EXT. ENDURANCE ENCAMPMENT DAY

Timestamp reads ‘August 30, 1916.’ Two men appear to be eyeing

each other in hunger, wielding knives. The camera cuts
backward to reveal the seal they’re attempting to hunt. The
Yelcho’s horn startles them and spooks the seal. The two men
then run off-screen in excitement, before running back to
fetch the knives they dropped and returning off-screen. The
shot follows them this time as they join the celebrations of
the crew and begin packing their possessions. An ending scroll
confirms they made it home safely and the worst of their
problems have passed.

FADE OUT