IN BLACK, A ROAR.

A THOUSAND FERRARI HORSES WAKE AND SCREAM. A SLIT OF LIGHT WIDENS. SKY, GRASS, SHAPES MOVING FAST.

GLOVES ON CURVE OF WHEEL, SLICE OF WINDSCREEN, RED BONNET SLOPES AWAY. MOVING TOWARD THE LIGHT, ENGINE BLIPPING,

VOICES COME TO US; A MELANGE OF CONFUSION. THEN THEY ARE DROWNED IN THE ROAR.

WE ARE OUT AND FREE AND ACCELERATING AWAY.

SPEED

THE REVS, SHIFT. FOOT TO THE FLOOR, THROUGH THE GEARS, TURNING IN TOWARD STREAMS OF COLORS WHIZZING THROUGH COUNTRYSIDE. THE VOICES AGAIN,

GILLES (V.O.)

Ignore them!

DOWNSHIFT THROUGH THE TURN. THEY ARE LOST IN THE ROAR.

THEN OUT, FOUR-WHEEL DRIFT, WHEEL CRANKED, THE BANK COMING UP.

GILLES (V.O.)

Catch it, on the edge.

THE CAR

KISSES THE EDGE. BLASTS AWAY. SPEED.

GILLES (V.O.)

Faster, faster.

FERRARI (V.O.)

In tune. As one; The car an extention of will. Faster.

THE VOICES AGAIN.

HIS POV - ZOLDER AT 210 MILES PER HOUR

Other images, barely percieved, maybe only memory...they whiz past...blinding us with emotion...

JODY (V.O.)

The Doubts, put them behind, Concentrate!

POV - THE TRACK - AT 200 MILES PER HOUR - THE SHRIEK

ROAR, RATTLING VIBRATION. COMING UP FAST, A CAR, BLOCKING, SLIP INSIDE, DOWNSHIFT, THE CURVE, CUT INSIDE THE CORNER, THEN OUT, AWAY, FASTER, FASTER. VOICES again, the images...

GASTON (V.O.)

Responsibilities...

GILLES (V.O.)

Damn them! Just let me race!

JOANN (V.O.)

The kids.

GILLES (V.O.)

The kids are fine. I love the kids...

Other drivers...good times...

HUNT (V.O.)

Friends...

GILLES (V.O.)

I have no friends. Just dead ones.

CRASHES

Flaming car parts, tumbling past. Dead drivers...Ronnie Peterson, Cevert...Nikki Lauda's crash.

GILLES (V.O.)

Dead ones.

JODY (V.O.)

You can't race with anger.

GILLES (V.O.)

The woman!

COURTNEY - THE WOMAN

AIR FRANCE - FIRST CLASS

GILLES (V.O.)

Formula One...

COURTNEY (V.O.)

Oh? What are you, a chemist?

A ROAR.

NIKKI LAUDA (V.O.) (V.O.)

...the craziest devil in Formula One.

THE ROAR EXPLODES INTO 200 DECIBEL CACAPHONY!

SEEM TO BE IN A TUNNEL

It's the Monaco tunnel... a pinpoint of light grows at 200 MILES PER HOUR into the bright, gleaming yacht harbor, with Prince Ranier's palace glittering on the hill.

THE ENGINE ROAR IS NOW A CROWD

Hanging from the balconies, hanging from the towers, the spires of exotic yachts...your name...they scream...VILLENEUVE! VILLENEUVE! VILLENEUVE! VILLENEUVE!

NELSON PIQUET (V.O.)

He's somewhat crazy, but surely a phenomenon. He's does things nobody else can.

THE WALLS OF MARANELLO

Red banners stream down both sides of the wall. The wall is made up of crowds of fanatical Tifosi...the impassioned Ferrari fans. And banners:.. Gilles Forever!!!

JODY (V.O.)

You're famous. A legend. It comes with a cost.

PIRONI (V.O.)

This one...Helga. She likes you.

Gilles Villeneuve buttons, banners, models of his number 27 car, helmet, books on his career.

JODY (V.O.)

They're using you. They're using your name.

ZOLDERS - THE CHICANE

GILLES (V.O.)

Courtney...Demands..

COURTNEY (V.O.)

I want nothing from you. Just you.

GILLES (V.O.)

Concentrate. Must CONCENTRATE!

JODY (V.O.)

You can't go out there thinking of other things.

GILLES (V.O.)

There is nothing else. There is only winning and losing.

JODY (V.O.)

Life is more than winning points.

GILLES (V.O.)

World Champion...

FERRARI (V.O.)

The Team.

GILLES (V.O.)

Fuck the team!

FERRARI (V.O.)

...so fond of Villeneuve... he's one of my family.

GILLES (V.O.)

Commandatore... Why did he abandon me?

PIRONI

GILLES (V.O.)

Stole the Race!

JOANN (V.O.)

I don't trust him!

NIGEL (V.O.)

Do you feel betrayed?

CLOSE ON GILLES

Trees streaming past in reflection on the visor of his helmet. Then reflections of other races...Jarama, the dead spectators, Imola...Monaco.

GILLES (V.O.)

Betrayed, yes. Of course! Maudit!
Concentrate! CONCENTRATE... The engine...

CLOSE ON - THE ENGINE - HIGH PITCHED SCREAM...

ON GILLES

GILLES (V.O.)

The tires...

CLOSE ON - THE TIRES

A WHINE at the edge of adhesion.

GILLES' POV - THE BIANCHIBOCHT -FAST LEFT HAIRPIN TURN

DOWNSHIFT!

GILLES (V.O.)

Fast left. Set up!

DOWNSHIFT! WHANG.WHANG.WHANG...downshift.

CHEEVER (V.O.)

...was always risking more than any other driver. That's how he made his career.

HIS POV - ON THE CORNER, COMING AROUND THE TURN

A CAR. BLOCKING!

GILLES (V.O.)

Blocking. Move it... move!

JODY (V.O.)

always wanting to prove himself, every lap. I never knew him to take it easy. It was always the maximum.

GILLES (V.O.)

THE VOICES, DAMN THEM. CONCENTRATE. CAR AHEAD. SHOOT LEFT!

THE WHITE CAR SUDDENLY SLIDES LEFT.

GILLES (V.O.)

NO!

KEKE ROSBERG (V.O.)

...abnormally brave. To race against, the hardest bastard I ever knew,

but absolutely fair. a giant of a driver.

He SWINGS IN. He's BLOCKING.

GILLES (V.O.)

COME ON! MOVE OVER!

LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT RIGHT.

GILLES

THERE, RIGHT!

JUST ROOM ENOUGH.

GILLES (V.O.)

SLIP RIGHT.

SHIFT ROAR.

JOANN (V.O.)

"Maybe," I thought..."he's crazy..."

GILLES (V.O.)

THE VOICES, DAMN THEM! WHAT?!

THE FRONT CAR DRIFTS OVER, GAP CLOSING,

GILLES (V.O.)

BRAKE? NO, NEVER!

SWING RIGHT, CAR COMING UP FAST,

GILLES (V.O.)

NO!

NO ROOM! PINCHED! REAR TIRE ZOOMING UP. HIT.

GILLES (V.O.)

Maudit!

UP. THEN SKY, ROLLING OVER.

THE WORLD SPINNING INTO THE PAST

GILLES (V.O.)

...fantastique...bonne...

AT LAST. ALL THINGS BEHIND...

SOUNDS OF A SCREAMING CRASH... WHANG

THE SKY A FENCE. PARTS FLY BY...INTO WHITE CLOUDS

SCREAMS SUBSIDE....A RUSHING, A FLUTTERING OF WINGS.

THEN...

BLACKNESS

Prince

of

Destruction

The Life of Gilles Villeneuve

By

Charles Proser

BERTHIEVILLE, QUEBEC, 15 YEARS EARLIER -1967

Aerial above a Pontiac roaring too fast, radio blaring.

INT. PONTIAC GRAND AM

A young Gilles blasts down the highway, singing to the music. He's in his element...speed. 108 miles

per hour, flat out. A curve, too soon, too fast. The cars skids, spins, clips a pole and wraps around a second.

GILLES

Maudit! (MOOS-ZI!)

He staggers out and looks at the steaming wreckage.

EXT. GILLES'S HOME

Police arrive at a very modest lower middle class existance.

INT. PARLOR

Gilles' father JEAN, greets them grumpily.

POLICE

You own a Pontiac Grand Prix?

JEAN

It was stolen!

POLICE

And wrecked it, I'm afraid..

Shows him a picture of the car impaled on a pole.

JEAN

My new car?!

He glances at Gilles. Gilles is uncomfortable. Jean gets it.

JEAN

You will make a report.

POLICE

We have.

JEAN

I will call the insurance. Thank you. What else is there.

The cop looks at Gilles suspiciously, but says nothing.

POLICE

Good day.

He ushers the police out.

GILLES

Father...

JEAN

Don't! I don't want to know.

GILLES

I...smashed the car.

His father looks stern. Gilles is shaken.

JEAN

Well, don't tell anyone. They'll cancel the insurance.

GILLES

I'm sorry father.

JEAN

Do you know what you did?

GILLES

I drifted too far on the corner, I caught a lip.

His father is very stern.

JEAN

You took the car without permission.

GILLES

Yes.

JEAN

And you destroyed it.

GILLES

Yes.

JEAN

You've learned your lesson.

GILLES

Yes.

JEAN

Just don't do it again.

He looks at Gilles. Gilles says nothing.

EXT. COUNTRY ROADS - TRAVELING - FAST

An MGA duels with a Porsche on back roads. Come around a turn.

GILLE'S POV

Cows block the roadway, both shoulders, both ditches.

INT. MGA

Gilles cranks the wheel.

GILLES

Maudit!

EXT. ROAD

The MGA flips.

INT. MGA - GILLES

Upside down, wheels spinning, he's still trying to steer it, to affect direction by throwing his weight around the cockpit.

EXT. ROAD - THE MGA

UPSIDE DOWN, slides down the ditch, slams into a bank and rocks, enveloped in steam.

INT. MGA

Gilles hangs from belts upside down.

GILLES

Maudit!

He bleeds.

EXT. RURAL QUEBEC - SMALL TOWN AT A CROSSROADS - WEEKS LATER

A dog sleeps in the square. He wakes, ears perk. He gets up, slinks off. Townsfolk notice, listen... A distant WHINE grows into an approaching roar.

Villagers put down their papers, lean forward in their rockers.

A kid working on a car puts down his tools, moves to the street, wiping his hands on a rag.

Young girls stop playing jumprope, listen...turn toward the
growing roar.

THEIR POV

A Skoda whips through, clears a hairpin on two wheels and is gone in a cloud of dust.

KID

Gilles!

Townsfolk cheer.

OLD MAN

Gilles encore!

YOUNG GIRL

Bon chance Gilles!

The car is long gone...only settling dust and the ECHOING roar of the motor fading...

An old biddie shakes her head. The young folks cheer.

DISCO - JOLIETTE, A SMALL TOWN IN QUEBEC - NIGHT

INT. DISCO

Joann, a small-town beauty talks to a friend, Rose.

JOANN

I don't know, he's very quiet. And he's too short.

She looks at Gilles.

ANGLE - GILLES

He's slight, boyish, nervous and out of place. A boy speaks to Gilles, indicating Joann.

CHRISTIAN

I told you!

GILLES

She's very pretty. But... I don't think she likes me.

CHRISTIAN

Sure she does. Look how she's looking. Ask her to dance. Go on, what are you afraid of?

GILLES

(not so sure)

Nothing.

Christian pushes him into the room. He moves slowly, awkwardly.

HIS POV - JOANN

Angelic, vulnerable, provincial. She smiles encouragement.

JOANN

He looks like a boy.

ROSE

Looks can be deceiving.

JOANN

So can men.

ROSE

You're looking for your father. You're primed.

JOANN

Primed? For what?

ROSE

The usual solution. Marriage.

JOANN

Don't be rediculous. Never!

She looks at Gilles, critically.

NIGHT HIGHWAY - A FAST MUSTANG

INT. MUSTANG

Gilles drives like a maniac. Joann's terrified. She sneaks a glance at Gilles. Behind the wheel, he's in control, confident. She screams over the howling engine.

JOANN

So, what are you interested in, besides cars...?

He looks over, confused.

GILLES

Nothing.