Don't Ask, Don't Tell

By Lance Dow

DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL is a fictionalized account of the experiences of numerous members of the U.S. Armed Services under the now repealed DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL POLICY of the U.S. Government. The story is told through the expulsion of a career Army Ranger and Medal of Honor recipient. It is in screenplay format as the story was a decade-long film project developed with technical assistance and access to service members from the Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN), who also led the court fights and lobbying efforts with Congress that led to overturning the policy, and who also defended expelled service members under the policy for many years.

The film project written by writer & producer, Lance Dow was lead by former Showtime head, Jerry Offsay and was read by a Who's Who of box office talent and was the subject of news articles by the Los Angeles Times and The Advocate Magazine.

The former film project is now being re-imagined for the stage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781456603861

Book preview

DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL

An Original Motion Picture Screenplay

by

Lance Dow

Copyright 2011 Lance Dow,

All rights reserved.

Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com

http://www.eBookIt.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0386-1

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

FADE IN

Another shitty assignment for the U.S. RANGERS.

AFGHANISTAN          DAY     SPECIAL OPS   MISSION

A BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER buzzes above the WAR RAVISHED BUILDINGS OF KANDAHAR. 12mm MACHINEGUN FIRE BELCHES from a TURRET snaking out of the chopper's mid-section.   The bullets RIP into rooftops like a buzzsaw and pock the shit out of the exteriors like the surface of the moon.   MOGADISHU REVISITED.

BLACK TURBANED TALIBAN fire from rooftops and windows.

INSIDE CHOPPER HOLD

The GUNNER and his MATE work machine-like.   Doing their jobs. One FIRES, the other keeps the river of bullets coming.

In the hold are a READY-TEAM of 11 ARMY RANGERS.   SMART WEAPONS, psyched, sweat roles down their dusty faces.   Game faces on.   RANGERS, BABY!   BADASS MOTHERFUCKERS!   EAT YOU UP, BABY!

The Gunner cross-hairs the rooftops. FIRES down a firestorm.   As the bullets dust everything in their path - A RAG-TAG GROUP OF AFGHANI LOCALS bolt from the building.

STREET LEVEL

MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN.   TALIBAN ARE INFILTRATED WITH THEM.   They FIRE on the Chopper with A-K47's.

CHOPPER HOLD

GUNNER

GODDAMN these motherfuckers!   They're using women and kids!

GUNNER'S MATE

We can't jeopardize the mission!

Gunner swallows his humanity. He fires down on them.

STREET-LEVEL

The GUNFIRE rips into Taliban and the noncombatants alike.

BUILDING ROOFTOP

A TALIBAN pops up on the rooftop with a ROCKET LAUNCHER on his shoulder.   He aims it at the Chopper.   FIRES.   The rocket SMOKES towards the chopper.   BOOM!   Blows a hole in the rear fuselage. Oil sprays.   BLACK, ACRID SMOKE billows from the Chopper.

SKY

The Chopper waffles down in a shroud of black smoke as it makes a hard landing.

ON THE GROUND

THE ROOFTOP comes alive with more Taliban with rifles, machine-guns, pistols.   They all FIRE on the disabled Chopper.

INSIDE CHOPPER

The bullets rip through the metal with a sick finality.   A number of Rangers are struck. SCREAMS. BLOOD.

INSIDE CHOPPER

PILOT

This is Charlie Six, Charlie Six. Blackhawk going down in Sector 12!   We're under heavy fire!   Blackhawk Down!   Blackhawk Down!

U.S. BASE        SOUTH OF KANDAHAR        DAY

A GROUP OF ELITE RANGERS race to a waiting BLACK OPS CHOPPER.   The sleek helicopter looks like a flying demon WITH A GATTLING GUN under its nose. The Chopper begins to leave while they're all still getting in. The last man is pulled into the Chopper as it zooms off.

ON THE GROUND        CHARLIE SIX

The damaged Chopper's down in one piece.   Bullets rip into it and into some of the RANGERS. Blood flows freely. It's a Goddamn fucking stew from hell.   BLOOD, SWEAT, SCREAMS.

COCKPIT - the pilot's bought one in the head.   He's dead.

GUNNER

Move!   Move!   Move!

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!   Gunner FIRES his pistol at some buildings.

One, two, three, and his mates are out and laying down heat. Gunner checks a Ranger with a chest full of blood.   The Ranger's eyes ask for help - but there's none to give.   Gunner grips his comrade's hand and the Ranger slips away.   No time to grieve.   Gunner's out and running.

Left behind... FOUR RANGERS that didn't make it.

The other Rangers are up ahead, prone.   POP! POP! POP! POP! POP!   They lay down suppression for Gunner.   Gunner blows by them and one by one they're up and hauling ass towards some buildings.

INSIDE A ONE-ROOM/STORE-FRONT BUILDING

The Rangers duck into the abandoned building. They watch as a HORDE of ARMED TALIBAN advance on their position. The Rangers and Horde exchange GUNFIRE. Mate checks the rear for an exit.   Only one - a tight alley with high-walled sides.   If they head in - and someone's waiting... FUCKED CITY!

OUTSIDE

RAT! TAT! TAT! TAT! TAT! RAT! TAT! TAT! TAT!   The Horde disperses and there lays about ten of them.   Smoked.

DUST SWIRLS as SEVERAL RANGERS FIRE weapons as they ride the landing struts.   The almost silent Chopper is about to lay down in the middle of the street.   Before it's even down the team of RANGERS inside are out and breathing fire.

One of the Rangers riding the struts is THE MAN.   The life-saver with legs.   The Dog - MAD DOG JOHN HACKWORTH.   Hack's in his element.   BARKS out orders.

HACKWORTH

Two by two.   Point.   Rear.

His Two by Two take-up prone positions.   Anything that moves and doesn't look like an ARMY RANGER - gets smoked. The Chopper's reamed with GUNFIRE.   It's up and gone in a heartbeat.

On another rooftop, a TALIBAN has A ROCKET TARGETED on the Chopper. TAT! TAT! TAT!   Hackworth smokes him.   In his fall the rocket   launches into the street.   It EXPLODES - sending a shower of dirt everywhere.

INSIDE BUILDING

Gunner drops a CANISTER out a window.   GREEN SMOKE streams out of the canister - a LOCATOR SMOKER FLARE.

OUTSIDE

HACKWORTH

Okay, we've got 'em.

Hack and his Team advance like cats on the prowl as they continue to FIRE and backup towards the building.

IN THE ALLEY

A RUSTY SOVIET-MADE TANK moves into position at the far end of the alley.   It blocks the alley as its turret lowers.

IN THE STOREFRONT ROOM

GUNNER'S MATE

HIT THE SANDBOX!

BOOM!   THE MUSSEL FLASHES!

STREET

BOOM!   The front of a building EXPLODES out.   Hackworth and his men race to the building.   A hole THE SIZE OF A TRUCK is now the Front Door.   Hack and his Team dash inside.

INSIDE

Everyone's dusty but all right.

HACKWORTH

Well looks like we've got ourselves a nice little Ranger Tea Party. What's the scenario in the rear.

PITCHOO! PITCHOO!   Bullets POCK the rear walls.

GUNNER

Gotta Soviet M90 tank blocking the exit flanked by forty-foot walls.   The only way out is the Front Door here.

HACKWORTH

OK.   Front Door it is.

GUNNER

If you don't mind my asking, Sir.   Where the hell we gonna go once we're out the door?

HACKWORTH

I'm gonna call us a cab right now, Son. Hackworth speaks into his shoulder-mike.

HACKWORTH (CONT'D)

STANLEY, this is Hack.   I'm gonna put out a Smoker. I want you landing right on it.

A VOICE crackles out of Hackworth's radio.

STANLEY (O.S.)

Roger that Dogman.   You drop it and I'll dust down on it in thirty Seconds flat.

Hackworth rips a canister off his belt.

HACKWORTH

Ready in three...two...one.

He tosses the canister into the middle of the street.   A RED SMOKE CLOUD streams out.   He's out the Front Door FIRING. Bullets dance around him on the exterior of the building's face. The Chopper clears the street with its gatling gun. Lands.

HACKWORTH (CONT'D)

Go One!

Out pops and ROLLS PRONE a Ranger.   The Ranger FIRES.

HACKWORTH (CONT'D)

Go Two!   Another - same MO.

HACKWORTH (CONT'D)

Go Three!

TAT!   TAT!   TAT!   TAT!   TAT! TAT!...TAT!   TAT!   TAT!

HACKWORTH

Go!   Go!   Go!

The others follow.   Hack stands and lays down COVER FIRE. BULLETS rip around him.   The prone Rangers are up and running toward the Chopper - the others follow. They pile into the Chopper. Several lay down SUPPRESION FIRE.

Hack hauls ass.   Bullets PING on the Chopper.   He's almost at the Chopper.   On a rooftop a TALIBAN pops up with a SNIPER RIFLE.

POV SCOPE

Hack's in the cross-hairs... He turns to fire some more. The Taliban's finger pulls down on the trigger...   CRACK!

Hackworth's blown to the ground...BLOOD erupts from his stomach.   The impact blows him back. He crashes on his stomach. Looks to the Chopper.

HACK'S POV...everything slows dowwwwnn.   Hack sees Gunner and another Ranger SCREAMING and waving at him...COME ON!   COME ON!   But he can't hear them.   All he can hear is his heart POUNDING.

The Rangers BLOW OUT A BARRAGE as bullets PING off the metal skin of the Chopper.   Gunner and the Ranger jump out, grab Hackworth and drag him into the Chopper.   Gunner catches a bullet in the leg.   The others drag Hackworth onto the Chopper.   Then Gunner and the Ranger as the Chopper dusts off.

SKY

The Chopper's up, blazing over rooftops.

INSIDE CHOPPER

The Pilot calls in for a MEDICAL TEAM to be on standby.

Hackworth lies on the cold steel floor as his BLOOD RIVERS out into a large pool.   Several Rangers work on him, kneeling in his blood.   His eyes slip closed.

U.S.     BASE        FIELD HOSPITAL      DAY

The Chopper lands as a bevy of MEDICAL PERSONNEL await.   Hackworth is pulled out, laid on a gurney.   They rush towards the hospital.

FIELD HOSPITAL        EMERGENCY OPERATING ROOM

The Team cut away Hack's clothes.   A SUITED UP MILTARY DOCTOR bangs in. The Doctor's over Hackworth in a heartbeat.   The O-Table is full of blood.   There's a mean wound in Hack's belly.

DOCTOR

Turn him.

They roll Hack.   Oh God.   BLOOD, INTESTINES flop onto the table.

DOCTOR (CONT'D)

Blood!   All you can spare!

A NURSE blows out the door.

MED-TEAM MEMBER

Pulse is gone!

The Doctor