Draft 2 PhD Introduction - ResearchSpace@Auckland

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initially hostile reaction to his unexpected re-appearance. Ward and Tetley did change
the next scene, which was originally one in which Elizabeth handed Ethan some of her
husband’s clothes (a gesture which Horrocks saw as too sudden, “considering the
intimate nature of the gift”). In this draft, Liz was about to burn Justin’s clothes, but at
the last minute rescued a jacket which Birdie picked up, intending to use it for himself.
Later, he gave the jacket to Ethan, and Liz was incensed that he had done so. This
seemed more in keeping with her hostility towards Ethan and resentment that Birdie had
hired him behind her back and seemed to be using him as an ally against her. Another
significant change in Draft Three was that towards the end of the film, the length of the
scenes in which Birdie and Toss were holding siege in the Birdie’s hut was greatly
reduced, although the ending with Birdie urinating on the tractor engine was retained.
After reading Draft Three, Horrocks congratulated Ward on the changes and
commented that: “The overall rhythm of the film seems to me much better
proportioned. It moves confidently from start to finish”. 609 The film had strengthened
its narrative structure in orthodox terms, while retaining its symbolic richness. It was
clear, however, that the intensity of the images remained far more important to Ward
than psychological verisimilitude. He was always prepared to take shortcuts or make
leaps in the interests of maximising that intensity, in the hope that sympathetic viewers
would be able to fill in the gaps.
The changes made to Draft Four were relatively minor ones, but many of the scenes
were condensed – the length of Draft Four is only one hundred and twenty-two pages,
in comparison with one hundred and thirty-one pages of Draft Three. (One hundred and
thirty-one pages would be considered a conspicuously long film script as the industry
average is around one minute of screen time per page.) At this stage, more specific
information was included, such as a detailed drawing of the overall set design of the
buildings in the valley (presumably drawn by Ward). There was also now a prologue to
the screenplay:
She must watch him. He must come no closer.
She must watch him and disarm him.
She must disarm him and expel him from the valley.
No-one else will. 610
609
Horrocks, undated letter to Vincent Ward.
610
Vincent Ward and Graham Tetley, “First Blood Last Rites: Fourth Draft Screenplay” (Auckland:
Vincent Ward Film Productions, 1982).