Bob Gale - Back to the Future - 3

Doc: Marty, you can't go losing your judgement every time someone calls you a name! That's exactly what causes you to get into that accident in the future.

Marty stops and turns to Doc.

Marty: What? What about my future?

Doc: I can't tell you. It might make things worse.

Marty: Wait a minute, Doc...what is wrong with my future?

Doc: Marty, we all have to make decisions that affect the course of our lives. You've gotta do what you've gotta do. And I've gotta do what I've gotta do.

Doc walks off. Marty pauses, wondering what Doc meant by that, before following him. We cut to the railroad tracks that night. Marty is making some repairs to the tracks and Doc stoops down to talk to him.

Doc: Marty.

Marty: Yeah?

Doc: I've made a decision. I'm not going with you tomorrow. I'm staying here.

Marty: (slowly) What are you talking about, Doc?!

Doc: There's no point in denying it. I'm in love with Clara.

Marty: Oh man. Doc, we don't belong here! Neither one of us! You know it could still be you that gets shot tomorrow!

He shows Doc the picture again.

Marty: (continued) This tombstone could still be in your future!

Doc: Marty, the future isn't written. It can be changed, you know that! Anyone can make their future whatever they want it to be. I can't let this one little photograph determine my entire destiny. I have to live my life according to what I believe is right - in my heart.

Marty sighs.

Marty: Doc, you're a scientist. So you tell me. What's the right thing to do, up here?

Marty points to his forehead. Doc sighs. He knows what he has to do.

Doc: You're right, Marty.

Doc pulls a switch, and the DeLorean rolls itself onto the tracks. The tyres have been taken off the car.

Marty: Wow, that worked great.

Doc: I've at least gotta tell her goodbye.

Marty: C'mon, Doc, I mean, think about it - what are you gonna say to her, I gotta go back to the future? I mean, she's not gonna understand that, Doc. How long I been with ya and I don't even understand it? (pauses) Doc. Listen. Maybe we could...I dunno, maybe we could just take Clara with us.

Doc: To the future? (pauses) You've reminded me, Marty, I'm a scientist so I must be scientific about this. I cautioned you about disruption of the continuum for your own personal benefit; therefore I must do no less. We will proceed as planned, and as soon as we return to 1985 we'll destroy this infernal machine. Travelling through time has become much too painful.

Once again, Doc exits and Marty stares after him in confusion. We cut to later that night. A fire burns and Marty lies asleep next to it. Doc gets up and walks off. We then cut to Clara's house. Clara is inside writing at her desk when she hears a knock on the door.

Doc: (o.s) It's Emmett, Clara.

Clara smiles and opens the door for him.

Clara: Oh, Emmett, won't you come in?

Doc: No...I better not. I...

Clara: What's wrong?

Doc: I've come to say goodbye.

Clara: Goodbye? Well, where ya going?

Doc: I'm going away...and I'm afraid I'll never see you again.

Clara: Emmett...

Doc: Clara, I want you know that I care about you deeply, but I realise that I don't belong here, and I have to go back to where I came from.

Clara: And where might that be?

Doc: I can't tell you.

Clara: Well, wherever you're going, take me with you!

Doc: I can't, Clara. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but just believe me when I say that I'll never forget you and that...I love you.

Clara: I don't understand what you're trying to say.

Doc: Clara, I don't think there's anyway that you can understand it.

Clara: Please, Emmett, please - I have to know. If you sincerely do love me...then tell me the truth.

Doc: All right then. I'm from the future.

Clara looks at him in disbelief.

Doc: (continued) I came here in a time machine that I invented and tomorrow I have to go back to the year 1985.

Clara now has a strange look on her face.

Clara: Yes, Emmett, I do understand.

Doc is relieved she understands, but does she? Maybe not, as Clara slowly walks to him.

Clara: (continued) I understand that because you know I'm partial to the writings of Jules Verne you concocted those mendacity's in order to take advantage of me!

She slaps him on his cheek!

Clara: (continued) Oh, I've heard some whoppers in my day but the fact that you'd expect me to entertain a notion like that is so...insulting and degrading! All you had to say is "I don't love you and I don't want to see you anymore." That at least would've been respectful!

She slams the door in his face. Doc stares after her.

Doc: But that's not the truth!

He knows he's blown it though. Heartbroken, Doc takes the flower from his suit and leaves it on Clara's windowsill. He sadly walks away, as we look through the window to see Clara crying on her bed. We cut to the Saloon. Chester and the 3 Old Timers are there as usual.

Chester: Emmett! What can I get you, the usual?

Doc: No, Chester, I'm gonna need something a lot stronger than that tonight.

Chester: Sarsaparilla.

Doc: Whiskey, Chester.

Chester stares at Doc.

Chester: Whiskey? Emmett, are you sure? You know what happened to you on the 4th of July...

Doc: Whiskey.

Chester takes out a bottle of whiskey.

Chester: OK, I ain't your papa.

He pours some into a glass.

Chester: I just don't wanna see you losing the whole thing.

Doc stops him from putting the bottle back.

Doc: You can leave the bottle.

A bearded man, the BARBED WIRE SALESMAN sits next to Doc and starts speaking to him.

Barbed Wire Salesman: It's a woman, right? I knew it! I have seen that look on a man's face a thousand times, all across the country. Well I can tell you, friend. You'll get over her.

Doc: Oh-ho. Clara was one in a million. One in a billion. One in a googolplex. The woman of my dreams and I lost her for all time.

Barbed Wire Salesman: I can assure you, sir, there are other women. I have peddled this barbed wire all across the country, and it has taught me one thing for certain. It's that you never know what the future might bring.

Doc: Oh-ho, the future, I can tell you about the future.

Next day. It's dawn at the campfire and Marty wakes up. He realises he slept on his gun all night.

Marty: Oh...oh, man, did I sleep...what time is it, Doc?

Marty looks across - Doc isn't there!

Marty: Doc!

Marty looks at the photo again. The words "Clint Eastwood" are beginning to appear on it. Marty sees Doc's horse is gone and wonders where he went. We cut to another campfire, where Buford's gang lie sleeping. Buford himself though is very much awake. During the following he kicks his gang members to wake them up.

Buford: Wake up! I got me a runt to kill!

Gang Member 1: It's still early, boss.

Gang Member 2: It's still early!

Buford: I'm hungry.

Cut to the saloon. Doc is talking to everyone in there. He speaks in a distant voice, as if he is unaware of anyone else in there. Of course he knows there are people in there, but that is how he is talking.

Doc: ...but in the future, we don't need horses. We have horseless carriages called automobiles.

Old Timer 1 laughs.

Old Timer 1: If everybody's got one of these automo-whatsits, does anybody walk or run anymore?

Doc: Of course they run. But for recreation, for fun.