Blood Diamond Study Note

sBlood Diamond (2006) CHARACTERS Danny Archer – Diamond Smuggler Maddy Bowden – Journalist Solomon Vandy – Fisherman Dia Vandy (see me no more) Jassie Vandy – Solomon’s Wife Captain Poison Benjamin Kapanay M’Ed Ambassador Walker Diamond Traders Diamond Traders Rudolf Van De Kaap Rupert Simmonds SETTING Sierra Leone 1996-1999 Civil War THEMES R. U. F (Revolutionary United Front) T. I. A (This is Africa) SCENE 1 Early Morning Solomon with his son Dia telling him to go to school so one day he can become a doctor instead of a fisherman like his Dad. SCENE 2Solomon and Dia walking to school and Dia say’s one day this place will be a paradise. Solomon and Dia have a really good relationship. They see the RUF and run to the village to get the rest of their family. Soloman gets captured by the RUF but saves his family. Solomon tells Dia to run because he has to look after Jassie and the daughter SCENE 3 The RUF are executing people and cutting of their hands. We are introduced to RUF and Captain Poison who is the leader. They bring Soloman forward to chop off his arm, but before they do Poison says no put him in the truck because he doesn’t show any fear and Poison respects that.SCENE 4 There is a G8, conference about Diamonds in Antwerp, Belgium. Ambassador Walker is talking about the Diamonds in Africa. While the meeting is talking clips of slaves in Africa are shown. Slaves dig the diamonds and then Poison keeps them. Slave finds a diamond and tries to hide it in his mouth. Poison sees it takes the diamond and then kills him. The conference introduces Mr. Van De Kaap and Mr. Simmonds which are the people from the diamond business. SCENE 5 There is a high up shot of Africa where Archer is arriving in Africa off a plane to meet Drunk RUF soldiers.Archer does not act scared so the RUF doesn’t kill him as he gives him his gun and plays it cool. Archer speaks to Captain Rambo while he wants to go see Commande r Zero. Archer talks to Commander Zero and says there is not enough Diamonds and says he will not help them with the government. Archer acts very calm and experienced. He is a good negotiator and is very determined to get what he wants. SCENE 6 Archer is crossing the border with cattle. He is attempting to smuggle the diamonds into Liberia with the diamonds inside the goat. He gets caught by an intelligent army soldier claims he is from national geographic doing a story on Liberia.The soldier arrests Archer after he finds the diamonds smuggled in the goats. He tries to intermediate, bribe and threatens the soldier but the soldier does not give in and they arrest him. SCENE 7 Back at the mines, Soloman is in the river trying to find diamonds. He finds the pink and he doesn’t know what to do with it. The water valve pops which draws the attention away from Soloman so he puts it between his toes and asks to go to the toilet. He runs into Poison and Poison searchers him and canâ €™t find anything. Poison finds Solomon hiding the Diamond and asks to take it but as he does that the Government troops attack which injure Poison nd free Soloman. He grabs Poison machete and does not kill him and runs away. He finds a spot and buries the diamond. He then gets taken by the government troops and taken to the Jail. SCENE 8 Now Soloman and Archer are both in the same jail. Poison is brought in and starts talking to Solomon about the big diamond. Soloman strips and starts screaming â€Å"where is the diamond!! † Poison threatens Solomon’s family saying â€Å"I will find your family† meaning he will find them and kill them. Archer is attracted to this because he is very interested in the big diamond. SCENE 9Archer is released from jail where he meets the pilot who bailed him out. Archer is being watched by one of the Colonel Coetzee’s men. Archers name and photo has been printed in a newspaper as being publicized as a diamond smuggler whi ch is not good for his reputation as a smuggler. He tells his pilot to bail Solomon out of jail. SCENE 10 Archer immediately rings London to speak to Simmonds the owner of the diamond company. He pulls a diamond out of his tooth. He gets changed and goes into the street where some prostitutes/thief comes up to Archer and talks about diamonds.Cordell goes into Archer’s room to try and find the diamond. SCENE 11 The pilot bails Solomon out and says â€Å"it seems you have made a friend in prison† and hands him money. SCENE 12 Danny meets M’Ed at his bar and hands him money for a really good gun. Archer asks him when the RUF are going to come to Freetown and M’Ed says very soon. Archer meets Maddy Bowen and they talk about how the world is falling apart, they are being very political, Maddy tells Archer she is a journalist. We’re here TIA for the first time. â€Å"America its bling-bling, out here its bling-bang†. Archer tells her to piss off.S he continues to follow Archer. SCENE 13 Archer returns to his room and realizes it has been searched looking for a diamond. Archer and Cordell meet and start talking like they are best mates. Archer asked for a smoke and then punched Cordell in the stomach and says â€Å"that’s for breaking my TV Bru†. This shows that Archer will not be intimidated by anyone. SCENE 14 Soloman legally searching for his family, (he is looking on the list). Soloman says he has been to kissy waterloo and Port Loko in search. He is sent to the whites and asks for help, the agency replies â€Å"then God help you, because I can’t†.The RUF comes to the village where Dia and his family are and takes Dia away. SCENE 15 Archer is in Cape Town South Africa because he is Meeting Colonel Coetzee. They are in the car going to see Colonel and Archer is asleep and very relaxed. Colonel and Archer are walking through the vineyards talking about diamonds and about how Archer worked for Colo nel as a soldier. Colonel says that Archer owes him money and he will stake a stone in payment. Archer says if he had the pink he wouldn’t be on this continent. Colonel says â€Å"you will never leave Africa†. SCENE 16Back in Sierra Leone and showing all the poverty. Solomon is living in a burnt out car. Archer finds Solomon, asking him about the Pink, Solomon rushes off to work. SCENE 17 They are in the RUF base punished the children, teaching them how to shoot and brainwashing them telling them they by killing people they are going to save the nation. â€Å"Shed their blood†!! Dia kills his first man and is shocked. Poison comes to see Dia and is being sympathetic because he knows Dia is upset. He is acting like a Father so Dia is attracted to Poison as he says â€Å"I will take care of you I am now your Father†.Dia has been rewarded with a position of Captain to make Dia feel special but its deliberate because he knows Dia’s dad Solomon has the Pink SCENE 18 At M’Ed’s bar talking about when the RUF is coming and M’Ed is saying he is not scared he underestimates the RUF. Archer and Bowen meet again and go for a dance talking about how Archer is a smuggler. Maddy says â€Å"is it possible that you don’t care how many die because of the deals that â€Å"you do? † and Archer replies â€Å"people here kill each other as a way of like. Always been like that! † now Archer is annoyed for the second time and walks off. She follows him again.Maddy gets offended by Archer’s generalization. SCENE 19 In free town Archer is talking to Solomon, Archer says â€Å"I got you out of jail we are partners† Solomon replies â€Å"we are not partners, you’re a liar† archer says â€Å"without me you’re just another black man in Africa. † The RUF arrive and while they are running Solomon says â€Å"you will say anything, how can I trust you† Archer replies à ¢â‚¬Å"you don’t have to trust me I said I don’t give a fuck about you, this diamond could be priceless, we split the diamond and I’ll get your family back? † There are people dying everywhere and Archer gets himself and Solomon through the Chaos.The army surrenders because they were scared by the RUF. SCENE 20 Rebels have taken Freetown and Killed M’Ed. The RUF are having a big party. Solomon and Archer are wandering around and eventually escape. SCENE 21 Archer and Solomon need to get across the bridge. Solomon and Archer are working together but Solomon does not approve. Solomon and Archer are travelling with refuges. Solomon says to Archer â€Å"I have agreed to nothing† Archer replies â€Å"you have no choice†. SCENE 22 They arrive at the refugee camp and Archer is trying to be nice but Solomon is being very short.Archer tries to bluff his way into being a journalist. Archer asks a man if he can tell Maddy Bowen that Danny Archer i s looking for her because he has the story she wants. Maddy and Archer meet and Archer gets straight to the point about helping Solomon out, Maddy says â€Å"your using him† archer replies â€Å"I’m using him your using me this is how it works, isn’t it? † SCENE 23 Maddy, Solomon and Archer are flying to the refugee camp to find Solomon’s family. Maddy is in charge and gives the name for Solomon’s family. Maddy starts taking of the refugees for her story.Solomon spots Jassie and his daughter but not Dia, he starts yelling because he realizes that Dia has been taken by the RUF, he gets wacked away from the fence by the army. Archer pulls Solomon away from the fence and says â€Å"do you want your family to see you get killed, get away from the fence. † They fly over the hills where the diamond is. SCENE 24 Solomon won’t tell Archer where the pink is because he still doesn’t trust Archer. Solomon is telling Archer that Dia was very smart and was going to become a doctor. Archer goes to speak to Maddy and Maddy is still angry and him. Maddy is writing a story.She is really angry and she realizes that what Archer said about using each other is true because she need facts. Archer tells Maddy that the only chance Solomon’s family will be released is through the Diamond. Archer explains the process of the diamond smuggling. Archer gives Maddy the details with the names and bank accounts, and he says â€Å"you right this story before I have given them the diamond I’m dead. † SCENE 25 Archer and Solomon get on the bus and pretend to be journalists. They get off the bus due to an accident so they take photos of the accident. The RUF start shooting at them and Archer starts taking leadership.They get in a car because someone on the bus doesn’t let them on. SCENE 26 The RUF are partying again and they are giving the kids Heroin. Dia calls himself â€Å"See me no more. † They are invading on different villages. Archer, Maddy and Solomon are getting shot at by the RUF again. Archer gets them out of trouble and starts driving off. The RUF start chasing them but they run into a bush and then run off. Archer starts to show affection towards Maddy to make sure if she is alright. Archer, Maddy and Solomon are walking through the forest in the dark. SCENE 27 The Sun is shining through the trees.The locals from the forest are protecting the own land and threating to kill them, Maddy takes charge and saves Archer and Solomon with her camera. The locals bring them to a school where they meet kids that have been saved from the RUF. They meet Benjamin and he explains what this place is and what he does. SCENE 28 Benjamin shows them around the school to show them the normal kids and how he saved them. They show some kids that are suffering. Archer says â€Å"you did well today† and Maddy replies â€Å"you too† this shows they start to bond. Benjamin bri ngs Archer a beer and they start to talk about the attacks in the area.Benjamin asks Archer â€Å"would you say that people are mostly good? † Archer replies â€Å"I’d say there just people. † Benjamin says â€Å"a moment in love even in a bad man can give meaning to a life†. Solomon is having fun playing soccer with the kids. SCENE 29 Children are singing and Maddy is in there in the light and Archer is outside in the dark. The light represents the happy life and the new day. The dark represent how he is finished if he stay, is in Sierra Leone. Maddy and Archer start drinking some wine which is very strong. Archer starts being completely honest to Maddy.Archer said his Mum was raped and killed and his Dad was decapitated. Archer says â€Å"sometimes I wonder, will god ever forgive us for what we’ve done to each other, then I look around and I realize, god left his place a long time ago. He is showing some emotion and is asking her without saying do you understand. Maddy holds his hand and become a kind of couple. SCENE 30 They are driving with Benjamin and run into some kids from the RUF kids asking what they are doing and who they are. They shoot Benjamin and Archer threatens the kids with a gun and drives off. They are trying to help Benjamin and he cracks a joke.So Archer has now saved them again. They drive to Colonel Coetzee to save Benjamin. They meet Colonel and Archer is forced to go with Colonel. Maddy and Archer start talking. Maddy distracts the soldier so Solomon and Archer can steal colonel’s goods so they can survive and not go with the army. Archer and Maddy say goodbye for the last time and Maddy gives Archer all her contact numbers. Archer is telling Maddy to get on the plane. SCENE 31 Solomon and Archer run off to go get the diamond. Archer is telling Solomon what to do and Solomon replies â€Å"yes, boss† which means that Archer is treating him like a slave.They are walking through the jungl e/forest. SCENE 32 In the dark when the RUF drive past and Solomon and Archer are hiding in the bushes on the side of the road. Solomon thinks he sees Dia on the RUF truck so he yells out which almost gets them caught. Luckily Archer grabs Solomon and runs to safety. So after all Archer has done for Solomon he puts there life in danger yet again. The next morning Archer wakes Solomon up and is talking about how he can capture baboons and how he can kill anybody, as archer says â€Å"if you risk my life like that again, I will peal your face back off your head. † SCENE 33They are walking through the hills. SCENE 34 They walk through a village and they meet another black African and he says the RUF are in the next town. Solomon lies to Archer saying they are going straight through to the RUF. Archer goes to turn right and Solomon continues straight. Archer starts threating Solomon and calls him a â€Å"kaffir† which is a huge insult to black people in Africa. Archer pull s a gun after fighting and says â€Å"your son is gone! † and Solomon replies â€Å"he is alive! † Solomon is getting really upset saying â€Å"I have to know if he is dead or not, shoot me if you want, why should matter I’m dead already. Archer replies â€Å"fine we will wait till dark† SCENE 35 They go into the RUF camp when it’s dark to have a look. The RUF base are walking and singing, part of the song is â€Å"go tell my parents they may see me no more† which is Dia’s new name. SCENE 36 Solomon and Archer are now walking and Solomon is asking Archer personal questions. Solomon says â€Å"I’m confused† archer replies â€Å"that makes two of us, my bru. † SCENE 37 Solomon is talking about his grandfather and his past. Solomon says â€Å"this place will be a paradise. † Archer makes a promise â€Å"we will get your back. After this they are walking up a hill and Archer falls and Solomon helps him up. SC ENE 38 They are looking down on the view to the diamond mine. Archer calls an attack helicopter as a diversion. Archer promises that Dia is not in the mine, but says â€Å"you can look all night†. SCENE 39 Solomon goes into the camp by himself in the dark. He spots Dia and goes up to him. Archer goes to rescue Archer again. Dia denies Solomon and screams â€Å"enemy, enemy, I hate you† SCENE 40 Poison finds Solomon and threatens him and his family in front of Dia. Poison says that he wants to get out of Africa.Poison tells Solomon to go get the Diamond or he will kill Dia. As this is about to happen to chopper appears and starts shooting. Poison takes Dia and Solomon starts chasing them. Solomon catches poison and kills him. Archer saves Dia. SCENE 41 The rebels are dead, Dia is alive, and this should be the happy part. Colonel comes to Archer and threatens to kills them if they don’t get the diamond. Archer screams at Solomon because he wasn’t telling th em where the diamond was. Archer puts Dia at risk so Solomon tells them where it is. SCENE 42 They go to find the Diamond.They find holes that Poison has tried to find it. He asks Cordell for a smoke, Cordell puts a gun to him and says â€Å"smoking will kill you†. Archer says â€Å"better stop smoking, hey, Solomon†. Solomon finds the diamond and then Archer and Solomon start to kill the army. Archer shoots Colonel and before he dies he says â€Å"TIA, huh, Danny† and Archer then shoots him. Archer realizes he has been shot and wounded. Solomon finds the diamond and then Dia holds a gun towards Archer and then Solomon, Solomon starts talking to Dia and reminding him what and who he really is and what he loves doing and who is his proper father.SCENE 43 Archer, Dia and Solomon are walking up the hill to where they are meeting the plane, Archer can’t walk any further and collapses, and Solomon picks him up over his shoulder and carries him. Archer tells So lomon to stop. Solomon has a worried look on his face as he realizes that Archer is dying. The plane flies over and Archer realizes that he cannot go on and gives Solomon the Diamond. Archer tells them to go. Archer says â€Å"take your boy home†. The Army troops start shooting and Archer shoots back at them. SCENE 44Archer calls Maddy and tells her what’s happened, he tells her to meet Solomon and help him out. The plane flies over Archer. Archer says â€Å"you can write the hell out of the story† because he is dead now. Archer says â€Å"I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be†. SCENE 45 It cuts from the silent calm Africa, to London where Solomon is meeting Mr. Simmonds. Maddy is taking photos for her story. Simmonds says â€Å"you diamond could not have ended up anywhere else† and offers him 2 million pounds. Solomon says â€Å"this isn’t enough, I want what is promised to me by Archer, and I want my family and the money†.Solomon looks around London and sees a diamond necklace and realizes this is what all the trouble is about. He meets with his family and then the diamond is put into a secure safe. SCENE 46 Kimberley, South Africa, January 2000. There is a conference about the blood diamonds. Solomon opens a magazine to Maddy’s article to see a picture of Archer. Solomon gets called in to talk about what happens in Africa. SCENE 47 There are credits telling us what has changed. Sierra Leone is at Peace, but there is still 200,000 children soldiers in Africa. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1) ARCHER – â€Å"you take your home boy, huh? Archer’s death proves he was a noble character all along – Discuss 2) Benjamin – â€Å"A single moment of love can give value to a life† does archer sacrifice himself for the sake of Solomon and Dia or does he just give up because he is wounded? 3) Then I realize, â€Å"God left this place a long time ago. † Archer complains a bout â€Å"this god-forsaken continent â€Å"without realizing that he and people just like him have helped to make it that way. Do you agree? 4) â€Å"T. I. A† (this is Africa) – Archer, captain Poison and Colonel Coetzee believe this is to be true: Solomon, Maddy and Benjamin believe it is a lie, who is right? Discuss.