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1. 

   Nick Lowe July 26, 2012 at 11:25 am | Reply

   Far better than the version actually made is Nicholas Meyer’s original draft, which is on his website at http://nmeyer.pxl.net. Best thing he’s ever done (and yes, that includes Wrath of Khan); it was written after the death of his wife, and is clearly a deeply personal love letter to the poem (which he’d earlier riffed on in Sommersby). Marvel at how much he packs into this little sequence:

   EXT. HARBOR – DAY
   Odysseus’ WARSHIP, loaded with his ITHAKANS, their supplies, and armor, is making ready to sail. As Nestor and Agamemnon watch, Odysseus says goodbye to his little family, embracing sobbing Eurycleia, patting his DOG, who wags its tail. He kneels and kisses the feet of ANTICLEIA, his handsome MOTHER, who holds herself proudly -
   ANTICLEIA
   Athena protect you, my son…
   ODYSSEUS
   And you, my mother…
   She makes the sign of benediction over his head… he rises and goes finally to Penelope and little Telemachus, who cries at the sight of him.
   ODYSSEUS
   I frighten him…
   PENELOPE
   Not you. The nodding horsehair plume and the helmet which conceals you… it frightens me, as well…
   He removes the helmet, pulls from its plume a hunk of RED HORSEHAIR and gives it to the baby, who clutches it. Then he faces his wife and takes her hand…
   CU THEIR HANDS
   ODYSSEUS
   (looks her in the eye)
   I WILL COME HOME.
   PENELOPE
   (simple but firm)
   I WILL WAIT FOR YOU.
   After embracing, he races up the gangplank to the ship, which makes ready to cast off as Odysseus’ family and other WOMEN OF ITHAKA and their CHILDREN watch, with set faces.
   BARKING, Odysseus’ DOG tries to run up the gangplank but tear-streaked Eurycleia holds him back.
   ROPES cast off, SAIL lowered from its spar… its design:
   THE HEAD OF THE GODDESS ATHENA is blazoned at the center.
   Penelope and Odysseus looking at each other…
   CU TELEMACHUS’
   little baby face against Penelope’s bosom, asleep. In his tiny fist, he clutches the RED HORSEHAIR…
   DISSOLVE TO:
   THE SHIP
   on the distant horizon, vanishing…
   DISSOLVE TO:
   CU THE FACE OF A TEN YEAR OLD BOY
   standing atop the green peak of ITHAKA, where we saw his father watching the harbor ten years before.
   Around his neck, worn as a necklace, is the bit of faded RED HORSEHAIR, long since woven into a short braid. TELEMACHUS looks out to sea with wordless longing. As always, the horizon is empty. Stay on Telemachus. He wishes he could see.

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