Scene 24: (The interrupted hanging and the escape)
Official: [reading a proclamation] Jack Sparrow , be it known that you have…
Jack : [standing on the gallows] Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow .
Official: …for your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited herewith – piracy, smuggling…
Elizabeth : [standing with her father and her future husband] This is wrong.
Governor Swann : Commodore Norrington is bound by the law. As are we all.
Official: …impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England…
Jack : [smiling] Ah, yes. [looks over at the executioner who glares at him]
Official: …sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul.
Will : [walks through the crowd to the raised ground on which they stand] Governor Swann . Commodore. Elizabeth . I should have told you every day from the moment I met you. I love you. [walks away; the noose is put around Jack ’s neck]
Elizabeth : [notices Cotton’s parrot] I can’t breathe. [falls backward; the drums sound]
Governor Swann : Elizabeth . [he and the Commodore help her]
Will: Move! [throws sword as Jack falls through, the sword sticks in the wood and Jack has a foothold; he fights to the gallows and there cuts Jack free; they fight all the way up to a tower where they are cornered by Norrington’s men]
Norrington: [to Will ] I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt but not from you.
Governor Swann : On our return to Port Royal , I granted you clemency. And this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him? He’s a pirate!
Will : And a good man. [Jack points to himself proudly, mouths “That’s me.”] If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear.
Norrington: You forget your place, Turner.
Will : It’s right here…between you and Jack .
Elizabeth : [stands next to Will ] As is mine.
Governor Swann : Elizabeth ! Lower your weapons. For goodness’ sake put them down! [the weapons are lowered]
Norrington: So this is where your heart truly lies, then?
Elizabeth : It is.
Jack : [notices the parrot] Well! I’m actually feeling rather good about this. [to Governor Swann ] I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually…Ecumenically…Grammatically? [to Norrington] I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that. Elizabeth …it would never have worked between us, darling. I’m sorry. Will …nice hat. Friends! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that – [falls over battlement]
Gillette : Idiot. He has nowhere to go but back to the noose.
Sentry: Sail ho!
Gillette : What’s your plan of action? Sir?
Governor Swann : Perhaps on the rare occasion pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course?
Norrington: Mr. Turner .
Will : [to Elizabeth ] I will accept the consequences of my actions.
Norrington: [unsheathes his sword] This is a beautiful sword. I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life.
Will : Thank you.
Gillette : Commodore! What about Sparrow?
Norrington: Well, I think we can afford to give him one day’s head start. [the soldiers leave with Norrington]
Governor Swann : So, this is the path you’ve chosen, is it? After all…he is a blacksmith.
Elizabeth : No. [takes off Will ’s hat] He’s a pirate. [the Governor walks away; Elizabeth and Will kiss]
Jack : [is heaved onboard the Black Pearl ; to Gibbs ] I thought you were supposed to keep to the Code.
Gibbs : We figured they were more actual…guidelines. [helps Jack up]
Jack : [ Cotton hands him his hat] Thank you.
Anamaria: Captain Sparrow [puts his coat around his shoulders] …the Black Pearl is yours.
Jack : [walks over to the helm and looks around fondly] On deck, you scabrous dogs! Man the braces! Let down and haul to run free. Now...bring me that horizon. [hums and takes out his compass] And really bad eggs…drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.
END