Script Analysis: “The Harder They Fall” — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

After a first pass, it’s time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do that by creating a scene-by-scene breakdown. It is precisely what it sounds like: A list of all the scenes in the script accompanied by a brief description of the events that transpire.

For purposes of this exercise, I have a slightly different take on scene. Here I am looking not just for individual scenes per se, but a scene or set of scenes that comprise one event or a continuous piece of action. Admittedly this is subjective and there is no right or wrong, the point is simply to break down the script into a series of parts which you then can use dig into the script’s structure and themes.

The value of this exercise:

• We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes.
• By doing this, we consciously explore the structure of the narrative.
• A scene-by-scene breakdown creates a foundation for even deeper analysis of the story.

Today: The Harder They Fall (2021). You may download the script here.

Screenplay by Jeymes Samuel and Boaz Yakin, screen story by Jeymes Samuel

Plot summary: When an outlaw discovers his enemy is being released from prison, he reunites his gang to seek revenge.

The Harder They Fall
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
By Natalie Campbell-Reid
GoIntoTheStory.com

P. 1–4: Little Nathaniel, his father Theodore and mother Eleanor are sat down for dinner. Whilst saying grace they get an unexpected visit from a tall man in a trench coat. The man points guns at both Eleanor and Little Nathaniel while Theodore pleads for him to leave them out of it. The unidentified visitor shots Eleanor causing Little Nathaniel to scream and shortly after shoots Theodore. Little Nathaniel is screaming and being held in his seat by another unidentified man with a scorpion tattoo on his head as the shooter used a blade to cut Little Nathaniel on his forehead.

P. 4–7: Nat Love is waiting for Cortez in Father Esparaza’s church where Cortez has come to make a collection. He questions Cortez about the purpose on his Scorpion tattoo before revealing his intention to kill him and removing his hat to show the scar of a crucifix on his forehead. Cortez realizes who he is and tries to shoot him but Nat Love is quicker and kills Cortez by shooting him four times.

Father Esparaza comes out from his hiding place and Nat Love tells him to give Cortez’s body into the police for a $5,000 dollar reward. When questioned about h=why he doesn’t turn the body in himself Nat Love reveals that he’s wanted for $10,000 before leaving the church and getting on his horse.

P. 7–11: Pickett and Beckwourth are lying in wait as the eight members of the Crimson Hood Gang rides through Indian Territory with bags of cash they have stolen from a bank. Pickett shoots two men off their horses before the others dismount to fire back. Beckwourth reveals himself before killing two more members of the group. As they steal the money one of the men warns them they are going to be sorry when they find out whose money they are stealing.

P. 12–16: Nat Love goes into Mary’s Saloon where he meets Cuffee on the door who is clearly a fan of his reputation. She punches two men who try to enter without checking their weapons and has them removed before Mary takes to stage singing. Mary and Nat Love share a kiss off stage before she tells him to leave and punches him in the face. Before walking off she tells Cuffee to get rid of him and Cuffee gives him directions to room upstairs.

P. 16–18: Nat Love enters Mary’s room with his hands up in surrender trying to win her back. But Mary is unconvinced that Nat Love is back for good. She knows that until he kills Rufus Buck he will be cursed and wild. As they begin to kiss passionately he door knob starts to turn and they both draw their guns. Pickett enters slowly saying he has something to show them.

P. 18–20: Monroe from the Crimson Hood gang reveals that Rufus Buck is getting out of prison, all the gangs are preparing to ride for him again and half of the money Pritchett and Beckwourth stole is for Rufus. Nat Love frees Monroe to the confusion of Beckwourth and Pritchett but Mary reveals that setting him free was a much worst fate.

P. 20–29: Trudy Smith blocks the train line and shoots the driver before entering the train with Cherokee Bill and the other riders. They walk through one carriage where Cherokee Bill stabs a man who tries to be a hero, in the second carriage he disarms a young soldier and proceeds to the third carriage which is locked with soldiers and a box containing Rufus Buck. The Lieutenant allows them into the carriage when he realizes they have his son (the young soldier) and unlocks the door to the box containing Rufus after Trudy Smith reveals that she know him and his men are crooked cops. The Lieutenant removed Rufus handcuffs and tries to beg for mercy before Cherokee Bill shoots him. Trudy Smith and her team begin to shoot all the soldiers apart from the young soldier who said he could drive a train. Then Rufus and his riders sit on their horses watching the train ride off into the distance.

P. 29–33: U.S Deputy Marshall Bass Reeves comes to Mary’s Saloon where he questions Nat Love about the robbery of the Crimson Hood gang who he was tracking. It makes it clear that he knows Nat Love’s gang don’t rob banks but rob gangs who do. Nat Love states he was in Texas at the time. Bass confirms that Rufus Buck has ben released and absolved of all his past crimes before arresting Nat Love and leaving the saloon.

P. 34–39: Rufus Buck and his gang arrive in Redwood City. Rufus, Trudy ad Cherokee Bill enter Redwood Bank where the bank manager tells them that the Crimson Hood gang were ambushed after robbing the Kansas City bank. The Bank Manager also reveals that Redwood Bank only has $2,500. They leave the bank and go to Mayor Wiley’s office where Rufus summons Wiley to meet him outside and confronts him for trying to sell the town while he was in prison. Wiley doesn’t deny it. He admits he is doing it for his own gain. Wiley punches Rufus in the face. Rufus gunboats Wiley repeatedly knocking some of his gold teeth out and gives him an ultimatum. Leave Redwood City or die.

P. 39–42: Bass Reeves releases Nat in the middle of nowhere and it is revealed that they are working together to bring down Rufus Buck. Then Nat Love’s gang arrive and make it clear that they were not convinced by the show they put in the Saloon. Nat tries to dissuade them from joining his mission to kill Rufus as he believes it will be a suicide mission but they refuse to let him go alone. Nat reluctantly allows them to join.

P. 42–43: Trudy Smith confronts Rufus about leaving Redwood City under Wiley’s control instead of her. When Rufus questions her loyalty True reaffirms her commitment to Rufus’ plan to make Redwood the promised land.

P. 44–46: The citizens of Redwood learn their former mayor has promised the citizens’ land to the highest bidder and that in order to prevent this Rufus is planning to levy a tax. There is dissent among some of the key citizens so Rufus shoots him. The others become more compliant revealing they could pull together $15,000. Rufus orders no one to leave until the money is gathered.

P. 46–48: Nat Loves’s Gang and Bass Reeves find Wiley riding through the woods and bring him back to their camp. Wiley reveals that Rufus is trying to save Redwood but doesn’t have the money but the gang don’t seem to trust him. Nat threatens Wiley and tells him to be gone by sunrise.

P. 48:51: Beckwourth and Cuffee disagree over who has the latest draw. Mary shares her plan privately with Nat that she is going to enter Redwood City under the guise of buying a saloon to gather information for their next move. Nat clearly disagrees and asks Mary to marry him. She refuses.

P. 51–55: Mary arrives at Redwood City where she is met by Trudy Smith and led to meet Rufus in the saloon. She gives her proposal to Rufus but Rufus makes it clear he doesn’t believe she has left her past with Nat Love’s range behind her and finds her arrival in Redwood all too coincidental. Trudy gun butts Mary and she falls to the floor.

P. 55: The sun rises on Nat looking over the valley for Mary to to come back as she said. There is no sign of her.

P. 55–57: Mary has been imprisoned in Redwood. As Trudy peels an apple she tells Mary a story from her youth about when she killed a girl called Hope for picking on her sister. Then one of the gunmen begins to strangle Mary with a rope and Trudy intervenes.

P. 57–61: Mary is tossed into the main street tied up. Trudy instructs the gunmen to kill her if no one comes for her by morning. Just then Nat Loves gang enter Main Street. Pickett who is hidden out of sight has a gun aimed at Trudy. Nat asks to see Rufus and Trudy tries to get a rise out of him by talking about his damsel Mary. Eventually Trudy tells Nat to stay and send his men away. Beckwourth tries to initiate a standoff with Cherokee Bill but Cherokee Bill won’t entertain him and instead goes for a drink. Nat Love’s gang ride back out of town and Angel (the gunman) leads Nat into the jail.

P. 61–64: Nat is strung up by his hands in the jailhouse as Angel punches him repeatedly in the stomach. Trudy tells him to stop before Rufus Buck enters. When Rufus cuts Nat down the wedding ring falls out of his pocket and Rufus takes it up. Rufus explains that he gave Nat the scare on his forehead so he would know his face when he came back for him. He then tells Nat to return the money he stole by Friday noon with $10,000 interest. When Nat asks how he’s meant to get the extra $10,000 Rufus instructs him to rob a bank. Then Rufus gifts Nat an old straight razor.

P. 64–66: Nat Love and his gang discuss what bank they are going to rob and how they are going to do it.

P. 66–71: Nat and Cuffee arrive in Maysville. They enter the bank where Cuffee asks the bank clerk if she can make a withdrawal and the bank clerks proceed to laugh at her. They tell her to go to Jericho or Redwood. Cuffee and Nat point their guns and t proceed to rob the bank. As they escape the alarm is sounded and sheriffs start shooting after them but Pickett is on standby and fires back before slapping his horse to run and rejoining Nat an d Cuffee.

P. 71–73: As the gang sit around staring at the money they’ve just stolen Wiley approaches bringing with him a trove of weapons. Nat states that today is going to be Rufus Buck’s last day on earth. Pickett, Beckwourth and Nat sing a negro spiritual chant.

P.73–75: Bass Reeves enters Redwood with a wagon. He has a short exchange with gunman Angel as he pulls the harness off the horse. Cherokee Bill comes out of the saloon to Bass questioning if the wagon contained their money and Bass persuades him to walk with him in the opposite direction to the wagon as Angel inspects it.

Bill Pickett disarms a gunman on a roof.

Bass starts to negotiate with Cherokee Bill when the wagon blows up and Angel is blown to pieces.

P. 75–79: Nat Love enters Main Street. Cuffee is behind him with a wagon filled with money and exposed dynamite. Nat tells Cherokee Bill he wants to see Mary now or Rufus will be short of $35,000 and Cherokee Bill. Cherokee Bill signals and Mary is led out of the jailhouse by Trudy Smith and guards. As Nat leads the horse to Mary so she can leave Cherokee Bill pulls a gun on him but doesn’t realize that Beckwourth has a gun pointed at him also. Beckwourth and Cherokee Bill start a quick draw competition which ends in Beckwourth being shot in mouth by Cherokee Bill. Overcome, Pickett starts shooting at Cherokee Bill but misses as the other gunmen shoot at him. After killing the gunman Carson, Pickett shoots the dynamite in the wagon blowing up the money.

P. 79–80: Trudy instructs the guards to kill Mary but Cuffee intervenes shooting the guards. There is a shootout. Trudy and Mary shoot at each other until they are each out of bullets and Trudy walks off.

P. 80: Under the protection of Pickett and Bass, Nat Love rides down the street towards Mary. He tosses her a gun and draws his own as they stand together shooting at Rufus’ gunmen, then Mary runs off to find Trudy.

P. 80–81: Mary sees Trudy running into a barn and follows her. Mary removes the bullets from her gun and Trudy throws hers away and brandishes a knife. They begin to fight.

P.81–83: Nat Love walks down the boardwalk killing gunmen along the way. Meanwhile Trudy and Mary continue their fight in the barn. Back on the street, Cuffee is being chased by Cherokee Bill but Pickett shot lands near his boots causing him to run for cover. Pickett gets shot in the arm by another gunman and Cuffee shoots the gunman down before Pickett shoots the other. Cut back to Trudy and Mary’s fight where both seem to be giving each other a run for their money.

P. 83–84: Bass Reeves walks down the street shooting at anyone he sees. Back in the barn Mary seems to finally have won as she disarms Trudy and walks her across the face with her gun. Back on the street Bass is out of bullets and picks up a hammer which he uses disarm one of Rufus’ men before killing him with his own gun. Nat Love is shooting in the street when he gets shot in the shoulder by a Crimson Hood member who Bass Reeve shoots in the head.

P. 84–85: Wiley enters the mayor’s mansion with dynamite and blows up the shooters shooting at Bass and Nat behind the cart. Rufus comes down the stairs to see and Wiley and admits he knew it was Wiley that gave him up. He says goodbye to Wiley and then shoots the bag of dynamite in Wiley’s hand blowing Riley and his side of the room to pieces.

P. 85–86: The Crimson Hood gang arrive shooting at the wagon Bass and Nat are behind. When they run out of bullets Nat runs from behind the wagon and begins killing them one by one. When they are done the street is very quiet and they realize they are standing next to Beckwourth’s lifeless body.

P. 86–88: Pickett pulls himself off the roof and through a window into the saloon. Cuffee bursts in to reload her guns. She check on him to see if he is alright when he discovers a coin in his pocket had shielded it from a bullet. Then Cherokee Bill shoots him in the back and Cuffee screams. Cuffee challenges Cherokee Bill to a quick draw and shoots him in the neck. Cherokee Bill stumbles out into the street where he collapses to the ground and bleeds out. Nat tells Bass to look after Beckwourth as he enters the mayor’s mansion.

P. 88–91: Nat steps in guns drawn and finds Rufus sitting at the bar with his gun on the table. Nat tells him to pick up his guns. Rufus shares that he grew up in a domestically violent household where his father killed his mother and then ran off and left him with his dead mother. When he finally found his father he was sober, man of god and had a new family. It becomes clear that Rufus and Nat share the same father, they are brothers. Nat shoots Rufus in the chest and then empties his bullets in him. He takes the wedding ring Rufus took from him and draws a cross on Rufus’ forehead with his finger.

P. 92: Nat leaves the mayor’s mansion to find Mary. They embrace and when she asks if the devil is dead, he says he doesn’t know.

P. 92–93: Three wooden graves are shown marked for Pickett, Beckwourth and Nat Love. Bass Reeves confirms that he will make sure people believe Nat is dead and Cuffee confirms that she will join Bass to become a sheriff. Mary and Cuffee say their goodbyes before Mary and Nat ride off. As the camera pulls back it reveals that they are being watched by someone holding a black bowler hat…Trudy’s hat.

You may download a PDF of the breakdown here.

Kudos to Natalie Campbell-Reid for preparing breakdown.

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