STAR OF THE WEST
The storyboard
Scene
Actions
Script
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
The dining room of a farmhouse, evening
The farmyard in the morning.
Wagon, table, rocking chair, hammer, shovel, kettle, iron
still image: a map with a moving model wagon
Still image: a steam boat
On the river bank, morning
A busy morning in the main street of the town of Independence
The caravan on the fields
outside the town, morning
Diary reader
Around the fire, early evening
Still image: a wagon going up the mountain
Near the road, by the wagon wheel. Late afternoon
The attic
Around the fire. In the evening
On the road, by the wagon. Early in the morning
Matthew Andrew, Claire
AD:
MT:
CL:
MT:
AD:
CL:
MT:
AD:
MT:
CL:
MT:
CL:
AD:
CL:
Samuel, Ellen, Catherine,
Edward
and John Weaver
E:
C:ED:
E:
C:ED:
S:
C:ED:
ED:
E:
S:
C:
E:
ED:
S:
C:
UJ:
ED:
S:
E:
C:ED:
C:
ED:
C:
C:
ED:
S:
diary reader
The Weavers
S:
UJ:
S:
UJ:
S:
E:
ED:
E:
C:
S:
ED:
S:
diary reader
the Weavers (off screen)
C:ED:
E:
C:
ED:
S:
C:ED:
The Weavers (off screen)
UJ:
S:
ED:
E:
The Weavers
William S.
W:
UJ:
S:
diary reader
the Weavers
Trader
Preacher
Preaher's wife
Wiliam
Mountain man
Indian guide
Tom
Mary
Elizabeth
UJ:
D:
S:
D:
JD:
E:
R:
E:
JD:
R:
JD:
ED:
T:
ED:
M:
C:
EZ:
ZEB
Z:
Ann
Prudence
Constance
Ellen
Uncle John
Edward
Daniel
Jacob David
Zed
Samuel
Henry
Black Wolf
A:
P:
CN:
CN:
UJ:
CN:
ED:
CN:
D:
JD:
Z:
S:
D:
Z:
S:
P:
H:
S:
H:
Z:
H:
Off screen:
William
Mary
Ann
Elizabeth
Prudence
Tom
Ellen
Daniel
EZ:
W:
A:
D:
diary reader
William
Ann
Mary
Elizabeth
Tom
Samuel
Ellen
Prudence
W:
A:
M:
EZ:
T:
A:
S:
E:
P:
diary readers:
Mathew
Andrew
Clare
Preacher
Constance
Uncle John
Rachel
Prudence
P:
JD:
UJ:
JD:
CN:
JD:
UJ:
All characters
The Smiths
The Weavers
Zeb
Black wolf
P:
CN:
UJ:
Z:
BW:
M:
C:
EZ:
T:
ED:
T:
ED:
The mother calls the children. They have dinner
Catherine and Edward
go and get some water
then come to the table
reads aloud
they load the wagon
reads aloud
They load their belongings on the steam boat
reads aloud
people discuss preparations
gives the signal to leave
reads aloud
Ann is with her son Tom, he is sick. Prudence is mending some clothes. Constance is cooking. Ellen is writing her diary.
Uncle John lights the fire. Edward gets some buffalo chips.
Samuel has got a toothache, Zeb takes his tooth out with the pincers. The preacher, the Indian guide and the trader hold him still.
The doctor comes and visits the sick boy. He hears Samuel and he looks at his mouth, too.
reads aloud
The Smiths talk sadly about their lost wagon. The Weavers offer help.
read aloud
celebrate the wedding
sing and dance
The caravan stops.
The Smiths say goodbye to the Weavers: children to children, adults to adults. The guides talks about the last part of the journey. They look at the green valley in front of them.
What's over there?
It looks like a treasure chest!
No, it's my great great grandmother's trunk.
Let's open it!
There's a lot of dust. A-tish-oo!
...and a lot of spider webs.
Wow! Look at this long dress! It smells old.
What strange caps!
Oh! There's a book.
It looks very old.
What yellow pages!
Look at he handwriting,
it's a diary!
Let's read it!
"Sunday, March 18th 1852..."
Eighteenfiftytwo? That's one hundred and fifty years ago!
Tonight at dinner we inform the children of
our decision..."
Children, dinner is ready!
Yes, mother. We are coming.
Children, your father has something to tell you.
Yes, father?
We'll leave in two days for the west.
For the west?
Why are we leaving?
Life is to hard here for us.
The land there is more fertile.
May I take my favourite doll, mother?
Yes, all right.
May I take our dog?
We'll see.
Are you coming too, Uncle John?
Yes, I am.
How long will the journey take?
Three or four months.
Children, please go and get some water!
Yes, mother.
I'm so happy to leave!
I'm sad. I don't want to leave my friends.
You'll meet other children there!
Here is the water.
May I go and say goodbye to my friends?
Maybe tomorrow, son.
"The children are already in bed. Tomorrow morning we load the wagon and leave for St. Louis"
John, the furniture now. Help me with the table.
I'm coming with the rocking chair.
Is the grandfather clock in the wagon?
Yes, it is
Remember the rifles and the ammunition!
Let's check what we have on the wagon, children. How may sacks of rice and beans do we have?
Ten sacks of rice, ten sacks of beans and there are twenty sacks of flour, too.
How many barrels of dried bacon do we have?
Eight barrels of dried bacons, one barrel of salt and two barrels of whisky.
What about the tools? Is there an ax?
Yes, father and also a plow, a hoe and a saw.
All right, now pass me the hammer, the shovel, the kettle and the iron.
"After seven days the children start complaining..."
We are tired, mother!
Get on the wagon, then!
Oh no! I prefer walking.
The benches are too hard and the road is too bumpy.
Stop complaining! We need some wood for the fire tonight.
All right, father.
Come and help us!
Push the wagon!
It's very very heavy!
Help us, pull it!
Come and help me!
I'm coming!
Help me with the trunk!
"April 26th. We arrive at Independence. We'll join our caravan here and then
we'll leave for Fort Laramie"
Good morning! Are you leaving or coming back from the west?
I'm voming back. I followed the Oregon trail and the Mormon trail.
How was the journey this time?
Very hard! The wagon turned over in the mountains and Ilost part of my
supplies.
Where are you from?
We're from Cumberland and you?
We'er from the north and we're going to Salt Lake City.
Oh! I see. Do you know where to buy medicines for Rocky Mountain fever?
Yes, at the general store over there.
Do they sell seeds, soap and candles?
Yes, they do.
What's your name?
Tom Smith. Is this your sister?
Yes, her name is Catherine.
Are you leaving tomorrow?
Yes, and you?
Yes, we are. That's our wagon over there.
Stretch out!
"This week we have travelled three hundred and fifty miles, Tom Smith got
ill but the Indians did not attack: My life is always difficult because I
have to cook, mend, sew..."
My child is very hot! He has a fever.
He has been ill for a week. We need a doctor.
Let's send our Indian guide to get the doctor at the end of the caravan.
Uncle John, are you not lighting the fire tonight?
Yes, but I need some buffalo chips.
Edward, go and get some buffalo chips for the fire, please!
All right! But who's coming with me? I'm afraid of anakes!
Take your sister. Tom is still sick.
Preacher! Do you have a remedy for his toothache?
Yes. Here it says: "take bayberry bark, one part, tanner's bark, one part,
black alder, one part, wild ginger, one part".
No, that's no good! Daniel, go and get the pincers!
mmmmmmmm?
Here they are.
All right. Hold still a minute, now.
Ouch!
How is the sick boy, doctor?
He needs a hot pack with gum camphor and goose oil on his chest. I'll come
and see him again in two days.
mmm - mmm - mmm!
What's the matter with him?
We took his tooth out.
Let me see! Open your mouth. Good job! Rinse your mouth with some whisky
twice a day for two days..
The hill is very steep.
Get off the wagon, then!
The oxen cannot pull it!
Oh my God! What shall we do, now!
"The Smiths lost their wagon crossing the mountain. They will travel with us."
It was terrible to lose our wagon. I feel responsible.
It's not your fault, dear.
We've lost everything.
No more food!
Our animals are dead!
Do not worry. Trust in God!
We will help you. Come onto our wagon!
We can share what we have left.
God bless you! You're so kind.
"The worst is over. The weather is fine again. The sign along the road says
three hundred miles to Fort Hall and two hundred and fifty miles to Salt
Lake City. At Fort Hall the Smiths will go south to California on another
wagon.
Tomorrow morning we will say goodbye to the preacher and his wife but
tonight we celebrate the wedding of Uncle John and Aunt Constance."
This is for you.
John Weaver, will you take constance Smith as your wife?
Yes, I will.
Constance Smith, will you take John Weaver as your husband?
Yes, I will.
I proclaim you husband and wife!
Let's celebrate!
Take care my dear sister!
Let us have your news!
We will write to you soon.
You will escort the caravan to California and I will follow the Oregon trail.
Be careful! The wild animals are very dangerous. Remember to stand guard
during the night!
This is for you Catherine.
Thank you, Mary. I am so sorry to leave you.
Goodbye my dear friend.
Take this amulet for good luck!
Oh! What is it?
It's a wolf's tooth.
Oh! Thank you.
"Rock-a-bye baby"
"My darling Clementine"
square dance: "Skip to my Lou"
"Home on the range"