In 1946 the Kuomintang headed by Chiang Kai-shek, relying on US support, launched an all-out anti-popular civil war. The
Chinese people were compelled to respond with a people's liberation war which was to last more than three years under the
leadership of the communist Party. The government of the "Republic of China" in Nanjing was finally overthrown by the
China people. The People's Republic of China was proclaimed on 1 October 1949 and the Government of the new People's
Republic became the sole legal government of China. A group of military and political officials of the Kunmintang took
refuge in Taiwan and, with the support of the U.S. administration, created the division between the two side of the straits.
This is a story of a American family living and working for a American Embassy in the province of Ningxia.
INTRODUCTION
The date is June 25, 1950. North Korea invaded South Korea. The Red Guard are breaking out across China, as two
political groups are fighting for control of China. China and United States are no longer communicated with each other.
On June 27, 1950
(Radio announced)
President Truman
"I have ordered the Seventh Fleet to prevent any attack
on Formosa."
In a writing statement President Truman requested all American government personnel in China and theirs family to leave.
Diplomatic relation has broken down, when the Seventh Fleet sail into the Taiwan Straits and the U.S. 13th Air Force set up
an air base in Taiwan.
LOCATION
Northern area of China, Ningxia, 250 miles from the border of Mongolia.
Story and Screen play by James B. Winburn
The Story beginning,
Ext. Air Field near Qingyang, Ningxia Province - Night
The sky is dark with low clouds moving across the tall mountain peaks above the Qingyang air field. The clouds drops low
across the hill side of the farm fields. Lit mist of rain is falling as a sound of a DC3 aircraft is heard.
CUT TO
MEDIUM ANGLE ON
Three n/d Chinese soldiers looking up into the dark clouds. One points to the sound of the DC3 making it way through the
dark rain clouds
CUT TO
The unmark DC3 dropping out of the dark rain clouds and approaching the muddy landing runway.
CUT TO
Ext. Muddy Landing Strip, Night
VARIOUS MEDIUM ANGLES ON
Ten Chinese, dark dress figures run in various direction. All the dark figures are carrying torches in theirs hands.
CUT TO
CLOSE UP ON
Dark figures. One by one as they keep lighting the large metal barrels at the edge of the runway. The barrels explodes with
large flames reaches into the dark misty cloudy night.
CUT TO
Int. Aircraft pilot cockpit - Night
United States Air Force Captain Jerry Lovejoy (retire) is at the control of the DC3. His co-pilot Lt. George "Ace" Conner is
doing the pre-checks list for a landing. The lit rain is hitting the windshield, as the DC3 bounces and descend toward the
dark muddy runway.
Ext. Wet Muddy Country Road, Night
Three military vehicles are chasing the black touring car and pickup truck. Two vehicles are light weapon trucks, each with
a 30 cal machine gun mounted over the cab. The third vehicle is a troop carriage type truck. Eight armed government
soldiers are sitting in the rear of the truck waiting.
CUT TO
Int. Black Touring Car - Night
A middle age Chinese man of forty is driving the 1939 Packard touring car. Next to him in the front seat is James W.
Everett. He works for the American Embassy in Peking, an assistant secretary to the ambassador, working on temper duty
in the Northern province. James is in his early forties. He is watching the road as the car is making it's way through the
wet and muddy road.
In the back seat a attractive forty year old woman who is sitting quiet. She is James' wife, Penelope. She is coughing, and
using her handkerchief covering her mouth. She enjoys the Embassy parties in Peking and love traveling the world, but she
doesn't like being in a far Northern province of China, with no other American families of social level to entertain.
She wants her husband to be stationed back in Peking or Shanghai, for the social parties. She looks up at James in the front
seat, then she looks over to her son, Thomas, then she turns her head to the window and stares out into the darkness.
Seated next to her is a young Chinese Girl of fifteen. She is a servant to the family and commissioned to take care of the
young boy, Thomas, who is seated next to her. Her name is Sara Ho.
Thomas is twelve years old and, like his mother, is not happy living in provinces China. He too likes the bigger cities and
mingling with the educated Chinese. His father doesn't pay much time for him - not because he doesn't want to - but
because his mother demands all the attention, when his father is at home. Sara Ho is the only friend he have.
CUT TO
Int. DC3 Cockpit - Night
Lt. Conner is moving the throttles forward. The DC3 aircraft starts moving toward the air strip.
CUT TO
Int. DC3 Cargo Door Area - Night
Captain Lovejoy is standing in the cargo door, helping Sara Ho and Thomas into the aircraft. Behind Sara Ho, Thomas,
James is running toward her.
CUT TO
James diving into the cargo door opening. Captain Lovejoy grabs a hold James and pulls him inside.
CUT TO
Ext. DC3 and Landing Field, - Night
The DC3 is picking up speed as it taxi down the tarmac. Behind the DC3 the Chinese truck driver is chasing the aircraft.
CUT TO
The government vehicle #3 racing toward the aircraft firing it machines gun. The Chinese pickup truck explodes.
CUT TO
Int./Ext. DC3 Cargo door - Night
Captain Lovejoy and James, yelling to the Chinese driver to drop the baggage's.
Captain Lovejoy
Drop the bags, hurry!
James (in Chinese)
Drop the bags!
The Chinese driver drops the baggage's and races to the fast moving DC3.
CUT TO
MEDIUM ANGLE ON
The Chinese driver. The government vehicle #3 is getting closer as it keep firing at the aircraft moving down the tarmac.
CUT TO
The driver, just about ready to take the hand of Captain Lovejoy. Bullets hit him in the back He stumbles and fall to the
tarmac.
CUT TO
TWO SHOTS ANGLE ON
Captain Lovejoy and the James.
CUT TO
POV OF
James and the Captain Lovejoy watching the driver rolling on the tarmac. He lay motionless as the DC3 get further and
further away.
CUT TO
Ext. DC3 and Take Off Strip - Night
The DC3 is picking up speed down the tarmac to the take off strip. The rain is now lit. The DC3 brakes slowing down to
make the turn to get on the take off strip.
CUT TO
ANOTHER CAMERA ANGLE ON
The DC3 turning on to runway.
CUT TO
Government vehicle #3 firing at the DC3. The vehicle cuts across the muddy grass field, trying to cut the DC3 off.
CUT TO
Int. DC3 Cockpit - Night
Captain Lovejoy enter the cockpit and take over the control.
Captain Lovejoy
I got it! Make the take off check list fast! This is one way.
The Captain pushes the two throttles handles forward to maximum positions and the engines rpm increase. Suddenly bullets
hits the wings (bang, bang, bang) and DC3 fuselage. Lt. Conner looks at the instruments and then out on to the right wing
engine, which is now smoking.
Lt. Conner
The engines seen to be okay, but there is some smoke
tailing the aircraft.
Captain Lovejoy
Set the course for India.
Lt. Conner
But sir! We suppose to deliver them to Shanghai? That
the last neutral city is China.
Captain Lovejoy
Don't argue with me! Just set the course. How much fuel
do we have? We used just over 1/2 of our fuel load coming
here.
Lt. Conner
The fuel was for one way. Just enough to land at Ningxia
pickup our passagers and fly on to Shanghai, not to return to
Kunpur. That over 1250 air miles.
CUT TO
Int. DC3 Cargo Area - Night
CLOSE UP ON
Mrs. Everett is just sitting there, staring out. She is in her own world.
CUT TO
Int. Cockpit - Night.
Captain Lovejoy is fighting the control. Lt. Conner is reading the instruments. He is trying to find out, how serious the
problem is.
Int. Cargo Area - Night
James, Sara Ho and Thomas smell the smoke in the cargo area. James yells to his son and Sara Ho.
James
Stay calm! I'll go and check, Okay!
James gets up from the seat next to his wife. He makes his way foreword to the cockpit area.
CUT TO
Int. DC3 Circuit Panel Area - Night
James see Lt. Conner grabbing the fire extinguisher James rushes to Lt. Conner. Lt. Conner stager back to his feets and
with the fire extinguisher. He sprays the open master circuit breaker panel. The smoke pour out. The heavy smoke moves
up in to the air ducts.
James
What can I do!
Lt. Conner
Here, take the extinguisher! Done be afraid to uses it!
Lt. Conner hands the fire extinguisher to James.
CUT TO
Ext. DC3, Aerial - Sunrise
The DC3 is bounding and dropping altitude. The aerial view of the large Chinese mountain are in the foreground. The light
smoke changes to black smoke from the right engine. The engine exposes and parts of the engine cowling fly off the right
wing. The aircraft shake violently.
CUT TO
Int. DC3 Cockpit - Sunrise
Captain Lovejoy is trying to control the aircraft as is shake violently. Lt. Conner grabs a hold of the stick and help the
Captain.
CUT TO
Int. DC3 Cargo Area - Sunrise
The aircraft throw everyone violently about. Thomas and Sara Ho give out a scream.
CUT TO
Ext. DC3 - Night.
Aerial View and Mountains Peaks and sunrise.
The DC3 drops attitude from the lost of the electrical system. The DC6 hits the top of a mountain peak The aircraft
bounds up into the air and strike another peak and spin and breaking into half.
VARIOUS ANGLES ON
Interior of Cockpit and Exterior of the DC3 flying across the gorge.
CUT TO
DC3 hitting tops of trees. Then the fuselage strikes a peak,
CUT TO
The tail section spinning, rolling, then stopping on some rocks above the edge of the cliff. The DC3 sit there for moment,
then it starts sliding down the side of the mountain, stopping on the edge of a cliff.
CUT TO
Ext. DC3 Tail Section and Mountain Cliff - Sunrise
CAMERA MOVING SLOWLY
Around the tail section. Lit smoke is pouring out of various area of the tail section.
CUT TO
Camera moving slowly into the open tail section cargo area. Sara Ho is moving slowly. She try to get up.
James hearing the explosion. His face is bleeding and a large piece of fuselage is setting on his chest. He looks over to
Penelope. Penelope is breathing, but she hurt. James try to move his arms to get the large piece of metal off his cheat.
James can't get his hands under it. He turn to the tail section. His eyes get large as he see it gone.
| The story and the screen play of "China 1950" is U.S. Copyrighted and Register with the Writer Guild of America. |
Jim Winburn work in China for a year on a special program for film and live show
entertainment. He travel to various locations and saw the beauty of the country.
In the far off Provinces of China away from the modern cities of Beijing and Shanghai. I
found that the Chinese people living in small villages were kind and thoughtful and
neighborly to their neighbors. They in rich my life, seeing the how these village people live
their lives day by day, but not knowing, that they are seventy years behind the modern world.
This story of a young American boy name James Everett. A story of a spoil and cater to
young American that live in a world that most Chinese's will never know. But, do to a air plane
crash. James was separated from his family. James was alone for the first in his life and in a
country that he didn't care much about. James learns the real value of life, as he travels 700
miles with a group of Chinese village boys and girls that be-friended him.
James travels takes him on a trip of action, adventure and drama, before he is unite with his
mother and father in Shanghai. "China 1950" is a heart warming story in the mist of war and
how this American boy that had all the pleasures of life finds faith in himself.
Action, adventure, excitement and fun with the children of China, who teaches this young
American boy how to survive and changes his life , forever.
entertainment. He travel to various locations and saw the beauty of the country.
In the far off Provinces of China away from the modern cities of Beijing and Shanghai. I
found that the Chinese people living in small villages were kind and thoughtful and
neighborly to their neighbors. They in rich my life, seeing the how these village people live
their lives day by day, but not knowing, that they are seventy years behind the modern world.
This story of a young American boy name James Everett. A story of a spoil and cater to
young American that live in a world that most Chinese's will never know. But, do to a air plane
crash. James was separated from his family. James was alone for the first in his life and in a
country that he didn't care much about. James learns the real value of life, as he travels 700
miles with a group of Chinese village boys and girls that be-friended him.
James travels takes him on a trip of action, adventure and drama, before he is unite with his
mother and father in Shanghai. "China 1950" is a heart warming story in the mist of war and
how this American boy that had all the pleasures of life finds faith in himself.
Action, adventure, excitement and fun with the children of China, who teaches this young
American boy how to survive and changes his life , forever.
| Story and screenplay by James B. Winburn |
