Scripts
Babel poster

2005

Babel script

Two Moroccan brothers accidentally shoot an American tourist with a rifle, setting off a chain of events that impacts multiple lives across continents. While the tourist's husband struggles to save her and their children are left with a nanny who faces deportation after a border incident, the rifle's origin is traced to a man in Tokyo whose deaf-mute daughter grapples with isolation. Moroccan police track down the brothers, resulting in a shootout where one is wounded and the other surrenders, while the American tourist is airlifted to safety and the nanny is reunited with her son. Ultimately, these disparate lives are forever altered by the accidental shooting, underscoring themes of interconnectedness and the far-reaching consequences of a single act.

Writer
Guillermo Arriaga
IMDb ID (imdb_id)
tt0449467
Script date
April 9, 2005
189Scenes
17Characters
90Pages
8Dialogue samples

Save the Cat beat sheet

Babel Save the Cat analysis

“Babel” interweaves four disparate stories connected by a single rifle.

Open full beat sheet
20

Key characters

Amelia

Amelia is listed as Nanny. 54-year-old Mexican woman working in Los Angeles. In the parsed data, Amelia is connected to 48 scenes, 63 dialogue lines, 72 text mentions, first appearing around scene 13.

48 scenes / 63 dialogue lines

Richard

Richard is listed as Father. 45-year-old American tourist in Morocco. In the parsed data, Richard is connected to 42 scenes, 115 dialogue lines, 119 text mentions, first appearing around scene 16.

42 scenes / 115 dialogue lines

Mike

Mike is listed as Child. 5-year-old American boy. In the parsed data, Mike is connected to 34 scenes, 23 dialogue lines, 25 text mentions, first appearing around scene 13.

34 scenes / 23 dialogue lines

Debbie

Debbie is listed as Child. 4-year-old American girl. In the parsed data, Debbie is connected to 33 scenes, 14 dialogue lines, 14 text mentions, first appearing around scene 14.

33 scenes / 14 dialogue lines

Yussef

Yussef is listed as Son. 13-year-old son of Abdullah. In the parsed data, Yussef is connected to 31 scenes, 28 dialogue lines, 34 text mentions, first appearing around scene 9.

31 scenes / 28 dialogue lines

Ahmed

Ahmed is listed as Son. 14-year-old son of Abdullah. In the parsed data, Ahmed is connected to 29 scenes, 30 dialogue lines, 30 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.

29 scenes / 30 dialogue lines

Santiago

Santiago is listed as Nephew. 24-year-old Mexican nephew of Amelia. In the parsed data, Santiago is connected to 29 scenes, 20 dialogue lines, 25 text mentions, first appearing around scene 22.

29 scenes / 20 dialogue lines

Chieko

Chieko is listed as Student. 16-year-old Japanese girl, deaf-mute. In the parsed data, Chieko is connected to 29 scenes, 16 dialogue lines, 16 text mentions, first appearing around scene 29.

29 scenes / 16 dialogue lines

Anwar

Anwar is listed as Tour guide. 30-year-old Moroccan tour guide. In the parsed data, Anwar is connected to 27 scenes, 35 dialogue lines, 38 text mentions, first appearing around scene 23.

27 scenes / 35 dialogue lines

Susan

Susan is listed as Mother. 38-year-old American tourist in Morocco. In the parsed data, Susan is connected to 25 scenes, 29 dialogue lines, 36 text mentions, first appearing around scene 23.

25 scenes / 29 dialogue lines

Abdullah

Abdullah is listed as Moroccan father. 40-year-old father of Yussef and Ahmed. In the parsed data, Abdullah is connected to 17 scenes, 19 dialogue lines, 20 text mentions, first appearing around scene 3.

17 scenes / 19 dialogue lines

Kenji Mamiya

Kenji Mamiya is listed as Police officer. 31-year-old Tokyo police lieutenant. In the parsed data, Kenji Mamiya is connected to 12 scenes, 34 dialogue lines, 34 text mentions, first appearing around scene 162.

12 scenes / 34 dialogue lines

Hassan

Hassan is listed as Moroccan villager. 50-year-old man who sells a rifle. In the parsed data, Hassan is connected to 10 scenes, 16 dialogue lines, 23 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.

10 scenes / 16 dialogue lines

Yasira

Yasira is listed as Moroccan mother. 38-year-old wife of Abdullah. In the parsed data, Yasira is connected to 9 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 5.

9 scenes / 2 dialogue lines

Yasujiro

Yasujiro is listed as Father. 47-year-old father of Chieko. In the parsed data, Yasujiro is connected to 8 scenes, 22 dialogue lines, 22 text mentions, first appearing around scene 31.

8 scenes / 22 dialogue lines

Yamil

Yamil is listed as Daughter. 16-year-old daughter of Abdullah and Yasira. In the parsed data, Yamil is connected to 7 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 54.

7 scenes / 1 dialogue lines

Zora

Zora is listed as Daughter. 17-year-old daughter of Abdullah and Yasira. In the parsed data, Zora is connected to 5 scenes, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 3.

5 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Scene outline

  1. 1. EXT. Yussef and Ahmed's house - MORNING

    Hassan arrives at the house with a rifle to sell to Abdullah.

    Hassan, Abdullah

  2. 2. EXT. Yussef and Ahmed's house - CONTINUOUS

    Abdullah opens the door to Hassan.

    Hassan, Abdullah

  3. 3. INT. Yussef and Ahmed's house - MOMENTS LATER

    Hassan negotiates the sale of the rifle to Abdullah.

    Hassan, Abdullah, Yasira, Yamil, Zora, Yussef

  4. 4. EXT. Yussef and Ahmed's house - DAY

    Hassan and the boys test the rifle.

    Hassan, Abdullah, Yasira, Yamil, Zora, Yussef

  5. 5. EXT. Goat corral - LATER

    The deal is finalized and the boys are instructed to hunt jackals.

    Hassan, Abdullah, Yasira, Yussef, Ahmed

  6. 6. EXT. Yussef and Ahmed's house - LATER

    Ahmed prepares to herd the goats.

    Yussef, Ahmed

  7. 7. EXT. Side wall, Yussef and Ahmed's house - CONTINUOUS

    Yussef spies on Zora.

    Yussef

  8. 8. INT. Yussef and Ahmed's house - CONTINUOUS

    Zora is undressing inside.

    Zora

  9. 9. EXT. Yussef and Ahmed's house - DAY

    Ahmed confronts Yussef about spying.

    Yussef, Ahmed

  10. 10. EXT. Desert - DAY

    The brothers herd goats and play with the rifle.

    Yussef, Ahmed

  11. 11. EXT. Desert - LATER

    The brothers argue about Zora.

    Yussef, Ahmed

  12. 12. EXT. Desert - DAY

    The brothers test the rifle's range on passing vehicles.

    Yussef, Ahmed

  13. 13. INT. T.V. Room, L.A. House - NIGHT

    Amelia plays with the children and receives a call from their father.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike

  14. 14. INT. Children's room, L.A. House - NIGHT

    Amelia tells the children a story.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike

  15. 15. INT. Amelia's room, L.A. House - DAY

    Amelia wakes up to a phone call.

    Amelia

  16. 16. INT. Kitchen, L.A. House - CONTINUOUS

    Richard asks Amelia to stay longer with the kids.

    Amelia, Richard

  17. 17. INT. Kitchen, L.A. House - DAY

    Amelia is overwhelmed and cancels the kids' school.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike

  18. 18. INT. T.V. Room, L.A. House - DAY

    Amelia tries to find someone to watch the kids.

    Amelia

  19. 19. EXT. Street, Los Angeles - DAY

    Amelia and the kids walk.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike

  20. 20. EXT. Lucia's house, Los Angeles - DAY

    Amelia asks Lucia to watch the kids.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike

  21. 21. INT. Children's room, L.A. House - DAY

    Amelia packs for the kids.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike

  22. 22. EXT. Los Angeles house - DAY

    Santiago arrives to pick up Amelia and the kids.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  23. 23. EXT. Casbah Tamnougalt, Morocco - DAY

    Richard and Susan tour the Casbah.

    Richard, Susan, Anwar

  24. 24. EXT. Small eatery, Moroccan desert - LATER

    Richard and Susan argue over lunch.

    Richard, Susan

  25. 25. EXT. BUS - MOMENTS LATER

    Tourists board the bus while local boys try to sell them trinkets. Richard gives his binoculars to a young boy.

    Richard, Susan

  26. 26. INT. BUS - LATER

    Richard and Susan sit on the bus. Richard watches the boy with the binoculars get bullied by an older boy.

    Richard, Susan

  27. 27. EXT. DESERT - DAY

    The bus drives down a road through the desert.

  28. 28. INT. BUS - MOMENTS LATER

    Susan and Richard reconcile, but then a shot smashes the window and hits Susan.

    Richard, Susan

  29. 29. INT. VOLLEYBALL COURT - DAY

    Chieko plays volleyball and gets into a heated argument with the referee.

    Chieko, Yasujiro

  30. 30. INT. LOCKER ROOM, VOLLEYBALL COURT - DAY

    Chieko argues with her teammates in the locker room.

    Chieko

  31. 31. INT. YASUJIRO'S CAR - DAY

    Yasujiro and Chieko have a tense conversation about lunch and her mother.

    Chieko, Yasujiro

  32. 32. EXT. STREET, TOKYO - DAY

    Yasujiro drops Chieko off and tells her he loves her.

    Chieko, Yasujiro

  33. 33. INT. EVE'S - DAY

    Chieko meets her friends at a restaurant and spots a young man she likes.

    Chieko

  34. 34. INT. EVE'S - DAY

    A young man tries to talk to Chieko, but she cannot hear him.

    Chieko

  35. 35. INT. BATHROOM, EVE'S - DAY

    Chieko expresses her frustration about being treated like a monster.

    Chieko

  36. 36. INT. EVE'S - DAY

    Chieko behaves provocatively before leaving for her dentist appointment.

    Chieko

  37. 37. EXT. DESERT - DAY

    Yussef and Ahmed herd goats and accidentally drop their rifle.

    Yussef, Ahmed

  38. 38. EXT. YUSSEF AND AHMED'S HOUSE - LATER

    The brothers return home and act agitated.

    Yamil, Yussef, Ahmed

  39. 39. INT. YUSSEF AND AHMED'S HOUSE - LATER

    Yasira confronts the boys about their behavior.

    Yasira, Yussef, Ahmed

  40. 40. INT. YUSSEF AND AHMED'S HOUSE - DAY

    The brothers discuss the shooting in whispers.

    Yussef, Ahmed

  41. 41. EXT. YUSSEF AND AHMED'S HOUSE - EVENING

    Abdullah returns home.

    Abdullah, Yussef

  42. 42. INT. YUSSEF AND AHMED'S HOUSE - EVENING

    The family eats dinner and Abdullah mentions the attack on the American tourist.

    Abdullah, Yasira, Yussef, Ahmed

  43. 43. INT. YUSSEF AND AHMED'S HOUSE - NIGHT

    The brothers cannot sleep.

    Yussef, Ahmed

  44. 44. EXT. BORDER CROSSING - DAY

    Santiago's car crosses into Mexico.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  45. 45. INT. SANTIAGO'S CAR - DAY

    The children express fear about Mexico.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  46. 46. EXT. TIJUANA - DAY

    The car drives through Tijuana.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  47. 47. INT. SANTIAGO'S CAR - DAY

    Santiago stops to buy popsicles for the children.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  48. 48. EXT. PARK, TIJUANA - DAY

    The children eat popsicles and walk through the market.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  49. 49. EXT. TIJUANA - DAY

    The car leaves the city.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  50. 50. EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY

    Amelia and Debbie stop at a junkyard.

    Amelia, Debbie, Santiago

  51. 51. EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY

    The car drives down a path.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  52. 52. EXT. HAMLET "LOS LOBOS" - DAY

    They arrive at a hamlet for a wedding.

    Amelia, Debbie, Mike, Santiago

  53. 53. INT. ROOM, HAMLET "LOS LOBOS" - DAY

    Amelia gets ready for the wedding.

    Amelia

  54. 54. EXT. DESERT ROAD, MOROCCO - DAY

    The bus is stranded after the shooting.

    Richard, Susan

  55. 55. EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY

    Richard tries to flag down a passing car for help but fails.

    Richard, Anwar

  56. 56. EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY

    The bus makes a U-turn.

  57. 57. INT. BUS - DAY

    Richard tends to Susan while an old man panics.

    Richard, Susan

  58. 58. EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY

    The bus travels down the highway.

  59. 59. INT. BUS - DAY

    Susan's condition worsens and Anwar suggests his town.

    Richard, Susan, Anwar

  60. 60. EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY

    The bus turns onto a dirt road.

  61. 61. INT. BUS - DAY

    The bus ride is bumpy.

    Richard, Susan

  62. 62. EXT. HAMLET - DAY

    The bus arrives at a small hamlet.

  63. 63. EXT. ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    The bus stops at Anwar's house.

    Anwar

  64. 64. INT. BUS - DAY

    Richard prepares to carry Susan off the bus.

    Richard, Susan, Anwar

  65. 65. EXT. HAMLET - DAY

    Richard carries Susan into the house.

    Richard, Susan

  66. 66. INT. ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    Anwar leads Richard through the house.

    Richard, Susan, Anwar

  67. 67. EXT. PATIO, ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    They reach the room.

    Richard, Anwar

  68. 68. INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    Susan is placed on a rug and Anwar's grandmother tends to her.

    Richard, Susan, Anwar

  69. 69. EXT. ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    The tourists argue about staying.

    Richard, Anwar

  70. 70. EXT. HAMLET - DAY

    Richard and Anwar go to a store to use a phone.

    Richard, Anwar

  71. 71. INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    The grandmother gives Susan water.

    Susan

  72. 72. INT. GENERAL STORE - DAY

    Richard calls Rachel for help.

    Richard, Anwar

  73. 73. INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    Richard returns to the room.

    Richard, Susan

  74. 74. EXT. PATIO, ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    Anwar's brother confronts him.

    Anwar

  75. 75. INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    The grandmother tries to apply a mud poultice to Susan's wound.

    Richard, Susan, Anwar

  76. 76. EXT. HAMLET - DAY

    Two men walk through the streets.

  77. 77. INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    Mohammed announces the arrival of the local leaders.

  78. 78. EXT. ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    The sheik and moukadem arrive.

  79. 79. EXT. PATIO, ANWAR'S HOUSE - DAY

    The sheik questions Richard.

    Richard, Anwar

  80. 80. INT. DENTIST'S OFFICE - DAY

    Chieko waits in the reception area.

    Chieko

Dialogue examples

Yes, and when the hawk was healthy again he went to talk to the birds and said: I want to thank you for saving me, but I can't change and I'm going to keep hunting you. The little birds answered: we don't care that you hunt us, because that's who you are. But we will always save you, because that's who we are.

Amelia / Scene 14

Hi dad... dad, guess what? Today, at school, they brought some baby chickens...I held one in my hand. He was really little and he was all warm... Dad, are you ok?...And Mariana wanted to take one home, but the teacher didn't let her...

Mike / Scene 13

It's far away, about four hours. There's a clinic that's a little closer, about an hour and a half to the south. By bus it'll take us about two hours and a half though.

Anwar / Scene 57

Amelia, it's Richard. We're going to have to be here a few more days here in Morocco than we expected and Rachel wasn't able to find anyone to take care of the kids.

Richard / Scene 16

A first rate medical team is going to tend to her, but if you want we can take her to a hospital in Italy as soon as she's stable...

Kenji Mamiya / Scene 191

I don't mean to bother you, but... Do you own a .270 caliber Winchester 70 rifle with the registration number... UK-9023?

Kenji Mamiya / Scene 197

We can take her to my town. It's near here and there's a doctor. In the meantime we can call Erfourd for an ambulance.

Anwar / Scene 59

The Berbers built these kasbahs. They made them like forts and here they would reside after finishing their caravans.

Anwar / Scene 23

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