A ragtag battalion of Polish troops must dig in around the home of a mystical old man, as they face the brutal onslaught of the Nazi SS, in the earliest days of World War 2.

SYNOPSIS:

JOSEPH

Synopsis by Ian Davies

ijdavies95@hotmail.com

A ragtag battalion of Polish soldiers must dig in around the home of a mysterious old man, as they await the onslaught of the Nazi SS, in the earliest days of World War 2.

Poland, 1939. Dawn at the Westerplatte seaport. The large battleship 'Schleswig-Holstein' sits silent in the water. Opposite sits a small fortified wooded hill. A Polish army garrison quietly fixes breakfast.

The battleship's turrets turn. BOOM! Shells POUND the Westerplatte. Polish soldiers dive for cover. World War 2 has begun. Fade to Black.

Central Poland, ten days later. Polish cavalry canters along a dusty avenue. Horse artillery follows. Numerous battle weary infantry march behind them. They halt below an ancient whitewashed mansion. Five cavalrymen peel off into a large courtyard.

CHAPEK the wolf attacks! JOSEPH, an exceptionally tall elderly retired Colonel, calls Chapek off. Joseph approaches MAJOR HETMANCZYK, the troubled young officer commanding. Hetmanczyk asks for a billet for his officers. Joseph agrees and invites them all to an officer's dinner.

The Poles dig foxholes and trenches. Hetmanczyk gives LIEUTENANT ABDULEWICZ, a young inexperienced Muslim officer orders. JAMES ROBERTSON-KAJEWSKI, a shy young half English/Polish journalist takes notes and photographs. A young Jewish Polish American CAPTAIN BAUMAN supervises the work while CAPTAIN LISZKA organises the horse artillery.

At dinner, Hetmanczyk reveals the desperate plight of Poland against the Nazis. James gapes in awe at the eerie suits of armour and portraits hanging on the wall.

Abdulewicz stands sentry during the night. Ghostly apparitions manifest around him as the cavalry horses go wild. A white flash and all are gone. Next morning, James is haunted in bed by the same apparitions.

Abdulewicz and some cavalry ride off on a morning patrol. James enters the kitchen and meets ELEONORA, Joseph's beautiful young granddaughter. Joseph invites him to breakfast where James reveals his character.

Abdulewicz and his force confront German cavalry. RADEK and JACEK are shot and badly wounded. Carried back to base, Joseph has them brought into his hall. As FATHER DANIEL rushes in, Joseph lays healing hands on them. James and Abdulewicz look on in shock as Joseph opens his glowing violet eyes. He retreats exhausted into the shadows.

James later finds Joseph sitting in the hall recovering. He sits amazed as Joseph reveals his true age and that of Eleonora. Intrigued, James visits Radek and Jacek and finds them fit and well. Hetmanczyk, troubled by his own trauma and loss of faith, confronts Joseph and Eleonora who angrily reveal the darker side of their powers.

A German reconnaissance probe arrives. After a short victorious battle, Hetmanczyk identifies the dead Germans as the dreaded SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler division. This is who they will face in the coming struggle.

Following another angry encounter with Joseph, Hetmanczyk's hallucinations worsen. Joseph and James attempt to persuade Eleonora to leave with the servants. She angrily refuses and insults James who storms out. Joseph follows him.

Enraged, James paces the garden. Joseph offers a fencing dual to calm him down as he used to with his son Aleksy. James agrees. The duel turns nasty as the violent side of Joseph's powers surface, but it leads to James' healing and eventual transformation.

As the Poles celebrate their victory, the Germans suddenly POUND them with artillery. Nerves and tensions boil over as Abdulewicz and Bauman fight. Hetmanczyk violently restores order as the Panzers approach. After initially refusing, Hetmanczyk allows the wounded to be taken back to Joseph.

The Panzers attack! Many are hit by Liszka's guns. The Panzers falter as SS Stormtroopers advance en masse. Bauman leads a last ditch bayonet charge as the battle descends into savage hand to hand combat. Dropping his camera and grabbing a rifle, James fights for his life as Stormtroopers attack him.

The SS are repulsed. James sits shell shocked as Eleonora hugs him tightly. Joseph, Eleonora and the medics are overwhelmed by the casualties. Joseph grows progressively weaker as Hetmanczyk's hallucinations worsen. Bauman and Abdulewicz warily reconcile.

Father Daniel hands James an ancient book given to him by Joseph. Reading it, James learns more about Joseph and Eleonora's origins.

As healed soldiers return to fight, an SS officer approaches demanding the Poles surrender. Hetmanczyk refuses. Anticipating the final assault, he sends James to warn Joseph of more casualties to come.

German artillery POUNDS again. Smashing the house, James is blown from his horse and mortally wounded. Joseph and Eleonora rescue him. After healing him, Joseph collapses. Awaking in spirit, Joseph is approached by ALEKSY. His time has finally come, but James and Eleonora must be allowed to escape. They agree to ride together once again for old time's sake, as father and son.

The artillery barrage stops. Looking through his binoculars, Liszka spots massed Panzers and Half Tracks advancing shrouded in dust. The end beckons.

Joseph awakes. Revitalized, he leaps to his feet. He orders Eleonora to leave with James and the servants. She refuses. He reacts angrily after which she backs down and leaves the hall.

As Joseph nostalgically gathers his sabre and cavalry lance, a small white light appears above the fireplace.

James and Eleonora gather the servants from the cellar. James spots a blindingly bright light shining under the door. He agrees with Eleonora to go and fetch Joseph. James rushes into the hall. Shrouding his eyes from the blinding light, he sees numerous apparitions standing with Joseph.

Joseph orders him to leave with Eleonora, never to return. As he leaves, James returns to fetch his discarded rifle. Joseph salutes him, and James rushes out the door.

The battle rages! Panzers and Stormtroopers advance as the Poles desperately defend. Casualties mount as ammunition dwindles. Hetmanczyk is blown from his horse.

The hall full of blinding light, Joseph prepares his weapons and leaves. A white flash, and the hall falls into darkness once again.

Hetmanczyk lies mortally wounded. Liszka and a medic assist him. Joseph canters up with Hetmanczyk's horse. Leaping off and healing him, Joseph orders Hetmanczyk to remount.

Joseph explains that they must charge the enemy. Hetmanczyk refuses it as suicidal. Joseph counters that soon they will be overrun anyway.

The Polish defence crumbles. Panzers push on as Stormtroopers charge, bayoneting wounded Poles. Bauman and Abdulewicz lead the chaotic retreat. A bullet SLAMS into Bauman and he drops.

James, Eleonora and the servants creep away through bushes. Eleonora reacts furiously when James returns without Joseph. As he drags her away, a Panzer and Stormtroopers pour over the ruined house towards them.

The Poles retreat in disarray, hunted down by Stormtroopers. Abdulewicz carries the wounded Bauman. Both stumble as Bauman falls unconscious. After shooting advancing Stormtroopers, Abdulewicz drags Bauman. A bullet SLAMS into Abdulewicz and he drops. Both lie dying as Joseph canters up. Leaping off, he heals them and all ride away.

Six riders make it to a small hill overlooking the battlefield. Calm descends around them as Joseph joins to make seven.

Stormtroopers swarm over the ruins, kicking corpses and SHOOTING the wounded. Ghostly apparitions slowly manifest around them.

The cavalry form a tight line, lances high in the air. Bauman and Abdulewicz clasp hands defiantly. Jacek and Radek survey the battlefield apprehensively. They move forward.

James, Eleonora and the servants hide in the bushes. Stormtroopers advance cautiously. Eleonora and the servants creep away. A servant trips and YELLS! The Stormtroopers flinch and SHOUT! The servants SCREAM as James SHOOTS a Stormtrooper.

The cavalry kick into a trot. Keeping tight, they kick into a canter. Panzers lie dead ahead. Liszka's field guns BOOM! They canter onwards. As EXPLOSIONS pepper them and bullets WHIZZ past, they charge!

Joseph's eyes beam violet as a vast spectral army of HUSARIA manifests around them, charging headlong. Eyes glowing violet, huge wings unfurl behind them. A LOW HUM drowns out the BATTLE NOISE.

James and the others break cover into an open field. Stormtroopers and the Panzer chase them. Eleonora draws James' bayonet and charges the Stormtroopers.

The Husaria close in on the Panzers. Joseph thrusts his lance through a Panzer and destroys it. The Husaria and Cavalry do likewise. As Panzers EXPLODE, glowing sabres draw!

Put to the sword, Panzer turrets spin wildly into the air and EXPLODE! Polish soldiers watch in awe and cross themselves. Stormtroopers look on with horror, opening WILD GUNFIRE!

Ghostly figures rise from the battlefield and attack the Stormtroopers. SHRIEKING Stormtroopers break and run for their lives. The Husaria tear into them, sabres slashing and killing.

The last shells gone, Liszka orders his gunners to retreat. Throwing grenades into the breaches, he destroys the guns.

Stormtroopers advance as Eleonora charges! She kills them with unearthly power. Stormtroopers SHOOT! Bullets THUD! Eleonora falls to her knees.

The Husaria charge ever onwards. A terrified Stormtrooper calls on his field telephone for immediate Stuka support. As Stukas circle the sky above, they REV and dive.

Stormtroopers approach Eleonora nervously. The Panzer stops. James strides out and SHOOTS! The Stormtroopers return FIRE!

Suddenly, Husaria attack! The Panzer EXPLODES! James hits the deck as WILD GUNFIRE erupts. Husaria slash and kill. Survivors flee as the Husaria halt. Drawing ancient pistols they shoot the fleeing Stormtroopers.

The Husaria stand sentinel. Aleksy steps forward faintly dressed in a Napoleonic uniform. James runs forward, rifle ready. Kneeling beside her, he finds her fully healed. As she SOBS loudly, James holds her tight as the STUKA SCREAMS grow louder above them.

The Husaria charge on! SCREAMING Stormtroopers flee. Joseph, Hetmanczyk, Bauman, Abdulewicz, Jacek, Radek and the unknown soldier CHEER! Sweeping all before them, victory nears!

SCREAMING STUKAS! BOMBS WHISTLE! A THUNDEROUS CRASH! HORSES SCREAM!

A white flash! Blinding light. Silence. A glowing figure walks forward. Two LAUGHING, PLAYING girls rush to meet him.

EXPLOSIONS reverberate away. DRONING aircraft fade away into the distance. Eleonora SOBS LOUDLY into James' shoulder. He looks up. Aleksy and the Husaria have gone. The WEEPING servants join them. All stand and walk away.

A quiet, early morning. Mist shrouds wrecked Panzers and the dead. Fresh German troops arrive. MARCO, a young Italian journalist, jumps from a Half Track. Walking around, he frowns at the perfect cavalry lances standing proud from the smouldering Panzers. Puzzled, he reaches for his camera.

Father Daniel approaches CAPTAIN KIRCHNER, an honourable Prussian officer who shows kindness and decency. Father Daniel finds the spot where Joseph and the cavalry fell.

German medics recover wounded and the dead from the ruins. A solitary MEDIC, exceptionally tall with piercing blue eyes, looks for wounded. Finding a dying Polish soldier, he opens his tunic. Closing his eyes he massages the Pole's wound. The Pole COUGHS and convulses as the medic drops the bullet. Opening his glowing violet eyes, he walks away.

At a mass grave, German soldiers fire a THREE ROUND SALUTE. Father Daniel prays. As the Germans march away, Chapek appears injured and WHIMPERING. He frantically digs Joseph's grave. Father Daniel tries to shoo him away. He refuses and curls up in the hole. Father Daniel leaves him. A small mound of soil later sits where Chapek once lay. The Polish Embassy, London, one year later. A military staff car pulls up outside. A British Army officer steps out and walks in. Walking through rooms full of Polish military staff, James removes his officer's cap. Entering a large board room, Liszka stands and greets him. As Polish senior officers walk in, Eleonora follows them dressed in Polish army uniform.

JOSEPH