CONTEST WINNER "Victoria" Date: 12/01/11
Concept VERY GOOD
Days later, on a pirate ship heading for the Caribbean, a PIRATE LOOK-OUT shouts, “Captain!! Long boat adrift on the port bow!” JIM O’CONNOR (35), pirate captain, a man to be feared and respected orders, “Helmsman, bring us alongside! Let’s see what the next gift of the sea is!” A gentle giant of a man steps onto the long boat and lifts the blanket, revealing the lone huddled figure of the baby girl. “Nothing, but a stinking little mouse!” one of the crew spits. But the Captain, Jim, is enchanted and declares, “The sea is wise and everlasting, fate took from me my wife, but the sea has seen fit to give me a gift. All of you listen very carefully, from this moment on, in the name of our glorious victories, I name this little angel Victoria and proclaim her my daughter!!” Shocked but silent, the pirates accept his mandate and from that moment forward, Victoria never leaves the Captain’s side. Unaware of her true identity, Victoria grows into a swashbuckling, fearless and bold pirate. She can out-fence the best of them, is cunning and ferocious – a force to be reckoned with. Having been raised on stories of conquest, as well as rumors of a lost treasure – a sorceress’ diamond with unmatched powers - Victoria’s bent on finding that diamond and harnessing its powers to solidify her leadership among the Caribbean pirates. Her father believes it is all poppycock, nothing more than an old wives tale, but supports her ambition. He helps her acquire her own ship and watches as she creates a new, MALE persona – CAPTAIN BLACK. As “Black”, Victoria manages to prove herself to her fellow pirates and put the fear of God into sailors the world over. Now armed with a loyal crew, Victoria sets out to get that diamond. Of course, she’s not the only one intending to steal it. Her long lost uncle, Lord John Smith (who abandoned her at sea twenty years earlier) is hot on the diamond’s trail as well, determined to use its powers to take the English crown. Their paths cross when both discover that the diamond has been found by the King of England’s men. It’s being held at a secret port and will be transported by ship. Both Lord Smith and Victoria intend to intercept that ship and take the diamond. As both make plans, Lord Smith sets up a trap to kill his competition, “Captain Black”, but fails. However, in the attempt, he does get hold of her father, Jim, taking him back to England to be tried and hanged for piracy. Now masquerading as a noble French lady, Victoria travels to England to save her father. She gains entry to the palace and unwittingly attracts the romantic interest of the Prince of England. Before she knows it, she is a royal guest being courted by the Prince, with whom – despite herself – she falls madly in love. She tries to fight her feelings, rescues Jim and soon succeeds in stealing the diamond from under the noses of the king’s men as well as Lord Smith! But Victoria's victory is short lived. The diamond hangs unused as she struggles with a broken heart for the first time in her life - and then Lord Smith manages to steal it from her. To make matters worse, Victoria learns of the truth behind her past – her true identity as the daughter of a Lord - and is now forced to re-evaluate herself entirely. COMMENTS: This is a fun, action-driven tale with a host of lovable characters lead by a compelling, dynamic heroine. The story is classic – full of rum-swigging pirates, sword fights on the high seas and coifed courtiers plotting to overtake the crown– yet there is nothing cartoonish or recycled about this script. The story of Victoria’s identity crisis and struggle with the discovery of love, as she fights to maintain the respect of her men and seize the enchanted diamond, is dramatically rendered with unsentimental heart and humor. “Victoria” is a galloping fantasy with strong dialogue and lush, cinematic sequences that transport the viewer to the seductive land of buccaneers. It is a commercial, but original script that’s a stellar “star-vehicle” to boot (for some young, up and coming actress) - well worth a read!
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