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While searching for a desert guide in the West African
village of Timbuktu, idealistic Englishman Paul Bonnard meets Prefect
Dukas, a greedy official who helps him recover his watch from petty
thief and prostitute Dita. Pitying Dita, Bonnard hands her his
watch, prompting her to return his wallet with an innocent shrug.
Later that night, Dukas finds Joe January, a rugged American guide who
agrees to be his guide in exchange for Bonnard paying the hefty fines
Dukas has levied on him, as well as paying for his passage out of
Timbuktu.
The next morning, Joe eavesdrops as Bonnard preaches to
Dita about sin and forgiveness. Dita is taken by Bonnard's
sincerity, but Joe scoffs at the Englishman’s attempt to save the
prostitute's soul. Dita begs to join him on the expedition, but
Bonnard refuses, claiming the journey will be too dangerous.
During the first few days of journeying on donkeys,
Bonnard states that his father Jonathon, a missionary and archaeologist,
was searching for a treasure on an expedition over ten years ago from
which he never returned. Bonnard explains that he has come to find
the treasure in hope of carrying out his father’s dream of establishing
a refuge for the sick and needy. As they rest at a water hole one
day, a mysterious caravan of native Tauregs approach, leaving the
cloaked figure of Dita behind. When Joe threatens to leave them
both if Dita does not return to Timbuktu, Bonnard offers him a third of
the treasure to continue.
After Bonnard explains that he has his father’s map
directing them to the lost city of Timgad, where the treasure is hidden,
Joe reluctantly agrees to the terms even with the "batty dame."
Over a campfire that night, Dita recounts an abusive childhood that led
to her prostitution and attempts to "cleanse" her skin with a knife.
While Joe taunts Dita, Bonnard takes the knife and reminds her that
tears cleanse better than knives.
The next day, when Bonnard tries to help Dita as she is
attacked by tarantulas, the two tumble down a hill in each other’s arms,
prompting Joe to mock Bonnard for "pawing at" the woman he is trying to
save. When they hear the Tauregs chanting nearby for a dying
tribesman, Bonnard bravely offers the strangers his help and saves the
man’s life, thus ensuring them safe passage.
The next evening, Joe, softening toward Dita, offers her
a drink then makes a pass. Hearing Dita’s protests, Bonnard shoots
the bottle out of Joe's hand, causing a fight between the men, but they
soon agree to be friends.
The next day, when Bonnard gives Joe only approximate
directions to follow, an enraged Joe tells them that being a couple
degrees off could lead to their deaths from thirst and gives them eight
hours to find the lost city. When the time is up, Joe orders them
to return Enzeze, an eight-hour trip for which they have just enough
water. As the men argue, Dita pours out the remaining water,
telling them that she believes in Bonnard's dream. Joe is furious
but has no choice but to continue on in search of water. Suddenly
his donkey Janis leads them to a lush pool of water near the ancient
ruins of a lost Roman city, where Bonnard finds three human skeletons
lying among the ruins.
Studying the skeletons, Joe notes that one of them,
Jonathon, was killed by a gunshot wound to the head, while his guide was
knifed in the back with his arms around a third skeleton, a woman.
Joe then finds a love letter from Jonathon among the woman's
possessions, which explains that he had asked her to join him in
Timbuktu, told her of the treasure and promised to spend the wealth on a
pampered life together in Paris. Dita tries to reassure Bonnard
that he can continue with Jonathon's dream to build a refuge, but
Bonnard, shattered by his father’s lie, starts drinking. After Joe
buries the three bodies, a drunken Bonnard throws the bottle, startling
a group of nearby bats. Later that night, after he finds the door
his father described leads to an empty vault, Bonnard’s despair deepens.
Meanwhile, Joe attempts to reconstruct Jonathon's last
minutes. Realizing that his girl friend's alliance has shifted to
the guide and fearing for his life, Jonathon moved the treasure
somewhere else and gave his son a hint in the dog-eared page of his
bible left beside his body, which alludes to "a day that man shall cast
his gold and silver to the bats." Deducing that the bats’ cavern
must be the treasure's location, Bonnard lowers himself into the
underground passageway where he finds gold, coins and jewels.
The next day, as they revel in the wealth, Bonnard takes
Dita into his arms to kiss her, begging her and then violently demanding
her to return his affections. After she struggles free, Bonnard
showers her with jewels and persists, but Dita is so upset by the
betrayal that she runs to Joe, who knocks Bonnard down. Convinced
that, as with his father, the guide has taken the girl and will soon
take his life, the hysterical Bonnard shoots at them and flees. As
they wait through the night for Bonnard's return, Joe comforts Dita and
chastises the "do-gooder."
The next morning, Joe and Dita discover Bonnard has fled
with all the donkeys and provisions, leaving them to die. Filling
sacks with water, they rush to track him down. After hours of
walking in the scorching desert sun, they find Janis, but Dita faints,
near death from thirst. Joe brings out his whiskey reserve and
tells her that she is more beautiful than ever, prompting Dita to
profess her love for him. Renewed by their love, Joe and Dita
continue until they finally find Bonnard near death, clutching his
treasure. As Joe and Dita dig for water, a deliriously paranoid
Bonnard buries his treasure and stabs Joe in the back with his knife.
Dita shoots and kills Bonnard, then digs until she hits water to give to
Joe. Thinking that he is dying, Joe blames Jonathon's lies for
destroying Bonnard, but thanks him for bringing him and Dita together.
Seeing a Taureg caravan headed for Timbuktu, Dita embraces Joe, knowing
that they will survive and start a new life together. |
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