15 Minutes

FADE IN:

on the words CZECH AIRLINE. We are panning across the words

on the side of the plane.

INT. AIRPLANE

ANGLE DOWN:

on a tray table. Crumpled Czech bills and coins are on it.

Hands are counting the money. The airline hostess announces

the arrival at JFK - in CZECH. A hand reaches into a breast

pocket - pulling out two passports. One is opened. Belongs

to EMIL SLOVAK. The next passport belongs to OLEG RAZGUL.

The hand passes the Oleg Razgul passport to the man next to

him. We notice several empty airline bottles of vodka and a

small disposable camera on Oleg's tray table. The passport

is set down. Oleg picks it up. We hear Emil's voice in

CZECH. The scene is subtitled in ENGLISH.

EMIL (V.O.)

Just do what I do. Say the same thing I

say. Don't open your mouth.

OLEG (V.O.)

Okay.

INT. PASSPORT CONTROL - KENNEDY AIRPORT - DAY

CAMERA DOLLIES down a long line of passengers. They are

split into two lines - one for Americans, the other for

visitors. CAMERA finally arrives at EMIL SLOVAK. An

unshaven Czech in his mid-30's. Tall, scraggly beard.

Piercing blue eyes. He's dressed in an outdated suit. His

eyes are alert, cunning and smart.

OLEG RAZGUL, stands in line behind Emil. Oleg is big. Not

tall - but wide. A wrestler's body. Emil looks at Oleg.

(The following is in CZECH and subtitled in ENGLISH.)

EMIL:

Don't fool around.

OLEG:

Okay.

Oleg holds up his disposable camera - at arms length - to

take a picture of himself.

EMIL:

Did you hear what I said?

OLEG:

I want to document my trip to America.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Next.

(Emil steps up)

Could I see your documents, please?

EMIL:

Yes sir.

He hands the passport to the officer who runs it through an

image swipe. Emil glances furtively back to Oleg.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

What is your intended purpose of your

visit to the United States?

EMIL:

Two weeks holiday.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

How much money are you carrying with

you?

EMIL:

I have five-hundred dollars.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Can you show me? Sir, no cameras in the

FIS area!

Oleg was about to take a picture of Emil and the Immigration

Officer. Oleg puts the camera away. Smiles sheepishly.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER (CONT'D)

(to Emil)

Is he with you? Are you travelling

together?

EMIL:

Yes.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Please join us.

(to Oleg)

Come on forward.

EMIL:

Is there a problem?

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

No, you're travelling together. I want

to talk to you together. Hi, how are

you? Can I take a look at your

documents?

(takes Oleg's passport)

Are you related?

OLEG:

Yes...he's my friend.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Okay. You're a Czech national and

you're a Russian national. How do you

know one another?

Oleg starts to speak, but Emil cuts him off.

EMIL:

We are both from Prague.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

(to Oleg)

How long are you planning to stay?

EMIL:

Two weeks.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

I'd like to speak for himself, okay?

EMIL:

He doesn't speak English.

OLEG:

I speak English.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

(to Oleg)

Then answer my questions. Where were

you planning to stay during the two

weeks that you're here?

OLEG:

New York.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Yes, we're in New York now. But where

are you planning to stay in New York?

OLEG:

A cheap hotel.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

What are you coming here to do?

OLEG:

I'm here for movies.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Movies...to be in the movies or to see

movies?

OLEG:

Yes. No. Both. When I was a boy, I

see movie at school called "It's a

Wonderful Life" directed by Frank Capra.

Ever since I want to come to America.

Land of the free. Home of the brave. A

land where anyone can be anything. As

long as they are white.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Excuse me?

EMIL:

He made joke, bad joke. First time on

airplane...

The SUPERVISOR comes over to see what the problem is:

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Well, they've got valid visas, but they

don't have much money. Uh... and I'm

not...uh, I think there's a possibility

they may be coming to live and reside.

SUPERVISOR:

Look how long the line is. We gotta

move 'em out. I'll take them down to

secondary.

Emil looks at Oleg, pissed.

INT. P.B. HERMAN'S RESTAURANT - DAY

The place is empty except for one table at the end of the

bar. EDDIE FLEMMING, Manhattan's most famous detective, and

his savvy, black partner, LEON JACKSON are having cocktails.

Eddie is smoothly handsome, tough, smart and tired. Not only

is he the best homicide detective Manhattan has ever seen,

he's continually mentioned in New York columns and has been

the subject of several magazine articles. There's even been

a TV movie about one of his biggest cases. Leon has been

with Eddie a long time and was also featured in the TV movie.

Sitting with Eddie and Leon is ROBERT HAWKINS, host and star

reporter for the tabloid show, "Top Story." Hawkins is also

the best in the business and has dealt with them all: Joey

Buttafuco and Amy Fisher, Lorena Bobbit and OJ.

Wait staff bustles in the b.g. doing the morning set up.

Hawkins listens as Eddie, cigar in hand, finishes a "war

story" and a vodka tonic at the same time.

EDDIE:

So we're waitin' to hit this warrant -

we got Emergency Service with the heavy

weapons standin' by - ready to go. I

say, lemme get a cigar outta the car. I

go to get the cigar and BOOM! All the

sudden I turn around and a kid with a

shotgun let one go. Right where I was

standin'. That coulda been it. I

coulda had my head blown off and for

what? Some stupid kid got panicky,

takes the safety off and it's over. If

I hadn't gone back for that cigar - for

a bad habit - I would've had my head

blown off.

HAWKINS:

Jesus Christ.

PAULIE, the owner, walks up.

PAULIE:

Speakin' of bad habits, everybody okay?

HAWKINS:

Another martini.

LEON:

Coffee for me, I gotta slow down.

EDDIE:

Vodka tonic.

LEON:

(rethinks it)

Maybe you could just put in a shot of

Martell?

Paulie takes the drinks off the table and an empty bottle of

vodka.

LEON (CONT'D)

(of Eddie's story)

It was freaky, I'll tell you. Stupid

kid.

EDDIE:

What's the kid gonna say - sorry?

Meanwhile I'm not here anymore.

Like last week - we were at the morgue

and this guy was all chopped up - spleen

here - liver there - his heart in a pan.

Six hours ago this guy was walkin' his

dog or buyin' a quart of milk. Who

knows? But some kid's robbed him for $3

or some sh*t and shot him and now you

can't tell if he's a piece of beef or a

human being and I'm thinkin' that's me.

Sooner or later. That's me.

HAWKINS:

Sooner or later that's everybody.

EDDIE:

Not chopped up. Not chopped up like

that. I mean, what do I got left?

Coupla articles. A medal or two.

Plaque here and there and in a coupla

years no one remembers me anymore.

HAWKINS:

I think you're getting a little moody

there, Eddie.

EDDIE:

I'm not moody.

Hawkins and Leon share a look.

HAWKINS:

Isn't he a little moody?

LEON:

Of course he's moody. He thinks he's in

love.

HAWKINS:

In love? With who?

Paulie delivers the drinks and sets some cigars on the table.

Takes a seat next to Eddie. Eddie asks Hawkins.

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