All the Money in the World Page #10

---

50.

Parked twenty paces from the streetlight is a white plumber's

van. Chace knocks on the rear door twice, and waits.

INT. WHITE VAN -- EVENING

A bland-looking young fellow frisks Chace.

BLAND FELLOW:

Siediti perfavore.

Chace obeys. The van lurches into motion.

INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE -- NIGHT

The bland fellow leads Chace out of the garage into a sparsely-

decorated home. Chace is led to a chair in the dining room.

A red ROSSO BRIGATE flag is draped over one wall.

BLAND FELLOW:

Perfavore.

Chace obeys. A lamp is switched on, shining in his eyes.

FRANCESCI, a mustached young man in a corduroy sportcoat, isseated beside the lamp. A gun is on the table beside him.

There are others in the room. Chace squints at them.

CHACE:

You don't look like communists.

FRANCESCI:

What do communists look like?

CHACE:

Workers. Wasn't that the originalidea?

FRANCESCI:

Sorry to disappoint you.

CHACE:

You look like accountants.

FRANCESCI:

Let's talk about the money.

CHACE:

First you prove to me that you havethe boy and he's in good health.

Then we negotiate the terms. But

first the proof.

FRANCESCI:

First the money. Then the boy.

51.

CHACE:

It doesn't work that way. You know

that. You're supposed to be pros.

FRANCESCI:

No conditions.

CHACE:

I don't think you have the kid.

An intense young woman, MARGHERITA, speaks:

MARGHERITA:

Why are we negotiating with him? We

should try him and put him to death.

CHACE:

For what?

MARGHERITA:

For crimes against the proletariat.

CHACE:

Now I know you don't have the kid.

If you kill me, Getty's just goingto send someone else like me. Unless

he doesn't, in which case where doesthat leave you? Think, comrade.

FRANCESCI:

We had an agreement.

CHACE:

Who had an agreement?

FRANCESCI:

We did. With Paul.

Chace's smile fades.

CHACE:

Excuse me?

FRANCESCI:

Paul used to talk about having himselfkidnapped. With his friends, out onthe street. A game, no one getshurt. A way to make a little moneyfrom his grandfather, two milliondollars perhaps. That's what we do.

Chace rubs his eyes, suddenly weary.

CHACE:

Did Paul know who you were?

52.

FRANCESCI:

We made friends with him. We told

him we could help. But then he

disappeared.

MARGHERITA:

We believe he found someone else.

CHACE:

And now you want -- what? A finder's

fee? A consolation prize?

MARGHERITA:

The people are owed.

CHACE:

"The people," or just the people inthis room? And here I thought youall were supposed to be above money.

FRANCESCI:

No one is above money. The problemis that it's in the wrong hands. We

intend to get what is our due.

CHACE:

(rising)

I'll save you a place in line.

FRANCESCI:

I'm curious. What would Getty payfor you?

CHACE:

Don't bother. He wouldn't pay a dimefor me. Neither would anyone else.

FRANCESCI:

I've never met anyone who couldn'tthink of someone who would pay forhis life.

CHACE:

There's a first time for everything.

Now are you going to drive me back,

or am I going to walk out the frontdoor?

EXT. INDUSTRIAL HIGHWAY -- NIGHT

A stretch of barren highway out by an industrial plant. The

white van slows, its door opens, and Chace is shoved out.

The van speeds away. Chace picks himself up off the asphalt,

dusts himself off, and looks around. He is utterly lost.

53.

INT. GAIL'S APARTMENT -- FRONT DOORWAY -- DAY

Chace stands in Gail's doorway. She seems taken aback.

GAIL:

You've got to remember who the Gettys

are. Every time someone stays inthe bathroom too long people startmaking jokes about being held for

ransom. He might have cracked ajoke once or twice among friends --

CHACE:

There's that word again.

GAIL:

What word?

CHACE:

A joke. When it first happened yousaid you thought it was a joke.

GAIL:

Now you sound like that policeman.

CHACE:

Did Paul ever talk to you about havinghimself kidnapped?

GAIL:

Whose side are you on, Mr Chace?

CHACE:

I'm on my own side, always. And if

there's a joke I like to make sureI'm in on it.

DEL ROVERE (V.O.)

New developments have come to light.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY/BAR -- EVENING

Del Rovere and Corvo have come to Chace's hotel. A news

report about the OPEC summit plays on TV behind the bar.

CORVO:

Gail Getty is two months behind onthe rent on her apartment.

DEL ROVERE:

The lady needed money.

CHACE:

So do I.

54.

DEL ROVERE:

So do we all. But Gail Getty gaveup a chance to make a fortune in herdivorce. Did you know?

CORVO:

We calculated the money Ms Gettycould have expected in her settlement.

The number was 15 to 18 million

dollars. Quite a coincidence.

CHACE:

I'm impressed you had any time atall to look for the kid.

CORVO:

Then there is the matter of Gail's

lover.

Chace blinks. Corvo takes out a picture of a handsomeSicilian. It's a police booking photo.

CORVO (CONT'D)

Luigi Della Ratta. A casino croupier,

very much a ladies' man, with reputedcriminal connections.

Chace stares at the photo.

DEL ROVERE:

It should have been obvious. A prettylady like this, expensive tastes, soinsistent to get Getty to pay the

ransom --

CORVO:

But never does she cry for her child.

How can a mother not cry?

Chace pushes the photo away.

CHACE:

Nice work, fellas.

DEL ROVERE:

And you? Have you learned anything?

CHACE:

Nothing. Brick wall.

DEL ROVERE:

You look like you've tasted somethingyou don't like. If you don't likeyour drink, just get another.

55.

CHACE:

This is going to kill the old man.

It has to stay out of the papers.

DEL ROVERE:

Nothing leaves this table. It's for

the best, eh? There was never anydanger. You have only to wait forthe boy to return.

Del Rovere rises, and Corvo with him. He nods at a DARKHAIRED

BEAUTY at the other end of the bar and leans in.

DEL ROVERE (CONT'D)

A single man alone in Rome on theGetty expense account. I envy you.

The two men grin as they leave Chace at the bar. Chace

glances up at the TV. On a Bolletino Straordinario, theSHAH OF IRAN is making a speech:

SHAH OF IRAN (O.S.)

Of course the price of oil must rise.

You increased the price of wheat yousell us by 300%, it's only fair that,

from now on, you should pay more foroil. Let's say ten times more.

CUT TO A WIDE:
all that remains of Fletcher Chace is the tiphe's left on the bar. He's already gone.

EXT. SUTTON PLACE (SURREY, ENGLAND) -- DAY

Rain. The great gates open for Fletcher Chace.

EXT. SUTTON PLACE -- REFLECTING POOL/GARDENS -- DAY

J Paul Getty and Chace walk side-by-side.

GETTY:

I wish I could say I'm surprised.

Getty approaches a statue by the reflecting pool. He putshis hand upon it, as if for support. He seems badly shaken.

CHACE:

Are you all right, Mr Getty?

GETTY:

When I wrote my book, "How to BeRich," the publisher called me andsaid they wanted to change the title.

They wanted to call it "How To Get

Rich." They thought it would sellmore copies.

(MORE)

GETTY (CONT'D)

(shakes his head)

I told them getting rich is easy.

Any fool can get rich, and a

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes