All the Money in the World Page #14

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GAIL:

Thank you, Archbishop Marcinkus.

(MORE)

73.

GAIL (CONT'D)

I was hoping you could use yourpersonal influence to help Paul.

CHACE:

Paul has been kidnapped by theN'dragheta, father.

Marcinkus nods. He speaks in a blunt Chicago accent:

MARCINKUS:

I may be able to have some influencethere.

(off Gail's look)

Don't look so surprised. The Vaticanhas for hundreds of years hadrelationships with the ancientfraternal organizations of Italy.

GAIL:

Actually, we were hoping his Holinesswould persuade my father-in-law topay the ransom.

MARCINKUS:

You want me to ask the Pontiff to

twist J Paul Getty's arm?

CHACE:

Mr. Getty tends to listen to thosehe considers his equals.

MARCINKUS:

And he thinks the Pope is his equal.

CHACE:

Nearly.

MARCINKUS:

You gave me the impression that youwere here on Mr. Getty's behalf.

Who is it you're working for?

For a moment, Chace doesn't know how to answer.

CHACE:

I just want to bring the boy home.

Marcinkus rises.

MARCINKUS:

I'll have a word with his Holiness.

(re:
Chace's face)

You look like you met up with somethingthat didn't agree with you.

74.

Gail looks away.

CHACE:

Rome is a tough town, Father.

MARCINKUS:

The toughest.

EXT. ST. PETER'S SQUARE -- DAY

Gail and Chace walk in the shade of the colonnades beside

the vast plaza. Chace keeps his distance.

GAIL:

I owe you an apology, Mr Chace. I

was angry, but that's no excuse.

CHACE:

I've taken worse beatings before forless cause. Never with a princessphone, though.

GAIL:

Please don't make a joke out of it.

CHACE:

OK, how about this, then. You were

right when you said I had nothing.

I'm not important, I'm not rich.

GAIL:

That's not what I meant.

CHACE:

But if I had the money to give I'dgive it to you.

Gail looks up at him.

CHACE (CONT'D)

Let me rephrase that.

GAIL:

Don't.

Gail walks through the colonnade, and Chace walks with her.

EXT. ROME FIUMICINO AIRPORT -- NIGHT

A PRIVATE PLANE taxis on the mist-shrouded runway. The

clamshell air-stair descends, a black sedan pulls up, andtwo bodyguards whisk J Paul Getty inside.

75.

EXT. HOTEL AGOSTO -- NIGHT

Getty and his coterie enter via the alley door, briskly movingthrough the kitchen.

INT. HOTEL AGOSTO -- NIGHT

A group of furtive Milanese in black designer clothes hoveroutside a hotel suite.

OTTO:

Good evening, Mr. Getty.

GETTY:

Nothing good about it. Let's getdown to business.

OTTO:

Are you serious about making payment?

GETTY:

I wouldn't be here if I weren't.

OTTO:

Because there can't be any more games.

You know our price, and it's notsubject to negotiation any longer.

Payment must be made in cash, tonight.

GETTY:

I want the proof first.

OTTO:

After you.

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT

As he enters, Getty is overcome with emotion.

GETTY:

There you are.

REVERSE ANGLE:
there on the bedspread is a small painting:

Albrecht D.rer's 15th Century "Madonna and Child in a Window."

OTTO:

Because of the painting's disputedprovenance, it can never be publiclydisplayed. As discussed, our priceis $1.15 million.

GETTY:

I'm afraid we weren't able to bringthe full sum. Liquidity, you know.

Otto motions for his men to begin packing up the painting.

76.

OTTO:

True masterpieces never go on sale,

Mr. Getty. If you cannot pay, youwill never own one.

Getty grimaces. He turns to one of his coterie:

GETTY:

Pay the man.

INT. BUTCHER -- REGGIO, CALABRIA -- DAY

A BUTCHER cuts flesh from a lamb's flank with a cleaver,

wraps it in wax paper, and hands it to Sgro and Cinquanta.

EXT. WHEATFIELD/BARN -- EVENING

A field of dried grain roils in the wind. A tumbledown

clapboard shack stands at its center.

INT. BARN -- EVENING

Paul sits on a bare mattress, chained to the floor. Cinquantaenters with an oil lantern and a covered plate.

CINQUANTAI brought you something to warm you,

Paolo. Something special for beinga good boy.

He sets down the plate. Two steaks, running with blood.

PAUL:

Can I have some crackers?

CINQUANTAWhat do you want that for? I broughtyou this good tagliata. Come on, weeat it together.

Paul takes a bite. It's hard to swallow.

PAUL:

It's too much. I'll be sick.

CINQUANTALook at me, Paul. You must eat it

all, no matter how long it takes.

Make sure you keep it down.

PAUL:

You bring me steak now? Why?

The door opens and a man walks in carrying a doctor's bag.

The Doctor indicates for Paul to come to him.

77.

CINQUANTA:

Do as he says.

The Doctor examines Paul's ears. He shaves the hair around

the ear with a straight razor, then swabs it with alcohol.

CINQUANTA (CONT'D)

Eat now. Keep eating. Ask me no

questions, Paolo. You have to trust

me. It's important.

He offers a bite to the boy, as you would to a child.

PAUL:

I'll eat it. Just leave me alone

and I'll eat it all, OK?

The Doctor exits, his examination finished. Cinquanta leavesthe plate on the floor. Paul takes a bite of the steak.

CINQUANTAIf I could, I'd take your place.

Cinquanta turns and walks outside, leaving Paul alone. Paul

spits out the morsel. He takes out the Bic pen and the boxof matches hidden inside the waistband of his pants.

QUICK CUTS:
Paul uses the steak knife to scrape thephosphorous off the match heads. He removes the ink tube

from the pen and packs it with the phosphorous.

He goes to work on the shackle that chains him to the barnfloor, attacking the floorboards with the knife.

He hears the VOICES of the men. He looks through a crack inthe wall. They're drinking and singing outside the farmhouse.

He pulls on the chain again, leaning into it. Finally itgives. He falls, the chain CLATTERING across the floor.

THROUGH THE CRACK IN THE WALL: the men fall silent, thenresume their carousing. Paul picks up the pen tube and raisesit to his lips like a peashooter. He lights a match -

-- and the phosphorous packed inside CATCHES FIRE. It sparksbrilliantly, like a Roman candle. He aims it through thecrack in the wall, then BLOWS -

EXT. BARN -- NIGHT

-- LAUNCHING it into the field of dried, broken grain. For

a moment it is a shooting star, and then it lands.

INT. BARN -- NIGHT

PAUL'S EYE peers through the crack in the wall -

78.

EXT. BARN -- NIGHT

-- as his Roman candle sputters amidst the cracked stalks,

then dies. The light in Paul's eye seems to die with it.

Then the wind picks up. The embers begin to glow and scatter;

the cracked wheat catches fire.

CUT TO:

THE ENTIRE FIELD IS ABLAZE. Paul climbs out of the wood

shed with the broken chain slung over his shoulder. He

disappears into the wheat field.

The flames threaten to overtake the barn; the men from the

house come running, desperate to rescue the boy inside.

Paul runs through the wheat field as A WALL OF FLAME consumesit. The wind whips the smoke into a black cloud behind him.

We PULL BACK to gaze down upon the young boy as runs, the

great field of fire spreading in his wake.

EXT. AUTOSTRADA -- NIGHT

Paul runs toward the highway with the chain slung over his

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