All the Money in the World Page #16

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GAIL (CONT'D)

My situation is urgent. Please, ifyou can give me any idea as to itstrue value -

The Appraiser's expression is one of surprise and confusion.

84.

APPRAISER:

Signora, if we may have a momentalone to consult among ourselves.

Gail nods and exits. Through the glass, we see him arguesotto voce with his associate. They call her back inside.

APPRAISER (CONT'D)

Seven or eight, at most.

GAIL:

(euphoric, relieved)

Seven million -- !

APPRAISER:

No, Signora. Seven dollars. This

is un gingillo, a trinket of the

type sold to tourists.

Gail's eyes narrow.

GAIL:

J Paul Getty is the foremost collectorin the world. Do you really imaginethat you know more than he does?

APPRAISER:

No, Signora, I do not. But I know

what my eyes see.

GAIL:

(trembling)

We're a joke to you. All of you.

Me and my kids. We were never goodenough.

(gathering her things)

I'll get another appraisal. Thank

you for your time.

APPRAISER:

Signora. You might start at theNational Museum.

INT. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ROME -- DAY

Gail walks through the Museum gallery clutching her shoebox,

showing the Minotaur to anyone who will listen. She finallycorners a DOCENT, who points her down the hallway.

DOCENT:

Dritto, poi a sinistra.

Gail hurries down the corridor, then turns into

85.

INT. MUSEUM GIFT SHOP -- DAY

At first it seems a cruel joke. But then she sees it, beneaththe cash register: AN ENTIRE BASKET OF MINOTAURS, dozens ofthem, and every one is identical to hers.

She kneels down before the wicker basket and reaches into

it, touching them, hearing the chalky clink of the littleidols as the other customers try not to stare. She quicklygathers up her shoebox and walks out.

EXT. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ROME -- PLAZA -- DAY

She walks out into the plaza, exhausted and overcome. As

she reaches the center of the Plaza, she becomes dizzy. Her

steps falter, she hesitates... and then she collapses.

INT. BARN -- NIGHT

A WOODEN STUMP is placed before us. It is dark with dried

blood. The doctor's instruments are laid out upon it.

Through the barn door we see Cinquanta pleading with Mammolitithrough the Mercedes' rear window. The Mercedes drives away.

Cinquanta enters. He offers Paul a bottle of cheap brandy.

CINQUANTADrink. Fast as you can swallow.

PAUL:

Tastes awful.

PAUL (CONT'D)

When they get it, they'll pay, right?

And then it's over.

CINQUANTAThat's right. You'll be home soon.

PAUL:

It's only an ear, right?

In the shadows, men are moving. A knife-glint in the dark.

CINQUANTALook into my eyes, Paolo, always.

No matter what happens. Don't look

at anything else but me.

PAUL:

Make it quick. Tell them.

CINQUANTA:

(to the Doctor)

Un taglio, rapidamente.

(MORE)

86.

CINQUANTA (CONT'D)

(to Paul)

Soon it's over.

PAUL:

When I get home -

A HAND reaches into frame and shoves a rag into Paul's mouth.

OTHER HANDS grab Paul by the arms as he struggles. The doctor

grabs the boy's ear, pulls it taut -

DOCTOR:

Stabile! Tenerlo stabile!

-- and begins to saw at it with a straight razor. Paul's

eyes go wide with shock.

CINQUANTAAt me! Look at me, Paul! My eyes!

Paul's eyes are locked with Cinquanta's: they implore andaccuse him. There is no blood; the ear is like rubber.

CINQUANTA (CONT'D)

Maria santissima!

The doctor struggles with the knife. Then, all at once, theblood comes, spilling down the boy's face.

CINQUANTA (CONT'D)

Paul -- !

Finally the ear comes free. They release Paul and hecollapses, his blood spilling out across the floor, and we

BLACK OUT.

FADE IN ON:

A SMALL YELLOW PACKAGE

addressed to "La Stampa" newspaper is dumped out of a canvas

postal worker's bag onto a conveyor belt.

INT. ROME POST OFFICE --DAY

We FOLLOW the little package as it drifts along on the tide

of thousands of other letters and packages, passing through

chutes and sorters, until it reaches another conveyor --

-- where it abruptly STOPS. The conveyor belt is turnedoff; the hum of machinery goes silent. The postal workersleave their stations. The lights are switched off...

...and the package sits there on the conveyor belt, waiting.

87.

INT. GAIL'S APARTMENT -- KITCHEN -- DAY

Fletcher Chace is in Gail's kitchen, foraging through herrefrigerator for sandwich fixings as her kids look on.

CHACE:

Look at this. We've got guanciale,

pecorino moliterno, friggitello,

scamorzina, Licini coppa, limonata.

Back home you'd be stuck with peanutbutter and marshmallow fluff.

ARIADNE:

I want marshmallow fluff.

Chace starts fixing the sandwiches.

CHACE:

You're breaking my heart. I tell

you what, I can get us some shippedfrom back home. I have connections.

But don't tell your mother.

Chace brings the sandwiches over to the kitchen table, whichis still burdened by the reel-to-reel tape recorder. He

lifts it up and places it on the floor so they can eat.

CHACE (CONT'D)

More like it.

Chace and the kids eat the meal he has prepared. For a moment

Chace seems slightly surprised to find himself here.

EXT. GAIL'S APARTMENT -- DAY

Gail collects the day's mail and the newspaper from themailbox. From O.S. we hear the sound of a camera CLICKING.

Gail looks up to see a weedy PAPARAZZO snapping pictures.

GAIL:

Lens cap.

The Paparazzo removes his lens cap, embarrassed. He tries

to get a reaction from her, calling out questions:

PAPARAZZO:

Is your son dead, Signora? It's

four months now. Surely he is dead.

GAIL:

No.

PAPARAZZO:

How do you know?

Gail doesn't answer. The Paparazzo grows frustrated.

88.

PAPARAZZO (CONT'D)

We wait out here months. You don't

pay the money. You don't cry. You

don't care if your own son dies.

(off her look)

I have to earn a living.

GAIL:

Money's the best excuse there is.

He shoves his cigarette in his mouth and climbs back ontohis scooter, rewinding his film as he goes, then speeds away.

Chace stands in the doorway behind Gail.

GAIL (CONT'D)

I'm pretty sure that was the last ofthem. They've all given up now.

CHACE:

Not everyone.

A cold wind. She gathers her sweater around herself.

GAIL:

I wonder if it's cold where they'rekeeping him.

CHACE:

He's a tough kid.

GAIL:

You've never even met him.

CHACE:

It's what I'm banking on.

(a beat)

Look, I'm going to ask you a question,

and you're going to tell me it'snone of my business. But I have to

ask. Who is Luigi Della Ratta?

GAIL:

You're resourceful enough to findthat out on your own.

CHACE:

To you, I mean.

GAIL:

Lou was company when I needed company.

You know?

CHACE:

It's all I've ever known.

89.

Out in the street, some neighborhood kids are playing soccer.

Cars zoom by at high speed, and the kids just play through.

CHACE (CONT'D)

Hey, kid, attento! Out of the street!

The kids ignore him. Gail watches them.

GAIL:

From the day you bring them homefrom the hospital, the world is fullof dangers that were never therebefore. A penny lying on the floor.

A lamp with a frayed electrical cable.

A driver crosses the dividing lineon the highway for an instant andall the light goes out of the worldforever.

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