All the Money in the World Page #4

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PAUL:

You used to live here?

GETTY:

In the second century, when I wasthe Emperor Hadrian. I knew it the

moment I first visited this place.

I remembered every stone as clearlyas if I'd just come back from a tripto the store for a pack of smokes.

I never felt at home anywhere onEarth until I came here.

PAUL:

Maybe they'd let you stay. Overnight,

like. Get a tent and a sleeping bag -

GETTY:

Oh, I tried, believe me. I made

them an offer, a very generous offer!

PAUL:

Them?

GETTY:

Rome. The Romans. But when theyhear the name Getty they all getdollar signs in their eyes. Theysaid it wasn't for sale.

PAUL:

Figures.

GETTY:

Exactly. That old tactic. That's

what I'm talking about, Paul.

(a beat)

To be a Getty is to have everyoneyou know secretly want a piece of

you. You are surrounded, always, bysmiling faces, but you have no one.

17.

PAUL:

You have us.

GETTY:

(deeply moved)

That's true. I have you now. And

to think it was almost too late.

All I've built would crumble into

dust if there's no one to carry iton after I'm gone.

(takes Paul's hand)

The blood of emperors runs throughyou, as it does through me. You're

a Getty, Paul. You have a destiny.

EXT. YACHT/BOAT HARBOR, PORTOFINO, ITALY -- DAY

Gail, Big Paul and the children descend the gangplank onto a47-foot yacht. Beautiful COUPLES and their children are

already relaxing on deck with cocktails and music. ISABELLE

and JULIAN, the hosts, wave happily as they descend.

ISABELLE:

Jules, it's the Gettys!

(kisses, greetings)

We were worried you'd been abducted.

GAIL:

If I were you I'd make us walk theplank.

ISABELLE:

Not until we've got a few drinks inyou first. And this must be John

Paul II?

PAUL:

And III.

Charmed LAUGHTER. Big Paul looks a bit taken aback.

JOHN PAUL JR:

No Roman numerals, please. We're

American. Just Paul is fine, forboth of us.

EXT. LIGURIAN SEA -- DAY

Bronzed bodies lie in the sun alongside sweating gin-andtonics

as the yacht glides over a stained-glass sea. Little

Paul tiptoes over and around them -

-- to the bow of the boat, where Gail stands, wearing a whiteshift dress, her eyes closed: an Aegean goddess. She sees

Little Paul, holds out her hand to him, and brings him close.

18.

PAUL:

I feel like we're flying.

GAIL:

Me too, darling.

(whispers)

The whole world, for you.

She hold him as they gaze into the approaching horizon.

INT. DINING ROOM -- DAY

Getty, Little Paul, and Big Paul all sit at the breakfasttable, attended by BULLIMORE, a butler in a morning coat.

Getty eats a half grapefruit. Big Paul seems hung over.

Little Paul eats Cheerios as he reads Getty's mail to him.

PAUL:

"Dear Mr. Getty, I am writing you

because we are in desperate straits.

My husband suffers from a tumor that

has caused his groin area to swell

to uncontrollable dimensions. The

doctors say without immediate surgery

normal movement will soon become

impossible. God bless you, you are

a Great American, Elvira Broadus,

Mound City, Arkansas."

Getty dictates as the boy transcribes his response:

GETTY:

Dear Mrs. Broadus, while I am

sympathetic to your unique situation,

you are one of three thousand people

daily who write to me asking for

money. If I were to respond to every

request for money I receive, I would

soon be as destitute as yourself.

The boy seems slightly downcast.

GETTY (CONT'D)

Yours, JP Getty. Next.

The boy places the form letter into an envelope, addressesit, and sets it on a pile of identical letters. Little Paul

picks up a new letter and opens it.

PAUL:

"Dear Mr. Getty --"

JOHN PAUL JR:

Surely you can find someone else to

answer your mail.

19.

PAUL:

I like it, Dad.

GETTY:

He likes it, son. The boy wants tobe useful. I find that admirable.

It's a family business. Everyonehas a role to play. Which reminds

me:
I'm firing Howard Larkin. I'm

making you Executive Vice Presidentof Getty Oil, with oversight overEuropean operations and exploration.

JOHN PAUL JR:

All I know about oil is regular orunleaded.

GETTY:

You wanted a job. I'm giving you

one. Sink or swim.

BLACK OUT.

FADE IN:

INT. LE PALAIS DU ZAHIR, MARRAKECH, MOROCCO -- MORNING

CLOSE on Little Paul's sleeping face. He is older now, almostin his teens. His eyes open. He sits up and looks around.

We are in a vast room piled with pillows and carpets, andpeople sleeping upon them. Thick smoke hangs in the air.

INT. KITCHEN -- MORNING

Paul pours a bowl of cereal. There are others here, shirtlessskinny men with beards and long hair; he doesn't know them.

INT. MASTER BEDROOM -- MORNING

A huge round bed within a tent-like canopy of brocaded silkdominates the room. A man and a woman are sleeping there.

Paul lifts the flap of the canopy and climbs into the bedwith his cereal. We realize that, beneath the long hair andthe beard, the man is Big Paul, his father.

PAUL:

(whispering)

Dad.

(increasing volume)

Dad. Dad. Dad.

Big Paul does not move. Little Paul turns and looks at the

woman beside him; she is not his mother, but a remarkabledark-haired beauty, a model.

20.

Upon the nightstand there's a glass of wine, a lighter, aglassine bag, a burnt spoon.

PAUL (CONT'D)

Dad. Dad. Dad.

Finally, Paul realizes it's pointless and gives up.

INT. GETTY OIL COMPANY, LOS ANGELES -- DAY

Gail Getty paces in the front lobby of Getty's headquarters.

IACOVONI:

This poor woman, what she has endured!

Gail is impeccably dressed and attended by her Italianattorney, the high-strung, diminutive GIOVANNI IACOVONI.

IACOVONI (CONT'D)

The decadence of the father, adepraved drug addict, living in apalace in Marrakech filled with hippieparasites. How she suffers with

worry for her son!

GAIL:

Giovanni, enough. This isn't Italy.

We're not going before the Pope foran annulment.

IACOVONI:

I know this, signora. I do this

simply to get my blood flowing.

GAIL:

It's all business to them.

A TEAM OF SUITS file past en route to the conference room.

GAIL (CONT'D)

I wonder how many people have evermanaged to walk out of that conferenceroom in one piece.

IACOVONI:

Signora. Do not underestimate the

power of a mother's love.

GAIL:

Right now I'd rather have a

billionaire's money.

SECRETARY (O.S.)

Ms Getty, they're ready for you now.

21.

INT. BOARD ROOM -- DAY

A long conference table, lined on either side with ATTORNEYS.

At one end sits Gail Getty, with Iacovoni by her side.

ATTORNEY:

Of course, we expect Ms. Getty willbe seeking a generous financialsettlement, as is typical in high-

profile divorce cases.

At the other end sits J Paul Getty, silent and aloof. Beside

him, his lead attorney, OSWALD HINGE.

HINGE:

As pertains to custody, there is thematter of Ms. Getty's fitness as amother.

IACOVONI:

The father is a drug addict who cannottie his own shoes. You would leave

the boy alone in Morocco with a richdegenerate?

HINGE:

The court will take a close interest

in her psychological profile. We

are asking the judge to order acomplete evaluation by a panel ofpsychiatrists.

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