American Hustle Page #12

Irving loves them. He can’t get

enough of them.

IRVING ROSENFELD

I can’t get enough.

65.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

(hand out to Carmine)

Carmine, sweet and sour. Rotten and

delicious.

She leans across the table and puts them under Carmine’s

nose.

CARMINE POLITO:

Smells like flowers.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

Flowers, but with garbage.

CARMINE POLITO:

You know what that is for me? It's

coriander for me.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

Irving loves it. He can’t get

enough. That’s what hooks you. He

always comes back for it.

IRVING ROSENFELD

I can’t stop.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

(confidentially to Dolly)

He’s gonna say we have to talk

business in five, four, three, two,

one --

IRVING ROSENFELD

(to girls)

Dolly, can me and the mayor talk

business here?

ROSALYN ROSENFELD

(falling off her seat)

AHH-HA-HAHAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

Carmine and Dolly rush to grab Rosalyn; JULIUS, Carmine’s

steadfast AIDE, BLACK, 40, BIG SIDEBURNS, LOOSENED TIE and

white shirtsleeves, BIG SMILE, helps.

ROSALYN ROSENFELD (CONT’D)

No, don’t do that it makes me look

more drunk than I am! I’m not this

drunk. Irving please don’t make me

go, I was just starting to have

fun!

She WOBBLES INTO ARMS OF his WIFE Dolly, she and Carmine help

guide Rosalyn out.

66.

102 EXT. WEST 54TH STREET - NIGHT 102

Todd Rundgren’s “I Saw the Light” plays somewhere. Edith

dressed in tight Halston dress, hair flows huge all roundher; walks with Richie, who is waiting in a white gray suitwith a white disco collar outside the lapel, chains aroundhis neck.

EDITH GREENSLY:

Didn’t your fiance want to come outtonight?

RICHIE DIMASO:

Yeah, no, I don’t know.

EDITH GREENSLY:

I’m sorry, we don’t have to talk

about it. I was just teasing you.

RICHIE DIMASO:

Do you ever think, how did I end uphere? How did my life become this?

You ever think that? And youwonder, am I ever gonna get to abetter place or is this it? Youever feel like that?

Edith stares, nods yes.

EDITH GREENSLY:

I do. I definitely know that.

Edith nods puts a hand on his face.

EDITH GREENSLY (CONT’D)

I’m sorry we don’t have to go

dancing. We can go have coffee ortalk or something.

RICHIE DIMASO:

No, I need this. Please, I need to

go dancing with you.

Richie reaches down and squeezes her hand.

Please.

RICHIE DIMASO (CONT’D)

103 Edith smiles. 103

EDITH GREENSLY:

OK baby, let’s go dancing.

INT. DISCO - NIGHT

67.

Richie and Edith DANCE AND DANCE AND SWEAT to Donna Summer’s

“I Feel Love” --dance --riding a high.

Edith EXCUSES HERSELF to go to bathroom -- breaks away

through crowd -- leaves Richie on dance floor -- then

SUDDENLY BREAKS AWAY -- RUSHES THROUGH THE CROWD --

104

GETS TO THE LADIES ROOM JUST AS SYDNEY DOES -- HE PUSHES HER 104

FROM BEHIND INTO A STALL -- SHE PUTS HER HANDS ON THE TOP OF

THE STALL WALL AS RICHIE RUNS HIS HANDS UP HER LEGS FROM HER

ANKLES AND UNDER HER DRESS - SHE LEANS HER ASS BACK INTO IT

ARCHES HER BACK --

SUDDENLY RICHIE STOPS, throws himself back against the other

stall wall, out of breath. Edith LOOKS OVER HER SHOULDER --

RICHIE DIMASO:

I really f***ing like you.

EDITH GREENSLY:

I like you too. I want to live,

alright. For real. No more fake

sh*t. Alright?

She get’s real close to his face, almost about to kiss.

EDITH GREENSLY (CONT’D)

We’re going to wait until we decide

to go for love Richie. For real.

That’s when we f***. Not till then,

ok?

RICHIE DIMASO:

OK.

GIRL OUTSIDE STALL (O.S.)

Are you gonna f*** for real or get

out of the stall for real?

EDITH GREENSLY:

No more fake sh*t.

RICHIE DIMASO:

No more fake sh*t.

EDITH GREENSLY:

No more fake sh*t!

GIRL OUTSIDE STALL

F*** me I gotta piss!

The girl outside the stall bangs on the door.

68.

She holds his mouth in one hand and leans in and kisses him -

they get lost -

EDITH GREENSLY:

Get out!

SHE SHOVES HIM OUT OF THE STALL, LOCKS IT.

RICHIE DIMASO:

(outside stall)

I want to be f***ing real!

RICHIE LAUGHS MANICALLY EXCITED AS HE STANDS AMID MANY WOMEN

WHO SHOVE HIM OUT THE DOOR. IN THE STALL SYD SITS

EXHILARANTLY AND THROWS HER HEAD BACK LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY -

GIDDY.

EDITH GREENSLY:

AHHHHHHH!

SMASH TO:

105 INT. BARON’S BACK ROOM - CAMDEN SOCIAL CLUB - NIGHT 105

Irv and Carmine JOYOUSLY SING Tom Jones’ "Delilah" WITH a

RAUNCHOUSLY HAPPY GROUP OF locals.

SMASH TO:

INT. BARON’S BACK ROOM- CAMDEN SOCIAL CLUB - NIGHT - LATER

Carmine puts down glass of bourbon as he addresses everyone

emotionally as he looks at Irving.

CARMINE POLITO:

(to Julius)

This guy right here, Irving

Rosenfeld? You know what he's gonna

do? He's gonna bring the Sheik to

Atlantic City, where we can rebuild

all those resorts there, put

everybody back to work.

Irving stares and is moved by this. Tears come to his eyes,

he feels bad about it all suddenly.

CARMINE POLITO (CONT’D)

He's gonna get this community --

he's gonna get this state -- back

on its feet where it belongs. Isn't

that right?

(MORE)

69.

CARMINE POLITO (CONT’D)

He's gonna grow our tax base and

create thousands and thousands of

jobs for everyone. You understand

that? You know what that means?

JULIUS:

To Irving.

GIRLS:

To Irving!

Carmine sits down on the couch next to Irving.

CARMINE POLITO:

This guy right here. He’s got a big

heart.

IRVING ROSENFELD

(quietly)

I'd just hate it if it didn't work

out.

CARMINE POLITO:

What do you mean? Of course it’s

going to work out. Guys like you

and me? We dream and we build. We

never give up. We never quit.

SMASH TO:

106 EGGS, PANCAKES, AND BACON COOK ON A DINER GRIDDLE. 106

107 QUIET -- INT. DINER - MORNING 107

Irv and Carmine eat breakfast.

CARMINE POLITO:

Can I ask you a question.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Sure.

CARMINE POLITO:

Is the sheik black?

Irving looks flummoxed.

IRVING ROSENFELD

He’s an Arab.

They look at each other.

70.

CARMINE POLITO:

That’s black, isn’t it?

Irv isn’t sure what to say.

IRVING ROSENFELD

Why you asking?

CARMINE POLITO:

Maybe it's a dumb question, but I

was just wondering -- I would like

to arrange for the Sheik to see

Camden. To see the people of

Camden. The people I serve. The

people I love. Who are mostly black

and Puerto Rican. I really want him

to see how good this is going to be

for the community, how ready we are

for this opportunity, and he can

see how far his dollar will go.

You know what I mean? What do you

think?

IRVING ROSENFELD

Yeah we can do that. He can see

Camden.

CARMINE POLITO:

(relieved)

Hey, I got something I wanna give

to you.

IRVING ROSENFELD

For me?

CARMINE POLITO:

I got you a gift. Let’s get out of

here. The girls are going to kill

us I’m sure.

CUT TO:

108 EXT. DINER PARKING LOT - MORNING 108

They walk in the morning sun to Carmine’s Lincoln where he

opens the trunk and they stare at what is inside.

IRVING ROSENFELD

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