Gangs of New York Page #14

KILLORAN:

(to Johnny)

I come to see if our counts square. You boys have made a remarkable

showing....

AMSTERDAM:

Who the hell's this?

JOHNNY:

He's our Tammany man.

Killoran compares his figures to the piece of paper where Johnny has been

keeping his own count.

KILLORAN:

... remarkable...

AMSTERDAM:

(With an edge)

Our own Tammany man. We are coming along. Happy to meet any friend of

Johnny Siroccols.

KILLORAN:

Likewise. Pleasure to meet the best but one in the whole Five Points.

AMSTERDAM:

Best but one? Who's better?

Killoran looks up. Johnny, standing behind Amsterdam, SHAKES his head "NO"

VIGOROUSLY. Killoran gets the message.

KILLORAN:

(smooth)

Maybe nobody. But when the count's done the numbers will tell who's come

out in front.

AMSTERDAM:

I'm in no race. Just pay us what you owe.

KILLORAN:

Tonight. At the victory celebration.

CUT TO:

64 INT. SPARROW'S CHINESE PAGODA

A Tammany victory celebration. When we last saw this place--as Amsterdam

confronted Happy Jack--the place was busy, alive. It's RIOTOUS now, jammed

to bursting with POLITICIANS, CRIMINALS, GANG MEMBERS, MORTS, WHORES,

HANGERS-ON, UPTOWN THRILL-SEEKERS, JOURNALISTS and COPS, not all of them

off duty. The SOUND of the place is a cacophony of SHOUTING, SINGING,

GAMBLING and STRANGE MUSIC--which we can't identify at first. We START

CLOSE on a huge ruby ring and we HEAR...

BOSS TWEED:

(V.O.)

Read what it says there, alongside the ruby...read it out ...

... and WE MOVE OUT as a WELL-WISHER reads the Latin inscription.

64 CONTINUED:

WELL-WISHER

"Fortuna Juvat Ordentes."

TWEED:

A grand victory gift from the men of Tammany. Now, tell 'em what it means,

Mayor Wood.

WOOD:

"Fortune favors the bold."

TWEED gives him a resounding slap on the back.

BOSS TWEED:

What do you think? Would that make a fit motto for our fair City?

WOOD:

Well, I could certainly see ...

KILLORAN:

(interrupting)

We've got a motto.

BOSS TWEED:

what is it?

(no one knows)

Well, hell, let's get one we can remember. We're going to build a new City

hall, we better have something to put over the front door. And Mayor,

you'll make sure the Latin's right?

As Wood nods his assent, CAMERA MOVES across room...

... past the gilded CAGES suspended ten feet over the floor, where the

women and children look down at the action just below them with a mixture

of trepidation and resignation. Occasionally a REVELER will jump up to try

and GRAB one of the caged inhabitants. Still MOVING, CAMERA...

... passes a stage, where we finally SEE the source of all the strange

MUSIC we've been hearing: the music is provided by

CHINESE MUSICIANS, a woman SINGER, a DANCER and some ACROBATS. They

perform some weird, mangled Five Points version of Chinese opera. The

music and performance continues as we MOVE PAST...

... across a PEWTER FAN-TAN TABLE, where CHINESE GAMBLERS play with fierce

animation and concentration. By comparison, the Occidental types playing

beside them seem like tourists.

Everyone SHOUTS and SCRAMBLES to place bets with the FAN-TAN DEALER.

Above the Dealer is an oval opening in the ceiling, through which OTHER

PLAYERS may watch the action below. These FAN-TAN PLAYERS lean over an

elegantly carved rail, peering at the action on the table below, placing

their bets and collecting their winnings by means of a BASKET attached to

WIRES that whirrs constantly overhead. We continue to MOVE PAST...

... until we are at the door of the place, where Amsterdam, Johnny and the

Rabbits are having words with a BOUNCER.

BOUNCER:

I don't know you, you don't enter.

AMSTERDAM:

(enjoying himself)

Come on, what are you saying? If you don't know us now, you'll know us

tomorrow and you'll be working for us next week.

JOHNNY:

(more temperate)

Daniel Killoran knows us.

BOUNCER:

Oh he does?

JOHNNY:

We work for him.

AMSTERDAM:

The hell we do.

JOHNNY:

(to Amsterdam)

Tampen down, will you?

BOUNCER:

Why don't you all get the hell out of here and go fix on a story? Go on!

He SHOVES Johnny, who STUMBLES back into Amsterdam. They're both mad now,

and they step forward together toward the Bouncer...

... until Killoran intervenes.

KILLORAN:

(to Bouncer)

It's all right, Nat. They're saying the truth. They gave a good day's work

for a good wage.

Killoran HANDS OVER a paper-wrapped parcel of money, which Amsterdam takes

firmly.

KILLORAN:

A fine first showing. But second best.

AMSTERDAM:

Second, eh? You don't say so.

KILLORAN:

It's no shame to be bested by veterans. The Native Americans always sweep

the field.

AMSTERDAM:

What?

KILLORAN:

We count on them sure as mass comes an Sunday.

AMSTERDAM:

(to Johnny, glaring)

Did you know this? Is this some scheme of yours?

JOHNNY:

No, I didn't have no idea ...

AMSTERDAM:

I was working the same side as the Natives? The Natives?

KILLORAN:

That's only right. Bill the Butcher's our ambassador throughout the

Points, as you might say. It's deemed an honor to work with him. Everyone

knows Bill Poole, everyone fears him, everyone ...

AMSTERDAM:

I sure as hell don't fear him. And I sure as hell won't stand with him, or

any who calls him one of theirs.

KILLORAN:

Well, if it's matter of personal honor, the money can only be a further

insult. I have no wish to rile you further, so if you'll allow me...

He REACHES to take back the parcel of money, but Amsterdam BATS his hand

away.

AMSTERDAM:

Where is he? Where's Bill the Butcher?

KILLORAN:

Listen, buck. This is a Tammany night. If you and Bill Poole have matters

to settle, you can do it any other time, any other place, I don't give a

good dancing goddamn. But you do it here tonight and all the Five Points

will be down on you like the righteous wrath of heaven. or you could, as

the Book says, put away childish things. Join the celebration. Personally,

I always find the least strenuous solution the most appealing. Don't you?

Amsterdam stares at him as we...

CUT TO:

65 INT. SPARROW'S CHINESE PAGODA

As a CHINESE ACROBAT TWIRLS in the air, off the stage, and lands in the

middle of the audience. The crowd is raucously appreciative as the Acrobat

does GYMNASTIC MOVES among them...

... past a table where the Dead Rabbits have settled. it is later in the

evening, and everyone has been drinking.

Amsterdam, sullen, intense, WATCHES ...

..Bill the Butcher, across the room. He is like a prince regent. Everyone

pays him court, including several uniformed COPS, TAMMANY HANGERS-ON, and

NEWSPAPERMEN. Bill receives the attention as his due....

... while Amsterdam keeps watching, contempt and hatred gleaming in his

eye. He pays attention to none of the gang around, including Jenny. Johnny

takes advantage of the situation.

JOHNNY:

I got experience. It's the education I lack.

JENNY:

And you heard I was a good teacher?

JOHNNY:

I don't listen to talk, I figure for myself. And I figured you'd be good

at everything you did.

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