Gangs of New York Page #3

VALLON and BILL THE BUTCHER keep fighting. Amsterdam sees, with a single

look, that his father is in the fight of his life. He looks for a weapon

to help...

... sees a HATCHET lying by the body of the Rabbit he has just beaten

senseless. He grabs it and runs forward, looking for an opening between

the Butcher and his father...

As the two combatants move, Amsterdam MOVES. Bobbing, weaving, feinting,

falling back... looking for his chance...

... as Bill deals VALLON a blow that ROCKS him back and throws him off

balance...

...just as Amsterdam has made his move. He RUSHES forward, sees his father

FALLING, tries to turn but...

... too late. The boy's hatchet SLASHES his father in the leg. VALLON

falls to one knee, gestures frantically to the stunned Amsterdam to get

away...

... and Bill is upon VALLON, SINKING his knife into his chest. VALLON

screams and falls on his back, Bill kneeling over him. He looks into his

enemy's eyes ... and VALLON's EYES LOCK ON HIS. For all his suffering,

VALLON's eyes HOLD Bill ... he forces himself to look at Bill...it's a

terrible struggle... but VALLON will not look away.

Amsterdam, hysterical, RUSHES at the Butcher. The Butcher grabs Amsterdam

by the arm, making him drop his hatchet.

BILL THE BUTCHER

You need a weapon? Use a knife.

He puts the struggling boy's hand on the hilt of the knife that the

Butcher sunk into his father's chest.

BILL THE BUTCHER

It makes a deeper cut.

And, HIS HAND GUIDING THE BOY'S, he RAMS his knife deep into VALLON's

heart.

BILL THE BUTCHER

Say a benediction, Priest.

VALLON bellows in agony. Amsterdam screams at the very same moment, his

cry mingling with his fatherls tearing through the air.

BILL THE BUTCHER

(to Amsterdam)

Hold this close to mind, boy, should you ever think of going up against

the Native Americans.

Bill the Butcher rises and all around him, as if on some mysterious

signal, the fighting subsides. A DEAD RABBIT sees the fallen Vallon, takes

a battered brass HORN from his belt and sounds THREE NOTES, quick and

sharp. As the notes fade away, the fighting stops completely.

BILL THE BUTCHER

(announcing)

Ears and noses will be trophies of the day.

The Rabbits SCAMPER to collect their dead and wounded before the Natives

can get to them to slice off the battle souvenirs. But there are many

corpses maimed. The Street Kids DISPERSE. The main battle is over, and the

Natives have clearly carried the day.

The Rabbits file past Vallon, rorming a protective CIRCLE around him.

Amsterdam kneels at his side. Vallon tries to speak. Blood bubbles in his

throat.

VALLON:

Can't..can't cross the river... with steel through my heart.

Amsterdam looks around. None of the Rabbits makes a move. This is clearly

something he is meant to do himself.

Amsterdam grabs the tortoise handle of the knife, PULLS on it. Vallon

tries not to cry out. The knife does not move.

Amsterdam tries again. He can't budge the knife. Vallon MOANS. Nearly

wild, Amsterdam PULLS with all his strength. Vallon SCREAMS in agony.

Amsterdam is pulling so hard he raises his father's back four inches off

the ground. Still the knife will not move. Vallon passes out from the pain.

Now, finally, someone steps forward: Monk Eastman. He leans over but

Amsterdam, berserk with grief, pushes him away, turns back to his father,

and, with a last desperate pull, DRAWS the knife from his father's heart.

He throws it on the ground. Monk picks it up, wipes the blade on his arm,

closes the knife and hands it to Amsterdam.

MONK:

That's yours, rightfully.

Now Monk leans over the lifeless body and reaches inside Vallon's coat,

REMOVING some money.

MONK:

And this is mine. Only what's owed. Use the rest for funeral.

AMSTERDAM:

No!

He tries to shove Monk away from his father, when the Native Warrior

intervenes.

HAPPY JACK:

It's fair.

Amsterdam, wild with shock and grief, turns back to his father as Monk

takes what's owed him. Amsterdam bends over to KISS Vallon on both cheeks,

then on his left eye.

The boy is just about to kiss his fatheros closed right eye when the lid

springs OPEN - Amsterdam jumps back despite himself. Vallon stares at him:

a last moment of recognition.

VALLON:

Hon ...

AMSTERDAM:

No, Pa!

VALLON:

... honor me... think of me ... don't never look away.

Vallon convulses and DIES. Amsterdam shakes him to revive him.

RABBIT WOMAN:

Take the body. Bring the boy.

Several RABBITS take a step or two forward, but Amsterdam springs up at

them, like an animal.

RABBIT WARRIOR:

Come an, lad. Therels nothing to be done now.

AMSTERDAM:

Get away! Get away!

HAPPY JACK:

Leave him be. He's his to mourn.

And the RABBITS turn away, going back to the Old Brewery or vanishing down

the narrow streets.

Now a few CITIZENS venture out into Paradise square. A couple of

SCAVENGERS scoot about, looting bodies.

Amsterdam stays in the center of the square unmoving, undisturbed, keeping

solitary vigil over his father.

A TITLE is superimposed across this scene:

NEW YORK CITY 1844

8 EXT. HARBOR DAY WINTER (MATTE)

The same afternoon. As the sun goes down, we have our first full look

(MATTE) at the low pale outlines of the city.

The harbor is crowded with the high masts of sailing ships. Just north of

the island tip is the steeple of the city's tallest structure, Trinity

Church. The buildings of Wall Street are masses of concrete and wood, the

streets surrounding them paved with cobblestones. Just above the financial

district are the sloping buildings and rutted avenue of the Five Points .

The Old Brewery stands tall and forbidding over Paradise Square.

Above the Five Points, in the distance, we can glimpse some finer, newer

buildings. One wide street--Broadway--seems to run from the very tip of

the island clear up into the woods just a few miles north of the harbor.

The only SOUNDS are the lapping of the harbor water against the boats, the

creaking of masts in the winter WIND.

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