Gangs of New York Page #4

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9 EXT. HARBOR DAY

A closer view - The TITLE fades off. We see an imposing edifice on the

edge of the harbor with a wooden sign identifying: "IMMIGRATION

DEPARTMENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA."

The sun has nearly set. A boy--about 10 years old--sits on the edge of the

Castle Garden dock, gazing down at the frozen Hudson. He can just about

make out his reflection in the dull sheen of the ice. His name is JOHNNY

SIROCCO, and he watches himself with bewildered seriousness.

Abruptly, he reaches down and SMASHES through the ice with his fist. In

SLOW MOTION, we watch the ice fragments drift apart in the river current,

each bearing away a REFLECTION of Johnnyls face, like pieces of a puzzle.

POLICEMAN:

Where's your family, sonny?

Johnny sees a POLICEMAN scrutinizing him.

JOHNNY:

(lilting brogue)

My mother's just there.

He gestures toward a ship, where MEN are unloading cargo. In a hoist, they

are lowering a thin pine COFFIN to dockside.

JOHNNY:

On the trip, her insides all broke up. She wasn't dead and there was three

others fighting for her bed.

POLICEMAN:

And your father? Where's he, then?

JOHNNY:

I never knew him.

POLICEMAN:

(taking Johnny's hand)

We better see to you, then.

CUT TO:

10 EXT. STREET NIGHT

The Policeman leads an awed Johnny through the TEEMING streets of the Five

Points.

POLICEMAN:

Where all those streets come together right ahead is the true Five Points.

But most speak of the Five Points and mean anywhere between the Battery

and the Bowery.

Although the night's cold, the streets are jammed. WHORES painted like

carnival Gypsies sell themselves to any man sober enough to stand up.

SOUNDS of laughter and combat filter out from garish SALOONS like the

Little Naples, the Hell Hole, the Egyptian Hall.

In the midst of all this highlife are BEGGARS and the SICKLY, looking for

charity, scrounging garbage in the street. An INDIGENT battles a CRIPPLE

for a meager scrap of faod. A richly dressed WOMAN, riding by in a

carriage, hides her eyes by raising a HUGE BOUQUET OF FLOWERS in front of

her face.

POLICEMAN:

Streets hereabouts are lively of an evening. The city comes here to sport.

But there's places to put up a boy on his own.

Three WOMEN, exquisitely costed, burst from the door of the Egyptian Hall.

Under the harsh glare of a nearby gas lamp, their faces are no longer

striking. Johnny STARES; there is something not right about these faces.

JOHNNY:

And those? What are those?

POLICEMAN:

Well, those. Those are, as you might say, a sort of...

We SEE one of the women's faces, suddenly harsh under gaslight: under

thickly caked make-up is a smiling TRANSVESTITE.

POLICEMAN:

... sort of whatnot.

TRANSVESTITE:

Say, policeman. I'll buy your bonny friend.

The Policeman fetches the Transvestite a strong WHACK with his nightstick.

The Transvestite screams and falls ... and Johnny RUNS.

POLICEMAN:

Hey!

But Johnny's off, already lost in the mad street life.

CUT TO:

INT. MORTUARY NIGHT

A funeral chapel.

Vallan's body lies in state. He is wearing his gang regalia, and all the

Dead Rabbits FILE PAST his coffin in solemn tribute. A WOMAN bends down

and kisses the body. Happy Jack Mulraney holds Vallon's crucifix, which he

has obviously inherited. As a disreputable looking Minister mutters

PRAYERS, Happy Jack whispers to a silent Amsterdam.

HAPPY JACK:

We passed the plate amongst ourselves. Come up with enough ned to carry

all this, and carry you a while, too.

He stuffs some money in Amsterdam's pocket.

AMSTERDAM:

Where will my father rest?

HAPPY JACK:

Potters Field, with everyone else.

AMSTERDAM:

My father won't be buried with everyone else. He'll lie separate in fresh

ground, facing east.

HAPPY JACK:

What difference where he faces?

AMSTERDAM:

He'll face east for the second coming of Christ.

HAPPY JACK:

Fine, son. When Jesus gets to the Battery you show Him the way from there.

The Minister finishes the service. MR. CORNELIUS, a funeral director who

resembles one of his own customers, ushers in a WOMAN (MAGGIE) pulling a

lovely 10 year old GIRL (JENNY EVERDEKNE) by the hand. The woman is

obviously drunk, the girl frightened.

MR. CORNELIUS

Will you have music, entlegen

WOMAN (MAGGIE)

My daughter'11 do any song you like.

HAPPY JACK:

Not tonight, Maggie, we got...

Monk Eastman interrupts from the Background.

MONK:

How much?

MAGGIE:

Any ned in your pocket, sir.

MONK hands MAGGIE some coins.

MONK:

She sing sweet as she looks?

MAGGIE:

Pure celestial, sir.

(to girl)

Go on, Jenny.

Jenny's voice is sweet as promised. The song she SINGS, however, is a

bawdy saloon song. Maggie cuts her off fast.

MAGGIE:

No, Jen, the other.

Jenny starts to sing a HYMN. To avoid looking at the corpse, she lets her

eyes rove all around the chapel until she SEES Amsterdam. She locks

straight at him until the hymn is over. And he does not take his eyes off

her.

CUT TO:

12 INT. MORTUARY HALLWAY NIGHT

Mr. Cornelius is about to escort Maggie and Jenny into another room

crowded with mourners when a smartly-dressed man (DANIEL KILLORAN)

gestures to him from the shadows.

KILLORAN:

Mr. Tweed would like a word, Mr. Cornelius.

(Cornelius hesitates)

Tweed of Tammany.

At the mention of the name, Cornelius shoos Maggie and Jenny into the

mourning room and shuts the door behind them. Then he gives Killoran his

full attention.

KILLORAN:

In your office. At your pleasure, of course.

CUT TO:

13 INT. MORTUARY OFFICE

As the door opens, we see a man gazing out the narrow window onto the

spectacle in the next building. He is in his late 20s, already a little

fleshy but dressed with dash: WILLIAM TWEED... "BOSS" TWEED. He shows a

bemused, almost schalarly interest in the goings-on next door.

This mortuary is located next to a bordello, where the windows are

uncurtained and the energy and variety of the

activities inside is astounding.

Tweed finally TURNS as Killoran opens the door.

TWEED:

Mr. Cornelius. With a view like this I'm surprised the dead can rest in

peace.

CORNELIUS:

Is there anything I can...

TWEED:

(interrupting)

Yes. A favor.

CORNELIUS:

Happy to serve, Mr. Tweed.

TWEED:

Excellent. Lend me something.

CORNELIUS:

(puzzled)

Oh, I don't know what I could ...

TWEED:

I believe in form and appearance, you see. Just like yourself, sir. And I

believe in law, and the power of example. Our city is a lawless

wilderness, sir. I'm asking you to help chasten it.

CORNELIUS:

A matter of civic duty, then.

TWEED:

And civic pride. I want you to help me set an example.

(smiles)

I only need to borrow one of your clients.

CUT TO:

14 INT. MORTUARY NIGHT

Two native Americans open the door where Vallon is laid out and Bill the

Butcher STRIDES into the room.

There is immediate TENSION, like an electric charge, as other Natives

stand in the doorway and crowd the hall stand while Bill walks over to the

coffin. He places a BLACK ROSE in Vallon's folded hands.

BILL THE BUTCHER

Tomorrow your cortege will cross Paradise Square, into territory protected

by the Native Americans. You will be permitted undisputed passage both

ways. That is our tribute. After that, any Rabbits wishing to join the

Native Americans and willing to swear blood loyalty will be welcomed. All

others will be dispatched.

He starts out of the silent room, but STOPS when he sees Mank Eastman

looking at him with easy interest. Bill the Butcher

STARES him down, but Monk's gaze never wavers.

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