Gangs of New York Page #7

BOSS TWEED:

I do understand, yes.

BILL pushes him away and starts out.

BOSS TWEED:

But you don't understand at all.

Bill keeps walking.

BOSS TWEED:

There's a whole city to share and all you see is your own narrow streets.

BILL THE BUTCHER

(turns now)

You just stay out of my place.

BOSS TWEED:

Yes, alright. Gladly. It's all blackjack jobs and panel games and killings

for a fiver.

Bill waits for Tweed to continue. But Tweed stoops and tries to soothe a

canary in a cage.

BILL THE BUTCHER

It's good work.

BOSS TWEED:

As far as it goes.

BILL THE BUTCHER

You wouldn't be talking to me otherwise.

BOSS TWEED:

But we're talking about different things, Bill. You describe the present.

I see the possibilities. Look to the future. There is so much more.

The Butcher starts to look interested.

CUT TO:

25 INT. TWEED'S OFFICE NIGHT

Later. The Natives have cleared out; only Tweed and the Butcher remain.

The cages have been restored to their proper places and the room has been

straightened. Bill stands beside the door, while Tweed relaxes in a chair.

BOSS TWEED:

There's things demanding to be done that no police force can do, not even

an obedient one. There's contributions from every dive and brothel.

Loyalties to be secured and debts to be collected.

BOSS TWEED (Cont'd)

And now you and your Natives have emerged as the foremost force in the

Five Points, I'm prepared to extend you an opportunity. You can work for

Tammany...

BILL THE BUTCHER

We work for no one.

BOSS TWEED:

... beside Tammany... in the performance of these civic obligations. And

for a satisfactory... I'm prepared even to say equitable... financial

participation. It's not the sort of responsibility the founding fathers

might have recognized. But then, the founding fathers never imagined the

city New York has become.

BILL THE BUTCHER

Maybe you Tammany boys should do your own lifting and carrying and muscle

work. Might build you up.

BOSS TWEED:

We'd like to. I do miss it. But it's wiser for men in the public life to

give an appearance of probity.

BILL THE BUTCHER

Then get cops to do it.

BOSS TWEED:

Oh Jesus, no. The appearance of law must be upheld, especially while it's

being broken.

BILL THE BUTCHER

Appearance means nothing.

BOSS TWEED:

Perhaps not within the Points. But the smart man could go higher.

Bill looks at Tweed for a long moment. The he SHOVES himself away from the

wall, pulls away the chair on which Tweed has been resting his feet and

sits down close to him.

BILL THE BUTCHER

If you can talk plain, maybe we can do business.

26 EXT. STREET NIGHT

A small slum thoroughfare congested by a splendid FIRE-WAGON labeled

"Americus Co./Tammany Hall." Curious SPECTATORS and panic-stricken

RESIDENTS crowd around to watch a ramshackle building going up in FLAMES.

As Johnny presses through the crowd to get a good look at the fire, Tweed,

in a white coat and fancy fire helmet, steps off the fire wagon to address

an ONLOOKER.

TWEED:

Anyone inside?

ONLOOKER:

No, praise God, but all we own...

TWEED places a bucket over the only fire plug in the vicinity, then sits

on it.

ONLOOKER:

Well?

TWEED:

Waiting on reinforcements.

The SOUND of another bell, nearby. Down the street from the opposite

direction come TWO MORE FIRE-WAGONS. The crowd starts cheering. Tweed does

not move from the plug.

TWEED:

That's not them. It's only the Black Jokes. Seems your fire interrupted

their festivities.

The wagons pull up next to the fire plug. Each of them has the words

"Black Joke Fire Co." written large on the side, but the FIREMEN wear

party costumes, not regular uniforms. Some are dressed as British

Redcoats, still others as Indians.

The FLAMES continue to devour the building, but Tweed does not budge from

the plug. He is approached by the Black Jake chief, who is dressed as an

Indian chief.

CHIEF:

May I point out that the building is burning to ashes?

TWEED:

Certainly. And may I then remind you, Pocahontas, that this entire area is

the province of the Americus company, and you will kindly keep your

distance.

Impasse. The rival Fire Companies size each other up and start toward each

other. The building continues to burn. Tweed remains regal and unperturbed

atop the fire plug.

As the two COMPANIES are about to close with each other, a second BELL

sounds. Tweed's "reinforcements" have arrived: the Native Americans, led

by Bill The Butcher. They PILE OFF the wagons before the horses halt. Now

the Black Joke Co. is outnumbered, and it FALLS BACK. As the Crowd CHEERS,

Tweed takes the bucket off the fire plug.

TWEED:

Alright, boys! To work!

The MEN of the Americus Co. give a great SHOUT and start firefighting: a

hose is hitched up to the plug, buckets are filled, a primitive pump sends

water spluttering everywhere.

But there is not much blaze left to combat and the Men quickly grow

frustrated. Tweed realizes this immediately.

TWEED:

Next building over, boys! Mustn't let it spread!

The men charge into a neighboring building, STOMPING down doors, CLIMBING

through windows and SWINGING AXES with gusto, all to save a building that

is in no danger at all.

A local poll named DANIEL KILLORAN detaches himself from the crowd and

approaches Tweed, giving him a hearty SLAP on the back.

KILLORAN:

Another proud night for Tammany, Bill.

TWEED:

Just tell them...

(lowers his voice)

... to take enough to share. And not to steal so in the open.

Indeed, the Men are leaving the building with lots of LOOT. CITIZENS who

question their right to do this are promptly KNOCKED DOWN. Killoran GRABS

Bill The Butcher as he rushes by.

TWEED:

Jesus! Boss says to tell you to fight the fire from the front and loot out

the back.

Bill grins and leaves to spread the word as an angry WOMAN approaches

Tweed.

TEARFUL WOMAN:

The Black Joke could have saved my house!

TWEED:

Black Joke had no business here, Madam.

TEARFUL WOMAN:

Their business was to save my house!

TWEED:

Tammany's your business. When we're here to call upon there's no need of

other. We understand loss, Madam, and take care of our own.

As Tweed leads her off, away from the blaze and the thieving, he passes a

boy sitting an the curb, watching the fire ... and watching Tweed ... with

admiration. It's Johnny.

The FLAMES light up his EYES as we...

DISSOLVE TO:

27 INT. BREWERY NIGHT 2

Jenny's face, as she tries to sleep on a narrow, filthy mattress. Her

mother Maggie lies beside her, crowding her, THRASHING about in a

troubled, drunken sleep.

DISSOLVE TO:

28 INT- ROOM/HIGH BRIDGE ORPHANS ASYLUM 2

Amsterdam, eyes wide, lying on a cot in the middle of a long room crowded

with KIDS - This place is a step or two up from the Brewery--but not a big

step. He stares at the ceiling, eyes grave, untroubled by the small cries

of loneliness and fear that come from some of the beds surrounding him. As

we move CLOSE on his EYES we...

DISSOLVE TO:

29 EXT. HIGH BRIDGE ORPHANS ASYLUM DUSK

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