Gangs of New York Page #9

A ramshackle room near the docks. It is part meeting hall, part living

quarters for the gang, and part clearing house forstolen goods. SHANG

presides over a boisterous meeting.

JIMMY SPOILS:

You're as flat as Broadway going north. We can't run the river no more.

We're poaching the Natives and the Harbor cops are looking for us.

SHANG:

The cops can go to blazes. Who cares about them?

SHEENY MIKE:

Youlre all sand when it comes to cops, Shang. But do you have the sand to

go against the Natives?

SHANG:

It ain't the time to go against the Natives. We've got to build first.

Then we go.

JIMMY SPOILS:

If we go like we did in the river, all of us'll sink.

Amsterdam is sitting off to the side, watching this ongoing debate with

contemptuous detachment. Johnny sits next to him.

AMSTERDAM:

Does Shang have the sand to ever go against the Natives?

JOHNNY:

I don't know. He acts like it.

AMSTERDAM:

If he only acts, held be better on the stage.

(looks away)

Like her.

His tone of voice has changed. Jenny Everdeane passes before him; she's

ravishing. Amsterdam STARES, as if he's trying to see into her heart.

Jenny pays him scant attention as she moves across the room toward Shang.

JOHNNY:

Jenny Everdeane. Shang turned her into the best bludget in the Points.

Jenny gives Shang silk scarfs, wallets and several purses from her coat.

AMSTERDAM:

Shes his mort, is she, as well as his best provider?

JOHNNY:

Yeah. But Jenny says she's anyone's she chooses.

Jenny's haul is impressive. Shang picks a BRIGHT RED SILK SCARF with a

distinctive PAISLEY design from the pile of stolen goods. He examines it

with a shrewd, appreciative eye.

SHANG:

That's the prize of the month. Spice Islands silk.

He puts the scart in his coat pocket with a FLOURISH, then throws his arm

about Jenny in a proprietary way.

SHANG:

You'll learn our way if you're going to be one of us, Amsterdam.

Jenny reacts slightly to the mention of the name: she looks over and

RECOGNIZES Amsterdam now.

SHANG:

Every one of us gives a portion of all they steal to the gang. Morts more

than men, being morts.

AMSTERDAM:

Yeah? And why is that?

SHANG:

Because morts have more resources. Men can work only on their feet, but a

mort can turn out on her back.

AMSTERDAM:

I mean, why give at all? Why don't they keep for themselves?

SHANG:

If you think there's something off about my way of running things, you got

no place in this gang.

AMSTERDAM:

I got no place anyway, and you got no gang. This ain't a gang, no matter

what you say. It's a mob.

There's a tense hush in the grubby room. Shang takes his arm from around

Jenny, wanting to be restrained.

JENNY:

(smiling)

It's all your play now, Shang. Maybe you can set him right.

Jenny hands him a cane. Barely managing to hide his reluctance, he

starts--slowly--toward Amsterdam, who stands his ground. The gang steps

back to give them room in this tiny space. Shang pulls the cane apart:

it's a SWORD CANE, but Amsterdam shows no fear. He shifts his weight a

little, watching ... and they're interrupted by a...

VOICE (HAPPY JACK)

You boys settle with me before you settle each other.

They turn to him.

HAPPY JACK:

I've come for my due and proper, Shang.

Happy Jack Mulraney (the Dead Rabbit gang member with the halfparalyzed

face) stands before them in a POLICEMAN'S UNIFORM-sparkling clean and

splendid--a leather helmet and long coat. In his hand, he twirls a

NIGHTSTICK.

SHANG:

As agreed, then, Jack. Refreshment?

Shang OPENS the top of the gold-handled sword cane. Inside are large,

solid LUMPS of cocaine. Jack reaches for the choicest.

AMSTERDAM:

Still smiling, are you?

HAPPY JACK:

(sizing him up)

It's the young Vallon, is it? I hardly recognized you.

AMSTERDAM:

I hardly knew you under that hat, Jack.

By now, Jack has taken not only the cocaine, and the money and swag Shang

offers, but several of the purses and wallets Jenny delivered. Jenny

stares at him with contempt, and he laughs, tossing one of the purses back

at her.

JACK:

There. For your respect.

Jack turns to leave but a BRASH BOY blocks his way. Moving fast and fancy,

Jack bashes the Boy to the floor with his nightstick.

HAPPY JACK:

Anybody else? Any number at all, come on.

Several of the gang make a move toward Jack, but Shang WAVES them back.

Jack departs UNHARMED, to general disgust. Jenny walks back across the

room to help the Brash Boy. Shang GLARES at Amsterdam, slides his sword

back into his cane and follows Jenny, trying to explain himself.

AMSTERDAM:

Is that sand we've just seen?

JOHNNY:

It's politics.

CUT TO:

36 EXT. PARADISE SQUARE DAY

A hot summer day. All the TRADESMEN are out in force, jamming the square

and the side streets leading to it. Amsterdam walks fast through the

crowd, enjoying the freedom and the bustle, as Johnny tags along close

behind him.

AMSTERDAM:

I've got my own way to go, why don't you find yours?

JOHNNY:

Because your way's different, and I want to see where it goes.

(Amsterdam looks at him)

Unless you say otherwise. Amsterdam shrugs and keep walking.

JOHNNY:

You act like you have something in mind, like you know every day what

you'll be doing the next. Me, I don't figure on tomorrow.

AMSTERDAM:

Well, if you shut up a while maybe it'd come on its own.

(he stops, looks)

Now what the hell's that?

JOHNNY:

(following his glance)

Oh that's heaven.

WE SEE what they're looking at: the Old Brewery. In worse shape than ever

before, but shut-down, abandoned. A tattered banner flaps against the

front door:
"Future Home of the Five Points Mission/ Praise God!/ The

Reverend Shadrach Raleigh, Pastor."

JOHNNY:

The city shut down the Brewery as unfit to live and Tammany gave it over

to this minister.

AMSTERDAN:

What's Tammany?

JOHNNY:

Why Tammany ... you don't know? Tammany makes the city run. A political

organization that's like... like the Native Americans, only ranging over

the whole city.

CUT TO:

37 MONTAGE

As Johnny continues to speak, we see Tammany tactics in action:

WARD-HEALERS dispensing coal to the poor, and TOUGHS stealing meat off of

butcher's wagons; a political PARADE with fife and drum-and

politicians--including Boss Tweed--in ceremonial Indian costume, and a

group of GOONS busting up a saloon; Tweed making a speech to enthusiastic

CONSTITUENTS and a Tammany Fire Company tearing through the streets,

scattering everyone in their way, finally revealing they are not rushing

to a fire but are CRASING OFF a rival fire company.

JOHNNY:

They seem like the law, but they got a way of acting outside the law.

Anything that happens in this city, on the straight or on the sly,

Tammany's a part of, and Boss Tweedls the heart of Tammany.

CUT TO:

38 EXT. PARADISE SQUARE,/OLD BREWERY DAY

Amsterdam studies Johnnyls enthusiastic face.

JOHNNY:

They're the best gang there is.

AMSTERDAM:

So if Tammany's the best, go with Tammany. What are you running with this

mob for?

JOHNNY:

'Cause they're more my size for now. With Tammany, you got to do something

large, something that makes them take notice of you.

AMSTERDAN:

You're better oft without their notice. You can run free, work your own

schemes.

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