Goodfellas Page #9

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SONNY:

But it isn't right, Paulie.

That Tommy, he's making trouble

for me all over town. I can't go

here. I can't go there.

VARIO:

You? You think you're the only

one? I've talked to them a million

times, but they don't listen.

SONNY:

(weakly)

But, Paulie, please.

VARIO:

(barely listening)

Someday they'll get what's coming

to them. That's the only way they'll

stop.

SONNY:

(pleading)

Paulie, I swear, I'm afraid. The

guy's nuts. What do I have to do?

Whatever I gotta do, I'll do.

VARIO:

(arms outstretched

like a saint)

What can I do? If I could do

something, don't you think I would?

SONNY looks up at HENRY for support.

HENRY:

(to Sonny)

Tell him. It's okay.

VARIO:

What?

SONNY:

I was thinking that maybe you could

come in with me. Take a piece of

the place. If you were with me,

maybe than they'd have to lay off.

VASIO:

What, do I need ...

SONNY:

(interrupting)

I mean it. We could do good.

VARIO:

You want a partner?

SONNY:

Please?

EXT. BAMBOO LOUNGE - OUTSIDE - DAY

WE SEE trucks with liquor, beer, sides of beef, even

furniture like bar stools and large mirrors being unloaded

and delivered into the front door.

HENRY (V.O.)

Now the guy's got Paulie for a

partner. Any problems, he goes to

Paulie. Trouble with the bill? He

can go to Paulie. Trouble with the

cops? Deliveries? Tommy? He can

call Paulie.

INT. BAMBOO LOUNGE - DAY

WE SEE HENRY AND TWO HOODS from cabstand checking the cases

of liquor being delivered into the lounge. The entire room

is filled floor to ceiling with cases of whiskey, wine,

crates of lobster, and shrimp, and stacks of table linen

and sides of beef. The place looks like a warehouse.

HENRY (V.O.)

But now the guy has got to come up

with Paulie 's money every week,

no matter what. Business bad? F***

you, pay me. You had a fire? F***

you, pay ma. The place got hit by

lighting? F*** you, pay me. Also,

Paulie could do anything. Especially

run up bills on the joint's credit.

Why not? Nobody's gonna pay for it

anyway.

EXT. BAMBOO LOUNGE - REAR ALLEYWAY - DAY

WE SEE cases of liquor, wine, etc., being carried out of

the rear door of the lounge by HOODS from the cabstand and

loaded onto U-Haul trucks.

HENRY (V.O.)

As soon as the deliveries are made

in the front door, you move the

stuff out the back and sell it at

a discount. You take a two hundred

dollar case of booze and sell it

for a hundred. It doesn't matter.

It's all profit.

INT. BAMBOO LOUNGE OFFICE

HENRY, JIMMY and TOMMY are standing around the small

workman's table. There is no desk. The office looks denuded

of furniture. A LAWYER is going over papers.

A terrified, unshaven SONNY BAMBOO is seated behind the

desk. The LAWYER is showing him where to sign.

HENRY (V.O.)

And, finally, when there's nothing

1 left, when you can't borrow

another buck from the bank or buy

another case of booze, you bust

the joint out.

CUT DIRECTLY TO:

LARGE CLOSE UP OF - HANDS

making rolls of toilet paper being kneaded into long rolls

with Sterno.

CUT TO:

HENRY AND TOMMY shoving wads of Sterno paper into the

ceiling rafters.

HENRY (V.O.)

You light a match.

CUT TO:

CLOSE UP - MATCH

Lighting rolls of Sterno paper.

EXT. BAMBOO LOUNGE - CURBSIDE - NIGHT

The street is empty. HENRY and TOMMY are seated in HENRY'S

car. They are watching the Bamboo Lounge.

TOMMY:

(to Henry)

You gotta help me. Okay? This girl

I told you about? Diana? She's

from the Five Towns. She's Jewish.

She won't go out with me alone.

Can you believe this sh*t? She's

f***ing prejudiced, but she's built.

She's never been out with an Italian

before. She says she'll only go

out on a double date with her

girlfriend. You believe this sh*t?

But you gotta see her. I mean,

she's beautiful.

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