Mobsters Page #14

HENCHMAN:

The motor's runnin'.

They watch as the limo maneuvers through the obstacle course

of traffic. They turn and look toward the bank building that

sits at the end of the alleyway on Seventh Avenue. As they

pass the getaway car, Charlie slows, fighting the urge to

flee.

CUT TO:

EXT:
THE FORT LEE HIGHLANDS - DAY

In a park, a car pulls to the side of the road. The two Thugs

climb out, open the trunk, haul out the body of Mad Dog Coll,

and dump it down a hillside.

THE BODY:

beaten and bloody, rolls to a stop at the bottom of the hill.

Coll's eyes flicker open, his mouth trembling in pain as

tears streak down his face. You could almost feel sorry for

the guy.

CUT TO:

EXT:
THE ALLEYWAY - LATE AFTERNOON

As Charlie and Vito move down the alley, a clap of THUNDER

unleashes a Summer downpour. Pedestrians run for cover.

THIN OLD MAN:

carrying a brown leather satchel, scurries out of the bank.

He hoists the satchel over his head as protection from the

rain.

VITO HEADS DOWN THE SIDEWALK

toward the PAYROLL MESSENGER. Charlie follows on the opposite

sidewalk, scanning the alley for potential problems.

AS THE PAYROLL MESSENGER ENTERS THE ALLEY

a YOUNG MAN pushing a rack of garments through the rain,

falls in behind him.

VITO SLOWS AS HE SPOTS A POLICEMAN ON HORSEBACK

on Seventh Avenue. The cop looks up the alley, then rides

on.

AT THE SERVICE ENTRANCE TO SEVENTH AVENUE FASHIONS

A WORKMAN finishes loading a sidewalk elevator, and yells

below for a co-worker to bring it down.

AS THE PAYROLL MESSENGER

nears Seventh Avenue Fashions, Vito hurries to catch him.

ACROSS THE STREET

Feeling for his gun, Charlie heads across the alley toward

Vito. A HORN BLARES. He jumps back and a long truck rolls

slowly past, cutting off his path.

VITO TACKLES THE PAYROLL MESSENGER

sending the satchel skidding across the wet sidewalk and

down the shaft of the sidewalk elevator. The Young Man pushing

the garment rack pulls a pistol from his coat.

VITO SCRAMBLES TO HIS FEET

and races to the elevator as the cover CLOSES. He heaves it

back open. The Workman stands in the receding elevator,

satchel at his feet, looking up into the barrel of Vito's

gun. The Workman squats and grabs the satchel.

AS THE TRUCK FINALLY PASSES

Charlie spots the Young Man with his gun out, trying to

maneuver the rack out of his path. Desperate, he pushes the

clothes aside, and steps halfway through the rack, gun drawn.

ABOVE THE ELEVATOR

as the terrified Workman tosses the satchel up. As Vito grabs

it, a SHOT knocks him to the sidewalk.

ON THE YOUNG MAN LEANING THROUGH THE RACK

as he takes dead aim for a second shot at Vito.

CHARLIE GARBS THE RACK AND JERKS IT DOWN INTO THE STREET

pulling the gunman along with it. Charlie races to Vito and

pulls him to his feet. Blood seeps through a hole in his

chest. Charlie grabs the satchel from his arms.

THE MOUNTED POLICEMAN

Appears at Seventh Avenue and charges up the alley on

horseback, as Charlie drags Vito up the sidewalk. Charlie

pulls out his pistol and fires at the horse.

ON THE POLICEMAN

as he and his horse tumble to the pavement.

CHARLIE PUSHES VITO INTO THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR

tosses the satchel into the front, and climbs behind the

wheel. The car spins off the wet sidewalk, crashing to the

street.

BEHIND THE CAR:

the Dismounted Policeman fires, shattering the rear window.

INSIDE THE CAR:

As it slows, its path blocked by the long truck that stopped

Charlie as he tried to cross the street. Charlie JERKS the

steering wheel, sending the car up onto the sidewalk and

past the truck.

AN HASIDIC JEW CARRYING A PACKAGE

backs out of a doorway into the path of the oncoming car.

CHARLIE SLAMS ON THE BRAKES

but the car slides on the wet pavement, slamming into the

man with a sickening thud, and sending him flying over the

hood, up the windshield, and across the roof of the car.

CHARLIE BEATS ON THE STEERING WHEEL

in frustration, as the car pulls out onto Eighth Avenue. The

rain cutting the smear of blood on the windshield. Charlie

looks back at Vito, sprawled in the back seat, dead.

CONSUMED WITH RAGE

Charlie grabs the satchel and dumps the money out the window.

ON THE STREET:

as a cloud of dollars dance on the urban canyon breeze.

CUT TO:

EXT:
CEMETERY - DAY

Charlie stands in a small crowd by an open grave, as a Priest

sprinkles holy water onto a coffin. Tommy Reina, and some of

Masseria's men, are there, but there's no sign of the Boss.

LUCIANO:

Whispers condolences to Vito's weeping mother, presses an

envelope into her hands, then moves toward the line of limos.

LANSKY, SIEGEL, AND COSTELLO

wait in the limousine as Charlie climbs in.

LUCIANO:

Bastard didn't even show.

FRANK:

He's hidin'. Word's out Tommy Reina's

goin' over ta Maranzano.

LUCIANO:

Get word to Maranzano. I want a meet.

Alone. On neutral turf.

Lansky shoots Charlie a skeptical look.

LUCIANO:

After all this time I'd think you'd

know me better, Meyer.

LANSKY:

It's not myself I'm worried about.

LUCIANO:

I'll do fine.

SIEGEL:

Maranzano wants you dead.

LUCIANO:

Yeah. But he needs me alive.

CUT TO:

INT:
ARNOLD ROTHSTEIN'S APARTMENT - DAY

A massive living room, elaborately furnished in expensive

antiques. Charlie stands by a twelve foot high window, looking

out over the trees along Fifth Avenue to Central Park beyond.

Rothstein, enthroned in a wing chair, swirls wine in his

glass and sips, savoring the taste of his wealth.

ROTHSTEIN:

If it's a blessing you need I'd

suggest the ablutions of the Holy

Mother Church.

Luciano turns away from the window. Impatient.

LUCIANO:

Who first? And when?

Rothstein explodes.

ROTHSTEIN:

TACTICS! Always tactics!

Recovering his composure, Rothstein continues.

ROTHSTEIN:

Strategy.

LUCIANO:

Talk English. Okay? I did lousy at

school.

ROTHSTEIN:

The Big Picture.

LUCIANO:

That's just what I'm sick of.

Everybody lookin' ta knock somebody

off! Greedy for what you got. A bunch

of f***in' hogs at the trough.

ROTHSTEIN:

So change it.

This strikes Charlie like a prophecy from Delphi.

ROTHSTEIN:

Bring order out of chaos. If you

lead... they'll follow.

LUCIANO:

And what do you want out of this?

ROTHSTEIN:

A peaceful and prosperous retirement.

CUT TO:

EXT:
STATEN ISLAND FERRY - NIGHT

Charlie leans over the railing, staring down at the garbage

being pulled in the wake of the ferry.

CUT TO:

EXT:
STATEN ISLAND SHIPPING PIER - NIGHT

Charlie climbs out of a cab at the foot of a steel pier. In

the distance the Staten Island Ferry returns to Manhattan.

As the cab pulls away, Maranzano appears from behind a

shipping crate.

MARANZANO:

It's been too long, my bambino.

The Don embraces his Prodigal Son.

INSIDE A DARK, EMPTY WAREHOUSE

Charlie and the Don sit on a couple of packing crates.

Maranzano reaches over and rubs Charlie's cheek

affectionately.

MARANZANO:

Tell me, my son. Why did you go with

Giuseppe? He's not our kind.

LUCIANO:

I found that out.

MARANZANO:

We learn from life.

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