Mobsters Page #4

Pausing to clean a dirty finger nail before resuming his

climb.

IN THE BEDROOM:

Charlie stands back, trying to figure out what he's missed.

He returns to the dresser and pulls a drawer all the way out

of the cabinet. Taped to the back of the drawer is an envelope

stuffed with twenty dollar bills. Stuffing the envelope into

his jacket, Charlie unzips his fly, and pisses onto the bed.

PULLING UP HIS ZIPPER - CHARLIE CHARGES INTO THE LIVING ROOM

CHARLIE:

Let's get outta here.

Meyer follows Charlie into the kitchen, where Charlie scoops

up the prosciutto that hangs by the sink. Meyer wrestles the

ham from him, and hangs it back up.

MEYER:

This is a Jew job. Remember?

JUST OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT

As Don Maranzano pauses at the fourth floor landing. Winded

by the climb, he daubs his forehead with a silk handkerchief.

INSIDE THE APARTMENT - THE BOYS GATHER BY THE DOOR

Looking around to make sure they have everything. As Charlie

reaches for the doorknob, he's startled by a knock at the

door.

DON MARANZANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

Alfredo. It's Don Maranzano.

The telephone on the wall next to the door RINGS. Panicked,

Frankie snatches up the receiver in mid-ring. Realizing his

mistake, he re-hangs the receiver.

DON MARANZANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

Please. I must use the toilet.

The boys look to each other. Not sure what to do now.

OUTSIDE THE DOOR - MARANZANO KNOCKS AGAIN

As he shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot. The door opens

a crack. Meyer peers out from under brim of his black hat.

Pious to a fault. Behind him, Maranzano glimpses the others

gathered around the dining table, heads bowed in prayer.

MEYER:

(IN YIDDISH)

Can I help you, sir?

Maranzano's puzzled. Unsure of himself.

DON MARANZANO:

(IN ENGLISH)

Where is Mr. Moliari?

MEYER:

(IN ENGLISH)

Moliari? Up the stairs.

ON THE TABLE:

as Bugsy mumbles gibberish, prayin' it sounds like Hebrew.

AT THE DOOR:

DON MARANZANO:

Excuse me. I am sorry.

Meyer peers out the door as Maranzano heads up the stairs.

Halfway up he stops. No. He was on the right floor. As

Maranzano turns back around, the Boys pile out of the

apartment and race down the stairs. Their hat brims pulled

down. Maranzano shakes his fist and shouts after them.

DON MARANZANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

Dirty thieving Jews!

CUT TO:

INT:
WAREHOUSE BASEMENT - DAY

Meyer, Bugsy, and Frankie watch anxiously as Charlie counts

out the last bill from the envelope.

CHARLIE:

Four-twenty-eight.

SIEGEL:

What's that divided four ways?

LANSKY:

A hundred-seven bucks too much. Any

kid who drops an extra dime is gonna

be talkin' to Moliari.

FRANK:

Ya mean we're so rich we're broke?

CHARLIE:

Think about it. Who runs things? The

punks who go ta jail? F*** no. It's

the guys with the dough.

Charlie hands the envelope to Frankie.

CHARLIE:

And dough is gonna put us into

business with John Law.

CUT TO:

INT:
DETECTIVE MULLAVEY'S OFFICE - DAY

The imposing Irishman pulls up a chair opposite a nervous

Frankie. His manner concerned, almost fatherly.

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

They told me you wanted to talk about

this Shane business.

FRANK:

You havin' any luck findin' out who

did him?

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

Shane was a friend of yours?

FRANK:

He was around...

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

Lad, I'm a busy man. July's always a

big month for murder. Fella named

Barone turned up just this mornin',

throat cut ear to ear.

(lowering his voice)

Black Hand.

FRANK:

When you're investigatin', how long

ya keep at it?

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

It consoles the bereaved family ta

see the perpetrator take his load of

juice. We try to oblige.

FRANK:

But if ya can't catch the guys...

Raising an eyebrow, Mullavey gives him a hint of a smile and

pulls open a file drawer.

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

Inactive. Dead cases, so to speak.

Frankie pulls five twenty-dollar bills from his jacket and

fans them across his knee. Mullavey nods approvingly.

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

Might I?

Frankie nods as he picks the bills up off his knee and holds

them out to Mullavey, feeling cocky that he's bribing a cop.

Mullavey LEAPS UP, hauls Frankie out of his chair, and slams

him against the wall.

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

What caused you to mistake me for a

twenty-five cent prostitute?

Mullavey grabs Frankie's collar and twists it tight.

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

Was it you cut Shane? Or are you

just the bagman.

Mullavey snatches the bills from Frankie's trembling hand

then reaches into his jacket and grabs a second wad of bills.

DETECTIVE MULLAVEY

I need a perpetrator. Who? WHO??

Not sure what the rules are, Frankie sweats an answer.

FRANK:

Barone. It was Barone.

Mullavey relaxes his grip. A smile blossoms on his ruddy

mug.

MULLAVEY:

Knew it all the time.

CUT TO:

INT:
LUCIANO FAMILY APARTMENT - NIGHT

Charlie comes quietly through the front door. Moving up behind

his mother in the kitchen, he slips his arms around her waist

and kisses her on the back of the neck.

CHARLIE:

Missed ya, Mama.

Howling with delight, she spins around into her son's arms.

ROSALIE LUCIANO:

Salvatore!

Antonio Luciano looks up from the kitchen table. Not pleased.

ANTONIO LUCIANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

The police came looking for you.

Rosalie hands Charlie two plates of lasagna. He sits opposite

his pop, handing him the second plate.

CHARLIE:

(IN ENGLISH)

That's all straight now.

As Rosalie takes a seat, Antonio pushes his chair away from

the table and disappears into the bedroom. He emerges holding

a gold belt buckle in his palm.

ANTONIO LUCIANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

I found this under your bed. It was

stolen from the jewelry store on

12th Street last week.

CHARLIE:

(IN ENGLISH)

Snoopin' ain't nice, Pop.

ANTONIO LUCIANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

Is it so important to have a gold

buckle and no honor?

Charlie looks up from his lasagna. Matter of fact.

LUCIANO:

(IN ENGLISH)

I wanted it, so I took it.

Antonio flings the buckle at Charlie. It bounces off his

face and skitters across the floor. He jumps up from the

table, glaring at his father as he wipes the blood from his

cheek.

ANTONIO LUCIANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

You are not my son! You are only a

thief and you cannot live in my house

any longer!

Charlie turns to his Mother.

LUCIANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

So long, Mama.

Rosalie runs over to Antonio and pounds on his chest as she

screams.

ROSALIE LUCIANO:

(IN ITALIAN)

No. NO! You cannot put my Sallie out

on the street!

Charlie picks up the gold buckle as he walks to the door,

then turns back toward his mother, who has collapsed in tears.

LUCIANO:

You ain't always gonna be poor.

As Charlie exits, a plate of lasagna CRASHES against the

door.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT:
RISTORANTE CASTELLAMARE - NIGHT SUPER: 1920

Charlie peruses a menu at a table with Frank Costello. He's

a few years older and better groomed, in the manner of a

successful ethnic. He gestures to a waiter.

CHARLIE:

What would it take to get a couple

fingers of Scotch?

WAITER:

A miracle. We have nothing.

CHARLIE:

I finally get the dough for good

booze, and them frustrated old broads

in the WTCU put the country on the

wagon.

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