The Godfather: Part II Page #13

MICHAEL:

Sit down, Tom.

EXT. TAHOE BOATHOUSE - NIGHT

From outside the leaded windows, a disoriented Hagen sits

down; Michael starts to talk to him; obviously about

something very serious.

The patrol securing the boathouse, walk past the window.

Michael says something to Tom, who rises, and pulls the

drapes, obscuring OUR VIEW.

INT. TAHOE BOATHOUSE - NIGHT

Michael talks intimately to Tom.

MICHAEL:

There's a lot I can't tell you, Tom.

I know that's upset you in the

past; and you've felt that it was

because of some lack of trust or

confidence. But it is because I do

trust you that I've kept so much

secret from you. It's precisely

that at this moment, you are the

only one that I can completely

trust. In time, you'll understand

everything.

HAGEN:

(nods with this statement)

But your people... Neri... Rocco;

you don't think...

MICHAEL:

No, I have confidence in their

loyalty... but this is life and

death, and Tom, you are my brother.

Hagen in very moved.

HAGEN:

Mikey, I hoped...

MICHAEL:

No Tom, just listen. All my people

are businessmen; their loyalty is

based on that. One thing I learned

from my father is to try to think

as the people around you think...and

on that basis, anything is possible.

Fredo has a good heart, but he is

weak...and stupid, and stupid

people are the most dangerous of

all. I've kept you out of things,

Tom, because I've always known that

your instincts were legitimate, and

I wanted you to know very little of

things that would make you an

accomplice, for your own protection.

I never blamed you for the setbacks

the family took under Sonny; I know

you were in a position of limited

power, and you did your best to

advise and caution him. What I am

saying is that now, for how long I

do not know, you will be the Don.

If what I think has happened is

true; I will leave tonight, and

absolutely no one will know how to

contact me. And even you are not

to try to reach me unless it is

absolutely necessary. I give you

complete power:
over Neri... Fredo,

everyone. I am trusting you with

the lives of my wife and children,

and the future of this family,

solely resting on your judgment and

talent.

VIEW ON HAGEN:

A man who has steadily declined over the last five years,

realizing that total power and responsibility is being

placed on him.

MICHAEL:

(continuing)

...But Tom, you must know that I do

this only because I believe you are

the only one who is capable of

taking over for me.

VIEW ON MICHAEL:

taking out the envelope.

MICHAEL:

I've prepared this; have had it for

over a month. It won't explain

everything; but indicates where I

will be, so in a sense, it is my

life.

(he hands the envelope

to Hagen)

Also, there are three tasks that

must be executed immediately. Pop

would have given those to Luca --

You knew Pop as well as anyone, act

as though you were him. It

discusses Kay as well; that will be

the most difficult. The men who

tried to kill me tonight, will

never leave the estate.

HAGEN:

Will we...be able to get who

ordered it out of them?

MICHAEL:

I don't think so. Unless I'm very

wrong...they're already dead.

Killed by someone inside...very

frightened that they botched it.

That's why I am going to disappear

in a few minutes, and leave

everything to you.

HAGEN:

But if you're wrong...

MICHAEL:

If I'm wrong...

There is a KNOCK on the door.

MICHAEL:

...I don't think I'm wrong.

(he indicates the knock)

Yes.

The door opens; it is Rocco; Michael rises, after making a

knowing glance toward Tom, and moves to talk quietly to a

frightened and agitated Rocco.

EXT. STONE WALL AND STREAM - MOVING VIEW - NIGHT

A group of men with flashlights and guns lead Michael, Tom

and Rocco to the stone bridge spanning the stream which runs

through the estate.

LOW CLOSE VIEW:

Michael's dispassionate face, looking down. THE VIEW MOVES

to Hagen's, and then down to the murky water under the

bridge, where we see the bodies of three strangers, lying in

the moving water; machine-type guns nearby, with their

throats cut. Light from the many flashlights illuminates

the grotesque scene.

MICHAEL (O.S.)

Fish them out.

Several of the men wade down into the stream; Rocco helps,

and even Tom steps down to get a better look at who they

were. They are total strangers; Rocco examines the type of

guns they used.

When they climb back onto the ground, Michael is gone.

Everyone notices it, but no one says anything.

Hagen stands there, holding the envelope Michael had given

him in his hand.

He realizes that now, he is the DON.

HAGEN:

Get rid of the bodies. Tomorrow

morning I want a report made to the

local police, and paper, that some

explosives we keep on the property

were accidentally ignited.

The men respond; Hagen makes the lonely walk back to the

lighted section of the compound, which now resembles a

prison camp.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

INT. STATE SENATE FLOOR - DAY

The Senate is in session; Senator Geary is on the floor

during a vote. An aide approaches him, with a slip of paper.

INT. GEARY'S OFFICE - DAY

The Senator steps behind his desk.

SENATOR GEARY:

All right, Mr. Hagen, you've got

ten minutes.

He flicks the switch of a small tape recorder.

SENATOR GEARY:

...and the tape will be running.

HAGEN:

Actually, I've come with good news;

the Corleone family has done you a

favor.

The Senator immediately shuts the tape recorder off.

SENATOR GEARY:

What the hell are you talking about?

HAGEN:

We know you're a busy man, with

plenty of enemies -- we saw the

opportunity to do you a favor, and

we did. No strings.

SENATOR GEARY:

No strings.

HAGEN:

You know there's a Senate

Investigating Committee recently

set up; we thought it would be

unfortunate if they were to trace

anything though-provoking to your

name.

SENATOR GEARY:

No one can trace anything to me; I

pride myself on that.

HAGEN:

Do you gamble?

SENATOR GEARY:

A little; what's so thought-

provoking about that?

HAGEN:

Do you owe markers?

SENATOR GEARY:

Maybe two, three thousand dollars.

Hagen leans forward, and deposits a handful of paper on the

Senator's desk.

HAGEN:

The Corleone family has paid them

off for you...as an expression of

our esteem.

Geary quickly looks through the paid markers.

SENATOR GEARY:

There's thirty grand worth of paid

off markers -- I never owed that

much.

HAGEN:

Our mistake. But what does it

matter; it was our money.

(rising)

We don't even expect thanks.

SENATOR GEARY:

You paid off thirty grand I never

owed.

HAGEN:

We'll keep it quiet; the people who

know are trustworthy...the Committee

needn't find out.

SENATOR GEARY:

And what's the price of their not

finding out.

HAGEN:

Simple. Be friendly like us. Not

hostile.

SENATOR GEARY:

(he despises Hagen)

Thanks...friend.

EXT. TAHOE ESTATE - FULL VIEW - DAY

There are more men on duty than usual; not that there are

guns apparent, but it's clear that the boundaries are being

patrolled.

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