The Godfather Page #10

He scrubs and polishes with great affection.

CLEMENZA:

Today you make your bones on Paulie.

You understand everything?

LAMPONE:

Sure.

As he scrubs around the glove compartment, he opens it,

unwraps a gun and gives it to LAMPONE.

CLEMENZA:

.22 soft-nosed load. Accurate up

to five feet.

LAMPONE expertly puts the gun away. GATTO's car pulls into

the driveway, and he sounds the horn.

The two men walk to the car. GATTO is driving, a bit

nervous, like he doesn't know what is up. LAMPONE gets in

the rear seat; CLEMENZA in the front, making a grunt of

recognition. He looks at his wristwatch, as though wanting

to chide PAULIE for being late. PAULIE flinches a little

when he sees LAMPONE will ride behind him; he half turns:

PAULIE:

Rocco, sit on the other side. A

big guy like you blocks my rearview

mirror.

CLEMENZA turns sourly to PAULIE.

CLEMENZA:

Goddamn Sonny. He's running scared.

He's already thinking of going to

the mattresses. We have to find a

place on the West Side. Paulie,

you know a good location?

PAULIE relaxes a bit; he thinks he's off any possible hook

he was on. Also there's the money he can make by selling

Sollozzo any secret location.

PAULIE:

I'll think about it.

CLEMENZA:

(grunting)

Drive while you thinking; I wanna

get to the City this month!

The car pulls out.

EXT DAY:
PAULIE'S CAR - ON ROAD (WINTER 1945)

Inside PAULIE drives; and CLEMENZA sits in a grump. OUR

VIEW does not show LAMPONE in the rear seat.

EXT DAY:
PAULIE'S CAR AT TUNNEL (WINTER 1945)

The Car crosses to the Midtown Tunnel in the late Winter

light.

INT DAY:
PAULIE'S CAR IN TUNNEL (WINTER 1945)

Inside the tunnel; GATTO doesn't like not seeing LAMPONE.

He tries to adjust his rearview mirror to catch a glimpse of

him.

CLEMENZA:

Pay attention!

EXT DAY:
PAULIE'S CAR AT MATTRESS (WINTER 1945)

The car is parked in the City. PAULIE comes down from an

available apartment and gets back into the car.

PAULIE:

Good for ten men...

CLEMENZA:

OK, go to Arthur Avenue; I'm

suppose to call when I found

somethin'.

The car pulls off.

EXT DAY:
RESTAURANT (WINTER 1945)

New part of the city; the car pulls up in a parking lot.

CLEMENZA get outs, glances at LAMPONE, then to PAULIE.

CLEMENZA:

You wait; I'll call.

He walks, tucking his shirt into his pants, around the

corner and enters the Luna Restaurant.

INT DAY:
RESTAURANT (WINTER 1945)

CLEMENZA enters the little restaurant, sits down at a table.

The WAITERS know him; immediately put a bottle of wine, some

bread--and then a plate of veal on his table. He eats.

EXT DAY:
RESTAURANT (WINTER 1945)

CLEMENZA exits the restaurant, belches, adjusts his pants;

he is well fed.

We move with him around the corner, not knowing what to

expect has happened to Paulie.

There is the car; PAULIE is still sitting behind the wheel,

LAMPONE in the rear seat. CLEMENZA steps in.

CLEMENZA:

He talked my ear off. Want us to

go back to Long Beach; have another

job for us. Rocco, you live in the

City, can we drop you off?

LAMPONE (O.S.)

Ah, I left my car at your place.

CLEMENZA:

OK, then you gotta come back.

The car pulls out. By now, PAULIE is completely relaxed and

secure.

PAULIE:

You think we'll go for that last

place?

CLEMENZA:

Maybe, or you gotta know now.

PAULIE:

Holy cow, I don't gotta know nothing.

EXT DAY:
PAULIE'S CAR ON CAUSEWAY (WINTER 1945)

The car moves along the ready beach area of the causeway.

Inside, CLEMENZA turns to PAULIE.

CLEMENZA:

Paulie, pull over. I gotta take a

leak.

The car pulls off the Causeway, into the reeds. CLEMENZA

steps out of the car, OUR VIEW MOVING with him.

He turns his back three quarters from us (we can no longer

see the car), unzips, and we hear the sound of urine hitting

the ground. We wait on this for a moment; and then there

are two GUNSHOTS. CLEMENZA finishes his leak, zips up and

turns, moving back to the car.

PAULIE is dead, bleeding from the mouth; the windows behind

him are shattered.

CLEMENZA:

Leave the gun.

LAMPONE gets out, the two men walk through the reeds a few

feet where there is another car. They get in, and drive off.

---------------------------------------FADE OUT---------

EXT DAY:
MALL (WINTER 1945)

HIGH ANGLE OF THE MALL. It is late afternoon. Many strange

cars are parked on the nearby streets. We can see the group

of BUTTON MEN, stationed here and there, obviously sentries

with concealed weapons.

MICHAEL walks along in the rear yard.

He is bundled in a warm marine coat. He looks at the

strange men, regarding them with an uncertain awe. They

look back at him, at first suspiciously and then with the

respect of his position. He is like an exile Prince. He

wanders past them, and hesitates and looks at the yard.

A rusted set of garden swings; and other home playground

equipment. The basketball ring now half coming off. This

is where he was a child. Then a shout.

CLEMENZA (O.S.)

Mike. Hey Mikey; telephone.

CLEMENZA had shouted from the kitchen window. MICHAEL

hurries into the house.

INT DAY:
DON'S KITCHEN (WINTER 1945)

CLEMENZA is in the kitchen, cooking over an enormous pot.

He points to the kitchen wall phone which is hanging off the

hook.

CLEMENZA:

Some dame.

MICHAEL picks it up.

MICHAEL:

Hello. Kay?

KAY (O.S.)

How is your father?

MICHAEL:

He'll be OK.

KAY (O.S.)

(pause)

I love you.

He glances at the THUGS in the kitchen. Tries to shield the

phone.

KAY (O.S.)

I LOVE YOU.

MICHAEL:

Yeah Kay, I'm here.

KAY (O.S.)

Can you say it?

MICHAEL:

Huh?

KAY (O.S.)

Tell me you love me.

MICHAEL glances at the HOODS at the kitchen table. He curls

up in a corner, and in a quarter voice:

MICHAEL:

I can't...

KAY (O.S.)

Please say it.

MICHAEL:

Look. I'll see you tonight, OK?

KAY (O.S.)

OK.

(click)

CLEMENZA is getting ready to build a tomato sauce for all

the button men stationed around the house.

CLEMENZA:

How come you don't tell that nice

girl you love her...here, learn

something... you may have to feed

fifty guys some day. You start

with olive oil...fry some garlic,

see. And then fry some sausage...or meat

balls if you like...then you throw

in the tomatoes, the tomato

paste...some basil; and a little

red wine...that's my trick.

SONNY peeks into the kitchen; sees CLEMENZA.

SONNY:

You take care of Paulie?

CLEMENZA:

You won't see Paulie anymore. He's

sick for good this winter.

MICHAEL starts to leave.

SONNY:

Where are you going?

MICHAEL:

To the city.

SONNY:

(to Clemenza; dipping

bread into the sauce)

Send some bodyguards.

MICHAEL:

I don't need them, Sonny. I'm just

going to see Pop in the hospital.

Also, I got other things.

CLEMENZA:

Sollozzo knows Mike's a civilian.

SONNY:

OK, but be careful.

EXT NITE:
CAR

MICHAEL sits in the rear seat, calmly, as he is being driven

into the city. THREE BUTTONMEN are crowded into the front

seat.

INT NITE:
HOTEL LOBBY

MICHAEL crosses the lobby, past lines of servicemen trying

to book rooms.

INT NITE:
HOTEL

MICHAEL and KAY eating a quiet dinner at the hotel. He is

preoccupied, she's concerned.

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