The Godfather Page #17

She hauls off and punches him knowingly; he laughs, so then

she flings herself at him, kicking and scratching; her heavy

belly heaving under the thin slip.

CARLO:

(defending himself)

You're crazy. She was kidding

around; I don't know, some nut.

He pushes her aside, and moves into the bedroom to continue

dressing.

CONNIE:

You're staying home. You're not

going out.

CARLO:

OK, OK. You gonna make me something

to eat at least?

That calms her down; she stands there a moment, breathing

heavily; and then she nods, and goes into the kitchen, and

starts her wifely duties.

CARLO is dressed; puts on some cologne; CONNIE appears in

the doorway.

CONNIE:

The food is on the table.

CARLO:

I'm not hungry yet.

CONNIE:

Eat it, it's on the table.

CARLO:

Ba Fa Goulle.

CONNIE:

BA FA GOULE YOU!

She turns deliberately, goes out into the kitchen. A moment

later we begin to hear the sound of dishes breaking. CARLO

slowly walks out, where we can see CONNIE systematically

smashing all the dishes against the sink, sending the greasy

veal and peppers all over the apartment floor.

CARLO:

You filthy guinea spoiled brat.

Clean it up or I'll kick your head

in.

CONNIE:

Like hell I will.

She stands there, solid, ready to punch him again. Slowly,

he slides his belt out of his trousers, and doubles it in

his hand.

CARLO:

Clean it up!

He swings the belt against her heavy hips. She moves back

into the kitchen, and gets a kitchen knife, and holds it

ready.

CARLO:

Even the female Corleones are

murderers.

He puts the strap down on a table, and moves after her. She

makes a sudden thrust at his groin, which he avoids. He

pulls the knife away, cutting his hand in the process. She

gets away momentarily, but he pursues her around the table,

gets her; and starts to slap her in the face.

She breaks away from him, and rushes into the bedroom.

CONNIE:

The baby! The baby!

INT DAY:
CONNIE'S BEDROOM (SPRING 1946)

She runs into the bedroom; he follows. She moves into a

corner, and then like a desperate animal, tries to hide

under the bed.

He reaches under, and pulls her out by the hair.

He slaps her in the face until she begins to weep; then he

throws her on the bed, contemptuously. He grabs part of her

thigh, pinching it very hard.

CARLO:

You're fat as a pig.

Then he pushes her away, and walks out of the room, leaving

her in tears. She is crying; she pulls herself to the

bedroom phone, and in a whisper:

CONNIE:

Mama...mama, it's Connie. Mama, I

can't talk any louder. No, I don't

want to talk to Sonny.

We can tell that the phone has been passed to SONNY.

INT DAY:
DON'S KITCHEN (SPRING 1946)

In the kitchen at the Mall, MAMA cannot understand the

whispering and she has given the phone to SONNY.

SONNY:

Yeah Connie.

CONNIE (O.S.)

Sonny, just send a car to bring me

home. I'll tell you then, it's

nothing Sonny, don't you come.

Send TOM, please Sonny, it's

nothing; I just want to come home.

SONNY's face is turning red.

SONNY:

(in a controlled voice)

You wait there. You just wait there.

He hangs up the phone; and just stands there for a moment.

SONNY:

(quietly)

That sonofabitch; that sonofabitch...

HAGEN enters the room; he knows what is happening, knows he

cannot interfere.

EXT DAY:
MALL

SONNY leaves the house. HAGEN moves to the outside mall

just as SONNY's car is driving off. He moves to a group of

BUTTON MEN.

HAGEN:

Go after him.

EXT DAY:
CAUSEWAY (SPRING 1946)

SONNY's car on the Jones Beach Causeway, speeds quickly by.

After a pause, another car, with the CORLEONE BODYGUARDS, is

trailing.

SONNY is driving; he is very angry.

EXT NITE:
TOLL BOOTHS (SPRING 1946)

SONNY in his car; driving back. Still breathing hard and

still furious. Then he thinks it's funny; he enjoyed it.

He starts laughing, louder and louder, as he pulls up to a

toll booth, stops, and extends his hand with a coin to the

COLLECTOR.

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

FADE IN:

INT NITE:
AMERIGO BONASERA'S APARTMENT

The serious-faced UNDERTAKER is on the telephone.

HAGEN (O.S.)

This is Tom Hagen. I'm calling for

Don Corleone, at his request.

BONASERA looks at his WIFE, with deep anxiety in his eyes.

BONASERA's lips are suddenly dry.

BONASERA:

Yes, I understand. I'm listening.

HAGEN (O.S.)

You owe the Don a service. In one

hour, not before, perhaps later, he

will be at your funeral parlor to

ask for your help. Be there to

greet him. If you have any

objections speak now, and I'll

inform him.

Silence. BONASERA stutters, then speaks in fright.

BONASERA:

Anything...Anything the Godfather

wishes.

HAGEN (O.S.)

Good. He never doubted you.

BONASERA:

The Don himself is coming to me

tonight?

HAGEN (O.S.)

Yes.

(click)

BONASERA is sweating; slowly he lowers the phone; his WIFE

sees his pale expression, and follows him into the room.

Silently, he begins the ritual of dressing. His WIFE knows

something serious is happening, and never takes her eyes

from him. He lights a cigarette.

BONASERA:

For the last year, they have been

killing one another. So now, what?

Your Godfather comes to me...Why?

(whispering, slyly)

They've killed someone so important

that they wish to make his body

disappear.

MRS. BONASERA

(frightened)

Amerigo!

BONASERA:

They could make me an accomplice to

their murder. They could send me

to jail!

He slips into his trousers. Then he moves to his WIFE to

tie his tie, as she has done for years.

BONASERA:

And if the other families find

out...they will make me their enemy.

They could come here to our house.

I curse the day I ever went to the

Godfather.

EXT NITE:
FUNERAL PARLOR (SPRING 1946)

With his ring of keys, he opens the funeral parlor, enters.

INT NITE:
FUNERAL PARLOR (SPRING 1946)

BONASERA walks through the darkened funeral parlor, without

turning on the lights; then into the rear, preparation room,

past the tables, and equipment. He operates the chain that

lifts a large overhead garage type door. And looks out into

the alley.

He sits on a bench, and waits.

EXT NITE:
FUNERAL PARLOR ALLEY (SPRING 1946)

The tires of a car roll very quietly along the small alley;

we notice a dark car approach the rear of BONASERA's funeral

parlor.

CLEMENZA gets out, and moves to the open, rear door.

BONASERA greets him, too petrified to speak. He notices TWO

OTHER MEN get out of the car, and carry a stretcher with a

CORPSE swaddled in a gray blanket, with yellowed feet

protruding.

BONASERA closes his eyes in fear, but indicates which way

the MEN should carry their sinister burden.

INT NITE:
FUNERAL PARLOR EMBALMING ROOM (SPRING 1946)

They carry the CORPSE to one of the tables in the embalming

room.

Then BONASERA turns to see ANOTHER MAN step out of the

darkness somewhat uncertainly. It is DON CORLEONE.

He walks up to BONASERA, very close, without speaking. His

cold eyes looking directly at the frightened UNDERTAKER.

Then, after a long gaze:

DON CORLEONE:

Well my friend, are you ready to do

me this service?

BONASERA nods. The DON moves to the CORPSE on the embalming

table; he makes a gesture, and the OTHER MEN leave them alone.

Rate this script:3.9 / 20 votes