The Godfather Page #6

INT DAY:
WOLTZ'S BEDROOM (SUMMER 1945)

It is large, dominated by a huge bed, in which a man,

presumably WOLTZ, is sleeping. Soft light bathes the room

from the large windows. We move closer to him until we see

his face, and recognize JACK WOLTZ. He turns uncomfortably;

mutters, feels something strange in his bedsheets. Something

wet.

He wakens, feels the sheets with displeasure; they are wet.

He looks at his hand; the wetness is blood. He is

frightened, pulls aside the covers, and sees fresh blood on

his sheets and pajamas. He grunts, pulls the puddle of

blood in his bed. He feels his own body frantically,

moving, down, following the blood, until he is face to face

with the great severed head of Khartoum lying at the foot of

his bed. Just blood from the hacked neck. White reedy

tendons show. He struggles up to his elbows in the puddle

of blood to see more clearly. Froth covers the muzzle, and

the enormous eyes of the animal are yellowed and covered

with blood.

WOLTZ tries to scream; but cannot. No sound comes out.

Then, finally and suddenly an ear-splitting scream of pure

terror escapes from WOLTZ, who is rocking on his hands and

knees in an uncontrolled fit, blood all over him.

INT DAY:
OLIVE OIL OFFICES (SUMMER 1945)

CLOSE VIEW on the GODFATHER. Nodding.

DON CORLEONE:

Send Johnny my congratulations.

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

(SCENES 12 & 12 OMITTED)

FADE IN:

EXT DAY:
FIFTH AVENUE (WINTER 1945)

Fifth Avenue in the snow. Christmas week. People are

bundled up with rosy faces, rushing to buy presents.

KAY and MICHAEL exit a Fifth Avenue department store,

carrying a stack of gaily wrapped gifts, arm in arm.

KAY:

We have something for your mother,

for Sonny, we have the tie for

Fredo and Tom Hagen gets the

Reynolds pen...

MICHAEL:

And what do you want for Christmas?

KAY:

Just you.

They kiss.

INT DAY:
HOTEL ROOM (WINTER 1945)

CLOSE ON a wooden radio, playing quiet Music. THE VIEW PANS

AROUND the dark hotel room, curtained against the daylight.

MICHAEL (O.S.)

We'll have a quiet, civil ceremony

at the City Hall, no big fuss, no

family, just a couple of friends as

witnesses.

The two are in each other's arms in a mess of bedsheets on

the two single beds that they have pushed together.

KAY:

What will your father say?

MICHAEL:

As long as I tell him beforehand he

won't object. He'll be hurt, but

he won't object.

KAY:

What time do they expect us?

MICHAEL:

For dinner. Unless I call and tell

them we're still in New Hampshire.

KAY:

Michael.

MICHAEL:

Then we can have dinner, see a

show, and spend one more night.

He moves to the telephone.

MICHAEL (CONT'D.)

Operator. Get me

(fill in number)

KAY:

Michael, what are you doing?

MICHAEL:

Shhh, you be the long distance

operator. Here.

KAY:

Hello...this is Long Distance. I

have a call from New Hampshire. Mr.

Michael Corleone. One moment please.

She hands the phone to MICHAEL who continues the deception.

MICHAEL:

Hello, Tom? Michael. Yeah...

listen, we haven't left yet. I'm

driving down to the city with Kay

tomorrow morning. There's something

important I want to tell the old

man before Christmas. Will he be

home tomorrow night?

INT DAY:
OLIVE OIL OFFICE (WINTER 1945)

HAGEN in the Olive Oil Company office. In the background,

through the glass partitions, we can see the DON, at work in

his office. TOM is tired, and steeped in paperwork.

HAGEN (O.S.)

Sure. Anything I can do for you.

MICHAEL (O.S.)

No. I guess I'll see you Christmas.

Everyone's going to be out at Long

Beach, right?

HAGEN:

Right.

He smiles. MICHAEL has hung up. He looks at the piles of

work, and can't face it. He rises, puts on his coat and

hat, and continues out.

He peeks into the DON's office.

HAGEN:

Michael called; he's not leaving

New Hampshire until tomorrow

morning. I've got to go, I promised

Theresa I'd pick up some toys for

the kids.

The DON smiles and nods.

TOM smiles, and leaves; OUR VIEW remaining with DON CORLEONE.

FREDDIE is sitting on a bench in the corner, reading the

afternoon paper. He puts aside the papers the office

manager has prepared for him, and then moves to FREDDIE,

raps his knuckles on his head to take his nose out of the

paper.

DON CORLEONE:

Tell Paulie to get the car from the

lot; I'll be ready to go home in a

few minutes.

FREDO:

I'll have to get it myself; Paulie

called in sick this morning.

DON CORLEONE:

That's the third time this month.

I think maybe you'd better get a

healthier bodyguard for me. Tell

Tom.

FREDO:

(going)

Paulie's a good kid. If he's sick,

he's sick. I don't mind getting

the car.

FREDDIE leaves. He slowly puts on his jacket. Looks out

his window.

EXT DUSK:
OLIVE OIL CO. (WINTER 1945)

FREDDIE crosses the street.

INT DUSK:
OLIVE OIL OFFICE (WINTER 1945)

OFFICE MANAGER:

Buon Watale, Don Corleone.

The MANAGER helps him on with his overcoat. Once again, the

DON glances out his window.

The black car pulls up; FREDDIE driving.

DON CORLEONE:

Merry Christmas.

(handing the MANAGER

an envelope)

And he starts down the stairs.

EXT DUSK:
OLIVE OIL CO. (WINTER 1945)

The light outside is very cold, and beginning to fail. When

FREDDIE sees his FATHER coming, he moves back into the

driver's seat. The DON moves to the car, and is about to

get in when he hesitates, and turns back to the long, open

fruit stand near the corner.

The PROPRIETOR springs to serve him. The DON walks among

the trays and baskets, and merely points to a particular

piece of fruit. As he selects, the MAN gingerly picks the

pieces of fruit up and puts them into a paper bag. The DON

pays with a five dollar bill, waits for his change, and then

turns back to the car.

EXT DUSK:
POLKS TOY STORE (WINTER 1945)

TOM HAGEN exits carrying a stack of presents, all gift

wrapped. He continues past the windows. As he walks,

someone walks right in his way. He looks up. It is SOLLOZZO.

He takes TOM by the arm and walks along with him.

SOLLOZZO:

(quietly)

Don't be frightened. I just want

to talk to you.

A car parked at the curb suddenly flings its rear door open.

SOLLOZZO:

(urgently)

Get in; I want to talk to you.

HAGEN pulls his arm free. He is frightened.

HAGEN:

I haven't got time.

TWO MEN suddenly appear on either side of him.

SOLLOZZO:

Get in the car. If I wanted to

kill you you'd be dead already.

Trust me.

HAGEN, sick to his stomach, moves with his ESCORTS, leaving

our VIEW on the Mechanical windows gaily bobbing the story

of Hansel and Gretel. We HEAR the car doors shut, and the

car drive off.

EXT NIGHT:
RADIO CITY - PHONE BOOTH (WINTER 1945)

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL during the Christmas show. KAY and

MICHAEL exit; tears are still streaming down her cheeks, and

she sniffles, and dries her tears with Kleenex. KAY

nostalgically hums "The Bells of Saint Mary's," as they walk

arm in arm.

KAY:

Would you like me better if I were

a nun?

MICHAEL:

No.

KAY:

Would you like me better if I were

Ingrid Bergman?

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