The Sting Page #9

CUT TO:

THE OUTER PART OF THE BAR AGAIN

A silhouetted figure appears in the entrance doorway. The

word "chill" races from table to table and the place falls

still. The bartender pushes a button behind the bar and a

buzzer goes off in the back room. Boudreau gets up from his

table and opens a small viewing port in the door.

The silhouetted figure is now walking slowly past the silent

tables. It's Snyder and he's checking out every face in the

place.

BOUDREAU:

Twist, you know this guy?

TWIST:

(taking a look

through the viewing port)

No. Never saw him before. He's a

dick, though.

Snyder walks all the way to the back, and then retraces his

route. About halfway back, he stops at one of the tables,

recognizing a grifter he knows. It's the Eirie Kid.

EIRIE KID:

Hello, Snyder. What are you doin'

up here?

SNYDER:

I'm on vacation. You seen your

friend lately?

EIRIE KID:

Yeh, he packed it in and enrolled

in detective school.

Snyder, in no mood for jokes, grabs Eirie by the hair and

slams his face into the table. Eirie just stays there; he

knows it doesn't pay to assault a detective. Twist is

watching all this intently from the viewing port.

SNYDER:

You see him, you tell him to pay

his debts before I get him.

Eirie raises his head slowly, but says nothing. There is a

slight trickle of blood from his nose. Snyder turns and

walks slowly out of the bar. When he is a safe distance

down the street, the chatter and drinking resume.

CUT TO:

THE INSIDE ROOM AGAIN

Twist gives an all clear signal and returns to the table

where he and Boudreau were talking. Boudreau reads from a

list of names. Twist listens with a certain preoccupation.

He's still thinking about the little confrontation he just

witnessed.

BOUDREAU:

Paltrow, Sterling, Furey, and the

Big Alabama are in from New Orleans.

Fiskin and the Boone Kid from

Denver, and Phillips, Barnett and

Limehouse Chappie from New York.

Those and the guys outside should

give ya 30 or so to choose from.

TWIST:

Good, have 'em down at Stenner's

old Pool Hall before 3:00. We're

gonna run through the route tonight.

BOUDREAU:

Okay, Twist, but you know if this

blows up, I can't do ya no good

downtown. Gondorff is Federal.

TWIST:

Don't worry about it, pal.

CUT TO:

EXT. SPEEDING PASSENGER TRAIN - NIGHT

Ripping through an open stretch between New York and Chicago.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN - NIGHT

Singleton is walking down a passageway and stops at a door

and goes in.

INT. GONDORFF'S COMPARTMENT - NIGHT

Gondorff is rapidly shuffling cards to four empty places.

He is alone. He looks up as Singleton enters.

SINGLETON:

You in?

GONDORFF:

Yeh, I think so. I gave the kay-

ducer a C-note. You find out the

deck?

SINGLETON:

He usually plays with a Royal or a

Cadenza.

(handing him two

sealed decks)

I got you one of each. He likes to

cold deck low, 8's or 9's.

GONDORFF:

Nice work, J.J.

Singleton slips out as Gondorff unpeels the packs.

INT. TRAIN - NIGHT

We pick up Lonnegan coming out of his compartment, flanked

by only one bodyguard and Floyd. He starts through the

passenger section toward the compartment where the poker

game will be held. Suddenly a drunken woman comes staggering

around the corner and bumps into him.

They grapple a moment and Lonnegan pushes her away in disgust.

WOMAN:

(sloppy drunk)

Keep your mitts off me, ya big lug.

If I'da wanted you handlin' me I

woulda asked ya.

Lonnegan ignores her and proceeds down the passageway. As

the woman proceeds in the other direction between passengers,

we see it is Billie. She drops something on a seat beside a

passenger. A hand reaches to pick it up. It is Lonnegan's

wallet and it is Hooker who picks it up.

Hooker waits a moment, then stands and goes in the direction

Lonnegan has taken. He passes by the open door to the card

room, hesitating only slightly to hear the greetings

exchanged inside before the door is shut. Then he continues

on into the next car. He turns into Gondorff's compartment.

CUT TO:

INT. GONDORFF'S COMPARTMENT - NIGHT

Gondorff is still practicing. He looks up as Hooker enters

and tosses him the wallet.

HOOKER:

She got him clean. He hasn't

missed it.

Gondorff nods, takes the money out, counts it.

GONDORFF:

Fifteen grand. Looks like he's

expecting a big night.

He takes out his own wallet and puts the money in it, and

tosses the empty wallet back to Hooker, and resumes his

shuffling and dealing. Hooker sits back silently and

watches him.

HOOKER:

He's waitin' for you in the card

room.

GONDORFF:

Let him wait.

As he deals, on the second pass he attempts to cut from the

bottom, muffs it completely and sprays half the deck on the

table. Hooker regards him steadily as he gathers them back

up. Gondorff finally meets his gaze.

GONDORFF:

You just worry about your end, kid.

HOOKER:

If we ever get to it.

CUT TO:

INT. THE POKER ROOM - NIGHT

A specially outfitted compartment with a table and chairs in

the middle and leather cushions around the outside for

kibitzers. Lonnegan and 3 other players are already there

and seated. They're getting slightly impatient.

LONNEGAN:

(to the Conductor)

Where the hell is this guy?

CONDUCTOR:

I don't know. He said he'd be here.

CUT TO:

GONDORFF'S CABIN AGAIN

Gondorff is standing in front of the mirror dressing. He

grabs up a clean white shirt and rumples it up in his hands.

He then picks up a half-full bottle of bourbon. Hooker

gives him a disapproving look. Gondorff smiles and pats

some on his face.

CUT TO:

THE POKER ROOM AGAIN

Everybody's itchy now.

LONNEGAN:

All right, let's start without him.

Mr. Clemens, give me the cards.

The Conductor hands him a sealed deck. As he begins to open

it, Gordoff comes into the room, coatless, rumpled, unshaven

and looking slightly tipsy. The others at the table, all

men of high school or financial standing, are somewhat put

off.

GONDORFF:

Sorry I'm late boys. I was takin'

a crap.

This bit of grossness does little to improve his image.

CONDUCTOR:

(making the

introductions;

referring first to Gondorff)

Mr. Shaw is a bookmaker from

Chicago. Mr. Shaw, meet Mr.

Clayton from Pittsburgh, Mr.

Jameson, Chicago, Mr. Lonnegan, New

York and Mr. Lombard, Philadelphia.

Gondorff nods and takes a seat, none too gracefully.

CONDUCTOR:

Straight poker, gentlemen. 100

dollar minimum, table stakes. We

assume you're good for your debts.

LONNEGAN:

(shuffling the cards)

Mr. Shaw, we usually require a tie

at this table. If you don't have

one, we can get ya one.

GONDORFF:

Yeh, that'd be real nice of ya, Mr.

Lonneman.

LONNEGAN:

(irritated)

Lonnegan.

He begins to deal, obviously not pleased that his evening

seems to be peopled with drunks.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE SUNKEN ALLEY - NIGHT

A truck is now parked at the end of the alley, and several

workmen are busy unloading it. One group carries a large

blackboard; others have boxes of glasses, ash tray stands,

furniture, etc. Take several cuts.

CUT TO:

INSIDE THE ONCE-VACANT POOL HALL

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