Donnie Brasco
DONNIE (to Lefty) Get a load of this guy. The oldest fucking scam in the book. Pretend you recognize someone and meanwhile his partner here takes your wallet, (to Wife) He fuck you, honey, or does he just thieve with you?
HOLLMAN That’s my wife.
MRS. HOLLMAN C’mon, honey.
DONNIE Hah? with his fucking pencil prick?
HOLLMAN (ironic) My mistake.
She draws him away. They move toward the terminal.
DONNIE (after them) ‘Cause if he ain’t fucking you, honey, come up to First Class. We got two toilets up there.
Calvino gives the bag to a REDCAP. Looks in his wallet.
DONNIE Fucking guy pissing up my leg.
LEFTY Relax. You’re gonna bust a blood vessel.
DONNIE You can’t even go to the fucking airport any more without some fucking Hare Krishna or somebody puts his hand in your pocket.
CALVINO (to Lefty) You got change for a twenty?
Lefty takes the twenty, gives the REDCAP two dollars. KEEPS the twenty.
LEFTY Send the tickets for me and Donnie. We’ll come back down in a month.
CALVINO Sounds good to me. (about the twenty) Hey Left —
But Lefty’s already on his way inside. Donnie lingers a beat.
CALVINO I wanted change from a twenty. He took the twenty —
DONNIE (sotto) You ever call me Joe again I’ll cut your throat.
CUT TO:
INT. NIGHT. PISTONE HOME MINNESOTA
The door unlocks, and Donnie tiptoes into the house. The middle of the night. Goes into the kitchen for a snack. Opens the refrigerator.
A BIRTHDAY CAKE
half-eaten, with the elided legend, “HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN, TERRY.” He missed the party.
DONNIE Shit.
INT. NIGHT. TERRY’S ROOM
CUT TO:
Terry lies awake. A shaft of light hits her face as Donnie opens the door.
DONNIE Terry? You awake?
TERRY Yeah.
Donnie goes to her. Sits on the bed.
DONNIE I’ m sorry I missed your party.
TERRY It’s okay. Uncle Bob flew in.
DONNIE I’m not the kind of guy that breaks his promises.
TERRY That’s what Mom said.
DONNIE I’m sure that’s only part of what Mom said.
TERRY That’s between you two.
DONNIE What’d she say — she wants a divorce? That’s just her way of blowing off steam.
TERRY She was worried something happened to you.
DONNIE Nothing’s gonna happen to me, Terry. Nothing’s gonna happen to us — I won’t let it. Okay?
TERRY Look, I understand. It’s your job.
DONNIE I’m doing the right thing. I know it’s a sacrifice. It’s the same thing I always tell you kids — do your best, work hard, never quit. That’s how I live my life. I just had no way of knowing it would go this far.
TERRY It was just a birthday party, Dad. You don’t have to go through this big apology.
DONNIE You’re getting grown-up now. I want you to understand.
TERRY Half the kids in school don’t have fathers.
DONNIE You have a father, Terry.
TERRY That’s not what I meant.
DONNIE Maybe I’m not there for the good times, but I’m there if you need me.
TERRY I know that, Dad.
DONNIE It’s just another six months.
“Another six months.” That phrase. Like a knife in her heart.
TERRY Whenever. It’s no big deal.
DONNIE Come here. Give me a hug.
Terry sits up, hugs her father. Struggles against the tears. And loses.
TERRY (sobbing) I hate you. I’m sorry. I hate you so much.
He takes this like a blow. Hugs her tighter.
CUT TO:
INT. MORNING. PISTONE HOME
Donnie convenes a FAMILY MEETING over breakfast. Terry, Kerry and Maggie sit, sullen, around the kitchen table. Sherry runs down the stairs, sits down.
SHERRY Sorry I’m late.
DONNIE Okay. I called this family meeting because there’s something we have to talk about. I know what I’m doing involves a lot of sacrifice from everyone, but this is something patriotic for the country that you can all be proud of. (beat) I called the meeting because we’re gonna have to move.
TERRY I’m not moving.
DONNIE This isn’t a democracy, Terry. This is a dictatorship. And that’s my decision. It’s getting too dangerous.
MAGGIE Well, I don’t want to move either, Joe. Move where?
DONNIE There’s too many people here who know us.
MAGGIE Those people are known as ‘friends,’ Joe. You told me when we started this that we’d be moving back close to the family. That was the deal.
DONNIE We’re moving to Minnesota and changing our name to ‘Anderson’. That’s the deal. It’s done.
SHERRY ‘Anderson’? Yeeccch…
TERRY Fuck that. I’m staying here. I’ll live with Kenny.
DONNIE That language is unacceptable, young lady. You sit down.
Terry gets up, walks out. Maggie gets up, too.
MAGGIE Well, Mr. ‘Anderson’, you’ve topped yourself. Where’d you get that name — ‘Father Knows Best’?
DONNIE Where are you going? Don’t you want to discuss this?
MAGGIE Apparently there’s nothing to discuss. I’m going to get the mail.
KERRY What about our friends?
DONNIE You’ll make new friends.
SHERRY We’re not in the FBI, Dad.
DONNIE Minnesota’s great. Lakes and everything. We can get a nice piece of land there. Maybe we can even get a horse.
Maggie comes back inside, reading the MAIL. Flips a letter to Donnie.
MAGGIE You know the US government? The one you’re doing this patriotic work for, that we can all be proud of?
DONNIE What’s this?
MAGGIE The IRS. We got audited.
CUT TO:
EXT. DAY. TAMPA HARBOR
A magnificent hand-built 75-foot motor yacht docked at the marina.
Lefty BEAMS, arms folded in satisfaction, beside Donnie. Sonny, Nicky, Boobie and the girls arrive, carrying COOLERS. They marvel at the boat.
NICKY Left, that’s some fucking boat.
SONNY Cozz’. That’s beautiful.
Judy gives Lefty a kiss. He blushes.
LEFTY Sonny — lookit what the name is. That’s like my name.
Sonny looks at the stern. Emblazoned across it: “THE LEFT HAND”
