Uproarious LAUGHTER from the group. Then suddenly —
SONNY EXPLODES
In a RAGE, he stands up, THROWS HIS CHAIR, knocks over the
card table.
SONNY
You think this is a fucking joke?
Hah? One day I’m gonna die, and I’m
gonna be in this same fucking room,
with these same fucking guys, talking
about these same fucking scams that
never amount to anything, and that’s
how I’ll know I got sent to fucking
Hell.
Sonny STORMS out. The guys sit, look at each other. Some
dazed.
Some calculating. Boobie picks up the toppled table.
BOOBIE
We better start earning or somebody’s
gonna get clipped.
Then Sonny RETURNS. Pale and shaken.
SONNY
I can’t even imagine it. What kind
of people — in broad fucking daylight —
what kind of a world —
NICKY
What happened?
SONNY
They stole the Mercedes.
CUT TO:
EXT. DAY. MOTION LOUNGE
The guys file out. STARE at the EMPTY SPACE where the Mercedes
used to be.
CUT TO:
EXT. NIGHT. LAGUARDIA AIRPORT
From the runway, as a JETLINER takes off…
CUT TO:
INT. NIGHT. AIRPLANE
Nicky and Boobie play GIN in the second row of the FIRST
CLASS section. Their GIRLFRIENDS sit beside them. Sonny
SNOOZES behind them on the shoulder of Judy, the waitress we
met at the outset.
Lefty and Donnie sit along the opposite wall, in the smoking
section,
LEFTY
(sotto)
Donnie?
DONNIE
What?
LEFTY
Why’d you inject that, Donnie, with
Florida?
DONNIE
I didn’t inject anything, Left.
LEFTY
You injected that. Don’t tell me no.
I know you, Donnie, you don’t say
nothing unless there’s a reason for
it.
DONNIE
I don’t know, Left. I was just
bullshitting around.
LEFTY
Listen to me, Donnie. I swear on —
I don’t know which to swear on, my
dead father, my mother, who I love,
my children — I swear to you,
something’s going on that you don’t
know about.
DONNIE
I know.
LEFTY
(flaring)
That’s the problem is, you don’t
know.
DONNIE
You don’t explain it to me.
LEFTY
You think you can trust Sonny Black?
Sonny Black is one big fat fucking
snake in the, uh, uh…
DONNIE
Snake in the grass,
LEFTY
You can’t say that, Donnie. Sonny
Black is the skipper. You don’t open
your mouth about him.
DONNIE
I was agreeing with you.
LEFTY
Ain’t the question. Now you’re
responsible for this. And because I
represent you I’m responsible — for
the whole fucking Magilla fucking
Gorilla I’m responsible.
DONNIE
What are you so upset for? This could
be great.
LEFTY
I die wit’cha, you understand? You
walk on a chalk fucking line, Donnie.
I got two grenades at home — I’d
blow up Mulberry Street, you did
something wrong.
DONNIE
I’m not gonna do nothing wrong.
CUT TO:
INT. DAY. KING’S COURT
Cracked leatherette and gaffer’s tape. TOPLESS DANCERS move
greyly through their paces, ignored by the scattered
customers. Donnie watches through the glass of a PHONE BOOTH.
Supered below:
KING’S COURT. TAMPA, FLORIDA.
DONNIE
(to phone)
I’m in Florida.
MAGGIE (O.S.)
What are you doing in Florida?
DONNIE
What do you think I’m doing? I’m
working.
DONNIE ‘S POV
as a Dancer bends over, waggles her bare butt…
MAGGIE (O.S.)
It’s twelve degrees here.
INSIDE
FRED CALVIN, a.k.a. “CALVINO”, late 30s, beefy and bluff,
tours Lefty through the club. Shows him the LOCKERS behind
the bar…
CALVINO
You run it as a ‘bottle club,’ members
only — keep your own liquor in the
lockers, pay for setups. That way
there’s no liquor license.
LEFTY
What kind of name is that, ‘Calvino’?
CALVINO
Napolitan’.
(resuming)
Banquet room, six tennis courts,
swimming pool in the back…
LEFTY
You gonna put any money in this?
CALVINO
First class all the way, Left —
that was my original plan. Then the
minute I opened the joint I discovered
I had partners — these goombahs.
‘Gimme two hundred.’ ‘Gimme three
hundred.’ I said, ‘Hey — I got a
wife for that!’
Lefty shoots him a withering look.
LEFTY
Wait here.
INSIDE THE PHONE BOOTH
Donnie watches Lefty approach.
MAGGIE
It’s Terry’s Sweet Sixteen on Friday.
Did you forget?
DONNIE
No, I didn’t forget.
MAGGIE (O.S.)
Are you going to be here?
DONNIE
I’m gonna try. Look, Maggie, I gotta
go.
MAGGIE (O.S.)
Because it’s less disappointing if
you’d just say so.
DONNIE
I’ll be there, okay? I gotta go.
Bye.
Donnie moves to hang up. Remembers. Puts the phone back to
his mouth…
DONNIE
I love you.
…into a DIAL TONE. Lefty lights an English Oval as Donnie
emerges.
DONNIE
So whaddaya think?
LEFTY
I hate Neapolitans. You vouch for
this guy, Donnie?
DONNIE
Like anybody else. I knew him ten
years ago, he was okay then.
LEFTY
What kind of man begrudges his wife?
DONNIE
Look, I’m just making the
introduction. You make the decision.
Lefty looks around. SMILES.
LEFTY
You imagine — we have our own joint
down here?
DONNIE
It’s up to you, Left.
LEFTY
I just gotta sit down with the man
down here.
DONNIE
You know him? Trafficante?
LEFTY
Fuggedaboudit. All over the world
I’m known.
(getting an idea)
Like a yacht. We gotta take him out
on a yacht, have a drink, relax,
then he knows these are men of men
he’s dealing with.
DONNIE
I know a broad down here, her brother
has a boat. Big fucking yacht.
LEFTY
Get that boat, Donnie. Stay away
from the broad.
Calvino joins them.
CALVINO
Hey — who’s the best looking guy in
Florida?
He slaps a HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL to his forehead.
CALVINO
Me!
He laughs, puts his arm around an unamused Lefty.
CUT TO:
EXT. DAY. THE TAHITIAN
Sonny broods by the motel pool. Judy and the other girlfriends
sit across the way. QUIET in the heat. Boobie rubs suntan
oil on himself. Nicky reads his paper. Lefty and Donnie arrive
in their street clothes.
SONNY
(morose)
Broad daylight. I still can’t get
over it. You have to ask yourself —
what kind of people? They take a
Mercedes — a man’s private property,
they take it right off the street.
BOOBIE
Sonny, fuggedaboudit. It’s over.
SONNY
I don’t know what the world’s coming
to. I honestly don’t.
NICKY
Ever since they got rid of the death
penalty, the whole fucking society’s
going down the tubes. Like I’m
watching the news last night —
SONNY
Hey, Lefty, why didn’t you bring
Louise?
LEFTY
Don’t equate Louise with them broads,
Sonny. I bring Louise when you bring
your wives.
SONNY
(shouts)
Hey, Judy — come over here and give
everybody a blow job.
Judy gives him the finger. Sonny smiles, turns to the others.
SONNY
Isn’t she spunky?
NICKY
I’m watching the news last night.
I’m lying there in bed and I see
these guys from Iran, and these guys
are whipping themselves.
LEFTY
Who?
NICKY
Iranians. You imagine? They whip
themselves, with whips.
SONNY
Lot of broads into that.
LEFTY
Geddaddaheah, Nicky — whipping
themselves. I never heard of that.
NICKY
Donnie, am I right?
DONNIE
What?
LEFTY
How come you’re asking him? How come
you don’t ask me?
NICKY
You just said you never heard of it.
LEFTY
That’s right. I never heard of such
a fucking thing.
DONNIE
It’s like part of their religion,
Left. It’s called self-flagellation.
They think it’ll bring them closer
to God.
BOOBIE
I’d like to bring them closer to
God.
SONNY
You see how smart he’s getting,
Donnie, reading that paper?
NICKY
That’s what they oughtta do. Send
over a bunch of wiseguys. Put a gun
in your pocket, straighten them right
out.
LEFTY
Nicky, why’d I wanna go to Iran?
NICKY
I’m saying you gotta be strong with
these people.
LEFTY
Don’t tell me where I go and don’t
go.
NICKY
We didn’t have these problems with
Nixon. And there was law and order
in the streets.
Donnie watches as the group offers a unanimous AMEN with
their eyes.
SONNY
(to Lefty)
Everything check out with the club?
LEFTY
Yeah.
(to Nicky)
I ain’t got three dollars in my
pocket, Nicky, I’m gonna go to Iran?
NICKY
Fuggedaboudit.
SONNY
The man down here says okay?
LEFTY
I’m taking care of it. I gotta reach
out — in a month I’ll come back and
sit down with the man.
SONNY
He knows who you are?
ZZZZH! the whir of an autowinder and a black-and-white FREEZE
FRAME, All over
LEFTY
Fuggedaboudit, Sonny, the world I’m
known.
ZZZZH!
ZZZZH!
NICKY
You are not known in Iran.
And another freeze frame. Boobie gets up, dives in the pool
and another FREEZE FRAME.
CUT TO:
INT. NIGHT. SAFE HOUSE
A nerve center set up in a hotel suite. FBI AGENTS with
headphones listen to WIRETAPS, bustle in and out. Donnie,
exhausted, sits with Bursey and Jules.
DONNIE
I need a boat. Lefty loves boats. He
wants something special to show off
for Trafficante.
BURSEY
Anything else?
DONNIE
Yeah. What happened to my expense
check? It’s gotta be three months
already.
Bursey gets called to the phone, approaches.
BARBARA JONES, 30s, a PROSECUTOR,
JULES
Joe, this’s Barbara Jones. She’s an
assistant US Attorney.
DONNIE
Donnie. Call me Donnie.
(to Jules)
I gotta get reimbursed, Jules. It’s
fucking ridiculous.
JONES
We’re missing bits and pieces on a
lot of these cases. On the
loansharking —
DONNIE
Donnie Brasco has the worst fucking
credit rating in the history of the
Mafia.
JONES
Like I was saying, with the
loansharking — we have to get
somebody on tape with what the rate
of interest is.
Bursey covers the phone.
BURSEY
Does Sally Paintglass report to Nicky?
DONNIE
Not Nicky. Nicky Cigars.
BURSEY
(to phone)
Not Nicky. Nicky Cigars.
DONNIE
Miss Jones, how many do I have solid?
JONES
Indictments? I don’t know. Fifty.
Sixty.
BURSEY
(calling out)
Who’s Nicky Glasses?
DONNIE
Nicky Glasses. Little Nicky.
JONES
Joe —
DONNIE
Donnie. Call me Donnie. I don’t wanna
get confused.
(to Jules)
What about the club? When’s it gonna
be ready?
JULES
It’ll be ready when you come back
down.
DONNIE
You gonna spend any money to fix it
up or is it gonna stay a dump?
Bursey moves to the coffee machine. Jules sits with Donnie,
hands him the NAGRA TAPE RECORDER. He sticks it inside his
COWBOY BOOT.
BURSEY
You want some coffee, Joe?
DONNIE
(correcting him)
Donnie.
JONES
The loansharking predicates are very
specific. It’s really important that
you focus on these things.
DONNIE
What about the boat? I need that
fucking boat. You know, I ask Berada
to do something and he just says,
‘Done’.
JULES
Maybe that’s why he’s in the hospital.
JONES
The state says twice the lawful rate.
Can you get that on tape?
DONNIE
Just get me that fucking boat, okay?
Bursey rejoins them, stirring his coffee.
BUPSEY
They got that boat down here on that
other investigation —
whatchamacallit. Big fucking yacht.
DONNIE
Perfect.
BURSEY
(laughing)
The agents dress up as Arab sheiks
trying to bribe Congressmen. You
think that’ll ever amount to anything?
CUT TO:
EXT. NIGHT. MARINA
Lefty talks to a CAPTAIN, 50s, topsiders and cutoffs.
LEFTY
Five grand for that bucket for one
day?
CAPTAIN
Just listen to me —
LEFTY
I listen to my prick. How can you
say five grand?
CAPTAIN
You don’t want it, don’t rent it.
Lefty looks up. DOUBLETAKES.
LEFTY’S POV
as he looks down the dock, where BOOBIE meets with two
COLOMBIANS by a cigarette boat. He hands them a paper bag
full of cash to the Colombians. They hand him a BRIEFCASE.
Lefty backs into the shadows. Watches, TROUBLED, as Boobie
climbs into his car, drives away.
LEFTY
(sotto)
What the fuck is he up to?
CUT TO:
EXT. MORNING. TAMPA AIRPORT
The guys head toward the terminal, followed by Calvino,
burdened by their LUGGAGE. He lumbers like a pack-animal.
SONNY
Left, you wanna take care of the
bags? We’ll be in the lounge.
Sonny heads inside with Nicky and Boobie. Lefty looks around.
LEFTY
Where’s that fucking redcap?
Lefty wanders off, looks up the block. Calvino stands on the
curb with Donnie. Looks up and down. DOUBLETAKES.
CALVINO
(aside)
Oh, Jesus — that’s Hollman, Joe.
“Joe.” RAGE flickers almost imperceptibly in Donnie’s eyes.
CALVINO’S POV
HOLLMAN, 50s, a sharply-dressed LAWYER, climbs out of a
Mercedes.
Moves to the trunk, opens it.
CALVINO
He’ll make us for sure. He was the
USDA with —
DONNIE
(hard)
Shut up and calm down. I’ll take
care of it.
Lefty rejoins them.
LEFTY
Now listen to me, Fred — you
listening to me?
CALVINO’S POV
Hollman helps his wife out of the car. Shuts the door… The
REDCAP shows up. Starts ticketing the bags.
LEFTY
Just get that club fixed up. Anybody
says anything, you just tell them to
have their people get in touch with
your people in New York.
Hollman drops his bags in line behind our guys. His wife
fishes in her pocketbook for the tickets…
LEFTY
Mulberry Street. Ask for Lefty.
CALVINO
Okay, Left.
REDCAP
(to Lefty)
Excuse me, sir — your tickets?
LEFTY
(ignoring Redcap)
When we come back down, we’ll sit
down with Who’s Who and straighten
everything out.
HOLLMAN
(to Lefty)
Excuse me — he needs your tickets.
And then he… RECOGNIZES Donnie.
HOLLMAN
Joe?
Donnie ignores him.
DONNIE
(to Calvino)
Help this fucking guy put the bags
up on the cart. You got the tickets,
Left?
HOLLMAN
(persisting)
Joe Pistone?
Lefty’s SUSPICION rises. Hollman moves to take Donnie by the
elbow.
And Donnie WHIRLS on him.
DONNIE
(angry)
Hey, buddy — what the fuck are you
selling?
HOLLMAN
I’m sorry — I thought I recognized
you.
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”
SONNY
That’s some fucking irony, ain’t it?
LEFTY
That’s hand-built in Taiwan, that
boat.
BOOBIE
What is that, half a million?
LEFTY
Fuggedaboudit. There’s one thing I
know, it’s boats. This’s gotta be a
million dollars, this boat.
(gestures toward boat)
Go ahead. Get comfortable. I’m gonna
wait for the man.
Sonny and the others head toward the boat. Lefty turns to
Donnie.
LEFTY
Can you imagine this? I’m gonna sit
down with the boss. Remember that
day when we were freezing our nuts
off, watching all of them going to
sit down with the boss?
DONNIE
Sonny Red and all them big puffers.
LEFTY
In New York I never sat down with
the boss in my life. This was a great
idea I had, Florida.
DONNIE
Hey, Left.
Donnie nods toward the parking lot. Lefty looks, sees a
LINCOLN TOWN CAR pull up.
LEFTY
That’s him. That’s Trafficante.
Lefty jogs up the dock as STEVE DISALVO, 40s, Trafficante’s
ENFORCER, emerges from the Lincoln.
DISALVO
You Lefty?
LEFTY
Nice to meet you, Mr. Trafficante.
DISALVO
This’s Mr. Trafficante.
Lefty turns as SANTO TRAFFICANTE, 70s, a feeble old man with
a pork pie hat, is helped from the car by his entourage of
FLORIDA WISEGUYS.
He and Lefty shake hands.
LEFTY
That’s the boat I arranged for you,
Mr. Trafficante. We got a full bar,
every kind of music, telephone,
everything. You want anything —
anything you want — you just ask
Lefty.
Trafficante peers down the dock through thick prescription
SUNGLASSES.
TRAFFICANTE
Which one’s Sonny Black?
FLASH CUT TO:
INT. NIGHT. FBI
Hogue looks at large color SURVEILLANCE PHOTOS of “The Left
Hand” as it tools around Tampa harbor. As the party
progresses, Sonny Black and Trafficante split off and move
to the bow. Then Donnie joins Sonny and Trafficante. Sonny
introduces them…
OVER THIS
taped dialogue from the group in the stern, with seagulls,
surf, and the sounds of a party…
CLOSE ON — HOGUE
as his face turns grim…
HOLD ON — SURVEILLANCE PHOTO
as Donnie shakes hands with Trafficante.
HOGUE
An FBI man shaking hands with the
boss of Florida? Did it ever occur
to anyone that that is simply not
possible?
JULES
Score one for our side.
HOGUE
What makes you so sure he’s on our
side?
FLASH CUT TO:
EXT. THE PAST. BOAT
Sonny and Donnie stand in the bow, look out over the water.
SONNY
You can live your life like a man
down here. I bet if you took my blood
pressure right now it’d be down one
hundred per cent. Sonny Red’s got
Jersey and we got Florida, and
Florida’s better than Jersey, right?
DONNIE
He can stick Jersey up his ass.
SONNY
This is a great idea I had, Florida.
DONNIE
Once Lefty arranged it with
Trafficante —
SONNY
Fuggedaboudit. What Lefty don’t
understand is guys like Trafficante,
their day is done.
SONNY
A 70 year old brain can’t compare
with guys like us, because where
he’s got like 20 more years experience
in his day, we got 50 more years in
our day. And we’re living in our
day. Capeesh?
DONNIE
Simple arithmetic.
SONNY
Like with jeans, who had the idea
with jeans and now look how much
money they’re making?
DONNIE
Some young guy.
SONNY
Lefty’s a dynamite-guy, no question.
But you know, the thing with him
is… he’s trying to help you but he
hurts you. He gets those two or three
wines in him…
DONNIE
You just gotta take it with a grain
of salt.
SONNY
The books open up in December, I’m
gonna propose you. You know what
that means?
DONNIE
Fuggedaboudit. Be a made guy? That
would be unbelievable.
SONNY
What I’m saying is this. You don’t
have to report to Lefty no more.
From now on you can report to me.
CLOSE ON — DONNIE
as he calculates the advantages and dangers of his new
offer…
IN THE STERN
Lefty broods, nurses a spritzer. Watches Donnie with eyes
full of anger and resentment. Boobie sidles up to him.
BOOBIE
Can I ask you something? Did you get
this boat or did Donnie get this
boat?
LEFTY
Some broad down here he used to know,
it belongs to her brother.
BOOBIE
He knows a lot of broads, Donnie.
LEFTY
If Donnie had a dollar for every
broad of all his broads, he could
buy the fucking boat himself.
BOOBIE
If Donnie’s got so many broads, how
come we never seen none of them?
LEFTY
He uses them broads like Kleenex. He
won’t spend a dollar to take a lady
out.
Boobie drinks, takes a beat.
BOOBIE
You ever notice Donnie’ll buy guns
from you, if you’re offing guns, but
you never see him be the one offing
guns?
Lefty thinks a beat.
CUT TO:
INT. NIGHT. TAHITIAN
Donnie takes off his cowboy boots. Takes the Nagra out of
his boot Rewinds the tape. Plays it.
DONNIE (O.C.)
I just got some things I gotta take
care of, back in the city.
SONNY (O.S.)
When you come back, you represent me
in Florida.
He SNAPS it off. Hides it back in his cowboy boot.
CUT TO:
INT. DAY. LAGUARDIA AIRPORT
Donnie and Lefty wait with the crowd at the BAGGAGE CAROUSEL.
LEFTY
I’m telling you, it’s good to be
back in New York. That fucking Florida
baked everybody’s brain. When Sonny
gets out of the fucking sun he’s
gonna realize what a miserable fucking
idea you had.
DONNIE
How long’s he gonna stay down there?
LEFTY
Do I know?
(resuming)
I never saw so many old people in my
life. Who the fuck wants to go to
Florida? Sometimes you are one stupid
cocksucker, Donnie.
Donnie FLARES at the word “cocksucker.”
THEIR POV
as Lefty’s SUITCASE moves toward them. Donnie doesn’t budge.
LEFTY
Donnie — that’s my bag, Donnie.
Donnie —
DONNIE
Nobody calls me cocksucker.
Understood?
LEFTY
You get that fucking bag.
DONNIE
I’m not getting it.
LEFTY
Pick it up.
DONNIE
NO.
LEFTY
Pick up the fucking bag.
DONNIE
No fucking way, Left.
LEFTY
Don’t think you got the wood over my
eyes, Donnie. I watch you siding up
to Sonny Black.
DONNIE
That’s got nothing to do with it.
LEFTY
Now you’re on your fucking high
horses.
DONNIE
I got no fucking loyalty to Sonny
Black. That ain’t the issue.
LEFTY
(off bags)
Donnie — that’s the other one!
DONNIE
Nobody calls me cocksucker.
LEFTY
For your information I’ll call you
whatever the fuck I want. I call you
cocksucker. I call you motherfucker.
I call you, uh, uh…
Other PASSENGERS start to clear them a wide berth…
DONNIE
You’re the fucking cocksucker. Huh?
You fucking cocksucker — how does
it feel?
LEFTY
Fuck. My fucking knife’s in the bag.
Lefty’s chases after the suitcase…
DONNIE
Go ahead, Left. Fucking whack me.
Stab me. Right in the fucking baggage
claim.
LEFTY
You pick up that bag, Donnie.
DONNIE
Whack me! Because you know what? You
make me so fucking mad I’m gonna
whack you and then I’m gonna get
whacked for whacking you anyway!
LEFTY
You can’t call me cocksucker, Donnie.
DONNIE
I ain’t picking up the bag.
LEFTY
You pick it up.
DONNIE
I ain’t.
LEFTY
You pick up that bag, Donnie.
CUT TO:
INT. LATER. LAGUARDIA
Donnie and Lefty stand ALONE by the carousel, arms folded,
as their suitcases go around.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. NIGHT. PISTONE HOME MINNESOTA
Terry and Kerry and their new BOYFRIENDS make out on their
parents’ bed. Limbs writhing in adolescent lust. Then a
RING…
THE LEFTY PHONE
by the bedside. They stop, watch it ring. Then Terry’s hand
MOVES toward the forbidden phone. This close…
KERRY
Terry!
INT. NIGHT. LEFTY’S APARTMENT
CUT TO:
Lefty SLAMS the phone down. Sits with a huff in his chair.
Louise brings him a spritzer.
LOUISE
Here you go, Bennie.
LEFTY
Did Donnie call today?
LOUISE
No. I don’t know when’s the last
time I heard from him. Is he out of
town?
LEFTY
Shut up, Louise.
On Louise, hurt — Lefty doesn’t talk to her that way. She
exits.
Lefty, frustrated, turns on the TV.
CUT TO:
INT. NIGHT. JAPANESE RESTAURANT
A Japanese MAITRE D’ greets Sonny, Donnie, Nicky and Boobie
at the door.
MAITRE D’
Good evening. Please step this way.
The Maitre d’ ushers them inside. Donnie lingers behind,
NERVOUS…
NICKY
My wife says it’s very in, Japanese.
She heard it on John Gambling. Very
big now.
The Maitre d’ stops them.
MAITRE D’
Please to remove your shoes.
DONNIE’S COWBOY BOOT
with the Nagra in it. The Maitre d’ waits for Donnie’s shoes,
GESTURES… Donnie thinking fast…
DONNIE
Get a load of this guy.
(to Maitre d’)
How about you take off your fucking
pants?
NICKY
That’s part of the thing of it,
Donnie. You take off your shoes and
sit on the floor.
DONNIE
I’m not taking my shoes off for this
guy.
MAITRE D’
I’m afraid is necessary.
SONNY
C’mon, Donnie. Just take off your
fucking shoes and let’s eat.
BOOBIE
What’s the big deal?
DONNIE
Hey, Boobie, who won the fucking
war?
SONNY
Donnie — I’m hungry and I ain’t in
the mood.
DONNIE
I ain’t doing it.
SONNY
Take off your fucking shoes or I’m
gonna chop off your fucking legs.
MAITRE D’
Is house rule.
DONNIE
I grew up an orphan because my Dad
took a fucking bullet in Okinawa,
and I’ll lose my boot up his fucking
asshole before I’ll take orders from
fucking Mr. Moto here.
MAITRE D’
Is house rule.
SONNY
I wanna fucking eat, Donnie.
MAITRE D’
Rule of house.
The moment of truth.
DONNIE BLOWS
GRABS the Maitre d’ and RAMS him through the doors of the
MEN’S ROOM.
CUT TO:
INT. MEN’S ROOM
Donnie and the Maitre d’ go at it. The little guy’s game,
quick and tough. Then the other SWARM inside. And the MASSACRE
begins.
FISTS AND KICKS
crunch down on the Maitre d’. Donnie in with them — EXCITED
by the fray, the adrenaline RUSH. He KICKS the Maitre d’
hard… The Maitre d’ SCREAMS…
CUT TO:
INT. THE PRESENT. FBI
Hogue listens to the tape… Donnie’s hard breathing… The
Maitre d’s screams… The THUDS of Donnie’s kicks…
FLASH CUT TO:
INT. THE PAST. MEN’S ROOM
Nicky takes a roll of quarters. Holds it in his fist, PUNCHES
hard across the Maitre d’s brow. Blood TORRENTS from the
gash… Blinded by the blood, the Maitre d’ swings wildly…
BOOBIE SLIPS
on the blood and falls into the PUDDLE… Sees the STAINS on
his slacks… In a rage now… Boobie grabs a GARBAGE CAN,
swings it at the Maitre d’, who sinks in a heap, unconscious.
The guys continue to KICK at him…
CLOSE ON — DONNIE
as he backs away, APPALLED by the explosion of violence —
and his part in it.
FLASH CUT TO:
INT. SAME TIME. FBI
PHOTOS of the Maitre d’, bloodied and bruised, taken at the
hospital afterwards. Hogue inspects them.
OVER THIS
the tape plays…
BOOBIE (O.S.)
How many times I gotta tell you,
Nicky? The head bleeds like a
motherfucker.
NICKY (O.S.)
Try club soda. Sometimes that works,
club soda.
BOOBIE (O.S.)
Goddam Brioni suit.
HOGUE
This is what the FBI does? You’re
telling me this is the fucking FBI?
BERADA
You think Joe went over to the other
side?
HOGUE
I think that’s a question worth
asking, don’t you?
BERADA
Ask him the fuck yourself.
HOGUE
From everything we know what he did
is simply not possible. Then you
look at the guns and the porno tapes
and
(with photos)
this. That is not the behavior of an
FBI agent. I listen to those tapes
and that is not the speech of an FBI
agent.
JULES
I’m tired of defending what we did.
You’re so sure he went over the other
side? Maybe we should fucking arrest
him.
LEBOW
We should pull him out, is what we
should do.
JULES
We don’t even know where the fuck he
is, Clarence. Remember?
BERADA
Joe’s a seducer. He seduced them.
HOGUE
Well, maybe he fucking seduced you.
THE CLOCK
on the wall reads “9:30.” The phone RINGS. Jules grabs it.
Listens a beat. Turns to the others.
JULES
The guy inside spotted Sonny Black
at the wedding. Donnie’s with him.
CUT TO:
INT. SAME TIME. CHURCH HALL
FBI #2, in the guise of a BUSBOY, pours water. Keeps an eye
on our guys at a remote table, amidst several hundred GUESTS.
AT THE TABLE
Our guys, dour and nervous, sit with their wives. Donnie
with a blonde BIMBO.
SONNY
What kind of a fucking table is this?
We’re in fucking Siberia with this
table.
RED COWBOY BOOTS
approach beneath tuxedo pants. Sonny Red, accompanied by his
son Bruno and Big Trin, claps Sonny Black on the back.
SONNY RED
I heard you was down in Florida.
SONNY
Yeah, you know — take the sun. I
didn’t want to come back.
SONNY RED
You got friends in Florida?
SONNY
They’re very friendly down there,
the people.
Sonny Red pinches Sonny’s cheek.
SONNY RED
Nice color you got. Red!
Bruno and Big Trin laugh uproariously. They move on as our
guys look daggers their way.
SONNY
I gotta go to the John.
Sonny gets up. All the guys get up with him. Follow Sonny to
the John.
SONNY RED
watches them from his table. Then looks up.
SONNY RED’S POV
of the FBI “busboy” as he clears the salad dishes… Sonny
Red whispers something to Bruno.
CUT TO:
INT. SAME TIME. FBI HEADQUARTERS
Hogue turns to LeBow.
HOGUE
(covering phone)
You’re sure the informant said
tonight?
LEBOW
The hit’s going down tonight.
JULES
In about two fucking minutes they’re
gonna start getting suspicious about
that surveillance van.
HOGUE
(to phone)
Anything from the guy inside?
JULES
We have a guy inside, sir — Joe’s
the guy inside. And clearly he doesn’t
think there’s a problem.
LEBOW
He can’t stay undercover forever. If
it’s not now, it’s next week. Or
next month.
HOGUE
(to phone)
If they leave, stay with them.
JULES
Are you out of your fucking mind? A
fucking New Jersey telephone repair
van in the rear-view mirror all the
fucking way to Brooklyn? Why don’t
you just put a bullet in his head?
CUT TO:
INT. SAME TIME. BATHROOM
Boobie and Donnie enter first, hands ready by the guns in
their cummerbunds. Check all the stalls. Nicky posts himself
by the door and Sonny enters with Lefty. Sonny goes into the
STALL. Closes the door behind him.
NICKY
I heard the zips went in with Sonny
Red.
BOOBIE
The only ones in with us is us.
VILE NOISES
emanate from the stall. The guys stand around, awkward,
nervous, watching.
LEFTY
Christ, Sonny — what’d you eat for
lunch?
SONNY
Judy.
The guys LAUGH. Then FLINCH as the door OPENS… Hands at
their guns…
PHILLY LUCKY
holds his hands up, palms up.
PHILLY LUCKY
Where’s Sonny?
The toilet FLUSHES. Sonny emerges. Looks to Philly Lucky.
PHILLY LUCKY
Sonny wanted me to tell you — he
wants to schedule a sitdown. Hash
everything out.
CUT TO:
