For easy access to the beginning of the script and older excerpts go to the homepage.

*Heywood Gould is the author of 9 screenplays including “Rolling Thunder,”Fort Apache, The Bronx,”Boys From Brazil”and “Cocktail.”

EMPIRES OF CRIME

By Heywood Gould

HOUR VI

ACT TWO (Cont)

EXT. BEVERLY HILLS—POOL. DAY.

Meyer follows a white coated HOUSEBOY onto the patio and watches Benny and Virginia Hill cavort in the pool. Benny waves.

        BENNY
Hey Meyer…This beats
jumpin’ in the East River,
don’t it?

INT. LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.

Sunset. Meyer sits on the couch, shuffling papers. Benny, stylish and immaculate in a tuxedo comes out, fixing his gold cuff links.

        BENNY
Gotta run to a party at the
Coconut Grove. You shoulda
called.

        MEYER
The trip came up on short
notice. We had a big meeting
in Havana.

        BENNY
Nobody told me nothin’ about
it.

        MEYER
You were the main topic…

        BENNY
(his smile fades)
Okay, what’s the beef?

        MEYER
Let’s begin with the markers…
(waves a handful of notes)
Two hundred and eighteen
thousand dollars from your
Hollywood pals.

        SIEGEL
They come to hang around
with me, so I book their
action privately…

        LANSKY
When they lose they pay you.
When they win the hotel pays…

        SIEGEL
It’s a business expense.
They draw people. Suckers
wanna rub elbows with the
Hollywood crowd.

        MEYER
The boys think you’re
skimmin.

        BENNY
I sent money back east last
month.

        MEYER
Drop in the bucket and they
know it. They trusted you
with their money, Benny.
They have a right to a fair
share.

        BENNY
Fair share? What are you, a
lawyer?

        MEYER
I’m a businessman with an
investment to protect.

        BENNY
I been hearin’ this crap
from you for thirty years.
When you gonna get wise to
yourself? You’re a criminal.
You obey the laws you can
live with like not spittin’
on the sidewalk. The laws
you don’t like you break,
like stealin’ from the
government, fleecing the
suckers. Killin’ guys who
get in your way.

        MEYER
If I make a deal I stick to
it.

        BENNY
Why are you in this life,
anyway? Just to make a
dollar, mach a leben as
your old bubbe used to
say? Just a normal
American businessman.
Gotta go shoot a coupla
guys, honey. I’ll be back
for supper. Not me, Meyer.
I don’t take risks just so
I can live like Joe Schmuck…

VIRGINIA HILL enters, pouting and disheveled in an evening gown.

        VIRGINIA
C’mon Benny, we gotta go…

        BENNY
See this beauty? This is
why you do it. For a house
like this that knocks
peoples’ eyes out. For
clothes made by the best
tailor in the world. The
Prince of Wales gets his
hunting jackets from my guy.
For big shot Hollywood
friends who treat you like a
star.
(grabs Virginia)
For a broad that every man
wants…

Virginia tries to pull away.

        VIRGINIA
You’re rippin’ the dress…

Laughing, he takes out wad of cash and shoves it down her dress.

        BENNY
Buy yourself a new one.

She storms out, cursing him.

        BENNY
How many guys I kill? You
think I did it for the
Commission? I sold my soul.
You think I did it to make
some fat slob in Brooklyn a
millionaire?

        MEYER
Last time I spoke to you
were on your knees beggin’.

        BENNY
I don’t have to beg no
more. I got a cinch
proposition. Pay the
best entertainers top
dollar, they give it
back double at the tables.
Charge the suckers a buck
for a steak dinner, they
give it back a hundred
times and you don’t have
to declare the income…

        MEYER
I invented that proposition.

        SIEGEL
Yeah, but I made your pipe
dream come true. So you tell
those guys to be happy with
what I throw ‘em or I’ll snap
my finger and it’ll all go up
in smoke…

EXT. BEVERLY HILLS. NIGHT.

Meyer comes out of the house and crosses to a waiting car where Frank Martorano waits behind the wheel.

        MEYER
Take me to the airport.

INT. AIRPORT. NIGHT.

Meyer dials a pay phone.

        MEYER
This is Meyer Lansky. Is
Gus Greenbaum on the floor?

INT. FLAMINGO. CASINO. NIGHT.(CROSSCUT)

Greenbaum comes to the phone.

        GREENBAUM
This is Gus, Mr. Lansky.

        MEYER
I want you to call a staff
meeting Make an announcement
that Ben Siegel is no longer
in charge of the operation.
Tomorrow call a meeting of
the Board of Directors and
have yourself elected
president, Moe Sedway vice
president.

        GREENBAUM
Got it.

        LANSKY
Put the best collector you
got on those Hollywood
deadbeat friends of Benny’s.
I want every penny owed. I
don’t care how you get it…

INT. AIRPLANE. NIGHT.

A darkened cabin. Everyone is asleep but Meyer, who lights a cigarette and looks out of the window.

EXT. BEVERLY HILLS—POOL. NIGHT.

A few hours later. OFF SCREEN, car doors SLAM, VOICES call.

        BENNY
Everybody, come in for a
nightcap. Let’s keep this
party goin’…

The lights go on in the house, splashing onto the patio, illuminating the face of FRANK MARTORANO, moving stealthily toward the french windows. He watches as:

BENNY

Virginia Hill and a group of FRIENDS burst in laughing.

        VIRGINIA
Howard Hawks promised to
give me a screen test.

        SIEGEL.
He’s wants to see how
well you act on your
knees…

        VIRGINIA
(swinging at him)
You sonofabitch…

        SIEGEL
(pushing her away)
Go see what everybody’s
drinkin’..
(plops down on the couch)
Let’s liven things up a
little.

ON THE PATIO

Martorano moves toward the French doors. Over his shoulder we see Benny on the couch. Martorano raises a rifle to his shoulder.

        BENNY
Don’t tell Virginia, but
George Raft’s gettin’ me
a part in his next movie.
I’m gonna be the star in
this family.

Martorano FIRES…

INT.AIRPLANE. NIGHT

Meyer winces as his friend goes down in a hail of bullets.

END ACT TWO

Next:Act 3: Bugsy’s Last Chance

In a new department the Daily Event will reoffer some of these scripts. Read them and decide: would you like to have seen this movie?

Our first script is EMPIRES OF CRIME. Seven years in development it is a six part mini-series commissioned by a broadcast network and later reacquired by a cable station.

The story is about the founders of Organized Crime, Meyer Lansky, and “Lucky” Luciano, their fifty year partnership and the empire they created. Their friendships and families, lives and loves. It is also about their implacable enemy Thomas Dewey, a young Republican attorney who built a political career prosecuting the Mob that propelled him to the NY Governor’s Mansion and almost to the White House.

*For Introduction with submission guidelines go to Oct 13. Use Contact Us, above, for submissions.

For easy access to the beginning of the script and older excerpts go to the homepage.

*Heywood Gould is the author of 9 screenplays including “Rolling Thunder,”Fort Apache, The Bronx,”Boys From Brazil”and “Cocktail.”

EMPIRES OF CRIME

By Heywood Gould

HOUR VI

ACT TWO

EXT. HAVANA AIRPORT.DAY

TOURISTS and GAMBLERS arrive for a weekend in Havana. In the festive crowd we recognize Albert Anastasia attended by Frank Martorano, Frank Costello and some FLASHY FEMALE COMPANIONS; Vito Genovese, alone and aloof in tinted glasses. None of them notice a PHOTOGRAPHER scurrying around snapping pictures.

INT. PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. DAY

SURVEILLANCE PHOTOS pop into frame. TILT UP to Meyer flipping through them. Behind a huge desk in this ornate room, Batista watches him.

        MEYER
Tony Accardo from Chicago.
Steve Maggadino from Buffalo.
Joe Lombardo, Kansas City.
Dalitz, Zwillman. Big
turnout.

        BATISTA
These men are known criminals.
We can have a problem with the
US Embassy.

        MEYER
They can bring millions of
dollars of investment into
the country. But they’ll
have to be controlled…

EXT. HOTEL NACIONAL POOL. DAY

A sumptuous buffet in the bright Cuban sun. CUBAN DIPLOMATS and OFFICERS mingle with the RACKETEERS as a CONJUNTO plays. Meyer, and Teddy are shepherding Yetta through the buffet.

        TEDDY
This is Pompano, mom, they
only catch it in the Gulf.

        YETTA
Do they have maybe a nice
piece of plain broiled
chicken..?

Meyer sees a HOTEL CLERK lurking, respectfully.

        CLERK
There is a man in the small
meeting room asking to see
you, Senor.

As Meyer follows him, Richard and Buddy run past in their bathing suits. Meyer grabs Buddy.

        MEYER
I told you: No swimmin’
until two hours after you
eat.

INT.MEETING ROOM. DAY

Meyer enters, squinting into the gloom. He is stunned to see Charley come out of the shadows, haggard and disheveled.

        MEYER
Charley, where were you? We
expected you two days ago.

        CHARLEY
I wanted to make sure them
crums from Narcotics weren’t
tailin’ me so I took the
scenic route. Freighter to
Caracas, cleaned out the crew
playin’ gin. Flight to Mexico
City, then got on a plane right
away to come here. Where am I
stayin’?

        MEYER
Presidential Suite, where
else?

        CHARLEY
Take care of the boys?

        MEYER
Fruit basket and a bottle of
champagne in every room.

        CHARLEY
Broads?

        MEYER
Can’t go wrong in Havana.
Even when I’m pickin’ ‘em.

        CHARLEY
I need a barber, manicure.
Away eleven years. Outta
sight, outta mind, outta
luck. I gotta make a big
impression. Can you front
me a hundred and fifty G’s?

        MEYER
Anything you want. I only
ask one thing: let me keep
Havana for myself.

        CHARLEY
It’s open territory, can’t
keep ‘em out. But we can
make ‘em pay for the
privilege. Stick with me,
kid. It’s you and me against
the world,

        MEYER
How about Benny?

        CHARLEY
We’ll talk about him
tomorrow.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY.

The blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico twinkle right outside the bay window. CUBAN HOSTESSES circulate with drinks and h’ors deuvres for the members of the Commission. Meyer, resplendent in a white suit greets Dalitz and Sedway.

        MEYER
Landsman, how are ya?

        DALITZ
So this is where you been
hiding.

        SEDWAY
Like Miami, only no taxes,
no cops.

        MEYER
Look again. There’s a cop
under every rock.

He moves over to Anastasia and Costello.

        MEYER
Gentlemen. Accommodations
satisfactory?

        COSTELLO
Little slice of paradise.

        ANASTASIA
I can sail across from
Miami on my yacht. Pick up
my envelope. Nice dinner,
Cuban broad and I’m back in
Miami for the first at Hialeah.

Genovese is standing alone, dark suit, dark glasses.

        MEYER
Vito, lemme get you a pair
of shorts so you can enjoy
the sun.

        GENOVESE
You look healthy. How’s
business?

        MEYER
Could be better. Heard you
had a problem in Italy.

        GENOVESE
They arrested me on that old
murder rap, After all I done
for this country. Lucky for
me their big witness got
food poisoning. Nice joint.
We got a piece of it?

        MEYER
You have to take that up
with Charley.

        GENOVESE
I’m takin’ it up with you.
I’m not second banana no
more. Every month a thousand
guys pay me twenty bucks tax
just for the privilege of
doin’ business…

        MEYER
So you’re a big man? So
what?

        GENOVESE
You’re in charge down here.
I want you to get me a joint
on the strip.

        MEYER
You’ll need a Cuban partner.

        GENOVESE
I can live with that as long
as I’m keepin’ the books…

Charley enters, looking sleek and rested in a white suit.

        CHARLEY
Gentlemen…

He gets a big greeting. The men cluster around him. “Great place, Charley…” Meyer listens in alarm as he replies:

        CHARLEY
Like it? This is gonna be my
new base. Let’s call this
meeting to order. We got a
lot to talk about.

The men take their seats, leaving the head of the table for him.

        CHARLEY
Last time we got together
was Atlantic City, in ’29,
remember? Started a little
corporation that worked out
pretty well. There have been
some changes. In ‘29 Tony
Accardo was Al Capone’s
chauffeur. Now he runs
Chicago.

        ACCARDO
I learned a lot at that
meeting. Learned a lot
from you.

        CHARLEY
We did business together a
long time. The war was a
temporary inconvenience.

        DALITZ
Especially for Hitler…

The men laugh…

        CHARLEY
But now the country’s
stronger and so are we. I
feel I’m in a good position
to help us expand into the
international markets. Just
as a formality, I’d like to
renominate myself as Chairman
of the Board.

        ANASTASIA
(jumps up)
I second…

The other men raise their voices in assent. “Glad to have you back, Charley…” Charley takes charge smoothly.

        CHARLEY
First item is to honor this
beautiful place and the man
who has developed it and will
run it for us. Great job,
Meyer.

Again, smiles and assent. Charley slides an envelope across the table to Meyer with a wink.

        CHARLEY
Here’s my hundred and fifty
G’s for a thirty three per
cent interest in the Nacional.

        DALITZ
Is a hundred and fifty G’s
the buy in price in Cuba,
Charley?

        CHARLEY
It’s the floor, Mo. Out here
the rooms have high ceilings…

The men laugh.

        CHARLEY
Now about this Siegel thing.
We gotta recognize that Benny
discovered the potential of
Vegas. Not just them one arm
cowboy joints, but a big
resort like the Flamingo that
can make money in a lotta
different ways.

        COSTELLO
We backed him, Charley. When
he ran over budget we gave
him more money.

        CHARLEY
How much did Benny spend,
Meyer?

        MEYER
Four and a half million. But
he gave away points…

        ACCARDO
Charley, if you’ll excuse me,
I put Gus Greenbaum in Vegas
to look after the Chicago
interests. He can give us an
idea of what’s goin’ on. Go
ahead, Gus.

Greenbaum clears his throat nervously.

        GREENBAUM
Last week the Flamingo had
winnings of four hundred and
eleven thousand dollars.
Under a system put in by Mr.
Lansky we can skim between
twenty and twenty-five per
cent depending on cash
winnings versus markers.
That works out to be between
sixty-five and seventy-six
thousand dollars to be divided
among the five partners.

        ACCARDO
How much did Siegel send, Gus?

        MEYER
As operating partner Benny
has discretion to withhold
money…

        CHARLEY
How much, Gus?

        GREENBAUM
Thirty-two five….

        ANASTASIA
So he’s skimmin’ fifty per
cent off the low end every
week.

        ACCARDO
Tell everybody how much he’s
taken out over the last six
months, Gus.

        GREENBAUM
I estimate the number to be
between one point five and
two point two million…

        ANASTASIA
That’s about three hundred
and fifty grand he’s stolen
from each of us.

        MEYER
To be fair, Benny doesn’t
feel he has to account to
you as long as he clears
things with Charley.

        CHARLEY
Benny’s not clearin’ nothin’
with me, Meyer. I haven’t
spoken to him in a year and
a half.

Meyer is stunned that Charley is not going to cover for Benny.

        DALITZ
I was out there last month.
He wouldn’t open the books.
Said it was his joint and
the rest of us were catchin’
a free ride.

        SEDWAY
His girlfriend, Virginia
Hill’s been goin’ to Zurich
every month. She says it’s
to buy rugs and furniture,
but I think she’s saltin’
money in a Swiss bank.

        CHARLEY
Gus, can you step out for a
second?

As Greenbaum picks up his papers and leaves the room…

        MEYER
That Virginia Hill’s got him
crazy.

        COSTELLO
Everybody’s got a broad
whisperin’ in their ear.
That don’t mean you steal
from your friends.

        MEYER
He’s been with us a long
time. He’s done a lot of
dirty work for the Commission…

        ANASTASIA
A lotta guys do dirty work,
but when they break the rules
they gotta be judged.

        CHARLEY
How many chances we give him?

        DALITZ
How many? Every time he came
around begging for money.
Five, six times?

        ANASTASIA
He’s defyin’ the Commission,
Charley. We gotta make a
statement.

        CHARLEY
Who’d handle this thing?

        ACCARDO
I’ll give it to Jack Dragna
in LA

        ANASTASIA
No, this is my party. I been
waitin’ sixteen years for
this.

        CHARLEY
We’re not settlin’ grudges.
This has gotta be
professional…

        MEYER
Wait a second before you do
this. Benny’s identified
with the Flamingo. You pull
him out you’re gonna hurt
business just when it’s
startin’ to pick up.

        COSTELLO
Who cares how good it’s doin’
if we ain’t seein nothin’?

        MEYER
Okay look. Over the years
I’ve made a lotta money for
you guys and never asked a
favor. Let me get Benny to
step down…We’ll take his
points in the Flamingo,
give him a settlement and
let him disappear with that
slut who’s taken his mind
away. I’ll even throw in my
end until you’re all paid
off…

Silence. The men look to Charley for a decision.

        CHARLEY
No settlement. He’s outta
the Flamingo and all the LA
gambling.

        MEYER
You gotta leave him somethin’.

        CHARLEY
He can leave town with the
shirt on his back. If he
says no, you give us the
go ahead…

The men smile, gloating at Meyer‘s dilemma.

        MEYER
I start out pleadin’ for
Benny’s life and end up
bein’ the one who pulls
the trigger. Smart,
Charley.

        CHARLEY
That’s why I’m the boss,
kid.

Next:Act 2 (Cont): Board Meeting

In a new department the Daily Event will reoffer some of these scripts. Read them and decide: would you like to have seen this movie?

Our first script is EMPIRES OF CRIME. Seven years in development it is a six part mini-series commissioned by a broadcast network and later reacquired by a cable station.

The story is about the founders of Organized Crime, Meyer Lansky, and “Lucky” Luciano, their fifty year partnership and the empire they created. Their friendships and families, lives and loves. It is also about their implacable enemy Thomas Dewey, a young Republican attorney who built a political career prosecuting the Mob that propelled him to the NY Governor’s Mansion and almost to the White House.

*For Introduction with submission guidelines go to Oct 13. Use Contact Us, above, for submissions.

For easy access to the beginning of the script and older excerpts go to the homepage.

*Heywood Gould is the author of 9 screenplays including “Rolling Thunder,”Fort Apache, The Bronx,”Boys From Brazil”and “Cocktail.”

EMPIRES OF CRIME

By Heywood Gould

HOUR VI

ACT ONE (Con’t)

INT. STATLER HOTEL (PHILADELPHIA). DAY

On a bed, the Page One headline of the Philadelphia Inquirer reads: NY GOV. DEWEY TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. OFF SCREEN we hear:

        TOM
This is humiliating…

PAN TO

Tom sitting on the bed in his signature black suit, trying to force his feet into a pair of ornate COWBOY BOOTS under Medailie’s watchful eye.

        MEDAILIE
It’s important for the folks
from Wyoming and Nevada and
Montana to get to know you
better. To feel that you
understand them.

        TOM
I’m a small town boy from
Michigan, George. I’ve
stepped in just as much
horse manure as any of
them…

        MEDAILIE
To them you’re still a city
slicker. You’re going to
have to explain this
Luciano thing. They have a
morbid fear of gangsters…

        TOM
God! Is Luciano going to
haunt me for the rest of
my days?

        MEDAILIE
(jams a Stetson on his head)
Tuck the pants in the boots…

Frances enters with an amused look.

        FRANCES
Tom, a bunch of cowboys just
galloped in…
(breaks into laughter)
Oh Tom darling, no…No…

        TOM
That settles it!

He kicks off the boots and throws the Stetson across the room.

        TOM
They’ll have to take me
for what I am, or not at
all.

He stomps out, barefooted. Frances picks up his shoes and follows.

        FRANCES
Tom dear, you forgot your
shoes…

INT. HOTEL BAR. DAY.

The BOSSES nurse drinks, smoke and glare resentfully at Meyer. Among them SANTO TRAFFICANTE, a sleek Florida hood.

        MEYER
Now Mr. Trafficante, I know
about your activities in
Miami. But drugs and
gambling are very different
businesses.

        TRAFFICANTE
They both deal with addicts.

        MEYER
Yeah, but the gambler is an
educated addict. He can shop
for the best product. The
beauty of the gambling
business is you don’t have
to break the law to make
money. Craps, blackjack,
slots, if the winners equal
the losers, which never
happens anyway, the house
has a built in winning
percentage of four percent.

        TRAFFICANTE
Four per cent is peanuts.

        MEYER
What’s your club, the San
Souci? How’d you do last
night.

        TRAFFICANTE
We just opened.

Meyer turns to NORMAN ROTHMAN, a clumsy New York hood.

        MEYER
And you, Mr. Rothman. How’d
you do at the Montmartre?

        ROTHMAN
It was raining.

        MEYER
Only in your casino. You ran
crooked crap games and
goulash parlors in the Bronx
for Dutch Schulz, Rothman.
There won’t be any chiselin’
in Havana while I’m in
charge.

        TRAFFICANTE
Oh yeah, who died and made
you boss?

        MEYER
Nobody yet.
(lets that sink in)
You know the best thing
about gamblers?

        TRAFFICANTE
Their money.

        MEYER
Not when they’re spendin’
it some place else, wise
guy. Best thing about
gamblers is that they’ll
lose their shirt over and
over again in the same game
as long as they know it’s
honest and they got a shot
to win. So we’re gonna make
Cuba the cleanest place to
gamble in the world. First
thing, I’m runnin’ the
Nacional, You guys are out.

        TRAFFICANTE
You can’t do that. We bought
a concession from Batista.

        MEYER
I’ll get you your money back
and let you keep your clubs,
but I get the Nacional. Next,
we fire all the dealers and
croupiers. Send them back to
Miami on a banana boat. Get
local kids and train ‘em
right. Dump the rigged
roulette wheels and the phony
dice. Start dealin’ blackjack
out of a six deck shoe.

        ROTHMAN
But that’ll give players the
edge.

        MEYER
Only way they have an edge
is by stayin’ outta the
casino. No gambler ever
died ahead. I’m goin’ on
vacation to Europe.I want
this stuff done by the time
I get back, or there’s a
line formin’ to take your
place.

SEPTEMBER 1947

NEWSREEL…Pier 42, New York. Meyer and Teddy sail on THE ITALIA. They walk toward the gangplank, brushing past the PHOTOGS.

        NEWSCASTER
The president of Princeton
University sailed for Europe
on the Italia last week, but
all eyes were on the couple
in the luxurious five room
Royal Suite. Mr. and Mrs.
Meyer Lansky. She, the
former showgirl. He, rumored
to be the boss of National
Crime Syndicate…

A group of LONGSHOREMEN move in and push the PHOTOGS away.

        NEWSCASTER
Lansky had some tough
chaperones…

A group of hard eyed DETECTIVES watches.

        NEWSCASTER
And some pretty tough guys
from DA’s office were also
on hand.

        DETECTIVE
(at the MICROPHONES)
We just want Mr. Lansky to
know that we’ve got an eye
on him and anyone who might
come down to see him off.

INT. NAPLES RESTAURANT. NIGHT.

A FLASH BULB blinds the lens. Then, we see Charley, Meyer and Teddy at a table being surrounded by PAPARAZZI.

        TEDDY
Wow, you’re like a movie
star.

        CHARLEY
They chase me down the street…
(laughs at Meyer)
Look at this guy. He hates
gettin’ his picture taken.

        MEYER
My nose is too big…

INT. HOTEL SUITE. NIGHT.

Crowded with FLOWERS and FRUIT BASKETS. Charley is pouring black coffee. Teddy gives him a peck on the cheek.

        TEDDY
None for me. I’m goin’ to
bed.

        CHARLEY
‘Night, doll. Don’t worry
I won’t keep him long.

Meyer kisses Teddy. Both men wait until the bedroom door closes. The smiles fade and the atmosphere changes. Meyer opens a trunk and pulls away a false panel, revealing stacks of bills.

        CHARLEY
Great. Just when I was
runnin’ short. How much
is there?

        MEYER
Twenty five from the
Commission. I put in
twenty five from our
interests in Saratoga
and Florida.

        CHARLEY
How about Vegas?

        MEYER
We should start seein’ money
soon.

        CHARLEY
I need the cash, now. I’m
lookin’ to make a big move
here.

        MEYER
Black market?

        CHARLEY
I’m talkin’ about a big
export operation. Remember
the Mancuso brothers from
Brooklyn? They set up
Vito’s network for him.
They produce the opium in
Turkey and Yugoslavia.
Bring it in nice and legal
to the big pharmaceutical
companies in Milan. Put a
little extra in the order
for us. We ship to labs in
Kansas City, New Orleans,
Miami. They cook it and cut
it and put it on the street.
Twenty G’s gets you a
hundred and fifty . Heroin
creates it’s own market.
Sky’s the limit…

        MEYER
I never liked that business.
Too many mouths to feed, too
many people to trust. Now
they got the Bureau of
Narcotics, this guy
Anslinger, workin’ with the
FBI. Ten to one they’re
watchin’ you, Charley.
They’ll trace the shipments
and watch the ports.

        CHARLEY
That’s why we need a detour.
We can use Cuba. Feds can’t
touch it. We can ship to
Havana, then trans ship
through Mexico and New
Orleans and Miami.

        MEYER
Havana will be full of
pushers. It’ll hurt the
gambling business.

        CHARLEY
I’m not in the gambling
business. I’m gettin’ an
envelope from you.

        MEYER
What’s wrong with that?

        CHARLEY
I wanna build somethin’ I
control so nobody can wake
up one morning and say:’what
are we carryin’ Charley for?
Let’s dump him.’

        MEYER
That’ll never happen while
I’m alive.

        CHARLEY
I wouldn’t sell you life
insurance, kid. Not with
Benny runnin’ through
millions in Vegas. You and
he are like Siamese twins.
If he goes you gotta go,
too. But as long as I’m the
boss that’ll never happen.

        MEYER
I know that.

        CHARLEY
Spread the word. I want a
meeting in Havana. I want
everybody to see I’m still
Chairman of the Board.

        MEYER
They might not go for it.

        CHARLEY
Get’ em in a room, I’ll
sell ‘em.

INT. HOTEL BEDROOM. NIGHT.

A few hours later. Teddy awakens in an empty bed. Worried, she goes into the LIVING ROOM. Meyer is on the couch, his cigarette glowing in the dark. She sits next to him and rubs his back.

        TEDDY
Can’t sleep? Too much
coffee?

        MEYER
Too much Charley. Too much
Benny.

        TEDDY
They’re a handful, huh?.

        MEYER
Magnetic personalities.
People wanna be around
‘em. We were a good team.
They had the big ideas. I
made the numbers work.
They got crazy, I talked
sense to them. But now
they won’t listen to
reason…

The PHONE on the coffee table RINGS. Meyer answers warily.

        MEYER
Hello…Benny..?

INT. FLAMINGO CASINO. NIGHT(CROSSCUT)

Benny, a highball in one hand, VIRGINIA HILL draped tipsily around him, is on the phone.

        BENNY
Hey you little schnorrer,
havin’ fun with Charley?

        MEYER
Did you open, you sonofabith?!

        BENNY
Before you bust a gut, listen…

He holds the phone out and we see that the casino is packed. Slots are ringing, people are shouting…

        BENNY
That’s the sound of money
pourin’ in. We’re packed,
every room’s booked.

        MEYER
Benny, that’s great. But
tell Moe he’s gotta keep
the hotel cash separate
from the casino winnings.

        BENNY
Everybody in Hollywood’s
showed for this. We’re a
smash!

        MEYER
Benny, listen. Stash the
skim in the safe…

But Benny has hung up. Meyer He turns to Teddy with a dazed smile.

        MEYER
We’re a smash. Go figure…

END ACT ONE

Next: Act 2:Power Moves SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/patriciagould/Desktop/EmpiresOfCrime/EOCPostNames.doc @font-face { font-family: “Times New Roman”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }  BOYS FROM BRAZIL, bugsy seigel, cocktail, FORT APACHE the bronx, free scripts, HEYWOOD GOULD, lucky luciano, Mafia, Meyer Lansky, movies, rolling thunder, screenplay writing, screenplays, thomas dewey

In a new department the Daily Event will reoffer some of these scripts. Read them and decide: would you like to have seen this movie?

Our first script is EMPIRES OF CRIME. Seven years in development it is a six part mini-series commissioned by a broadcast network and later reacquired by a cable station.

The story is about the founders of Organized Crime, Meyer Lansky, and “Lucky” Luciano, their fifty year partnership and the empire they created. Their friendships and families, lives and loves. It is also about their implacable enemy Thomas Dewey, a young Republican attorney who built a political career prosecuting the Mob that propelled him to the NY Governor’s Mansion and almost to the White House.

*For Introduction with submission guidelines go to Oct 13. Use Contact Us, above, for submissions.

EMPIRES OF CRIME /Part 21

By Heywood Gould

PART IV

ACT ONE

INT. DEWEY BEDROOM. NIGHT

THE PHONE RINGS. Frances, now in her eighth month of pregnancy is rudely awakened. She answers with a look of alarm.

        FRANCES
Hello…For God’s sake, Tom,
do you know how I frightened
I get..?

INT.TOM’S OFFICE. NIGHT.(CROSSCUT)

Tom’s staff, exhausted from long hours of work watches as Tom, fresh and energetic, waves an OFFICIAL ENVELOPE.

        TOM
I know it’s late, but I
had to call. I am holding
in my hand a sealed
indictment against Dutch
Schultz. Seventeen counts
of tax evasion, racketeering
and extortion. It finally
came through, Frances. We’re
on our way.

        FRANCES
You’d better be on your way
home.

INT. CORRIDOR. NIGHT

Tom walks briskly down the corridor, his weary staff struggling to keep pace.

        TOM
Go home and get forty winks.
I want you all back here at
8:30 for the press conference.

They say “Good night” to a JANITOR mopping the floor.

OCTOBER 24, 1935

INT. PALACE CHOP HOUSE. NIGHT

A sawdust joint in Newark. Schultz and Landau and his boys are at a round table in the back behind pitchers of beer and bowls of steamers. The janitor stands awkwardly, twisting his cap.

        SCHULTZ
Here’s to Stanley, our intrepid
spy in the enemy camp.

camp.

        A TIPSY THUG
Our Mata Hari.

Schultz pours a beer over his head.

        SCHULTZ
Mata Hari was a broad, stupid.
stupid. What’s the news on the
Rialto, Stanley?

        JANITOR
That indictment came down
today, Mr. Schultz. Dewey’s
gonna arrest you tomorrow
and walk you in for the
newsreel boys…

        SCHULTZ
See? I get persecuted for
givin’ people a decent
glass of beer.
(sticks a roll of bills
in his pocket)
Stanley, it’s friends like
you who make this cruddy
world a better place…Put
your kids through college
so they don’t have to fight
in the gutter with the dogs
for a scrap of meat…

The janitor says a hasty “thank you,” and slips away, relieved to be out of there. Schultz turns to Abe Landau.

        SCHULTZ
Abie baby, we gotta move…

move…

        LANDAU
All you gotta do is say
when, boss.

        SCHULTZ
When huh?
(working himself up)
That little runt thinks that
when Dutch goes to jail
everybody’ll turn into a
little angel. No more gamblin’,
no drinkin’ no chippyin’
around when Dutch is gone.

He screams with rage and throws the pitcher against the wall, shattering it. His men duck the flying glass. Suddenly calm, Schultz brandishes the jagged handle in Landau’s face.

        SCHULTZ
When… my world is clouded
by fear/I have a bucket of
clams/ And a pitcher of beer…
When my pal Abie draws near/
The sun comes up/And the skies
are clear.

INT. CHARLEY’S OFFICE. NIGHT.

Tense and smoke filled. All eyes are on Charley.

        CHARLEY
I told Dutch a hundred times:
They got Capone on taxes. Get
a front.

        MEYER
A guy like that can bring
everybody down.

        GENOVESE
Maybe Dewey’ll let him cop
a plea.

        CHARLEY
Nah. Nailin’ Dutch is Dewey’s
ticket to the Governor’s
mansion and he knows it.

        MEYER
Meanwhile Dutch is casin’
Dewey.

        ANASTASIA
We talked him outta that.

        CHARLEY
You don’t talk a lunatic
outta nothin’.

        ANASTASIA
Okay so he does what he does.
Good for us, right?

        CHARLEY
Wrong. You kill a New York
DA they’ll send the troops
in here. You can’t embarrass
the President of the United
States in his home town.

        GENOVESE
Yeah, but with Dutch gone
Dewey’ll go after you.

        CHARLEY
I know that Vito. I’ve looked
at this thing up, down and
backwards. One of these guys
has gotta go.

        ANASTASIA
Jeeze, Charley, Dutch is one
of us.

        MEYER
Yeah. Of course with Dutch
gone all his rackets will
be up for grabs…

The men nod, thoughtfully.

        CHARLEY
That’s good point, Meyer.

INT. PALACE CHOP HOUSE. NIGHT

Whiskey bottles have replaced the pitchers of beer. Everyone is soused but Landau, who drinks coffee and puffs nervously on a cigarette. A bespectacled BOOKKEEPER has arrived and is pounding on an adding machine as Schultz chants a drunken accompaniment.

        SCHULTZ
Cowboy Dutch rode out of the
west/With boozenon his shirt
and egg on his vest/Oh gimme,
he said, the light of the
stars/ Instead of the twinkle
of bottles on bars.

        BOOKKEEPER
We made $827,253.54 last week.

        SCHULTZ
Oh mama, we’ll have to go on
welfare.

His laugh freezes, his face contorts with hatred and his pounds his fist in the table.

        SCHULTZ
If that little rat thinks he
can shut me down…
(shoves a bottle at Landau)
Have a drink, Abie, it’ll give
you courage.

        LANDAU
I don’t need it.

        SCHULTZ
Like in the drugstore the
other day, huh?

        LANDAU
There were too many people
around.

        SCHULTZ
This is the biggest thing
anybody’s ever done, Abie
boy…Are you ready to go
down in history?

He stops and squints as he sees:

CHARLEY WORKMAN AND A HOOD

walking through the door. Before they can see him:

SCHULTZ

jumps up and heads for the bathroom.

        SCHULTZ
Don’t go away, Abie.

        BOOKKEEPER
What are you gonna do with
all this money?

        SCHULTZ
Take it in nickels and play
the slots…

INT.BATHROOM. NIGHT.

Schultz enters and locks the door behind him. Suddenly, there is the CRACK of SHOTS. Schultz cringes and runs into a stall.

IN THE RESTAURANT

Charley Workman and his accomplice are blasting away with pistols and sawed offs. The three hoods can’t get to their guns in time and are riddled with bullets.

IN THE BATHROOM

Silence…Schultz peeks out of a stall. He opens the bathroom door, carefully. Edges out…Sees no one… But then:

THE DOOR

flies open. Charley Workman is standing there with a .38 and a .45. He empties the guns.

SCHULTZ

is hit twice and driven back against the wall. He gets to his feet as more SHOTS ring out. Then it is quiet. Schultz staggers out. The restaurant is empty. The BARTENDER rises from under the bar. Shultz’s three men are sprawled, bleeding at the table. He collapses in a chair.

        SCHULTZ
Somebody call an ambulance!

THE THUG

manages to get to his feet, a bloody mess, and stumble to the bar where he demands:

        THUG
Gimme change of a quarter…

SCHULTZ

throws a nickel at him.

        SCHULTZ
Here’s a nickel, you cheap
bastard!

Then turns as:

LANDAU

looks at him with hatred in his dying eyes.

        LANDAU
You saw those guys come in…

in…

        SCHULTZ
Don’t talk, kid, save your
strength.

        LANDAU
Put me on the spot to get rid
of me so I couldn’t talk to
Dewey…

        SCHULTZ
They were after me, not you.

Landau steadies a gun in his bloody grasp.

        LANDAU
This is how you pay me back
after all the dirty deals I
done for you

        SCHULTZ
(gets up)
They were after me, Abie…

Landau fires. Schultz is hit in the shoulder.

        SCHULTZ
Whaddya nuts..?

He turns to run. Landau shoots him in the back. He goes down with a scream of pain.

        SCHULTZ
They were after me I tellya…

INT. CHARLEY’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

Charley and Nancy are cuddling in bed reading the “funnies.” He turns the page.

        NANCY
Hold it, I ain’t finished.

        CHARLEY
You like Blondie and Dagwood?
You know what Blondie does
when Dagwood goes to work.
The milkman, the plumber,
the grocery boy…

        NANCY
(with a playful slap)
You would think that with
your dirty mind…

The phone rings.

        CHARLEY
Do me a favor, honey…

        NANCY
(rolling off the bed)
I know. Let the water run…

        CHARLEY
(slaps her in the behind)
You got a tough life. Just
get me a cigarette…
(into the phone)
Yeah…Okay…
(hangs up)
I hope Mr. Dewey appreciates
what I just done for him.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM. NIGHT

Murray Gurfein pushes through a crowd of COPS, REPORTERS, NURSES, etc. to the bedside where a dying Dutch Schultz is raving.

        SCHULTZ
George, don’t make no bull
moves…Oh Mama, Mama,
please stop doin’ that…

        GURFEIN
Who did this, Dutch?

Schultz looks up, suddenly lucid, and smiles.

        SCHULTZ
The big boss. The man upstairs.

INT.TOM’S OFFICE. DAY

The next morning. A TABLOID HEADLINE on Tom’s desk screams: DUTCH Schultz SLAIN. Tom and his staff do their own post mortem.

        DEWEY
The big boss, the man upstairs…

        CARTER
Sounds like God…

        HURWITZ
The man upstairs is one of
Luciano’s nicknames..

        TOM
Why would Luciano kill
Schultz?

        HURWITZ
Afraid he would make a deal
and testify against him.

        TOM
No, Schultz isn’t an informer.
Maybe I flatter myself but I
assume Luciano knows me well
enough to know I won’t make a
deal.

        GURFEIN
You flatter him, too.

        TOM
Luciano is many things, but
he’s not stupid. If he did
kill Schultz he has a good
reason.

        CARTER
Maybe he’s afraid of a long
trial with a lot of bad
publicity for the mob.

        HURWITZ
Or that a big Page One
conviction would increase
your prestige.

        TOM
It would make a hero out of
me and he doesn’t want that.
So what we’re saying is
killing Schultz is a
strategic move against us.
Well if it is, the strategy
will backfire. Now that
Schultz is gone, Luciano is
our number one target.

        GURFEIN
He’ll be tougher than Schultz.
He’s discreet. Only talks to
his inner circle.

        HURWITZ
We’ve been trying to get a
microphone into his office
at the drugstore for months..

        TOM
Bug his suite at the Waldorf.
Put taps on his phone, on
Lansky’s too. Go over his
personal and financial
records. Spread the word
through the prisons offering
leniency to anyone who comes
forward with information. Get
the public interested. Use the
press to get the story out.
Arrest every bookie, every
shylock or petty crook you can
get your hands on and make sure
the news boys are there to see
it.

INT. HORSE ROOM. DAY

A betting operation. BOOKIES mark race results on a BLACKBOARD. BETTORS line up in front of a wire cage. Suddenly, the COPS bust in, announcing: “This is a raid.” The bettors rush for the exits, the bookies, destroy the ticker tape, the CLERKS hide the money.

VICTOR HURWITZ

arrives, barking orders.

        HURWITZ
Round ‘em up. Single file
right here…

When the ARRESTEES protest, Hurwitz warns:

        HURWITZ
Play ball fellas or we’ll
charge you with unlawful
flight and resisting arrest.
Okay, spruce up, you’re makin’
your screen debut.
(calls)
C’mon in boys…

REPORTERS, PHOTOGS and NEWSREEL CREWS run in. FLASHES POP, CAMERAS turn. One CAMERA TRIPOD teeters on a DOLLY and goes down the line. Some of the men hide their faces, others stare straight ahead, others shout and gesture defiantly.

DISSOLVE TO:

A BLACK AND WHITE NEWSREEL IMAGE of the arrestees, which DISSOLVES into:

NEWSREEL (STOCK FOOTAGE)

COPS raiding WIRE ROOMS, GAMBLING JOINTS and rush GAMBLERS and SHYLOCKS into paddy wagons.

        NEWSCASTER
Gangbuster Tom Dewey declares
war on Lucky Luciano…Hundreds
of police officers raid the dens
of bookies and gamblers…

NEWSREEL…TOM speaks to the press

        TOM
Our target is the man in the
swank car selling spurious
pipe dreams of wealth while
he takes bread from the mouths
of the poor…Charles Luciano

        REPORTER
(baiting him)
C’mon Tom, Lucky’s a good
sport.

        TOM
Don’t be fooled by the silk
suits and the fancy friends.
He’s nothing but a cheap crook.
A thing of the past like Tommy guns
and rot gut booze.

IN CHARLEY’S SUITE..Charley rails to Meyer and his boys.

        CHARLEY
Takin’ bread from poor people?
I didn’t make ‘em poor. I pay
500 to one if they hit a number.
I give people a chance to get
rich.

        MEYER
All they want us to do is
close down, so they can
brag they cleaned up the
town. We cansneak back when
the smoke clears…

        CHARLEY
A thing of the past, huh. I
got news for him: twenty years
from now people will be
gamblin’ more than they do
today. And Dewey’ll be chasin’
ambulances…

        MEYER
And we’ll be layin’ in the
sun in Miami Beach.

        CHARLEY
Miami’s a place you go when
you have a cold, Meyer…I’ll
be on Broadway bigger than
ever. Albert, is the town
locked down?

        ANASTASIA
Tight as a drum, Charley.

        CHARLEY
Dewey made a mistake shootin’
his mouth off. Now he’s gotta
make good on his promise.
Nobody’ll talk to him. New
York is my town. People love
me here. Nobody’ll rat on me
in New York.

INT. HOLDING PEN. NIGHT.

A huge empty office space in the Woolworth Building has been turned into a holding pen for HUNDREDS of PRISONERS. It’s a bedlam of defiant prisoners and threatening cops. PAN ALONG a line of DETECTIVES interrogating the PRISONERS, smacking some, shoving others into radiators, shaking still others in frustration. Everyone is innocent. No one knows Lucky Luciano.

        DETECTIVE
Who do you pay off to? Who’s
the big fish.

        HOOD
How would I know? I’m a
little shrimp.

Further down the line.

        DETECTIVE 2
You run the biggest loansharking
operation in the Garment Center.
You gonna tell me you never heard
of Lucky Luciano?

        LOANSHARK
(offering his wallet)
Here, take my money, take
everything I got. Send me to
the pen for not talkin’, I’ll
make points with the guys who
count.

And a well dressed GAMBLER explains.

        GAMBLER
Nobody’ll talk. You testify
against Lucky Luciano there’s
no hole in the world you can
hide in…

INT.TOM’S OFFICE. DAY

Tom goes through a stack of reports and glares at his staff.

        TOM
How many people have we
questioned so far?

        CARTER
Three hundred and thirteen.

        TOM
No leads to Luciano?

        CARTER
None. Luciano insulates himself
from the day to day operations
of his rackets.

        TOM
Any witnesses willing to
testify?

        HURWITZ
None.

        TOM
Anything from the wiretaps?

        GURFEIN
Nothing. Luciano doesn’t use
the phone for much more than
making dinner reservations.

        TOM
How about his finances?

        HURWITZ
Squeaky clean. Lansky is a
shrewd bookkeeper

        TOM
Shrewd? The man has an eighth
grade education.

        GURFEIN
It’s not only fear or smart
accounting. It’s loyalty.
Luciano takes care of his
people.

        TOM
So now this greasy hoodlum is
a benevolent despot? I don’t
have to tell you people how
important this is. We’ve put
our careers on the line. If
we fail, each of us is finished
in public life.

INT. BROTHEL. NIGHT

A tacky midtown hotel room. Nancy and some other girls look on in horror as Dave Miller, the pudgy pimp from Philadelphia, careens into the frame, clothes torn, face bloodied, pleading:

        MILLER
I gave you everything I have.
You can’t get blood from a
stone…

Little Davey Bettilo moves in and grabs him by the throat.

        BETTILO
You lyin’ little pimp you’re
short Three C’s.

        MILLER
I’m tellin’ you business is
slow in this Depression.

        BETTILO
Everybody’s still got a deuce
for a little fun. Make the
girls work a little harder.
Look at this little princess
sittin’ around readin’ the
funny papers…

        MILLER
For God’s sake, she’s Charley
Lucky’s girl…

        BETTILO
Shut up with that!

Bettilo clubs him down and kicks at him as he warns:

        BETTILO
Didn’t I tellya never to
mention that name.

        MILLER
(cringing)
Okay, okay, I’m sorry…

        BETTILO
(shakes him)
Get up six hundred bucks this
Friday or you’re back sellin’
dirty postcards in Penn Station…
If you live that long.

He drops Miller on the floor and storms out. Nancy runs over to help Miller up.

        NANCY
You okay, Dave?

        MILLER
(gasping)
He’s tryin’ to drive me outta
business, Nancy. He wants my
spots, my girls.

        NANCY
Take it easy, you’re gonna
have a heart attack…

        MILLER
You gotta help me. You gotta
talk to 3 12 for me…

        NANCY
I can’t do that.

        MILLER
He’s a fair guy. He’ll listen.
C’mon everybody knows he’s
sweet on you…

        NANCY
Yeah, but he’s got a whole
fairy tale goin’ on about us.
When I’m with him it’s like
we’re just an ordinary married
couple. We don’t even go out,
just sit around and listen to
the radio. If I talk business
he’ll throw me out on my ass
and it’ll go worse for you.

INT. DEWEY BEDROOM, NIGHT

A BABY CRIES. In bed Frances watches in amusement as Tom paces the floor holding their infant son, JOHN.

        TOM
He’s not happy…

        FRANCES
Give him time to get used to
you. After all you’re almost
a stranger.

The PHONE RINGS

        FRANCES
Saved by the bell.

        TOM
(hands her the baby)
Trade you…Hello…

INT.TOM’S OFFICE. NIGHT.

Gurfein is on the phone.

        GURFEIN
Sorry to bother you, chief but
a gentleman just walked in
with a very interesting story
about Lucky Luciano.

PAN TO Dave Miller, bruised, bandaged and trembling with rage.

END ACT ONE

Next: Part 22/Act 2: Dewey Hunts Lucky

In a new department the Daily Event will reoffer some of these scripts. Read them and decide: would you like to have seen this movie?

Our first script is EMPIRES OF CRIME. Seven years in development it is a six part mini-series commissioned by a broadcast network and later reacquired by a cable station.

The story is about the founders of Organized Crime, Meyer Lansky, and “Lucky” Luciano, their fifty year partnership and the empire they created. Their friendships and families, lives and loves. It is also about their implacable enemy Thomas Dewey, a young Republican attorney who built a political career prosecuting the Mob that propelled him to the NY Governor’s Mansion and almost to the White House.

*For Introduction with submission guidelines go to Oct 13. Use Contact Us, above, for submissions.

EMPIRES OF CRIME /Part Three/Part 14

By Heywood Gould

PART II

ACT ONE

INT. WAREHOUSE.

Dark…Abandoned…Under a SPUTTERING WORK LIGHT, Charley hangs by his wrists from a METAL PIPE, Bulky SILHOUETTES mill in the darkness. Bruised and bleeding, Charley shouts,defiantly.

        CHARLEY
Come on out and show yourselves
Desgraciada, codardo.

A man stands in the shadows, cigar butt glowing, smoke curling like a wreath over his head. Charley screams at him:

        CHARLEY
You! Figlio de putana.

The man raises his hand. A SWITCH BLADE clicks open. He moves quickly and slashes a red ribbon across Charley’s face.

EXT. CAFE. NIGHT

HOODS sit on bridge chairs, smoking, playing cards. Suddenly, a SEDAN speeds down the narrow street and screeches to a halt. Benny and Charley Workman get out, hands in coat pockets.

        WORKMAN
Where’s Charley Luciano?

The hoods shake their heads and swear; “I don’t know.” Benny pulls a gun and grabs a man by his lapel,

        BENNY
Nobody knows nothin’, huh?

He slams him with the butt of his gun, while the others watch in fear. Charley Workman grabs another man by the throat, slamming him against a wall and Benny jams his gun up his nostrils..

        BENNY
Anything happens to Charley,
everything’s gonna happen to
you.

INT. L&S GARAGE. NIGHT

In the office a frantic POLICE LIEUTENANT is on the phone.

        LIEUTENANT
Call headquarters and put out
a general alarm. Send out all
cars…

Next to him, Meyer is on the phone with Jimmy Hines.

        MEYER
Jimmy, you gotta drop everything.
Get every cop in the city on this.

HINES

in his office (CROSSCUT)

        HINES
Who coulda done this, Meyer?
This is our town.

COSTELLO

is giving his hoods detailed instructions.

        COSTELLO
Stay close to Masseria. I
wanna know every move he
makes.

        HOOD
But what if he catches on,
Frank?

        COSTELLO
Make sure he don’t. This is
your chance to show whose side
you’re on..
(turns to the other Hood)
You…Find Maranzano and stay
in his pocket…

        MEYER
This is bad for all of us,
Frank. If they can snatch
Charley that’s tellin’ the
world they can do it to us,
too.

        COSTELLO
What if some cops grabbed him
for a payoff?

        LIEUTENANT
I swear, Frank, ain’t a cop
on the job who would harm a
hair on Charley’s head.

The Burly Blacksmith from Part One opens the door meekly.

        BLACKSMITH
Phone call, Mr. Lansky. Guy says
he wants to talk about Mr.
Luciano.

Meyer walks quickly into the garage followed by Costello and the Lieutenant. DRIVERS are unloading cases of LIQUOR from covered trucks. They stop and watch as he picks up the phone.

        MEYER
This is Lansky.

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.(CROSSCUT)

A MAN in the shadows. Behind him, under the light, Charley is hanging unconscious. The Man’s hoarse half Bronx half brogue accent is reminiscent of Mad Dog Coll, Maranzano’s hatchet man.

        MAN
Mr. Big Shot Lansky. We got
your Mr. Big Shot Luciano.

        MEYER
Who is this?

        MAN
Your mother’s uncle’s grandma’s
pet canary. A hundred G’s gets
him back in one piece. You hear
me?

        MEYER
I gotta make sure he’s okay.

        MAN
Just do what I tellya. I can
dump him dead or alive. Don’t
mean nothin’ to me.

        MEYER
(looks at Costello)
We got no choice, Frank.

EXT. HORSE’S NECK SALOON. DAY

A cab is idling in front of the bar. The DRIVER, collar up, hat over his eyes, stares straight ahead as a SEDAN pulls alongside. Benny leans out of and stares long and hard at the driver until his hands start to tremble on the wheel. Then flips a satchel into the back seat.

        BENNY
Okay, I got a good look.

And the sedan speeds away.

INT. WAREHOUSE. DAY.

Dawn. A pile of rags stirs in the gray light. It’s Charley, bleeding heavily from a gash over his eye.

EXT. HIGHLAND BOULEVARD. DAY.

The Staten Island warehouse district. Charley is staggering down the street as a RADIO CAR cruises up. TWO COPS rush out.

        COP
Hey, pal, what happened to
you?

        CHARLEY
Jealous husband…

And passes out.

EXT. STATEN ISLAND PRECINCT. DAY.

A convoy of SEDANS speeds up to this sleepy precinct. Out jump Meyer, Benny, Workman, Anastasia, Genovese and MOSES POLAKOFF, an elegant, arrogant attorney.. They rush past the astonished COPS.

INT. PRECINCT. DAY.

Where Polakoff approaches the DESK SERGEANT.

        POLAKOFF
I am Moses Polakoff, Mr. Luciano’s
attorney. I have here a release
signed by Chief Inspector Dolan
authorizing us to remove Mr.Luciano
to a private medical facility…

INT. OFFICE. NIGHT

Charley lies on a bench, under a pile of blankets. He waves weakly the boys enter.

        CHARLEY
Hey, the Cavalry finally showed
up.

        MEYER
(helping him up)
You okay? We’re gonna get you
a doctor.

        CHARLEY
Just get me a drink and a
cigarette.
(sees Benny)
Look at this bum comin’ to
my rescue.
(gives him a hug)
I won’t forget this. Anytime
you need anything…

        BENNY
Can you lend me thirty G’s?

        CHARLEY
I don’t love ya that much.

        MEYER
(laughing)
You’re okay…

EXT. BOCCE CAFE. NIGHT.

Under the lights, OLD ITALIANS play bocci ball. Charley, Meyer and Benny sit at a quiet table in the corner. Charley has his drink and cigarette. A BANDAGE covers half his face.

        CHARLEY
It was Maranzano. I couldn’t
see him, but I smelled his
cheap cigar

        MEYER
A lotta guys smoke cigars,
Charley.

        CHARLEY
It was him. See he gets that
crazy mick to grab me so it’ll
look like a snatch. Like the
great Charley Luciano can’t
protect himself so I lose
respect on the street.

        MEYER
Then we gotta get the respect
back. Take him out. Make you
the boss.

        CHARLEY
Not now. We gotta move slow.

        BENNY
Slow like a bullet.

        MEYER
You’re our horse in this race,
Charley. You gotta come in first
or we all lose.

        CHARLEY
Look, you guys are new to this.
We been playin’ this game in
Sicily a thousand years. You
see the way he cut me? That’s
what they do to troublemakers
in the old country. Give ‘em a
scar so they know who the boss
is.

        MEYER
So what do we do about it?

        CHARLEY
You don’t do nothin’. I go back
every week. Give him his envelope,
kiss his hand like nothin’ happened…
Take care of Fat Joe…

        BENNY
Why do a job for this bum?

        CHARLEY
It ain’t for him. See how this
guy plays bocce?

A BOCCE PLAYER

bowls a ball down the pitch. It knocks one ball into another.

        CHARLEY
He knocks one ball into another,
knocks’em both out of his way and
rolls right in to first place.
Well, that’s what we’re gonna do.
Just like them balls them crums
won’t know what hit ‘em.

INT. FEDERAL COURT. DAY

NEWSREEL CAMERAS TURN, SPECTATORS lean forward eagerly as jury foreman LEE SMITH, a portly distinguished man rises to deliver the verdict. At the PROSECUTION TABLE, Tom Dewey, dressed in black with a pencil thin black mustache, seems calm enough, but he has a white knuckled grip on the arms of his chair. At the DEFENSE TABLE, Waxey Gordon stares balefully at the foreman. Smith glares back as he announces:

        SMITH
We find the defendant, Herman
Wexler guilty on all counts.

The courtroom explodes. Lawyers congratulate Tom. Medailie shakes his hand, grinning broadly. REPORTERS rush in for a statement. Judge McCook gavels for silence.

        MCCOOK
I want to congratulate you, Mr.
Dewey. Never in this court has
such fine work been done by IRS
agents and government attorneys.
You have struck a crippling blow
against organized crime in this
city.

OCTOBER 1929

INT. THEATER. NIGHT

On screen a NEWSREEL. The MARKET CRASHES…BREAD LINES…PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER makes a speech,promising to get the country out of this “temporary setback.” RAGGED MEN, huddle around a trash fire.

CHARLEY is watching with Gay Orlova.

        NEWSCASTER
They call them the forgotten men.
They fought for their country in
the Great War, but now they don’t
even have the price of a meal…

        CHARLEY
But they got enough to buy a
drink…

ON SCREEN

WAXEY GORDON is escorted handcuffed out of the COURTHOUSE.

        NEWSCASTER
In New York beer baron Waxey
Gordon was brought to justice
by crusading prosecutor Thomas
E. Dewey…

Charley snorts as Tom appears on screen, waving to the CAMERA and whispers confidentially to Gay

        CHARLEY
Meyer fixed that case with
the IRS to get Dewey out of
our hair.

        GAY
(impressed)
Wow, Charley…

        CHARLEY
That crum’ll never know who
handed him his big victory…

INT. MARANZANO’S OFFICE. DAY.

Charley watches as Maranzano counts money out of one envelope.

        CHARLEY
That’s the shylock loans from
the Garment Center. These guys
always need money to keep the
factories goin’ and we’re the
only ones with cash in these
hard times.
(hands him another envelope)
This is the downtown collections
from all the speakeasies.

        MARANZANO
No records, no books?

        CHARLEY
Meyer keeps the books. I do
business outta my hat.

        MARANZANO
I would feel better with Lucchese
or Bonnano in your hat with you.

        CHARLEY
Meyer won’t cheat us. I trust
him with my life.

        MARANZANO
As long as you understand that
he is an outsider. You know we
are like priests in our thing.
We take a vow of omerta. Of
silence…

        CHARLEY
I’m as silent as a tomb.

        MARANZANO
You’ve told Masseria nothing about
me..?

        CHARLEY
You know I haven’t. Your spies
woulda told you by now.

        MARANZANO
You are a clever man, Salvatore.
In this country of imbecili it
is always a pleasure to speak
to you. But clever words are
hollow without brave deeds.

        CHARLEY
Your example has given me the
courage Don Salvatore. You can
look forward to good news very
soon.

        MARANZANO
(extends his hands)
I’m overjoyed and full of
gratitude.

        CHARLEY
(as they hug)
I’m the one who should be
grateful. I’ve learned a
lot from you, Don Salvatore.
I want you to be assured
of my eternal loyalty.

        MARANZANO
I trust you completely, Salvatore.
You’re like a son to me.
(walks him to the door))
They say he who conquers New York
can rule the world. Like Caesar
ruled Rome. Will you join my
campaign?

In the doorway, in full view of MARANZANO’S MEN they embrace.

        CHARLEY
It will be my honor to march
beside you Don Salvatore.

He walks away, his servile smile twisting into a look of scorn.

END

Next: Part 15/Act 1 Con’t: Taking Over

In a new department the Daily Event will reoffer some of these scripts. Read them and decide: would you like to have seen this movie?

Our first script is EMPIRES OF CRIME. Seven years in development it is a six part mini-series commissioned by a broadcast network and later reacquired by a cable station.

The story is about the founders of Organized Crime, Meyer Lansky, and “Lucky” Luciano, their fifty year partnership and the empire they created. Their friendships and families, lives and loves. It is also about their implacable enemy Thomas Dewey, a young Republican attorney who built a political career prosecuting the Mob that propelled him to the NY Governor’s Mansion and almost to the White House.

*For Introduction with submission guidelines go to Oct 13.  Use Contact Us, above, for submissions.

EMPIRES OF CRIME /Part 9 By Heywood Gould

ACT FIVE

INT. DISTILLERY. NIGHT.

A maze of gleaming VATS and PIPES. Meyer walks through, with FRANK COSTELLO.

        MEYER
See, we cut out the
middleman. Make the
booze ourselves.

        COSTELLO
But what’s it gonna taste
like?

        MEYER
Who cares? After two
drinks they can’t tell
the difference.

They walk through a door into a distillery into a WHOLESALE BAKERY. BAKERS in whites, pull breads out of huge OVENS.

        MEYER
We had to open this
bakery to hide the
smell of the alcohol.
So now we’re in the
bread business. We
just need one thing.

        COSTELLO
Money…

        MEYER
Sugar. Can’t make alcohol
without it. The government’s
watchin’ all large sugar
transactions. We need a
supplier who’s not afraid
of the feds…But I think
I found one.

        COSTELLO
Who?

        MEYER
Me.

EXT. EL FAY’S. NIGHT.

A Broadway speakeasy. A LIVERIED DOORMAN welcomes FLAPPERS and their COLLEGE BEAUS, WALL STREETERS in top hats, LADIES in gowns and JEWELS. LARRY FAY, the proprietor, in his signature outfit, black suit, black shirt, purple tie, glad hands everybody.

        FAY
C’mon in, the party’s just
startin’.
(snatching a FLASK out of a
college kid’s hand)
You won’t need that,
professor. We got plenty
in there.

A CONVOY of TAXIS rolls to the curb. The Doorman rushes to open the door and gasps as BABE RUTH gets out accompanied by a BEVY of BROADWAY BEAUTIES.

         DOORMAN
Larry, it’s Babe Ruth..

         FAY
The Bambino himself. You got
three cabs goin’ tonight,
huh Babe.

         RUTH
Yeah, one for the girls.
One for the booze. And
one for Benny.

Benny Siegel, in a white top coat and fedora gets out of a third cab with more SHOWGIRLS.

         DOORMAN
(awed)
Hey, it’s Bugsy Siegel.

         FAY
Better not call him Bugsy
to his face…Mr. Siegel,
welcome to my humble abode.

         BENNY
Yeah, you don’t mind that
we brought our own liquor,
Larry. We don’t want the
Babe gettin’ poisoned on
your rotgut.

         RUTH
Hope you’re closin’ at noon,
Mr. Fay. I got a game at
one o’clock and I’ll need
at least an hour to sober
up…

INT. EL FAY’S. NIGHT.

A lavish, glittering nightclub. A CHORUS LINE is doing a wild CHARLESTON. Everything is festive and luxurious, but the CUSTOMERS are all drinking out of COFFEE CUPS.

AT A CORNER TABLE

Charley, dapper in a tux with his customary yellow and black handkerchief is seated with GAY ORLOVA,a blonde bombshell of a showgirl. Behind him stands his bodyguard, CHARLEY “THE BUG” WORKMAN. Next to him is Jimmy Hines, the former block captain, now a Tammany big shot.

ON THE BANDSTAND

The spotlight shines on JIMMY WALKER, a baby faced Irish tenor, singing his hit song:

         WALKER
Will you love me in December/
As you did in May/Do you
swear to remember/The vows
you made today…

AT CHARLEY’S TABLE

Hines leans over with a smile.

         HINES
That’s Jimmy Walker our
next Mayor.

         CHARLEY
That warbler?

         HINES
Yeah. Charley Murphy heard
him sing and made him a State
Assemblyman. People like him.
When he gets in we’ll
be runnin’ the city.

         CHARLEY
I don’t wanna run it,
Jimmy. I just want a
piece of it.

TEXAS GUINAN

blonde and brassy in a low cut gown sparkling with sequins, comes on stage, blowing a POLICE WHISTLE and banging on a wooden CLAPPER. She throws a SPOTLIGHT on the crowd.

         TEXAS
How’s your coffee, suckers?
The audience cheers its
approval.

         TEXAS
Better keep spendin’ or
I’ll shut the lights and
send the girls home.

The crowd laughs. One very drunk MIDDLE AGED MAN jumps up and stuffs bills down the chorus girls’ cleavage.

         TEXAS
That’s the spirit. And
now look what the wind
blew in… The Babe
himself. See you brought
your trainers with you,
huh Babe?

The spotlight follows Ruth, arm in arm with two girls. He waves to the cheering crowd.

         TEXAS
Fellas, watch your wives,
Ben Siegel is in town…

Now the spot pans to Siegel, surrounded by girls. Behind him two HOODS push a WHEELBARROW full of bottles. They go around the room, putting a bottle on every table.

         TEXAS
Drinks on you, Ben?

         BENNY
Everywhere I go, Texas.

The band starts, the girls come out. Benny passes, Charley’s table with no sign of recognition.

         TEXAS
Hey Ben, like you to
meet an old pal of mine,
Broadway Charley…

Charley rises in the spotlight and the two exchange handshakes and “pleasure to meet ya’s…”

         TEXAS
Say hello to Charley’s
enamorata, Ben. Miss Gay
Orlova. She’s wowin’ em in
the Scandals and when that
closes, Charley’ll back her
in any show she wants to do,
won’t ya Charley?

Charley kisses Gay on the cheek.

         CHARLEY
Anything the little lady wants.

The band starts and the dancers crowd the floor, but a worried Larry Fay pushes through the crush to Charley’s table. Then, in a groveling, pleading manner:

         FAY
Charley, Benny’s killin’ my
business, bringin’ his own
liquor into the joint.

         CHARLEY
So buy from him.

         FAY
I can’t. I gotta deal with
Big Bill Dwyer in Brooklyn
or he’ll burn me down. He
comes every night to check
on me…

BIG BILL DWYER (CROSSCUT)

Thick and florid and bulging out of his tuxedo, is sitting at a table with some of his henchman.

         CHARLEY
Brooklyn? Ain’t they still
got Indians there?

         FAY
C’mon Charley, nobody does
nothin’ in this town without
your personal okay…

         CHARLEY
Hey Larry, you’re blockin my
view.

Fay has been dismissed. He backs away without another word.

         HINES
I know what you’re thinkin’,
Charley. Big Bill runs the
Brooklyn docks, Charley.
He’s got an army around him
at all times.

         CHARLEY
I just wanna give him the
name of my tailor. He
needs his tux taken in.

INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT.

Yetta Lansky has a linen napkin over her face and is blessing the Sabbath candles. Meyer and his girlfriend ANNE CITRON, a homely but spirited brunette hold hands under the table as Yetta finishes the blessing and Max pours the wine.

         YETTA
You should be honored, Anne.
You’re the first girl Maier
ever brought home…

         MEYER
She’s the first girl I
ever took out, Mama…

         ANNE
(poking him)
Oh yeah, tell me another
one.

They stop as Max says the blessing over the wine.

         YETTA
He’s a good boy, my
Maier. Comes home every
Friday night

They stop again as Max says the blessings over the bread.

         YETTA
(ladling the soup)
I got a nice boiled chicken…

         MEYER
My mom boils everything.
I brought a turkey home
once and she tried to
boil it.

         YETTA
Who knows from turkeys?
In the old country we
had geese and ducks and
capons.We would have ten,
for Shabbas dinner. My
husband had a store.
Beautiful fabrics…

         MAX
Fabric from all over the
world, even from India
and China.

         YETTA
Meyer’s doing very well
with his garage business
for a boy who didn’t even
go to high school.

         MEYER
My mom’s still mad about
that.

         MAX
What does your father do,
Anne? If may I ask.

         ANNE
He imports sugar and
molasses from Cuba.
Meyer’s gonna work for
him as a salesman

         YETTA
Molasses? Vus es dus?

         MEYER
It’s made outta sugar, Ma.
They use it for candy and
pancake syrups…

         MAX
(with a sly look at Meyer)
They use sugar for making
alcohol.

         MEYER
No kiddin, they do Pop?

EXT. RIVER CAFE. NIGHT.

A dive under the Brooklyn Bridge. A bunch of HOODS are standing guard as a MAIL TRUCK drives up. Three MAILMEN get out, backs to the CAMERA, and walk to the door.

INT.CAFE. NIGHT.

In a smoke filled room, Big Bill Dwyer is playing cards with his “boys.” The Mailmen enter.

         DWYER
You guys sellin’ tickets
to the Postman’s ball?

The Mailmen draw guns. CAMERA comes around on their leader, Benny Siegel

         MAILMAN
We’re here to pick up a
package.

EXT. TIMES SQUARE (STOCK) DAY.

Dawn and the city takes a breath for a few hours. The streets belong to the MILK WAGONS and LATE NIGHT STRAGGLERS.

EXT. DUCORE’S. DAY

An all night drug store on Forty seventh and Broadway. Meyer jumps out of a cab and enters, walking past a BORED CLERK.

         MEYER
Mix me a bicarbonate,
willya Mo, I just had
my mother’s matzoh balls.

INT. CHARLEY’S OFFICE.

A spare, windowless room. A few bridge chairs and a rickety card table. Charley is wolfing down a corned beef sandwich. Charley “the Bug” stands at his perennial post behind him. In a corner, reading the newspaper is a short, wiry, impeccably dressed hood named FRANK COSTELLO. Meyer enters.

         MEYER
Don’t you ever stop eating?

         CHARLEY
Gotta keep my strength up.

There is a knock. Benny enters.

         BENNY
Special delivery.

The mailmen drag a sack into the middle of the room. They slit it open, revealing:

BIG BILL DWYER

hogtied and gagged. Benny yanks the gag off his mouth.

         DWYER
(sputtering)
Sonsabitches! You can’t do
this to me.

         CHARLEY
Tell the truth, Bill.
If we asked you nice
would you have come?

         MEYER
Mr. Costello tells us you
got a  nice operation in
Brooklyn.

         COSTELLO
He’s got these speed boats,
cigarette boats they call
‘em right, Bill? They can
bring the booze over from
Jersey faster than the Coast
Guard can catch ‘em. He’s
got a fleet of taxis that
do nothin’ but make
deliveries.

         MEYER
They should pick up passengers,
too when they’re idle.

         CHARLEY
See, Bill, already Meyer came
up with an idea to double your
money. You ain’t gonna lose
nothin’ when you throw in with
us.

         DWYER
Whaddya mean when? I got
my own business. I got
friends.

         CHARLEY
Ain’t we your friends, Bill?
Benny was gonna dump you in
the river, but me and Meyer
saved you.

         BENNY
It’s like I always tellya,
Charley. You’re too nice.

         MEYER
Stick him back in the
sack. Let him call his
big shot friends…

         DWYER
(frightened)
Wait a second…You guys
got a proposition?

         CHARLEY
We wanna make you rich,
is that so bad? Frank’ll
knows all the cops and
the politicians so
nobody’ll bother you.
I’ll give you my personal
OK, which means you can
do business anywhere in
the city.

         DWYER
What do you get for
this OK?

         CHARLEY
Fifty per cent, we’re
partners, right? If you’re
not makin’ more money in
six months I’ll cover the
difference outta my own
pocket.

         DWYER
(resigned)
You guys wanna run every
racket in town?

         CHARLEY
Don’t wanna run’em, just
want a piece of ‘em.

INT. COURT ROOM. DAY.

A civil trial,an empty courtroom, a yawning judge, but Tom works himself into an eloquent frenzy in his summation. Pointing to his client, a plain elderly lady:

         TOM
If poor widow challenged
a powerful financial
institution in any other
country she would lose.

IN THE REAR OF THE COURTROOM

Tom’s boss, GEORGE MEDAILIE, slight, bald, middle aged, watches proudly.

TOM

But in America, no bank
however large can be allowed
to mismanage an account
however small. I implore you
gentlemen, give this woman the
justice she deserves.

INT. COURT OFFICE.DAY

Medailie is waiting as Tom enters.

TOM

Mr. Medailie, I’m honored.
The senior partner coming
to a minor civil suit.

         MEDAILIE
Always like to watch a
good lawyer in action.
We’ve got a new client
Tom—the Government.
I’ve been appointed US
Attorney for New York
City. My job is to
prosecute the gangster
bosses.

         TOM
You’ll need a thousand
lawyers to do the job
right.

         MEDAILIE
One is all I can afford.
So I want the best I can
get. Job pays twelve
hundred a year. What do
you say?

         TOM
It’s less than I make
now and I’m getting
married. Frankly, George,
my fiancee says these men
are harmless…

         MEDAILIE
Oh I know. People hate
Prohibition. Bootleggers
are really quaint characters
they say. Do you want to
see what these quaint
characters do?

INT.MORGUE. DAY.

Dewey and Medailie watch as MORGUE ATTENDANTS pull pallets out of wall. Dewey winces at four GRUESOME HOMICIDES.

MEDAILIE

These men were killed to
stop them from testifying.
Tortured and mutilated as
warning to others.

         TOM
(appalled)
Who did this?

         MEDAILIE
Irving Wexler, also known as
Waxey Gordon. Very refined,
a family man, collector of
first editions. A cheap
thief and a dope peddler..
Here’s another harmless
playboy.
(another MUG SHOT)
Arthur Flegenheimer also known
as Dutch Schulz. Beer, booze
and bookmaking in the Bronx
and Harlem. Brags publicly
about the men he’s killed.

Another MUG SHOT. They’re coming thick and fast.

         MEDAILIE
Frank Costello. He’s in
charge of bribing police
and politicians. Salvatore
Lucania, now known as
Charley Luciano.

         DEWEY
I’ve seen him.

         MEDAILIE
Passes himself off as a
sportsman, a Broadway
character, but he’s a
convicted drug dealer and
runs most of the bootlegging
operations in Manhattan.
Meyer Lansky, his partner.
Ben Siegel,a pathological
killer known as Bugsy. They
rent trucks to the bootleggers
and have a subsidiary that
contracts murders for other
mobsters. We have to show
people like your fiancee that
they are not Robin Hoods, but
depraved killers who are
destroying the moral fabric of
society.

Next: Part 10/ACT FIVE/Part 2: A Vendetta Is Born (Monday, 11/21) 

In a new department the Daily Event will reoffer some of these scripts. Read them and decide: would you like to have seen this movie?

Our first script is EMPIRES OF CRIME. Seven years in development it is a six part mini-series commissioned by a broadcast network and later reacquired by a cable station.

The story is about the founders of Organized Crime, Meyer Lansky and “Lucky” Luciano, their fifty year partnership and the empire they created. Their friendships and families, lives and loves. It is also about their implacable enemy Thomas Dewey, a young Republican attorney who built a political career prosecuting the Mob that propelled him to the NY Governor’s Mansion and almost to the White House.

*For Introduction with submission guidelines go to Oct 13 (Calendar at right.) Use Contact Us, above, for submissions.