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

EMPIRES OF CRIME /Part 12

By Heywood Gould

ACT 7

EXT. EL FAY’S. DAY

In broad daylight, a TRUCKER is unloading cases of BEER, while his HELPERS roll them into the club. VINCENT “MAD DOG” COLL,a wild eyed Irish gangster crosses the street with his CREW.

        MAD DOG
Get lost. Maranzano’s supplyin’
this joint.

        TRUCKER
(squaring off)
This is a Dutch Schulz
territory.

        MAD DOG
Not anymore.

Mad Dog draws a gun and pistol whips him down. The Trucker’s helpers run to his aid, guns drawn. Coll and his crew start shooting, spraying the truck,the beer, the helpers.  BYSTANDERS run screaming for cover.

A LITTLE GIRL

is shot. Her FATHER tries to shield her and is also hit.

MAD DOG

drags a WOUNDED TRUCKER into a car and speeds away.

INT. US ATTORNEY’S OFFICE. DAY

A BULLETIN comes off the POLICE TICKER…FIVE SHOT ON BROADWAY OUTSIDE SPEAKEASY…A SECRETARY tears off the sheet and brings into an office where Tom Dewey sits behind a mountain of paperwork.

INT.CHARLEY’S BEDROOM. DAY

Gay Orlova is lounging languidly on Charley’s yellow silk sheets. The PHONE RINGS. Charley comes out of the dressing room, resplendent in a golfing outfit—knickers, high socks and two toned golf shoes.

        GAY
You look like somethin’
out of Esquire magazine,
Charley.

        CHARLEY
I’m goin’ golfin’ with
Walter Chrysler. He’s
puttin’ up a big office
buildin’ and he wants me
to help with the unions…
(picks up the phone with a
wink at Gay)
Luciano residence…Hiya
Meyer, guess who I’m goin’
golfin’ with…Yeah, yeah,
I’ll be right there.
(slams down the phone)
You believe these crums.
I’m tryin’ make a business
out of this thing and
they’re runnin’ around
blastin’ little girls…

INT. MEDAILLIE’S OFFICE. DAY.

Tom, quivering with indignation, confronts Medaillie.

        TOM
A five year old girl was
killed instantly. Her
father is in critical
condition. All this took
place in front of El Fays,
a known speakeasy frequented
by mobsters and celebrities
and operating in flagrant
violation of the law! We
need more manpower, George.
How can we expect people
to take us seriously if we
can’t protect them on the
streets?

        MEDAILIE
One of the last things
Rothstein did was to get
our Republicans in
Washington to cut our
funding.

        TOM
We can get it back. This
is our chance, George. We
can use this to mobilize
public opinion. Press
conference, radio coverage.
Cause an uproar. If we can
make an arrest in this case
the tide will turn.

INT. DUCORE’S BACK ROOM. DAY

DUTCH SCHULZ, stocky, sloppy in a cheap suit, a borderline psychotic is ranting at Meyer and Benny.

        SCHULZ
Your guys are too rough,
Dutch, you said. Keep’em
off Broadway. We’ll take
care of your operations.
But you didn’t so I took
over.

        MEYER
And you shot a five year
old girl, Now Dewey’s
gettin’ a posse after us…

        SCHULZ
It’ll blow over like it
always does.

        MEYER
Dewey’s gonna splash that
little girl’s funeral all
over the paper. He’ll make
a big name for himself and
then he will be a problem.

Charley enters,impeccable in a dark suit.

        CHARLEY
Thought I gave orders, nobody
from the Bronx was allowed in.
What’s with the cheap suit,
Dutch? A man in your position
oughta dress the part.

        SCHULZ
Only queers wear silk shirts.

        BENNY
You oughta know…

        CHARLEY
C’mon we’re all friends here.
We told ya we’d handle your
beefs in Manhattan, Dutch.
Why the gunplay?

        SCHULZ
That greaseball Maranzano is
tryin’ to take my spots in
the Bronx. He hired this
Irishman, Mad Dog Coll,
Guy’s been shootin’ up my
joints…

        BENNY
And you been shootin’ back.

        SCHULZ
Whaddya expect? Mad Dog’s
snatchin’ my collectors.
Beats the crap outta them,
hangs ‘em from meat hooks
and holds ‘em for ransom.
I’m at war with this guy,
Charley.

        CHARLEY
And you’re bringin’ heat
down on the whole
organization.

        SCHULZ
Who’s gonna bother us? We
run the city.

        CHARLEY
Only as long as nobody
knows we do. We got the
Mayor, the DA and the
Commissioner, but they can’t
help us if we’re on the front
page blastin’ each other. Now
you gonna listen to your Uncle
Charley?

        SCHULZ
If I like what I hear.

        CHARLEY
Tell us which one of your
marksmen hit that little
girl. We slip his name to
our cops. He’s killed
resistin’ arrest.
(offers his hand)
Case closed?

        SCHULZ
You get Maranzano off my
back?

        CHARLEY
Deal.

They shake.

INT. MARANZANO’S OFFICE.DAY.

A luxurious suite overlooking Park Avenue. Seated in a thronelike chair behind a mahogany desk, a HOOD lights Maranzano’s cigar as another HOOD pours demi tasse.

        MARANZANO
So business is good?

Charley produces an ENVELOPE bulging with cash.

        CHARLEY
Very good.

        MARANZANO
(beaming)
You’re a good earner.

        CHARLEY
Because of your good decisions,
Don Salvatore. I’ve watched
and I’ve learned as you built
up this organization. But if
I could respectfully offer a
suggestion…

        MARANZANO
Go ahead my friend.

        CHARLEY
Ease up on Dutch Schulz for
awhile.

        MARANZANO
Salvatore, my gumbare Tom
Gagliano controls the
Bronx for me. This animal
Schulz burns out our spots,
kills our people on the
street.

        CHARLEY
He’s nuts. We all know
we’re gonna have to do
somethin’ about him. But
startin’ a war is the
wrong way.

        MARANZANO
You know the Pax Romana,
Salvatore? The Roman legions
killed all their enemies and
ruled conquered territory
with an iron hand. And there
was peace in the world for
five centuries.

        CHARLEY
With respect, this ain’t
Rome. In America the public
rules.

        MARANZANO
(points out of the window)
You mean those frightened
people running to get out
of the rain?

        CHARLEY
Yeah, them. See they let us
live because we give ‘em
what they want. But we
start shootin’ little girls
they’ll howl for our blood.
A thousand guns and all the
money in the world won’t do
us no good. Sit down with
Schulz. Make a deal, you can
break it later on.

        MARANZANO
You’ve gone soft in your
Waldorf Astoria penthouse
with your fancy friends,
Salvatore.

        CHARLEY
I’ve got a position to
protect. I can’t solve
my problems on the street.
Neither can you.

        MARANZANO
(negotiating)
I won’t lower myself to sit
down with your animal Schulz.
But I will call off my Irish
mad dog. If you return the
favor.

        CHARLEY
Fair enough.

        MARANZANO
This pig Masseria: He shouldn’t
breathe the same air that I do.

        CHARLEY
I got some boys who can
take him out nice and
quiet…

        MARANZANO
Not quiet. Not with poison
or a garrotte, but with a
gun so the world can see
he has been executed. And
not by a killer with no
name. I want it to be
known that you, one of his
lieutenants, have done
this with the approval of
his soldiers.

        CHARLEY
So you can come in later
like it wasn’t your idea.
Albert Anastasia works for
Masseria. He can do it.

        MARANZANO
It must be you, personally,
Salvatore.

        CHARLEY
I know the rules in our thing.
Kill a boss you can’t take
his place.

        MARANZANO
The man who sits at my right
hand will have incredible
power. But only I can be the
boss of all bosses…

        CHARLEY
(rising)
I kiss your hand, Don
Salvatore, I give you all
my respect, but I won’t
lower myself to be your
hired killer.

        MARANZANO
You defy me? You present
yourself as my equal?

        CHARLEY
This is America, Don Salvatore.
All men are equal here.

INT. CATERING HALL. DAY.

Meyer’s wedding day. The GUESTS applaud as Meyer in tie and tails and Anne, radiant in a white bridal gown take the first turn around the dance floor.

AT CHARLEY’S TABLE

A PHOTOGRAPHER moves in for a picture as Genovese and Anastasia snarl at each other.

        ANASTASIA
You got three whore houses
by the docks…You think I
don’t know?

        GENOVESE
Whores are a separate
business…

        CHARLEY
You guys are makin’ millions
runnin’ booze and you’re
goin’ to war over a two
dollar cathouse…

He applauds vigorously as Meyer and Anne dance by.

        COSTELLO
Hey Annie I got a car waitin’
if you wanna change your
mind….

        CHARLEY
Annie, I haven’t gotten a
chance to know you yet, but
if you could trap this night
owl you must be one hell of
a woman.

Everybody laughs. Charley puts his arm around Meyer.

        CHARLEY
But this guy… I gotta say
there is no more finer or
more loyal friend on earth
than Meyer Lansky. I trust
this man with my life. And
I know you can, too.

        MEYER
Thanks, Charley. That means
a lot to me.

As they hug, Benny slips in and lifts the envelopes out of Meyer’s pocket. Everybody laughs as he runs away.

        MEYER (CONT’D)
Hey, somebody call a cop.

EXT. ATLANTIC CITY BOARDWALK. DAY.

A balmy, May afternoon. TOURISTS stroll past THE PRESIDENT  hotel.

INT. BRIDAL SUITE. DAY.

Sun drenched. Strewn with gifts and flowers. Meyer is on the couch reading the paper. Anne, tousled and dreamy in a white negligee, sneaks up and puts her hand over his eyes.

        ANNE
Guess who…

        MEYER
Pola Negri? Mary Pickford?
Oh, it’s little Annie
Citron, the grocer’s
daughter.

There is a loud KNOCK on the door. Outside we hear:

        BENNY
This is the house detective.
Do you have a woman in
there?

Laughing, Meyer opens the door and Benny comes bursting in.

        MEYER
What are you doin’ here?

        BENNY
I came down for the weekend
with Esther. Look who I
found pickin’ pockets in
the lobby…

Charley enters, respectfully, hat in hand.

        CHARLEY
What a coincidence, huh.

        BENNY
We’re gonna steal the
blushing groom away for
a second. Give him some
pointers…

        MEYER
(kisses Annie)
I won’t be long…

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY.

Charley, Meyer and Benny walk quickly down the corridor.

        CHARLEY
Capone’s here..

        MEYER
Ricca and Guzik are the
brains behind the Chicago
mob, Charley…

        CHARLEY
Yeah, but Capone’s the balls.

        BENNY
How you gonna con these
hardheads into making you
boss?

        CHARLEY
Just like AR said: Give
‘em a good proposition.
Then step back and hope
they don’t kill each other…

They walk past a BEEFY HOOD into:

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY.

It looks like a gathering of prosperous businessmen, amiable, well-dressed. They are grazing around a buffet table stocked with plates of cold cuts and bottles of premium whiskey.

        CHARLEY
Gentlemen, having a good time?

AL CAPONE, stocky and moonfaced, responds:

        CAPONE
Where’s the broads, Charley?

        CHARLEY
I gotta play Cupid for Al
Capone? Meyer, make the
introductions.

Meyer steps to the table. CAMERA PANS where he points.

        MEYER
This, of course, is Al
Capone, the boss of
Chicago…Over here,from
Boston, we got King Solomon
who’s as wise as his name.
Lou Rothkopf–all the
showgirls call him Uncle
Louie–from Cleveland, along
with, Moe Dalitz and Chuck
Polizzi. Joe Bernstein from
Detroit, Commodore of the
Little Jewish Navy, bringing
all that premium liquor down
from Canada. Nig Rosen from
Philly,the City of Brotherly
Love, we hope. My good friend
Longie Zwillman from Newark.
John Lanzia, representing Mr
Prendergast in Kansas City.
Frank Erickson and Benny
Siegel from New York along
with Mr. Buchalter from the
Garment Center. And I’d like
to thank our host, Mr. Nucky
Johnson, a very influential
man here in Atlantic City…

        SOLOMON
It’s nice that you’re pickin’
up our rooms, Charley. But
what do we gotta do for you?

        LUCIANO
Well, for openers, you can
stop shootin’ each other.

END ACT SIX

Next: Part 13/Act Eight: Board Meeting (Wednesday, 11/30/11)

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.

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

EMPIRES OF CRIME /Part 11    

By Heywood Gould

ACT 6

EXT. STREET.NIGHT.

Charley hits the street and walks down the block to a SHINY BLACK PIERCE ARROW. Charley Workman jumps out and opens the rear door. Charley slides in and finds: INT.PIERCE ARROW.NIGHT. Masseria is in the back seat, his cigar glowing in the dark.

       MASSERIA
What does he want?

       CHARLEY
Rothstein’s business.

       MASSERIA
What did he say about me?

       CHARLEY
That you’re a thief.

       MASSERIA
You were smart to tell me
you were going to meet him.

       CHARLEY
I told you because I knew
you would find out.

       MASSERIA
And you will tell me
everything.

       CHARLEY
I’ll be your spy, Don
Giuseppe.

       MASSERIA
And you will get rid of
Rothstein.

       CHARLEY
We don’t have to kill AR.
All we have to do is scare
him a little.

EXT. EL FAY’S. NIGHT

Rothstein emerges with a TIPSY SHOWGIRL, who can’t stop giggling. He slips a few bills into the Doorman’s pocket.

       ROTHSTEIN
Get me a cab, Barney. I’m
gonna take this little
buttercup home.

At that moment a SEDAN speeds by.. IN THE SEDAN (CROSSCUT) Charley Workman leans out and rakes the club with a TOMMY GUN. Windows shatter and everyone ducks for over. Rothstein’s Tipsy Showgirl goes into hysterics. He crawls over and tries to calm her…

INT. LO CHEN’S. NIGHT.

An opulent brothel. Silk curtains and lacquered tables. WOMEN in kimonos lounge at the entrance A chubby MADAM leads Meyer down a narrow hallway. He knocks at a door..

       MEYER
Charley…

INT. ROOM. NIGHT.

Small. Just enough room for a bed and a table. Luciano is sitting on the bed playing Gin Rummy with a half naked CHINESE GIRL. He slams down his cards.

       LUCIANO
Gin! She’s a great lay but
a lousy card player…

       MEYER
AR’s been callin’ around town.
Wants to see us.

        CHARLEY
(suddenly all business)
I threw a coupla shots at him
tonight…Benny’s in the next
pew…

Meyer steps out into the hallway and walks a few steps to the next door. He enters to find:

BENNY being massaged by a CHINESE WOMAN. On the bed a BLONDE lies in a stupor, an OPIUM PIPE dangling between her fingers.

         BENNY
I must be seein’ things.
(with a stoned out chuckle)
You wouldn’t have a piece of
apple strudel on you…

Meyer sniffs in disgust.

         MEYER
Jeeze Benny, you got a pregnant
wife at home. Besides, anybody
could come and blow your brains
out.

         BENNY
Now, who’d wanna do that to
a nice guy like me?

         MEYER
AR wants to see us right away.

         BENNY
You and Charley go. Anything
you decide is okay with me…

He passes the Chinese girl an OPIUM PIPE.

         BENNY
Light me up, honey…

INT. ROTHSTEIN’S STUDY. NIGHT.

Charley and Meyer sit in the shadows watching Rothstein unlock a cabinet and remove a file.

         ROTHSTEIN
Once a month I go down to DC.
There’s a guy there, Harry
Daugherty. He was Harding’s
Attorney General and he’s
still the bag man for the
Republicans. Meet him in the
Mayflower Hotel. Fifty G’s in
hundreds. As long as the
Republicans are in office
they’ll never repeal
Prohibition. Once in awhile
he’ll come to New York. Show
him a good time.

         CHARLEY
What kinda girls does he like,
fat, skinny, white, black or
yellow?

         ROTHSTEIN
He likes boys…

         CHARLEY
Fat, skinny…White, black..?

         MEYER
Are you sure you wanna get
outta the business, AR?

         ROTHSTEIN
Oh yeah. Tonight was the
capper for me. I’m a nice
Jewish boy from Park Avenue.
I like to make a phone call,
send an envelope and
everything’s jake.I don’t
wanna wake up one morning
with a bullet in my gut.
The Italians, Masseria,
Maranzano. You know these
guys?

         CHARLEY
I’ve heard of ‘em.

         ROTHSTEIN
They’re tryin’ to muscle in.
I thought I could pull strings,
but tonight they started
shootin’.

         CHARLEY
They were just tryin’ to scare you.

         ROTHSTEIN
It worked.I don’t wanna
live in a world where the
gun closes the deal. Pay
me twenty five cents on
the dollar and the liquor
business is yours.

EXT. ROTHSTEIN’S TOWNHOUSE. NIGHT

As Charley and Meyer walk away.

         MEYER
So who we gotta pay off?

         CHARLEY
Both of them.

         MEYER
Masseria and Maranzano. That
was your brilliant scheme?

         CHARLEY
I’m a threat to these guys.
I gotta keep makin’ money
for them or they’ll kill me.
Trust me, Meyer, we’ll have
it all one day.

INT. CHARLEY’S LIMO. DAY.

A sparkling, Spring morning. Workman drives down a country road, while Charley sits in the back reading the “funnies.” They turn onto a long gravel driveway, past a sign reading JOHN J. RASKOB

         WORKMAN
What do these guys want with
us?

         CHARLEY
Raskob owns the Empire State
Building. Maybe he’s got a
union beef. Remember the
address. We’ll come back
later and hit the house.

INT. DINING ROOM. DAY

Jimmy Hines walks Charley over to a lavish buffet.

         HINES
They asked me to bring the
most powerful people in town…
You were the first guy I
thought of.

Mayor Jimmy Walker offers a smile and a glad hand.

         MAYOR WALKER
Hey Charley…

         CHARLEY
Gonna give us a song, Mr.
Mayor.

He is astonished when CARDINAL DAUGHERTY, Archbishop of New York, steps out of a private room.

         HINES
Have you met Cardinal Daugherty?

         CHARLEY
(kisses Daugherty’s hand)
Your Eminence. My mother’s never
gonna believe that I had breakfast
with the Archbishop of New York.

         DAUGHERTY
Bring her to mass at St.
Patrick’s. We’ll sit her
in the front row.

         HINES
This is Mr. Raskob, our host.

         RASKOB
Welcome, Mr. Luciano.

         HINES
And here’s the guest of honor,
the next President of the
United States, Al Smith…

Smith, an exuberant Irishman with a thick New York accent. pumps Charley’s hand.

         SMITH
Thanks for gettin’ up so early.

         CHARLEY
I ain’t been to sleep yet.
Why am I in such illustrious
company?

         HINES
It’s time we put a Catholic
in the White House, Charley.
We need your help.

         CHARLEY
Smart money’s bettin’ on
Franklin Roosevelt to get
the nomination.

         RASKOB
Roosevelt is a menace to
all we stand for. He may
come from a prominent family,
but he’s got the Communists
behind him.

         SMITH
I’m a Catholic and a big city
politician. I gotta convince
the party I can win.

         CHARLEY
You gotta get out the vote.
You gotta pay off a lotta
people and you gotta rough
up the Roosevelt side

         HINES
Nobody does that stuff better
than you, Charley.

         CHARLEY
Why should I help you,Governor?
You been runnin’ around for
four years sayin’ you’re gonna
repeal Prohibition.

         HINES
Al’s a New York boy, Charley.
One hand washes the other.
You help him win, he’ll keep
the cops off you. Smith is
silent, but he nods his
confirmation.

         CHARLEY
Al Smith for President.

INT. DUCORE’S BACK ROOM. NIGHT.

Cigarettes glow in the shadows. Workman stands guard at the door as Charley, Meyer, Benny and Costello huddle over NEWSPAPER where a BANNER HEADLINE proclaims; DEWEY DECLARES WAR ON THE MOB.

         COSTELLO
They couldn’t find nobody
for the job so they plugged
him in. I called around.
This guy won’t do business.

         CHARLEY
(examines DEWEY’S PHOTO)
Dewey. I met this kid.
He’s definitely got a
grudge.

         MEYER
I don’t like these dark
horses lookin’ to make a
reputation.

         BENNY
He’s just another shyster with
no juice. Why are we worryin’?

         MEYER
‘Cause we worry about everybody.
Let’s keep him busy, give him
Waxey Gordon. We been lookin’
to dump him anyway.

         CHARLEY
How you gonna do it?

         MEYER
I own two IRS guys in Philly.
We’ll give them information
on Waxey and they’ll pass
it to Dewey. He’ll never
know where it came from.

         BENNY
That’s a dirty trick even
for us.

         CHARLEY
Anything else before we join
the ladies?

         COSTELLO
Rothstein’s tryin’ to make a
big bet on the election.
He’ll lay five hundred G’s
for Hoover over Al Smith,
but he can’t get nobody to
take his action.

         MEYER
Smith doesn’t have a chance.
Have you heard him on the
radio?

         BENNY
The guy sounds like he should
be rollin’ beer barrels on
Hudson Street.

         CHARLEY
Smith has a lotta Catholic
money behind him. I think
he’s gonna take it. Book it,
Frank. Do it through our
guys in Midtown so AR don’t
know it’s us takin’ his
action.

         MEYER
AR only bets sure things,
Charley.

         CHARLEY
So do I.

EXT. WALDORF ASTORIA (STOCK)

New York’s “swankiest” hotel.

INT. CHARLEY’S PENTHOUSE SUITE. NIGHT.

Election eve. The SKYLINE twinkles outside the picture window. Marinelli, Hines. Anastasia and Genovese are in a crowd of giggling PARTY GIRLS. The Broadway crowd is at the piano where Mayor Walker is singing. As the girls gather around him he raises his glass to a blown up CAMPAIGN PHOTO of AL SMITH. WALKER Here’s to the next President of the United States, the Happy Warrior, Al Smith. Everyone cheers. “To President Smith…”

INT.CHARLEY’S BEDROOM. NIGHT

Meyer is on the phone. Charley sits by the radio with a stony look as:

         ANNOUNCER
Although returns from the
traditionally Republican
West and Far West have not
come in yet it is clear
that Al Smith has failed
to capture the big city
vote…

         MEYER
That was Costello. AR’s been
callin’ our bookie for his
money.

         CHARLEY
Tell the guy to say final
returns ain’t in yet. I
ain’t payin’ off on a race
when the horses are still
in the far turn.

         MEYER
The cowboys ain’t gonna vote
for this guy, Charley. Better
get that five hundred G’s up.
You’re a loser.

         CHARLEY
Not yet I ain’t.

INT. HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT

A high stakes poker game. All the PLAYERS have huge PILES OF CHIPS in front of them except for Rothstein who is hastily scribbling an I.O.U.

         ROTHSTEIN
Okay deal. Here’s my marker.

         DEALER
Two hundred thousand bucks
is a lot of money, AR.

         ROTHSTEIN
I can cover it. I’m collecting
on a big bet tonight.

A BOUNCER hangs up the house phone.

         BOUNCER
That was the desk. There’s
a guy downstairs to see ya…

         ROTHSTEIN
(getting up)
Deal me in, I’ll be right
back with the cash…

INT. PARK CENTRAL HOTEL BACK ENTRANCE. NIGHT.

A man in a dark overcoat waits in the shadows. Rothstein comes down the stairs. His face lights up.

         ROTHSTEIN
Hey, what are you doing here?

The man draws a gun and shoots Rothstein twice in the stomach. With an astonished look, Rothstein crumples to the floor.

INT. PARK CENTRAL BACK ENTRANCE. NIGHT.

A short time later. A dying Rothstein is being taken away on a stretcher. A DETECTIVE leans over him.

         DETECTIVE
Tell us who did it, Arnold.
We’ll get even for you.
Rothstein shakes his head with a feeble smile.

         ROTHSTEIN
You work your side of the
street, I’ll work mine.

INT. ROTHSTEIN’S BILLIARD ROOM.

NIGHT SHADOWS flit through the darkness. A FLASHLIGHT illuminates a safe as someone grasps the handle and pulls it open. CHARLEY is revealed in the light, removing black notebooks, papers. He turns to Charley Workman, who is holding the flashlight.

         CHARLEY
It’s all here. Who ships the
booze. Who fixes the races.
Who pays off the politicians.
Who’s the bag man for the
cops. We got the dirt on
everybody… We’re gonna be
the big fixers now.

END ACT SIX

Next: Part 12/Act Seven: In dutch (Monday, 11/28/11)

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.

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

EMPIRES OF CRIME /Part 10 By Heywood Gould

ACT 5 (Con’t)

EXT. BROADWAY. NIGHT (STOCK)

The Great White Way. Theaters, bustling crowds. A MARQUEE reads: GEORGE WHITE’S SCANDALS

INT. THEATER. NIGHT.

In the crowded Standing Room, Tom is watching ecstatically.

ON STAGE

Frances playing a very demure ingenue, is singing:

        FRANCES
He married the girl/
With the strawberry curl/
And the band played on…

In the chorus, Gay Orlova twirls her parasol and winks at Charley, who is sitting in the front row with Charley Workman, applauding vigorously and whistling between his teeth.

INT. BACKSTAGE. NIGHT.

After the show. Tom, clutching a SMALL BOUQUET is buffeted by a wave of SHOWGIRLS, STAGEHANDS, FANS. He asks:

        TOM
Where can I find Miss
Frances Hutt?

Suddenly he is shoved face first into the wall by Charley Workman, carrying a huge FLORAL PIECE. He is followed by TWO HOODS with armfuls of ROSES and bringing up the rear of this regal procession is Charley Luciano…

        WORKMAN
Make way for the King…

His bouquet crushed, Tom watches as Charley walks by, trading jokes with the onlookers. “Hey Charley, enjoy the show?”

        CHARLEY
I oughta, it’s the tenth
time I seen it.

        CHARLEY
You twirl a parasol better
than any broad I ever seen…

        GAY
Did you like it, Charley.
Was I better than last
night?

        CHARLEY
I’ll tellya tomorrow morning.

Everybody laughs except Tom who is disgusted by this ribaldry. Then, Charley hands a dozen roses to Frances.

        CHARLEY
Here y’are, kid. Sweets
to the sweet as Mr.
Barracini says.

        FRANCES
You’re a sweetie yourself,
Charley. Oh look, there’s
my boyfriend. Tom, say
hello to Charley Luciano…

        CHARLEY
(offers his hand)
Hey Tom, got quite a
gal there. Don’t take
her outta circulation
before I can make her
a star.

Tom grabs Frances by the arm.

        TOM
Let’s go.

        CHARLEY
Just offerin’ my good wishes,
pal. Every pretty girl needs
a little help.

         TOM
Not from you. Don’t even
let her name come out of
your dirty mouth.

Charley bridles, but controls himself.

         CHARLEY
Maybe you think I’m a
disreputable character.
But every human being
deserves respect.

         TOM
You’ll get what you deserve.
I’ll see to that.
(pulls Frances)
Let’s go, Frances.

She says a quick “good bye” as Tom pulls her out of the room. Workman starts after him, but Charley restrains him.

         WORKMAN
You gonna let that bum
talk that way to you?

         CHARLEY
Ah, he’s just jealous…

EXT. STAGE DOOR ALLEY.NIGHT

Tom tries to hustle Frances away.

         FRANCES
Stop being such a prig,
Tom. People like Charley
make this town run. He
may not be refined, but
he’s a gentleman in his
own way.

         TOM
He’s a pimp, a murderer,
a dope peddler, a cheap
extortionist gouging the
last pennies off the poor
people of this city. And
I’m gonna prove it to you,
Frances…

INT. JUDGE’S CHAMBERS. DAY

JUDGE McCOOK, stern, elderly, administers the oath of office. Tom repeats with a grimly determined look.

         TOM
I swear to uphold and
enforce the laws of the
State of New York without
fear or favor.

END ACT FIVE

ACT SIX

FEBRUARY 1927

INT. THEATER. NIGHT

NEWSREELS… Cops step over the bodies of slain gangsters. ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE…AL CAPONE walks out of a courtroom waving to the reporters…Anne is watching in horror, while Meyer munches popcorn.

         ANNE
That Capone is a monster.

         MEYER
He just don’t want nobody
peddlin’ booze in his
territory.

INT. FAT AL’S. NIGHT.
Meyer and Anne are greeted by a HOOD.

         HOOD
Evening, Mr. Lansky.

         ANNE
How come they call you,
Mr. Lansky?

         LANSKY
‘Cause if they called me
Mr. Steinberg, I wouldn’t
know who they were talkin’
to.

         GAMBLER
Hey Meyer, I got a live
one here. Says you can’t
do the chip trick.

A sleek HIGH ROLLER waves a fistful of bills.

         HIGH ROLLER
A G note says you can’t
do it.

         MEYER
For a G note I can do
anything.

Anne is shoved aside by the excited crowd. The STICK MAN throws chips in a bucket. Meyer turns his back to the table. The Stick man dumps them on the table.

         MEYER
Thirty one…

The Stick man counts the chips and looks up in amazement.

         STICK MAN
Thirty one..

The crowd cheers…”The guy’s a magician…” “He can tell by the sound…” “Better not try to cheat in this joint…”
CHARLEY
pushes his way through the crowd.

         CHARLEY
Hey did I miss the floor
show?

A desperate BEDRAGGLED GIRL accosts him.

         BEDRAGGLED GIRL
Charley, Little Davey won’t
let me outta the room to see
my mother. He keeps bringin’
guys in.
(pulls up her dress))
He burned me with cigarettes…

LITTLE DAVEY BETILLO, grown into a vicious ferret of a man, runs up and pushes her away.

         BETTILO
Don’t fall for that sob
story, Charley. She was
holdin’ out…

Anne is mortified. She turns and runs out.

         CHARLEY
Whatsa matter with her,
she sick?

Meyer catches up to her in the lobby.

         MEYER
Annie, wait.

         ANNE
You said it was just a
night club.

         MEYER
It is. See anybody who
isn’t having the time
of their life?

         ANNE
That girl is a prostitute.
That place is vicious and
depraved.

         LANSKY
Gimme time. Next year I’ll
have it all cleaned up and
legal. I’ll be a respectable
businessman…

         ANNE
My father would never set
foot in a place like this.

         LANSKY
Tell your father I own a
garage. I’m up to my elbows
in grease all day long. Tell
him I love his daughter and
I’m gonna make her rich and
happy if she gives me a
chance…

         ANNE
I’m not the kinda girl
that gets a cheap thrill
out of goin’ to places
like this, Meyer.

         LANSKY
I don’t like that kinda
girl, Annie. I like you.

Annie relents and allows him to kiss her.

         ANNE
I like you, too, God
help me.

INT. BANQUET HALL.NIGHT

A HUNDRED ITALIAN RACKETEERS have gathered to pay homage to SALVATORE MARANZANO, a tall, imposing, mustachioed man dressed in an old world black suit. Frank Costello stands at Maranzano’s right hand, applauding his every utterance. In the crowd Genovese explains to Charley.

         GENOVESE
It’s Salvatore Maranzano. The
bosses in Palermo sent him to
get into the booze business.
He’s got big Sicilian money
behind him.

         MARANZANO
(a heavy accent)
We come into America like
Julius Caesar came into
Gallia. Vini vidi vinci.
I come, I see, I conquer….

The men applaud enthusiastically. Charley looks at Costello “Is this guy nuts?” Costello shrugs as Maranzano continues in stentorian tones.

         MARANZANO
In America the races mix,
but the race that maintains
its purity will conquer the
others. It is for this that
we will admit no foreigners,
to our inner circles. We
will maintain our codes of
morality in this immoral
country. We will not seduce
the wife or daughter of a
brother, will not steal from
a brother, nor cheat him,
nor fight among ourselves.
We will organize in groups
of ten as did our Roman
ancestors. Every group will
have a captain, from the
decime or ten, through the
hundreds and the thousands.
At the top will be the man
of unquestioned authority,
the Boss of All Bosses…
Me…

Enthusiastic applause and shouts of acclamation. The Racketeers line up to pay tribute, kissing Maranzano’s hand, slipping him envelopes. Genovese is the first in line with the biggest smile and the fattest envelope.

INT. COFFEE HOUSE. NIGHT.

Dark and narrow, SMOKE hanging in the air, murmuring voices. In a corner Charley and Maranzano confer in terse whispers.

       MARANZANO
I can tell a lot about
a man from where he
comes from, Salvatore.

       CHARLEY
I’m from Freggia, Don
Salvatore, where black
clouds of stinkin’ smoke
cover the sun. My old man
burnt his lungs out in the
sulphur mines. Between the
Mafiosi and the aristocrats
he couldn’t get a break so
he came to America

       MARANZANO
Join with me and you
will return to your town
as a conqueror. Our men
of honor have great wealth
and are welcome in the
best homes in Sicily.

       CHARLEY
I got nothin’ to prove
in the old country. I’m
happy here.

       MARANZANO
You are respected and well
liked among the younger
men. I want you to sit at
my right hand.

       CHARLEY
You want me to bring my
boys into line, that’s
what you want. But I got
a lotta Irish and Jewish
with me. We do things
American style.

       MARANZANO
So we will be the
invisible hand that
makes the puppets move.

       CHARLEY
American boys won’t jump
for you like the paisans
do.

       MARANZANO
Then they will fall like
the barbarians fell before
the Roman legions. I can
bring five hundred men here
tomorrow to kill anyone who
sets up as my enemy. Do you
doubt me?

       CHARLEY
No. But as you know I’m
with Don Giuseppe Masseria…

       MARANZANO
Masseria has not been
responsible to his
friends in Sicily.

       CHARLEY
You mean he hasn’t been
kickin’ back enough and
that’s why you’re here.
Okay, I can blow with
the wind. But don’t go
to sleep on Joe. He’s
smart and he’s established.

       MARANZANO
So we go slow. No need
to let him know about
our…friendship…We
build our power. This
Jew Rothstein has a
flourishing whiskey
business, but no
soldiers to protect him.
He should be easy to
eliminate.

       CHARLEY
AR’s power is based on
favors and connections.
He makes money for a
lotta people…

       MARANZANO
He walks alone, no men
around him. A man like
that is either so powerful
no one can touch him. Or
so stupid he deserves to
die…

       CHARLEY
AR’s been square with me.

       MARANZANO
I respect your loyalty to
your bosses. But Rothstein
has no guns. Masseria has
stolen from his brothers
in Sicily. He, too, is
doomed. What is in your
future, Salvatore?

Charley kisses Maranzano’s hand.

       CHARLEY
My future is with you,
Don Salvatore…

Next: Part 11/ACT Six: (Wednesday, 11/23)

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.