MOVIES YOU WILL NEVER SEE/Empires of Crime/ Part 8

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*For Introduction with submission guidelines go to 
Oct 13

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

EMPIRES OF CRIME /Part 8 By Heywood Gould            

               ACT FOUR/Part 2 

INT. ROTHSTEIN’S LIBRARY. NIGHT.

A meeting is just beginning. Rothstein’s valet is
passing out cigars as he introduces the participants.

                     ROTHSTEIN
             This is Harry Greenberg
             from Saint Louis. Abner
             Zwillman from Newark.

                     ZWILLMAN
                    (very tall)
             Everybody calls me,
             Longie.

                     ROTHSTEIN
             Harry Solomon from
             Boston...Charley Luciano,
             Meyer Lansky, Ben Siegel...
             Herman Wexler...

                     CHARLEY
                   (laughing)
             Herman who? This is Waxey
             Gordon, the hophead’s 
             friend. Whaddya goin’ by
             an alias, Waxey?

                     GORDON
               (squat, dark and ugly)
             I don’t answer to that
             name.

                     MEYER
             Except when they’re
             passin’ out money, huh
             Waxey?

                     ROTHSTEIN
             Remember when cocaine was             
             legal, boys? Coupla broken            
             broken down old whores used            
             used to use it. Then it was          
             illegal and all of a sudden
             the smart set wanted a sniff           
             Well that's small change
             compared to booze. Everybody
             takes a drink, from the 
             college kids right down to
             Grandma who likes a shot of
             elderberry wine on her
             birthday. Everybody who has           
             a drink tonight is gonna
             want one tomorrow  and we’re
             gonna give it to them.

                     MEYER
             But they’re closin’ the
             breweries, and the
             distilleries. Where we
             gonna get the booze?

                     ROTHSTEIN
             We bring it in ourselves.
             From Canada, from Europe.
             I’ve got a deal with
             biggest distillery in
             Scotland. There’s a
             boatload of premium scotch
             whiskey headin’ for the
             states right now. I’m
             talkin’ to Bronfman and
             Rosenstiel in Montreal 
             about sellin’ me Canadian
             whiskey. Rothshild’s gonna
             ship wine in from France
             and Italy.

                     MEYER
             How you gonna get a
             Rothschild to break the
             law?

                     ROTHSTEIN
             He won’t have to. The
             freighters stop just
             outside the twelve mile
             limit so they’re outta 
             US waters. Then, we
             send launches out to
             meet ‘em.

                     CHARLEY
             Where ya gonna get the
             boats?

                     ZWILLMAN
             I’ll take care of that.
             Every fisherman in Jersey
             gets a coupla bucks plus
             a free case of booze for
             the use of his boat.

                     CHARLEY
             You’ll have to fix
             everybody from the Coast
             Guard to the cop on the
             beat.

                     ROTHSTEIN
             Fix a coupla Senators 
             and the President too
             if I have to. This is
             gonna be the biggest
             business in America.
             There'll be plenty of
             cash to bribe the
             politicians.

                     MEYER
             You’re gonna need trucks
             to bring it into the
             city.

                     ROTHSTEIN
             You’re good with cars. You
             can get the wheels for me.
             We’re gonna move ten
             thousand cases every few
             weeks. King Solomon’s
             gonna bring it in from
             Canada.

                     SOLOMON
             I can smuggle it through
             an old logging road in
             Vermont. I got a Boston
             banker, Joe Kennnedy.
             He'll front us all the
             money we need...

                     GORDON
             How do we make money?

                     ROTHSTEIN
             I’ll cover the up front
             expenses and pay a flat
             fee to anyone who delivers
             to my clients. You guys
             will each have your
             customers. You’ll reimburse
             me my costs plus twenty
             five per cent of your
             action.

                     CHARLEY
             But booze is gonna be
             like gold. People will
             be robbin’ each other
             left and right.

                     ROTHSTEIN
             It’ll be up to you guys
             to protect your own
             shipments. We’ll have to
             work together. If we start
             fighting among ourselves
             it’ll turn into a free for
             all and nobody will make
             any money. Agreed?

The men shoot mistrustful looks at one another.

                     CHARLEY
             Well, let’s give it a
             try anyway.

The men nod...”Give it a try...” As they start
making plans, Charley approaches Rothstein with
an admiring look.

                     CHARLEY
             You just put together
             a big corporation, AR.

                     ROTHSTEIN
             Not yet. I got a lotta
             smart guys together.
             Gave ’em a good proposition.
             Answered all their questions.
             Now let’s hope they don't
             kill each other.

LITTLE ITALY 1921

INT. BAKERY. NIGHT.

Joe "The Boss" Masseria is chewing on a cigar. Behind
him, a big scowling hood named JOE NAPOLI. Charley,
plays the courtier, anxious to please. Meyer stands
behind him.

                     LUCIANO
             See Joe. My boys wanna
             give you a little token
             of their appreciation
             for you doin’ business
             with them.

OUTSIDE

Benny opens the rumble seat of a PIERCE ARROW,
revealing a case of SCOTCH WHISKEY.

                     CHARLEY
             They got a load of premium
             Scotch, exclusive for you.

                     MASSERIA
                    (in Italian)
             How much do the Jews
             want?

                     LUCIANO
                  (in Italian)
             Fifty dollars a case,
             five thousand cases...

                     MASSERIA
                   (in Italian)
             Give 'em twenty five.

                     CHARLEY
              (turns gruffly to Meyer)
             Twenty five a  case.
             Take it or leave it.

                     MEYER
             Can you get thirty,
             Charley?

                     MASSERIA
                   (in Italian)
             Twenty seven. No more
             talkin’ or the deal’s
             off...

                     CHARLEY
             Twenty seven. Be happy
             you’re gettin’ it.

                     MEYER
             Anything you say,
             Charley.
              (bowing to Masseria)
             An honor doing business
             with you, Mr. Masseria.

On the way out, Charley whispers, triumphantly.

                     CHARLEY
             He went for twenty seven 
             Meyer, just like you
             said.

                     MEYER
             Always gotta make the 
             other guy think he beat
             you down...

                     LUCIANO
             How'd you get so smart?

                     MEYER
              (taps his forehead)
             Chicken soup.

MASSERIA

watches them walk out and turns with a sneer to
Napoli.

                     MASSERIA
             Cornudo. Thinks he’s
             foolin’ me. How many guns
             you got?

                     NAPOLI
             Ten.
                     MASSERIA
             Bring twenty...The trucks
             come back. The drivers
             don’t.

EXT. L&S GARAGE. NIGHT.

On Clinton Street in Lower Manhattan. Trucks roll in
and out as Rabinowitz and some DAIRY TRUCK DRIVERS
enter..

                     DRIVER
             L&S is Lansky and Siegel.
             I don’t wanna get mixed
             up with the Bugs and
             Meyer mob.

                     RABINOWITZ
             Don’t worry. Meyer says
             this is just a simple
             driving job.

Benny, stylish in a Chesterfield and homburg comes out
with a manic smile. Meyer follows him with a clipboard.

                     MEYER
             Hey fellas, ready to
             make money?

                     BENNY
             We’re gonna take a nice
             moonlight ride to the
             Jersey shore...Next time
             bring your girlfriends,
             we’ll go dancin’.

EXT. EGG HARBOR, NEW JERSEY. NIGHT.

OFF SHORE  a FREIGHTER is anchored. Charley, Meyer and
Benny watch as LAUNCHES head out to meet it.

                     MEYER
             Five thousand cases of
             premium scotch? What's
             Masseria gonna get for
             ‘em.

                     CHARLEY
             Three hundred a case. 
             He’ll be sold out
             tomorrow morning.

They turn at the sight of MOTORCYCLE POLICE pulling up.

                     CHARLEY
             It’s our police escort.
             Fifty bucks per cop, five
             grand to the Commander
             plus a case of scotch.
             And they take us right to
             the New York border.

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD. NIGHT.

A CONVOY OF TRUCKS rolls down the road, their side
panels emblazoned with the sign: L&S TRUCKING.

INT. TRUCK. NIGHT.

Meyer is driving, Next to him Charley looks out the
window. Benny is hunched in the back seat.

                     CHARLEY
             It’s dead in the sticks.
             Them farmers are all in
             bed by ten o”clock.

                     BENNY
             You wanna come out
             tomorrow? Esther's got
             a girlfriend she wants
             you to meet.

                     MEYER
             Friday night I go to
             my mother's...

Suddenly, a VOLLEY of BULLETS shatters the WINDSHIELD.
A SPOTLIGHT blinds them. THE HOOD POPS AND SMOKE
POURS out of the busted radiator. Meyer jams on the
brakes.
                     BENNY
             It’s a stick up!

SEVERAL SEDANS

are parked across the road, blocking their way. Behind
the light, a HARSH VOICE  commands:

                     HARSH VOICE
             Everybody out, Hands up!

Charley grabs a shotgun and fires blind out of the
window. Meyer pulls a.38.and both men jump out of the
truck, while Benny sneaks out from the back.

OUTSIDE

Rabinowitz and his drivers are standing by their trucks
with their hands up. Meyer waves to them.

                     MEYER
             Get down.

Charley fires a blast at the sedans. Another VOLLEY of
SHOTS rings out from behind the spotlight. A driver
goes down. Charley fires into the darkness. Meyer stays
low and watches.

BENNY

moves around behind the truck. He sees SILHOUETTES
in the trees.. He fires a BURST and a silhouette
disappears. Fires again and the SPOTLIGHT SHATTERS.

THE HIJACKERS

fire back, their pistols flaming in the darkness.

BENNY

jumps into the open with insane courage and advances
on the sedans, firing point blank. Meyer and Charley
move in behind him, firing. There is an ear splitting
bout of gunfire. In the eerie silence that follows we
hear GROANS and HURRIED FOOTSTEPS mixing with the
chirping of CRICKETS. The boys stumble over bodies in
the dark. IN A BLOOD SPATTERED SEDAN a MAN is slumped
over the wheel, his brains blown out. There is another
BURST of MACHINE GUN FIRE. Meyer and Charley run into
the woods. In a clearing they find Benny standing over
a WOUNDED MAN.

                     BENNY
             This guy ain’t dead...
             Yet.

They turn him over. It’s Joe Napoli, Masseria’s
bodyguard.

                     CHARLEY
             Joe Napoli. Fat Joe send
             you?

                     NAPOLI
                (gasping in pain)
             Gimme a break, Charley.
             Ain’t I always been fair
             with you? Benny kicks
             him, savagely.

                     BENNY
             Answer the man.

                     NAPOLI
              (pleading for his life)
             Don Giuseppe set you up.
             He said you were workin'
             with the Jews against
             him. You’re my gumbare,
             Charley. I didn’t wanna
             do this to you, but he
             made me..Please Charley, 
             I'll work for you. I’ll 
             spy on the fat bastard.
             Don’t kill me.

                     CHARLEY
             You’re already dead, kid.
             Don Giuseppe won’t let you
             live for bunglin’ this
             heist...

                     MEYER
               (as they walk away)
             You better get Masseria
             now.

                     CHARLEY
             Can’t. He feeds too he'll
             deny it. He’ll say Napoli
             was freelancin’ and he
             didn’t know nothin’ about
             it.

                     MEYER
              Yeah, but he’ll take
              another shot at you.

                     CHARLEY
              He’s gotta be careful.
              He knows he can’t knock
              me off for no reason
              ‘cause it’s a sign of
              weakness and it might
              give other guys ideas.
              They swore an oath of
              loyalty, but they’ll
              turn on him overnight
              if they think I’m
              stronger. I’m gonna
              keep kissin’ his ring
              until that happens.

Another BURST from Benny’s Tommy gun silences Joe
Napoli’s pleading. Charley turns with a smile to Meyer.

                     CHARLEY
             Don’t worry. Our time’ll
             come.

END ACT FOUR
  
Next: Part 9/ACT FIVE: Taking Control(Wednesday, 11/16) 
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.
*Pt 1/Oct. 19, Pt 2/Oct. 23, Pt 3/Oct. 26, Pt 4/Oct 31,
Pt 5/Nov. 3, Pt 6/Nov. 7, Pt7/Nov. 13