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NOWHERE FAST
(Based on a True Story)
Screenplay by
Jack Stone
FADE IN:
NEW YORK CITY
A rapid and rhythmic succession of two pairs of running
footsteps pound the pavement. The rhythm slows a bit.
Heavy breathing.
CELINE (V.O.)
(gasping for air)
Frank! I can't.
FRANK (V.O.)
(excited and nervous)
C'mon, baby don't quit now. C'mon.
A pair of footsteps with a swifter pace closes in from the
distance.
CELINE (V.O.)
Oh, Jesus Oh, god.
FADE OUT:
EXT. THIRD AVENUE - NIGHT
The two sets of footsteps continue on, while the third set of
footsteps closes in.
A Don't Walk sign finishes flashing it's warning.
FRANK MILLER, (early 30's) reaches the other side of the
street where the Don't Walk sign had been flashing.
A street light quickly changes to green.
A car horn blares.
Tires abruptly skid to a halt.
Frank turns back horrified.
FRANK
(screaming)
Celie! No!
An attractive almost frail, young woman, blond hair, green
eyes, CELINE PACHINKO, (mid 20's) slams into the front of the
taxi and is violently tossed like a rag doll across the hood.
Frank grabs his ears as if not hearing Celine's body tumble
across the hood, smash the windshield of the taxi and slam
onto the pavement will help make what he sees, go away.
It doesn't, go away.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Jesus. No!
Celine, bruised and bloodied body tumbles to a halt in the
middle of the street.
The traffic continues on as if nothing has happened, typical
of the "civilized" society of New York City.
MARTINI GAMBONE, (mid 30's) a large Italian gangster, greasy,
ridiculous in every meaning of the word continues to run
toward Third Avenue. He's heading straight toward Frank and
Celine.
A closer look reveals that Martini's head has a gaping wound
and the blood has trickled down his back, covering his shirt.
A small crowd gathers.
Frank runs to Celine's aid. He kneels down and tries to
revive her. He smacks at her cheek, he shakes her head.
Nothing. She's out cold.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Jesus Christ, Celine! C'mon wake up.
C'mon. C'mon.
Frank's eyes fill with rage, he turns toward Martini. Then
stands.
Frank begins to walk toward Martini who is still racing
toward Frank.
Frank picks up the pace.
FRANK (CONT'D)
You want me?
Frank races full throttle toward Martini.
FRANK (CONT'D)
You got me.
Martini is confused. He slows, then completely stops in his
tracks.
Frank continues forward like a runaway locomotion, barreling
toward the perplexed Martini.
Frank reaches him. He slams his fist in Martini's face.
Martini goes down hard. Frank grabs his fist, painful from
the shot he just gave. He looks back toward Celine.
Celine, roles over holding her bloodied knees and looks
toward Frank.
CELINE
(crying and then laughing)
Frank! What are you doing?
Frank runs back to where Celine is lying in the street.
FRANK
You alright?
CELINE
What kind of a question is that? I just
got ran over by a goddamn taxi. No, I'm
not alright.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. TOMPKINS SQUARE - EVENING
The sound of a timer ticking away.
It's an early October evening. Cool, but not yet cold.
A BEARDED RUSSIAN JEW (60's), sits at a park table and
contemplates his next move in a chess game.
Other elderly Jewish men with long faces and longer beards
stare at the worn wooden chessboard.
FRANK (V.O.)
You know the difference between LA and
New York? Everyone in LA thinks their
somebody special. Everybody in New York
knows their not. God, why did I ever
leave this place? I mean, all you got to
do is look around. This place has
everything anybody would ever want or
need. This place has it all.
The bearded Russian makes his move and hits the timer.
Frank sits on the other end of the chess game.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I had been gone for three miserable years
having something to do with my so called
music career. What a joke and the joke
was on me. But, that's another story.
LA, a breed of it's own, a horse of a
different color. But its not the land of
Oz that I'm talking about. You can't
just click your heals and return home.
And the great and powerful wizard wasn't
about to lift me away in his magical
balloon. I sure wish though, that he
could have given me the heart to hang in
their and keep taking it, or the courage.
Maybe somewhere down inside there's still
a glimmer of hope. After all is life
worth living once your dreams have been
sucked out from underneath you and
flushed out to sea with all the
proverbial shit? Or are we just better
off without one. I don't know the answer
to that. Maybe you could tell me.
Frank makes his move and hits the timer. It's the Russian's
turn again.
FRANK (CONT'D)
La la land, tinsel town, the city where
all that glitters is fools gold. Men
with no talent, calling the shots, making
the rules for those who got all the
talent. And those creatures from the
bleach lagoon with their fake tits and
elevator smiles. Nothing in the world
disgusts me more than a California blond,
which is really a brunette, who was the
homecoming queen runner-up from some
small-town USA. Go figure.
Frank makes his move and hits the timer. It's the Russian's
turn again.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Top it all off, my dear old pal, whose
name will not be mentioned here, hits the
big time in spades. Who would believe
it, he's got a film contract in one hand
and recording contract in the other.
Some guys got all the luck.
Some people were just born with a silver
spoon. But not me. The only luck I've
ever known is bad luck.
Each man present watches the chess board and wonders to
himself, who will make the first mistake.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I guess I was just born to lose.
The Russian makes his next move and hits the timer.
RUSSIAN
Check!
Frank doesn't take his eyes from the board.
Suddenly a hand reaches in and moves a castle. A female
hand.
The men murmur to themselves.
Frank looks a bit perturbed, he looks up. He stands.
And then smiles, shaking his head.
CELINE (V.O.)
(real sweet)
Check mate honey, I guess I beat you at
your own damn game.
Frank throws his arms around Celine.
FRANK
(surprised)
Baby! How have you been?
CELINE
Surprised to see me?
FRANK
Yeah, pleasantly.
CELINE
I heard you were in LA?
FRANK
Yeah. You heard right. Was.
CELINE
I was happy to hear it. I was like...
That Frank, he's finally gonna do it.
Good for him you know. I never wanted to
see you back here again.
(she laughs)
Don't get me wrong. I mean, I just
wanted to see you win a Grammy or
something first, that's what I meant to
say. So how have you been?
FRANK
I'm OK.
(to the men)
Oh, excuse me. Someone else want to
play?
Frank puts on his Leather car coat, his Cashmere overcoat and
puts on his gloves.
They walk away from the table as another elderly man sits
down to play the next game.
Frank stops to take a good look at Celine.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Turn around let me get a look at...
As she turns around.
FRANK (CONT'D)
That ass. Let me get a good look at that
ass.
She finishes turning around and smiles.
FRANK (CONT'D)
God, that smile. Still killin' me.
CELINE
I'm glad I ran into you. I really missed
you, you know?
FRANK
Man, I thought about you everyday.
CELINE
Oh, I'm sure you did.
FRANK
Well, I thought about you almost all the
time.
CELINE
Really?
FRANK
Um hmm. What are you doing right now?
CELINE
I'm talking with you aren't I?
FRANK
So, you wanna hang out or what?
CELINE
Sure. Why don't we go and get us a
drink. Inside someplace that's warm.
It's starting to get kinda chilly. I
think I know a place where we can get a
couple of drinks on the house.
FRANK
Sounds good to me.
Frank puts out his arm for her to take. They stroll off arm
in arm.
EXT. BEULAH LAND - A LITTLE LATER
Beulah Land is on the South side of Avenue A, just north of
Central Park on the East Side.
A half burned-out martini glass and an old cocktails sign is
all that remains of a once glamorous underground hot-spot.
Frank and Celine walk toward the front entrance of the bar.
FRANK
What they hell happened to this place?
CELINE
What the hell happens to every place?
They enter.
There's a small local crowd inside the bar.
DOMINIC (mid 30's), a British brawler, in contrast to his
Oxford demeanor owns the bar. He immediately spots Frank.
DOMINIC
Look what the cat dragged in. Where the
hell have you been mate?
They shake hands and hug from across the bar counter.
FRANK
I've been around.
DOMINIC
What'll you have? It's on me.
Celine watches a group of men that are sitting at a table in
the corner. It's obvious she recognizes one of them.
It's Martini, the greasy Italian mobster that looks like he's
a caricature from some made for TV, mob movie of the week.
The other fat fellas that are drinking with him look just as
undignified.
FRANK
You tell me.
DOMINIC
Pete's Wicked. Am I right?
FRANK
You got it.
Dominic pours a couple of beers from the tap.
FRANK (CONT'D)
So, what's new Dom?
DOMINIC
Well, I married Susan you know. We're
expecting another little bastard. A boy,
any day now.
Dominic hands the drinks to Frank and Celine.
DOMINIC (CONT'D)
Cheers.
FRANK
Cheers. And congratulations.
DOMINIC
So, you back for good? You interested in
having your old job back? I could use
you, you know?
FRANK
(to Celine)
I used to work the door here.
CELINE
I know. I met you here. Remember?
FRANK
Yeah, that's right.
(to Dominic)
So, what the hell happened to this place?
DOMINIC
When the money moved West all the fags
and artists went along with it.
FRANK
What else is new?
Martini walks up to the bar and yells over to Dominic.
MARTINI
Hey, can I get some drinks over here?
DOMINIC
(to Frank)
Hold on.
(to Martini)
What can I get you?
Dominic goes over to Martini and their conversation is
drowned out from a song by Blondie, Union City Blues that
begins to pour out from the jukebox.
FRANK (V.O.)
This place had it's glory days, unique,
ground breaking. Haring, Scharf,
Basquait, rising stars among their own
element. In the evenings it was a
gathering place, a secret life for the
art set.
Celine is pre-occupied, she watches as Martini pulls out his
wallet and pays for his drinks. He's loaded. The wallet is
stuffed with hundreds. She watches every move that he makes.
Frank sips his beer.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Ann Magneson, Joey Arias, performed
almost nightly. The place was in a
perpetual state of full tilt. The
glitterati, limousines, whatever. Only
the hippest of hip. The coolest of cool.
CELINE
Frank?
She nudges him. He's lost in thought.
FRANK (V.O.)
The queerest of queer and the richest of
rich were admitted. But success is the
kiss of death for the trendy and
pretentious underground hangouts.
I guess the nail in the coffin was when
People magazine did a feature article on
the joint. And that was that. The coo
dee grah.
Celine nudges Frank again.
CELINE
Frank?
FRANK
Yeah?
CELINE
Don't turn around. Don't do anything
real obvious or anything OK?
FRANK
OK.
CELINE
There's this guy back there, he's got a
lot of money on him.
Frank turns and catches a glimpse of Martini's wad of dough.
FRANK
So? What do you want me to do, take it
from him?
CELINE
Yeah.
FRANK
What?
CELINE
Badger.
FRANK
C'mon, what is this some bad B movie from
the 50's or what?
She looks at him, like she really means it.
CELINE
I mean it Frank. I ain't doing so good
these days. I'm broke.
FRANK
You're kidding right?
CELINE
I'm not kidding.
She really digs into him with a look that only a real
attractive chick can give a guy.
FRANK
Don't look at me like that.
CELINE
I'm not kidding!
Frank turns around and looks at Martini.
FRANK
The guys as big as a house for Christ's
sake.
Celine nods in agreement.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Jesus, I haven't done anything that
stupid in years. Forget it. I don't
have the balls I used to have. Besides,
we'd need a gun and I don't have a gun.
So that's that.
Celine reaches into her purse and pulls out an old .38
special. She grabs Frank's belt and pulls it away from his
belly. She sticks the gun in Frank's belt and gives him that
look again.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Where the hell did you get that thing?
CELINE
It's pretty easy to get one. If you want
it bad enough.
FRANK
What're you doing with a gun Celine?
CELINE
I carry it just in case.
FRANK
In case of what?
CELINE
Just in case.
Frank looks back at the gang of guys.
FRANK
I must be nuts.
Celine begins to scribble something down on a bar napkin.
CELINE
I'm gonna split with him. Just follow us
and don't be obvious. If you lose us,
you'll find us here at this address.
She hands him the napkin.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Don't keep me waiting.
Celine gets up to leave.
Frank grabs her arm.
FRANK
You serious?
CELINE
As a heart attack. Now, let go of me.
He lets go of her.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Just please, do as I say. And remember,
your name is Joey OK?
FRANK
OK. I'll call you Connie.
CELINE
No, use my real name. He already knows
who I am.
FRANK
What do you mean he knows who you are?
She's not listening anymore. She just walks away.
Dominic, wiping the bar top makes his way back to where Frank
is sitting.
DOMINIC
So, Frank about that job?
FRANK
I don't know, I'll let you know.
Frank watches as Celine makes her way to the table of Italian
pigs.
Martini smiles and stands. She slides into the booth and
Martini sits down next to her.
Frank continues to watch Celine do her thing.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Chicks! The shit they put us through.
INT. CHEAP HOTEL - A LITTLE LATER
Frank stands at the hotel room doorway with the .38 drawn.
FRANK (V.O.)
I thought long and hard about letting him
give her a good fuckin' before I stormed
into the room. Afterall, goddamnit, look
at the position she was putting me in. I
felt sick, like my back was up against
the wall. And... Ah, what the hell, you
flash a roll like that in a city like
this, there's bound to be somebody ready,
willing and able to take it from you.
Might as well be me...
Frank explodes through the door into the hotel room.
Celine is half-dressed and pulls up the covers to hide her
nakedness.
CELINE
(shouting)
Joey!
Martini is in his boxer shorts and holding a bottle and a
glass, which he had just poured a drink into. He hadn't even
had the chance to hop into bed yet.
FRANK
What's goin' on here? Buddy, that's my
wife you're fuckin' around with.
CELINE
Oh, my God! Honey.
FRANK
(to Celine)
Shut up you ...
(to Martini while pointing the
.38 at him)
I'm gonna shoot your balls off.
Celine jumps up and begins to throw on her clothing.
Martini laughs, sips his drink and turns his back to Frank.
He calmly sets down the glass and bottle and begins to put on
his pants.
FRANK (CONT'D)
You realize that that's my wife?
Nothing, not a word from Martini who continues to dress.
Then... while tying his shoes.
MARTINI
(in a real low voice)
Well... You gonna pull the trigger or
what?
FRANK
I'm gonna kill the both of you. That's
what.
Martini finishes tying his shoes and reaches over and slaps
Celine to the floor.
Martini pulls out a switchblade and snaps it open.
MARTINI
I'm waiting.
Frank doesn't know what to do.
MARTINI (CONT'D)
Well, if you ain't gonna kill me, I'm
certainly gonna kill you.
In a futile attempt to scare Martini, Frank lets off a shot
just as Celine sits up from the floor. It barely misses her
head.
CELINE
Jesus, Frank. You almost killed me.
MARTINI
(laughing)
So, what's it gonna be Frank? Or is it
Joey? Joey or Frank? Joey the jerk-off,
or Frank the dick sucking queer? I'm
confused now. Help me out here, which
one is it?
That was it, Frank leaps over the bed and whacks Martini over
the head with the butt of the .38 special.
Martini drops his knife. Frank kicks it under the bed. He
hits Martini again and then again. Blood begins to seep from
his head.
Martini goes out.
FRANK
(to Celine)
Hurry up! Get the money and let's get
out of here.
Celine finishes throwing on her clothing and fumbles through
Martini's pockets.
CELINE
I can't find it.
FRANK
What? Where could he have put it?
CELINE
I don't know.
Frank tears the room apart looking for Martini's wallet.
FRANK
(panicking)
Where the fucks the money?
They can't find the money anywhere.
Suddenly.
CELINE
(shouting)
Frank, look out!
Martini smashes a small lamp over Frank's head. Frank falls
to his knees and the lights begin to go out.
Martini goes for Celine. There's breaking glass, and
everything is getting tossed about.
Frank springs to action, smashing into Martini's back. The
three hit the floor.
FRANK
Where's the gun? Celine, find the gun.
Celine scrambles for the gun and tosses it out the window.
FRANK (CONT'D)
What the hell did you do that for?
Martini grabs at Celine, Frank scrambles to his feet, kicks
Martini and grabs Celine's by the arm.
Frank and Celine crash through the door and race out of the
room.
INT. CHEAP HOTEL - CONTINUOUS
Franks and Celine fly down flights of stairs leaping onto
each floors landing. They dart past a few passersby.
The groggy Martini is in hot pursuit only a couple of flights
above.
Frank and Celine race across the hotel lobby and explode out
the front door.
EXT. CHEAP HOTEL/14TH STREET - CONTINUOUS
Frank and Celine race down the street.
Martini exits the hotel and the pursuit continues.
INT. 1950'S DINER - A LITTLE LATER
David Bowie's, Rebel Rebel plays on the old fashion jukebox.
Frank and Celine sit across from each other in a booth. He
calls out to a WAITRESS.
FRANK
Miss? Two coffees please.
Celine is bloodied and swollen from her run in with the taxi
Her knees are bloodied and her dress is torn. She's mumbling
and shaking uncontrollably. She looks up at Frank with tears
in her eyes.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Easy girl.
CELINE
We could have been killed back there.
FRANK
Shhhh. It'll be alright. You alright?
They look into each other's eye and then burst out laughing.
Suddenly, it's the funniest thing in the world.
CELINE
Welcome home.
EXT. CITY STREET - LATER SAME NIGHT
Frank and Celine walking together.
FRANK (V.O.)
We ended up walking around the rest of
the night, trying to figure out what the
hell went wrong. There was nothing to
figure out, of course. We had no idea
about anything, except that we were
pretty banged up and with the sun about
to rise, we decided to head back to my
place.
EXT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - SUNRISE
A not so nice building on the East side.
The sun is beginning to peak out on the horizon.
Frank and Celine enter the building.
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
The door opens.
The place is real small and dingy.
Frank enters the bathroom.
Celine undresses and jumps into the bed. She pulls the
covers tight around her.
Frank exits the bathroom in his underwear. He slides into
the covers next to Celine and goes to kiss her.
She's fast asleep.
Frank falls asleep.
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - NEXT DAY
2:00 p.m.
Frank is dressed and Celine is still fast asleep.
He leaves a note on the bed where he had been sleeping.
He kisses her face and exits the apartment.
EXT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
It's pretty cold. Frank pulls the collar on his jacket up
around his neck. He pulls off one of his gloves and lights a
cigarette.
He heads off.
EXT. ST. MARKS - A LITTLE LATER
Frank enters a rundown building.
INT. RUN DOWN BUILDING - CONTINUOUS
It's dark inside. Spray paint covers the walls. The place
is practically abandoned.
It's so cold inside that frost is coming from Frank's breath.
He begins his ascension up the steps.
Suddenly, a gun is planted onto Frank's forehead. It's a
COP.
COP
Freeze!
FRANK
Alright!
COP
I said freeze!
FRANK
Alright. I'm freezing.
The cop shines a flashlight in Frank's face.
COP
What are you doing here?
FRANK
I'm looking for my girlfriend.
COP
Oh, really?
FRANK
Yeah.
COP
You know this is a drug building?
FRANK
No. I didn't.
COP
Put your hands on the wall.
Turn around.
Frank doesn't respond fast enough. The cop tosses Frank up
against the wall.
COP (CONT'D)
I said put your hands on the wall
asshole.
The cop starts to frisk Frank.
COP (CONT'D)
You got any needles on you?
FRANK
No.
COP
I swear to god, if I get jabbed, I'm
gonna kick your ass like you've never had
your ass kicked before.
FRANK
I told you, I don't have any needles.
COP
Where's your dope?
FRANK
I don't have any dope.
The cop pulls up on the sleeve of Frank's jacket.
Ancient track marks are revealed on his arm. Frank's a
junkie.
COP
I could take you down just for those
marks. You know that?
The cop smacks Frank in the head.
COP (CONT'D)
Alright shithead, you get the fuck out of
here, and I don't want to ever see you on
my beat again, you got it?
FRANK
But, what about my girlfriend?
COP
Fuck your girlfriend.
The cop kicks Frank.
COP (CONT'D)
Get going.
INT. SUBWAY STATION - LATER SAME DAY
The New York Dolls song, Subway Train plays.
Cars move about the tracks. People push and shove to get on
and off the subway trains.
INT. SUBWAY CAR - A LITTLE LATER
Frank sits on a subway car.
FRANK (V.O.)
What? Did that surprise you? OK! I'm a
junkie. Being strung out on dope was one
of the main reasons I left this town in
the first place. But, I decided that I
had enough. I knew where it was all
leading me. I wasn't back a week and
already I was heading down that same
tired path.
An ITALIAN MAN (40'S), with a white scarf sits reading the
news paper not far off from where Frank is sitting.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
After that run in with officer Friendly,
I was determined not to fall into that
trap again. Seems like every time I do
it just keeps getting deeper and
deeper...
The subway train stops.
Frank exits.
The man with the white scarf exits too.
EXT. HARLEM SUBWAY EXIT - CONTINUOUS
Frank exits the subway station in Harlem and out onto the
street. He's the only white face in the crowd.
FRANK (V.O.)
I spent the entire morning searching for
a methadone clinic with an opening. I
searched uptown, downtown, crosstown with
no luck.
EXT. HARLEM METHADONE CLINIC - A LITTLE LATER
Frank enters the clinic.
FRANK (V.O.)
I finally found one that would take me
right away. It was way up in Harlem.
They had plenty of openings. Not so
unusual I found out. My money says they
were all doing crack up there.
INT. METHADONE CLINIC - A LITTLE LATER
Frank is going through the motions of intake. Filling out
papers, blood test, etc.
FRANK (V.O.)
The first day they give you a low dose
and build you up from there to see what
your tolerance is.
INT. METHADONE CLINIC/SMALL ROOM - A LITTLE LATER
Frank downs the small paper cup of methadone as a black,
female NURSE looks on.
FRANK (V.O.)
Naturally, I was going to be sick. So I
still had to cop some dope.
INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH - NIGHT
A narcotics anonymous meeting is taking place.
Frank sits in the back row and listens in on one of the sad
sob stories of some broken down flunky, JERRY.
Meanwhile the room is filled with degenerates chain smoking
cigarettes and shooting down cups of straight black coffee.
JERRY
(bawling like a baby in a real
self debasing manner)
I never want to go back to that life
again. Dope, booze, they've destroyed my
life. I stole from my own ma. My
business went right down the tubes.
I lost everything and for what? For
nothing, that's what, nothing but my next
fix.
In the middle of this guy's sob story the two minute bell
rings. PING!
JERRY (CONT'D)
I traded a respectable life just to get
waisted. What a loser I was.
The guys a basket case, almost non-consolable.
The COUNSELOR tries to get him to sit down.
COUNSELOR
That's real nice Jerry. Thank you for
sharing your experience with us. We're
going to have to move on and give someone
else a turn now. You know the rules.
You do understand don't you?
JERRY
Man, you got to hear me out. I lost my
wife, my home, my relationship with my
son.
Jerry just keeps on babbling.
JERRY (CONT'D)
Twenty three years in a nice business and
what do I got to show for it?
COUNSELOR
Jerry, please sit down.
JERRY
Zero. Nothing. A big fat goose egg,
that's what.
COUNSELOR
Jerry, please sit down.
Jerry continues to babble and bemoan his pathetic existence.
Frank's heard enough. He gets up and goes to the bathroon.
INT. BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
Frank enters one of the empty stalls.
He fixes.
EXT. BEULAH LAND - NIGHT
Frank sits on a stool outside of Beulah Land. The bar is
pretty much deserted. Certainly no line of people trying to
schmooze their way in.
FRANK (V.O.)
So, I took the job, it was meant to be.
Right? A perfect match. A washed up
nobody working the door of a washed up
bar, checking nobodies IDs in a ghost
line that leads to nowhere.
A couple of STRAGGLERS walk up to the door. Frank nods
toward the door and let's them in.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I had to admit it, I found myself
thinking about Celine an awful lot. She
left me a number of a friend's she was
staying at. But, it turned out to be the
number of a friend of a friend of a
friend of a friends. You know how it
goes. Half the time some vampire or a
degenerate creep would pick up and not
even know who's pad they were crashing
at. As always, she had her little secret
life of Arabia. Celine had always been
hiding something from someone and it
drove me crazy. But, the truth is that I
was missing her. I wanted her and that
was that.
Suddenly, Dominic races to the front entrance.
DOMINIC
(shouting to Frank)
Brawl.
Drank races into the bar.
INT. BEULAH LAND - CONTINUOUS
Frank pushes past a small crowd toward the rear of the bar.
Dominic is already beating the daylights out of one of the
guys with three or four others are going at it pretty good.
Frank jumps right in. Tables are getting tossed, punches are
being thrown, elbows, twisting, slipping, gouging and
bashing. Seemingly, a free for all.
A couple of COPS actually show up. They grab a couple of the
guys and escort them out of the place.
DOMINIC
OK, that's it for tonight. Everybody
out.
The remaining crowd complains about being tossed out of the
bar and are led like unruly cattle toward the front entrance.
DOMINIC (CONT'D)
(shouting)
Let's go, everybody out.
Frank holds his already sore right fist, glad the cops had
intervened.
Frank notices a big Italian fellow. The guy is wearing a
white scarf and standing across the street and looking over
toward him. Actually, looking straight through him. It's
the same fellow that went unnoticed by Frank on the subway
train.
Frank's stare is broken momentarily when he sees Celine
walking toward him.
He looks back to where the man was standing. He's gone.
Frank doesn't give it too much thought, he's just glad to see
his girl.
Celine's wearing a midnight blue taffeta number with black
leggings under a black overcoat. Her hair is up and her lips
are red. Her eyes are sparkling and she smiles. A
frighteningly beautiful smile.
FRANK
(playing it cool)
Nice to see you again.
CELINE
About ready to leave?
FRANK
Yeah.
(shouting back to Dominic)
Hey, Dom. I'm outta here.
DOMINIC
OK! I'll see you tomorrow.
FRANK
Yeah. Tomorrow.
Frank grabs his coat and gloves and begins to put them on.
FRANK (CONT'D)
(to Celine)
So, what do yo want to do?
CELINE
Let's get us a drink.
They walk out of the bar together and disappear down the
sidewalk.
INT. DOWNTOWN BEIRUT - A LITTLE LATER
Downtown Beirut is a small cozy bar on 10th street.
Bleeding from the bar and out onto the street is a Ramones
song, I Wanna Be Sedated.
Frank holds the door open for his prize obsession.
Celine takes a last drag on her cigarette, blows out the
smoke and tosses the butt. She pushes back her hair and then
enters.
Frank follows.
Every eye in the place seems to be on Celine as she floats
across the room. And she knows it, Frank does too.
Celine suddenly freezes in her tracks ending the facade of
the moment. She turns quickly on her heel and softly hisses.
CELINE
Go.
FRANK
What?
CELINE
Turn around and go!
FRANK
What?
CELINE
Turn around and get the fuck out of here.
Now!
She pushes him toward the door. It finally sinks in.
FRANK
OK!
Frank turns to go.
He swings his head back to get one last look. There he is
Martini, sitting at the bar with a couple of his big buddies.
He's smiling right back at Frank. He sits down his drink and
starts to make his way toward them.
EXT. DOWNTOWN BEIRUT - CONTINUOUS
Frank and Celine exit and swiftly begin to walk down the
street. They break their walking stride and begin to run at
full speed.
They reach a doorway and duck into it, pressing against the
wall.
Frank peeks out and sees Martini as he's looking the other
way. His buddies exit the bar as well.
Frank ducks back into the doorway and waits. And waits.
Frank peeks back out. They're gone.
Frank turns to Celine.
FRANK
Alright. I want the truth. All of it.
Now!
CELINE
What?
FRANK
Out with it. All of it. Now goddamnit!
CELINE
Alright, his name is Martini.
FRANK
Martini?
CELINE
Yeah, I know, it's dumb right?
FRANK
And?
CELINE
And. He was going out with one of my
girlfriends, Val. He was beating her,
treating her like shit.
Val, is such an angel, I couldn't stand
by and watch it anymore. I told her I'd
get the mother fucker for her. Anyway,
this asshole...
FRANK
Martini?
CELINE
Yeah, Martini. He always carries alot of
money. But he blows it all on flash. He
doesn't have shit. Just carries around a
big wad and acts like he's a big deal.
FRANK
What the fuck are you rambling on about?
CELINE
I'm trying to tell you. He was always
hitting on me, the disgusting pig. I
knew he would fall for it if I acted like
I wanted to go home with him. What a
creep. But, I didn't really have a plan
until I was saw you. That's when I
thought I could get even with him. I
just thought that...
FRANK
You thought what? That I would kill him
for you?
CELINE
No, I thought you'd be the one guy that
wouldn't kill him.
FRANK
You take big chances Celine. Big chances
at other's expense.
CELINE
Maybe, but I found out something else
that night.
FRANK
Jesus, Celine. What? What else could
you have possibly have found out about
that night?
CELINE
Well. I knew you and I, us. That we
were in it for keeps this time.
FRANK
You knew huh?
CELINE
Yeah, I knew.
She gives him that look again.
FRANK
Let's get out of here.
Frank peeks out again to make sure the coast is clear. They
walk off.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS/WEST SIDE - NIGHT
Halloween night.
The street is littered with paper, colored streamers, leaves
and every manner of debris.
Different music blares on every corner.
Plenty of crazy outfits abound. Cary Grant and Tippy Hedron,
complete with birds. The usual Judy Garland fags, the Greta
Garbo's, the Bette Davis', the James Dean's and a truckload
of Marilyn Monroe's.
There's a gay football team dressed in pink and an alien
Jesus with his UFO. There are clowns on stilts and anything
you could imagine, after all it's Halloween in New York City.
Frank and Celine appear from the crowd.
CELINE
What? What did you say? I can't here
you.
FRANK
I said, if we get split up again, meet
me at first and fifth. OK?
CELINE
Um hmm.
They stroll past the vendors, the little shops and
restaurants taking in the freak show.
Frank buys Celine a red rose from a OLD SPANISH LADY who is
carrying a basket of roses.
EXT. RIVERSIDE AVENUE - A LITTLE LATER
Things are calming down a bit and the temperature is
dropping.
Frank and Celine walk along the Hudson River.
The Statue of Liberty is well lit in the distance.
FRANK
You know something. I lived here my
whole life and I've never been to the
Statue of Liberty.
CELINE
Neither have I. I don't think anyone who
lives here actually goes there.
Frank looks down toward the water and notices something
peculiar.
FRANK
Do you see what I see?
CELINE
What?
FRANK
Look down there.
CELINE
What?
Frank runs to the edge of the Hudson.
FRANK
Look at that.
Celine walked closer to the edge. She sees it now herself.
It's an old dingy tied to a piling.
Without another word, as if being led by some powerful force
they make their way down and into the boat. They sit on the
bench.
Frank unhooks the rope and pushes the dingy from the piling.
A few paddles and the boat is out on the Hudson.
CELINE
Frank?
Frank continues to paddle the boat.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Where are we doing?
FRANK
We're going to the Statue of Liberty.
Celine looks in the distance.
CELINE
You're going to row all the way there?
FRANK
Why not?
CELINE
Why not.
Celine pulls her coat up around her neck.
Frank continues paddling the dingy toward the Statue of
Liberty.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Frank?
FRANK
What?
CELINE
If the boat tips over. Will you save me,
because I don't know how to swim.
FRANK
Celine?
CELINE
What?
FRANK
Neither do I.
CELINE
Oh, great.
Celine smiles at Frank.
EXT. HUDSON RIVER/STATUE OF LIBERTY - A LITTLE LATER
Frank continues rowing toward the Statue of Liberty, which is
much closer, almost upon them.
FRANK
Celine?
CELINE
Wha?
FRANK
Will you marry me?
There is no answer.
Frank continues rowing the boat toward the Statue of Liberty.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY - NIGHT
The city skyline floats high above the Hudson river.
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - DAY
A glass whizzes past Frank's head and crashes into the wall
behind him.
Celine picks up another glass and takes aim.
CELINE
Don't you ever go through my things
again.
She pitches it at Frank's head. It misses.
FRANK
I'm sorry. It won't happen again. OK?
Frank leaps toward Celine and grabs her as she reaches for
another explosive missile.
CELINE
Let go of me.
FRANK
No, not until you calm down.
Celine makes a feeble attempt to calm down.
CELINE
OK! I'm calm. Satisfied. Now let go of
me!
FRANK
You sure?
CELINE
Yes, I'm sure.
Frank let's go of her.
Crash, an ashtray goes flying. This one hits Frank's bad
hand.
FRANK
Damn, Celine. That really hurt.
CELINE
Fuck you, Frank.
FRANK
OK! If it wasn't you. Than who was it?
And why are you saving those things.
She almost gets drawn into the argument.
CELINE
Fuck you.
She storms out the door and then turns.
CELINE (CONT'D)
You can go through all of it now for all
I care. And when your finished, I'll
send someone over to pick them up.
She closes the door softly.
FRANK (V.O.)
She had just moved in this very same
afternoon. There wasn't that much
really, a few suitcases, a few odds and
ends and some loose clothing. I was
trying to be a nice guy. I was putting
her things away for her. And that's when
I noticed it!
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - EARLIER THAT DAY
Frank is clearing out one of his drawers.
He reaches for a pile of Celine's things, which include a
manila envelope.
A couple of newspaper clippings fall out. He picks them up
and starts to put them back into the envelope.
The clippings both contain similar news articles about a
gangland style slaying of the mob boss, Sam Giarelli. NOTE:
He was really mob bass Paul Castelano, who was executed by
John Gotti's right hand man, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano.
Frank begins to read the articles. He pulls out the other
clippings from the manila envelope and the articles are all
very similar. A young blond woman is wanted for questioning
in the hit of this mob boss.
There's a couple of pictures of the slaying. A dead body
lies on the curb of the entrance of a restaurant. Another is
slumped over the steering wheel of a limousine.
One of the clippings tells of a blond woman that was wanted
for questioning by the police.
Frank slides the clippings back into the envelope and puts
them back where he found them.
He shuts the empty drawer.
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Frank sits alone looking out his window.
In the middle of the floor sits Celine's things all piled
together.
EXT. BEULAH LAND - LATER SAME NIGHT
Frank sits on a stool outside of the bar.
The place is practically empty.
Frank notices the guy with the white scarf as he drives by
the bar very slowly in a dark sedan.
He looks at Frank and continues on.
Frank stands and enters the bar.
INT. BEULAH LAND - NIGHT
Frank peeks out of one of the bar windows and watches as the
man parks his car, walks over and positions himself under a
street lamp almost directly across the street from the bar.
Without saying a word, Frank puts on his coat as he continues
to watch the man. Frank looks for an opportunity to split
without being seen.
A taxi pulls up in front of the bar, not twenty yards from
the front entrance.
A WOMAN opens the taxi door and begins to pay the cabbie.
Frank watches, waiting for the right moment.
The woman swings her legs out of the cab and begins to exit.
Frank times it perfectly. He sprints to the cab and jumps
in.
FRANK
(to the woman)
Excuse me.
INT. TAXI - CONTINUOUS
The CABBIE turns around a bit surprised.
FRANK
Go! I'm in a hurry.
The cabbie throws down his flag and drives off.
CABBIE
Where to?
FRANK
Just shoot up to fourteenth and make a
left.
Frank turns back to see the man running to his parked car.
INT. FRANK'S BUILDING - A LITTLE LATER
Frank runs up the stairs to his apartment.
He nervously fumbles with his keys to open the door. He can
here the phone ringing inside his apartment. This only makes
his nervous fumbling worse.
He finally opens the door and races to the phone.
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
Frank picks up the phone.
FRANK
Hello?
No answer.
He hangs up the phone.
Frank lies on his bed and stares at the ceiling.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I was sure it had been Celine. I was
really getting worried now. I had no
idea what was going on.
I hadn't seen Celine for several days,
nor had I heard from her. Her
possessions were still in a pile in the
middle of the floor. Something was
definitely not right.
Frank closes his eyes.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY - NIGHT
A shot of the city. Smoke pouring from chimneys and steam
seething through manholes.
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - LATER SAME NIGHT
Frank is sleeping.
He's suddenly shaken until he awakes.
CELINE
(frantic)
Frank! Frank!! Oh, God. Wake up.
Wake up already.
FRANK
What's happening.
CELINE
We've gotta go, Now!
FRANK
Why?
Celine is hysterical, practically out of her mind with fear.
Frank is now wide awake.
FRANK (CONT'D)
What is going on? Will you please tell
me?
CELINE
No time now. Just get dressed. Please,
just get your clothes on and let's get
out of here.
Frank jumps up and begins to dress. Celine, terrified peeks
out the window.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Oh, Jesus. They've found us Frank.
They've found us.
FRANK
Who? Who found us?
CELINE
Frank, if they catch us here they're
gonna kill the both of us. Don't ask
anymore questions let's just go. C'mon
Frank, we gotta move!
Frank quickly throws on his coat and heads for the front
door. Celine grabs his arm, pulling him from the front door.
CELINE (CONT'D)
No, not that way.
They exit through the window and out on the fire escape.
EXT. FRANK'S BUILDING/FIRE ESCAPE - CONTINUOUS
They slide down the metal steps and ladders.
They hit the landing and Celine jumps onto the ladder, which
makes a terrible squeaking sound as it opens.
Frank grabs the railing and swings down about fifteen feet to
the ground.
From inside the apartment building, the distinct sound of
shuffling feet rapidly approach the rear exit.
Someone peers out the open window of Frank's apartment. It's
the man in the white scarf.
MAN IN WHITE SCARF
They went this way.
The man leaps out onto the landing and heads down the fire
escape followed closely behind by another man.
Frank and Celine race through the courtyard.
Frank helps Celine over a fence and then scales it himself.
They disappear down the alley, crashing into cans, bottles
and all manner of debris.
EXT. ALLEY - CONTINUOUS
As Frank and Celine exit the alley onto First Avenue, the
same crashing of debris can be heard coming from the alley
behind them.
A black sedan screeches around the corner and stops at the
end of the street.
First Avenue runs one way, uptown. Frank grabs Celine and
cuts across the street and then they head up Sixth Street,
towards Second.
The sedan is running parallel up Seventh and trying to out
guess Frank's maneuvers.
The sedan apparently stops and the car door slams.
Frank turns around and sees the man with the white scarf and
another big UGLY THUG racing toward them on foot.
As Frank and Celine reach Third Avenue, a silver Toyota
Celica is stopped at a red light with a YOUNG WOMAN (mid
20's), who is driving.
Frank races toward the Celica.
FRANK
(shouting to Celine)
Get in!
The woman sees Frank approaching and tries to lock the door.
She's too late.
Frank yanks the door open and then pushes the woman into the
middle of the seat. He then reaches over to the passengers
side door and unlocks it.
Celine jumps in.
The car takes off, while the light is still red.
The man with the white scarf reaches the car and grabs at the
window as Celine quickly rolls it up. The man's fingers are
caught in the window.
The car starts to move along with the man's hands caught in
the window. He loses his footing and is dragged beside the
car.
Celine opens the window slightly and the man loses his grip
and slides to the street.
The sedan then pulls up and the white scarf man stands and
jumps in.
The chase begins.
INT. TOYOTA - CONTINUOUS
The woman's face is filled with fear as Frank pushes the
pedal to the floor.
The car shoots up Seventh with the sedan closing in.
Frank runs a few red lights.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS - CONTINUOUS
The pursuit speeds through the Lower East Side, through a
residential neighborhood.
They pass the West Side Meat Market. Guys are on the loading
docks, tossing boxes, pushing hand trucks. The place is lit
up like a nighttime sporting event. Every worker is wearing
a bloodied white apron.
Two police units join in the pursuit.
The chase continues down several more streets.
Frank sees an opportunity and goes for it.
There is a small opening in an alley.
Frank steers the Toyota sharply to the left. The Toyota cuts
into the alley. The sedan attempts to makes the same cut and
smashes into the wall raising the rear of the vehicle off of
the ground.
One of the police cruisers slams into the rear of the sedan.
The alley is blocked from the wreckage.
The Toyota makes it way down to the other end.
A few streets later it pulls over to the curb.
Frank jumps out. Celine jumps out.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET - CONTINUOUS
FRANK
(to the horrified woman)
Lady, you should feel real proud of
yourself. You just saved both our lives.
Celine begins to run.
FRANK (CONT'D)
(to Celine)
Hold on.
He walks over to her.
CELINE
What are you waiting for? Let's get out
of here.
FRANK
Cool it. Just walk away. Don't draw any
more attention to us.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
The impulse to run was strong.
Technically, we were already guilty of
kidnapping, carjacking, grand-theft auto,
resisting arrest, leaving the scene of an
accident and about thirty other traffic
citations and God knows what else. And
those cops might have been in on it with
those fellas, whoever they were and
whatever they wanted. All I knew was, it
was time to walk.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Celine, you got a lot of explaining to
do.
CELINE
I know, but first let's get to Grand
Central.
FRANK
You want to go to Grand Central Station?
CELINE
Yeah.
FRANK
Well, that's completely in the other
direction.
Frank grabs Celine's arm and they turn around.
They walk back to where the Toyota is still parked and the
lady is still frozen in fear. They continue on.
INT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION - A LITTLE LATER
Frank begins to walk up to the ticket counter.
FRANK
Anywhere in particular you'd like to go?
CELINE
Just follow me.
This time Celine takes Frank by the hand and pulls him along.
INT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION/LOCKERS - A LITTLE LATER
Frank and Celine approach a long row of lockers. Celine's
seriously concentrating on the lockers.
She continues to walk and then suddenly stops.
CELINE
Alright. Close your eyes.
FRANK
What?
CELINE
Close your eyes. I don't want you to
look.
FRANK
Alright, I'll close my eyes.
Frank covers his face with his hands and when Celine is sure
that he's not looking she reaches into her pocket and pulls
out a key.
But Frank is looking, he's peeking through his hands.
Celine checks the orange numbers on the lockers.
She inserts the key and opens one up.
She fishes around inside the locker and pulls out a zipped
pouch.
CELINE
Alright, you can look now.
Celine grabs Frank's wrist and slaps the pouch into his
hands.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Go ahead and open it.
Celine has a big grin on her face.
Frank opens the pouch and sees a lot of money. He peels off
a large roll of hundreds.
FRANK
Where'd you get this?
CELINE
Remember our good friend Martini? It's
his bank role.
Frank grabs Celine and picks her up and spins her about.
FRANK
That is so unbelievably unreal. You
little angel.
And then it hits him. He stops spinning about and drops her.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Wait a minute. This is the reason that
my life is in so much danger? Because we
ripped off that asshole? For what?
Four or five grand?
CELINE
No, Frank. Believe me. No. I wish it
was that simple.
FRANK
And, you're gonna tell me, we did a job
together and you decided to hold out on
me?
CELINE
Frank, there's a reason for everything.
You've got to calm down and...
FRANK
(interrupting)
Calm down? OK! I'll calm down. Nice
doing business with you.
Frank slaps the pouch into Celine's hand and with that, he
walks away.
Celine begins to cry out loud.
CELINE
Frank, wait.
She runs toward him grabbing at his arm.
FRANK
Let go of me. I'm through waiting around
for you.
CELINE
Please, I'm begging you. I'm in real
trouble here. You've got to listen to
me.
Frank stops.
FRANK
OK! I'm listening.
CELINE
I know you aren't going to like it. But
I swear to you, it's a long story and
I'll tell you the whole thing once we're
on our way out of here. The whole truth
and nothing but.
FRANK
Where Celine? Where the hell are we
supposed to go? We can't go back to the
apartment. Only God knows whose after
us.
CELINE
Just take me away somewhere. Anywhere.
They walk along Grand Central like a couple of zombies.
FRANK
Everything! I want to know everything.
EXT. KENNEDY AIRPORT - NEXT MORNING
A jet leaves Kennedy airport.
INT. KENNEDY AIRPORT - CONTINUOUS
A departure sign reads, TWA Flight #218, New York to Los
Angeles. The sign changes to departure on time.
INT. JET - CONTINUOUS
A plane bound for Los Angeles carries Frank and Celine.
FRANK (V.O.)
So, I sat dumbfounded and listened to
this unbelievable tale that you're about
to find out about yourself. And we
haven't even got to the good stuff yet.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. IL VAGABONDO RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Celine is all decked out and sitting at a table. She
nervously holds a glass of wine. Her hands are obviously
shaking as one taps on the table.
She gulps down a glass of wine and pours another glass.
She watches through the plate glass window as a dark sedan
pulls up to the front of the restaurant.
EXT. IL VAGABONDO RESTAURANT - CONTINUOUS
A big Italian man, SAM GIARELLI (60'S), obviously a real
important man begins to exit the sedan.
Giarelli doesn't manage to get both of his feet out of the
car when TWO MEN dressed in hats and suits, brandishing
handguns, walk up to him and begin to unload their weapons
into him and his driver.
Everybody in the restaurant begins to scream and take cover.
When it's all over, the two men lay dead. Giarelli on the
ground by and the driver slumped over the wheel of the car.
The gunmen slowly walk away. One gunman, (the man in the
white scarf) looks back at Celine through the plate glass
window and continues on.
INT. JET - DAY
Frank sits with his face in his hands. He can't believe what
he's hearing.
Some little KID in the seat in front of Frank and Celine
keeps turning back, playing peek a boo as they continue to
talk.
FRANK
So, that's what those newspaper clippings
were all about?
CELINE
Yeah. The cops have been wanting to talk
to me about that night. They want to
know what I know. But, if they find out
what I know, then I'm dead. That son of
a bitch Martini has gotten me in a fix.
He was the guy that hired me to meet the
old guy at the restaurant in the first
place.
He promised me ten grand, he said all I
had to do was meet with the guy, kinda
like a date.
FRANK
You mean like a fuckin' prostitute.
The kid is making faces at them now.
CELINE
Fuck you Frank. What I mean is, to have
dinner with the man and then to excuse
myself, go the ladies room and wait.
That's when they were supposed to take
care of him.
FRANK
That's a nice way to put it. Take care
of him.
CELINE
(rationalizing)
They were going to kill him anyway, so I
figured, what the hell. I could use the
ten grand. Right?
FRANK
Right. So, you just figured, what the
hell huh?
CELINE
Martini never paid me the ten grand he
owed me. He completely ripped me off.
So I figured I'd teach him a lesson he
wouldn't soon forget. I'd set him up and
take my money from him. I mean, I was
furious, Frank.
FRANK
You must have been green with envy.
CELINE
I swore that I would get my money, no
matter what it took.
FRANK
So, that's when you decided to use me.
CELINE
Frank, you promised you wouldn't get mad.
So don't. OK?
FRANK
What the hell else could you possibly
tell me that would make me more upset
than I already am now?
CELINE
I saw you a couple of days before I
accidentally bumped into you. I had set-
up Martini to meet with me at the bar
that night.
Frank takes this all in.
FRANK
So you set me up too? You knew I would
just go along?
CELINE
Yeah.
FRANK
Jesus, what a fuckin' ape I am. You know
what? You don't give a fuck about
anybody but yourself.
CELINE
That's not true. That was then. This is
now.
Celine lays her head on Frank's shoulder and closes her eyes.
She takes his hand and squeezes it tight.
FRANK (V.O.)
I wasn't looking forward to going back
there. Not in the least, but it's easy
to get lost in a place like that. But I
had other problems right now. Problem
number one. It would be several hours
before we land and it'll be near
midnight. The methadone clinics will be
closed and I'll be sick as a dog. That
means I'll have to cop some dope.
Problem number two, where the hell am I
going to find dope in the middle of the
night? Problem number three, to what
extent were these guys willing to go to
find us? If I signed in at one of the
methadone clinics the records could
easily be traced and they could find us.
Problem number four. Celine doesn't even
know that I'm a goddamn junkie.
Frank looks at Celine, who is content resting against his
shoulder.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I was afraid. I felt sick and not from
the dope thing. I needed Celine to hold
me and tell me that everything was going
to be OK. But, I realized ... That I
had no idea who the hell she was.
The kid tosses a small toy at Frank.
EXT. BRUCE'S PLACE - NIGHT
A taxi exits the street as a sickly Frank and Celine walk up
the steps to Bruce's home.
They reach the door. Celine puts her palm on Frank's sweaty
forehead.
CELINE
You don't look so good Frank.
FRANK
Yeah. I don't feel so good either.
Just as Frank is about to knock on the door it flies open.
BRUCE, (40's) tatoos, greasy black hair, is a throwback from
the 1950's. He gives Frank a bear hug and releases him.
BRUCE
Hey, when did you get back?
FRANK
Just now.
BRUCE
Well come in. Come in.
Bruce throws the door open and Frank and Celine enter.
FRANK
And who have we here?
FRANK (CONT'D)
Bruce. This is Celine. Celine, this is
my cousin Bruce.
CELINE
Nice to meet you.
They shake hands.
BRUCE
Nice to meet you Celine.
CELINE
Look, we just got off of the plane and a
long taxi ride, I could really use your
bathroom right about now.
BRUCE
It's down that hallway. First door on
the right.
CELINE
Thanks.
Celine wanders down the hall.
Frank takes a seat.
BRUCE
Man, you look like shit.
FRANK
Yeah, I know. Look, I need to borrow
your car if you don't mind.
BRUCE
What you need to do is lie down for a
while and get some rest.
FRANK
No, if I lie down it'll only make things
worse. The car... Can I borrow your
car?
BRUCE
Yeah, sure. Anything you need, just say
the word and you got it.
He reaches into his pocket and tosses Frank the keys.
FRANK
I can't really get into it right now.
But I'm going to have to talk to you
about something. Something pretty
serious.
BRUCE
You in trouble?
FRANK
Yeah. Big trouble. It's no fuckin'
game.
BRUCE
Whoa! What this you're talking about?
FRANK
Just as soon as I get back. I'll tell
you all about it.
Frank gets up and starts for the door.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Look, just tell Celine that I went out
for a while and that I'll be back soon.
BRUCE
Alright. OK.
FRANK
Oh, and another thing. We need to crash
here for a while if it's not too much of
an inconvenience for you.
BRUCE
Not at all. It'll be good to have you.
Veronica's long gone. She ran off with
Tony. Remember Tony?
FRANK
Yeah. A real scumbag I recall.
BRUCE
Well, he did me a favor. He helped me
get rid of Veronica before I had to toss
her out on her ear. You sure you're well
enough to drive?
FRANK
Yeah. But I gotta go.
BRUCE
Boy, you really look like shit.
FRANK
It'll be OK.
Frank reaches the front door. Bruce reaches into his pocket
and pulls out some cash.
BRUCE
Get me a couple of forties while your at
it.
They look at each other like only two junkies can.
FRANK
Look, don't say anything to Celine. She
doesn't know.
BRUCE
You mean she doesn't know yet.
Frank hears the toilet flush. He takes Bruce's money.
FRANK
Just cover for me alright?
He exits. Bruce closes the door.
Celine exits the hallway and spots Bruce by the door.
CELINE
Hi!
BRUCE
Hi.
CELINE
So, where's Frank?
BRUCE
He told me to tell you that he stepped
out for a while.
Celine looks confused.
CELINE
He stepped out for a while? Where did he
go?
BRUCE
Don't worry. He'll be back before you
know it.
He leads her into the living room.
BRUCE (CONT'D)
So, tell me a little about yourself.
INT. BRUCE'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Frank cruises up and down the known dope streets looking for
any of a number of usual dealers. Problem number five. It's
late and there are none to be found.
He spots a JUNKIE, someone that needs a shower and a shave.
The junkie is exiting a ramshackled building and begins to
walk down the street, while smoking a filterless Lucky Strike
cigarette.
EXT. WILTON AND FRANKLIN - CONTINUOUS
Frank is sweating profusely. He parks the car and approaches
the junkie.
They walk side by side. Not a word is said.
JUNKIE
Pretty sick, huh?
FRANK
Yeah, I need to cop? I'll make it worth
your while.
JUNKIE
It's too late. You missed everything.
Gotta wait till morning.
FRANK
I can't wait. I gotta have some now.
The junkie stops.
JUNKIE
You got a car?
FRANK
I got a car.
JUNKIE
I know a place. Let's go.
INT. BRUCE'S CAR - A LITTLE LATER
Frank drives along.
FRANK
Where to?
JUNKIE
Just keep heading down Wilton and make a
right on Sixth.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BRUCE'S CAR - A LITTLE LATER
Frank pulls up in front of a sleazy hotel.
FRANK
This is it? This place?
JUNKIE
Yeah. How much do you want?
FRANK
No. I'm not falling for that. I'm
coming with you.
JUNKIE
No way man. You got to trust me.
FRANK
Trust you? Trust a junkie?
The junkie opens the door and starts to exit. He turns back
to Frank.
JUNKIE
This is the only guy I know that I can
cop from this late at night. And even
still I got to hear it from him. He
trusts nobody and if I drag you along
he'll kick my ass and you get nothing.
He's real paranoid. He's already done
time and doesn't want to do anymore. So
it's my way. Or the highway.
FRANK
(thinking)
Look, I need...
(figuring out what he needs)
Eight, no make that twelve forties. You
get me ten and keep two for your
troubles.
Frank hands the guy some money. The junkie counts it.
JUNKIE
This is only enough for six.
FRANK
That's right. You'll have to make a few
trips. Six now and then four more when
you return.
JUNKIE
That's only ten.
FRANK
You get the last two when I get my ten.
The junkie shakes his head and exits. Frank watches as the
junkie enters the hotel.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BRUCE'S PLACE - A LITTLE LATER
The junkie's taking too long. Frank's getting sicker and
sicker. He's beginning to get real nervous when the junkie
exits the vehicle and approaches.
The junkie jumps into the car and dumps six little plastic
baggies into Frank's hand.
JUNKIE
C'mon. C'mon. He don't like waiting.
Frank hands the junkie some more money. The junkie exits
back into the hotel.
Frank waits again. It's taking too long again.
This time Frank exits the car and enters the hotel.
INT. SLEAZY HOTEL - CONTINUOUS
Frank speaks to the INDIAN MAN who is behind a glass window.
FRANK
Hey, you see a dirty looking fellow who
needs a shave come by here?
The man shakes his head no.
Frank paces in the lobby.
Finally, he races out to the car and grabs for the six little
plastic baggies. He's shaking and has a hard time turning
the key in the ignition.
He drives off.
INT. BRUCE'S PLACE - A LITTLE LATER
Frank races into Bruce's place and past Celine.
CELINE
Where have you been?
Frank doesn't answer. He rummages through his things and
pulls out a small black pouch. He runs into the bathroom.
INT. BRUCE'S BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
Frank locks the bathroom door behind him.
He opens the black pouch, bends a spoon and pulls out some
cotton. He fills a glass with water, lays out a lighter and
shooting rig.
He stretches a rubber cord around his arm until it snaps and
opens two of the little plastic balloons, placing them
carefully over the spoon and pours them out.
It's not dope it's dirt.
FRANK
No.
He takes a pinch of it in his fingers and tastes it.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Fuck. Fuck.
He slams the counter.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Fuck it!
He pours the balloons into the spoon anyway and adds water.
Not good. It turns to mud. He's really sweating and shaking
now. He begins to pout like a helpless child.
Frank lights the muddy dirt, hoping somehow that there is a
little dope in it. The spoon begins to boil.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Cook you mother fucker. Cook.
He throws a piece of cotton into the spoon and sucks the dirt
up into the syringe.
He squeezes out the oxygen and stares at the needle. His
hands are shaking very badly now. He looks at himself in the
mirror and doesn't like what he sees.
He makes a fist and injects the needle into his vein. He
releases the rubber strap and falls straight back onto the
floor.
INT. BRUCE'S PLACE - A LITTLE LATER
Celine is pounding on the bathroom door.
FRANK
Frank, are you all right?
She continues pounding.
CELINE
Frank, open the damn door.
The door opens slowly.
Frank is as white as a sheet. This shocks Celine so badly
that she steps backwards as she grabs at her nostrils.
CELINE (CONT'D)
(almost whispering)
Frank?
He falls to the floor. Celine screams.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Frank. What's wrong? What the hell is
going on?
Celine runs for the phone and dials 911.
CELINE (CONT'D)
I need an ambulance quick.
FRANK
Celine. No!
CELINE
You need a doctor. You look like you're
going to die.
FRANK
No doctors. If you want to help me? No
doctors.
CELINE
Of course I want to help you.
FRANK
Then hang up the phone.
CELINE
You need an ambulance.
FRANK
Celine, hang up the phone.
CELINE
(into the phone)
Never mind.
She slowly hangs up the phone.
FRANK
Get Bruce.
CELINE
He's not here.
FRANK
Can you drive a car?
CELINE
It's been a long time, but I think I can
do it.
FRANK
Good. Now help me up.
INT. BRUCE'S CAR - A LITTLE LATER
Frank looks near death.
CELINE
You're green. Literally. Green and
grey. You need a doctor.
FRANK
What I need is a fix.
Celine stops the car.
CELINE
What?
FRANK
What I need is a fix. I need you to help
me get some dope.
She finally understands.
CELINE
Heroin?
FRANK
Yeah.
CELINE
You're a junkie?
FRANK
It's a long story Celine. I don't have
the time to get into it right now.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I went out to cop. I got ripped off.
The only thing that can help me is to get
some dope. So, I need you to drive me
downtown. Can you do it?
CELINE
Frank, I don't have any idea where
downtown is?
FRANK
Just do what I tell you.
A very concerned Celine drives on.
EXT. BRUCE'S CAR - A LITTLE LATER
The car comes to an abrupt stop.
Frank opens the door and sticks his head out of the car just
in time to throw up.
WINSTON, (30's) a transplanted Amsterdam junkie with a
screwed up Mexican accent is sitting at a bus stop.
WINSTON
Nasty stuff eh man?
FRANK
(looking up)
Winston, you're a sight for sore eyes.
Man, you won't believe the hell that I've
been through. Can you help me out? I
need to cop.
WINSTON
No amigo. Streets empty vato?
FRANK
You crazy Mexican wannabee, and god only
knows why. I need you to help me cop
right now. I'm dying.
WINSTON
You take care of me hombre, and I'll take
care of you homes.
FRANK
Anything you say.
WINSTON
That's all you had to say.
Winston climbs into the car.
The car takes off.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. FREEWAY OVERPASS - A LITTLE LATER
The car pulls over under a bridge overpass.
FRANK
What the fuck is this Winston? I need
dope and I need it now.
WINSTON
Open the door and let me out.
FRANK
(opening the door)
Thanks for nothing.
Winston slides out of the car.
He whistles a distinctive whistle once and very loud. A rope
with several knots that go up the length of the rope drops
from the side of the overhanging of the highway.
WINSTON
(to Frank)
Well?
FRANK
What?
WINSTON
You coming or what?
FRANK
You gotta be kidding me.
WINSTON
No vato.
Winston disappears up the rope.
Frank looks at Celine.
CELINE
If you're going to do this, then let's do
it.
Frank and Celine step out of the vehicle. Frank looks up the
full length of the rope. Winston is waving to Frank.
WINSTON
Up here homes.
FRANK
I don't think I can make it.
CELINE
(grabbing at the rope)
I think you better.
She grabs the rope and pulls herself up. Winston gives her a
hand and pulls her from the rope and up onto the highway over
pass ledge.
Frank grabs at the rope and tries to pull himself up.
About halfway up the rope, the dizzy Frank stops and rests.
The rope sways about.
He watches the cars pass below and then can't hold his
stomach any longer. He lets loose another gush of sour
stomach poison.
FRANK
Oh, god.
He manages to hold on and continues to pull himself further
on.
INT. HIGHWAY OVERPASS - A LITTLE LATER
Frank is helped up onto the overpass ledge by Winston. Frank
looks about and even in his sickness, he's amazed at what he
sees.
A small community that is well organized and living neatly
under the highway overpass. A colony of it's own, ex-cons
and other society outcasts.
The vehicles motors can no longer be heard on the highway
below. There is a peaceful and easy feeling about this
place.
Families sleeping in cardboard boxes peer out of their
makeshift homes.
Winston grabs at Frank's shoulder.
WINSTON
This way.
Frank follows Winston over to a fire that is burning in the
middle of this secretive community.
A middle aged Mexican man, LALO is sitting on a rug by the
fire. He smokes from a pipe.
Winston takes a seat next to Lalo. Lalo gestures to Frank
and Celine to have a seat.
Frank sits down.
LALO
(to Frank)
They call me Lalo. What's do they call
you?
FRANK
Frank. And this is Celine.
LALO
How many do you want?
FRANK
Could I get ten for three-fifty?
LALO
No deals. Ten forties for four hundred.
That's the price.
FRANK
Fine. But I've already been ripped off
once today and I can't afford to get
ripped off again. I need to see the
stuff first.
LALO
(to Winston)
You need to teach your friend some
manners.
WINSTON
(to Frank)
Frank, it's cool. Lalo is straight up.
(to Lalo in Spanish)
He's from New York.
Lalo roles his eyes as if to say he understands. He then
takes a hit on his pipe and stares into the fire.
Frank takes out his money. Lalo takes it and slips it into
his pocket.
Frank gestures to Winston as if to say, well?
Then Lalo turns to Frank and pulls out a switch blade and
snaps it open.
Frank freezes. Lalo grabs Frank's hand and turns it over.
With a slip of his wrist he opens the bottom of the switch
blade and dumps several balloons into Frank's palm.
Frank nervously laughs. He rips open one of the baggies and
tastes it. Heaven. It's the real thing.
Winston clears his throat.
FRANK
Oh, yeah.
Frank hands Winston a couple of the plastic sacks.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I can't move a muscle.
(to Lalo)
Do you mind if I do it here?
LALO
No problem.
WINSTON
Es no problemo bro.
FRANK
(to Lalo)
You want to join in.
Lalo doesn't answer. He continues staring into the fire.
Winston pulls out the works and starts to set up the rig.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Winston. Could you do me up? I'm too
sick.
WINSTON
No problemo.
The song by Kurt Cobain plays, There's Something in the Way.
Note: Song lyrics. Underneath the bridge the tarp has sprung
a leak. There's something in the way, yeah. Mmmm.
Celine watches as Winston fixes the dope and injects the
syringe into Franks arm.
Frank gets his release. He closes his eyes and lies back.
Celine doesn't say a word, but she watches every move that is
made.
She curls into a small ball and watches as a continuous
streaming of water runs down the side of a concrete expansion
and drops down below.
EXT. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY - DAY
Note: The Kurt Cobain song continues from previous scene.
Song lyrics continue their repetition. There's something in
the way, yeah. Mmmm.
The sun shines brightly on Frank's sunglasses. Celine holds
onto his waist as they ride on a Harley hog. The wind blows
through her hair.
Frank turns the bike off and it begins to silently coast down
the hillside with the ocean in full view.
EXT. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY - LATER SAME DAY
The sun sets into the ocean as surfers tear up the waves near
county line road.
INT. BRUCE'S PLACE - LATER SAME DAY
Frank and Celine enter Bruce's home. Bruce is sprawled
across his sofa. He obviously just woke up.
FRANK
Thanks for the use of your bike Bruce.
We had a great time.
Frank goes to toss the keys to Bruce.
BRUCE
Hold onto them. You can use it anytime
you like.
Frank pockets the keys.
FRANK
Thanks.
CELINE
(to Bruce)
We rode all the way to the beach. Wow,
southern California is really something
else.
BRUCE
Yeah, it's something else alright. I
still haven't found the words to describe
it.
(to Frank)
Hey, can I talk to you a moment? We need
to talk.
FRANK
Sure.
BRUCE
In private?
Celine gets the point and disappears into the kitchen. Frank
takes a seat.
FRANK
What's up?
BRUCE
Have you been helping yourself to any of
my stash lately?
FRANK
What do you mean?
BRUCE
I mean some of my dope was missing this
morning and it's becoming a regular
event.
FRANK
You know I wouldn't do that to you.
BRUCE
Yeah, that's the problem. I know you
wouldn't do anything like that. Then
that only leaves.
Bruce gestures toward the kitchen.
FRANK
What do you mean?
BRUCE
I mean it's Celine, she's using.
FRANK
There's no way.
BRUCE
What? Do I got to spell it out for you?
She's using right under your nose and you
don't even know it?
FRANK
That's not possible. How could she hide
something like that from me?
BRUCE
I found some burnt aluminum foil in the
bathroom trashcan. She's smoking it.
FRANK
Are you sure about this?
BRUCE
Open your eyes, Frank. Open your eyes.
Celine exits the kitchen chewing on something sweet.
CELINE
You guys hungry? Want me to fix you
something to eat?
Celine's eyes are pinned. The obvious sign that she's been
smoking dope.
BRUCE
No. That's alright.
FRANK
No, I'm not very hungry.
Celine goes back into the kitchen.
BRUCE
I'm not going to be a part of this
anymore. You gotta find yourself some
other place to crash. It's bad enough I
got you to take care of. I don't want to
watch a nice girl like that go down the
drain. I just can't be a part of it.
FRANK
I understand.
BRUCE
You can use my bike for a while, until
you get yourself set-up. And another
thing, you got to get yourself clean.
FRANK
I can't go to a clinic for help and you
know that. Besides, what about you?
BRUCE
I ain't no junkie Frank. I can quit
whenever I want. That's the difference
between you and me. And we aren't
talking about me. As much as I hate to
see you go, it's the best thing for both
of us. And if you need some money...
FRANK
No, we'll be OK.
BRUCE
Sure?
FRANK
Yeah, I'll be OK. I bumped into and old
buddy the other day. Remember Jeff
Tobin?
Bruce acknowledges that he does.
FRANK (CONT'D)
He's started up a pawn shop and seems to
be doing pretty well. He's got a place
up in the hills with an empty guest
house. It's a quiet street on a cul-de-
sac with some great views.
BRUCE
Perfect. Sounds like you got it all
figured out.
FRANK
Yeah, it's real nice.
BRUCE
That' not what I'm talking about. He's
another fuckin' junkie Frank.
FRANK
I have never seen anyone more discreet
about it. He's works everyday. I mean,
I knew him for six months before I found
out he was a user.
BRUCE
Great a functional dysfunctional. A real
role model.
FRANK
What are you bustin' my balls for?
Christ you're starting to sound like the
old man. Besides, I haven't even talked
to him about the place yet. Maybe he
ain't interested.
BRUCE
Well, I guess you know what you're doing.
FRANK
Look. Do me one favor. Don't talk to
Celine about this. Don't let her know
what you know.
Bruce shakes his head yes.
INT. BRUCE'S PLACE - NEXT DAY
Celine sits on the bed.
She holds a lighter up to a piece of tin foil.
Smoke begins to pour off of the foil as she sucks on a make-
shift aluminum foil pipe. A black streak flows down the
aluminum sheet. She holds the smoke for a moment and then
exhales.
Along side of the bed are several pieces of tin foil, which
are streaked with what looks like black tears.
Celine lies back on the bed and relaxes as only one could
stoned on heroin.
EXT. JEFF TOBIN'S GUEST HOUSE - DAY
Celine stands on the balcony that overlooks the city.
CELINE
I love it.
She turns to a smiling Frank who is standing next to JEFF
TOBIN, (40's) Jeff's got curly black hair and dark cow eyes.
He's thin and a meticulous, yet odd kind of guy.
FRANK
(to Jeff)
She loves it.
LORETTE (19), artificial redhead, big tits, and thin, too
thin. Even after all that is said about her emptiness, she's
still a looker.
Lorette sucks long and hard on a filterless Camel cigarette
and disappears in a cloud of smoke that flows from her too
red lips.
JEFF
(to Celine)
Wait till you see the views at night.
That's when the city really comes alive.
There are so many lights shimmering, that
it takes on a life of its own.
(to Frank)
You know I could get alot more for it if
I was really interested in renting.
FRANK
I know. You're a great friend Jeff.
Thanks.
Frank shakes Jeff's hands.
CELINE
When can we move in?
JEFF
You can move in today if you want?
Celine looks at Frank.
FRANK
Why not.
Celine jumps into Frank's arms and kisses his face.
INT. FRANK'S LOS ANGELES APARTMENT - DAY
MONTAGE:
Celine is in all manner of apartment preparation. She's
laying out rugs, putting flowers in vases, making the bed
with all white linen, sweeping the floor, placing dishes in
the cabinets, opening new boxes of candles and other brick-a-
brack, etc.
FRANK (V.O.)
So there she was, Celine, little Miss
Susie homemaker, busy playing the
domesticated darling and not realizing
the hole we were digging ourselves into.
She had spent just about all our dough on
fixing up this place. I got to hand it
to her she did a great job too. I played
along like everything was hanky dory,
because I felt guilty as sin about her
newly forming little secret.
I tried to tell myself that I was only
partially to blame, but who was I
kidding. I knew it wasn't long before
disaster would strike and she'd be yanked
in by the roots. Issei and Harriet we
weren't, or maybe we were for that
matter. Who's to say. All I knew was
with a four hundred dollar a day habit
and Celine being dragged under and slowly
drowning, how long before the money would
completely run out. I laid in bed night
after night, worried sick about how to
come up with the rent money, which would
be due in just a few weeks. I had to
think of something and think of something
quick and quick thinking usually means no
thought ever goes into quick thinking.
Celine stands before her perfect little home smiling. She
throws herself down in an oversized chair and relaxes.
EXT. FRANK'S LOS ANGELES APARTMENT - DAY
Celine is lying in the sun on the sun deck of their newly
decorated home.
Frank stares out over the balcony looking at the haze that
hangs over the city. He's got that real nervous look that
fills his eyes.
There is a sound. A distinctive sound that resembles that of
a small caliber bullet whizzing by, but without the initial
explosion sound of the hammer firing. Zing.
CELINE
Did you hear that?
Zing. Zing. It happens again.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Frank?
FRANK
Oh, yeah honey. You say something?
CELINE
I asked if you heard that?
FRANK
Hear what?
Zing. Zing.
CELINE
There it is again. Don't tell me that
you didn't here it that time?
FRANK
Yeah, I heard it. I wonder what it is?
CELINE
It's that same sound I told you about
last week and you told me that I was
paranoid and just hearing things.
Frank looks down into the yard in a feeble attempt to
investigate. It happens again and again. Zing. Zing.
CELINE (CONT'D)
There. You see? I told you, there it is
again. It wasn't my imagination after
all.
FRANK
I'll go check it out.
Celine goes back to sun bathing, while Frank heads down the
steps toward the backyard.
EXT. JEFF'S PLACE/BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Zing. Zing.
The sound continues.
Two mannequins posed in sexually explicit positions are being
riveted with bullet holes.
Both mannequins are female and one of them is wearing a strap
on dildo, which is vagariously pointed at the anus of the
second mannequin, which is bent over ever so slightly.
Jeff stands pointing a handgun with a marijuana cigarette
dangling from his lip. He's practicing target shooting with
a small caliber handgun. One of the bullets hits the dildo.
Attached to the handgun is an old fashioned style silencer
like those from the 1940's gangster movies.
A bullet whizzes by Frank's head as he peeks around the
corner.
FRANK
Jesus Christ, Jeff! What the hell's going
on out here?
JEFF
Just doing a little target practice.
FRANK
Well, you practically blew my head off
just then.
Jeff continues in his stoned stupor shooting at the
mannequins.
FRANK (CONT'D)
You know that we were sitting upstairs
just now?
JEFF
No.
He continues to shoot.
FRANK
(grabbing the gun)
Give me that thing. Christ sakes, look
at this thing. Where'd you get it?
JEFF
One of my clients.
FRANK
Even I know that this thing is illegal as
hell. I can only imagine what would
happen if to you if you got caught with
this thing. Christ, a silencer. You're
out of your mind Jeff.
Frank hands him back the gun.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Why don't you go and put that thing away
before someone gets hurt. You could have
shot Celine you know? Go on, put it
away.
JEFF
Alright. You don't have to get so
uptight. I was just shooting at a couple
of sexual predators.
FRANK
Well, find some other way to let off some
steam. Enough already.
Jeff enters the back of his home that leads into his kitchen.
Frank follows.
INT. JEFF TOBIN'S HOME/KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Jeff walks through his kitchen and into his living area where
there are several strange weapons on display.
INT. JEFF TOBIN'S HOME/LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
He opens the drawer and pulls out a small black pouch. He
unscrews the silencer, wipes it clean and places the gun and
silencer in the case and puts it back in the drawer and
closes it. Frank takes notice.
He notices all the guns in the racks on display.
FRANK
Jeff, of all the things in the world to
collect you gotta collect these things.
For what?
JEFF
You can never be too careful, too safe or
over protected.
FRANK
Or too paranoid right?
JEFF
Right.
Jeff opens one of his cases and pulls out a menacing looking
weapon.
JEFF (CONT'D)
You see this?
FRANK
Yeah, I see it.
Jeff tosses it at Frank, surprised Frank nearly drops it.
JEFF
You don't want to drop that. I had alot
of work done on it. You know what it is?
Frank shakes his head no.
JEFF (CONT'D)
It was my fathers rifle when he was in
law enforcement back in Chicago. It's
standard issue. Now it can cut threw
just about anything. And it's also fully
automatic. You can cut through a redwood
in a split second.
FRANK
Why would anyone want to cut threw a
redwood? I mean, I don't think you have
to worry about a redwood posing any kind
of a threat to you.
JEFF
You never know.
FRANK
You're fuckin' crazy.
JEFF
Maybe.
Frank hands him the rifle and Jeff wipes it down and places
it back in the casing.
FRANK
(changing the subject abruptly)
So...
JEFF
So?
FRANK
Did you take care of it?
JEFF
Don't I always take care of it?
FRANK
Yeah, usually. You usually come through.
Jeff reaches into another drawer and pulls out a bunch of
balloons. He hands them to Frank.
JEFF
Is this what you're referring to?
FRANK
Yeah. Thanks.
JEFF
Don't mention it.
FRANK
Look, I didn't mean to get on your case,
but you got to be more careful with your
toys. You understand don't you?
JEFF
I understand perfectly well.
FRANK
OK!
JEFF
So...
FRANK
So...
JEFF
You wanna?
FRANK
Yeah. Sure.
They sit down and prepare themselves for a fix.
FRANK (CONT'D)
So, where's Lorette?
JEFF
She's still sleeping.
FRANK
Won't she want some?
JEFF
When she gets up. She won't be up for...
He looks at a clock that is hanging on the wall.
JEFF (CONT'D)
At least until six. She never gets out
of bed before six.
FRANK
So, where you'd pick her up?
JEFF
I didn't. She picked me up.
FRANK
You never had trouble getting yourself a
lady.
JEFF
Problem is getting rid of them.
FRANK
You complaining?
JEFF
Not complaining. It's just that they
usually wear out their welcome. Hey,
don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't
like fucking little girls, it's just that
after awhile their presence gets old. I
mean look at me, I know it's not me that
they desire. It's my dope and when it
runs it's course, so do they. I'm well
aware of this. I can accept that. By
the way, you guys got the rent money yet?
Jeff is ready to stick himself with a syringe.
FRANK
Nay, should have it by Friday though.
JEFF
Cool.
INT. FRANK'S LOS ANGELES APARTMENT - DAY
The apartment is sparse.
Celine lies on the white sheets, which are now kinda dirty.
She appears to be sleeping. She's not. She's unconscious
with a needle dangling from her arm.
FRANK (V.O.)
Couples who use together rarely stick it
out. Distrust, blame, guilt, the lies
are all part of the territory. I had
already hocked just about all of our
pretty new things for dope and still
hadn't paid Jeff his rent money. We were
overdue a couple of weeks and I know that
I could've gone to Bruce and borrowed
some money. Again. But I couldn't.
Could've, should've, would've. The train
has left the station and was on a runaway
track to nowhere and it was heading
nowhere fast.
EXT. BEVERLY BLVD. - DAY
Frank rides on his motorcycle down Sunset Blvd. and turns
left on La Cienega.
FRANK (V.O.)
I spent the next few days scouting
businesses to rob. Liquor stores,
convenient stores and gas stations were
out of the question.
He passes the Beverly Center and hangs a right on Third.
FRANK (V.O) (CONT'D)
These are the places that you're most
likely to get shot at, and they usually
have some kind of a drop safe, so there's
never any real cash on hand. What I
needed was something that could hold us
over for a while, someplace that was
unprepared. A place that was
unsuspecting. A place that never gets
robbed.
Frank pulls the bike over and parks at a meter.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I found a section of Beverly Boulevard
that I liked for getaway purposes. There
were plenty of busy little shops for
ladies who drove Mercedes and dragged
along a little white poodle to the
disgust of everyone else, but them.
He exits the bike and walks up to the front of a beauty
supply store. And enters.
INT. BEAUTY SUPPLY STORE - CONTINUOUS
Frank pulls out Jeff's handgun with the silencer attached as
he approaches the counter.
FRANK
(loudly)
Alright. This is a robbery. Open the
cash register and give me all the cash.
He stops at the counter. There's know one there, but him.
He looks around and is both nervous and confused.
FRANK (CONT'D)
(to himself)
What the hell's going on? Hello?
Anybody here?
He hits the cash register buttons but the cash register
doesn't respond, it won't open.
A small pink and hairy dog begins to bark at Frank from
behind the counter.
Suddenly, a real effeminate GAY MAN, (60's) with soaking wet
died black hair wrapped in a towel and dye dripping out of
the wrap sways and wiggles from behind a beaded doorway,
which leads from the back of the store.
GAY MAN
Does somebody need my assistance little
Pookie?
The man approaches the counter and the dog continues to bark.
GAY MAN (CONT'D)
Pookie, behave yourself. That's no way
to show goodwill to a very important
client.
(finally he turns to Frank)
Now, what can I do for you?
Frank looks pretty mean, standing in his leather jacket,
sunglasses, nervously sweating and pointing the long barrel
silencer right at the fellows belly.
EXT. BEAUTY SUPPLUY STORE - CONTINUOUS
Frank tries to calmly walk out of the store.
He starts to approach his motorcycle and can't help but to
run to it.
He jumps onto the bike and fumbles with they key. That's
when he notices a parking ticket placed on the gas tank.
He takes the ticket and places it in his pocket and
frantically tries to start the bike.
He hits the starter and slams the shift into first and pops
the clutch and the bike won't start.
FRANK
No! Oh, no. Don't do this to me. Not
now. C'mon.
Frank looks back at the store.
FRANK (CONT'D)
C'mon.
He hits the clutch again and almost stalls the bike, sputter-
sputter. The shifter locks in place and won't budge.
He hits the throttle and redlines the engine to prevent the
bike from stalling.
He pops the clutch and the bike darts forward and out of the
parking space barely avoids side-swiping a Rolls Royce.
He races down the street and before he can downshift the bike
safely, the street light turns yellow about a block in front
of him. He can't stop, so he hits the throttle and barrels
pretty late through the red light, as cars swerve to avoid
hitting the bike as it darts in their path.
INT. JEFF TOBIN'S HOME - LATER SAME DAY
Frank sneaks into Jeff's home and replaces the gun he
borrowed, sliding it back into the drawer where it belonged.
He checks the bedroom door and Jeff and Lorette are fast
asleep, scrawled across the bed.
INT. FRANK'S LOS ANGELES APARTMENT - A LITTLE LATER
Frank enters his home and falls onto the sofa. Most of the
home amenities that they purchased have are already begun to
disappear behind one pawnshops window or another.
He rummages through the money he just robbed and gets a sick
look on his face as he counts out the money.
FRANK
Five hundred and sixty bucks.
He drops his the money on the floor and then his head.
FRANK (CONT'D)
(calling out)
Hey Celine?
No answer.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Celine and you here? You won't believe
what I just did.
He gets up and walks toward the bedroom.
He finds Celine still passed out on the bed with the needle
stuck in her arm. A trail of blood runs down her arm and
turns into a small pool of blood, which has pooled in the
palm of her hand.
He reaches down and pulls the needle from her arm.
FRANK (CONT'D)
C'mon, honey wake up.
CELINE
What? Oh, leave me alone. Let me sleep.
FRANK
Sleeping all day is one thing.
Frank starts to slap her face.
FRANK (CONT'D)
But the least you can do is occasionally
put on your pajamas. Brush your teeth,
take a bath.
CELINE
Frank, please let me alone. Please!!!
FRANK
No! Get your lazy ass up. Let's go.
Pull yourself together. I got to talk to
you. I got to tell you something.
With Frank's help Celine manages to sit up, but barely. She
can't find the energy to open her eyes.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Cell... Please listen to me. I just. I
just did something awful.
She slides back into the bed.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Fuck it and fuck you.
Frank stands and walks out of the room. He sits on the floor
and lowers his head into his lap.
EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - DAY
Frank and Celine ride the motorcycle.
The PIL song, Public Image is playing.
CELINE
(trying to get Frank's
attention)
Frank?
No response, but he hears here.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Frank, I know you can hear me.
He continues to ignore her.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Fuck you.
FRANK
What?
CELINE
I said I'm thirsty. I want something to
drink.
Frank pulls the motorcycle to a stop in front of a Spanish
style convenient store. He doesn't turn it off. He takes
Celine's hand as places it on the throttle. He helps her to
continuously rev-up the motorcycle. Frank let's go and she
continues to do it by herself.
FRANK
(yelling over the thundering
bike)
So, what do you want?
CELINE
Get me a Martinelli's.
FRANK
You got it.
Frank enters the store.
Celine gets a kick out of revving up the bike. The noise
kicks off a few car alarms nearby.
Frank steps out of the store with a small grocery bag. He
hands it to Celine.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Here, take this. Hold on to it tightly
or you'll loose it.
CELINE
I won't lose it.
He jumps on the bike and it takes off swiftly making a very
loud rumbling.
He races down the street and makes a dangerously quick turn.
EXT. LOS ANGELES CITY STREET - A LITTLE LATER
Frank pulls the bike over.
FRANK
(turning to Celine)
Give me that.
He takes the bag from her and hands her a Martinelli's golden
glass apple.
He looks into the bag.
FRANK (CONT'D)
You know what I did back there?
CELINE
Back where?
FRANK
Back there, in the store.
She sips her juice and has no idea what he's talking about.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I just robbed the store. Did you here
me? I just robbed the fuckin' place. I
stuck a gun in the guys face and told him
to give me the dinero.
Celine continues listening to him ramble on.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I said give me the dinero, pronto. He
just did what I said like a lamb being
led to the slaughter. What a sensation,
I mean, there's nothing to it, all you
need is the balls. It's that simple.
CELINE
You just went in there and robbed the
place and didn't even tell me?
FRANK
What are you getting at?
CELINE
That was real stupid. If you're going to
risk doing time...
FRANK
What?
CELINE
No. No. No. Let me finish. If you're
going to risk doing time and making me an
accomplish the least you can do is hit
something that will rake in a few bucks.
She points to the bag.
CELINE (CONT'D)
How much did you get?
FRANK
I can't believe this.
CELINE
How much?
Frank rummages through the bag, counting the money.
FRANK
Looks like about two hundred.
CELINE
(totally exasperated)
Two hundred bucks. Frank, I'm surprised
at you. Really I am. Next time you need
to consult with me first.
Frank is dumbfounded.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Let's get home. I've starting to get a
sunburn.
INT. FRANK'S LOS ANGELES APARTMENT - LATER SAME DAY
The door opens and an argument has already ensued.
CELINE
All I'm saying is that it doesn't make
sense.
FRANK
We needed the money.
CELINE
I know we need the money, but there is a
better way. You need to listen to me.
FRANK
I'm listening. How could I help but
listen, you're always bitching about
something. Sometimes I wish I could turn
it off.
CELINE
(changing the pace and her
demeanor)
Look, all I'm saying is that robbing a
bunch of little places is too much
exposure. It's too much risk. If you
want to hit something, hit something big
for Christ's sake.
FRANK
So you're not really mad at me for
robbing the store.
CELINE
No, I'm not mad at you. What I'm saying
is that it was just plain dumb. I'll say
it one more time, if you're going to do
something that risky, then rob a bank or
something.
Frank can't believe what he's hearing coming from Celine's
mouth.
CELINE (CONT'D)
The take would be much greater, and we
could hang low for a while. Really take
it easy.
Frank stands in silence and just stares straight at Celine.
FRANK (V.O.)
Yep, you heard right. I thought she was
going to jump all over me for stooping so
low as to rob a hard working man of his
daily take. Instead she's already
scheming about something big. All the
cards were now on the table and we were
into something heavy now. Something too
big for the both of us. We were now in
way over our heads.
Celine lights up a cigarette and walks away as if she was
just chatting with her neighbor.
EXT. WILSHIRE BLVD./BANK OF BEVERLY HILLS - DAY
Frank circles around the bank in a Jeep.
FRANK (V.O.)
I started to case banks all over Beverly
Hills and West Hollywood. It gave me the
jitters just thinking about what we were
up too. But we were out of money already
and by now Celine was shooting as much
dope as I was. If we didn't do something
before we run out of money and dope, we'd
both be pissing up a rope.
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - DAY
April First. Fools Day.
The sound of a horn beeping is heard.
Frank, decked out in a black suit and tie, white shirt,
carrying a briefcase with slick back hair and dark sunglasses
checks himself in the mirror.
EXT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
He exits the house and heads for the Jeep.
Celine is already in the drivers seat with the motor running.
CELINE
C'mon, let's get a move on. What's
taking you so long?
FRANK
Relax will you? Just relax.
He jumps in and closes the door.
CELINE
Ready?
FRANK
Ready.
Then he pats his chest.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Hold it. I forgot something.
He jumps out of the Jeep and heads back toward the apartment.
INT. JEFF TOBIN'S HOME - CONTINUOUS
Frank slides open Jeff's back door and walks through Jeff's
kitchen and dining room.
The place is extra quiet and Frank notices this.
He slowly moves toward the drawer where Jeff keeps his
handgun and silencer. He grabs it, closes the drawer and
silently slides back out of the house.
INT. JEEP - A LITTLE LATER
Celine drives the car down the a steep hill and swings onto
Sunset Blvd.
FRANK
Jesus, the next time we see home the deed
will be done.
CELINE
I know. I know.
FRANK
You nervous.
CELINE
Yeah, a little. Alot! How are you
holding up? You OK?
FRANK
I'm good. I can do this. I know I can.
The Jeep turns South on Doheny and heads toward Wilshire
Blvd.
Not another word is said.
Until.
The Jeep turns on Beverly and approaches the bank.
CELINE
Frank!
FRANK
I know I see him.
A MOTORCYCLE COP has his light flashing. He's pulled a
vehicle over and was writing the driver a ticket.
CELINE
What are we going to do?
FRANK
Just take it easy. Drive around the
block. He'll be gone soon.
The Jeep drives around the block and returns. The cop is
still there.
CELINE
He's still there.
FRANK
Then drive around the block again.
CELINE
If we keep circling the bank, he's going
to start to get suspicious.
FRANK
Than do what you want. OK!
CELINE
I'll drive around the block.
They drive past the motorcycle cop again.
The Jeep comes around the block once again and the motorcycle
cop is gone.
CELINE (CONT'D)
He's gone.
FRANK
I can see that. You ready.
CELINE
I think so.
They both take a deep breath.
FRANK
Then let's do it.
Celine pulls the car into the alley behind the bank. Her
parking job is terrible, the Jeep is practically blocking the
street and driveway.
Frank jumps out.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Just stay put. I'll be right back.
Frank grabs the briefcase from the backseat of the Jeep.
CELINE
I know I haven't said it lately, but I
love you honey.
FRANK
I love you too pumpkin.
They kiss.
CELINE
Make me proud.
FRANK
I'll try my best.
Frank checks his gun and walks off toward the front of the
bank.
Celine shouts out.
CELINE
Please, be careful.
Frank doesn't look back, he continues forward and if driven
by some unknown force.
Frank's heart is pounding loudly. The closer he gets to the
front door the louder his heart pounds.
He now can see his reflection in the banks glass walls. He
realizes that he looks exactly like a bank robber. Exactly
like a bank robber.
He drops his head as he passes the doors. He continues on
passing the bank as if he had something else on his mind.
FRANK
(to himself)
Fuck, what am I doing.
He walks back toward the bank and wipes the sweat from his
brow.
He reaches the door and can't go in, he continues past the
doors.
Then he suddenly turns toward the door and they part like the
red sea.
Frank seems to glide into the bank, like he's on a fluffy
cloud, or balanced on a magic carpet.
He looks out the glass walls of the bank and plainly sees
Celine staring back at him. It looks so obvious what they
are doing. Obvious to nobody, but them.
Suddenly, Frank feels real smooth. The shaking hands are
gone, the wobbly knees have disappeared.
Everybody is too busy in their own business to notice what he
is about to do.
He finds himself floating straight up to a window with a
FEMALE TELLER. Like a robot everything else begins to
happen.
He unbuttons his coat and shows her the gun. She tries not
to panic and starts to pile stacks of money on the counter
and pushes it toward him. He doesn't have to say a word, she
just complied.
He starts to place the stacks of money into his briefcase.
The lady then freezes and folds her hands and places them on
the counter.
FRANK (CONT'D)
That's it?
The teller nods yes.
Frank snaps the case shut and turns to go. He drops the gun,
accidentally kicks it and it slides the full length of the
marble floor. Everybody now notices what's happening.
The gun comes to a rest at the feet on an elderly GENTLEMAN.
Frank looks at the door and then stops. He just calmly walks
over to the gun and picks it up.
He then walks briskly to the door and starts to walk
casually, then briskly and then runs to the Jeep.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Move over.
CELINE
I thought I was going to drive.
Like a man with the strength of a dozen gorillas he moves her
out of the seat, tosses in the briefcase and takes off down
the alley.
The Jeep races down the alley and then unbelievably Maw and
Paw kettle blocks the Jeeps path at a crawling pace.
Frank hits the horn, which only makes the old fellow slow
down and look to see who's riding his ass.
FRANK
(laying on the horn)
Move it! Get out of the way.
Frank sees an opening and seizes the opportunity. He hits
the gas and plows into some trashcans and swerves around the
old timers car.
The Jeep swerves onto Beverly Blvd.
Passing the other way toward the bank is the motorcycle cop.
FRANK (CONT'D)
(nervous laughter)
Did you see that? It's the motorcycle
cop.
Celine smiles, but it's obvious that this time she bit off
more than she can chew.
The Jeep continues on until it pulls into the Beverly Center
parking lot.
Frank takes one of the tickets and drives up the parking
ramp.
He pulls into one of the spaces on the top floor and parks.
They both look back at the briefcase.
CELINE
(letting out a huge laugh)
We did it!
Frank numbly smile.
INT. BEVERLY CENTER SHOPPING MALL - A LITTLE LATER
Frank and Celine eat ice cream and carry several bags through
the crowded mall.
CELINE
I just wondering...
FRANK
What's that sweet heart.
CELINE
There's just one thing for the life of me
that I can't figure out?
FRANK
And that is?
CELINE
It was so easy. Why doesn't everybody do
it?
They continue to walk on.
INT. JEEP - A LITTLE LATER
The Jeep is filled with bags of stuff as Frank heads up La
Cienega Blvd. toward Sunset Blvd.
Frank looks in the rearview mirror and two black and whites
are a few cars behind them.
FRANK
Cops at six o/clock.
CELINE
What?
FRANK
Don't turn around. Two black and whites
are behind us.
CELINE
Oh, Jesus. Frank.
She turns around and looks anyway.
FRANK
Just take it easy.
CELINE
Someone must have spotted us. Someone
must have followed us.
Frank makes a right onto Sunset.
FRANK
Don't jump to conclusions.
The cop cars turn right on Sunset.
FRANK (CONT'D)
OK. They both turned this way.
CELINE
Frank, what are we going to do?
FRANK
We, are going to remain calm.
Frank puts on his turning signal and makes a left up Kings
Road.
The two cruisers follow. Celine turns around and looks
again.
CELINE
There onto us.
FRANK
OK. OK. There's not much we can do now.
This street dead-ends in a few blocks.
CELINE
The gun Frank. They'll find the gun and
the money. Why is this happening? Why?
The Jeep rounds the corner and in front of them are several
police cars.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Just pull over. They got us.
Frank continues to drive past the other police cars.
There is a small crowd on onlookers gathered outside of
Jeff's home. The house has yellow police tape around it.
It's obviously become some kind of a crime scene.
Frank and Celine watch the awkward sight.
The police cars that were following them pulls over in front
of the house and stop following the Jeep.
FRANK
OK. So there on to us, but they can't
get to us if we don't go back home.
Frank swings the car around at the end of the cul-de-sac and
parks. They watch the scene for a moment.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I'll be right back.
CELINE
I'm coming with you.
FRANK
(abruptly)
Just stay put. I'm going to see what's
going on.
And with that he rushes off.
EXT. JEFF TOBIN'S HOME - A LITTLE LATER
Frank mingles with the crowd in front of Jeff's home.
Frank stops an OLD MAN who is walking his dog.
FRANK
What's happened? What's going on here?
OLD MAN
The most I can get out of it is that
somebody was killed in there.
FRANK
Killed?
OLD MAN
That's what I overheard.
The old man and his dog continue on their way.
Frank watches as two zipped up body bags are removed from
Jeff's front door and placed in an ambulance.
The ambulance doors close and they exit, but not in a hurry
and not with any sirens wailing.
Frank runs back to the Jeep and jumps in. He doesn't say a
word as he looks at Celine.
CELINE
What? What is it?
FRANK
It's Jeff. He's dead.
They both look shocked and slump in their seat.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I fucked up. I took a chance and visited
the methadone clinic a couple of times.
Not a good idea. I thought by now the
folks back East had long forgotten about
us. Not a chance. Elephants have long
memories. Jeff and Lorette were shot
execution style in the back of the head
while the sandman sprinkled moondust in
their eyes. Never knew what hit Ôem.
Those bullets were meant for me. Me and
Celine.
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS PARK - A LITTLE LATER
Frank and Celine walk through the park. They stroll over to
the Choy fish pond and watch as the water drains through a
vent.
Not a word is spoken.
They sit on the ledge and watch as the Choy swim about.
Frank picks up a piece of crust from the sidewalk and
crumbles it in his hands.
He tosses it to the fish, who glide effortlessly as they hope
for a morsel of the bread.
FRANK
You holding up OK?
CELINE
(crying ever so slightly)
It could have been us.
FRANK
It should have been us.
CELINE
Now what?
FRANK
You seem to be asking me that question an
awful lot these days.
INT. BRUCE'S PLACE - A LITTLE LATER
Frank is slammed up against the wall as Bruce continues to
hold onto Frank's shirt collar.
BRUCE
(extremely agitated)
You got some explaining to do. What the
hell is going on? The cops have been
here a dozen times already, asking all
kinds of questions. Questions that I
can't answer. Do you understand what I'm
saying?
FRANK
I know. I know. It's just that we got
no place else to go. You're family. The
only family that understands.
Bruce lets go of Frank's collar and slams his fist into the
wall.
BRUCE
I understand alright. You're in deep
shit, that's what I understand. The cops
said that your buddy Jeff and some dumb
dumb girl were killed this afternoon.
Bullet holes in the back of their heads.
They're telling me that you're
responsible. That you're the one that
did it.
FRANK
Is that what this is about? Look we
didn't kill Jeff and you know it.
BRUCE
What I know and what a bunch of LA pigs
think are two different things.
FRANK
Did they say anything about the bank job?
BRUCE
What bank job?
FRANK
(lowering his head)
I robbed a bank today.
BRUCE
(can't believe what he hears)
That's brilliant. You're a real
Einstein.
Bruce grabs Frank again and slams him against the wall.
BRUCE (CONT'D)
(loudly)
I'm on parole you dumb fuck. You can't
bring something like this down on me. I
can't afford the heat. You think that I
want to go back to the can? Do you?
FRANK
I understand.
BRUCE
(softly)
You understand? You don't understand Bo
Diddley. I'm sorry. I gotta do this. I
gotta cut you loose.
FRANK
I know. I'm sorry.
Bruce turns to Celine who is sitting in a chair and quietly
observing the conversation with tears in her eyes.
BRUCE
(to Celine)
That's all I got to say about it. Adios.
Have a great life.
FRANK
(to Celine)
Let's go.
Celine stands and wipes the tears from her face.
CELINE
(to Bruce)
We're really sorry to cause you any
trouble.
BRUCE
Yeah, I'm sorry too.
Frank and Celine exit as Bruce stands in the doorway
watching. He's truly upset.
BRUCE (CONT'D)
You gonna be alright?
FRANK
Yeah, we'll be alright.
BRUCE
Sure.
FRANK
Yeah, I'm sure.
BRUCE
Look. After all this cools off, give me
a call. Got it?
FRANK
Yeah. I got it.
Frank then notices a pretty large sailboat that sits in the
driveway. It's pretty old and beaten up.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I see you finally got yourself a boat.
BRUCE
Yeah, I was hoping that you and me... We
could've fixed it up and sailed away from
all this... All this bullshit that's in
the way.
Frank and Celine turn and wander off down the darkened
street.
INT. BANK OF AMERICA - DAY
Frank strolls into a bank with his black suit and briefcase.
Celine sits in the parking lot as usual, this time on the
back of the Harley.
The bank is extremely crowded.
The lines are long and everybody's extremely agitated about
it.
Frank checks out the situation and realizes that it's too
dangerous. He heads back for the door, but to his right is a
KOREAN WOMAN who is sitting at a desk and counting money that
is piled high in large amounts.
Frank stops and looks back at the line of people. He looks
back at the woman who is lost in her task of counting the
money.
Frank steps toward her and opens his jacket to show her his
gun.
FRANK
Excuse me.
No response. The lady continues counting out the cash.
FRANK (CONT'D)
(a little louder)
Excuse me lady?
No response.
Frank steps closer and sets down his briefcase next to her.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Lady, Don't make a sound. Don't cause
any trouble.
She still doesn't respond.
FRANK (CONT'D)
(loudly)
Lady I'm talking to you?
He reaches out to grab some of the money.
The lady looks up, screams and wraps her arms around the
money. She falls backward in the chair, taking all the money
with her. The money scatters everywhere.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Jesus Christ you stupid cow.
The bank goes silent. All eyes are on Frank.
Frank turns and runs to the doors and jumps on the bike and
races off.
INT. BANK OF AMERICA - A LITTLE LATER
Frank enters the bank. This time at a much swifter pace.
The sign blinks and the arrow points to the next available
teller.
Frank approaches the teller as the few people in line, TWO
ELDERLY LADIES have something to say about it.
ELDERLY LADY
Get in line like everyone else.
FRANK
Sorry Ma'am.
Frank holds up his gun.
FRANK (CONT'D)
This is a stick up.
Frank opens a sack and places it on the counter.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Place all the money in this case and be
swift about it and nobody will get hurt.
The teller has a peculiar looking grin on her face as she
places the money in the sack.
FRANK (CONT'D)
What are you smiling about?
The teller doesn't respond.
Frank moves to the next teller who is also grinning from ear
to ear.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Now you. All the bills.
The teller complies, while smiling.
FRANK (CONT'D)
You're scaring the hell out of me with
those shit eating grins.
Frank grabs the money and races out the door.
He tosses the sack to Celine and races off on the bike.
EXT. SUNSET BLVD. - CONTINUOUS
Blazing down Sunset Blvd. the bike races off.
Suddenly, the sack explodes open. BOOM and again BOOM and
Celine is covered with red dye. Red clouds of smoke billows
from the sack. The sack is hissing like a snake.
The tear gas cannister in the sack continues to hiss out a
huge smoky red trail.
FRANK
Let go of the bag.
CELINE
(coughing badly)
No, way.
FRANK
Let go of the fuckin' bag. I can't
breath. Toss it.
CELINE
I'm not going to let go.
FRANK
Let it go.
CELINE
I won't do it. I won't.
The red trail continues as they turn off Sunset and onto
Laurel Canyon.
Celine holds the sack out to her side with one hand and holds
her face with the other.
The bike turns on Mountain View Road and Frank pulls over.
Celine drops the bag. Frank kicks the bag open and rummages
through the money, finally finding the hissing red dye packs.
He kicks them away.
The money is covered in red ink.
CELINE (CONT'D)
(still choking)
Jesus Christ, there's a lot of money
there.
FRANK
It's worthless. It's no use to us.
C'mon let's get out of here.
CELINE
Not without the money.
She jumps up and starts to gather together the bundles.
FRANK
Forget about it. It's useless.
CELINE
I'll find a way to get it cleaned.
INT. HOTEL ROOM/BATHROOM - NIGHT
Cleaned bills are clothe pinned to a string and line the
shower.
The sound of Frank coughing and scrubbing can be heard.
Frank has stacks of red bills in the bath tub and some paint
thinner and thick gloves covering his hands. He's scrubbing
the money clean.
Celine stumbles into the bathroom.
CELINE
(barely audible)
Frank!
Celine falls to the floor unconscious.
EXT. HIGHWAY OVERPASS - NIGHT
Frank sits at a fire with Lalo. Celine is curled up in a
ball under a blanket nearby.
Frank pulls out a wad of money and places it next to Lalo.
FRANK
Take care of her for a while for me.
Whatever she needs you see to it that she
gets it. If you need more money...
LALO
(interrupting)
It's not about the money. But, I'll see
what I can do.
Lalo looks over at Celine.
LALO (CONT'D)
She don't look good. She's not going to
last much longer in this condition.
Lalo gestures to an elderly HISPANIC WOMAN. The woman
approaches Celine.
LALO (CONT'D)
Leave it to me. I'll do what I can.
FRANK
Thanks.
Frank exits as Lalo hits his pipe.
EXT. LOS ANGELES CITY STREET - NIGHT
Frank sits behind the drivers seat of a brand new black Alpha
Romeo Spyder convertible. He's wearing leather riding gloves
and sunglasses although it is night.
FRANK (V.O.)
I hit five banks in less than two weeks
and always walked away with thirty to
fifty grand. I remembered to let the
tellers know that I didn't appreciate dye
packs or any other kind of radio
controlled devices. With all that cash,
you'd think that we was living the high-
life. Nothing could be further from the
truth, though I did drop twenty large on
this little black beauty.
The car drives down endless streets. Frank is stoned out of
his mind.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
We were more miserable than ever. Money
comes and goes and easy money slips
through your fingers like mercury and
it's just as poisonous.
Celine was beginning to deteriorate. She
looked bad, real bad. She must've lost
about half her weight and she was doing
as much dope , if not more than I was.
S
he was shoving down her throat anything
she could get her hands on, Meth
Amphetamines, LSD, booze, heroin, coke.
You name it, if it was available, it was
flowing through her veins. Coke to wake
up and heroin to go to sleep. The way
things were going something had to give.
It wouldn't be long before the bottom
dropped out. You see the FBI had already
formed a special task force for yours
truly. They also gave me a name, they
dubbed me the pony tail bandit. And just
for good measure they stuck me on the
FBI's ten most wanted list. You see, the
those guys take it personally when they
can't get their hands on their man. To
them though, it's just a matter of time.
Because they always do. The heat was on
and there was only one place I thought
that we could hang low for a while.
EXT. HIGHWAY OVERPASS - NIGHT
Frank stands next to Lalo.
FRANK
What do you mean she's gone?
LALO
She's gone. Didn't want any part of us
trying to help her get clean.
FRANK
Where did she go?
LALO
Your guess is as good as mine.
FRANK
Who'd she run off with. There's
something you're not telling me.
Lalo doesn't say anything.
FRANK (CONT'D)
C'mon, Lalo. Who's she with?
LALO
She took off with a fellow called Nestor.
FRANK
Nestor? Who the fuck is Nestor?
LALO
A small time punk.
FRANK
But why?
LALO
Dope fool. What else. He's been trying
to get in the game for a while himself.
Pimping only landed him behind bars.
FRANK
And dope dealing won't?
LALO
You should know more about that then me.
FRANK
You have no idea where I can find them?
LALO
You could try this place in Hollywood.
It's called something like, the Trap. If
you can find it, you'll find your girl.
EXT. THE TRAP - NIGHT
Frank slams on his breaks and the Spyder skids to a halt in
front of the club.
The BOUNCER, a tall black fellow is shaking his head at
Frank.
BOUNCER
You can't park there.
Frank reaches into his pocket and slams several bills in the
man's hand, not breaking his stride and continuing into the
seedy joint.
BOUNCER (CONT'D)
OK. Alright. It's cool.
INT. THE TRAP - CONTINUOUS
Frank stands in the doorway and looks about. The place is a
dump, real low end.
The Chilites song, Oh, Girl is playing on the jukebox.
There are black girls stripping and everyone's stoned on one
thing or another.
Frank walks up to the bar and looks closely at every face.
He turns around any woman that may resemble Celine. Then he
spots her at a table.
Celine is sitting with a drink in her hand and her legs
sprawled apart in the aisle, her mouth is gaping wide open.
She's nodding badly with her head thrown back and doesn't
notice Frank as he stands in front of her.
NESTOR, (20's) a thinly half-Puerto Rican and half-Black
American has his hand down her blouse. He's caressing her
breast plate with his hand disappearing down her blouse.
It's obvious he's pinching her nipples.
Nestor also has his face buried in her neck and the other
hand is somewhere between her legs obscured by the table.
Frank grabs Nestor yanking him off of Celine just as she
looks up at him.
CELINE
Frank!
FRANK
(to Celine)
Shut the fuck up.
NESTOR
Man, what do you think you're doing fool?
Frank slams Nestor's face into the table top, again and
again.
Suddenly Frank realizes that he's surrounded by Nestor's
buddies.
He lets go of Nestor who's nose is a bloodied mess. Nestor
rises. He steps into Frank's face.
NESTOR (CONT'D)
(tapping on Frank's chest)
You just fucked up good.
Frank grabs Nestor's fingers and pulls them back until they
start to crackle.
FRANK
No, you fucked up.
Nestor drops to his knees, whining like a child.
Frank grabs a bottle, breaks it and shoves it in one guys
face. The others close in, but Frank pulls his gun.
Suddenly, the smoke filled place seems to light up. The
bouncer has opened the front door.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I'm only going to say this once. Get the
fuck up and let's get out of her.
Frank grabs Celine's arm and yanks her up.
Frank and Celine make their way through the crowd and out the
door.
EXT. THE TRAP - CONTINUOUS
Frank sits Celine down in the seat and jumps into the car.
The car takes off just as the club mob exits onto the street.
INT. ALPHA ROMEO SPYDER - CONTINUOUS
The wind is blowing through Celine's hair. She looks really
bad.
CELINE
Frank. I'm sorry.
FRANK
You could've gotten me killed back there.
CELINE
And what's so bad about that?
FRANK
What's that supposed to mean?
CELINE
What's so bad about dying.
FRANK
What are you saying?
CELINE
I'm saying that dying can't be so bad.
Do you really call this living?
Frank pulls out his gun and points it in Celine's face. He's
also driving recklessly down the street.
FRANK
Have you ever seen a dead body?
CELINE
Hasn't everybody?
FRANK
You want me to pull the trigger? You
want me to blow your fuckin' brains out
right here?
CELINE
Yes, I mean no. No. But I don't want to
live anymore. Yes, I want to die. But
not like this.
FRANK
How Celine. How would you like to die?
Please, humor me.
CELINE
Remember when we were in New York and you
asked me if I would marry you?
FRANK
Yeah, I remember. But that's not the
conversation that we're having now.
We're discussing death. We are
discussing your death.
CELINE
Yes. Yes. I want to die. But, I have
one last request. You will grant me that
much won't you?
FRANK
What are you talking about?
CELINE
I want to die. But I want to get married
first.
She pushes the gun down and takes Frank by the hand.
CELINE (CONT'D)
I want you to marry me.
FRANK
You're nuts.
CELINE
Yeah. And so are you.
Suddenly, it begins to rain. Frank starts to put the top up.
CELINE (CONT'D)
No. Leave it down. Maybe the rain will
wash away all this filth that is covering
me. And you. Then, I could feel
justified ending it all. I want to go,
but I want to go clean. Please, let it
rain.
The rain starts to come down like cats and dogs, soaking
Celine and Frank as they drive along.
INT. FANCY HOTEL ROOM - A LITTLE LATER
The hotel room is filled with candles.
Frank and Celine stand soaking wet.
CELINE
Wait here.
Celine grabs the box she has been carrying around with her.
It's the box that she removed from the locker at Grand
Central Station back in New York.
FRANK
You've been carrying that box around with
you for a long time Celine. What the
hell is so important about that beat up
old box.
Celine brings the box over to Frank and just looks at him. A
soft look, a tired and worn, yet soft look.
CELINE
I'll show you.
She opens the box and pulls out a greying wedding gown.
Frank kinda laughs.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Don't laugh. Please.
FRANK
OK. I won't laugh. But what are you
doing with that thing?
CELINE
It was my mother's wedding gown. I was
saving it, hoping that someday you'd
really get serious and ask me to marry
you again.
FRANK
And then what? Live happily ever after
with a house full of kids?
CELINE
No kids. Just the happy ever after
thing.
FRANK
You still want to get married?
CELINE
Yeah.
FRANK
To get married you got to have a license.
A piece of paper that is recognized as a
legal document. Since when have we lived
legally and done anything under the law.
CELINE
That's not the kind of wedding I want. I
don't want a room full of family and
friends. Afterall, how many friends do
we really have?
FRANK
I got three. Me, myself and I.
Celine drops her clothing and begins to put on the wedding
gown. Frank just watches.
When she's finished, she turns toward Frank.
CELINE
Let's say our vowels and get on with it.
You go first.
FRANK
Me? Go first?
CELINE
Yeah, you're supposed to tell me things
like, how much you love me and how much
you can't live without me and that you'll
always love me for better of for worse.
And so on and so on.
Celine turns to the balcony that overlooks the city.
CELINE (CONT'D)
Just forget it.
FRANK
No. There are things that I'd like to
say.
Celine's gown blows in the breeze. Even all twisted and a
mess she looks beautiful.
Frank turns her around.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I do love you and you know it. I
couldn't imagine living life without you
and my actions earlier prove this. Look,
I'm not real long winded, but this I
would like to say. I love you and have
loved you for a real long time. I wish
things could've be different.
CELINE
I'm glad they weren't. We lived a
thousand lives. That's alot more than
anyone could ask for.
FRANK
We don't have to do this. We can quit,
go somewhere else and get cleaned up.
Start all over again.
Celine just shakes her head no.
Frank takes her by the hand and leads her to the bed. They
both lie down and kiss for a while.
MONTAGE:
Several variables of Frank and Celine in private moments.
Making love, laughing and extremely being soft and gentle
with each other.
FRANK (CONT'D)
We lied there in our gloom, but it was
beautiful. It was our beautiful gloom.
We made love, laughed and talked about
everything. My favorite part of the
conversation was when she confessed
everything to me. She talked about the
early days, of the Novena she had made.
How she would run home from school, drop
her books and pray to the Virgin that
someday she'd belong to me. She told me
about the times she sat in the park with
her girlfriends and secretly watch me in
the distance.
She remembered our first kiss, the first
time we made love. She revealed to me
that she knew that someday we would
marry, and how she carried that gown with
her where ever she went. And the tears
filled my eyes. I cried like a child.
Then she told me how proud she was to die
with me. She convinced me that we had
more power than most. Most people had no
control over their fait. We chose ours.
Frank pulls out his little black pouch and several dozen
little balloons, he places several syringes out on the bed.
They both wrap each others arm and begin to cook up a ton of
dope.
There are several syringes filled with dope.
Frank takes one of the needles and as he kisses Celine he
injects her arm. She immediately falls on the bed
unconscious.
Frank touches her face and begins to cry aloud. He takes a
bouquet of roses and places them in her hands and folds her
hands across her stomach.
FRANK (CONT'D)
(kissing her face)
I love you baby. I'll see you real soon.
Frank injects himself and falls across Celine's body.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SOME TIME LATER
Frank is awoken in the hotel room, there is a mass of
confusion. Men in white suits move about him.
He turns to his side and sees a photograph of Celine.
Groggily he looks down on the floor and sees Paramedics
working feverishly on Celine.
PARAMEDIC
She's not responding. She's going into
cardiac arrest.
The COPS, paramedics, and hotel managers have their attention
completely fixed on Celine. It doesn't look good.
Frank can barely stand, but he does. He looks at Celine with
a tube shoved down her throat and an electrical device, which
causes her to leap violently from the floor.
PARAMEDIC (CONT'D)
Nothing. Still nothing.
Frank races from the room.
INT. HOTEL - CONTINUOUS
Frank slips and falls and tries again as he makes his way
down several flights of stairs.
He tosses open the exit and finds himself standing in the
bright sunlight. He covers his eyes, like a timid vampire
and makes his way to the Spyder.
He jumps in and races off once again.
FRANK (V.O.)
The plan? Not brain surgery. To get
more money and more dope. I wasn't going
to leave Celine in limbo, somewhere
between heaven and hell waiting for me
while I rotted in a jail cell for the
next hundred years.
Frank pulls into the parking lot of the first bank that he
sees.
INT. BANK - CONTINUOUS
The bank is crowded, but Frank doesn't care. He stumbles in
and pulls his gun.
FRANK
This is a robbery.
He falls and then stands, stumbling his way to the bank
tellers window.
FRANK (CONT'D)
I want all your bills. Don't fuck around
with those goddamn dye packs.
The FEMALE TELLER starts to pile up some bills on the
counter.
Frank grabs several stacks and pushes past the crowd and back
out the door.
EXT. BANK - CONTINUOUS
It already began to rain again.
The bank alarm goes off as Frank searches for his car. He
finally spots it and moves toward it.
He falls into the seat and fumbles with the keys.
A police cruiser with light blazing pulls into the bank lot
and people begin to shout to the police that Frank was their
man.
Frank takes off slowly out of the bank parking lot with the
cruiser in pursuit.
Then another, another, and still another.
Frank watches them in the rear view mirror.
A high-speed police chase ensues on the wet and dangerous
roads.
Red lights are ran dangerously. Frank leads the officers on
a high-speed chase on the 405 the 10 and downtown toward the
Harbor Freeway. There are helicopters in pursuit as he
drives back toward Hollywood on the North bound 101.
Back on city streets Franks zooms past the Beverly Center and
skids out of control slamming into numerous vehicles before
coming to a halt in front of a hotel. The car is a total
wreck.
He exits the vehicle with the police cruisers, now in large
numbers closing in and closing in fast.
Cops began to creep all around him now with guns drawn.
Frank unscrewed the silencer and lets off a few rounds. The
cops all scramble for cover.
Frank leaps over a bannister and falls on his face. He gets
up and throws himself through the doors of the hotel.
INT. HOTEL/STANDOFF - CONTINUOUS
Frank races through the lobby and heads for the stairwell.
INT. HOTEL STAIRWELL - CONTINUOUS
Frank pushes open the door and makes his way out onto the
roof. The sky is clearing and the sun begins to peak out of
the clouds.
The entire roof is encased by a retaining wall will graceful
Willow trees overlapping the south side of the rooftop.
Frank runs for cover under those Willow trees.
There is a stinging sensation in his chest. He's been hit.
Frank falls to the ground and is blinded by the sunlight.
The sound of chopper blades fill the sky as it hovers
overhead. A sniper has landed a single shot into Frank's
chest.
Frank sprawls across the ground pulling himself under a
table. The lights go out as officers converge onto the roof.
The gun is kicked from Frank's hand.
OFFICER
Don't you even twitch.
FADE TO:
Frank lies unconscious, strapped to a gurney in a hospital
bed. He's tied down and handcuffed to the metal bedframe.
Two FBI AGENTS sit at his side.
INT. TERMINAL ISLAND FEDERAL PRISON - DAY
The sound of a cell door slamming echoes throughout the long
concrete and steel corridor.
A GUARD's footsteps approach a cell.
Frank stands.
GUARD
89060-012?
FRANK
Yeah?
GUARD
This is it. R and D and hurry the fuck
up asshole. I don't like to be kept
waiting.
The guard smiles. Frank smiles.
FRANK
I won't keep you waiting. I only got one
thing to take with me.
Frank reaches down and grabs a thick stack of papers. It's
his manuscript. The cover reads: Nowhere Fast.
FRANK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Today's the gates swing opens. Did five
of nine on Federal time.
MONTAGE:
INT. TERMINAL ISLAND FEDERAL PRISON - A LITTLE LATER
Frank goes through all the steps of release and discharge.
His fingerprints are taken, his photograph is taken. He's
given his civilian clothing and he changes into them.
He stands at the discharge gate and the doors swing open.
GUARD
Hey, 89060-012.
FRANK
It's Miller.
GUARD
Hey, Miller?
FRANK
Yeah.
GUARD
Don't let the doors hit ya where the good
lord split ya!
Frank walks out the gate a free man.
INT. TRAIN CAR - DAY
Frank sits alone on a train car as New York City towers in
the background.
FRANK (V.O.)
I spent the first nine months in the
prison infirmary. Detox is hell on
earth. I wouldn't wish it on a giggling
Hitler or any of a number of equally sick
fucks. Now, I figure I can handle
anything. Anything this world can dish
out to me, I can take.
EXT. THOMPKINS SQUARE PARK - DAY
Frank sits at a table playing a game of chess with an old
Russian man. The timer is ticking away.
A smallish, PUERTO RICAN FELLOW, a real slimy weasel
approaches Frank.
PUERTO RICAN FELLOW
Yo Frankie! What's up?
Frank doesn't recognize the guy.
PUERTO RICAN FELLOW (CONT'D)
I saw you on the Maury Povich show. Man,
you're that bank robber guy? You know
what I'm saying? You crazy mother fucker
you. You know what I'm saying? I was
thinkin' man they out to make a movie
about that shit. Maybe even a book.
That's it. You should right a book about
that shit. You know what I'm saying.
Frank looks at the guy like he wishes the guy would shove
off.
PUERTO RICAN FELLOW (CONT'D)
I'm serious man, people will eat that
shit up. You know what I'm saying?
FRANK
No, I got no idea what you're saying.
Why don't you write the fuckin' book for
me.
PUERTO RICAN FELLOW
No kidding? I can do it. I know I can
do it. You know what I'm saying?
FRANK
I already told you, I got no idea what
the fuck you're saying.
Frank's distracted by something that he sees. His face
lights up.
He waves hello and smiles. He stands.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Listen, you see that chick over there?
The brunette?
PUERTO RICAN FELLOW
Yeah man, I can see her. You gotta be
blind to not see her coming.
FRANK
Then you don't mind taking off do you?
PUERTO RICAN FELLOW
Oh, I get it. I understand. I know what
you're saying.
FRANK
(to the elderly men present)
Anyone feel like taking over this game?
I got a date with this chick and she's
been waiting for that date for a long
time.
Celine, looking healthy has put on some weight and dyed her
hair brown.
She puts her arms around Frank and they hug.
CELINE
Hi baby.
FRANK
Hey you.
They walk off arm in arm.
FADE OUT.
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