DEUCES WILD

Written by:
Christopher Gambale

Based on the original story

"The Neighborhood"
By Christopher Gambale
Executive Producer:
Martin Scorsese

(Gambale final delivery Draft)

SUPER: BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, - SUMMER 1956

EXT. SUNSET PARK - NIGHT
It's about four A.M. A haunting Doo-wop song plays from the
radio of a passing car. The park is deserted.
As the
passing MUSIC dissolves slowly into the din of the night, our
CAMERA moves through the park, past the MONKEYBARS, the
SLIDES, the SWINGS to the end of the park -- the dirty assend. There's an overturned garbage container, some liquor
bottles, remnants from a party.
A PARK BENCH
Allie Boy is slumped across the park bench with a small
hypodermic needle dangling from his arm. His lifeless
pubescent features and pasty complexion intensified by
tonights full moon. He's been dead for two hours now.
Rapidly APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS stop at the boy's body.
big brother, Leon, who lifts Allie Boy up.
LEON
Fuckin' no! Allie --

His

Allie Boy!

Leon sees the needle sticking in Allie Boy's arm, he pulls it

out and tosses it to the ground. He effortlessly picks
Allie's limp body off the bench and into his arms and runs
out of the park in search of help.
CUT TO:
EXT. GREENWOOD CEMETERY - DAY
Young Leon stands over his brother Allie Boy's small grave
site. An older female hand rests on his shoulder. The
female, his Aunt (ESTHER SENTA) kneels down INTO FRAME, talks
to Leon. Bobby, 13, stands quietly in the background.
ESTHER AND LEON
Leon's teary eyes are fixed on Allie Boy's grave.
ESTHER
We haven't been able to find your mother,
Leon. Nobody knows where she is.
Leon looks up at her.
ESTHER (cont'd)
From now on, you'll stay with us Leon.
Your cousin Bobby and me. Everything
will be just fine Leon, Aunt Esther
promises.
CUT TO:

2.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT - THREE YEARS LATER (SUMMER 1959)

Leon, now 19, has grown into a muscular and extraordinarily
strong teen. He lies wide awake on top of the sheets in a
pair of jockey shorts on this hot summer night. Not a
cooling breeze in sight.
CLOSE ON LEON
His eyes are fixed across the small room to his sleeping
cousin, BOBBY, 16, small for his age.
Leon begins to sing
softly to himself.
LEON
(in rhyme)
Come little leaf said the wind one day...
Bobby awakens to see Leon singing.
isn't the first time.

They lock eyes.

Leon turns away from Bobby and attempts to sleep.

turns away as well.

This

Bobby

BOBBY
(tired)
Again, this fuckin' nut...
CUT TO:
EXT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - DAY
A hot July Sunday outside the neighborhood candy store. Old
rusted tin soda signs are nailed into the facade of this
corner store. A Coca-Cola-sponsored sign with marquee-style
green caps lets us know this is "WILLIE'S."
A hand-scrawled
sign indicates Egg Creams are ten cents. The front screen
door is open. We hear Top 10 (1959) MUSIC from the store's
beat-up old model Wurlitzer JUKEBOX.
Willie's is on the corner, down the block from Bobby and
Leon's tenement building.
The sides of Sixth Avenue facing
one another are divided by a two-way street. This lightly
auto-trafficked street serves not just as a divider of east
and west, but DEUCES' territory and VIPERS' territory.
Spray painted gang logos on adjacent buildings signify this.
Bobby, a Deuces gang member, stands outside the candy store,
alone. He's propped himself with one foot up on the iron
sprinkler standpipe. It's taken a long time to find the
perfect pose and Bobby's finally got it. He smokes a
cigarette from the pack rolled up in his tight T-shirt.
Seems that Bobby likes the way he looks smoking more than he
likes smoking.
A spalding ball rolls to Bobby. He picks it up and throws it
to the KIDS playing in the street.

3.

BOBBY
You ain't no Dimaggio yet, Scooch!
Scooch, 10 years old, catches the ball and he goes to Bobby.
SCOOCH
Someday Bobby, right?
BOBBY
That's right -(been through this before)
-- but remember what do you gotta do?
SCOOCH
Stay away from that corner.
BOBBY
That's right. Nothin' but bad people
doing bad things over there.
(sotto)
Junkie cocksuckers.
Scooch runs off, Bobby continues smoking.
Leon and Tino, 17, cross the street to Willie's. In,
daylight, Leon, the leader of THE DEUCES looks even bigger.
Leon is half Italian, half something else, could be black.
Whatever Leon says, goes; within the gang and within their
block. The merchants and residents alike have grown to
depend on his protection and neighborhood support.
Leon passes the fruit stand. The owner, POPS, Italian
immigrant, 60's tosses him a peach.
LEON
Cool, Pops.
Leon takes a bite.

Makes a face.

POPS
It's a no sweet?
LEON
In a coupla' days, maybe.
Leon throws the peach across the street to the social club on
the opposite corner.
THE CLUB
It hits the garbage can outside the club, making a loud
NOISE. A man asleep on a chair gets startled for a second
then returns to sleep.

4.

LEON AND BOBBY

LEON
Hey Bobby.
(with a nudge)
Protectin' the block?
BOBBY
That's your job, Lone Ranger. Where you
been all day? Eatin' under-age peach?
LEON
I hadda' take care of a few things over
at the church.
BOBBY
Don't gimme' that shit. You got some
broad shacked up somewhere? Bein'
selfish?
Leon slaps Bobby in the back of the head as Leon and Tino go
in the candy store. Bobby, pissed, rolls up his short
sleeves higher in an attempt to reveal muscle that isn't
there. A BOY (NATE), about 16, passes Bobby, walking a bit
too close. Nate's a small teen. Hardly a threat, and quite
the easy victim.
BOBBY (cont'd)
(after the boy)
Hey asshole!
Nate continues walking, not paying a bit of attention to
Bobby, who now goes after him.
BOBBY (cont'd)
I'm talkin' to you, asshole!
Nate continues his casual stride like Bobby doesn't exist.
Maybe he's hoping Bobby will go away. Bobby runs up close
behind him.
BOBBY (cont'd)
Don't you know whose block this is?
No response.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
This here's the Deuces' turf. You walk
down this block you better be a Deuce or
you better be running. You hear me
Jerkoff?
Bobby punches Nate in the back of the head, sending him to
the ground. Nate begins screaming wild and unintelligible
sounds as Bobby continues to pummel him.

5.

BOBBY (cont'd)
Who you hangin' with? Tell me, scumbag!
Bobby continues to pound him. Leon and Tino exit Willie's
and see Bobby beating the shit out of Nate. They run over.
BOBBY (cont'd)
You don't wanna tell me?!
(kicks him in the ass)
Whatcha' hidin', punk?!
Leon pulls Bobby away from downed Nate.
BOBBY (cont'd)
This punk kid -- disrespected the Deuces'
turf. Disrespected me. I think he's one
of them Garfield Boys. Schemin' to move
on us again.
Tino holds up Nate, looks in his face.

Positive now.

TINO
This dope ain't one of the Garfield Boys.
They don't hang with no Pee-Wees.
BOBBY
I'm tellin' ya, I know that fuckin' face.
Leon looks at the kid.

Closer.

He laughs.

LEON
C'mere you jerk. This is Betty Ann's
deaf brother, Nate. They send him home
every summer. What the fuck are you
doing beating up a deaf kid?
BOBBY
He didn't answer me.
LEON
That's probably cause he's deaf!
(to Tino)
He hits one person a year and it's a deaf
kid.
BOBBY
Fuck him, how should I know? His mother
should hang a sign around him or
somethin'.
Tino picks Nate up off the ground and brushes him off. Nate
is terrified of Bobby and runs away.
CUT TO:

6.

EXT. ST. PETERS CHURCH - BROOKLYN - DAY

Establishing.
INT. ST. PETERS CHURCH - BROOKLYN - DAY
The church is empty. A few pillar mounted fans WHIR, blowing
warm air. We hear the sound of a HAMMER hitting wood.
CLOSE ON LEON
in a sweaty T-shirt, laying on his side positioned under a
pew as he repairs the broken frame.
FATHER ANTONELLI
brings Leon a jar of nails.
FATHER ANTONELLI
Here you go Leon, I hope these nails are
big enough.
(hands it to him)
Okay or no?
Leon takes the jar, taps out a few nails into his palm.
LEON
These should work.
FATHER ANTONELLI
You're a good boy Leon.
Leon removes a piece of cracked wood, shows it to the Priest.
LEON
How old are these pews, Father?
FATHER ANTONELLI
Not that old. This is where Louise
Carciovanni sits every day.
LEON
Big Louise from the bakery?
FATHER ANTONELLI
She should lay off the Sfogliatelli, eh'?
LEON
(laughs)
Yeah, huh.
Leon laughs, continues to work.
CUT TO:

7.

EXT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - DAY - LATER

The DEUCES are hanging out in full force. Bobby takes a sip
from an old tarnished flask that's passed to him by Tino who
combs his hair into a D.A. and checks his reflection in the
candy store window. BIG DOM, 16, about 250 pounds at fivefoot-six works for Pops at the fruit stand and always has
something to eat on him. At the moment he's eating pistachio
nuts from his pockets, which have stained his fingers red.
JACK, 15, the youngest member of the Deuces runs up to the
boys.
JACK
(out of breath)
They're coming around the block again.
Cool.

BOBBY
Patty Cugire and The Moof all set?

Yeah.

JACK
They're all set.

CLOSE ON THE CORNER

a Cadillac Convertible turns the corner and pulls up to the
candy store. The RADIO loud, drowning out the music coming
from inside the store.
THE CADDY CONVERTIBLE
Four young Italian-American punks get out of the Cadillac.
PHILLY BABES exits from the passenger side. He's early 20's,
quite overweight and equally overbearing.
He thinks he's
Brando. Looks more like John Belushi doing Brando. The
driver turns the radio off.
Philly is followed by his entourage du'jour, TONY CATAPANO
(TONY CATS) also 20's, he's Philly's weasel-looking sidekick,
and two other guys, possibly back-up muscle. Philly walks up
to Bobby.
PHILLY
Where's Leon?
BOBBY
What's it to you?
PHILLY
That scumbag told Mikey Festo he'd break
his head if he rented us this store over
here.
Philly indicates the store next door to Willie's.

8.

PHILLY (cont'd)
(to Bobby)
Lemme' ask you something. Since when he
become the fuckin' landlord?
BOBBY
Since yesterday.
the paper?
The gang laughs.

You didn't see it in

Philly isn't amused.

TINO
Hey Bobby, he probably don't read the
paper. Just the page with the track
handle.
More laughs from the Deuces.
PHILLY
(in Bobby's face)
Listen to me, you tell that half-breed
cocksucker cousin of yours -- tomorrow
morning we're moving in over here. You
or any of youse get in the way of any of
my guys and you're dead.
BOBBY
Philly, didn't your old Uncle Gennarino
drop the fuck dead last month?
PHILLY
Have some respect, you fuck.
BOBBY
Lemme' ask you, who you with now?
solo? Could be dangerous.

Flying

PHILLY
Your mothers cunt, that's who I'm with.
Bobby flicks his lit cigarette butt at him.
BOBBY
Just take a walk, you fat fuck. Don't
get no ideas about moving junk on our
block.
Leon and the Deuces got rules
'round here.
PHILLY
(smiles, he's busted)
Listen up children.
That, we don't do.
We're openin' a social club. We're gonna
try bein' a little more social.
(likes the way it sounds,
laughs)
Some numbers action, some broads... We
don't touch that other thing.

9.

ON THE ROOF
four stories above the action. PATTY CUGIRE and the MOOF are
positioning a wheelbarrow filled with cinderblocks directly
over Philly and his crew.
BACK TO THE STREET
BOBBY
My ass. Wonder what would happen if
Fritzy found out. You'd be dead.
PHILLY
Listen to this guy...
BOBBY
A dead fat pig.
PHILLY
(lunges at Bobby)
C'mere you fuck! Get my hands -Bobby snaps open a switchblade, points it at Philly's neck.
Philly backs off, pointing a finger at Bobby.
PHILLY (CONT'D)
Your time'll come, you little Jerkoff.
BOBBY
Go home, Junk Man.
We'll see.

Take a walk!

PHILLY

Philly goes back to his car.

He stops, turns to Bobby.

PHILLY (cont'd)
Just cause your cousin's brother died
with a fuckin' needle in his arm, don't
give him the fuckin' right to blame
decent people -Bobby lunges at Philly.
BOBBY
You dirty motherf-Tino holds Bobby back.
PHILLY
You got a big pair of balls to stand
behind that fuckin' nut Leon.
TINO
Up your ass, you fat retard!

10.

PHILLY
Yeah. Up my ass. That's right, you half
spic. Wait and see what surprises I got
for all you misfit bastards.
BOBBY
We got one for you too, ya' fuck!
The men return to their car laughing. Tony Cats gives Bobby
a finger point and a look of warning. He starts the engine.
Philly tilts the rear-view mirror to check his hair.
Bobby signals Jack with a nod. Jack whistles his own unique
signal up to the roof. The gang quickly moves from the spot
as -ANGLE ON THE ROOF
the wheelbarrow filled with cinder blocks are poured off the
ledge of the roof.
CAMERA FOLLOWS the 25-pound-cement blocks as they quickly
descend toward the convertible Cadillac below. The two tons
of cinder blocks hit the Caddy, smashing the car and
splattering the men like the foot of God onto a soda-can. A
huge cloud of dust and shattered glass surrounds the
destroyed Caddy and the mangled bodies inside the car.
The Deuces are nowhere in sight.
CLOSE ON THE GANG - BLOCKS AWAY
splitting up, running away. Bobby and Tino take a turn down
a clothesline-jammed alleyway.
TINO
You see those fucks get crushed?!
they're dead back there?
BOBBY
I'd put even money on it.

Think

Fuck them!

TINO
You think Leon's gonna be pissed when he
finds out?
BOBBY
Without a doubt.
They run down the alley. Bobby SCREAMS to the heavens
through the narrow alley.
BOBBY (cont'd)
Bring on the Vipers! Bring on the world!
Nobody fucks with the Deuces!
CUT TO:

11.

INT. SENTA APARTMENT - LATER - DAY

The railroad flat is tiny.
person is off to the side.

A kitchen with room for one

The radio PLAYS.

ESTHER SENTA, 40s, Bobby's mother, prepares the small dinner

table for three, none of the dinnerware matches. She looks
20 years older than she is from a hard life of emotional
suffering and a steady diet of booze. A kind soul who never
caught a break is not about to get one.
Bobby enters wiping his hands on a dishrag.
T-shirt.

He wears a tank

ESTHER
Where's your cousin?
BOBBY
Probably mumbling his prayers in a dark
hole somewhere.
Bobby catches a whiff from the kitchen, hungry for dinner.
BOBBY (cont'd)
Smells good in here for a change. I'm
starvin'.
ESTHER
You should be more like Leon, the way he
helps the church and all the good he
does.
BOBBY
Got no time. Ain't no profit.
ESTHER
You should find time for God.
Bobby grabs a Fraselli (Italian biscuit) and eats it.
BOBBY
For him, this church thing's like a
sickness, fixing the joint up morning
noon and night.
Painting, washing,
cleaning. He's like a slave to that
Father Antonelli. And why, cause
Antonelli talks to him mornin, noon and
night about his dead brother?
(an idea)
Hey Ma, maybe you should do the same
thing and have him fix up our place too.
ESTHER
You never plan to grow up and settle down
in your own place? Have a family maybe?

12.

BOBBY
I ain't plannin' on nothin' until I nail
a big score and get the hell outta this
shithole.
Leon walks in the front door, a sweaty mess, he flashes Bobby
a scornful look.
LEON
You, I gotta talk to.

Come out here.

INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER

Leon and Bobby talk outside their door.
LEON
This ain't no game, Bobby.
BOBBY
You hadda' be there.
same thing.

You'da done the

LEON
Droppin' bricks off the roof?
BOBBY
(proudly)
Cinder blocks. They're bigger.
LEON
Whatever you dropped, I get called in to
a sit down with Fritzy. It's a good
thing this fat fuck Philly ain't dead.
BOBBY
Fritzy was mad?
LEON
Yeah. Philly's dead uncle Gennarino was
close with Fritzy. They got that respect
thing happenin' when they come from those
small Geep towns. It's a good thing
Fritzy likes me, or we'd all be in some
serious trouble right now.
BOBBY
Does Fritzy know that fat bastard Philly
is a penny-pusher lookin to set up shop
on Sixth Avenue?
LEON
I don't wanna get involved with any of
Fritzy's business. We do what we been
doin'. We watch the block, that's it.
Keep the other gangs out and make sure
nobody's touchin' the shit. That's that.
As long as we're clean, and our block's
(MORE)

13.
LEON (cont'd)
clean, I'm cool. Fritzy's cool too, he
knows Philly's a loudmouth fuckin' idiot.
BOBBY
Ain't too hard to figger out.
LEON
And the message stands to Mikey Festo.
No rentin' nothin' to Philly. They ain't
movin' in on our block. Whether they're
dealing drugs, rugs, or dealin' cards.
Philly's a piece of shit and so is his
brother Marco.
BOBBY
Still in the can, that one?
LEON
(nods)
Him, I can't wait to get my hands on.
Cut his black heart out, that fuck.
BOBBY
That's the Leon I love. For a minute I
thought with all the church shit you been
doin', you lost ya' balls or somethin'.
Leon grabs Bobby by the neck, holds him up. His grip is
tight. Leon reaches his free hand down his sweaty underwear,
keeps it there a moment and pulls his hand out. He puts his
open palm on Bobby's face.
LEON
That smell like I lost my balls?!
Bobby is close to vomiting, he shakes his head no.
him down.
BOBBY
God that stinks.
LEON
You listen up. No more sit-downs. I
don't back down from nothin', but I never
said okay to bangin' out Philly Babes.
Don't ever think you're me. Callin'
shots for the Deuces.
Okay Leon.

BOBBY
I'm sorry man.

Leon pushes Bobby into the house.

INT. SENTA APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
Leon closes the door behind them.

No more.

Leon puts

14.

LEON
(sniffs, to Esther)
House smells good Aunt Est, what's
cookin'?
ESTHER
Ahhh, you're smellin' Vincenza and
Mimmo's next door. I think she made
Lasagna for Mimmo's birthday.
(envious)
Smells nice, huh?
Esther takes a pan from the oven.

Leon washes up.

ESTHER (cont'd)
I made potatoes and onions. Like you
like. This smells good too.
BOBBY
That's it? Potatoes and onions? Ma,
lemme' ask you, what do you do with all
the money we give you? Blow it on booze,
right?!
Esther holds her head, close to tears.
LEON
C'mon man, don't do this.
BOBBY
Fuck it! I ain't eatin' this. She blows
the bread on hootch and I gotta eat
'cazzo'. I'm gettin' me some pizza.
(to Leon)
You comin'?
LEON
Sit down and eat or get out.

She cooked.

BOBBY
(to Esther)
Drink! Drink! You didn't learn from pop
dying like the drunken bastard he was?!
Leon stands.

He's prepared to crack Bobby.

BOBBY (cont'd)
See you later, Mister Potata.
Bobby slams the door. Esther runs into the other room
crying. Leon sits all alone.
LEON
No fuckin' peace.

15.

He takes a few beats, starts eating.

CUT TO:
EXT. BAGNARA PIZZERIA - NIGHT
A street service window selling hot slices and cold Italian
ices does big business on this hot summer night. A PIZZAMAN,
50s, tosses pizza dough spinning high up to the stamped tin
ceiling. His son, SALVATORE, 18, works the register. He's
talking to Bobby through the service window. Bobby wipes his
mouth.
BOBBY
Sal, gimme a square this time.
piece. That one over there.
Sal gives Bobby the slice.

Corner

Bobby looks across to see.

CLOSE ON ANNIE POLITO - OVERCRANK SHOT

17 years old, sexy as she is beautiful. Her striking petite
features and confident body language make her irresistible to
Bobby and the CAMERA. She's flanked by several girls passing
her, DOREEN, BRENDA, MARYANN and CATHERINE. All members of
the female gang THE VELVETS which Annie is the leader of.
They're waiting for a table. Several of the Velvets see
other friends and say hello. Annie locks eyes with Bobby.
BACK TO 24FPS
Bobby mid-bite into the hot slice, burns his mouth and pulls
the scorching, stringy cheese from his face -- breaking the
moment.
Annie gets a quick laugh as she sits down with her gang.
SALVATORE
She's something, huh?
BOBBY
Meincha. She's a doll.
(wipes his face, to Sal)
How hot you gotta make the pizza, Sal,
you got a direct line to hell in there? I
got third-degree burns over here.
Bobby puts down the slice, he enters the pizzeria and goes to
Annie's table. The girls are in conversation when Bobby
approaches. Annie looks up to see Bobby standing over her.
ANNIE
You here to take our order?
The girls laugh.

Bobby has the spotlight on him.

16.

Yeah.

BOBBY
Whaddya' want?

ANNIE
I want you to take it on the arches.
BOBBY

What?

ANNIE
Disappear.

Scram.
sight.

Get the fuck outta my

The Velvets laugh.

BOBBY
You sure 'bout that?
ANNIE
We came here for Pizza, not games.
Okay then.
Yeah?
boy?

BOBBY
But I'm wondering...

ANNIE
What were you wondering, wonder

BOBBY
Wondering what's gonna happen when I tell
them not to serve you the Pizza you came
all the way in here for.
ANNIE
Try it, dope.
Bobby shouts to Sal.
BOBBY
(yells)
Hey, Sal, see this table over here?
SALVATORE
(plays along)
Yeah Bobby. I see em'.
BOBBY
Until they give me their order, you
give'em nuttin', okay?
Make like you
hired me, like just for the night, just
for these dames' table.
SALVATORE
Whatever you say, Bobby.
Annie gets up.

17.

ANNIE
C'mon girls.
Annie pushes Bobby aside as she exits.

The Velvets follow.

ANNIE (cont'd)
(to Bobby)
Jerkoff.
In passing Bobby each girl delivers an obscenity directly to
his face -- "fuckin' asshole", "shithead", "dickface".
Bobby looks to Sal, they both laugh. Another group of
youngsters immediately occupies the now-vacant table.
Bobby watches Annie leave, he catches her look back in
interest.
CUT TO:
EXT. SUNSET PARK - NIGHT
The Deuces are hanging out in full regalia in the front part
of Sunset Park. Their street and tenement building can be
seen in the far BKG.
Bobby's V.O. PLAYS OVER THE FOLLOWING
BOBBY (V.O.)
This here's the park. Sunset Park. Four
neighborhoods border on this chunk of
neutral turf. Here, everybody does their
thing and it's cool.
Leon is kissing BETSY MILLER, 16, voluptuous sexpot.
Betsy
breaks the kiss to take a swig from a cheap bottle of "sneaky
Pete".
Artie Jr. nicknamed (MOOF), 18, PATTY CUGIRE, 16, and Big
Dom share their own bottle of the cheap booze with three
other gang girls. Moof practices fancy moves with a
butterfly knife to impress his girl.
Patty Cugire goes to Leon who takes a break from Betsy. An
aroused Leon adjusts his erection as Betsy gets off his lap.
PATTY CUGIRE
I got some news for you boys.
LEON
Is it gonna make me smile or go fuckin'
nuts?
PATTY CUGIRE
Could be bad.

18.

What?

LEON

PATTY CUGIRE
Vipers called us out. Frankie
Muchagrasso said so.
Fuck em'.

LEON
Ain't nothin' new.

PATTY CUGIRE
That wasn't the bad news. Bad news is,
Marco Venditti gets sprung maana.
Leon's face turns white.
BOBBY
Marco's gettin' outta' the can?
PATTY CUGIRE
Three years goes fast.
CLOSER ON LEON
a million miles away now.
PATTY CUGIRE
Vipers are gettin' new jackets and
everything. Gonna be a big celebration
from what I heard.
Bobby looks at Leon. Leon slowly comes back to earth, he
smiles a deadly grin.
LEON
(sniffs the air)
You smell that?
What?
Blood.

BOBBY
LEON
CUT TO:

EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - DAY - VARIOUS IMAGES

All happening on one block.
THE TENEMENT
A 16-year-old, PUERTO RICAN GIRL sunbathes on her fire
escape. Two 12-year-old boys take turns watching her from
across the street through a pair of old Army binoculars.

19.

THE GRINDING SHOP - BASEMENT DOOR

Bobby and two guys walk up the steps carrying boxes of
fireworks. Bobby, behind them, closes the basement door.
counts the money from the sale.

He

THE TENEMENT
An OLD LADY leans out her front window watching the action on
the street. Her cat sits on the ledge next to her.
THE FRUIT STAND
Big Dom splits a huge watermelon in half with a machete to
show the customer its quality.
THE TENEMENT ACROSS THE STREET
An overloaded car pulls up to the building across the street
from Leon and Bobby's tenement. Three young men get out with
rope-tied moving boxes.
Another car pulls up behind them.
More boxes are stuffed into the second car and open trunk.
CLOSE ON ANNIE AND JIMMY POLITO
in the second car. Jimmy is Annie's brother, aka Jimmy
Pockets, 18, wiry-haired, smoking, with a nervous tick. He
oozes sleaze. Their Mother, WENDY, 40s, sits in the back
seat. A toxic shell of someone you could tell was once
beautiful. She's suicidal and a schizophrenic. They're
moving into the tenement across the street from Bobby and
Leon.
JIMMY POCKETS
C'mon Ma, you gotta get out of the car
now. We're here.
WENDY
I don't want to.

I want to go home.

JIMMY POCKETS
C'mon -- it's okay.
We're home now.
This here's where we live.
Wendy won't budge.

Jimmy waves Annie over.

JIMMY POCKETS (cont'd)

Help me get her outta the car.
Annie sticks her head in the car.
ANNIE
(sniffs the car, dryly)
Ma, I smell gas leakin'. Get out of the
car before it blows up.

20.

Wendy makes a mad dash for the sidewalk.

Jimmy. See, some things are easy.

Annie looks at

WENDY
(nervously, unsure)
Where's the tree? Are you sure we
brought the tree?
JIMMY POCKETS
The Christmas tree's okay Ma, it's in the
box. I had to take it apart so it would
fit in the car.
Annie and Jimmy's friends help them carry the boxes into the
apartment hallway.
ACROSS THE STREET - CLOSE ON BOBBY
sees Annie unpacking boxes with her friends. He crosses the
street. Annie is struggling with a box of fragile items.
Bobby comes up behind her.
BOBBY
You ready to order that Pizza now, miss?
Christ.

ANNIE
Not you again.

BOBBY
You shouldn't a left.
kiddin'.

I was just

ANNIE
Kidding. In ten seconds, my fat friend
Brenda was gonna stick you in the oven
and eat you.
Bobby laughs.
BOBBY
You ever gonna forgive me?
ANNIE
I dunno. A scarred, hungry woman don't
forget so easy.
BOBBY
Need a hand over here?
Annie puts the box down.

She smiles at Bobby.

ANNIE
That's okay, Popeye, I got it covered.
BOBBY
You moving in?

21.

ANNIE
Hey, you got brains too?
BOBBY
See how I put two and three together?
The boxes, you carrying em', and the
empty apartment in 4B. Gotta be only one
thing.
ANNIE
Lemme' guess. You live in 4A?
BOBBY
Naah, across the street. Deuces'
territory. 626 sixth is Vipers' turf.
ANNIE
Thank God, I'da hated to move again so
soon.
BOBBY
Where'd you live before this?
ANNIE
President Street.
BOBBY
Always there?
ANNIE
Before that, I came crawlin' out from
between my mother's legs. Anything else
you wanna know?
BOBBY
(laughs)
Yeah. You hang with the Velvets?
ANNIE
I run the Velvets.
Bobby likes her a lot, he could talk to her forever.
turns back to the boxes.
ANNIE
Listen, I gotta finish moving in sometime
today.
BOBBY
You sure you don't need a hand?
Jimmy walks out from the building, sees Bobby.
JIMMY POCKETS
(to Bobby)
Not one of them hands, we don't.

Annie

22.

ANNIE
(to Jimmy)
Shut up jerk.
Jimmy shakes his head and takes another box from the car,
heads back up to the apartment.
BOBBY
Who's that, your boyfriend?
ANNIE
My brother.
BOBBY
(smiles)
If he wasn't your brother, I'd have to
kick his ass for sayin' that.
ANNIE
Well, he is, so don't get no bright
ideas.
BOBBY
I got some bright ideas for you's what I
got.
ANNIE
Yeah whatever.
Leon WHISTLES to Bobby from across the street.
to him.

Bobby turns

BOBBY
I'm talkin' here.
LEON
(yells from across the street)
You're talkin to nothin', get over here!
Annie gives Bobby a look, then carries the box into the
building.
CUT TO:
EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - 626 SIXTH AVENUE - MAGIC
Leon and Bobby walk up the block, they wind up in front of
their building.
BOBBY
You still against doin' the liquor
warehouse job?
LEON
How many times I gotta say no?

23.

BOBBY
I can't ask again? Maybe you changed
your mind, I dunno.
I didn't.

LEON

BOBBY
There's a ton of scottole to be made
there. We could wind up with -LEON
(cuts him off, he's heard this
before)
-- eight or nine hundred a piece. It
ain't worth it. It's a dumb idea.
BOBBY
All these bullshit half-assed deals like
the fireworks and stuff just get us by.
Getting out of here's the best idea I
ever had and the only way we're gonna
manage that is with a big fat score.
LEON
I ain't interested in goin' anywhere.
got the neighborhood. Everybody here
cares about me and you.

BOBBY
Nobody gives two shits about me, Leon.
And you? The only reason they like you
is cause you protect em' with the Deuces
and walk them little old ladies to mass
every Sunday.
LEON
This here's a good neighborhood.
BOBBY
Only cause it reminds you of your
brother.
Let's think about the future,
tomorrow, next month, next year.
LEON
(a beat)
Don't gimme' that shit. When Allie Boy '
died, half of me went with him.
Bobby's attention is diverted across the street.
ACROSS THE STREET
Annie and her gang, the Velvets, are congregating outside her
building. There's about eight girls, all wearing similarstyle clothing. Bobby's eyes are on Annie.

24.

BOBBY
Nice right? She just moved in.
little fox with the short hair.

The

LEON
The Velvets. I know them. They ain't
foxes, they're pigs. I nailed about half
of em' when I used to hang on President
Street.
BOBBY
(quickly)
You score with the little one with the
short hair?
LEON
Naah, that's Annie.

Annie the ice cube.

BOBBY
Yeah, Annie, right.

You know her?

LEON
She's Jimmy Pockets' sister.
it all. She's nothin'.

That says

BOBBY
Well she's doin' somethin' to me.
LEON
That scumbag Jimmy Pockets was there the
night Marco gave Allie Boy the hot shot
that did him. People who were there that
night saw it.
BOBBY
You sure 'bout that?
LEON
When the cops threw Marco in the
for dealin', everybody thought I
a dime on him. I wasn't tellin'
nothin'. I wanted to keep Marco
myself.

joint
dropped
the cops
all for

BOBBY
Looks like you're gonna get your wish.
LEON
I'm fuckin' droolin'. But that little
weasel-fuck Jimmy Pockets, it was him
that turned in Marco. Trying to save his
own ass and beat doin' time for dealin'
the shit himself.
BOBBY
Still, Annie had nothing to do with it.

25.

LEON
Every time I see that fuck in church I
feel like stranglin' him.
BOBBY
He goes to church?
INT. ST. PETERS CHURCH - BROOKLYN - DAY
It's a packed Sunday Mass. Jimmy Pockets is sitting in a pew
eyeing the churchgoers purses on the floor of the pew in
front of him. During a transitional moment in the Mass, the
parishioners go from sitting to kneeling. Once kneeling,
Jimmy sneaks his hand under the pew and steals a lady's
wallet from her purse.
LEON (V.O.)
That's how he got his name.
Jimmy on line for communion. He accidentally bumps into the
man in front of him and picks his pocket.
BACK TO - SIXTH AVENUE - LEON
LEON
The fuckin' broad's probably just as bad.
Bobby won't agree, he likes her a lot.
CUT TO:
INT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - NIGHT
The jukebox is loud, playing the music of this Summer 1959.
The Deuces are in the back of the candy store. Big Dom
peruses comic books from a spinner rack and is on his second
bag of potato chips. Jack flips salivating through a girlie
magazine.
JACK
Know what I'd do to her, Dommie?
BIG DOM
(still reading the comic)
You'd fuck her Jack?
Yeah.

JACK
Know how good Dommie?

BIG DOM
(still reading the comic)
Really good, Jack?
JACK
Yeah, really good.
(a beat)
(MORE)

26.
JACK (cont'd)
Where do these girls live?
live somewhere, right?

They gotta

BIG DOM
(looks up)
I think they all live in France.
Tino, Patty Cugire and BENNY, 17, play dice against the back
wall.
Bobby is sipping an egg cream. Leon is talking to two girls
at the other end of the counter. Bobby is in conversation
with Willie, the owner of the candy-store. Willie is late
30s, once a tough street kid himself.
WILLIE
I need another case of Lucky's.
BOBBY
No problem. How you doing on Camels?
WILLIE
I'm good on the Camels.
Lucky's.

Kids like the

10-year-old Scooch and his father, GINO, enter the store.

SCOOCH
Hiya' Bobby.
Hey pal.

BOBBY

Gino pulls Scooch away from Bobby.

The kid shrugs at Bobby.

GINO
(to Willie)
Gimme' box of DiNobili.
Willie gets the cigars.
SCOOCH
Daddy, get me a pretzel?
GINO
Shaddap. You don't deserve nothin'.
(to Willie)
How much I owe ya'?
WILLIE
Twenty cents.
SCOOCH
Daddy, please -Gino slaps Scooch in the head hard.

27.

GINO
When I say shaddap, you shaddap!
Bobby doesn't like this.
BOBBY
Do me a favor, don't hit the kid, okay?
He's a good kid.
GINO
Mind ya' fuckin' business.
Gino slaps Scooch in the head again, this time to anger
Bobby. Leon looks over from the end of the counter.
BOBBY
I said, don't do that!
GINO
I do what I want with my kid!
Willie tries to diffuse the escalating argument.
watches curiously, Bobby's actions.

Leon

WILLIE
Uh, guys -BOBBY
It's okay Willie.
GINO
Lemme' get what I gotta get, and get the
fuck outta here.
(off Bobby)
Piece a' shit, bastard. Tell me what to
do...
Gino puts the change in his pocket. Scooch stands there
quietly. Bobby does a slow burn. Gino looks at Bobby, turns
to Scooch and slaps him again. Hard enough this time to make
him cry.
GINO (cont'd)
(to Bobby)
That one's because a' you.
Bobby turns away, sickened, but quickly turns back to Gino.
BOBBY
And this one's because of you -Bobby drives his clenched fist into Gino's face, sending him
crashing backward through the spring-hinged front door.
Popeye couldn't have done it better.
Leon busts out laughing.

Bobby's hand hurts.

28.

BOBBY (cont'd)
Rotten prick.
Scooch stands there grateful, with a big smile on his face.
Papa Gino is knocked out. Bobby grabs a pretzel from the
container, hands it to Scooch.
BOBBY (cont'd)
Here you go pal.
Scooch accepts the pretzel and gives Bobby a hug.
BOBBY (cont'd)
He lays another hand on you, you come
find me, okay?
SCOOCH
(with newfound strength)
Yeah, Bobby. I will.
Moof enters the store.
MOOF
Hey, Gino the tile guy is layin' on the
sidewalk outside.
BOBBY
(to Scooch)
Be good. Go home to your mother.
Scooch splits.
WILLIE
Bobby, c'mon over here -BOBBY
The guy's a prick -Leon?

WILLIE

LEON
(laughs, from a distance)
Until Gino throws the first punch, it's
Bobby's war.
BOBBY
Anybody know today's number?
WILLIE
Still playin' 808?
BOBBY
For about ten years.
Everyone laughs.

Bobby goes outside to get a newspaper.

29.

EXT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - NIGHT

Bobby takes a paper from the rack. Gino is gone. Bobby
laughs. He casually looks up to see. THE VIPERS. Fifteen
gang members across the street. Ready to rumble with the
Deuces. Two of the Vipers swing thick chains with expert
precision.
Bobby quickly makes an about face and heads back in the candystore, locking the door behind him. He's pale as a ghost.
Bobby goes to Leon.
BOBBY
Vipers are outside.
of em'.

There's a shitload

Leon takes a look out the front window.

LEON
(to the gang)
We got company!
Fifteen maybe sixteen.
Big Dom, Patty Cugire, Jack, Tino, Benny and Moof stop
everything and gather by Leon awaiting further instruction.
EXT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - NIGHT
The Vipers stand congregated across the street from the candy
store, ready to fight.
The two girls that Leon was talking to open the door to the
candy store. GIRL #1 holds a folded handwritten note in her
hand.
The girls walk directly to the acting-leader of the
Vipers, Vinny Pesce (VINNY FISH).
VINNY FISH
Whattya' you two skirts want?
action?
GIRL #1
Not with you greaseballs.
message from the Deuces.
Vinny Fish takes the note.
laughing.

Opens it.

Some

Here's a
The girls leave

CLOSE ON THE NOTE

in sloppy handwriting. "Vipers will die.
Sunset Park. Deuces rule!"

Tonite 2 A.M.

EXT. BACK ALLEY - CONGRESS STREET - LATER

The Deuces laugh as they make a clean escape out the back of
the candy store. Leon grabs Tino. Leon, Tino and Bobby walk
closely as they talk.

30.

LEON
I didn't know they had so many guys.
What the fuck happened?
TINO
They was like us.

Ten guys tops.

LEON
(to Bobby)
This has gotta be for your little stunt
with Philly Babes.
BOBBY
Maybe for Marco's homecoming.
LEON
(sharply)
Fuck that animal!
BOBBY
Lemme go get a couple of pistols from the
Oceanside Boys. We'll show em' Vipers
who's boss.
Leon stops.

Deadly serious.

LEON
No guns Bobby! It's our rule.
their rule.

And it's

BOBBY
Again with the rules.
(sotto to Patty Cugire)
This a street gang or the fuckin'
Marines, eh?
CUT TO:
EXT. BALTIC STREET - SAINT PETER'S CHURCH - NIGHT
The annual summer church bazaar is in full force on this
closed-to-traffic, pedestrian-packed street. Sausage and
peppers and Zeppole stands throw a cloud of greasy smoke into
the air. A local band sings "Mala Femmina" from a platform
lit by a crude string of bare bulbs. An old woman sells cups
of wine and fresh peaches.
VARIOUS IMAGES - THE CHURCH COURTYARD
normally used as a schoolyard is now buzzing with festivity
and games of chance. Bets are taken at the various game
booths by PRIESTS and NUNS. It's a money machine for the
church and the local mob.

31.

THE DICE WHEEL

continues to spin. We watch it slow down and then the rubber
pointer lands on three "number six" die faces.
WIDEN TO REVEAL
Leon and Bobby standing next to Freddy the Pollock at the
dice-wheel. FREDDY, 17, whose pale pimpled-face and Dondi-red
hair made him a picked on kid is now a really toughened
teenager. Father Antonelli calls the winner.
FATHER ANTONELLI
Six, three times!
(repeats it in Italian)
FREDDY
Three boxcars. Christ almighty!
Freddy's a loser.
Father Antonelli hears him. Freddy
catches himself. Bobby hands Father Antonelli a dollar.
BOBBY
Some change Father?
Father Antonelli gives Bobby the coins
CLOSE ON FATHER ANTONELLI
he looks at Leon, concerned, feels the bad energy.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
You wanna bless em' for me?
Bobby places more bets.

Freddy leans into Leon.

FREDDY
So how many guys you talkin' 'bout for
tonight?
LEON
Vipers had about fifteen, so I figger
we're gonna need about six more.
BOBBY
Six makes it fair. Get ten more and
we'll fill the fuckin' morgue.
Father Antonelli is about to spin the wheel, he flashes Bobby
a dirty look.
BOBBY (cont'd)
I didn't mean that, Father.
attention to me.
Father Antonelli spins the wheel.

Don't pay no

32.

FREDDY
Ten usually ain't no problem. But by two
o'clock? I dunno. Tonight's Saturday
night, it ain't gonna be no easy thing.
The dice-wheel slows then stops.
CLOSE ON THE DICE WHEEL
The rubber indicator is on the slot showing Die's 1,2,3.
Bobby's a winner.
BOBBY
Hey I won a buck and a half!
Freddy loses his bet.
Not bad!

Father Antonelli pays Bobby.

BOBBY (cont'd)
I must be lucky tonight.

Over Leon's shoulder, Bobby spots Annie at the color-wheel.

He throws a LONG LENS on her as she sneaks a shot of booze
from her friend Catherine's pint of Blackberry Brandy. Most
of the Velvets are talking with guys by the bandstand.
BOBBY (cont'd)
Leon, I'll be back in a few minutes-LEON
Where you goin'?

Don't get lost.

Bobby counts his winnings and struts to the color-wheel game.

He sees Annie but passes her and goes to the other end of the
stand. Bobby puts a quarter up for change. He bets a dime.
Annie intentionally makes eye contact with him, she's a
little drunk and feeling cocky. Bobby sees her staring and
casually smiles, he's the first to look away.
The ball is rolled by SISTER CONCETTA.
SISTER CONCETTA
(with a severe Italian accent)
Where the ballini eh'stop, nobody know.
Annie's friend Christina walks away. Annie walks over to
Bobby, she stands next to him. He casually acknowledges her
and makes another bet.
ANNIE
Feelin' lucky?
Yeah.

BOBBY
Just won a buck fifty over there.

33.

ANNIE
Mistah Rockefellah.
(off the game)
What color's your dough on?
BOBBY
The green polka dots.
ANNIE
You must be feelin' lucky, that's a
hundred to one shot.
BOBBY
I always go for the long shot.
Yeah?
bet?

ANNIE
How about we make a little side

On what?

BOBBY

ANNIE
(playful but serious)
You're looking at it.
BOBBY
Whaddya' mean?
Annie grabs Bobby's hand, massaging it. She moves her finger
indicating him to lower his head for a secret.
ANNIE
(sotto)
If you hit the green, I'll let you go inbetween.
CLOSE ON ANNIE'S HAND
below everyone's eyeline she presses his hand between her
legs. She kisses him quickly on the neck. Bobby's turned on
like mad, but plays it cool. She could just be drunk and
teasing him.
BOBBY
What if I lose?
ANNIE
(a beat)
Then we both lose.
He likes the way that sounded -- honest. Sister Concetta
rolls the ball again.
Bobby watches it roll across the
colors. Suspense is in the air as it continues to roll.
Annie's eyes are fixed on Bobby who erupts into a loud fit of
yelling.

34.

BOBBY
I got it! I got it!
(a beat, thinks)
I get it!
CLOSE ON THE BALL
stopped in the green polka-dot pocket.
Annie looks at the ball, she smiles at Bobby. Sister
Concetta hands Bobby two cartons of Lucky's and a five dollar
bill with a frown.
SISTER CONCETTA
Eh'quiet, you crazy, you scare the
people.
Bobby hands the cigarettes to Annie, he pockets the five
spot.
ANNIE
(off the cigarettes)
You don't want em'?
BOBBY
(smirks)
Where do you think the church gets em'?
ANNIE
I hear you guys are brawlin' the Vipers
tonight.
Yeah.

BOBBY

ANNIE
I might stop by.
BOBBY
(off her body)
Bring my winnings and a raincoat, there's
gonna be alot of blood.
Annie laughs.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE - THE DEUCES - VARIOUS SHOTS
getting suited up for the fight. Makeshift steel curved
protective sheaths slipped in the specially altered forearm
sleeves of their leather jackets. SWITCHBLADES hidden
securely in the small of their backs. A homemade blackjack
made out of lead sinkers fitted in a tube sock. A razorsharpened GARRISON BELT slipped carefully through jeans belt
loops.

35.

TINO
loads a thin steel "whip chain" in the front pocket of his
jeans, he lets the loop handle hang out.
BIG DOM
takes a pipe club from behind his dresser and grabs his
baseball bat.
MOOF
switches open two switchblades.
TENEMENT STORAGE ROOM - ANGLE IN A MIRROR
Leon smokes a cigarette looking at his image in a mirror. A
few beats and he shatters the mirror and OUR IMAGE to pieces
with a leather sap.
CUT TO:
EXT. SUNSET PARK - NIGHT
Leon, Bobby, Big Dom, Tino, Jack, Moof, Patty Cugire and two
other Deuces wait by the entrance of the massive illuminated
public pool, which is closed and gated shut for the night.
LEON
Where the fuck are Freddy and his guys?
It's deuce in da' mornin' and I see
nothin'.
BOBBY
We're gonna get creamed if they don't
show.
BIG DOM
(off his club)
No way, Bobby. Not us.
LEON
We ain't never gettin' creamed.
part of the plan.
TINO
(sees something)
I think these are them.
(whistles)
Yo!

It ain't

I see em'.

BOBBY
(looks closer)
That ain't them, that's the Vipers.
Great, Tino, call them over so they can
kill us quicker.

36.

Leon adjusts his brass knuckles. Bobby lights a cigarette.

LEON
What are you doin' smokin'?
BOBBY
It might be my last one.
alright?

C'mon.

Lemme' enjoy it

LEON
We can destroy their ass, we still got
what it takes.
JACK
I'm feelin' mean.
TINO
Jackie, yeah man.
motherfucker!

Yeah you mean

Jack and Tino hit fists.

BOBBY
(thinks)
Fifteen of em' eight of us. We gotta go
crazy on them. Split'em up, before they
double team us. That's what we gotta do.
JACK
Let's fuckin' do it.
BOBBY
(finishes the cigarette)
Or maybe reschedule this until we get
married, have kids and move to Long
Island?
C'mon.

LEON
Let's rock n' rumble.

The Deuces walk toward the bathrooms into the courtyard area.
They're walking directly into the Vipers.
THE VIPERS
waiting, have at least fifteen guys, all suited up in their
street-armor (Vipers jackets) ready to fight.
BOBBY
looks around for Freddy's guys who are nowhere in sight.
WIDER - THE COURTYARD
The Deuces and The Vipers stop walking as they face each
other, leaving about twenty feet of free space in between
them.

37.

Vinny Fish steps forward.

the middle.

Leon steps forward.

They meet in

VINNY FISH
You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me.
LEON
I don't kid 'bout nothin'.
VINNY FISH
Looks like the Deuces are finally goin'
down.
LEON
You got it the other way around Vinnyfish.
VINNY FISH
Not by the way I see it.
Vinny Fish is slammed in the head with a rock, knocking him
down.
LEON
(to Vinny on the ground)
You still seeing things so good Vinny?
The rock came from Big Dom's slingshot.
Yeah!

BIG DOM

He reloads.
The Vipers and Deuces begin brawling. Vinny Fish is still
down from the hit. The Deuces go psycho, knowing they are
outnumbered two to one. Bobby keeps to the rear of the fight
but is immediately grabbed and thrown to the ground by an
attacker.
BOBBY
Ahhh, I knew it -Bobby gets pummeled.
ANGLE ON THE SIDELINES
Annie shows up with two of her friends, Catherine and Brenda.
They watch as the fight rages. Annie takes a swig from
Catherine's bottle of "sneaky Pete". Annie sees Bobby down,
worried, she goes closer to the action.
THE FIGHT - VARIOUS ANGLES
Bobby manages to punch his way out from the attacker's grip,
his leather lead-lined gloves crushing the guy's nose, a huge

38.

spray of blood covers them both. Bobby throws him down and
is immediately pounced on by two others.
Leon is fighting two Vipers at the same time. After receiving
two shots to the face, Leon manages to knock them both out
with skillful blows to their heads.
Tino whips one Viper with his razor-sharp whip chain, slicing
the guy's arm wide open. Tino continues his brutal attack as
he wraps the chain around the guy's neck and drags him off to
the sidelines to beat him more. As he drags him, Tino is
jumped by another Viper who stabs Tino in the leg. He falls
to the ground and the Vipers start kicking him.
Leon sees Bobby in trouble and rushes to his side where Bobby
is getting stomped on by the two Vipers.
LEON
Hang on Bobby!
Leon grabs one of the Vipers off Bobby and drives his head
into his knee repeatedly until the guy is out cold.
LEON (cont'd)
Fuckin' scumbag -Big Dom is beating a guy with a baseball bat. Jack and Moof
are duking it out with two others. Big Dom, out of breath,
takes a final swing at his attacker and sends him down with a
thud.
Vinny Fish pushes Leon off the Viper who was attacking Bobby
and delivers two solid punches to his face. Leon remains
standing and gets livid, swinging wildly at Vinny Fish who is
now backing away, seeing all the downed Vipers in his
retreat.
Bobby is attacked again. He manages to open his switchblade
and stab his attacker in the stomach. The guy rolls over in
agony. Bobby gets up, ragged and bloody. He's weak.
Looking off to the sidelines he sees Annie. She cheers for
him. They lock eyes as the brawl winds down. Bobby is
jumped by another Viper as he stares at Annie.
Leon attacks Vinny, beating him unconscious with his massive
fists. Leon is raging.
Big Dom has three knocked out Vipers on the ground beside
him, he joins Moof and Jack in taking care of the four
remaining Vipers.
Jack has his switchblade out, using fancy, almost artistic
moves as he manages to slice open the chest of one of the
Vipers, sending him running away in terror.
Bobby has been knocked down again by a new foe, but he
manages to stab the attacker several times in the back.

39.

The attacker moves off of Bobby spitting projectile spurts of

blood to the ground and onto Bobby. Bobby looks at Annie.
Her obvious respect energizes him.
Bobby breaks the stare once again and spins around and
continues stabbing the attacker viciously with the knife.
He's going too far showing off for Annie.
Annie watches, turned on by the violence.
Almost all the Vipers are down except for the two guys
fighting Moof and Jack. Big Dom is exhausted, resting on a
park bench. He gets up to go after the last two Vipers but
is stopped by Leon who grabs Big Dom's baseball bat.
Leon menacingly goes after the two Vipers.
LEON
It's over -- look at your boys.
over Jerry.

They back away.

It's

They take a look at the scene. Jerry, one of the Vipers still
standing, gets in Leon's face.
JERRY
This ain't over by a long shot. Tonight
was only a warm-up exercise for what
Marco's got planned for you. He's been
waiting three years to crucify you.
LEON
I been waitin' for him!

Fuck that cunt!

Leon goes ballistic and smashes Jerry's head in with his

brass knuckles, sending him legless to the ground. The
remaining Viper runs away.
WIDER - THE COURTYARD
The Vipers' bodies lie all over the courtyard. Some out
cold, others coming around. The brawl is over.
ANOTHER ANGLE - THE COURTYARD
Freddy and ten of his gang show up to help the Deuces.
Freddy takes a look around, surveys the damage nodding in
approval. Leon sees him.
FREDDY
It started already?
LEON
It's finished.
FREDDY
You guys are somethin' else, man.

40.

Annie runs to Bobby, who is sitting off to the side on a park

bench. She takes a pink satin handkerchief from her jeans
pocket and cleans the blood from Bobby's face.
You okay?

ANNIE

Annie kisses him, getting his blood all over her face.
turns her on.

This

We hear SIRENS in the BKG.

Bulls!

LEON
Let's break it up.

Leon sees Bobby with Annie.

Now!

LEON (cont'd)

Annie kisses Bobby again.

They split.
DISSOLVE TO:

INT. POLITO APARTMENT - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Annie feeds her cat and makes a pitcher of lemonade. A cut
from The Johnny Mathis Christmas Album plays in the Living
Room down the hall.
A KNOCK on the kitchen window. Annie is startled and grabs a
huge kitchen knife. It's Bobby on the fire escape.
Relieved, Annie opens the window and Bobby climbs in.
Bobby brushes off his jeans. His face has a few cuts and
bruises from the brawl, but he's okay.
ANNIE
Hey, Romeo.
Annie pours them drinks.

Bobby hears something.

BOBBY (cont'd)
Do I hear Johnny Mathis singin' Silver
Bells in there?
Yeah.

ANNIE

BOBBY
It's July. It's a hundred and fifteen
fuckin' degrees outside.
ANNIE
My mother, she's got a thing for
Christmas, whattya' want from me?

41.

BOBBY
Just a little weird, ain't Christmas
supposed to be in December?
ANNIE
Don't pay no attention to her.
(a serious beat)
She's sick. Tried killin' herself a
coupla' times. We give her these little
blue pills, seems to be helpin'.
Bobby opens the window, they climb out and sit under the
stars. The Manhattan skyline is visible a few miles away.
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY BATHROOM - NIGHT
Leon walks out of their bathroom, which is shared with two
other families. He gently dries his bruised face as he
enters the apartment. He's beat.
INT. SENTA APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
Walking to his bedroom down the inside hallway, he catches a
glimpse of something on the floor by the window. As he gets
closer, he sees Esther lying limp under the window. He
shakes her. No response.
Leon picks her up.

She GROANS, plastered drunk.

Leon carries her to her bed.

leaves.

He bows his head in pity as he

CUT TO:

INT. LEON AND BOBBY'S ROOM - LATER

Leon holds a beat-up wallet-size picture of Allie Boy. He
kisses it and wedges it back into the side of the mirror,
next to a color picture of the Blessed Mother. Leon looks
across the room at Bobby's empty bed.
As Leon goes to his own bed, he sees out the window.
LEON'S POV
Annie and Bobby sitting on the fire escape, drinking and
laughing.
EXT. ANNIE'S FIRE ESCAPE
Annie smokes a cigarette.
ANNIE
What did Leon say about me?

42.

Nothin'.

BOBBY

ANNIE
Nothin'?
He probably called me a slut,
right? Said I sucked his cock?
Wha'd
he say?
BOBBY
Nothin' like that, just said you were
cold.
ANNIE
Cause I ain't no slut and I didn't suck
his cock.
BOBBY
Nobody said you did.

Calm down.

ANNIE
I'm sensitive 'bout shit like that.
got big fuckin' lying mouths.
(she calms, smiles)
So how come I never seen you around
President Street?

Guys

BOBBY
I never hung out around there.
ANNIE
But your Cousin Leon -BOBBY
Even though we lived in the same building
we were never that close. Plus I was
younger then. He did his thing, I did
mine. When his brother died and he came
to live with us, we got closer.
ANNIE
Shit like that fucks you up for good.
Yeah.

BOBBY
Tell me about it.

Annie takes a marijuana joint out from her bra.

ANNIE (cont'd)
(off the joint)
You smoke pot?
Naa.

BOBBY
What's that reefer?

ANNIE
Yeah. I steal it from my brother. He's
been sellin' for years. Never caught a
(MORE)

43.
ANNIE (cont'd)
bust, the slippery fuck that he is.
(takes another deep hit, offers
him)
You sure?
BOBBY
Yeah, I'm sure. It's a waste on me,
y'know?
Whatevah.

ANNIE

BOBBY
Listen. I'm tellin' you cause I like
you, y'know? Don't let Leon catch your
brother sellin' on Deuces turf, cause
he'll break his head.
Why?

ANNIE

BOBBY
Since what happened with Allie Boy,
overdosin' and all, he's been real strict
about keepin' drugs outta' the area.
ANNIE
But where we're sittin', this here's
Vipers' turf, right?
Yeah.

BOBBY
This here, is.

ANNIE
So as long as the Vipers don't cross that
yellow line in the street, they can do
whatever they want?
BOBBY
They could set up a sausage and peppers
stand and sell bags of Babania on the
side. Just as long as they don't do it
on Deuces' turf.
ANNIE
Seems pretty stupid. It's only a line in
the street. Like Bugs Bunny. Remember
when he kept drawin' the line with his
foot, until the guy went over the cliff?
BOBBY
Yeah, but Leon don't look at this like no
cartoon. He takes this stuff serious.
(points across the street)
You live here. Figure, a hundred feet
from my building?
Annie nods, inhales deeply.

44.

BOBBY (cont'd)
That hundred feet'll get someone killed
if they're caught dealin' or fuckin'
around with us. The stores, the cars.
The church.
ANNIE
If he cares so much, why not try to stop
it over here?
BOBBY
He's fightin' a losin' battle. But it's
better to go out fightin' then like a
pussy, I guess.
ANNIE
You guys have anything to do with Philly
Babes and his crew gettin' smashed up?
Not us.

BOBBY

ANNIE
They got smashed up on Deuces' turf.
BOBBY
Unlucky for them, I guess. Why you
askin'?
You know those guys?
ANNIE
Philly Babes and Tony Cats?
(laughs)
Where do you think my brother gets his
goods from?
BOBBY
Wha'd you hear?
ANNIE
Philly's got a busted arm and bandages
all over his head. Looks like the
fuckin' Invisible Man. Tony Cats is
still in the hospital.
BOBBY
Where'd you see them?
ANNIE
Why're you so interested if you don't
know them?
BOBBY
I ain't interested in them.

C'mere.

Bobby caresses Annie's face and he pulls her closer to him.

They kiss and start making out on the fire escape.

45.

INT. ANNIE'S BEDROOM - LATER

A tiny storage room converted to a makeshift bedroom. Bobby
and Annie have finished making love. They're both naked in
Annie's bed, big enough for one small child. Bobby is behind
her, nuzzling her sweaty neck.
We hear in the far background, another selection from the
Johnny Mathis Christmas Album.
CUT TO:
EXT. RED HOOK, BROOKLYN - GRAIN TERMINAL - DAY
The Statue of Liberty stands in the BKG behind the busy
docks. A small ferry is docking alongside the huge Brooklyn
Grain Terminal. Three CORRECTIONS OFFICERS greet the ferry
as the longshoremen tie the ferry down.
The gangplank on the ferry is extended. Two other
CORRECTIONS OFFICERS lead ex-prisoners down the ramp to their
freedom. There's about ten prisoners. One of them is
wearing sunglasses. This is MARCO VENDITTI.
CLOSER ON MARCO
average height but built like a refrigerator. His short
hair, jailhouse tattoos and muscles are indicative of his
three year sentence. Marco struts down the ramp with a slow
deliberate cockiness. He's cool and not in any rush like the
other ex-cons. The corrections officer CO#1 at the foot of
the gangplank waves him on.
CO#1
C'mon Venditti, you ain't Miss fuckin'
America.
Marco continues his cool-cat stride.
MARCO
I fucked her too, man.
Marco walks off the ramp and onto the empty loading dock.
MARCO
The bad guy's back in town.
cool.

So very
CUT TO:

EXT. PUBLIC POOL - DAY

Jimmy Pockets' car pulls up to the crowded pool.
out and walks toward her friends.

Annie gets
CUT TO:

46.

EXT. RED HOOK - GRAIN TERMINAL - DAY

Marco, leaning on the back of a bench, smoking.
Authority security guard passes him.

A Port

MARCO
Hey, you got the time?
GUARD
(off his watch)
Quarter after eleven.
Marco throws the cigarette down, without a thank you to the
Guard.
Jimmy Pockets' car drives up to the bench. Jimmy gets out
of the car and goes to Marco, still leaning on the bench. An
eager Jimmy is all smiles. Marco doesn't react.
JIMMY POCKETS
(arms extended)
Welcome back, my man!
Marco doesn't say anything.
JIMMY POCKETS (cont'd)
Whatsa' matter?
Marco gives Jimmy Pockets a brain-rattling slap, sending him
to the ground.
What?!

JIMMY POCKETS (cont'd)

MARCO
You know how long I been waiting?
JIMMY POCKETS
I dunno, fifteen minutes?
bridge was up?

The Gowanus

MARCO
I been waiting three years and fifteen
minutes. Get the fuck in the car!
JIMMY POCKETS
(gets up)
I'm sorry, man. The bridge -MARCO
No excuse man -(goes to the car)
Open the door for me.
Philly?

Where's my brother

47.

JIMMY POCKETS
Can't move his head. He got a pain in
his neck.
Yeah, you.

MARCO

JIMMY POCKETS
(opens the passenger door)
Marco, I'm real sorry I'm late, man.
MARCO
Just fuckin' drive.
They get in the car.
from the slap.

Jimmy's holds his face, still stunned

MARCO
You gonna start the car or you wanna suck
my dick?
EXT. JIMMY POCKET'S CAR - CLOSE ON THE CAR TIRES SCREECHING
as the car takes off.
EXT. SAINT PETERS CHURCH - SIDE COURTYARD - DAY
Leon is on a ladder, cleaning the long, tiltable stainedglass church windows.
CLOSER ON LEON
who gets lost in the painful religious imagery of the glass.
Betsy calls out to him from below.
BETSY (OC)
Ain't you done yet?
Betsy stands below the ladder, wearing cut-up jeans shorts
and a bikini top. She holds beach towels.
He didn't hear
her.
BETSY (cont'd)
C'mon Leon! Are we goin' to the pool or
not? It's gonna be hot as hell today.
Leon's snaps out of it.

He yells down to her.

LEON
Yeah. This is the last one, I'm almost
finished.
CUT TO:

48.

EXT. PUBLIC POOL - DAY

Double the size of an Olympic Pool. It's packed on this hot
summer day. Fifteen gangs are represented here. Everyone
broken off in their own clicks. It's neutral territory.
The DEUCES are there in swimming trunks. Big Dom does a
belly flop in the shallow end. Bobby stands near the edge,
smoking.
PATTY CUGIRE
(yells to him)
Hey Dommie, you're gonna kill someone
like that! Makin' tidal waves -BOBBY
Fuckin' Dommie. The little kids better
watch out for that caffone.
(yells to the kids)
Hey Kids! Look out for the whale!
The KIDS scream. Everyone laughs. Big Dom comes up from the
bottom, spitting a stream of water at everyone.
TINO
Where's Leon?
BOBBY
He'll be here, he's probably gettin'
drunk, drinkin that church wine with
Father Antonelli.
TINO
The way he breaks his ass for that
Priest, someone better make Leon a Saint.
BOBBY
A construction job would pay him big
bread for the crap he does for them.
Leon says we all get paid off in the end.
I'll take it now, when I can spend it.
PATTY CUGIRE
I'm gettin' it in the end, now.
(laughs)
Hey Dommie, you tryin' to drown yourself?
BIG DOM
Just takin' a piss, Patty Cugire!
Everyone around Big Dom swims away quickly.
JACK
Bobby, ya hear, Dommie knocked up Stacey
Boots.

49.

BOBBY
Another one?
Yeah!

BIG DOM
She's gonna have a little Big Dom!

TINO
Ain't no such thing.
BIG DOM
(frolics in the water)
I'm startin' a Little League team.
BOBBY
Givin' birth to Dommie's kid must be like
pissin' out a roast beef. Poor Stacey
Boots.
ANNIE (OC)
What about Stacey?
Bobby turns toward Annie, who is in a sexy swim suit.
BOBBY
Lookin' good Annie.
Annie pushes Bobby playfully into the pool, she jumps in
after him. They splash-fight each other then wind up
kissing.
CLOSE ON LEON
and Betsy Miller, carrying towels. Walking toward the
Deuces' spot. Leon sees Bobby with Annie.
Bobby self-consciously lets go of her.
reaction.

Annie catches the

ANNIE
If it ain't Big Shot and Lil' Twat.
The Deuces make a spot for Leon.
LEON
(to everyone)
How's it goin'?
Leon looks at Bobby and Annie in the water.
LEON (cont'd)
(yells out to the pool)
Hey, Bobby! C'mere.
Annie looks Bobby in the eye.
Don't go.

ANNIE

They're talking.

50.

BOBBY
He's callin' me.
You a dog?
No --

ANNIE
BOBBY

ANNIE
Then make him come here.
BOBBY
He probably has to tell me something
important.
ANNIE
Then let him tell you here.
LEON
(louder)
Bobby!
ANNIE
If you wanna be treated like a dog, then
go. Go ahead puppy dog.
BOBBY
(angered, yells back to Leon)
What?!
C'mere!
Chooch?
Nothin'!

LEON
What's wrong with you, you
BOBBY

ANNIE
(in Bobby's ear)
Go run, puppy dog.
Annie drops under the water and swims away.
he gets out of the pool, goes to Leon.
What?

Bobby's pissed,

BOBBY

LEON
I had to ask you something.
now.

I forgot

BOBBY
Do me a favor -- heh?
(to Betsy)
How do you put up with this guy?

51.

BETSY
I love him.
LEON
(beaming)
See Bobby, that's what a girl's supposed
to be like. She supposed to stay by your
side and not cause no trouble. And not
be no instigator either.
BOBBY
I'll remember, big brother. Or is it
dad? I get confused sometimes.
Bobby takes a running jump in the pool.

Leon's pissed.

ANGLE ON BOBBY - LATER

solo in the water.
taking in the sun.
Yo.

He hangs off to the side of the pool

Leon walks up to him.
LEON

Bobby opens his eyes.

LEON
I remembered what I hadda ask ya'.
What?

BOBBY

LEON
Tomorrow, I might need a hand helpin'
Father Antonelli out.
BOBBY
C'mon man. You know how I feel about
hangin' out in that church. All them
things lookin' down at me like I done
somethin' wrong. Gives me the creeps.
LEON
Antonelli will throw you a buck, you just
gotta help me move some bingo chairs.
BOBBY
With them old lady pussy stains on em?
Bobby sees Annie.
ANGLE ON ANNIE
they lock eyes, she smiles seductively and turns away,
teasing him.

52.

BOBBY
(to Leon)
Forget it. I got my own stains to worry
about.
Leon walks away mad.
take in the sun.

Bobby closes his eyes and continues to

Big Dom swims next to an unsuspecting Bobby. A beat, then

Bobby feels something and opens his eyes wide. He sees Big
Dom.
BOBBY
(yells angrily)
Over here you gotta do that?!
Big Dom laughs.
ANOTHER ANGLE - THE POOL
Annie is talking with several girls by the public bathrooms.
Bobby watches her. Annie sees this and attempts to make him
jealous by talking to two nearby guys. It works.
Bobby gets jealous, walks away.
ANGLE ON ANNIE
talking to her gang The Velvets pool side.
BRENDA
Are you kidding? Marco Venditti's
homecoming party and you're not going?
ANNIE
Forget about it. And I don't wanna find
out that any of youse' were there. So
that's that.
BRENDA
Are you serious? This is gonna be the
wildest, the coolest. They're havin it
in the basement of P.S. 29. Vinny Fish's
cousin is the super -ANNIE
You go, you're out of the Velvets,
capiche?
But why?

BRENDA

ANNIE
Never mind why. You go there, you make
us all look bad. It's a reflection.

53.

BRENDA
A reflection?! What the fuck are you
talkin' about.
ANNIE
Lower your voice.
BRENDA
No, I'm tired of you telling me what I
can and can't do. I'll yell as loud as I
fuckin' want!
Annie punches Brenda square in the face, she falls sloppily
backwards into the pool, her nose gushing blood in the water.
ANNIE
You're out. Y'hear?! I don't ever wanna
see your face around the Velvets anymore.
You understand me?
Brenda gets out of the pool crying, she runs away.
addresses the remaining girls.

Annie

ANNIE (cont'd)
Anybody else got a problem missing the
homecoming queen's party?
All the girls quickly say "no".
Good.

ANNIE (cont'd)

MARYANN
Is Brenda really out Annie?
ANNIE
She took our friendship and protection
for granted. She's gone and I don't want
nobody talking to her. You hear me? All
of you?
MARYANN
(gently)
But she's my sister.
ANNIE
(that's right, a beat)
And what are we? Aren't we your sisters
too?
MARYANN
Yeah, I know -CUT TO:

54.

EXT. P.S. 29 - BOILER ROOM - NIGHT

Marco's welcome home party is happening full swing in the
huge boiler room under the neighborhood grammar school.
There's more than fifty people drinking, dancing, smoking
weed.
ANTONIO THE JANITOR
of the closed school, and Vinny Fish's cousin, has been
appointed disc jockey. All the equipment is prominently
stenciled "Property of Board of Education, City of New York".
The huge boilers in the background are being used as
makeshift beer keg holders, spouts half-sticking out of the
coal ports.
ANGLE ON MARCO
flanked by thirty guys, fifteen of them members of The
Vipers. They're all doing shots of straight Gin. Everyone's
getting fucked up. There's twenty girls, many of them teen
prostitutes.
MARCO
I need a kiss, it's been five minutes
since I tasted a woman. C'mere baby.
Marco waves over a hot pro. LUCY, 19, dark-skinned Italian.
He begins making out with her in front of everyone, feeling
her up. He pulls out of the kiss.
MARCO (cont'd)
Don't cool down just yet baby.
Marco takes a sip of his drink and continues with Lucy.
Everyone laughs. Jimmy Pockets walks over with Vinny Fish.
JIMMY POCKETS
(to Marco )
Ya' brother is here. Upstairs.
coming down.

He's

THE BASEMENT HATCH

Philly carefully maneuvers his way down the steep steps.
left arm is in a cast, his neck and head are in a heavy
brace. One of his friends (PUNCHY) follows closely.
PHILLY
Punchy, what the hell kinda party is
this, in a kids' grammar school? Did my
brother lose his mind in the joint?
PUNCHY
Looks pretty good to me Philly Babes.
Vinny Fish's cuz is the super.
(looks around, likes it)
(MORE)

His

55.
PUNCHY (cont'd)
I should ask him if I could do my brudda'
Santo's engagement party down here -Two girls run to the steps with cocktails for the men. They
offer the drinks.
GIRL #1
Right this way.
Punchy and Philly follow the girls past the exposed pipes and
ductwork. Philly manages to hit his head on a low pipe. He
CRINGES in pain.
PUNCHY
(taking it all in)
Meincha, if school was like this when I
was a kid, I mighta gone.
They wind up in the middle of the loud party.
finishes a kiss with Lucy. He sees Philly.
MARCO
(to Lucy)
You sure you ain't part Melanzane?
fuckin' lips, like a vacuum.
Lucy playfully hits him.

Marco

Those

Philly hobbles open arms to Marco.

PHILLY
Welcome home, you maniac.
MARCO
You gained weight, you fat fuck.
PHILLY
A coupla' pounds.
My ass.

MARCO
Try twenty.

PUNCHY
(joins in)
Twenty five with the cast.
MARCO
I heard what happened to you, but whoa -(off the casts & braces)
-- you really got fucked up, heh?
PHILLY
That scumbag Leon, he's behind all of
this. I got a fuckin' limp's gonna be
with me the rest of my life. I want that
mother's prick dead.
MARCO
Small world, me too.

That rat bastard.

56.

PHILLY
(off Punchy)
This here's Punchy, Tony Cats' goombata.
Punchy and Marco shake hands.
MARCO
How's Tony doin'?
PUNCHY
No good, man.
He's half stunad all the
time. Can't talk, blind in one eye, lost
all his fingers except for the thumbs.
He what?

MARCO

PUNCHY
Yeah -- the way he drives -(imitates driving a car using
two hands)
the shit came down on them digits hard,
like you can't believe. Took em' fingers
off like an axe choppin' carrots.
Jimmy Pockets brings drinks to the men but they already have
some.
MARCO
You tell Tony Cats that Leon and the
Deuces are gonna pay for everything.
That fuck is history.
PHILLY
What's a guy to do with just thumbs?
MARCO
Hitchhike, what the fuck do I know?
JIMMY POCKETS
Anybody want another drink?
Marco takes another.

Guzzles it.

PHILLY
Jimmy, bring Marco over to the new place
tomorrow.
MARCO
Shame Uncle Gennarino ain't gonna be
there. I miss that crazy old fuck.
PHILLY
Yeah. I miss him more than you can
imagine.

57.

MARCO
Who's been watchin' your back?
PHILLY
Nobody, I've been movin' around quietly.
The other guys don't have such an open
mind like Uncle G.
MARCO
What I got planned, ain't gonna be quiet.
I'm gonna spin this neighborhood on my
cock. I'll go see Fritzy. He still
runnin' Sixth Avenue?
Yeah.

PHILLY

MARCO
He's a fuckin' whore, I'll buy him in ten
minutes.
PHILLY
Good. Beautiful for us if you could.
Anyhow, come by tomorrow. We got some
money that's yours. Your cut of the
business, plus a little welcome home
tribute. A little brotherly love.
Drunk Marco grabs Philly around the neck.
but he grins.

It hurts Philly,

MARCO
This is a stand-up guy! Heh?!
(continues to grab him)
Knows how to treat his big brother!
The pain is too intense, Philly pulls away.
PHILLY
Alright, tomorrow.
(adjusts his neckbrace)
We got another shipment of Mary-Jane from
Neil, too. We'll whack it up tomorrow.
MARCO
Back in business! I missed it man.
Feels cool.
(to Philly)
You wanna get laid, get your dick wet?
There's girls in the back.
PHILLY
(his neck hurts bad)
Later, later.
Vinny Fish, also very drunk, comes over, puts his arm around
Marco.

58.

VINNY FISH
(off Marco)
Philly! Like magic. He's back!
streets are ours again.

The

Vinny moves to grab Philly around the neck, Philly pulls

back.
PHILLY
The neck, Vinny, the fuckin' neck.
Philly reaches into his pocket, comes out with small packages
of heroin, loose pills and joints.
PHILLY (cont'd)
(hands them to Vinny Fish)
Here, some party favors for the gang.
Everyone laughs. A girl brings more shots of Gin to the men,
she eyes the heroin.
GIRL #1
Oooh, sneezin' powder -Philly gives her a small package.
A popular SONG comes on. Marco begins singing. Everyone
joins in, except for Philly whose neck is killing him.
CUT TO:
EXT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - NIGHT
All the Deuces hang outside.
LEON
(to Betsy)
Go get me a Coke, alright?
Betsy obeys.
goes to him.

Leon looks at Bobby, calling him over.

What?

BOBBY

LEON
What is it with you?
BOBBY
What's with me?
LEON
Fuckin' lookin' at me like I got Leprosy.
There a problem?

Bobby

59.

BOBBY
You're over here, doin' ya' thing with
Betsy, man. I'm givin' you some space.
LEON
You look sore, man. If you got somethin'
on your mind, say it.
BOBBY
Everything's cooler than cool.
sore.
(a beat, as he walks away)
Like you really give a fuck?

I ain't

Betsy comes back with the Cokes.

BETSY
(hands a soda to distant Leon)
Whatsa' matter with Bobby?
LEON
He's angry at the world he wants to own.
Annie and the Velvets go into the candy store. Annie ignores
Bobby as she passes him. Bobby waits a few beats then
follows her in.
INT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - NIGHT
The candy store is almost full. Leon talks with a few guys
in the back of the store. The Velvets occupy the rear stools
at the counter. Annie sits next to the last empty stool.
Bobby sits next to her. A counter-boy brings the girls
soda's.
COUNTER BOY
Bobby, you want anything?
Bobby sees Annie.
BOBBY
How 'bout a fuckin shotgun.
Annie sits next to him.
ANNIE
(to the Counter Boy)
Two Vanilla egg-creams.
BOBBY
Why'd you split the pool without sayin'
goodbye?
ANNIE
You was busy.

60.

BOBBY
No I wasn't.
ANNIE
Why didn't you come and say goodbye to me
then, if you wasn't busy?
Bobby has no answer.
ANNIE (cont'd)
You ever gonna grow up? Or you gonna be
Leon's shadow the rest of your life?
BOBBY
I'm nobody's shadow.
(Counter-Boy brings the egg
creams)
Thanks, Matty.
ANNIE
(sips, decidedly)
Lets get something straight. I don't
want someone around me, just uses me to
throw a fuck at when he feels like it.
You wanna be with me, then be with me.
Yeah.

BOBBY
I wanna be with you.

ANNIE
You don't act like it. You wanna be with
me, show me.
Don't be ashamed of me,
especially in front of Leon. Hold my
hand, put your arm around me. Boyfriendgirlfriend shit.
Show you?

BOBBY

ANNIE
I didn't have to show you where to slip
it in the other night, did I? You hit
that Bulls-eye right away.
BOBBY
So let's make it real.
girl?

You wanna be my

Annie doesn't respond, she looks into his eyes.

ANNIE
No jokin' now. You really want me as
your girl?
Yeah.

BOBBY

61.

ANNIE
(playfully)
What would you do if I was your girl?
BOBBY
If you were my girl I'd tell the whole
world. I'd climb the fuckin' Empire State
Building and yell it to Queens, the
Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan. Anybody
who didn't like it, I'd piss on their
fuckin' heads. Just say yes.
Yes.

ANNIE

BOBBY
(slams his hand down in
victory)
Alright!
Bobby holds her hand, kisses it, kisses her on the mouth,
deeply. Everyone watches. The Velvets watch Annie with her
guy.
CLOSE ON LEON
sees this.

He turns away in disappointment.

ANNIE
Tomorrow, can we go to Coney Island
instead of the pool?
BOBBY
(thinks a beat, not good)
Tomorrow afternoon?
ANNIE
You usually go to the beach at night?
BOBBY
No, it's just that tomorrow I was
supposed to help --

Annie feigns a look.

BOBBY (cont'd)
-- fuck it. We'll leave at ten o'clock.
Good.

ANNIE

Leon goes to the counter, preparing to ignore Bobby and

Annie. Bobby puts his arm out, stopping him.
What?

LEON

62.

BOBBY
I want you to meet my girlfriend, Annie.
You guys met before, right?
Leon, not happy, nods.
BOBBY (cont'd)
Good. You wanna sit down Leon, have an
egg-cream or something? I'm buyin'.
Leon looks at him, disgusted, and leaves.
CUT TO:
EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - NIGHT
Bobby walks Annie to her building.

They're holding hands.

ANNIE
Why are you so quiet?
Thinkin'.

BOBBY

ANNIE
You do alot'a thinkin', huh?
Yeah.

BOBBY

ANNIE
I'm real happy right now, you know?
BOBBY
Me too. That's what I been thinkin'.
How good you make me feel. How I never
wanna let go of this hand.
ANNIE
Who said you have to?
BOBBY
I gotta say goodnight sometime -For now --

ANNIE

There's a commotion coming from Annie's building as they

approach. Annie and Bobby look up to see.
Wendy, Annie's mom in a Christmas nightgown, dancing and
SINGING "White Christmas" on the fire escape.
People on other floors are yelling "shut up!", "Go to sleep!"
Etc.

63.

ANNIE (cont'd)
Oh Jesus -(yells up to Wendy)
No Ma!
Annie rushes into her building as Bobby follows.
him.

Annie stops

ANNIE (cont'd)
This ain't a good time.
BOBBY
You need any help with her?
ANNIE
No thanks, I'll see you tomorrow.
They kiss and Bobby wants to hold the kiss longer but Annie
tears herself away and runs up the hall steps.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - LATER - NIGHT
Bobby's getting undressed.
BOBBY
You could've at least said something to
her.
LEON
Like, say what? Congratulations?
Welcome to the family? Fuck you.
BOBBY
Maybe start with hello Annie.
that bad.

She ain't

LEON
Hello this. You know how I feel. And I
ain't changin' how I feel cause you're
gettin' laid.
BOBBY
Everything's about your feelings. Your
fuckin' misery. We all gotta wear black
and mope around like an old Italian lady
cause Leon's depressed. Sorry you feel
that way man, but I ain't gonna keep you
company by bein' a miserab' too.
LEON
Do what you want.
I plan to.

BOBBY

64.

LEON
What is it? You hate me so much that you
gotta go steady with Annie? Introducing
her as your girl? You gotta stick it in
my face and up my ass?
BOBBY
You should have a room in the nut house.
I don't know why you come out with such
shit? What the fuck does a harmless
broad have to do with you?
LEON
I just can't see you getting mixed up
with them. It fuckin' kills me.
BOBBY
Hey, not being able to see Annie would
kill me. But you don't care, right?
It's all about Allie Boy again.
LEON
Bullshit, it's all about you.
BOBBY
Narrow-minded fuck. Can't you see what
you turned into. Allie Boy's dead. I'm
alive. Be happy for me.
Leon shakes his head and takes a handful of change from the
dresser.
BOBBY (cont'd)
I'm always behind you, Leon, but don't
expect me to live your life. I think
spendin' all that time in that church is
fuckin' you up.
(after him)
You wanna cut Jimmy Pockets into a
thousand pieces, or Marco? I'll help
you.
But Annie is my girl now.
Leon walks out of the apartment quietly, his eyes full of
tears.
CUT TO:
INT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - NIGHT
It's three A.M. and Willie's is closed for business. The
front door is locked and the lights are dim. Willie and Leon
sit in the rear of the store drinking booze. They're both
drunk. Something appropriate plays on the Wurlitzer.
LEON
Am I wrong Willie? Tell me?
riding the Trojan horse.

The kid's

65.

WILLIE
Love's something I can't explain. You
just gotta let it take it's course.
It's his life.
Leon slams his hand down on the counter.
Suddenly, a GARBAGE PAIL crashes through the front window,
shattering it. Leon and Willie run to the front door. Two
MORE GARBAGE PAILS are thrown through the other windows.
Leon and Willie back away from the flying glass. We HEAR a
mob YELLING as they run past the candy store. Leon makes a
move to run outside after them.
WILLIE
Get down Leon!
Leon gets a look at the mob. It's the Vipers and Marco, plus
twenty more "party guests" armed with baseball bats and pipes
in a welcome back riot.
EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - NIGHT
The wild crowd manages to destroy every storefront in their
path as they ravage the Deuces' territory. Leon and Willie
survey the damage as they walk out to the now quiet-street.
People are coming out of buildings, lights are turned on in
the tenements above the stores.
WIDER - SIXTH AVENUE
Leon stands in the middle of the empty, quiet street.
block has been destroyed.

His

MATCH DISSOLVE
EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - DAY
Glass repair trucks are making the rounds among the boarded
up stores. Most of the businesses are closed.
THE DEUCES
in front of Leon's building. They silently look on. Father
Antonelli walks past Leon, shaking his head. He pays no
attention to him.
LEON
What's wrong, Father?
Leon goes after Father Antonelli who stops, tears in his
eyes.
CUT TO:

66.

EXT. ST. PETERS CHURCH - BROOKLYN - DAY

Leon and Father Antonelli stand outside the front Church
doors. Broken glass and graffiti everywhere.
CLOSER ON THE GRAFFITI
reads "Vipers #1", "Deuces suck", "Leon" over a skull and
crossbones.
CUT TO:
EXT. CONEY ISLAND - BEACH - DAY
The boardwalk is jammed with beachgoers. The Cyclone and
parachute jump operate in the far background.
BOBBY AND ANNIE
on a blanket.
coke.

Bobby gazes out to the ocean, he finishes a

BOBBY
Somethin' about the ocean -ANNIE
What about it?
BOBBY
Somethin' about it, relaxes me, makes me
feel like I belong here.
You do.

ANNIE
With me.

BOBBY
The smart move is to get outta here -ANNIE
We just got here -BOBBY
No, I mean Brooklyn. I been thinkin' a
lot about it. Especially after what
happened to the block last night.
Yeah?

ANNIE
And where you gonna take off to?

BOBBY
Somewhere real nice, where it don't
snow, where you can sit on the beach and
do this kinda thing all year long. Where
the air don't stink. Like Miami maybe.

67.

ANNIE
How do you know that Miami don't stink
too.
BOBBY
I seen pictures -ANNIE
How can you tell a place don't smell by
lookin' at pictures?
BOBBY
You can tell -ANNIE
Yeah, and how you gonna be able to swing
goin' to Miami. You need bread. Lotsa'
bread to get set-up.
BOBBY
(laughs)
That's the one thing I gotta figger out.
ANNIE
You'd leave your family?
BOBBY
What family?
ANNIE
You got family -BOBBY
My mother's been in a half drunken coma
for the last five years, I talk to her
once a month and I can't understand what
the hell she's sayin'. At least in your
house, it's Christmas every day -ANNIE
(laughs)
Don't remind me. What about Leon?
never let you go.

He'd

BOBBY
Too bad about Leon. He wants to die in
Brooklyn. That's an easy wish to make
come true.
ANNIE
Nobody else you'd feel bad leaving
behind?
BOBBY
I stopped feeling bad.
Annie closes her eyes, lies back with a frown.

68.

BOBBY (cont'd)
Why, you'd feel bad splittin', takin' off
for Florida?
ANNIE
(eyes open now)
Who says I'm goin' to Florida?
BOBBY
Me, I'm sayin' it.
Oh yeah?

ANNIE

BOBBY
I wouldn't go without you.
ANNIE
Yeah, sure.
BOBBY
(serious)
I wouldn't. You're my future.
Annie looks into his eyes, he is talking from the heart.
They kiss.
ANNIE
If you're serious, then so am I. I'd go
with you.
(decided)
I really would. Tomorrow if you wanted.
BOBBY
You'd leave your mother?
ANNIE
(sadly)
She doesn't even know who I am.
I know
if I could put together some bread, she'd
be way better off in a hospital with
doctors.
They both lie back, eyes closed, holding hands.
BOBBY
Think about how cool it would be, both of
us away from this.
ANNIE
What are you gonna do to make money?
BOBBY
I'll make some moves.

I can do it.

69.

ANNIE
If you're serious, I'll help get us
there. I will. I have my ways.
Bobby smiles.

We go CLOSER TO HIS SMILE.

Suddenly and quickly, an upside down see-through wire-mesh

garbage pail is placed over Bobby's head. The exterior sharp
rim digging into his neck.
Hey!

BOBBY
What the fuck --

Bobby tries to get up but is being held down by the pressure

on top of the pail. Annie jumps up.
WIDEN ON THE BLANKET
Marco sits bare-chested in trunks, casually smoking a
cigarette and leaning on the upside down pail trapping
Bobby's head. He's flanked by the Vipers.
Annie tries to push Marco off the pail.
Vinny Fish.
MARCO
Wild little woman!

She is restrained by

I like that!

BOBBY
(trapped)
Get the fuck off of me, if you know
what's good for you!
MARCO
If I know what's good for me?
(to Bobby, through the grating)
Did I give you permission to speak,
shitbag?
Marco puts more pressure on the pail. Bobby struggles to
breathe.
ANNIE
Get off of him Marco!
Awww.
blue?
tan.

He can't breathe!

MARCO
Is that why his face is turnin'
I thought it was his Coppertone

Marco flicks his lit cigarette on Bobby's bare chest. It

burns Bobby, he yells and struggles to knock the cigarette
off him.
BOBBY
(yells loudly)
Agggghhh!

70.

Marco puts more pressure on the pail.

The Vipers laugh.

MARCO
I got a message for your mezzo-mooley
cousin.
More laughter.
MARCO (cont'd)
You go back and tell that mixed-up
lunatic, he better add his name to the
fuckin' family plot, cause he's next. I
done three years cause'a that rat-fuckin'
stool pigeon.
(presses down harder on the
pail)
The big tough guy lost his little junkie
brother and now he's gonna lose his own
life.
No response from Bobby who is on his last conscious breath.
Annie fights Vinny Fish to get free.
MARCO (cont'd)
I didn't hear you, Blue Boy -Annie digs her nails into Vinny Fish's face, deep and
painfully. He yells and pushes her to the blanket. Annie
grabs a straight razor from her bag and slashes at Marco, who
jumps off the pail and away from Annie.
The commotion has garnered some attention from nearby
beachgoers. Marco and the Vipers see people looking and back
away. Vinny Fish's face bleeds from the deep scratches.
MARCO (cont'd)
(to Annie)
Wild little woman's gonna be sorry after
what I'm gonna do to her. Catch her
alone, fill her hole up real nice...
ANNIE
Try it you fuck!
Bobby is coming around, his neck is cut up from the sharp rim
of the pail.
MARCO
(to Bobby)
And you! Don't forget what I said.
Marco and the Vipers leave.
You okay?

BOBBY

Annie grabs Bobby.

71.

ANNIE
Yeah -(she takes a hanky from her
bag)
You're cut here, hold still -Annie cleans his wounds.

He grabs her and kisses her.

CUT TO:

INT. SENTA APARTMENT - NIGHT

Esther is drunk and listening to the radio. She croons along
with Frank Sinatra. Bobby drinks a beer as he walks by.
ESTHER
Did I ever tell you the time Frank
Sinatra sang to me at the Paramount?
BOBBY
Yeah about a hundred and fifty times. He
was probably checkin' to see if you were
breathin'.
Esther sees Bobby's cut up neck.
ESTHER
What's on your neck?
BOBBY
Birthmark -Bobby goes into his bedroom. He sees Annie through the
window, just out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her
body. The Christmas tree lights blinking in the background.
Bobby goes to the window, shines his flashlight at her,
catching her attention. She smiles big as she writes in the
air -- "I LOVE YOU".
Annie then takes off the towel, flashing Bobby.
LEON (OC)
Nice girl -Bobby turns, surprised to see Leon in the room.
BOBBY
Mind ya' business.
LEON
(laughs)
My business? How many people in this
building, you think, are looking at your
naked girlfriend right now?

72.

BOBBY
(thinks, joins the laughter)
Some fuckin' body, eh'?
Leon goes to Bobby, gives him a hug.
LEON
I'm sorry 'bout before. You do what you
gotta do with her. Just be careful,
that's all I'm sayin'.
BOBBY
I'm careful -LEON
I'm always here for you.

You know that.

BOBBY
I had a run-in with Marco at Coney Island
today.
LEON
What happened?
Bobby raises the lampshade to show Leon his neck.
BOBBY
This happened.
LEON
That fuck is dead.
CUT TO:
INT. PHILLY BABES CLUB - NIGHT
Philly, Punchy, Jimmy Pockets and several men drink at the
new club. Philly still wears the neck brace. Jimmy Pockets
is divvying up bags of Skagg-Heroin, Pills, Marijuana for the
young DEALERS standing by. Someone fills gelatin capsules
from a pile of white powder in the BKG.
Marco enters with Vinny Fish.

They eyeball the new club.

MARCO
Nice joint, Phil.
PHILLY
Your brother's got a little class, eh?
The tile is the same they got in the
lobby of the Waldorf. Benny pulled it
offa' the job.
MARCO
Beautiful, fuckin' Guy Lombardo over
here.

73.

PHILLY
Hey, as long as I ain't near those prick
Deuces, I'm okay. I been lookin' up,
everywhere I go. Paranoid like a fuck.
MARCO
Yeah, well I'm lookin' at that joint you
told me about, the one right next to
their candy store, and I wanna see anyone
try to stop us. I'm makin' a deal with
Fritzy.
PHILLY
Be sure you know what you're doin'?
These fuckin' wise guys run hot and cold.
MARCO
Depends on the dollar figure.
Philly shakes his head, unsure. Marco passes Jimmy Pockets,
gives him a hard hello slap.
MARCO (cont'd)
Doin' good business over here?
JIMMY POCKETS
Yeah, things picked up since you got out.
Be even better after you get the okay
from the Fritz-man, right?
MARCO
(winks at him)
You got it. We'll be doin' more on Sixth
Avenue next week. We'll keep someone
here and you'll come over there with me.
PHILLY
Hey Jimmy, give Marco his envelope.
(to Marco)
Marco, Jimmy's got something for you.
Jimmy Pockets hands Marco an envelope filled with cash. He
rips it open and counts the bills.
MARCO
Philly, we a little light over here?
PHILLY
That's just the beginning, there's a lot
more coming to you soon -- nice fat ones.
MARCO
That's what I like to hear!
Marco goes to Philly, smiling, grabs him and shakes him hard.

74.

MARCO (cont'd)
This is a good man! A good fuckin' man!
Philly's neck still hurts, he grits his teeth in pain and
manages a smile.
CUT TO:
EXT. SUNSET PARK - NIGHT
Leon and the Deuces are hanging out in their usual spot.
Betsy is hanging with other Deuces girls.
LEON
(calls over Tino)
Tino. How we doing on men?
Tino walks over shaking his head.

Big Dom joins them.

TINO
Not too good Leon. I went out on a round
up today with Jackie and the Moof.
INTERCUT
EXT. FOURTH AVENUE - DAY
Tino, Jack and Moof are talking to five teens washing a new
car. Tino's trying to be persuasive to the leader of the
small group. The leader puts down the hose shaking his head
"no thanks".
TINO (VO)
They wanted no part of it.
knew somethin' was up.

Like they

EXT. COURT STREET - ESPOSITO'S PORK STORE - DAY

Tino, Jack and Moof are drinking Cokes with three muscular
teens. Tino is finishing his persuasive recruitment speech.
TINO (VO)
I went and saw Tommy Esposito too -The leader of the muscular teens, TOMMY, twirls his finger by
his head in the universal "are you crazy?" sign.
TINO (cont'd)
Espo thought we was nuts to ask em'.
said it was a suicide mission.

He

EXT. RED HOOK DOCKS - DAY

Tino is trying the speech once again to five members of the
Blue Knights. Moof and Jack stand to the side anticipating
the outcome.

75.

TINO (VO)
I even tried the Blue Knights, you know
Sallie Black? You said he owed you one?
Sallie Black busts out laughing, all the Blue Knights join in
the laughter.
TINO (cont'd)
They laughed in my face. Marco is putting
the word out that we're a dead gang.
BACK TO SUNSET PARK
Leon sits shaking his head. Moof and Patty Cugire run over.
MOOF
We can pick up those small 22s from
Knobbie for ten bucks a pop.
LEON
Who asked you to find guns?
MOOF
Bobby -(realizes)
I was only checkin' out prices -LEON
Listen up everybody.
me?

No guns, you hear

Everybody nods in agreement. Bobby shakes his head.

LEON (cont'd)
We never used them before, never! We use
guns, they will too. Then everybody will
be dead.
(sees Bobby)
Don't shake your fuckin' head. We will
take them down. Marco and the Vipers are
nothin but a bunch of junkie bastards,
with no heart. Two of them is one of us.
We can beat them.
We can.

TINO
Leon's right.

LEON
That's the thinkin'! When everybody here
joined the Deuces, you all swore to
sacrifice and die for your brothers, no
matter what. Now the last thing I wanna
see is anybody here dying or nothin', but
we go with everything we got, even if it
means we don't come out alive. Cause if
the Vipers and Marco win, we're dead
anyway -- so is everything we stood for.

76.

Yeah!

TINO

The gang gets riled and begins to cheer Leon wildly.

BOBBY
(laughs, to Leon)
You should run for Mayor.
Leon gives him a hug.

Patty Cugire goes to them.

PATTY CUGIRE
You see the empty store? Someone's
movin' in there. They got the windows
all waxed up.
Marco?
Probably.

BOBBY
PATTY CUGIRE

LEON
This is getting outta hand.
talk to Fritzy.

I gotta go
CUT TO:

INT. SOCIAL CLUB - DAY

A smoke filled room with people playing cards, making deals,
arguing over a racing form, etc. Leon enters the club,
walking past the action.
INT. SOCIAL CLUB - BACKROOM BAR - LATER
Leon sits with Fritzy (40's, craggy faced chain smoker).
FRITZY
You wanna soda or something?
LEON
No thanks Fritzy.
FRITZY
(indicates the fridge)
Get me a Ginger Ale.
Leon gets Fritzy the soda.

He sits back down.

FRITZY (CONT'D)
You're being good? The Deuces minding
their business?
LEON
Yeah, Fritzy, a'course. But I got a
problem with that Mikey Festo. He's
(MORE)

77.
LEON (cont'd)
renting the store next door to Willie's
to Marco Venditti.
FRITZY
Yeah, whatsa' matter with that?
LEON
They're gonna deal junk outta there.
Nearby people hear this. Fritzy slaps Leon in the face hard.
Leon is stunned. A stinging tear rolls down his face.
FRITZY
I hear that word come outta your mouth
again in my club, you'll be fuckin' dead,
you hear me!
I'm sorry.

LEON
I'm sorry.

I just thought --

FRITZY
Yeah?
Well don't think. You're a young
punk. Young punks don't have the right
to think. Nobody's doin' nothin' bad in
my neighborhood.
Okay.

LEON
I'm sorry.

FRITZY
Remember what I said. My neighborhood.
Not yours. Not the Deuces.
LEON
Okay Fritzy.
FRITZY
You're here cause we let you be here.
Fuck around and you'll see real tough
guys go to work.
Okay.

LEON
But the store --

FRITZY
Leave it alone I said. I don't need no
watchdogs lookin' out for me. Just mind
ya' business and wear your jackets, sing
songs or whatever you fuckin' kids do.
Okay?
Leon looks at him, nods okay.
CUT TO:

78.

INT. POLITO APARTMENT - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Annie has finished preparing a small dinner for Wendy, still
dressed in her soiled Christmas nightgown. Wendy is not
eating. A Mitch Miller Christmas Album plays in the far BKG.
ANNIE
Ma, are you gonna eat or what?
WENDY
I'm not hungry. I want to open my
presents.
ANNIE
(plays along)
Later, first you have to eat.
Wendy stares at the food. Annie stands nearby helplessly
frustrated.
ANNIE (cont'd)
Ma, you have to eat. C'mon.
meet Bobby soon.
Who's he?

I have to

WENDY

ANNIE
My boyfriend.
WENDY
Did you buy him a present?
Not yet.

ANNIE

WENDY
Don't forget to buy him a present,
everybody should have lots of presents
for Christmas.
Annie goes to her mother, fixes her messy hair.
ANNIE
Ma, are you ever gonna get better?
Wendy looks up towards the roof.
be Santa.

She hears something, could

ANNIE (cont'd)
Ma, just eat so you don't get sick.
WENDY
(a sane beat)
Thank you for cooking for me.
you, you know.

I love

79.

Annie begins crying.

tears.

She goes into the bathroom to wipe her

ANNIE
Oh Jesus -Wendy stares at her dish, her attention suddenly goes to the
imaginary sound of SLEIGH BELLS, she hears on the roof.
CUT TO:
EXT. SUNSET PARK - POOL AREA - NIGHT
Bobby and Annie have broken into the closed moonlit pool
area. Annie wears tight jeans shorts, which she is stripping
out of as she walks with Bobby to the pitch-black pool and
the diving board.
The area is desolate except for Bobby and Annie who leave a
trail of clothes. Annie runs to the diving boards.
ANNIE
Watch me, Bobby.
Annie naked, runs up the high-dive ladder and springs off the
board into mid air, landing in the dark water.
Bobby stands pool side.
up in front of him.
Come in --

Several nervous beats.

Annie pops

ANNIE (cont'd)

Bobby ditches his underwear and jumps in.

BOBBY AND ANNIE
BOBBY
Water's cold -Annie moves to him, grabs his crotch.
ANNIE
I'll warm you up, honey.
BOBBY
The turtle is a hiding.
Annie laughs and they kiss.

She continues jerking him off.

ANNIE
My mother told me tonight for the first
time in my life that she loved me.
BOBBY
What made her do that?

80.

ANNIE
I don't know. I mean she's been flipped
for as long as I can remember. But
tonight, for a few minutes, she sounded
like someone who cared about me.
BOBBY
I care about you.

More than anything.

ANNIE
I know you do. That's why I love you.
Bobby caresses her face, kisses her.
kiss.

They begin to deep

ANNIE
The water's getting warmer now, isn't it?
Oh yeah.

BOBBY

ANNIE
I cried. It felt so strange to cry -happy tears.
They begin to make love in the pool. Annie gets into it,
dominating the action. Bobby loves it.
ANNIE
(in his ear)
I know how we can get out of here. I have
a plan.
BOBBY
You wanna wait till we finish?
almost there -Okay.

I'm

ANNIE

They continue to make love until they both come.

under the water then slicks his messy hair back.

Bobby dips

ANNIE (CONT'D)
(a serious beat)
I know how we can schiaf thirty grand in
one move.
How?

BOBBY

ANNIE
Take Philly Babes for all his loot.
BOBBY
(laughs)
Yeah right. That's a good one.

81.

ANNIE
I ain't kiddin'. Philly's got about
thirty large in cash stashed in his
house. Hidden where he thinks no one can
find it.
BOBBY
He keeps that kind of dough in his house?
ANNIE
Jimmy says he's paranoid about them
safety boxes. He don't trust banks or
nobody, so he keeps it home, hidden -BOBBY
If it's hidden, how do you -ANNIE
I know where it is and how to get to it.
BOBBY
I don't know about this Annie -ANNIE
Listen, my brother was high off his burnt
out ass a few weeks ago and told me all
the details. Everything. It's a
cakewalk.
BOBBY
You're fuckin' nuts.
you.
A flashlight beam passes them.
moves on.

I love that about

It almost catches Bobby then

BOBBY (cont'd)
(sotto)
Shit. Someone's here. Quiet!
The flashlight passes them again.
BOBBY (cont'd)
Take a deep breath and go under with me.
It's a cop, he's comin' over.
Bobby and Annie go under.
ANGLE ON THE COP
a routine inspection. He's drinking from a pint-sized Cutty
bottle. The Cop stumbles upon their scattered clothes. He
picks them up mumbling and leaves the pool area.
Bobby and Annie come up for air.

82.

ANNIE
Is he gone?
BOBBY
Shit, that fuck -(a closer look)
-- took our clothes. And I don't think
he's playin' Salugi with em'.
Annie laughs.

They look at each other.

ANNIE
What are we gonna do?
BOBBY
Adam and Eve better run fast.
EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - DAY
Bobby and Annie run out naked through the park and out to
Sixth Avenue. They head straight to their separate apartment
buildings.
An OLD MAN walking his dog is shocked by a naked Annie
running past him.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Bobby runs naked and soaking wet into his bedroom and sees -Leon having sex with Betsy. They stop and look up at naked
Bobby. All three are frozen in position. Quite a strange
scenario.
Betsy checks out Bobby. Smiles approvingly.
BETSY
(to Leon)
Runs in the family, huh?
Bobby grabs a towel from the dresser and wraps himself
quickly. Leon and Betsy conceal their nudity with the
bedsheet.
LEON
What the fuck happened to you?
BOBBY
It's the new look, like it?
LEON
(seriously)
What's going on?
BOBBY
Nothin'. We were swimmin' and a cop took
our clothes.
(grabs clothes)
(MORE)

83.
BOBBY (cont'd)
Sorry I broke up your little thing here,
I'll be outside.
Bobby leaves.
Crazy kid.

LEON

Leon and Betsy slide under the sheets and continue making
love.
CUT TO:
INT. SENTA APARTMENT - LATER - NIGHT
Bobby is at the kitchen table eating a peanut butter
sandwich. Leon walks out of the bedroom with Betsy.
putting on his shoes to walk her home.

He sits

BETSY
It's Okay Leon, I'm just goin' down the
block to Trina's house.
See ya, Bobby.
BOBBY
(mouth full)
Yeah.
Bobby picks up a Daily News and turns to the sports section.
Leon comes back in.
LEON
What are you doin', runnin' around the
neighborhood naked? Anybody see you?
BOBBY
Sister Concetta.
(a beat)
We have a date Saturday night, after
Mass.
Bobby Laughs, Leon doesn't find it funny.
CUT TO:
EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - NIGHT
Betsy walks down the desolate block to Trina's. Heading
towards the candy store, she passes the dimly lit empty
storefront with waxed windows. The front door is slightly
ajar. As she passes a VOICE stops her in her tracks.
VOICE
How do you fuck that ape?
Betsy turns to see Marco, barechested, with paint splatter on
his sweaty torso. He's the last one there working on the new
club.

84.

Betsy moves on, scared.

Marco laughs.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
It's five-thirty A.M. Leon's eyes open sharply. He looks at
the dresser across from his bed. A photo of Allie Boy, a
color picture of the Madonna and two switchblades sit bathed
in the morning sunlight.
Leon is out of bed and dressed in minutes, slicking back his
hair in the mirror.
EXT. GREENWOOD CEMETERY - DAY
Leon walks through the massive iron gates to the cemetery.
SECURITY GUARD waves to him. He's been here many times
before.

GREENWOOD CEMETERY - VARIOUS IMAGES

Leon walks through the winding roads and walkways, passing
enormous monuments and crypts, life-sized granite figurines
of tragic figures.
Leon passes a monument of a DEAD BRIDE carved in stone
holding an eloquently designed bouquet. "...died on her
honeymoon, aged 19". He's at the foot of the road leading to
Allie Boy's simple headstone plot.
EXT. GREENWOOD CEMETERY - ALLIE BOY'S GRAVE - MOMENTS LATER
Leon fixes and arranges the flowers, stones and mementos laid
on Allie Boy's headstone. Tears fill his eyes.
CLOSE ON LEON
tears run down his face. He punches the headstone once,
feels the numb pain shoot through his hand. He continues
punching the headstone in a furious rage, screaming. His
hand and the stone get covered with his blood.
LEON
The time has come. I give you my word
little brother, that motherfucker will
pay for all of this.
(caresses the stone with his
bloody hand)
I swear I'm gonna deliver that evil
bastard into God's hands myself.
(a beat, more tears)
I should'a been there, my little man. A
day don't go by I don't think of what
would'a happened if I been there for you.
(MORE)

85.
LEON (cont'd)
I'm so fuckin' sorry, Allie.
(wipes tears)
I miss you so much.
CUT TO:
EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - DAY
Annie and Bobby sit outside her tenement building. Bobby
plays with a "Red Devil" ball and paddle. Annie stares off
blankly.
What?

BOBBY
Why you so quiet?

ANNIE
I love you so much, I get scared
sometimes -- because, I'm afraid I'm
gonna lose you.
A big smile fills Bobby's face, he grabs her and kisses her.
Then holds her closely.
ANGLE ON ANNIE
hugging Bobby, her eyes go tearfully heavenward as she thanks
God for her happiness.
BOBBY
When we hit Florida, you won't be scared
anymore.
They kiss.
ANNIE (cont'd)
I love you Bobby. I really do.
BOBBY
Me more than you baby. I really wanna get
us outta here.
More kissing.
ANNIE
I'm ready, Bobby, just say the word.
BOBBY
Leon's plannin' to rumble the Vipers and
Marco tonight. Let's do the job tonight,
unless something changes.
They kiss.
CUT TO:

86.

INT. PHILLY BABES CLUB - DAY

The club is full of Vipers members playing cards, shooting
pool. Vinny Fish and Jerry drink beers and watch the baseball
game. Philly sits at a table in the rear of the room smoking
a fat cigar and counting cash with Punchy seated on one side
of him and Marco on the other.
Philly hands Marco a stack of twenties.
PHILLY
That's $2,400. Includes the Red Hook
stop, okay?
MARCO
Hey Philly, go fuck yourself. With Red
Hook it's another grand. Don't fuck ya'
own brother.
PHILLY
Another "G", for what?
MARCO
You wanna do drop-off's and pick-up's
over in Red Hook, do it yourself and save
the "G".
PHILLY
Maybe I should go with Punchy.
(nudges Punchy)
Savin' a "G" ain't nothin to squawk at.
MARCO
Except you and Punchy step one foot in
the Hook movin' puff and whiff, I'll
betcha' Rudy and Vedue will chop both of
you up into tiny little pieces.
(a beat)
Don't take my word. Take a shot, see if
I'm wrong.
PUNCHY
Philly, that's one bet I don't wanna
make.
PHILLY
Alright, forget it. Forget all about it.
(hands him another thou)
This makes it $3,400. Happy?
MARCO
Always happy doin' business with family.
PHILLY
What's happenin' over there? You almost
finished puttin' your joint together?

87.

MARCO
Another week or so. You tired of us
hangin' out over here?
PHILLY
(off Jerry and Vinny Fish)
Naah. These kids are okay, but they
don't pay for the beers or the soda's,
drinking me broke over here -A CATASTROPHIC NOISE floods the room as Philly's new
Bonneville convertible rams through the club's storefront,
shattering all the glass and running several people over as
it speeds through the store. It stops as it hits the side
wall and radiator pipes which shoot water. The rear tires
continue to screech against the linoleum floor.
PHILLY
Christ almighty! What the fuck?!
Marco jumps in the car and throws the brake on.
disconnects the crude hot-wire job.

He

The club is in a panic. Onlookers from the street are

swarming the front of the club.
INSIDE THE CAR
Marco sees an envelope on the dashboard addressed to
"Scumbags".
Philly shakes his head at his destroyed club and smashed-up
new car.
PHILLY
Son of a bitch, bastards!
(off the letter)
What is that?
MARCO
The final fuckin' straw's what it is.
Marco hands Philly the letter.

"Dear Scumbags,
It's over TONITE,
Y.M.C.A

midnight,

Dive Pool -- Be there.

THE DEUCES"

Philly hands the letter to Marco.

88.

PUNCHY
Philly, they couldn't just slip it under
the door? These cocksuckers are way
outta line.
MARCO
Wait til' later, it's over for them.
Don't worry 'bout nothin'.
Marco nods to Jerry and Vinny Fish.
PHILLY
Jesus. I hope so. They're destroyin' me
over here?
(to Punchy)
Another fuckin' car -CUT TO:
INT. POLITO APARTMENT - KITCHEN - 5:00 PM
Annie pours herself a glass of milk as Jimmy rolls a joint on
the kitchen table. Wendy is dancing wildly to "Rockin'
Around The Christmas Tree" in the other room.
JIMMY POCKETS
(to Annie)
Will you tell "eh'pazzo" to turn down the
music? She's driving me crazy.
ANNIE
Don't be an animal, Jimmy, she's still
our mother.
Wendy continues dancing around the Christmas tree, oblivious
to everything. She knocks over a lamp and it falls to the
floor shattering. Jimmy gets up, throwing his chair back.
He goes to the phonograph, grabs the record off it and
smashes it against the mantle, splattering the plastic
everywhere.
Annie grabs a large knife on the table and goes after Jimmy.
Wendy is backed into a corner of the room, crying like a
scorned child. Jimmy has his hand raised to crack her. He
turns around, feeling the knife in his back.
ANNIE (cont'd)
I'll put this through your fuckin' spine.
Never raise your hands to her!
Jimmy calms, genuinely afraid of Annie.
JIMMY POCKETS
(to Annie)
You're both nuts!
(MORE)

89.
JIMMY POCKETS (cont'd)
(to Wendy)
And you! You didn't hear Santa. You
heard that fat Irish bastard who lives in
the apartment above us.
WENDY
(crying)
It was Santa Claus...
JIMMY POCKETS
Once and for all, there ain't no fuckin'
thing as Santa Claus! He don't exist!
Jimmy storms out.

Annie helps Wendy up.

ANNIE
(softly)
Of course there's a Santa, Ma, he just
don't come to Brooklyn anymore.
CUT TO:
INT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - 7:00PM
The Deuces are gathered in the darkened rear of the store
discussing the plans for the rumble. Bobby is at the jukebox
punching in selections. Leon calls out to him from the
group, his face pale with fury.
LEON
Bobby, get over here!
Bobby presses the final selection and rejoins the group.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Annie and the Velvets enter the candy store. She sees Bobby
talking with the Deuces, she takes a free stool at the
counter and orders a black and white shake. The Velvets move
to another spot in the store.
Annie's attention is driven to the Deuces. She catches
Bobby's eye. He winks at her. She smiles back at him.
EXT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - NIGHT - 8:30PM
The two-story dwelling around the corner from Philly Babes
social club. An overgrown, abandoned-looking front yard
leads to a rusted screen door. Ratty curtains hang in the
windows.
Kids play under an open Johnny-Pump down the street.
ANNIE
walks down the block leading to Philly's house. She bops
down the street, slowing as she passes Philly's house, she
cases the driveway.

90.

ANNIE'S WALKING POV - IN THE DRIVEWAY

sits Philly's battered Bonneville convertible -- the bathroom
window is open a few inches.
Annie slam BANGS into someone.
ANGLE ON PHILLY
walking out of his front gate.
PHILLY
What are you blind or somethin'?
Annie doesn't respond, she walks faster.
suspicious look at her.

Philly takes a
CUT TO:

INT. WILLIE'S CANDY STORE - NIGHT - LATER

A different SONG is on the jukebox. Bobby is sitting next to
Annie, sipping an egg cream. They're deep in conversation.
ANNIE
Two hours before the rumble, we go to
Philly's place. I'll go in through the
back bathroom window, he always leaves it
open. Much needed ventilation I guess.
BOBBY
Fa' schievo. That animal.
ANNIE
You be my lookout. Philly was heading
back to what's left of his club. Vipers
were helpin' fix up the front with boards
and shit.
BOBBY
I'll keep my eyes on Philly at the club.
Make sure he don't go home or nothin'.
ANNIE
I figure I should be in and out in ten
minutes tops.
BOBBY
Ten minutes, good. Cause I gotta be at
the dive pool by midnight for the rumble.
ANNIE
We do this at ten, you'll have enough
time to count the cash, leather-up, and
get there on time.

91.

Alright.

BOBBY
Good.

Bobby kisses her. Freddy the Pollock enters the candy store
with two of his gang, Freddy pats Bobby on the back.
Hey Bobby.

FREDDY
Where is he?

BOBBY
Leon's in the back.
Freddy gives Bobby a big smile and a wink as he goes to the
darkened back of the store with his guys.
CLOSE ON FREDDY
giving Leon a big hug
ANGLE ON THE FRONT DOOR
Two wise guys enter the store. STEVIE OLIVES and JOEY PANTS
survey the crowd. They see Leon. Joey Pants WHISTLES him
over.
Leon breaks away from Freddy, he goes quickly to the men.
can't hear what they tell him, but he leaves with them.

We

Bobby watches Leon leave the store with the wise guys.
CUT TO:
INT. SOCIAL CLUB - NIGHT - 8:45PM
The club is packed with men. Two BLACK KIDS offer swag goods
to a few men, they abuse them.
Leon, Joey Pants and Stevie Olives walk in the club. The
Black Kids acknowledge Leon. Leon nods back as he follows
the Wise Guys into the Backroom Bar.
CUT TO:
INT. SOCIAL CLUB - BACKROOM BAR - LATER
Fritzy chain smokes as he watches his GIRLFRIEND 30's attempt
to mix a Manhattan.
FRITZY
Grenadine baby, ya' need more Grenadine.
GIRLFRIEND
The red stuff?
FRITZY
Right baby, the red stuff.

92.

Fritzy sees Leon, he shakes his head in disappointment.

FRITZY (cont'd)
(to Leon)
What kinda fuckin ideas you got goin'
through your head.
Fritzy goes to the girlfriend, takes the drink and shoo's her
out.
GIRLFRIEND
Try it Fritzy.
Fritzy takes a sip, nods agreeably. He pats her on the ass
as she leaves. When she's out of earshot, he pours the drink
out into a plant.
FRITZY
If she didn't suck such a good cock I'd
have to whack her.
(laughs, to Joey Pants)
You put Grenadine in a Manhattan, right?
JOEY PANTS
Yeah, I think so. The red stuff.
Fritzy goes to Leon.
FRITZY
I don't get you. I thought we talked,
you said you understood me.
I do.
You do?
Yeah.

LEON
FRITZY
LEON

FRITZY
By aiming a moving car like a fuckin'
missile through Philly Babes' joint?
That shows me you don't understand so
well.
LEON
It's a gang thing Fritzy. I didn't know
I hadda' come to you. I'm sorry.
FRITZY
From now on, before you make a fuckin
bowel movement, you gotta check with me,
you hear?!

93.

Yeah.

LEON
A'course.

FRITZY
You're lucky Philly and Marco are with me
now. Otherwise that fuckin' candy store
youse hang out in would be a fuckin'
parking lot with you parking the cars.
There's gonna be no more gang bullshit
with Marco and Philly. They ain't kids
no more. Neither are you, so straighten
up your act.
I know.

LEON
But the Vipers --

FRITZY
Hey! You're not listening to me! I said
no more of this shit! Vipers, Deuces,
Aces, fuckin' Kings and Queens. Forget
all about it. Any fightin's done around
here, I say so. I'm the word! Leave
them guys alone.
LEON
What happens if they start with us?
gotta sit there?

We

FRITZY
They ain't gonna start with youse. By my
orders.
(to the guys)
This guy got a thick head. You Calabrese
or somethin'?
LEON
No, I hear you Fritzy.
FRITZY
Now, I want you to clear up all the
bullshit with these guys. Truce, okay.
(to Joey Pants)
Get Marco in here.
Joey Pants goes to the open backyard where a small barbecue
is happening. People are drinking, laughing.
CLOSE ON LEON
a million thoughts going through his head.
Marco enters eating a Chivilata (sausage) sandwich.
smirks at Leon.
MARCO
Yeah Fritzy, you need me?

He

94.

FRITZY
I want no more of this street fighting.
Understand?
MARCO
No problem.
Marco and Leon are staring at each other with a major mutual
hatred. Marco takes a cocky stance, he's got Fritzy on his
side.
FRITZY (cont'd)
Now you two shake hands and forget about
all'a this. After all, from now on,
youse' two are gonna be neighbors.
Leon doesn't respond. Fritzy senses something.
finishes the sandwich.

Marco

FRITZY (cont'd)
Aright now shake and get the fuck outta
here.
(to Joey Pants)
Find one'a these fucks outside knows how
to make a decent Manhattan.
Leon can't shake.
his face.
Hey!

Marco puts his hand out, a huge smile on

FRITZY (cont'd)
Didn't you hear what I said?!

Leon goes closer to Marco, spits in his face.

Marco and Leon go at it.
FRITZY (cont'd)
Look at this looney fuck!
Within seconds, the fight is broken up.
aside, gets in Leon's face.

Fritzy pushes Marco

FRITZY (cont'd)
You just fucked yourself kid.
Fritzy turns to Joey Pants and Stevie Olives.
alert.

Leon is on red

FRITZY (cont'd)
(to the men)
Take this fuck downstairs, make it so he
ain't able to come back up.
Leon runs past the men, makes a mad dash out the door and
through the club. No one chases after him. Fritzy shakes
his head in disgust.

95.

FRITZY (cont'd)
Fuckin' kids got no respect today. Can't
even catch a beatin' the right way.
MARCO
(wipes his face)
He's always been a problem, the rat
bastard...
FRITZY
I wouldn't worry 'bout the prick, he's
runnin' scared.
MARCO
This fuck's got a mouth on him that could
hurt all of us. Let me take care of
this.
FRITZY
You're only out a few days, you wanna get
your hands dirty so soon?
MARCO
I'll send him out street-style.
FRITZY
Do what the fuck you want. Make his
whole fuckin' crew disappear for all I
care. Just finish what you start and
keep it outta the neighborhood.
(to Joey)
Hey, Pants, get that broad back in here,
maybe she can make one of them Pia
Colada's.
Marco obligingly laughs along with Fritzy, he can't wait to
get his hands on Leon.
Marco goes back outside.
Fritzy summons Joey Pants closer.
very serious WE CAN'T HEAR.

He tells him something

CUT TO:

INT. PHILLY BABES CLUB - NIGHT - 10:00

Temporary repairs have been made on the storefront. A card
game is happening nevertheless in the smoke-filled front
room. Philly folds his hand.
PHILLY
Meincha, that's twelve hands in a row I
got 'cazzo'. Mickey, you dealin' from
the fuckin' bottom or somethin'?
Marco and Vinny Fish walk in the club.

96.

MARCO
Good evening degenerates.
Vinny Fish laughs.

Philly waves them over.

MARCO (cont'd)
(walks to the card table)
Don't you cigar chompin' vampires ever
take a break over here?
PHILLY
I'm down. I just hadda go home for more
money. This mother's cunt's been dealin'
me shit all night.
MICKEY
It ain't my fuckin' dealin', you just got
shit luck, Babes!
MARCO
Philly, I might have to agree with the
mother's cunt over here.
Everybody laughs. Philly catches another bad hand.
throws the cards down in outrage.
PHILLY
Son of a bitch, douchebag fuck!
bad hands!

He

Thirteen

Philly gets up disgusted. Philly, Marco and Vinny Fish go to

the bar area. Philly needs more coffee.
PHILLY (cont'd)
I think after a while this stuff don't
work no more -MARCO
What, the coffee? You wanna take
something to stay awake?
Marco pulls a small envelope out of his pocket, he pours the
contents into his palm. There's pills of every shape size
and color. He picks a big black one and gives it to Philly.
PHILLY
No shit stuff, right? I gotta
concentrate over here.
No.

MARCO
Take it. You'll be good.

PHILLY
What's this gonna do?
MARCO
Wake you up a little bit.

That's all.

97.

Philly swallows the pill.

MARCO
I'm takin' care of Leon tonight.
VINNY FISH
(chimes in)
And the fuckin' Deuces.
MARCO
Fritzy gave the okay.
PHILLY
That's good, you and Fritzy got tight.
MARCO
For enough money, he'd let me fuck his
sister in the ass. They're all whores.
PHILLY
Ain't we all, my main man.
MARCO
So don't be worried about nothin' no
more.
PHILLY
I'll come by and watch the scumbags
suffer.
Philly laughs.

Shows his waist holstered 38.

PHILLY (cont'd)
Gonna bring my buddy here if things get
outta hand.
(a beat, his stomach grumbles)
What kinda pill you just give me?
MARCO
Speed. Horse speed. I get it from this
trainer I know at Aqueduct.
PHILLY
(nervous now)
You supposed to take the whole fuckin'
thing?
MARCO
Stallion like you Philly?
Meincha.
already.

A'course.

PHILLY
I'm feelin a little jumpy,

98.

MARCO
That's good.
Means it's workin'.
(off the cardgame)
Now go get yourself even over there.
Philly smiles, he begins to sweat as he returns to the game.
MARCO (cont'd)
(to Vinny Fish, sotto)
He ain't gonna get a decent nights sleep
til' fuckin' Thanksgiving.
They both laugh.
CUT TO:
INT. A SECRET BASEMENT - NIGHT
The Deuces are assembled in the rear of the basement. All
ten of them are there. Leon sits nervously playing with a
butterfly knife.
Jack comes in the rear cellar door.
attention.

The Deuces spring to

LEON
What's the word?
JACK
Word is -- the rumble's still on.
Midnight. Fritzy gave the okay to the
Vipers.
LEON
They say anything else? Any of Fritzy's
guys been lookin' for me anywhere?
JACK
Naah. They was laughing all about it
from what I heard.
Leon is somewhat relieved, but still unsure.
TINO
(to Leon)
Freddy's meetin' us there? What if he
shows late like he did before.
BOBBY
Someone should buy the dumb Pollock a
watch.
LEON
He ain't gonna be late.
serious.

He knows this is

99.

JACK
I'm gettin' psyched!

Real psyched!

LEON
Good, Jackie. Stay that way. This may
be the last rumble for the Deuces.
(angrily)
Fuckin' wise guys own a piece of Marco,
and they own a piece of the cops. They
just fucked up what little piece of turf
we kept sacred.
Bobby checks his watch.
BOBBY
Ain't no surprise. We knew it was
comin'.
(to Leon)
I'll be back in a little while.
LEON
Where you goin'? Everybody's stayin'
down here until it's time.
BOBBY
I'll be back, I gotta take care of
something, with Annie, you know? It'll
take a few minutes.
LEON
Alright, hurry up. And be careful no one
follows you back here.
BOBBY
I'm always careful.
CUT TO:
EXT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - NIGHT
Annie hides in the clothes-line filled alleyway across from
Philly's house. She's dressed in cat-burglar black. Bobby
surprises her with a -Boo!

BOBBY

Annie instinctively swings a leather lead-lined sap at his

head. Bobby dodges it. She realizes it's Bobby.
ANNIE
What're you doin'? Scarin' the shit
outta me like that?
BOBBY
Jeez, you almost knocked me out with that
thing.

100.

ANNIE
Quit fuckin' around.

Is he at the club?

BOBBY
Yeah, I took a look in the window. He
was pacing up and down, back and forth
like a madman. Somethin' must be up.
ANNIE
Just as long as he paces over there and
not here.
BOBBY
He's pacing there.
ANNIE
Good. I'm goin' in. Remember, you see
him. Whistle two whistles twice. Okay?
Yeah.

BOBBY

They look into each others eyes.

BOBBY (cont'd)
You sure you can do this?
ANNIE
More than you know.
Annie kisses him.
BOBBY
I'm goin back over to the club. Good luck
baby.
ANNIE
I never been lucky before.
change, huh?

Things might

Annie runs down Philly's driveway and disappears into the

darkness of the night. Bobby moves out from the alleyway and
heads towards Philly's club.
MOVING WITH BOBBY
as he takes a clandestine spot across from Philly's club.
BOBBY'S POV
Philly through the front window, wiping his sweaty brow,
pacing wildly. The speed has fully kicked in. Bobby has to
laugh at this wacko.
Two cars pull up to the club. It's Marco and the Vipers.
They get out of the cars and enter Philly's club.

101.

Bobby backs further into his alcove, hiding.

Another car pulls up alongside Marco's.
bit, he recognizes it.

Bobby inches out a

Freddy the Pollack and two of his boys get out of the car.
They go to the front of the club where Marco meets them.
Bobby watches this in disbelief.
Marco and Freddy are laughing.
up with a few of the Vipers.

Freddy's guys are paling it

BOBBY
(sotto, to himself)
Holy mother a' God. Holy holy mother a'
God.
Bobby's first instinct is to run and tell the Deuces, but
he's stuck cause Annie is still doing the heist.
Fuck.

BOBBY (cont'd)
CUT TO:

EXT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - NIGHT

All the lights are out, except for a dim light in the rear
kitchen.
INT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
A dim stove top light illuminates the scene. Annie is under
the sink pulling out cleaning fluids, a pail, rags, a small
22-pistol which she pockets as a bonus.
She hears a noise, and stops to focus. Nothing. She returns
to under the sink, removing a false trap cover. She reaches
down into the trap. Nothing. She reaches deeper, deeper.
Half her body is in the trap.
She comes out of the trap with a rusty coffee can and a huge
smile.
LAP DISSOLVE:
TEN MINUTES LATER
Annie sits on the kitchen floor with fifteen coffee cans.
Her face smiling with wonder. She shakes open a big plastic
garbage bag TO CAMERA.
EXT. PHILLY BABES CLUB - NIGHT
Philly exits the club, greets Freddy and Marco.

102.

MARCO
Where you goin'? You ain't comin' to
watch the main event?
PHILLY
I'll meet you guys there. I gotta take a
dump. Your pill gave me the fuckin'
runs.
(to one of his guys, angrily)
Toilet here don't flush. Call the
fuckin' plumber Anthony!
The guys laugh.
home.

Philly shakes his head and begins walking

ACROSS THE STREET - BOBBY

seeing this, runs quickly to Philly's house.
INT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - KITCHEN/BATHROOM - NIGHT
Annie is almost out the bathroom window when Philly Babes'
cat enters the room, meows, and rubs up against Annie's leg.
Annie sees the cat food bowl is empty. The cat is hungry.
She goes back in the kitchen and looks for the cat food. She
finds it and looks for an opener. The hungry cat PURRS.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Philly hurries home.
INT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Annie empties the can of cat food in the cats' bowl.
begins to eat voraciously.

The cat

ANNIE
Poor kitty, fat pig probably never feeds
you.
She heads back out the window.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Bobby uses a back alley to make it to Philly's backyard
before Philly does.
BOBBY'S POV
Philly's bathroom window.

No Annie.

EXT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - NIGHT

Philly quickly opens the front door.

Nothing.

103.

CLOSER ON PHILLY
looking into the kitchen, something isn't right. An open can
of cat-food on the counter, and the cupboard door half open.
PHILLY
What the fuck!?
Philly runs to the kitchen, kicking the cat out of his way
into the wall as he opens the trap area to check if his cashstash is okay.
EXT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - NIGHT
We hear Philly's SCREAMS of horror and anger bellow out to
the world.
CUT TO:
EXT. YMCA - OUTDOOR DIVE POOL AREA - NIGHT
A large outdoor area with a playground, basketball court and
a DIVE POOL.
Everyone is hanging out near the empty deep dive pool which
has been drained for construction. Workmen's tools and
cement bags are off to the side.
The Deuces are assembled in full gang color, awaiting the
rumble to come.
Leon sits alone sitting on a pile of cement bags, he's deep
in thought. Moof, Big Dom, Tino, Patty Cugire, Jack and the
three other Deuce members arrange their weaponry and shield
gear.
Jack fits his curved steel forearm shields in his leather
jacket.
Leon looks up from his trance and adjusts his brass knuckles.
LEON
Where the fuck is Bobby?
this.

I don't believe

BIG DOM
Probably gettin' his shoes shined.
LEON
Most important rumble Deuces ever had and
he's gotta come the last minute. What's
he thinkin'? Fuckin' kid's pussywhipped!

104.

TINO
There's Freddy!
(calls out)
Yo! Freddy! Over here pal!
LEON
That's our man!
(yells out to him)
Freddy-botz!
FREDDY THE POLLACK
and his gang of eight, strut into the empty pool area toward
the Deuces, smiling. Marco's Trojan horse has just arrived.
FREDDY
If it ain't the sharp and shiny Deuces,
ready for some action.
TINO
You got it man!
FREDDY
We're here and wit'cha!
pricks comin'?
Midnight.

When are these

LEON

Scooch, Bobby's ten-year-old friend, walks out from the dark

playground area to Leon by the empty pool.
LEON
What are you doin' here kid?
go home.

You better

SCOOCH
I wanted to see you guys fight.
LEON
This ain't nothin' for you to see, we
ain't settin' no examples here tonight,
so you better go home. Gowan' -Scooch nods and sulks away to hide behind the bleachers where
he defiantly watches.
CUT TO:
EXT. PHILLY BABES HOUSE - NIGHT
Philly backs his wrecked car out of the driveway,
the world.

cursing

105.

PHILLY
Mother fuckin' Jimmy Pockets cocksucker!
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS - NIGHT
Bobby runs from President Street to the YMCA DIVE POOL. It's
a long run, but he's got to get there. He passes an
appliance store, the clock in the window reads "11:59" one
minute to midnight.
EXT. SUNSET PARK - NIGHT
The Deuces and Freddy and his gang wait.
Bobby who's nowhere to be found.

Leon looks for

LEON
(sotto)
Fuck.
EXT. STREETS - NIGHT
Philly drives his wreck to the dive pool. He exudes madness.
Tears of anger and nerves are running down his pale face as
he checks his gun.
PHILLY
Fuckin' Jimmy Pockets, motherless
scumbag-EXT. DIVE POOL - NIGHT
Bobby approaches the dive pool and runs out of breath but
determined. He sees the Deuces with Freddy the Polack and
his crew, he takes a deep breath and runs over to them.
LEON'S POV
Bobby rushing to the group.
Leon nods in disapproval of Bobby's tardiness. Bobby is
greeted by several of the DEUCES. Jack throws a metal pipe
to Bobby who catches it smiling.
Bobby goes to Leon and Freddy, the pipe firmly in his grasp.
LEON
Where you been -FREDDY
Hey Bobby -Bobby smiles at Freddy and quickly smashes the pipe with all
his anger and fury into Freddy's face, knocking him out.
Freddy collapses.

106.

A beat passes as everyone stands back in shock.

LEON
What the fuck?!
Freddy's guys begin backing away.
BOBBY
(to Leon and the Deuces)
Freddy was with Marco and the Vipers a
half hour ago, they made a deal. The
fuck rolled over on us! I saw it.
Freddy's gang backs away even more as the Deuces turn on
them. Big Dom grabs his baseball bat from the ground and
begins chasing them. Freddy's gang splits, leaving
unconscious Freddy on the ground.
Bobby --

LEON
You sure 'bout this?

BOBBY
Fuck him. I'm tellin' ya this red, Bozo
the clown lookin' motherfucker made a
deal with Marco.
Jack checks Freddy.
JACK
This boy's out for the count.
(looks up, sees)
Heads up. Marco's here...
ANGLE ON MARCO
Jimmy Pockets and the Vipers, smiling like the victors before
the fight, strut coolly into the empty pool area.
THE DEUCES
lined up ready to rumble, stand over Freddy's body.
them carrying or wearing gang-war weaponry.

Each of

Marco steps out from the gang to see Freddy's downed body.
BOBBY
(to Marco)
You no-balls motherfucker, greasin' this
dumb Pollock to sandbag us!
Leon moves next to Bobby.
ANGLE ON LEON - THEN HIS POV
Marco staring him in the eyes, he ignores Bobby.

107.

MARCO
I wasted your piece of shit, chocolatechip brother and now I'm gonna kill you.
Although high as hell, stoned Jimmy Pockets whips Bobby with
a car aerial, slicing his face.
JIMMY POCKETS
(laughs)
You think my sister fucks good?
The BRAWL BEGINS.

Marco jumps into the empty pool.

MARCO
(to Leon)
We fight here! Me and you, motherfucker!
Leon jumps in the empty pool. The gangs continue to fight
around the empty pool which is now serving as a pit for our
fighting bulls.
LEON
(to Marco )
C'mon scumbag -Big Dom throws Leon his baseball bat. Leon catches it.
MARCO
I'm gonna drown you in your own blood.
As they both walk toward the deep end, Marco suddenly charges
Leon trying to grab Leon's bat away. Leon pushes Marco off
and swings the bat at Marco's left arm, busting it.
Marco throws a counter punch, catching Leon hard in the
shoulder with his brass knuckles. Leon gets knocked back
against the wall, he drops the bat.
Marco grabs the bat, holding it with one hand swings at
Leon's face. Leon jumps back, the bat missing him by an inch.
THE DIVE POOL AREA
The rumble continues.
going down rapidly.

The score is about even.

Guys are

BACK IN THE DIVE POOL

Marco swings the bat at Leon who grabs it in mid-swing. Leon
quickly gives Marco a hard jab in the eye. Marco staggers
back a few feet but immediately comes back at Leon with an
overhead hammer shot. Leon blocks the shot, they lock up for
a second and Marco lets go of the bat punching Leon square in
the face, busting his nose.
Leon goes down backwards falling on his ass and sliding down
the pool slope to the deep end. Dazed.

108.

Marco goes down after him. Leon shakes it off and gets up in
time to side-step Marco coming at him. They square off under
the diving board and Marco misses with a roundhouse. Leon
gets inside and comes up with a strong uppercut to Marco's
jaw, sending him back. Leon follows Marco and delivers two
more solid punches to Marco's mouth as he falls into a pile
of broken cement pieces from the pool repair.
Marco smashes his head,
pool floor.

spitting broken teeth out on the

THE DIVE POOL AREA

Fifteen guys from the gangs are down. The remaining few are
now watching and cheering on the fight.
The Deuces yell at Leon to finish Marco while he's down. The
Vipers scream at Marco to get up and fight.
Leon waits as Marco slowly gets up, blood pouring from his
gums like a shark after the attack.
EXT. YMCA DIVE POOL AREA - THAT MOMENT
Philly Babes, sweating profusely, crash-parks his car into
another car and gets out, 38 snubby in hand. A non-stop
barrage of profanity runs from his parched, tense mouth as he
runs blindly with rage.
THE DIVE POOL AREA
Jimmy Pockets yells at Marco.
C'mon man!

JIMMY POCKETS
Do him you fuck!

Two gunshots hit Jimmy Pockets from behind, blowing two holes
out from his chest. The force knocking him into the empty
pool where he lands face first.
Everything comes to a sudden HALT as
PHILLY BABES
screaming furiously fires more rounds into Jimmy's wriggling
body at the bottom of the empty pool.
PHILLY
You fucked me you motherfucker! Where's
my fuckin' money you junkie cunt!
Everyone backs away from Philly.
Marco yells at Philly.
MARCO
What the fuck are you doing?!

109.

Leon has backed up to a safe area.

Leon.

Philly aims the 38 at

PHILLY
All'a you motherfuckers!
Philly wildly SHOOTS THE GUN at Leon who dodges the shots -blowing chunks out from the pool wall. Philly's gun is
quickly emptied. Missing Leon.
Bobby quickly runs over from behind and cracks Philly in his
head with his pipe. DiMaggio couldn't have hit a ball
harder.
Philly falls unconscious into the empty pool.
MOOF
(yells out to Bobby)
Yeah, Pipe-Man!
BOBBY SEES SOMETHING
Scooch standing nearby, a bloody switchblade in his hand he
picked up from the ground. Scooch offers the knife to Bobby.
BOBBY
Gimme' that. Go home Scooch.
here.

Get outta'

Bobby pulls Scooch away from the pool area.

IN THE DIVE POOL
Marco and Leon are both bloody and tired, exchanging a few
last shots.
ANOTHER ANGLE - THE DIVE POOL
Two Men (SHOOTERS FROM SMITH STREET) dressed in "work
clothes" silently and calmly approach the pool.
All pool-side fighting STOPS as the men enter the pool area.
The Smith Street Men casually pull out their guns -- they
both begin FIRING AT LEON.
Marco jumps away from the VERY CLOSE GUNFIRE.
Everyone scrambles to run for their lives as Leon gets two
pistols EMPTIED INTO HIM.
SILENCE all around.
LEON
dead and bloodied.

Marco is stunned.

110.

MARCO
(to the men)
What the fuck are you doing here?
was my fight!

This

The Men quickly leave passing a very angry Marco.

MAN#1
(sotto to Marco)
Gotta problem tough guy?
(in his face)
Talk to Fritzy.
The Smith Street Men leave.
Bobby and Scooch come out from the sidelines, Bobby is
horrified to see Leon dead. Everyone comes out from hiding,
quietly curious and all shocked.
IN THE DIVE POOL
Leon dead and bloodied.
him, also dead.

Jimmy and Philly are across from

WIDER - THE DIVE POOL AREA

Marco quickly leaves, several of the Vipers go with him.
Some stay and go into the pool with Bobby and the Deuces to
look at Leon.
Bobby, the Deuces and some Vipers help carry Leon's body out.
Police SIRENS rapidly approach as Leon's body is laid poolside. The SIRENS scare off the remaining Vipers. The Deuces
remain by Leon's side, all teary eyed, broken.
BOBBY
(off the sirens)
All'a youse'. Get the fuck outta here.
JACK
We'll stay wit'cha.
BIG DOM
Yeah Bobby.
BOBBY
(choked up)
I said scram! I can handle this! No use
all of us gettin' pinched. Now go!
The Deuces reluctantly leave. Bobby cradles Leon's bloody
head and cries as the SIRENS GROW LOUDER.

111.

BOBBY (cont'd)
(crying, to Leon)
Look what the fuck they did to you, man.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SIXTH AVENUE - DAY
The block is silently in mourning for our dead.
CUT TO:
EXT. ST. PETERS CHURCH, BROOKLYN - DAY
The doors are closed, the church is quiet.
ECU ON
The "Deuce of hearts" card lies on the church steps.
WIDER - BOBBY
in tears as he walks away from the church.
tracks and sees

He stops in his

JOEY PANTS AND FRITZY

sitting in a parked car outside the church. Fritzy is in the
passenger seat. Bobby attempts to ignore them.
Hey kid?!

FRITZY

BOBBY
(keeping his distance)
Yeah. What?
C'mere.

FRITZY

Bobby still keeps his distance.

FRITZY
What happened was a shame. A real
fuckin' shame. Leon was a good kid.
Sure was.

BOBBY

FRITZY
You need anything, you know where I am.
Yeah.

BOBBY

112.

Bobby continues to walk.

then yells out to Bobby.

Fritzy nods to Joey Pants to drive,

FRITZY
(to Bobby)
Maybe me and you should talk about doin'
business. Come see me -Bobby continues to walk.

Fritzy laughs.

FRITZY (cont'd)
-- down at the club.
CLOSE ON BOBBY
walking away from them.
BOBBY
(sotto)
Fuck you.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SOMEWHERE ON I-95 - MAGIC
Bobby and Annie drive South in Jimmy Pocket's car.
beautiful countryside ushering them to a new life.

The

INT. CAR - TRAVELLING - FRONT SEAT

Bobby and Annie hold hands. MUSIC plays on the radio.
kiss as Bobby navigates the road.

They

CLOSE ON ANNIE
Bobby puts his hand on her tummy.
BOBBY
How many months does it take to make a
baby?
Bobby laughs, kisses Annie as they drive.
EXT. CAR - MOVING
It makes a winding turn and disappears from our view.
FADE OUT.