Scene 1
The scene opens up with Benny and Ronny Gambino in the back of
the cop car; it’s a cold winter night in New York. The windows
are icy making all the lights blurry. In handcuffs, in their
pajamas, driving to the police station.
Ronny
*whispering*
”Benny,calm down. when we get to the station, do not say a word.
You hear me?”
The camera pans to Benny looking out the window fidgeting with
his hands. Ronny hits him.
Ronny
“You hear me? Not. A. Word”
Benny just nods his head and looks straight out.
Benny
”Ron, I don’t know. This time feels different.”The scene cuts to them taking their mugshots. Loud flash and
randomly bright light. The date is December 8th, 1953. Both of
their black hair is a mess. Ronny has more scruff and his jaw is
clenched. Benny has a worried look on his face.They get
separated as Ronny says one thing, visibly angry.
Ronny
”I’m gonna call Dad. We’re not staying here another hour.”
He shoves off the officer and puts the coins into the phone.
First Ring: The camera stays on Ronny’s face.
Second ring: Cuts to Benny’s contemplative face
Third ring: Cut to showing the house phone, in the background
muffled yelling by the Dad at someone you don’t know who.
Fourth ring: Cuts to the officer’s face just staring blankly
ahead
Fifth ring: Cuts back to Ronny’s face masked in anger. He
doesn’t let the ring end and slams the phone back down on the
receiver and runs his hands through his hair. He grunts in anger
and yells out.Benny
”I’ll call Stef now!”
Ronnny
”What the hell is she gonna do?”
He starts cursing to himself. The officer slams the cell door,
and Benny walks by as it happens.
Benny
”Do you really think we got another option? You know how she
gets. She’ll answer.”
The camera cuts to Stefania smoking a cigarette, with a crying
baby in her hands, sitting next to the phone. She jumps up when
the phone rings. The camera goes back to Benny’s face as it
rings.
Stef
”What did you guys do now? You can’t keep doin this to little
Antonio. A boy needs his Father.”Benny
”Listen, Stef, I need you to get my father and Angelo at the
station as soon as possible.”
Stef
”You know what Benny? One of these days I’m not gonna be here to
answer; you should really think about our future now.”
Benny
”Our future is me in jail if you don’t get them here now.”
His voice is more urgent than usual and Stef realizes this is
different.
Stef
”Okay, I’ll get them, and we’ll be there soon.”
Benny
”Alright, I love you. Thank you.”
Stef sighs while looking at the baby, puts out her cigarette,
and hangs up.Scene 2
As she hangs up the phone with a loud slam, the screen goes
black. It’s a transition from the dark wall to Ronny and Benny’s
father, the Don, sitting at his desk looking stressed with his
hands clasped over his face. There are two men in suits, body
guards, standing with their hands closed in front of them
staring straight ahead. There’s a loud repetitive knocking at
his door.
Don
*Sighs* Who is it now?
The shot cuts to one of the men answering the door. There’s a
harsh winter snow falling as Stef is clutching her baby’s head.
Guard 1
Sir, it’s Stefania.
The Don mumbles to himself
Don
What does she want now?The Don goes out to the living room embracing her with a faux
warmth and joy to see her. Stefania’s face is pale.
Don
Where’s Benny?
The Don says with sudden alertness.
Stef
Oh, that’s what I came here to tell you! Benny and Ronny were
taken away! Those pigs took him just about an hour ago! They
told me they called you and you didn’t answer-
As she’s rambling on in a chaotic way, the Don starts pacing
around. Ordering his guards.
Don
Get Angelo on the phone now.
Stef
Hey, tell me what this is about! All of you won’t answer me!
Nobody is answering her, and she is left consoling the baby
standing alone in an empty living room. She starts to walkaround the corner into the Don’s office where he is now on the
phone writing down a message and handing it to Guard 2. She’s
hiding so she’s not seen eavesdropping.
Don
*On the phone* Find me the rat who put them in there and broke
the damn Omerta.
A look of shock comes over Stefania; her eyes are widened. She
clutches her baby closer to her chest.
She tries to walk in and the guard pushes her back.
Stef
Don! Tell me what’s gonna happen to Benny! Oh, my God! This is
bad isn’t it? Get your hands off me!
As she’s yelling to the Don, trying to push through the guard,
the Don is waving his hand for the guard to move.
Don
Stefania, come here.
She slowly walks over; the silence following her yelling leaves
her feeling ashamed.Don
Until we find out who broke their silence, there’s simply
nothing to do, and nothing you can do. Go home. Get some sleep.
Don’t let the baby see any of this. I’ll take care of it. I’m
going to get ’em out now. Benny won’t be home tonight.
Stefania has a tear falling down her face as he’s telling her
this. She goes to leave and drives away.
Don
Get my coat please.
Guard 2 hands him his coat. Another knock is heard at the door.
All three of them look at one another. The camera cuts to the
front of the house with a large man in front looking side to
side.
Don
That better be Angelo.
Guard 2
Sir, I don’t see how it could be. He is at least a 10 minute
drive from here…The Don paused with a stern, thinking face.
Guard 2
Sir, I think we should leave through the back door. We shouldn’t
try to see who it is unless it’s from a secure spot. Just in
case.
Don
Let’s go.
The camera cuts again to the man standing outside. This time you
can get a closer look at him. In a large trench coat. The camera
cuts to his right hand on the inside of the coat. Is it a gun?
The camera cuts to the Don in the back seat as his guard drives
to pass the front of their house. In slow motion they pass
behind the man in the front. Their faces aren’t giving anything
away as to who it is.
Scene 3
The scene cuts to Benny sitting in his cell with his head in his
hands, rubbing his temples. And the camera slowly pans right toRonny standing anxiously with his knuckles white gripping the
bar. A contemplative face.
Ronny
Where is Ricci? Isn’t this his only job? He’s usually here.
(With a bang sound)The shot cuts to Ricci’s dead body being put
in the back of the trunk. You can’t see who is closing it.
Benny
It’s fine. Just calm down,
He says with annoyance.
The shot cuts to the Don in the Prison unit walking into the
visiting room. Benny and Ronny are on the other side. The Don is
rambling in anger before he even sits down.
Don
No Loyalty. None. I can’t trust no one, not even Ricci.
Benny
What are you talking about?Don
Don’t ask stupid questions while we’re here. He had it coming.
Ronny
Where is he? He’s all we got.
Don
Not anymore.
Benny
Are you saying what I think you’re saying?
The Don stays silent. The silence is deafening. He is just
staring straight at them with a blank face. The camera is
directly in front of him and slowly does a circle pan around the
room, showing how empty the whole place is and how quiet it is
because it is late at night. The circle reaches the dirty glass
that is between them. The camera stays only viewing Benny and
Ronny through the glass, Ronny is fuming, heavily and visibilly
breathing clenching his jaw. Benny is staring off into space
looking shocked with his eyes wide.
Benny breaks into a low whisper.Benny
What is wrong with you?
Benny quickly jerks his head to Benny. Another wave of shock
over his face. This disrespect is never shown to their father.
Ronny grabs the phone and throws it down. He rapidly stands up
screaming.
Benny
You always do this! You always ruin everything!
His words slowly start drowning out into a muffled loudness, as
he starts running his hands through his hair and pacing around,
kicking, and throwing the chair around. While this is happening,
the camera is going in a circle around the room again to reveal
Don’s outraged face. He calms himself down and slowly stands up.
The shot cuts to Benny slowly picking up the phone.
Benny
Dad?
The Don is starting to walk away. Benny starts banging on the
glass; he’s never this reactive. He’s yelling.Benny
else!
Dad! Don’t leave me here please! Just find someone else, anyone
He’s frantically banging on the glass; the Don never looks back,
and walks out of the room. The camera cuts to the end of the
hallway as the Don is walking toward the camera, leaving his
fighting sons behind him. Benny in the background is yelling at
Ronny.
Benny
Why would you say that to him?! You never think! You never
think! Now we are never getting out of here!
Ronny goes after Benny,in the background of Don walking towards
the camera you can see two guards ripping Benny and Ronny away
from each other.
The shot instantly cuts to Ronny sitting still and silent in the
interrogation table chair. He and the interrogator are just
staring at each other. The camera keeps cutting back and forth
between them.It cuts to two detectives talking, observing them through a
window.
Detective 1:
The Gambinos again? We know where this is going…
Detective 2:
Yeah a whole lot of nothing but screaming
They both laugh with each other as they sip their cups of
coffee.
The camera cuts back to Ronny.
Ronny
For the last time. I’m not answering without a lawyer.
Interrogator
You think this time is like all the others? We got you this
time.
Ronny
You don’t got nothing.Interrogator
Really? Because we have one of your guys who will happily
cooperate if you don’t.
Ronny stays silent.
Interrogator
For a family so big on loyalty, your brother seems to not have
inherited that trait…
Ronny’s head jerks up. The Interrogator is sitting with a smug
smirk on her face as she taps her cigarette in the tray and
takes a long drag. There’s a lingering silence.
The scene cuts to Benny’s interrogation; he’s just staring
forward as well.
Benny
I’m not talking.
InterrogatorI’ll have you know, Ronny perfectly led us to the cracks in your
little plan.
Benny
Ronny wouldn’t say anything, not without Ricci.
Interrogator
How could you be sure? You’ve seen his temper, he doesn’t
think…
Theres a long silence and the camera never moves off of Bennys
face.
Interrogator
Your words not mine.
Benny
Impossible.
The scene cuts back to Ronny’s interrogation. Ronny is still
sitting contemplative, truly wondering if her words are true.
Ronny
No, impossible.Interrogator
We know you and Sheriff Higgins did some business together. So
for the last time, what were you doing with him the night of his
murder?
Ronny stays silent
Scene 4
The scene shows the front of the Don’s house again, except this
time Angelo is there waiting at the front door. Angelo is a big
plump guy wearing a suit and tie, much too tight for his large
frame. He looks around and knocks. Nobody’s home. He walks, more
of a waddle, to the sides of the house and tries to look through
the windows but sees nothing. He walks back to his car and waits
in his parked car across the street.
It cuts to the Don in the back of his car being driven back
home. He has a thoughtful face and he’s flipping through thenewspaper. But he throws it to the side and sighs. You can tell
he’s frustrated because he’s trying to think of what to do.
They pull into the house grounds, driving through a large gate
and a long driveway.
Don
Any sign of Angelo?
The Guards get out of the car to make sure it’s safe to get out.
Guard 1
Yes sir, I believe he is down the street.
Angelo starts walking out of his car towards Don who is still in
the car. One guard went inside the house to make sure nobody was
inside.
Don
Angelo, I’m happy you can be here. I will never forget your
loyalty and respect to me, I consider you like a brother to me.
You’re family.Angelo takes the Don’s hand, with large gold block rings that
are heirlooms, and kisses it. Bowing his head to him.
Angelo
It is an honor to be your friend, and your confidant.
Angelo goes and sits in the car with the Don.
Don
Angelo, there was a man at my house tonight. Who? I don’t know.
But somebody is after this family. My work, my life, God’s only
reason for putting me on this earth. But someone, in this
family, has broken the Omertà.
Angelo has a stricken look on his face.
Angelo
out.
Don, I owe my life to you. I will find this rat and take him
DonNo, you will find him and bring him to me. I want to speak to
this ‘brother’ of mine.
Guard 2 opens the door for the Don
Guard 2
It’s clear sir.
Guard 1
Sir, there are no signs of someone in the house, we spoke to the
Guards at the front and there was no sign of a man coming in.
Guard 2
So he must’ve climbed through the trees.
He says looking up at the monstrous trees surrounding the estate
and the house.
Angelo
What the hell did we hire you for if the damn trees are the easy
way in!
The guards look ashamed.Guard 1
We are still not completely sure he got in through the tress but
it is our best guess. We have three men in the back and both
sides of the house. So whoever this was has been here, and knows
the layout of these grounds.
Don
The rat.
You can see the sun is now slowly peering out of the sky through
an open kitchen window, where Stefania is standing in front of
the sink. She has dark circles under her eyes and is staring off
in a daze. The camera cuts to her smoking tray, set at the
bottom of the windows, which is loaded with cigarette butts. She
is still smoking. The phone rings and she jumps to it, messily
putting out her cigarette in the overflowing tray, scrambling to
pick it up.
Stef
Hello?! Benny?!
AngeloHi Stef, it’s Angelo.
Stefania’s lit up eyes and body, droop back down.
Stef
Where is Benny? Don said he was getting him out?!
Angelo
Well Don has decided to put his focus into other things at the
moment. Like you and Antonio coming to stay with him for a
while.
Stef
Angelo, you better tell me right now what’s going on!
Antonio
Stef, calm down. Bring the baby, and then we’ll tell you.
Stef lets out a sob of frustration and exhaustion. The shot cuts
to her slamming the door, and then walking up to the Don’s
house. It’s light out now, the birds are chirping. She angrily
knocks on the front door and Guard 1 answers.Guard 1
The Don is sleeping and needs his rest, but he has a message for
you.
Stef
Benny.
I don’t need a message, I need to know what’s gonna happen to
Angelo walks up from behind the guard ushering him away.
Angelo
Stef, it’s good to see you. Come in. Sit down.
Stef stays silent and plops herself down on the couch.
Angelo
Stef, Benny isn’t getting out anytime soon.
Stef
Yeah, Don already told me that. Why isn’t Ricci doing anything?!
I would’ve gotten a phone call from him by now. He always calls
me.The scene cuts to Angelo holding a shovel of dirt covering up a
grave on the side of an empty highway, with a cigar in his
mouth. It cuts back to his face on the couch; he pauses before
his answer.
Angelo
Well, Don said the boys didn’t want his help.
The scene cuts to a flashback of Don and Angelo sharing a glass
of bourbon in his dimly lit office. The room is surrounded by
glossy wood furniture, leather brown couches, and the room is
murky from cigar smoke. Dimly lit.
Don
They were acting like the children they are.
He says waving his cigar around.
The scene cuts back to Stef’s face thinking and looking down at
her hands. She sighs.
Stef
Oh, they are so stupid! Of course they were fighting again. I’m
going down to the station. Have Maria watch little Tony.She starts to get up, but Angelo gets up quicker and puts his
hands on her shoulders.
Angelo
gates.
Stef, you can’t leave this house. You have to stay within these
Stef has no response, but her shocked face. She picks up her
baby and walks upstairs to her room and closes the door.
Scene 5
The scene opens to a dark haired lean man with a cigarette
hanging out of his mouth as he’s frying up some eggs. He’s
listening to a famous 50’s song and dancing around. He spins in
a circle on his way to his small table overflowed with money
coming out of suitcases. The apartment is run down and messy.
The phone rings and he goes to turn down his radio and picks it
up.
Loui
Hello?He says this drawing out his L, in a cheery tone. The second the
voice on the phone responds his face drops, all the blood
draining from it.
Voice on the phone
Enjoying your money, huh?
Loui
Why are you still calling me? I did what you asked. We are done.
The voice starts laughing.
Voice on the phone
Loui, you poor naive little boy. Nothin’ is done until the whole
Gambino family is out.
Loui
Hey, you didn’t say that was part of the deal?
Voice on the phone
Oh, so you think just having a little conversation gets you that
much money? Wow, you really are stupid!
LouiI’m not killing no one.
Voice on the phone
Well it’s either you kill or be killed. Pick your poison.
The voice hangs up abruptly. Loui starts yelling and cursing in
anger, pacing around his apartment. He starts to frantically
pack his bags like he’s leaving. He scoops all of his money into
his duffles with his clothes. It’s a mess. He gets his keys to
go out. He leaves the stove on with the eggs still frying. As he
goes to walk out to his beat up car, he then Puts his things in
the trunk. He gazes across the street. There are two men in a
black car wearing glasses and tie’s just watching him. He
stares, and stares. Like he is frozen in place. His whole body
is rigid and shocked with fear.
Scene 6
This is the closing of the episode. It is a montage with music
over it. The first shot is a slow motion shot of Benny and Ronny
in prisoner’s clothes now, cuffs at the ankles and hands walking
into a van to be moved to another unit. It zooms in on their
faces through the window, and then they get driven away.
The next shot is the detective sitting in a dark room with one
lamp light and she’s reviewing evidence and seems to have made anew discovery. Her eyes light up. Photos of Loui and Another
old, chubby man are placed next to each other.
The next shot is Angelo throwing his gun into the Hudson River
and then putting his shovel back into the garage.
The last shot is the Don in his office. It is daytime. He is
alone, walking around, admiring his family photos over the
fireplace. The camera pans over all the family photos. There are
baptisms, children laughing, old men, parties, and the last one
he picks up. The camera stays on the photo as he picks it up. It
is a picture of The Don, Benny, Ronny, their Mother, and Loui.
The camera zooms into Loui’s face as the music gets louder and
then it cuts to black.
The end.
