by Scott Rosenberg
4/6/99
NOTE! THIS IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND CANNOT BE PRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, PERFORMED, ETC.
"I wonder," Toad said to himself presently, "I wonder
if this sort of car starts easily?"
Next moment, hardly knowing how it came about, he
found that he had hold of the handle and was turning
it. As the familiar sound broke forth, the old
passion seized on Toad and completely mastered him,
body and soul ... He increased his pace, and as the
car devoured the street, he was only conscious
that he was Toad once more, Toad at his best and
highest. And he sped he knew not whither, fulfilling
his instincts, living his hour, reckless of what
might come to him... "
-- Kenneth Grahame, "THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS"
"All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty
hood... "
-- Bruce Springsteen, "THUNDER ROAD"
FADE IN:
EXT. LONG BEACH STREET - LOWER GRAND - NIGHT
The streets are empty. Low fog skims the sidewalks below a gray stew
of a sky. It's slightly fuzzy, slightly surreal. The vast Port of Los
Angeles is visible in the b.g... No cars parked here ... No cars
except -
A '67 SHELBY MUSTANG GT-500
Silver with deep grill, its sculptured side panels ending in air
scoops ... All cock and balls, it stands alone in the lonely cool
before dawn ... An old-school totem to speed and style... And then
SOMEONE approaches...
Through the mists of morning ... In leather coat and jack boots ...
He's early 30s, with the vaguely whimsical confidence of a shimmer
that refuses to fade ...
This is RANDALL RAINES, whom they call MEMPHIS - though know one's
quite sure why ... But they do know he's the auto-boost in Southern
California ...
Memphis approaches the Mustang with a gathering awe ... Like a desert
crash survivor coming upon an oasis ... He walks around it ...
Admiring it ... Adoring it ...
But then a FIREBIRD pulls up alongside him. Its driver -
ATLEY JACKSON, early 30s, handsome, jocular leans out for:
ATLEY JACKSON
You gonna steal her or kneel down to
her and pray -- ?
Memphis looks at him, still enthralled...
ATLEY JACKSON (cont'd)
I know, I know ... It's Eleanor ...
Just take her, slick. - -
And Atley drives off slowly, Memphis looks this way and that ...
No one about ... He removes a SLIM JIM from a deep pocket in his
coat... He slims the door panel ... Pops the button ... opens the
door ...
Watch him work. Quick as shit. A SCREWDRIVER appears another
pocket ... He pops the BUTTERFLY to the IGNITION
A RATCHET appears... He strips the mechanism... Now a GIZMO - a,small
socket-like device - is pressed into the
ignition ... A twist of the wrist ... And the 320-bhp 289 V8 rumbles
like a jackhammer. The whole thing took 20 seconds.
He takes a cassette TAPE from another pocket ... Slaps it into the
deck. Bruce Springsteen's "Ramrod" wails from the coaxials.
And Memphis floors it... And off they tear...
The look on his face suggests a supreme satisfaction ... A grand
re-awakening of long-dormant pleasure centers ... A speed Jones,
fixed and fumy ...
He slots in behind Atley Jackson's Firebird ... And slotting in
behind Memphis, in a Z-28, is DONNY ASTRICKY, mid-30s ...
On they go ... The fore and aft car providing escort...
Except that, from seemingly out of nowhere --
A POLICE CAR
appears behind them...
And Donny instantly goes into diversionary tactic ... He races
through a STOP SIGN ... And the cruiser's bubbles flash on ... And
Donny is pulled-over ... Atley and Memphis drive on in their
respective vehicles...
The UNIFORM COP gets out of his car, goes to Donny.
DONNY
Problem, Officer?
POLICEMAN
Yes. You're under arrest -- ?
DONNY
For running a stop sign?
POLICEMAN
For Grand Theft Auto -
And off of Donny's look --
We go to Memphis in the Shelby... As FOUR CRUISERS comes speeding
toward him, sirens wailing...
QUICK SHOTS of Memphis racing the Shelby through the early morning
harbor town streets ... Sirens peel ... Memphis turns up the music
... Pins the gas ... The chase is on ...
Memphis maneuvers the Mustang with a dazzling aplomb... Memphis
gutterballing the car, skating the shoulder, the cops in heavy
pursuit ...
And now he's picked up another CRUISER... He passes Atley Jackson,
heading in the opposite direction... Atley has picked-up a pair of
cruisers himself ...
Memphis on a straightaway now, speeds up, feels the boost. But up
ahead, a ROADBLOCK has formed... How'd they get that deployed so
fast? And behind him, the unmarks blaze ...
Guns his bitch... Straight at the roadblock .. Three CRUISERS and
a PORTABLE WOODEN BARRICADE... Memphis pins her ... ZOOOOOM! Dead-on
to the roadblock ...
And, at the last moment, as the COPS dive out of the way, Memphis
bangs the gear shift into neutral -- yanks the parking brake --
And the Mustang spins on the straight -- Screeching spin ... And
Memphis takes the HARD LEFT ...
And he's managed to outrun them... Finding himself above Lower
Grand... Looking down ...
He can see the secondary pursuit down below ... Atley being
chased... IN THE DISTANCE - Atley is LAUNCHED FROM THE SHOULDER,
the Firebird rolling down a drainage culvert ...
Landing with a sickening thud on its back. Memphis is horrified.
EXT. LOWER GRAND - LATER
Rescue team presence. Atley being hauled out of the wreck... His
leg is a torn mess ... He's barely conscious... A cuffed Donny
Astricky is dragged to a waiting cruiser ...
A POLICE CAR pulls up ... And out steps
DETECTIVE ROLAND CASTLEBECK
of G.R.A.B. The Governor's Regional Auto-theft Bureau. Castlebeck
is mid-50s, black, saturnine. - But don't let the tacit nobility
fool you - the man's a street viper ...
Castlebeck goes to another cop - HAWKINGS..
HAWKINGS
Astricky. And Jackson. No sign of
Raines...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Well, then it's all for naught,
ain't it, Hawkings?
Castlebeck looks out over the mess ... And then looks up...
Because, further down Lower Grand, a car is parked. It is the
Shelby. With Memphis leaning against its hood...
Castlebeck looks around him, but no one's noticed. So he walks
toward it, hand on hip...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I know you --
MEMPHIS
You know my back -
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
You want to come along quiet?
MEMPHIS
How's Atley -- ?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Leg's all banged-up. He made a
stupid play ... He'll limp around
the yard up at Folsom. But
Astricky will be there to take
care of him. With their priors,
they're looking at a serious bounce --
MEMPHIS
Let them go --
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
How's that?
MEMPHIS
Let them go. And I'll leave ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
You'll leave -- ?
MEMPHIS
You don't have anything on me. A
misdee auto-theft. I got no record.
I'll be out in three days, and back at
it. Or you let them go, and I give
you my word. I'm gone. And without the
ringleader ... Your tee-times have
just grown exponentially...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I don't golf...
And they stare at each other, as Castlebeck considers.
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK (cont'd)
I do this. And I see you again. I'll
come after you with everything I got.
you won't be able to steal a glance
at a blind man without me by your side ...
MEMPHIS
You have my word...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Get out of here, then. Now.
And Memphis makes to get into the Shelby...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Leave the car, Randall ...
Memphis nods ... Takes one last look at the Shelby... Sorry to
leave it behind ... And he runs off into the mists of Lower
Grand ...
Castlebeck walks back toward the crime-scene tumult ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Arright, let lim go. Cite him for
rolling the stop ... And cite old
Atley for driving to endanger ...
HAWKINGS
What are you talking about, Rollie? We're
springing 'em? Just like that?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Just like that. Quit your bellyaching,
Hawkings ... And let's wrap this up ...
And off of Donny's surprised look, as Springsteen wails to
crescendo and we
CUT TO:
EXT. INDEPENDENCE, CALIFORNIA - DAY - 6 YEARS LATER
Some 400 miles North of Los Angeles, Independence is a one
horse town, and the horse has died... Single stop light,
single-engine firehouse, single everything. Norman Rockwell
would find this burg a snooze.. - We settle on a small,
GARAGE ... The peeling sign reads:
"L.N. ORR AUTOMOTIVE"
owned and operated by Memphis Raines ... In blue coveralls,
Memphis has a Plymouth Duster up on the lift ... With him is a kid
- TOM, 19... Lightnin' Hopkins' "Automobile Blues" plays through --
MEMPHIS
You know what you got here?
TOM
Not really -
MEMPHIS
There's excessive resistance in the cranking
circuit ... You know what you gotta do -- ?
TOM
Not really --
MEMPHIS
You have any other answers besides
"not really"?
TOM
Not --
MEMPHIS
Right. You want to test the voltage drop ...
Use the voltmeter ... Remove the primary
lead from the ignitioncoil and crank her ...
See what you got ... You understand -- ?
Tom starts to say "not really". Instead, he nods. Memphis takes a
root beer from an old-style machine. He goes out ... front ... To
where an old Denver Pyle-coot - BUDGY - sits on a bench, smoking
an unfiltered Lucky ... Memphis sits beside him, pets the
200-year-old DOG that lounges nearby...
BUDGY
Just can't find good help these days --
MEMPHIS
(re: cigarette)
Those things'll kill ya, Budgy --
BUDGY
They won't have a chance. The bourbon and
bacon'll get me first...
Budgy cackles ... Memphis looks out at the dusty little hamlet ...
Budgy points at a passing car ...
BUDGY (cont'd)
That one -
MEMPHIS
1980 Mercury Cougar. 255 cubic inch V8 ...
Based on the Ford Thunderbird bodyshell;
they modified the chassis, but didn't
improve its performance...
Budgy points at another car ... And we get the sense they play
this game every day...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
The 1970 Plymouth Road Runner. Proof
positive of a single all-powerful Deity.
The first bargain-priced muscle car
ever. They even tuned the horn to
resemble the "beep beep" sound of the
cartoon Road Runner ...
And Budgy looks impressed... As always ...
BUDGY
Damn, you're good
Memphis nods ... Sips his root beer ...
BUDGY (cont'd)
You got to bingo last night?
Memphis looks at him ... Can't believe it himself ...
MEMPHIS
That I did, Budgy. That I did --
And, from inside the garage, there's the most horrific GRIND of
metal on metal, as Tom has started the Plymouth -
TOM (O.S.)
Uh ... Randall -- ?
MEMPHIS
Excuse me --
Memphis goes back into the garage, Budgy cackles.
CUT TO:
EXT. RANCHO PALOS VERDES - BUSINESS DISTRICT
A FORD ESCORT - driving through the upscale streets of Palos
Verdes. Three KIDS, 20, inside ... The driver is FREB, a little
dim; in the back is MIRROR MAN, black, always wears those mirrored
shades ... In the passenger seat is
KIP - Memphis' younger brother ... The car pulls to a stop.
Fancy stores - all of them closed - line this affluent business
district ... Freb consults a piece of paper ...
FREB
The corner of Hawthorne and Granvia.
Tumbler messed up. He said the Lotus
would be at the corner of Hawthorne
and Granvia --
KIP
He didn't mess up. There it is ...
And he points ... To a CORNER BUILDING - EXOTIC MOTORS LTD. Twenty
foot high glass - windows surround a SHOWROOM of EXOTIC DREAM
CARS: Porsches and Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Bertones ... And-
there it is, a 1996 LOTUS ESPRIT V8, gleaming in the all-night
showroom lights...
Freb and Mirror Man are startled
FREB
That -- ?
MIRROR MAN
You're shittin', right? Kip?
He grins at them... He ain't shittin'...
FREB
How are we supposed to--
KIP
Pop the trunk. I need my tool ...
Freb scowls ... Pops the trunk ... Kip gets out ... Goes to the
back ... Freb and Mirror Man share a spook --
MIRROR MAN
What tool -- ?
Kip reaches into the trunk.... Comes around to them... He's
carrying A BRICK --
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
Oh, no --
And Kip walks toward "Exotic Motors"... Calm and cool ...
Ten feet from it ... He winds up ... And HURLS THE BRICK AT
THE WINDOW Which EXPLODES ON IMPACT, a SHOWER OF GLASS
raining down ...
ALARMS SQUEAL
As Kip walks into the showroom, glass crunching underfoot. Freb
and Mirror Man can't believe it --
INT. EXOTIC MOTORS
Kip goes to the Lotus... With nary a glance around, he's got her
open ... The Lotus' ALARM adds its song to the choir ... Kip,
unmindful, gets behind the wheel ... Screwdriver to the
mechanism... The alarm raging in here...
In moments, the V8's massive 349bhp is bellowing... And Mirror Man
climbs in beside him... And off they go ... Laying several inches
of English rubber. Over the broken glass and out of the
showroom...
EXT. CITY STREETS - PALOS VERDES - NIGHT
The Lotus races through these streets ... At high speeds ...
MIRROR MAN
Newsflash, Kip: you're driving a
stolen car
Kip smiles over the ascending speedometer --
KIP
Yeah. Ain't it great -- ?
And he pins her ... VROOOOOM -- !
CUT TO:
A TENNIS BALL
being bounced against the wall ... Caught ... Bounced again ...
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
INT. WAREHOUSE - LONG BEACH HARBOR - NIGHT
A dozen purloined AUTOS are parked here ... And a number of
SHIPPING CONTAINERS ... A thuggish MAN reads the paper ... The
tennis ball bouncer is TUMBLER, 20 ... And he's sitting on a
tilted back chair, and wall-bouncing the ball and annoying the
piss out of
ATLEY JACKSON
whom we remember from the drop-car at our opening ... Atley walks
with a LIMP now... Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
ATLEY JACKSON
Can you stop that, for Chrissake?
TUMBLER
What's your problem, bro ?
Thunk! Thunk!
ATLEY JACKSON
Where are they -- ?
TUMBLER
They'll be here. You nervous, bro? You? Back
in the day, they say you had anti-freeze in
them veins ... What happened -- ?
And Atley intercepts the tennis ball ... And hurls it over to the
far side of the warehouse ... Tumbler merely grins ...
TUMBLER (cont'd)
Relax and enjoy --
EXT. SAN PEDRO STREETS - THE LOTUS
Heading for Long Beach... Stopped at a light ... A CAMARO pulls up
next to them... A KID behind the wheel, a BLONDE beside him...
Kip eyeballs them... Engines are revved... Challenges are
implied... Mirror Man panics ...
MIRROR MAN
Stolen car, Kip. Stolen car, stolen car,
stolen car ...
KIP
Stolen fast car...
And the light turns green ... And he pops the clutch ... And
they are off ... It's a good old fashioned drag race ... Kip
smiles at the blonde ... Mirror Man is freaking out ... Kip's
eyes are on fire ... He clocks the speedometer ...
KIP (cont'd)
It's calibrated for 140 ... Let's see
if these British boys are full of shit
or not --
MIRROR MAN
No way, man --
Yes, way. Kip floors it. They bury the Camaro in its wake... The
gauge rising ... 90, 100, 110 ... Mirror Man is having an
embolism...
They warp-speed by a POLICE CRUISER... Both kids totally unaware
of the POLICE CHOPPER up on high... With them in its sights ...
And they drive ... At last, ending up at --
THE WATERFRONT - A dark latticework of docks and wharves,
warehouses and shipping crates... The freighters are somehow
graceful against the moonlit water ...
INT. WAREHOUSE
Tumbler studies his watch... Now he's a little concerned ... He
looks up ... Atley is glaring at him...
ATLEY JACKSON
Something wrong, Tumbler -- ?
TUMBLER
Yeah. I'm missing Springer --
And then the Lotus pulls into the warehouse... Tumbler flashes
Atley a "told-you-so" smile... Kip and Mirror Man get out of the
car...
Kip walks over to a CLIPBOARD with a magic marker tethered to it
... It is a list of cars ... He draws a black line through "13)
1996 Lotus Esprit V8"... The others are clocking the car...
ATLEY JACKSON
She'll go 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds --
MIRROR MAN
I can vouch for that.
Tumbler passes out 40 oz.s ... The vibe is celebratory...
TUMBLER
Thirteen down ... Thirty-seven to go ...
KIP
No problem -
Bottles are clinked... Beer is sipped ... Only, a HOT WHITE
SPOTLIGHT bores through the skylight ... And the whup-whup of the
chopper's ROTORS... And now the sounds of SIRENS ... And the
thuggish man gets to his feet ...
THUGGISH MAN
Let's get outta here -- !
And they do... Heading out the back ... It's tough for Atley with
his limp ... On the way out:
ATLEY JACKSON
Now you gone and done it, Raines
And they flee ...
INT. WAREHOUSE - LATER - NIGHT
A HALF-DOZEN POLICE CARS. The CHOPPER does the usual
spotlight-trailing... It's turned into a total pig
circus ... A car pulls to a stop ... And out steps Detective
Roland Castlebeck, whom we remember from our opening...
INT. WAREHOUSE
Castlebeck surmises the take ... The cars ... His partner
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF - a sneering Irish boy with zero patience -
comes out from the back ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
They're gone...
Castlebeck nods ... Looks at the cars ...
INT. "L.N. ORR AUTOMOTIVE" - INDEPENDENCE - DUSK
Memphis goes through invoices in the cluttered back office. When a
brand new purple MERCEDES SLK, windows tinted, pulls in out front.
It looks oddly anachronistic here in Independence. Memphis senses
danger. He goes out. Budgy and his dog are here... Budgy looks
spooked... Tom, too ...
MEMPHIS
What's going on -- ?
And standing there, by the Mercedes, like a wraith, is ATLEY
JACKSON, in long leather coat, smoking a cigarette ... As out of
place here as a maggot on a muffin...
ATLEY JACKSON
Well, well, well ...
And he begins to sing...
ATLEY JACKSON (cont'd)
(ANDY GRIFFITH theme)
Da-doo-doo-doo-da-doo-doo-doo, etc.
(laughs)
Are you kidding me, man -- ?
MEMPHIS
Hello, Atley ...
ATLEY JACKSON (re: sign)
L.N. ORR. I get it. Clever ...
Memphis studies him...
MEMPHIS
How's the leg?
ATLEY JACKSON
Only hurts when I breathe. Lookit
you. Where are Barney Fife and Aunt
Bea hanging out? And Opie ... Where's
Opie at?
He laughs some more ... Chain-lights his cig ...
MEMPHIS
What are you doing here?
ATLEY JACKSON
Is there someplace we can talk?
Memphis looks at him...
MEMPHIS
What about?
ATLEY JACKSON
About your brother. And the deeeep
shit he's in --
INT. TEDDY'S TAVERN - NIGHT
A BARMAID sets down a pitcher of beer and two mugs...
WAITRESS
There you go --
MEMPHIS
Thanks, Donna --
She leaves... Atley is staring at him... Memphis shrugs...
ATLEY JACKSON
It's been a long time, Memphis --
MEMPHIS
Six years ...
ATLEY JACKSON
Six years. Shit. Time flies, don't it?
Six years ago we were fartin' through
Armani and pissin' Cristal.
Now look at us ...
MEMPHIS
Tell me about Kip -
Atley takes a sip of his beer,...
ATLEY JACKSON
He took a job. And he fumbled it.
Now he's jammed-up. Jammed-up bad...
MEMPHIS
What kind of job... ?
ATLEY JACKSON
A boost. A big boost ...
MEMPHIS
A boost? What's Kip doing on a boost?
Atley frowns ... Looks at him...
ATLEY JACKSON
You're shittin', right?
Clearly Memphis is not ...
ATLEY JACKSON (cont'd)
Kip's become quite the little
crewrunner since you left. He's been
working a low-rent ring for
two years now. You don't talk to
your Ma?
MEMPHIS
It seems she neglected to mention it
ATLEY JACKSON
Maybe she don't know. Although I don't
see how that could be. Maybe she didn't
want to upset you -
MEMPHIS
Don't feel the need to explore my family
dynamics, Atley...
ATLEY JACKSON
The point is: Kip's been living the
life. Only he's a wild child. Crazy.
Makes our old behavior seem like
altar boy time. But he fungold this
one so bad, folks around L.B.
are already speakin' about him in
the past tense.
Memphis takes a beat ... Sips at his brew ... Then:
MEMPHIS
Who was the job for?
ATLEY JACKSON
Who do you think?
Memphis waits ... In no mood for guessing games ...
ATLEY JACKSON (cont'd)
Calitri, man. Raymond "The Carpenter"
Calitri ... Your favorite and mine ...
Which means nothing to us ... Though the look on Memphis, face
speaks volumes ...
ATLEY JACKSON (cont'd)
I just thought you should know,
man. I kind of had a feeling you
didn't. But I should tell you:
I'm working for him now - The
Carpenter - so if you see him, you
won't mention me coming to get
you... Like I said: I just thought
... I owed you ... And that it was
the right thing to do ...
Memphis nods ... His face clenched in despair. We FADE TO BLACK,
As a SUPER on-screen reads: PART 1: STOLEN MOMENTS
We PRE-LAP J. Geils Band's "Hard-Drivin' Man" and CUT TO:
THREE PLATES OF BACON, EGGS AND HASH BROWNS
placed on the service deck by a short-order COOK...
INT. RUBY'S ALL-NITE - LONG BEACH - NIGHT
A 24-hour diner in the heart of Long Beach... The three plates are
picked-up with an impressive dexterity by
HELEN RAINES
early 60s, clear-eyed... In pink Ruby's uniform and chunky
shoes... Black currant hair striated with wisps of gray... Helen
delivers the plates to a booth of college kids ...
KID
Can I get some more coffee -- ?
HELEN RAINES
Sure, hon ...
And she goes to the coffee station... When
MEMPHIS (O.S.)
Who's a guy gotta know to get a tuna
melt in this joint -- ?
And she turns around to see Memphis standing there. Her expression
displays many things ... Most of them joy ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Hello, Ma --
And she goes to Memphis ... Wraps her arms around him ... Squeezes
tight ...
HELEN RAINES (cont'd)
Oh, Randall ...
She takes his head in her hands ... Kisses his cheek ... Then the
other... Hugs on ... Unmindful of the customers ... The cook
smiles from behind the order wheel ...
COOK
What's the word, Memphis -- ?
MEMPHIS
How ya doing, Ruby -- ?
HELEN RAINES
Come, come, come ...
And she leads him over to a booth ... Barking to the cook - RUBY -
on the way...
HELEN RAINES (cont'd)
Tuna melt on pumpernickel. Provolone,
extra tomato, Dijon... And a chocolate
milk... Lots of syrup...
(to Memphis)
Right?
MEMPHIS
Right ...
And they settle in ... Across the booth from each other ... She
takes his hands...
HELEN RAINES
You look good...
MEMPHIS
You, too, Ma...
HELEN RAINES
What are you doing back?
MEMPHIS
How's Kip?
And Helen flushes, a bit ashamed maybe ...
HELEN RAINES
Have you seen him?
MEMPHIS
No.
HELEN RAINES
oh.
MEMPHIS
Atley Jackson came to see me ...
HELEN RAINES
Atley Jackson. How is that one?
How's the leg... ?
He looks at her ... Beat ...
MEMPHIS
Why didn't you tell me?
HELEN RAINES
I couldn't. I didn't want you to
worry. I thought held sort himself
out. I hardly see him. He comes and
goes. He's in trouble, isn't he?
MEMPHIS
He's in some trouble ...
HELEN RAINES
I knew it. He's changed, Randall. He's a
different boy. He's lost that... That
sweetness ... It's gone ... And I don't
know what to do ...
MEMPHIS
You getting my checks ... ?
HELEN RAINES
Of course ...
ANGLE - RUBY. He's on the PHONE in the kitchen...One eye
on Memphis and Helen --
RUBY
Detective Castlebeck... It's me ...
Yeah... You ain't never gonna guess
who just come in to visit his Ma --
BACK TO - MEMPHIS AND HELEN RAINES ...
HELEN RAINES (cont'd)
You haven't spoken to him in a
while, I guess...
MEMPHIS
He doesn't return my calls. or my
letters ...
HELEN RAINES
Kipling was sixteen when you left, baby.
I don't know what you remember of him.
But you should brace yourself
And, on her sad smile, we PRE-LAP Sammy Hagar's "I Can't Drive 55"
and SLAM CUT TO:
INT. "THE SIDE POCKET" - POOL HALL - NIGHT
A dozen tables... Smells of blue chalk and whiskey... The juke box
cranked... We take it to the back of the joint ... Where Kip, and
Tumbler and Mirror Man are knocking a rack... Freb sits nearby,
with a few badly made-up GIRLS...
TUMBLER
... so ... It's my new move ... It's called
"The Stranger." What I do is, I sit on
my hand for 10 minutes. Till it falls
asleep. Till it's good and numb. No feeling.
And then I jerk off.
GIRL
That's disgusting -
FREB
What's the point, man -- ?
TUMBLER
Cos it's like you're bein' done by a stranger
... It rocks ... It's the power move of the
New Millennium...
He sinks another ball. A kid, 15, TOBY - comes up to them.
TOBY
Hey, Kip, what's up?
KIP
What do you say, Toby?,
TOBY
I'm cool -
TUMBLER
What do you want, shithead?
TOBY
Why you gotta front me like that? I'm
talking to Kip --
TUMBLER
Why don't you leave him alone?
TOBY
I known Kip longing than you, man ...
TUMBLER
Oooh, ain't you the lucky duck --
FREB
Any word, Kip -- ?
KIP
No ... And they won't take my calls ...
FREB
What does that mean -- ?
KIP
It ain't what you'd call a "good sign"
He groks their fear...
KIP (cont'd)
Look - we managed to get 13 in a week.
We just gotta step it up ...
FREB
But we only got till Friday. That's
four days. And we lost the 13. So's
we gotta start over ...
Kip looks at him...
KIP
That, too ...
(off of Freb's look of fright)
Don't sweat it, Freb. We're cool.
ANGLE THE FRONT DOOR. For Memphis has entered. He
clocks the room. Sees them at the rear ... Walks back
KIP
It can be done, man. We just gotta
step it up... It's a challenge ...
MIRROR MAN
The challenge is not to get our nuts
cut-off and shoved down our throats ...
TUMBLER
Can I help you, pal -- ?
And Kip looks up ... To see Memphis there ...
MEMPHIS
Hey, Kip ...
KIP
Hello, Memphis --
TUMBLER
"Memphis?" You're Memphis?
MEMPHIS
That's right...
TUMBLER
Damn. Damn, damn, damn ...
FREB
Memphis. Holy shit. It's an honor,
man --
And he pumps his hand... Memphis continues to stare at Kip
KIP
It's good to see ya, man. You changed
your look -
MEMPHIS
You, too
Hold the stare... The others are excited...
FREB
What are you doing back, Memphis?
MEMPHIS
Little visit. Check on the family.
KIP
It's nice to see ya, man -
He smiles ... Memphis eyeballs him... Toby is there ...
TOBY
Hey, Memphis. Remember me? Toby
Walker. I live next door ...
MEMPHIS
Sure. Hey, Toby. You grew up
TOBY
Yeah, I'm cool ...
And Memphis turns back to Kip, who's picked up a pool cue.
KIP
Who's got next game -- ?
And he makes to rack 'em up ... Then:
MIRROR MAN
I get it. You ain't gotta be a genius:
Memphis come back to save our bacon!
TUMBLER
Shut-up, Mirror Man --
FREB
Izzat true? You come back to save our
bacon?
MIRROR MAN
Of course it's true. He come to save
his brother's dangling ass --
KIP
That can't be it. Cos we don't need
saving
FREB
We don't -- ?
MEMPHIS
He give you an advance -- ?
MIRROR MAN
Hell, yeah. Ten larger man
Kip shoots him a look... As if he's spoken out of turn ...
MEMPHIS
You just give 'im back the money.
All's well...
The others look glum... Kip laughs ... Long and hard...
KIP
"Give lim back the money." "Give 'im
back the money..." Be nice. If only
we didn't drink the money. And smoke
the money. And buy Nikes with the
money. And Sony Play Stations with the
money. And dirty girls with the
money...
And Kip sinks a ball ... Memphis looks at the others ... They
nod... It's true ... The money's gone ...
KIP
But don't worry, man. Things are all
sweetness and light here...
TUMBLER
Things are all leafy and suburban ...
MIRROR MAN
The hell they are --
KIP
Sure they are. Although we do appreciate the
gesture, Memphis. But we do got it handled...
And it was nice to see you -- -
Memphis nods ... Looks at all of them... Smiles ... And then
REACHES OUT, GRABBING Kip by the collar, yanking him to his feet
and in close, nose to nose ...
MEMPHIS
You listen to me, baby brother. You fancy
yourself some reat neat tough guy scumbum,
well, woop-tee-doo, little puppy with a
poundcake. But I remember the days when you
used to steal my Colorforms and eat 'em...
So you can't stop me from saving your
"dangling ass' if that's what I feel like
doing...
And with that, he shoves Kip back down into his seat, toppling the
table, bottles and glasses crashing... And barrels away from them,
the crowd parting like a wound...
Kip's crew left stunned, flustered, and maybe a bit impressed...
TUMBLER
Damn... Homeboy's on the dazzle ...
And, off of Kip's furious look, we CUT TO:
EXT. LONG BEACH HARBOR - NIGHT
A chill in the air. Memphis walks toward a range of lowslung
buildings ...
EXT. WOODBURN SCRAP AND METAL - NIGHT
A virtual cityscape of dismantled automobile carcasses, piled up
high for as far as the eye can see ... A huge FORK LIFT scoops up
a wreck and hauls it over to the CRUSHER... Watch as the car is
FLATTENED, for easy shelving ...
Midnight auto nonpareil ... To one side of the yard is a GARAGE:
Watch as a HONDA ACCORD, with a BLOODY WINDSHIELD, enters the
garage. A young Mexican KID driving.
A SIGN: "LOCK YOUR CAR OR IT MAY BE GONE IN 60 SECONDS!"
INT. GARAGE - CHOP SHOP
A CAR is CHOPPED ... Pulled apart ... Fenders, doors, panels,
interiors, air bags ...
EXT. WOODBURN SCRAP AND METAL - FRONT ENTRANCE
Memphis knocks on the door ... A dog-faced MAN opens it ...
DOG-FACE
Yeah -- ?
MEMPHIS
Randall Raines to see Mr. Calitri ...
INT. WOODBURN SCRAP AND METAL
Memphis follows Dog-face to the back of this building. Follows him
into another room. Which is
A WORKSHOP
An enormous WOODWORKING SHOP, fully tricked-out with state-of-the-
art table saws and drill presses, jointers and power planes.
An antique treadle lathe stands in one corner. A stock layout of
expensive woods - oak, birch, maple, cherry, mahogany - is stacked
against the rear wall ...
Jars and bottles and cakes of glues, resins, stains and bleaches
cram a shelf unit ... There's a MAN here, at a band saw. This is
RAYMOND CALITRI, 59 ...
He wears an apron, protective glasses and a lopsided sneer. A
Richard Widmark motherfucker - with the diamond hard look of a
cobra. The liegelord of downtown...
And now he works the a hand saw, making critical cross-cuts on a
wide panel of maple ... Atley Jackson is here as well ... As noisy
as it is out in the yard, in here, once the door is closed, it's
as SILENT-as a tomb...
A BANK OF MONITORS on one wall show the cars being crushed and
disassembled in the yard. Memphis is led into the room.
Calitri nods and Dog-face leaves the room... Calitri smiles ...
Examines his fresh cut...
CALITRI
Randall Raines ... It's been a long time ...
(looks at his clothes;)
frowns)
'though I do I recall you as a man
with style. You remember your old
friend, Atley -- ?
MEMPHIS
How ya doing?
ATLEY JACKSON
Good to see you, Memphis --
CALITRI
So. What do we owe the honor -- ?
MEMPHIS
It's about my brother ... Kip...
CALITRI
Yes ... Kip ...
He says the name like other men say "cancer." The phone on
his desk BLINKS. Calitri picks it up. Listens. Looks at
one of the monitors. Where the Mexican man is talking to
several Calitri EMPLOYEES. Calitri hangs up...
CALITRI
Excuse me one moment, Randall ...
And he picks up a MORTISE CHISEL on his way out. Palming it ...
INT. GARAGE - THE MEXICAN MAN
is sobbing. As Raymond Calitri marches toward him, glancing at the
bloodied windshield.
CALITRI
You bring this to me in this
condition? Blood and guts all
over it? You make me complicit?
On my property? Who taught you
how to think? And worst of all:
weren't there supposed to be two
Hondas?
THIEF
Please ...
And Calitri, rapid-fire, PUNCTURES the man's belly and chest and
legs with the chisel, old-school prison-shiv style ... Until the
man is on the floor, howling ...
CALITRI
Stupid sonuvabitch...
INT. CALITRI'S WORKSHOP
Memphis can-see this from one of the monitors. He looks at
Atley...
ATLEY JACKSON
Car-jacker. Neglected to clean up after
himself ...
MEMPHIS
Jesus ...
ATLEY JACKSON
The business has changed...
Calitri is back, wiping the sweat from his brow with a rag.
CALITRI
Now. Where were we? Oh, yes. Kip.
MEMPHIS
I don't want him hurt...
Calitri looks at him, then waves a hand around the shop...
CALITRI
I'm proud of this work. The bird
feeder. The wagon wheel planter.
The dollhouse. The drop-leaf movable
server...
He gestures to each item - exquisitely-rendered woodwork. Then
gestures to the yard...
CALITRI (cont'd)
Metal. Steel. It's cold. Ugly. Wood
is warm. Clean. Provided by nature.
To see a piece of furniture take shape.
It's like watching a child grow ...
Memphis glances to Atley... Atley shrugs ...
MEMPHIS
I'm sure you're working your way to
the point. I'll wait right here ...
Calitri blinks. Smiles. Nods...
CALITRI
My point. Yes. Simple, really. I require
the best. I insist on the best. I only
engage the best. Your brother. His
friends. They came to me. They wanted my
paper. He was your brother. You were the
best. Now. They've brought so much
goddamn heat down, I may not be able to
fill this order. Which would be very bad
for me. Which in turn, is very bad for
them...
MEMPHIS
I could kill you. That occurred to me.
When I first heard about this. That I
would kill you ...
CALITRI
Grow up. You don't kill people like me.
People like me die in their sleep at
87 ... Do you know why? Because if
you did kill me, and everyone knew it
was you - for the next ten years they'd
be finding pieces of those you love
scattered all over California ...
Memphis nods, notes a PISTOL, resting on a shelf nearby.
CALITRI (cont'd)
No, no. You don't kill me, because
you can't. You don't take your brother
and run, because we'd find him. You
don't go to the-police, because we have
friends there, too. You do nothing:
except deal with me.
Memphis eyes him...
MEMPHIS
I can come up with the front money.
Pay you back...
CALITRI
Were it only that easy. I have
obligations. The order needs to be
filled...
Calitri takes a manila ENVELOPE from his desk... Hands it to
Memphis, who takes out the SINGLE SHEET OF PAPER inside.
CALITRI (cont'd)
On that list, you'll find fifty cars.
Fifty. Five-zero. They range in
age from the 1956 Ford Thunderbird
to the 1999 Toyota Camry; and in
expense from the 1993 Volkswagen
Jetta to the 1988 Lamborghini
Countach. Fifty cars. Five-zero.
Memphis scans the list ... Looks up at Calitri ...
CALITRI (cont'd)
There is a container ship in Long
Beach Harbor. Pier 14. Ready to be
loaded with 4-car-per shipping
containers, false-walled and
customsprofiled as motor oil
designated. The ship leaves in four
days for South America and the
men who've tendered me this contract ...
MEMPHIS
They gave you only four days?
CALITRI
They gave me two weeks. I wasted most of it
with your brother and his crew, who not
only lost what pitiful few they managed
to boost, but also alerted the heat as to our
endeavor, making this even more difficult
to achieve ...
Memphis scans the list ...
CALITRI (cont'd)
Four days. 50 cars. I'm paying 200
thousand dollars ...
Now Memphis looks up...
MEMPHIS
I'm not interested --
CALITRI
I knew you'd say that.
MEMPHIS
I'm just here about my brother.
CALITRI
I knew you'd say that, too --
Calitri smiles ... Memphis 'looks at him... At Atley Realizing
the trap ...
MEMPHIS
Sound it out for me.
CALITRI
Your brother has four days. Fifty
cars. Five-zero. For that he gets
200 large ...
MEMPHIS
And if he doesn't make it -- ?
Calitri goes to one corner of the shop... Takes a tarp off
of a full couch MAHOGANY CASKET...
CALITRI
I made this, too. My first one.
Brass extension handles, not plated.
The coverings are silk, not rayon.
Expensive hardwood. And lined with
spray green Lorraine crepe ...
Memphis waits, knowing where this is going --
CALITRI (cont'd)
Yes, yes. I made it for young Kip. In
case he fails. At 8:00 Friday morning,
if that ship sets off without my
fifty ... Kip will take up permanent
residence in this box ...
Calitri WALL SWITCH and the a corrugated steel SLIDING DOOR is
RAISED, revealing a LOADING DOCK facing the back of the yard... Two
MEN are working out there... DIGGER AND BUTZ scuzzy dudes, mid-30s
and dressed in dirty coveralls ...
CALITRI (cont'd)
Come here for a second, boys --
And they come over --
DIGGER
Evenin', Mr. C. --
CALITRI
Digger, Butz: let me introduce
you to Randall Raines. Used to
head up the dandiest ring in
Southern Cal. Left us
for parts unknown. Randall, this
is Digger. And that's Butz -
DIGGER
Hi, Randall --
Memphis says nothing. Calitri grins ... Nods to Digger an Butz,
who go back to work...
CALITRI
Digger and Butz will be in charge of burial.
They're good boys ...
Memphis' look is cold and furious ... Plaintive:
MEMPHIS
I don't want them hurt. Any of 'em...
CALITRI
"don't want" the Dodgers to lose or
the summer to end. But we
don't get to choose these things...
Atley hits the wall-switch and the steel door slides shut. Calitri
turns to Memphis...
CALITRI (cont'd)
"Nothing that's forced can ever be
right." Old woodworking expression.
I really don't care how the 50
get onto my ship ... I just care
that they do. You decide.
With that, he puts his protective glasses back on - and fires up
an abrasive-disc-finishing machine, adjusting the miter gage and
beginning to sand the Outside curve of an angled chamfer.
EXT. HELEN RAINES' HOUSE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT
A small New England-style shingle and clapboard, up on a hill
overlooking the port. A small GUEST-HOUSE behind it ...
INT. HELEN RAINES' HOUSE
Helen clears away the dinner dishes ... The TV is on. The news. We
see a CRIME SCENE ...
REPORTER
... the car-jacking, which left Ramona
Sullivan, the 44-year-old mother of
three, dead, occurred last night at ...
Memphis glances to the TV... Grimaces ... He looks out the window
... At the SEDAN parked below...
EXT. RAINES' HOUSE - NIGHT
Memphis comes out ... Moves to the sedan parked across the street
... it is Detectives Castlebeck and Drycoff...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I know you.
MEMPHIS
You know my back.
They get out of the car... The view of San Pedro from up here is a
spectacular bedspread of lights ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
When'd you get to town, Raines?
MEMPHIS
The other day....
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
What for?
MEMPHIS
No particular reason. Catch a Laker game. I
heard we got Shaquille ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
Where you been, anyway?
MEMPHIS
Just out there. Roaming around. Building up my
collection of refrigerator magnets ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
You seem a little hinked-up ...
MEMPHIS
Not at all ...
He and Castlebeck lock eyes ... Castlebeck takes a pear from his
coat pocket ... Sets to polishing it ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I remember us having made some
kind of deal, Randall. I don't
remember this deal having some kind
of time-limit. I look at you -
here - in my town - and I'm
confused...
MEMPHIS
A little family emergency --
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I hope it's not your dear sweet
mother...
MEMPHIS
No...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Or your baby brother. What was his
name?
MEMPHIS
Kip.
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Yes, Kip. Short for Kipling.
Named for the English writer
of stories about India ...
He bites into his pear ...
Memphis says nothing, waits ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK (cont'd)
I got a rash of thefts. A new crew is
making noise. We recovered a big take -
last week...
MEMPHIS
And this has what to do with me?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I don't know. But you shouldn't
be here. Take care of your business.
I'll give you 24 hours. And
then I don't want to see your face.
Ever again. Make a fool of me
once, that's my bad. Make a fool of
me twice. That's really my
bad, and I'll kick your ass from
here to India ...
Castlebeck gives him a long look... As they walk back to the car...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Good. Cos you know how it plays.
Six years ago, I let you go free. But
the next time ... The next time sends
you away for'a long, long while ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
By the time you get out, asshole, there
won't even be cars. We'll all be cruisin'
around in space ships ...
He laughs... And they drive off ... Memphis watching them go ...
once they're gone... He walks ...
EXT. "THE SIDE POCKET" - BACK ALLEY EXIT - NIGHT
Kip comes out of the club... Toby follows ...
TOBY
You goin' home?
KIP
Yeah... You want a ride...
TOBY
Sure -
KIP
How'd you get here? Your Moms give you
ride -- ?
TOBY
Hell, no. I boosted a 'Vette.
KIP
You boosted a 'Vette? Then where is it?
TOBY
I dunno. It was right here. Someone
musta' boosted it back...
KIP
Damn crooks is everywhere --
They smile...And go to Kip's TRANS AM...
TOBY (cont'd)
Memphis seemed weird, huh? What's with
them clothes? He a farmer now or
something?
And this seems funny to Kip... He smiles..
KIP
Yeah. Except the only thing he's growing
is old...
And they are fronted by TWO GOONS ... Who toss them up against the
wall...
KIP (cont'd)
What do you want -- ?
One of the goons SOCKS Toby in the gut. Toby doubles over. Kip
strains to intervene, but his goon holds him back --
KIP
Don't you do that! You leave him alone!
GOON
Shaddup, Raines
KIP
He's got nothing to do with this --
And the goon punches him in the face. And Kip goes down. And out.
GOON
Get him in the car
EXT. WOODBURN SCRAP AND METAL - NIGHT
Kip comes to. In his car. Hot white lights blind him. The Trans
Am is in the crusher. FIGURES above him. Calitri. The goons ...
CALITRI
Hello, Kip --
Kip tries to get out. The doors are pinned by the forklift.
KIP
Lemme out of this --
CALITRI
Were it only that easy --
KIP
We can still do it --
Calitri nods ... And the crusher presses ... The roof caves a bit
... Kip is close to scrunch ...
CALITRI
No you can't. Flies on sherbert is what you
remind me of. Because just being attracted
to something, doesn't mean you belong...
INT. CALITRI'S WOODSHOP
Atley is here, watching Calitri and Kip. one of the monitors. He's
miserable. But there is nothing he can do.
EXT. SCRAPYARD - NIGHT
Kip continues to struggle free...
KIP
Listen, Calitri --
CALITRI
Call me "Ray." Better yet: call me
"asshole." Cos that's how you've
treated me --
KIP
I get out of this I'm gonna fuck
you up --
Calitri does have to admire the stones on the kid. But. Another
nod. Another crusher-press. Another scrunch...
KIP (cont'd)
Calitri -- !
Nothing. Silence. Kip peers through the slit that the
side window has become ... Only they are gone ... And there
is another awful NOISE ... Kip strains to discern its
origin ... Only he can't get the angle ...
We can. It's a huge CRANE, tipped with a GRIPPING CLAW... It is
maneuvered over the Trans Am... Grasps it. . . And LIFTS IT
INTO THE AIR ... Kip, terrified, inside ...
And, as the crane dangles the Trans Am toward the black waters of
the harbor, we CUT TO:
INT. HELEN RAINES' HOUSE - KITCHEN
Memphis is at the kitchen table. The list of cars before him. He's
making notations. He gets to his feet ... He goes to check on his
mother ... She's asleep in her room... He closes the door ...
And goes back to the kitchen. He goes to a framed PHOTOGRAPH - of
he and Kip. Earlier times. Happier times.
When there is an enormous THUD! From outside. Memphis goes to a
window. Sees a RAMP TRUCK unloading a gnarled blob of metal.
Memphis runs outside. Just as the ramp truck drives off ...
Memphis goes to the mangled Trans Am... Leans down ... And there's
Kip ... Seriously smooshed in the flattened car.
MEMPHIS
Kip -- ?
KIP
Yeah ...
MEMPHIS
You all right -- ?
KIP
I think so. There's things I can't
feel right now. Like my feet. But ...
You think you can get me outta this,
Memphis? I'd appreciate it -
MEMPHIS
Just hold-on there --
Memphis goes to the garage ... Finds a crowbar, an acetylene
TORCH, tin-snips ... He goes back to the wrecked car... And sets
to work... He looks at Kip ... Shakes his head...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
So you want to run that part by me
again about things being "all
sweetness and light..."
KIP
This has nothing to do with any
of that --
MEMPHIS
Oh. You maybe have more than one
enemy who owns a car-crusher -- ?
KIP
All my enemies own car crushers.
It's like a pre-requisite ... Owwww...
MEMPHIS
Easy ... Take it easy ... We're almost
there...
Indeed... Memphis has freed him ... Kip crawls from the wreckage
... His clothes in tatters... Blood seeps from a variety of
contusions ... He limps ... Memphis helps him to the guest house
...
INT. KIP'S GUEST HOUSE - LATER - NIGHT
Small, cluttered... Posters of Kurt Cobain, a skying Kobe Bryant,
Pamela Anderson, two nude girls draped over a glittering
Lamborghini Espada, etc. There's a fish tank... And a big-screen
TV, on which the Lakers are currently defending a high-speed
Boston Celtic fast-break...
Memphis sits on a ratty couch before the TV... Kip comes out of
the bedroom... He's changed clothes ... He wears clunky fur-lined
MOON BOOTS, leopard-skin Speedos and a tshirt ... He looks
slightly ridiculous...
Throughout the scene, Memphis should be studying Kip, as if he's
seeing him for the very first time ... And waiting for the
inevitable crack...
MEMPHIS
You okay -- ?
KIP
Totally. I'm fine. You want a beer,
man -- ?
MEMPHIS
Sure --
And Kip limps toward the refrigerator ... He comes back with two
beers ... Hands one to Memphis ... Glances at the TV --
KIP
you like Kobe's game? I do. You
think he's heir apparent to MJ? I do.
He speaks fluent Italian, you know? So he's
got that going for him --
And a cut on Kip's forehead starts to bleed ... Kip grabs a towel
... Presses it to his head --
MEMPHIS
You sure you're okay -- ?
KIP
Yeah, man. Where is your beer?
Memphis holds it up ... Kip nods ... There are a pile of IGNITIONS
on the table ... Kip picks one up, absently begins trying to strip
it...
KIP
Cool. So you're living up North?
MEMPHIS
Yeah -
KIP
I heard you were pumping gas -
MEMPHIS
Something like that -
KIP
You're kind of cultivating a new look.
MEMPHIS
Yeah --
Beat ... They watch the game ... Kip replaces the soaked towel
with another ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Maybe you need a stitch --
KIP
Nah. It's a scratch.
MEMPHIS
Okay --
Beat ...
KIP
Hey, you want something to eat ?
MEMPHIS
What do you got ... ?
And Kip hoists himself painfully to his feet ... Limps over to the
'fridge ... Memphis watches him, a slight grin at Kip's attempt at
cool ... Kip peers into the 'fridge ...
KIP
Not much. I got olives. You like
olives?
Kalamata olives rule, I think. Ma likes
the Calabrese. It's more mellow
And he brings over a bowl of olives.
MEMPHIS
There's certainly a time and a place
for a mellow olive -
KIP
Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm thinking --
And they nibble on them. Kip bites into one ... And the juice
stings his cracked lip ... But he disguises his grimace as an
appreciative nod...
And for a moment, they nibble olives and drop pits into an
ashtray... Then:
MEMPHIS
So what are you gonna do?
KIP
About what?
MEMPHIS
"About what?"
KIP
About Calitri? No worries, man.
I'll call him. He's a reasonable
dude ...
MEMPHIS
I can see that -
And Memphis glances out the window. To the crushed car. Kip
catches the glance, glances himself, chooses to ignore it.
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
You have everything ... under
control?
KIP
Yeah. He just wants to know I'm
still on it. He needs reassurance.
All these big swinging dicks do.
No worries. I won't let him get
into our Kool-Aid...
Kip shrugs ... Picks up another olive... Remembers the pain' of
the last one... Drops it back in the bowl ... Memphis is staring
at him, disgusted... Kip feels it ...
KIP (cont'd)
What -- ?
MEMPHIS
What happened to you?
KIP
What?
And now Memphis gets to his feet ... Paces the place...
MEMPHIS
You just got crushed in a car. You're
bleeding all over your self. And you
sit there - eating olives and talking
basketball, as if, at this very
moment, people weren't plotting
your demise ...
KIP
C'mon, man... My "demise..."
(chuckles)
Overreaction
MEMPHIS
"Over--" You know - I can maybe
understand, since I been gone, you
taking up this dumb-ass life of
crime, and for that I can partly
blame myself. But what is baffling
to me, is how, since I been gone,
you've become a complete and total
moron--
KIP
Hey, now -
MEMPHIS
He's gonna kill you -- !
KIP
I can handle it --
MEMPHIS
You can handle it?
KIP
I can handle it --
MEMPHIS
You can handle it?
KIP
I can handle it --
MEMPHIS
You?
KIP
Me.
MEMPHIS
You?
KIP
Me...
Beat ... Hold the look ... Kip shifts in his chair ... Even this
hurts... He tries to hide the wince ... Memphis goes to the
window, looks out at the harbor below... Beat ... Then:
KIP (cont'd)
Why? You think you can help me?
And he turns back to Kip ...
KIP (cont'd)
What can you do? You haven't done
anything in six years but pump gas
and go overall shopping. And
the cars, they've changed ...
There's new shit. Computer chip
keys and sophisticated alarms and
I don't think, an old guy, could much
bypass 'em...
MEMPHIS
You don't think so, huh?
KIP
Not really ... But you know... Maybe
I'm wrong ...
And the brothers look at each other ... In the pale glow of the
TV... For a long beat ... And then we'll CUT TO:
EXT. LONG BEACH HARBOR - CANNERY / FISH AUCTION - DAY
A rack of eel and OCTOPUS hung out to dry in the salty sun ...
Memphis walks with Atley Jackson past the bustling commercial
fishing hubbub: Portuguese FISHERMEN unloading albacore and
bluefin from their ship's hold; Greek FISHERMEN emptying mackerel
and halibut from their nylon trawl nets; their WOMEN gut, clean
and fillet ...
As they walk, Atley is selecting FISH from the various MARINERS
... Who wrap it up for him... He places it in a leather satchel
... Everyone seems to know him...
ATLEY JACKSON
Nicolo, how's the yellowtail today?
An old FISHERMAN, who speaks broken English, wraps up several
steaks...
FISHERMAN
Very nice, Atley. Very nice ...
ATLEY JACKSON
You can't get it any fresher than this,
Memphis ... From the sea to my
skillet ... Nothing in between...
MEMPHIS
What's with the fish thing -- ?
ATLEY JACKSON
We can learn something from our Asian
friends. They smoke a thousand
cigarettes a day; they're completely
stressed and overworked; they drink
like, well ...
MEMPHIS
Fish.
ATLEY JACKSON
And they still have the lowest rate of
cancer of anywhere in the world. You
know why? All they eat is seafood.
MEMPHIS
Also, never underestimate the restorative
powers of "Karaoke."
ATLEY JACKSON
I do a poaching number. Six-ounce
fillets in a saucepan of brine. In
8 minutes, I could cater a goddamn
wedding. Plain but flavorful. And
it's a good way to show off my
Hollandaise sauce ...
MEMPHIS
You have a Hollandaise sauce ?
ATLEY JACKSON
I do ...
(laughs)
Christ, what happened to us ?
MEMPHIS
Speak for yourself, boss I don't
have a Hollandaise sauce
ATLEY JACKSON
No, but you dress like an asshole ...
They walk...
MEMPHIS
I think about that night a lot...
ATLEY JACKSON
Me, too. Every time I walk...
MEMPHIS
How they were just there ... Waiting on
us ... The fix was definitely in ...
Nothing from Atley... They walk ... Memphis looks at him.
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Yeah, you know: I just. I just
never really thanked-you. I meant
to. I just want you to
know...
Memphis nods. Atley shrugs, and selects some halibut
filets.
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Tell him it's on ...
Atley looks at him...
ATLEY JACKSON
Yeah -- ?
MEMPHIS
Yeah Tell him to lay off Kip and
them Tell him it's on
Atley nods...
ATLEY JACKSON
Any idea how you're gonna go at it?
Memphis looks at him... Shakes his head... FADE TO BLACK.
As a SUPER on-screen reads: PART II - BACK TO WRONG
EXT. OTTO'S AUTO - NIGHT
The hustle and bustle of a full-service auto restoration
operation ...
Dig the 157 Chevy, as an orange diamond tuck and roll with
orange fur interior is installed... Dig the 153 Corvette
as its front and rear suspension is replaced with coils
and airshocks ... Dig the 150 Merc, as its chrome is
stripped off and the old paint sandblasted and holes
brazed...
All under the watchful eye of...
OTTO HALLIWELL
Late 60s. A feisty grease-soaked curmudgeon who begs the
question: how the hell did they manage to rock together
Yoda and the ghost of Walter Huston... ?
But he remains the Zen master of cars and all that cars are, were
and can be ...
His mixed-breed MUTT - Hemi - licks his balls in one corner
Otto is currently AIRBRUSHING a candy-colored, variegated DESIGN
on the deck lid of a Camaro ... It is painstaking work ... But he
is an artist ...
His woman - JUNIE - a tall blonde, early 40s, body of a thousand
dances, wipes his brow, like a scrub nurse ...
Memphis wanders in...
Otto sees Memphis ... Drops his brush... He walks over to Memphis
... Takes him in his arms ... Hugs him close... Actually waltzes
him a few steps ...
Memphis is stunned at the transformation this place has gone
through ...
OTTO
Am I dying? Are all the angels of my life
returning to bid a final farewell?
(holds him at arm's length)
And have my angels completely lost
their fashion sense -- ?
MEMPHIS
Hello, Otto ...
OTTO
You remember Junie?
MEMPHIS
Of course. Hi, Junie --
JUNIE
Hello, Memphis -
MEMPHIS
What happened here -- ?
OTTO
Whatever do you mean?
MEMPHIS
The chop-shop... Where are the stripped
cars? The rolled-back odometers? The
part bins?
OTTO
What happened? Old-age happened. I tired of
killing them. I woke up one morning and thought
I am no longer a destroyer. I am a means of
resurrection. Now. We restore. We revive.
There are so few things in this life, we can
prevent from decay. Most must die. These don't
have to...
He calls over to the MEXICAN MAN working on the pick-up ...
OTTO (cont'd)
It's 3 coats of primer, 12 coats of black
acrylic lacquer before laying out the
flames ... And fill the cab top with mylar
flakes ... They'll sparkle like stars ...
(turns to Memphis)
Randall, Randall, Randall ... You look
splendid ...
MEMPHIS
You, too, Otto
And Otto goes back to the Camaro ... To finish his work...
OTTO
I heard rumors you were back. About
Kip ...
MEMPHIS
He's gotten involved --
Otto looks up frustrated... To Junie
OTTO (O.S.)
I can't concentrate. Play something, my
sweetness; my reason to rise ...
And Junie hits PLAY on a cassette deck ... And, instantly, ENGINE
SOUNDS rip from the shop's stereo speakers ... Otto listens, as
if it were a Mahler symphony...
OTTO (cont'd)
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. At Le
Mans. 1971. The quad-cam V12. Hear
how they got the engine up?
Hear those exhaust notes? That's a
very wide rev range... Here, it
peaks at 5500 RPM...
Memphis smiles ... These eccentricities are old hat...
OTTO (cont'd)
Raymond Calitri. He's amplified much
sorrow on these streets ...
MEMPHIS
You think it can be done?
OTTO
Are you considering a comeback tour?
MEMPHIS
Tell me...
OTTO
It can be done. Take two days to shop;
one to prep. I'll offer up my bible
for a small fee. You also have to
hope Kip's jerk-circus didn't undo
Castlebeck's linkage so much so
that he's setting up surveillance
teams on every city block. And
then get yourself a crew...
MEMPHIS
The hard part ...
OTTO
"A people is a detour of nature to
get 6 or 7 great men - Yes, and then
to get around them..." Nietzsche said
that.
MEMPHIS
Is he still working here ?
OTTO
The old crew. Go find them. I can't
help you with that. Since I've cleaned
up the act a bit, they no longer come
around... A pity how legitimacy makes
you unpopular -
MEMPHIS
I Just don't know how happy they'll be
to see me
Otto has finished the Camaro ... He looks at Memphis --
OTTO
I remember I had a 1964 Buick Opal.
worst car ever built. Value job.
Everything broke and I-fixed it.
A coma car - built to German specs.
Plastic gas line. 3 speedometer head.
On a quiet night, you could hear it
rusting in the garage. But when that
car was gone, I missed it. If it came
driving back in here right now,
there'd be tears and laughter ...
MEMPHIS
And the moral of that story is -- ?
OTTO
Go to them. They'll be happy to see
you ... Ahhh...
And he closes his eyes ... To listen to the Ferrari tape ...
OTTO (cont'd)
... 8.8:1 compression...
We PRE-LAP Simon And Garfunkel's "Baby Driver" and CUT TO:
CLOSE ON: A SIGN READING: "PLEASURE CRUISE DRIVING SCHOOL"
atop a moving DODGE ARIES K. Which is nearly SIDE-SWIPED by an
oncoming PICK-UP. A MAN HOWLS IN TERROR...
INT. DODGE - MOVING - CITY STREETS - DAY
A timid CHINESE GIRL - JENNY, 23 - negotiates the vehicle at
10 & 2. Riding shotgun, her howling instructor is DONNY ASTRICKY - 41,
whom we remember from six years ago. Now he's paunchy, with Ernie
Borgnine tough-guy-warmth. At one time, he kicked out the
jams. Now he teaches driver's ed...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Pull over! Pull her the hell over!
Jenny pulls the car over in a lopsided lurch...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Put it in PARK. Remember how
to do that? It's the big "Pff.
She parks it. He stabs at the side-view mirror ...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
"Objects May Appear Closer
Than They Seem." Can you say
that for me?
JENNY
I'm sorry.
DONNY ASTRICKY
You ain't sorry. You're a horrible
driver... You can't strap into
your seat belt, without almost
getting creamed by a bus ...
She starts to cry... Donny softens ...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Aw, c'mon. It's no big deal.
You can't drive. You can't.
Time to acknowledge it and move on. I
can't swim. I know I can't. So you
know what I do? I stay the fuck outta
the pool ...
EXT. PLEASURE CRUISE DRIVING SCHOOL - DAY
Memphis waits outside ... The Aries K comes crawling toward him.
Donny gets out of the car ... Sees Memphis ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Damn. Memphis Raines. Long time ...
MEMPHIS
How you doing, man?
DONNY ASTRICKY
All I get are the Orientals. They can
build 'em, but they can't drive
'em So? What are you doing here?
What's with the outfit -- ?
MEMPHIS
You know where the others are?
Donny frowns... Looks close at Memphis ... Then:
DONNY ASTRICKY
Most of 'em are gone. The Dyar Boys are
doing a nickel at Chino; Henry Santoro
and Frankie Fish are moving
weight in Florida; Bill Doolin was
killed in Denver... Atley
Jackson's on the gimp and runnin'
errands for Calitri; The Sphinx
is still around, I guess ... Then
of course, there's ...
His pause is meaningful ...
MEMPHIS
Forget that ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Okay. Figure it forgotten. What's this
about anyways -- ?
INT. OTTO'S AUTO - NIGHT
In a wood-panelled back room, around a conference table: Memphis
and Donny sit... With the list before them...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Most of 'em are late-model...
MEMPHIS
That's right. Only 10 exotics ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
We'll have to start beating the
bushes, find out where they live...
Otto enters. Giggles...
OTTO
Some crew you got ...
MEMPHIS
If we put out the word. That we're
crewing-up, for a one-time-only job...
What do you think that'll yield?
DONNY ASTRICKY
A bunch of strung-out hypes and stick-
up men. This ain't like the old days,
Memphis. The profession has lost its..
OTTO
Dignity...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Yeah...
MEMPHIS
Well, the three of us don't'exactly
inspire confidence...
Beat ... Donny examines the list ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Wow! They got Eleanor here -- ?
MEMPHIS
I know. Weird, huh -- ?
The door opens ... One of Otto's WORKERS is there...
WORKER
Otto, there's someone here to --
But they walk past: Kip, Tumbler, Mirror Man, Toby, Freb
DONNY ASTRICKY
Lookit Kip. All grown up...
KIP
Hey, Donny --
MEMPHIS
What are you doing here?
KIP
Otto called -
Memphis looks to Otto ... Otto shrugs ...
OTTO
You need him...
MEMPHIS
No we don't -
OTTO
I appreciate your dilemma, Memphis.
But how are two washed-up thieves
and an old man supposed to boost
50 cars in three days...
MEMPHIS
His criminal career has officially come
to a close ...
OTTO
The conundrum still applies, of course. The
purpose of the endeavor is to rescue
baby brother from imminent
death and/or a life of crime. However.
This cannot be successfully
carried out without baby brother's
considerable resources, shabby
though they may be.
Memphis considers ... He has little choice ...
MEMPHIS
We do this. Then. You're finished.
Then. You're clean
KIP
I like how you wallop back in here -
after four years - and can still get all
Clifford Huxtable on my shit ...
MEMPHIS
You hear me?
KIP
I hear ya. Get me outta this. I'll
move to the country. Open a fruit
stand...
Memphis looks at him... Shakes his head...
DONNY ASTRICKY
You guys have any skills at all?
KIP
Hell, yeah. Mirror Man here is
our electronics expert. He's got
some gadgets you old farts maybe
never -heard of; Tumbler can drive
anything with wheels, and some
things without; Toby's a hacker,
can do things with a computer, that
are pretty amazing ...
MEMPHIS
How old are you now, Toby?
TOBY
Sixteen. But my birthday's in seven
months ...
Memphis shakes his head... Sighs ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
(re: Freb)
What about him?
KIP
Freb can order pizzas like nobody's
business
Freb starts to Protest ... Shrugs ...
FREB
People gotta eat ...
Memphis looks at all of them ... Sighs...
MEMPHIS
Okay, then... Otto?
OTTO
In order to succeed, you're going
to have to go old-school. one night
boost. Put all your nuts in one basket.
And...
TUMBLER
One night? Are you nuts?
MEMPHIS
You got maybe a better plan?
Tumbler looks to Kip...
KIP
You spread it out ... you move around...
So's they can't touch you... so's they
don't know... Shadow games and shit
...
MEMPHIS
"Shadow games?"
KIP
Shadow games ...
MEMPHIS
You spread it out, by the 2nd night,
the heat are onto you. Know
something's up. With a one-night boost,
by the time all the cars are reported
stolen, your ship's set sail.
Kip and the others nod... Makes sense ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Go on, Otto -
OTTO
We're on a truncated time-table. Take a day to
shop it; a day to prep it ... And we're still
going to need to expand the crew...
DONNY ASTRICKY
There's no one left ...
OTTO
We've got several Italian cars on the list.
Always tricky, always timeconsuming. So
we're gonna need a specialist ...
Memphis looks at him. Because that's what he was afraid of.
MIRROR MAN
(to Otto)
You know of one -- ?
MEMPHIS
Yeah. He's knows of one all right.
So we'll PRE-LAP The Beach Boys' "409" and CUT TO:
INT. "THE NAUTICAL MILE" SALOON - NIGHT
A SHOT GLASS, slammed down on a bar by a surly DRUNK... In a
mariner saloon. Drunken SAILORS and FISHERMAN and NAVY TYPES.
Sawdust on the floor. Broken beer mirrors. A rough joint...
DRUNK
One more, girl -
The BARTENDER comes over.. . She is a dark-haired, heavily
tattooed GIRL, 26, with the faded blue world-weariness of Roy Orbison
song... Her name is Sara Wayland... And she goes by SWAY. She
collects the Drunk's empty glass...
SWAY
I think you've had enough, Billy...
DRUNK
Enough? I haven't even started, girl.
Gimme another --
SWAY
If you leave now, Billy, you can get
a head-start on waking up in a pool
of your own vomit...
DRUNK
Listen, you little cooze--
And the Drunk reaches out across the bar, to grab a bottle And
Sway grabs his hand, twists it ... The Drunk groans in agony ...
And Sway, still clutching his hand, hops over the bar ... And
drags the drunk by his twisted hand to the front ... Cries of
"Attagirl, Sway!" pepper the air ...
EXT. "THE NAUTICAL MILE" - NIGHT
Sway tosses him... The Drunk hitting the pavement ...
SWAY
Come back when you've learned how to
drink, Billy --
And she freezes ... Because standing there, is Memphis ... She
looks at him ... Shocked is a good place to start ...
MEMPHIS
See you're still stealing the sailors from
the sea --
SWAY
What are you doing here?
And she heads back inside ... And he follows her...
INT. "THE NAUTICAL MILE"
They head toward the bar...
SWAY
(re: his clothes)
What's with the look?
MEMPHIS
The hip, cool, sexy thing was getting
old...
SWAY
You look like you lost your sheep ...
And she hops back behind the bar ...
MEMPHIS
You still wrenching at Bacchiochi's?
SWAY
Hell, yeah. I'm not getting rich in
here ...
MEMPHIS
Buy you a drink?
SWAY
Nope. I got a coffee. And a
boyfriend.
She waves to a 30-year-old CAT drinking with his buddies. He waves
back. Memphis frowns.
SWAY (cont'd)
Mitch.
MEMPHIS
"Mitch?"
SWAY
Mitch.
MEMPHIS
So I was replaced by Mitch?
SWAY
No. You were replaced by Alex.
Who was replaced by Kevin. Who
was replaced by Vince. Who was
replaced by Mitch...
She smiles sourly at him...
MEMPHIS
Wow. And to think all I
accomplished these past six
years was the "LORD OF THE
RINGS" trilogy...
She stares at him... Shakes her head... Busies herself with her
glassware ... Beat ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
You look great --
SWAY
Yeah, well, you always were a sucker
for flawed existences ...
ANGLE - MITCH. Watching them talk ...
SWAY (cont'd)
You should leave --
MEMPHIS
On account of Mitch?
SWAY
On account of me.
He studies her... Then:
MEMPHIS
I've taken the spear for a lot of
people, Sway. Including you. Can't
we improvise a little here ... ?
SWAY
No can do. Life goes on, pointfive ...
You left me, remember?
MEMPHIS
I left town. I didn't leave you.
SWAY
A distinction worth noting ...
MEMPHIS
And here I am...
SWAY
Yes. But I got a feeling it's not on
account of any longing-for-my-touch
on your part -
MEMPHIS
Kip's in trouble
And now she looks concerned
SWAY
What kind of trouble -- ?
MEMPHIS
Kip took a job. Fifty ladies in two weeks.
Only the two weeks have turned into four
days. And not a single lady has been
snared.
SWAY
And you got some Italians -- ?
MEMPHIS
Six or seven...
SWAY
I'm not doing it anymore. Haven't
for a while. I've carved out something
for myself. It's pathetic, but it's mine ...
MEMPHIS
I understand -
And the cat - MITCH - comes over with two empty pitchers
MITCH
Another round, Sara -
SWAY
Sure, Mitch -
And she goes to the tap ... Leaving Memphis and Mitch ...
MITCH
How you doing, pal?
Memphis nods ... Beat. They sit there. Regard Sway...
MITCH (cont'd)
She's hot, right?
MEMPHIS
I'd go so far as to say "lovely."
And Mitch leans over to him, conspiratorially ...
MITCH
You should her face when she's having
sex --
And Memphis turns to him...
MEMPHIS
Really?
MITCH
Really...
MEMPHIS
What's it look like?
And Memphis reaches out, and GRABS Mitch's nipple, PINCHING.
Mitch's face curls ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Is it a squinty, grimacing, contorted
face? Agonized and writhing and ugly?
Oh, now I see it, yes, yes!
And Memphis releases him... And Mitch goes down hard ... And Sway
comes over ...
SWAY
What the hell are you doing -- ?
MEMPHIS
If you change your mind. We're at
Otto's. It's 50 ladies in 24 hours.
For The Carpenter. 200 K and Kip's
life on the felt. So long now ...
And he's out of there, before Mitch's PALS can get to him.
MITCH
Who was that guy, Sara?
She looks at the door ... Shrugs ...
SWAY
Good question ...
INT. OTTO'S AUTO - LATER - NIGHT
Memphis, Kip, Donny, Mirror Man and Otto sit around the garage ...
Going through the list ... Tumbler calls from the next room:
TUMBLER
Freb's here. Open the gate.
DONNY ASTRICKY
(to Otto)
We sent him out on a solo boost. See
what he could do ...
Freb pulls in an '89 Cadillac Coupe De Ville ...
FREB
How do I look in this one?
MIRROR MAN
Like a goofy white boy in a Cadillac.
DONNY ASTRICKY
How'd it go?
FREB
Keys were in it ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Well, that defies the point, don't it?
MIRROR MAN
You should ask him how he got the name
"Freb."
FREB
Shaddup, man ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Get the damn thing in there and get it
cleaned up -
Freb pulls in. Pops the trunk. The gate is closed.
KIP
This is loaded with crap - get a duffel.
He pulls out a set of golf clubs ... Freb brings over a duffel ...
Mirror Man plucks something from the trunk ...
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
Holy shit ...
It's a plasticine BAG - full of a WHITE POWDER...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Lemme see that -
He pierces the skin.. Tastes ...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Heroin.
KIP
No shit?
And they pull back the trunk tarp ... And there are perhaps TWO
DOZEN similar smack-filled BAGS ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
There's gotta be a million bucks worth
here -
TUMBLER
We're rich. Goddamn, we're rich!
MEMPHIS
Where'd you pick her up?
FREB
In front of one of them poker parlors in
Chinatown ...
MEMPHIS
Well, take it back --
KIP
Take it back? What do you mean take
it back? Are you crazy, man?
MEMPHIS
Take it back, Freb --
MIRROR MAN
Hey, now, Memphis... C'mon, man -
Donny makes to grab the bag from Mirror Man ... But Mirror Man
holds on ... They tug back and forth ... The bag DROPS ...
Splitting on the ground, behind the car. Spilling heroin.
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
Now, see what you--
But a BANG! BANG! on the front gate, gives them all pause.
OTTO
Who is it -- ?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK (O.S.)
Castlebeck.
DONNY ASTRICKY
Jesus. The whole damn thing's loaded.
OTTO
one minute -- !
And the others scatter into the back office, with their tools and
devices and lists. Leaving only Memphis and Otto.
Memphis picks up the broken bag ... Sticks it in the trunk ...
Puts the golf clubs in on top of it ... Slams the trunk. Only
there's still a neat MOUNTAIN OF SMACK ON THE FLOOR by the rear of
the Caddy ... But there's no time...
For the gate is opened. Detective Castlebeck ambles in.
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I know you.
MEMPHIS
You know my back.
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
What are you still doing here,
Randall?
MEMPHIS
Stopped by to see Otto. Say hello.
Castlebeck looks at Otto... Otto grins... Castlebeck walks around
the garage... Taking it all in...
Castlebeck notes the Caddy ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
What's this -- ?
OTTO
Cadillac.
ANGLE - the mound of heroin on the floor ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
What's wrong with it -- ?
OTTO
Needs brightening ...
Castlebeck takes out a WALKIE ... Barks into it ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Run me down a tag - 329 HRO. Cadillac.
He clicks off ... Otto and Memphis share one ... A glance to the
smack ... Castlebeck is a mere inches from it ...
OTTO
No faith in our new-found goodness,
Detective ...?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Sure. But sometimes we got to
create some numbers. The task force
is run by statistics, you know ...
Before they can respond, the radio crackles ...
RADIO (O.S.)
329 HRO. There's no want on the license at
this time...
Castlebeck looks disappointed... Otto grins ... Castlebeck stares
at the Caddy, still unconvinced...
MEMPHIS
You're thinking: okay, there's no want ...
But they probably stripped its guts and
crated 'em up, right ... ?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Something like that -
Memphis opens the driver's side door ... Gestures Castlebeck in
... Castlebeck gets behind the wheel ...
MEMPHIS
Let her rip ...
And Castlebeck starts the car...
ANGLE - TAILPIPE ... WHOOSH! All of the heroin on the flo is blown
away by the exhaust ... Memphis winks to Otto ... Castlebeck seems
satisfied ... Gets out.
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Okay, then. I'll catch you later,
Randall ...
OTTO
Double-meaning intended, right?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Right ...
Castlebeck stops at the gate... Turns back to them...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
It's funny. There's probably been
five more cars stolen in the time
I've been here ...
MEMPHIS
I don't think so, Detective ...
And Castlebeck is gone. Memphis and Otto exhale big time.. The
others come out from the back... To find Memphis and Otto dumping
the heroin into the sink, running the tap ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Take her back to where you found her,
Freb --
INT. RAINES APARTMENT - NIGHT
Kip is in front of the TV, playing a video game. Helen Raines is
at the kitchen table, going through a PHOTO ALBUM... Memphis comes
home ... Hangs up his coat ...
MEMPHIS
Hey -
He kisses her head ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Kip -
Kip nods ... Plays on ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
What do you got there?
HELEN RAINES
The photo album. I get nostalgic around
this time of year ...
MEMPHIS
What time of year?
HELEN RAINES
Tuesdays ...
He smiles ... Sits down next to her ... They go through the
PHOTOS: - childhood shots of Memphis and Kip, a younger Helen;
Memphis at 17, in his "Ike's Garage" coveralls; 14year-old
Memphis, an infant Kip, and their father (ROBERT RAINES) a MAN
with bright eyes and a quiet smile, standing before an old Cutlass
442; Robert Raines ... Outside a car dealership. We can almost
feel his strong, sure presence ...
Memphis looks at his mother ... As she looks at the picture.
MEMPHIS
You ever wonder what things'd be like
if he hadn't died?
HELEN RAINES
Every day. I wonder about that every day...
MEMPHIS
Kip and I'd probably be working at the
dealership...
(to Kip)
Imagine us selling cars?
Nothing from Kip ... Eyes glued to the TV... Memphis glances to
his Mother ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Imagine that -- ?
HELEN RAINES
(salesman voice)
And just in case you lose your keys, good
sir, I can toss in a complimentary slim-jim,
free of charge ...
MEMPHIS
Mother -- !
They laugh ... Look at the album ... At Robert Raines ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
I remember, every day, he'd come home
in a different car.
That was the greatest thing ... And
we'd climb all over it ... Examine
every inch of every different
car ...
HELEN RAINES
I remember. Supper getting cold, cos you
two are out there heads under hoods ...
MEMPHIS
You remember that, Kip?
KIP
I was six ...
Memphis and Helen look at him... Then:
MEMPHIS
After he died ... I think that's
what I missed most of all ... That
there was no different cars every night ...
When I started hanging around Otto's ...
And he started showing me the things ...
It was a way to kill two birds ...
Put food on the table for you and Kip ...
And ... Ride in different cars every
night ... Just like when Dad was here.
Tears stand in Helen's eyes ... Kip gets to his feet ...
KIP
Ancient history's two things.
"Ancient." And "history!"
And he walks out of the house, door slamming behind him. Memphis
turns to his mother ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
We're gonna have to do this thing, Ma.
HELEN RAINES
I know...
MEMPHIS
We do it. He'll get clear Once and
for all
And she nods ...
ANGLE - A PHOTO. Robert Raines. Smiling beside an Olds 98.
EXT. INTERNATIONAL TOWERS HIGH RISE CONDOS - DAY
The garage door opens as a resident drives out ... And Memphis and
Donny and Kip and Toby enter the garage ... They walk along the
rows of parked cars ... Searching ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Car-jacking is the lazy man's boost.
No skill. No finesse. Can only take
the car if the key is in it. That's
not thieving. That's parking ...
Thugs ... With the decency of dirt ...
TOBY
They're just cars, man ...
To prevent Donny from biting the kid's head off, Memphis chimes in
with:
MEMPHIS
This Eleanor's been living at the
International Towers for 3 years now.
TOBY
Who's "Eleanor?"
MEMPHIS
The 167 Mustang Shelby Mustang GT-500.
TOBY
Why do you call it "Eleanor?"
MEMPHIS
All the vehicles get code names.
Female names. You say "Eleanor lives
at such and such... " and no one
listening on the waves is the wiser ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Eleanor is Memphis' "unicorn."
MEMPHIS
And there she is --
Indeed, slotted nearby is a '67 SHELBY MUSTANG GT-500 Silver with
black top ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Hello, Eleanor --
And he looks at her. An old friend he hasn't seen in years.
TOBY
It looks just like a regular Mustang --
KIP
Don't go there, Toby --
MEMPHIS
She's not. Carroll Shelby tweaked the
Mustang's High-Performance 289 engine
and got it legally rated for the street
at 450 horsepower ... But its actual
output is closer to 600 ...
TOBY
So she flies -
MEMPHIS
She soars -
DONNY ASTRICKY
Grade-A unicorn ...
TOBY
What's a "unicorn?"
DONNY ASTRICKY
Fabled creature. You know - the horse
with the horn? Impossible to capture?
Toby looks blank ...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
We all got one. The single car
that, no matter how many times
you try to boost, something happens...
Cops show up, car doesn't start, owner
comes back. It's voodoo...
TOBY
You guys and the car thing, man --
They head off ... Memphis turns back to the Shelby
MEMPHIS
See you in a few days, Eleanor --
INT. OTTO'S AUTO - BACK ROOM - DAY
To Queen's "I'm In Love With My Car." The crew is at work, a MAZDA
and a CADDY are parked here for practice: Tumbler is modifying a
series of slim jims, based on the type of cars they'll be after
Donny and Freb are in the Caddy, Freb behind the wheel Tumbler
puts together BRIEFCASES, containing the requisite TOOLS: slim-
jim, gizmo, screwdriver, ratchet, dent-puller, a mini-battery with
pointy leads ...
- Mirror Man is showing off one of his GADGETS - beepersized
DEVICE - to Otto... They stand before a locked MAZDA.
MIRROR MAN
And you just stick it in the lock.
Hit this little button ... And ...
He does ... The door UNLOCKS ... The car's ALARM gives a weak
chirp and dies... Otto looks at Donny ...
OTTO
We're dinosaurs, Donny. Pull-up a tar pit ...
(to Mirror Man)
Can I try -- ?
MIRROR MAN
Knock yourself out --
Kip and Memphis are with Toby, who has his laptop out ...
TOBY
I logged outside the G.R.A.B. site,
right? Then I monitored their
incoming outside data requests,
right? Then I got these ISDN numbers,
right? Then I tracked them back,
right? Then I took the one I could
jack-up the easiest, right? Then I
called back see, they think I'm an
insurance company - that's where it
looks like I'm coming from -- and
they're sharing stats with this
insurance company, right? So now
they're sharing it with me, right?
They think I'm looking for stats for
an actuarial conference on auto-theft.
So they let me in, right? Give me all
these numbers. But then I don't leave,
right? I'm in. I've got the key. Now I
just go anywhere I want.
MEMPHIS
So what's in there -- ?
TOBY
I can tell you who's gonna be on duty
tonight. I can tell you how much gas
they're using monthly. I can tell you
how they used to spend that annoying
half-hour between "FRIENDS" and "SEINFELD"...
Memphis nods ... Fairly impressed...
KIP
Good work, Toby --
Donny and Freb are inside the Caddy ... Freb's attempts to start
it fail...
FREB
It just ain't happening --
DONNY ASTRICKY
You'll get the hang of it, kid. You
just need to remember one thing -
FREB
What's that?
Donny smiles ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
On boost night? Always take along a
good mix tape ...
Donny smiles ... Freb frowns ...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
You bring a woman back to your
crib for some lovemaking, the
song you put on, depends on the
woman, the type of lovemaking you
intend to do, right?
FREB
I guess ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
You got a school teacher or Nancy from
accounting, you don't put on Sly Stone
or James Brown. You put on
Ravel. Rachmaninoff. But if you got
some wild one you just picked
up at the track, you wouldn't put on
Cat Stevens or James Taylor.
You'd put on Prince. Or Isaac Hayes.
Or, if you really wanted to
get after it: Miles.
FREB
okay ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
It's the same way with cars. Different
cars. Different tunes. You can't steal
a Maserati listening to Sinatra. You
gotta get urgent. You gotta get Sonny
Rollins or Led Zeppelin IV, on that
shit. But never, never-ever take no Allman
Brothers into a Lincoln Town Car. Could
lead to disaster. Got it... ?
FREB
(absolutely hasn't got it)
Got it ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Good.
And then Sway enters ... Donny gets out of the Caddy ...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Memphis went out
and got some big game ... Hello, Sway.
I was just telling the lads about mix
tapes --
SWAY
(to Freb)
Janis Joplin. Billie Holliday. Ella
Fitzgerald...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Gender bias ...
Otto is before her ... Bowing from the waist ...
OTTO
I've missed you, Sara Wayland --
SWAY
Good to see ya, Otto --
They embrace. Memphis and Kip enter from the other room...
KIP
How ya doing, Sway -- ?
SWAY
Kip...
She looks at Memphis ... Small nod... Small smile ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
What do you think about all this?
SWAY
Stick it in the drawer marked "Fool's
Errand", right -- ?
DONNY ASTRICKY
That's my girl --
MEMPHIS
That's Mirror Man ... And that's
Freb ... And Tumbler ... And Toby ...
Fellas, this is Sara Wayland... They
call her "Sway."
SWAY
Hey -
But the kids look high near thunderstruck ... The others laugh ...
Go back to their work ... Memphis and Sway
SWAY (cont'd)
No questions. I'm here. I need the
dough.
MEMPHIS
Of course ...
She studies him... Nods ...
SWAY
Good. Just so we understand...
And then she sees something at the entrance ...
SWAY (cont'd)
Oh, shit. You didn't --
He follows her gaze ... To where -- A MAN, early 40s, has walked
in. Tall, gaunt, ice-eyed. This man never speaks. And his nose is
a gnarled blob of scar tissue ... Which is why they call him
THE SPHINX
And the others really don't dig his scene ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Well, well, well. The original crash
test dummy...
The Sphinx nods to all. Smiles warmly, but it comes out creepy.
Freb whispers to Otto ...
FREB
Who's that -- ?
OTTO
That's The Sphinx.
FREB
The Sphinx?
OTTO
He never says a word. And he's got
a messed-up nose. Hence. The Sphinx.
He's boo-koo koo-koo. But he steals like
time ...
(to The Sphinx)
Hello, Sphinxy, old rum -- !
And Otto embraces the taller man ... And the others stand
around, offering uneasy glances to The Sphinx ...
MEMPHIS
Okay. We're all here. Today's Wednesday.
D-Day is Friday night ... That gives us
two days to prep ... We're going to find
the ladies on our list, find out where
they live, when they're home; that
they're properly insured ... Let's get
into the vans --
MIRROR MAN
Where we going -- ?
MEMPHIS
We're going shopping -- !
We PRE-LAP Gary Numan's new-wave rave classic "Cars".
EXT. LONG BEACH STREETS - DAY
A MONTAGE of the hard-core old-school preparations...
THREE MINI-VANS drive off from Otto's Auto - Mirror Man at the
wheel of one of them - The Sphinx and Donny with him... - Freb
drives the 2nd van: Memphis, Sway, and Kip with him... Tumbler
drives the 3rd van: Otto and Toby with him.
They carry pens and NOTEBOOKS ... And, as they drive around,
they're searching out cars ... When they see an auto that
corresponds to the list, they take down its license plate.
Memphis dials the cell ... Mirror Man answers on the speaker in
his van ... Tumbler in his ... We'll CROSS-CUT the scene as
necessary from van to van ...
MEMPHIS
How's it going -- ?
DONNY ASTRICKY
It's arright ...
They drive on ... Till --
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Check it out: 173 Firebird. Know
who drove one of those ... ?
OTTO
Yes, I do, in fact. John Wayne in
McO...
DONNY ASTRICKY
That's being obscurest ... Who else?
Better known. Memphis?
MEMPHIS
Jim Rockford. ROCKFORD FILES.
MIRROR MAN
For real?
As the scenes in the vans play out - we should be INTERCUTTING
with SHOTS of CARS ON THE STREET. LICENSE PLATES. Their NOTEBOOKS.
As license #s are written down.
DONNY ASTRICKY
For real. Okay. Gimme COLUMBO...
KIP
Peugot convertible ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
What color?
KIP
Gray.
FREB
How you know that?
KIP
Remember who my brother is?
INT. OTTO'S AUTO - BACK ROOM
Sway has drawn an intricate CHART on a vinyl DRAWING BOARD: 1-50,
each car is annotated, ie: 1) '56 Ford T-Bird; 2) 188 Lamborghini
Countach, etc. She begins ascribing names to them, Female names.
With Magic Marker. Easy to erase.
INT. REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES - DAY
Donny enters with a sheaf of PAPERS ... He waits in line ...
EXT. JIMMY'S HARBORSIDE RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Mirror Man has hired on as a VALET ... DINERS pull up in their
cars ... Mirror Man offers the DRIVER of a Porsche Boxster a
ticket ... And climbs in, to park the car ...
INT. OTTO'S BACK ROOM
Sway writes #2-4) Porsche Boxster and next to it PATRICIA 1
INT. THE VANS
As they drive around... Still searching and quizzing...
OTTO
DUKES OF HAZARD?
MIRROR MAN
Fuck that cracker shit --
TUMBLER
I know that one. General Lee, I
believe, was a ... Dodge Charger ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
You ever notice how it had a different
interior every week? That bugged me.
MIRROR MAN
Three words: Get A Life.
INT. OTTO'S BACK ROOM - DAY
Memphis and Otto go through Otto's BIBLE - an overstuffed LEDGER
with the addresses Otto has collected, over the years, of some
2000 cars. They look for any that correspond to Calitri's 50 ...
INT. REGISTRY - DAY
Donny offers the REGISTRY WOMAN a LIST of several cars from the
shopping spree ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
I'd like the names and addresses of
the owners of these 20 cars please...
WOMAN
It'll take me about 15 minutes.
DONNY ASTRICKY
I can wait.
He smiles kindly at her. And takes a seat. It's that easy.
INT. OTTO'S BACK ROOM - DAY
Sway at the board... A grouping of three Mercedes Benz S320 are
designated as JENNIFER 1, JENNIFER 2, JENNIFER 3...
INT. OTTO'S GARAGE - DAY
Otto shows Freb how to disarm an alarm system by groundingout a
tail-light with a wire to a mini-battery...
This dead-shorts the lights, shorts-out the alarm system, which
chirps for a sustained second and then kills itself. The door
locks pop open ... Otto grins...
EXT. JIMMY'S HARBORSIDE - NIGHT
Mirror Man in the Boxster... Parked, . He takes the KEY from
the ignition ... And then takes, from under his jacket - a KEY
CUTTER... And he sets to cutting a COPY of the key.
INT. THE VANS - MOVING
Shop and talk, part III ...
FREB
Okay, okay. What about MAGNUM P.I.?
KIP
Thanks for playing, Freb. That's a
gimme ...
OTTO
Yes, but what was on the license
plate?
MIRROR MAN
The license plate?
TUMBLER
I know. "ROBIN 1."
OTTO
Very good. But what was the
significance of "ROBIN 1"?
FREB
Was that his first name?
OTTO
His first name was Thomas. Thomas
Magnum...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Thomas Sullivan Magnum, to be exact.
They look at Donny, impressed...
TUMBLER
Robin 1 ...
MIRROR MAN
I know! Robin was the name of that
faggy guy who hung with him...
KIP
No. That was Higgins ....
DONNY ASTRICKY
Jonathan Quayle Higgins ...
MIRROR MAN
(to Donny)
You're like a serial killer, ainchoo?
INT. OTTO'S_-AUT0 - DAY
Sway calls #29 - A '98 Corvette - CAROL...
INT. MIDNIGHT AUTO - NIGHT
A random chop-shop. The Sphinx is buying chopped
IGNITIONS, that go with the cars on the list ...
EXT. JIMMY'S HARBORSIDE - MIRROR MAN
has cut a key, jocks the cutter, and, before he gets out
of the Boxster, opens the glove box and grabs the
registration.
He takes a mini-tape-recorder from his pocket ... Reads
the owner address into the dock... Returns the
registration" to the glove box... Leaves the car ... For
today.
EXT. OTTO'S SALVAGE - NIGHT
Tumbler and Kip park the car carrier behind a Matterhorn
of decimated automobiles ... Out of view...
INT. MIDNIGHT LOCKSMITH - NIGHT
The Sphinx brings the ignitions to the locksmith ... Who
makes keys for them...
EXT. JIMMY'S HARBORSIDE - NIGHT
Mirror Man taking names and kicking ass. A BMW M ROADSTER.
INT. OTTO'S
Sway writes NANCY 1 next to #27) BMW M ROADSTER...
INT. REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES - DAY
The Registry Woman gives Donny the list he needed...
WOMAN
It's two dollars per car. That'll be
40 dollars please...
He pays her ... Big smile ...
INT. THE VANS - MOVING
One more time ...
OTTO
Anyone? The significance of "Robin 1" on
Magnum's license plate? Memphis?
MEMPHIS
Robin was Robin Masters. He owned the
estate they lived on ...
OTTO
Ten points for our fearless leader ...
Sway, how 'bout giving us the honor of
the Bill Bixby trifecta -- ?
SWAY
I don't know that
KIP
Stumped -- !
FREB
Thank-God, Sway, you ain't all freaky-
deaky, too
But Sway grins
SWAY
How about: a Corvette in
MAGICIAN; a Ford pick-up truck in
INCREDIZLE HULK, and...
OTTO
Here's where it gets tricky ...
SWAY
... he walked in THE COURTSHIP OF
EDDIE'S FATHER.
Kip high-fives her... Freb looks disappointed...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Walked like a bastard... Skippin'
stones and shit..
OTTO
That's a good one, Donny...
DONNY ASTRICKY
I think so too --
And they drive... All smiles ... All pleased with
themselves ... And, after a beat ...
MIRROR MAN
Ya'll really need to get the fuck out
of the house more...
INT. OTTO'S AUTO - BACK ROOM
Sway has finished the chart ... 50 cars ... Their
corresponding distaff names...
INT. FREB'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Freb is at his stereo. CDs scattered around him. Tupac.
Biggy. Puff Daddy ... Making a mix tape... END MONTAGE.
INT. BACCHIOCHI'S FOREIGN MOTORS - DAY
A garage dealing exclusively in imports. Memphis enters...
MEMPHIS
Hello -- ?
Sway slides out from beneath a Testarosa ... In her greasy
coveralls, hair tied back, a motorhead's dream girl ...
SWAY
Hey.
MEMPHIS
What's wrong with her -- ?
SWAY
The right side of the engine is
running richer than the left. And the
scope isn't showing shit... I dunno...
And she goes to the sink...
SWAY (cont'd)
You know Annie's trouble
MEMPHIS
Annie -- ?
SWAY
You haven't been studying --
She gestures to where the LIST of 50 is on the counter.
SWAY (cont'd)
137 Roadster. Custom. Lives at 1443
Locklin in Rancho Palos Verdes ...
MEMPHIS
Right. Great car. One of a kind. I
was looking forward to that boost
myself
SWAY
She was the only "Annie" you could find?
MEMPHIS
They only made a handful. We're lucky
there's even one living in the area...
SWAY
Yeah, well ... She lives with District
Court Judge Seymour Croft ...
As she speaks we CUT TO:
EXT. 1443 LOCKLIN - RANCHO PALOS VERDES - DAY
A massive house of glass and steel in a fancy
neighborhood. We MOVE FOR THE HOUSE. Over the fine-trimmed
lawn.
SWAY (O.S.)
... and he keeps "Annie' in his
living room... Like a work of art ...
INTO THE SPARTAN LIVING ROOM...
Massive framed Lichtenstein and Haring pieces on the wall
... Surround the yellow ROADSTER, which sits up on a
platform ... Check out JUDGE CROFT, a nasty fat man in his
late 50s ... He sits in the nearly empty room... A complex
system of directional lighting illuminates the Roadster
...
SWAY (O.S.)
She's got 27 miles on her o-dom.
Which is exactly how far away the
custom shop was in 1979 when he
bought her... He drove her home,
never drove her again ...
The judge gazes at the car, admiring its jet-pod
taillamps... A MAID comes in with a tray of tea service
... The maid crosses the Judge's line of sight... Watch
as he curses her out, his face going beet red with fury...
SWAY (O.S.)
The man's a freak...
INT. BACCHIOCHI'S FOREIGN MOTORS
Sway looks at Memphis ...
SWAY
She's trouble --
MEMPHIS
I put the boys on it. They're clever
that way...
She nods ... Long look ...
SWAY
I go with you --
MEMPHIS
That what you want?
SWAY
That's what I want ...
MEMPHIS
Okay.
She hits the Lava soap and starts washing the grease from her
hands ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
I missed you, you know -
SWAY
You mentioned that in your letters
MEMPHIS
I always thought you'd follow me up.
She shuts off the taps ... Towels her hands...
SWAY
We were good when you bailed, weren't we?
MEMPHIS
Very good...
SWAY
Cos there were those dark days, when
I figured - my God, how easy it was
for him to just give it up; to make the
deal; take the rot for the whole crew ...
And give me up in the process.
MEMPHIS
No way ...
SWAY
No ... ?
MEMPHIS
No ...
And he holds out a hand to her ... And she puts her greasesmeared
towel into it ...
SWAY
Don't go getting all warm and fuzzy on me,
Randall. I'm the jane that was left, and
you're the jim that did the leaving. So
save the sanctimonious shit for someone
who believes. The only reason I ride with
you, is cause I don't want to spend the
whole night with any of them other creeps!
MEMPHIS
Oh. Okay. Right.
EXT. BACCHIOCHI'S FOREIGN MOTORS - DAY
Memphis walks out... Going over to the PARKED CAR across the
street ... Castlebeck...
MEMPHIS
I'm on the move -
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Your girl works in there ...
MEMPHIS
Not my girl anymore
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Yet your still here ... I gave
you 24 hours, 24 hours ago ...
MEMPHIS
What do you want from me?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Honestly? I want to - once every
few months - get into my car. Pack
a lunch. And drive on up to Chino.
On visiting day. Bring you some
magazines. Maybe some almond clusters.
And see you all bright and shiny in
your orange jumpsuit. That's what I want ...
And with that, he starts his car ... Drives off... Memphis gazing
after him...
INT. VAN - MOVING - NIGHT
Memphis drives. Kip beside him. They drive in silence. At last
coming to:
EXT. TEN-TON TRANSFER COMPANY - FRONT GATES
A huge trucking company warehouse. Kip gets out. Bolt-cuts the
chain-fence out front.
And Memphis drives on in, passing the long rows of gargantuan
CAR CARRIERS here. He picks one ...
MEMPHIS
This one ...
He slim-jims the door ... But the ALARM goes off ... A wild
whooping alarm ... Deafening... Try as he might, he can't get it
off. He pops the trunk. Looks for wires ... Nothing.
Then, at once, it goes off. Memphis turns. Kip is there. He holds
a little DEVICE.
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
What's that thing -- ?
KIP
Reads the infrared. Then kills it. Little
something the R & D department came up with ...
MEMPHIS
How long were you gonna let me try and
stop it...?
KIP
After a while, it became a little pathetic ...
Figured I'd put you out of your misery ...
MEMPHIS
Thank-you ...
KIP
De nada ...
He gets behind the wheel. Pops the ignition. The truck's flipping
stack belches. Memphis climbs in next to him.
MEMPHIS
Ain't we good-timing here ... ?
KIP
The family that steals together, deals
together...
MEMPHIS
Dad'd be proud --
KIP
Maybe not. But Dad was from another era...
MEMPHIS
What era was that -- ?
KIP
The era when crime didn't pay --
MEMPHIS
As opposed to now, Kid Car Crusher?
KIP
Price of doing business...
MEMPHIS
What about just getting a job, 9 to 5,
five days a week, that whole mystery
achievement -- ?
KIP
It's for assholes. The Legal Buck blows,
Memphis. You know that. Doing this, we
make mad bank, my boys are down, the
girlies come around and the boosts are
a breeze. Yeah, sure, you're gonna get
jacked-up every now and then - but ain't
that a small price to pay for never,
never-ever, having to say "paper or
plastic?"
And he grins and puts the truck into gear. And off they go
INT. OTTO'S AUTO - GARAGE - NIGHT
The Replacements chime in with "Someone Take The Wheel." Memphis
and the crew ... All but Sway are present.
Tumbler and Mirror Man follow Memphis to one side of the shop ...
To a window ... He gestures outside to where we see and UNMARKED
CAR and the orange glow of two cigarettes ... Staking them out ...
MEMPHIS
We've got to shake them tomorrow
night. I'm making that your problem.
That's called delegation of duties.
You like it -- ?
Mirror Man and Tumbler regard the cops ...
MIRROR MAN
Sure, man --
And they follow him back into the garage ...
MEMPHIS
Okay. Tomorrow night it's on. Each
team has been assigned their ladies.
The teams are: me and Sway. Donny
and Freb. Kip and Tumbler. Mirror
Man, you and The Sphinx ...
Mirror Man looks horrified ...
MIRROR MAN
Aw, c'mon, man ...
The Sphinx grins at him...
TOBY
What about me?
MEMPHIS
You'll be at the docks ... Keeping Otto
abreast of our progress ...
TOBY
How come ... ?
MEMPHIS
Because you should be home with
Nintendo, listening to The Spice
Girls, little man ...
TOBY
Come on. Kip, talk to the guy
KIP
There's no talkin' to him --
And Otto and Junie come out with two bottles of champagne and some
paper cups ...
OTTO
(cup raised)
To a safe and successful session of bumping
fenders and trading paint.
Everyone toasts ... Drinks ... Donny goes to the tape deck... Hits
PLAY ... And "Little Deuce Coupe" by The Beach Boys BLASTS.
("Little Deuce Coupe/You don't know what I got...")
And all of our guys dance to it ... Singing along ... Otto dances
with Junie; Tumbler with Toby; even The Sphinx lipsyncs the falsetto
parts ...
BEACH BOYS
"Well, I'm not braggin,' babe So don't put
me down But I got the fastest set of wheels
in town, etc."
Yes, it's the requisite rock-to-an-oldie bit ... But God, it's
fun. As they exorcise some pre-boost jitters. Only Kip stands
aside from the frolic ... We watch them dance and laugh and sing
for a bit ...
And then Atley Jackson is there. And behind him, another Calitri
GOON... And, finally, Calitri himself stands there.
Someone kills the music. They all look at him... Donny and The
Sphinx nod to Atley ...
CALITRI
This is how you're spending my time?
Having a sock hop?
MEMPHIS
Everyone know Ray Calitri? Pillar of the
community ...
CALITRI
Look at this. A multi-generational gathering
of scumbags ...
OTTO
So saith the God of Scumbags --
CALITRI
Hello, Otto. My boys at the dock report no
cars have yet to be delivered. And there's
only one more night ...
OTTO
Getting nervous, Ray? What happens to you, I
wonder, if delivery isn't made?
Calitri ignores him... Looks at Kip ...
CALITRI
With all the free time I've had not
counting cars as they're loaded onto
my ship, I've managed to sand the
cedar inside your box, Kip. This
will protect you from the anaerobic
bacteria, that normally thrives in
an airless; environment. Thus
prolonging decay ...
He smiles ... And Kip actually makes a run for him... Only to be
held back by Tumbler and Donny ...
MEMPHIS
Get out of here, Ray --
CALITRI
One more night --
MEMPHIS
Get out --
CALITRI
I hope you know what you're doing. God help
you if you don't ...
And with that, he leaves, his goons following. Leaving our
crew to stare after him ... And then we FADE TO BLACK...
As a SUPER on-screen reads PART III: SWITCHIN'-TO-GLIDE
INT. HELEN RAINES' HOUSE - GARAGE - DAY
As Memphis goes through some old boxes. At last, he finds what
he's looking for ... Opens it ... He takes out its contents ...
His tools, which we remember from the opening ... And then...
CLOTHING ...
EXT. OTTO'S - DAY
Drycoff and Hawkings wait in their unmarked ...
DRYCOFF
Oh, this is a good time --
He lights another cigarette ... The ashtray is overflowing.
HAWKINGS
How much can one man smoke?
DRYCOFF
It's a crime, ain't it? Cos
Castlebeck's got a bug up his ass over
this guy, I gotta get lung cancer ...
INT. OTTO'S
Mirror Man and Tumbler are at the window Memphis brought them to
last night ... Mirror Man has a RADIO TRANSMITTER in his hand...
Donny comes by ...
DONNY
What are you doing?
TUMBLER
Watch and learn, old-timer --
As Mirror Man points the antennae out the window ... A TOY CAR - a
1970 HEMI 'CUDA replica ... Radio-operated, the car speeds along
the curb outside, using parked cars as cover... She really cooks...
DONNY
The hell are you doing?
MIRROR MAN
Delivering ordnance. Y2K-style.
ANGLE - THE 'CUDA. As it cruises along. Is stopped by a discarded
40 oz. empty... But Mirror Man maneuvers and its back on track ...
At last, parking jammed up to the front, right tire of DRYCOFF AND
HAWKINGS' UNMARKED.
TUMBLER
The Hemi Has Landed --
DONNY
Big deal. Now what?
MIRROR MAN
What we call: fun and shit.
And he hits a button on his radio control ... ANGLE - the model
'Cuda. Wedged in front of the tire. As a quartet of thin steel,
razor-tipped SPIKES thrust out from the Shaker hood ... A fraction
away from the tire's skin ... Mirror Man and Tumbler appear
satisfied ...
TUMBLER
We can go now --
INT. JUDGE CROFT'S GLASS HOUSE - DAY
The one with the Roadster in the living room... The phone RINGS.
The answering machine picks up ... Beeep!
VOICE (O.S.)
Yes, this is a message for Mr. Seymour
Croft, of 1443 Locklin ... This is the
Department of Water and Power and we're
going to be doing some work in your
area tonight ... If you'd please call
us at 555-1877, so we could discuss
the...
INT. OTTO'S - DAY
Freb on this end... He hangs up ...
INT. DISTRICT COURT - DAY
Judge Croft picking up his messages ... Writes down the number ...
Dials ...
INT. CROFT GLASS HOUSE - DAY
In the van. Kip and Toby... Toby's got his lap-top out ... And
they've re-routed the lines into it ... The phone rings ... Kip
answers ...
TOBY
Department of Water and Power. Could you hold
please ...
And before the Judge can respond, they've clicked him on hold...
And they make him wait ... And wait ... Just like the real D.W.P.
does ... They high-five...
TOBY (cont'd)
Where should we put him?
KIP
He's a Judge. He'll only bite for
something pimpy -
At last, Toby answers ...
TOBY
D.W.P. Thanks for holding. How can I
help you?
JUDGE CROFT
I got a message. I live at 1443
Locklin.
TOBY
Yes. can you hold, sir -- ?
JUDGE CROFT
NO! No, I can't! I'm a busy man.
Kip can hear his anger ... Whispers:
KIP
Oooh, she's chafed --
TOBY
okay, sir. Let me just get the-order.
Yes. We'll be doing some work out your
way. We've got a power leak. And it's
unsafe. We're moving residences to
the... Marriott Long Beach ...
Just for the night ...
JUDGE CROFT
Oh, for God's sake
TOBY
I know, sir ...
And Kip pantomimes eating. Toby, at first puzzled, gets it.
TOBY (cont'd)
For the inconvenience we're also
offering a free breakfast brunch --
JUDGE CROFT
Breakfast brunch -- ?
TOBY
Yes, sir -
Pause ... They've got him... Thumbs-up ...
JUDGE CROFT
Okay, then ... I just go to the
Marriott and I'm set ...
TOBY
You've been pre-booked...
And the Judge hangs up ...
TOBY (cont'd)
Goodbye to you, too, assface ...
EXT. OTTO'S - LATER - DAY
They all wait, anxious ... Dressed for their night ... And then
Memphis enters ... Hoots and hollers ...
He's dressed in the old duds. Black turtleneck. Black boots. Black
pants. Long, black, leather duster. Way too cool for school.
Memphis Raines returns...
DONNY ASTRICKY
I miss Orville Redenbacher already --
MEMPHIS
Okay, okay. The important thing to
remember, is to Think Slow. Take
your time. It may not seem like it,
but the night is long. Long enough.
Just think slow and think smart...
EXT. OTTO'S - DUSK
As the crew get into the van... And drive-off ...
INT. DRYCOFF'S UNMARKED
Drycoff starts her up...
DRYCOFF
Let's see what these bastards are up to --
And' he puts her in gear ... And KA-POW! The front tire EXPLODES
... Shredded to rim...
DRYCOFF (cont'd)
What the fu--
He gets out of the car, goes to the front ... In time to see the
little 'Cuda race off down the street after the crew...
DRYCOFF (cont'd)
Those little pricks -- !
ANGLE -- MIRROR MAN. In the back of the van, With his transmitter.
Giggling wildly as the 'Cuda zooms after him.
EXT. LONG BEACH HARBOR - NIGHT
The massive seaport, a series of wharves. Commercial SCOWS and
TUGS beast the black water. We should note the enormous 23,000-
ton, 627-foot CONTAINER SHIP, swaying in the harbor. And the giant
shoreside GANTRY CRANE alongside it ...
INT. WAREHOUSE
An expansive warehouse surrounded by chain-link fence ... Enormous
SHIPPING CONTAINERS are here, in which the stolen cars will be
stored. And cartons and cartons of motor oil.
A massive FRONT-END-LOADER will transport each container to the
gantry crane, which will lower it onto the cells in the container
ships' hold...
Each team is ready ... Each has a briefcase containing the tools
of the trade ... Memphis talks into a two-way RADIO ...
MEMPHIS
How we doing, O -- ?
INT. OTTO'S
Otto stands before The Big Board - with all the ladies' names on
it ... On the two-way ...
OTTO
Ready to start erasing. Good luck,
kiddies --
INT. WAREHOUSE
Memphis clicks off ... They climb into 4 Ford Escorts ...
MEMPHIS
Okay. All our ladies should be home
now, tucked in bed. Let's keep chilly.
Think Slow. Any questions?
TOBY
You sure I can't go with ya?
Memphis' ice-water glance is answer enough ...
MEMPHIS
Only use the phones when absolutely
necessary... Otto's default HQ ...
Let's go get 'em...
QUICK SHOTS -
Of the four cars, as each team slaps a tape in their deck:
1) Kip and Tumbler. The tape is Tupac. They bang fists.
2) Donny Astricky and Freb ... Donny's playing Miles Davis.
3) Memphis and Sway ... And Bruce ...
MEMPHIS
Ready -- ?
SWAY
Oh, yeah.
4) Mirror Man and The Sphinx... The Sphinx puts on GLASSES with
attached FAKE NOSE, to cover his gnarled one ...
MIRROR MAN
You should consider always wearing that,
boy...
And he slides his tape into the deck... And, as The Gap Band's
"Burn Rubber On Me" cranks on the track -
Our team goes out... Into the night ... Toby watching after
them... Because they're off ...
EXT. DESERTED PARKING LOT - NIGHT
Tumbler and Kip park the massive CAR CARRIER here ... Kip is
behind him in the Escort... Tumbler gets into the Escort and Kip
drives off ...
EXT. LONG BEACH STREET - NIGHT
Memphis and Sway in the van ... Searching ... He pulls to a stop
... For a Mazda Rx-7 is parked on this quiet, residential ...
Sway gets out ... Eyeballs it ... Comes back...
SWAY
No whistles, but a Club You bring a
hack -- ?
MEMPHIS
No. Open her ...
He parks ... Opens the back of the van ... Sway pulls the Mazda
window ... Gets in ... Ignition-Gizmos her ... The motor now
running ... Waits ... Memphis gets in next to her... He has a
STEERING WHEEL with him.
SWAY
What the hell's that -- ?
MEMPHIS
A little trick I picked up at the Car
Thief Retirement Home ...
He uses his screwdriver to REMOVE four rivets on the Mazda's
Clubbed steering column ... In seconds, the CLUBBED STEERING WHEEL
IS REMOVED, Club still on it. Memphis pops in the steering wheel
he brought, jerry-bangs the rivets ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Let's cruise --
And they do ... Sway rolls down her window ... Tosses something as
they drive off -
ANGLE - THE OLD STEERING WHEEL. "Club" firmly affixed to it. On
the ground, in the Mazda's old parking place...
EXT. LONG BEACH STREETS - TUMBLER AND KIP
as they systematize the cars they're responsible for... Tumbler
drops Kip off by a Porsche ... We recognize it as one of the cars
Mirror Man cut a key for in the valet scam. Kip selects the key
from a series of them hooked into his briefcase. He gets out. Keys
the car. He's in. He's off ...
TUMBLER - meanwhile, has driven to a Volvo C70... He, too, has the
key ... He's in ... He's off ...
EXT. THE CAR CARRIER - PARKING LOT
Kip drives the Porsche onto it, Tumbler enters the lot in the
Volvo. QUICK DISSOLVES as they fill it up... Two Honda Accords,
another Volvo, a Toyota 4-runner, etc.
EXT. COMMERCIAL WAREHOUSE - SAN PEDRO - NIGHT
All is silent. Chainlink fence topped with swirls of lethal-looking
barbed wire. Mirror Man and The Sphinx are here.
Mirror Man goes to the main entry fence doors ... He boltcuts the
chain ... The doors slide open ... They're in ...
EXT. LONG BEACH STREET - NIGHT
A Porsche 911 Cabriolet is parked...
Donny and Freb look at it ...
FREB
Diane 1.
DONNY ASTRICKY
Very good. Think you can get in without
waking her up -- ?
FREB
Yeah.
DONNY ASTRICKY
That's an after-market alarm. Can't
just cut her wires ...
He pops his briefcase ... Takes out some gear ... Gets out ...
Moves for Diane 1 ...
INT. RAINES APARTMENT - NIGHT
Helen Raines is rooting through a crowded closet. At last she
finds what she's looking for ... A small black boxy DEVICE. She
goes to the living room. Plugs in the box ...
It is a POLICE SCANNER... And it immediately starts to pop and caw
... Helen sits down ... And listens... Her face clenched with
worry ...
EXT. SAN PEDRO WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
Mirror Man works the thick steel door ... He's got a sledge and
center punch... He knocks the knob off with the sledge and then
goes to work with an ELECTRIC DRILL ...
MIRROR MAN
This is some state-of-the-art shit,
kid. The drill breaks the sockets,
which force back the spindle and release
the lock ...only it doesn't seem to be
working... And The Sphinx is getting
impatient ...
EXT. HARBOR WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
Tumbler and Kip pull in with their car carrier ... Full... They
start to unload it ...
INT. OTTO'S
As Otto SWIPES NAMES FROM THE BOARD...
INT. MEMPHIS' VAN - MOVING
Memphis and Sway... They ride in silence ... She busies herself by
looking through the consul. Comes up with a tube of LIPSTICK. Uses
the visor mirror to apply it.
MEMPHIS
Gosh, no. Lipstick? What next? Mascara, blush,
floral-print dresses?
SWAY
Deodorant.
And she looks at him... She's really laid the lipstick on
thick ... But it's oddly effective ...
MEMPHIS
Wow. Bozo, the very sexy clown --
Beat. She looks out the window, throws the following away.
SWAY
So, you seeing anybody?
MEMPHIS
No. I had a girl. She was great. The
problem is: great girls come along once
every ten years. So I gotta wait
another three years before I can even
bother to look...
SWAY
She was so great, why'd you leave her?
MEMPHIS
Her parole officer strongly recommended
it ...
She looks at him... But he's stopped the car... For Kip and
Tumbler are waiting at the side of the street. They get in.
EXT. LONG BEACH STREET - NIGHT
Freb dead-shorts the alarm system, grounding it out on the car's
own metal surface, just like they taught him... He's in the
Porsche ... It's just that he can't figure out how to get her
started ... The passenger door opens ... Donny...
DONNY ASTRICKY
What's the matter?
FREB
It's all microchips and shit ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Yeah?
He holds up a screwdriver. Jams it in the steering column.
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
I don't care what kind of car
it is. How fancy; how expensive;
how new. You pop the collar -
it's 1966 all over again ... !
He pops the collar - exposing an ordinary ignition system.
FREB
Cool ...
INT. MEMPHIS' VAN - MOVING - NIGHT
Memphis drives ... Sway, Kip, Tumbler with him...
KIP
So we loaded all of the keyed cars up and
dropped 'em ... It was cake ... 8 cars,
ba-da-bing ...
Memphis looks at him in the rear-view ...
MEMPHIS
Having fun, Kip?
KIP
Hell, yeah... It's a beautiful business ...
(realizes his gaffe)
I mean, no, man, it's hard, it's scary,
it sucks ...
Memphis looks at Sway, shakes his head... Kills the lights ... And
they pull in to
EXT. SAN PEDRO WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
Where Mirror Man is still struggling with the lock, his drills
and punches, scattered about ...
MIRROR MAN
Just give me another --
only The Sphinx shoves him aside ... Pulls the GUN from his
holster and BLANG! blasts open the lock...
Mirror Man stares at the opened door ...
MIRROR MAN
Oh, I get it: old school.
And Memphis and the others drive up ...
MEMPHIS
How's it going?
MIRROR MAN
It's going fine. The Quiet Riot and me are
swapping trade secrets ...
And in they go --
INT. WAREHOUSE
Dark as pitch. Flashlights come on. To reveal
ROW UPON ROW OF GLEAMING FERRARIS
Old and new models. Daytonas and Boxers and Dinos and
Testarossas. There must be at least fifty of them here.
Flashlight beams dance over car after car. It's a treasure chest
of automotive jewels ... All of our heroes are in awe. And then a
soft whimpering. They turn. To see Sway, overcome with emotion.
SWAY
It's just... so... beautiful ...
And it is Kip that puts an arm around her ... She sobs into his
chest ... Never taking her eyes from the array of Italian grace
... Indeed, they are all in something of trance. Memphis is the
first one out --
MEMPHIS
C'mon, gang. Let's focus. Sway, can
you prep 'em -- ?
SWAY
I think so... They're just... So ...
MEMPHIS
I know. But let's prep 'em. We could
stay here all night... That wouldn't
be good --
The others are still gazing ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Let's go, people --
And they set to work...
EXT. NIGHT CLUB PARKING LOT - NIGHT
Donny Astricky and Freb have accessed a '61 Jag... Watch as Donny
takes out 3 screws in the Jag's ignition and removes the whole
thing ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
So? Tell me: how come they call you
"Freb" anyways -- ?
FREB
C'mon, man ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
We're partners here --
Freb considers ... Then, reluctantly --
FREB
My names "Fred." You know: Frederick?
One drunk night, I decided to give
myself a tattoo. Hot needle it. I
used a mirror to guide me ...
And he pulls up his sleeve - to show the blue "FREB" tattooed
there ...
FREB (cont'd)
The mirror messed me up with the "b" and
the "d"... Everything's reversed, you
know? Now, I'm "Freb."
Donny chooses from a selection of IGNITIONS he's brought along.
Finds the right one ... Installs it ... Tightens the 3 screws ...
Starts the car with his own key ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Glad to know you, "Freberick." Let's
roll -
And off they go ...
INT. SAN PEDRO WAREHOUSE
Sway sets to prepping the cars ... The others wait nearby. Memphis
walks over to where Kip sits ...
MEMPHIS
You okay -- ?
KIP
I'm cool.
Memphis looks at his watch...
KIP (cont'd)
We gonna make it?
MEMPHIS
Too early to tell. Nervous?
KIP
Nah.
MEMPHIS
That's strange. I'm nervous. Donny's nervous.
Everyone's nervous. But not you...
KIP
I dunno. Whatever will be will be...
MEMPHIS
That's a good attitude, Kip. For
everything but stealing cars ...
Before Kip can respond, the signature throaty ROAR of Ferrari
fills the room, as Sway's got one started --
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Showtime --
INT. SAN PEDRO WAREHOUSE - QUICK CUTS
as Sway gets the Ferraris started, her skill readily apparent ...
And each man - Kip, Tumbler, Mirror Man, The Sphinx - climb behind
the wheel and ROAR OFF...
INT. HARBOR WAREHOUSE
Toby watches as the Ferraris are driven in. He radios Otto.
INT. OTTO'S - THE BIG BOARD
as the four corresponding names are ERASED...
EXT. TOWNHOUSE - NEWPORT BEACH - A MASERATI BOOMERANG
glowing silver; cool wedge shape, 15-degree angled windscreen; the
definition of sleek. Memphis and Sway, in the van, roll up to the
Maserati.
MEMPHIS
Hello, Tracy...
Except that a MAN comes out of the house ... Mid-20s, silk shirt,
long, leather Prada coat ... Persian'dude ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Shit.
The man climbs into the Maserati. Memphis follows...
EXT. HARBOR TOWERS - CONDO COMPLEX - ROOFTOP LOT
Lots of high-end cars. Mirror Man and The Sphinx search the rows
... At last coming to -
MIRROR MAN
Gina -- !
The 188 Lamborghini Countach... They move for it... Stop ...
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
Check it --
He gettures to the LICENSE PLATE. It reads "SNAKE"...
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
Oooh. "Snake." Tough guy. "Snake."
Homeboy wants you to call him: Snaake-!
They crack up ... Size her ...
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
No whistles ... That's weird...
He shrugs ... They slim-jim her "beetle-wing" articulated door ...
Climb in ... The Sphinx starts her up ... Mirror Ma gets in beside
him... The seats are sooo low ...
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
This shit's on point. Check it: 200.
He gestures to the speedometer ... Calibrated to 200 MPH..
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
Halfway there, we switch. I drive.
The Sphinx shrugs ... And they head out ...
MIRROR MAN (O.S.)
Say goodbye to your ride, Snake...
EXT. BACK BAY STREET - NIGHT
Memphis and Sway have followed the Maserati to another building...
Idles ... Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" croons.
MEMPHIS
What's this guy up to -- ?
After a beat, a WOMAN comes out ... She gets into the car.
SWAY
It's 1:30 on a Tuesday. Is that any
time to pick a girl up for a date?
The Maserati's lights go off... He's parked...
SWAY (cont'd)
What, are they gonna mack -- ?
Yeah. The couple start kissing. Memphis checks his watch
SWAY (cont'd)
Maybe she's got a roommate...
Beat ... They watch the couple in the Maserati for a beat.
INT. OTTO'S
Junie, Otto's gal, on the telephone...
JUNIE
... that's right. They'll be in the
lobby of the Riviera Building. 2206
Beacon Street. Palos Verdes ...
And we go to --
EXT. RIVIERA BUILDING - PALOS VERDES
And see a LINCOLN LIMOUSINE pull up outside this posh apartment
building... The DRIVER gets out ... Heads to the lobby ... We see
Kip and Tumbler step out from the shadows across the street ...
climb into the limo... Drive off ...
INT. LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH - MOVING - NIGHT
The Sphinx drives ... Mirror Man pops in his tape ... Albert
King's "Drivin' Wheel."
MIRROR MAN
That's what I'm talkin' about -- !
He boogies down. The Sphinx is bewitched, awed by the car's
magnificent power. But then Mirror Man SCREAMS -- ! With pure
terror. For, at his feet, wrapped around his legs, is
A BOA CONSTRICTOR - some 8-feet long... A mass of heavilykeeled
scales shimmering on coiled muscle ... Mirror Man screams on and
on...
The Sphinx swerves wildly... Racing through a red light. Barely
missing an on-coming BUS ... Passing a pair of COPS coming out of
a 7-11. They hop into their unit. Give chase.
EXT. NEWPORT BEACH - THE MASERATI
The Persian man and his date ... Mackin' hard... Behind them
Memphis and Sway wait in the Mazda. Memphis is on the cell
MEMPHIS
... okay, check with you soon ...
He hangs up ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Otto says 22 ladies have reported for
work...
Sway nods ... The Maserati's windows are fully-steamed...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Man, they're going at it
SWAY
They're in love ...
Long beat ... He looks at her ...
MEMPHIS
What about you?
She looks at him... Shrugs...
SWAY
You remember my Gramma? Yeah. I was
thinking. If she were alive. And she
asked me. If she came down, right now.
Asked me. "What do you do, Sara?
What's your life?" Innocently.
Nonjudgemental. I think it would break
her heart if I said I was a thief. I
steal cars, Gramma. And even though,
hey, I learned it all from her son.
My Uncle Eddie. Who taught me the basics.
Which you refined. (You remember Randall,
Gramma? You thought he was neat. Well,
he refined the basics ... ). I don't
think that's what she hoped for me...
She looks at him ...
SWAY (cont'd)
But ... That said... Car thieves are my
weakness ... It's all so terribly Loretta
Lynn or something, I know... But ... I
don't wanna be a thief anymore ... I don't
wanna love a thief anymore ... I want to
wear a dress maybe once in a while... Maybe
have a kid... Watch a lot of Audrey Hepburn
movies.. And think about my Gramma without
also thinking "shame on me. Shame on
me. Shame on me... "
She looks at him... He leans into her ... Kisses her... Tentative
at first ... Then... With urgency...
INT. G.R.A.B. FORCE OFFICE - NIGHT
Phones ringing like mad... Drycoff walks into Castlebeck's
office...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
It's an epidemic, Rollie ... I'm
getting reports every five minutes ...
INT. THE MAZDA - BACK BAY - NIGHT
As "Little Red Corvette" by Prince warbles on the track... Memphis
and Sway still kissing... She breaks it for:
SWAY
Arright ... Enough ... I can't have you
bellying up to my heart again, man, f
you can't help falling off the stool.
But he puts his mouth to her ears ...
MEMPHIS
Shhh... Car thieves are your weakness.
Whispers ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
I approach you. It's quiet. I look
this way. That. No one around ...
SWAY
Stop. What about Maserati Boy?
MEMPHIS
I take out my slim-jim...
SWAY
Oh, God...
And yes, this is patently absurd. But it's also oddly sexy.
MEMPHIS
Slip it in ...
SWAY
You're going high-cheese, dude --
MEMPHIS
Unlock your button ...
SWAY
"Unlock my button" ... ?
MEMPHIS
The alarms go off ...
SWAY
Woo-woo-wooooo!
MEMPHIS
I pop your hood; find your siren wires
SWAY
They're factory alarms ... Easy to get
around... For a man with... Skills...
MEMPHIS
I do ... I cut "em...
SWAY
Cut 'em...
MEMPHIS
Now... I'm in ...
SWAY
Of course you are. You're a
professional...
MEMPHIS
I ratchet your ignition mechanism ...
SWAY
I bet you say that to all the girls...
MEMPHIS
With a twist of my wrist ... You're turned
over ...
SWAY
Wrong preposition...
MEMPHIS
Hear you roar ...
SWAY
What about The Club ... ?
MEMPHIS
Let me worry about The Club ...
SWAY
No worries ...
MEMPHIS
I've got you floored... We're off ...
Take the curb... Man, can you corner...
Know not to get on it ... Momentum
shift ... Don't get on those brakes
too hard ... Get her up on her
tires. Up on her toes. Up ... Up...
Up.
Back arched... A small moan escapes her ... Prince wails ... And
Sway has achieved whatever kind of silly climax they aspired to
here... She flops back down... Looks at him...
SWAY
You're still quite the boost, Randall
Raines ...
(he shrugs)
Except now I've been chopped, and my
parts are in a Honda Prelude being driven
to church in South America by some
Bolivian consulate's wife ...
MEMPHIS
And Tracy's on the move ...
Indeed, the girl has gotten out of the Maserati... And the car has
rocketed off... Memphis punches the gas,'sending Sway to the floor...
SWAY
Wham, bam, thank-you, Ma'am, point-
five ...
PRE-LAP Alice Cooper's "Under My Wheels" and SLAM CUT TO:
EXT. LONG BEACH STREETS - NIGHT
CLOSE UP OF THE "SNAKE" LICENSE PLATE as its ass-end fishtails
like a bastard... The Sphinx is outrunning what is now a
half-dozen CRUISERS ...
INT. COUNTACH - MIRROR MAN
is freaking out ... The snake wrapped all around him...
MIRROR MAN
What do I do? What do I do? Aw, man.
He's gonna swallow my shit whole
Let's go to a hospital or something!
But The Sphinx shakes his head. No.
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
C'mon, you creepy no-nosed motherfucker.
Take me to a hospital!
Nope. The Sphinx drives on... Into yet another
DIRECTOR'S CHASE SCENE
This one even cooler than the last ... And once they've eluded all
of the police, The Sphinx pulls over to the side of a DARKENED
STREET...
MIRROR MAN
What are you doing? I'm gonna die!
The Sphinx leans over... And PINCHES THE SNAKE BEHIND THE BACK OF
THE HEAD...
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
You tryin' to make him more mad?
But, miraculously, the snake RELAXES ITS GRIP on Mirror Man... And
slithers off... To the back of the car ... Where it immediately
goes back to sleep ... Mirror Man stares at Sphinx, who smiles
genially. Then:
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
I never thought it'd be possible:
but your ass just got spookier ...
EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT
Freb and Donny Astricky have gotten "Laura", a '99 Bentley
started...
FREB
You ever feel bad about any of this?
DONNY ASTRICKY
Of course not. I'm Robin Hood. I take
from the rich, and give to the needy...
FREB
You mean the poor --
DONNY ASTRICKY
No. The needy. Us. Cos we need this
car!
And Donny puts her in gear, When a GUN is jammed agains't Donny's
temple ...
JACKER
Out of the car, bitch, or I blow your
fucking head off -- !
Donny looks at the jacker... Surprised... It is a KID ... No more
than 16 ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
Are you kidding me -- ?
JACKER
NOW -- !
DONNY ASTRICKY
I'm stealing this car. So BACK OFF!
JACKER
I'll shoot you fool... I'LL BLOW YOUR
BRAINS OUT -- !
FREB
Donny --
DONNY ASTRICKY
Donny-nothin'!
And he SLAMS OPEN THE DOOR... catching the kid in the balls ...
And the kid doubles over... Dropping the gun ... Donny gets out of
the car...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Lazy, disrespectinIf half-assed
bully. Any asshole can pull a gun ...
And he starts to kick at the kid ... Beat at him...
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
You don't know how to steal a
car, do ya? So you gotta take
them when there's already a key
in them ... And a person in them...
Scare people ... Intimidate ...
Little freakin' bully ...
FREB
C'mon, Donny... Let's go, man --
DONNY ASTRICKY
Lazy ... Lazy ... I ask you, Freb:
what's the matter with kids today?
But then - BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Bullets rip into Donny Astricky in
terrifying SLOW-MOTION. He turns ... To see another KID ...
Scared... At the edge of the road... Gat held high ... And Donny
drops to the pavement ... And the first Jacker gets to his feet...
Freb goes to Donny... To his splayed-out body ... SIRENS split the
night. The jackers run off down the street.
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Get outta here. Get out. Now!
FREB
I can't leave you here, man --
Freb doesn't know what to do... Donny croaks ...
DONNY ASTRICKY
I'm all right. Been shot before. You
take me to the hospital, they bust the
both of us. The cops'll take me. Go!
And Freb-makes to run off down the street... But --
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Freb -- !
Freb turns back
DONNY ASTRICKY (cont'd)
Take Laura with you, you stupid shit!
Freb blinks. Nods. Oh, yeah. He climbs into the Bentley Drives off...
As the CRUISERS pull up around him... And the UNIFORMS getout, guns
drawn, approaching warily -
To find Donny Astricky ... Splayed-out on the pavement ...
Laughing at the moon ... And, as Jimi Hendrix' "Crosstown Traffic"
BLASTS ON TRACK, we CUT TO:
of the final series of boosts ...
1) The Maserati parked and empty. Sway breaches it.
Expert. They drive off ...
2) Kip and Tumbler. Clocking a VIPER. They circle it..
It's loaded with bells and whistles and Clubs and a
metallic voice that warns: "WARNING: YOU ARE TOO CLOSE THE
VEHICLE!" over and over ... Kip shakes his head ...
Ushers Tumbler back ...
3) Mirror Man and The Sphinx deliver an Aston Martin to the docks
... Watch as it is driven into a container. The container loaded
by gantry crane, onto the ship, lashed to the deck by overworked
LONGSHOREMEN...
4) Helen Raines. Looking out the window. Listening to
the scanner for word of her boys...
5) The Big Board. Female names disappearing like dust..
6) Castlebeck and Drycoff. Cruising the streets.
Searching ...
7) Kip and Tumbler return to The Viper. This time, in a RAMP
TRUCK. They raise the ramp. Tie down the Viper. A drive off with
it, to be disarmed at a later, safer venue as it continues its
robotic exhortation of "WARNING. YOU ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE
VEHICLE." Over and over again ...
8) All our teams... Speeding toward us ... In different
cars ... As the MUSIC FADES and we END MONTAGE
EXT. 1443 LOCKLIN - JUDGE CROFT'S GLASS HOUSE - NIGHT
Where "Annie" the 137 Roadster lives as an objet d'art.
FIGURES in the thicket surrounding the property. Memphis,
Sway, Kip, Tumbler, Mirror Man, The Sphinx...
Mirror Man has the mansion's ELECTRICAL BOX opened... He' going
through the wires ... Cutting alarm, phone, etc.
Memphis is on the cell phone... Face grim... He hangs up.
MEMPHIS
Donny got shot ... A jacker ...
SWAY
How is he -- ?
MEMPHIS
They got him to the hospital. He's stable ...
Beat ... As they all reflect on this...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
On a brighter note: 47 ladies have
checked in for their South American
sea cruise -
This cheers them slightly. Until, from the electrical box:
MIRROR MAN
Got it -- !
And the few remaining lights of 1443 flicker and fade ... They
regard the house for a beat ...
SWAY
Now what -- ?
No one's quite sure ... They look at the house ... At all that
glass ... Then Kip walks to their car ...
KIP
Pop the trunk, Tumbler.
TUMBLER
What for -- ?
KIP
I gotta get my tool --
And Tumbler and Mirror Man look at each other ...
MIRROR MAN
No way, homes ...
Too late. The trunk is popped. Kip reaches in. Comes up with, yes,
another BRICK ... And Kip walks toward the house. Toward the vast
windows ...
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
(to Memphis)
Ya' gotta stop him, man --
But Kip forges on, indomitable ... Only he passes the huge glass
windows ... Walking, instead, up to the front door ... And he
SMASHES the brick down onto the DOORKNOB. Knocking it clean off...
Looks back at the others with a wink. And enters the house...
Tumbler runs after him...
INT. 1443 LOCKLIN
Kip walks through the dark house ... At last, coming to the living
room... To "Annie'. He gets behind the wheel ... Her ignition is
quick work. He's got her started, loud, in the quiet house. She
coughs a bit; it's been a long time. Tumbler is there...
TUMBLER
Now what -- ?
KIP
Now, we go -
And he drives her off the platform. Tumbler directs him...
TUMBLER
This way... This way... This...
Her nose bumps a zillion-dollar VASE, which topples and shatters...
TUMBLER (cont'd)
That way...
And Tumbler climbs in beside him... Kip drives her around the huge
living room... And Kip punches the gas ...
And they drive the Roadster down the hall ... And right through
the OPEN DOOR... Driving down onto the lawn ... Up to their
cohorts ...
KIP
See ya back at the ranch, kids -- !
And off they go ... Vanishing down the street ... The others watch
after him ... Mirror Man to Memphis:
MIRROR MAN
Gotta tell ya, man: since you been back?
You've had a real calming influence on
ol' Kip...
INT. G.R.A.B. TASK FORCE OFFICE - NIGHT
Drycoff comes into Castlebeck's office ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
They just brought in Donny Astricky.
Shot by a jacker ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
How is he?
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
He'll live. But it means your boy's
behind it. Astricky was holding a list.
They just faxed it to us...
He hands Castlebeck the list. Calitri's 50. Castlebeck notes the
last entry...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Let's get out there. And have them
run down every 167 Shelby Mustang in
the area ... Find out where they're at.
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
What for?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
You spend enough time down a man's
throat, you get to know his tonsils.
Do it ...
INT. WAREHOUSE - LONG BEACH HARBOR - NIGHT
Kip and Tumbler deliver the Roadster. Toby checks it in.
KIP
Any more ...
TOBY
I dunno ...
And Kip gets on the two-way...
KIP
Any more, O -- ?
OTTO (O.S.)
You guys are through...
KIP
Whatcha got left ... ?
OTTO (O.S.)
"Carol." A 198 Mercedes ... She lives
in the suburbs ...
KIP
We'll take it...
OTTO (O.S.)
It's ear-marked for Mirror Man and The
Sphinx...
KIP
We'll take it.
And they climb in behind a waiting Jeep Cherokee ...
KIP (cont'd)
Later, Toby --
But Toby's not around...
KIP (cont'd)
Toby?
No answer... Kip shrugs... And off they go ...
EXT. RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD - CHESTNUT HILL - NIGHT
A nice neighborhood... Upper middle class ... So damn suburban you
can practically smell the gas grills ... A NEIGHBORHOOD SECURITY
PATROL CAR glides by them...
TUMBLER
Gettin' fancy... Got their own palace
guard -
When, from the back of the Jeep:
TOBY
I never been to the suburbs ...
Toby is there ... Having stowed-away...
TUMBLER
What are you doing here, assface?
TOBY
Checkin' it out
He smiles at Kip ... Kip looks at Tumbler ... Drives ... At last,
pulling up to one HOUSE where the '98 Benz - "'Carol" lives. Kip
parks, a half block down ... They get out ... Head for the
house...
And there she is. "Carol." Obsidian black. In the
garage. The garage is open. And THREE KIDS, two boys and a
girl. Late teens. They are standing around "Carol"...
Drinking beer... Listening to the new Beck album on the
car's CD player ... The folks clearly out of town ...
Well-scrubbed, white suburban children of plenty ... The only crew
they've ever run in is J. Crew... From the hedge, Kip, Tumbler and
Toby watch the kids ... With equal parts fascination, loathing,
envy... And then, the kids go inside... Leaving "Carol" exposed...
TOBY
I got this one...
And before the others can respond, he moves for her. And she's
open... Toby's in ... Butterfly popped - Gizmo in. The others start
to get in when ONE OF THE KIDS comes out from the house. He stares
at Toby, who freezes mid-boost ...
KIP (cont'd)
(whispered hiss)
Get her started, man -- !
And Toby does... And slams her in reverse. And they're off
INT. WAREHOUSE -LONG BEACH HARBOR - NIGHT
The group - - Memphis, Sway, Freb, Mirror Man, and The Sphinx
- has returned... The final cars loaded onto the ship ...
Memphis looks out into the night --
MEMPHIS
C'mon, Kip -
EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREETS - "CAROL" - MOVING - NIGHT
Toby drives them out, Kip shotgun, Tumbler in the back. But the
suburbs are confusing. They can't find their way out.
TOBY
Which way's out, man -- ?
TUMBLER
Shit all looks the same here --
They drive. Only up ahead, blocking the street, LIGHTS blinding...
Are TWO SECURITY PATROL CARS - SECURITY COPS on the strong ...
Guns drawn...
KIP
Shit ...
TUMBLER
Run it...
Toby looks to Kip...
KIP
No...
TOBY
What am I supposed to do?
Toby pins the gas. Straight at the block... The security cops dive
out of the way. Except for one standing tall and FIRING into the
windshield... Into Toby... The car swerves. Going off the road.
Into a bank of mailboxes.
The security guards run for her... Kip, forehead bloodied,
switches places with Toby, getting behind the wheel ... Punches
the gas ... Getting them out of there ...
INT. "CAROL" - MOVING - NIGHT
Kip drives like a wild man ... Toby is bleeding something fierce...
Shot in the chest...
TOBY
Jesus, Kip ... I'm shot, man ...
KIP
Just hold on... Hold on ...
TUMBLER
What are we gonna do -- ?
KIP
Hospital.
TUMBLER
We can't do that, dude --
Kip looks at Tumbler ... They both look at Toby...
EXT. WAREHOUSE -LONG BEACH HARBOR - NIGHT
As the 'Vette comes screaming into the warehouse ... Kip exploding
out of it ... Getting into the back. Memphis goes to the car, sees
Toby ... Front of his shirt covered in blood ... The others gather
around...
MIRROR MAN
Jesus ...
Memphis climbs into the car ... Kip is holding Toby...
KIP
I didn't know... Should we take him to
a hospital? I didn't know. I didn't.
Toby is clearly dying in Kip's arms...
TOBY
Kip. Kip. Kip. Tell me: what's
gonna happen? What's gonna happen?
But Kip is lost ... Doesn't know what to say --
MEMPHIS
You're gonna be okay, Toby... You are ...
We'll getcha fixed up...
TOBY
No ... No... No ... Tell me what's
gonna happen? Kip? Tell me. What's
gonna happen?
The brothers stare at the boy... Kip wipes his sweatstreaked face...
TOBY (cont'd)
What's gonna happen? I don't feel ...
like ... this ... should.... happen ...
right ... now. I...haven't... done ...
shit... Tears running down his eyes...
KIP
Shhhhhh, shhhhh ...
Kip looks to his brother for help ...
MEMPHIS
Call 911 -
MIRROR MAN
Call 'em here -- ?
MEMPHIS
DO IT! NOW -- !
And Mirror Man scurries for the phone... Toby's breathing comes
out in short staccato bursts ...
TOBY
Kip... Kip... Kip... It doesn't
feel... It doesn't feel... It doesn't
feel... good
He looks up at Kip. All of the light goes out of his eyes. And
Toby is dead... Kip holds him for a beat ... Then passes him to a
surprisingly emotional Tumbler ... Kip gets out of the car, runs
for the opposite end of the warehouse ...
The others are stunned... Mirror Man hangs up the phone ...
Memphis gets out of the car ... He goes after Kip ... Finds him in
one of the containers ... Grabs him by the collars ...
MEMPHIS
What did I tell you? What? What did
I tell you?
KIP
I don't know. What -- ?
And Kip looks at him... Tears fall from the younger boy's eyes ...
And Kip looks so lost ... So like a little kid...
MEMPHIS
Come here --
KIP
What?
MEMPHIS
Come here -
KIP
What?
MEMPHIS
Come here -
And Kip does ... He walks to Memphis ... And Memphis puts his arms
around him... And that's it. The floodgates open. Kip begins to
sob. Deep, painful, racking sobs. And then:
KIP
I've missed you, man ...
MEMPHIS
I know. I've missed you, too
And they hold each other ...
KIP
Toby...
MEMPHIS
I know ...
KIP
Toby...
And they stay in the embrace... And then Memphis unwraps Kip's
arms from around him...
MEMPHIS
Stay here. Stay here a while. I'll
be back ...
Kip nods, sniffles ... Memphis walks out of the container ... He
strides up to the others ... Glances at Toby's clipboard, with all
the cars crossed-out ... He goes to Sway...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
Give me a ride -- ?
SWAY
Where to -- ?
MEMPHIS
Kip's not clear yet. We got one more
to go --
And she nods ... And climbs into one of the Escorts... And off
they go ... The others standing around the 'Vette and Toby's
body...
ANGLE - THE CLIPBOARD. One car left. Eleanor.
As a SUPER on-screen reads: PART IV: DREAMS OF YOU
EXT. INTERNATIONAL TOWERS - DAWN
The sun just starting to take all the purple from the night ...
Detectives Castlebeck and Drycoff are parked across from the
towers in their unmarked...
Sway pulls up a few blocks away ... Memphis has put on a fake
moustache, wig, necktie ...
SWAY
You okay -- ?
MEMPHIS
Yeah ... You -- ?
She nods ... He looks at her ...
MEMPHIS (cont'd)
You should know: walking away from my
mother, my brother, this town. Was
hard. Walking away from you. Nearly
killed me...
And she smiles sadly ...
SWAY
I know ...
She takes his hand ... Squeezes it ...
SWAY (cont'd)
Good luck...
Memphis, now in gray flannel suit, wig and moustache, steps out.
As he heads for the Tower garage...
IN THE UNMARKED
Drycoff is on the radio ... Binoculars up, on the Escort's license
plate - 635 CKG ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
(into radio)
One-Baker-11 ... 10-28-29...California
6-3-5 Charles King George.
They wait ... Sway drives off ...
RADIO (O.S.)
One-Baker-11. 6-3-5 Charles King
George. No want. Not on file...
INT. INTERNATIONAL TOWERS GARAGE
Memphis walks along the cars ... At last, he finds her --
Eleanor.
EXT. INTERNATIONAL TOWERS - DAY
Castlebeck and Drycoff ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
Check it out --
He points ... The '67 Mustang appears at the top of the garage
ramp ... Brakes ... Waiting for the light ... Castlebeck squints...
Raises the binocs ... Tough to tell.. Memphis drifts into the stream
of traffic ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF (cont'd)
What do you think -- ?
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Let's see what he's about --
Drycoff hits the lights and sirens ... Memphis sees the car behind
him...
MEMPHIS
Shit ...
And kicks it into gear...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
Hey, now -- !
He pins it ... And THE RACE IS ON... In the biggest way possible.
This is the grand-daddy of chase scenes here, so we won't take the
easy way out. We'll actually script it ... Memphis races out onto
the busy street, Drycoff on his ass.
Drycoff pulls up alongside him... So they can see him. But the wig
and moustache prevent them from recognizing Memphis ... Other cars
suffer from the pursuit ... They go careening into parked cars,
storefronts, Harvard Square ...
Memphis side-swipes Drycoff's car ... Memphis drives down the
Memorial Drive OFF-RAMP, against traffic
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
1 Baker 11, in pursuit following
collision with suspect. Suspect
is male, white, 40-45, six feet,
175 pounds, gray hair, gray
moustache, dark suit ... T.A.'s have
occurred...
Memphis races her down an alleyway... And we HEAR, as we will
throughout, the VOICE of the
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
Switch to open channel 3. All units
stand-by.
POLICE DISPATCH (cont'd)
1 Baker 11 in pursuit of a '67 Ford
Mustang, license in the 6th column -
614 HSO. Repeat: 6-1-4 Harry Sam
Ocean. Westbound on Memorial Drive,
against traffic ...
Eleanor races past The Queen Mary ... crossing the bridge into
Long Beach ... She flies down the street ... Memphis, removing his
wig and moustache as he goes... Another POLICE CAR has joined
Drycoff and Castlebeck...
INT. KISS-108 RADIO STATION - DAY
The jocular drive-time jock MATTY IN THE MORNING - is broadcasting
in his studio ...
MATTY IN THE MORNING
We're getting reports that a big
police chase has started right near
our humble studios ... We'll keep
you posted...
EXT. ELEANOR - MOVING - MEMPHIS
Has the radio on ... Hears Matty ... He serpentines his way
through the tangle of alleys...
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
All units. Stand-by to copy. 167 Mustang
is silver in color. One occupant. California
license 6-1-4 Henry Sam Ocean. Reason for
pursuit is unknown.
Drycoff does his best to follow. Another CRUISER has joined up.
Memphis is driving like Richard Petty...
INT. LONG BEACH POLICE STATION - DAY
Two dozen COPS sit in the muster room listening to the dispatch.
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
... Suspect is headed southbound
on Mount Vernon, at Cambridge Street --
The cops look at each other. Holy shit! And race for the exit.
Because Mt. Vernon and Cambridge is the address of
THE LONG BEACH POLICE STATION
where there are literally 15 POLICE CARS parked out front... And
Memphis has just arrived...
MEMPHIS
Shit ...
Watch the mad scramble as COPS dive into their units... And try to
get out of each other's way... Fenders crunch ... Cops curse.
Memphis bootlegs - going reverse down the wrong way. Left on
Cambridge ... Left onto City Hall Plaza --
CITY HALL PLAZA
is 10 ACRES OF BRICK in the heart of downtown ... And now it's
like a demolition derby... As Drycoff/Castlebeck and some 4 SQUAD CARS
are chasing Memphis around the Plaza ...
A POLICE CHOPPER has arrived on the scene... Camera out. Memphis
takes one more spin around the plaza, then sees a
SHALLOW FLIGHT OF STAIRS by the back entrance to City.Hall. And he
takes them... CLUMP-KUMP-KA-DUMP-DUMP-DUMP
And now he's on some of the narrowest streets in Long Beach. He
flies through them... A mad mouse in a maze ... INT. KISS-108 -
MATTY IN THE MORNING
watches the chase on TV, via Copter-cam. Still broadcasting.
MATTY IN THE MORNING
Man, is this boy driving! You go,
Boss Barracuda
EXT. FREEWAY
Memphis races along He's got 4 SQUAD CARS ON HIM
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
Attention all units. Pursuit is now
southbound on the 33 from the
construction area on Kneeland
Street; all units in the area assist.
Code 3.
He takes the Kneeland Street exit... And he's run out of road at
A SHOPPING DISTRICT
where vehicle traffic ends. Foot traffic only ... Here com the
cops... Memphis spins the wheel ... And he drives onto PUBLIC PARK...
Across the grounds ... Past the dew-drenched flora and the paddle
boats lolling on the lagoon ...
Only there are SQUAD CARS coming from this side too... And he's
pinned. Police on the perimeters, He slows to a stop.
Cops jump out of their cars, guns drawn. Memphis in the center.
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
All units. Pursuit has terminated at
The Garden Park. Repeat --
And Castlebeck is on the BULLHORN:
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
(amplified)
You in the car. The area is
surrounded. I want you out to step
from the vehicle. Hands on your head.
Memphis considers his options ... He sees the FOOT BRIDGE over the
lagoon ... Hears the radio ...
MATTY IN THE MORNING (O.S.)
Is our boy done? Has The
Boss Barracuda been grounded -- ?
Memphis takes out his cell phone ... Dials...
INT. KISS-108
The COORDINATING PRODUCER comes into the booth ...
PRODUCER
Some guy's on the phone for you,
Matty. Claims to be The Boss
Barracuda ...
Matty scrambles for the phone --
MATTY IN THE MORNING
Hello -- ?
INT. ELEANOR - PARK
Memphis in the middle of the gauntlet ... On the phone ...
MATTY IN THE MORNING (O.S.)
Is this The Boss Barracuda -- ?
MEMPHIS
Yes, sir.
MATTY IN THE MORNING (O.S.)
How you doing, man -- ?
MEMPHIS
The truth is - my car here doesn't
have a tape deck. You mind hooking me
with up with some driving tunes ?
MATTY IN THE MORNING (O.S.)
You got it, brother.
Memphis hangs up ... Hears:
MATTY IN THE MORNING (O.S.)
This one is going out to
The Boss Barracuda. Catch him
if you can --
And he plays Chuck Berry's "No Particular Place To Go" And
Memphis smiles ...
MEMPHIS
Attaboy --
And punches the gas ... Going right at Castlebeck and the others
... Smashing through the squad cars ... And ACROSS THE FOOT
BRIDGE, over the swan boats ...
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
All units. The pursuit is going
again
Is it ever. Memphis drives out of the park.. And gets onto
ANOTHER FREEWAY
Ten lanes of gnarly superhighway ... He opens her up... Full
throttle ... The chopper above him ...
INT. OTTO'S SALVAGE - DAY
The gang is watching on the TV... Freaking out ... ANGLE - KIP. He
slips out of the place. No one's noticed him go...
EXT. FREEWAY - TOLL BOOTH
ahead. Eleanor crashes the gate going 98, to borrow a
phrase. But he' s driving too close to the shoulder, and he
SMASHES INTO A LIGHT POLE -- ! The car does a 180 ...
Landing with a horrible THUD ... And here come the cops ...
Memphis is wobbly... Looks like he's almost through. Thirty cop
cars idle behind him...
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
Attention: suspect has T.A.'d with light
pole at the Carson Street offramp ...
Pursuit has terminated... And Chuck Berry
has come to an And Matty obliges with
Golden Earring's "Radar Love" ... And
this seems to rouse our boy... Because he
gets her started again ...
MEMPHIS
Thanks, brother
Spins her around... And goes
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
That is negative. Pursuit has not
terminated. Repeat: not terminated.
CASTLEBECK AND DRYCOFF
climb back into their car ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
Who is this friggin' guy -- ?
CLOSE ON - CASTLEBECK. Because he's got a sick feeling who.
ELEANOR
takes an exit ... And speeds on through the with everyone in
pursuit ...
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
Attention all units. Road block being
set up at the eastern terminus of the
Long Beach Harbor Tunnel. Use caution.
EXT. HARBOR TUNNEL EASTERN TERMINUS
It's quite a road block. A DOZEN SQUAD CARS. A WOODEN BARRICADE
... The whole shebang...
EXT. TUNNEL - ELEANOR
eating asphalt ... Coming to the tunnel's mouth ... To the road
block ... Memphis pins her ... ZOOOOOM! Dead-on to the roadblock
... And, at the last moment, as the COPS dive out of the way --
Memphis bangs the gear shift into neutral -- And yanks the parking
brake -- And the mustang spins on the straight --(and yes, this is
exactly like our opening) Screeching spin ... It stops inches from
the road block ...
Beat ... Thirty squad cars stop behind him ...
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
All units. Pursuit has been
terminated. Repeat: pursuit has
been terminated at Harbor Tunnel
Eastern Terminus --
Sure it has. Memphis' foot SLAMS ON Eleanor's pedal ... SMASHING
THROUGH THE ROADBLOCK... Cars and cops flying ... And the Dispatch
guy is getting pissed.
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
Check that, all units. You guessed it.
Pursuit has not been terminated. Jesus
Christ, will you catch this guy?
EXT. LONG BEACH BRIDGE
A huge suspension bridge spanning the harbor ... Except that on
the Long Beach side, therehas been a terrible ACCIDENT ... An
eleven-car PILE UP ...
PARAMEDIC
This is Rescue 2... We're at a scene of an
11-car collision with multiple injuries,
responded to Ladder truck Code 3 ...
We'll need back-up and The Jaws of Life...
Paramedics ... RAMP TRUCKS hauling away wrecked cars ... Fire
engines ... Bloodied VICTIMS ...
EXT. CITY STREETS - ELEANOR
takes it on through the vast construction underway here ... And
here's our money shot: Eleanor. On Route 33. COMING AT US ...
Followed by, literally, 20 POLICE-CARS ... Could be just about the
coolest fucking thing we've ever seen... But before we have time
to gloat:
POLICE DISPATCH (O.S.)
All units. Suspect vehicle has
left The Harbor Tunnel roadblock...
State Police advises they have
a multiple T.A. on the Long Beach
Bridge... Accident is unrelated
to Long Beach P.D. pursuit... Repeat
unrelated to Long Beach P.D. pursuit.
The area is closed except to
emergency vehicles. Suspect is headed
in that direction. Use caution in that
area. Repeat: use caution in that
area ...
THE LONG BEACH BRIDGE
Southbound traffic on the bridge (into Long Beach) is at a
stand-still because of the accident... The Northbound side of the bridge
is EMPTY... Northbound traffic stopped at the accident ...
Memphis comes to a stop 100 feet before the accident ... There is
no way past it, onto the bridge ... All the cops behind him come
to a screeching halt. He is truly trapped.
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
is thrilled ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
Gotcha now, dickhead --
But Castlebeck's not so sure ... He sees a possible play... So
does
MEMPHIS
Heavy sigh... He shuts off the radio ... And there's a strange
SILENCE... As everyone waits ... Watches ...
QUICK CUTS TO --
-- Matty In The Morning -- The gang at Otto's -- The Carpenter in
his wood shop -- Helen Raines, in front of her TV -- The chopper
cops -- Paramedics, cops, injured motorists, fire men --
Castlebeck and Drycoff... BACK TO
MEMPHIS RAINES AND ELEANOR...
Another few beats of silence ... Everyone watching ... He punches
the gas... Ripping down to the accident site... Heading straight
for it ... And we fear he aims to smash the site, maybe further
injure the accident victims -
Not our Memphis ... He's heading straight for
THE RAMP TRUCK
parked ass-end toward Long Beach ... Ramp down ... Memphis rockets
Eleanor at the ramp truck's ramp... Straight on ... And the ramp
LAUNCHES ELEANOR in glorious super-sexy-bloodpumping SLO-MO OVER
THE ACCIDENT SITE some thirty feet in the air ... Evel-style ...
DETECTIVE DRYCOFF
You gotta be fucking kidding me --
Where she lands in a crippling thud... Onto the EMPTY side of the
Long Beach Bridge... Cheers from the gang at Otto's ... The gang
at KISS-108 ... Memphis pulls her to a stop... Looks back at the
scene ...
Castlebeck squints ... Trying to see if it's his boy... Memphis
switches the radio back on ... Matty has obliged... Wilson
Pickett's "Mustang Sallyo ... And Memphis drives over the bridge,
the only car going northbound... Memphis rides, daddy, rides ...
INT. WOODBURN CONSTRUCTION - FRONT OFFICES - DAY
A half-dozen Calitri SOLDIERS are here, answering phones, playing
cards.
INT. WOODBURN CONSTRUCTION - WORKSHOP
The sliding door is open. The CASKET for Kip rests to the side ...
Calitri uses a router to make a rabbet along the bottom frame of a
plywood gossip bench. He senses something and turns to
THE LOADING DOCK - MEMPHIS
has driven up in the smashed-to-shit Eleanor ... He climbs up,
entering the workshop... Calitri glances to the wallclock: 7:55
AM...
CALITRI
Well, well. You've caused quite a ruckus ...
MEMPHIS
This is number 50. We did it. It's
over Where's the money ?
CALITRI
Right there -
He gestures to a Haliburton case ... Memphis opens it ... There's
a lot of cash inside...
CALITRI (cont'd)
200 K. Just like we said ...
MEMPHIS
You should never have gotten my brother and
his friends involved ...
CALITRI
But I had to. It was the only way to
get to you --
Memphis looks at him... Calitri smiles ...
MEMPHIS
Well, now, he's clear. And you'll stay away
from him...
CALITRI
I don't know about that, Randall.
He did such a good job on this paper.
And another one just came in ...
Calitri goes to the FAX machine... Tears off the sheet..
CALITRI (cont'd)
It's an easier take. 30 cars. Two
weeks. Most of them SUVs. Going to
Russia. Think Kip'll be interested?
MEMPHIS
You don't want to even sniff at that --
Calitri grins. But then his smile goes south, as he sees, for the
first time -- ELEANOR -- parked out on the loading dock. And she
is smashed-to-shit.
CALITRI
Well, that certainly won't do.
MEMPHIS
What do you mean -- ?
CALITRI
Look at it. I can't very well make
delivery of that thing ...
MEMPHIS
You got no choice. It's over.
CALITRI
Fifty cars. Fifty cars by 8 AM
Friday. Or Kip goes in that box.
That was the deal ... Goddamn, it ...
That was the deal ...
Memphis is by a TABLE SAW... He flicks it on. The electric MOTOR
rumbles, so as to obfuscate, any noise in here ...
CALITRI (cont'd)
What are you doing -- ?
MEMPHIS
Tell you what I'm not doing: I'm not
gonna let you get into my Kool Aid...
And Memphis is on him... They go rolling about in grunts and
groans - eddies of sawdust swirling - the NOISE of the table saw
drowning out the sounds of combat ...
Calitri is on top, grabbing an AWL from the floor, bringing the
lethal point down to Memphis' face... Memphis holds Calitri's
wrist, straining, the point inches from his eye
ANGLE - FLOOR SOCKET - right above Memphis' head. With a last
gasp, Memphis misdirects the awl so it STABS THE FLOOR SOCKET - a
small CLAP OF VOLTAGE shaking through their bodies, as they sprawl
akimbo ...
Both men are momentarily paralyzed as the electricity sorts itself
out inside of them... Calitri is up; and he's found the gun ...
He crawls over to Memphis, climbing on him, sitting down hard on
the younger man's chest ... But then Memphis grabs him by the hair
and tosses Calitri off him ... Memphis POUNDS Calitri's head into
the floor ...
Once, twice. Three times. Calitri is out ... Memphis gets to his
feet, nose bloody. He catches his breath. Only the door opens ...
And Atley is there ...
ATLEY JACKSON
Jesus, man ... What'd you do?
MEMPHIS
My version of "take this job and shove
it..."
ATLEY JACKSON
Are you crazy? You throw down with The
Carpenter? You got a grudge against
your life?
But before Memphis can respond, there are APPROACHING ENGINE
SOUNDS from up the alleyway -- as A PANEL VAN arrives. Memphis and
Atley look at the wall-clock. 8:05. A glance to the unconscious
Calitri ...
ATLEY JACKSON (cont'd)
Now you done it. And with you
gone - who'll save Kip the next
time ... ?
MEMPHIS
This is all about there not being
a next time, Atley --
And the two men hold the look... And the van doors slam, as Digger
and Butz, Calitri's grave-diggers, get out ... Atley goes to the
unconscious Calitri ... And he picks him up, straining under the
dead weight ... Dragging the don over to
THE OPEN CASKET - One final burst of strength and Atley drops
Calitri into the casket... Slamming the swell top lid of the
coffin. He turns to look at the shocked Memphis -- As Digger and
Butz are there -
ATLEY JACKSON
Hello, boys -- !
DIGGER
Hey! What happened? Did they make it
ATLEY JACKSON
They did not. A tragedy.
DIGGER
Mr. C. around?
ATLEY JACKSON
He's napping. He said to take it away...
Atley gestures to the coffin. And they pick it up, move it to the
van...
DIGGER
That'll do ya. Tell Mr. C. we was by.
MEMPHIS
Absolutely.
And they are gone ... And Atley turns to Memphis
ATLEY JACKSON
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead, right?
MEMPHIS
Point-five ...
And he holds out his hand ... And they shake ...
ATLEY JACKSON
Get outta here, Memphis --
And Memphis does ... Nods to Atley...
MEMPHIS
Thank you...
Atley nods ... Memphis walks out to the loading dock... Atley
watches him go ...
ATLEY JACKSON
Hoo-boy.
EXT. CALITRI'S WORKSHOP - LOADING DOCK
Memphis walks to the battered Eleanor ... As Pearl Jam's
"Rearviewmirror' crunches and a CAR comes motoring up to him. It's
ANOTHER 167 SHELBY. ANOTHER ELEANOR, a "For Sale" sign pasted on
the back window. It's being driven by Kip...
MEMPHIS
What are you doing here?
KIP
I saw her get smashed-up on the TV.
Knew there was no way he was gonna
accept her ...
MEMPHIS
Where'd you find this one?
KIP
Ya gotta keep tabs on your "Eleanors",
Memphis. Cos you never know when
you're gonna need one --
MEMPHIS
You boost her -- ?
KIP
Hell, yeah. She's not my unicorn.
MEMPHIS
Move over ...
Kip does. Memphis gets behind the wheel. Drives...
EXT. LONG BEACH BOULEVARD - DAY
Memphis drives... Kip beside him...
MEMPHIS
You okay -- ?
KIP
I dunno ... I keep thinking about
him.
Memphis nods. But then FLASHING LIGHTS behind them ... An UNMARKED
with Code 3 capabilities - lights & sirens ... Memphis considers
... He could make another run ... But the looks at Kip... Enough
is enough ... He pulls over ...
KIP (cont'd)
What are you doing? You can outrun
him...
MEMPHIS
It's over. The dumb shit is over ...
The unmarked pulls up behind him... The cop comes over ... It is,
of course, Detective Castlebeck.
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I know you.
MEMPHIS
You know my back.
Castlebeck opens his coat... Showing stuffed holster ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
It's finished, Randall. Get out of
the car... You, too, kid...
Memphis starts to get out. When Castleback's RADIO crackles.
RADIO (O.S.)
We have suspect vehicle matching description
at the Woodburn Scrap and Metal ... Repeat:
the suspect vehicle has just been
apprehended at the Woodburn Scrap and Metal,
190 Street and Campanza ...
Castlebeck frowns, goes to his radio. Memphis looks at Kip.
KIP
I reported it ...
Memphis is impressed...
MEMPHIS
Not bad
ANGLE - CASTLEBECK at his car, on the radio ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
Dispatch, what's the license on
the suspect vehicle... ?
RADIO (O.S.)
License is California 6-1-4 HSO. Repeat:
California. 6-1-4 Henry Sam Ocean.
And Castlebeck looks at the license on this Eleanor... A vanity
plate that says - MY 67 ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
10-4.
And he goes back over to Memphis ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK (cont'd)
Looks like we live to fight another
round. You're free to go ...
Memphis can barely believe it. Castlebeck leans down, to Kip:
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK (cont'd)
Your brother's a clever man and a
talented thief, Kipling. But as role
models go, you should observe the man,
not the thief ...
KIP
Yes, sir ...
Castlebeck sighs...
MEMPHIS
Don't look so glum, Detective. It's a
beautiful day, the birds are singing,
and there's a container ship on
Pier 14, that's guaranteed to bring you glee ...
Castlebeck nods ...
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I want you gone, Randall. Settle your
affairs. Make it right with those you
love. Hell, take 'em with you. But I
want you out of here. Out of here for
good this time ...
MEMPHIS
Consider me gone, Detective --
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
I'll catch you later, Randall --
MEMPHIS
Double-meaning intended --
DETECTIVE CASTLEBECK
You betcha --
And Memphis races off ...
EXT. OTTO'S SALVAGE - DAY
Otto, The Sphinx, Tumbler, Freb and Mirror Man are sipping coffee
and eating donuts ... They are exhausted... Memphis and Kip pull
up in Eleanor... He hands Otto the briefcase. Otto opens it... All
that cash...
MEMPHIS
Split it up. Any word on Donny?
OTTO
He's gonna be okay. Could do a bit.
MEMPHIS
What happened to Sway?
OTTO
She left...
He nods ... The boys are huddled together...
MIRROR MAN
Poor Toby, man...
A few beats of silence as they remember; then shockingly:
THE SPHINX
If his premature demise has, in some way,
enlightened the rest of you as to the
grim finish below the glossy veneer of
criminal life, and inspired you to change
your ways, then his death carries with it
an inherent nobility. And a supreme
glory. We should all be so fortunate.
You can say 'Poor Toby." I say: "Poor us.."
They all stare at him, stunned...
FREB
You spoke
The Sphinx shrugs...
TUMBLER
Say something else, man
But The Sphinx lapses back into his silence ... Nibbles a donut
... Sips coffee ... Memphis smiles ... He takes a stack of bills
from the briefcase... To Kip:
MEMPHIS
You remember where you got this
Eleanor -- ?
KIP
Sure, man --
MEMPHIS
She's for sale. They're asking forty thousand.
Give 'em sixty ...
And he hands Kip the cash ...
KIP
You want me to buy her?
MEMPHIS
Shocking, huh? We're clear now. It's done.
I've never actually paid for a car. I want
to see what it feels like
Kip nods ... Memphis looks at a grinning Otto ...
OTTO
Dinosaurs. All of us. The Ice Age is
now...
MEMPHIS
I'll see you soon --
KIP
Where you off to -- ?
MEMPHIS
Thought I'd go for a ride -
He smiles. The others do, too. Memphis heads for Eleanor.
KIP
Hey, Memphis -- ?
Memphis turns back...
KIP (cont'd)
I'll see you, right?
Memphis nods ...
MEMPHIS
You'll see me ...
And we PRE-LAP Sammy John's "Chevy Van" and CUT TO:
INT. BACCHIOCHI'S FOREIGN MOTORS - DAY
Sway, underneath a Daytona... We only see her from the waist down
... Hands on her waist ... Pulls her gently out. Memphis. He
brings her to her feet ...
SWAY
What are you doing... ?
MEMPHIS
Seeing if you wanted to go for a ride?
And he uses a rag to tenderly wipe a small black smear of oil from
her cheek...
SWAY
I can't. I got a back load of repairs
and one of the mechanics called in
sick and I haven't slept and--
(stops short; sees the new Eleanor
outside)
Where to -- ?
MEMPHIS
I dunno. I know a place.
She looks at him... Long and hard...
SWAY
This time it's for real?
MEMPHIS
Oh, yeah. For real, point-five.
EXT. BACCHIOCHI'S - DAY
And Memphis opens the passenger door for her ... And she gets
in... And she smiles ... And Memphis climbs behind the wheel. He
neutral-drops Eleanor, chirping off ...
EXT. CONTAINER SHIP - LONG BEACH HARBOR - DAY
As two TUGS guide the giant freighter away from the docks ... All
those containers ... Filled with cars ... But here comes a COAST
GUARD CUTTER ... Churning for the ship ...
Detectives Castlebeck and Drycoff on the deck ... Stopping this
one cold...
EXT. LANDFILL - RHODE ISLAND - DAY
A vast expanse of trash and garbage and layers of earth. Deserted,
except for THE PANEL VAN parked dead center. Digger and Butz slide
the casket from the van, parked before an ALREADY DUG GRAVE.
As they move the casket, a KNOCKING from inside. A POUNDING. And
muffled CRIES. Digger and Butz exchange a horrified glance... They
stare at the casket, spooked.
BUTZ
Do you believe this?
DIGGER
What should we do?
BUTZ
We gotta do what we gotta do --
DIGGER
Shit. I hate the screamers, man. Why
can't he finish the freakin' job?
BUTZ
Forget about it. Occupational hazard,
Digger. C'mon...
And just as we think they're sure to open it -- they DROP THE
CASKET INTO THE HOLE -- !
And begin to dump shovelfuls of earth upon it; its unseen occupant
thumping and pounding and yelling -- And soon the casket is
covered in dirt. Gone.
And we PRE-LAP The Turtles' pop gem "Eleanor" ("You got a thing
about you/I just can't live without you/I really want
you/ Eleanor near me...") CUT TO:
EXT. THE 405 FREEWAY NORTH - ELEANOR - MOVING - DAY
Memphis driving. Sway riding shotgun. Long Beach at their backs
... Memphis looks quite enthralled behind the wheel... He loves
driving this car. Sway watches him. He feels it --
MEMPHIS
What -- ?
SWAY
Nothing. Just that if I was less
secure, I might think you were more
into Eleanor than you are me...
MEMPHIS
She does have one thing you don't.
SWAY
What's that?
MEMPHIS
Bench seats.
And he grins ... Pats the seat beside him... And Sway slides
close... He throws his arm around her ...
And off they go ... As The Turtles' ("Eleanor/Gee, I think you're
swell/And you really do me well/You're my pride and joy, etc.")
SING ON... And we hear:
MEMPHIS (O.S.)
You like bingo -- ?
And Eleanor drives away from us ... Into the searing horizon line
... Becoming just another single, yellow dot in the pointillist
pattern that is the American road.
THE END