NOBLE ROT - REEL ONE

REEL ONE

OPEN ON:

INT. COCKPIT OF CARGO PLANE - DARK, OVERCAST DAY

SFX: Plane, loud.

A young pilot sits at the controls of a light cargo plane
studying a map of the immediate area. He seems
relaxed and confident, lighting up a cigarette as
he looks down at the ocean below. He then makes
radio contact, purposely trying to sound urgent.

PILOT
Mayday, mayday, this is Conan 12421.
Im experiencing engine problems.

A message comes back to him.

TOWER (V.O.)
Conan 12421, this is Boston Tower.
What is your position?

PILOT
Boston, C12421, I'm two miles east of
Grogan Island. Visibility is approximately
five miles, altitude 12,500 feet, and I'm falling.

The pilot sets the plane on automatic control,
and casually gets up from the cockpit seat
and enters the cargo hold behind him.

INT. CARGO HOLD

He takes a small, important-looking canvas bag out of
a cargo container and secures it in his leather jacket.

INT. COCKPIT
Returning to the cockpit, he continues to call in his distress
message, making it sound as though his radio is malfunctioning.

PILOT
Bos ... is ... altitu ... ing one mile ...
ap ... Grogan Island and ... ing.

He puts on a rubber vest as he begins to circle the area. He
smiles, obviously finding the precise location he's looking for.

EXT. OCEAN - DARK OVERCAST DAY

TWO PORTUGUESE FISHERMEN, obviously brothers, scan
the horizon from the deck of their anchored fishing boat.

INT. COCKPIT

The pilot takes the rubber raft from behind his seat,
sets the plane in a decline, opens the cockpit door
and jumps out of the plane.

EXT. - ATLANTIC OCEAN - DARK, OVERCAST DAY

Cargo plane is coming down from the sky at a
gentle angle, looking more like it's going to land
than crash. It smoothly cuts straight into the sea.

EXT. OCEAN - DARK, OVERCAST DAY

The pilot is afloat in the rubber raft. He looks
calm as a fishing boat comes towards him.
Two Portuguese Fishermen, obviously brothers,
wave to him as they approach, but few words
are spoken as the fishermen lower a canvas
bag on a rope to the pilot. He takes the steel
box out of his jacket and puts it inside the bag.
They pull it up and quickly depart. The pilot
takes out a comb and runs it through his hair,
then leans back, casually waiting to be rescued.

SMASH CUT:

EXT. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - BRIGHT SUNNY DAY

MUSIC: Santana's "American Gypsy"

(Opening titles run over the sequence.)

AERIAL SHOT starting at Point Reyes moving along the powerful,
rocky coastline, then heading east over the lush hills of Marin
County to Highway 101. We follow 101 north, descending
slowly as we see two motorcycles and four police cars coming
towards us. As we descend further, we see the approaching
police caravan take the exit on their right and circle around on
an access ramp, putting them on Highway 12 eastbound to Sonoma.

CUT TO:

GROUND LEVEL SHOT of the police cars on Highway 12
which is bordered by grape vines on both sides. They
pass a sign on the highway that reads "Sonoma County".
They pass larger and small vineyards, as well as the
chateau-like headquarters of operations like
Kenwood, St. Francis, and Chateau St. Jean.

We FOLLOW the police cars as they turn off onto a
bumpy dirt road, passing a homemade sign that says
"GLORIOSO VINEYARDS, EST. 1981", until they eventually
pull up in front of a large, deteriorating ranch-style house.

EXT. GLORIOSO HOUSE - DAY

Barking dogs come running as the police cars park in front of
the house. MR. GLORIOSO, sixtyish, comes out of the front door.
Four policemen go up the walk, the rest remain in their cars. Sitting
in the back seat of one of the cars is JOHNNY GLORIOSO, thirty,
wearing crumpled clothes, a four days' growth of facial hair,
and handcuffs. He squints as the cops help him out of the car.

COP #1
We finally found him, Mr. Glorioso.

COP #2
He was way the hell up in Santa Rosa. We found
him sleeping in the men's room of a Shell station.

MR. GLORIOSO
(to Johnny)
What the hell's the matter with you?
Where you been for four days?

Johnny doesn't answer, he just shrugs his shoulders.

COP #1
We don't know where his car is.

MR. GLORIOSO
Where's your car? What the
hell did you do with your car?

JOHNNY
I don't know, Pop. Maybe somebody stole it.

COP #3
If I take these handcuffs off,
you gonna behave yourself?

JOHNNY
Yeah, I'm okay now.

MR. GLORIOSO
Go in there and get cleaned up. You have
to leave for New York in two hours.

JOHNNY
What?

MR. GLORIOSO
You have to take the wine to the
competition.Your brother is sick.

JOHNNY
(concerned)
What's the matter?

MR. GLORIOSO
He had a reaction from eating lobster.
(to cops)
He has swollen up like a balloon.

JOHNNY
I can't go to no wine competition,
Pop. I'm no good at that stuff.

MR. GLORIOSO
(stern)
Go get cleaned up.

Johnny walks in the house.

MR. GLORIOSO
(to cops)
I can't believe it. I got one son who can't
eat lobster, and one son that can't drink.

COP #4
He's a strong son of a bitch, Mr. Glorioso, I'll tell you
that much. It took four of us to put him in the car.

MR. GLORIOSO
He's a good kid, but when he starts drinking,
he gets ... excited. You know what I mean?

COP #1
It's a shame, 'cause he's such a nice kid.

COP #2
Everybody likes him.

COP #3
Yeah, everybody likes him, just about.

MR. GLORIOSO
Come on in, guys. Have a glass of wine.

The Cops talking to the father wave to the others in the cars,
and all ten of them follow Mr. Glorioso into the house.

INT. BATHROOM, GLORIOSO HOUSE - DAY

The bathroom door is open. Johnny is leaning over
the sink, his head underneath the running faucet.

SAL GLORIOSO, thirty-five, comes to the bathroom door.
He's wearing pajamas and a bathrobe. His face is swollen.

SAL
Where the hell you been? What's the
matter with you, pulling this shit again?

JOHNNY
(turning his head toward Sal)
Hi, Sal.

SAL
Pop was worried sick about you.

Johnny dries his head with a towl, looking over at Sal.

JOHNNY
How do you feel? You don't look too good.

Sal slams the bathroom door on Johnny.

INT. HALLWAY, GLORIOSO HOUSE - DAY

Johnny opens the bathroom door and
follows his brother down the hallway.

JOHNNY
I can't go to no wine tasting.

INT. SAL'S BEDROOM - DAY

Sal is sitting up in bed. Johnny is looking
down at him, with water dribbling from his face.

SAL
You gotta go. What are we gonna do?
You know how important this is to us.
We're going to win a top medal. This is
goin to put us on the map. You know that.
That's all you been saying for two months.

JOHNNY
Yeah, but I wanted you to go. I
hate those things. I'm no good at it.

SAL
Johnny, you keep putting yourself down.
You're one of the best vintners in Sonoma.
Everybody knows that you know your grapes.

JOHNNY
Yeah.
(pause)
But I hate that contest stuff.
That's more your thing, Sal.

SAL
(losing his patience;
referring to his swollen face)
What am I supposed to do, go looking like this?

JOHNNY
It doesn't look so bad. You could wear a hat.

SAL
What's a hat gonna do? It's not
my hair that's swollen, stupid.

Johnny looks down, silent.

SAL
(calming down)
Listen, we need you. Do it for the future of the vineyard.
Come on, get into it. You may even have a good time.

Johnny is standing there, looking like he's resigned himelf to go.
He looks out the window as he hears the COPS LEAVING. The
ten policemen can be seen walking to their cars, loaded down with
bottles of wine, bidding farewell and thank you to Mr. Glorioso.

EXT. GLORIOSO HOUSE - DAY

Cops wave goodbye as they get in their cars and drive down the road.

INT. DINING ROOM, GLORIOSO HOUSE - DAY

An hour later. Johnny is dressed in a suit and tie,
sitting next to Sal at the table. He is getting final
instructions from his father and brother. Sal is still
wearing pajamas. An extra large briefcase is on the
table. It has built-in construction especially made to
hold wine bottles. Mr. Glorioso is standing, putting
four bottles of Glorioso wine in the case very carefully.

MR. GLORIOSO
(referring to bottles)
Do we have some kind of cloth, something to protect these?

JOHNNY
(pointing to pile of t-shirts in corner)
Use the t-shirts, Pop. They're over there.

SAL
You're not taking those goddamn things to New York.

Father picks up some t-shirts and starts wrapping a bottle
in one. As he holds it up we see that it was a skull and
lightnight bolts on it and says "GLORIOSO VINEYARDS".

JOHNNY
Why not?

SAL
Maybe your hippie friends like those
things, but that's not the image we want!

JOHNNY
Maybe I could give a few to the judges.

SAL
No! You don't give them things! Especially those goddamn things!
But when the judges come up to you, don't be afraid to smile.

JOHNNY
I'm not going to go there and brown-nose some fancy judges.

Sal looks exasperated, exchanging knowing looks with his father.

SAL
All I'm saying is don't act like some smart ass with
a chip on his shoulder. You're not in Sonoma
High School anymore. You're thirty years old!

Mr. Glorioso has remained calm and quiet during his sons'
conversation. Now he walks up behind them and lays his hands
on their shoulders getting their full attention. He looks down at
them, waiting instinctively for the silence to build before speaking.

MR. GLORIOSO
I know how much both you boys care about this vineyard.
And I know we all realize a wine like this comes once in a
lifetime. A long time ago, there was this prince who owned
a big vineyard. It produced great wine. Year after year.
And even when the conditions were bad, it still produced
good wine. One year he went away to war. He was an
officer probably. And when he came home, his fields were
full of rotting grapes. Of all the people that worked for him,
not one had the guts to make the decision of when to pick the
grapes. Consequently, they let the grapes rot. He couldn't
believe how his luck had changed. He was ruined. But for
some reason, he said pick the grapes anyway. And they did.
And they pressed them. And they barrelled them. But when
the time came to taste the wine, everyone was afraid. Except
the prince! And when he tasted it he couldn't believe it. It
was the best wine ever. The curse turned out to be a blessing.
A special magic fungus had blessed his land. He called it --
the Noble Rot. I know that last year it was we who
were blessed with this magic fungus. But I feel I've
had this curse-blessing on my land for thirty years.
(putting both hands on Sal's shoulders)
Sal, you are my solid vines. Sometimes you're really
great, and when you're not, you're never less than good.
(putting both hands on Johnny's shoulders)
This man is my Noble Rot. My blessing in disguise.

He takes an envelope out of his pocket, and from it takes cash.

MR. GLORIOSO
Johnny, here's some cash.

From the envelope he also takes out a plane ticket.

MR. GLORIOSO
Here's your plane ticket.

Sal speaks up.

SAL
You're set to go first class so you can keep the
case by you. Don't ever let it out of your hands.

MR. GLORIOSO
(take credit card from envelope)
And here's a credit card. Sal and I got this for you about a year ago
but decided not to give it to you. Don't do what you did last time, okay?

JOHNNY
I won't, Pop.

His father slaps him on the shoulder.

MR. GLORIOSO
Okay, get going. And don't drink!

Johnny gets up and hugs his father, then his brother.

EXT. GLORIOSO HOUSE - DAY

Father and Sal stand on the porch as Johnny goes down
the walk to the waiting pickup truck.   A Mexican laborer is
behind the wheel. A few other Mexicans wait by the truck
to say goodbye. One of them palms Johnny a marijuana
cigarette, which he slips into his pocket. Everyone waves
goodbye as the pickup truck goes down the road.

INT. AIRPLANE - DAY

JOHNNY has a window seat, sitting in first class section,
next to a very attractive expensively dressed young woman,
CHRISTINE WALSH, mid-20s. She is reading a book.

Johnny has his wine case on his lap, resting
his arms on top of it, reading a magazine.

A STEWARDESS pushes a cocktail cart up to his aisle.

CHRISTINE
Some white wine for me, please.

She gives Christine white wine, opening
the small bottle as she talks to Johnny.

STEWARDESS
And for you, sir?

JOHNNY
Do you have tomato juice?

STEWARDESS
No, I'm sorry we don't.

JOHNNY
V-8?

STEWARDESS
Sorry. How about some bloody mary
mix? That's about the best I can do.

JOHNNY
I think maybe I'll just have coffee.

STEWARDESS
(moving on)
It will be a few minutes.

After a few moments of silence, Johnny talks to Christine.

JOHNNY
If I were you I wouldn't drink that.

CHRISTINE
Why not?

JOHNNY
Acetic. It's loaded with V.A. ... volatile acidity. Every
wine that company makes is loaded with volatile acidity.
They think they can get away with using cheap grapes by
lifting the sugar level with grape concentrate. It covers up
the taste of the bad grapes but it ends up tasting like acetate.

CHRISTINE
(flirting)
And what does acetate taste like?

JOHNNY
Kind of like Janitor in a Drum. You should eat a
lot of potato chips or pretzels if you're gonna drink
a wine like that. The salt absorbs the bacteria.

CHRISTINE
I thik you talked me out of drinking it at all.

JOHNNY
The Zinfandel they serve isn't bad. You should try some of that.

Johnny reaches up and pushes the button for a Stewardess.
The light goes on. The Stewardess comes immediately.

JOHNNY
Could you bring her the Zinfandel,
please. She doesn't like that ...
(pointing at wine in front of Christine)
... too much V.A.

Stewardess takes away Christine's wine glass.

CHRISTINE
(impressed)
You sure seem to know your wines.

JOHNNY
I should, it's my business.

CHRISTINE
You work for a wine company?

JOHNNY
I have my own vineyard. We produce our own wine.

CHRISTINE
We?

JOHNNY
It's not just me. I have some relatives who help out.

CHRISTINE
What's the wine called? Do you sell it on the East Coast?

JOHNNY
Not yet. It won't be shipped for at least six months. Up to two
years ago we used to sell all our grapes to the big wineries.
But we decided, what the hell, let's take a chance and do
it all ourselves. Why let the big guys make all the money.

Stewardess puts new glass of wine on tray table in front of Christine.

CHRISTINE
Are you going to New York to try to sell your wine?

JOHNNY
No. I'm going to a wine judging. But after my
wine wins, and I know it will, I won't be selling
it to anyone. They'll be begging to buy it from me.

CHRISTINE
You sound pretty confident.

JOHNNY
I am. It's not very often you come across a wine like we
have. Maybe every twenty years everything goes right.
The rainfall, the temperature, the sugar content ... it's
like a miracle when it happens, and that's what we've got,
a miracle.   It's once in a lifetime. And for this to happen
in our first year of production, it's like a miracle, like I said.

CHRISTINE
(picking up her book)
Well, good luck.

Christine goes back to reading her book, not wanting to talk anymore.

Johnny lights us a cigarette.

JOHNNY
Have you tried that Zinfandel yet?

CHRISTINE
No. I haven't.

JOHNNY
Take a sip. Tell me if it isn't better.

Christine takes a small sip of the wine.

CHRISTINE
Very good.

She puts the glass down and continues reading.

JOHNNY
It's a lot better, isn't it?

CHRISTINE
(being polite)
Yes.

JOHNNY
You know why?

Johnny waits for her to answer.

CHRISTINE
Why?

JOHNNY
Better grapes. You want good wine, you have to use good
grapes. It's no secret. People have known that for thousands
of years. You want good wine, start with good grapes.

Christine is still trying to be polite, but is getting more and
more obvious in her hints that she doesn't want to talk,
looking up from her book less frequently all the time.

JOHNNY
I'll tell you something I bet you didn't know. There are
only three beverages in the Bible and wine is one of them.

Johnny waits for her to ask what the other two are. She doesn't.

JOHNNY
Wine. Water and milk. Those are the three.

Christine continues reading. Johnny goes back
to leafing through the magazine on his lap.

JOHNNY
(after a few seconds)
This is a great magazine. I guess you
haven't had a chance to read yours yet.

Johnny points at her copy of the in-flight magazine.

CHRISTINE
No. I haven't.

She closes her book, giving up on trying to read.

JOHNNY
I never heard of it before.

CHRISTINE
It's the in-flight magazine. The airline publishes it.

JOHNNY
You mean you can only read it when you're flying?

CHRISTINE
Something like that.

JOHNNY
Sounds like you fly around a lot. Are you a stewardess?

CHRISTINE
(offended)
No.

She reaches for her copy of the in-flight
magazine and starts leafing through it.

JOHNNY
But you've taken a lot of flight, huh?

She doesn't look up from the magazine.

CHRISTINE
I travel quite often.

JOHNNY
(after a few seconds of silence)
What do you think is the best in-flight magazine?

She looks at him but doesn't say
anything, thrown by the question.

JOHNNY
This is probably one of the best ones, right?

Christine smiles at him, not knowing
what to make of this conversation.

A Stewardess approaches their aisle, handing out earphones.

STEWARDESS
Today's movie is "The Deer Hunter"
starring Robert DeNiro and Meryl Streep.

Stewardess hands earphones to both.

JOHNNY
(to Christine)
I saw it. I don't think I want to
see it again. Have you seen it?

CHRISTINE
Yes, I have.

JOHNNY
Did you like it? What did you think of it?

CHRISTINE
I enjoyed it very much.

JOHNNY
I was kind of disappointed in it myself. I
thought it was going to have more in it about
deer. I used to do some deer hunting myself.

Christine doesn't respond. John perceives her silence as disapproval.

JOHNNY
I don't any more though. I quit. There's hardly any
deer left up where I come from. They all get hit by cars.

Christine puts on her earphones.

CHRISTINE
I think I'm going to listen to some music now.

JOHNNY
If you're going to watch the movie, you'd
better not use your earphones now.

He leans in closer to her and talks louder.

JOHNNY
Your ears will be too sore to use them for the movie
if you use them now. It happened to me once.

CHRISTINE
(not opening her eyes)
I'll take that chance.

She presses the seat button and pushes her seat as far back as it will go.

After a few seconds, Johnny gets up, wanting to leave his seat.

JOHNNY
(to Christine)
Excuse me, please.

Christine sits up, annoyed.

INT. AISLE OF PLANE - DAY

Johnny walks down aisle of plane to the restrooms.

INT PLANE - OUTSIDE OF RESTROOMS - DAY

Johnny checks restroooms finding that all but
one of the four are "occupied". Johnny opens
door of the one marked "unoccupied", but it isn't.

A man, BARRY KASTEN, mid-thirties, a bit wheeler-dealer
looking, is standing in front of the mirror, snorting cocaine.

Kasten turns, surprised, as the door opens.
Johnny sees him and quickly closes the door.

SFX: We hear Kasten LOCK DOOR.

Johnny waits for another bathroom to become free, but Kasten is
the first out. He walks past Johnny, head down, not looking at him.

Johnny enters restroom, locking the door.

INT. AIRPLANE RESTROOM - DAY

Johnny takes a joint out of his pocket, lighting
it. He takes a few hits, smoking it close to the
opened sink plug which sucks in the smoke.

After a few hits, he carefully puts out the joint,
extinguishing it on the side of the sink. He puts
the remaining half in a matchbook. He flushes the
toilet and unlocks the door, leaving the restroom.

INT. PLANE - DAY

Johnny walks down the aisle to his seat.

Christine is still wearing headphones, but her eyes are open.

JOHNNY
(wanting to pass by so he can get to his seat)
Excuse me.

CHRISTINE
(taking off earphones)
I've made arrangements for you to move to
another seat. I know we'd both like to stretch out.

Johnny does not immediately pick up on what she's saying. He
continues standing in the aisle, waiting for her to sit up and let him by.

JOHNNY
No, this is fine. There's lots of room.

A Stewardess approaches.

STEWARDESS
Please sir, I'm sure you'll both be
more comfortable if you move seats.

JOHNNY
What for?

Johnny suddenly realizes that Christine
has his move to another seat all arranged.

JOHNNY
(to Christine, bewildered)
What's going on here? What did
I do? Did I do something wrong?

STEWARDESS
Please sir, I'm sure you don't want to make a scene.

JOHNNY
What do you mean, "make a scene"? What'd I do?

A CO-PILOT comes up behind Stewardess.

CO-PILOT
(to Stewardess)
There's a problem?

STEWARDESS
Everything is fine, it's under control.
I have a new seat assignment for Mr.
Glorioso. It's just a few seats back.

JOHNNY
What do I have to move for?

STEWARDESS
It's only a few seats back.

JOHNNY
But my briefcase is here.
(pointing up at overhead compartment)
And my coat is up there.

STEWARDESS
It will be fine to leave it there.   It will be safe.

CO-PILOT
(to Stewardess)
Perhaps we can move Mr. Glorioso's
briefcase and coat to his new seat.
(to Johnny, patronizing)
I think we can arrange that.

Stewardess opens overhead compartment. It is stuffed with coats.

STEWARDESS
Which one is it?

Johnny reaches up for his coat.

JOHNNY
I can get it.

He gets his coat. Co-Pilot smiles at Christine. She smiles back,
mouthing "thank you". Stewardess leads Johnny back to his new seat.

STEWARDESS
Right this way, Mr. Glorioso.

Johnny reluctantly follows Stewardess down aisle. Johnny
is carrying his briefcase. The Co-Pilot follows him,
carrying his coat. Everyone stares at him as he passes.

His new seat is in the last row of the first class
section. The seat next to his is unoccupied.

CUT TO:

EXT. KENNEDY AIRPORT - EVENING

Johnny is getting into a cab. About ten people are lined
up behind him, waiting for cabs, including Christine.

Christine is about fifth in line. She seems nervous, looking
around as though she feels someone is following her.

She spots Kasten standing near the terminal exit
door. He looks away as soon as she spots him.

Christine leaves the line and rushes towards Johnny's cab
just as it is about to leave. She opens the cab door and gets in.

INT. CAB - DAY

Johnny looks surprised as Christine gets in cab.

CABBIE
This cab is taken, lady.

CHRISTINE
(to Johnny)
You don't minds sharing, do you?
I'm in a terrible rush.
(to Cabbie)
Let's go!

CABBIE
This man is my fare, lady. If he wants
to share this cab, it's up to him.

CHRISTINE
(to Johnny)
Please?

JOHNNY
(reluctantly)
Yeah. Okay.

The Cab Driver hits the gas, throwing the two of them back in their
seats. Christine looks back and sees Kasten get into a brown Dodge
van with a painting of an Indian with raised hands on one side
and two six-inch wide white racing stripes on the other side.
The van begins driving in the same direction as the cab.

EXT. THE EXPRESSWAY - DAY

The brown van keeps about four car lengths
behind the cab, trying not to be spotted.

INT. VAN - DAY

Barry Kasten is stretched out in the back of the van,
chewing gum. The van is equipped with sophisticated
high tech surveillance equipment. FRANK BORKER,
50-ish, heavy-set, mean looking, drives. HENRIETTA
DORN sits in the front seat next to him. She is in her
late thirties, conservatively dressed, very serious, un-
smiling. She dictates into a tape recorder as they drive.

HENRIETTA
(dictating)
Outside the terminal, subject connected with an
unidentified male caucasian. The rendezvous was
obviously prearranged to prevent further pursuit.

She clicks off the recorder.

KASTEN
He was on the plane, too.

HENRIETTA
Did they speak to each other?

KASTEN
Hell yes, they sat together. Then, about
halfway through the flight, he switched seats.

BORKER
Maybe you blew it. They must have
known they were being followed.

HENRIETTA
Good. If she's carrying the goods, she'll panic and start making
mistakes. Pressure's the oldest and best technique around.

KASTEN
(joking)
Borker, maybe you could pressure her with a good ram in the side.

Borker laughs.

HENRIETTA
(to Kasten)
The work is delicate. I'm a very precise lady, and I won't stand for
any unprofessionalism. If that doesn't suit you, then bail out.

BORKER
Aw, lighten up, Henrietta. He was just having some fun.

HENRIETTA
(to Borker)
Where'd you dig up this airhead?

BORKER
You said hire some muscle.

He laughs, making an obvious joke.

INT. JOHNNY'S CAB - NIGHT

Christine leans forward to talk to the
Driver, handing him a business card.

CHRISTINE
I'm going to Montauk.

CABBIE
(he looks at card)
Long Island? I ain't goin' to Long Island.

He holds card for her to take back. She doesn't
take it -- refusing to take "no" for an answer.

CABBIE
You should have said back there you wanted to go
to Long Island. I would have told you "no" then.

CHRISTINE
I'll make it worth your while.

CABBIE
It ain't worth it for me, lady. I been workin' since early
this morning. I'm going to bed, not to Long Island.

Johnny reaches for card, feeling awkward for the Cabbie.
He looks at it then casually puts it in his breast pocket.

CHRISTINE
What's the meter run out to Montauk?

CABBIE
Seventy bucks, easy, plus return. I'll take you to
Grand Central Station, they got trains every hour.

CHRISTINE
I'll give you three hundred.

CABBIE
If you show it to me, you got a deal.

Christine reaches in her purse for an envelope. She takes out
3 one-hundred dollar bills, holding them up to show the Driver.

CABBIE
Okay, we go to Montauk.
(pointing back to Johnny)
How about him?

CHRISTINE
(to Johnny)
You wouldn't mind if he lets me off first, would you?

JOHNNY
I don't know. It sounds like you're going pretty far.
(Johnny leans up to talk to Cabbie)
Will it take a lot longer for me to get to the hotel if we let her off first?

CABBIE
Yeah, but it's a nice drive.

JOHNNY
How long does it take to get out there and back?

CABBIE
About four hours.

JOHNNY
Four hours?

CHRISTINE
I'd really appreciate it. You'd be a doll.

JOHNNY
I'm sorry, but I got to get to sleep,
I have to get to my hotel. I'm beat.

Christine starts to pout, looking dejected.

JOHNNY
If it was just a few minutes out of my way ... even half
an hour, I'd do it, but four hours? You gotta be kidding.

CHRISTINE
You're not still mad because of what happened back
on the plane, are you? I'm really sorry about that.

JOHNNY
That's alright.

CHRISTINE
Have you ever been to Long Island before?

JOHNNY
(emphatically)
I ain't going to Long Island. No, I've never been there
before, and I'm not going there now. I'm going to my hotel.
(to Cabbie)
Didn't you say before that this was my cab?

CABBIE
(to Christine)
Why don't we drop him off in Manhattan
and then go out to Long Island?

JOHNNY
(sitting back)
Perfect. That's just what I was going to say.

CHRISTINE
I guess the days of men being gentlemen are over.

JOHNNY
You say I'm not a gentleman because I don't feel like
driving in this crummy cab for four hours to someplace
I don't even know? I don't even know you. All I know is
you made me change my seat and I didn't even do anything.

CHRISTINE
That's what it is, isn't it? You're still mad about that, aren't you?

JOHNNY
I just want to get to my hotel. You can go anywhere you want after
he leaves me off at my hotel. I don't care if he drives you to Portugal.

EXT. A MANHATTAN HOTEL - NIGHT

Johnny's taxi parks in front of hotel. Cabbie pushes button and trunk pops up.

INT. CAB - NIGHT

Johnny is just finishing paying the Driver as the brown van pulls
up behind the cab. Christine sees it is the same van Kasten got into.

JOHNNY
(giving Driver a tip, getting out of cab)
Thanks a lot.

CHRISTINE
I think I'm going to get out here, too.

Johnny and Cabbie both look at each other in disbelief.
Christine gets out of cab and walks into hotel, not offering
any money to Johnny or saying anything to the Cab Driver.

EXT. HOTEL - NIGHT

As Johnny get out door, a DOORMAN begins
to take his luggage from the cab's trunk.

DOORMAN
Checking in?

Johnny grabs for the bags, not wanting to tip.

JOHNNY
That's okay, I got 'em.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT

Johnny enters the large, lush lobby. He sees Christine
talking on a pay phone. He heads for the registration
desk. Henrietta trails discreetly behind him.

CUT TO:

CHRISTINE notices Kasten enter the
lobby as she talks on the pay phone.

CHRISTINE
The one that was on the plane just came into the lobby.
I don't know what to do next, you have an inspiration?

CUT TO:

JOHNNY AT REGISTRATION DESK

arguing with the CLERK. A BELLBOY stands
next to Johnny, waiting to show him to his room.

CLERK
Yes, I understand, sir, but the suite is all
we have available at the moment. I'm very sorry.

JOHNNY
You're very sorry. Is that all you have to say?
You're sorry? That's it? It's not like I came in here
out of the blue. I have a reservation. Doesn't it
mean anything if you have a reservation any more?

CLERK
I understand, sir. And I'm very sorry we have no
smaller rooms available, but as you can see, your travel
agent neglected to specify a price range. Someone in
our office must have assumed you wanted a suite.

JOHNNY
And how did they assume I was going to pay for it?
(holding up credit card)
This is not a bottomless pit, you know. These things don't
grow on trees. It took me three years to get one of these again.

CLERK
Please excuse me for a moment.

The Clerk leaves and goes behind partition.

JOHNNY
(to Bellboy)
I can't believe it. Who can afford two hundred and fifty
dollars a day for a hotel room? What do I look like, an Arab?

Clerk returns.

CLERK
Sir, I'm quite sure a smaller room will be available
tomorrow. Tonight we will charge you the rate
for a smaller room but you may stay in the suite.
You can change rooms in the morning.

JOHNNY
How much is the smaller room?

CLERK
Seventy-five dollars.

JOHNNY
That's the smallest you have?

CLERK
Yes, sir.

CUT TO:

CHRISTINE glances out of the phone booth. She
sees Henrietta keeping track of Johnny at the desk.

CHRISTINE
(into the phone)
It's a brilliant idea. They're already following him ... I'll not
only lose them, I'll send them barking up the wrong tree.
I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Be home in a few hours.

She hangs up phone and walks towards Johnny
who is following a Bellboy towards the elevators.

CHRISTINE
I have a confession I want to make.

JOHNNY
Hey, no problem. No confession necessary. It was nice meeting you.

CHRISTINE
Can't I just talk to you for a minute?

Bellboy is standing next to Johnny the whole
time, trying to look like he's not listening.

JOHNNY
Boy, I'd love to, but I really got to get to bed. It's been a long day.

CHRISTINE
Just for a minute, please.

BELLBOY
(to Johnny)
I'll wait for you by the elevators.

CHRISTINE
The reason I was rude to you on the plane?
It's becaues you remind me of someone I like
very much. He was someone real special to me.

JOHNNY
An old boyfriend?

She nods "yes".

JOHNNY
Everybody tells me I remind them of their
old boyfriends. I guess I'm just that type.

CHRISTINE
Every time I looked over at you, I couldn't help thinking
of all the fun we used to have. He was the only person
who ever really satisfied me, if you know what I mean.

JOHNNY
And I remind you of him a lot, eh?

CHRISTINE
You have that same ... I don't know ... animal
magnetism ... you know what I mean?

JOHNNY
Don't you have to be somewhere? Isn't
someone waiting for you in Long Island?

CHRISTINE
I have time. I figure when opportunity
knocks, you don't say "come back later".

JOHNNY
I'm in room ...
(he looks at key)
401. Do you want to wait a few minutes and then come
on up? It might look bad if you come with me now.

CHRISTINE
I'll come up with you now.

Johnny and Christine walk to the elevator and
the waiting Bellboy, who looks at Johnny like
he must be a fast talker. Elevator door closes.

INT. VAN - NIGHT

Henrietta and Borker compare notes.

BORKER
Maybe the guy's legitimate. An innocent bystander.

HENRIETTA
If I was still with the company, I'd have the office
run a Dun and Bradstreet. We'd see if there
really was a Glorioso Winery in California.