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by
TEASER 1 INT. CASINO - NIGHT Dice snatched. A high stakes orgy! Shaken. Chaos! Thrown. The CROWD goes wild. Tumble. On to a craps table. CROUPIER Snake eyes! Groans, cheers from rabid PLAYERS. JAKE ROBY (early 30's) slumps, the last of his chips swept from the board. Jake is trim, handsome, dishevelled, a charmer and a rogue. Jake has snake eyes too. Jake regroups, eyes darting, seeking his next opportunity. A cigarette pack and gold lighter lay beside him on the table rail. He bumps a PLAYER, spilling a drink, creating a diversion. Jake palms the lighter and cigarettes and melts away. Jake is on the prowl. He flips the lighter deftly in the air. It tumbles into his jacket pocket. He drops the smokes on a drink tray of a passing WAITRESS. Jake acquires a target. HIGH ANGLE VIDEO CAMERA ANGLE-Jake bumps a female SENIOR playing the ten dollar slots. In a flurry, Jake scoops a couple of tokens from her pile. SENIOR Hey! JAKE Sorry ma'am. Jake palms the chips with more SLIGHT OF HAND. He spins and offers his empty hands high for her inspection as he tails away. Jake slides into a chair at another slot machine. With hand motions that challenge the eye, Jake makes the stolen tokens reappear. The Senior scopes Jake from afar. JAKE (continuing; sotto) Old bag. The Senior solicits sympathy from other PLAYERS. Jake slides in a token and pulls the handle. No luck. JAKE (continuing) Damn! Jake regards the last chip. JAKE (continuing) Drum-roll please, ladies and gentlemen... Jake inserts the token and pulls the handle. The machine clamours. JAKE (continuing) I am the winner! Uniformed HANDS grab for Jake. TWO security MEN pull Jake away from the chiming machine. JAKE (continuing) Guys, I won! The Senior moves in to scoop up the winnings. JAKE (continuing) The old lady's stealing my money! 2 INT. CASINO CORRIDOR - NIGHT The stone-faced Guards strong arm Jake toward the exit doors. FOREST WHITAKER Observe Mr. Jake Roby, who fancies himself a high stakes roller, or in the vernacular, a player. (more) FOREST WHITAKER (cont'd) He yearns to strut along those brilliantly lit boulevards of greed, disappointment and false promises. Be advised that every underhanded deceit Jake has crafted to this point in his life are the very reasons our hero finds himself closer to his dream than he could ever imagine. For Mr. Roby is currently being auditioned for membership in a very exclusive club. The price of admission, to be paid in full, just the other side of those doors... JAKE (reading the name tag) Officer Squarlsky, what do you say we go back and get our money? FOREST WHITAKER ...in the Twilight Zone. Jake lands face first into the door. ACT ONE 3 EXT. CASINO BACK EXIT - NIGHT Doors slam shut. Jake tumbles onto the street. His groans turn to laughter as he rolls on his back. He thrusts a wallet high in the air, victorious. A security badge glints, pinned to the front. Jake digs out a fistful of bills from within. JAKE Officer Squarlsky, I believe I've found your wallet... From a darkened corner a voice echoes. WINO Oh Officer Squarlsky, I believe I've found your wallet. Jake rolls on his knees to face the direction of the shadowed voice. JAKE WINO Hey...who's that?... Who's that?... Jake crawls forward. A hunchbacked figure is revealed, stooped against the side of the building. It's an old WINO wearing dark glasses. Propped beside him is a white cane. The Old Man shakes his begging hat, loose change rattling within. WINO Not your night I hear. JAKE The night is still young and you're not, old man. The Wino jangles his begging hat again. JAKE (continuing) Try a busier street. Jake waves the money in the old man's face. WINO (unflinching) If I were a betting man, I'd say you were a betting man. JAKE I've been known to place a wager on occasion. Jake eyes the hat full of money. He inches his hand closer. WINO What's your game young son? JAKE Golden opportunities... Jake eases a five dollar bill from the hat. JAKE (continuing) ...and high stakes stud poker. Winner takes all. The Wino grabs Jake's arm with incredible force. Jake grimaces. WINO Well, I sense a golden opportunity in your near future. However, it requires a small investment on your part to be realized. The old man shakes Jake's wrist several times until Jake releases the bill back into the hat. WINO (continuing) Bet on the Alvarez in the Preston- Alvarez fight. JAKE (scoffing) No odds in that. Preston'll kill that bum. WINO Take an old man's advice. The casino doors fly open and Officer Squarlsky and the other Guard step out. They spot Jake. Jake scrambles to his feet. The Guards start toward him. JAKE Why should I risk my money? Jake flings the wallet toward the Guards. Squarlsky scrambles after it. WINO You need to get back in the game, don't you? Jake stares at the Wino. Jake runs away. JAKE (yelling) Alvarez is a bum. 4 INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Tracy Lattimer (late 30ish) bandages Jake's cut forehead. They're sitting on the bed. She is pretty yet weary. She wears a waitress costume, the skimpy kind girls wear in sleazy Atlantic City bars. Her apartment is sparse, K-mart decor. TRACY You ran into a pole? JAKE He sounded European. (he pulls away) Thanks babe. She leans closer inviting affection. TRACY It's good having you back Jake. JAKE What time do you have to be at work? TRACY Soon. (standing) Spend the night. When I get home I'll make you some breakfast. Jake grabs the remote and clicks on the TV. JAKE Thanks Tracy. Tracy leans to kiss Jake. He turns and offers his cheek instead. Love is blind to Tracy. TRACY See ya Jake. 5 INT COFFEE SHOP - DAY Jake approaches WALTER, (50ish) draped in gold jewelry. Walter devours a heart attack special. WALTER Look who's back in town. JAKE Walter. WALTER Come to play cards Jake? JAKE Not today. Walter looks up for the first time. WALTER You were saying? JAKE Taking bets on the fight tonight? WALTER Some things don't change, eh? (another bite) I'll need to see a more tangible manifestation of your intent. Jake uses slight of hand to produce the stolen money. He smoothly separates fifty dollars from the wad. He lays the remainder down. JAKE Four hundred. WALTER Looks like three fifty to me. JAKE I gotta eat Walter. Alvarez. WALTER Preston's the man, my friend. Jake considers. JAKE Four hundred on the Colombian. Walter chows down. WALTER He's a bum. JAKE We're all bums Walter. Jake walks. 6 INT. CASINO BAR - NIGHT The Preston-Alvarez fight blares on TV over the barroom din. FIGHT ANNOUNCER Alvarez is taking a beating ladies and gentlemen! Oh, a left hook, Alvarez is down! The ref pushes Preston back to his corner. Alvarez is up, he shakes it off. Jake twirls the umbrella in his drink. He's dejected, Alvarez is losing. But he's eyeing TWO attractive LADIES sitting nearby. They've noticed him too. FIGHT ANNOUNCER (continuing; bell rings) End of the second round. Lanny Preston is looking very strong... Jake swings off his seat and scoops a rose from a vase on the piano. He approaches the Women. Jake unfurls a napkin from the Ladies' table and employs slight of hand to make a rose appear. The Women are delighted. They invite him to sit. Jake eyes an expensive gold necklace that one of the Women is wearing. Jake hails for more drinks. 7 INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - MORNING The door swings open and Jake creeps out. The room is a shambles, clothes, empty wine bottles strewn everywhere. We can see one, maybe two figures, asleep under the covers of a king size bed. Jake eases the door closed. With the same deft hand Jake produces the gold necklace that was worn by the Woman in the bar. He weighs it in his hand. Jake bends and grabs the newspaper at his feet. Jake walks down the hall, scanning to the Sports section. JAKE (reading) Ho-ly! Close up PICTURE of the Alvarez-Preston fight. A meaty finger taps the Photo. 8 INT. COFFEE SHOP - MORNING WALTER He's dead you know. Walter grabs the paper from Jake and throws it on the table. Walter digs into an encore breakfast. JAKE Who? WALTER Preston. Your man Alvarez pummelled him. JAKE Really! WALTER Indeed. Blood clot. His brain exploded. My sources tell me he kicked it in his Las Vegas hotel room this morning. JAKE Preston is my hero, he died for the cause. Walter retrieves an envelope from his jacket and throws it on the newspaper. WALTER You're cold Jake. Nineteen hundred and sixty clams. Six to one. JAKE Let's see, twenty four hundred...? WALTER Less juice, plus the fifty I fronted you. JAKE At six to one... Jake picks up the paper. The envelope slides onto the table. WALTER I gotta eat too Jake. Jake takes a closer look at the photo. In the audience Jake spots the Wino. JAKE I got to see someone. Walter studies the envelope as he shovels in another forkful. Jake walks, paper in hand. 9 INT. PAWN SHOP - AFTERNOON Sitting on the counter is the necklace and the gold lighter. A PAWNBROKER counts out money and hands it to Jake. Jake shuffles the bills like cards and makes them disappear. 10 EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON Jake struts, searching, the newspaper still tucked under his arm. Things are going Jake's way. Jake pushes through a tourist COUPLE referring to a map. He fakes apologies. Jake ducks into an alley and produces a wallet he's lifted from the Couple. Jake opens the wallet and pulls out a few dollars as well as a book of traveller's cheques. He shrugs, pockets the bills and tosses the wallet and traveller's cheques. Jake walks back toward the street. The Wino, propped against the building, offers his hat. Jake squats in front of him. JAKE (holding the paper out) You were at the fight old man? WINO In Vegas? You're kidding. Too bad about Preston. The Wino rattles his hat. WINO (continuing) Spare some change my young son? Jake pulls out a twenty and snaps the bill in front of the Wino. WINO (continuing) Sounds like you took my advice? JAKE We won, didn't we. WINO You did. Like the ponies boy? The Wino rattles the coins in his hat. Jake considers. He drops the twenty in. The Wino rattles his hat again. Jake peels off a fifty from his roll and waves it in front of the Wino's face. The Wino grabs Jake's arm and forces his hand closer. The Wino sniffs the bill in Jake's hand. WINO (continuing; grinning) I love that smell, don't you? Jake drops the fifty into the the hat, reluctant to endure another bout of pain. WINO (continuing) Shaw's Creek. Third race. Santa Anita. Time? JAKE (looking at his watch) 2:40. WINO Wrong. JAKE I give up old man. WINO Another step closer to your golden opportunity. Twenty five minutes to payday. Jake stands, spins, searching. He spies a phone booth across the street. Jake races toward the phone as CARS brake to avoid him. Jake reaches the booth, slides coins in and dials. JAKE Walter, Santa Anita, third race today? 11 INT. WALTER'S OFFICE - AFTERNOON INTERCUT AS NEEDED Walter is sitting with several phones and a submarine sandwich on the go. Walter's PARTNER, a similarly dressed thug, shoulders a couple of phones at the desk opposite. He's eating too. WALTER Who's your little bird Jake? JAKE I'm calling it inspiration. Is it too late? Walter checks a racing form, then the time. WALTER It's never too late Jake. JAKE Fantastic! Shaw's Creek to win. Throw in another four hundred? WALTER And how am I to be certain that your intentions are honourable Jake? JAKE I'll come right now with the money. I can just make it. WALTER I sense an earnestness in you that I've never witnessed before Jake. Not to worry this time, I'll catch up with you later. Walter clicks off and speed dials on the other phone. WALTER (continuing) Afternoon Miles. Can you take a quick one? Shaw's Creek, Santa A, third race?...he's a dog? What are the odds? Go ahead, twenty three hundred... (ponders, standing, calculating) No, wait, will you take...thirty four thousand, Shaw's Creek, to win...I know, I know Miles, the whole world's crazy. The Partner scowls. Walter does a little jig. 12 EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON Jake hangs up the phone. He does a little jig. Jake turns, looking back across the street. No Wino. He scans left then right. The Wino is hobbling just out of Jake's sight around a building. JAKE Hey, old man! Jake races back across the street, dodging more traffic. Jake rounds the corner of the building. He comes to a halt. The Wino has disappeared. A Rent a Cop cruiser squeals to a stop in front of Jake. Before he can escape, Officer Squarlsky is on him. SQUARLSKY Well, Jake Roby. I wondered when I'd run into you. Squarlsky hustles Jake to the cruiser. JAKE Officer Squarlsky, I found something that may belong to you. Squarlsky elbows Jake and throws him head first against the car. Blood oozes from his reopened cut. SQUARLSKY Nasty cut won't heal eh Jake? JAKE (gasping) I was just coming see you. Squarlsky opens the back seat door. He spins Jake and forces his head down as he pushes Jake in. SQUARLSKY Watch the head. In a flash Jake's hand, full of bills, flies back into Squarlsky's face. JAKE Your money, I found your money! Squarlsky snatches the cash. He slams the door on Jake's wrist. Jake screams, his hand writhing. Squarlsky opens the door enough for Jake to withdraw his arm. Jake looks at the Camera out the rear window as the cruiser pulls away. ACT TWO 13 EXT. POLICE STATION - EVENING Tracy helps Jake limp onto the street. Tracy searches and finds a CAB to hail. JAKE Atlantic City hospitality hasn't changed. The Cab drives to the curb beside them. TRACY At least you made bail. Tracy eases Jake into the Cab. JAKE Tracy... TRACY It's not about the money Jake. JAKE I promise, I'll make it up to you. 14 INT. WALTER'S OFFICE - DAY WALTER What the hell happened? Jake is looking the worse for wear. JAKE I need glasses. I keep running into things. Walter slides an envelope across the desk. He punches a remote and the Santa Anita horse race plays on his TV. WALTER Our horse won. Walter smiles. Jake clues in, Walter bet too. JAKE Congratulations in order all around. WALTER (nodding) Indeed Jake. Everyone's a winner but poor Jerry Rose. Horses and Jockeys tumble on the TV. WALTER (continuing) Mystic Dancer, Jerry's ride. The favourite at Santa Anita in your third race. Tripped and took poor Jerry and the two other jockeys down with her. Jerry's neck, snapped. Shaw's Creek glided an easy furlong ahead to the finish line. Video of stretcher bearers removing the body. WALTER (continuing) Jake, does someone have to die every time you win? JAKE It's a sad story Walter. My money? WALTER Forty six thousand and forty dollars. Less juice. JAKE Still playing stud poker? WALTER Looking to get back in the game, eh Jake? Tomorrow night, as usual. Still fifty large to sit at my table. By my calculation you're eight thousand five hundred and sixty four dollars away from being invited. And I will require a... JAKE ...tangible manifestation of my intent. Jake pockets the envelope. JAKE (continuing) Tomorrow night Walter. 15 INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT - EVENING Jake and Tracy are in bed. The envelope with the money lays on the bedspread. TRACY You bet with Walter? JAKE I know. TRACY He's the reason you were sent up Jake. JAKE But better to play with the devil you know that the one you don't. And we won Tracy! Look it, let's take the money and get out of here. Buy a house... Tracy's heard all this before. JAKE (continuing) I'm serious. Move out to Reno. The mountain air'll be good for us. TRACY What about Walter's card game Jake? JAKE (moving closer) Truthfully, tempted. But I'm through Tracy. Through gambling. Tears begin to run down Tracy's face. Jake hugs her but she pushes him away. JAKE (continuing) I never meant to hurt you Tracy. Tracy wipes her face. She gets up and moves to her dresser. She slides open the top drawer and reaches underneath. Two sealed envelopes are taped there. Tracy feels both the pulls out one of the envelopes. Tracy holds out the envelope. Jakes eyes widen. He motions toward the envelope, then backs off. An awkward, guilty beat. TRACY It's all I have. Twelve thousand. My share, toward our house. Tracy passes the envelope to Jake. Jake takes it and puts it on top of the other envelope. They embrace. Jake studies his reflection in the dresser mirror. |