Get Shorty

 

 

 

Screenplay by                             Scott Frank

 

Produced by                               Danny De Vito

                                                 Michael Shamberg

                                                 Stacey Sher

 

Directed by                                Barry Sonnenfeld

 

 

 

Cast List:

 

John Travolta                           Chili Palmer

Gene Hackman                         Harry Zimm

Rene Russo                             Karen Flores

Danny De Vito                          Martin Weir

Dennis Farina                           "Bones" Barboni

Delroy Lindo                            Bo Catlett

James Gandolfini                     Bear

David Paymer                           Leo Devoe

Bette Midler                            Doris

 

 

 

BLACK

 

MAN'S VOICE

Looks fuckin' cold out there.

 

 

EXT. VESUVIO'S RESTAURANT – MIAMI DAY

 

It is cold. People walk by hugging themselves, pulling up their collars, etc.

 

 

INT. VESUVIO'S RESTAURANT – SAME TIME

 

CHILI PALMER, late thirties, sits in a booth with TOMMY CARLO, a low level mob type. Chili smokes a cigarette, stares out the window at the people on the street.

 

TOMMY

Guy on the radio said it's gonna get down to thirty-four.

 

Chili watches a woman on the sidewalk pause to tighten the scarf around her neck. She looks in the window, sees Chili looking out.

 

TOMMY

Thirty-four – that's freezing, for Christ sake.

(then)

Yo, Chili, you're spacin'.

 

Chili turns and studies Tommy a moment, then...

 

CHILI

They're closing the Granview. You know, theater down on Biscayne?

 

TOMMY

Yeah, the guy owes Momo a few G's.

 

CHILI

What I'm thinkin' is maybe Momo could buy it.

 

Tommy looks at him.

 

CHILI

Momo could buy it, I could run it for him. Show some Cagney films.

 

TOMMY

What's Momo gonna want with an old place, shows old movies people don't care about no more. Outside of maybe turnin' it into a porno house, I don't think he's gonna give much of a fuck. And you already got a job.

 

Chili looks back out the window again.

 

CHILI

Yeah.

 

We hear LAUGHTER OFF SCREEN and then FOCUS on the window so that Chili can now see a GROUP OF MEN reflected there, sitting at a table nearby. We hear MORE LAUGHTER and now Chili turns and looks over at...

 

 

RAY "BONES" BARBONI

 

Mob guy: tall, loud suit with lots of jewelry. As he gets up from the table, the other men around the table follow his lead as he finishes up some jokes.

 

MOB GUY

... so the guy says, I'm not the tailor, I'm the undertaker.

 

The men laugh again, more out of respect than appreciation. Ray Bones turns, sees...

 

Chili and Tommy sitting in their booth. Tommy, sucking on a toothpick, waves.

 

TOMMY

Ray. How you doing?

 

RAY BONES

Okay, Tommy. You?

 

TOMMY

Okay.

 

Bones focuses on Chili, waits for acknowledgement. But Chili turns back to the window. Always the peacemaker, Tommy smiles at Bones again...

 

TOMMY

You believe this weather, Ray? Miami Beach, for Christ's sake.

 

RAY BONES

(ignoring him)

Chili Palmer.

(smiles)

Chilly outside. Chili inside. It's a regular fuckin' chili-fest. Hey, waiter – give Mr. Chili Pepper a big fuckin' bowl of chili!

 

Again the men all laugh respectfully at Ray Bone's stupid joke. Chili smiles the best he can at the idiot...

 

CHILI

Good to see you, Ray.

 

He turns back to the window, watches Ray Bones in the reflection, still cracking up as he and his men head for the front of the restaurant. Tommy looks at Chili for a moment, then stands up...

 

TOMMY

You done starin' out the window, I'll see you back at the office.

 

Chili nods, but still doesn't turn from the window. He merely watches in the glass as Tommy turns up his collar and steps out into the cold Miami day.

 

TOMMY

Jesus. It's freezin'!

 

Chili then puts out the cigarette, nods to the waiter who comes over with the check.

 

 

INT. RESTAURANT COATROOM – A FEW MINUTES LATER

 

From inside the tiny room. A couple of ratty rain coats and an old flight jacket hang to one side in immediate foreground as Chili steps into the doorway and freezes. He looks o.s. and whistles...

 

CHILI

Hey.

 

A moment later the MANAGER, an old Italian guy in a black suit, joins him in the doorway.

 

CHILI

What happened to my coat?

 

The Manager peers into the room...

 

MANAGER

It's not one of these?

 

CHILI

You see a black leather jacket, fingertip length, like the one Pacino wore in Serpico? You don't, you owe me three seventy-nine.

 

MANAGER

Maybe you don't see my sign?

 

The manager points to a sign on the wall: "WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST ARTICLES"

 

CHILI

Look, I didn't come down to sunny Florida to freeze my ass. You follow me? You get the coat back or you give me the three seventy-nine my ex-wife paid for it at Alexander's.

 

The Manager looks OFF SCREEN, and begins speaking in Italian. Chili reacts as we hear the name RAY BARBONI mentioned a couple of times.

 

MANAGER

Explain to him how Mr. Barboni borrow the coat.

 

A WAITER joins Chili and the Manager in the doorway.

 

CHILI

Ray Bones took my coat? Just now?

 

WAITER

He didn't take it. He borrow it. See, someone took his coat, you know...

(indicates flight jacket)

... leave this old one. So Mr. Barboni, he put on this other coat that fit him pretty good.

 

CHILI

You mean my coat.

 

WAITER

He was wearing it, you know, to go home. He wasn't gonna keep it.

 

CHILI

My car keys were in that coat.

 

MANAGER

We call you a taxi.

 

CHILI

Lemme get this straight. You aren't responsible for any lost articles like an expensive coat of mine, but you're gonna find Ray Bones' coat or get him a new one? Is that what you're telling me?

 

MANAGER

Mr. Barboni is a good customer.

(making sure to add)

Works for Jimmy Capp.

 

CHILI

I know who he works for. Where's your phone.

 

 

INT. TOMMY CARLO'S CAR – DAY

 

Tommy drives. Chili stares straight ahead, rubs his hands together, tries to stay warm...

 

TOMMY

You sure it was Ray Bones took the coat?

 

CHILI

That's what the guy said.

 

TOMMY

(nervous now)

Tomorrow, I see on the TV weather, it's gonna be nice and warm. You won't need the coat.

 

Chili points out the window.

 

CHILI

This is it.

 

 

EXT. VICTOR HOTEL – DAY

 

As Tommy pulls up out front.

 

 

INT. CAR – SAME TIME

 

Tommy looks up at the hotel as Chili takes a pair of leather gloves from top of the dash, opens the door.

 

Tommy looks over at him.

 

TOMMY

Hey, Chili.

(Chili pauses)

Get your coat, but don't piss the guy off, okay? It could get complicated and we'd have to call Momo to straighten it out. Then Momo gets pissed for wasting his time and we don't need that.

 

CHILI

Don't worry about it. I won't say any more than I have to, if that.

 

 

EXT. STAIRS – DAY

 

Chili pulls on the gloves as he goes up the stairs to the third floor.

 

 

EXT. DOOR – DAY

 

As Chili knocks on the door three times. He waits, pulls the right-hand glove on tight, so that when RAY BONES opens the door, Chili nails him. One punch. No need to throw the left.

 

RAY BONES

Jesus... Oh, God...

 

Chili then steps over him into the room and grabs his coat from a chair. He looks over at Ray Bones bent over, blood running from his nose and mouth, blood all over his hands, his shirt.

 

RAY BONES

Fuck, man...

 

Chili walks out. Doesn't say one word to Ray Bones.

 

 

EXT. BARBER SHOP – DAY

 

A warmer day. The sun is shining. All is quiet.

 

 

INT. BARBER SHOP – SAME TIME

 

The place is empty except for FRED and ED, the two old barbers sitting in the chairs, reading newspapers.

 

ED

You been there, haven't you?

 

 

INT. BARBER SHOP BACKROOM – SAME TIME

 

A room Tommy and Chili use as an office. Chili sits at the desk making entries in the collection book. We can hear the two old barbers talking OFF SCREEN...

 

FRED (O.S.)

Paris? Yeah, I been there plenty times. It's right offa Seventy-nine.

 

ED (O.S.)

Hell it is. It's on Sixty-eight. Seventeen miles from Lexington.

 

FRED (O.S.)

What're you talking about, Paris, Kentucky, or Paris, Tennessee?

 

Silence. No answer to the question. Chili look up from the collection book, listens a moment to nothing.

 

He opens the desk drawer and pulls out a .38. He aims the gun at the open doorway...

 

 

OVER CHILI'S SHOULDER

 

As Ray Bones, a bandage on his nose, appears in the back hall, then the doorway to the office, his face showing surprise to see a gun aimed at him...

 

Ray Bones begins firing the big Colt auto in his hand, maybe before he's ready, the gun making an awful racket, when Chili pulls the trigger, shooting Ray Bones along the top of his head, creasing him from hairline to crown.

 

Chili calmly gets to his feet. Aims once more – probably lower this time – but doesn't fire as Ray Bones grabs his head and stumbles out of there.

 

RAY BONES (O.S.)

Somebody call 9 fucking 11.

 

 

EXT. MIAMI HARBOR – DAY

 

Ray Bones, a bandage on his head now as well as his nose, sits on a cigarette boat with his boss, JIMMY CAP and two bikini clad BABES, both of whom rub lotion on Jimmy.

 

JIMMY

Whatta you want me to do Ray? Go to war over a fuckin coat? You're lucky the guy didn't kill you. The coat was a Christmas present for Christ's sake.

 

RAY BONES

You gotta do somethin', Jimmy. This man's got no respect for us.

 

JIMMY

He's got no respect for you, and I don't gotta do shit. Chili Palmer don't work for me, he works for Momo up in Brooklyn. So as long as Momo's around, nothing happens to Chili Palmer. You understand?

 

As an angry Ray Bones sits back, we...

 

FADE TO BLACK

 

 

EXT. BROOKLYN STREET – NIGHT

 

We TILT DOWN to REVEAL a dark Brooklyn street as a black Cadillac pulls to a stop in front of an older building.

 

VOICE

Momo. We're here.

 

Two big guys, BODYGUARDS, get out of the car. One of them opens the back door for a huge man, MOMO, who gets out of the car and looks up at the dark building...

 

MOMO

You check this place out good? If I'm going up alone, I don't want no surprises.

 

BODYGUARD

I checked it out, boss.

 

 

INT. BROOKLYN TENEMENT BUILDING – NIGHT

 

Momo eyes the bodyguards – both nervous – then starts up the steps. We follow Momo as he enters the building, goes up the dark stairwell... up one flight... we're behind him the whole time...

 

When he gets to the top floor, Momo pauses to catch his breath, before moving on down the hall to a door. Momo knocks.

 

VOICE

Yeah?

 

MOMO

It's Momo.

 

VOICE

Come in.

 

Momo slowly opens the door... when, suddenly, the apartment is FLOODED WITH LIGHT so that we see a room full of PEOPLE, a banner on the back wall reading "HAPPY SIXTY-FIFTH, MOMO!"

 

EVERYONE

Surprise!

 

Silence as Momo drops to his knees, gurgles something we can't understand and falls over. Suddenly a dozen faces are looking down on us as we then...

 

CUT TO:

 

 

EXT. BARBER SHOP – DAY

 

A beautiful day in Miami.

 

CHILI (V.O.)

So what're you tellin' me, you're never gonna go to sleep again?

 

 

INT. BARBER SHOP – DAY

 

Chili and Tommy each sit in a barber chair, reading the newspaper while Fred and Ed sit nearby playing checkers.

 

TOMMY

No, I said I'm never goin' to bed. There's a difference. See, the article says most people die in their beds. I figure long as I stay outta bed, I'm safe.

 

CHILI

That's the dumbest thing I ever heard. Where do you sleep?

 

TOMMY

In an armchair. Or I go to a coffee shop, sleep there. Sit in a booth, pull my hat down.

 

A car pulls up. Chili's no longer listening to Tommy, but now watching as Ray Bones and a BLACK GUY get out of the car.

 

TOMMY

How many people you hear ever die in a coffee shop?

 

Tommy looks over as Ray Bones – smaller bandage on the top of his head – and his man enter the shop.

 

RAY BONES

You cut straight hair in this place, or just fags?

 

CHILI

Hey, Bones, looks like you're gonna have a nice scar up there. Maybe these guys can fit you with a rug, cover it up for ya.

 

Ray Bones eyes Chili, then nods to Fred and Ed.

 

RAY BONES

Why don't you geezers take your game over to the park.

 

The two guys leave as the Black Guy steps up to Chili...

 

BLACK GUY

This man is the man, you understand what I'm saying? He's Mr. Bones, you speak to him from now on.

 

Chili exchanges a look with Tommy, watches as 'Mr. Bones' goes down the hall into the back office, then turns to the black guy...

 

CHILI

You can do better'n him.

 

BLACK GUY

Not these days. Not less you can talk Spanish.

 

Ray Bones comes out with the collection book open, looking at all of the names of who owes what.

 

RAY BONES

You got a miss. Leo Devoe. Guy's six weeks over.

 

CHILI

He died.

 

RAY BONES

How'd you know he died, he tell you?

 

Ray Bones checks his man to get some appreciation, but the guy's too busy looking at the hair rinses and shit on the counter.

 

CHILI

Yeah, he told me.

 

RAY BONES

Personally?

 

CHILI

Yeah, Ray, he personally told me he got killed in that Get Away Airlines' jet went down last month.

 

RAY BONES

What Get Away jet?

 

CHILI

It was in the Herald.

 

RAY BONES

Yeah, well, maybe the guy took out flight insurance. Check with the wife.

 

CHILI

Hey, it's your book now. You want to check it out, go ahead. He's got a dry cleaning business out on Federal Highway.

 

Tommy gives Chili a look as the Black Guy comes over to Chili, stands next to him. Ray Bones steps over to Chili...

 

RAY BONES

Momo's dead. Which means anything was his now belongs to Jimmy Capp, including you.

 

Tommy watches as the Black Guy picks up a pair of scissors, runs his hand along the edge...

 

RAY BONES

Which also means when I speak, I'm speakin' for Jimmy. So e.g. as of now, you start affording me the proper respect.

 

CHILI

'E.g.' means 'for example', Ray. I think what you wanna say is 'i.e.'

 

RAY BONES

Bullshit. E.g. is short for 'ergo'.

 

CHILI

Ask your man here.

 

Ray Bones looks at the Black Guy.

 

BLACK GUY

Best a my knowledge, e.g. means 'for example.'

 

RAY BONES

E.g., i.e., fuck you. The point is, I say jump, you say okay. Okay?

 

TOMMY

(for Chili)

Yeah, Ray. Okay.

 

Ray Bones then nods to his man who grabs Chili, holds the point of the scissors to Chili's throat...

 

RAY BONES

You owe me the dry cleaner's fifteen grand plus the juice which is what another, uhh...

 

CHILI

Twenty seven hundred.

 

RAY BONES

Exactly. You either get it from the wife or out of your own pocket, I don't give a fuck. You don't ever hand me a book with a miss in it.

 

Ray throws the book at Chili and walks out, his man right behind him. Chili looks over at Tommy.

 

TOMMY

I told you not to –

 

CHILI

Don't say a fuckin' word.

 

 

EXT. FAY DEVOE'S BACKYARD – DUSK

 

Where Chili sits with FAY DEVOE – thirties, attractive, in a sundress – on her patio. They each have a drink...

 

FAY

I hate the dry cleaning business. I hate being inside all day, around all those machines.

 

CHILI

Must be hot.

 

FAY

You have no idea how hot it is.

 

She looks at him. Touches her drink to the side of her face. Chili finishes his drink, sets it down.

 

CHILI

I was wondering, Fay, if Leo had any life insurance.

 

FAY

I don't know of any.

 

They sit there in silence a moment. Fay reaches over, puts a hand on his leg...

 

FAY

I trust you, Chili. I think you're a decent type of man, even if you are a crook.

 

CHILI

Thank you Fay.

 

She finally looks at Chili...

 

FAY

I wish he really was dead, the son of a bitch.

 

 

EXT. LAS VEGAS – NIGHT

 

The strip. Mesas Casino.

 

CUT TO:

 

 

CLOSE UP OF PHOTOGRAPH

 

Leo Devoe. Standing with Fay at Epcot Center.

 

DICK (V.O.)

That's him all right.

 

PULL BACK TO REVEAL:

 

 

INT. DICK ALLEN'S OFFICE – NIGHT

 

A sign on the door reads "DICK ALLEN, CUSTOMER RELATIONS." A bank of video monitors show the floor of the casino. Chili sits across the desk from DICK ALLEN – lots of jewelry, a giant NEON COWGIRL out the window behind him.

 

DICK

Called himself Larry DeMille. Hit on every showgirl in town. Would tell 'em he was the 'Martinizing King of Miami'. What a moron.

 

He returns the snapshot to Chili.

 

DICK

Anyway, you want this guy, he's in L.A. We put him on a flight after he spanked one a my cocktail girls in the Keno room.

 

CHILI

Leo spanked a waitress?

 

DICK

Apparently, way it went, he invited her to come to Santa Anita to play the ponies with him. She told him what to do with that and he gave her one on the tush. My guess, he's by his lonesome at the track right now.

 

Chili nods.

 

DICK

Hey, Chil? Since you're goin' out to L.A. anyway.

 

CHILI

What've you got?

 

DICK

Guy owes us a hundred and fifty grand, sixty days over; a movie producer.

 

CHILI

Movie producer? Yeah, why not.

 

As Dick Allen reaches for a pad of paper, we hear THE SOUND OF AN AIRPLANE OVER...

 

 

EXT. LAX RENTAL CAR LOT – NIGHT

 

It's raining as we TILT DOWN from a LANDING AIRPLANE to a National Car Rental BUS arriving next to a tan MINIVAN. Chili eyes the car a moment, then turns to the driver.

 

CHILI

What is this?

 

ATTENDANT

An Oldsmobile Silhouette.

 

CHILI

I reserved a Cadillac.

 

ATTENDANT

Yeah, well, this one's the Cadillac of minivans.

 

CHILI

You're kidding me, right?

 

ATTENDANT

Hey, you want La Tierra Rent-A-Car just over there, but I think all they got are Rabbit convertibles.

 

Chili gives the driver a look then gets out of the bus, standing there in the rain, his seat getting wet, nowhere to go. He turns and stares at the minivan...

 

 

EXT. KAREN FLORES' HOUSE – NIGHT

 

All the lights are out, save the BLUE GLOW of a television coming from one of the downstairs rooms...

 

WOMAN'S VOICE<