The Lost Exchange Written By Alex Bushnell First Draft

alex.j.bushnell@gmail.com

FADE IN INT. JOEYS APARTMENT HALL - NIGHT 1930: New York JOEYs apartment door lies open. The contents of the his home are lying all over the floor, and the place is a mess. INT. JOEYS APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - DAY FRANK, 28, is sat in a chair, fondling his hat and looking up at Joey, 26 . They both have slick black hair and wear suits. They are Italian-Americans. FRANK Look Joey, I wouldnt come if it werent important. JOEY This better not be about money again Frank. FRANK Its about money. INT. JOEYS APARTMENT HALL - NIGHT Joey sprints through one door and into another. He is wearing different clothing. JOEY V.O Jesus Frank, Im not helping you out again. Ive helINT. JOEYS APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - DAY FRANK Its not for me. There is a picture on Joeys desk of three young children Two boys and a girl. FRANK CONTD Its for Rosetta. Joey dismisses Frank with his hand and walks over to his desk. He picks up and surveys some letters.

(CONTINUED)

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2.

JOEY She can sort her own money out. Dont need me just because Im successful now. FRANK Shes sick Joey. She needs what the doctors are calling a tracheotomy. Joey drops the letters and returns his gaze to Frank. JOEY Woah, hold up. Shes sick? With what? Whats a trickitiminy? Speak English. Frank sits in silence for a moment. FRANK Shes got Polio, Joey. Joey sits down. JOEY How long have you all known? INT. JOEYS APARTMENT BEDROOM - NIGHT Frank, also wearing new clothes, runs up to a desk and tears open a drawer. FRANK V.O Couple of days. INT. JOEYS APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - DAY He leans forward. FRANK CONTD It needs to be soon. Joey rubs his face and nods his head. JOEY How much do you need? Frank pauses and looks at the ground. FRANK Four thousand dollars.

(CONTINUED)

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3.

JOEY Jesus Frank. Joey stands up. JOEY CONTD I suppose you want me to use my...get it from the family? Frank nods. JOEY CONTD Its a hell of a lot of money Frank. I dont know if thats gonna fly. FRANK Joey, shes our sister. Joey nods. JOEY I know. After a moment he nods. JOEY CONTD Ill get the money. INT. JOEYS APARTMENT BEDROOM - NIGHT JOEY O.S Where is it? Frank yanks open another drawer and paper flies out. JOEY O.S CONTD Wheres the money? Another drawer is opened with even more paper ravaging the room. Joey enters, lunging at Frank and grabbing him by the scruff of the neck. JOEY CONTD Wheres my fucking money Frank? FRANK I dont know. JOEY Wheres my fucking money?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: FRANK I dont know, I dont know. Joey pushes Frank away. JOEY Theyre gonna fucking kill me. Frank watches his brother. JOEY V.O And theyre gonna kill you too.

4.

Joeys eyes water and Frank notices a blue note among the piles of white paper. He picks it up and it reads "Thanks for the donation - Punchy". JOEY Whats that? FRANK Punchy? Hes one of Accardis men. Joey snatches at the note but Frank moves it out of his brothers grasp. FRANK CONTD Why would the Masseria, our own family, break in here and take the money that youre scheduled to give them tomorrow, Joey? Joey stutters. FRANK CONTD What the hells going on? Joey pauses. PROFACI I borrowed the money off Profaci. FRANK Profaci? The Maranzano? JOEY Yeah. (Beat) I do work for them. (Beat) Sometimes. Frank takes a step back and flails his hands in the air.

(CONTINUED)

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5.

FRANK Oh you sometimes do work for them? You sometimes do work for our enemies? JOEY Theyre not my enemies. FRANK Theyre not our enemies? JOEY Well theyre your enemies. Frank pauses for a moment and jumps. FRANK Oh what the fuck Joey? Joey turns away. FRANK CONTD Joey! JOEY I showed potential and they needed people behind enemy lines. Frank rubs his hair and bangs his fist on the wall. FRANK When did this happen? JOEY Not long after I ran away. Franks eyes widen. FRANK So youre saying youve been lying to me for years? JOEY No, Frank, its FRANK The Maseria know youre a snitch and want you dead. Joey gulps.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: FRANK CONTD And youre going to meet Joe Profaci tomorrow to give him zero dollars of the four thousand we owe him? Joey nods and Frank drops to a crouch and screams. FRANK Youve killed us! JOEY Im sorry. FRANK Youve killed us you stupid bastard! JOEY Im gonna fix it! FRANK Youre gonna fix it? How? JOEY Well when I see Profaci tomorFRANK Youre gonna go see Profaci? Frank drops onto the bed. JOEY Yeah. Frank puts a cigarette in his mouth. FRANK Then youre a dead man. He lights his cigarette. INT. RESTAURANT - DAY

6.

Joey sits at a table with Profaci who is eating and surrounded by guards. Profaci throws his cutlery onto his half empty plate. PROFACI I will be having serious words with my son about this. Joey maintains eye contact. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: PROFACI CONTD You both take my money, then set up a meeting with me and show up without demands or repayment? PJOEY Its not that, I havent juPROFACI I dont see what your plan is here. You havent thought this through have you? JOEY I was going to give you the money, but its been stolen by thProfaci laughs. PROFACI Oh its been stolen? Did you hear that boys? It was stolen.

7.

Profaci continues to laugh and his guards join in. After a while Profaci stops laughing. PROFACI Who stole it? Joey says nothing. Who stole my money? JOEY The Masseria. PROFACI Oh the Masseria? The family Im told we have you working with as an informant? JOEY Yeah, they PROFACI They found out. They found out is what you want to tell me. Joey looks at the guards. PROFACI CONTD So not only have you come in here without the money you took from me, but youve come in here and told me youve blown your own cover? (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: JOEY No, no, no. Its just that theyPROFACI What use are you to me here? JOEY Sorry? PROFACI What use are you to me? Joey says nothing. PROFACI CONTD And my boys here tell me you have a brother working for the Masseria. A brother who isnt on our books. JOEY Oh, no. No, no, no. PROFACI You expect me to believe that youre an informant who accidently moved four thousand dollars from my family to your other one? Your other family that your brother works for. Joey says nothing and looks at all the guards. PROFACI CONTD Youve wasted my time enough.

8.

He signals to one of his guards who brandishes a knife and heads towards Joey who jumps up JOEY Polio! The guard halts with a perplexed look shared by everyone in the room. JOEY The money was for polio. PROFACI Polio? What the hell are you JOEY My sister, shes sick with polio. Your funds were the only ones I had access to that could save her. (CONTINUED)

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9.

Profaci sits there for a moment and looks at the guard who backs away from Joey. Profaci nods at Joey who sits back down. PROFACI Your sister has polio? Joey nods. PROFACI CONTD Well Im sorry to hear that. Profaci slumps in his chair a little. PROFACI CONTD My cousin Claudia actually died from it when we were younger. Joey says nothing. PROFACI CONTD Horrible, horrible disease. He pauses for a moment. PROFACI Aint that right? The guards nod and mutter support. Joey sighs. JOEY Im very sorry. I know how it looks, and Ill get you your money. Profaci nods. JOEY CONTD But you understand why I was so desperate. PROFACI I do understand. Profaci waves his finger and two guards move towards Joey. PROFACI CONTD And Im very sorry about your sister. Before Joey can react, the guards both grab him from behind as he struggles.

(CONTINUED)

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10.

PROFACI CONTD But I cant be sending out the message Im a walking charity. Joey continues to struggle. PROFACI CONTD Weve all got problems, but we cant all steal my money because of them. Joey stops struggling and meets Profacis eyes. PROFACI I wish your sister the best. Profaci nods at the guards detaining Joey and they stab him repeatadly in the back. Joey slumps onto the table. No one says anything for a moment. PROFACI CONTD Kill the brother. He picks up his cutlery. PROFACI CONTD And move the body. Im trying to eat my fucking food. Guards take the body away and Profaci continues to eat. INT. JOEYS APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - DAY The room lies trashed as Joey sits in a chair. INT. HOSPITAL WARD - DAY Rosetta lies in bed looking at a picture of herself and her two brothers and smiles. INT. JOEYS LIVING ROOM - DAY Frank holds the same photo and smiles. There is a knock on the door. FADE OUT