Midnight Run

Synopsis: Bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) is sent to find and return bail jumper and former Mafia accountant, Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas (Charles Grodin). The FBI has had no success in locating The Duke, so when Jack finds him in next to no time, they are a little embarrassed. In order to collect his $100,000 fee, Jack must take The Duke from New York to Los Angeles. However, the Mafia and the FBI have other ideas, as does Marvin Dorfler (John Ashton), a rival bounty hunter. On their long cross-country trip to LA, the two get to know each other and they build up a strange friendship.
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Director(s): Martin Brest
Production: MCA Universal Home Video
  Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.6
Metacritic:
78
Rotten Tomatoes:
96%
R
Year:
1988
126 min
2,667 Views


Sh*t!

Come on.

Hey, Marvin,|what are you doin'?

He's mine, Jack. Get lost.|- F*** you.

He's mine. Eddie assigned him to me.|What are you doing?

Straighten it out with Eddie.|I'll collect the money.

I almost got killed. He shot at me.|- Back off!

I'm taking him.|This guy's worth 1.200.

What the hell we fightin' for?|We're friends.

Nothing personal, but f*** off.

Take it easy. Jesus!|Marvin, watch out!

What the f***'s goin' on?|You guys ain't cops.

No, we're ballet dancers.

Your mother teach you how to react|to strangers?

Not shoot at 'em?

Hey, Marvin, thanks for the car.

You sleep, and I'll bring it back|a little later.

Got a delivery for you, Gooch.

Good. The soda machine's been out|for a week and a half.

Check that for me.

What've we got here?

All right.|Give you any trouble?

Did you give me any trouble?

F*** you, man!|- He didn't give me trouble.

If you want your arms, walk.|- F*** you, too!

Slap it.

Mascone's Bail Bonds.

No, it's cash only.|No checks, no cards.

I'm sorry, ma'am.|That's the policy.

I wish I could help you out.|Sorry.

Just dropped off Bouchet.|Is Eddie in?

So you finally|caught someone, Jack.

Jerry, is he in?

That's terrific.

Been tryin' to reach you.|What do you got for me?

You were tryin' to reach me?|Bouchet.

Bouchet. Good score, Jack.|Nine-hundred, right?

No, it's 1.200.|- No, nine.

That's 1.200. Come on.

No. Yeah, you're right.

My stomach's killin' me.|I'm goin' to Chin Loo's for breakfast.

I wanna talk to you.|- About what?

I'll talk to you over there.|- Could I have my money first?

Of course.|You think I'm gonna try to stiff you?

You? Never! He would never|try and stiff me.

Do I detect sarcasm?|- Never.

Where have I inherited|this reputation?

I have never done business|with anybody...

and Jerry is my witness,|that I have ever, ever, ever

Has that phone ever rang|with a complaint about me?

Never. So let's go.|I'll buy you some breakfast.

I don't eat breakfast.|- Then have an early lunch. Let's go.

You ever hear of Jonathan Mardukas?

The Duke. Yeah, I know who he is.|- What do you know?

He's that accountant that embezzled|millions from some Vegas wise guy.

He gave it to charity.|- Very good.

Only thing is, it wasn't a couple|of million. It was $15 million.

It wasn't some Vegas wise guy.|It was Jimmy Serrano.

I know.|I can read the papers.

Look, I don't wanna bring up|the past, but...

isn't it Serrano who ran you out of|Chicago when he was runnin' things then?

He didn't run me out.|- You gave up bein' a cop to do this?

All right, what's the point?|- The point, Jack?

I bailed out the accountant.|I didn't know who he was at the time.

Had I known, there was no way|I would've put up the bond.

It's only time before Serrano|vanishes this guy from the planet...

and I'm out $450.000.

You're out $450.000 on this guy?

No, because I got you. You're the best.|You'll find him and bring him back.

Yeah, right.

How do you know he's still alive?

Because this guy is crazy.

He sends postcards to Serrano...

tellin' him what a great time|he's havin' with his money.

How much time do you got left?|- Friday midnight I default.

I eat the $450.000.|- This Friday?

That's five days. Forget it.|You go find him. Give me my money.

Listen to me.

I'll give you $50 grand.

$50 grand? I gotta chase you down|for $1.200. Forget it.

No, Jack, please...|- Forget about it. What else you got?

This is it. If you don't find this guy,|I'm outta business.

Eddie, I'll do it for $100.000.

$100.000!|Are you outta your mind?

This is an easy gig.|It's a midnight run, for Chris sakes!

Maybe you haven't noticed,|but I'm tired of gettin' shot at.

I'm tired of this miserable f***in'|business, every lowlife that I run into.

If you're gonna pay me,|you gotta pay me what's right.

You want me for this job,|give me what's right.

The guy is an accountant.|He's not gonna shoot you.

All you have to do is find him...

put him in a bag, hit him|with a rubber hose, bring him home.

That's easy for you to say.|Listen to me.

It's $100.000. No more, no less.|And I want a contract.

Contract?|- Right, and I want it in writing.

$100.000 and I'll have the Duke here|for you by Friday night.

Now, can I have my $1.200, please?

You do worse than any crook|I ever put a bond up for.

Stanley? Stan!

Hey, Big Dog. How are you?|What are you doin' here?

I need a favor.

I need to see the booking slip|of Jonathan Mardukas.

M-A-R-D-U-K-A-S.

Here you go.

Yes, sir.

What's that?

The number he called|right after he was arrested.

Are you Jack Walsh?

Excuse me.|- Are you Jack Walsh?

Do I know you?|- Alonzo Mosely, FBl.

That's a nice badge.|How can I get one of those?

I wanna talk.

Call my social secretary.|- Very funny.

I wanna talk to you.|- Take your hands off me!

Geez! Take it easy!

It's a $10 fine for jaywalking in L.A.|- Oh, shut up!

I want to know if you're working on|anything to do with Jonathan Mardukas?

Never heard of him.|- I believe you have heard of him.

We've been working on this|Jimmy Serrano thing for six years.

Mardukas is my shot.

I'm gonna bring him in|to federal court.

I don't want any third-rate rent-a-thug|who couldn't cut it as a Chicago cop...

bringing him to L.A.|on some bullshit local charge.

Do I make myself understood?

Can I ask you something?

These sunglasses, they're really nice.|Are they government issue...

or do all you guys|go get 'em at the same store?

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote

George Gallo

George Gallo, Jr. (born 1956) is an American screenwriter, film director, producer, painter and musician.He is best known for writing Midnight Run and 29th Street, and is an accomplished painter in the style of the Pennsylvania Impressionists. In 1990, he won the coveted Arts for the Parks award, and has had three one-man exhibitions in New York City. In 2010, he wrote and directed the film Middle Men starring Luke Wilson.He currently lives in Los Angeles. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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