The Italian Job

FADE IN:

EXT. THE PORT OF GENOA, .ITALY -NIGHT

Forklifts RUMBLE. Workers WIPE FRAME. All the bustle and

cacophony of a major seaport.

We FIND ourselves focusing on ONE LARGE CRATE. With the

GRINDING of gears, a crane lifts it off the dock and carries

it onto a ship .

INT. HOTEL ROOM -SAME TIME

Through night-vision binoculars, CHARLIE CROKER, 28, watches

the mysterious crate. Charlie is young to run his own crew

but he's a born leader.

CHARLIE:

Lyle?

SWISH PAN TO:
LYLE, 21, brilliant and punctilious, fingering

the keyboard of his strap-on supercharged laptop.

LYLE:

I've got the orbital data and SV clock

corrections for each satellite that gets

the signal. That'll make my reading as

solid as the Precise Positioning Service

that only the D.O.D. can use. We're

talkin' 100 meter horizontal accuracy,

156 meter vertical accuracy, .340

nanoseconds time accuracy.

SWISH PAN TO:
STEVE, 30, bearded. Steve has an arrogant

confidence mixed with the hint of a smile.

STEVE:

Why can't he talk like a person?

CHARLIE:

..Because he's not.

LYLE:

I do need one more thing, Charlie.

CHARLIE:

What's that? •

LYLE:

Someone to turn the goddamn homing device

on. No signal, no score.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

CHARLIE:

(to Steve)

Where're the Italians?

STEVE:

Patience.

INT. HUMVEE (MOVING) -SAME TIME

The driver is HANDSOME ROB, 30. Riding shotgun is HALF-EAR,

35, immersed in a book-: Albert Einstein Creator & Rebel.

Half-Ear is a large black man with a Southern accent and a

hearing aid.

HANDSOME ROB:

What's that sh*t?

HALF-EAR

A book. It's called reading. You should

try it some time.

Handsome Rob holds up three fingers.

HANDSOME ROB:

You wanna read something. Read between

the lines.

HALF-EAR

Well here's something even you can relate

to. Albert got a lotta trim. That

genius thing is a babe magnet.

HANDSOME ROB:

Lemme see that book.

INT. HOTEL JEWELRY SHOP -SAME TIME

The final member of the crew, JOHN BRIDGER, 50s, is a

tasteful man buying a very tasteful, and very expensive,

diamond necklace. The saleswoman wraps it up as he dials a

number on his cell phone.

STELLA (V.O.)

Hello?

JOHN BRIDGER:

Hi, sweetie.

INT. STELLA'S CONDO -PHILADELPHIA -INTERCUT

STELLA BRIDGER, 27, crushingly attractive, has just stepped

out of the shower, hair still wet, body wrapped in a towel.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

STELLA:

Daddy. How are you?

JOHN BRIDGER:

I'm sending you something.

STELLA:

Really? Does it smell nice?

JOHN BRIDGER:

No. But it's sparkly.

STELLA:

Does it come with a receipt?

JOHN BRIDGER:

I'm having it sent to you from the store.

STELLA:

(toweling her hair)

Why not bring it by yourself? We could

have dinner.

He leaves the store and heads for the HOTEL ELEVATOR.

JOHN BRIDGER:

Be a long trip. I'm in Genoa.

She doesn't like the sound of that.

STELLA:

Let me guess. Checking out the

birthplace of Christopher Columbus.

JOHN BRIDGER:

Something like that.

STELLA:

W_i£li your parole officer' s approval.

He steps into the elevator. Rides up.

JOHN BRIDGER:

I think I've paid my.P.O.. my last visit.

I liked the guy, but we never really

connected. .

STELLA:

What are you into, Dad? Don't break my

heart. You told me you were through.

JOHN BRIDGER:

After this, I swear to you, I am.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:
(2)

STELLA:

You promised me. Daddy, don't do this.

The elevator door opens, Bridger steps out and starts down

the hall.

JOHN BRIDGER:

Everything's going to be fine. I've got

to go now. I love you. Bye.

He clicks off then uses his card key to step into the —

INT. HOTEL ROOM -CONTINUOUS

He eyes Char-lie, who looks pretty tense.

JOHN BRIDGER:

Italians?

CHARLIE:

Not yet.

STEVE:

Don't worry, they'll come through. You

can trust these guys.

JOHN BRIDGER:

I trust everyone. It's the devil inside

them that I don't trust.

(then, to Charlie)

Got a sec?

CHARLIE:

My office.

INT. HOTEL BATHROOM -NIGHT

They step inside, Charlie closing the door.

JOHN BRIDGER:

How you feeling, boss?

CHARLIE:

.Fine. I'm fine, fine.

Bridger seems amused by that answer.

JOHN BRIDGER:

You know what .fine, stands for, don't you?

F***ed-up, Insecure, Neurotic, and

Emotional.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

CHARLIE:

You've become quite the philosopher since

you quit drinking.

JOHN BRIDGER:

You don't like me sober?

CHARLIE:

No, I'm glad. Makes you a better thief.

Bridger pulls out a fine cigar, still in its wrapper, hands

it to Charlie.

JOHN BRIDGER:

For after the haul.

CHARLIE:

Hope I get to fire it up. If Steve's

Italians are a no-show, it's three months

prep down the shitter and I' ve dragged

you out of retirement for nothing.

JOHN BRIDGER:

This is kinda nice. You being the boss

with all the worries, me just along for

the ride.

CHARLIE:

Ain't you sweet. .

From the other side of the door, they HEAR —

STEVE (O.S.)

Charlie!

INT. HOTEL ROOM -NIGHT

Charlie takes the binoculars from Steve. He SEES TWO ITALIAN

CUSTOMS INSPECTORS climbing onboard the ship.

CHARLIE:

Your Italians.

STEVE:

Yup. Dixie cups.

CHARLIE:

Dixie cups?

STEVE:

I toss 'em away if there's a problem down

the road.

EXT. SHIP -NIGHT

In ITALIAN, the Inspectors quiz the NERVOUS CAPTAIN about the

mysterious crate.

One Inspector takes a crowbar and yanks out several strips of

plywood, REVEALING unmarked cardboard boxes inside. The

other Inspector pulls out one of the boxes and tears it open.

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