Stephen Metcalfe - Writer & Director

The City and Shane McGowen was co-written with Douglas Clark

T H E C I T Y A N D S H A N E M c G O W A N
EXT. THE WALDORF ASTORIA - MANHATTAN - NIGHT
Establishing.
INT. WALDORF BALLROOM - NIGHT
Glitterati. High society. Men in tuxedos, women in cocktail dresses. Voices, champagne, glamour.
A BLONDE
Don’t I know you from the cinematographer’s party?
SHANE MCGOWEN, drink in hand, smiles. McGowen is 40, not bad looking but no cover boy even in a tux. You can’t tell that from the way this attractive blonde is looking at him
SHANE
You’re quoting a song by Paul Simon.... I hope.
Across the room a short, beefy guy calls out:
THE MAN
Mac! I’m here! Who cares about you!?
Shane smiling; waving.
BLONDE
Isn’t that Norman Mailer?
SHANE
No... that’s Jimmy Breslin. That’s Norman Mailer.
Across the room Norman Mailer sees McGowen and waves.
BLONDE
You’re one of those people that knows everybody, aren’t you.
SHANE
I don’t know you... yet.
EXT. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - MANHATTAN ISLAND - NIGHT
A poor neighborhood. Children are playing in the street between the parked cars. The kids are “armed” with toy guns, pieces of wood. Pow-pow. Teenagers - Latin’s - are gathered on the front stoop of a tenement building. A party is going on in a second floor apartment.
A group of young men; black, ages 14 to 17 make their way down the street. Cold, intense faces. The leader’s name is JESSE. Ignoring the glares and hostile looks from the Latin youths, they enter the building. And as they do, we see that one of them is almost casually packing a gun... .
INT. WALDORF BALLROOM -
People are gathering at the beautifully set tables for dinner. At a table close to the stage and podium, people stare up as in surprise as:
SHANE
- this is Emily Harris -
Harris is 40. Attractive if you like ballbusters.
SHANE
- Emily just happens to be the editor in chief of the New York Herald. Next to her is John, John just happens to be a Wall Street lawyer. Hi, John. You I don’t know, you I don’t know and you I don’t know... so much for knowing everyone. This is... sorry?
THE BLONDE
Paige.
SHANE
Paige is a Marine recruitment officer.
He sits next to Emily. Paige is still standing.
SHANE
Oops...
He rises to pull out her chair.
INT. THE BUILDING - WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - NIGHT
The party has spilled out of the apartment and down the stairway. The teenagers look up as the black youths enter. One of the Latin youths rises. His friends rise behind him.
LATIN YOUTH (RAUL)
Private party, “brother”. No negronis.
JESSE
You invite our women, you don’t invite us? You better get the caskets ready.
He’s staring at a black girl on the stairs; SHARISE. On the landing above an older woman turns to her daughter, whispers urgently - the girl runs into the apartment .
INT. THE WALDORF -
Emily Harris hisses at Shane.
EMILY
You know how much this table is costing me, you should suddenly bring guests?
SHANE
You brought a date.
EMILY
He’s my husband, for god’s sake.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Jesse and Raul are nose to nose; both smiling tight hating smiles. Sharise is trying to pull Jesse away.
SHARISE
Let’s just go, Jesse, let’s just go!
RAUL
Yeah, go, Momma. Come back without your chauffeur, I show you a real good time.
Jesse hits him -
EXT./INT. A PATROL CAR - WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - NIGHT
BOBBY KIDD is early twenties, sweet faced. NORMAN O’NEAL is forty; a hard looking man. They look at each other as the call comes over the radio. Bobby hits the siren; guns it.
INT. WALDORF - BALLROOM -
The polite clink of silverware. People eating an expensive dinner. Pleasant conversation. Wine is poured.
PAIGE
I love awards. Who’s getting honored anyway?
INT. BUILDING FOYER - WASHINGTON HEIGHTS -
Thrashing bodies. Young women screaming.
OUT ON THE STREET
The children watch the fight from the safety of a parked car. The sound of the approaching siren.
INT. WALDORF BALLROOM -
GEORGE PLIMPTON has stepped to the podium.
GEORGE PLIMPTON
- to most New Yorkers, he is the bragging, bullying tough guy that stares out from the mug shot that accompanies a column, three days a week -
ON THE STREET -
Teenagers scatter up the street running for the subway entrance. The black youth with the gun comes out of the building and turning, fires wildly at the apartment window.
ANOTHER BLACK YOUTH
Let’s go, let’s go!
They run. A Latin teen raises his gun and fires after them.
IN THE WALDORF BALLROOM-
GEORGE PLIMPTON
- to those who know him, however there is a youthful innocence that doesn’t jibe with his usual attack mode -
SHANE
Ain’t it the truth.
ON THE STREET -
The patrol car squeals to a halt. Boys bolt from the building. O’Neal, armed, leaps out; starts after them. Kidd moves towards the entrance. Jesse comes down the steps and into him. Kidd loses his gun. Jesse grabs it and runs.
KIDD
He got my gun!
O’Neal draws, aims but Kidd is on his feet and in the way. Kidd gives chase. O’Neal curses and takes off after Kidd.
IN THE WALDORF BALLROOM -
Mac and his table listening to the speaker as WE IMPOSE OVER THE SCENE the sound of running footsteps, panting breath
O’NEAL (V.O.)
Bobby?
KIDD (V.O.)
Here. He went down the alley.
O’NEAL (V.O.)
...I can’t stand this...
The sound of a footsteps, a stumble; a curse... suddenly trash cans clatter -
O’NEAL (V.O.)
He’s got a gun!
(ECHOING)
- got a gun - got a gun!
A GUNSHOT echoes... and then:
GEORGE PLIMPTON
- love him or hate him, for eleven years he has made an impact on the daily fabric of our city -
At McGowen’s table, a cell phone rings. Everyone looks around. Sheepishly, Mac pulls out his phone and turns away.
SHANE
Yeah... who’s this...
GEORGE PLIMPTON
Ladies and gentlemen, without further adieu. I give you... Mr. Shane McGowen.
(Applause. Craning heads. No McGowen.)
Shane?
(More applause. Still no McGowen)
Uh... where is he?
EMILY HARRIS
(rubbing her eyes)
He just left.
EXT. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - NIGHT
Mac leaps out of a taxi cab - past patrol cars and an ambulance towards the mouth of an alley. Pushes through the crowd. Two cops stand there.
COP 1
Behind the lines! No way, Fred Astaire, you don’t come back here.
SHANE
I’m Shane McGowen from the -
COP 1
I don’t care who you are, stay the hell behind the lines!
COP 2
Let’m through.
A quick look passes between Mac and Cop 2.
COP 2
Come on, he’s okay.
He moves Cop 1 aside. McGowan moves up the alley. Cops and medical people gathered. Pushes his way through and -
A little boy lies on the ground. His lifeless eyes are still open. A wooden toy gun rests near his still, bloody fingers. Beyond him officers are comforting Bobby Kidd. Norman O’Neal looks up... and sees McGowan.
NORMAN
What’s he doing here? He’s a reporter, for chrissake, get’m out of here!
(starting forward)
GET HIM THE HELL OUTTA HERE!
Officers stop O’Neal. Cop 2 is at Mac’s elbow, nervous now.
COP 2
Detectives are here, you gotta leave. Just remember who called you.
EXT. THE STREET - NIGHT
McGowan pushes his way through the crowd back to the street. A moment to get himself together and then:
SHANE
Who saw what happened ? Any witnesses? Did you see what happened here?
It’s the black girl from the party - SHARISE. She walks away, shaking her head. Mac pulls his cell phone, dials.
SHANE
Get me Tino... Tino, Mac. I have one live, all the way live, 16 inches right now. Don’t give me late, I know what time it is. But do I have a story...
*
ACT I
EXT. THE STREETS -
Quick cuts of motion - cars - buses - people on bikes -
EXT. POLICE PRECINCT - WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - DAY
SHANE MCGOWEN steps out of cab. He stops and stares.
(Note: We should get the sense that McGowen’s voice-overs are excerpts from his columns.)
SHANE (V.O.)
I think it was Winston Churchill who said the first casualty in any war is the truth.
IN FRONT OF THE PRECINCT -
Two groups have squared off.
SHANE (V.O.)
It’s interesting that the only time the old bulldog was in New York he was hit by a cab.
They have more in common than not; both are working class, both are upset and angry. One group is mostly made up of blacks and Latinos and the other group is mostly white and in blue uniforms - cops. The angry voices of the demonstrators pound McGowen as he makes his way towards the precinct entrance. Their leader, a minister, COCHRAN RUSSELL, sees Shane and calls out-
RUSSELL
Accountability, Mac! You got to ask what kind justice is it when white cops are allowed to murder black children! Stop the reign of terror, son! Stop it now!
With these last words the crowd goes wild - angry shouting - murderers! Child killers! The cops are grim as McGowen gets to the front door.
SHANE
Shane McGowen. I’m here to see Hampton.
The cop glares at him.
SHANE
You want to see my press card?
A beat. He starts to reach to his breast pocket.
COP
I know who you are.
He spits. It hits the pavement next to McGowen’s foot.
COPY
Put that in your column.
And he steps aside so McGowen can enter.
INT. POLICE STATION - DAY
Bobby Kidd is in an interrogation room. He is in street clothes. He is surrounded by men in suits. He is patiently talking.
McGowen is watching through a one way glass. A hand hits a switch and Kidd’s voice comes over a speaker
KIDD
... so when he ran, I chased him.
JACK SCALZO is next to McGowen. Hard, acne pitted face. Impeccably dressed. If he’s ever smiled, McGowen’s never seen it. Scalzo is a Captain of Detectives responsible only to the Police Commissioner’s office. He is a trouble shooter for that office, a go to guy.
SHANE
(turning the speaker off)
Quite the welcoming committee outside.
SCALZO
The Rev brought’m in. They’ve been working in shifts. Funny how the Blacks and Latins hate each other until they have something white to gang up on.
SHANE
I wasn’t talking about the demonstrators.
(and then; looking at Kidd)
He waved his 48 hours, huh?
SCALZO
No reason not to. He thought he saw a gun. He responded.
SHANE
Any eye witnesses come forward to contradict his story?
SCALZO
Lots. Only none of them were there.
SHANE
So his statement’ll stand.
SCALZO
And it should. He’s a good cop. He made a mistake. It wasn’t a criminal mistake.
SHANE
Tell that to the crowd outside.
SCALZO
That’s not my job. That’s yours. Come on, let’s go find a cup of coffee.
They turn now, walk. They try and ignore the hostile looks from some passing cops, the curious looks from others.
SHANE
Guys really like you around here, don’t they, Jack.
SCALZO
I get paid to be an asshole, what’s your excuse? You hear the mayor’s calling a news conference, two o’clock this afternoon.
SHANE
That should be good for a laugh.
JACK
He’s going to say that the death of Oscar Royas, while tragic, was justified, that Kidd thought he was acting in self defense.
SHANE
Why doesn’t he just start a war in Washington Heights?
SCALZO
We’re already fighting it. It’s between us and the people we’re supposed to protect.
SHANE
Oooh, you mind I use that?
SCALZO
Why not, I write all your good stuff.
HAMPTON, the precinct captain comes out of an office and seeing them; comes to join them.
HAMPTON
Hey, Jack. Mac, how you doin’?
SHANE
Good, Neal, how are you?
HAMPTON
I been a hell of a lot better.
(lowering his voice)
I got you your sit down with Kidd. I told him it’s okay, you’ll tell his side of the story. I’m right about that, aren’t I?
SHANE
I’m not gonna set him up, Neal, if that’s what you’re asking.
HAMPTON
(scowling)
Let’s just keep this low key. Fewer people around here know I put him in the room with you, the better off we’ll all be. Give me twenty minutes.
He moves away.
SCALZO
He’s sweating bullets. You know who Kidd’s partner was last night, don’t you?
SHANE
Oh, yeah. We said hello.
SCALZO
We have a bomb ready to go off here, Mac. Try not to light the fuse.
EXT. THE PRECINCT ROOF - DAY
People come here to smoke. McGowen comes up here to be alone. From where I’m standing the view stinks. He takes out his cell phone. Realizes he’s turned it off. He turns it on. And it immediately rings. It’s always ringing.
SHANE
McGowen.
INTERCUT: INT. AN OFFICE - CONT.
The windows of EMILY HARRIS’S office look out onto the cluttered metro desk of the N.Y. Herald.
EMILY
Finally. Good morning, Mr. McGowan.
SHANE
Easy for you to say.
Harris has the morning edition in hand.
EMILY
I have your column in front of me. You should work all night more often.
Shane sips his coffee. It’s cold. He pours it out.
SHANE
What do you want, Emily?
EMILY
More of this.
SHANE
You’re a ghoul, you know that? You eat the dead.
EMILY
What’s next?
SHANE
Bobby Kidd came into the 34th this morning for voluntary Q and A. I’m going to get me in with him.
EMILY
Kidd’s lawyers’ll let that happen?
SHANE
What lawy