WIXLIB

T H EI R I S H M A NScreenplaybySteven ZaillianFINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT

1SOMEONE’S POV - MAYBE OURSMoving along a hallway of an ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY,past doors - some open, some closed - as if looking forsomebody - and maybe not for benign reasons.FRANK V/OWhen I was young, I thought housepainters painted houses.We glimpse some of the elderly men and women in therooms, but like everyone else in their lives, disregardthem and keep looking for someone else.FRANK V/OWhat did I know?We turn a corner into another hallway, keep looking FRANK V/OI was a working guy.We drift into a rec room where more elderly men and womenwatch TV, play cards, stare off at nothing FRANK V/OA business agent for TeamsterLocal One-O-Seven out of SouthPhiladelphia.We approach a particular man sitting apart from theothers in a wheelchair. He’s about 80, better dressedthan everyone else here, white dress shirt, cuffsmonogrammed FJS, dark slacks, aviator sunglasses.FRANK (IN SYNC)One of a thousand workingstiffs.This is who we’ve been looking for - Frank Sheeran perhaps to kill him. But he pays no attention to us,even as we come in close enough to see his gold watchencircled with diamonds, and the distinctive ring madefrom a gold coin on a finger.INT. EMPTY HOUSE - A BLANK WALL - DAYWe see a young man’s hand with the same gold and diamondencrusted watch and diamond pinky ring raise a gun at anunseen target.FRANK (IN SYNC). until I wasn’t anymore.

2TWO QUICK GUNSHOTS to the back of an UNKNOWN MAN’S head.The blank wall explodes in red, as though a bucket ofblood had been thrown against it. The blood begins toslowly ooze down the wall covering it with red streaks.FRANK (IN SYNC). And started painting housesmyself.INT. ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY - DAY - 2000BACK in the ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY, Frank gives us amoment to grasp what he’s said. Then:FRANKIn this particular matter, thewhole thing was built around thewedding.INT. FRANK’S HOUSE - MORNING - 1975A wedding invitation sits on a bureau next to Frank’sgold watch.FRANK (IN SYNC)Bill Bufalino’s daughter wasgetting married in Detroit.Frank puts the watch on his wrist. The gold ring is onhis finger next to his wedding band. He’s quite a bityounger than when we saw him at the assisted livingfacility. About 55.FRANK (IN SYNC)Bill was a Teamster lawyer, butmore important, he was RussellBufalino’s cousin.He zips a suit and shirt into a garment bag like a bodyin a body bag.EXT. FRANK’S HOUSE - MORNING - 1975Frank arranges luggage in the trunk of his black LincolnContinental, leaving a space for more.FRANK V/ORussell didn’t want to fly.wanted to take care of somebusiness along the way.(MORE)He

3FRANK V/O (CONT'D)Business in Russell’s case meansone thing: collecting money. Sowe’d drive. Him and his wifeCarrie and me and Irene.INT. FRANK’S HOUSE - MORNING - 1975While his wife Irene talks on the kitchen phone toRussell’s wife Carrie about what to wear, Frank markstowns on a AAA map of the eastern states that he knowsRussell will want to stop.FRANK V/OWe’d take 476 out of Philly up toPittston - then I-80 West throughthe rest of Pennsylvania - acrossOhio to Toledo - then 75 North toDetroit.EXT. BUFALINO’S HOUSE - PITTSTON, PA - DAY - 1975Irene and Carrie smoke cigarettes on the sidewalkoutside a modest suburban house while Frank and RussellBufalino add his and his wife’s luggage to the trunk.Russell’s about 15 years older than Frank.FRANK V/OIt was gonna take three days withall the business breaks andcigarette stops since Russelldidn’t allow smoking in the car.He says Jimmy Blue Eyes and MeyerLansky convinced him to stop whenthey were getting kicked out oftheir casinos in Cuba and gettingshot at by Castro. I don’t know.It might have been one of -I’ll-never-smoke-againthings”, but I do know that fromCastro on Russ wouldn’t letanybody smoke in the car, evenCarrie.INT. FRANK’S LINCOLN - WILKES-BARRE - DAY - 1975Frank drives along a city street with Russell in front,the women in back, Carrie putting on some lipstick.CARRIECan we stop soon?

4BUFALINOWe’re not even to the highway.CARRIEYou won’t stop on the highway.BUFALINOIt’s not safe to stop on thehighway.CARRIEThen we’ll smoke in the car.BUFALINOThe smoke’s bad for my cataracts.CARRIEI’ll crack the window.BUFALINOCarrie - I made a vow.CARRIEAnd I can’t smoke in the car?BUFALINOOr on the highway.Carrie isn’t having it; snaps open her little gold lamécigarette clutch. She cracks the window. Russell glancesover at Frank through his thick glasses and sighs.EXT. HIGHWAY I-80 - DAY - 1975While Irene and Carrie sit on a guard rail smoking,Russell leans on the hood looking off at cars and trucksdriving past. Frank comes over.FRANKYou see where we are?BUFALINOWhat are the odds?They regard the unremarkable surroundings like theyweren’t so unremarkable, including a Stuckey’s/Texaco gasstation up the road. A tractor-trailer roars past and INT/EXT. HIGHWAY I-80 - DAY - 1956Frank, in his 30s, behind the wheel of a refrigeratedtruck.

5He’s driving on the same highway he’ll drive to Detroiton twenty-some years later with Russell and their wives,when the engine starts making noises it shouldn’t. Upahead through the windshield is the same Stuckey’s-Texacostation EXT. STUCKEY’S/TEXACO GAS STATION - I-80 - DAY - 1956Frank has the truck’s hood open and is listening to themisfiring engine. He has a cloth tool kit, with varioussized wrenches, open on the truck’s fender. Russell - whohe doesn’t know yet - appears out of nowhere wearing noglasses.BUFALINOWhat’s the matter, kid?I don’t know.FRANKSounds funny.Frank runs the engine manually from under the hood asRussell listens.BUFALINO(finally)It’s your timing chain.He selects a wrench from Frank’s tools and makes anadjustment.In a few moments the engine is sounding normal again.BUFALINOThis fix won’t last forever.Russell wipes his hands on a rag and heads off.FRANKJeezus! Thanks. What do I owe you?Russell waves back, ‘nothing,’ and Frank watches him walkinto the gas station.FRANK (IN SYNC)I thought maybe he owned the gasstation. He owned something, youcould tell.INT. ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY - DAY - 2000Frank where we left him, in the wheelchair in the recroom with his aviator glasses.

6FRANKIt turns out he owned the wholeroad.INT. MOTHER OF SORROWS CHURCH - DAY - 1950A priest performs a baptism. Frank and his first wifeMary’s second daughter, Peggy.There are so few people in attendance, it seems like aprivate ceremony. But it’s just they don’t have a lot offriends or relatives.INT. LIVE CHICKEN MARKET - DAY - FLASHBACK - 1946“SKINNY RAZOR” swiftly runs his razor across a squawkingchicken’s neck that gushes blood. Skinny then dumps thefluttering chicken head-first into a metal funnel to letit bleed out while grabbing his next victim.FRANK V/OSkinny Razor got the name becausehe started out as a kid killinglive chickens at his father’sbutcher shop.EXT. SOUTH PHILLY - NIGHT - 1956A place called The Friendly Lounge according to its signwhich has “STEAKS AND CHOPS” in neon.INT. THE FRIENDLY LOUNGE - NIGHT - 1956Frank hangs out with some other truck drivers, allItalians except him. Across the room at another tablesits a group of mid-level mob guys, eating dinner.Indicating one of them JOHNNYThat’s Skinny Razor. He ownsthe place. He shylocks and runs alittle book out of the joint. Youshould meet him.FRANKDid you say razor?JOHNNYHe used to work at a butcher shop.

7INT. THE FRIENDLY LOUNGE - LATER - 1956Frank’s POV of Johnny talking to Skinny and gesturing forFrank to come over.INT. THE FRIENDLY LOUNGE - CONTINUED - 1956Frank and Johnny standing at Skinny’s table.JOHNNYSkinny, this is Frank.SKINNYYou got something for me?FRANKYou like steak?SKINNYI own the joint don’t I?FRANKI deliver steak.SKINNYThat’s what I hear.FRANKI could deliver you steak.Johnny gives Skinny a nod that says “yes”.Have a drink.SKINNYAs the bartender serves drinks, Skinny toasts the group.EXT. MEAT COMPANY - DAY - 1956It’s summer. As loading dock workers in short sleevescarry hindquarters and hang them in Frank’s refrigeratedtruck, he signs for the load - 25 beef carcasses.FRANK V/OIt’s harder to steal in thesummer when the weather’s nice.He shuts the truck’s rear doors.an aluminum seal on the lock.The yard manager slaps

8EXT. FOOD FAIR MARKET - DAY - 1956Frank backs up to the store’s loading dock and climbsout as the store’s manager approaches with a clipboardand breaks the aluminum seal. Workers begin unloadingthe hindquarters, the store manager noting the number.FRANK V/OWinter’s a different story.EXT. MEAT COMPANY - DAY - DEC. 1956The same loading dock as before, but now it’s winter.Snow on the ground.INT. MEAT COMPANY - DAY - DEC. 1956A heater glows in the yard manager’s dock office.signs for 25 hindquarters.FrankYARD MANAGERIt’s freezing out there.FRANKI don’t mind it.YARD MANAGERNot me. I hate it. Will you do mea favor and put on the seal?FRANKSure. I’ve gotta be out thereanyway.The Yard Manager hands Frank the aluminum seal, and turnsaway to warm his hands over a small floor heater.I owe you one.YARD MANAGEREXT. MEAT COMPANY - CONTINUOUS - DEC. 1956Frank emerges from the office, crosses the freezing colddock, shuts the doors of the loaded truck but pockets theseal instead of putting it on the lock.EXT. THE FRIENDLY LOUNGE - LATER - DAY - DEC. 1956Skinny watches guys carry five hindquarters into the backof the Friendly Lounge as he pays Frank cash.

9After the delivery is done and Skinny goes inside, Frankputs the seal on the truck door’s lock.EXT. FOOD FAIR MARKET - LATER - DAY - DEC. 1956The store MANAGER rubs his gloves together to restoresome circulation and breaks the seal on the lock.FRANK(to some dock guys)I’ll give you a hand.INT. FOOD FAIR MARKET - DAY - DEC. 1956Frank helps the dock workers carry the 20 (not 25)hindquarters to the store’s walk-in refrigerator. Theyhang them on one side and leave, but Frank stays behindand re-hangs five hindquarters that were already thereon the other side to those he just delivered.EXT. FOOD FAIR MARKET - DAY - DEC. 1956Back on the dock, the store manager signs for theshipment - 25 side of beef - and Frank hops back intohis truck.INT. THE FRIENDLY LOUNGE - NIGHT - DEC. 1956Frank and Johnny and drivers at the bar with Christmasdecorations. Skinny and mob friends eating Frank’sstolen steak. Skinny waves Frank over to the table.Delicious.SKINNYFRANKIt’s all Prime meat. I don’t gonear “Choice”.SKINNYThen keep’em coming, Frank.EXT. FOOD FAIR MARKET - DAY - FEB. 1957Another winter’s day. The store manager comes out toFrank’s truck and breaks the seal on the doors.

10FRANK V/OFirst I was stealing fivehindquarters at a time. Then ten.Twelve. Things were missingeverywhere I went. I was doingreal good, but then The doors open revealing no hindquarters inside.looks mystified.What the fuck?FrankFRANKSTORE MANAGERWhat the fuck is this?FRANKI don’t know, it’s not my job toload. Maybe the loaders didn’t dotheir job.Everyone on the dock looks at Frank.STORE MANAGERYou didn’t notice you were drivinga light horse?FRANKNo, I thought I had a good horse.EXT. LOCAL 107 - PHILADELPHIA - DAY - 1957The familiar two-horses-and-a-wheel InternationalBrotherhood of Teamsters logo on the door of the Local.BILL (PRE-LAP)Under the contract, thanks toJimmy Hoffa, management can onlyfire a driver on specific charges.INT. LOCAL 107 - DAY - 1957Frank sits with Teamster lawyer Bill Bufalino, whosedaughter’s wedding Frank and Russell will drive acrossthree states to attend 25 years later.BILLEver show up late?No.FRANK