CASINO
By
Nicholas Pileggi
EXT. RESTAURANT PARKING LOT, LAS VEGAS, 1983 - DAY
SAM 'ACE' ROTHSTEIN, a tall, lean, immaculately dressed man
approaches his car, opens the door, and gets inside to turn
on the ignition.
ACE (V.O.)
When you love someone, you've gotta
trust them. There's no other way.
You've got to give them the key to
everything that's yours. Otherwise,
what's the point? And, for a while...
I believed that's the kind of love I
had.
Suddenly, the car explodes. Flames, smoke and metal rise
into the sky covering the view of the Las Vegas casinos and
their signs.
Music in: J.S. Bach - 'St Matthew Passion'.
Ace's body comes flying in - extreme slow motion. His body
twists and turns through the frame like a soul about to tumble
into the flames of damnation.
MAIN TITLE SEQUENCE.
INT. TANGIERS CASINO FLOOR - NIGHT
Vignette of ACE through rippling flames, we move in on ACE
ROTHSTEIN overseeing the casino. He lights a cigarette.
ACE (V.O.)
Before I ever ran a casino or got
myself blown up, Ace Rothstein was a
hell of a handicapper, I can tell
you that. I was so good, that whenever
I bet, I could change the odds for
every bookmaker in the country. I'm
serious. I had it down so cold that
I was given paradise on earth. I was
given one of the biggest casinos in
Las Vegas to run, the Tangiers...
INT. SAN MARINO ITALIAN GROCERY/BACK ROOM, KANSAS CITY -
NIGHT
Vignette of MOB BOSSES sitting at a table surrounded by food
and wine like the gods of Olympus.
ACE (V.O.)
...by the only kind of guys that can
actually get you that kind of money:
sixty-two million, seven-hundred
thousand dollars. I don't know all
the details.
NICKY (V.O.)
Matter of fact...
INT. BAR, LAS VEGAS - NIGHT
Vignette of NICKY SANTORO standing at a bar with DOMINICK
SANTORO, his brother, and FRANK MARINO, his right-hand man.
NICKY (V.O.)
...nobody knew all the details, but
it should'a been perfect. I mean, he
had me, Nicky Santoro, his best
friend, watching his ass...
INT. NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT
Vignette of GINGER MCKENNA a dazzling thirty-one-year-old
blonde seated by a small fiery pool.
NICKY (V.O.)
...and he had Ginger, the woman he
loved, on his arm. But in the end...
INT. TANGIERS SPORTSBOOK/ACE'S OFFICE - NIGHT
ACE looks over the casino he rules.
NICKY (V.O.)
...we fucked it all up. It should'a
been so sweet, too. But it turned
out to be the last time that street
guys like us were ever given anything
that fuckin' valuable again.
EXT. LAS VEGAS - NIGHT
Aerial shot coming down out of the clouds over the brightly
lit Vegas Strip and off into the blackness of the desert
night.
ACE (V.O.)
At that time, Vegas was a place where
millions of suckers flew in every
year on their own nickel, and left
behind about a billion dollars. But
at night, you couldn't see the desert
that surrounds Las Vegas...
EXT. DESERT - DAWN
Aerial shot swooping along the desert floor, then rising
above the mist to reveal mountains in the distance.
ACE (V.O.)
But it's in the desert where lots of
the town's problems are solved.
NICKY (V.O.)
Got a lot of holes in the desert,
and a lot of problems are buried in
those holes. Except you gotta do it
right. I mean, you gotta have the
hole already dug before you show up
with a package in the trunk.
Otherwise you're talkin' about a
half-hour or forty-five minutes of
diggin'. And who knows who's gonna
be comin' along in that time? Before
you know it, you gotta dig a few
more holes. You could be there all
fuckin' night.
EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP, 1973 - NIGHT
TITLE IN: 'THE STRIP', 'LAS VEGAS', 'TEN YEARS EARLIER'
ACE is greeted by a casino exec and walked through the
brightly lit entrance to the Tangiers Casino.
ACE (V.O.)
Who could resist? Anywhere else in
the country, I was a bookie, a
gambler, always lookin' over my
shoulder, hassled by cops, day and
night. But here, I'm 'Mr Sam
Rothstein'. I'm not only legitimate,
but running a casino. And that's
like selling dreams for cash.
INT. TANGIERS CASINO - NIGHT
We see ACE enter alone. He is greeted by BILLY SHERBERT.
They are joined by top executives RICHIE and RONNIE in suits
and ties. They walk through the casino, past crowded and
noisy craps tables, spinning roulette wheels, blackjack
tables, poker-faced players at poker tables, and elegant,
cordoned-off, black-tie, baccarat tables.
ACE (V.O.)
I hired an old casino pal, Billy
Sherbert, as my manager and I went
to work.
SHERBERT
(Introducing the EXECS
to ACE)
...And this is Ronnie, who takes
care of the card room...
ACE (V.O.)
For guys like me, Las Vegas washes
away your sins. It's a morality car
wash. It does for us what Lourdes
does for humpbacks and cripples.
And, along with making us legit...
INT. TANGIERS/HARD COUNT ROOM - NIGHT
Dolly back from a wall of money. An employee pours a bucket
full of coins into a trough. Camera follows progress as
numerous coins move on a conveyor system, through a sorting
machine. Camera reveals several rolls of coins on a lower
conveyor as they move up a ladder towards an employee's hands,
who then places the rolls on a rack.
ACE (V.O.)
...comes cash. Tons of it. I mean,
what do you think we're doing out
here in the middle of the desert?
It's all this money. This is the end
result of all the bright lights and
the comped trips, of all the champagne
and free hotel suites, and all the
broads and all the booze. It's all
been arranged just for us to get
your money. That's the truth about
Las Vegas.
INT. TANGIERS/FLOOR/SOFT COUNT ROOM - DAY
Camera follows JOHN NANCE carrying a small suitcase and
walking through the casino to a door leading to the cashier's
cage. The sign on the door reads 'Authorized Personnel Only'.
He walks through the cage, to another door: 'Notice - Keep
Out'.
ACE (V.O.)
We're the only winners. The players
don't stand a chance. And their cash
flows from the tables to our boxes
...through the cage and into the
most sacred room in the casino ...the
place where they add up all the money
...the holy of holies ...the count
room.
He opens the door. We see inside the count room from NANCE'S
point of view.
It looks like the area behind a teller's cage in a bank. A
large room, windowless, decor-free. One side is a mesh cage,
opened to reveal stacks of cash boxes. Several COUNTERS in
white shirts are gathered around a glass table counting and
sorting paper money.)
ACE (V.O.)
Now this place was off limits.
COUNTER #1
Verify two thousand.
ACE (V.O.)
Even I couldn't get inside, but it
was my job to keep it filled with
cash. That's for sure.
NICKY (V.O.)
They had so much fuckin' money in
there, you could build a house out
of stacks of $100 bills. And the
best part was that upstairs, the
board of directors didn't know what
the fuck was going on.
At one end of the room the clerks empty the metal boxes and
rapidly count the cash at a counting table. The camera follows
a cash 'drop box' being lifted from the stack by a clerk. He
pours the cash on to the table and shows the empty box to a
video camera. COUNTER #2 rapidly counts the cash and
announces:
COUNTER #2
Five thousand.
NICKY (V.O.)
I mean, to them everything looked on
the up and up. Right? Wrong.
The first counter recounts the cash.
COUNTER #1
Verify five thousand.
NICKY (V.O.)
The guys inside the counting room...
Stacks of bills lie nearby. The camera pans across the room
to another table manned by a COUNT ROOM EXECUTIVE who repeats
the figure and writes it down on a master list.
COUNT ROOM EXEC
Five thousand.
We move back to NANCE opening a cabinet full of stacks of
$100 bills. He opens his suitcase and begins to fill it with
cash. As he does this, the workers studiously look in other
directions.
NICKY (V.O.)
...were all slipped in there to skim
the joint dry. They'd do short
counts, they'd lose fill slips. They'd
even take cash right out of the drop
boxes. And it was up to this guy
right here [NANCE], standin' in front
of about two million dollars, to
skim the cash off the top without
anybody gettin' wise ...the IRS or
anybody.
COUNTER #1
Verify two hundred.
NANCE closes the case and walks out. One of the counters
dumps another container of money on the table.
NICKY (V.O.)
Now, notice how in the count room
nobody ever seems to see anything.
Somehow, somebody's always lookin'
the other way. Now, look at these
guys [COUNTERS]. They look busy,
right? They're countin' money. Who
wants to bother them? I mean, God
forbid they should make a mistake
and forget to steal. Meanwhile, you're
in and you're out.
NANCE exits the count room and proceeds through the lobby of
the casino, passing ACE and SHERBERT, to a side exit door.
NICKY
Past the jag-off guard who gets an
extra c-note a week just to watch
the door. I mean, it's routine.
Business as usual: in, out, hello,
goodbye. And that's all there is to
it. Just another fat fuck walkin'
out of the casino with a suitcase.
Now, that suitcase was goin' straight
to one place: right to Kansas City
...which was as close to Las Vegas
as the Midwest bosses could go without
gettin' themselves arrested.
NANCE leaves the casino and gets into a cab parked at the
curb.
EXT. KANSAS CITY AIRPORT - DAY
NANCE arrives. He is greeted by ARTIE PISCANO, a gray-haired
sixty-year-old underboss.
TITLE IN: 'KANSAS CITY'
NICKY (V.O.)
That suitcase was all the bosses
ever wanted ...and they wanted it
every month.
PISCANO
Hey, John, how are you? How was your
ride?
EXT. SAN MARINO ITALIAN GROCERY, KANSAS CITY - DAY
NANCE, with suitcase, and PISCANO leave the car and enter
the produce market.
NICKY (V.O.)
Now this old Mormon fuck here...
CUT TO: NANCE, AS HE GETS OUT OF PISCANO'S CAR
INT. SAN MARINO ITALIAN GROCERY, KANSAS CITY - DAY
NANCE and PISCANO walk through the grocery store, through
the warehouse, past various employees to a doorway leading
into the back room, where they are greeted by five older men
around a large wooden table with bowls of macaroni and old
jelly glasses filled with red wine.
NICKY (V.O.)
...he had to fly in with suitcases
once a month, nice and easy.
NANCE
Somethin' smells good.
PISCANO
Yeah, they made us somethin' to eat.
NICKY (V.O.)
The bosses would come from all over
the place: Detroit, Cleveland,
Milwaukee. All over the Midwest.
And they would meet in the back of
this produce market in Kansas City.
I mean, nobody even knew.
NANCE shakes hands with AMERICO CAPELLI, sixty-eight, a bald,
affable Milwaukee entrepreneur and ARTHUR CAPP, his thirty-
year-old yuppie lawyer son.
Camera continues to pan around the room.
NICKY (V.O.)
One of the guys made his mother do
all the cooking.
On VINCENT BORELLI, seventy-year-old Kansas City boss.
BORELLI
Did you ever see that guy Jerry
Steriano?
On VINNIE FORLANO, mid-seventies, an old-timer who once drove
for Capone and is now Remo Gaggi's right-hand man.
FORLANO
Jerry Steriano?
BORELLI
Yeah.
NICKY (V.O.)
Now, these old greaseballs might not
look it, but believe me, these are
the guys who secretly controlled Las
Vegas.
PISCANO joins his MOTHER and DAUGHTER by a stove.
PISCANO'S MOTHER
That man's here again.
Piscano dips a piece of bread into a pot of tomato sauce.
NICKY (V.O.)
Because they controlled the Teamsters'
Union, and that's where you had to
go if you wanted to borrow money to
buy a casino.
BORELLI (O.S.)
When you've finished with him, I
want him.
PISCANO'S MOTHER
(Carrying a plate of
food to the table
where BORELLI and
FORLANO are seated.)
Here you are, gentlemen.
NICKY (V.O.)
And nobody got a Teamsters' loan,
unless the guys in this room knew
they were gonna get their little
suitcases.
FORLANO gets up from the table and walks toward NANCE.
NICKY (V.O.)
Guys like this antique here [FORLANO],
out of Detroit. Or especially guys
like Remo Gaggi, the outfit's top
boss.
NANCE embraces REMO GAGGI who's seated on a couch, and sits
across from him.
GAGGI
You got a round figure on it?
NICKY (V.O.)
Definitely the most important guy in
this room.
NANCE
(Picking up the
suitcase)
About twenty pounds.
GAGGI
So?
NANCE
That's around seven hundred thousand.
GAGGI
Uh-huh, good.
NANCE opens the case to reveal the money.
ANDY STONE
(Off-screen, from
following scene)
I know it's a little early for Las
Vegas...
INT. TANGIERS EXECUTIVE OFFICE PRESS CONFERENCE/BANQUET ROOM -
DAY
Camera tilts down a model of the Tangiers Hotel and Casino,
then reveals the cover of Business Week magazine with a
drawing of PHILIP GREEN, a young corporate type, smiling out
under the headline: 'Philip Green, Vegas Wunderkind'.
STONE (O.S.)
...but I do want to welcome the ladies
and gentlemen of the gaming industry.
On ANDY STONE, a middle-aged man at a podium giving a speech
while GREEN, seated at a table, looks on. PHOTOGRAPHERS flash
their cameras. ACE and SHERBERT, sitting next to GREEN, also
watch the photo op ceremony.
ACE (V.O.)
As far as the world was concerned
Andy Stone, the head of the Teamsters'
Pension Fund, was a legitimate guy.
STONE
This is a very auspicious occasion.
ACE (V.O.)
A powerful man.
STONE
Philip, if you would rise.
Green stands up.
ACE (V.O.)
He even played golf with the
President.
STONE
On behalf of the Teamsters' Pension
Fund, it is my pleasure to present
to you . . .
ACE (V.O.)
But Andy also took orders. And when
he was told to give a pension fund
loan to Philip Green...
STONE
(Handing GREEN a large
cardboard facsimile
'check')
...this check for $62,700,000 for
the new Tangiers.
GREEN
Thank you.
ACE (V.O.)
...he did what he was told.
PHILIP GREEN, who is now the head of the Tangiers Hotel and
Casino Corporation, is standing at the podium giving a speech.
NICKY (V.O.)
Now here was the perfect front man.
I mean, what the fuck else could he
be? He didn't know too much. He
didn't want to know too much,
especially that the bosses made the
Teamsters lend him the money. He
wanted to believe the Teamsters gave
him all that fuckin' money 'cause he
was smart.
An exploding flash bulb fills the screen.
GREEN
...I say that, knowing full well
just how much competition we have in
this great city.
EXT. CHEAP MOTEL OFF HIGHWAY - DAY
We see a MAN and a WOMAN swimming underwater. Camera reveals
that they are in a motel swimming pool with glass portholes.
Expensive cars are parked outside one of the rooms. Hoods
stand around outside the door.
NICKY (V.O.)
And where they got Green from - who
the fuck knows? All I know is that
Green was an Arizona real estate
hustler, who barely had enough gas
money to come and pick up his own
fuckin' check...
INT. TANGIERS EXECUTIVE OFFICE PRESS CONFERENCE/BANQUET ROOM -
DAY
We return to the press conference. Photographers snap away.
In the background are six-foot blow-ups of the Business Week
cover. The camera moves past GREEN, CAPP and several other
men, past SHERBERT, to ACE.
NICKY (V.O.)
Now, all they needed was somebody
they could trust to run the casino.
And who better than Ace? I mean, he
was already in Vegas a couple of
years and he had the fuckin' place
clocked.
FREEZE FRAME ON ACE.
INT. TANGIERS SWIMMING POOL - DAY
Camera looks straight down from the top of a hotel to a large
pool area.
NICKY (V.O.)
But typical Ace...
INT. TANGIERS SWIMMING POOL/POOLSIDE - DAY
STONE, in a bathing suit and robe, sits on a lounge chair
with a telephone. ACE, in sports clothes, sits on another
chair.
NICKY (V.O.)
...give him a shot at runnin' a casino
and he tries to talk you out of it.
ACE
You know, I don't know if I could do
this even if I wanted to. The Gaming
Commission would never give me a
license. I have at least two dozen
gambling and bookmaking pinches on
me.
STONE
You don't have to have a license to
work in a casino. All you gotta do
is apply for one. The state law says
you can work in a casino while they're
processing your application. They
got a ten-year backlog.
ACE
But what happens when they do find
out?
STONE
Why would they want to find out?
We're puttin' a hundred million into
this desert here. Why would they
want to lock us out? And besides,
they'll never find out. All you gotta
do is keep changing your job title.
Like, uh, from Casino Executive to
Food and Beverage Chairman. And what
happens it, they take your
application, they put it at the bottom
of the pile. I know guys workin'
there for thirty years, don't have a
license.
ACE
(Exhales)
It's a tough proposition, Andy. You,
you know, if I did it, I'd have to
run it my way.
STONE
You got it.
ACE
I'm serious. No interference.
STONE
Nobody's gonna interfere with your
running the casino. I guarantee it.
Stone lights a cigarette.
INT. TANGIERS CRAPS PIT - NIGHT
ACE blows on a die.
NICKY (V.O.)
And that's how that got Ace to take
over.
ACES's hands place the die into a micrometer.
NICKY (V.O.)
They wanted him because Ace ate,
slept and breathed gambling.
Camera swish tilts up to ACE, then swish pans to boxman,
dealers and players watching him, trying to act calm.
NICKY (V.O.)
They worked out a real cute job title
too.
We see the die in the micrometer.
NICKY (V.O.)
Tangiers Public Relations Director.
Satisfied the die is not loaded ACE sets it on the craps
table, the camera cranes up to reveal the Tangiers Casino
floor.
NICKY (V.O.)
But the only thing he ever directed
was the casino. He made his first
bet when he was fifteen years old,
and he always made money. But he
didn't bet like you or me.
A DEALER is sliding chips, tossing them on to a craps table.
NICKY (V.O.)
You know, havin' some fun with it,
shit like that.
ACE
(Approaching the DEALER)
Where the hell did you learn how to
deal?
(He reaches down,
stacking and arranging
the chips.)
NICKY (V.O.)
He bet like a fuckin' brain surgeon.
ACE
(To the chastised
DEALER)
Place the checks properly. That's
the way you do it.
DEALER
Yes, sir.
NICKY (V.O.)
He had to know everything, this guy.
Direct overhead tracking shot as ACE walks between two rows
of gaming tables.
NICKY (V.O.)
He'd find out the kind of inside
stuff nobody else knew, and that's
what he'd put his money on.
INT. GYM/BOOKIE JOINT, BACK HOME, PRE-SEVENTIES - DAY
ACE walks past two boxers sparring in a ring, through a
doorway into a room where several gamblers are seated around
a table.
NICKY (V.O.)
Even back home, years ago, when we
were first hangin' out together...
TITLE IN: 'BACK HOME, YEARS AGO'
NICKY (V.O.)
...he'd know if the quarterback was
on coke.
ACE is looking at the odds board for college football games.
The bookie, LUCKY LARRY, is waiting for ACE to hand in his
picks.
ACE
I'll take Columbia for twenty.
NICKY (V.O.)
If his girlfriend was knocked up.
LUCKY LARRY
Twenty dimes on Columbia . . .
As soon as ACE bets, a man erases a number from the chalkboard
and replaces it was a '6', changing the odds. Two GAMBLERS
saunter from the room.
NICKY (V.O.)
He'd get the wind velocity so he
could judge the field goals. He even
figured out the different bounce you
got off the different kinds of wood
they used on college basketball
courts, you know?
EXT. GYM/BOOKIE JOINT PUBLIC PHONES - DAY
The two GAMBLERS we saw sauntering out of the bookie joint
are racing to the nearest public phones. Another GAMBLER has
already beaten them to it.
NICKY (V.O.)
He'd be workin' on this shit day and
night. There was nothin' about a
game he was gonna bet that he didn't
know.
GAMBLER #1
(Into phone)
Ace got down at six.
GAMBLER #2
(Into phone)
Charlie, hey. Rothstein got six.
INT. GYM/BOOKIE JOINT, SEVERAL DAYS LATER - DAY
A bookie hands a stack of money to another bookie, who hands
the money to ACE.
ACE removes several bills from the top of the stack of
winnings and holds them out to the BOOKIES.
NICKY (V.O.)
Season after season, the prick was
the only guaranteed winner I ever
knew. But he was so serious about it
all that I don't think he ever enjoyed
himself. But...
ACE exits.
NICKY (V.O.)
...that's just the way he was.
INT. MOB SOCIAL CLUB BACK ROOM - NIGHT
The room has an espresso machine and a saint's day calendar.
Assorted hoods are listening to NICKY at the bar. Camera
dollies to REMO GAGGI, at the rear table playing gin rummy
with OLD MAN CAPO and losing. Every time the CAPO picks up a
card, he's able to knock or get gin, sending GAGGI into a
fit bemoaning his bad luck.
NICKY (V.O.)
But back then the bosses didn't give
a fuck about whether he enjoyed
himself of not. To them, he was a
cash register. All they had to do
was ring the bell and take the money.
Especially Remo, who was a fuckin'
degenerate gambler who always lost.
GAGGI
(Slams down his cards
and curses at his
losing hands)
Ma che cazzo!
[Italian-American slang for 'What a prick.'] All those fuckin'
sweeps.
NICKY (V.O.)
I mean, unless Ace made his bet.
GAGGI
That's enough now!
OLD MAN CAPO
I can't contest the cards.
GAGGI
Va fa 'n culo! [Italian-American
slang for 'Fuck off']
(Summoning a young
man.)
Johnny!
NICKY (V.O.)
Ace made more money for them on a
weekend than I could do heisting
joints for a month.
ACE enters and walks to GAGGI's table.
NICKY (V.O.)
Whatever Ace picked up on the street
he told Remo.
NICKY
(Walks over to ACE
and whispers)
Hey, did you bring that thing?
NICKY (V.O.)
You know, I mean fixed fights, doped
horses, crooked fuckin' zebras...
locked-in point spreads. He told
fuckin' Remo everything. And to tell
you the truth. I don't blame him.
GAGGI stands up and shakes ACE's hand.
GAGGI
Ace.
NICKY (V.O.)
Keepin' Remo happy with money was
the greatest insurance policy in the
world.
GAGGI beams as ACE takes out an envelope filled with cash
and hands it over to him. GAGGI sits back down and ACE,
knowing his place, smiles and is about to leave.
GAGGI
Son-of-a-bitch. How the hell did you
get Oklahoma-Michigan? Nobody ever
had Oklahoma-Mi... How the hell'd
you do it?
ACE
Well, that's why they paid so well.
GAGGI
You see?
(Chuckles.)
Never tells me nothin'. Ace, what do
we got on for next week?
ACE
Well, it's a little too early. I'd
say Thursday would be good. I'll
know by then. Is that all right?
GAGGI
Okay. You come by the house?
ACE
I'll come by.
GAGGI
Seven o'clock?
ACE
Seven o'clock.
GAGGI gets up and kisses ACE as NICKY and OLD MAN CAPO look
on.
GAGGI
Good job, my boy. Keep it up. Okay,
Ace?
ACE nods in agreement and leaves the room.
GAGGI
(To NICKY)
Hey, Nick. Vien acca. [Italian-
American slang for 'Come here']
NICKY
(To ACE)
I'll be right out.
GAGGI
T'aggia parla. [Italian-American
slang for 'I've got to talk to you']
Nicky... See that guy?
(pointing to the off-
screen ACE)
NICKY
Mm.
GAGGI
Keep a good eye on him. He's makin'
a lot of money for us. And he's gonna
continue makin' a lot of money for
us, so keep a good eye on him.
NICKY
Mm.
GAGGI
Not like your fuckin' friends out
there, that... without brains. Okay?
NICKY
All right.
GAGGI
Uh-huh. Mi raccomando. [Italian-
American slang for 'I'm counting on
you']
NICKY
Yeah.
GAGGI
Fine.
NICKY
(Reaching down to
touch GAGGI's money,
joking with him.)
Want me to take this for you?
(He walks out.)
NICKY (V.O.)
So, now, on top of everything else,
I gotta make sure that nobody fucks
around with the Golden Jew.
INT. BACK HOME BAR - NIGHT
We move past JOE, a guy at the bar entertaining a BRUNETTE
and a BLONDE, to NICKY and FRANK MARINO at the other end.
There are other bar patrons in the background.
JOE
(To the BARTENDER)
Chase, couple of shooters for the
ladies.
BARTENDER (O.S.)
All right.
ACE (V.O.)
Yeah, we made a great pair. I made
book and Nicky made sure we always
collected. The old men loved us. And
why not? They all made money with
us.
NICKY
(To MARINO)
They payin'?
ACE (V.O.)
How did Nicky collect?
MARINO
They pay every week, like they're
supposed to.
ACE (V.O.)
Don't ask.
NICKY
Then where the fuck is the money? I
don't see the money.
ACE enters, and greets the two girls.
ACE
Hi, Melissa. Heidi.
BLONDE
Hi, Sam.
JOE
(To the GIRLS)
Who's this guy?
MARINO
(To NICKY)
Get the fuck out of here. It was
nine. I laid nine.
ACE approaches NICKY and MARINO.
NICKY
It was eight. Ace... tell him the
line on the Bear's game.
ACE
Eight.
NICKY
If he don't know, nobody knows. Told
you it was eight.
MARINO
Well, how come I laid nine?
NICKY
'Cause you're a jag-off. I would
have fuckin' made you lay ten...
ACE notices a pen lying on the bar. He taps JOE on the
shoulder.
ACE
(To JOE)
Excuse me.
JOE
What?
ACE
(He holds up the pen)
Is this yours? Your pen?
JOE
Yeah, that's my pen. Why?
ACE
I ju- Well, it's a nice pen. I just
didn't know whose it was. I thought
it was yours. I didn't want it to
get lost.
JOE
Well, thank you. Why don't you take
that fuckin' pen and shove it up you
ass, you fuckin' jag-off?
NICKY looks over.
ACE
Well, I was just offering you the-
NICKY moves towards JOE.
JOE
(Turning his back to
talk to the girls,
referring to ACE)
This fuckin' asshole.
NICKY grabs the pen out of ACE's hand.
MAN #1
(To JOE)
Look out!
Before ACE can react, NICKY grabs JOE and starts stabbing
him in the neck with the pen.
MAN #1
Joe! Look out, Joe! Look out!
NICKY grunts while JOE gasps and groans. The BLONDE screams
while NICKY's hand continues to plunge the pen into JOE's
throat. JOE tumbles to the floor.
NICKY pounces on him, still stabbing and now kicking. JOE
whimpers.
NICKY
What's that? You hear? You hear a
little girl, Frankie? You hear a
little girl, Ace? Is that a little
fuckin' girl?! What happened to the
fuckin' tough guy? Told my friend
stick it up his fuckin' ass?! Huh?!
Huh?!
ACE
(Over whimpers and
pants)
Wait a sec, Nicky, Nicky, Nicky. Ta-
take it easy.
ACE looks stunned. NICKY's still holding the bloody pen.
ACE (V.O.)
While I was tryin' to figure out why
the guy was sayin' what he was sayin',
Nicky just hit him. No matter how
big a guy might be, Nicky would take
him on. You beat Nicky with fists,
he comes back with a bat. You beat
him with a knife, he comes back with
a gun. And you beat him with a gun,
you better kill him, because he'll
keep comin' back and back until one
of you is dead.
NICKY (V.O.)
Listen...
INT. TANGIERS CASINO FLOOR, 1972 - NIGHT
Camera swoops from a woman cheering as she wins at a slot-
machine to a blackjack table, then to a roulette table and
over to a craps table.
Montage of very short cuts of chips being picked up, dice
thrown, money being poured from a bucket, stacks of money.
NICKY (V.O.)
...with me protecting Ace, he made a
fortune for the bosses. I mean that's
what got him to Vegas. He was a money
machine. A tremendous earner for
these guys. As soon as he took over,
he doubled the fuckin' drop. With
Ace the casino never saw so much
money. And the bosses, they couldn't
be happier.
INT. TANGIERS CASINO FLOOR - NIGHT
Camera moves in on ACE as he looks out over the casino.
Dealers deftly stack chips, scoop up losses and pay off
winners. Chips and money are everywhere.
In extreme close-up slow motion a die falls on to a table.
INT. TANGIERS CASINO SLOT-MACHINE AREA - NIGHT
ACE and SHERBERT are walking down a casino aisle by the slot-
machines. Dealers immediately snap to attention at their
approach.
ACE (V.O.)
In Vegas, I had to keep a few juiced-
in local cowboys working. They were
close to the, you know, good old
boys.
ACE
(To SHERBERT)
Pay him six hundred a week, tell him
to walk around and look smart.
ACE (V.O.)
I mean, without us, these guys, they'd
still be shovellin' mule shit.
ACE points at paper cups, empty glasses and the debris of
silver dollar wrappings on the floor. DON WARD, the Slots
Manager in Western garb, immediately starts picking up the
debris. ACE looks at WARD sternly.
ACE
Ward, you gotta keep a cleaner
station. If you need 'Mr Clean',
page him, all right?
WARD bends down and picks up some trash.
WARD
It won't happen again, Sam.
ACE
Mr Rothstein.
ACE
(To SHERBERT)
Is this guy just another dumb fuckin'
white man, or what? What's his story?
SHERBERT
We need this guy.
ACE
We can't get rid of him?
SHERBERT
He's juiced in. He's the County
Commissioner's cousin.
ACE
I wouldn't give the bum a mop job.
They exit.
INT. TANGIERS BACCARAT TABLES - NIGHT
A card shoe slides across the baccarat table. A state SENATOR,
a little drunk, tips the dealer, kisses the blonder HOOKER
with him, fills his pockets with his winnings and walks over
to see ACE.
ACE (V.O.)
These yokels ran the state.
DEALER #1
Thank you very much, Senator.
ACE (V.O.)
They passed the laws, they owned the
courts.
SENATOR
Hi, Ace.
ACE
Hello, Senator.
They shake hands.
SENATOR
(To ACE)
Hey, I need a room. Need a room.
ACE
Good to see ya.
(To SHERBERT)
William would you...
The SENATOR shakes hands with SHERBERT as the HOOKER joins
them.
ACE (V.O.)
I had dozens of politicians and state
officials comin' through that place
every week.
SHERBERT
Nice to see you, Senator.
ACE
(To SHERBERT)
Help the Senator, give him whatever
he wants.
SHERBERT
Certainly.
(Leads the way.)
Senator.
ACE (V.O.)
Why not make them happy?
SHERBERT
We have some nice penthouses you'll
enjoy. Maybe the Presidential Suite.
INT. TANGIERS PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - DAY
The SENATOR unzips the HOOKER's dress, kisses her and walks
through the bedroom doorway, looking over his shoulder to
her as she takes off her dress and walks out of his sight.
ACE (V.O.)
For politicians...
INT. TANGIERS BACCARAT TABLES - DAY
ACE smoking a cigarette by the baccarat tables.
ACE (V.O.)
...like our state senator up there,
everything was on the house.
INT. TANGIERS PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - DAY
The SENATOR opens a bureau drawer and takes out a small velvet
pouch and pours black $100 into his palm.
ACE (V.O.)
These guys won their comped life
when they got elected. So, hey, why
not take advantage of it? Still, the
politicians come cheap. We could
handle them.
INT. TANGIERS, ICHIKAWA LUXURY SUITE - DAY
K. K. ICHIKAWA a Japanese businessman, and a male associate
pick up towels and soap from about the bedroom of their suite.
A blonde woman checks herself in the mirror.
ACE (V.O.)
It's a whale like K. K. Ichikawa,
who plays thirty thousand dollars a
hand in baccarat. That's the one you
really gotta watch.
ICHIKAWA and his associate walk into the the suite's living-
room and join a Japanese woman seated on a couch.
ACE (V.O.)
He plays fast and big and he has the
cash and the credit to turn out your
lights. About a year ago, he cleaned
out a couple of casinos in the Cayman
Islands.
They begin to stuff Tangiers soap and towels into their
luggage.
ACE (V.O.)
Downstairs, he takes us for two
million... and upstairs he takes
free soap, shampoo and towels. Another
billionaire cheapskate who loves his
free rooms...
EXT. TANGIERS JET, LAS VEGAS AIRPORT - DAY
The Tangiers jet with the Tangiers logo on its side as
ICHIKAWA shakes ACE's hands before boarding. SHERBERT follows
him and his associates aboard.
ACE (V.O.)
...free private jets, and two million
of our money.
ACE
Nice to see you again.
ACE (V.O.)
But we got him back. I had our pilot
tell him the plane was on the fritz.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. TANGIERS JET, STILL IN THE SAME SPOT - NIGHT
SHERBERT apologizes to ICHIKAWA and his entourage as they
all get off the jet.
SHERBERT
Ken, I don't know what the hell went
wrong. I'm awfully sorry.
ICHIKAWA
This is a big problem. Big problem.
SHERBERT
I can't understand it. These
mechanical things, you know, they
happen. Hey, be-better here than
(gesturing to the sky)
up there, you know what I mean?
INT. LAS VEGAS AIRPORT RESERVATION DESK - NIGHT
SHERBERT arguing with TICKET AGENT as ICHIKAWA and entourage
look glum.
ACE (V.O.)
Then he missed the commercial flights
connecting with Japan.
AGENT
I'm so sorry. There's a convention
in town, and all flights are booked.
SHERBERT
A convention?
(Turning to ICHIKAWA)
I can't believe that there's a
convention. It's never... ?
ICHIKAWA
What can I do?
EXT. TANGIERS CASINO - NIGHT
A smiling ACE greets ICHIKAWA and his entourage as they drive
up and get out of Tangiers limos.
ACE (V.O.)
We got him back ...with a whole floor
of rooms for himself.
ACE
I'm sorry you missed the plane.
ICHIKAWA
You want to get my money back, right?
(Chuckles)
ACE
No, no, no. No gambling. No.
INT. TANGIERS BACCARAT TABLES - NIGHT
ICHIKAWA, with the Japanese woman, picks up some chips and
places them on the table. ACE and SHERBERT watch from behind
a barrier.
ACE (V.O.)
He bet one thousand a hand instead
of his usual thirty thousand a hand.
A dealer's hands slide two cards on the table.
DEALER
The bank wins a natural eight over a
five.
Another dealer's hands place two chips on a table. ICHIKAWA
looks on.
ACE (V.O.)
But I knew, the trick with whales
like Ichikawa was that they can't
bet small for long. He didn't think
of it as winning ten thousand, he
thought of it as losing ninety
thousand.
ICHIKAWA places a larger bet.
ACE (V.O.)
So, he upped his bets...
A dealer picks up some chips from a rack and places them on
the table.
ICHIKAWA is now seated with stacks of chips in front of him.
ACE (V.O.)
...until he dropped his winnings
back and gave up a million of his
own cash.
DISSOLVE TO:
ICHIKAWA, hours later, his chips depleted. ACE and SHERBERT
still watch from behind the barrier as millions in chips are
back in the dealer's racks.
ACE (V.O.)
In the casino, the cardinal rule is
to keep them playing...
Move in on ACE as he smokes a cigarette.
ACE (V.O.)
...and keep them coming back. The
longer they play, the more they lose.
In the end, we get it all.
INT. TANGIERS CASINO - NIGHT
ACE, with pit bosses next to him, looks out over the huge
casino where hundreds of thousands of dollars are being poured
into machines.
ACE (V.O.)
In Vegas, everybody's gotta watch
everybody else.
Camera reveals the DEALER at a craps table.
DEALER
Six, an easy way. Six! All right,
who's gonna give me...
The DEALER places some chips on the table.
ACE (V.O.)
Since the players are looking to
beat the casino...
THE CAMERA IS ON THE DEALER.
DEALER
...both dice must hit that back wall
each and every roll. All right, make
a six!
CAMERA PANS TO A WOMAN AND A MAN AT THE TABLE. THE WOMAN
TOSSES SOME DICE.
ACE (V.O.)
...the dealers are watching the
players.
WOMAN
Gimme a six!
DEALER
Come on, baby, make a six!
A BOX MAN, seated mid-table is watching the DEALER.
ACE (V.O.)
The box men are watching the dealers.
CAMERA PANS TO THE DEALER.
DEALER
(Humming, fielding,
every roll.)
CAMERA PANS TO A FLOOR MAN, STANDING DIRECTLY BEHIND THE BOX
MAN.
ACE (V.O.)
The floor men are watching the box
men.
CAMERA SWISH PANS TO REVEAL A PIT BOSS STEPPING IN, SCANNING
THE FLOOR.
ACE (V.O.)
The pit bosses are watching the floor
men.
SWISH PAN TO A SHIFT BOSS SURVEYING THE CASINO.
ACE (V.O.)
The shift bosses are watching the
pit bosses.
SWISH PAN TO SHERBERT.
ACE (V.O.)
The casino manager is watching the
shift bosses.
SWISH PAN TO ACE.
ACE (V.O.)
I'm watching the casino manager.
CAMERA SWISH PANS AND TILTS UP TO A VIDEO CAMERA MOUNTED
INSIDE A GLASS DOME HANGING FROM THE CEILING.
ACE (V.O.)
And the eye-in-the-sky is watching
us all.
SWISH PAN TO:
INT. TANGIERS-EYE-IN-THE SKY MONITOR ROOM - NIGHT
Video monitors show a dealer fanning a row of bills. Swish
pan to ACE and SHERBERT watching the monitor. ACE lights a
cigarette.
ACE (V.O.)
Plus...
SWISH PAN TO SURVEILLANCE CATWALKERS ADJUSTING CAMERAS AND
SPYING ON PLAYERS BELOW WITH BINOCULARS.
ACE (V.O.)
...we had a dozen guys up there,
most of them ex-cheats, who knew
every trick in the house.
INT. TANGIERS CRAPS TABLE - NIGHT
Ginger squeals as she throws the dice across the table.
HIGH ROLLER
Come on, come on.
She rolls a winner.
GINGER
Yes!
HIGH ROLLER
Thank you. Very nice.
GINGER
(Chuckles)
I told you I was hot tonight.
INT. TANGIERS EYE-IN-THE-SKY MONITOR ROOM - NIGHT
Sound out: The monitor shows GINGER and the HIGH ROLLER
cheering, she throws her arms around him. The crowd goes
crazy.
SWISH PAN TO ACE LOOKING ON INTENTLY.
On screen, GINGER's hand sneaks a chip from the rack and
subtly moves it towards her purse.
INT. TANGIERS CRAPS TABLE - NIGHT
Sound in: GINGER slips the chip quietly into her bag.
HIGH ROLLER
(Off-screen)
Let's go. This is for Ginger. Come
on. This is for Ginger.
The HIGH ROLLER notices GINGER's hand on her purse. She
pretends to have taken out her lipstick.
GAMBLER #1
Let me have a hundred on the hard
ten. Thank you.
GAMBLER #2
Hard ten. One hundred.
INT. TANGIERS EYE-IN-THE-SKY MONITOR ROOM - NIGHT
ACE continues to look at the monitor. SHERBERT and a security
man seated at a video console also look on.
INT. TANGIERS CRAPS TABLE - NIGHT
A craps stick pushes some dice towards GINGER. She rolls
again, only this time she craps out. Gamblers groan, then
applaud her. She's made so much money for the table that the
winners toss chips in her direction.
HIGH ROLLER
I'm sorry.
GINGER
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
(To the table)
Thank you very much. Thank you very
much.
ACE and two casino execs are now on the floor watching her.
GINGER
Thank you, sir, I appreciate that.
Everybody, thanks. Gives some chips
as tips to the dealer and box man.
Thanks. Take care, Steve. Take chances
and drive fast.
HIGH ROLLER
Ginger, honey.
DEALER
Thank you very much, now.
HIGH ROLLER
Ginger, honey, this is for you love.
Thanks for your time.
She turns to the HIGH ROLLER, who is handing her a thin stack
of chips worth about $2,000.
GINGER
(Chuckles)
Come on.
HIGH ROLLER
What's the matter?
GINGER
What do you mean, 'What's the matter?'
I made a lot of money for you. I
want my cut.
HIGH ROLLER
What money? I've seen you stealing
from me.
GINGER
What money? Look at this stack of
chips. Don't give me that shit. I
want my end.
HIGH ROLLER
Ginger, I've been watching you all
night. You've been stealing from me.
GINGER
Don't give me that shit. I want my
money.
HIGH ROLLER
That bag's full of fuckin' chips you
GINGER
(Interrupts)
What do you mean 'stole'? I didn't
steal anything from you.
ACE watches the argument heat up.
HIGH ROLLER
Get lost, Ginger! Get lost!
GINGER
Get lost?
HIGH ROLLER
Yes.
GINGER
Get lost?
HIGH ROLLER
Yes.
GINGER knocks the chip rack out of his hands.
GINGER
Well, how 'bout that?
HIGH ROLLER
Come on!
(He bends down to
pick them up.)
Gamblers and dealers shout and yell. She picks up another
rack of chips and tosses them into the air, then another,
and another. Chips fly all over the casino. Everyone starts
diving for chips. Dealers. Players. Security guards.
Waitresses. Pit bosses. Bedlam.
ACE and the two execs with him are the only ones not diving
for chips. He looks at GINGER. She looks at him.
FREEZE FRAME ON GINGER.
Slow motion: GINGER smiles at ACE and walks off.
ACE (V.O.)
What a move. I fell in love right
there.
INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT
GINGER and ACE are seated on a banquette. Close up of his
hand attaching a diamond and ruby pin to her dress. Tilt up
to GINGER's smiling face beaming at ACE.
ACE (V.O.)
But in Vegas, for a girl like Ginger,
love costs money.
They kiss.
GINGER
I'm going to go powder my nose.
(ACE hands GINGER a
single $50 bill. She
smiles coyly. He
hands her another
fifty.)
ACE (V.O.)
Ginger's mission in life was money.
GINGER
I'll be right back.
ACE (O.S.)
(from following scene)
See you, Ginger.
FLASHBACK - EXT. CASINO ENTRANCE - NIGHT
GINGER waves goodbye to the DOORMAN and walks towards two
VALET PARKERS who greet her warmly. She gets a bottle of
pills from one of them and slips some cash into his hand in
return.
GINGER
Okay, thank you for asking.
ACE (V.O.)
She was a queen around the casino.
She brought in high rollers and helped
them spread around a lot of money.
GINGER
(To VALET PARKERS)
Hello.
VALET PARKER
Hey, Ginger, how you doin'?
GINGER
Great.
(Handing the VALET
some money.)
And I have something for you. You
got me covered?
The VALET PARKER places a vial of pills in her hand.
VALET PARKER
Yes. Something for you, there.
GINGER
And you do. Thank you very much.
VALET PARKER
Take care of yourself.
FLASHBACK - INT. HOTEL SUITE BATHROOM - NIGHT
GINGER hands the pills to HIGH ROLLER #2 in his hotel
bathroom, where he is washing his face and trying to energize
himself.
GINGER
I got some lucky pills for you, honey.
HIGH ROLLER #2
Oh, yeah?
ACE (V.O.)
Who didn't want Ginger? She was one
of the best-known, best-liked and
most respected hustlers in town.
Smart hustlers like her could keep a
guy awake for two or three days before
sending him home broke to the little
woman and his bank examiners.
INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT
GINGER comes back from the ladies room. She kisses ACE.
ACE
Any change?
GINGER
(Chuckles)
I hit a few... uh, games on the way
back.
ACE (V.O.)
That was all bullshit. She just
pocketed the cash.
FLASHBACK - INT. TANGIERS CASHIER'S CAGE - NIGHT
GINGER converts her chips into a pile of $100 bills.
GINGER
(To CASHIER)
How you doin' tonight?
CASHIER
Good. How are you?
GINGER
(Sighing)
Oh, beat.
ACE (V.O.)
Ginger had the hustler's code.
CASHIER
Okay.
GINGER
Take one for you.
CASHIER
(While she counts out
the cash)
Thank you.
ACE (V.O.)
She knew how to take care of people.
And that's what Vegas was all about.
CASHIER
(As she pushes a stack
of $100 bills across
the counter)
Sixty-eight hundred.
GINGER
Thanks
She picks up the cash.
CASHIER
You're welcome.
ACE (V.O.)
It's Kickback City.
GINGER
You have a good night.
CASHIER
Thank you. You too.
Close-up of GINGER folding a $100 bill and placing it in her
palm. She slips the folded bill deftly into the palm of a
floor manager.
ACE (V.O.)
She took care of the dealers...
GINGER
Hey, Mitch.
ACE (V.O.)
...pit bosses, floor managers.
GINGER
Thank you.
ACE (V.O.)
But mostly...
EXT. TANGIERS ENTRANCE - NIGHT
GINGER, on her way out of the casino, passes a folded $100
bill to a smiling older SHIFT BOSS.
ACE (V.O.)
...she took care of the valet parkers,
the guys who could get you anything
and take care of anything.
GINGER
Thanks a lot.
SHIFT BOSS
Thank you, Ginger.
EXT. TANGIERS ENTRANCE - NIGHT
GINGER exits and gets into her car, slipping a VALET PARKER
a $100 bill.
ACE (V.O.)
Ginger took care of the parkers
because they took care of the security
guards, who took care of the metro
cops, who let her operate.
VALET PARKER #3
Thank you, Ginger.
GINGER
(Getting into her car)
I need that stuff tonight.
VALET PARKER #3
No problem.
GINGER
You're a doll.
ACE (V.O.)
The valet parking job was such a
money-maker that they had to pay off
the hotel manager just to get the
concession.
INT. GINGER'S APARTMENT - DAY
GINGER enters the room with $25,000 in her hands. She taps
LESTER DIAMOND's leg with it and he turns to her.
ACE (V.O.)
But one thing I could never
understand, was that she could have
everything under control, except for
her old pimp boyfriend, Lester
Diamond.
LESTER
Look, Gin, you know I got other people
in this. I got partners. But I want
you to understand that I am lookin'
out for you in this thing. Okay?
You're going to get yours back...
and you're gonna get it back first.
Okay?
GINGER
All right.
LESTER
Okay?
GINGER
Yeah.
LESTER
Where are you goin'? Where are you?
You're in that place. Where are you?
GINGER
I'm here.
LESTER
No, you're not. Where are you? Where
are you?
GINGER
I'm always here for you.
LESTER
You are.
GINGER
I am.
He hastily kisses GINGER and slips out the door.
ACE (V.O.)
The Ginger I knew wouldn't even look
at this creep.
GINGER
Good luck.
LESTER
Yeah.
ACE (V.O.)
He was a moocher, a card cheat, a
country-club golf hustler. A
scumbag... chasing dentists for a
few bucks.
GINGER
Careful.
GINGER looks out of the window and sees LESTER get into a
convertible and drive off.
ACE (V.O.)
I mean, the guy was always broke, he
always had a story. And somehow, she
could never turn him down. The way
Ginger saw it, I guess, was that
Lester was just an unlucky guy.
Somebody had to take care of him.
INT. BACK HOME AIRPORT/CUSTOMS - DAY
NICKY, his wife JENNIFER, with a beehive hairdo, and their
eight-year-old son LITTLE NICKY, are detained while their
luggage is searched by a customs agent.
TITLE IN: 'BACK HOME'
ACE (V.O.)
But nobody had to take care of Nicky.
NICKY
(To customs agent)
You find any cash in there, we'll
whack it up with you.
ACE (V.O.)
I mean, he took care of himself only
too well. And that's why every badge
back home wanted to nail him.
JENNIFER
(To customs agent)
Excuse me, but I folded these things
beautifully and I would appreciate a
little respect. Jesus Christ!
NICKY
Don't look at me, pal. I gotta live
with her.
We see MARINO waiting for NICKY outside the customs area.
Two COPS push past him.
ACE (V.O.)
Even after a little vacation, they
hassled him at the airport.
COP #1
(To MARINO)
Excuse me.
ACE (V.O.)
I mean, Frank Marino was there to
meet him, but so were the cops. This
time they wanted to pinch him for
some diamond burglary in Antwerp.
CAMERA DOLLIES IN ON JENNIFER'S BEEHIVE.
JENNIFER
Oh, yes. Will you help me fold these,
please?
ACE (V.O.)
They were ready to blame him for
anything, no matter where it happened.
FLASH FORWARD - INT. NICKY'S HOUSE/BACK HOME - DAY
NICKY, JENNIFER, LITTLE NICKY and MARINO walk in.
JENNIFER
(To LITTLE NICKY)
You go and put your things away.
ACE (V.O.)
And they were usually right.
NICKY, JENNIFER and MARINO are gathered around the kitchen
table. JENNIFER leans over and starts to shake her hair.
MARINO
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
NICKY
Hold it, hold it. Here.
NICKY places a red towel down on the table. JENNIFER leans
over again, tugs and shakes her hair until diamonds begin to
fall out of her beehive.
ACE (V.O.)
Because Nicky enjoyed being a
gangster, and he didn't give a damn
who knew it.
JENNIFER
Come on. There we go. Look at that.
Beautiful.
Diamonds fall on the red towel in slow motion.
ACE (V.O.)
I mean, that's what worried me, 'cause
it turns out Nicky was about to be
sent to Vegas.
JENNIFER
All right, we're clear.
NICKY
There's more!
JENNIFER
I think that's it.
NICKY
There's more! There's a couple stuck
in there. I know there's more.
JENNIFER
God, I'm telling you, they're out!
NICKY
Come on, damn it. Don't get so
defensive. It could be stuck in your
hair, you know.
NICKY grasps JENNIFER's hair.
JENNIFER
Look, there aren't...
(A diamond falls out
of her beehive.)
There aren't but...
NICKY
Oh, there aren't?
(Showing her the
diamond.)
What's that?
(Slaps her.)
Huh? What's that.
(FRANK chuckles.)
There's no more. Thanks, hon.
INT. BACK HOME AIRPORT/CUSTOMS - DAY
ON NICKY.
NICKY (V.O.)
I couldn't wait to get my hands on
Vegas. But the bosses didn't send me
out there to have a good time.
INT. SAN MARINO ITALIAN GROCERY/BACK ROOM, KANSAS CITY -
NIGHT
Mob bosses FORLANO, CAPELLI, GAGGI, BORELLI and PISCANO seated
around the back room table eating and talking as in the
opening vignette.
NICKY (V.O.)
They sent me out there to make sure
that nobody fucked with Ace and...
INT. ACE'S TANGIERS PENTHOUSE, LAS VEGAS - DAY
ACE opens the door to NICKY and JENNIFER.
NICKY (V.O.)
...nobody interfered with the fuckin'
skim.
ACE
(Opening door)
Hey.
JENNIFER
Hey, how you doin'?
(Kisses ACE.)
NICKY
Hey. Hey, Sammy, how are you?
JENNIFER and NICKY take in ACE's spectacular Vegas-style
penthouse.
JENNIFER
(Whispering)
Wow.
NICKY
Boy, look at this place, huh?
JENNIFER
Incredible.
NICKY
All right.
ACE
Welcome to Vegas.
CAMERA TILTS UP TO REVEAL A SWEEPING VIEW OF THE LAS VEGAS
SKYLINE.
NICKY
Okay, Sammy.
ACE
Somethin', huh?
NICKY
Yeah.
ACE
(Calling her over)
Ginger.
GINGER emerges from the bedroom. NICKY and JENNIFER are both
stunned by her beauty.
NICKY
(To ACE)
Holy shit, what've you been doin'
out here?
ACE
Honey, come here.
She walks to them
ACE
This is Jennifer and Nick. They're
dear friends of mine.
JENNIFER
(Shaking hands)
Good to meet you.
GINGER
Hi, Jennifer.
NICKY
Pleasure.
(Grasping GINGER's
hand and kissing it.)
Very nice to meet you.
GINGER
Hi, how are you?
NICKY
Okay, Sammy.
INT. ACE'S CAR, LAS VEGAS STRIP - NIGHT
ACE and NICKY are driving through town, the neon lights of
Vegas reflected in the windshield.
ACE (V.O.)
After we ate, we left Jennifer and
Ginger alone and we took a ride to
talk. And then... he hit me with it.
NICKY
What do you think about me movin'
out here?
(ACE looks away.)
What's the matter? You got a problem
with that?
ACE
No, of course not.
NICKY
(Playfully)
You mean, I have your permission?
ACE
Sure, you have my permission. But I -
I just gotta tell you it's no joke
out here. It's no joke, you know?
You gotta keep a low profile. It's
not like back home. Right off the
bat, they don't like guys like us.
And this sheriff's a real cowboy.
Even the coppers aren't afraid to
bury people out in the desert here.
NICKY
I don't care. I want to get away
from back home for a while. I'm tired
of that shit back there.
(Referring to the
Vegas lights.)
Look at this place. It's made of
money. You know what the best part
is? Nobody's gonna know what we're
doin'! There's nobody here to see
us! Everybody's back home.
ACE
Nick, I gotta tell you, I got pinched
twice for no reason. You really gotta
be careful. I'm running a licensed
place. Everything's legit.
NICKY
Don't worry about it. I'm not gonna
do anything. What am I gonna do?
I'm especially not gonna involve you
in anything.
ACE gives NICKY a look.
EXT./INT. LAS VEGAS SPORTSBOOK - NIGHT
NICKY and MARINO pull up in their car and get out.
NICKY (V.O.)
Ace saw Vegas one way.
NICKY
You call this guy and tell him I'm
comin'?
MARINO
Of course.
They walk into the sportsbook, past numerous bar patrons and
gamblers to TONY, the bookie at a betting counter.
NICKY (V.O.)
But I saw it another. I saw it as
untouched. I mean, they had bookies,
pimps and drug dealers I could shake
down. Who the fuck were they gonna
run to? So, I started getting
everybody in line. Best of all, for
the first time in my life, I figured
out a way not to lose.
ACE (V.O.)
Yeah, he had a fool-proof scheme,
all right. It wasn't very scientific
but it worked. When he won, he
collected. When he lost, he told the
bookies to go fuck themselves. What
were they gonna do? Muscle Nicky?
(Chuckles.)
Nicky was the muscle.
NICKY grabs TONY by the back of his neck.
NICKY
Tony.
TONY
Hey.
NICKY
How you doin'?
TONY
How you doin'?
NICKY
All right, yeah. You got that thing
for me?
TONY
What thing? Oh, Nicky... I thought
you was layin'.
NICKY
I was layin'? No, no, I'm taking it.
I was takin' it.
TONY
You sure?
NICKY
I'm positive.
TONY
Well, I'm a little confused here.
NICKY
You're a little confused?
TONY
Yeah.
NICKY
(Pointing to a window,
above a counter with
a tiny opening to
talk through)
Maybe if I stick your fuckin' face
through this window over here like,
you know, you'll - you'll get
unconfused. Give me the fuckin' money!
TONY takes some money out of his coat pocket.
TONY
(Groaning)
I'm sorry, Nicky. I didn't mean
anything by it.
NICKY
Yeah, I know, that's why you had it
ready. You thought I was fuckin'
layin' it?!
He smacks the bookie on the head with the wad of money.
TONY
(Gasps)
My fuckin' head.
NICKY
Your fuckin' head, huh? Don't fuck
around, Tony.
MARINO
(Pointing to TONY)
Smarten up.
NICKY
(Walking out)
You jag-off.
CLASSROOM NUN (O.S.)
(From following scene)
And now...
INT. CATHOLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY
NICKY and JENNIFER stand in the background with other parents
listening to a NUN school teacher. LITTLE NICKY and other
youngsters are seated at small children's desks.
CLASSROOM NUN
...Nicholas Santoro will come up and
tell us about our first president.
LITTLE NICKY
(Stepping up in front
of the class to begin
a speech)
George Washington was born in a...
ACE (V.O.)
But still, it was nice and quiet for
a while. Ginger and I presented Nicky
and Jennifer all over town, like
regular Ozzie and Harriets.
LITTLE NICKY
...typical Virginia farmhouse.
EXT. LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD - DAY
NICKY and DETECTIVE BOB JOHNSON are coaching their sons.
JOHNSON pats LITTLE NICKY on the back and with encouraging
words sends him running on to the field.
DETECTIVE JOHNSON
(To LITTLE NICKY)
Beautiful. You got a beautiful swing.
NICKY (V.O.)
Ace got my son, little Nicky, involved
with Little League, and it was great.
DETECTIVE JOHNSON
Now, I want you to get out there and
get me singles and doubles, okay?
'Cause that's what's gonna win this
game.
NICKY (V.O.)
Turned out to be one of the other
coaches was a fuckin'...
DETECTIVE JOHNSON
Now go out there and show your dad
what you can do.
NICKY (V.O.)
...metro intelligence cop. But it
didn't matter. I mean, it was all
about the kids, you know.
DETECTIVE JOHNSON
You know, he's gotta realize
everything can't be a home run that
he does.
NICKY
Yeah, well, that's exactly what I
keep tellin' him, but that's the
kind of kid he is ever since he's
born.
DETECTIVE JOHNSON
It's instinctive, you know.
NICKY
He tries to do everything...
LITTLE NICKY hits the ball, NICKY and DETECTIVE JOHNSON
applaud.
NICKY
Ohh!
ACE (V.O.)
And, Nicky being Nicky, he made his
presence known.
INT. TANGIERS CASHIER'S CAGE CREDIT WINDOW - NIGHT
NICKY saunters through the casino and up to EDDY and JERRY,
two well-dressed hoods who are signing papers at the cashier's
credit window near ACE and SHERBERT.
ACE (V.O.)
Especially at the casino, where he
definitely did not work, people got
the message.
NICKY (V.O.)
Me? That's why the bosses sent me
out here. They wanted me to make
sure none of the other crews robbed
the joint. Like these two fuckin'
balloon-heads over here [EDDY and
JERRY]. They were gonna try and bang
us out of two hundred fuckin' grand?
(Chuckling.)
Yeah, right, I'm sure.
JERRY
(Shakes NICKY's hand)
Hey, Nicky. How are you?
NICKY
Hey, Eddy.
EDDY
Hey, Nicky, how are you? What are
you doin' here?
NICKY
I'm over here now.
JERRY/EDDY
(In unison)
You're over here?
JERRY
You're over here?
NICKY
Yeah, I'm over here with him.
SWISH PAN TO ACE WITH SHERBERT OFF TO THE SIDE.
EDDY
Oh.
JERRY
Oh.
EDDY
We're waiting on Carmine.
JERRY
Yeah, we're lookin' for Carmine.
NICKY
Carmine? He was here before. I saw
him. He had a suitcase and everything,
and then he left.
EDDY
Carmine left?
NICKY
Uh-huh.
JERRY
Carmine left?
EDDY
He's gone?
JERRY
He's not here?
EDDY
Carmine's gone.
NICKY
I think, you know, maybe he went
across the street or somewhere else
or somethin'. I don't know.
EDDY
Well, listen, uh... Good luck with
the joint, huh?
(Shakes hands with
NICKY.)
NICKY
Oh, thanks, Eddy.
JERRY
(Shakes NICKY's hand)
Yeah, lots of luck. Lots of luck.
NICKY
Hey, great, Jerry.
They walk away.
NICKY
Good luck to you too.
CREDIT CLERK
(To NICKY from behind
the cage)
Hey, they forgot to sign their papers.
NICKY
What?
CREDIT CLERK
They forgot to sign their papers.
NICKY
Yeah, they don't need those anymore.
He looks over to ACE and SHERBERT. NICKY smiles.
ACE (V.O.)
Out of respect, guys from other crews
got away with a warning.
ACE taking a drag off his cigarette, nods an 'okay'.
ACE (V.O.)
Everybody else: watch out.
INT. TANGIERS CASINO/BLACKJACK TABLES - DAY
A blackjack WINNER, who looks like a school teacher, with
over $100,000 in chips before him has gathered a crowd.
ACE (V.O.)
Like these yokels here who never
heard of Nicky or the bosses back
home, 'cause they're the morons who
give you the most trouble. Even after
we'd catch 'em, they'd try sneakin'
back with beards and wigs and fake
noses.
ACE and SHERBERT walk up to watch the WINNER who is playing
all six hands at the blackjack table.
ACE (V.O.)
You can spot these assholes by
watching the way they bet. Like this
guy. He's bettin' lavender chips at
five hundred each with only one little
problem. He's always guessed right.
If he wasn't so fuckin' greedy, he'd
have been tougher to spot. But in
the end, they're all greedy.
ACE walks around the WINNER's table, past the crowd, to the
pit. Behind him are more blackjack tables, dealers and
players. ACE bends down and ties his shoelace.
ACE (V.O.)
I saw that the dealer was weak, but
he wasn't in on it.
The DEALER's hands lift the corner of his hole card a half
an inch to determine the casino's hand against the WINNER.
The slightly exposed hole card is a six of clubs.
ACE (V.O.)
He just wasn't protecting his hand.
He was lifting his hole card way to
high.
ON ACE'S FACE THEN TO HIS POV OF THE CARD, PAST A PIT BOSS,
PANNING TO THE SIGNALER AT THE BLACKJACK TABLE TO THE RIGHT.
THE SIGNALER IS SLUMPED DOWN IN HIS SEAT, TOSSING DOWN SOME
CARDS AND SNEAKING LOOKS AT THE DEALER'S HAND AT THE WINNER'S
TABLE.
ACE (V.O.)
Now, here's this guy...
OVERHEAD PAN FROM THE SIGNALER SLUMPED IN HIS SEAT.
ACE (V.O.)
...reading the dealer's hole card...
PAN CONTINUES PAST ACE TO REVEAL THE WINNER'S TABLE.
ACE (V.O.)
...and signaling his buddy [the
WINNER] at this table.
OVERHEAD DOLLY IN ON SIGNALER WHO APPEARS TO BE NERVOUSLY
TAPPING HIS THIGH.
We see through his trousers, that he is tapping a copper
transmitter with a battery pack attached.
Back at the WINNER's table we see inside his pant leg where
a device strapped to his leg is receiving the impulse signal -
buzz - buzz - buzz - from the SIGNALER.
ACE (V.O.)
And that's just what these hustlers
look for. They cruise from casino to
casino, lookin' for weak dealers the
way lions look for weak antelope.
ACE starts to get up.
ACE (O.S.)
(From following scene)
Operator?
INT. TANGIERS BLACKJACK TABLES/TELEPHONE - DAY
ACE is on the house phone right near the SIGNALER's table.
ACE
This is Mr R. Get me Armstrong and
Friday over at pit two right away.
He hangs up, and fixes his tie in the mirrored panel above
the phone.
OVERHEAD VIEW OF THE SIGNALER'S TABLE. VARIOUS SECURITY GUARDS
SLOWLY BEGIN TO GATHER AROUND IT.
ACE, waiting, lights a cigarette. ARMSTRONG joins ACE. They
look towards the SIGNALER's table.
ACE
(To ARMSTRONG)
BJ nineteen, second base, the beard
[Blackjack table number 19, second
position, man with the beard]
ACE
(Picks up the phone
again.)
Operator... I need Mr Happy, loud.
On ACE's signal, WAITRESSES, one carrying a cake with a
sparkling candle, start singing 'Happy Birthday', attracting
the crowd's attention.
WAITRESSES
(In unison)
Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday
to you. Happy Birthday, dear Jeff.
Happy Birthday to you.
Gamblers cheer and applaud.
ACE nods and ARMSTRONG lets a long metal object drop out
from under his jacket sleeve and moves in close behind the
SIGNALER, as though looking at the game.
He presses the object - a cattle prod - under the SIGNALER's
arm near his heart. The SIGNALER instantly goes into
convulsions, falling to the floor gasping and groaning.
Several SECURITY GUARDS grab the SIGNALER as he falls.
ARMSTRONG walks away.
SECURITY GUARD #1
Man down!
The WINNER sees what happened to his partner.
SECURITY GUARD #1
Notify medical! We got a cardiac
arrest here!
SECURITY GUARD #2
He's fine, folks. Just give us some
room, please!
ACE watches the scene. The guards lift the stunned SIGNALER
to his feet and help him away from the table. Play is
immediately resumed.
ACE (V.O.)
Watch it now.
The WINNER hurriedly places his chips into racks.
SECURITY GUARD #1 (O.S.)
Stand back!
ACE (V.O.)
They never know what hit them. And
if and when...
SECURITY GUARDS drag the SIGNALER out.
ACE (V.O.)
...they do find out they just got
zapped by a cattle prod...
SHERBERT follows the WINNER as he rushes away.
ACE (V.O.)
...they wish they really did have a
heart attack.
ACE exits behind the GUARDS and the SIGNALER.
INT. BASEMENT MAINTENANCE ROOM - NIGHT
A grim, windowless utility room with tools on racks along
the walls, some plain wooden chairs, and a workbench table.
ACE (V.O.)
Turns out this guy and his fuckin'
pals, they were knockin' this place
dead for years.
SECURITY GUARD #1
He's got a wire on him.
The SIGNALER is roughly shoved into the room. A SECURITY
GUARD tears his trousers down revealing the signaling device
strapped to his leg.
SIGNALER
Hey, hey, what are you doin', man?
SECURITY GUARD #2
(Exposing the device)
There it is! On the table!
SECURITY GUARD #1
Cheater's justice!
The SIGNALER is slammed down face first on the bench and the
two GUARDS spread his arms out on the table.
SIGNALER
(In pain)
Oh, God! Oh!
Another GUARD starts up a power saw and approaches the
SIGNALER who is now pinned to the table. He starts to scream.
SIGNALER
Hey, no! No! No!
ACE walks toward the table, gesturing for the GUARD to turn
off the saw.
ACE (V.O.)
We had to make an example of these
pricks that the party was over.
ACE
(To relieved SIGNALER)
I'm just curious. I saw you shuffling
your checks with your right hand.
Can you do that with both hands?
SIGNALER
No.
ACE
Can't do it with both hands?
SIGNALER
No, Sir.
ACE
Can you do it with your left hand?
SIGNALER
Well, I... I never tried.
ACE
So, you're a righty?
SIGNALER
Ye-yeah.
ACE nods to one of the GUARDS. Instantly a large rubber mallet
smashes onto the man's right hand four times to the sound of
screams. ACE watches.
ACE
Now, you're gonna have to learn with
your left hand.
SIGNALER
God!
(He moans and sits
back.)
WINNER (O.S.)
(From following scene)
It's a hundred...
INT. CASINO CASHIER'S CAGE AREA - NIGHT
The WINNER has been standing outside the cashier's cage
waiting for his $110,000 in chips to be cashed. SHERBERT
walks up behind him.
WINNER
...a hundred ten.
CASHIER
Yes, it is.
WINNER
I think.
CASHIER
Yes.
WINNER
Okay.
SHERBERT
Hiya. That's a lot of money to be
counting out in public.
WINNER
Yeah.
SHERBERT
(To CASHIER)
Why don't I take him over to the
office and verify it, huh?
CASHIER
Yes.
SHERBERT
A little privacy. And, by the way,
send over a... nice bottle of
champagne on ice, huh?
CASHIER
Sure will.
SHERBERT
Real special. Somethin'...
(To WINNER.)
By the way... I'm Billy Sherbert,
your casino manager.
He shakes hands with the WINNER.
WINNER
Hi.
SHERBERT
Having a good time?
SHERBERT leads him away from the cage.
WINNER
Yes, uh...
SHERBERT
You'll want to count the money in
privacy. You know, you don't need...
WINNER
Uh, I have a plane to catch to
Cleveland... Can I get my winnings?
INT. BASEMENT MAINTENANCE ROOM - NIGHT
The WINNER is pushed through the door by two GUARDS followed
by SHERBERT and sees his pal moaning in pain and holding his
broken hand.
SIGNALER
Look what they did to my hand, man!
ACE
(Walks over to the
WINNER)
All right, I'm gonna give you a
choice. You can either have the money
and the hammer or you can walk out
of here. You can't have both. What
do you want?
SHERBERT stands next to the WINNER
WINNER
I just wanna get out of here.
ACE
And don't forget to tell your friends
what happens if they fuck around in
here. You understand?
WINNER
I'm sorry. I made a bad mistake.
ACE
You're fuckin' right, you made a bad
mistake. 'Cause if you come back
here - we catch either one of you -
we're gonna break your fuckin' heads
and you won't walk out of here. You
see that fuckin' saw? We're gonna
use it. You don't fuck around in
this place. You got it?
WINNER
Yeah.
ACE
Get out of here.
WINNER
Thank you.
The GUARDS usher the WINNER out of the room.
ACE
(To the GUARDS,
referring to the
SIGNALER)
Throw him out in the alley. And
just tell the cops he got hit by a
car.
INT. ACE'S TANGIERS PENTHOUSE
ACE and GINGER are alone in the living room. The apartment
looks out on the glittering neon signs of the Strip.
ACE (V.O.)
Within no time, everything was set
in place. We got rid of the freelance
scamsters. The per was way up. The
gods were happy, or as happy as the
gods can ever be. And I, I decided
to complicate my life. For a guy who
likes sure things, I was about to
bet the rest of my life on a real
longshot.
ACE
We're not getting any younger. Don't
you think it's time? Aren't you
gettin' tired of all this shit?
Bangin' around, hustlin' around?
GINGER
What, are you trying to handicap me?
ACE
I'm gonna do you one better. I'm
trying to marry you. You want to
marry me?
(GINGER looks doubtful.)
I'm serious. I mean, I - I want to
settle down. I want a family.
GINGER
(Sighs, laughing)
You got the wrong girl, Sam.
ACE
I know I'd be a good father. I know
you'd be a good mother.
GINGER
You don't know me. What, you've known
me, two, three months. What do you
know?
ACE
I'm forty-three years old. I don't
want to wait. I know you well enough
to know that I really love you very
much. And I can't think of anybody
better to be with. And I don't feel
like waiting anymore.
GINGER
You know a lot of happily married
people, Sam? 'Cause I don't.
ACE
Yeah, I know all that.
GINGER
I care about you, a - But I just
don't have those kind of feelings
for you. I'm sorry. I'm not in love
with you.
ACE
(Brushing cigarette
ash off his dressing