EXTRACT FROM 'THE FALL AND RISE OF MICKEY GOODBAR'
by Peter Devonald and David Collins
COPYRIGHT 2004-2009: Contact pdevonald@hotmail.com for more details

            EXTRACT FROM PAGE 51



            INT. COURT - LATER

            Mickey sits in the audience directly behind Burke. Burke sees
            him and nods.

                                COURT SPOKESMAN
                      All rise for the honorable Judge Quilty.

            Quilty shuffles into court. Quilty is in his seventies,
            balding, gray and haggard looking. He sits down and looks at
            JURY, who still stand.

                                QUILTY
                      What are you waiting for? Sit down. Sit
                      down.

            Jury sits. Quilty looks sweaty and agitated, his lips
            slightly red from lipstick.

                                QUILTY
                      This has been a long and hard case, a
                      case that strikes at the heart of
                      America. Hollywood is there to protect
                      our way of life, not give way to its
                      excesses. You really should be ashamed of
                      yourself, Mr Burke.

            Quilty stares at Burke, who looks nervous.

                                QUILTY
                      Though the facts are sordid, let the
                      sordidness not harm the innocent. To this
                      aim, can I just thank Mr Lou Brillstein
                      for all his help in these proceedings.

            Brillstein smirks.

                                QUILTY
                      It's a rare pleasure to be in the company
                      of such an honest, true man.

            Quilty turns angrily to Burke.

                                QUILTY
                      But as for you, Mr Burke, rarely in my
                      fifty years as a practicing judge have I
                      met such an odious and contemptible man.
                      I shall put the full weight of this court
                      against you. Ten years in prison. No
                      parole.

            Quilty slams his hammer. 

            Uproar in the court. 

            Burke gets hold of Mickey's arm.

                                BURKE
                      You run it all, Mickey. You run
                      everything till I get out.

            Mickey watches as Burke is dragged away by Guards.



            INT. BRILLSTEIN'S MANSION IN LA - NIGHT

            A big party. GIRLS DRESSED IN HAWAIIAN GRASS SKIRTS dance.
            The atmosphere is supercharged. Brillstein sits on a throne
            on a stage with a large background painting of Hawaii behind
            him. GORGEOUS WOMEN hula dance around him, and he smokes a
            big cigar. He looks over the proceedings like a king. 

            Mickey enters the house with Sandy. Sandy sees some people
            having sex in the room, looks surprised. TOPLESS GIRL stands
            next to Mickey and leers at him. Sandy leans close to Mickey.

                                SANDY
                      I'm just gonna clean myself up.

            Mickey nods, embarrassed, as Sandy leaves. 

            Betty walks by with Potter on her arm.

                                BETTY
                      Hey, Mickey.

            Mickey looks surprised. Betty looks drunk and happy. 

            Mickey goes up to the throne, but Brillstein's attention is
            solely on Gorgeous Women.

                                MICKEY
                      Mr Brillstein.

            Brillstein continues to look at Gorgeous Women.

                                MICKEY
                      Mr Brillstein.

            Brillstein waves at GORGEOUS WOMAN in the center of the room.
            Gorgeous Woman waves back.

                                MICKEY
                      I need to talk to you, Lou. 

            Brillstein doesn't look at him.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      That seems to be what you're doing, son.

                                MICKEY
                      There's something that's been bothering
                      me.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      Oh yeah?

                                MICKEY
                      The day we were arrested -

            Brillstein looks at him and smiles.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      Oh, please, don't remind me, Mickey. Why
                      not pick a girl and enjoy yourself?

                                MICKEY
                      Well, I might just do that, Lou. But
                      about this bust, I can't seem to
                      understand why you got off so easy.

            Brillstein laughs. HAWAIIAN GIRL brings a tray full of
            cocktails with sparklers. Brillstein takes one, as does
            Mickey. Brillstein takes a sip from the straw.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      Well, Mickey, things aren't always as
                      they seem.

            Brillstein sips the drink and puts his arm around Mickey.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      It's simple. Life's simple. Why make
                      things so complicated all the time? They
                      found the evidence, they took a bribe,
                      they needed an arrest and they got one.

            Brillstein looks up and sees Quilty dancing with ATTRACTIVE
            WOMAN. Brillstein nods at him, Quilty waves. Brillstein turns
            towards Mickey and smiles. Mickey looks shocked.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      Insurance. Listen, kid, it's not what you
                      know, it's not even who you know, it's
                      how much you own that matters. Money is
                      what it's all about. I mean, for Christ's
                      sake, look at me.

            Hawaiian Girl brings a tray full of caviar crackers.
            Brillstein takes one.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      I'm 55, not much to look at, then look at
                      what I've got! You imagine I'd have any
                      of this without money?

            Brillstein laughs as he puts his hand down the skirt of
            Hawaiian Girl. Mickey stares as Brillstein massages the
            Hawaiian Girl's crotch. Brillstein turns back to Mickey and
            smiles.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      And anyway, Mickey, you've done rather
                      well out of it. You should be thanking
                      me, not condemning me.

            Brillstein takes his hand out of the skirt and slaps Hawaiian
            Girl's bottom. She giggles.

                                BRILLSTEIN
                      Now go and have some fun for Christ's
                      sake. You're making me nervous.

            Mickey looks away.



            INT. BRILLSTEIN'S MANSION IN LA - LATER

            Mickey stands next to the dinner table, smokes and watches
            Quilty dancing with Attractive Woman. Sandy approaches and
            passes him a drink.

                                SANDY
                      Are you okay?

            Mickey shakes his head. Sandy caresses his hair.

                                SANDY
                      These people are creeps. Let's get out of
                      here.

                                MICKEY
                      I can't. I've got some business to take
                      care of.

                                SANDY
                      I don't want to be here.

                                MICKEY
                      Neither do I. Listen, go home. I'll be
                      back as soon as I can.

                                SANDY
                      You sure you'll be okay?

            Mickey nods. Sandy kisses him and leaves.



            INT. BRILLSTEIN'S MANSION IN LA - UPSTAIRS - LATER

            Mickey goes upstairs and hears SOUNDS OF SEX coming from down
            the corridor. He walks down the corridor and reaches the
            room. He goes, looks through the gap in the door. 

            Inside the room, Betty has sex with Potter, her legs all the
            way up on his shoulders as he screams like a cowboy.



            INT. BRILLSTEIN'S MANSION IN LA - DOWNSTAIRS - LATER

            Mickey watches, nursing a drink. Brillstein sees him and nods
            in acknowledgement. Mickey nods back. When Brillstein looks
            away, Mickey's face drops. 

            The music changes to 'I Feel Love' by Donna Summer, and the
            multi-colored lighting focuses on the main stage in the room. 

            A Greek starlet, OLYMPIA AGILOPOLIS, 25, dances sexually on
            stage. She is a free spirit, beautiful, charismatic. She
            dances with passion and everyone is captivated. 

            Mickey stares solely at her. Olympia notices him and winks.



            INT. PRISON - DAY

            Mickey and Burke sit together with a Perspex glass between
            them. Mickey has got some papers and scripts with him.

                                MICKEY
                      There's lots of great projects. I've
                      green lit two already. One's based on the
                      life of Che Guevara, called Broken
                      Twilight. Tag line, he had it all, and he
                      wanted to give it back to the world.

            Burke stares at him, unimpressed. Mickey flicks through the
            papers.

                                MICKEY
                      And then one about rock star Cat Stevens,
                      now known as Yusuf Islam. We haven't
                      decided on a title yet, but the tag
                      reads, the sex was great, but life is
                      nothing without faith.

            Burke rubs his eyes in dismay and looks depressed.

                                MICKEY
                      They have it all Allen. They're gonna be
                      huge. I think we've found the right
                      person to play Cat -

            Mickey picks up a photograph and holds it up to the glass.

                                BURKE
                      Betty called... She's left me. 

            Mickey looks surprised. 

            Silence.

                                BURKE
                      My wife has left me Mickey. I'm stuck in
                      this shit hole. People are threatening
                      me. EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE, MICKEY!

            Everyone in the room turns towards him. PRISON GUARD looks at
            him intimidating, gripping his night-stick.

                                BURKE
                          (to Prison Guard)
                      Sorry.
                          (leans closer to Mickey.)
                      Now, I'm happy for you, really I am, but,
                      please, shut the fuck up.

            Silence.

                                MICKEY
                      You want me to talk to her?

                                BURKE
                      Don't bother. There's something else.
                      Some guys are threatening me in here.
                      They mean business.

                                MICKEY
                      You're kidding me?

                                BURKE
                      Do I look like I'm kidding? Look, I need
                      you to bring some cash for me next time,
                      okay?

                                MICKEY
                      Anything, Allen. 

            Mickey stares at him.

                                MICKEY
                      Have you told anybody yet?

                                BURKE
                      Are you crazy? Forget about it. You said
                      you'd organize things while I'm in here.
                      So organize them.

            Burke stares at Mickey, assessing him. He takes out his
            ventolin, uses it, breathes out deeply.

                                BURKE
                      How was the party? Did you see Lou?

                                MICKEY
                      Yeah.

                                BURKE
                      That cocksucker -

                                MICKEY
                      He wasn't talking much. I met a girl
                      though, from Greece. Olympia Agilopolis,
                      have you heard of her?

                                BURKE
                      Jesus!

                                MICKEY
                      You know her?

                                BURKE
                      Know her? The whole of fucking Hollywood
                      knows her. 
                          (coughs.)
                      Listen, Mickey, don't do anything stupid.
                      My business is in your hands. You better
                      remember that.

                                MICKEY
                      It's not like that -

                                BURKE
                      Mickey... It's exactly like that. She's
                      trouble with a capital dollar sign. Stay
                      away.

                                MICKEY
                      You can trust me Allen. I won't do
                      anything stupid. 

            Burke keeps eye contact.



            INT. BRILLSTEIN'S MANSION - DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT

            Mickey and Olympia dance energetically. Foam and bubbles
            shoot out onto the dance floor. 

            Mickey and Olympia slip over on the floor. They kiss. The
            foam engulfs them.



            INT. OLYMPIA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

            Mickey and Olympia have sex to the music of opera soprano
            Maria Callas. Olympia's rhythm is passionate.

                                MICKEY
                      Marry me! Marry me! 

            Olympia nods.

                                MICKEY
                      Yes! YES! YES!

            They come together as the music climaxes.