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JACKIE BROWN

   
                          Jackie Brown
                                
                 Screenplay by Quentin Tarantino
   
   
   
   OPENING CREDITS
   
   
   INT. LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY
   
   We hear the rhythm of funky seventies SOUL MUSIC.
   
   Then SHE steps into FRAME.
   
   She is JACKIE BROWN, a stewardess dressed in her CABO AIR
   uniform. (A little shuttle airline that flies from Los
   Angeles to Cabo San Lucas. Approximate flight time: forty
   five minutes)
   
   Jackie stands still as a people-mover slowly inches her
   through the airport. The CREDITS APEAR and DISAPPEAR in
   front of her.
   
   Jackie Brown is a very attractive black woman in her mid
   forties, though she looks like she's in her mid-thirties.
   
   The people-mover reaches the end of the line, she steps
   off.
   
   She breezes through Customs and we follow her with a
   STEDICAM as she strides through the airport... She gets
   to her gate disappears inside the plane for a moment
   comes back out sans flight bag picks up the microphone.
   
                       JACKIE
                   (into mike)
             Flight 710 Cabo San Lucas, now
             boarding Gate 12, first class only.
   
   With a smile on her face, she collects passengers'
   boarding passes as they board the plane.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
   
   TITLE CARD
   
   "ORDELL ROBBIE"
   
                                               FADE UP ON:
   
   
   EXT. FIRING RANGE - DAY
   
   VIDEO
   
   A chorus line of six beautiful bikini-clad women, all
   holding different automatic weapons, BLASTING away.
   
   The cheap VIDEO TITLES to:
   
   "CHICKS WHO LOVE GUNS"
   
   Play over this image.
   
   One bikini beauty is singled out. She's a gorgeous
   brunette named SIDNEY. Sidney stands facing camera
   holding a TEC-9 and describing it.
   
                       SIDNEY
                   (to camera)
             Hi, I'm Sidney. And I love to TEC-9.
             The popular TEC-9 is advertised by
             its makers as being tough as the
             toughest customer.
   
   SIDNEY'S STATISTICS: Age, height, measurements, date of
   birth, appear at the bottom left-hand corner. As Sidney
   continues her sales pitch/demonstration, a BLACK MAN'S
   VOICE begins talking over the video.
   
                       BLACK MAN (O.S.)
             That's a TEC-9. It's a cheap ass
             spray gun outta South Miami.
   
   After a CLOSEUP of the TEC-9, Sidney FIRES the weapon.
   
                       BLACK VOICE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
             Cost three-eighty retail. I get them
             for two hundred and sell 'em for
             eight.
   
   
   INT. MELANIE'S BEAHC APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   The Black Voice belong to forty-five-year old ORDELL
   ROBBIE.
   
   Ordell wears clothes nice and likes wearing nice clothes.
   Stylish, athletic wear (Reebok), heavy, black leather
   jackets (Hugo Boss), warm-colored berets and baseball
   caps to cover his balding head are Ordell's "look." At
   this moment Ordell's wearing an open silk shirt.
   
   Ordell narrates the video playing on the big-screen V.
   (the most expensive thing in the apartment). He holds a
   cocktail in one hand (screwdriver, his drink of choice)
   and the remote control in the other, pacing the floor in
   his I-can-talk-anybody-into-anything voice.
   
   LOUIS GARA, who looks like he does his shopping at the
   Salvation Army (dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and
   dungarees), sits on the sofa staring blankly at the
   video, drinking Jack Daniels on ice. Louis, white, also
   in his mid forties, has lived over half of his life in
   penal institutions. The experience has affected both his
   body language and his thought process.
   
   While acutely aware of the rhythm of life inside a
   correction facility, in the real world his timing is
   thrown. It's like a song he doesn't know the lyrics to
   but attempt to sing anyway.
   
   The third person watching the video is the person who
   lives in this apartment, MELANIE RALSTON. Melanie, thirty-
   three, is a tanned, blonde, California beach bunny. Like
   the kind you se in the old Crown International movies
   from the seventies like "Pom Pom Girls" "Malibu Beach"
   and "Beach Girls," except Melanie is older than any of
   those girls ever are. She's dressed in her Melanie-
   uniform of stringy Levis cutoffs and a stringy bra top.
   So far Melanie has been able to make a living out of
   lying in the sun, always finding a generous, wealthy man
   more than willing to pay her rent and pick up her tabs.
   In her prime (twenty two) it was Japanese industrialists,
   film production guys, and Middle Eastern businessmen who
   kept Melanie. And it was places like the Bahamas,
   Acapulco, and the Virgin Islands where they kept her.
   
   But now, at thirty three, she lives in an apartment in
   Hermosa Beach, California that Ordell pays for an drops
   in and out of. She's curled up in a reclining chair,
   smoking weed from a pipe, reading Movieline Magazine and
   paying no attention to the video.
   
                       ORDELL
             This TEC-9? They advertise it as
             being the most popular gun in
             American crime. Can you believe that
             shit? It actually says that on the
             little booklet that comes with it.
             "Most Popular Gun in American Crime,"
             like they're proud of that shit.
   
   Ordell hits the fast-forward on his remote control.
   
   Sidney is rushed off the screen and replace by CINDY, a
   pretty, blonde bodybuilder clad in a red, white and blue
   bikini, holding a Styer Aug.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Check out this body-builder chick...
             Now see what she got. That's a Styer
             aug. Styer Aug's a bad motherfucker.
             Listen.
   
   Ordell punches up the volume.
   
   Cindy BLASTS the Styer Aug, loud.
   
   Ordell imitates the sound of the weapon.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Shit's expensive, man. Comes from
             Austria. My customers don't know shit
             about it, so there ain't no demand.
                   (to Melanie)
             Baby, I could use some more ice.
   
   Melanie puts down the magazine, takes his cocktail glass
   from him and moves to the kitchen.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             But put that bad boy in a flick,
             every motherfucker out there want
             one. I'm serious as a heart attack.
             Them Hong Kong movies came out, every
             nigga gotta have a forty-five. And
             they don't want one, they want two,
             cause nigga want to be "The Killer."
             What they don't know, and that movie
             don't tell you is a .45 has a serious
             fuckin' jammin' problem. I always try
             and steer a customer towards a 9-
             millimeter. Damn near the same
             weapon, don't have half the jammin'
             problems. But some niggas out there,
             you can't tell them anything. They
             want a .45. The killer had a .45,
             they want a .45.
   
   Melanie comes back, hands Ordell his screwdriver, then
   sits where she was.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Thanks, Baby.
   
                       LOUIS
             Who's your partner?
   
   Ordell sits down on the couch. Melanie's reading
   "Movieline Inside" magazine.
   
                       ORDELL
             Mr. Walker. He runs a fishing boat in
             Mexico. I deliver the merchandise to
             him, gets it to my customers. On all
             my bulk sales, anyway. Nigga didn't
             have a pot to piss in or a window to
             throw it out 'fore I set 'em up. Now,
             motherfucker's rollin' in cash. He
             got himself a yacht, with all kinds
             of high tech navigational shit on it.
                   (back to video)
             AK-47, the very best there is.
   
   GLORIA, a tall, Amazonian, bikini-clad, black woman faces
   camera and describes the AK-47.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             When you absolutely, positively,
             gotta kill every motherfucker in the
             room, accept no substitute. That
             there is the Chinese one. I pay eight-
             fifty and double my money.
   
   The phone rings.
   
                       ORDELL(CONT'D)
             Get that for me, will ya baby?
   
                       MELANIE
             You know it's for you.
   
   Ordell just stares at her.
   
                       ORDELL
             Girl, you better not make me go over
             there and put my feet to ya.
   
   Louis keeps staring at he screen.
   
   Melanie gets up, goes over to the counter that separates
   the living room from the kitchen, picks up the phone,
   says:
   
                       MELANIE
             Hello.
   
   Puts the phone down and says;
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             It's for you.
   
   Before Ordell knows it, Melanie is back in the reclining
   chair, reclining back all the way.
   
   Ordell, pissed, looks at her a moment before taking the
   phone.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (into phone)
             Yeah.
                   (pause)
             Hey, Junebug, what's up
   
   Louis sits on he couch, drinking his Jack Daniels,
   watching the video.
   
   Melanie lies back on the reclining chair, takes a hit off
   her pipe, then says in a 'holding in smoke' voice;
   
                       MELANIE
                   (referring to the tape)
             It's boring, isn't it?
   
                       LOUIS
             I can sit through it once.
   
                       MELANIE
             He thinks he's Joe Gunn now.
   
                       LOUIS
             I'm impressed. He knows a lot.
   
                       MELANIE
             He's just repeating shit he
             overheard. He ain't any more a gun
             expert than I am.
   
   Holding up her pipe.
   
                       MELANIE
             Want a hit?
   
                       LOUIS
             Sure.
   
   Louis takes a hit off the pipe.
   
                       MELANIE
             When did you get out of jail?
   
                       LOUIS
             Four days ago.
   
                       MELANIE
             Where at?
   
                       LOUIS
             Susanville.
   
                       MELANIE
             How long?
   
                       LOUIS
             Two months shy of four years.
   
                       MELANIE
             Four years?
   
                       LOUIS
             Uh-huh.
   
                       MELANIE
             What for?
   
                       LOUIS
             Bank robbery.
   
                       MELANIE
             Really, I'm impressed.
   
   Louis takes a drink of whiskey.
   
                       MELANIE
             Four years that's a long fuckin time.
   
   Louis nods his head in agreement.
   
   Ordell hangs up the phone.
   
   Ordell comes back, sitting down on the other side of
   Louis.
   
                       ORDELL
             See, what did I tell you? Man in New
             York wants a 9 millimeter Smith and
             Wesson Model 5946. Why does he want
             it? It's the gun that nigga on "New
             York Undercover" uses. Because of
             that nigga, I can sell it to this
             nigga for twelve-fifty.
   
                       LOUIS
             What's your cost?
   
                       ORDELL
             As low as two.
   
                       LOUIS
             Are you serious?
   
                       ORDELL
             That's what I been tellin' you. Start
             adding these motherfuckin' figures
             up, and you tell me this ain't a
             business to be in.
   
   The phone rings again.
   
   Ordell looks at Melanie.
   
   Melanie looks at Ordell.
   
   They have a bit of a staring contest before she gets up
   and gets the phone.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             I got me five M-60 machine guns.
             These came straight from the Gulf
             War. I sold me three of them so far,
             twenty grand a piece.
   
                       LOUIS
             That's good money.
   
                       ORDELL
             Louis, this is it, man. I'm gonna
             make me a million dollars out of
             this. I already got me a half-a-
             million sittin' in Mexico. When I do
             this last delivery, I'm gonna make me
             another half-million.
   
                       LOUIS
             Then what?
   
                       ORDELL
             I get out. Spend the rest of my life
             spending.
   
   Melanie sits back down in he chair.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Who is it?
   
                       MELANIE
             It's Beaumont.
   
   
   KITCHEN
   
   Ordell, drink in hand, picks up the receiver.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (into phone)
             Beaumont¢Ordell. What's the problem?
                   (pause)
             What the fuck you doin' in jail?
                   (pause)
             What the fuck you doin' that for?
                   (pause)
             Ain't you got better sense than to be
             drivin' drunk carrying a goddam
             pistol?
   
   He listens to Beaumont on the other line - it's obvious
   Beaumont's starting to freak out. Ordell changes his
   tone.
   
                   ORDELL (CONT'D)
             - Beaumont. Beaumont. Listen to me.
             Number one, you need to chill out,
             nigga. Bad as this shit is, this shit
             ain't as bad as you think it is.
                   (pause)
             Course you're scared. That's what
             these motherfuckers get paid for
             scarin' the shit outta ya. That's
             their job. And my job is to get you
             the fuck home so let me tell you what
             is gonna happen... May I speak?...
             Thank you... You gonna spend the
             night in jail; it's too late to get
             you out now. Tomorrow, they gonna
             take you into court. I'm gonna be
             there. Judge gonna set your bail. I'm
             gonna pay your bail, they gonna cut
             you loose. By tomorrow night, you'll
             be back home, I promise.
                   (pause)
             So just calm your ass down, and I'll
             see you tomorrow.
                   (pause)
             You owe me a helluva lot more than
             one, nigga.
                   (laughs)
             See you.
   
   Ordell hangs up the phone.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   EXT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - DAY
   
   The store front window of Cherry Bail Bonds in Inglewood,
   California. The name of the business is spelled out on
   the window, which also includes a drawing of a fat red
   cherry.
   
   Ordell's BLACK MERCEDES CONVERTIBLE pulls up.
   
   Ordell in the driver's seat. Louis in shotgun position.
   
   
   INT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - DAY
   
   Inside Cherry Bail Bonds, looking out through the picture
   window. We can read the name on the glass backwards.
   Ordell and Louis appears in the window and enter the
   building. Ordell carries a L.A. Lakers athletic bag.
   
   An unidentified MALE VOICE, obviously on the telephone,
   can be heard.
   
   Ordell goes toward the voice and tells Louis to "hang
   back."
   
                       MALE VOICE (O.S.)
             ... the judge doesn't give a fuck
             about that. He's ready to habitualize
             you. Is that what you want - you
             wanna look at ten years?
   
   The voice belong to MAX CHERRY, bail bondsman. Max, a
   regular-Joe-type white guy in his fifties, sits behind
   his desk talking on the phone. His eyes raise as he sees
   Ordell approach him.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
                   (on phone)
             Just overnight is all. Tomorrow I'll
             get you out, I promise. But it means
             I gotta pick you up tonight.
   
   Ordell motion to the chair in front of Max's desk. Max
   motions for Ordell to take a seat.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
                   (on phone)
             Reggie, there ain't no two ways about
             it. You're spending the night in
             jail, but I already told you I'll get
             you out tomorrow. Now where are you?
                   (pause)
             You're at your mother's house, aren't
             you?
   
   Ordell lights up a cigarette. (Viceroy).
   
   He notices a picture on the wall of Max with his arm
   around a big, powerfully built black man. They're both
   grinning.
   
   Louis pours himself some coffee from a coffeemaker into a
   small, white styrofoam cup. He picks up a jar of powdered
   non-dairy creamer that's so dry he has to break off a
   rock. Louis adds the rock of coffeemate to his beverage.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
                   (on phone)
             Okay. Just stay put till I come for
             you.
                   (pause)
             Reggie, do yourself a really big
             favor and be there when I get there.
   
   He hangs up the phone.
   
   Ordell sits in front of the desk, smiling at him and
   smoking.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             How can I help you?
   
                       ORDELL
                   (indicating the Viceroy)
             Where would you like me to put my
             ash?
   
   Max looks at him for a moment.
   
                       MAX
             Use that coffee cup on the desk.
   
   Ordell picks up the coffee cup, which still has a little
   bit of coffee in it, and flicks his ash.
   
                       ORDELL
             And I need me a bond for ten
             thousand.
   
   Max throws a look past Ordell to Louis.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Oh, that's just my white friend,
             Louis. He's got nothing to do with my
             business. We just hangin together.
             We're on our way to a cocktail
             lounge.
   
   From across the room, Louis nods his head in Max's
   direction.
   
   Max looks at him a moment, then back to Ordell.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
                   (returning to the photo)
             Who's that big Mandingo nigga you
             gotcha arm around?
   
   Max looks at him a moment and says;
   
                       MAX
             That's Winston. He works here.
   
                       ORDELL
             He's a big one. You two tight?
   
                       MAX
             Yeah.
   
                       ORDELL
             It was our idea to take the picture,
             wasn't it?
   
   Max looks at Ordell, getting his drift, then says;
   
                       MAX
             So, you want a ten-thousand dollar
             bond. What've you got for collateral?
   
                       ORDELL
             Gonna have to put up cash.
   
                       MAX
             You have it with you?
   
   Ordell picks up his Lakers bag and puts it in the empty
   chair next to him.
   
                       ORDELL
             It's in my bag.
   
                       MAX
             You have cash. What do you need me
             for?
   
                       ORDELL
             C'mon, you know how they do. Black
             man comes in with ten thousand, they
             wanna fuck with 'em. First off, they
             gonna wanna know where I got it.
             Second, they gonna keep a big chunk
             of it - start talkin' that court cost
             shit. Fuck that shit, Jack. I'll go
             through you.
   
                       MAX
             Cost you a thousand for the bond.
   
                       ORDELL
             I know that.
   
   Louis just stands, feeling uncomfortable, in the other
   room drinking coffee.
   
                       MAX
             Who's it for? A relative?
   
                       ORDELL
             Fella named Beaumont. They have him
             up at county. It started out drunk
             driving, but they wrote it up
             "possession of a concealed weapon."
             Dumb monkey-ass had a pistol on him.
   
                       MAX
             Ten thousand sounds high.
   
                       ORDELL
             They ran his name and got a hit. He's
             been in before. Besides, Beaumont's
             from Kentucky, and I think they're
             prejudiced against black men from the
             South out here.
   
                       MAX
             He takes off and I gotta go to
             Kentucky to bring him back, you pay
             the expenses.
   
                       ORDELL
             You think you could do that?
   
   Max taking papers out of the drawer...
   
                       MAX
             I've done it.
   
   ... picking up the pen...
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             What's his full name?
   
                       ORDELL
             Beaumont. That's the only name I
             know.
   
   Max looks at Ordell, but doesn't ask him the obvious
   question.
   
   Max picks up the phone.
   
                       MAX
                   (on phone)
             Records office.
   
   Max on hold, looks at Ordell.
   
   Ordell smiles.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
                   (back on the line)
             Hello, this is Max Cherry. Cherry
             Bail Bonds. Who's this?
                   (pause)
             Hi, Vicki. Look, Vicki, I need you to
             look up the booking card and rough
             arrest on a defendant named Beaumont.
                   (pause)
             That's all I have. I believe it's a
             surname but I'm not sure. Thanks.
   
   Louis enters the area, standing over Ordell.
   
                       LOUIS
             I'm going to wait in the car.
   
                       ORDELL
             Sure.
                   (to Max)
             We almost done, ain't we?
   
                       MAX
             Getting there.
   
                       ORDELL
             You go wait in the car. Wait a
             minute.
   
   Ordell pulls out a heavy-duty keychain with a shitload of
   keys on it.
   
                       ORDELL
             Take the keys, man. Listen to music.
   
                       LOUIS
             Which one is for the car?
   
   Ordell finds it. While he goes through the keys, Vicki
   comes back on the line.
   
   Max speaks with her as he fills out his papers.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (holding a key)
             This one's for the ignition...
                   (holding a little black
                   box)
             ... but you gotta hit this thing to
             shut the alarm off and unlock the
             door.
   
                       LOUIS
             What do I do?
   
                       ORDELL
             You ain't got to do nothing. Just
             point at it and push the button.
             You'll hear the car go "bleep." That
             means the alarm's off and the doors
             are open.
   
                       LOUIS
             Okay.
   
                       ORDELL
             Now play the volume as loud as you
             want but don't touch my levels. I got
             them set just the way I want 'em.
   
   Louis nods and goes out.
   
   
   EXT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - DAY
   
   Louis walks out of the office. He goes up to Ordell's
   black Mercedes. He points the little black box at it. The
   car goes BLEEP.
   
   He gingerly approaches it, opens the door and climbs
   inside.
   
   
   INT. MAX CHERRY'S OFFICE - DAY
   
   Max hangs up the phone.
   
                       MAX
                   (to Ordell)
             Beaumont Livingston.
   
                       ORDELL
             Livingston, huh?
   
                       MAX
             On his prior, he served nine months,
             and he's working on four years'
             probation.
   
                       ORDELL
             You don't say.
   
                       MAX
             Do you know what he's on probation
             for?
   
                       ORDELL
             Haven't a clue.
   
                       MAX
             Possession of unregistered machine
             guns.
   
                       ORDELL
             Will they consider this a violation
             of his probation?
   
                       MAX
             They do consider this a violation of
             his probation. Your boy's looking at
             ten years, plus the concealed weapon.
   
                       ORDELL
             Man, he won't like that. Beaumont
             don't got a doin' time disposition.
   
                       MAX
             I need your name and address.
   
                       ORDELL
             Ordell Robbie. O-R-D-E-L-L. R-O-B-B-I-
             E. 1436 Florence Boulevard. Compton
             90222.
   
                       MAX
             House or apartment?
   
                       ORDELL
             House.
   
                       MAX
             Now I need you to count your money.
   
   Ordell hands him the Lakers bag. Max takes the money out
   putting it on the desk.
   
                       ORDELL
             Hope you don't mind me askin' where
             you keepin' my money till I get it
             back. In your drawer?
   
   Max begins counting it.
   
                       MAX
             Across the street a Great Western. It
             goes in a trust account. You'll need
             to fill out an Application for
             Appearance Bond, an Indemnity
             Agreement, a Contingent Promissory
             Note. That's the one, if Beaumont
             skips and I go after him, you pay the
             expenses.
   
                       ORDELL
             Beaumont ain't going nowhere.
                   (he takes a pen out of
                   his pocket)
             Where do I sign?
   
   Max pulls the forms from his desk, and lays them in front
   of Ordell. Max goes back to counting the money. Ordell
   reads the first agreement then says;
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
                   (reading the form)
             Hey, Max.
   
                       MAX
                   (still counting money)
             Yes.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (still reading form)
             I was wondering. What if before the
             court date gets here, Beaumont gets
             hit by a bus or something and dies.
                   (he puts the form down
                   and looks at Max)
             I get my money back, don't I?
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   A BLACK FINGER
   
   Pressing a BLACK BUTTON next to the name, "BEAUMONT
   LIVINGSTON".
   
   
   INT. BEAUMONT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   BEAUMONT LIVINGSTON, wearing no shirt, sweatpants, and
   smoking a fatty answers the intercom, which buzzes
   loudly. We can hear JAY LENO interviewing a CELEBRITY on
   TV OFFSCREEN.
   
                       BEAUMONT
                   (into the speaker)
             Who is it?
   
   
   EXT. BEAUMONT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   Ordell stands outside the security gate of Beaumont's
   Hollywood apartment.
   
   EXTREME CLOSEUP - Ordell's lips talking into the intercom
   speaker.
   
                       ORDELL
             It's your benefactor, nigga. Buzz me
             up.
   
   EXTREME CLOSEUP - Beaumont's finger pressing the entry
   button.
   
   EXTREME CLOSEUP - The doorknob on the security gate,
   BUZZING. Ordell's hand comes into frame twisting it open.
   
   Beaumont opens his apartment door, fatty between his
   fingers. He sees Ordell approach.
   
   Ordell greets him, arms spread out in hug mode, with a
   big smile across his face.
   
                       ORDELL
             Look at you and your free ass. Come
             over and give me a motherfuckin' hug.
   
   Ordell and Beaumont embrace.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             What the fuck can I say? I'm serious,
             man. What the fuck can I say? Thank
             you... thank you... thank you.
   
                       ORDELL
             Who was there for your ass?
   
                       BEAUMONT
             You were there for me.
   
                       ORDELL
             Who?
   
                       BEAUMONT
             You.

   Laughing his hustler's laugh and bumping Beaumont's fist
   hard.
   
                       ORDELL
             You goddam right!
   
   Beaumont laughs.
   
                       ORDELL
             You see,ļit works like this. You get
             your ass in trouble, I get your ass
             out. That's my job. And I don't mind
             tellin ya, nigga, it's steady work.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             I'm still scared as a motherfucker,
             Ordell. They talkin' like they
             serious 'bout me doin' that machine
             gun time.
   
                       ORDELL
             Naw, man. They just tryin' to put a
             fright in your ass.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             If that's what they want to do,
             they're doin' it.
   
                       ORDELL
             How old is that machine gun shit?
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Three years.
   
                       ORDELL
             Three years. That crime's old, man.
             They ain't got room in prison for all
             the motherfuckers out there killin'
             people. How they gonna find room for
             you?
   
                       BEAUMONT
             That's not what they're tellin' me.
   
                       ORDELL
             That's why they call it "fuckin' with
             ya." Now you wanna hear how we
             retaliate?
   
   Beaumont takes a hit off the fatty and nods his head.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Tomorrow I pick you up, take you to
             Century City, meet my lawyer. Now let
             me tell you a little bit about my
             lawyer. His name is Stacin Goins and
             this nigga is a junkyard dog! He's my
             own private Johnie Cochran. In fact,
             he'd kick Johnie Cochran's ass. And
             like Johnie Cochran, dude hates
             fuckin' cops. I'm serious, this man
             lives to fuck with the police. So as
             a favor, I had him look at your case.
             Stacin told me you aint got shit to
             worry about. They just fuckin' wit
             ya. So we sic the junkyard dog on
             their ass, make 'em -
             (he bumps fist with Beaumont)
             ... Stop fuckin' wit ya!
   
   Beaumont gesture inside his apartment.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Hey, c'mon in, man. I was just - you
             know - smokin' a fatty, watchin' TV.
   
                       ORDELL
             Naw, man. I gotta be someplace. I was
             kinda hopin you could come with me.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             What'd ya mean?
   
                       ORDELL
             Look, I hate to be the kinda nigga,
             does a nigga a favor - then BAM -
             hits a nigga up for a favor in
             return. But I'm afraid I gotta be
             that kinda nigga.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             What?
   
                       ORDELL
             I need a favor.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             That requires me goin out tonight?
   
                       ORDELL
             A bit.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Aaaaawww man, I wasn't plannin' on
             goin no place. It's twelve o'clock,
             man. I'm home, I'm high -
   

                       ORDELL
             Why the fuck you at home? Cause I
             spent ten thousand dollars gittin'
             your ass home.
                   (changes tone)
             Look, I gotta problem. I need help,
             and you can help me.
   
   This has the desired effect.
   
                                               TIME CUT:
   
   
   WITH ORDELL WAITING OUTSIDE THE DOOR
   
   Beaumont comes out of the apartment, sporting Nikes and a
   Queen Latifah t-shirt. He locks his front door and walks
   with Ordell to his car. They talk the whole way. We
   STEDICAM in front of them the whole way.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             What's the problem?
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, it ain't so much a problem a a
             situation. Remember I sold those
             three M-60 machine guns outta the
             five I got?
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Uh-huh.
   
                       ORDELL
             I'm gonna sell the other two tonight.
             This group of Koreans in Koreatown
             have started a Neighborhood Watch
             kinda thing. And they want a few
             weapons so the neighborhood niggas
             know they mean business. So I'm gonna
             sell 'em my two machine guns tonight.
             Only problem, I aint never dealt with
             these Koreans before. Now I aint
             worried. Asians are by and large real
             dependable. They don't want no
             trouble. You might argue about price,
             but you aint gotta worry about them
             shootin' you in the back. But I got
             me kind of a rule. Never do business
             with nobody you ain't never done
             business with before without backup.
             That's why I need you, backup.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Man, I ain't ready to be goin' out
             nowhere -
   
                       ORDELL
             - Let me finish. Can I finish?
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Go ahead.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   TRUNK
   
   The trunk of a car is opened.
   
   Ordell bends down into the trunk and pulls out a pump
   action shotgun. Beaumont obviously doesn't want any part
   of any Ordell game that requires a pump action shotgun as
   a playing piece.
   
                       ORDELL
             Now you're gonn be in the trunk
             holding onto the shotgun. And I'm
             going to tell them I'm opening up my
             trunk to show 'em my goods. I open up
             the trunk, you pop up, rack that bad
             boy.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Fuck that shit, man. I ain't shootin'
             anybody.
   
                       ORDELL
             What the fuck I tell you. You don't
             hafta shoot nobody. Just hold the
             gun. They'll get the idea.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             I ain't gittin' in that trunk.
   
                       ORDELL
             We're only goin' to Koreatown. You'll
             be in there - ten minutes.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Uh-uh. I ain't riding in that trunk
             no minutes. Why don't I just ride
             with you?
   
                       ORDELL
             You can't ride with me. The surprise
             effect is ninety percent of it.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Well, I'm sorry, man, but I ain't
             gittin' in that trunk.
   
                       ORDELL
             I can't believe you do me this way.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             I ain't doin' you no way. I just
             ain't climbin' in that trunk. I got a
             problem with small places.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, my ass has got a problem
             spending ten thousand dollars of my
             own goddam money to get ungrateful,
             peanut-head niggas outta jail, but I
             do it -
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Look, man, I know I owe you -
   
                       ORDELL
             - Well, if you owe me, git your ass
             in the trunk.
   
                       BEAUMONT
             - I wanna help you, but I don't wanna
             be locked in the trunk of no car.
   
                       ORDELL
             You think I wanted to spend ten
             thousand dollars on your ass?
   
   Beaumont starts to speak -
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Answer the question, nigga. Do you
             think I wanted to spend the thousand
             dollars on your ass? Yes or no?
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Course you didn't.
   
                       ORDELL
             But the only way to help you was to
             do that, so I did it. (pause) Okay,
             how 'bout this? After we're through
             fuckin' with these Koreans, I take
             you to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.
             My treat.
   
   Beaumont smiles. So does Ordell.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Just think, man. That Scoe's special,
             smothered in gravy and onions. Get a
             side of red beans and rice.
             Uuuuummmmm, that's some good eatin'.
   
   Beaumont and Ordell laugh together... the Beaumont says;
   
                       BEAUMONT
             Now exactly how long I gotta be in
             this motherfucker.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   TRUNK
   
   Beaumont in the trunk, holding the shotgun. The trunk lid
   is SLAMMED closed.
   
   
   EXT. / INT. OLDSMOBILE - NIGHT
   
   Ordell walks around the car, climbs into the plush
   interior of the Olds and turns on the engine. It comes to
   life with a SOFT RUMBLE. He puts a tape in the player
   inside the dash.
   
   The tape is labeled "ORDELL'S JAMS."
   
   Cool, old-school R&B fills the cab.
   
   Ordell cruises, moving his head to the rhythm and
   mouthing the words.
   
   He drives for awhile, just groovin' on the music...
   
   ... then stops.
   
   Ordell switches the engine and the music off. The cab
   goes black.
   
   He leans over the passenger seat, opening the glovebox. A
   tiny light turns on when the glovebox is opened. It's the
   only light in the cab. Ordell leaves it on.
   
   In silence he takes one glove out and puts it on his
   right hand. Then with his gloved hand, reaches in the
   glovebox and pulls out a five-shot .38 snubby. He closes
   the glovebox.
   
   The cab goes black.
   
   
   EXT. OLDSMOBILE - NIGHT
   
   The Olds is parked out in the middle of some urban
   nowhere.
   
   Ordell gets out, sticks the snubby in his pants, and
   walks to the back of the Olds. He sticks his key in the
   trunk and says;
   
                       ORDELL
             Don't worry. It's just me.
   
   The trunk opens. Beaumont is hunched on his side with the
   shotgun.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             I was wondering. Did any federal
             people come visit you in jail and I
             should be watching my ass?
   
   Beaumont doesn't say anything.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             You wouldn't tell me if they did and
             I wouldn't blame you.
   
   Ordell takes the snubby out of his pants.
   
   Beaumont quick-racks the pump shotgun, pulls the trigger,
   and hears the click you hear from an empty weapon. He
   racks it again, CLICK then BAM. Beaumont is shot hard in
   the chest. He goes back into he trunk.
   
   Ordell puts one more shot in his head, BAM, tosses the
   weapon on top of the dead body and closes the trunk.
   
   Ordell's Beaumont problem is solved. He climbs back into
   the cab, turns on the engine. We hear the old-school R&B
   song come back on, but VERY LOW.
   
   Ordell drives the Olds away.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   INT. MOTEL - NIGHT
   
   Louis sits on a bed in a flophouse motel room, flipping
   from one channel to another with a remote control,
   drinking cocktails from a can.
   
   The phone rings. He answers it.
   
                       LOUIS
             Hello.
   
   
   INT. OLDSMOBILE (PARKED) - NIGHT
   
   Ordell is sitting parked in the comfy-cozy cab of the
   Olds, listening to soul music with his tiny cellular
   phone next to his ear.
   
                       ORDELL
             Louis, my man. Watcha doin'?
   
                       LOUIS
             Oh, I dunno. Watching TV.
   
                       ORDELL
             Whatcha watchin'?
   
                       LOUIS
             Nothin' really. Just kinda goin' back
             and forth. They had some black girl
             from some black show on Jay Leno. I
             watched that for a bit, but I kept
             flippin channels cause I didn't know
             who she was.
   
                       ORDELL
             Guess where I am?
   
                       LOUIS
             I dunno.
   
                       ORDELL
             I know you don't know. I said guess.
   
                       LOUIS
             The moon - I dunno
   
                       ORDELL
             I'm talkin' to you from the comfy-
             cozy interior of an Oldsmobile parked
             outside your nasty-ass welfare motel.
   
                       LOUIS
             You're outside?
   
                       ORDELL
             Uh-huh.
   
                       LOUIS
             C'mon in.
   
                       ORDELL
             Naw, man. I just told you, I'm
             comfortable. I ain't about to walk
             into that roach motel and get
             uncomfortable. You bring your ass out
             here.
   
                       LOUIS
             I'm in my underwear.
   
                       ORDELL
             Then put your goddam drawers on, and
             get your ass out here. I got
             somethin' to show you.
   
   
   EXT. MOTEL - NIGHT
   
   Louis, having just thrown on some pants, walks outside
   his room and sees Ordell's big, black Oldsmobile parked
   in front of the motel.
   
   As he approaches, the power window on the driver's side
   comes down, revealing a comfortable Ordell sitting back
   in his seat looking up at Louis.
   
                       ORDELL
             You know what your problem is, Louis?
   
   Louis doesn't say anything, he just puts his hands in his
   pockets.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             You think you're a good guy. When you
             go into a deal you don't go in
             prepared to take that motherfucker
             all the way. You go in looking for a
             way out. And it ain't cause you're
             scared neither. It's cause you think
             you're a good guy, and you think
             there's certain things a good guy
             won't do. That's where we're
             different, me and you. Cause me, once
             I decide I want something, aint a
             goddam motherfuckin' thing gonna stop
             me from gittin' it. I gotta use a gun
             get what I want, I'm gonna use a gun.
             Nigga gets in my way, nigga gonna get
             removed. Understand what I'm saying?
   
   
   CLOSEUP: KEY GOING INTO TRUNK
   
   Trunk opens showing Beaumont shot in the chest with half
   his head blown off.
   
   Louis looks inside, see Beaumont, looks at Ordell, then
   back to Beaumont.
   
   Ordell closes the trunk.
   
                       LOUIS
             Who was that?
   
                       ORDELL
             That was Beaumont.
   
                       LOUIS
             Who was Beaumont?
   
                       ORDELL
             An employee I had to let go.
   
                       LOUIS
             What did he do?
   
                       ORDELL
             He put himself in a situation where
             he was gonna have to do ten years in
             the penetentiary, that's what he did.
                   (taking out a Viceroy and
                   lighting it up)
             And if you know Beaumont, you know
             there aint no way in hell he can do
             no ten years. And if you know that,
             you know Beaumont's gonna go any
             goddam thing Beaumont can to keep
             from doin' those ten years including
             telling the Federal government
             everything they want to know about my
             ass. Now that, my friend, is a clear
             case of him or me. And you best
             believe it aint gonna be me. You know
             what I'm sayin'? You gonna come in on
             this with me, you gotta be prepared
             to go all the way. I got me so far
             over a half-a-million dollars sittin'
             in lockboxes in a bank in Cabo San
             Lucas. Me and Mr. Walker make us one
             more delivery, I'm gonna have me over
             a million. You think I'm gonna let
             this little cheese eatin' nigga here
             fuck that up? Shit, you better think
             again. 'Fore I let this deal get
             fucked up, I'll shoot that nigga in
             the head, and ten niggas look just
             like em.
                   (pause)
             Understand what I'm sayin'?
   
                       LOUIS
             Yeah.
   
                       ORDELL
             So we on the same page then?
   
                       LOUIS
             I follow.
   
   Ordell smiles (not his hustler smile, but a genuine
   smile).
   
   Louis grins.
   
   They both bump fists.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK:
   
   
   TITLE CARD:
   
   "JACKIE BROWN"
   
   The sound of airplanes landing and taking off can be
   heard underneath this...
   
   
   INT. LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY
   
   A SUBTITLE reads:
   
   "LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PARKING GARAGE"
   
   We look down a row of cars in an enclosed parking garage
   at LAX. Jackie Brown, the Cabo Air stewardess from the
   opening credits, walks into frame. We dolly behind her as
   she walks down the row of cars.
   
                       VOICE (O.S.)
             Miss Brown.
   
   She turns towards the voice/camera.
   
   Young plainclothes cop, MARK DARGUS, walks up to her,
   holding open his I.D. case.
   
                       DARGUS
             Hi, I'm Detective Mark Dargus.
             L.A.P.D. can I ask what you have in
             that bag?
   
                       JACKIE
             The usual things. I'm a flight
             attendant with Cabo Air.
   
   Young plainclothes cop RAY NICOLET, enters the scene.
   
                       NICOLET
             Can I be of some assistance?
   
   As Jackie pulls the cigarettes (Davidoffs) from her
   purse, she says to Ray;
   
                       JACKIE
             I doubt it.
                   (to Dargus)
             Who's your friend?
   
                       DARGUS
             This is Special Agent Ray Nicolet
             with Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
             Would you mind if we looked in that
             bag?
   
   Jackie lights her cigarette with a yellow Bic lighter.
   
                       JACKIE
             Would I mind? Do I have a choice?
   
                       DARGUS
             You have the right to say "no." And I
             have the right to make you wait here
             with Ray while I go get a warrant.
             And if I don't want to go through all
             that trouble, I could just take you
             in on suspicion.
   
                       JACKIE
             Suspicion of what?
   
                       NICOLET
             All he wants to do is peek in your
             bag. I'll watch he doesn't take
             anything.
   
   Jackie shrugs and says;
   
                       JACKIE
             Go ahead.
   
   Dargus lays the flight bag on the pavement, gets down on
   his haunches, and starts feeling through her things.
   
   
   CLOSEUP FLIGHT BAG
   
   A soiled blouse, uniform skirt, - then a manila envelope,
   a fat one, nine-by-twelve.
   
   Jackie watches him straighten the clasp...
   
   
   ENVELOPE
   
   Opens it. Out drops several packets of one hundred dollar
   bills secured with rubberbands.
   
   Nicolet whistles.
   
   Dargus looks up at her.
   
                       DARGUS
             I'd say there's about, oh, fifty
             thousand dollars here. What would you
             say Ray?
   
                       NICOLET
             That looks like fifty thousand
             dollars from here.
   
   
   JACKIE
   
   Not saying anything at the moment.
   
                       DARGUS
             This is your money?
   
                       JACKIE
             If I were to tell you "no it
             isn't..."
   
   Dargus smiles.
   
                       DARGUS
             You should know if you bring in
             anything over ten thousand you have
             to declare it. You forgot or what?
             You could get a two hundred and fifty
             thousand dollar fine, plus two years
             in prison. Now you want to talk to us
             about it, or you want to talk to
             Customs?
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm not saying another word.
   
                       NICOLET
             Listen, Jackie, Hope you don't mind
             if I call you Jackie. They're a bunch
             of fuckin' pricks in Customs.
             Something about that job makes them
             kinda hard to get along with. Now, do
             you want to talk with a bunch of
             suspicious, disagreeable people like
             them, or a couple good-hearted guys
             like Mark and myself.
   
   Nicolet smiles.
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
   Doesn't smile back.
   
                                               DISSOLVE TO:
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
   Sitting in a chair facing the two offscreen detectives.
   Jackie lights up a cigarette. We don't leave the CLOSEUP
   until noted.
   
   
   INT. DARGUS OFFICE - DAY
   
                       DARGUS (O.S.)
             Hey, this is my office. There's no
             smoking.
   
                       JACKIE
             Arrest me.
   
   Nicolet laughs O.S.
   
                       DARGUS (O.S.)
             We could, smart ass... or we could
             work out what's known as a
             Substantial Assistance Agreement.
             That is if you're willing to
             cooperate. Tell us who gave you the
             money and who you're giving it to.
   
   Jackie doesn't sat anything... she just smokes.
   
                       NICOLET (O.S.)
             You got a good lawyer?
   
                       DARGUS (O.S.)
             Can she afford a good one is the
             question. Otherwise she'll be in
             Sybill Brand three weeks easy before
             the Public Defender gets around to
             her.
   
                       NICOLET (O.S.)
             Ever heard of a fella named Beaumont
             Livingston?
   
   Not a word.
   
                       NICOLET (O.S.) (CONT'D)
             Don't know Beaumont? That's funny
             'cause Beaumont knows you. Well he
             did know you, Beaumont was found in
             the trunk of a car - dead. Shot
             twice. Once in the head and once in
             the chest.
   
   Jackie, she puts the "ool" in "cool."
   
                       NICOLET (O.S.) (CONT'D)
             I had the chance to talk to Beaumont
             yesterday. You see, like you,
             Beaumont found himself in some hot
             water. He was looking at ten years he
             was pretty sure he didn't want to do
             and was understandably concerned. Now
             maybe you don't know Beaumont, but
             Beaumont knew you, and maybe so does
             the guy who blew Beaumont's head off.
   
   Not a word.
   
                       DARGUS (O.S.)
             If you don't want to talk to us, I
             guess we'll just have to hand you
             over to Customs.
   
   Jackie puts out her cigarette.
   
                       JACKIE
             Okay, let's go.
   
   She stares down the cops.
   
   
   DARGUS AND NICOLET
   
   We cut to the detective and the special agent for the
   first time in the scene.
   
                       DARGUS
             You know, Miss Brown, there's
             basically three types of people that
             we come along in the performance of
             our duty. One is, INNOCENT PEOPLE.
             Victims, witnesses, innocent
             bystanders... You ain't any of these.
             Then there's two; CRIMINALS. These
             sonabitches have dedicated their
             lives to a life outside the law. That
             ain't you either. Where you belong is
             the third category. The category we
             refer to as LOSERS.
   
   Jackie's eyes don't even narrow at the insult. She just
   says without expression;
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm not a loser.
   
                       DARGUS
             Oh, you're both? In 1985 you were
             flying for TWA and got busted for
             carrying drugs. You were carrying
             them for a pilot husband of yours. He
             did time and you got off. But that
             ended your career with the big
             airlines. Cut to thirteen years
             later. You're forty-four years of
             age. You're flying for the shittiest
             little shuttle-fucking piece of shit
             Mexican airline that there is. Where
             you make a whopping twelve-thousand
             dollars a year. That ain't a hulluva
             lot to show for a twenty year career.
             And to top it off, you're going to
             jail. Now true, the judge, even with
             your prior, will probably only give
             you a year or two. But this doesn't
             seem like the time of life you got
             years to throw away.
                   (pause)
             Now, we don't like trying losers like
             they're criminals. But in the absence
             of a criminal, we will try you. Now,
             wasn't this money given to you by an
             American living in Mexico by the name
             of Cedric Walker?
   
   Jackie remains unmoved by this monologue.
   
   Nicolet joins back in.
   
                       NICOLET
             You know, ol' Beaumont wasn't much
             for talkin', either. Yeah, he told us
             about you and Mr. Walker, but whoever
             the hell it was he worked for out
             here, he wouldn't say. Could it be
             the same person you were supposed to
             deliver this money to?
   
   Jackie just stares at them, saying nothing.
   
   Dargus sits behind his desk, with Jackie's flight bag on
   it.
   
                       DARGUS
             I'd like your permission to open this
             again. So we'll know exactly how much
             money we're talkin' about here.
   
   Jackie gets up from her chair, walks over to the desk,
   unzips the bag, takes out the manila envelope and drops
   it on the desk.
   
                       JACKIE
             Help yourself.
   
                       DARGUS
             While you're at it, let me see what
             else is in there. You mind?
   
   She reaches in the bag and brings out a pocketbook.
   
                       JACKIE
             My pocketbook.
   
                       DARGUS
             What's in it?
   
                       JACKIE
             Beauty products.
   
   Nicolet takes the manila envelope.
   
                       NICOLET
             I'll count the money.
   
   Dargus points at a clear plastic bag with pills and
   packets in it.
   
                       DARGUS
             What's this?
   
                       JACKIE
             That's my diet shit.
   
   Nicolet takes out the bills from the envelope.
   
                       DARGUS
             Let's see what else is in there.
   
   Nicolet takes the bills and looks inside the envelope.
   His expression changes to a shit-eating grin.
   
                       NICOLET
             Oh, Miss Brown?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah?
   
   Nicolet pulls out a clear cellophane sandwich bag with a
   half-inch or so of white powder inside.
   
                       NICOLET
             And what would this be, Sweet and
             Low?
   
                       JACKIE
             What the fuck is that shit?
   
                       NICOLET
             I know what it looks like.
   
                       JACKIE
             You planted that shit on me.
   
   Nicolet and Dargus laugh at that.
   
                       JACKIE
             Look, that shit ain't mine.
   
                       NICOLET
                   (to Dargus)
             It isn't enough for Trafficking, but
             how 'bout Posession with the Intent
             to Distribute?
   
                       DARGUS
             Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. What with
             all the cash, I think I could go with
             Conspiracy to Traffic.
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm tellin' you, I don't know nothin'
             about that fuckin' shit.
   
                       NICOLET
             Well then, Miss Brown. Why don't you
             have a seat and tell us who might
             know something about this fuckin'
             shit.
   
   Jackie just looks at the two grinning Cheshire cats as
   the balance of power rolls over on her.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   EXT. TORRANCE MUNICIPAL COURTHOUSE - DAY
   
   A Los Angeles County Jail bus pulls up behind the
   Torrance Court House.
   
   
   INT. COUNTY JAIL BUS - DAY
   
   Jackie, now wearing County Jail blues, sits next to
   another BLACK WOMAN. Their hands cuffed together.
   
   The bus stops. A rough-looking FEMALE COUNTY SHERIFF
   unlocks the gate that encloses the prisoners. Then
   explains in a you-better-do-exactly-what-I-say manner,
   how they're going to leave the bus.
   
   
   EXT. COUNTY JAIL BUS - DAY
   
   MANY WOMEN, including Jackie, all wearing county blues
   and handcuffed to each other, exit the bus.
   
   The SHERIFFS lead them into the back entrance to the
   court house.
   
   
   INT. HALLWAY COURTHOUSE - DAY
   
   Dargus and Nicolet confer with the PUBLIC DEFENDER, an
   attractive blonde woman in a nice business suit.
   
                       DARGUS
             If she'll cooperate with us, we'll
             turn possession with intent into
             plain ol' Possession, and she can
             bond outta here for one thousand
             bucks. If she doesn't help us, we'll
             go for the Intent and request a
             twenty-five-thousand dollar bond.
   
   
   INT. COURTROOM - DAY
   
   Jackie and the Public Defender. Jackie, in her county
   blues; Public Defender in her nice suit.
   
                       JACKIE
             You tell those guys they'll have to
             do one helluva lot better than that
             before I'll even say 'hi' to them.
   
                       PUBLIC DEFENDER
             Well, that's the State's offer. If
             you plead to possession and tell
             L.A.P.D. what they want to know, your
             bond will be set at one-thousand
             dollars. If you don't, L.A.P.D. will
             request one at twenty- five thousand
             based on your prior record and risk
             of flight. If you don't post it or
             don't know anyone who can, you'll
             spend six to eight weeks in County
             before your arraignment comes up.
   
                       JACKIE
             Who's side are you on?
   
                       PUBLIC DEFENDER
             I beg your pardon?
   
                       JACKIE
             What if I plead guilty?
   
                       PUBLIC DEFENDER
             And cooperate? You might get
             probation.
   
                       JACKIE
             If I don't cooperate?
   
                       PUBLIC DEFENDER
             With the prior? You could get
             anywhere from a year to five
             depending on the judge. You want to
             think about it? You got two minutes
             before we're up.
   
   
   COURT IN SESSION
   
   It's a full schedule in court today. Jackie sits with a
   bunch of other females wearing county blues in the
   defendant's area (where the jury sits during a jury
   trial)
   
   Dargus and Nicolet sit in the courtroom.
   
   The JUDGE reads the next case.
   
                       JUDGE
             Brown. Case number 700324.
   
   Jackie rises amongst the other defendants.
   
   The P.D. rises.
   
   Dargus, the arresting officer, rises.
   
                       JUDGE
             The charge is possession of Narcotics
             with the Intent to Distribute. How
             does your client plead?
   
                       PUBLIC DEFENDER
             She wishes to stand mute, your honor.
   
                       JUDGE
             Very well...
                   (to Dargus)
             ... Detective Dargus - You're the
             arresting officer in his case,
             correct?
   
                       DARGUS
             That's correct, your honor.
   
                       JUDGE
             You have a recommendation for bail?
   
                       DARGUS
             Yes, I do, your honor. Based on the
             defendant's prior conviction and the
             extreme possibility of flight due to
             her occupation, the State requests a
             bond of no less than twenty-five
             thousand.
   
   The Judge looks at the report, then at Jackie...
   
                       JUDGE
             I'll set bond at ten thousand and set
             the date of August 14th for the
             arraignment.
   
                       JACKIE
             When is that, your honor?
   
                       JUDGE
             That's six weeks from now, Miss
             Brown. We'll continue this matter
             then. Owens, case 72242.
   
   Jackie sits down.
   
   Dargus sits down next to Nicolet. They smile and giggle
   together.
   
   Jackie sees them giggle like fifth graders. It fucking
   pisses her off.
   
   
   DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
   
   We go from a CLOSEUP of a boiling Jackie, to a
   perspective from the back of the courtroom.
   
   We see Jackie in the defendant's area.
   
   We see the two happy detectives walk past us on their way
   out of the courtroom.
   
   
   ORDELL
   
   Sits in the back, watching the proceedings without any
   expression. When he's seen enough, he stands up and out
   of the shot leaving an EMPTY FRAME.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
   
   TITLE CARD
   
   "MAX CHERRY"
   
                                               FADE UP ON:
   
   
   INT. MAX CHERRY'S OFFICE - DAY
   
   The bathroom door in Max's office. We hear a toilet flush
   behind it. The door opens, and Max Cherry emerges,
   zipping up his pants with a TV guide in his hand.
   
   He looks up and stops dead.
   
   Ordell sitting oh-so comfortably in the chair in front of
   Max's desk.
   
                       ORDELL
             Unh... unh... unh... I din't hear you
             wash your hands.
   
   Max looks at Ordell, then takes his place behind his
   desk.
   
                       MAX
             Comfortable?
   
                       ORDELL
             The door was opened, so I just came
             right in.
   
                       MAX
             I can see that. Why?
   
                       ORDELL
             I got some more business for ya.
   
                       MAX
             Oh, yeah? What did he do?
   
                       ORDELL (O.S.)
             She is an airline stewardess. Got
             caught coming back from Mexico with
             some blow. They set her bond this
             afternoon at ten thousand. Now, what
             I was thinkin', you could use the ten
             thousand you owe me from Beaumont and
             move it over on to the stewardess.
   
                       MAX
             The bond for possession is only a
             thousand.
   
                       ORDELL
             They fuckin' wit' her. They callin'
             it Possession with Intent. A black
             woman in her forties gets busted with
             less than two ounces on her, they
             call that shit Intent. Same shit
             happened to a movie star. It's
             Possession.
   
                       MAX
             It still sounds high.
   
                       ORDELL
             She had, I believe it was... fifty
             grand on her, too. There was a cop at
             the hearing. Young guy with L.A.P.D.
             wanted her bond set at twenty-five
             thousand, saying there was a risk of
             flight. Jackie being a stewardess and
             all.
   
                       MAX
             Before we start talking about
             stewardess, let's get Beaumont out of
             the way first.
   
   Sitting back in the chair - almost grinning - but not
   quite.
   
                       ORDELL
             Somebody already did.
   
                       MAX
             What?
   
                       ORDELL
             You didn't hear?
   
                       MAX
             Hear what?
   
                       ORDELL
             Somebody with a grudge blew
             Beaumont's brains out - hey, that
             rhymes - blew Beaumont's brains out.
   
                       MAX
             Did the police contact you?
   
                       ORDELL
             Very first motherfuckin' thing they
             did. They see I put up a big money
             bond on my boy, they start thinking
             with that where-there's-smoke-there's
             fire logic. They roust my ass outta
             bed, ten o'clock in the morning.
             Fuckin' scare my woman, Sherona, half
             to death. She thought they were gonna
             take my ass away for sure.
   
                       MAX
             The stewardess. Do you know her last
             name?
   
                       ORDELL
                   (smiles)
             Brown, Jackie Brown.
   
                       MAX
             What does she do for you?
   
                       ORDELL
             Who says she does anything for me?
             She's my friend. When my friends get
             into trouble, I like to help 'em out.
   
                       MAX
             Beaumont worked for you.
   
                       ORDELL
             That's what the police thought. I
             told them I'm unemployed, how could I
             have anybody work for me? Now I bail
             out Jackie, I'm liable to have the
             police on me again, huh? Wanting to
             know was she doing things for me, was
             she bringing me that money!
   
                       MAX
             Was she?
   
                       ORDELL
             Is this, me and you, like a lawyer-
             client relationship? The lawyer can't
             tell nothing he hears?
   
                       MAX
             You're not my client until you get
             busted and I bond you out.
   
                       ORDELL
             If there's no - what do you call it -
             confidentiality between us? Why would
             I tell you anything?
   
                       MAX
             Cause you want me to know what a
             slick guy you are. You got
             stewardesses bringing you fifty
             grand.
   
                       ORDELL
             Why would a stewardess bring me fifty
             grand?
   
                       MAX
             You want me to speculate on what you
             do. I'd say you're in the drug
             business, except the money's moving
             in the wrong direction. Whatever
             you're into, you seem to be getting
             away with it, so more power to you.
             Okay you want another bond, and you
             want to move over the ten thousand
             you put down on Beaumont to the
             stewardess. That means paperwork. I
             have to get a death certificate,
             present it to the court, fill out a
             receipt for return of bond
             collateral, then type up another
             application. An indemnity agreement -
   
                       ORDELL
             - Jackie aint got time for all that
             shit -
   
                       MAX
             - I'm telling you what I have to do.
             What you have to do, in case you
             forgot, is come up with premium of a
             thousand bucks.
   
                       ORDELL
             I got it. I just don't got it on me.
   
                       MAX
             Well, come back when you do, and I'll
             bond out the stewardess.
   
                       ORDELL
             Man, you know I'm good for it.
             Thousand bucks ain't shit.
   
                       MAX
             If I don't see it in front of me,
             you're right. It ain't shit.
   
                       ORDELL
             Man, you need to look at this with a
             little compassion. Jackie ain't no
             criminal. She ain't used to this
             kinda treatment. I mean, gangsters
             don't give a fuck - but for the
             average citizen, coupla nights in
             County fuck with your mind.
   
                       MAX
             Ordell, this isn't a bar, an you
             don't have a tab.
   
                       ORDELL
             Just listen for a second. We got a
             forty-year-old, gainfully employed
             black woman, falsely accused -
   
                       MAX
             Falsely accused? She didn't come back
             from Mexico with cocaine on her?
   
                       ORDELL
             Falsely accused of Intent. If she had
             that shit - and mind you, I said "if"
             - it was just her shit to get high
             with.
   
                       MAX
             Is white guilt supposed to make me
             forget I'm running a business?
   
   Ordell gives up and takes an envelope out of his pocket.
   
                       ORDELL
             Okay, man. I got your money. But
             don't you ever ask me for no fuckin'
             favor.
   
   
   INT. MAX'S CADILLAC (MOVING) - NIGHT
   
   It's early evening; and Max's powder-blue Seville is
   driving to the County Jail with a client, a young
   Hispanic woman of twenty named ANITA.
   
                       MAX
             Tomorrow I'll talk to your probation
             officer. Karen's a good kid, but
             she's mad at you, because you lied to
             her. This business about your
             grandmother's funeral
   
                       ANITA
             I went. I did. I took my mother and
             little brother.
   
                       MAX
             But you didn't ask permission. You
             broke a trust. If you had asked,
             Karen probably would have let you.
             I'm sure she would.
   
                       ANITA
             I know. That's why I went.
   
                       MAX
             But then you told her you were home.
   
                       ANITA
             Sure, 'cause I didn't ask her if I
             could go.
   
   Max gives up.
   
                       MAX
             I don't know. Maybe it's a language
             problem.
                   (getting stern)
             Anita, you ever cause this much
             heartache over something that could
             easily be avoided, I'll never write
             you again. You understand?
   
                       ANITA
             I understand.
   
                       MAX
             I mean it. I don't care how many
             times your mother calls or how much
             she cries.
   
   Like an exasperated teenager.
   
                       ANITA
             I understand.
   
                       MAX
             Then say "Yes, Max. I understand."
   
                       ANITA
             Yes, Max, I understand.
   
   
   INT. L.A. COUNTY JAIL - NIGHT
   
   POV THROUGH A WIRE MESH CAGE
   
   Max and Anita, side by side. Anita's hands are cuffed
   behind her back.
   
                       MAX
             Dropping off and picking up. Dropping
             of Lopez, Anita. Picking up Brown,
             Jackie.
   
   We're at the admitting desk of the L.A. County Jail. Max
   undoes Anita's handcuffs, while a SHERIFF waits to take
   her away.
   
                       ANITA
             So you're gonna call Karen tomorrow?
   
                       MAX
             I'll call her.
   
                       ANITA
             Won't forget?
   
                       MAX
             I won't forget.
   
   She kisses Max on the cheek and the Sheriff takes her
   away.
   
                       ANITA
             Thanks, Max. See you later.
   
   Max puts the cuffs away, sits on a bench, takes out a Len
   Deighton paperback and begins to read.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
                                               FADE UP:
   
   
   MAX
   
   Still reading his novel. We hear offscreen, a SHERIFF'S
   voice.
   
                       SHERIFF (O.S.)
             Max! Here she comes.
   
   Max puts his book down and see -
   
   Jackie being led into the Admitting Area by TWO SHERIFFS.
   She's wearing her stewardess uniform and carrying a small
   envelope with her belongings in it and her shoes. When
   Max was imagining a woman in her forties, he had someone
   with a bit of wear and tear on them in mind. But this
   Jackie Brown's a knockout.
   
   As he watches her, she steps out of the County Jail
   slippers she was wearing and slips into her shoes.
   
   He approaches, handing her his card.
   
                       MAX
             Miss Brown... I'm Max Cherry. I'm
             your bail bondsman.
   
   She takes the card and shakes his hand saying nothing.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             I can give you a lift home if you'd
             like?
   
                       JACKIE
             Okay.
   
   
   INT. MAX'S CADILLAC - NIGHT
   
   Max puts his key in the ignition, when Jackie asks;
   
                       JACKIE
             Are you really a bail bondsman?
   
                       MAX
             Who do you think I am?
   
   She doesn't answer.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             I gave you my card there.
   
                       JACKIE
             Can I see your I.D.?
   
                       MAX
             You're serious?
   
   She waits.
   
   Max digs the case out of his pocket, hands it to her,
   then reaches up and turns on the light above them for her
   to see.
   
   
   MAX'S ID: SURETY AGENT LICENSED BY THE STATE OF
   CALIFORNIA
   
                       JACKIE
             Who put up my bond? Ordell?
   
                       MAX
             In cash.
   
   She looks straight ahead.
   
   Max shifts into drive.
   
   Max rolls down his window at the front gate. A DEPUTY
   comes out of the gatehouse and hands through the window
   Max's .38 revolver, cylinder opened. Max hands the Deputy
   his pass in exchange for the gun, says "thanks", then
   puts the .38 in his glovebox in front of Jackie. He
   drives on.
   
   
   MAX AND JACKIE (MOVING)
   
                       JACKIE
             Can we stop for cigarettes?
   
                       MAX
             Sure, ever been to the Riverbottom?
   
                       JACKIE
             I don't think so.
   
                       MAX
             It's okay. It's a cop hangout.
   
                       JACKIE
             Couldn't we just stop at a seven-
             eleven?
   
                       MAX
             I thought you might want a drink?
   
                       JACKIE
             I'd love one, but not there.
   
                       MAX
             We could stop at the Hilton by the
             airport.
   
                       JACKIE
             Is it dark?
   
                       MAX
             It's kind of a sports bar
   
                       JACKIE
             That doesn't sound dark.
   
                       MAX
             Why does it need to be dark?
   
                       JACKIE
             'Cause I look like I just got outta
             jail, that's why. You droppin' me off
             at home, right? There's a place by
             me.
   
                       MAX
             Great.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   EXT. THE COCKATOO INN - NIGHT
   
   A big neon sign of a cockatoo sits on op of a red brick
   inn.
   
   
   INT. THE COCKATOO INN - NIGHT
   
   CLOSEUP - A KNOB is pulled out.
   
   Jackie picks up a pack of Mild Seven's cigarettes from
   the bottom of a cigarette machine. She crosses the bar to
   join Max, sitting at a small table waiting for her to
   return.
   
   The Cockatoo Inn is just what Jackie was looking for. A
   dark and red cocktail lounge in Hawthorne off of
   Hawthorne Boulevard by the apartment where the stewardess
   lives (about ten minutes from LAX)
   
   The clientele of the Cockatoo is an older, black crowd
   and an even older white crowd who'd been coming here
   years before it became a black bar.
   
   A JUKEBOX plays soft, old-school R&B.
   
   Jackie and Max sit side by side at a small table, lit by
   a bar candle in a red glass thing.
   
   Max drinks Bushmills over crushed ice. Jackie drinks
   white wine. Jackie opens her Mild Sevens, offering one to
   Max.
   
                       MAX
             No thanks, I quit three years ago.
   
   As she lights her cigarette.
   
                       JACKIE
             You gain weight?
   
                       MAX
             Ten pounds. I lose it and put it back
             on.
   
                       JACKIE
             That's why I don't quit. If I can't
             fly anymore, I'm gonna have a bitch
             of a time gettin' my brand.
   
                       MAX
             What's your brand?
   
                       JACKIE
             Davidoffs. I get 'em in Mexico.
             They're hard to find here. I was
             locked up with the last two getting
             legal advice from a woman who was in
             for bustin' her boyfriend's head open
             with a baseball bat.
   
                       MAX
             Was she helpful?
   
                       JACKIE
             She was more helpful than the fuckin'
             Public Defender.
                   (she takes a sip of wine)
             I don't know - I guess what I need is
             a lawyer, find out what my options
             are.
   
                       MAX
             You know, I figured out the other day
             I've written something like' fifteen
             thousand bonds since I've been in the
             business. I'd say about eighty
             percent of them were at least drug
             related. If you want, I can help you
             look at your options.
   
   Jackie takes the talk in a different direction.
   
                       JACKIE
             You're not tired of it?
   
                       MAX
                   (smiles)
             I am, as a matter of fact.
   
   A moment of silence between them, they both take drinks.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             What have they told you?
   
                       JACKIE
             So far I've been told I can cooperate
             and get probation, maybe. Or, I can
             stand mute and get as much as five
             years. Does that sound right?
   
                       MAX
             I'd say if you're tried and found
             guilty you won't get more than a year
             and a day. That's State time. Prison.
   
                       JACKIE
                   (under her breath)
             Shit.
   
                       MAX
             But they won't want to take you to
             trial. They'll offer you simple
             Possession, a few months of County
             time, and a year or two probation.
                   (pointing to her drink)
             How 'bout another?
   
                       JACKIE
             Sure.
   
   Max gestures to an older black cocktail waitress named
   ROWEN for two more.
   
                       MAX
             You know who put the dope in your
             bag?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah, but that's not what this was
             about. They were fuckin waitin' for
             my ass. They knew I had that money,
             they even knew the amount. The one
             who searched my bag, from L.A.P.D.,
             Dargus, hardly even looked at it.
             "Oh, I'd say there's fifty thousand
             here. What would you say?" But all
             they could do was threaten me and
             hand me over to Customs, and I could
             tell they didn't want to do that.
   
                       MAX
             They wanted you to tell them what you
             know.
   
                       JACKIE
             I had 'em too. I burnt those two
             Starky and Hutch motherfuckers down.
             Then their asses lucked out and found
             that coke.
   
                       MAX
             What did they want to know?
   
                       JACKIE
             Who gave me the money and who I was
             giving it to. And some guy they found
             in a trunk with his head blown off.
             Said it was him who told them 'bout
             me.
   
   The Waitress comes with the drinks.
   
                       ROWEN
             Can I get you two some popcorn?
   
                       MAX
             No, thanks.
   
   Rowen exits.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             That would be Beaumont Livingston.
   
                       JACKIE
             That's him. How do you know 'em?
   
                       MAX
             I wrote him on Monday. They found him
             dead on Tuesday.
   
                       JACKIE
             Ordell pick up his bond?
   
                       MAX
             Same as you. Ten thousand.
   
                       JACKIE
             The federal agent kinda half hinted
             Ordell might of done Beaumont.
   
                       MAX
             You mentioned a guy from L.A.P.D.,
             but you didn't mention the Federal.
   
                       JACKIE
             I didn't?
   
                       MAX
             No, you didn't. What branch?
   
                       JACKIE
             Ray Nicolet with Alcohol, Tobacco,
             and Firearms.
   
   Max puts it together.
   
                       MAX
             He's the one who wants you.
   
                       JACKIE
             It was the other guy who busted me.
   
                       MAX
             'Cause if he busted you, you'd play
             hell bonding out of federal court. He
             doesn't want you mad at him, he wants
             you to tell him what you know. He
             uses you to get a line on Ordell,
             make a case, then take him federal.
             You know what Ordell's into?
   
                       JACKIE
             I have a pretty good idea. Ordell
             aint no bootlegger and I doubt he's
             smugglin' Cuban cigars. So that only
             leaves one thing an A.T.F. man would
             be interested in.
   
   Jackie waits a moment before answering, weighs things in
   her mind and makes a decision.
   
                       JACKIE
             I used to bring over ten thousand at
             a time. That's the legal limit, so I
             never brought more than that.
   
                       MAX
             How many trips did you make?
   
                       JACKIE
             With ten thousand? Nine.
   
                       MAX
             He's got that kinda money?
   
                       JACKIE
             It's all in lock boxes in a Mexico
             bank. But he's got a problem. He's -
             what do you call it when you got
             money, but don't have cash?
   
                       MAX
             Cash poor?
   
                       JACKIE
             That's it. He's cash poor. He kept on
             me till I finally said okay. I'll
             bring whatever fits in a nine-by-
             twelve envelope. I got paid five
             hundred dollars, and his friend, Mr.
             Walker, in Mexico gave me the
             envelope.
   
                       MAX
             If you knew bringing anything over
             ten thousand was against the law, why
             not pack a hundred grand?
   
   Jackie gets exasperated.
   
                       JACKIE
             Whatever it was had to fit in my bag
             and not hit you in the face if the
             bag was opened. This ain't solvin' my
             problem. I gotta figure out a way to
             either keep my job or get out of
             trouble. I'm of today, but if I can't
             leave the country I'm out of a job.
             And if I don't got a job, I can't
             hire a lawyer.
   
                       MAX
             Ask A.T.F. They might give you
             permission.
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah, if I cooperate.
   
                       MAX
             Well, Jackie, you got caught, you're
             gonna have to give 'em something.
   
                       JACKIE
             But if all I can give 'em is Ordell's
             name - I don't really know shit about
             what he does or how he does it - That
             don't give me much to bargain with.
   
                       MAX
             Give 'em what you got. Offer to help.
             Show a willingness to be helpful. You
             want to stay out of jail, don't you?
   
   Max looks at Jackie thinking about something.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             What'dya think?
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
                       JACKIE
             I think maybe I have more options
             than I thought.
   
                                               DISSOLVE TO:
   
   
   CLOSEUP: ORDELL
   
   Sitting in his black Mercedes, parked across the street
   from Jackie's apartment building in Hawthorne. Johnny
   Cash is playing inside his car.
   
   
   EXT. JACKIE'S APARTMENT COMPLEX - NIGHT
   
   ORDELL'S POV
   
   Through the windshield, he sees Max's powder-blue
   Cadillac Seville pull up to Jackie's apartment. She gets
   out, ten bends down and talks to him through the window
   of the passenger side door. Then makes a goobye gesture
   and turns, walking into her apartment complex. Max drives
   off.
   
   
   ORDELL
   
   While Johnny Cash continues crooning, Ordell puts on his
   gloves. Then opens up his glovebox, taking out a little
   Targa .22 pistol. He steps out of the car, slipping the
   pistol into his coat pocket. We STEDICAM in front of him
   as he walks across the street to Jackie's apartment. Once
   inside the complex, Ordell passes us and WE FOLLOW BEHIND
   HIM, up to Jackie's ground-floor apartment door.
   
   He gives it a soft knock with one knuckle. He waits a
   moment, then Jackie opens the door.
   
                       ORDELL
             How you doing, Ms. Jackie?
   
                       JACKIE
             I was expecting you. Come in.
   
   Jackie holds the door open for him.
   
   
   INT. JACKIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   Ordell steps inside. He moves over by a halogen lamp in
   the living room.
   
                       ORDELL
             You got some booze?
   
   Jackie still standing by the door. She doesn't look
   frightened.
   
                       JACKIE
             I got some vodka in the freezer.
   
                       ORDELL
             Got some o.j.?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah.
   
   Ordell turns the halogen lamp to dim.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, then, why don't you be a good
             hostess and make me a screwdriver?
   
                       JACKIE
             Sure.
   
   Jackie moves into the kitchen area. Ordell follows her,
   hanging in the doorway, while she makes the drink. Jackie
   doesn't turn on the light.
   
                       ORDELL
             You gonna thank me?
   
   Taking a glass from the cupboard.
   
                       JACKIE
             For what?
   
                       ORDELL
             Who you think got your ass outta
             jail?
   
   Opening the freezer and filling a glass with ice cubes
   and taking out vodka.
   
                       JACKIE
             The same guy who put me in, thanks a
             lot.
   
                       ORDELL
             Hey, you get caught with blow, that's
             our business.
   
   Opens refrigerator, light cuts into the kitchen. She
   takes out orange juice, then closes the door.
   
                       JACKIE
             It wasn't mine.
   
   Ordell has to stop and think.
   
   Jackie makes screwdriver.
   
                       ORDELL
             Oh, shit. I bet it was that present
             Mr. Walker was sending Melanie.
             Yaaaah, he's the one musta put it in
             there if you didn't. Oh, man, that
             shit's uncalled for, baby, and I
             apologize. I 'magine they asked you a
             shitload of questions about it, huh?
             All that money, want to know where
             you got it?
   
   Jackie doesn't answer. She just walks up to Ordell
   handing him his yellow drink in the darkness. Ordell
   takes it, continues to look at Jackie.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             I'magine they asked who you givin' it
             to, too.
   
                       JACKIE
             They asked.
   
                       ORDELL
             And what was your answer?
   
                       JACKIE
             I said I wanted to talk to a lawyer.
   
                       ORDELL
             You positive about that? You weren't
             nervous and let something slip by
             mistake? If you did, I ain't mad, I
             just gotta know.
   
   Jackie says to his face;
   
                       JACKIE
             You're not asking the right
             questions.
   
   Then she walks past him back to the living room. She goes
   over to the halogen lamp, turning the light up brighter,
   then moves by the door, still standing and looking at
   Ordell in the kitchen doorway.
   
                       JACKIE
             Beaumont Livingston.
   
                       ORDELL
             I knew it.
   
                       JACKIE
             And they asked if I knew Mr. Walker.
   
   Ordell by the halogen lamp. He turns it back to dim.
   
                       ORDELL
             Yeah?
   
                       JACKIE
             I didn't tell 'em anything.
   
   Ordell moves slowly towards Jackie.
   
                       ORDELL
             My name come up?
   
   Jackie slowly shakes her head "no."
   
   Ordell directly in front of Jackie, he gently places his
   gloved hands on her shoulders.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             You say anything about me?
   
   Jackie shakes her head "no."
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Well, that's mighty honorable of you.
   
   Ordell's gloved fingertips move up her collarbone to her
   throat, gently touching her skin. Jackie locks eyes with
   his, but still shows no fear.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             This fella Beaumont, they say what
             happened to him?
   
                       JACKIE
             They told me.
   
   At this moment the film becomes a:
   
   
   SPLIT SCREEN
   
   On the RIGHT-HAND SIDE is Ordell with his hands barely
   touching Jackie's throat. On the LEFT-HAND SIDE is Max
   driving home in his Seville.
   
   
   MAX IN CAR
   
   Max drives home, an almost moony romantic look no his
   face. He can't stop thinking about Jackie. During the
   night she'd have a gleam in her eyes, the look saying;
   "WE COULD HAVE FUN". Unless she was appraising kinda him
   with the look, making a judgment and what it said was; "I
   COULD USE YOU". Either way it was a turn-on.
   
   Max pulls into the driveway of his small house in
   Torrance.
   
   
   ORDELL AND JACKIE
   
                       ORDELL
             Yeah, somebody musta been real mad at
             Beaumont. Or  they were afraid of
             what he might say to keep from doin
             some time. I'magine from time-to-time
             they asked you a whole shitload of
             questions. And you didn't give 'em no
             answer?
   
   Jackie shakes her head from side to side.
   
   Ordell moves his thumbs from her collarbone to the middle
   of her throat.
   
                       ORDELL
             You scared of me?
   
   Jackie shakes her head from side to side without her eyes
   leaving his. Reaches over the seat
   
                       ORDELL
             You got a reason to be nervous with
             me?
   
   With his hands on Jackie's throat, staring into the
   woman's eyes, from BELOW FRAME then feels something hard
   the fuck against his crotch. Neither break eye contact.
   
   Ordell hears a CLICK.
   
   Can't believe it.
   
   
   MAX IN CAR
   
   Max takes his keys, then to the glove box...
   
   
   THE GLOVE BOX
   
   The gun is gone.
   
                       MAX
             Where is it?
   
   
   A CLOSEUP OF MAX'S GUN IN ORDELL ORDELL'S CROTCH
   
                       ORDELL
             Is that what I think it is?
   
                       JACKIE
             What do you think it is?
   
   
   CLOSEUP GUN IN CROTCH
   
                       ORDELL
             I think it's a gun pressing against
             my dick.
   
                       JACKIE
             You thought right... Now take your
             hands from around my throat, nigga.
   
   Ordell flashes his hustler's smile and lets go.
   
   END OF SPLIT SCREEN
   
   Jackie turns Ordell around, gun firmly in his back, and
   pushes him against the wall.
   
                       ORDELL
             What the hell you doin'?
   
                       JACKIE
             Shut your ass up and grab the wall!
   
   Jackie has Ordell against the wall and is frisking him
   the way a cop would. She finds the .22 pistol in his
   pocket
   
                       ORDELL
             Now, baby, that's got nothin' to do
             with you. I just carry that. You been
             listenin' to them cops too much.
   
                       JACKIE
             The cops didn't try and strangle my
             ass.
   
                       ORDELL
             Damn, Jackie, I was just playin' with
             you.
   
                       JACKIE
             Well, I ain't playin with you. I'm
             gonna unload both these
             motherfuckers, you don't do what I
             tell you. Understand what I'm saying?
   
                       ORDELL
             Baby, I ain't come here -
   
   She shoves both guns in Ordell's back.
   
                       JACKIE
             I said, you understand what I'm
             saying
   
                       ORDELL
             I understand woman, damn!
   
                       JACKIE
             Go sit over in that chair.
   
   Ordell moves over to a chair across from the couch.
   Ordell still tries bullshit...
   
                       ORDELL
             I'm tellin' you, those cops been
             fuckin' wit your mind. They turn
             black against black, that's how they
             do.
   
                       JACKIE
             Shut your raggedy ass up and sit
             down.
   
   Ordell sits.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Put both hands behind our head.
   
   Ordell does...
   
                       ORDELL
             This shits gettin silly now...
   
   Jackie turns the halogen lamp to light.
   
                       JACKIE
             I gotta tell you to shut up one more
             time, I'm gonna shut you up.
   
   Jackie sits down on the couch, holding a gun in each
   hand, both pointed dead at Ordell.
   
   A coffee table lays between them.
   
   Ordell, hands behind his head, continues to mumble...
   
                       ORDELL
             I just came here to talk.
   
                       JACKIE
             Way I see it, me and you only got one
             thing to talk about. What you willing
             to do for me?
   
   Ordell looks at her a moment and says;
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, I can get you a good lawyer -
   
   Jackie shakes her head "no!"
   
                       JACKIE
             Let's get realistic, baby. Sooner or
             later they're gonna get around to
             offering me a plea deal, and you know
             that. That's why you came here to
             kill me.
   
                       ORDELL
             - Baby, I didn't -
   
                       JACKIE
             - It's okay. I forgive you. Now,
             let's say if I tell on you, I walk.
             And if I don't, I go to jail.
   
   Ordell, very interested.
   
                       ORDELL
             Yeah?
   
                       JACKIE
             One hundred thousand put in an escrow
             account in my name, if I'm convicted
             up to a year, or put on probation. If
             I have to do more than a year, you
             pay another hundred thousand.
   
   Ordell just takes in what the woman said.
   
                       ORDELL
             I got a problem...
   
                       JACKIE
             All your money's in Mexico.
   
   Ordell has to smile at the woman.
   
                       ORDELL
             Yeah.
   
                       JACKIE
             I been thinkin about that, too, and I
             got me a idea.
   
                                               TIME CUT:
   
   
   DOORWAY
   
   Ordell goes through FRAME, out the door, Jackie steps
   into FRAME, and talks with him.
   
                       JACKIE
             I'll talk to the cops tomorrow and
             tell you if it's on.
   
                       ORDELL (O.S.)
             Talk to you tomorrow.
   
   Ordell leaves.
   
   Jackie shuts the door, and leaves FRAME.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
   
   OVER BLACK
   
   We hear a knock-knock on the door.
   
                                               FADE UP ON:
   
   
   SAME SHOT DORWAY
   
   Except it's day. Jackie in a bathrobe steps into FRAME
   and opens the door. She says to the yet-unseen-by-camera
   visitor;
   
                       JACKIE
             You want your gun, don't you? Come
             in. I'll go get it.
   
   She leaves FRAME, and Max enters it, closing the door
   behind him. Max stands by the door, a little surprised
   and a touch pissed at the nonchalantness.
   
   As he stands on the threshold to her living room, waiting
   for her to return with the gun, feeling foolish, he
   thinks about hauling her ass back to the stockade.
   That'll change her expression, he'd bet.
   
   She returns from the bedroom, gun in hand, wearing a sort
   of sad smile.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Max, I'm sorry. I was afraid if I
             asked to borrow it you'd say no.
             You'd have to. Would you like some
             coffee?
   
   Then, as quickly as the anger rose in Max, it dissipates
   completely, leaving only curiosity.
   
                       MAX
             If you're having some.
   
                       JACKIE
             I am. Have a seat.
   
   Jackie head to the kitchen, making the coffee. Max sits
   at the dining table off of the kitchen.
   
                       MAX
             You get a chance to use it?
   
                       JACKIE
             I felt a lot safer having it. My milk
             went bad when I was in jail.
   
                       MAX
             Black's fine.
   
   She puts a finger in the coffeemaker and starts scooping
   coffee in it.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             You want to hang on to it awhile? It
             wouldn't be legal, but if it makes -
   
   Jackie goes to the sink, filling the coffee pot.
   
                       JACKIE
             Thanks, but I have my own now.
   
                       MAX
             You went out this morning and bought
             a gun?
   
   She turns off the water.
   
                       JACKIE
             What, I couldn't hear you?
   
                       MAX
             You went out this morning and bought
             a gun.
   
   Pouring water into the coffee machine.
   
                       JACKIE
             Let's just say I got one, okay?
   
   She turns on the coffeemaker.
   
                       MAX
             Somebody loan it to you?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah.
   
   Jackie leaves the kitchen.
   
   Max's eyes follow her to the living room.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Want to hear some music?
   
                       MAX
             Sure.
   
   Jackie ends her knees and goes through a stack of records
   leaned up against the wall on the floor.
   
                       JACKIE
             I couldn't wait till I got home last
             night and wash my hair.
   
                       MAX
             It looks nice.
   
   She finds a record, takes it out of the pile, removes the
   album from the sleeve, and places it on her stereo
   turntable.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             You never got into the whole CD
             revolution?
   
                       JACKIE
             I got a few. But I can't afford to
             start all over again. I got too much
             time and money invested in my
             records.
   
   The song starts; it's an old romantic soul music number
   from the early seventies.
   
                       MAX
             Yeah, but you can't get new stuff on
             records.
   
   Jackie picks up her cigarettes off the coffee table.
   
                       JACKIE
             I don't buy new stuff that often.
   
   Jackie enters the kitchen door frame by Max. She lights a
   cigarette and stands.
   
   Max listens to the soul song.
   
                       MAX
             This is pretty.
   
                       JACKIE
             Uh-huh.
   
                       MAX
             Who is this?
   
                       JACKIE
             The Delfonics.
   
                       MAX
             '76?
   
                       JACKIE
             '74, I think.
   
                       MAX
             It's nice.
   
   They listen for a moment.
   
                       JACKIE
             I called in sick this morning. As far
             as the airline knows, I'm still
             available.
   
                       MAX
             Are you?
   
                       JACKIE
             I don't know yet. 'm going to talk
             with Dargus and Nicolet today. Do
             what you suggested. Offer to help and
             see what happens.
   
                       MAX
             What I meant was have a lawyer do the
             negotiating for you.
   
                       JACKIE
             I want to talk to them first. I know
             more now about Ordell's money.
   
                       MAX
             Well, if the A.T.F. guy is the one
             who wants you, that'll only interest
             him up to a point.
   
                       JACKIE
             It's a lot of money. About a half-a-
             million dollars. All of it in Cabo in
             safe deposit boxes and more comin in.
   
                       MAX
             How'd you find that out?
   
                       JACKIE
             He told me last night.
   
                       MAX
             He called you?
   
                       JACKIE
             He came by.
   
                       MAX
             What?... What'd you do?
   
                       JACKIE
             We talked.
   
   Jackie goes back in the kitchen. Coffee's almost there,
   but not quite. She pulls down two mugs from a cabinet.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             He had his doubts at first. But he's
             always trusted me an wants more than
             anything to believe he still can.
   
                       MAX
             Why?
   
                       JACKIE
             He needs me. Without me all that
             money is just gonna sit over there in
             Cabo. Sugar?
   
                       MAX
             No thanks. There's gotta be other
             ways to get it out.
   
   She pours the coffee.
   
                       JACKIE
             Maybe, but 'm the only one he's ever
             used. He can't trust his other
             people. They're crooks. He can try
             bringing I in himself, but Ordell
             sure don't want to go through no
             Customs line. Either he recruits
             another Cabo stewardess, or he
             continues to trust me. I made him
             feel he still can.
   
   Jackie walks to the table with the two coffee mugs and
   sits down.
   
                       MAX
             How do you get it out?
   
                       JACKIE
             Same way I been don', but first they
             got to let me go back to work.
   
                       MAX
             You're gonna offer to set him up?
   
                       JACKIE
             If I get let off. Otherwise, fuck
             'em.
   
                       MAX
             It's very possible Ordell's killed
             somebody.
   
                       JACKIE
             I ain't goin' to jail, and I ain't
             doin' that probation thing again.
   
   Max watches her a moment
   
   Jackie takes a drink of coffee.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             How do you feel about getting old?
   
                       MAX
             You're not old. You look great.
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm asking how you feel. Does it
             bother you?
   
                       MAX
             It's not really something I think
             about.
   
                       JACKIE
             Really?
   
                       MAX
             Okay, I'm a little sensitive about my
             hair. It started falling out ten
             years ago. So I did something about
             it.
   
                       JACKIE
             How'd you feel about it?
   
                       MAX
             I'm fine with it, or I wouldn't of
             done it, I did it to feel better
             about myself, and I do. When I look
             in the mirror it looks like me.
   
                       JACKIE
             It's different with men.
   
                       MAX
             You know, I can't really feel too
             sorry for you in that department.
   
   Jackie smiles.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             In fact, I'd make a bet that except
             possibly for an Afro - you look
             exactly the same as you did at twenty
             nine.
   
   Jackie smiles into her coffee.
   
                       JACKIE
             My ass ain't the same.
   
                       MAX
             Bigger?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah.
   
   Max smiles.
   
                       MAX
             Nothin wrong with that.
   
   Jackie's smile grows bigger.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             Does something else worry you?
   
                       JACKIE
             I just feel like I'm always starting
             over. You said how many bonds you
             wrote?
   
                       MAX
             Fifteen thousand.
   
                       JACKIE
             Well, I've flown seven million miles.
             And I've been waitin' on people
             almost twenty years. The best job I
             could get after my bust was Cabo Air,
             which is about the worst job you can
             get in this industry. I make about
             sixteen thousand, with retirement
             benefits , ain't worth a damn. And
             now with this arrest hanging over my
             head, I'm scared. If I lose my job I
             gotta start all over again, but I got
             nothin to start over with. I'll be
             stuck with whatever I can get. And
             that scares me more than Ordell.
   
                                               DISSOLVE TO:
   
   
   INT. LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT - DAY
   
   A.T.F. man, Ray Nicolet, moves down the hallway of the
   big building... ten heads for the office of Mark Dargus.
   
   He reaches the closed door... raps on it.
   
                       DARGUS (O.S.)
             Come in.
   
   Nicolet opens the door, revealing Dargus and Jackie Brown
   sitting in the office talking.
   
                       DARGUS (CONT'D)
             Great, you're here.
   
                       NICOLET
             Hey, Jackie.
   
   Jackie waves.
   
   Dargus stands up and says to Jackie;
   
                       DARGUS
             Let me have a word outside with Agent
             Nicolet for a moment?
   
                       JACKIE
             Take your time.
   
                       DARGUS
             Thanks.
   
                       NICOLET
             Well just be a minute.
   
                       JACKIE
             Can I smoke?
   
                       DARGUS
             Go ahead.
   
   The two detectives step outside and close the door on
   Jackie as she pulls out her cigarettes.
   
                       NICOLET
             What's going on?
   
                       DARGUS
             She wants to make a deal.
   
                       NICOLET
             She sound scared?
   
                       DARGUS
             She almost sounds scared.
   
                       NICOLET
             What's she want?
   
                       DARGUS
             She wants to go back to work.
   
                       NICOLET
             What's she willing to give us?
   
                       DARGUS
             She hasn't one into specifics yet,
             she's been waiting for you.
   
                       NICOLET
             She knows it's my case?
   
                       DARGUS
             She ain't said it, but she's not
             stupid, she knows it's you who wants
             her.
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
   Inside Dargus' office, smoking a Mild Seven.
   
   Dargus and Nicolet come back inside.
   
                       NICOLET
             Thanks for waiting, Jackie. Now tell
             me, what can we do for you?
   
                       JACKIE
             I need permission to leave the
             country so I keep my job.
   
                       NICOLET
             We can look into that.
   
                       JACKIE
             I need it tomorrow. If I don't show
             up for work tomorrow, I'm fired.
   
                       NICOLET
             You know what we want.
   
                       JACKIE
             If I'm working, I can help you.
   
                       DARGUS
             Help us do what?
   
                       JACKIE
             Help you get Ordell Robbie.
   
                       NICOLET
             Oh, so now you know him?
   
                       JACKIE
             You never asked me if I did or not.
   
                       DARGUS
             But now you're telling us now you do.
   
                       JACKIE
             'Course I do - I deliver money for
             him.
   
                       NICOLET
             No shit. You know how he makes hi
             money?
   
                       JACKIE
             He sells guns.
   
                       NICOLET
             You ever see him sell guns?
   
                       JACKIE
             No.
   
                       NICOLET
             Then how do you know he sells guns?
   
                       JACKIE
             He told me. Besides, why else would
             an A.T.F. man be after him?
   
                       NICOLET
             How can you help us?
   
                       JACKIE
             Short of wearing a wire, I'll do
             everything I can to help you throw
             his ass in jail. And in exchange for
             my help, I need permission to leave
             the country and immunity.
   
                       DARGUS
             You don't want much, do you?
   
                       JACKIE
             Can you do it or not?
   
   The two cops look at each other.
   
                       DARGUS
                   (to Nicolet)
             It's your call.
   
   Nicolet looks at Jackie.
   
                       NICOLE
             It's possible.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
   
   TITLE CARD:
   
   "LOUIS GARA & MELANIE"
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   FADE UP ON ON TV
   
   Helmut Berger slaps a woman in the face with a newspaper,
   proclaiming he's the "mad dog." The film is an Italian
   Policier from the seventies.
   
   Melanie sits in a comfy chair long-ways, bare legs
   hanging over the arm. As she watches the TV, she picks up
   a big bong with it's own handle. He takes a hit.
   Melanie's dressed in her usual Melanie-uniform of shorts
   and a loose top.
   
   The front door opens, and Ordell and Louis walk through
   it carrying shopping bags.
   
                       ORDELL
             We're back.
   
                       MELANIE
             'Ola!
   
   We notice that Louis is sportin' new duds. Louis' new
   "look" is a retro seventies-style bowling shirt and black
   jeans.
   
   Melanie notices the change.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             Hey, hey, hey. I think somebody's got
             some new clothes.
   
                       ORDELL
             We been shoppin'. Can't have my boy
             running around lookin' like a bum on
             the street.
   
                       LOUIS
             I didn't look like a bum.
   
                       ORDELL
             But you did have a Salvation Army-
             thing going.
   
   Ordell notices the bong in her hand and the smoke in the
   air.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Goddam, girl. You gettin' high
             already. It's only two o'clock.
   
   Melanie smiles.
   
                       MELANIE
             It's that late?
   
   Louis sits on the couch. He smiles at the comeback.
   
                       ORDELL
             Ha-ha-ha. I'm serious, you smoke too
             much of that shit. That shit robs you
             of your ambition.
   
                       MELANIE
             Not if your ambition is to get high
             and watch TV.
   
   Melanie and Louis laugh.
   
   The phone rings.
   
                       ORDELL
             You two a coupla Cheech and Chongs,
             ain't ya.
                   (he moves towards the
                   phone - to Melanie)
             Oh, that's okay, I'll get it.
   
   He picks it up.
   
                       ORDELL
             Hello.
                   (pause)
             Hey, Jackie...
                   (throwing a hard look at
                   Melanie)
   
   No, Jackie, I didn't get your message.
   
                       MELANIE
             I was gonna tell you...
   
   Ordell gives her a "silence" gesture and look.
   
   Melanie trades a look with Louis like "I'm in trouble,"
   all the while smiling like a shark.
   
   Louis smiles to himself.
   
   Melanie holds up the bong, offering him a hit.
   
   Ordell's on the phone.
   
                       ORDELL
             No, not on the phone, let's meet
             somewhere. But you gotta make sure
             they ain't followin' you...
   
   Louis has the bong in front of him.
   
   Melanie stays in her chair long-ways.
   
                       LOUIS
             Is it ready to go?
   
                       MELANIE
             Yeah, there's another hit left.
   
   Louis takes it.
   
   Ordell's on the phone.
   
   
   INT. COCKATOO INN
   
   Jackie sits at the bar talking on their phone. We see
   both sides.
   
                       JACKIE
             The Cockatoo Inn.
   
                       ORDELL
             The Cockatoo Inn? Where's that?
   
                       JACKIE
             It's right on Hawthorne Boulevard and
             Manhattan Beach Boulevard. It's red
             brick...
   
                       ORDELL
             Oh, wait, you mean that place that
             has the big sign with a rooster on
             it?
   
                       JACKIE
             It's a cockatoo.
   
   Louis exhales his smoke, does an older man cough.
   
                       MELANIE
             You okay?
   
                       LOUIS
             Yeah, I'm just gettin' old. I can't
             smoke or laugh now it seems without
             coughing.
   
                       MELANIE
             Coughing opens up the capillaries.
             When you cough, you're getting air -
             in this case smoke - to parts of the
             lung that don't normally get used.
             Coughing's good - gets ya higher. My
             dad coughs when he smokes all the
             time.
   
   Ordell hangs up the phone.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (to Louis)
             Hey, Louis, I have to go out awhile.
             So since you like gettin' high so
             much, why don't you stay here with
             Melanie, get high, and watch
             cartoons?
   
   Louis with a smile.
   
                       LOUIS
             Way ahead of you.
   
   Melanie laughs.
   
   Ordell takes the remote control and turns the station
   till he finds a channel with cartoons.
   
                       ORDELL
             So you just watch this for the next
             three hours, and I'll be back. Then,
             when I'm through with all my
             business, I'll get high. I get high
             at night. Walk me to the door, space
             girl.
   
   Melanie climbs out of the chair and walks Ordell to the
   door,
   
   Ordell says to her in the doorway;
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Hope you don't mind keeping him
             company.
   
                       MELANIE
             No problem.
   
                       ORDELL
             Try not to rip his clothes off 'em
             they're new.
   
   Melanie gives him a sarcastic, "Oh, you're so funny"
   look.
   
   Ordell kisses her quick on the mouth, then says past her;
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             I'll be back in an hour, man. Just
             hang with Mel.
   
   Ordell leaves and Melanie closes the door. She turns
   around and looks at Louis.
   
                       MELANIE
             Want a Metrix?
   
                       LOUIS
             What's a Metrix?
   
   She crosses to the kitchen.
   
                       MELANIE
             It's like this major meal in a shake
             you drink instead of having a big
             meal.
   
                       LOUIS
             It's a diet thing?
   
                       MELANIE
             No, it's what body builders drink to
             beef up.
   
                       LOUIS
             No thanks.
   
   She goes into the kitchen and starts making her Metrix
   shake.
   
   He looks around and spots something interesting.
   
   
   TWO SMALL PHOTOGRAPHS
   
   In a clear, plastic frame. Melanie, circa 1976, at about
   sixteen wearing roller-disco skates. Melanie, in a green
   setting, about five years ago, wearing a pretty Oriental-
   style dress, with a "smile for the camera" look on her
   face. The photo was obviously a picture of Melanie with
   somebody else that's been cut in half. Somebody's
   disembodied arm still rests on her shoulder.
   
   Louis picks up the photo frame.
   
                       LOUIS
             How old were you here?
   
   She looks and sees what he's talking about.
   
                       MELANIE
             Which one?
   
                       LOUIS
             The roller disco one.
   
                       MELANIE
             Fourteen.
   
   Louis walks over.
   
                       LOUIS
             You're fourteen years old here?
   
                       MELANIE
             Yeah.
   
                       LOUIS
             I thought you were sixteen.
   
                       MELANIE
             I was pretty much the same height now
             as I was then.
   
                       LOUIS
             Were you a disco girl?
   
                       MELANIE
             Noooo, I was a surfer girl. Besides,
             I was only fourteen. I couldn't go to
             discos.
   
                       LOUIS
             So where did you go?
   
                       MELANIE
             The beach. Or get high, drop acid at
             a friend's place. I was a K.L.O.S.
             girl. I hated disco.
   
   She hits Whip on her blender. It makes an infernal noise
   till she hits Stop!
   
   Carrying the blender full of Metrix, she walks over and
   looks at the picture.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             That was taken at a place called
             "Flippers." It was in Hollywood. Were
             you in L.A. back then?
   
                       LOUIS
             No.
   
                       MELANIE
             Where were you?
   
                       LOUIS
             Detroit.
   
                       MELANIE
             With Ordell?
   
                       LOUIS
             We had done time together already.
   
   Melanie drinks her Metrix.
   
                       MELANIE
             Were you a disco guy?
   
                       LOUIS
             No.
   
                       MELANIE
             C'mon, don't lie.
   
                       LOUIS
             I don't like dancing.
   
                       MELANIE
             Did you ever go I one?
   
                       LOUIS
             I went to a few just to meet women.
             But I don't like to dance, and it's
             so fuckin; loud. During that whole
             scene I just drank in bars.
                   (he points to the cut
                   picture)
             Who didn't make the cut?
   
                       MELANIE
             That's a picture of me in Japan.
   
                       LOUIS
             You been to Japan?
   
                       MELANIE
             I lived there for about nine months.
   
                       LOUIS
             You lived in Japan, when?
   
                       MELANIE
             About five years ago.
   
                       LOUIS
             Who's arm is that?
   
                       MELANIE
             That's the guy I lived with... his
             name was... Hir.Hirosh.
   
                       LOUIS
             Must of made quite an impression.
   
                       MEALINE
             I never got to know him, really. I
             couldn't speak Japanese, and his
             English was terrible. But I couldn't
             say anything, because his English was
             better than my Japanese.
   
                       LOUIS
             That sounds like a problem.
   
                       MELANIE
             Not really. We didn't have much to
             say to each other anyway. I never got
             to know him that well, but I knew
             enough to know I wasn't missing much.
             I keep that, because of all the
             fuckin' time I was there, that's the
             only picture I got of me in Japan.
                   (she points beyond her
                   shoulder)
             That's Japan.
   
   Melanie looks up at Louis.
   
                       MELANIE
             Wanna fuck?
   
                       LOUIS
             Sure.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
   
   OVER BLACK
   
   SUBTITLE:
   
   "THREE MINUTES LATER"
   
                                               FADE UP:
   
   
   LOUIS
   
   Lies on the couch on his back and Melanie sits on top of
   him. They're going at it like a couple of fuck monkeys.
   Almost on the fade up, Louis cums.
   
                       MELANIE
             That was fun.
   
   She hops off and OUT OF FRAME.
   
                       LOUIS
             Yeah, that really hit the spot.
   
                       MELANIE (O.S.)
             Now that's over, let's get to know
             each other.
   
   
   INT. MUSIC STORE - DAY
   
   CLOSEUP a rack of CDs all beginning with "D" are flipped
   through, till it stops on one CD, "The Best of the
   DELFONICS."
   
   Max is standing in he soul music section o a music store.
   He lifts out the CD and turns it over.
   
   It has the song Jackie played this morning.
   
   He smiles and takes the CD up to the register.
   
   CLOSEUP the COCKATOO INN neon sign, unlit during the day.
   
   
   INT. THE COCKATOO INN - DAY
   
   Ordell walks into the dark red cocktail lounge in the
   middle of the day and sees Jackie sitting at the bar
   drinking a white wine. Old-school soul plays on the
   jukebox. He sits next to her.
   
                       ORDELL
             I gotta remember this place. This is
             all right. Two minutes from your
             crib, ten minutes from your work. Not
             bad...
   
   A black bartender named FLOYD approaches Ordell.
   
                       FLOYD
             What's your drink, brother?
   
                       ORDELL
             Screwdriver.
   
                       FLOYD
                   (to Jackie)
             How you doin'?
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm fine.
   
                       FLOYD
             Yes, you are.
   
   Jackie smiles.
   
   Floyd makes Ordell's drink.
   
                       ORDELL
             I bet you come here on a Saturday
             night, you need nigga repellent keep
             'em off your ass.
   
                       JACKIE
             I do okay.
   
                       ORDELL
             You a fine lookin' woman, Jackie. I
             bet you do a damn sight better than
             okay. You think anybody followed you?
   
                       JACKIE
             I don't think so, but it don't really
             matter. They know I'm meeting you.
   
                       ORDELL
             How the fuck they know that?
   
                       JACKIE
             I told them.
   
   Floyd comes back with Ordell's screwdriver.
   
                       FLOYD
             Three twenty-five.
   
   Ordell digs in his pocket and gives Floyd a five.
   
                       ORDELL
             Keep it.
   
                       FLOYD
             Thank you, sir.
   
   Floyd leaves.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (to Jackie)
             You told em? You told em it's me?
   
                       JACKIE
             They already know it's you.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, shit. That don't mean you gotta
             confirm it!
   
                       JACKIE
             Look, the only way I can get
             permission to fly is if I agree to
             help them. Which is what I have to
             appear to be doing. So I give them
             something they already know. You.
   
                       ORDELL
             Didja tell 'em anything else?
   
                       JACKIE
             I told them you got a half a million
             dollars in Mexico, and you want me to
             bring it here.
   
   Ordell freaks.
   
                       ORDELL
             You told them that?
   
                       JACKIE
             It's true, isn't it?
   
                       ORDELL
             What the fuck's that got to do with
             it?
   
                       JACKIE
             They know I'm delivering for you. I
             mention the half-million - they don't
             give a fuck about that - They want
             you with guns. So I say, well, if you
             want proof he's getting paid for
             selling them, let me bring the money
             in.
   
                       ORDELL
             What did they say?
   
   Jackie smiles.
   
                       JACKIE
             Yes.
   
   Ordell smiles.
   
   They both slap palms.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   INT. MELANIE'S BEACH APARTMENT - DAY
   
   CLOSEUP - Louis taking a hit off Melanie's bong.
   
   Louis and Melanie are back in the living room, kicking
   back, taking bong hits.
   
   As Louis gets his hit, Melanie talks;
   
                       MELANI
             ... so first he tries to get into the
             cocaine business but realizes right
             away that shit's too competitive.
             Piss the wrong person off, you get
             shot. So he says, fuck that - moves
             over to guns. You can sell guns
             wherever there's a demand. No one
             gives a shit. He acts like he's this
             big international arms dealer, when,
             come on, the only people he ever sold
             to were dopers.
   
   Louis finishes his hit and slides the bong back across
   the coffee table to Melanie.
   
                       LOUIS
             He seems to be making out.
   
   Referring to the bong.
   
                       MELANIE
             Is it dead?
   
                       LOUIS
             Yeah.
   
   She starts preparing a bowl.
   
                       MELANIE
             Well, so far he is. But you have to
             admit he's not too bright.
   
                       LOUIS
             I wouldn't go so far as to say that.
   
   Melanie still preparing her bowl.
   
                       MELANIE
             He moves his lips when he reads, what
             does that tell ya. Let's say he's
             streetwise. I'll give 'im that. He's
             still a fuck-up.
   
   She takes a major bong hit... holds in the smoke... then
   while holding in the smoke, says;
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             He killed a man worked for him the
             other night.
   
                       LOUIS
             So what are you trying to tell me? I
             should get out of here?
   
   Melanie lets out her stream of smoke and flashes her
   shark smile.
   
                       MELANIE
             That's not what I'm saying at all.
             (pause) You know where he went?
   
                       LOUIS
             No.
   
                       MELANIE
             He went to meet that stewardess.
   
                       LOUIS
             Does that bother you?
   
   Melanie lets out a sarcastic laugh.
   
                       MELANIE
             Please.
   
                       LOUIS
             You live with him.
   
                       MELANIE
             I live here. He drops in and out. He
             tell you about that half-million
             dollars he's got in Mexico?
   
                       LOUIS
             Uh-huh?
   
                       MELANIE
             Course he did, he tells everybody
             who'll listen. That's what he's doin'
             with this stewardess. He's scheming
             how he can get it over here.
   
                       LOUIS
             And your point is?
   
                       MELANIE
             Let him and that stewardess get that
             money over here...
   
                       LOUIS
             Uh-huh?
   
                       MELANI
             ... and just take it from him.
   
   
   INT. COCKATOO INN - DAY
   
   Jackie explaining the plan to Ordell.
   
                       JACKI
             ... I make two deliveries. The first
             one with ten thousand, like a dry
             run. They watch it. See how it works.
             Then we do a second delivery, when I
             bring in the half mill.
   
                       ORDELL
             Naw, naw, that's too much exposure. I
             ain't goin anywhere near that money.
   
                       JACKIE
             You don't have to. I told 'em you're
             real careful. You never pick up money
             yourself. You always send someone,
             and I never know who it is.
   
                       ORDELL
             That's a good idea.
   
                       JACKIE
             If you just listen, you'll see it's a
             damn good idea. The first time I do
             it they're lurking about. They see me
             hand the ten thousand to someone.
   
                       ORDELL
             Who?
   
                       JACKIE
             I don't know. One of your friends.
   
                       ORDELL
             A woman.
   
                       JACKIE
             If you want.
   
                       ORDELL
             Yeah, I think a woman.
   
                       JACKIE
             The next trip, when I come with all
             the money, it'll look like I hand it
             to the same one I did before...
   
                       ORDELL
             But you don't?
   
                       JACKIE
             No, I give it to someone else first.
   
                       ORDELL
             And they follow the wrong one
             thinkin' she's bringing it to me.
   
                       JACKIE
             That's the idea.
   
                       ORDELL
             So we need two people, two women.
   
                       JACKIE
             Can you cover that?
   
                       ORDELL
             I got the woman covered. Where you
             thinkin' about doin' this?
   
                       JACKIE
             I was thinkin' the Del Amo Mall. In
             the food court.
   
                       ORDELL
             I suppose you see a piece of this for
             yourself?
   
                       JACKIE
             Well, it's my plan. We're in this
             together.
   
                       ORDELL
             Yeah, but it's my money, and I don't
             need me a partner.
   
                       JACKIE
             I ain't your partner, I'm your
             manager. I'm managing to get your
             money out of Mexico, into America, in
             your hands, and I'm managing to do
             all this under the nose of the cops.
             That makes me your manager, and
             managers get fifteen percent.
   
                       ORDELL
             Managers get ten percent.
   
                       JACKIE
             That's an agent. Manager's get
             fifteen percent.
   
                       ORDELL
             I'll give ya ten.
   
                       JACKIE
             Plus the same deal as before.
   
                       ORDELL
             I can do that.
   
   They clink their glasses together.
   
   
   CLOSEUP DIGITAL CLOCK
   
   It flips to 11:00 P.M.
   
   It's now getting late at night. Jackie comes home. She's
   dressed differently than she was at the Cockatoo. In
   fact, she looks like she's coming home from a date.
   
   She walks into her bedroom... kicks off her shoes...
   takes her earring off, putting them on the night-stand by
   the bed... she sees that her answering machine is
   flashing. She hits play.
   
   We begin a SLOW ZOOM into the answering machine. Never
   seeing Jackie again.
   
   The machine voice says;
   
                       MACHINE VOICE (O.S.)
             You have on message. Sent at 8:06
             P.M.
   
   Max's voice comes out of the machine.
   
                       MAX'S VOICE (O.S.)
             Hi, Jackie. It's Max. I was just
             calling to find out how everything
             went today with A.T.F. If you want to
             call me, my home number is 555-6788,
             or you can reach me at my office,
             which is 555-B-A-I-L. That's also on
             the card I gave you when we first met
             - I don't know if you still have that
             - but it's on it - Oh, let me give
             you my beeper number. It's 555-7839.
             Okay, so I'll talk to you later. Hope
             everything's well. Bye-bye.
   
                       MACHINE VOICE (O.S.)
             End of message.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
                                               FADE UP ON:
   
   
   EXT. DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   We se the huge Del Amo Mall from the parking area.
   
   A SUBTITLE reads:
   
   "DEL AMO MALL TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA LARGEST INDOOR MALL IN
   THE WORLD"
   
   
   INT. DEL AMO MALL - FOOD COURT - DAY
   
   The Del Amo Mall on a lazy midday in the middle of the
   week. A few people, mostly black, mill around, but it's
   not like it is on the weekend.
   
   The international food court, where fast-food versions of
   international cuisine are available to all the hungry Del
   Amo Mall shoppers.
   
   Jackie and Ordell sit at a table in the food court. She
   drinks an iced tea from Teriyaki Donut. A collection of
   Broadway shopping bags sit on the table.
   
   We join in mid-conversation.
   
                       JACKIE
             The money's in a Broadway shopping
             bag. I get some food, and sit down
             here in the food court. Then your
             girl comes - you got somebody yet?
   
                       ORDELL
             Uh-huh.
   
                       JACKIE
             Who?
   
                       ORDELL
             What'd you care?
   
                       JACKIE
             Look, it's my ass facin' the
             penitentiary. You send some hard-
             headed roc whore, and she fucks
             things up.
   
                       ORDELL
             I ain't gonna send no roc whore. The
             woman's cool, I promise.
   
   
   INT. DEL AMO MALL - U.A. CINEMAS - DAY
   
   We're outside the Del Amo UA Cinemas, a six-screen
   theater that's been in the Del Amo Mall since the early
   seventies. A small afternoon crowd is exiting the cinema,
   having just watched their matinee. Max Cherry is among
   them. He exits the theater, and strolls through the mall.
   
   
   BACK TO JACKIE AND ORDELL
   
   In the food court.
   
   Ordell rises from the table.
   
   Jackie moves a Broadway bag towards him.
   
                       JACKIE
             Don't forget your bag.
   
   He takes it.
   
   We follow with Ordell out of the food court, when he
   stops...
   
   ... He see Max Cherry strolling through the mall.
   
   Ordell almost steps into a store to get out of view.
   "What the fuck is Max Cherry doing here?"
   
   As Ordell watches, he sees Max head towards the food
   court.
   
                       MAX
             walks into the food court. He stands
             looking a all the international fast
             food choices in front of him. As he
             tries to decide, he hears from behind
             him;
   
                       JACKIE (O.S.)
             Max.
   
   Max turns and sees Jackie siting there drinking her iced
   tea, smoking her Mild Seven, and smiling up at him.
   
   Max smiles back.
   
                       MAX
             Well, hello.
   
                       JACKIE
             Surprise.
   
   He approaches her table.
   
                       MAX
             I walked right past you.
   
                       JACKIE
             I know, ignoring me. What're you up
             to?
   
                       MAX
             Catching a movie.
   
                       JACKIE
             What'd ya see?
   
                       MAX
             "American Prseident"
   
                       JACKIE
             How was it?
   
                       MAX
             Pretty good. Me and Annette Bening
             are goin steady.
   
                       JACKIE
             Oh, are you? Does she know that?
   
                       MAX
             No...
                   (sitting down at the
                   table)
             ... I don't believe she's ever heard
             of me. But that doesn't mean we're
             not going steady.
   
   
   BACK TO ORDELL
   
   Watching Max sit down and make himself comfortable at
   Jackie's table.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (to himself)
             What's up with this shit.
   
   
   BACK TO MAX AND JACKIE
   
                       MAX
             I think falling in live with movie
             stars is something that happens to a
             man as he gets older.
   
                       JACKIE
             Does it happen to all men?
   
                       MAX
             Well, I'd never be so bold as to
             speak for all men, but as or myself
             and a few of my friends, that's
             definitely the case. There's a lot of
             actresses out there you like, and
             there's some you have crushes on. But
             there's always one who you love. And
             with her it's sorta like going
             steady.
   
                       JACKIE
             And Annette's it for you?
   
                       MAX
             For now. These relationships never
             last too long.
   
   With a smile on her face;
   
                       JACKIE
             That's a goddam man for ya. Can't
             even be faithful to a fuckin' movie
             star.
   
   Max smiles.
   
                       JACKIE
             Who was your girl before Annette?
   
                       MAX
             Sandra Bullock. You know her?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah, she's the girl who drove the
             bus in "Speed." She's cute.
   
                       MAX
             She's adorable. But I had to end it.
   
                       JACKIE
             Why?
   
                       MAX
             I'm old enough to be her father.
   
                       JACKIE
             How old's Annette?
   
                       MAX
             I don't care.
   
   Gesturing to the Broadway bags on the table.
   
                       MAX
             What're you, a bag lady?
   
                       JACKIE
             I go back to work tomorrow.
   
                       MAX
             You talk them into it?
   
                       JACKIE
             They seem to like the idea.
   
                       MAX
             Bring the money in and they follow
             it?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yea, but I'm going to dress it up.
             Put the money in a shopping bag and
             hand it to someone I meet here.
   
                       MAX
             You don't actually do it that way?
   
                       JACKIE
             He always just picked it up at my
             place. But with A.T.F. involved, I
             want to stage it. You know, make it
             look more intriguing, like we know
             what the fuck we're doin'. Then it's
             up to Ray Nicolet, the A.T. F. guy to
             follow the shopping bag.
   
                       MAX
             Make the delivery somewhere in the
             mall.
   
                       JACKIE
             Right around here, in the food court.
   
                       MAX
             Sit down, leave the bag under the
             table?
   
   Jackie nods her head "yes."
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             Will Ordell go for that?
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm helping him bring his money into
             America. He loves the idea. You just
             missed him.
   
                       MAX
             He was here?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah, we were goin' over everything.
             That's why all the bags.
   
                       MAX
             I called you last night.
   
                       JACKIE
             I know, I got your message. Ray
             wanted to have dinner. He wanted to
             talk about the sting we're plotting.
             That's what he calls it. A sting.
             He's being real nice to me.
   
                       MAX
             You think he's got a thing for you?
   
                       JACKIE
             Maybe. But I'm thinking it might be
             something like he wants the money for
             himself.
   
                       MAX
             I don't follow your logic. What does
             his being nice to you have to do with
             him wanting Ordell's money?
   
                       JACKIE
             He's setting me up to make a
             proposition.
   
                       MAX
             I see.
   
                       JACKIE
             You don't propose something like that
             unless you're pretty sure the other
             person's into it.
   
                       MAX
             Has he hinted around?
   
                       JACKIE
             Not really. But I knew this narcotics
             cop one time. Told me that in a raid,
             the whole package never gets back to
             the station. His exact words.
   
                       MAX
             You know some interesting people.
   
                       JACKIE
             We weren't bullshittin' either,
             'cause later he was suspended and
             forced to retire.
   
                       MAX
             Has Nicolet told you any colorful
             stories like that?
   
   She shakes her head "no."
   
                       JACKIE
             He tries to act cool.
   
                       MAX
             No harm in that. He's a young guy
             havin' fun being a cop. I know the
             type, trust me on this. He's more
             interested in Ordell than the money.
             If he's gonna do anything suspect,
             it'll be cutting corners to get the
             conviction; but he wouldn't walk off
             with the money. It's evidence.
   
                       JACKIE
             What about you Max?
   
                       MAX
             What? If I was in Nicolet's place?
   
                       JACKIE
             No, I mean you, right now. Not it you
             were somebody else.
   
                       MAX
             If I saw a way to walk off with a
             shopping bag full of money, would I
             take it?
   
                       JACKIE
             You know where it came from. It's not
             like it's anybody's life savings. It
             wouldn't even be missed.
   
                       MAX
             A half-a-million dollars will always
             be missed.
   
                       JACKIE
             You're avoiding the question.
   
                       MAX
             Okay, sure. I might be tempted.
             Especially now, since I'm getting out
             of the bail bonds business.
   
   Jackie looks at him, "wow, that was a statement," but she
   doesn't say anything.
   
   Max continues.
   
                       MAX
             I have to stand behind all my active
             bonds, but I'm not writing any new
             ones.
   
                       JACKIE
             Why?
   
                       MAX
             A lot of reasons. But the main one
             would be I'm tired of it.
   
                       JACKIE
             When did you decide?
   
                       MAX
             It's been a long time coming. I
             finally made up my mind - I guess it
             was Thursday.
   
   FLASH ON:
   
   
   A RELEASE FORM
   
   With a date on it. Jackie's hand is signing her name. We
   WHIP UP and se her face, just as Max Cherry approaches
   her, handing her his business card.
   
                       MAX
             Hi, I'm Max Cherry. Your bail
             bondsman.
   
   
   BACK TO MAX AND JACKIE
   
                       JACKIE
             The day you got me out of jail?
   
                       MAX
             Yeah, that night I went to pick up a
             guy. I hear he's staying at this
             house, so I sneak in, wait for him to
             come home.
   
                       JACKIE
             Wait a minute. After we were together
             you went and snuck into a guy's
             house?
   
                       MAX
             Uh-huh.
   
   
   FLASH ON
   
   Max is dropping off Jackie at her apartment and saying
   goodbye.
   
                       MAX (V.O.)
             I dropped you off...
   
   Max finding no gun in his glove box.
   
                       MAX (V.O.)
             Went to my office, found out you took
             my gun...
   
   Max in his office, taking another pistol from his drawer,
   and a stun gun.
   
                       MAX (V.O.)
             Got another gun and a stun gun...
   
   
   BACK TO MAX AND JACKIE
   
                       MAX
             And went to this guy's house in El
             Monte, and I waited for him.
   
                       JACKIE
             What do you do when he comes home?
   
                       MAX
             Shoot him with the stun gun. While
             he's incapacitated, cuff him, take
             'em to County.
   
                       JACKIE
             You do that?
   
                       MAX
             That's my job.
   
                       JACKIE
             Did you do it that night?
   
                       MAX
             He never came home. But I'm sitting
             on the couch, in the dark, holding my
             stun gun and the whole house smells
             of mildew - So after a couple hours I
             think, "What am I doing here?
             Nineteen years of this shit? So I
             made up my mind, that's it.
   
                       JACKIE
             And is that it?
   
                       MAX
             More or less.
   
   Jackie takes a pause before saying;
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm not sure you answered my
             question.
   
                       MAX
             Which one?
   
                       JACKIE
             If you had a chance, unemployed now,
             to walk off with a half-million
             dollars, would you take it?
   
                       MAX
             I believe I said I'd be tempted.
   
   Jackie smiles at him behind cigarette smoke.
   
                       MAX
             Don't even think about it. You could
             get yourself killed go to prison...
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
                       JACKIE
             What if I've figured a way?
   
   Hold for a few beats, then...
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK.
   
   
   TITLE CARD:
   
   "MONEY EXCHANGE 10,000"
   
   Over this card, we hear an airplane landing.
   
                                               FADE UP:
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
   Back at work, standing at the exit of her plane. All the
   passengers are filtering out. She says goodbye.
   
                       JACKIE
             Bye bye... Bye now... Goodbye Bye
             bye... Bye bye... Goodbye
   
   
   INT. LAX PARKING STRUCTURE - DAY
   
   Jackie, wearing her stewardess uniform, walks into the
   LAX parking structure, pulling her bad on wheels behind
   her.
   
   Nicolet and Dargus are waiting for her.
   
                       NICOLET
             We gotta stop meeting this way.
   
   Jackie smiles. They all fall in step towards Jackie's
   Honda.
   
   
   INT. JACKIE'S HONDA - DAY
   
   The two cops and the black woman sit parked in her Honda.
   She, behind the wheel, Nicolet next to her in the
   passenger seat, Dargus in the backseat. Nicolet has the
   flight bag in his lap. He's taking out the manila
   envelope with the ten thousand inside. Their demeanor is
   very different from the first time they met. The three
   now almost act like friends.
   
                       DARGUS
             How was your flight?
   
                       JACKIE
             Fine.
   
                       DARGUS
             Bet you're happy to be working again.
   
                       NICOLET
             This is A.T.F. agent Ray Nicolet,
             Jackie Brown, Ordell Robbie money
             exchange trial run. It's three p.m.,
             July 4th 1997. The location is the
             parking structure at LAX.
   
                       JACKIE
             What are you doing?
   
   Pointing to a small mike on his lapel.
   
                       NICOLET
             I'm recording this.
   
                       JACKIE
             I thought you were going to let this
             one through.
   
                       DARGUS
             We are. Don't worry about it.
   
                       NICOLET
             Every step of this goes in my report.
                   (back to report voice)
             I am now taking a manila envelope
             from the subject's flight bag.
   
   He opens it and takes out the ten thousand dollars.
   
                       NICOLET (CONT'D)
             The envelope contains currency... all
             the same denomination, one-hundred-
             dollar bills. Now, I'm counting it.
   
                       DARGUS
             What time do you have to be there?
   
                       JACKIE
             Four thirty. I'm meeting a woman.
   
                       DARGUS
             What's her name?
   
                       JACKIE
             He wouldn't say. You gonna follow
             her?
   
                       DARGUS
             She leaves, somebody'll be on her.
   
                       JACKIE
             But you're not going to stop her?
   
   Nicolet finishes counting, then hushes them up.
   
                       NICOLET
             The envelope contains ten thousand
             dollars. The subject will be
             delivering the currency in a...
   
                       JACKIE
             A Broadway shopping bag.
   
   She holds it up.
   
                       NICOLET
             A Broadway shopping bag. A large bag
             with handles and brown lettering.
   
   
   EXT. DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   The huge Del Amo Mall.
   
   
   INT. DEL AMO MALL - FOOD COURT - DAY
   
   The Del Amo Mall on another lazy midday in the middle of
   the week.
   
   Max rides up an escalator in the mall. He casually
   strolls through the mall, goes into a cappuccino bar
   called "BUSTA CAP" across from the food court. Walking up
   to the counter;
   
                       MAX
             CafŠ mocha.
   
                       BUSTA CAP GIRL
             You want whipped cream on that?
   
                       MAX
             No, thanks.
   
   Max checks his watch: 4:30. He looks over at the food
   court and spots Jackie sitting at a table by herself.
   
                                               FLASH ON:
   
   
   INT. JACKIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   Jackie on the phone with Max, dressed for bed (long t-
   shirt and panties).
   
                       JACKIE
             Think of it as money that shouldn't
             even be here. I mean does anybody
             have a right to it?
   
   
   INT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - NIGHT
   
   Max in his office on the phone.
   
                       MAX
             The feds. It's evidence.
   
                       JACKIE
             It may be evidence once they get
             their hands on it, but right now it's
             only money.
   
   
   BACK TO MAX AT THE MALL
   
   He ponders his words as he watches her from a distance.
   
   
   INT. FOOD COURT - DAY
   
   Jackie sits at a table by herself, eating Japanese food
   from Teriyaki Donut and drinking an iced tea. As she eats
   she hears;
   
                       YOUNG GIRL'S VOICE (O.S.)
             Is this seat taken?
   
   Jackie looks up and sees a skinny YOUNG GIRL, black,
   quite pretty, no older than twenty.
   
   She holds a tray filled with tacos, enchiladas, rice and
   beans and a giant-sized Coke. She also has a Broadway
   shopping bag hanging from her arm.
   
                       JACKIE
             Have a seat.
   
   The Young Girl does.
   
   Jackie looks at her tray of food.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             You're hungry?
   
                       YOUNG GIRL
             Yes'm.
   
   It would seem our Young Girl's from the South.
   
                       JACKIE
             Put your bag on the floor, okay?
             Under the table, right next to mine.
   
   The Young Girl who hasn't looked right at Jackie since
   sitting down, bends sideways to glance under the table.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Then when I leave, well, you know.
             What's your name?
   
   She looks up...
   
                       YOUNG GIRL
             Sherona?
   
   ... then back down at her tray.
   
                       JACKIE
             Go ahead, start eating.
   
   Sheronda starts eating, head down, hunching close to the
   tray.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Would it bother you if I smoked?
   
   Without raising her head, she shakes it from side to
   side.
   
   Jackie takes out a pack of Davidoffs and lights one up
   with her yellow Bic. As she does this she observes
   Sheronda eating.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Sheronda, can I ask you a question?
             Are you and Ordell married?
   
   Without raising her head.
   
                       SHERONDA
             He say we like the same thing as
             married.
   
                       JACKIE
             Do you live together?
   
   Sheronda hesitates, then says without raising her head.
   
                       SHERONDA
             Most of the times.
   
                       JACKIE
             Not every day?
   
   Sheronda looks up at her...
   
                       SHERONDA
             Sometimes every day, for a while.
   
                       JACKIE
             Then you don't see him for a few
             days?
   
   ... She looks back down.
   
                       SHERONDA
             Yes'm.
   
                       JACKIE
             You know what's in the bag you're
             taking?
   
                       SHERONDA
             He say is a surprise.
   
                       JACKIE
             Well, Sheronda, it was nice talking
             to you.
   
   Jackie picks up Sheronda's bag and leaves.
   
   
   INT. DEL AMO MALL - BUSTA CAP - DAY
   
   Max drinking his cafŠ mocha sans whipped cream, watches
   Jackie leave the Young Girl and with Broadway bag in
   hand, walk out of the food court.
   
   Max watches her walk down the mall when two young men in
   sport coats, jeans, and cowboy boots step out of a B.
   Dalton bookstore, stop her and begin talking. Knowing
   they must be Nicolet and Dargus, he watches one of them
   take the Broadway bag from Jackie and look inside. They
   talk for a minute - it would seem about nothing too
   serious. Jackie nods her head, listens to the two cops,
   nods her head again, and then walks off.
   
   As he watches her walk away from the cops...
   
   FLASH ON:
   
   
   JACKIE AND MAX ON PHONE
   
                       JACKIE
             You said it yourself. Ray wants
             Ordell, he don't give a shit about
             the money. Money won't convict him,
             guns will. Yeah, sure, if it falls in
             their lap, they take it. If they know
             they got it, they'll look for it...
             but if they don't...
   
   
   BACK TO MAX AT MALL
   
   Max watches the two cops turn their attention to the
   young girl eating in the food court.
   
   Max watches her, too. The Young Girl continues to work
   her way through her Mexican food, when she turns her head
   to an OLDER BLACK WOMAN sitting at the next table. The
   older woman says something, and the younger woman hands
   her the ashtray Jackie was using.
   
   Max watches the Young Girl finish her food and get up
   from the table. She stoops down to get the Broadway
   shopping bag and walks out of the food court.
   
   Max watches Nicolet and Dargus let the Young Girl get a
   little ahead, then follow after her. They're gone.
   
   Max turns back on the older woman all alone.
   
   She finishes the coffee she was drinking and stands up,
   carrying - how about that? - A Broadway shopping bag. The
   woman heads out of the mall.
   
   Max follows her.
   
   The older woman walks past us. She heads straight for the
   exit.
   
   
   EXT. DEL AMO MALL - PARKING LOT - DAY
   
   Max follows the woman outside.
   
   She walks down a line of cars, then gets in a big, tan
   Mercury sedan. She drives of...
   
   ... but not before Max writes down her license plate
   number.
   
   FLASH ON:
   
   
   MAX AND JACKIE ON PHONE
   
                       MAX
             You're rationalizing.
   
                       JACKIE
             That's what you do to go through with
             the shit you start. You rationalize.
             I can do this, Max, I know I can. But
             I can't do it without you.
   
   
   INT. MAX'S CADILLAC - DAY
   
   Max climbs into his Seville, starts her up, and drives
   out of the parking lot.
   
   
   CLOSEUP MAX
   
   Driving down the street, lost in thought.
   
                       MAX
                   (to himself)
             It could work... If she handles the
             cops right, I could work...
   
   He hits 'play' on the dash CD player. The Delfonics fill
   the cab of the Caddy.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   BLACK
   
   A garage door is lifted open, revealing Ordell and Louis.
   
   
   EXT. STORAGE FACLITY - DAY
   
   Ordell and Louis are at Mr. Robbie's storage facility. A
   VAN is backed up nect to the opening. The facility is
   pitch black. Ordell ahs a big flashlight in his hand.
   
                       ORDELL
             Check this out.
   
   He turns on the flashlight.
   
   He shines the beam into darkness. We see the facility is
   filled to the gills with machine guns, shotguns, uzis, a
   rocket launcher, and handguns of many types.
   
                       LOUIS
             How much is there?
   
                       ORDELL
             Over half-million dollars worth of
             merchandise.
   
   Ordell opens the back doors of the van. They start
   unloading machine guns and boxes of ammo.
   
                       LOUIS
             Can I ask you about Melanie?
   
                       ORDELL
             Sure.
   
                       LOUIS
             What's your relationship?
   
                       ORDELL
             She one of the women I got set up. I
             got Melanie in Hermosa Beach. I rent
             Simone a small house in Compton, and
             about four blocks away I got me this
             nineteen-year-old country girl named
             Sheronda. I found her waitin' for a
             bus two days outta Alabama, barefoot,
             country as a chicken coop. Took her
             to my house in Compton, told her it
             was Hollywood.
   
                       LOUIS
             She believed you?
   
                       ORDELL
             Hell, yeah. To her dumb country ass,
             Compton is Hollywood. Close as she's
             ever been, anyway.
   
   They both laugh together.
   
                       LOUIS
             Do you trust Melanie?
   
   Ordell stops unloading.
   
                       ORDELL
             If this is about you fucked Melanie,
             I don't give a damn. I ain't a fool.
             I leave you alone with a bitch like
             Melanie, you're gonna be fuckin' that
             twenty minutes after I'm out the
             door. So say "thank you" and I'll
             tell you, "you're welcome."
   
                       LOUIS
             That's not what I meant when I asked
             did you trust her.
   
   Ordell looks at him.
   
                       ORDELL
             She tryin' to work your ass against
             me, ain't she?
   
                       LOUIS
             Yep.
   
                       ORDELL
             You didn't even hafta say it. I know
             the woman.
   
                       LOUIS
             Well, why the fuck keep her around?
   
                       ORDELL
                   (smiling)
             'Cause she my fine little surfer gal.
             She can't do me no harm. Fact she
             think she can play you against me
             shows how little she knows. You could
             teach that bitch for days how it is
             'tween me an you, she never
             understand a damn word.
   
                       LOUIS
             Why do you let someone know your
             business you can't trust?
   
                       ORDELL
             I don't hafta trust her, I know her.
   
                       LOUIS
             What does that mean?
   
                       ORDELL
             You can't trust Melanie. But you can
             always trust Melanie to be Melanie.
   
   Louis starts unloading.
   
                       LOUIS
             I still don't understand why you keep
             her around.
   
                       ORDELL
             I told you, man.
                   (smiling)
             She my fine little surfer gal.
   
   
   EXT. MELANIE'S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
   
   EXTREME CLOSEUP - Jackie's finger presses a small black
   button next to the
   handwritten name, "M. RALSTON."
   
   
   EXTREME CLOSEUP SPEAKER BOX
   
                       MELANIE'S VOICE (O.S.)
                   (coming out of it)
             What?
   
   
   JACKIE
   
   Bends down to talk in the speaker.
   
                       JACKIE
             It's Jackie.
   
   
   INT. MELANIE'S APARTMENT HALLWAY - DAY
   
   Jackie walks down the hallway and finds the door.
   
   She rings the doorbell.
   
   The door opens, she sees Melanie (for the first time) on
   the other side. Melanie, dressed in a t-shirt, cut offs,
   doesn't say a word - just turns around and walks away.
   
   Once Melanie leaves, she sees Ordell standing inside the
   apartment, screwdriver in hand, yelling after Melanie;
   
                       ORDEL
             ... Now she's gonna pout...
   
   He turns his attention to Jackie.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Hey, Jackie, c'mon in.
   
   Jackie steps inside.
   
   She sees Louis (for the first time) sitting on the couch.
   
   Ordell says to Louis, but loud enough for Melanie in the
   other room to hear;
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             She gonna hafta find her sandals...
             find her bag... find her
             sunglasses... take twenty damn
             minutes get her ass out the door.
                   (to Jackie)
             Jackie - his is Louis, Louis -
             Jackie. And the chick stompin' around
             in the other room is Melanie.
   
   Melanie comes out of the bedroom with her sunglasses,
   sandals, bag strung across her shoulders and her keys in
   her hand. She makes a bee-line towards the door without
   saying nothin' to nobody.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             You have a nice time, hear?
   
   The door SLAMS behind her.
   
   Ordell looks to Jackie, raises his screwdriver and says;
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Drink?
   
                       JACKIE
             I need to talk to you alone.
   
   
   EXT. MELANIE'S APARTMENT - BALCONY - DAY
   
   Ordell and Jackie on the balcony.
   
                       JACKIE
             I don't want no more fuckin'
             surprises. We do this the way I laid
             it out, or we don't do it at all.
   
                       ORDELL
             What the hell you talkin' bout?
   
                       JACKIE
             Sheronda passin' the money onto
             someone else, that's what the hell
             I'm talkin' 'bout.
   
                       ORDELL
             How do you know she did that?
   
                       JACKIE
             I was there, I saw her do it.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, you weren't supposed to be
             there.
   
                       JACKIE
             I know, but I hung around, 'cause I
             figured you'd try an' pull some shit
             like this.
   
                       ORDELL
             Now, hold on there. I ain't pullin'
             no shit. It's my money, I can do
             whatever the fuck I wanna do with it.
   
                       JACKIE
             Not when it's my ass on the line you
             don't. We do this my way or fuck it.
   
   Ordell tries to stop the hostile back and forth.
   
                       ORDELL
             Just chill the fuck out, Jackie. It
             ain't no big thing. The woman you saw
             was my friend, Simone. She's the one
             gonna be receiving the money, so I
             just wanted her to see how it works.
             She'll be here any minute. Nice
             woman, you'll like her.
   
   Ordell opens the sliding glass and says to Louis in the
   living room;
   
                       ORDELL
             Louis, call Simone and tell her to
             get her tail over here. We're waitin'
             on her ass.
   
   Louis gets up to make the call.
   
   Ordell turns back to Jackie and smiles, holding up his
   screwdriver.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             I'm about ready for a refill. Sure I
             can't tempt you?
   
   
   INT. MELANIE'S APARTMENT - DAY
   
   Ordell and Jackie sit on stools around the kitchen
   counter/bar. Louis sits with them on the phone, silent.
   
                       JACKIE
             Nicolet and Dargus stop me at the
             airport and mark the bills.
   
                       ORDELL
             Man, I don't like that part.
   
                       JACKIE
             It washes off. I tell them we're
             doing it the same way as before.
             They'll follow Sheronda. I hate the
             idea of leaving her for a fall.
   
                       ORDELL
             She won't have no problems 'cause she
             don't know nothin'.
   
                       JACKIE
             Are you sure she don' know about the
             money?
   
                       ORDELL
             She don't know shit about the money.
   
                       JACKIE
             What does she think she's gettin?
   
                       ORDELL
             I told her this is a game us rich
             folks play, exchanging gifts. Like a
             scavenger hunt. She didn't know what
             that was neither.
                   (to Louis)
             No answer?
   
   Louis shakes his head.
   
                       LOUIS
             Uh-huh.
   
                       ORDELL
             Hang it up, she's on her way. You
             gotta listen to this. This involves
             you.
   
   Louis hangs up the phone and joins the debriefing.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             No, you gonna give her a
             Robinson's/May bag this time?
   
                       JACKIE
             Right, the one Simone gives me.
             Simone and I'll make the switch at
             Robinson's/May. She knows what I look
             like?
   
                       ORDELL
             She saw you with Sheronda. So Simone
             goes to the dress department with her
             Robinson's/May bag.
   
                       JACKIE
             Designer clothes.
   
                       ORDELL
             She waits for you to go in the place
             where you try things on.
   
                       JACKIE
             The fitting room. There's a sign over
             the door.
   
                       LOUIS
             Why we doin' I there?
   
                       JACKIE
             I have a hunch they'll be watchin'
             me. We can't risk switching bags out
             in the open or even in the dining
             area. That's why it has to be a
             woman, 'cause we do the switch in the
             fitting room.
   
                       ORDELL
             So you come out with her
             Robinson's/May bag, go meet Sheronda.
             Simone peeks out, waits for my man
             Louis here to give her a signal
             nobody's watchin'. She leaves the
             store, gets in her car - mission
             accomplished.
   
                       JACKIE
             Where you gonna be during all this?
   
                       ORDELL
             I'm gonna be sittin' at the titty bar
             In downtown L.A. till my man over
             here calls me and gives me the O.K.
             sign.
   
   Jackie's pager goes off. She looks at it.
   
                       JACKIE
             I gotta go.
   
   
   INT. MELANIE'S APARTMENT - HALLWAY - DAY
   
   Ordell walks Jackie to the elevator.
   
                       ORDELL
             Who's paging you?
   
                       JACKIE
             Ray, the A.T.F. guy.
   
                       ORDELL
             That works on my nerves, you bein' so
             buddy-buddy with him.
   
                       JACKIE
             If I wasn't, this wouldn't work. Now
             once I deliver I'll have to trust
             you.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, I've been trusting you all this
             time, haven't I? We agreed on ten
             percent of what you bring in and
             that's what you gonna get.
   
   They reach the elevator. She presses the button.
   
                       JACKIE
             And a hundred thousand if I go to
             jail.
   
                       ORDELL
             We're partners, Baby, sorta. I ain't
             gonna screw you. You haven't told me
             where I put it for you.
   
   The elevator arrives. Jackie steps in.
   
                       JACKIE
             Give it to the bail bondsman, Max
             Cherry. He'll take care of it.
   
                       ORDELL
             Max Cherry? You and him friends now?
             You tell him about this shit?
   
                       JACKIE
             He won't know where the money came
             from. Only that it's money.
   
   ... the elevator shuts... As it shuts Ordell yells;...
   
                       ORDELL
             Don't you know all them bail bondsmen
             are crooks...
   
   ... the door shuts.
   
   
   CLOSEUP ORDELL
   
   He doesn't like the last piece of new information.
   
   
   EXT. THE STRAND - DAY
   
   The Strand is the hip surfer street in downtown Hermosa
   Beach. Jackie leaves the apartment building. She walks to
   her car when she spots a funky little beach bar called,
   "Sally Leroy's."
   
   
   INT. SALLY LEROY'S - DAY
   
   Sally Leroy's is a beach bar with surfboards, different
   beer signs, and pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis
   Presley, James Dean, Ann Margaret, and surfers riding
   monster waves all over the place.
   
   The JUKEBOX plays a loud seventies rock number.
   
   
   BEGINNING OF SHOT
   
   The camera picks Jackie up through the window, walking
   into the place and going up to the bar...
   
   A female bartender in her mid-twenties, wearing a plaid
   workshirt, named WANDA, goes to Jackie.
   
                       JACKIE
             Do you have a phone?
   
                       WANDA
             Yeah, it's in the back.
   
                       JACKIE
             Thanks.
   
   ... We follow with her to the back of the bar... the
   MUSIC is LOUD... the phone booth is occupied by a fat
   older GUY wearing surf clothes and sporting a mustache
   like a walrus. Jackie waits for him to finish his call...
   As she waits, the CAMERA MOVES BACK... until a blonde
   head of hair comes into the f.g....
   
   The CAMERA MOVES around to a CLOSEUP ON MELANIE, sucking
   on a beer, moving her head to the music, and watching
   Jackie. She smiles and steps OUT OF FRAME.
   
   END OF SHOT
   
   Jackie hears behind her;
   
                       MELANIE (O.S.)
             Hey!
   
   Jackie turns and sees Melanie holding a beer, standing
   behind her.
   
                       JACKIE
             Oh, hi.
   
                       MELANIE
             Buy ya a beer?
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm waiting for the phone.
   
                       MELANIE
             Good luck. That guy's been in there
             since I got here.
   
                       JACKIE
             Well, I guess I better look for
             another one, then. Thanks, anyway.
   
   Jackie turns to leave.
   
                       MELANIE
             I know what you and Ordell got goin'.
             You sit down and have a beer with me.
             I'll tell you a secret.
   
   Jackie looks at her a moment.
   
                       JACKIE
             Sure.
   
                       MELANIE
             Great...
                   (calling to the
                   bartender)
             ... Wanda!
   
   Wanda approaches.
   
                       WANDA
             What?
   
                       MELANIE
             This lady is thirsty.
   
                       WANDA
             What do you want?
   
                       MELANIE
             What's on tap?
   
                       WANDA
             Coors, Sam, Rolling Rock, and
             Killian's Red.
   
                       JACKIE
             Killian's.
   
                       MELANIE
             Better get me another Sam's.
                   (to Jackie)
             Join me in a Jaeger shot?
   

                       JACKIE
             Uh-uh.
             
                       MELANIE
             Gimme one anyway.
   
                       WANDA
             You got it.
             
   Wanda goes away. Jackie and Melanie sit at the bar. The
   MUSIC is LOUD, and they have to talk over it. Melanie
   moves her head to it during the conversation.
   
                       JACKIE
             How long you been with Ordell?
   
                       MELANIE
             This time? Almost a year. I've known
             him forever.
   
                       JACKIE
             What were you two fighting about?
   
                       MELANIE
             He told me to go outside.
                   (imitating Ordell's
                   voice)
             "You may leave us now." It's all part
             of his pathetic attempt to be "the
             man." You know Mr. Walker don't you?
   
   Jackie nods "yes."
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             Mr. Walker's my buddy. Ask him about
             Ordell.
   
                       JACKIE
             That coke was yours, wasn't it?
   
   Melanie makes a face to show pain.
   
                       MELANIE
             Oh, man, listen. I'm sorry about
             that. I hope they don't come down on
             you on my account. Ordell shoulda
             told you it was in your bag.
   
   Wanda brings the drinks.
   
                       WANDA
             Seven dollars.
   
   Melanie digs in her purse for the money.
   
                       JACKIE
             He said he didn't know about it.
   
                       MELANIE
                   (digging in her purse)
             You believe that? Yeah, well, I guess
             you have to trust him.
                   (pulls out a ten)
             I'd have second thoughts on that, but
             then I know 'em.
   
   Melanie takes her Jaeger shot, lets it go down, then
   continues.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             He killed a guy who works for him the
             other day.
   
                       JACKIE
             Beaumont Livingston?
   
                       MELANIE
             You already knew that?
   
                       JACKIE
             Kinda.
   
                       MELANIE
             So tell me. Having all that money in
             your flight bag - Is it tempting?
   
   Jackie nods 'yes', as she sips her beer.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             I tell you. If Ordell ever sent me to
             carry in ten thousand dollars, that
             would be the last motherfuckin' time
             he saw me. The next trip you're gonna
             have over half-a-million. If you
             thought of cutting Ordell out, I sure
             as hell wouldn't blame you.
   
   Jackie smiles.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             You think I'm kidding?
   
                       JACKIE
             Dreaming.
   
                       MELANIE
             You know how easy it would be? He
             won't be anywhere near that mall.
             Pull one more switch, up front.
             That's it. half-a-million dollars.
             Need help?
   
                       JACKIE
                   (smiling)
             Keep it between us girls?
   
                       MELANIE
             What's that fucker ever done for us?
   
                       JACKIE
                   (getting off the
                   barstool)
             I don't think so, but thanks for the
             beer.
   
   Jackie leaves.
   
   
   CLOSEUP MELANIE
   
   Watches her go.
   
                       MELANIE
                   (softly under her breath)
             Chicken shit.
   
   
   INT. STEAKHOUSE - NIGHT
   
   Jackie and Nicolet sit at a steakhouse eating a steak
   dinner. Nicolet drinks beer, Jackie drinks white wine.
   
                       JACKIE
             Ordell has a white guy working for
             him named Louis.
   
                       NICOLET
             You two meet?
   
                       JACKIE
             This afternoon before I came here. He
             was with Ordell at an apartment in
             Hermosa Beach. I don't know if he
             lives there, but I can find out.
   
                       NICOLET
             You talk to him?
   
                       JACKIE
             Not really.
   
                       NICOLET
             His full name is Louis Gara. He just
             got out from serving four years in
             Susanville.
   
                       JACKIE
             What for?
   
                       NICOLET
             Bank robbery? Do you know what he
             does for Ordell?
   
                       JACKIE
             I imagine shit needs to be done.
   
                       NICOLET
             We've been following Mr. Gara, and
             he's definitely working for Ordell.
   
                                               FLASH ON:
   
   
   NICOLET AND DARGUS
   
   In a car, parked, on surveillance.
   
   
   COPS POV
   
   Louis with the van, at the storage facility.
   
                       NICOLET (V.O.)
             They served two years together almost
             twenty years ago in Soledad. But he
             doesn't live in Hermosa Beach.
             Ordell's got him staying at a house
             in.
   
   
   MUG SHOT SIMONE
   
   The older woman in the mall.
   
                       NICOLET (V.O.)
             ... Compton with a fifty-six-year-
             old petty thief - woman named Simone
             Hawkins.
   
   
   BACK TO BAR
   
                       NICOLET
             Ever meet her, or they talk about
             her?
   
                       JACKIE
             Not yet.
   
                       NICOLET
             Who's the other one?
   
                       JACKIE
             White girl named Melanie Ralston.
             Another girlfriend of Ordell's.
   
                       NICOLET
             What's her story?
   
                       JACKIE
             It was her coke I got busted with.
             She knows everything, but she's not
             part of it, and she's pissed cause
             she's not part of it. Ordell wouldn't
             even let her stay at the meeting. She
             tried to talk me into ripping off
             Ordell.
   
                       NICOLET
             And splittin' with her?
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm sure that was the idea.
   
                       NICOLET
             What did you say?
   
                       JACKIE
             I smiled and walked away. She also
             told me Ordell killed Beaumont.
   
                       NICOLET
             She told you that?
   
                       JACKIE
             Uh-huh.
   
                       NICOLET
             Was she there?
   
                       JACKIE
             She didn't say.
   
                       NICOLET
             But she mentioned Beaumont by name?
   
                       JACKIE
             Uh-huh.
   
                       NICOLET
             Well, this sounds like a lady I'd
             like to have a word with. So
             everything's set for tomorrow?
   
                       JACKIE
             Right. Everything's the same, except
             one change...
   
   
   INT. JACKIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   Max sits on the couch in Jackie's apartment drinking
   white wine.
   
   Jackie paces in front of him, white wine in one hand,
   Davidoff in the other, going over the details of
   tomorrow. One could notice a slight change in Jackie.
   
   There's a bit of an edge to Miss Brown that's bubbling
   underneath her cool surface. It's understandable. After
   all, she's been the architect of this half-a-million
   dollars switcheroo. She's moved heaven and earth to make
   all the pieces fall into place, and all the players thnk
   what she wants them to think.
   
   As she talks to Max she knows tomorrow all her hard work
   will either fail or succeed. But don't take this
   difference the wrong way. This edge I'm referring to is
   not one born out of fear (Jackie's nervous, but she's not
   afraid). It's more the edge an athlete might feel before
   an all-important competition.
   
                       JACKIE
             I told them Ordell's changed the
             amount he's bringing in.
   
                       MAX
             Do you think they bought it?
   
                       JACKIE
             Oh, yeah. I got them thinking
             Ordell's real nervous. They love
             thinking he's scared of them.
   
                       MAX
             You know, a good cop won't let you
             know he knows you're fulla shit.
   
                       JACKIE
             All he needed was a reasonable
             explanation.
   
                                               DISSOLVE TO:
   
   
   BACK TO JACKIE WITH NICOLET
   
   MEDIUM JACKIE
   
                       JACKIE
             Right. Everything's the same except
             one change. Ordell thinks it's just
             too hot right now to bring in all his
             money. He knows you're watching him,
             and he's paranoid. He's keeping his
             stash where it is, but he wants to
             bring in fifty thousand for bail in
             case he needs it.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   BACK TO JACKIE AND MAX
   
                       MAX
             It'll be more than that.
   
                       JACKIE
             Don't be so literal. Ray believed it.
   
                       MAX
             But you still have to show him the
             money at the airport.
   
                       JACKIE
             Well, you know I'm not going to show
             him the whole amount. He'll see fifty
             thousand.
   
                       MAX
             Where's the rest of it?
   
                       JACKIE
             In the bag underneath.
   
                       MAX
             What if he checks it?
   
                       JACKIE
             He won't - I mean, he didn't the last
             time. He'll be expecting fifty
             thousand and there it is - on top.
   
                       MAX
             You're takin' a helluva chance kid.
   
                       JACKIE
             Not really. If he finds it, I say Mr.
             Walker put the money in, and I didn't
             know nothing about it. Like the coke.
   
                       MAX
             Then you're out and you get nothing.
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah, but I'm not in jail and I
             tried.
   
                       MAX
             You're gonna have surveillance all
             over you.
   
                       JACKIE
             That's why you don't make a move till
             I come out of the fitting room.
   
                       MAX
             In a dress.
   
                       JACKIE
             Well, a suit. There's one I had my
             eye on.
   
   The phone rings.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Excuse me.
   
   
   INT. MELANIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   EXTREME CLOSEUP - Ordell on the phone
   
                       ORDELL
             It's Ordell. We got a bit of a change
             in plans here. Nothing to worry 'bout
             - everything's the same - except for
             one change. That bitch you saw in the
             mall, Simone. She wasn't here today,
             cause she split on me.
                   (pause)
             Me an Louis went over to her place
             ,she's gone. She's gone and all her
             shit's gone and so's my ten thousand
             dollars.
                   (pause)
             It ain't nothin' to worry about,
             girl. Everything's just like we
             discussed. Except when you do the
             switch, instead of Simone, it's gonna
             be Melanie.
   
   Melanie is lying on the couch, sprawled out like a cat.
   Louis sits at the other end of the couch. They're
   watching "Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry" on TV.
   
   
   ON TV
   
   Peter Fonda and Susan George make jokes as they're
   pursued by police cars.
   
   They can hear Ordell on the phone. Melanie smiling at
   Louis, flirtatiously and conspiratorially lifts her bare
   foot and rubs his arm with it. Louis turns to her and
   gives her a look that says: "I'm not on your side, bitch.
   So knock it of."
   
   Melanie sees this and takes her foot away.
   
   Louis turns back to the television.
   
   
   CLOSEUP MELANIE
   
   Looks at Louis for a moment, then sighs, saying under her
   breath;
   
                       MELANIE
             Chicken shit.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
   
   TITLE CARD:
   
   "MONEY EXCHANGE 550,000"
   
                                               FADE UP:
   
   
   A GRAPHIC MAP
   
   With Mexico and California on it. On the Mexico side we
   see "CABO SAN LUCAS" with a big circle around it. On the
   California side we see "LAX" in a similar circle. The
   tiny figure of a black AIRPLANE appears in the Cabo
   circle. With appropriate SOUND EFFECTS it takes off from
   Cabo, flying towards LAX, leaving a dotted line behind
   it. The CAMERA moves into a CLOSEUP of the little black
   airplane.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
   Looking down...
   
   
   INT. AIRPLANE BATHROOM - DAY
   
   Rearranging her bag. The five hundred thousand inside
   takes up half the space. She tucks lingerie around the
   edges, covers the money with blouses, shoes, and skirts
   and ties I all down tight. Then places a fat envelope
   with fifty thousand right on top.
   
   
   INT. CABIN - AIRPLANE - DAY
   
   Jackie steps out of the bathroom, walks down the aisle,
   and is stopped by a PASSENGER.
   
                       PASSENGER
             Listen, Miss, I'm waiting for a drink
             and you spend half the fuckin' flight
             in the can. Soon as we land I'm
             making a formal complaint.
   
                       JACKIE
             Why, because I called you an asshole.
   
                       PASSENGER
             You didn't call me that.
   
                       JACKIE
             I didn't? Oh, well, you're an
             asshole.
   
   
   INT. LAX PARKING STRUCTURE - DAY
   
   SUBTITLE APPEARS BELOW:
   
   "TIME: 3:00"
   
   Jackie steps into the LAX parking structure, pulling her
   bag on wheels behind her.
   
   Waiting for her is Ray Nicolet.
   
                       NICOLET
             We have to stop meeting like this.
   
   They fall into step towards her car.
   
                       JACKIE
             You said that the last time.
   
                       NICOLET
             Well, it's true, isn't it? After his
             is buttoned up we could meet
             someplace else. What do you think?
   
                       JACKIE
             We could, if I'm not in jail.
   
                       NICOLET
             Oh, that's taken care of. I called
             the State Attorney's Office. You were
             no-filed this morning in Circuit
             Court.
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
   This information stops Jackie in her tracks.
   
                       JACKIE
             Are you saying I'm off the hook?
   
   
   JACKIE'S POV
   
   Nicolet, who kept walking when Jackie stopped, looks back
   at Jackie.
   
                       NICOLET
             Free as a bird. I still expect you to
             finish the job, though. How much do
             you have this time?
   
   Jackie starts walking again
   
                       JACKIE
             Fifty thousand, like I said. He's
             pretty sure he's gonna need it for
             bail.
   
   
   INT. JACKIE'S HONDA - DAY
   
   Jackie and Nicolet in the parked car. Ray has the flight
   bag in his lap.
   
   He unzips it.
   
   He sees the clothes with the envelope on top.
   
   Jackie watches all of this.
   
                       NICOLET
             That's fifty thousand, huh? It
             doesn't look like that much.
   
                       JACKIE
             I was told ten thousand in each pack.
   
                       NICOLET
             You didn't count it?
   
                       JACKIE
             I never have. It's not my money.
   
   He puts the envelope back in the bag and feels through
   the folds of a skirt.
   
                       NICOLET
             He might have slipped some coke in
             here. Did you check?
   
   Jackie, cool.
   
                       JACKIE
             Mr. Walker promised he'd never do
             that again.
   
   Nicolet's fingers move to a pair of black heels wedged
   into the side... they touch the shoes... then move over
   to the envelope, opens the clasp and takes out five
   rubber-banded bond packets of loot.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Ever been tempted?
   
                       NICOLET
             What? To put one of these in my
             pocket?
   
                       JACKIE
             Uh-huh.
   
                       NICOLET
             If I did, I'd have to give you one,
             wouldn't I? Or we could take what we
             want. No one knows how much there is
             except us, right?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yes. All those things are true.
   
                       NICOLET
             After all, it don't belong to nobody,
             right?
   
                       JACKIE
             That would be one point of view.
   
                       NICOLET
             Yeah, well, it's not a point of view
             that A.T.F. shares. Once we make it
             evidence, it belongs to us. You are
             now officially out of trouble. Don't
             do nothing stupid, now.
   
                       JACKIE
             How can I do anything if I'm being
             watched every second?
   
                       NICOLET
             I'm glad you realize that. Saves me
             the trouble of pointing it out to
             you.
                   (holding up the money)
             Put this in your shopping bag. It's
             what I expect to find when I look in
             Sheronda's. Comprende?
   
                       JACKIE
             Si.
   
   
   INT. MAX CHERRY'S OFFICE - DAY
   
   Max Cherry sits behind his desk. WINSTON POWELL, the big
   black guy from the photo, is at the other desk on the
   phone. Max looks at his watch.
   
   SUBTITLE APPEARS BELOW:
   
   "TIME: 3:30"
   
   Max stands up, takes the sport coat from the back of his
   chair, putsit on, and walks over to Winston's desk.
   Winston, still on the phone, looks up.
   
                       MAX
             I'm going out for a few hours.
   
                       WINSTON
                   (to phone)
             Hold on a minute.
                   (to Max)
             Where you going?
   
                       MAX
             I'm going to Del Amo, see a movie,
             get something to eat.
   
                       WINSTON
             Watcha gonna see?
   
                       MAX
             Whatever looks best and starts the
             soonest.
   
                       WINSTON
             Have fun.
   
   Winston goes back to the phone.
   
   Max walks out of the office.
   
   
   EXT. SAM'S HOFFIN BRAUR - DAY
   
   Sam's Hoffin Braur (German for beer garden) is a strip
   joint bar in downtown L.A.
   
   
   INT SAM'S HOFFIN BRAUR - DAY
   
   Ordell's on the pay phone. A STRIPPER strips in the b.g.
   
   SUBTITLE APPEARS BELOW:
   
   "TIME: 3:47"
   
                       ORDELL
             What the fuck are you two still doing
             there?!
   
   
   INT. MELANIE'S APARTMENT - DAY
   
   Louis stands in the empty living room, talking to Ordell
   on the phone. Kate Bush plays in the b.g.
   
                       LOUIS
             I was ready to leave ten minutes ago.
   
   Ordell snaps at Louis, not so harsh Louis is forced to
   retaliate, but enough to express his loss of patience.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, you the one in motherfuckin'
             charge.
   
                       LOUIS
             Well, she keeps saying 'in a minute.'
   
                       ORDELL
             Go in there, snatch her by the hair,
             and drag her big ass out. This is my
             goddam money we're talking about. Get
             your ass out the door.
   
   He hangs up on Louis.
   
   Louis, pissed at being hung up on and talked to like
   that, hangs up the phone and turns his frustration where
   it rightly belongs - Melanie.
   
   Louis stomps towards the bedroom where the music's
   playing.
   
                       LOUIS
             We're leaving now!
   
                       MELANIE (O.S.)
             All right already.
   
   
   MONTAGE
   
   We see a montage of the individual characters in route to
   the mall.
   
   
   JACKIE
   
   In her Honda, smoking a cigarette, looking cool as usual,
   driving to the mall. Her car plays seventies soul.
   
   
   MAX
   
   In his Cadillac Seville, cruising down Hawthorne
   Boulevard to the mall. He plays hid Delfonics CD.
   
   
   LOUIS AND MELANIE
   
   In Melanie's Toyota drive towards the mall. Melanie
   drives singing along with Kate Bush on her car stereo.
   
   
   EXT. DEL AMO MALL PARKING LOT - DAY
   
   Jackie's car pulls up to a lined parking space in the
   parking lot.
   
   SUBTITLE APPEARS BELOW:
   
   "TIME 3:52"
   
   Jackie gets out of the Honda with her flight bag. She
   goes to her hatchback, takes a Robinson's/May bag, lines
   the first half of the bag with old paperbacks.
   
   Then takes out of the flight bag the envelope with the
   fifty-thousand marked dollars, takes one packet of ten
   thousand, and puts it in her pocket. She lines the
   envelope with forty thousand across the books, then fills
   the rest of the bag with beach towels.
   
   Then with her flight bag slung over her shoulder,
   carrying the Robinson's/May bag and with all the
   confidence of a world champion prize fighter going into
   the ring, she strides toward the hugs mall.
   
   
   INT. DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   Jackie enters the mall. She looks at the people buzzing
   around. Any one of them could be surveillance.
   
   She calmly walks down the mall, then turns into the
   Roinson's/May store.
   
   
   INT. ROBINSON'S/MAY - DESIGNER CLOTHES - DAY
   
   Jackie, in her Cabo Air uniform, walks up to a young
   Asian saleswoman named Amy in the Robinson's/May designer
   clothing area.
   
   The saleswoman smiles when she sees Jackie.
   
                       AMY
             Can I help you?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yes, you have a suit I've had my eye
             on.
   
   Jackie steps out of the fitting room wearing a real
   sharp, badass, black suit with a white blouse.
   
                       AMY
             Oh, my God. You look so cool.
   
   Jackie moves over to the mirror, and checks herself out.
   
                       JACKIE
             This looks pretty good on me.
   
                       AMY
             Are you kidding, it looks great. You
             wear this to a business meeting,
             you're the badass in the room. But
             you can go out dancing in this too.
             It's a total power suit.
   
   Jackie studies her reflection.
   
                       JACKIE
             I think I'm gonna just get this for
             today. I'm in kind of a hurry. Would
             you mind ringing this up while I
             change out of it?
   
                       AMY
             Not a problem.
   
                       JACKIE
             Thanks.
   
   Jackie walks into the fitting room.
   
   
   INT. FITTING ROOM - DAY
   
   She walks down the fitting room hallway with changing
   cubicles on her right, enters the last one.
   
   She closes the door and sits down on the bench in between
   her flight bag full of money and the Robinson's/May bag.
   
   A full-length mirror is straight I front of her. She
   looks at herself... when someone comes into the stall
   next to her.
   
   Melanie's voice comes from the other side of the wall.
   
                       MEALNIE (O.S.)
             Jackie?
   
                       JACKIE
             Hi, Melanie.
   
                       MELANIE (O.S.)
             Are you getting that black suit?
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah, do you like it?
   
                       MELANIE (O.S.)
             It looks good on you.
   
                       JACKIE
             Do you got something for me?
   
                       MELANIE (O.S.)
             You betcha.
   
   A Robinson's/May bag, like Jackie's, filled with towels,
   comes sliding underneath the stall.
   
   Jackie picks up her Robinson's/May bag, filled with
   books, towels and the marked forty-thousand dollars.
   
   She takes the loose packet of ten-thousand marked dollars
   and lies it on top of the bag.
   
   As she does all this Melanie continues talking.
   
                       MELANIE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
             We coulda worked this. You know that,
             dontcha? You would've made out a lot
             better than you're going to, believe
             me.
   
   Jackie slides the Robinson's/May bag with money under the
   stall.
   
   Melanie sees the money on top and stops talking.
   
                       JACKIE
             I put a little cherry on top. You're
             right. What the hell he ever do for
             us?
   
                       MELANIE (O.S.)
                   (quietly)
             Thanks.
   
                       JACKIE
             Now be careful with that bag. You
             don't want it ripping open on you in
             the middle of the store.
   
   We hear the SOUND of Melanie leaving.
   
   Jackie then transfers the half of a million dollars out
   of her flight bag into Melanie's Robinson's/May bag. She
   sticks her uniform in the flight bag.
   
   Then takes the towels and puts them on top of the money.
   She grabs her flight bag and leaves, leaving behind the
   Robinson's/May bag filled with half of a million dollars.
   
   
   INT. DESIGNER CLOTHES - DAY
   
   Jackie, looking sharp in her new suit but acting a touch
   frantic and anxious, walks rapidly toward the sales
   counter where Amy waits for her.
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm sorry, I just decided to stay in
             the suit - get out of that damn
             uniform.
   
                       AMY
             Oh, that's not a problem.
   
   As Jackie and the salesgirl complete their transaction
   the CAMERA CIRCLES them, SLOWLY at first, but more
   RAPIDLY each go-around. They complete the transaction and
   as Jackie starts to leave, she stops and says to Amy;
   
                       JACKIE
             Oh, somebody left a shopping bag in
             there. Looks like beach towels.
   
   She leaves. We follow her...
   
   
   INT. DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   ... Jackie walks out of Robinson's/May hurriedly into the
   main mall. The calm, cool stride we're used to with
   Jackie is completely gone.
   
   She stops, looks around, head darting from one direction
   to another. She looks in a panic. The CAMERA begins to
   twirl around her. She seems to be looking for something
   she doesn't see. She looks helpless and on the verge of
   tears.
   
   As the twirling CAMERA circles her, she screams;
   
                       JACKIE
             Ray! Ray! I need you! Come out! She
             took the money.
   
   The CAMERA stops twirling.
   
   Nicolet, Dargus, and two other plainclothes cops, come
   running out of a store towards Jackie. As they reach her,
   a frantic Jackie yells;
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Melanie burst in the dressing room
             and took the money!
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   EXT. PARKING LOT - DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   Louis and Melanie pull up to a lined parking space in
   Melanie's Toyota.
   
   SUBTITLE APPEARS BELOW:
   
   "TIME: 4:12"
   
   Louis is the first out of the car.
   
                       LOUIS
             Come on, goddammit, we're late!
   
   
   INT. DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   We STEDICAM in front of them, Louis the rapid pacesetter,
   pulling Melanie behind him by the hand. Melanie carries
   the Robinson's/May switch bag.
   
                       MELANIE
             Jesus Christ, get a grip, Louis.
   
                       LOUIS
             We shoulda been there already and we
             woulda been if it hadn't been for
             your fuckin' around!
   
   They go inside Robinson's/May...
   
   
   INT. ROBINSON'S/MAY - DAY
   
   ... We STEDICAM into Robison's/May with them. We lose
   them for a moment behind racks of dresses and mannequins,
   but end up landing on Jackie in her black suit, looking
   in a mirror and talking to Amy on the Designer Clothes
   floor.
   
                       AM
             ... You wear this to a business
             meeting, you're the badass in the
             room...
   
   We PAN away and find Louis and Melanie by a dress rack,
   watching Jackie.
   
                       MELANIE
             That's a nice outfit on her. I'm
             gonna go over and look at this Michi
             Moon display.
   
                       LOUIS
             Just stay right fuckin' here, all
             right?
   
                       MELANIE
             Are you sweating?
   
   Louis' hand immediately goes to his forehead and touches
   dampness.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             Job a little too much for you?
   
   Louis shoots Melanie a hard convict look.
   
   Melanie smiles at him, feeling the stare, but too much of
   a natural-born smart ass to change.
   
                       MELANIE
             I'll be over here. You're too
             conspicuous.
   
   Louis looks over at the fitting room. Jackie is going
   inside it, and the saleswoman is walking away towards
   him.
   
   He watches the saleswoman walk by him, then looks back in
   time to see Melanie enter the fitting room.
   
                       LOUIS
                   (under his breath)
             Goddammit, not till I tell ya.
   
   He decides he's watching the fitting room entrance too
   much, so he starts throwing his look around when he sees
   something that stops him cold.
   
   
   MAX CHERRY
   
   Max is looking at dresses, paying no attention to the
   fitting room.
   
   He thinks, 'what the fuck is Max Cherry doing here?'
   
   Max, doing what he's doing, looks up and sees Louis
   staring at him across the floor. Max smiles and gives
   Louis a wave before turning his back to him and continues
   to do what he was doing.
   
   He quickly looks around the store to see anything else;
   any more surprise guests, possible police surveillance.
   Everything looks normal. The saleswoman is behind the
   register ringing up Jackie's purchase. The few customers
   there are doing customer stuff.
   
   Then he sees Melanie come out with a Robinson's/May bag
   and head down a different aisle.
   
   He hurries down his aisle and cuts her off. Their whole
   fight is said tense and low.
   
                       LOUIS
             What are you doin'?
   
                       MELANIE
             I'm getting out of here. What do you
             think?
   
                       LOUIS
             Lemme have the bag.
   
                       MELANIE
             Fuck you. I can carry it.
   
   She tries to push past him, and he catches her by her arm
   and pulls her around.
   
                       LOUIS
             Goddam you. Gimme that bag,
   
                       MELANIE
             Watch it, dipshit. You wanna rip the
             fuckin' bag?
   
                       LOUIS
             Gimme that bag before I knock you out
             and take it.
   
   Melanie realizes Louis ain't fuckin' kiddin'. Not only
   that, this old guy looks close to buggin'. She lets go of
   the bag.
   
                       MELANIE
             Okay, okay. Take it. Jesus, what's
             wrong with you?
   
   He takes it. They start walking. We STEDICAM in front of
   them.
   
                       LOUIS
             I'm carrying it.
   
                       MELANIE
             Okay, you got it. Just take a chill
             pill, for christ sake.
   
   Louis has had enough of her slang and says tensely
   through gritted teeth;
   
                       LOUIS
             Fuck you with your chill pill.
   
   In mid-walk, Melanie asks him;
   
                       MELANIE
             Remember where we came in?
   
   Louis stops dead. He looks around, confused.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
                   (like a teacher on Romper
                   Room)
             Nooo, that's towards Sears. We came
             in through Bullocks. I know where it
             is. Want to follow me, Lou-is?
   
   Pissed, he leaves FRAME. Melanie, wearing her Melanie
   smirk, follows behind.
   
   
   EXT. PARKING LOT - DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   Louis, clutching the shopping bag close to his chest,
   walks rapidly down an aisle of parked cars.
   
   Melanie follows close behind.
   
   We STEDICAM alongside. We walk for awhile, Louis changes
   direction to another aisle. WE'RE NOW IN FRONT of him. We
   see he has a searching look on his face.
   
                       MELANIE
             You have no idea where you parked, do
             you?
   
   Louis doesn't answer.
   
   Melanie laughs.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             Jesus, but if you two aren't the
             biggest fuck-ups I've ever seen in my
             life... How did you ever rob a bank?
             When you robbed banks, did you have
             to look for your car then too? No
             wonder you went to jail.
   
   Louis could kill her right now. Just take his gun out of
   his pants and shoot her in her snickering face. But
   instead of doing what he wants, he does what he should.
   He doesn't answer of look back. (If he looked back and
   saw that Melanie-smirk, he couldn't e responsible for
   what happens.)He changes directions, cuts down another
   aisle and hopes for both their sakes she shuts the fuck
   up.
   
   But our Melanie just keeps on being Melanie.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             Is it this aisle, Lou-is?
   
                       LOUIS
             Yeah, down the end.
   
                       MELANIE
             You sure?
   
   They walk it; it's not it.
   
   Louis changes direction and cuts between some cars to the
   next one.
   
                       MELANIE (CONT'D)
             Is it this aisle or the next one
             over?
   
                       LOUIS
             This one.
   
                       MELANIE
             You sure?
   
   In between two cars, Louis spins on her.
   
                       LOUIS
             Don't say anything else, okay? I'm
             telling you, keep your mouth shut.
   
   Melanie was surprised by the spin, but is about to say
   something anyway when Louis put his hand up and says;
   
                       LOUIS
             I mean it. Don't say one fuckin'
             word.
   
                       MELANIE
             Okay, Lou-is.
   
   That did it!
   
   Louis whips out the Beretta Ordell gave him, shoots
   her... BAM... in the belly.
   
   She bounces OFF one of the cars and goes down.
   
   BAM... Louis shoots her again on the ground.
   
   One; to make sure. Two; cause it felt good.
   
   Then he hurries of for his car. WE FOLLOW IN FRONT OF
   HIM. He looks around, then yells out;
   
                       LOUIS
             See, just where I fuckin' said it
             was!
   
   He hops in the car, and throws it into reverse.
   
   We can se Melanie's bare legs sticking out from a row of
   cars. Louis stops the Toyota alongside the dead Melanie,
   and yells through the passenger window;
   
                       LOUIS
             Hey, look. I found it!
   
   He drives away.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   EXT. PARKING LOT - DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   Max Cherry's Cadillac Seville pulls up to a lined space
   in the parking lot.
   
   SUBTITLE APPEARS BELOW:
   
   "TIME: 4:04"
   
   Max gets out of his car and casually strolls towards the
   Del Amo Mall.
   
   
   INT. ROBINSON'S/MAY - DAY
   
   Max, hands in pocket, strolls unhurriedly through the
   Robinson's/May store.
   
   He walks around the store, keeping one eye peeled toward
   the Designer Clothes section. He walks up to a jewelry
   counter and begins looking at he pieces in the display
   case, when a pretty, young SALESGIRL comes up to him.
   
                       SALESGIRL
             Can I show you something?
   
                       MAX
             Not right now. I'm just killing time
             waiting for my wife. But thanks,
             anyway.
   
                       SALESGIRL
             Sure thing. If anything grabs you,
             don't be shy.
   
                       MAX
             Thanks, I won't.
   
   She goes off.
   
   He looks towards Designer Clothes and sees Jackie walking
   out of the fitting room wearing the cool black suit.
   
                       AMY
             Oh, my God. You look so cool.
   
   Jackie moves over to the mirror and checks herself out.
   
   Max looks back to the jewelry display case, saying under
   his breath;
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
                   (low)
             And away we go.
   
   Jackie looks at her reflection in the mirror. Then she
   lifts her eyes, meeting Max's across the room. Max gives
   her a nod of his head to show he approves. Jackie smiles
   and breaks contact, turning to Amy. We hear her say from
   a distance. "This looks pretty good on me."
   
   Max hears a commotion behind him and turns to see Louis
   and Melanie hurriedly making their way towards Designer
   Clothes.
   
   He turns his attention back to browsing through dresses
   on a rack.
   
   He sees Louis and Melanie squabbling.
   
   He sees Jackie disappear into the fitting room.
   
   He sees Amy leaving the fitting room entrance.
   
   He watches Melanie, by herself, watch Amy leave. Melanie
   watches the fitting room for a few moments. Gathering her
   courage, then makes her move, entering the fitting room.
   
   Max smiles to himself, "so far so good" he thinks. He
   throws a look towards Louis, only to see Louis staring
   dead at him with an unhappy look on his face. Max returns
   the look with a smile and a wave then turns his back on
   his before he can see a reaction.
   
   Max continues his fake browsing.
   
   He sees Melanie come out of the fitting room carrying a
   Robinson's/May bag close to her chest.
   
   She and Louis disappear.
   
   He sees Jackie come out of the fitting room, go over to
   Amy and buy the dress. Jackie goes into her act, acting
   agitated and distracted as she talks to Amy, pays with
   cash, then leaves stopping to say;
   
                       JACKIE
             Oh, somebody left a shopping bag in
             there. Looks like beach towels.
   
   She's gone.
   
   Amy is left alone by the cashier counter.
   
   It's Max's turn.
   
   As Max looks at Amy, then at the fitting room entrance,
   he says to himself;
   
                       MAX
             Max, old boy. You've spent nineteen
             years dealing with people who take
             incredible risks. You walk over to
             that counter, you're gonna find out
             what it's like.
   
   Max takes a few moments...
   
   ... then walks over to Amy.
   
                       MAX
             Excuse me, but my wife thinks she
             left a bag of beach towels in the
             fitting room?
   
                       AMY
             Yeah, I think they're back there. Go
             get 'em. There's nobody in there. I
             think they're in the last stall.
   
                       MAX
             Thanks.
   
   Max walks toward the fitting room, enters it, walks down
   the length of stalls, and stops in front of the last one.
   
   He opens the door to the stall. Sitting in the corner is
   the Robinson's/May bag. He walks over to it, lifts out
   the towels, and sees all that money. He replaces the
   towels, picks up the bag and leaves. HE walks across the
   Designer Clothes, passes by Amy, says;
   
                       MAX
             Got 'em, thanks.
   
                       AMY
             Sure thing.
   
   Max walks unhurriedly toward the door that leads to the
   parking lot.
   
   
   EXT. PARKING LOT - DEL AMO MALL - DAY
   
   He's outside; nobody's stopped him. He keeps walking
   towards his blue Seville. He keeps walking unhurriedly,
   never looking back. He gets to his car, uses opening the
   car door as an excuse to look back at the mall.
   
   It's normal. Nobody's after him, nobody's watching him.
   He made it. It worked.
   
   Max allows himself a smile, gets into his Cadillac with
   his half-a-million bucks and drives away.
   
   
   INT. SAM'S HOFFIN BRAUS - DAY
   
   Ordell sits at the bar in Sam's drinking a screwdriver
   and watching a stripper strip.
   
                       BARTENDER
             There a Ordell here?
   
                       ORDELL
             That's me.
   
   The bartender hands him the phone.
   
                       BARTENDER
             Don't talks all day.
   
   Ordell takes the receiver.
   
   
   INT. TOYOTA (MOVING) - DAY
   
   A stressed Louis drives the Toyota, calling Ordell on
   Ordell's tiny cellular.
   
                       LOUIS
             It's Louis.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (now into phone)
             Did you get it?
   
                       LOUIS
             I got it. Listen, there's something
             else I have to tell you.
   
                       ORDELL
             When I see you. Pick me up at Sam's.
             You count the money?
   
                       LOUIS
             I haven't even looked at it yet, it's
             still in the shopping bag.
   
                       ORDELL
             Melanie must be dyin' to see it.
                   (pause)
             Louis.
   
                       LOUIS
             That's what I got to talk to you
             about. You see, Melanie was giving me
             a hard time -
   
                       ORDELL
             - Not now, pick me up.
   
   Louis hears the phone disconnect.
   
   
   EXT. SAM'S HOFFIN BRAUR - DAY
   
   The Toyota pulls up to the back of the bar. Ordell hops
   in, the car takes off.
   
   
   INT. TOYOTA (MOVING) - DAY
   
   Oredell in the passenger seat, bends over to the
   backseat, grabs the shopping bag, and brings it to his
   lap. He looks like a kid at Christmas.
   
                       ORDELL
             You keep drivin' down Ninth, to where
             they got all them car dealerships.
             We're gonna leave this heap in a
             parking lot and get one the cops
             don't know about.
                   (pause)
             Hey, where's Melanie?
   
                       LOUIS
             That's what I gotta tell you. She
             bugged me the whole time. Got pissy
             with me 'cause I wouldn't let her
             carry the bag. Started running her
             fuckin' mouth... I couldn't remember
             right away when we came out where the
             car was parked, so she got on me
             about that. "Is it this aisle Lou-is,
             is it that one?" She was totally
             fuckin' with my nerves.
   
                       ORDELL
             So what, you left her there.
   
                       LOUIS
             I shot her.
   
   Ordell just looks at him.
   
                       LOUIS (CONT'D)
             I expect she's dead.
   
   Ordell still doesn't say anything... then says;
   
                       ORDELL
             You shot Melanie?
   
                       LOUIS
             Twice. In the parking lot.
   
                       ORDELL
             Couldn't talk to her?
   
                       LOUIS
             You know how she is.
   
                       ORDELL
             You couldn't just hit her?
   
                       LOUIS
             Maybe... but at that moment... I
             dunno...
   
                       ORDELL
             You shot her twice?
   
                       LOUIS
             Uh-huh.
   
                       ORDELL
             So you're sure she's dead.
   
                       LOUIS
             Pretty sure.
   
                       ORDELL
             Where did you shoot her?
   
                       LOUIS
             In the chest and stomach.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, if you had to do it, you had to
             do it. What we don't want is that
             bitch surviving on us. Anybody but
             that woman.
   
   Ordell shrugs it off, and digs into the shopping bag. He
   pulls out the towels and sees forty-thousand dollars on
   top of a bunch of paperbacks. His stomach drops. He just
   looks inside the bag for the longest time.
   
   Louis drives, oblivious to Ordell's dilemma.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
                   (quiet)
             Louis?
   
                       LOUIS
                   (not looking at him)
             What?
   
                       ORDELL
             Where's the rest of it?
             
                       LOUIS
                   (looking at him)
             How much it there?
   
                       ORDELL
             Maybe forty, maybe not that much.
   
                       LOUIS
             You said five hundred and fifty!
   
                       ORDELL
                   (calm)
             So you light, ain't you. You light
             about a half-a-million.
   
                       LOUIS
             Look, that's the bag she came out
             with. She never even put her hand in
             it, and neither did I.
   
                       ORDELL
             Came outta where?
   
                       LOUIS
             The fitting room. It went down
             exactly the way it was supposed to.
   
                       ORDELL
             How long was she in there?
   
                       LOUIS
             Maybe a minute. She came right out.
   
                       ORDELL
             Louis, You tellin' me the truth?
   
                       LOUIS
             Look, I swear to fucking god, she
             came out with that bag and I took it
             from her.
   
                       ORDELL
             Then what?
   
                       LOUIS
             We went to the parking lot.
   
                       ORDELL
             Where you shot her.
   
                       LOUIS
             That's right.
   
                       ORDELL
             You sure she ain't somewhere with a
             half-a-million dollars I worked my
             ass off to earn?
   
   Louis looks at Ordell;
   
                       LOUIS
                   (quietly)
             Fuck you for asking me that.
   
                       ORDELL
             Pull the car over.
   
   Louis pulls it over, and stops on Ninth.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             What'd you shoot her with?
   
                       LOUIS
             It's in there.
   
   Ordell opens the glove box and takes out the Beretta. He
   smells the end of the barrel. He releases the magazine.
   
                       LOUIS (CONT'D)
             What's that gonna tell you" If I was
             really pullin' a burn, I'd have taken
             two out, wouldn't I? I thought you
             trusted me.
   
   Ordell looks at him. Louis didn't burn him.
   
   
   CLOSEUP ORDELL
   
   He thinks.
   
                                               DISSOLVE TO:
   
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
   Holding a bunch of money, looking into the camera, and
   saying with a smile;
   
                       JACKIE
             Gotcha, nigga.
   
                                               DISSOLVE BACK
                                               TO:
   
   
   CLOSEUP ORDELL
   
   Jackie's gonna die. He slaps the magazine back into the
   Beretta.
   
                       ORDELL
             Okay, so it was Jackie Brown.
   
                       LOUIS
             If she's got it, why didn't she take
             it all?
   
                       ORDELL
             'fore I blow that bitch's brains out,
             I'll ask her.
   
                       LOUIS
             Maybe the Feds got it.
   
                       ORDELL
             If there were nothin; in here but
             towels, maybe she didn't get a chance
             to take it from her suitcase and
             A.T.F. got it. But, she put these
             fuckin' books in here to trick our
             ass.
   
                       LOUIS
             That's why I never checked it. The
             bag felt right.
   
                       ORDELL
             Then she throws forty thousand in
             here, to rub the shit in my face,
             know what I'm saying? She wants me to
             know she ripped me off.
   
                       LOUIS
             I don't know. Either she has it or
             the Feds.
   
                       ORDELL
             Or...
                   (pause)
             ... she gave it to somebody else
             first, before Melanie went in the
             dressing room.
   
   It gets real quiet in the car, as Louis remembers
   something.
   
                       LOUIS
             Jesus Christ.
   
                       ORDELL
             What?
   
                       LOUIS
             You know who I saw in the dress
             department?
   
                       ORDELL
             Tell me.
   
                       LOUIS
             I didn't really think anything of it.
             No - I did wonder what he was doing
             there, but didn't think it had
             anything to do with us. You know like
             maybe he was there with his wife or
             girlfriend.
   
                       ORDELL
             You gonna tell me who it was?
   
                       LOUIS
             Max Cherry.
   
   Ordell has to look away from Louis, takes a beat, then
   looks back.
   
                       ORDELL
             You see Max Cherry in the dress
             department. We're about to be handed
             half-a-million dollars - Man, look at
             me when I'm talking to you! And you
             don't think nothing of him being
             there!
   
                       LOUIS
             Do Max Cherry and Jackie Brown know
             each other?
   
                       ORDELL
             Hell, yes, they know each other. He
             bonded her out of county.
   
                       LOUIS
             How am I supposed to know that?
   
                       ORDELL
             You know the motherfucker's a bail
             bondsman, don't ya? You know every
             last one of them motherfuckers is
             crooked as hell?
   
                       LOUIS
             Why should I think anything's weird,
             if I don't know nothin' about them
             knowing each other?
   
                       ORDELL
             Man, I don't want to hear your
             fuckin' excuses!
   
   Louis gets mad.
   
                       LOUIS
             I ain't givin' you fuckin' excuses,
             I'm givin' you reasons.
   
                       ORDELL
             Oh, you gonna tell me the reason you
             lost all the goddam money I got in
             the world! Let me tell you the
             reason, motherfucker! The reason is,
             your ass ain't worth a shit no more!
   
   Louis turns into the hard convict on the yard, and tells
   Ordell;
   
                       LOUIS
                   (hard)
             You best back off.
   
   We hear a BAM.
   
   Louis jerks.
   
   Ordell shot him.
   
   Louis falls back against the car door, eyes wide open,
   staring at Ordell.
   
   Ordell takes the pistol, works the barrel up higher on
   Louis' side, right under him arm, and shoots him again.
   
   This time Louis' head BANGS against the car door window.
   He slumps over - his life gone.
   
   Ordell looks at him.
   
                       ORDELL
             What the fuck happened to you, man?
             Shit, your ass use'ta be beautiful.
   
   Ordell takes the bag and gets out of the car, leaving
   Louis' dead body there.
   
                                               DISSOLVE TO:
   
   
   MEDIUM NICOLET
   
                       NICOLET
             You didn't tell me you were gonna do
             some shopping.
   
   
   INT. NICOLET'S OFFICE (A.T.F. HEADQUARTERS) - DAY
   
   Jackie, still dressed in her cool black suit, sits in a
   chair in Nicolet's office. Davidoff between the fingers
   of one hand, she holds a small, white styrofoam cup of
   coffee in he other.
   
   Ray stands.
   
                       JACKIE
             I thought I did.
   
                       NICOLET
             You didn't. I would think with all
             this on your mind, you'd wait till
             after.
   
                       JACKIE
             I got there early. I've had my eye on
             this suit - Wait, let's start over. I
             got there early. The idea was to try
             on the suit, see if I liked it. If I
             did, get them to wrap it up, and
             change back into my uniform. That's
             what Sheronda's expecting me to wear.
             Go meet Sheronda, give her the bag
             with fifty thousand, and go home.
   
                       NICOLET
             But you didn't do that.
   
                       JACKIE
             Because I didn't have it. Ray, I
             swear, Melanie came in and grabbed
             it.
                   (pause)
             And someone killed her for it.
   
   Nicolet looks at Jackie for a moment.
   
                       NICOLET
             Where's the bag she gave you?
   
                       JACKIE
             She didn't give me one. I told you
             before, Melanie wasn't part of the
             plan. Ordell must of told her to do
             it. She bursts in, grabs the shopping
             bag, and takes off. What am I
             supposed to do, go after her? I'm in
             my fucking underwear. I had to get
             dressed before I could do anything.
             So I put this back on 'cause could
             put this on faster than I could my
             uniform.
   
                       NICOLET
             You took the time to pay the
             saleswoman.
   
                       JACKIE
             I had to. I was frantic. I didn't
             know what to do.
   
                       NICOLET
             What did you do after that?
   
                       JACKIE
             I went looking for you. I went
             straight to the bookstore, 'cause
             that's where you were last time, but
             you weren't there. How the hell else
             am I supposed to let anybody know
             what happened? You didn't tell me how
             to do that, did you? I knew I was
             under surveillance, so when I
             couldn't spot anybody, I started
             yelling.
   
                       NICOLET
             There was a guy with Melanie?
   
                       JACKIE
             Not in the fitting room.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   A YOUNG WOMAN A.T.F SURVEILLANCE AGENT
   
   Pretends to shop. She watches Louis grab Melanie.
   
                       NICOLET (V.O.)
             We had our agent on you. She sees a
             blonde come out of the fitting room
             carrying a Robinson's/May bag and
             tussle with a tough-looking white
             guy. The white guy takes the shopping
             bag and they go.
   
   
   BACK TO OFFICE
   
                       NICOLET
             This guy with Melanie, that was Louis
             Gara?
   
                       JACKIE
             I didn't see him. I was in my
             underwear. If it was a white guy, it
             was probably Louis. He kill Melanie?
   
                       NICOLET
             It's possible. You're saying you
             don't have any idea what happened to
             that fifty thousand?
   
                       JACKIE
             I have no idea.
   
                       NICOLET
             You'd take a polygraph on it?
   
                       JACKIE
             If it'll make you happy.
   
                       NICOLET
             I sure hope you haven't done anything
             dumb Jackie.
   
   Dargus comes to the doorway...
   
                       DARGUS
                   (to Nicolet)
             Can I have a word with you?
   
                       NICOLET
             Sure.
   
   They both leave, leaving Jackie all by herself in the
   room, smoking.
   
   They both come back in.
   
   Nicolet continues, Dargus takes a seat in the corner
   saying nothing.
   
                       NICOLET (CONT'D)
             Louis Gara's dead. L.A.P.D. found him
             dead in a car on Ninth. And we've
             lost Ordell.
   
                       JACKIE
             I thought you were watching him.
   
                       NICOLET
             We were, and we lost him. He walked
             into a strip bar sometime around
             three thirty and never came out. The
             bar was on Ninth, less than a mile-
             and-a-half from where Louis was found
             dead. It looks like Louis's friend
             shot him twice at point blank range.
   
                       JACKIE
             So what happens now?
   
                       NICOLET
             We pick up Ordell. We've got three
             murders we can link him to. We have
             the storage unit where he keeps his
             guns, by tomorrow we'll have a search
             warrant to go in and get him. And we
             have you.
   
                       JACKIE
             What about me?
   
                       NICOLET
             What about you?
   
                       JACKIE
             Do you think I took some of that
             money?
   
                       NICOLET
             I have no evidence of your taking
             anything. You didn't pay for your
             snazzy new suit with marked bills; I
             was glad to see that. You've been
             helping us out, you gave us Melanie
             and Louis. Melanie had a packet of
             marked bills stuffed in her shorts
             when they found her, which goes a
             long way backing up your story.
   
   Jackie listens.
   
                       NICOLET (CONT'D)
             I'll settle for Ordell with the
             marked bills.
   
                       NICOLET
             If you have something else going on
             you haven't told me about, it's
             between you and Ordell. All I gotta
             say is, you better hope we find him
             before he finds you.
   
                                               DISSOLVE TO:
   
   
   CLOSEUP ORDELL
   
   On the phone.
   
                       ORDEL
             ... I can't leave here today... Mr.
             Walker, I ain't goin' nowhere till I
             get my money... You wouldn't have
             that fuckin' boat weren't for me.
             Man, I'm learnin' real fast who my
             friends are... Mr. Walker?
   
   
   INT. FILTHY APARTMENT - DAY
   
   Ordell turn to a glassy-eyed black female junkie nodding
   on the couch named RAYNELLE. The filthy apartment we're
   in belongs to her.
   
                       ORDELL
             Can you believe that shit?
             Motherfucker hung up on me. Ingrate
             nigger. Do things for people and
             that's how they treat you. Goddamn
             girl, how can you live like this?
   
   He dials another number.
   
                       RAYNELLE
                   (stoned)
             Like what?
   
                       ORDELL
             Girl, this shit is repugnant.
   
                       WINSTON (O.S.)
                   (on other end of phone)
             Cherry Bail Bonds.
   
                       ORDELL
             Let me speak to Max Cherry.
   
   
   INT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - DAY
   
   Winston behind his desk, on the phone.
   
                       WINSTON
             He ain't here right now.
   
                       ORDELL
             He leave town?
   
                       WINSTON
             He's around.
   
                       ORDELL
             Give me his home number.
   
                       WINSTON
             I'll give you his beeper.
   
                                               CUT TO:
   
   
   A YOUNG BLACK COMEDIAN ON TV
   
   Def Comedy Jam plays on TV, a black comedian does a nasty
   stand-up routine.
   
   
   INT. FILTHY APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   Ordell and Raynelle sit on the couch watching Def Comedy
   Jam; neither one is laughing. Raynelle's too stoned.
   Ordell's too tense. The phone rings, he jumps on it
   
                       ORDELL
             Hello.
   
   
   INT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - NIGHT
   
   Max on the other end behind his desk. Winston sitting on
   the edge of the desk listening.
   
                       MAX
             I've been looking for you.
   
   Ordell's up and off the couch pacing.
   
                       ORDELL
             You know who this is?
   
                       MAX
             Mister Robbie, isn't it? I have the
             ten thousand you put up. Isn't that
             why you called.
   
   Ordell doesn't say anything.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             The bond collateral on Beaumont
             Livingston you moved over to cover
             Miss Brown, remember?
   
                       ORDELL
             She got off, huh?
   
                       MAX
             They decided to no-file. Tell me
             where you are and I'll bring you your
             money.
   
   Ordell doesn't say anything.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             You still there?
   
                       ORDELL
             Looky here, I know you helped her and
             I know you know what I want Jackie
             can tell me any story come in that
             pretty head of hers. Long as at the
             end of that story, she hands over my
             money. She do that, we're still
             friends. Now, she don't wanna be my
             friend no more, tell her to think
             about ol' Louis. And if she tries to
             turn me in, I'll name her ass as my
             accessory. We'll go upstate together.
             Hand in handcuffed hand. Now that
             shit's a promise, understand what I'm
             sayin'? You tell her that, and I'll
             call you back.
   
   Ordell hangs up. Back in control. He looks to the TV. One
   of the COMEDIANS cracks a joke. Ordell laughs.
   
   Max looks at Winston.
   
                       MAX
             You're right, that was Ordell. You
             have time, you think you could find
             out for me where he's staying?
   
                       WINSTON
             Cops can't locate him, huh?
   
                       MAX
             They don't have your winning
             personality.
   
                       WINSTON
             Sure thing. I don't have to know what
             I'm doing, long as you know.
   
                       MAX
             I think I do. Is that good enough?
   
   
   EXT. MOTEL - NIGHT
   
   A low-rent motel. We hear a phone ring inside one of the
   rooms.
   
   
   INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
   
   Jackie lies on a hotel bed, wearing a long t-shirt and
   panties, watching TV that's chained to the wall.
   
   She answers the phone.
   
                       JACKIE
             Hello.
   
   
   INT. MAX'S OFFICE - NIGHT
   
   Max on the phone in his office, alone.
   
                       MAX
             I know where he is.
   
   This gets her attention. She picks up the remote to the
   TV set and zaps the sound.
   
                       JACKIE
             How'd you find out?
   
                       MAX
             All Winston had to do was ask around.
             Ordell's living in Long Beach with a
             woman junkie.
   
                       JACKIE
             How does Winston find him if A.T.F.
             and all the local Police can't?
   
                       MAX
             People talk to Winston. He's street,
             same as them, they trust him. They
             get busted, they know somebody who
             can bond them out. I thought I might
             drop in on him. He'll no doubt be
             surprised to see me.
   
                       JACKIE
             He's liable to shoot you.
   
                       MAX
             On the phone I told him I have the
             ten thousand he put up for your bond.
             I could bring the money and the
             papers for him to sign. Walk out and
             call the Sheriff's department.
   
   Jackie gets off the bed.
   
                       JACKIE
             Ray wants him.
   
                       MAX
             Everybody wants him, he's a homicide
             suspect. It doesn't matter who brings
             him in, he's gonna name you as an
             accessory.
   
   Jackie lights up a Davidoff.
   
                       JACKIE
             That's why A.T.F.'s gotta make the
             case. I'm their witness. They
             wouldn't have a case without me. If
             it's his word against mine, who are
             they gonna believe?
   
                       MAX
             It's not that simple.
   
   Phone in one hand, smoke in the other, Jackie begins
   pacing back and forth.
   
                       JACKIE
             It never was, so I'm not gonna start
             worrying about it now. Look, Ray more
             or less believes my story, and he
             more or less doesn't care. All he
             really gives a shit about is getting
             Ordell.
   
                       MAX
             So how do we give Ordell to Nicolet?
   
                       JACKIE
             Get Ordell to come to your office.
   
                       MAX
             Set him up.
   
                       JACKIE
             Uh-huh.
   
                       MAX
             Tell him you want to see him?
   
                       JACKIE
             Tell him I want to give him his
             money.
   
                       MAX
             Why?
   
                       JACKIE
             I've chickened out. I'm afraid of
             him. He'll like that.
   
                       MAX
             What do you tell Nicolet?
   
                       JACKIE
             Ordell called and wants to meet me
             and I'm scared.
   
                       MAX
             We get Ordell to come to my office.
             Nicolet - is he already there, or
             does he come busting in while we're
             chatting?
   
   Jackie takes a drag.
   
                       JACKIE
             He's already there.
   
                       MAX
             What if he hears something he's not
             supposed to?
   
                       JACKIE
             Well, we don't let that happen, now
             do we?
   
   
   EXT. FILTHY APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   Max at the front door or Raynelle's apartment. He pounds
   on the door.
   
   Ordell throws open the door.
   
                       ORDELL
             What the fuck you doin' knockin on
             the door like the goddamn police? You
             lookin' to get shot?
   
                       MAX
             I thought you might be asleep.
   
                       ORDELL
             You keep fuckin' with me, you're
             gonna be asleep forever.
   
   He looks past Max.
   
                       MAX
             I'm alone.
   
                       ORDELL
             Git your ass in here.
   
   Max enters, Ordell slams the door.
   
   As Ordell turns away from the door, Maxis reaching into
   his coat. Ordell brings his Beretta up at Max.
   
                       ORDELL
             You better freeze, motherfucker!
   
   Max freezes, his hand in his coat pocket.
   
                       MAX
             You want your money? Your bond
             refund?
   
   He takes his hand out, it's holding stack of bills
   wrapped in a rubber band. He tosses it to Ordell, who
   catches it with his free hand.
   
                       ORDELL
             That's all?
   
                       MAX
             I have a bond receipt for you to
             sign.
   
                       ORDELL
             You know what the fuck I'm talkin'
             about. You talk to her?
   
                       MAX
             She wants to give you your money. If
             she didn't, there'd be cops batter-
             ramming the door right now.
   
                       ORDELL
             How'd you find me?
   
                       MAX
             Winston found you.
   
                       ORDELL
             How the fuck did he find me?
   
                       MAX
             That's what Winston does. He finds
             people who don't want to be found.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, bully for that nigga. You say
             she wants to give me the money, huh?
   
                       MAX
             Uh-huh.
   
                       ORDELL
             Well, give it to me then.
   
                       MAX
             She wants to give it to you herself
             and collect her ten percent. She also
             wants to explain why she had to hold
             on to it.
   
                       ORDELL
             I'd like to hear that too. Turn
             around and put your hands on your
             head.
   
   Max does this, Ordell pats him down.
   
                       MAX
             Jackie didn't trust Melanie. She'd
             already tried to get Jackie to go in
             with her, split the half million
             amongst themselves. What she did was
             take quite a risk to see you get your
             money.
   
                       ORDELL
             Lift up your pant leg. You help her?
   
                       MAX
             All I did was walk out with it.
   
                       ORDELL
             And you did that to protect my
             interest?
   
                       MAX
             In a way, yes.
   
                       ORDELL
             My ass be dumb, but I'm not a
             dumbass. Go sit over there on the
             couch.
   
   Max does.
   
                       MAX
             This place stinks.
   
                       ORDELL
             You get used to it after a while. Now
             tell me where my money's at.
   
                       MAX
             My office.
   
                       ORDELL
             And where's Jackie?
   
                       MAX
             She's been there since Thursday
             night.
   
                       ORDELL
             She wanted to see me, why wasn't she
             home?
   
                       MAX
             She was afraid.
   
                       ORDELL
                   (laughs)
             That I gotta see.
   
                       MAX
             She still is. She doesn't want to get
             shot before she can tell you what
             happened.
   
                       ORDELL
             Have her bring the money here.
   
                       MAX
             It's in the safe. She can't get at
             it.
   
                       ORDELL
             Call her, tell her the combination.
   
                       MAX
             I'm telling you, you got her spooked.
             She won't leave there till you have
             your money and you're gone.
   
                       ORDELL
             You expect me to just walk in there?
   
                       MAX
             If she wanted to set you up, you'd be
             in custody right now. When you said
             you'd name her as an accessory she
             believed you. That scares her more
             than anything.
   
                       ORDELL
             That's why she's givin' up my money
             huh? Not that bullshit about Melanie.
             I didn't trust her ass neither, but I
             knew how to handle her. She was my
             blonde-headed little surfer gal. I
             fuckin' told Louis he could've just
             given her a punch in the mouth, he
             didn't need to shoot her. She's at
             your office.
   
                       MAX
             Uh-huh.
   
                       ORDELL
             By herself. That big mandingo nigga
             Winston ain't there, is he?
   
                       MAX
             She's all alone.
   
                       ORDELL
             I call your office, she better answer
             the phone.
   
                       MAX
             She will.
   
   
   INT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - NIGHT
   
   Jackie on the phone with Ordell, sitting behind Max's
   desk.
   
                       JACKIE
             I'll be here. Se ya' in a bit.
   
   She hangs up the phone. Then starts dialing again...
   
   
   INT. RAY NICOLET'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   A STEDICAM glides through the apartment, it falls on a
   beeper "beeping", a gun, a wallet and car keys on a
   dresser drawer... it leaves that and lands on a TV
   screen: Tom Snyder is interviewing a guest on his show
   ... it leaves that and falls on two empty and one quarter-
   filled beer bottles... it leaves that and falls on a
   sleeping Ray Nicolet passed out in his reclining chair.
   The sound of Tom Snyder and the faint beeping are heard
   offscreen.
   
   
   EXT. FILTHY APARTMENT - NIGHT
   
   They leave the apartment walking to Max's car.
   
                       ORDELL
             All the time I've known her, I never
             heard her sound scared like that.
             Ordinarily she's too cool for school.
             I'm driving, gimme the keys.
   
   Max hands him the keys. They climb in.
   
   
   INT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - NIGHT
   
   Jackie sitting behind the desk. She opens the drawer to
   her right, Max's .38 sits there. She closes the drawer.
   
   
   INT. CADILLAC (MOVING) - NIGHT
   
   Ordell behind the wheel, Max the passenger. Ordell plays
   the radio, he likes the song and turns it up.
   
   
   BACK TO JACKIE
   
   Sitting alone in the office, she gets up and turns off
   the lights. The office goes dark. No music.
   
   
   BACK TO ORDELL AND MAX
   
   The song plays LOUD. Ordell moves his head to the music
   slightly. Mak sits silently in the passenger seat,
   sneaking a look at Ordell every once in a while.
   
   
   BACK TO JACKIE
   
   Sitting behind Max's desk in the dark. She takes out her
   Davidoffs and lights one up with her Bic. Her face is
   illuminated for a moment - then it's out. She exhales a
   drag. No music.
   
   
   BACK TO ORDELL
   
   CLOSEUP ORDELL
   
   His face is ice, the music is LOUD.
   
   
   BACK TO JACKIE
   
   CLOSEUP JACKIE
   
   She's cool as a breeze, smoking her brand. No music.
   
   
   BACK TO ORDELL AND MAX
   
   Music is LOUD. Ordell's driving. Max says;
   
                       MAX
             It's the next street.
   
                       ORDELL
             I know where it is.
   
                       MAX
             Turn left.
   
                       ORDELL
             I know where to turn.
   
   
   BACK TO JACKIE
   
   Sitting behind Max's desk. Headlights shine in the
   window. She is lit by them. She puts out her Davidoff and
   sits back in the chair. The light source cuts off.
   
   
   BACK TO ORDELL AND MAX
   
   Sitting in the parked Cadillac. Ordell has just turned
   off the lights and turns to Max, Beretta in hand.
   
                       ORDELL
             My money's in that office, right?
   
                       MAX
             Uh-huh.
   
                       ORDELL
             She starts givin' me some bullshit
             about it ain't there. It's somewhere
             else and we can go get it.
                   (he holds up his Beretta)
             I'm shootin' you in the head right
             then and there. Then I'm gonna shoot
             her in the kneecap, find out where my
             godamn money is. I go walkin' in
             there and that nigga Winston or
             anybody else is in there, you're the
             first man shot, understand what I'm
             sayin'?
   
                       MAX
             Yeah.
   
                       ORDELL
             Now, is there anything you want to
             tell me before we get out of this
             car?
   
                       MAX
             No.
   
                       ORDELL
             You sure?
   
                       MAX
             Yes.
   
                       ORDELL
             You better be, motherfucker.
   
   
   EXT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - NIGHT
   
   They both get out of the Cadillac. Ordell sticks his gun
   in his pants.
   
                       ORDELL
             Get ahead of me and open the door.
   
   Max steps in front of him, puts his keys in the lock and
   opens the door.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Step inside easy.
   
   Max does.
   
   Max sees; Jackie sitting at his desk in the dark.
   
   Ordell sees this, too and moves past Max.
   
                       ORDELL (CONT'D)
             Hey, girl, what the hell you sitting
             in the goddamn dark for?
   
   Max sees; Ordell moves past him... then he sees the
   bathroom door on the left side of the desk open, throwing
   light into the room, onto Jackie and the figure who steps
   out of the bathroom... Mark Dargus.
   
   Max sees; Ordell looks to Dargus, then back to Jackie.
   Then Jackie says;
   
                       JACKIE
             Mark...
                   (raising her voice)
             ... he's got a gun!
   
   Max sees; Ordell almost jumps, his arm goes to the
   Beretta in his pants...
   
   ... just as Dargus raises his gun and SHOOTS him three
   times in the chest...
   
   ... Ordell drops o the ground like a sack of potatoes, he
   lands at Max's feet.
   
   Max looks down and sees Ordell's head by his shoes, look
   of panic still on his face, dead as fried chicken.
   
   Max sees Dargus come over, bending on one nee next to
   Ordell's body.
   
   Max looks over at Jackie, still behind the desk. She
   looks eyes with Max for a moment, then stands and walks
   over to the body.
   
   Then Max sees ONE SHERIFF DEPUTY step out of the dark
   holding a shogun ... then another... then Winston step
   out of the bathroom.
   
                       DARGUS
             He's dead.
   
   Dargus looks up at Max;
   
                       DARGUS (CONT'D)
             Does he have the marked bills on him?
   
   Max still shaken;
   
                       MAX
             In his inside coat pocket.
   
   Dargus reaches in and pulls out the envelope containing
   the forty-thousand marked dollars.
   
   Max looks at Jackie.
   
   She looks down at the dead Ordell with no expression,
   just light up another Davidoff.
   
   Dargus looks up at Max;
   
                       DARGUS
             Why were you with him?
   
                       MAX
             I went to give him his refund, so he
             wouldn't have to come here.
   
                       DARGUS
             How'd you know where he was?
   
                       MAX
             I found out.
   
                       DARGUS
             And you didn't tell the Police?
   
                       MAX
             I told Jackie, and Jackie said you
             wanted him.
   
   Dargus looks down at he man he just killed.
   
                       JACKIE
             Remember when Ray said you hoped
             you'd get him before he got me?
   
   Dargus looks up and nods his head.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Well, you did. Thank you.
   
   She takes a drag on her Davidoff.
   
                                               FADE TO BLACK
   
   
   INT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - DAY
   
   As opposed to the last scene late at night, it's early
   morning. Max sits at his desk, filling out a report.
   
   A SUB-TITLE APPEARS BELOW:
   
   "TEN DAYS LATER"
   
   Max hears someone go;
   
                       JACKIE (O.S.)
             Knock knock.
   
   Max looks up and sees Jackie Brown, standing in the
   doorway. She smiles at him.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Hey.
   
   MAX FLASHES ON Jackie behind the desk.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Mark... he's got a gun!
   
   Dargus shoots Ordell, Ordell drops.
   
   
   BACK TO OFFICE
   
   Max smiles back.
   
                       MAX
             Hey, you.
   
   Jackie walks toward him.
   
                       JACKIE
             I got your package. It was fun
             getting a half-a-million dollars in
             the mail.
   
                       MAX
             Less ten percent.
   
                       JACKIE
             Yeah, your fee. I had to figure that
             out, since there wasn't no note.
   
   She sits in the chair in front of his desk.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Only this isn't a bail bond, Max.
   
                       MAX
             I hesitated taking that much.
   
                       JACKIE
             You worked for it - if you're sure that's all
             you want.
   
                       MAX
             I'm sure.
   
   Pause between them.
   
                       JACKIE
             I'm leaving, I have my things in my
             car. Why don't you walk out with me?
             I want to show you something.
   
   Max hesitates.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             Come on, Max. I won't hurt you.
   
   He smiles and gets up from the desk.
   
   As she stands, Jackie says;
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             I saw Ray the other day. Boy is he
             pissed he missed all the excitement.
   
                       MAX
             What's he doing?
   
                       JACKIE
             He's on to a new thing. He's after a
             guy who owns a gun shop he says is
             "woefully and wantonly" selling
             assault rifles to minors. He says
             he's gonna take him down if it's the
             last thing he does.
   
                       MAX
             Did you tell him you were leaving?
   
                       JACKIE
             I told him I might.
   
   
   EXT. CHERRY BAIL BONDS - DAY
   
   They walk outside and Max sees Ordell's black Mercedes
   convertible.
   
                       MAX
             That's Ordell's.
   
                       JACKIE
             They've confiscated all his other
             stuff. But this one's sorta left
             over. The registration's in the glove
             box, the keys were under the seat...
             What's a matter" haven't you ever
             borrowed someone's car?
   
                       MAX
             Not after they're dead.
   
   She walks around to the other side of the car, and looks
   at him across the black Mercedes.
   
                       JACKIE
             I didn't use you, Max.
   
                       MAX
             I didn't say you did.
   
                       JACKIE
             I never lied to you.
   
                       MAX
             I know.
   
                       JACKIE
             We're partners.
   
                       MAX
             I'm fifty-five-years old. I can't
             blame anybody for anything I do.
   
                       JACKIE
             Do you blame yourself for helping me?
   
   He shakes his head 'no.'
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             'd feel a whole lot better if you
             took some more money.
   
                       MAX
                   (smiling)
             You'll get over that.
   
   Jackie smiles.
   
                       MAX (CONT'D)
             Where're you going?
   
                       JACKIE
             Spain.
   
                       MAX
             Madrid or Barcelona?
   
                       JACKIE
             Start off in Madrid. Ever been there?
   
   He shakes his head 'no.'
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             I hear they don't eat dinner till
             midnight.
   
   Max doesn't say anything.
   
                       JACKIE
             Wanna go?
   
                       MAX
             Thanks, but you have a good time.
   
                       JACKIE
             Sure I can't twist your arm?
   
                       MAX
             Thank you for saying that, but no. My
             business.
   
                       JACKIE
             I thought you were tired of your
             business?
   
                       MAX
             I'm just tired in general.
   
                       JACKIE
             Are you scared of me?
   
   Max smiles and holds up two fingers, close to each other.
   
                       MAX
             A little bit.
   
   Jackie smiles back.
   
                       JACKIE
             Come over here.
   
   Max does.
   
   They give each other a long, tender kiss.
   
   She breaks it.
   
                       JACKIE (CONT'D)
             I'll send you a postcard, partner.
   
   
   
   THE END


Jackie Brown



Writers :   Quentin Tarantino
Genres :   Comedy  Crime


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