Fill Month Continues – Scene From “Public Enemy”

As I noted in a previous blog post, after I finished Radio Radio, my next project would have been a feature length screenplay titled Public Enemy. It focused on John Dillinger’s life after he was arrested in Arizona and extradited back to Indiana.

A few months after I started the project (which by the way was backed by eight years of research), I heard a Wisconsin Public Radio news report about Michael Mann’s movie Public Enemies, a film about John Dillinger starring Johnny Depp.

I was crushed, and I tabled the project for good. So, since I don’t plan on finishing it anytime soon, I’d thought that I would post one of the fist scenes of the film.

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EXT. CROWN POINT PRISON – NIGHT
TITLE:

“Crown Point State Prison”

The cars come to a halt in front of the state jail. The ’33 Ford that is carrying Dillinger is approached by two uniformed officers. On of the officers opens the doors, and the two plain clothes detectives get out and lead Dillinger to the door.

Estill runs from behind to catch them.

ESTILL

Hold on a second there.

The two detectives stop. The first detective turns his head around. Estill is still trying to catch up to the three men.

ESTILL(CON’T)

I’ll take him from here.

DETECTIVE 1

Are you sure, sir?

DILLINGER

Of course he’s sure.

Estill takes Dillinger’s left arm. The two detectives let go and take a step back.

DILLINGER

He has reporters and photographers in there waiting for him to bring in John Dillinger.

ESTILL

Are you trying to get a rise out of me, Dillinger?

DILLINGER

No, sir. My father taught me to never disrespect someone who is gracious enough to host me.

ESTILL

Already trying to be a model prisoner.

DILLINGER

I’ve always been a model prisoner, sir.

Estill flashes a cocky smile.

ESTILL

Ready to meet the press?

DILLINGER

I always enjoy an audience.

Estill leads Dillinger up the front stairs of the brick building. There are two more armed police officers. Each one grabs a door and opens them simultaneously.

The CAMERA FOLLOWS Estill and Dillinger into—

INT. CROWN POINT JAIL – CONTINUOUS
As Dillinger and Estill enter the building, there are about fifteen to twenty reporters and photographers in the main room. The reporters are shouting questions for both Estill and Dillinger. Flash bulbs are going off. Estill leads Dillinger past them to the first jail cell. Waiting for them on the other side of the sea of press men is SHERIFF LILLIAN HOLLEY joins them. She is a stoic 40ish woman with dark hair. She is clearly not happy with the press presence. By her demeanor, Estill strong armed her into letting the press in.

Estill stops and turns around, taking Dillinger with him. Dillinger is to Estill’s left, and Lillian Holley is to his right. Dillinger smirks, knowing that he is about to upstage the ambitious district attorney. Estill takes the handcuff key out of his pocket, and unlocks Dillinger’s cuffs. Dillinger looks a little surprised that Estill would free him while he was not in a cell. Dillinger massages his wrists and flexes his fingers. Estill raises both hands, almost victoriously.

ESTILL

Gentlemen of the press, this is a glorious day in the history in Indiana Justice—

Sherriff Holley rolls her eyes and mutters, “Oh brother.”

ESTILL(CON’T)

The capture and extradition of this man is made possible by the joint cooperation of the Arizona State Police, and the Indiana Department of Justice.

One reporter raises his hand.

REPORTER 1

Mr. Estill, John Dillinger is wanted in many other states. How did you get him.

ESTILL

We asked.

REPORTER 2

Mr. Estill, what do you say to the people who say that your pursuit of John Dillinger is nothing more than a stunt to get to the Governor’s Mansion?

ESTILL

I’d say even my critics think that I can be Governor.

REPORTER 2

Well, what do you think, Mr. Dillinger? Are you the sacrificial lamb for Governor Estill?

Estill looks at Dillinger and shoots him a foreboding look.

DILLINGER

I don’t know.

Dillinger looks at Estill and pats him on his back.

DILLINGER(CON’T)

I think that he’d make a fine Governor.

REPORTER 2

Why do you say that?

Dillinger flashes a smile.

DILLINGER

I like his tough position on crime.

The reporters laugh.

REPORTER 3

Mr. Dillinger. Were you involved in the killing of a police officer during the First National Bank and Trust robbery in East Chicago?

DILLINGER

Of course not. I was in Florida that day. And call me John.

REPORTER 3

There are witnesses that said that you were the man who killed Officer O’Malley.

DILLINGER

The witnesses saw a man of medium height and medium build with dark slicked back hair kill Officer O’Malley. Now, that could be anybody. As a matter of fact—

He seizes up the Reporter.

DILLINGER(CON’T)

You match that description.

Some of the reporters laugh

DILLINGER(CON’T)

Where were you on January 15th.

REPORTER 3

In Terre Haute with my in-laws.

DILLINGER

You should have been in Florida with me. You would have had a better time.

All of the reporters laugh.

REPORTER 3

You’re probably right, John.

DILLINGER

I’m against killing. It’s an option of last resort that I have never taken.

REPORTER 4

So you do admit that you rob banks.

DILLINGER

Absolutely.

The reporter is a little surprised at Dillinger’s honesty.

REPOTER 4

Why?

DILLINGER

Legal fees.

The reporters laugh again, as do some of the police officers. Estill is starting to get annoyed that the focus of the press conference has shifted from him to Dillinger.

DILLINGER

I rob banks, but they aren’t the good guys. I seem to read in your newspapers that banks all over the country are closing and keeping people’s money. They rob from families and create orphans on a daily basis. These are the people I take from. In the interest of fairness, I challenge Mr. Estill to bring justice to every bank president in Indiana so I don’t have to.

The reporters start to clap and cheer. Dillinger smiles and looks over to Estill.

DILLINGER

They seem to like it. You can use it on the campaign trail, if you want to.

ESTILL

(coldly)

I’ll keep that in mind.

REPORTER 2

John, what do you think of the “escape proof” Crown Point Jail?

Dillinger smirks.

DILLINGER

Well, it’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live here.

The reporters laugh again.

Oh Well…

Originally posted on my Indianapolis Star blog "Tales of a Hoosier Ex-Pat"

Several years ago, my friend Jeff told me that he had a great idea for a screenplay. It was a spoof of a zombie movie.

"It's time for one," he said.

Then he went to see a movie called Shaun of the Dead, and he saw his movie play out in front of him. Jeff sat there in horror as he saw three or four things that he had already written in his unfinished screenplay (all of which prompted great laughter by the audience.)

He told me that it was the worst feeling he ever had as a writer, and he hoped that it would never happen to me.

Let's fast forward to 2007. I had started to put together my first feature length screenplay. It was the result of nine years of research. I had downloaded FBI files, and read biographies. I was 30 pages into a screenplay titled Public Enemy. It started in Tucson, Arizona January 30, 1934 as John Dillinger was set to be extradited to Indiana to face charges that he killed a police officer during a bank robbery in East Chicago.

I was feeling pretty good about the story and what I had written, until D and I went back to Indiana for the holidays. As we were on the way back to Minnesota, I heard a report on Wisconsin Public Radio about how Badger State favorite son, Michael Mann, was going to be in the state shooting a film. I like Michael Mann, so the story caught my attention.

"The untitled film stars Johnny Depp and focuses on the life of John Dillinger."

What did that reporter say?

It was just another excuse to hate Wisconsin.

I immediately put the project on the back burner. My friends who were aware of the project urged me to reconsider, and to continue to work on it.

"It could be totally different than what you're writing," DeAnna said. "He could screw it up. Michael Mann isn't infallible. Look at Heat."

I held on to that hope, but still had the project in suspended animation. I would take a wait and see approach.

Then I saw the trailer, and I wept.

Like Jeff, I sat in horror as I saw one scene exactly as I had envisioned, and one as I had written. I knew what he was feeling in that California movie theater five years ago.

I haven't seen Public Enemies yet. But I will sometime, and I'm going to be keeping notes. I know the history, and I will be the movie's toughest critic. I already have some problems with it. Christian "Good For You" Bale is not who I would cast as Melvin Purvis. And for as much as I love Marion Cotillard (she would be in a laminated list), who is certainly beautiful enough to play Billie Frechette, I still can't figure out what her accent is all about. Research, Michael!

Until then, Public Enemy is a dead project. It may be resurrected in 10 or 15 years, but I don't hold out much hope for it.