LaVeau- word portrait

 

ACT 1 Queen City

 

Teaser: Seattle 1919 one year into prohibition: The trouble with Booze

A vivid show of the Eggar Brothers bathwater booze distillation; dirty baths filled with copper boozes while Happy Eggar glugs too much acetone to add filler to the batch.

Ally way: After Happy is serviced by a prostitute, Grace, they trade for a bottle of his dirty booze.

 He begins street distribution which ends in the violent death of a pregnant woman in front of her family from alcohol poisoning.

City Streets: Press photography everywhere.

Police station, Chiefs office:

The Chief of police slams down the phone. Commands lieutenant Matthews to gather every officer, NOW!

Police Station, Locked office:

 All officers are present at attention.

The Federal Government has been granted jurisdiction over Seattle, sending officers, and other resources at once! The chief’s command is this: No deaths go reported until first crossing his desk for further examination by him only…and nobody speaks to the press, NOBODY!

ACT1

Scene 1

The BOOZE shipping Garage: Cut off by the Canadians! Roy needs a secretary

Scene 1a

Roy Olmstead is in total disarray!  One of his cars came back full undelivered booze for having the wrong address. AND a truck came back with no loot for having not been paid the month before. The Canadians are angry at Roy and threatening no more business unless he gets his business straight.

 

 

The BOOZE shipping garage entrance: Mathews is on Roys side

Scene 1b

 The eye trap to a barred iron door slides open demanding to see ID. A gold police badge appears. The door opens.

Ununiformed Officer Mathews enters the Garage to tell Roy about the Feds.

Time lapse: Roys orders: More disarray, Roy calls a meeting with Frank Gatt. Orders an ad in the paper for a secretary “Someone who can handle a little pressure”

 

Scene 2- Streets of London: Elise is relocated to the states!

High speed car chase

Undercover informant Elise is in hot pursuit of a perpetrator, she has the wailing siren of a cop, hot on her tail urging her to pull over, but she is adamant to catch an assailant of her own.  But the cop car swerves her off the road, she crashes and is immediately arrested.

Scene 3-Jail

Elise is signed out of jail by her boss/lover.  But having crossed the line with her radical behavior for the last time, it will be on one condition.

Scene 4-Seattle boat docks Frank cuts Roy off too!

Roy is livid! His friend and booze distiller, Frank Gatt has cut him off distribution of his top shelf booze. Federal presence in the city. They watch the new Federal boats train in the Harbor. (“This isn’t friendship Roy, it’s business.”)

Scene 5-Seattle port, Fed boat A show of the oppression of the Feds

Towering officer Whitney is passed over as administrative officer of the Prohibition Bureau for the more careful and slight statured Lyle who is pinned and saluted at sea by the Sargent of their rank.

The informal ceremony is interrupted as local barefoot boatsman, Jonny Schnarr, speeds by at proximity.

 Already angry, Whitney fires up the engine and Jonny Schnarr for the slight and to demonstrate himself.

 

Scene 6a

Seattle Boat Docks Roy gets an idea!

Roy and Frank watch the chase from the docks cheering with a crowd of fishermen as the local rogue boatsman, Jonny speeds neck and neck alongside the Fed boat. Frank suggests if Roy got a driver like that, he could import like a real tycoon and quit piggy backing off Franks Booze, Roy gets a gleam in his eye.

 

Scene 6b

Seattle Port Jonny is made an example

Not to be out done twice in one day, Whitney nearly capsizes Jonnys boat with a knock to the frame.  Jonny skeeters away and Whitney is chastised for his rash behavior reminding the two why Lyle was chosen as the senior of the two.

Scene 6c Roy challenges Jonny

Greeted by cheers and pats on the back, Jonny ties up his boat, Moonbeam. From above, Roy calls down to him. A challenge; Do the same thing next week but win and Roy will give him a hundred bucks.  Jonny looks up at Roy and gives a simple silent nod.

Scene 7: Train Cabin Elises toxic ties

The condition: Forced to take a job as a Federal informant in Seattle, Elise is in exile in the states. In attempt to change Davies mind Elise tries to withhold sex from Davies. But she is under the control of the power dynamic and gives in. She will remain in exile in the states until she brings enough evidence against Roy Olmstead.

 

Act 2

Scene 8: Madame Lou’s Brothel Set up for Franks and more bad booze story

Grace is perspiring, breathing heavily while on display with the other girls in the brothel.  Madame Lou pick’s five girls, including Grace, attend an event at Frank Gatt’s steak house for the evening to entertain the Mayor and the chief of police. The girls file out happily, but something is off with Grace. She pulls her flask from her thigh and swigs a sip of the Eggar brothers booze to calm herself.

 

Scene 9: Jonny Schnarrs front yard Jonnys in trouble!

Jonny opens a final notice. His rent is past due. He frantically shoves the letter in his pocket as his pregnant wife waddles down the path, holding the hand of their two-year-old son. Jonny pics up his son and looks out into the bay.

Scene 10: Franks Place The big stand off of power

This scene should show central theme of the reversal of the dynamic power of Queen city. The good guys are the bad guys, and the bad guys are the good guys.

(Also, we need to bring Doc Hamilton here)

Roy confronts the chief of police for allowing dirty booze. The Chief makes threats.

 Frank pulls Roy away as he escalates, the mayor gets in the middle and gets punched.

  Madame Lou comes in with her girls and makes it nice. But Grace finally collapses and has a seizure.

 Officer Mathews finds the flask on Grace and covertly hands it to Roy who blames the chief!

Frank finally kicks Roy out and escorts him to the door.

Scene 11: Train station Elise is ”Fucked off” by Davies

Officers Lyle and Whitney receive Elise at the train station. Suspecting Elise and Davies are lovers, Whitney puts Davies on the spot and forces him to sign Elise over to their care, Davies reminds Elise not to make any trouble abandoning her to them.

Scene 12: Posh Salon Elise makes trouble

Elise reinvents herself montage:

                Salon-Hair cut

                Custom tailor-Vampy flapper gowns

                Café- A cup of tea doused with booze

                Bright red lipstick, red nails and a cigarette

 

 

Scene 13: Elise’s Apartment-Elises assignment-the interview

An old Woman, immediately warm and friendly, welcomes Elise to the building, shows her the community bathroom. The phone rings, an English man. Elise takes the phone and immediately gives Davies hell for abandoning her. He is on the Peninsula not 2 hours away. He gives Elise his number but tells her only to call if it is an emergency.  Her interview is tonight at a Place called Franks. He hangs up to greet his family.

 

ACT 3

Scene 14: Eggar Brothers flat The Chief is being paid off

Silence. Happy, Ted and all sit around the empty tubs.  A knock.  The Chief of Police is let in. He demands a double payment, or he will turn them over to the Federal dry squad. Ted unloads all their money furiously into a bag. The chief exits making them promise no more dirty booze. Upon leaving, both Ted picks up a stick and starts beating Happy with it.

Scene 15: An abandoned building: Lyle may be in charge, but Whitney is the boss

Whitney watches Elise dress in the darkness from a window across from her building. Lyle hides his face. Whitney forces him to look at her.

Scene 15: Elise’s apartment: Elises only friend in the world

 The old woman brings Elise a shot.  The woman suspects something isn’t right. Elsie confesses to the woman she is a spy from the British government.  The woman laughs and tells her that her dress is inappropriate for a job interview.

Scene 15: Hospital room: The source of the dirty booze

Scene a. Grace has a condition called Jake Leg; it comes from alcohol poisoning. She may never walk again.

Scene b. Lou Pushes Grace to walk. Grace sees Happy being pushed in a gurney. He is beaten and bloody.  She looks away from him as he stares her down.  Officer Mathews sees this interaction and becomes suspicious.

Overlooking the Seattle port

16aJonny’s yard:

A bucket of fish is all Jonny has to offer his landlord who has come for rent. He is behind and asks for one more week to make good on the debt.

 

16b: Jonnys yard: Jonnys crazy idea

Jonny holds his son, overlooking the port.  He zooms in on a boat making whitewater behind it.  Just above it is a water landing plane.  Behind at first, then easily passing the boat a great speed because of its more powerful engine. Jonny has an idea.

Scene 17a: Franks steakhouse: The Secretary interview

Much to Franks chagrin Roy is holding interviews for his secretary at Franks. It’s the perfect place to test for the job. A few girls with grey suits and hats at surrounding tables.  Then Elise walks in wearing an all-gold flapper dress and fur. She hands Roy her resume. Roy points to the other girls waiting at the tables. Instead Elises dances while she waits for her interview.

Scene 17b: Franks Steakhouse, Dancefloor: Elise is the clear winner

Elise is fondled by a stranger on the dance floor, Roy stands to defend her, but she slaps the man in the face defending herself.

Roy calls her over for her interview, gives her a shot, which she proclaims is shit!  She asks Roy for some Gin, but the Only Gin is in Canada. She presses him, “ go get it!”  He offers her the job.  She says she’ll think about it.

Scene 18: Elises apartment building: Climax set up

Happy delivers to the old lady at Elises apartment.

Scene 19: Boeing/ aviation Junk yard Planes are faster than boats

-Jonny Schnarr cuts an entrance to the fence of the scrap yard.

- Sorting through the mess, he uncovers the hood of a military bomber planes, just what he was looking for.

-He leaves with a bomber engine strapped to his back (?)

Scene 20: Elise comes home from her interview. The climax

The old lady upstairs takes a drink and falls to the floor.

A loud thud from upstairs, Elise runs to her rescue. The old woman seizes and dies a violent death.

Scene 21 Old woman’s apartment: Climax

The police refuse to write the report as Elise has told it, citing they won’t say the death is alcohol related. Traumatized, Elise flees the scene. Officer Mathews sees her, says nothing.

Scene 22: Doc Hamilton’s BBQ and card house Climax

Officer Mathews interrupts Roy’s game with the boys and whispers in his ear. Roy slams his cards down!

 

Scene 22: Climax

Elise takes a bus, a ferry to an Island, then walks to the front door and knocks.  Davies answers, he is shocked that she is there. She begs him to take her home. She tries to hold him, he pushes her away, his family is inside. He closes the door on her treating her like a crazed stranger.

Scene 24: Elises Home Resolve

Elise arrives home; Roy is waiting for her. He wants to know everything. But Elise knows nothing. Only that the old woman was poisoned. Discussion about Elises name

Asks about her name, is it Elise or Elsie…it doesn’t matter she says. What did your mom call you? Elsie it is then.

He asks her to work for him, she accepts.

 

Scene 23: The Harbor

More Coast Guard training

Jonny takes a race to the Feds; this time he wins with Moonbeams new engine

Roy and Frank are audience on the pier. Frank asks what he’s going to have Jonny get for his first delivery. Gin Roy answers. Frank asks why Roy chose Elise, “Because she’s not going to lie to me.

 

End