Riot Read online

A plump WHITE WOMAN watching the scene, eyes wide and her hand over her mouth as she wonders what is going to happen.

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  A window above the street. A SMALL BLACK BOY looks down onto the street, his fingers anxiously twisting the curtain, which half obscures his face.

  CUT TO:

  CLAIRE rounding the corner of a building. She sees the taunting and stops in her tracks. For a moment she frowns. Then she takes a deep breath and starts to move forward.

  CUT TO:

  From CLAIRE’s POV: The BOYS are beating the MAN up, kicking him when he falls and throwing rocks at him.

  CLAIRE

  (softly)

  Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

  Suddenly a hand appears over CLAIRE’s eyes, and she is jerked back violently.

  CLAIRE

  (in a panic)

  Oh! Oh!

  CLAIRE is spun around and flattened against the building. She is face-to-face with a smirking MAEVE. BILLY EVANS stands next to her.

  MAEVE

  Ho there, little blackie! Shall I go call the boys over so you can deliver your pretty speeches to them, eh? Shall I call them over, blackie?

  CUT TO:

  CLAIRE’s terrified face. She starts to slide down the building away from MAEVE.

  MAEVE

  Cat got your tongue, blackie? Is that it? Cat got your tongue now that you’re away from your father?

  MAEVE moves in front of CLAIRE and smacks her lightly.

  MAEVE

  (cont’d)

  Billy, why don’t you give her a smack?

  Full of bravado, BILLY puts the heel of his hand in CLAIRE’s face. Suddenly CLAIRE strikes out blindly, hitting MAEVE, who stumbles backward into the cobblestone street.

  MAEVE

  You little…

  She touches her face as BILLY EVANS starts to kick at CLAIRE. CLAIRE pushes him in the chest, and he falls into MAEVE as she starts to get up.

  CUT TO:

  MEDIUM SHOT: We see CLAIRE running down the street. MAEVE and BILLY follow for a few steps, then stop. We see CLAIRE fall, get up, and continue running toward the Peacock as the screen darkens.

  INT. THE PEACOCK INN—SAME DAY

  JOHN is near the door to the kitchen. ELLEN is across from him, holding a towel in her hands.

  JOHN

  (shouting angrily)

  Where is she?

  ELLEN

  I don’t know! She was here in the dining room when I went upstairs, and when I called—

  JOHN

  How long has she been out?

  ELLEN

  (sobbing)

  I don’t know. Most of the morning.

  JOHN

  (sputtering)

  Why didn’t you…? Why didn’t you…? What did she say?

  ELLEN

  She didn’t say anything. I know she was upset and I tried to calm her down. I was trying to think of something for us to do together, to get her mind off of this, and—

  There’s a banging on the door, and JOHN runs quickly to it and flings it open. ROBERT VAN VOORST and GRIFFIN (15) enter. GRIFFIN is black, short but sturdily built. His roundish face makes him look somewhat younger than he is.

  JOHN

  Have either of you seen Claire?

  GRIFFIN

  No. Ain’t she here?

  JOHN

  Would I ask where she is if she was here? I’m asking—

  ELLEN

  John!

  JOHN

  (calming himself)

  Okay. Okay. She went out this morning and—right now we don’t know where she is.

  GRIFFIN

  Some of the boys are thinking about getting together and facing these gangs, Mr. Johnson. I just come by to see if you want to join us.

  ROBERT

  I’ve been thinking the same thing.

  He produces a gun.

  ELLEN

  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Are you out of your fool heads?

  GRIFFIN

  Ma’am, we can’t let these people just run around and beat us up and hang us. They just hanged another black man on the East Side.

  JOHN

  Robert, put that damned thing away. They got the army and the police out there. We don’t need to give them a reason to be shooting at us.

  GRIFFIN

  Mr. Johnson, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but—

  The door opens, and CLAIRE enters. The front of her dress is covered with dirt, and her hair sticks to her face.

  ELLEN

  Claire!

  JOHN

  What happened? Are you okay?

  CLAIRE

  (tearfully)

  Did you notice I wasn’t human anymore? That all I am is black? Did you know that?

  JOHN

  Baby, you’re young. Right now all you need to be is safe. Then we’ll figure this all out.

  ROBERT

  Have you seen Priscilla?

  CLAIRE

  No, they’ve taken the children from the orphanage and hidden them around the city. She’s probably with them.

  JOHN

  Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?

  CLAIRE

  Pushed me down. Laughed at me. Nothing that won’t heal.

  GRIFFIN

  We need to get some revenge, Mr. Johnson. We need to show them we can’t be pushed around so easy.

  CLAIRE

  Who’s the “them” we going to go get, Griffin? Who’s the “them” we’re going to get revenge on? The same people we were laughing with yesterday? How are they different today?

  GRIFFIN

  They weren’t beating up black people yesterday, Miss Claire. I think we should go over to Jersey City and get some of those black people just up from down South. I hear there’s a bunch of them just waiting for some action.

  ELLEN

  (brings CLAIRE to a table and sits her down)

  Griffin, if you could carry water the same way you carry rumors, with not a vessel to carry them in, you’d be a well. (to CLAIRE) Do you need a doctor?

  CLAIRE

  No.

  ROBERT

  It’s a dueling pistol, Mr. Johnson. English.

  JOHN

  Robert, shut up. You need to get your little white butt home.

  ROBERT

  Sir, I’m looking for Priscilla.

  JOHN

  Boy, leave the gun here before you hurt yourself with it. I’ll get it back to your father. You get out of here, walk down the middle of the street, and go right home. And don’t leave your house until your father gives you permission.

  ELLEN

  Until your mother gives you permission. Now scoot!

  ROBERT looks around the room. When his eyes meet CLAIRE’s, the two smile and CLAIRE throws him a kiss.

  CLAIRE

  When I see Priscilla, I’ll tell her you were looking for her.

  ROBERT takes a deep breath, then leaves.

  ELLEN

  Claire, do you want tea?

  CLAIRE

  No. I want to sit here and be very angry. I want to hate everybody and everything.

  GRIFFIN

  I know how she feels, Mr. Johnson. But if I got to die, I’m dying like a man.

  ELLEN

  What we have to do—what we have to do is to keep ourselves safe until this thing is over. Then we’ll sit down as a family—

  CLAIRE

  If it’s my skin that makes me unsafe, can I take it off and put it in a drawer until the streets are calm again? If it’s my skin that puts me in the sights of murderers, can I change it the way I would change my dress or my apron? Where is this “safe” you’re talking about? And if I’m black and you’re white and that makes me a target, where is this “family” you’re talking about? Where is it, Mum? Where is it?

  There’s a knock on the door.

  JOHN

  Griffin, sit over there, and keep your mouth shut.

  GRIFFIN sits down and puts the gun under the table. JOHN opens the door a
nd sees CHARLES HICKEY, a tall, beefy patrolman.

  HICKEY

  Hey, John, glad to find you in. How you doing?

  JOHN

  Hickey, what you doing out here? I thought you left the force and bought a warehouse?

  HICKEY

  (sits)

  Bought it and working it part-time, John. I figure to work it like this for a year and then quit the force.

  ELLEN

  You being careful out there?

  HICKEY

  I’m trying to be, Mrs. Johnson. Between the soldiers showing up and the gangs running around I’m as nervous as a country rat at a cat party. If John don’t want to come with me, I can understand it.

  JOHN

  Come for what?

  HICKEY

  I understand you know a lot of the boatmen down at the piers.

  JOHN

  Yeah, I know most of them. The black ones, anyway.

  HICKEY

  We want to get the children from the orphanage out of the city. Take them out to Blackwell’s Island. We have a dozen soldiers and half that many police officers to guard them, but we need somebody that the boatmen trust. We can’t spare the men to guard them night and day. We’ll try to get some of the kids out today and some later on.

  ELLEN

  John, you can’t go out there—

  JOHN

  You’re going to have to find someone else.

  I got things I got to…

  (looks toward CLAIRE)

  You say we’ll have an escort to the waterside?

  HICKEY

  A dozen good men. We just need someone to deal with the boatmen.

  JOHN

  Okay, I’ll go.

  CUT TO:

  CLOSE-UP of ELLEN’s distraught face. We see her mouth a vehement No! but no sound is heard. The camera stays on ELLEN’s face.

  HICKEY

  If we’re going to get the children away, we need to do it now.

  ELLEN

  No! Hickey, don’t you see what’s going on?

  HICKEY

  Yes, ma’am. I understand what’s going on. And I know who John is and what he stands for. He doesn’t have to go if he doesn’t want to, but I’m duty bound to ask him.

  JOHN

  Yeah, I got to go. This is a chance to get the children to safety.

  (glances toward Claire)

  And we need to take that chance. I know my way around this city.

  ELLEN

  (breathing deeply)

  John…

  JOHN

  (picking up his vest)

  Honey, I’ve got to go. Those children need to be in a safe place. They’ll attack the children just to get the police away from the stores. I’ll be okay. Claire, you come with me.

  CLAIRE

  No, no, I’ll be all right here.

  JOHN

  (sternly)

  You come with me, girl. Hickey, give us a minute.

  HICKEY takes a look around and then steps outside.

  CLAIRE

  I’m not a child, Father. I’m not a child! You need to help the children. I need to stay here with Mother.

  JOHN

  (looks toward ELLEN)

  Girl, things might go well, and then again they might not. I might need all the help I can to get those children safe on board.

  ELLEN

  I’ll go with you!

  JOHN

  No, you stay here. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Make sure the doors are locked, and don’t open them for anyone you don’t know. Griffin, you get your boys down to the waterfront in case there’s any trouble. Don’t do nothing I don’t tell you to do. You got that?

  GRIFFIN

  I got it, Mr. Johnson.

  JOHN, GRIFFIN, and CLAIRE exit.

  We see ELLEN’s hands tremble as she locks the door. She leans against the door and the camera cuts to her face. We see her lips moving and see her making the sign of the cross as she prays.

  EXT. ST. MARKS PLACE—SAME DAY

  A CROWD of young men and women is standing on the corner and taunting a group of SOLDIERS nearly a block away. The SOLDIERS are setting up a Gatling gun in the middle of the street. The camera switches from one group to another. The SOLDIERS are lean, battle-hardened men and seem particularly grim. The camera moves in on three young people, KELLY, MARY POOLE, and JOHNNY. KELLY is about nineteen, and the other two fifteen.

  KELLY

  They’re not facing a bunch of barefoot rebels now, boys. We can show them something to remember.

  IAN

  I got a bad feeling about this. This morning, me mum was praying and her rosary beads broke. It never happened before and she was saying I should stay home.

  MARY POOLE

  The soldiers wouldn’t shoot at us. Not right at us, they wouldn’t.

  KELLY

  Ian, you got to become a man sometime in your life. You can’t be a blinkin’ boy forever.

  JOHNNY

  I’m not running, Kelly. All I’m saying is that I got a bad feeling about this.

  MARY POOLE

  I think it’s going to be all right, Ian. I do. I’m scared, but I think it’s going to be all right.

  CUT TO:

  The SOLDIERS, led by CAPTAIN ROBERTS. He is unshaven, and there is a look of weariness about his eyes.

  CAPTAIN ROBERTS

  We had two men hurt this morning. They’re throwing rocks and bottles, and I hear that some muskets were taken from the armory. They’re dancing in the streets as if this was some bloody game.

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  LONG SHOT of the opposing groups. The CROWD is beginning to pick up speed down the street. The SOLDIERS almost nonchalantly raise their weapons.

  CROWD

  (voice-over)

  They’re shooting to kill!

  Oh, sweet Jesus! My leg’s on fire!

  Get down! Get down!

  CUT TO:

  PRIVATE LANCASTER as he reloads his rifle. He glances down the street and sees the mangled bodies from a distance. The camera blurs slightly, and it might be that LANCASTER is crying. We see him touch the front of his jacket where he is keeping the letter CLAIRE wrote for him. We see him raise the rifle again.

  Finally we hear the sound of the heavy breathing again, and then that, too, subsides as we begin to FADE OUT.

  CAPTAIN ROBERTS

  Ready! Aim!

  BLACK OUT as we hear another deafening volley.

  INT. A DILAPIDATED TENEMENT BUILDING—SAME DAY

  There is debris on the floor, and the curtains are torn. In one corner there is a small potbellied stove on which there sits a kettle. We see an OLD IRISH WOMAN sitting near the stove with a cup of tea in her hands. There is an OLD MAN standing near the window. His hand shakes as he peers through the yellowed curtains.

  OLD IRISH WOMAN

  What’s left after the young men fall? When the young fall, there’s no hope for the old ones. There’s faith and family and not a whit more to fill the belly or turn away the cold on a winter night. And the saints, God bless them all, what are they doing? Having tea with the swells or a sour pint with the likes of Mickey Mud? I don’t know. For all my faith in the Almighty, I don’t know. What’s left after the young men fall?

  The OLD MAN nods silently.

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  LONG SHOT: There are a few people in the street below. From the distance we can’t tell whether they are young or old, rioters or innocent victims. But we see them move cautiously down the street, clearly afraid of what is happening.

  FADE OUT

  FADE IN

  EXT. THE WATERFRONT—SAME DAY

  The CHILDREN from the Colored Orphan Asylum are lined up, fairly orderly and holding hands. A YOUNG BLACK MAN is leaning casually against a piling. Under his jacket we see a glimpse of a club.

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  A BLACK TEENAGER sitting on the edge of the pier, next to a large cloth bag from which a stout stick protrudes.

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  The face of a six-ye
ar-old BLACK GIRL. Her eyes are wide, and there are tears on her face. We see that she is holding someone’s hand. As the camera moves back, we see that it is PRISCILLA’s.

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  The first CHILDREN being passed into a small boat. They have pulled up along the pier next to the Hoboken ferry. The CHILDREN are being put quickly into the smaller boats. Two female ATTENDANTS from the home—one white, the other black—shelter the CHILDREN from the spray of water rising from the boats’ engines.

  CUT TO:

  MEDIUM SHOT: JOHN stands face-to-face with CLAIRE. He seems huge as he faces his daughter.

  JOHN

  (pleading)

  Claire, don’t fight me on this. Please! I need you to be safe. And yes, I know you’re not a child.

  CLAIRE

  Then why are sending me off with the children? Why?

  JOHN

  It’s for my sake. I need not to worry about you.

  POLICEMAN

  (not realizing that JOHN and CLAIRE are related)

  You need help, miss?

  CLAIRE

  No. No.

  JOHN

  The very moment things have settled down, the very moment…

  CLAIRE

  Father.

  JOHN turns CLAIRE and pushes her to the boat where the white woman ATTENDANT takes her.