Disclaimer: The characters, plotlines, quotes, etc. included here are owned by Baltimore Pictures and Fatima Productions in association with NBC Studios, all rights reserved. Homicide was created by Paul Attanasio and based upon David Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. The following script is in no way a substitute for the movie itself, it's for educational purposes only. This script is not authorized or endorsed by Baltimore Pictures, Fatima Productions, or NBC. It was obtained and transcribed by Ramius and made available for your downloading enjoyment by Laurel Krahn at http://www.windowseat.org/homicide/scripts/.

HOMICIDE
LIFE EVERLASTING
 
 
 
 

Written by
James Yoshimura
Eric Overmyer
Tom Fontana



















EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS                                                                    FINAL DRAFT
Barry Levinson                                                                                          October 22, 1999
Ton Fontana
Jim Finnerty                                                                                               Rev. 11/8 blue
                                                                                                                  Rev. 11/15 pink
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Eric Overmyer

DIRECTOR
Jean De Segonzac

LIST OF REVISED PAGES


Revision Date Pages in revision
BLUE 8 November 99 Full Script
PINK 15 November 99 Full Script

 

PLEASE NOTE:

The action for “HOMICIDE: Life Everlasting” takes place over the course of one Day, ending that
Night.

All wardrobe, props, etc., should reflect the weather conditions of the Fall in Baltimore.

The following shots of “The Board” should be scheduled:

                     “HARDWICKE”       in      RED
                     “HARDWICKE”       in      BLACK
                     “RYLAND”               in      RED
                     “RYLAND”               in      BLUE

These names are to be written under Lewis’ name.

                     “GIARDELLO”         in      BLACK

This name is to be written under Hall’s name.

The following CHARACTER NAMES have been changed:

OFFICER FRANK KEANE          to          OFFICER JEFF WESTBY
DOCTOR SUNIL MEHTA            to          DOCTOR ROBERT WILLIAMS
NEWS ANCHOR                          to          DINA NAPOLI
UNIFORM                                     to          OFFICER JAY SALERNO

CAST

BEAU FELTON...............................................................................................................Daniel Baldwin
STANLEY BOLANDER..................................................................................................Ned Beatty
JOHN MUNCH...............................................................................................................Richard Belzer
FRANK PEMBLETON....................................................................................................Andre Braugher
MIKE KELLERMAN.......................................................................................................Reed Diamond
MIKE GIARDELLO.........................................................................................................Giancarlo Esposito
JULIANNA COX.............................................................................................................Michelle Forbes
STUART GHARTY..........................................................................................................Peter Gerety
MEGAN RUSSERT..........................................................................................................Isabella Hofmann
ED DANVERS..................................................................................................................Zeljko Ivanek
MELDRICK LEWIS.........................................................................................................Clark Johnson
AL GIARDELLO..............................................................................................................Yaphet Kotto
KAY HOWARD...............................................................................................................Melissa Leo
TERRI STIVERS...............................................................................................................Toni Lewis
RENE SHEPPARD...........................................................................................................Michael Michele
J.H. BRODIE.....................................................................................................................Max Perlich
STEVE CROSETTI...........................................................................................................Jon Polito
TIM BAYLISS..................................................................................................................Kyle Secor
PAUL FALSONE..............................................................................................................Jon Seda
LAURA BALLARD..........................................................................................................Callie Thorne

COLONEL GEORGE BARNFATHER............................................................................Clayton LeBouef
CAPTAIN ROGER GAFFNEY........................................................................................Walt MacPherson
DOCTOR GEORGE GRISCOM......................................................................................Austin Pendleton
DETECTIVE ROBERT HALL..........................................................................................Jason Priestly
QRT LIEUTENANT JASPER..........................................................................................Gary D’Addario

DOCTOR LAUSANNE...................................................................................................Herb Levinson
NAOMI............................................................................................................................Sharon Ziman
OFFICER JAY SALERNO..............................................................................................Jay Spadaro
DOCTOR SCHEINER.....................................................................................................Ralph Tabakin
OFFICER JEFF WESTBY...............................................................................................Granville Adams

ERIC THOMAS JAMES..................................................................................................Eamonn Walker
HOMELESS MAN...........................................................................................................Lanny Flaherty

DAWN DANIELS............................................................................................................Rhonda Overby
SHIRLEY DESASSY.......................................................................................................Elizabeth Berman
DOCTOR ELI DEVILBISS..............................................................................................Sean Whitesell
DOCTOR VICTOR EHRLICH........................................................................................Ed Begley Jr.
ROBERT GESSNER........................................................................................................
ROSINA GIARDELLO....................................................................................................Irma St.Paule
RICHARD GILROY.........................................................................................................John Badila
CARDINAL KEELER......................................................................................................As Himself
JOHN KOMEN...............................................................................................................Craig Wallace
HELEN LUCAITIS..........................................................................................................As Herself
BILLIE LOU MCCOY.....................................................................................................Ellen McElduff

KARL MILLER................................................................................................................Paul West
DINA NAPOLI................................................................................................................As Herself
ROBBIE ROBERTS.........................................................................................................Phillip Reid
NATHANIEL STEIGLER................................................................................................Mark Joy
BERNIE WEEKS............................................................................................................ Reg E. Cathey
DOCTOR ROBERT WILLIAMS.....................................................................................David Copeland Goodman

NEWS MANAGER.........................................................................................................Gradley Thoennes
NURSE............................................................................................................................Susan Lynn Ross
OLD WOMAN................................................................................................................Leeana Saunders
O.R. NURSE....................................................................................................................Adetoro Makinde
SKINHEAD.....................................................................................................................Matt Oney
WITNESS #1...................................................................................................................Richard DeAngelis
WITNESS #2...................................................................................................................Jarvis W. George

SETS

EXTERIORS                                                                                                               INTERIORS
African Revival                                                                                                                  African Revival
    Movement Building                                                                                                             Movement Building
Alley                                                                                                                                  Bolander Home
Baltimore                                                                                                                                   Kitchen
Canton Street                                                                                                                    Church Home & Hospital
Charles Street                                                                                                                            Chapel
Church Home & Hospital                                                                                                           Emergency Room
        Emergency Room                                                                                                               ER Entrance
Gunpowder Falls                                                                                                                        Hallway
Inner Harbor                                                                                                                              ICU
        Ampitheatre                                                                                                                                Corridor
Jimmy’s Restaurant                                                                                                                             Giardello’s Room
        Backdoor                                                                                                                           Nurses’ Station
Little Italy                                                                                                                                   Operating Room #4
        Alley                                                                                                                                  Operating Room #5
        Bocce Ball Court                                                                                                                Waiting Room
        Playground                                                                                                                  Desassy Apartment
        Sidestreet
Perry Hall
        James Home                                                                                                                Homicide Unit
Police Headquarters                                                                                                                     Coffee Room
        Balcony                                                                                                                                Lieutenant’s Office
        Roof                                                                                                                                     Interrogation Room #1
State Police Headquarters                                                                                                             Interrogation Room #2
Street                                                                                                                                            Observation Room
Thames Street                                                                                                                               Squad Room
WYAT                                                                                                                                James Home
                                                                                                                                                     Bedroom
                                                                                                                                                     Hallway
                                                                                                                                                     Kitchen
                                                                                                                                           Loyola College
                                                                                                                                                     Lecture Hall
                                                                                                                                           NYPD
                                                                                                                                                     Special Victim’s Unit
                                                                                                                                           Pembleton’s Toyota
                                                                                                                                           Police Headquarters
                                                                                                                                                     Garage
                                                                                                                                                      Lobby
                                                                                                                                                     Stairway
                                                                                                                                           Radio Station
                                                                                                                                                     Studio
                                                                                                                                                     Visiting Room
                                                                                                                                           Sand’s Lounge
                                                                                                                                           State Police Headquarters
                                                                                                                                                     Screening Room
                                                                                                                                           Swimming Pool
                                                                                                                                           The Waterfront Restaurant
                                                                                                                                           WYAT
                                                                                                                                                     News Manager’s Office
                                                                                                                                                     News Studio Set

ACT ONE

          FADE IN:

1        EXT.  BALTIMORE - DAY

          Establishing. Eight a.m.

2        EXT. INNER HARBOR - DAY

          TV REPORTERS with film CREWS clusterfuck the area.  BUSINESS
          EXECUTIVES grabbing coffee, MOTHERS with TODDLERS, SENIOR
          CITIZENS gawk, as a shiny Lincoln Town Car pulls up to curb.
          AL GIARDELLO exits the Car, followed by NATHANIEL STIEGLER,
          campaign manager.  Other AIDES exit a Ford Van.  The NEWS
          CREWS beeline for GIARDELLO as he heads for:

3         EXT. AMPITHEATRE/INNER HARBOR - DAY

          As GIARDELLO, STIEGLER, AIDES and NEWS CREWS approach, video
          floodlights flash on.  CU on GIARDELLO caught in the glare.
          A CROWD engulfs him.  Sings “Giardello for Mayor” flash into
          CAMERA.  A moment when GIARDELLO is jostled.  DAWN DANIELS,
          WYAT Reporter, followed by CAMERAMAN, shoves a mic at
          GIARDELLO.

DANIELS

                                                                        How’s it feel to be the favorite
                                                                        going into the last week of the
                                                                        campaign?

GIARDELLO

                                                                                 (smiling)
                                                                        It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

DANIELS

                                                                        The polls show you twelve points
                                                                        ahead of your opponent Robert Gessner.
                                                                        The fat lady has taken her curtain
                                                                        call, don’t you think?

GIARDELLO

                                                                        I learned one lesson in all my years
                                                                        running the Homicide Unit: Never
                                                                        assume anything.

          A HOMELESS MAN, malevolent, red-rimmed eyes, pushes past
          DANIELS and grabs GIARDELLO’s lapel.

HOMELESS MAN

                                                                        Gimme a dollar.  A dollar. For
                                                                        something to eat.

          GIARDELLO and HOMELESS MAN exchange a look.  GIARDELLO smiles,
          a flash of anxiety.  STEIGLER calls to AIDE.

STEIGLER

                                                                        Henry, take care of this.

          AIDE pulls HOMELESS MAN aside, as STIEGLER guides GIARDELLO
          toward a stage.  HOMELESS MAN mumbles a curse.  A UNIFORM
          shoves him further back into the CROWD.  A CHANT from the
          CROWD:  “Giardello.  Giardello.  Giardello.”  DANIELS persists:

DANIELS

                                                                    Your recent statements that, if
                                                                    elected, you’d push to legalize drugs --
                                                                    Do you think this is the issue that
                                                                    has set your campaign apart from
                                                                    your rivals?

GIARDELLO

                                                                    I know this city.  I know what drugs
                                                                    have done to this city.  The murders
                                                                    and robberies and domestic problems.
                                                                    I believe that substance abuse is a
                                                                    health issue.  Like drinking and
                                                                    smoking.  Nicotine is more addictive
                                                                    than heroin or cocaine, but you don’t
                                                                    see the Marlboro Man being sent to
                                                                    Jessup on a three-to-five.  I love
                                                                    this city.  I want this city to be whole again.

DANIELS

                                                                    But don’t you --

GIARDELLO

                                                                                 (his slogan)
                                                                    Educate, don’t legislate.

STIEGLER

                                                                    That’s all for now.  Everyone please
                                                                    step back.

           DANIELS and CAMERAMAN step back as GIARDELLO ascends the
           stage, where Mayor KURT SCHMOKE and other famous BALTIMOREONS
           wait.  A huge CHEER from the CROWD as GIARDELLO steps to the
           microphone: “We Want Al, We Want Al, He’s Our Pal.  We Want
           Al.”  GIARDELLO tries to quiet the CROWD, but the CHEERING
           grows LOUDER.  Tons of FLASHBULBS from PRESS and AUDIENCE
           are going off.  As GIARDELLO smiles, a rapid dull REPEAT is
           alarmed.  A BUZZ of concern and confusion.  STIEGLER and the
           CELEBRITIES reflexively back away.  GIARDELLO watches UNIFORMS
           and PLAINCLOTHES push through the CROWD, which is charged
           with fear, curious, looking around.  Then, GIARDELLO slumps
           to his knees.  His white shirt fills red with his blood.
           STIEGLER and AIDES reach to support GIARDELLO, who looks out
           at the CROWD, confused, in pain.  He slumps forward.  On
           STIEGLER, cradling GIARDELLO’S head,

CUT TO:
4         EXT. STREET - DAY

          MELDRICK LEWIS and PAUL FALSONE pull up, exit Cavalier, walk
          down littered sidewalk in devastated neighborhood.

FALSONE

                                                                    Meldrick, I’ll be your partner, any
                                                                    time, any place -- when it comes to
                                                                    a crime.  But I’m not investing in
                                                                    your bar.  No way.

LEWIS

                                                                    C’mon, you can see for yourself that
                                                                    The Waterfront is a money making
                                                                    operation, a veritable green machine.

FALSONE

                                                                    Then why’re you so anxious to cut me
                                                                    a slice?

LEWIS

                                                                    ‘Cause my other partners are all too
                                                                    silent.  Munch’s living large in New
                                                                    York City.  Bayliss went on a semi-
                                                                    permanent disappearing act.

FALSONE

                                                                    Aah, what you need is someone to
                                                                    help do all the work.  No thanks.

           THEY turn into:

5         EXT. ALLEY - DAY

           They head toward a crack house.

LEWIS

                                                                    I’m simply asking that you consider
                                                                    my proposition, give the concept a
                                                                    few moments of serious thought.

          A UNIFORM stands with his back to them.

FALSONE

                                                                    Yo, Officer --

          The UNIFORM turns, revealing himself to be MIKE GIARDELLO.

MIKE

                                                                    Gentlemen.

FALSONE

                                                                    Mike Giardello, as I live and as I
                                                                    breathe.  I heard that you traded
                                                                    the Bureau for a beat.

MIKE

                                                                    Working on my detective shield.

LEWIS

                                                                    Your dad’s making a whole lotta noise
                                                                    in his run for City Hall.

MIKE

                                                                    Yeah.  Every time I open the front
                                                                    door, it’s “Candid Camera” --

LEWIS

                                                                    Alan Funt, a great American.  I took
                                                                    his passing very personally.

FALSONE

                                                                  So, what’ve we got here?

MIKE

                                                                    Local dealer.  Shot in the head.
                                                                    Looks like he’s been dead at least a
                                                                    day.

FALSONE

                                                                    Does our dead head have a name?

MIKE

                                                                    Joseph Hardwicke, a.k.a. Yin Yang.

LEWIS

                                                                    Yeah, well, looks to me like he Yin’d
                                                                    when he shoulda Yanged.

          Officer JEFF WESTBY approaches.

WESTBY

                                                                    Hey, Mike...

MIKE

                                                                    Yeah?

WESTBY

                                                                    Dispatch just radioed.  They want
                                                                    you Downtown pronto.

MIKE

                                                                    What’s up?

WESTBY

                                                                    Your father... He’s been shot.

          MIKE stares at him, not comprehending.  FALSONE turns to
          LEWIS  As SONG BEGINS,

CUT TO:
6         EXT. INNER HARBOR - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  Bedlam.  Terror.  SIRENS and SCREAMING.
          UNIFORMS clear a path.  EMS wheel an unconscious GIARDELLO
          out on a gurney.  As EMS works GIARDELLO’s chest,

CUT TO:
7         INT. LIEUTENANT’S OFFICE/HOMICIDE UNIT - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  CU on phone in hand.  PULL BACK to REVEAL
          STUART GHARTY.  Shocked, HE puts down phone, exits into:

A8     INT. SQUAD ROOM/HOMICIDE UNIT - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  GHARTY tells LAURA BALLARD and TERRI STIVERS.
          As THEY react,

CUT TO:
8         EXT. BACKDOOR/JIMMY’S RESTAURANT - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  Short order COOK smokes cigarette outside
          kitchen door.  KAY HOWARD walks up, shows a warrant, spins
          COOK around, cuffs him.  UNIFORM runs up, YELLING the news.
          As HOWARD reacts,

CUT TO:
9         EXT. INNER HARBOR - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  GIARDELLO is loaded into EMS Wagon.  As
          UNIFORMS push the NEWS CREWS away from Wagon doors,

CUT TO:
10       INT. SPECIAL VICTIM’S UNIT/NYPD - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  CU on copy of The New York Post being held.
          Cellphone RINGS.  Newspaper comes down to REVEAL JOHN MUNCH,
          as he reaches for cellphone, answers it.  As HE listens,

CUT TO:
11       EXT. CHARLES STREET - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  MIKE KELLERMAN sits in Car, secretly
          photographing a MAN kissing his MISTRESS.  As KELLERMAN HEARS
          the NEWS on the car radio, puts down his camera,

CUT TO:
12      EXT. EMERGENCY ROOM/CHURCH HOME & HOSPITAL - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  EMS Wagon ROARS to a halt.  As TRIAGE TEAM
          races with GIARDELLO into Emergency room,

CUT TO:
13       INT. KITCHEN/BOLANDER HOME - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  CU on eggs being fried up.  As WE PULL BACK
          to REVEAL STANLEY BOLANDER, sipping a beer, watching the
          news bulletin on TV,

CUT TO:
14       EXT. GUNPOWDER FALLS - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  CU on a fly plopping onto the water from a
          long arching cast.  Cellphone RINGS.  As WE PULL BACK to
          REVEAL a pacific TIM BAYLISS answering the phone,

CUT TO:
15       INT. EMERGENCY ROOM/CHURCH HOME & HOSPITAL - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  NURSES stabilize GIARDELLO, put him on IV’s.
          PULL BACK to REVEAL DOCTOR, who checks GIARDELLO’s vitals on
          a cardiac monitor.  As HE eyes an attractive NURSE,

CUT TO:
16       INT. LECTURE HALL/LOYOLA COLLEGE - DAY

          SONG CONTINUES.  A woodpaneled, two-hundred seat Lecture
          Hall.  Six STUDENTS sit in the first row, looking terrified.
          PULL BACK to REVEAL FRANK PEMBLETON raving at his hostages.
          On the blackboard behind PEMBLETON is big chalk lettering
          “The Principles of Ethics.”  Various quotes from Aquinas,
          Nietzsche and Camus.  A PRIEST comes to the doorway, pauses,
          meek.  PEMBLETON catches the PRIEST out of the corner of his
          eye.  The PRIEST motions.  PEMBLETON continues lecturing.
          The PRIEST motions again.  PEMBLETON glares.  The PRIEST
          motions imploringly, respectfully.  PEMBLETON walks over.
          The PRIEST whispers into PEMBLETON’s good ear.  On PEMBLETON,
          staring at him as if he were speaking Esperanto,

CUT TO:
17      EXT. EMERGENCY ROOM/CHURCH HOME & HOSPITAL - DAY

          SONG ENDS.  A Philadelphia rat-fuck of POLICE, PRESS and
          PARAMEDICS; Emergency Vehicles, Cop Cars, City Cars, Press
          Vans.  HELEN LUCAITIS, Court TV Reporter, does live report:

LUCAITIS

                                                                    ....Mayoral candidate Al Giardello
                                                                    was making a campaign appearance
                                                                    early this morning when he was shot
                                                                    by an unidentified assailant...

          Squad Car pulls up, MIKE leaps out.

LUCAITIS (cont.)

                                                                    ....Giardello was rushed here to Church
                                                                    Home and Hospital, where he is
                                                                    undergoing emergency surgery.  His
                                                                    condition is listed as critical.
                                                                             (as MIKE walks past)
                                                                    Wait, here’s his son, Officer Michael
                                                                    Giardello, perhaps we can get a word --

          LUCAITIS collars MIKE as he goes by, shoves microphone in
          his face, runs alongside him as he motors for door.

LUCAITIS (cont.)

                                                                    Officer Giardello.  Officer Giardello.
                                                                    Any news on your father?  How do you
                                                                    feel?

MIKE

                                                                    How do you think I feel?  Get out of
                                                                    my face --

          He shoves her.  As LUCAITIS falls down flat on her ass,

CUT TO:
18       INT. WAITING ROOM/CHURCH HOME & HOSPITAL - DAY

          On her knees, LUCAITIS continues her report:

LUCAITIS

                                                                    ....Officer Giardello, understandably
                                                                    distraught about this tragic turn of
                                                                    events.  This is Helen Lucaitis,
                                                                    reporting live from church Home --

          As LUCAITIS gets to her feet,

CUT TO:
20       INT. HALLWAY/CHURCH HOME & HOSPITAL - DAY

           BARNFATHER and STIEGLER intercept MIKE.

STIEGLER

                                                                    Mike, I just watched you body block
                                                                    Helen Lucaitis into the next time
                                                                    zone --

MIKE

                                                                    How’s my father?

STIEGLER

                                                                    I know you’re upset, but you gotta
                                                                    keep your hands off the press --

MIKE

                                                                    How’s my dad?

BARNFATHER

                                                                    He was shot in the abdomen, maybe
                                                                    more than once --

MIKE

                                                                    Is he gonna make it?

STIEGLER

                                                                    They just started surgery.  You’ll
                                                                    be the first to know, as soon as
                                                                    there’s any news, I promise you --

MIKE

                                                                    Who’s his doctor?  I need to talk to
                                                                    somebody right now, whoever’s in
                                                                    charge.

STIEGLER

                                                                    We’ve been working through the
                                                                    communications director --

MIKE

                                                                    I wanna talk to his doctor-doctor
                                                                    not some spin doctor.

STIEGLER

                                                                    Okay.

MIKE

                                                                    How the hell could the shooter get
                                                                    away?

          THEY go into:

21      INT. WAITING ROOM/CHURCH HOME & HOSPITAL - DAY

          MIKE enters with BARNFATHER and STIEGLER.

MIKE (cont.)

                                                                    Place should’ve been crawling with
                                                                    cops.

STIEGLER

                                                                    There was an appropriate amount of
                                                                    security for a routine campaign stop.

MIKE

                                                                    Then what happened, they were asleep?

BARNFATHER

                                                                    We had no reason to expect any trouble --

MIKE

                                                                   No reason?  What about all the death
                                                                    threats?

STIEGLER

                                                                    There’s been nothing out of the
                                                                    ordinary, nothing any person running
                                                                    for public office doesn’t encounter --

MIKE

                                                                    How can you say that?  Since he
                                                                    announced his position on drugs --

BARNFATHER

                                                                    We’ve taken the serious threats
                                                                    seriously --

MIKE

                                                                    Hate mail, faxes, anonymous phone
                                       &n