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Screenplay-The-Christophe-Rocancourt PART 1 - THE SWINDLE (The Christophe Rocancourt Affair 3 Part Series) FADE IN 1 INT. LATE OCTOBER - 2001 - LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - U.S.A. - L.A. 1 COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. GEORGE MUELLER, HECTOR GUZMAN, and SANDI GIBBONS are busy scurrying about their office on routine prosecution cases in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. The telephone rings on George Mueller's desk. He picks up the telephone. He expresses shock and disbelief. He immediately begins to take notes by scribbling information on a note pad. GEORGE MUELLER What? When? Okay. He what? Then he did what? Okay! Okay! Who? Okay! Amazing! (laughing) Okay! I'll get right on it! George Mueller hangs up the telephone. GEORGE MUELLER (CONT'D) Sandi, Hector get over here! Hector Guzman and Sandi Gibbons race over and stand in front of George Mueller's desk. HECTOR GUZMAN What's up, George? GEORGE MUELLER That was East Hampton Village out of New York. Christophe Rocancourt was arrested, released, and disappeared! SANDI GIBBONS How could that happen? GEORGE MUELLER Our infamous Christophe was posing as a member of the Rockefeller family saying he was from France. It seems they are going to dub him the "Counterfeit Rockefeller". (CONTINUED) 2. 1 CONTINUED: 1 HECTOR GUZMAN (LAUGHING) Who was stupid enough to believe that? GEORGE MUELLER Someone was! There are gullible people everywhere, Hector. Everywhere! But he got caught in another swindle. When he was arrest he presented a passport identifying himself as a "Fabien Ortuna". He hired a lawyer and got out the next day on $45,000 bail. SANDI GIBBONS George, who was his lawyer? I'll get a hold of him and see if we can get some more information. GEORGE MUELLER Save your call Sandi. He hired Bruce Cutler, the defense lawyer for John Gotti. He isn't going to give you the time of day! HECTOR GUZMAN Ah!... his wife Pia's with him! GEORGE MUELLER That's a good assessment! Anyway, by the time they ran his finger prints and got his real identity, he vanished. Disappeared! SANDI GIBBONS What do you want us to do George? GEORGE MUELLER We're going to put this boy away for life! Okay, lets mobilize a small army of law- enforcement officials and media organizations to follow his trail. I want you and Hector to get a hold of the New York Post, the New York Times, F.B.I., U.S. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 3. 1 CONTINUED: (2) 1 GEORGE MUELLER (CONT'D) Marshals, crews from NBC Dateline, ABC PrimeTime, CNN, Court TV and celebrity magazines. His wife is a former Playboy bunny. That's our in with the media! SANDI GIBBONS Let's do it! HECTOR GUZMAN I'll get right on it! GEORGE MUELLER Let's start making the calls and contacts to make it happen! I'm going to get him one way or the other way! But, we're going to get him! 2 EXT. NOVEMBER 2000 - LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - 2 NOVEMBER - EVENING A lone Jetliner from New York arrives by descending down onto the runway and finally lands. 3 INT. NOVEMBER 2000 - LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - 3 CONTINUOUS CHRISTOPHE ROCANCOURT exits the passenger unloading area into the airport lobby. He is accompanied by his wife MARIA PIA REYES, who is of Filipino heritage, and a former Playboy bunny, and their young four year old son ZEUS. Christophe Rocancourt and Pia Reyes are holding their son Zeus by the hand. Christophe Rocancourt kneels down and takes hold of his son, carrying him along the way up into the airport lobby. Christophe Rocancourt is a small man who is 5'9"(175cm) tall and weighs 150 lbs. (68kg) and 33 years old. He is fair-haired with green eyes. His attire is casual dress. Not very noticeable to most observers, is the loss of part of his left pinky finger. Covered up and unseen through his shirt and jacket is a tattoo Eagle band around his right upper arm. Christophe's hair style is brush cut. He has a thick but soft French accent. (CONTINUED) 4. 3 CONTINUED: 3 They are met by a FAMILY FRIEND. Christophe shakes the family friend's hand, and all four leave the airport lobby area quickly and out into the corridor. 4 EXT. NOVEMBER 2000 - CANADIAN - U.S.A. BORDER CROSSING - BLAINE, 4 WASHINGTON - BRITISH COLUMBIA - CONTINUOUS A vehicle driven by STEVE SILVER pulls up to the Canadian Border Booth. Christophe Rocancourt is sitting in the front passenger seat of the car. His son Zeus is laying across the back seat as he sleeps with his head rested on Pia's lap. IMMIGRATION CANADA OFFICER 1 runs a routine license place check on the vehicle as the car approaches. The computer check indicates no problems regarding the owner. The vehicle stops next to the border booth window. IMMIGRATION OFFICER 2 who is standing outside of the booth, makes a casual routine walk by inspection of the rear of the car. Steve Silver pulls his wallet out to show his identification, as Immigration Canada Officer 1 turns and looks at him directly into his eyes. Christophe Rocancourt and Pia Reyes are simultaneously reaching for their identifications. IMMIGRATION OFFICER 1 How long do you plan to stay in Canada? STEVE SILVER At least for the weekend! Immigration Officer 1 hands Steve's Driver's license back to him. IMMIGRATION OFFICER 1 Okay, have a nice time! STEVE SILVER Thank you Ma'am, I'm sure we will! Steve Silver puts his vehicle in gear, and steps on the gas. The vehicle enters Canada. 5. 5 INT. NOVEMBER 2000 - BRITISH COLUMBIA - CANADA - CONTINUOUS 5 Steve Silver, Christophe Rocancourt, Pia Reyes, and Zeus are all happily excited as the vehicle proceeds on the highway into Canada. CHRISTOPHE ROCANCOURT Canada! 6 EXT. NOVEMBER 2000 - VANCOUVER B.C. WEST HASTINGS STREET - NIGHT6 Christophe Rocancourt makes a long distance telephone call. The telephone ring beep signal echo's in his ear. At the other end, is a NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER. Christophe Immediately begins to talk. NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER (O.S.) The New York Times... CHRISTOPHE ROCANCOURT My friend, I made it out of the United States! NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER (O.S.) Christophe? Where are you? CHRISTOPHE ROCANCOURT I am not going to tell you that. But, I am in an English speaking country. NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER (O.S.) Don't you think you should turn yourself in? You're going to get arrested sooner or later. CHRISTOPHE ROCANCOURT That is in the hands of God. If they catch me, I will make no deal. I will do my time. I do not regard myself as a criminal. I would not consider myself a criminal. I steal with my mind. If I take things, if that is your definition of a criminal, then I am a criminal. Christophe Rocancourt hangs up the telephone. 6. 7 EXT. JANUARY 2001 - VANITY FAIR 7 BRYAN BURROUGH is sitting at his desk and has just finished up his 14 page article with exclusive photos of Christophe Rocancourt from around the world. Bryan Burrough, is a reporter for the magazine Vanity Fair writes a huge article with front page photos and information that he has gathered in tracking Christophe Rocancourt, titled "The Counterfeit Rockefeller". His article creates a buzz on the case and is followed up by People Magazine and draws international attention to Rocancourt. The news article describes how a East Hampton painter Gines Pagan set up a fake dinner party with Christophe Rocancourt, whose guests in reality were a lawyer, photojournalist, and the New York Bureau Chief of People's Magazine. He walks over to his Editor's desk and hands his article and photos to the VANITY EDITOR. The Vanity Editor looks over the photos and begins to read Bryan Burrough's article. He becomes excited. VANITY EDITOR Excellent work of journalism Bryan! Yes, this Vanity Fair's front page for January! Take it to layout and press! BRYAN BURROUGH Yes, sir! Thank you sir! The media buzz at that time suggests that movie rights are snapped up. CAMERA ON - CONSECUTIVE SPINNING FRONT PAGE NEWS MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES and CAMERA FRAME IN ON - VANITY FAIR, PEOPLE'S, THE NEW YORK POST, THE NEW YORK TIMES, ETC. OF "The Counterfeit Rockefeller" and Christophe Rocancourt. 8 INT. FEBRUARY 2001 - SOME VANCOUVER RESTAURANT - NOON 8 Christophe Rocancourt and a female he'd met in Vancouver who became to (CONTINUED) 7. 8 CONTINUED: 8 be known as a MUTUAL FEMALE ACQUAINTANCE are sitting in an exquisite Vancouver restaurant when ROBERT BALDOCK enters, sees his female associate, walks over to the table and joins them. A bottle of wine sits on the table. Mikael is smoking a Cuban cigar and there are glasses of wine in front of him and the mutual female acquaintance when Mr. Baldock arrives at the table. MUTUAL FEMALE ACQUAINTANCE It's nice to see you could make it to join us for brunch. This here is Mikael Van Hoven. He's the person I told you about who might be interested in investing in your company. Robert Baldock reaches down and shakes Christophe Rocancourt's hand. ROBERT BALDOCK It's nice to meet you. So, what do you do Mr. Van Hoven? CHRISTOPHE ROCANCOURT I have a $28-million contract with Ferrari, and I am one of the best for an up-and- coming drivers. ROBERT BALDOCK What kind of driving do you for Ferrari? A WAITER walks up and fills the glasses with more wine as the business meeting continues.
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