TWO STRONG MEN: Action/Adventure Police Drama - Completed Treatment.
Two wise-cracking, older-than-Wyatt Earp anachronisms--one, a Texas Ranger and the other a Northwest Mounted Policeman--team up and turn L.A. on its head as they pursue and dispatch escaped criminals, murderous gang members, evil drug lords and organized crime bosses through the streets, bars, hotels, malls and skyscrapers of greater Los Angeles. Along the way they teach local police and civilians alike a thing or two about Texan hospitality and justice as well as the finer points of Canadian cordiality and law enforcement tactics.
“ TWO STRONG M E N “
by
Patrick P. Stafford
Synopsis and Treatment For
An Action/Adventure Crime Drama
For Motion Pictures or Television
(Approximately 100 - 120 Minutes in Length)
Patrick P. Stafford
1775 Southgate Way
Grants Pass, OR 97527
(503) 479-4032
email: platonow.peoplepc.com
COPYRIGHTED (C) BY PATRICK P. STAFFORD
Cast of Characters
Sgt. Buck Johnson (Texas Rangers)
Sgt. Stewart McCray (North West Mounted Police)
Captain Logan (L.A.P.D.)
Captain Curley Lane (Texas Rangers)
Lieutenant Porter (L.A.P.D.)
Johnny Morello
Chief Darkhorse
Emily Porter
Rose Marie
Sgt. Bates
Picky Johnson
Bartender
Leone Fasettie
Anthony Stitto
Minor Cast
Police Bus Driver
2 Narcotic Officers
Police Dept. Personnel
Mafia Hoods
Television Reporter
Knott’s Berry Farm Extras
Bus Prisoners
Bus Guards
Bar Extras
News Reporters
2 Police Officers
Airport Extras
Setting of Story
Downtown, Los Angeles, California and the Wilshire District of Los Angeles. The last scene is proposed to take place in Knott’s Berry Farm in Anaheim, California.
Time of Story
The present.
“ TWO STRONG MEN ”
Synopsis of Story
The most distinguished law enforcement agencies on the North American continent--if not the most famous--are undoubtedly the Texas Rangers and the Northwest Mounted Police. Though both organizations are steeped in history and tradition--from the early days of continental exploration and Western folklore--neither has taken a backseat in applying and utilizing today’s modern technology and sophisticated computer hardware. Both organizations not only still exist, but continue to play active, distinguished roles in the apprehension of criminals, law enforcement and solving of major crimes.
“Two Strong Men” is a story about two extraordinary police officers who are each members of these famous law enforcement agencies. The uniforms of a century ago are still worn; so is the same badge, the same espirit do corps and the same traditions and code of conduct--worn and imbued in today’s Texas Rangers and Northwest Mounted Police.
Sgt. Buck Johnson is the story’s Texas Ranger. Sgt. Stewart McCray is the Northwest Mounted Policeman. And, like Kipling's famous poem, “East and West,” both men figuratively represent diverse social and philosophical backgrounds and points of view--especially in their work ethic; but both are strong men: incorrupt-ible and proud, and possessing an uncompromising respect for law and order. And both, as in Kipling’s poem, not only meet and stand face to face, but eventually join forces and, together, stand united against the forces of urban crime.
Both men meet in Los Angeles, California. They are sent there by their respective organizations to extradite two hardened criminals named Johnny Morello and Chief Darkhorse. These two criminals are wanted for heinous crimes committed in both Canada and Texas. Darkhorse, of course, is Buck Johnson’s man, while Morello, a member of a organized crime family operating in McCray’s home town of Ottawa, is to be extradited by the Mountie.
While enroute to the Parker Center (Headquarters for the Los Angeles Police Department located in Downtown, Los Angeles) in a police bus, both criminals along with the other convicted criminals overpower the driver and bus guards, commandeer the bus, and escape.
Upon first meeting Buck Johnson and Stewart McCray greet each other politely and with respect while waiting in Captain Logan’s L.A.P.D. office to receive their prisoners. Both men are in their early fifties, nearing retirement, and know that this assignment is to be their last. Johnson has a greater interest in completing this job successfully: Chief Darkhorse is the man who murdered the Ranger’s son five years earlier in El Paso, Texas (Johnson’s home town and where he is employed as a Texas Ranger).
What ensues after the two main antagonists escape is a tale out of the Old West. Imagine these two strong men, dressed in the full apparel of their traditional police organizations, prancing about a modern city like Los Angeles, one wearing a Stetson, the other a Smoky; and each armed with his own archaic sidearm, one speaking in a Texan drawl and the other with a British accent, all the while acclimating themselves to L.A.’s urban madness while running down clues and attempting to locate two hardened criminals who are much more familiar with the city than they.
One can imagine the mishaps and predicaments two such individuals can get into--two men from distinctly different cultures, who speak in Texas slang and the Queen’s English--and who are unfamiliar not only with the geography but as well with all the nuances and idiosyncrasies of a giant city like Los Angeles.
Despite all the problems they encounter resulting from these vicissitudes, both men are able to achieve greater success because of their personal savvy, prior experience, quality of character and from the organizations to which they belong. It is not only discipline, duty, loyalty and espirit de corps which enable these two men to prevail, but the many years of experience as law enforcement officers and no less an equal amount of courage and tenacity each owns.
What Sgt. Buck Johnson and Sgt. Stewart McCray have that is really special is the ability to track down a person--even in a large urban city like Los Angeles. More than this, they are not bogged down by red tape or must rely only on scientific analysis and computer technology. They have lived in the forest among the elements of nature and off the land. They are relentless and untiring and steadfast in their united purpose, and they represent in the most literal of terms: the long-arm of the law and the concept that crime never pays. They in fact totally embody the adages: “They always get their man” and “A Ranger never fails.”
This story, in many respects, is a tale of the Old West and the Canadian backlands. When at last both heroes confront their two fugitives at Knott’s Berry Farm (the amusement park in Anaheim, California), Buck Johnson faces down Chief Darkhorse in a fast draw while Stewart McCray-- upon horse and with rifle in hand--pursues Morello through an adjacent forest area near the park where the two men, in an exchange of wits and marksmanship skills, make their final encounter. Two strong men from North and South unite the best qualities and principles in American society. And heroism--with some dashes of anachronistic humor--is what the story is all about.
“TWO STRONG MEN”
by Patrick P. Stafford
Treatment of Story
Sgt. Buck Johnson is asleep aboard a plane bound for Los Angeles, California. He is dressed in the uniform of a Texas Ranger. A cartridge belt is wrapped around his waist and a .38 special is tied down along the right side of his leg. His Ranger hat is upon lap and dark sunglasses over his eyes partly dis-guise the disturbed expression on his face which is being caused from a dream he is having.
We see the dream as a FLASHBACK: he is running through dense woods, with his gun in hand, in pursuit of Chief Darkhorse. Chief Darkhorse has abducted Buck’s son Ricky, and is dragging the young boy along as he hurries through a dense forest to flee the ranger. The Indian criminal comes upon an old abandoned shack. Buck catches up to him at the moment Ricky escapes from Darkhorse’s grasp. The Indian takes a shot at Buck, at which moment Ricky steps in front to protect his father, and is killed. Buck is then hit from Darkhorse’s second shot. The ranger is seen lying alongside his dead son while Chief Darkhorse flees the scene. CUT TO:
Sgt. Stewart McCray of the Northwest Mounted Police enters the squad room of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Parker Center. He is dressed in full Mountie apparel,. armed with his service revolver which is holstered in a beautiful, personally-tailored holster. As he enters the room all activity stops, as those within look up to gawk at him. They have never seen such an uniform before, nor such an opposing, distinguished-looking police officer, nor such a hat as the smoky on his head.
There is a moment’s pause here. Some of the assembled men snicker and make bemused remarks. Suddenly, a prisoner being held by two uniformed officers escapes their grasp and grabs a gun from one of them. He holds the gun level and threatens to shoot anyone who approaches him. As the criminal backs up, he does not see the Mountie standing behind him. The criminal turns, and at that moment Stewart knocks the gun out of his hand, karate chops him across the neck and flips the criminal over a desk. The two officers immediately rush over and reclaim their suspect. Stewart is patted on the back by a nearby detective, while the squad room erupts in praise and applause. Seconds later, the Mountie is greeted by Captain Logan who runs the Department. CUT TO:
Buck Johnson is in a taxi enroute to the Parker Center. In another FLASHBACK we see him standing near the grave of his son, along with various mourners as services are read by a preacher.
The FLASHBACK cuts to a recent event wherein Buck hears his Ranger captain from El Paso, Texas speaking to him. DISSOLVE TO:
Another FLASHBACK: as the taxi enters Downtown, Los Angeles: Buck is in El Paso in Captain Lane’s office being briefed upon his assignment to fly to Los Angeles and bring back Chief Darkhorse who is to be extradited to Texas to stand charges for various counts of murder and rape. Lane reminds Buck that he is to retire in one month’s time and this assignment is to be his last. He is also told that Lane had him picked personally to undertake this job because Darkhorse was the man who murdered Buck’s son.
Buck Johnson is fifty-five years of age, about six-feet four and distinguished looking. Though riddled with wrinkles and having graying hair, Buck still makes for an opposing figure. He is muscular and lean and wears his uniform smartly. He has been a Ranger for thirty-five years and comes from three generations of rangers: his great grandfather was one of the first Texas Rangers back in the days when Texas was still a Republic.
The FLASHBACK is completed. Buck exits the taxi and enters the Parker Center. As he is seen walking through the building com-plex, pausing to inquire where Captain Logan’s office is located, many faces turn to stare up at him. He too strikes a formidable, distinguished appearance, dressed in the Ranger’s uniform and armed with the huge six-gun at his side and wearing the Stetson hat akin to Rangers.
Buck enters the squad room. Those same personnel assembled there are once again bemused and aroused by the presence of yet another anachronistic-looking law enforcement person. A cocky-looking, plainclothes officer approaches Buck and grabs the Stetson off his head. As Buck tries to grab it back from the younger man, another police officer steps in front of him in a threatening manner and begins to question him: does he have a permit for the gun he is carrying? Who in the hell does he think he is to come strutting in here dressed like Wyatt Earp?
The man lightly shoves Buck and, with lightning speed, Buck tossing this man upon the floor, then seizes the officer who stole his hat. He acquires this officer’s revolver and suddenly holds it pressed against his throat while holding him against a nearby partition. Everyone in the squad room immediately jumps up and aim their service revolvers at Buck. He softly asks the officer to place the hat back upon his head, which the man quickly does. Buck then smiles and replaces the gun in the young officer’s holster. At that moment, Captain Logan enters the room and orders everyone to put their guns away and relax while introducing the Texas Ranger to all assembled.
Buck quickly explains his presence and identity, showing his permit to carry the gun and papers he has to extradite Chief Darkhorse. As Logan leads him into his office, many faces--along with the two officers dispatched by Buck--smile at him with expressions of approval.
Stewart had been standing at the threshold of Logan’s office watching the entire proceeding between Buck and the two police detectives. Logan introduces him to Buck and remarks that both of them have a way of making grandstand entrances. Logan informs them that he has always had the highest respect for the Northwest Mounted Police and Texas Rangers and how unusual it is to have a member from each organization present in his office at the very same time.
Next, they discuss the purpose of their being in Los Angeles to take charge of Johnny Morello and Chief Darkhorse and the coop-eration between their law enforcement agencies to extradite both criminals. Logan informs them that both prisoners are enroute to the police station and should arrive in about a hour from a detection center in Chino, California. CUT TO:
A police bus is seen traveling through the hills between Pasadena and Downtown, Los Angeles. Morello and Chief Darkhorse are hand-cuffed together and seated near the front of the bus. Three bus guards are situated throughout the bus. About ten other prisoners are in the bus.
Darkhorse is seen using a nail file to unlock his handcuffs. He suddenly leaps on the nearest police guard, overpowers him and seizes the guard’s gun. In the struggle the gun goes off and the bus driver is shot.
This causes the vehicle to swerve off the road and the bus occupants to be thrown about the bus. The prisoners grab the other police guards during this action and Morello and Darkhorse take con-trol of the situation. They obtain the keys from one of the guards and give it to another prisoner to unhandcuff themselves. During this moment one of the guards tries to exit the bus but is shot dead by Morello. Darkhorse commands the driver to drive them back onto the road and to a destination of their choosing. He refuses, and Darkhorse strangles him and tosses him off the bus.
Morello immediately jumps behind the wheel and the bus is seen reentering the highway and headed for L.A. CUT TO:
Stewart and Johnson are seen getting better acquainted, as they sit across from each other at a small table playing cards in a small room near Logan’s squad room. As they relate to each other their collective experiences and stories from some sixty years of police and law enforcement work, a large throng of squad room personnel gather about to overhear their conversation. The two detectives who accosted Buck interject their disbelief in his relatings. Stewart comes to his defense and brushes them off with a sweep of his hand and says both detectives were in dipers when he and Buck were out hunting down murdering Indians and train robbers!
Stewart is about the same age as Buck and about the same height and build, only he is paler in complexion and has white hair and a long, slender mustache. While Buck has a heavy Texan accent, Stewart has a light British accent. Both men are quite distinguished looking though weathered in years, and shown to easily get along with each other, though in a light-hearted, often humorous manner.
Emily Porter, a woman of about forty years of age, is a police officer working in the squad room and has been one of those listening to the two senior officers talk. She and Buck, during this scene, ex-change mutual looks of attraction. Sgt. Bates, a young plain-clothes officer in the homicide division, is seen to be the one who most admires the two anachronistic policemen; and he will figure promptly in the story as the character who greatly assists Buck and Stewart in their efforts to track down their escaped criminals. He can be considered to play the role of the sidekick.
Another officer, Lieutenant Porter, Emily’s brother, enters the room with news of the police bus being commandeered and the prisoners escaping. The bus is found abandoned along a deserted highway about twenty minutes from Downtown, L.A. Two guards are dead, the other two knocked out and found inside the deserted bus. All the prisoners have escaped, and car tracks from three or four vehicles have been found near the location. These tracks lead from the old highway back onto a nearby freeway.
Lt. Porter is put in charge of the detail of officers who are assigned to track down and apprehend the bus escapees. Immediately Buck and Stewart attempt to become involved, as they are determined to complete their personal assignments and bring back their prisoners on the extradition orders which brought them to Los Angeles in the first place.
What ensues hereafter is a story of sequences and scenes depicting both heroes as they join forces and end up primarily alone in their quest apprehend Johnny Morello and Chief Darkness. While Buck cultivates Emily Porter, to elicit her help in providing information about both criminals from personal files and computer records, Stewart en-lists the aid of Sgt. Bates to help them get about the city and acclimate them to the unfamiliar territory and strange nuances of bars, motels, parks, businesses and social and geographical aspects of Los Angeles.
Both men make a nearby local police bar their base of operations. It is only a walk’s distance from the Parker Center and they are less likely to arouse attention and be interrupted in their efforts to meet and plan out a way to find the criminals in the city. What is required is much more than simple tracking methods or a basic understanding of the workings of tile criminal mind. They will have to conduct their own full-fledged investigation and gather clues and hunt down leads and speak to a retinue of strange personages and to others with contacts to criminal elements in Los Angeles.
In their first meeting at the local police bar, both men become friends to the bartender who is an ex-cop himself. Stewart also meets and becomes attracted to Rose Marie, the salty waitress who keeps everyone in his place and within arm’s reach of her. While Buck becomes involved with Emily Porter (and they fall in love), Stewart becomes involved with Rose Marie.
In one scene, the two couples double-date and have a night on the town. This, as well as in other scenes are written in such a way to highlight and depict the unique and different qualities between Buck and Stewart in relationship to modern society and the folklore of the past.
These two men, not only turn heads and elicit stares because of the ways they dress and talk, but also from the manner in which they relate to urban sights and situations and to Los Angeles in particular. They are not only a little old-fashioned and a little uncivilized in their tastes, but backwards in their approach to modern ways of living and social mores and political issues. No attempt is made to show either hero as some archconservative type of character, since this might be assumed because of who they are and the work they do. But no doubt, they are conservative in many ways: in traditional tastes and in their puritan-like beliefs in morality and duty.
But in one scene, they meet a group of punkrock looking youths and are seen getting along with these particular members of the younger generation. In another scene, they are in a red-neck type of bar; here, they are annoyed by the bad language and roughness of the patrons, and in particular, by two men playing pool who treat a woman companion with disrespect.
Buck and Stewart come upon a robbery-in-progress at a downtown bank, while inside withdrawing some money for themselves. Four robbers armed with shotguns and machine guns are confronted by two ancient looking law enforcement men whose method of preventing a crime and apprehending the bad guy begins with “Surrender and come peacefully...or else!”
Of course, there is a shootout, but our two heroes do not kill any of the bank robbers, but shoot the guns out of their hands and only wound them. News reporters arrive upon the scene, and Buck and Stewart make the Six O’clock news. Their stories are broadcast on television throughout L.A., and it is told why both officers have been temporality assigned to the L.A.P.D.. One local newscaster jokes about how Johnny Morello and Chief Darkhorse ought not to be in town by noon, or “they’ll meet up with a Ranger from El Paso and a Mountie from Ottawa at L.A.’s OK Corral before sundown!” CUT TO:
Morello and Darkhorse are seen safe and sound in a hideout somewhere in the Wilshire District of Los Angeles. They, along with some of the other escaped prisoners, are now in the employ of Leone Fasettie, a local crime boss running drugs and prostitution in L.A.
Later on two narcotic agents are overheard by Buck and Stewart in the squad room at the Parker Center. A recent stakeout has ran afoul: some big names in organized crime were in a meeting at a hotel in Downtown to exchange money and large amounts of dope. A shoot-out ensued, with the criminal leaders escaping with the drugs and the money. A man fitting Chief Darkhorse‘s description was seen at the hotel and is said to be involved in the shooting.
Buck and Stewart follow the two narcotic agents that night and the next; then have Bates and Emily try to find out more information about agents’ case and anything that might aid them in finding Leone Fasettie, which may lead them to Darkhorse and Morello.
Buck and Stewart return to the hotel in the Wilshire District which the two narcotic agents had staked-out. They enter and learn from the desk clerk that the “Indian” was staying in at the hotel across the street. They go to this hotel and are seen moving cautiously down a long hallway of the building. Darkhorse suddenly exits his room and sees both men. He is armed, and they exchange gunfire. Darkhorse reenters his room and exits out a window and down a back fire escape. Three other hoods are inside the room and wait to ambush Buck and Stewart, but are killed by the two officers’ superior courage and skill.
Later, both heroes are admonished by Captain Logan and told to stay in their rented hotel rooms until the L.A.P.D. recaptures their prisoners. The narc agents are also angered since Buck and Stewart may have ruined their chances to locate Fasettie
The Ranger and the Mountie get a tip from Emily about a stool-pigeon who has connections with Fasettie. They find the stoolie in a hangout in downtown, and end up chasing the man in a car chase in order to apprehend him and question him about Fasettie and the whereabouts of Darkhorse and Morello.
The narcs, the L.A.P.D. and our two heroes independently learn about a huge drug heist about to take place at Knott’s Berry Farm in Anaheim, California. The local Anaheim police are also informed and all the principals are seen in their police cars and vans enroute to the famous amusement park to converge upon the crime about to take place.
Though bandaged and wrought with numerous minor injuries from earlier action and battles (from brawling bikers in a local bar and earlier violent confrontations), the two are fully prepared to enter upon the dangerous arena where dozens of armed murders, drug-pushers and other hardened criminals have gathered--all with the sole purpose of apprehending the two men they came to extradite from L.A.
The police are out in full-force, disguised and hidden throughout the amusement park, awaiting the crime to go down, though unsure exactly where or when it will occur. Buck and Stewart, in full dress uniforms and armed to the teeth, enter the park and are seen marching side by side down Main Street...an image out of some Western...as two heroes strolling towards a certain yet deadly destiny.
Emily and Rose Marie, having driven the two men to Knott’s Berry Farm, exit their car and cannot restrain themselves from becoming also involved: they enter the amusement park and look to join or assist Buck and Stewart a short time later.
After our two stalwart heroes spot their two antagonists, Buck is seen in harried pursuit of Darkhorse throughout the Western-like amusement park while Stewart grabs a nearby horse from an actor and chases after Morello through park rides, attractions and other locales until he corners the criminal in a woodsy area some distance from where the actual drug exchange and major scene take place.
The park is slowly evacuated, and various police units are seen engaged in firefights with groups of Fasettie’s men and other criminal elements gathered at various locations at a central location not far from main street near the entrance to the park.
After much turmoil and action, Leone Fasettie and his second-in-command Anthony Stitto are finally captured. Buck finally subdues Darkhorse after a quick-draw exchange between them, which Buck wins, with Darkhorse being seriously wounded. And Stewart gets his man, Morello after Stewart ropes and hog-ties him from atop his horse. The young psychopath pleads for mercy. But Stewart, looking relentless and a little tired, simply handcuffs him and remarks that the long arm of the law has caught its man again! CUT TO:
Captain Logan watches as Buck and Stewart lead their prisoners down Main Street towards the park entrance. The criminals are temporarily taken out of their hands as the two heroes reunite with Emily and Rose Marie and the four them--two gunslingers with their fine ladies arm-in-arm, mosey down the main street of an old Western town--victorious and happily subdued by time and circumstance...and duty. CUT TO:
At the airport, Buck relives the scene in his mind of his son’s burial. He sees himself standing over the grave vowing to one day bring his son’s murderer to justice. That day has finally come!
Two L.A.P.D. officers--the two detectives from the opening scene who accosted Buck--are seen with Darkhorse in hand as Buck bids goodbye to Emily. They kiss and she tells him that she has vacation-time coming up and plans to visit him in El Paso.
Nearby, Stewart and Rose Marie exchange similar farewells, and he promises to show her his cabin in Ottawa when she comes to visit--hopefully longer than a short stay! Two other L.A.P.D. officers are seen keeping guard over a handcuffed Morello. Stewart kisses Rose Marie and they part company.
Buck and Stewart stand face to face in the middle of the airport terminal. They are dressed as at the beginning of the story: in full dress uniforms. “See you, Ranger” and “Farewell, Mountie,” are but a few of the words they exchange in parting. They shake hands and embrace, then step away from each other and turn to salute each other. They are seen exiting the terminal from opposite gates and escorting their prisoners as they enter their respective airplanes.
The two female police officers stroll arm-in-arm from the airport. One holds a Smoky hat...and the other a Stetson. CUT TO:
Seated on his airplane, Sgt. Buck Johnson gazes down at the police badge held in his hand. Its inscription says: “NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE.” CUT TO:
In his seat on another airplane, Sgt. Stewart McCray reads the inscription on the police badge in his hand. It reads: “TEXAS RANGERS.”
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