AMERICAN HISTORY X

The two smile at one another as the FIRST BELL RINGS.

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM - A URINAL

Danny takes a piss. Outside, a voice pleads "It wasn't

me!" DARYL DAWSON, pale and thin, is shoved into the

bathroom and he trips into the sink. LITTLE HENRY, a

young black kid, enters with two of his buddies. Danny

zips up and faces them.

LITTLE HENRY

(to a terrified Daryl)

Tellin' Baker I'm fuckin' cheatin'?

I've never cheated in my life.

BUDDY #1

Beat his ass, Henry!

LITTLE HENRY

Why you trippin' on me?

DARYL

I didn't say anything, Henry. I

swear.

BUDDY #2

He's lying, man! I was right there!

Little Henry cracks Daryl in the face and practically

knocks him down with one shot. A bleeding Daryl

struggles to his hands and knees behind Danny.

LITTLE HENRY

Next time, man.

Danny stares into Henry's eyes and the trio exits. Dannv

helps Daryl back up to the sink. THE SECOND BELL RINGS.

CUT TO:

INT. CLASS - SAME

Kids have just settled into their seats. Danny walks in

and tries to be discrete.

OFFSCREEN VOICE

Vinyard!?

An OLDER TEACHER writes an Algebra problem on the board

for the students to solve.

OLDER TEACHER

You're late.

The man grabs a pink slip off his desk and hands it to

Danny.

OLD TEACHER

But it looks like you got bigger

problems.

DANNY

(reading the slip)

Oh, man! Come on. Get a job.

The teacher stares at him.

CUT TO:

INT. PRINCIPAL LOBBY - DANNY

He sits in a chair next to an office door marked DR.

ROBERT SWEENEY - PRINCIPAL. Danny glances at the

secretary as she types and talks on the phone.

TIGHT ON DANNY. He listens to the conversation through

the the crack in the door as his eyes swell.

MURRAY (O.S.)

I do not have a problem with him as an

individual, alright!?

SWEENEY (O.S.)

Oh shit Murray sure you do. You hate

this kid.

INT. OFFICE - THE CONVERSATION

The bespectacled, short-haired MURRAY ROSENBERG, 48,

looks over and spots Danny listening outside. Murray

walks over and shuts the door. He looks at DR. SWEENEY,

who now has his jacket off.

He points to a typewritten report on the desk and smiles

in horror. It is titled BOOK REPORT--MEIN KAMPF.

"Daniel Vinvard - American History" is in the upper left

hand corner.

MURRAY

This paper is a travesty, Bob!

Arguing for Hitler as a civil rights

hero?! You've gotta draw a line.

SWEENEY

Murray...it says in your syllabus that

they could do their report on any book

related to the struggle for Civil

Rights.

MURRAY

Oh come on, Bob!

SWEENEY

Let me finish! He needs help...I'm

not disputing that. But I read it and

I'm not going to throw him out.

MURRAY

His brother probably put him up to it.

SWEENEY

I can guarantee you his brother didn't

have anything to do with it, Murray.

Murray sighs and takes off his glasses.

MURRAY

Don't let him walk scot-free here.

For his sake...not mine. You might be

all he has left.

Sweeney stares at the younger teacher and nods.

CUT TO:

EXT. OFFICE - THE DOOR OPENS

Murray walks out and turns back to Sweeney.

MURRAY

Thanks, Bob.

SWEENEY (O.S.)

Okay. Get in here, Dan!

Danny and Murray make hostile eye contact.

DANNY

I knew it was you.

SWEENEY (O.S.)

Shut up and get your ass in here!

INT. OFFICE - DANNY ENTERS

Before he even gets through the door he's chastised.

SWEENEY

What's it gonna be, Dan?

DANNY

What's what going to be?

SWEENEY

This petty shit you're pullin'.

DANNY

Well...I don't know.

SWEENEY

You said it, all right. Sit down.

Danny does what he's told. Sweeney stares at the

teenager and leans back in his chair.

SWEENEY

Are you okay?

DANNY

Yeah.

SWEENEY

Any time you wanna talk, Dan--

DANNY

Okay.

SWEENEY

How's Derek?

DANNY

Fine.

SWEENEY

Adjusting okay?

DANNY

Yeah.

SWEENEY

He was a student of mine. Honors

English. He was a great student...

like you...but he hung out with

scumbags. Also like you. That's why

he ended up in the pen, hunh?

No answer. Sweeney holds up Danny's paper.

SWEENEY

Great writing. I can't correct it

though. It wreaks too much of shit.

DANNY

Come on, man! I followed directions

and wrote an "A" paper. It's got

nothing to do with Derek.

SWEENEY

Everything you do now has something to

do with Derek. Who told you to do

this?

DANNY

Let us get on with our lives, man!

SWEENEY

Hey, I'm not worried about Derek--he

can take care of himself. I'm worried

about his little brother.

(softly)

Mein Kampf, Dan? I should expel you!

DANNY

Do it. What? You don't think I could

handle it?

SWEENEY

(smiling in disbelief)

The street would kill you, Danny.

You're not tough. The second a

brother pulls a gun on your ass you'll

be holierin' for Doris.

(pondering to himself)

So here's the drill. Take it or leave

it cause I'm sick of babysitting. I'm

your history teacher from here on out.

We're gonna deal with shit happening

right now. Call it American

History...X. I see your ass once a

day. Any more, any less, and you're a

memory at Venice High. Clear?

DANNY

It took me a week to read Mein Kampf.

Come on, Sweeney.

SWEENEY

My name is Dr. Sweeney. And I want a

another paper on my desk tomorrow.

DANNY

What am I doing it on then?

SWEENEY

It'S not a "what", it's a "who."

(after a beat)

Derek.

SMASH TO:

EXT. VENICE SHORELINE - LATE AFTERNOON

A series of intercuts shows activity in and around the

pier. A HOMELESS LATINO MAN searches a trash dumpster.

OPEN VENDORS sell tie-dye and water bong paraphernalia.

A FAT WOMAN walks past eating a hot dog. BLACK GANG

MEMBERS play basketball in their low-rider shorts and

boxers.

TIGHT ON DANNY. He skateboards down the boardwalk,

performing tricks and spinning the board. He eats shit,

recovers, and looks off into the distance.

DANNY (V/O)

People look at me...and they see my

brother. That's how things have gone

since the murder of our father.

EXT. BOARDWALK - NEAR THE BASKETBALL COURT

From afar, he spots a group of black gang members shoot

hoops. He and Little Henry from earlier exchange a cold

glance.

DANNY (V/O)

Little Henry Hastings and his older

brother Jerome. Jerome's a Shoreline

Crip...Henry's on his way.

Little Henry and older brother JEROME catch their breath

and stare down Dan. Danny doesn't flinch. Jerome sips

from a 40 oz. beer and resumes playing.

DANNY (V/O)

Venice Beach, man. It didn't always

look like this. I mean...our Dad used

to take us down here to run...and it

was cool. Derek fucking owned this

place. Since then though...the gangs,

man--

TIGHT ON DANNy. He watches the basketball action as he

takes a drag off his Marlboro Red.

DANNY (V/O)

--they've moved west from Inglewood

and South Central and have really

just...taken over. Especially at my

high school. The Venice Locos are big

too but they hang out in bumluck Mar

Vista. It's scary.

(then)

And then there's The Disciples of

Christ. The D.O.C.

Jerome and Little Henry joke and argue with eight extra

players and spectators.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BASKETBALL COURT - A GAME - FLASHBACK

DANNY'S POV. The teams are a mixed assemblage of 3

blacks and 2 Latinos and 3 whites and 1 black and 1

Latino. SKINHEAD FAT SETH RYAN, early twenties, and his

two skinhead buddies, can't compete against the better,

predominantly black team. One of the skins, CURTIS, has

a shaved head, a light beard and an M-16 RIFLE tattooed

on his head.

JEROME and LITTLE HENRY sit together to the right of the

court and monitor closely. Danny looks over his left

shoulder and sees Derek and Stacey sit with CAMMERON.

Cowboy hat and BRONCO JERSEY, they sit and converse on

the bleachers.

LAWRENCE

Seven-six. Let's go! Set some picks!

SETH

Bring it on, boy.

Derek quickly moves his eyes to the court.

LAWRENCE

Boy?

Lawrence quickly pivots past Seth, dunks it, and yells as

he hangs on the rim. The crowd cheers.

SETH

Lucky piece of shit! I'm through

"monkeying" around with your ass!

Lawrence spins around and challenges Seth.

LAWRENCE

Fat, pasty, pale, pastrami eating,

cracker, motherfucker. A hundred

bucks says I make you my bitch.

SETH

(to the crowd)

Here we go! Trying to make ends meet

for that cut in welfare.

He makes a scene and passes Danny on the sideline.

Lawrence waits for Seth to take it further. Danny looks

at him, concerned.

DANNY

It's eight-six, Seth.

SETH

When I want your fucking opinion I'll

ask for it, fuckhead.

(to Derek and Cam)

Help me cover here, guys.

Derek and Cameron stare at Seth, knowing Seth will lose

and embarrass them.

CAMMERON

You got a big fucking mouth, fat kid.

SETH

I'll take this negro down.

DEREK

You can't take a shit, Seth. Shut up.

Derek shoots a look to Cameron, comes to a decision, and

stands. He shouts for all to hear.

DEREK

I got a bet.

Lawrence stares at him, sensing something harder.

DEREK

I come in, same score now, first one

to eleven. Black boys against the

white boys.

Lawrence looks back to his boys in disbelief.

LAWRENCE

Name your price, Cracker.

DEREK

No money...for the court. We win, you

grab your shit and find a different

place to run. Not just today...

forever. You win, and we don't come

back. No hitching, no fighting, here

in front of everyone. Six-eight, our

ball.

The action around the court gets very still. Finally,

Lawrence nods.

LAWRENCE

You got a lot of fucking balls, man.

Bring it. Right now.

Derek pulls off his sweatshirt and gives it to Stacey.

Lawrence gets his team together.

CUT TO:

EXT. COURT - BLACK VERSUS WHITE

No more mixed assemblage of players. One team is white,

one team is black.

A SERIES OF SMOTS

Derek blows by Lawrence for a left handed layup. Derek

hits a thirty looter. Curtis grabs a rebound and uses

his elbows to get defenders off him. Big Lawrence fouls

Derek hard and Derek stares at him. Big Lawrence makes a

twenty foot turnaround. Lawrence advances on a three on

two and dunks it. Derek pump fakes three times and uses

the glass for a deuce. Finally, Derek drives the lane

and dishes to Seth at the last minute for a bucket.

SETH

Yes! Ten a piece! Nice fucking dish.

SETH and CURTIS slap Derek's hand as they get back on

transition. Derek stares at Lawrence. CAMMERON watches

intently.

CAMMERON

It's all you, Der!

LAWRENCE

Fuckin' BYU, man! All right! All we

need is one now!

Lawrence and Derek lock eyes, a look exceeding

competitive boundary. A look filled with rage.

CAMMERON

Use that fat ass and keep him out,

Seth!

Seth and the opposing player bang to get position

underneath.

LAWRENCE

I ain't losin' in my house! Clear it

out!

The POWER FORWARD dribbles beautifully up the court --

his teammates clearing out the key. Defensively, Derek

is solid. He tries to pass Derek but Derek's defense is

stifling. Again. With another tricky move, Lawrence

inadvertently puts his LEFT ELBOW into Derek's face,

sending him quickly to the pavement. EVERYBODY STOPS.

CURTIS

That's fuckin' offense!

LAWRENCE

Get the fuck outta here! He was

movin' his feet!

Derek, teeth bloodied, rises. The two have a stare down.

DEREK

(threateningly)

I'll go if you want to.

LAWRENCE

You wanna piece! Bring it!

Players quickly rush to restrain the two even though the

teams hate each other.

DEREK

If you wanna go...I'm ready. Don't be

throwin' fuckin' elbows.

LAWRENCE

Fuck you!

Derek walks over to Cammeron, Danny and Stacey standing

courtside. She has a water bottle and a towel waiting

for him. He wipes his BLOODY LIP and takes a sip.

Cameron stares at Derek.

CAMMERON

Hey. Are you copacetic?

Derek nods and looks at Danny and Stacey.

CAMMERON

He's gonna do that 180 spin move.

DEREK

I know what he's gonna do.

DANNY

You gotta call offense on that shit.

DEREK

Not on point game you don't.

STACEY