N.p.: N,p., 1973

Draft screenplay, 130pp., mostly printed on revised pink pages dated 6/18/73 but with some later amendments, and cast and crew contact lists and shooting schedule bound in (see below). Unprinted blue wrappers, secured with two split pins to left edge. A tightly bound, very well preserved copy.

A PRODUCTION OFFICE WORKING SCRIPT, WITH HEAVILY ANNOTATED CAST AND CREW LISTS BOUND IN.

In 1972, with only three prior screen credits to his name, Al Pacino was cast as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. His performance won him an Oscar nomination. By 1975 he had another three: for The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975) -- and Serpico, directed by Sidney Lumet in 1973.

The film is adapted from Frank Maas's biography of Frank Serpico, the real-life cop who blew the whistle on widespread corruption in the NYPD. Reviled by his fellow police officers for his incorruptibility, Serpico was shot in suspicious circumstances while taking part in a drug raid in 1971. (He survived, but relocated to Switzerland.) The rights to Maas's book were bought by producer Dino de Laurentiis, and Serpico was nominated for two Oscars, for Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.

This copy of the script collates as follows:

Front blank, tagged 'SCRIPT' to leading edge; 1p. typed list of script adjustments on production stationery, dated June 19 1973; 1-129 script on revised pink pages dated 6/18/73, pp. 3, 3A, 4, 5, 5A and 5B on yellow revised pages, the first two dated 6/22/73 and the rest 19/6/73. Yellow revised pages 22 and 23, dated 6/21/73. Yellow revised pages 55, 56, 57 and 57A, dated 8/7/73. Very occasional minor deletions and amendments in an unknown hand; blank, tagged 'SHOOTING SCHEDULE' to leading edge; 1p. pink typed shooting schedule for the first two weeks of filming; 4pp. white typed supporting cast list, dated SEPT. 17 1973; 3pp. photocopied handwritten Day Out of Days list (shooting day roster for supporting cast); 7pp. white typed supporting cast contact list, heavily revised by hand; a second copy, 6pp., heavily revised by hand, and including rates of pay for each cast member; 1p. production notepaper, heavily annotated in pencil with names, numbers and rates of pay; 2pp. photocopied production notepaper, pencilled 'OK's next to supporting cast members, presumably indicating availability; 5pp. white typed crew list with one handwritten revision.

The profusion of contact details for cast and crew bound in to the rear of this copy of the script strongly suggests it was the property of the on-set production office, headed by the 2nd Assistant Director, and used to monitor script changes and co-ordinate supporting cast calls as and when required. On Serpico, this was a massive job: the film boasts 107 speaking parts. Two of them are played by Judd Hirsch and Murray F. Abraham: unknown at the time, neither receive a credit -- although, thanks to this copy of the script, we now know that Abraham was paid the grand sum of seven hundred dollars for nine days' work. (Judd Hirsch, employed for just one day, got $150.)

A very scarce survivor, a mine of information, and a fabulous object.