Miami Vice s05e14 Episode Script
The Lost Madonna
STAN: (O VER RADIO) Are you guys hearing anything? RICO: Coming in loud and clear.
The thing I can't figure is why Scianti's taking chances bringing in a freighter with a $20 million load, straight into the port.
Why not? Just changed the ship's papers, hired himself a new crew with no rap sheet.
He bypasses the speedboats that he needs to off-load at sea, and he's got himself a secure pier.
The man's practically an artist.
I'm almost gonna hate taking him down.
Not me.
STAN: We got a visitor.
Well, well.
RICO: Stanley Costa.
Doing business with the Scianti family.
Stanley told me tonight is the biggest load that's ever come into Miami.
That is, of course, after he swore me to secrecy.
Well, me and his favorite bartender.
There's a sedan coming in now.
Come on, Stanley.
Make our bust.
RICO: Keep your ears in the eye zone.
How you doin', Emmanuel? Hey, you're looking real GQ there.
Ready to make a deal.
The, uh, trouble is, we're not.
We, uh, can't lease you the pier, babe.
What? Are you tired of living? The freighter's due in right now with a 50,000 pound load.
We need that pier.
Well, it's a boat, babe.
Turn the sucker around.
I ain't paying you gringos enough, huh? Is that it? I'll lay an extra $300,000.
They don't get it.
Look, the old man's got a more legit purpose for the pier now, okay? He's pullin' out of dope.
You're going to burn for this.
Oh, I'm gonna burn for this? It won't be as nice as it sounds.
Yeah? Wait till you're up to your neck in cement with Biscayne Bay filling' your mouth with water, okay? Then get cute! Well, so much for the Sciantis' brilliant career in the dope business.
JOEY: Oh, is she out of this world, or what? SAL: She's something, all right.
STANLEY: Yeah, great bod.
Hey, shut up, Stanley.
You understand absolutely nothing about broads.
Go find the other ladies, would you? They got hookers in there? All right, Stanley, we'll meet you back at the house in 20, all right? Uh, gotta tell Dad Arroyo's a little tweaked.
You want Sal to help you? Nah, I'll handle it.
I'll see you in 20.
Okay.
(CAR ENGINE STARTING) (CAR DRIVING AWAY) Hey, Stanley, what's happening? Burnett? What the hell you doing here? You nuts? Well, you see, Stanley, the thing is, like, I'm a cop, man.
And you're under arrest.
Yeah, right, that's what I am.
I'm under arrest.
No, really, man.
I'm a cop.
And I want you to put your hands on the pickup there, nice and easy.
Real easy, now.
Stanley! Give it up, Stanley, for once in your miserable life! Last chance, Stanley, give it up! Freeze, Stanley! If this is number four, we might be able to bust old Scianti after all.
What the hell? What the hell is this? I always knew old Stanley would end up this way.
But I never thought he would die for art.
Detective Whitehead.
Sonny Crockett, Ricardo Tubbs.
Nice to meet you.
Likewise.
Whitehead.
The detective is in charge of the Art Thefts Unit, NYPD.
Well, what brings you to Miami? Gettin' a little slow up there on your circuit? Well, as a matter of fact, I was on the trail of the artwork you recovered last night.
Oh, uh, the Scianti bust.
That's right.
The detective maintains that, uh, Albert Scianti masterminded an art theft from the Marmottan Museum in Paris seven years ago.
And these are the two side paintings to the Marmottan's famous The Madonna of the Spirits.
We think Joey Scianti drove away with the centerpiece to the set, The Madonna.
The Scianti family is dealing in art? I love it.
You gotta be kidding me.
Well, these two side paintings could bring him as much as seven million dollars.
With The Madonna, the centerpiece in Joey's car, the entire masterpiece could command as much as $17 million.
(WHISTLES) Unbelievable.
Do either of you gentlemen know anything about art? Got the wrong guy, pal.
Well, what about you, Detective? For 17 mil I could fake it.
Good.
I'm delighted that you can help me.
I understand that these paintings are to be brought back to impound until I can get the proper requisitions to return them to New York.
I would suggest that we keep a full press blackout on the entire operation, the shootout with Stanley Costa, as well as the recovery of The Spirits.
For what purpose? Well, dealing art isn't the same as dealing drugs, Lieutenant.
If the Sciantis discover that the police are in possession of The Spirits, they'll simply hold on to The Madonna, ruining any chances of recovery.
I'll give you a 36-hour blackout.
Any sign of Stanley? I checked all his hangouts.
The Zebra Room, the track.
The guy's nowhere to be seen.
Damn it! Costa's ripped off with The Spirits.
I'm tellin' you, Sal, we gotta find our loser before he lays them off.
Yeah, meanwhile, what're you gonna say to your old man? We don't tell the old man zip.
We got the art, deal with the Greeks going down, everything's just dandy.
That mean you're gonna lie to your father? Absolutely.
Telling him the truth would be absolute suicide, believe me.
Remember when I was running the hot 'Vettes down to Haiti? Yeah? So? Yeah.
So, uh, he suckers me with his sensitivity routine.
He says, "Confide in me, son.
" So I tell him the truth, I lost the load.
So? So he pours a whole gallon of lighter fluid all over Prince.
Oh, right.
Well, who's Prince? My barbequed doggie.
This work represents the cutting edge of the art world today.
The movement is called Neo-Dadaism, and the painter in question, Andrew Noble, is generally considered to be its dean.
That's the new stuff? If I remember correctly, there was a guy named, uh, Paxton used to paint that kind of stuff in the '50s.
This is a piece by Lucy Lammermoor, representing a search for the purest possible form.
The painter here is engaged in a sort of aesthetic mysticism.
Yeah, I'll say it's pure.
It's so pure I can't even find it.
Lammermoor's work never panders to the viewer, Detective Crockett.
She puts great demands on her audience for visual rewards.
Yeah, I'll say.
I'm still looking for the payoff.
Let's see if we can't learn something, shall we, gentlemen? It is crucial for your cover.
I knew this was going to be difficult with two detectives from Miami.
Jeffrey, uh, what's the problem? You don't feel at home here, or what? I'll tell you where I feel at home, Detective Crockett.
On a Scandinavian liner headed for Paris, sipping a Dom Perignon, sitting at the captain's table.
You see, in my line of work, Detective, I've grown accustomed to going first class.
Now this, Detective, will be your ticket of admission into the Scianti ring.
That's a Mark Kostabi.
Very good, Detective Switek.
A man of letters.
What a pleasant and gracious surprise, huh? Other works by Kostabi hang in a gallery owned by Scianti.
Now, this is a very negotiable item.
Well, this painting must be worth, I don't know, $900,000.
What happens if it gets lost in the buy? It's a copy, Detective.
And neither you nor Scianti will ever be able to tell the difference.
Pretty good.
Great grub, huh, Sal? How come you're not eating, Pop? Because you haven't mentioned The Madonna of the Spirits once.
She taken care of? Picked them up from the warehouse last night.
Relax, would you? All three pieces? Yes, all three pieces.
The Madonna, the two little side paintings.
The whole little softball team, safe and sound.
Well, they better be, because I got a Greek with 17 million bucks waiting for me, huh? Now, go on, go drop off the Virgin and scoop up that green.
It's beautiful, isn't it? Yes.
I run Zarem.
My name's Julia Scianti.
I'm Professor Cooper.
Hello.
It's remarkable to see a Kostabi show.
Actually, I was just working on a monograph about the artist.
Is that right? Yes.
It's amazing how he's able to assimilate so many different kinds of religious imagery, crucifixes, saints, priestly figures, and not seem emblematic or cheap.
Eloquently put.
I hope I'm not sounding too academic.
It goes along with the turf.
I taught art history for almost 10 years.
This doesn't quite reach the level of Siamese Connection.
Now, there's a painting.
I'd give anything to own that one.
But it was bought by an anonymous collector a few years ago.
Perhaps it'll resurface.
Oh, I'd say that that's unlikely.
Whoever has it must be in love with it.
They'd never part with it willingly.
Well, suppose it were to resurface.
I mean, uh, hypothetically speaking.
Would you be interested? Hypothetically speaking? Yes.
Of course.
I'll give you $200,000, cash.
That's a tad low, don't you think? If I needed that kind of cash, I'd just as soon hold up the college credit union.
Best I could possibly do would be $250,000.
I shouldn't.
Not really.
But since you're such a true lover of art When do we make the exchange? The Colonnade Hotel, this afternoon at 5:00.
I'll set it up.
WHITEHEAD: I must say, it's a pleasure working with an officer who appreciates Mark Kostabi.
I love his work.
He's an original.
But he doesn't hold a candle to Neiman.
Neiman? Is he in the German school? Nah.
The sports school.
He paints jocks.
Oh.
You know, I can't believe this.
I got buyers who'd machine gun their kids for this garbage.
Hey, I know you.
You used to hang out with Stanley Costa.
Could be.
I know a lot of guys.
Lately, I've been throwing in with the professor here.
'Cause he travels first class.
Yeah, so he does.
You got style, Teach.
Well, if you prefer the classical period, I work with a consortium of antique dealers who Let's see, how best to put this? Rip off chateaus in France.
Dig the prof.
You can sell them to the elderly in Palm Beach.
You don't have to cool them down either.
You know, I gotta tell you, for a professor, you got a lot of shady ideas.
All right, that does it.
Now, that's what I call art.
Ben on a C-note.
Well, congratulations, Detective.
Not at all bad for amateurs.
I think I got this scene figured.
The, uh, professor and Mr.
Burnett there could be in league with our old buddy Stanley Costa.
I'm telling you, those two winners hijacked our paintings.
Maybe we should put a tail on them.
No, no, no.
They'll be back.
I'll guarantee you, they're gonna try and take off with The Madonna, and when they do Yeah, bye-bye! You sons of I ought to blow them away right now.
$75,000.
May I have $80,000? $80,000.
May I have $85,000, ladies and gentlemen? $85,000.
Thank you, sir.
I'm holding at $85,000.
A bargain for this avant-garde piece.
$85,000, ladies and gentlemen, fair warning.
Sold to this gentleman.
Congratulations, sir.
And now, lot 102.
A painting we've all been waiting for.
The latest exploratory probe in the Neo-Dadaism.
A Mark Kostabi, and an asset to anyone's collection.
Who'll start the bidding at $70,000? (WHISTLES) Thank you, sir.
May I have $75,000? One hundred.
One hundred.
Thank you, sir.
May I have One-ten.
Sold to this gentleman for $100,000.
And now My God, man, I didn't even have a chance to bid.
I'm heartbroken.
AUCTIONEER: May I have $30,000? I have $30,000 on the left.
That's clever.
$35,000 in the back.
You two bought back your own painting.
That's right, Professor.
In case the gendarmes come by, we now got it registered officially.
You know what I'm saying? AUCTIONEER: $45,000 down front.
Maury's a good friend of ours.
$45,000.
May I have $50,000? That's nice.
I think my painting's in very capable hands.
Thank you.
Holding for $45,000 to this gentleman.
By the way, I'd like to invite you and Mr.
Burnett to a party hosted by a very special benefactor to the arts.
That'd be lovely.
Good.
How often do you and Professor Cooper attend art auctions? Oh, as often as possible.
Paris, Berlin, Mexico City.
Wherever art is sold.
Thank you.
And how did you two become involved in art trafficking? Well, I met the professor in New York.
In a little gallery down in Soho.
The professor got tired of faculty sherry parties, and I happened to know an old collector who was interested in collecting some, shall we say, valuable paintings.
The professor and I became partners.
Sigmar! I'm so happy to see you.
How are you? You must know Mr.
Burnett.
No, I don't.
Who the hell are you? Well, of course you do, Sigmar.
We met at Elaine's in New York.
Don't you remember? Oh, yes.
You were the one with the three Chinese girls.
Could be.
I remember now.
You were a very bad boy.
Well, thank you.
Mr.
Motherlant, this may sound terribly naive, but what is it your sculptures are attempting to say? I never explain, madam.
Excuse me.
My work is beyond syntax.
Thank you.
Come on, Nikos.
You're getting a little paranoid there, aren't you? Look, I got The Madonna, and I'm working on the two side paintings right now.
Besides, I got this new Mark Kostabi painting.
I'll give it to you for almost cost.
What do you think, huh? I'm gonna go run a check on the Greek, Nikos.
Cool.
I'll work the party.
Most wise guys, what're they good for? Hijacking? Extortion? Dealing horse? Me? I, uh, deal art.
I'm, uh, deeper than them.
Soon you'll be featured in Art in America, won't you, Joey? You shut your mouth, or you don't get no spending cash! What does she know? Holing up in a college with a bunch of cardigan sweaters.
She don't gotta deal with the jackals in the business like me.
Speaking of business, word has it that you were involved in the Marmottan heist.
Whose word? Stanley Costa's word? Who is this, uh, Stanley Costa? Like you don't know.
No.
I'm afraid I don't.
Come on, Joey, tell me.
The Madonna of the Spirits, is it in your possession? You know, you're pretty sharp there, Professor.
What if it is? I have a buyer.
A very, very wealthy fellow.
Much better off than the Greek.
He'd be interested.
That is, if you do have the piece.
Joey Scianti's in possession of The Madonna.
No question.
And he's already cut a deal with the Greek, Nikos Plato.
I think the time is right that we lift the press blackout on the recovery of The Spirits.
Why now? That'll let everyone know that we're in possession of the two side paintings.
We've got a full-bore investigation going on on The Madonna.
It'll scare off the Greek and leave the Sciantis with one buyer.
Us.
It's just a routine buy, Lieutenant.
Bing, bang, boom.
You guys may be hotshots in the dope business, but I can assure you you're complete virgins in the world of stolen art.
With the heat on, Scianti will simply sit on The Madonna.
He'll look at it as a long-term investment.
I don't think so.
I know the Sciantis.
They live to make deals.
If we press him now, he'll sell, and we'll nail him.
You're impossible! Amateurs.
We lift the, uh, blackout.
MAN ON TV: Well, that wraps it up, Ed.
Except for this final score, just in.
(DOORBELL RINGS) Believe it or not, Heat 128, Lakers 89.
Joey Get back! Move it.
Move it! Joey, I thought this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
Ah, cut the innocent act.
We know you grabbed The Spirits, you little leech.
Now, listen, you're misinformed.
The police have the ladies.
Oh, the police? Yes! What's this, comic strips? No, no, no, no, listen, listen.
Just calm yourself down.
You'll see.
I saw it on the news tonight, and I saw it myself at 7:00.
Oh, the news, huh? Yes.
Sal, take care of this guy, would you? This is hideous.
Look, what are you gonna do with that? I'm gonna add you to my list of top 10 hits, Professor.
Sal, look, not here.
You'll get the floor all messy.
Take him outside, would you? What what And finally, local police have announced today that the two side paintings to the famous Madonna of the Spirits triptych have been recovered after a violent shootout which resulted in the death of crime world figure Stanley "Ice Pick" Costa.
There's every reason to believe the $11-million centerpiece, The Madonna itself, is in the possession of an organized crime family based right here in sunny Miami.
It seems even society's filthy underbelly wants to become part of the art boom.
A sad commentary on our present mores.
I'll tell you what's sad, Bill.
When you're squeezed inside a trash compactor, you son I'm terribly sorry, but I absolutely detest physical violence.
He seemed to be beside himself, so I had to hit him.
No problem.
Hey, uh, look, Professor, I checked the TV.
You were right.
The cops grabbed the ladies.
Some deal, huh? Yeah.
Perhaps you should, uh, tend to your friend.
I think he could use some air.
You're looking very out of sorts this morning, Detective.
Well, those books you gave me on Neo-Dadaism, they keep me up all night.
Well, perhaps they're a little over your head, eh? I almost got planted in a body bag off l-95, so save the Masterpiece Theatre act! I suppose you could do me some physical damage, Detective.
I suppose I could.
Or we could sit and discuss this like two civilized human beings.
Which would you prefer? What do you mean you don't wanna make the buy? Simple.
The heat's on.
I think it's time for me to make my yearly pilgrimage to Crete.
Yeah, well let me tell you something.
You back out of a deal with the Scianti family, you're going to Crete in a box, I promise.
You're a cute kid, Joey.
Why don't you leave while you still look good? Hey, that's my cousin! If we don't find another buyer soon, Pop's gonna waste us, Sal.
I've just communicated with my superiors in New York.
Because Joey Scianti can turn The Madonna into as much as $11 million, we need a commensurate sum in flash money.
It just isn't available.
Concurrent investigations have sapped our office's resources.
I'm afraid we won't be able to make the deal.
The Sciantis are in the dope business, too.
We could use dope to make the buy.
A serious collector won't accept narcotics.
Who the hell's talking about serious collectors? On an evolutionary scale, the Sciantis are about, oh, one step below amoeba.
We could use the heroin out of impound.
It can be arranged.
Well, I would be most grateful.
There's just one more thing, Lieutenant.
This operation must be in my hands.
I'm responsible for the safety of The Madonna.
That's more important than the drugs.
Not if four pounds of number four hits our streets.
My priorities are to the paintings.
You're in charge.
Stan, Trudy and Gina will be your backup.
That'll be all.
Well, Professor, looks like you're on.
I always knew I'd get a PhD.
Now, let me get this straight.
This big art collector wants to buy The Madonna with street dope? What the hell's this world coming to? You know, I gotta tell you, Professor, you're full of surprises.
JOEY: How much? I believe he said it was four pounds of, uh What is it? Uh, pure number four.
Does that sound right to you? Number four? Oh! That's a major score! I can step on that three times and have the hottest smack in Miami.
Oh! All right, now, look, Professor, look, I got no problem with the deal, but I wanna meet this guy face-to-face.
In case he burns me, I wanna know who to chase.
That's fine.
This all goes down on your turf, this afternoon at 3.
00.
Now, listen, Professor, if this guy doesn't show, I'm gonna take your house.
Nice guy.
Hey, Julia! That's one classy-lookin' chick.
Yeah.
Reminds me of this broad I knew back in high school.
Anna Maria Valchak.
She used to take me underneath the grandstands and do little cheers for me.
But, uh, the nuns didn't really dig our act.
What'd they do, send her to a convent? Nah, I heard she's working on 42nd Street.
That's very funny.
Just what I'd expect from the two of you.
Hey, chill out.
We're taking good care of her.
By selling her for drugs? How soon they forget.
Let me tell you something, smarty-pants.
It was drugs that put food in your mouth, it was drugs that gave you an education and bought you time, so you could learn about big fancy paintings and things like this thing right here.
You wouldn't know a masterpiece from an Etch-a-Sketch.
All that exquisite detail.
Loving contours of the face and the hands.
To you, it's just a pile of money to blow at the racetrack.
Shut up.
I can't believe we're related.
It's like you crawled out of a swamp.
Hey, you know something? Better adjust that little attitude you got there, Julia.
I swear, if you weren't my sister, I'd love to just whack you with a baseball bat.
Just once.
We're in position.
Oh, yeah, hello.
It's, uh, Lonely Guy Security.
Uh, you fellows set up in the house? We're open for business.
Uh, roger.
Stan, here come your boys.
Your customers have arrived.
Gentlemen.
Right this way.
Joey Scianti, meet Jeffrey Napolitano.
Always a pleasure to meet another connoisseur.
Yes.
Where is The Madonna? Where's the number four? Very heavy-duty.
Very heavy-duty.
So, uh, Joey, let's see The Madonna.
Well, what's the rush? I was hoping we could do some.
As a matter of fact, I was gonna fix you up a shot there, Professor.
No, no, no, no.
No, thanks.
All right.
Well, uh, she's out there in the car.
I didn't want her to see this.
Well, let's not keep the lady waiting.
All right.
Well, follow me, Jeffrey.
Sal, keep a Keep an eye on the party favors, would you? This way, Jeffrey, old boy.
There she is, safe and sound.
Emergency.
Officer down.
This is Whitehead.
Move in.
Check the bedroom.
Cops.
Give it up, Sal.
No way out.
And you told me he was the dumb one.
Who's down? Stan, do you know where Whitehead was staying? Shangri-La Hotel.
Just two minutes away.
To late for that.
He planned this from the get.
He's gone.
Gone.
But gone where? "The only place I feel at home is in Paris.
" Airport? No, ships.
Get on the radio and check the departures.
Call us in the car.
Let's go.
I'll go this way.
Damn.
You know, I gotta admit, as a broad you got more class.
I'd urge you not to interfere, Mr.
Scianti.
Hey, what's a twangie like you doing taking me off, anyway? I would prefer not to mar my retirement from active duty with physical violence.
Oh, I'm terrified.
Look, I'm breaking out in hives over here.
You really didn't think I'd endanger the safety of The Madonna by putting her in your hands, did you? Come on, look, let's not get personal, okay, pal? Just hand over the ladies.
That's real blood, man.
Freeze! Pack your paints and easel, Jeffrey.
You're headed to the joint.
What have I done? (LAUGHING) Give me some more, okay? Yo, Sigmar, baby.
Y'all ought to lock the front door with all this high-priced art around.
Get out of here, you Philistine! Oh, now, Sigmar.
Damn.
Good night, Sigmar.
Sonny, I know how this must look.
But you have to understand.
I couldn't let my brother sell her for drugs.
I was protecting her.
You know, I don't know what hurt Whitehead more.
The fact that he was going to jail, or the fact that he got fooled by a fake.
Now, I started thinking.
Who could have pulled this off? Who had The Spirits long enough? Who loved it? Then it came to me.
Only you.
It was the way that you described her.
Her face, her hands.
Then I realized.
Julia.
Nope, Julia would have never been fooled by a fake.
Guess where I went last night? To the library.
Really? Yeah.
I went there, and I looked up the guy that painted the triptych.
Uh, what's his name? Milo Lembrezzi.
I'm aware of him.
Yeah, yeah, Milo.
Well, are you aware that it took Milo three years to paint those ladies, and when he was finished, he took his work to his patrone and Who was some duke in the Medici family.
And the duke says to him, "Ah, it's not exactly what we had in mind, Milo.
" So he cut off Milo's hand to show him how disappointed he was.
Well, that's a very sad story, Sonny.
Yeah.
Look, no one knows except you.
Now, I'll give you half the money.
That's eight million dollars.
Eight million dollars? (WHISTLES) That's a lot of money.
And then we could, like, hang out together.
Go to foreign movies, polo matches.
Nah.
Doesn't sound like me.
This one's for you, Milo.
The thing I can't figure is why Scianti's taking chances bringing in a freighter with a $20 million load, straight into the port.
Why not? Just changed the ship's papers, hired himself a new crew with no rap sheet.
He bypasses the speedboats that he needs to off-load at sea, and he's got himself a secure pier.
The man's practically an artist.
I'm almost gonna hate taking him down.
Not me.
STAN: We got a visitor.
Well, well.
RICO: Stanley Costa.
Doing business with the Scianti family.
Stanley told me tonight is the biggest load that's ever come into Miami.
That is, of course, after he swore me to secrecy.
Well, me and his favorite bartender.
There's a sedan coming in now.
Come on, Stanley.
Make our bust.
RICO: Keep your ears in the eye zone.
How you doin', Emmanuel? Hey, you're looking real GQ there.
Ready to make a deal.
The, uh, trouble is, we're not.
We, uh, can't lease you the pier, babe.
What? Are you tired of living? The freighter's due in right now with a 50,000 pound load.
We need that pier.
Well, it's a boat, babe.
Turn the sucker around.
I ain't paying you gringos enough, huh? Is that it? I'll lay an extra $300,000.
They don't get it.
Look, the old man's got a more legit purpose for the pier now, okay? He's pullin' out of dope.
You're going to burn for this.
Oh, I'm gonna burn for this? It won't be as nice as it sounds.
Yeah? Wait till you're up to your neck in cement with Biscayne Bay filling' your mouth with water, okay? Then get cute! Well, so much for the Sciantis' brilliant career in the dope business.
JOEY: Oh, is she out of this world, or what? SAL: She's something, all right.
STANLEY: Yeah, great bod.
Hey, shut up, Stanley.
You understand absolutely nothing about broads.
Go find the other ladies, would you? They got hookers in there? All right, Stanley, we'll meet you back at the house in 20, all right? Uh, gotta tell Dad Arroyo's a little tweaked.
You want Sal to help you? Nah, I'll handle it.
I'll see you in 20.
Okay.
(CAR ENGINE STARTING) (CAR DRIVING AWAY) Hey, Stanley, what's happening? Burnett? What the hell you doing here? You nuts? Well, you see, Stanley, the thing is, like, I'm a cop, man.
And you're under arrest.
Yeah, right, that's what I am.
I'm under arrest.
No, really, man.
I'm a cop.
And I want you to put your hands on the pickup there, nice and easy.
Real easy, now.
Stanley! Give it up, Stanley, for once in your miserable life! Last chance, Stanley, give it up! Freeze, Stanley! If this is number four, we might be able to bust old Scianti after all.
What the hell? What the hell is this? I always knew old Stanley would end up this way.
But I never thought he would die for art.
Detective Whitehead.
Sonny Crockett, Ricardo Tubbs.
Nice to meet you.
Likewise.
Whitehead.
The detective is in charge of the Art Thefts Unit, NYPD.
Well, what brings you to Miami? Gettin' a little slow up there on your circuit? Well, as a matter of fact, I was on the trail of the artwork you recovered last night.
Oh, uh, the Scianti bust.
That's right.
The detective maintains that, uh, Albert Scianti masterminded an art theft from the Marmottan Museum in Paris seven years ago.
And these are the two side paintings to the Marmottan's famous The Madonna of the Spirits.
We think Joey Scianti drove away with the centerpiece to the set, The Madonna.
The Scianti family is dealing in art? I love it.
You gotta be kidding me.
Well, these two side paintings could bring him as much as seven million dollars.
With The Madonna, the centerpiece in Joey's car, the entire masterpiece could command as much as $17 million.
(WHISTLES) Unbelievable.
Do either of you gentlemen know anything about art? Got the wrong guy, pal.
Well, what about you, Detective? For 17 mil I could fake it.
Good.
I'm delighted that you can help me.
I understand that these paintings are to be brought back to impound until I can get the proper requisitions to return them to New York.
I would suggest that we keep a full press blackout on the entire operation, the shootout with Stanley Costa, as well as the recovery of The Spirits.
For what purpose? Well, dealing art isn't the same as dealing drugs, Lieutenant.
If the Sciantis discover that the police are in possession of The Spirits, they'll simply hold on to The Madonna, ruining any chances of recovery.
I'll give you a 36-hour blackout.
Any sign of Stanley? I checked all his hangouts.
The Zebra Room, the track.
The guy's nowhere to be seen.
Damn it! Costa's ripped off with The Spirits.
I'm tellin' you, Sal, we gotta find our loser before he lays them off.
Yeah, meanwhile, what're you gonna say to your old man? We don't tell the old man zip.
We got the art, deal with the Greeks going down, everything's just dandy.
That mean you're gonna lie to your father? Absolutely.
Telling him the truth would be absolute suicide, believe me.
Remember when I was running the hot 'Vettes down to Haiti? Yeah? So? Yeah.
So, uh, he suckers me with his sensitivity routine.
He says, "Confide in me, son.
" So I tell him the truth, I lost the load.
So? So he pours a whole gallon of lighter fluid all over Prince.
Oh, right.
Well, who's Prince? My barbequed doggie.
This work represents the cutting edge of the art world today.
The movement is called Neo-Dadaism, and the painter in question, Andrew Noble, is generally considered to be its dean.
That's the new stuff? If I remember correctly, there was a guy named, uh, Paxton used to paint that kind of stuff in the '50s.
This is a piece by Lucy Lammermoor, representing a search for the purest possible form.
The painter here is engaged in a sort of aesthetic mysticism.
Yeah, I'll say it's pure.
It's so pure I can't even find it.
Lammermoor's work never panders to the viewer, Detective Crockett.
She puts great demands on her audience for visual rewards.
Yeah, I'll say.
I'm still looking for the payoff.
Let's see if we can't learn something, shall we, gentlemen? It is crucial for your cover.
I knew this was going to be difficult with two detectives from Miami.
Jeffrey, uh, what's the problem? You don't feel at home here, or what? I'll tell you where I feel at home, Detective Crockett.
On a Scandinavian liner headed for Paris, sipping a Dom Perignon, sitting at the captain's table.
You see, in my line of work, Detective, I've grown accustomed to going first class.
Now this, Detective, will be your ticket of admission into the Scianti ring.
That's a Mark Kostabi.
Very good, Detective Switek.
A man of letters.
What a pleasant and gracious surprise, huh? Other works by Kostabi hang in a gallery owned by Scianti.
Now, this is a very negotiable item.
Well, this painting must be worth, I don't know, $900,000.
What happens if it gets lost in the buy? It's a copy, Detective.
And neither you nor Scianti will ever be able to tell the difference.
Pretty good.
Great grub, huh, Sal? How come you're not eating, Pop? Because you haven't mentioned The Madonna of the Spirits once.
She taken care of? Picked them up from the warehouse last night.
Relax, would you? All three pieces? Yes, all three pieces.
The Madonna, the two little side paintings.
The whole little softball team, safe and sound.
Well, they better be, because I got a Greek with 17 million bucks waiting for me, huh? Now, go on, go drop off the Virgin and scoop up that green.
It's beautiful, isn't it? Yes.
I run Zarem.
My name's Julia Scianti.
I'm Professor Cooper.
Hello.
It's remarkable to see a Kostabi show.
Actually, I was just working on a monograph about the artist.
Is that right? Yes.
It's amazing how he's able to assimilate so many different kinds of religious imagery, crucifixes, saints, priestly figures, and not seem emblematic or cheap.
Eloquently put.
I hope I'm not sounding too academic.
It goes along with the turf.
I taught art history for almost 10 years.
This doesn't quite reach the level of Siamese Connection.
Now, there's a painting.
I'd give anything to own that one.
But it was bought by an anonymous collector a few years ago.
Perhaps it'll resurface.
Oh, I'd say that that's unlikely.
Whoever has it must be in love with it.
They'd never part with it willingly.
Well, suppose it were to resurface.
I mean, uh, hypothetically speaking.
Would you be interested? Hypothetically speaking? Yes.
Of course.
I'll give you $200,000, cash.
That's a tad low, don't you think? If I needed that kind of cash, I'd just as soon hold up the college credit union.
Best I could possibly do would be $250,000.
I shouldn't.
Not really.
But since you're such a true lover of art When do we make the exchange? The Colonnade Hotel, this afternoon at 5:00.
I'll set it up.
WHITEHEAD: I must say, it's a pleasure working with an officer who appreciates Mark Kostabi.
I love his work.
He's an original.
But he doesn't hold a candle to Neiman.
Neiman? Is he in the German school? Nah.
The sports school.
He paints jocks.
Oh.
You know, I can't believe this.
I got buyers who'd machine gun their kids for this garbage.
Hey, I know you.
You used to hang out with Stanley Costa.
Could be.
I know a lot of guys.
Lately, I've been throwing in with the professor here.
'Cause he travels first class.
Yeah, so he does.
You got style, Teach.
Well, if you prefer the classical period, I work with a consortium of antique dealers who Let's see, how best to put this? Rip off chateaus in France.
Dig the prof.
You can sell them to the elderly in Palm Beach.
You don't have to cool them down either.
You know, I gotta tell you, for a professor, you got a lot of shady ideas.
All right, that does it.
Now, that's what I call art.
Ben on a C-note.
Well, congratulations, Detective.
Not at all bad for amateurs.
I think I got this scene figured.
The, uh, professor and Mr.
Burnett there could be in league with our old buddy Stanley Costa.
I'm telling you, those two winners hijacked our paintings.
Maybe we should put a tail on them.
No, no, no.
They'll be back.
I'll guarantee you, they're gonna try and take off with The Madonna, and when they do Yeah, bye-bye! You sons of I ought to blow them away right now.
$75,000.
May I have $80,000? $80,000.
May I have $85,000, ladies and gentlemen? $85,000.
Thank you, sir.
I'm holding at $85,000.
A bargain for this avant-garde piece.
$85,000, ladies and gentlemen, fair warning.
Sold to this gentleman.
Congratulations, sir.
And now, lot 102.
A painting we've all been waiting for.
The latest exploratory probe in the Neo-Dadaism.
A Mark Kostabi, and an asset to anyone's collection.
Who'll start the bidding at $70,000? (WHISTLES) Thank you, sir.
May I have $75,000? One hundred.
One hundred.
Thank you, sir.
May I have One-ten.
Sold to this gentleman for $100,000.
And now My God, man, I didn't even have a chance to bid.
I'm heartbroken.
AUCTIONEER: May I have $30,000? I have $30,000 on the left.
That's clever.
$35,000 in the back.
You two bought back your own painting.
That's right, Professor.
In case the gendarmes come by, we now got it registered officially.
You know what I'm saying? AUCTIONEER: $45,000 down front.
Maury's a good friend of ours.
$45,000.
May I have $50,000? That's nice.
I think my painting's in very capable hands.
Thank you.
Holding for $45,000 to this gentleman.
By the way, I'd like to invite you and Mr.
Burnett to a party hosted by a very special benefactor to the arts.
That'd be lovely.
Good.
How often do you and Professor Cooper attend art auctions? Oh, as often as possible.
Paris, Berlin, Mexico City.
Wherever art is sold.
Thank you.
And how did you two become involved in art trafficking? Well, I met the professor in New York.
In a little gallery down in Soho.
The professor got tired of faculty sherry parties, and I happened to know an old collector who was interested in collecting some, shall we say, valuable paintings.
The professor and I became partners.
Sigmar! I'm so happy to see you.
How are you? You must know Mr.
Burnett.
No, I don't.
Who the hell are you? Well, of course you do, Sigmar.
We met at Elaine's in New York.
Don't you remember? Oh, yes.
You were the one with the three Chinese girls.
Could be.
I remember now.
You were a very bad boy.
Well, thank you.
Mr.
Motherlant, this may sound terribly naive, but what is it your sculptures are attempting to say? I never explain, madam.
Excuse me.
My work is beyond syntax.
Thank you.
Come on, Nikos.
You're getting a little paranoid there, aren't you? Look, I got The Madonna, and I'm working on the two side paintings right now.
Besides, I got this new Mark Kostabi painting.
I'll give it to you for almost cost.
What do you think, huh? I'm gonna go run a check on the Greek, Nikos.
Cool.
I'll work the party.
Most wise guys, what're they good for? Hijacking? Extortion? Dealing horse? Me? I, uh, deal art.
I'm, uh, deeper than them.
Soon you'll be featured in Art in America, won't you, Joey? You shut your mouth, or you don't get no spending cash! What does she know? Holing up in a college with a bunch of cardigan sweaters.
She don't gotta deal with the jackals in the business like me.
Speaking of business, word has it that you were involved in the Marmottan heist.
Whose word? Stanley Costa's word? Who is this, uh, Stanley Costa? Like you don't know.
No.
I'm afraid I don't.
Come on, Joey, tell me.
The Madonna of the Spirits, is it in your possession? You know, you're pretty sharp there, Professor.
What if it is? I have a buyer.
A very, very wealthy fellow.
Much better off than the Greek.
He'd be interested.
That is, if you do have the piece.
Joey Scianti's in possession of The Madonna.
No question.
And he's already cut a deal with the Greek, Nikos Plato.
I think the time is right that we lift the press blackout on the recovery of The Spirits.
Why now? That'll let everyone know that we're in possession of the two side paintings.
We've got a full-bore investigation going on on The Madonna.
It'll scare off the Greek and leave the Sciantis with one buyer.
Us.
It's just a routine buy, Lieutenant.
Bing, bang, boom.
You guys may be hotshots in the dope business, but I can assure you you're complete virgins in the world of stolen art.
With the heat on, Scianti will simply sit on The Madonna.
He'll look at it as a long-term investment.
I don't think so.
I know the Sciantis.
They live to make deals.
If we press him now, he'll sell, and we'll nail him.
You're impossible! Amateurs.
We lift the, uh, blackout.
MAN ON TV: Well, that wraps it up, Ed.
Except for this final score, just in.
(DOORBELL RINGS) Believe it or not, Heat 128, Lakers 89.
Joey Get back! Move it.
Move it! Joey, I thought this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
Ah, cut the innocent act.
We know you grabbed The Spirits, you little leech.
Now, listen, you're misinformed.
The police have the ladies.
Oh, the police? Yes! What's this, comic strips? No, no, no, no, listen, listen.
Just calm yourself down.
You'll see.
I saw it on the news tonight, and I saw it myself at 7:00.
Oh, the news, huh? Yes.
Sal, take care of this guy, would you? This is hideous.
Look, what are you gonna do with that? I'm gonna add you to my list of top 10 hits, Professor.
Sal, look, not here.
You'll get the floor all messy.
Take him outside, would you? What what And finally, local police have announced today that the two side paintings to the famous Madonna of the Spirits triptych have been recovered after a violent shootout which resulted in the death of crime world figure Stanley "Ice Pick" Costa.
There's every reason to believe the $11-million centerpiece, The Madonna itself, is in the possession of an organized crime family based right here in sunny Miami.
It seems even society's filthy underbelly wants to become part of the art boom.
A sad commentary on our present mores.
I'll tell you what's sad, Bill.
When you're squeezed inside a trash compactor, you son I'm terribly sorry, but I absolutely detest physical violence.
He seemed to be beside himself, so I had to hit him.
No problem.
Hey, uh, look, Professor, I checked the TV.
You were right.
The cops grabbed the ladies.
Some deal, huh? Yeah.
Perhaps you should, uh, tend to your friend.
I think he could use some air.
You're looking very out of sorts this morning, Detective.
Well, those books you gave me on Neo-Dadaism, they keep me up all night.
Well, perhaps they're a little over your head, eh? I almost got planted in a body bag off l-95, so save the Masterpiece Theatre act! I suppose you could do me some physical damage, Detective.
I suppose I could.
Or we could sit and discuss this like two civilized human beings.
Which would you prefer? What do you mean you don't wanna make the buy? Simple.
The heat's on.
I think it's time for me to make my yearly pilgrimage to Crete.
Yeah, well let me tell you something.
You back out of a deal with the Scianti family, you're going to Crete in a box, I promise.
You're a cute kid, Joey.
Why don't you leave while you still look good? Hey, that's my cousin! If we don't find another buyer soon, Pop's gonna waste us, Sal.
I've just communicated with my superiors in New York.
Because Joey Scianti can turn The Madonna into as much as $11 million, we need a commensurate sum in flash money.
It just isn't available.
Concurrent investigations have sapped our office's resources.
I'm afraid we won't be able to make the deal.
The Sciantis are in the dope business, too.
We could use dope to make the buy.
A serious collector won't accept narcotics.
Who the hell's talking about serious collectors? On an evolutionary scale, the Sciantis are about, oh, one step below amoeba.
We could use the heroin out of impound.
It can be arranged.
Well, I would be most grateful.
There's just one more thing, Lieutenant.
This operation must be in my hands.
I'm responsible for the safety of The Madonna.
That's more important than the drugs.
Not if four pounds of number four hits our streets.
My priorities are to the paintings.
You're in charge.
Stan, Trudy and Gina will be your backup.
That'll be all.
Well, Professor, looks like you're on.
I always knew I'd get a PhD.
Now, let me get this straight.
This big art collector wants to buy The Madonna with street dope? What the hell's this world coming to? You know, I gotta tell you, Professor, you're full of surprises.
JOEY: How much? I believe he said it was four pounds of, uh What is it? Uh, pure number four.
Does that sound right to you? Number four? Oh! That's a major score! I can step on that three times and have the hottest smack in Miami.
Oh! All right, now, look, Professor, look, I got no problem with the deal, but I wanna meet this guy face-to-face.
In case he burns me, I wanna know who to chase.
That's fine.
This all goes down on your turf, this afternoon at 3.
00.
Now, listen, Professor, if this guy doesn't show, I'm gonna take your house.
Nice guy.
Hey, Julia! That's one classy-lookin' chick.
Yeah.
Reminds me of this broad I knew back in high school.
Anna Maria Valchak.
She used to take me underneath the grandstands and do little cheers for me.
But, uh, the nuns didn't really dig our act.
What'd they do, send her to a convent? Nah, I heard she's working on 42nd Street.
That's very funny.
Just what I'd expect from the two of you.
Hey, chill out.
We're taking good care of her.
By selling her for drugs? How soon they forget.
Let me tell you something, smarty-pants.
It was drugs that put food in your mouth, it was drugs that gave you an education and bought you time, so you could learn about big fancy paintings and things like this thing right here.
You wouldn't know a masterpiece from an Etch-a-Sketch.
All that exquisite detail.
Loving contours of the face and the hands.
To you, it's just a pile of money to blow at the racetrack.
Shut up.
I can't believe we're related.
It's like you crawled out of a swamp.
Hey, you know something? Better adjust that little attitude you got there, Julia.
I swear, if you weren't my sister, I'd love to just whack you with a baseball bat.
Just once.
We're in position.
Oh, yeah, hello.
It's, uh, Lonely Guy Security.
Uh, you fellows set up in the house? We're open for business.
Uh, roger.
Stan, here come your boys.
Your customers have arrived.
Gentlemen.
Right this way.
Joey Scianti, meet Jeffrey Napolitano.
Always a pleasure to meet another connoisseur.
Yes.
Where is The Madonna? Where's the number four? Very heavy-duty.
Very heavy-duty.
So, uh, Joey, let's see The Madonna.
Well, what's the rush? I was hoping we could do some.
As a matter of fact, I was gonna fix you up a shot there, Professor.
No, no, no, no.
No, thanks.
All right.
Well, uh, she's out there in the car.
I didn't want her to see this.
Well, let's not keep the lady waiting.
All right.
Well, follow me, Jeffrey.
Sal, keep a Keep an eye on the party favors, would you? This way, Jeffrey, old boy.
There she is, safe and sound.
Emergency.
Officer down.
This is Whitehead.
Move in.
Check the bedroom.
Cops.
Give it up, Sal.
No way out.
And you told me he was the dumb one.
Who's down? Stan, do you know where Whitehead was staying? Shangri-La Hotel.
Just two minutes away.
To late for that.
He planned this from the get.
He's gone.
Gone.
But gone where? "The only place I feel at home is in Paris.
" Airport? No, ships.
Get on the radio and check the departures.
Call us in the car.
Let's go.
I'll go this way.
Damn.
You know, I gotta admit, as a broad you got more class.
I'd urge you not to interfere, Mr.
Scianti.
Hey, what's a twangie like you doing taking me off, anyway? I would prefer not to mar my retirement from active duty with physical violence.
Oh, I'm terrified.
Look, I'm breaking out in hives over here.
You really didn't think I'd endanger the safety of The Madonna by putting her in your hands, did you? Come on, look, let's not get personal, okay, pal? Just hand over the ladies.
That's real blood, man.
Freeze! Pack your paints and easel, Jeffrey.
You're headed to the joint.
What have I done? (LAUGHING) Give me some more, okay? Yo, Sigmar, baby.
Y'all ought to lock the front door with all this high-priced art around.
Get out of here, you Philistine! Oh, now, Sigmar.
Damn.
Good night, Sigmar.
Sonny, I know how this must look.
But you have to understand.
I couldn't let my brother sell her for drugs.
I was protecting her.
You know, I don't know what hurt Whitehead more.
The fact that he was going to jail, or the fact that he got fooled by a fake.
Now, I started thinking.
Who could have pulled this off? Who had The Spirits long enough? Who loved it? Then it came to me.
Only you.
It was the way that you described her.
Her face, her hands.
Then I realized.
Julia.
Nope, Julia would have never been fooled by a fake.
Guess where I went last night? To the library.
Really? Yeah.
I went there, and I looked up the guy that painted the triptych.
Uh, what's his name? Milo Lembrezzi.
I'm aware of him.
Yeah, yeah, Milo.
Well, are you aware that it took Milo three years to paint those ladies, and when he was finished, he took his work to his patrone and Who was some duke in the Medici family.
And the duke says to him, "Ah, it's not exactly what we had in mind, Milo.
" So he cut off Milo's hand to show him how disappointed he was.
Well, that's a very sad story, Sonny.
Yeah.
Look, no one knows except you.
Now, I'll give you half the money.
That's eight million dollars.
Eight million dollars? (WHISTLES) That's a lot of money.
And then we could, like, hang out together.
Go to foreign movies, polo matches.
Nah.
Doesn't sound like me.
This one's for you, Milo.