Miami Vice (1984–1989): Season 5, Episode 14 - The Lost Madonna - full transcript

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
15th Century triptych,
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.