Deadly Gift (6 Nitros)

"DEADLY GIFT" is a black comedy, adventure film that centers around an elderly couple who have been placed in a retirement home. To demonstrate their potency and value, they determine to assassinate a charismatic dictator who threatens the United States with terrorism.

Synopsis

Max Bigelow and Dora Mitchell are in their mid-70s and have been placed in the East Wind Retirement Home by their respective off-springs.

Dora is reasonably well adjusted to the home. As for Max -- that's another story. A retired chemist, he feels useless, abandoned. He sees his son and daughter-in-law, Ralph and Muriel, and their two young sons for several hours on Sunday afternoons. He knows their visits are from a sense of obligation rather than from a genuine caring. Danny, the youngest of Max's two grandsons, is the exception. He dearly loves his grandfather, and looks forward to the all too brief weekly visits, always seeking his advice on various science projects at school. Naturally, Danny is the apple of Max's eye.

Despite his growing friendship with Dora, Max remains obsessed with feelings of loneliness and hopelessness. He is nearly consumed by his unhappiness, often quarreling with the other residents of the home, the staff and his family.

Max, in the middle of a conversation with Dora decrying his plight, is interrupted by a news flash on the TV evening news about the latest anti-American exploits of a Quaddafi-type despot, Col. Hassan Garrata, dictator of the North African country of Sahara. Forty Saharans were killed and the life of colonel Garrata threatened by a bomb explosion at the country's Hall of Justice. The dictator calls the explosion an American act of terrorism, and it is reported that 1500 Americans are being held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in the Saharan capital city of Triharta.

U.S. intelligence sources have uncovered information that the bomb was actually planted by Garrata's forces and was designed to erode American influence among the third-world countries.

"That no-good!" grumbles Max to Dora. "He killed his own people. Next, he's going to kill the American hostages."

The news report continues with the announcement that Garrata will go to New York City on Saturday to appeal to the U.N. General Assembly, which he hopes will result in a censure of the U.S. by the United Nations.

Suddenly, Max knows what he must do. It will give purpose to his life. He will kill Garrata when the dictator comes to New York!

He reveals his plan to an astonished Dora: "You will make Garrata a shirt and I will soak it in a solution of digitalis and glycerin. When he wears the shirt, the digitalis will be absorbed through his skin and he will die of a heart attack."

Allaying Dora's initial fears, Max soon has her as excited about the project as he is himself. She goes off to purchase just the right fabric and gold braid, as Max shops for the chemicals. He then tests the glycerin, which will act as a "carrier" of the digitalis, on various swatches of the shirt fabric, while Dora starts sewing the shirt.

At last, with the first stage complete, they raid the retirement home's drug cabinet and steal the digitalis. The theft is discovered the following day, and a search of the rooms is ordered. Max's chemicals are discovered and removed -- all except the digitalis-glycerin solution, which he had concealed in a shaving lotion bottle.

The shirt is saturated with the solution, dried, pressed and boxed as a present. The couple board a New York-bound train to complete the next stage of their mission -- getting the shirt to Garrata.

In the meantime, Ralph discovers that Max and Dora are missing. Thinking that they may be eloping, or worse, Ralph convinces Lola, Dora's daughter, to join him in pursuing the prospective newlyweds to New York.

Danny, thinking Max and Dora's elopement a terrific idea, "borrows" his brother's souped-up Chevy, and also heads to New York to warn his grandfather and Dora that Ralph and Lola are on their way.

Max and Dora check into the Waldorf-Astoria and then make their way to the U.N. building, where Garrata is to speak. Security is extremely tight, and they are unable to enter the building. However, they encounter Danny, who manages to maneuver the souped-up Chevy into the procession that is transporting the Garrata party back to the Saharan consulate for a reception following the speech.s

Mistaken for members of the official party, they are ushered into the consulate. But before they are admitted into the reception area, their credentials are checked and found to be wanting. They are detained in an anteroom, their gift for Garrata taken form them.

Realizing this could be a tremendous propaganda coup, Garrata invites Max and Dora to the reception and seats them on the dais. Wearing the beautiful gold-braided shirt, Garrata begins his welcoming remarks by introducing Max and Dora. The hot lights of the television cameras cause the dictator to perspire.

As Max and Dora watch anxiously, the collar of the shirt becomes wet with sweat, quickening his absorption of the digitalis. Garrata stumbles over his words and finally falls across the banquet table between Max and Dora. With Danny's help, Max and Dora make their way through the ensuing uproar and out the door of the consulate. Relieved but confused, Ralph and Lola embrace their parents on the sidewalk.

Later, back at the East Wind Retirement Home, Max and Dora watch on TV the state funeral of Garrata in Sahara. The dictator lies in his coffin, still resplendent in the gold-braided shirt -- Max and Dora's deadly gift.

For coverage of  this screenplay, go to Mike.

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