Precious

Precious is written as a three-part drama. It is staged around the robbery of a gold refinery in East London. The refinery and other location details are real. There are a significant number of twists, which are intended to keep the viewer guessing before the outcome of the final act is revealed. A teaser sets the dramatic tone with the robbery of weapons from a Police armed response unit. Act 1 introduces the viewer to the main characters and their motivations. Act 2 deals with the heist itself. Act 3 covers the getaway and the acts of betrayal which follow. The lead protagonist is a man called Chima. He is black and is first introduced to the viewer as a convict leaving prison. This is deliberate and plays to societal prejudice in relation to black males. Much of the early part of the script serves to re-enforce this prejudice. Chima’s wife has died whilst he has been in prison. His child has been taken into care and he is not allowed any form of meaningful contact. He has been disowned by most of his family and former friends. Chima is desperate to see his daughter. It is this desperation which fuels his actions. He masterminds the robbery of the gold refinery, but his interest is not in the gold. He wants a new life; the chance to be with his daughter. To do this he needs to settle an old debt with a mob boss and do something drastic to improve his standing in the eyes of those who control the fate of his daughter. He takes a huge gamble. Chima needs seed money to get his venture off the ground. He teams up with representatives of the Albanian mafia; men and women who he suspects will betray his actions. He is supported by an old colleague he trusts (Mike) and Asif, who is a new addition. Asif is physically disabled and full of indignation. The Albanian interest is represented by a woman (Alexa), who is the brains and Kristof, who is the muscle. There is an uneasy relationship between the team of five. Alexa agrees to fund the operation for 80% of the take. It a ridiculous split of the profits, but Alexa holds an ace card. During the negotiations she provides Chima with a photo of his estranged daughter. It is a recent photo and she agrees to provide Chima with the knowledge she possesses of where his daughter resides – information which has been kept from him by Social Services. Chima’s actions do not go unnoticed. Chima’s former crime boss (Jimmy) confronts his one time friend. There is an angry exchange and what little loyalty there might have been between the two men is destroyed. Jimmy’s men watch Chima constantly and Mike is forced to betray Chima’s actions. However, this is all part of Chima’s plan. He wants Jimmy to know about his heist (or parts of it.) The knowledge that Jimmy possesses becomes important at the start of Act 3, when the Police are tipped off regarding those responsible for the robbery whilst they are in the process of making their escape. The viewer is led to believe that it is Jimmy who has tipped off the Police as an act of revenge. The truth (which is revealed at the end of Act 3) is that it is Chima himself who has tipped off the Police. The heist itself has a number of twists and turns. As mentioned, the location is real, as are the processes involved in converting scrap jewellery into gold bullion. The most crucial element of the process (for the purposes of the story) is the stage before the bars of gold bullion are produced. At this stage, chemicals are used to create gold dust – which looks like dark sand. At this stage, the gold is pure and not marked. The refinery, as well as refining gold, also provides secure storage for gold bullion/other high value items for very wealthy clients (this is also real). Throughout the heist, the viewer is led to believe that the strong room containing safety deposit boxes is the target and that the attempt to break into the strong room has failed and Chima’s team have fled in panic. This is not the case. The failed attempt to break into the strong room is a diversion. The gold sand was always the target and a significant quantity was taken. The gold dust is swapped out for actual sand, apart from the top couple of inches – which is why the action goes undiscovered for some time. Chima’s team have also not fled in panic. The purpose behind the opening teaser becomes clear as the van used in the robbery against the Police is left to be purposely discovered as the robbery of the refinery is taking place; it diverts Police attention and resources. Two high end cars are stolen from a body shop opposite the refinery (this is also a real location) and race away from the refinery at speed as alarms sound, signalling the apparent bungled robbery. These are also a diversion and are driven by Mike and Asif. Meanwhile, Chima and Alexa (and £40m of gold dust) are slowly floating down the Thames on a large river barge heading for Holland. The barge had a hold full of bags of sand – a few of which now also contain the gold dust. The heist has been successful. The Police and refinery owner initially believe that only a small amount of scrap jewellery has been taken. As the Police are conducting their investigations, the senior investigating officer (Detective Superintendent Tarot) receives a phone call. The nature of the call feeds the suspicion that Jimmy has tipped off the Police. Tarot takes the tip off seriously and heads to Amsterdam. During the course of the journey she is told by one of her officers (Inspector Cahill) that his initial assessment was wrong and that far more than scrap jewellery was taken. Any doubt that Tarot might have held is removed – she knows that the phone call she received (from Chima) was real and she needs to act upon what he has told her. Mike and Asif dump the cars used as a diversion and head for the airports. The viewer is led to believe that they head for Holland to help Chima. The truth is that they have abandoned Chima (at his instruction) and head for Estonia. Chima believes that he will be betrayed by Alexa. He is correct. When he arrives in Holland he is double crossed. He is beaten and taken to a warehouse. Kristof (a man who despises Chima) is waiting. Chima is not interested in the gold. He gives up any claim he might have had. He pleads for his life and the details of his daughter. Alexa provides neither and orders Chima’s execution. It is at that point that the warehouse is raided by the Dutch police. Chima gives a frank confession as Tarot watches from an adjoining room. She enters the interrogation room once the Dutch officers have finished. Tarot and Chima are old adversaries. The discussion which follows reveals Chima’s true intent. Chima knew he would be betrayed and he acted in a similar manner in calling Tarot. In doing so, he brought down the Albanians and removed Jimmy’s competition – an act which he hopes will ensure that Jimmy will not seek retribution for Chima going against his instruction. Chima protects Mike and Asif, who have escaped with a small (but significant) amount of the gold. In accordance with Chima’s instruction, some of the gold is to be used as a sweetener to further pacify Jimmy. However, that was only part of Chima’s motivation. The heist has not brought him any financial gain. His relationship with Jimmy will not be improved – at best it will be restored to the point before he undertook the heist. What the heist has provided is an opportunity – an opportunity to gain favour with those who hold the fate of his daughter in their hands. He knows that Tarot can offer no guarantees and that he will be going back to prison, but he also knows her to be true to her word. It is a gamble, but it is a gamble he is willing to take; a life without his daughter is no life. Act 3 ends with Chima in a park in the Spring time. The setting is full of life and hope and is a marked contrast to most of what has gone before. He sits on a bench. Two uniformed officers maintain a respectable distance. Holly – Chima’s daughter – arrives with her grandparents (from whom she has also been estranged) and barrels into her father’s arms. Tarot smiles from where she watches from afar. Chima’s position is unclear – is he still in custody or under the protection of the Police? None of those questions really matter. What matters is that that the most precious thing to Chima is not gold. It is his daughter – and they are reunited.