Date: 1/11/08

Title: "The Mary Celeste Enigma"

Author: Richard H. Rees

Submitted by: Richard H. Rees

Format: SP

Pages: 100

Time: 1872

Locale: New York, Atlantic Ocean, Italy

Genre: ADVENTURE/DRAMA

Analyst: Hollywoodscript.com

Premise: A fact-based story about a soldier who hunts down a New York gang boss,
and $200,000,000 in stolen diamonds on board an Italy bound brig, unaware that a
psychotic priest - on orders of the church - and a ruthless Mafia capo, each has
his own plans for the spoils.

Quick Comment: This .is a very compelling piece of little-known American
history. The script pulses along, offering great cinematic sequences and lots of
jeopardy.

Concept VERY GOOD

Characterization VERY GOOD

Dialogue VERY GOOD

Story Line VERY GOOD

Setting/Prod. Values EXCELLENT

Freshness of Story EXCELLENT

SYNOPSIS: The year is 1872 and New York's "Brains" of the infamous "Tweed Ring"
- PETER SWEENY - skips town with $200,000,000 of the city's money, which he has
converted into diamonds. Unbeknown to Sweeny, he is being hunted by MICHAEL
CALLAGHAN - who couldn't care less about the gems, it's Sweeny he wants for
having ordered the killing of Michael's father. With Michael is Sweeny's niece,
COLLEEN, also interested in one thing alone: getting an affidavit from Sweeny
clearing her own father of involvement in his massive crime ring.

Things begin to jettison when Michael and Colleen discover that Sweeny's
diamonds have been hidden in the cargo of two brigs bound for Palermo, and sail
on board the second vessel in hopes the booty will lead them to Sweeny. They
are unaware, however, that riding along with them is KARL REIKEL, a renegade
German priest and foot soldier for the Catholic Church, posing as a seaman on
board the first brig - the infamous "Mary Celeste". Back in Italy, the Church
has been disestablished by Italy's King Victor Emmanuel, and Reikel is after the
diamonds to finance a counter-revolution to overthrow the new military regime
and release the Pope from house arrest in the Vatican. The church wants the
diamonds delivered to Genoa.

Meanwhile, oblivious he is being chased, Sweeny sails toward Sicily in another
ship, intent on meeting the island's capomafia, DON COTTONE, who has his own
plans for the diamonds - to transfer his still small mob organization from
Sicily to New York; then take on the rest of America. Sweeny has been promised a
huge piece of this future pie upon delivery of the financing to get it started.

Now it's a cat and mouse chase on the high seas as the Priest cleverly
manipulates the demise of every crewman on the Mary Celeste, then tries to take
the second crew hostage so he can redirect both brigs to Genoa. He is briefly
thwarted by the heroic couple - now lovers - Michael and Colleen, who stall him
and guide the ships into Gibraltar. But Reikel escapes, forces the brigs to
still make for Genoa and goes ahead by train, to purloin the diamonds when the
brigs reach there. At the same time, Sweeny and Don Cottone have realized what's
going on and are also headed for Genoa, hell bent on getting the diamonds first.

Soon both heroes, the psychotic priest, Cottone and Peter Sweeny all wind up
converging on the uninhabited peninsula of Portofino where the fight for the
diamonds takes them all to new heights of treachery!

COMMENTS: This is a very engaging cross-Atlantic adventure story with a pulsing
plotline and strong cinematic possibilities. The chase goes from land to sea to
land again, making the journey all the more interesting as we gallop through
19th century southern Manhattan, the timeless currents of the ocean and then
cobble-stoned coast of King Victor Emmanuel's Italy. The historic characters
are well rendered, the drama kept thrilling at every turn. Rees has done a very
fine job of making this history lesson a very entertaining experience.

TO CONTACT WRITER DIRECTLY:

richardrees@marlbooks.fsnet.co.uk

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