*Taken from L.A. Confidential: The Screenplay by Brian Helgeland & Curtis Hanson Based on the novel by James Ellroy
 
Dudley
You'll make Lieutenant inside a year.  Patrol Division?  Internal Affairs?

Exley
I was thinking Detective Bureau.

Dudley doesn't approve.  He waits as a few more cops make their way down the stairs and into the muster room.

Dudley
You don't have the eye for human weakness to be a good detective.  Or the stomach.  You're a political animal, Edmund.

The criticism stings, but Dudley's a straight shooter.

Exley
You're wrong.

Dudley
Am I?  Would you be willing to plant corroborative evidence on a suspect you knew was guilty in order to ensure an indictment?

Exley
Dudley, we've been over this.

Dudley
Yes or no, Edmund

Exley
I...no.

Dudley
Would you be willing to beat confessions out of suspects you knew to be guilty?

Exley
No.

Dudley
Would you be willing to shoot hardened criminals in the back to offset the chance-

Exley
No.

Dudley
Then for God's sake, don't be a detective.  Stick to assignments where you don't have to make those choices.  Patrol, Internal Affairs, but not the Bureau.

Exley
I know you mean well, Dudley, but I don't need to do it the way you did.  Or my father.

Dudley
We'll see.  Well, I've got to escort the press downtown to the Chief's office. (a beat) At least get rid of the glasses.  I can't think of one Bureau man who wears them.

As Dudley goes back inside, Exley adjusts his glasses.
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Bud
Merry Christmas.

Lynn
Merry Christmas yourself, Officer.

Bud
That obvious, huh?

Lynn
(smiles sweetly) It's practically stamped on your forehead.
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Dudley
Richard Stensland is an embarrassment.  Rotten fitness reports from every C.O. he ever served under.  But Bud White is a valuable officer.

Exley
White's a mindless thug.

Dudley
No, Edmund.  He's just a man who can answer yes to those questions I ask you from time to time.
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Stensland
Tomorrow night we'll do the town. (winks) On me.

Bud
Yeah?  I'll bring my wallet just in case.
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Jack
If we go by the list, we have about zero chance of making the collar.  But I know a guy who knows what's going on South of Jefferson.  I'm betting he could put as at fifty-fifty.

Big Detective
I don't know....

Exley
I'll take those odds.  (to big detective) Take off.  We got it from here.

Jack stares.  The Big Detective shrugs, spits tobacco juice in a cup.

Big Detective
Between the two of you guys, you should bring along a photographer.
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Bud
Miss Bracken, I'm Officer White-

Bud stops short as he sees how she's dressed, then the half-naked Alan Ladd wannabe beyond her.  Lynn is cool, acts like none of it's a big deal.

Lynn
I've been expecting you.  Just not this soon.  Pierce called.  Told me what happened to Sue.

Older Gentleman
Is everything okay, doll?  Want me to get rid of him?

Bud
Hit the road, gramps.

Bud enters.  The Older Gentleman strikes a pose.  He still thinks he's Alan Ladd.

Older Gentleman
Maybe I will and maybe I won't.

Bud
(flips a badge) LAPD, shitbird.  Get the fuck out of here or I'll call your wife to come get you.
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Carlisle
Fuck you, Vincennes!  It's our collar.

Exley
Quiet!  I'm ranking officer here.  We go as a team.  End of story.

Carlisle and Breuning look at each other, grudgingly nod assent.  Exley leads the way out.

Jack
(to Breuning)  He's very serious.
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Exley reaches to his pocket for something.  Not there.

Exley
Dammit...

Jack
What?

Exley
Glasses

Jack
(chuckling) Just don't shoot me.
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Exley
Son, six people are dead and somebody has to pay.  It can be you or it can be Ray.

No answer

Exley
Louis, he called you queer.  He said at Casitas you took it up the ass.  He said-

Fontaine
I DIDN'T KILL NOBODY!

The voice is strong, full of conviction.  Exley nearly jumps back.  He glances at the mirror, unsure.  Then, leaning in:

Exley
Son, you know what's going to happen if you don't talk.  So for God's sake admit what you did.

Fontaine
(sobbing) I didn't mean to hurt her.  Maybe she's okay.

Exley
Okay?  These people are all in the morgue.  They were dead when you left them.
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Exley
A naked guy with a gun?  You expect anyone to believe that?

Bud
Get the fuck away from me.

Bud starts away, Exley follows.

Exley
How's it going to look on your report?  Huh?

Bud keeps going.

Bud
It'll look like justice.  That's what the man got.  Justice.

Exley
You don't know what the word means, you ignorant bastard.

Bud
(stops; turns) Yeah?  You think it means getting your picture in the paper.

They're in each other's face.  Other cops begin to take notice.

Bud
Why don't you go after criminals for a change instead of cops?

Exley
Stensland got what he deserved.  And so will you.

Bud goes for Exley.  Ten hands pull them apart.  Dudley on Exley.  Four cops genuinely having trouble with Bud.

Dudley
You should stay away from a man when his blood is up.

Exley
His blood's always up.

Dudley
Then maybe you should stay away from him all together.
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Exley
Do you make the three Negroes for the Nite Owl killings?

Jack
What?

Exley
It's a simple question.

Jack
You should be the last person who wants to dig any deeper into the Nite Owl case, Lieutenant.

Exley
Rollo Tomasi.

Jack
Is there more to that, or do I have to guess?

Exley
Rollo was a purse snatcher.  My father ran into him off duty.  He shot my father six times and got away clean.  No one even knew who he was.  I made the name up to give him some personality.

Jack
So what's the point?

Exley
Rollo Tomasi is the reason I became a cop.  I wanted to catch the guys who thought they could  get away with it.  It was supposed to be about justice.  but somewhere along the way I lost sight of that....What about you, Jack?  Why'd you become a cop?

Jack looks like he might cry, but smiles instead.

Jack
I don't remember....

Both men are quiet a moment.

Jack
What do you want, Exley?

Exley
I just want to solve this thing.

Jack
The Nite Owl was solved.

Exley
I want to do it right.

Jack
Even if you pay the consequences?

Exley nods.
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Stompanato
Hey, you want an autograph, write to M-G-M.

Exley
Since when do you two-bit hoods and hookers give out autographs?

Stompanato
What?

As Stompanato stands, Exley flashes his badge.  Jack takes a look at "Lana"

Exley
LAPD.  Sit down.

"Lana"
Who in the hell do you think you are?

Jack
Ed-

Exley
(to "Lana") Take a walk honey, before I haul your ass downtown.

"Lana"
WHO IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!

Jack
Ed-

Stompanato
You are making a large mistake.

"Lana"
Get away from our table!

Exley leans down.

Exley
A hooker cut to look like Lana Turner is still a hooker.  She just looks like Lana Turner.

Jack
She is Lana Turner.

Exley
What?

Jack
She is Lana Turner.

Lana tosses her drink in Exley's face.
----------------------------------------------------

Lynn looks up as Exley enters.  Her face is puffy, swollen.

Exley
Are you okay?

She nods, smiles at his bruises.

Lynn
You okay?
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Exley
You know, all I ever wanted was to measure up to my father.

Bud
Now's your chance.  He died in the line of duty, didn't he?

Gallows humor.  Exley looks at him, holds back a laugh.  Bud smiles.  In another life, they could have been buddies.