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EXPLOSION AT BLACK TOM!
Federal Agents -- including a young J. Edgar Hoover and a badass female translator -- track German saboteurs plotting the July 30, 1916 Black Tom Island explosion in New York harbor - the terrorist attack on America! Professional Coverage: “Recommend” - Dave Trottier (Author “The Screenwriter’s Bible”). SEMI-FINALIST - Fade In Awards-True Story/Bio Contest
And German sabotage was becoming quite a problem in the country. In spite of President’s Wilson’s cry for neutrality, lots of bad things were happening. Former Texas Ranger Tom Howard is sent to New York City to run the Bureau of Investigation’s task force on espionage
Joining Howard are young agents J. Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolson (both gay). Also assigned is Katherine Burkhardt, an attractive, talented bilingual agent who becomes Tom’s love interest
At the Black Tom Island depot, Depot Manager Jack Powers struggles with ever increasing deliveries of munitions, lack of storage capacity and no security. He is also romantically distracted by Jill Upton, a warehouse owner who quickly becomes Jack’s love partner.
The German’s also attempt to infect horses, destined for transport oversees, with the deadly glanders virus. Tom’s tough Texas Ranger father, “Lonesome Sam” Howard, joins the team to fight the saboteurs on the horse front in Virginia.
When a government Fact Finding Committee tours Black Tom, they are shocked to learn that two hundred thousand pounds of TNT plus one million rounds of small arms ammunition are exposed at any one time. Tom’s team quickly penetrate the saboteur’s lair and discover the manufacture of the infamous timed “pencil bomb.” When a drunken German courier leaves his briefcase of classified spy documents on the subway, Tom’s agents quickly and brilliantly rescues it.
The leaked document cause a furor; saboteurs move to attack Black Tom immediately. Alerted by informants. Tom’s team rushes to the island. The saboteurs are in the midst of setting the explosive when attacked by the federal agents. Amidst gunshots and pencil bombs, the depot is set ablaze and explodes.
The explosion is the largest ever on American soil. The story depicts the devastation incurred in Downtown Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, ships in New York Harbor, and nearby Jersey City. Explosions scenes are quite graphic.
Trapped in the depot, Tom pursues the saboteurs. In a spectacular fight scene, Tom rescues Katharine from death by an amazingly accurate long distance pistol shot.
The Black Tom depot is completely destroyed. Some saboteurs are apprehended. The official investigation is a white wash. President Wilson, doggedly trying to maintain neutrality, refers to Black Tom as an industrial accident. But German espionage is crippled.
Tom and Katherine marry and carry on their espionage work. The Bureau of investigation becomes the FBI. Nine months after the Black Tom explosion, President Wilson declares war of Germany.
Today Black Tom, largely forgotten, is commemorated as part of Liberty National Park in New Jersey.
Professional Coverage: "RECOMMEND" Dave Trottier (Author, "The Screenwriter's Bible")
a young Kate Winslett
A young Ben Stiller type
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Black Hawk Down
Screenplays
Jim specializes in screenplays based on historical true events (including musicals), bio/pics and/or disasters. In alphabetical order:
“BOJANGLES, EUBIE AND BERT!” Three Black musical legends of the past – Bert Williams, Eubie Blake and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson – relive their show business success in spite of racism and theatrical bigotry.
Big Apple (Semifinalist) [2019]
Emerging Screenwriters (Semifinalist) [2019]
Show More
ScriptLinks
Post Your Script Here!AT THE MERCY OF FAITH
In the wake of a terrifying and traumatic encounter with RUTHLESS characters, a 14 year old minister - mourns his twin sister, and scorns the GOD he once fervently praised.
The March of the 18th
In 1864 the Veteran Reserve Corps was formed to allow disabled Union army men to continue to perform their duty for God and Country.
ELECTRIC
After being electrocuted on the job, a woman has the power to make everyone around her fall in love.
OVERPASS
When a cement truck driver avoids slamming into a Lexus, only to lose his own life, he haunts the Lexus driver and teaches him a powerful life lesson in the process.
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
L.A. Detective Owen Murphy is on a mission to clear his name on a murder he didn't commit.
HARBINGER
Detective Sandy Marone feels the weight of the world come crashing down on her shoulders as she investigates the mysterious disappearance of another senior citizen, one of several over the past few months.
THE TEST
On an anniversary trip to San Fran Debbie sets up seemingly disinterested husband Jim to test his fidelity, but things spin wildly out of control when Jim instead falls into a trap set by a team of dangerous con-artists ready to take him for a ride and everything he's worth.
THE GLAMOROUS LIFE
A model whose career is fading gets a much-needed vacation and a new outlook on life when she hides out at a Florida beach house with an “odd couple” of twenty-something brothers who are 100% convinced she's a hooker.
DOWN WITH DAD
A 3-time Man of the Year dad Dave McNabb tries to teach his teen son Lincoln a life lesson -- “do good things, good things happen.
TAKEN AWAY
Two 16 year-olds, one a foul-mouthed cutter, the other a church boy, become unlikely allies when they are snatched from separate states and brought to a remote hideaway by an inexperienced kidnapper and his mother who's fresh out of prison and terminal.
