Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Forceful New Beginning
A newly appointed detective captain launches a sweeping roundup of criminals in New York. A gang boss then stands bail for everyone arrested.
Key Events
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Detective Force Leadership — A new captain is appointed head of the New York detective force.
Location: New York
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Criminal Roundup Begins — The new captain makes his first act a citywide roundup of criminals.
Location: New York
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Criminals Taken Into Custody — Every criminal in town is gathered by the detective force.
Location: New York
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Bail Covers The Criminals — A gang boss stands bail for all the arrested criminals.
Location: New York
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Gang Network Regroups — The bail arrangement allows the criminal network to remain active.
Location: New York
The Hideout Pursuit
The captain turns his attention to the gang boss and moves against the hideout. Shakespeare assists him during this pursuit.
Key Events
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The Hunt Is Planned — The detective captain sets out to pursue the gang boss.
Location: New York
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Shakespeare Joins The Pursuit — Shakespeare assists the detective captain during the pursuit. Characters: Shakespeare
Location: New York
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Approach To The Hideout — The pursuit advances toward the gang boss's hideout with Shakespeare assisting. Characters: Shakespeare
Location: A hideout
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Hideout Infiltration — The detective operation moves in on the hideout. Characters: Shakespeare
Location: A hideout
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Shakespeare Is Killed — The gang boss kills Shakespeare during the operation at the hideout. Characters: Shakespeare
Location: A hideout
A Fatal Misunderstanding
Shakespeare is killed at the hideout. The captain is deceived into believing that his own shot caused the death.
Key Events
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False Shot Belief — The captain is led to believe that his own shot killed Shakespeare.
Location: A hideout
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Commission Resignation — The captain resigns his commission after believing he caused Shakespeare's death.
Location: New York
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Descent Into Drinking — After resigning, the former captain becomes a drunk.
Location: New York
Collapse After Duty
The captain resigns his commission and becomes a drunk. The gang boss later finds him unconscious.
Key Events
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Unconscious Discovery — The former captain is found unconscious by the gang boss.
Location: New York
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Banquet Invitation — The unconscious former captain is taken to a gangland banquet.
Location: A gangland banquet
The Banquet Spectacle
The unconscious former captain is brought to a gangland banquet as its pièce de résistance. The Magpie attends the gathering.
Key Events
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The Banquet Convenes — The gangland banquet takes place with The Magpie in attendance. Characters: The Magpie
Location: A gangland banquet
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Unconscious Guest Displayed — The unconscious former captain is presented as the banquet's pièce de résistance. Characters: The Magpie
Location: A gangland banquet
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Magpie Witnesses The Spectacle — The Magpie attends while the unconscious former captain is used as the banquet's centerpiece. Characters: The Magpie
Location: A gangland banquet
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Shakespeare's Absence Looms — The banquet sequence follows Shakespeare's earlier killing and includes The Magpie as an attendee. Characters: Shakespeare, The Magpie
Location: A gangland banquet
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Bleak Lost-Film Endpoint — The surviving plot record ends with the banquet aftermath; the film is identified as lost. Characters: The Magpie, Shakespeare
Location: A gangland banquet
Captain Timothy 'Two Gun' Nolan is appointed head of the New York detective force, and as his first act, rounds up every criminal in town. Gang boss 'Dapper' Frank Trent stands bail for all of them as independent minor gang-leader. Setting out to get Trent, Nolan moves in on his hideout, assisted by his friend 'Shakespeare.' Trent kills Shakespeare, but makes Nolan believe it is his shot that has done so. Nolan resigns his commission and becomes a drunk. Found unconscious by Trent, he is offered as the pièce de résistance at a gangland banquet which 'The Magpie' attends. A lost film.
