Voila! Finally, the Hoodlum
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the movie starring
Laurence Fishburne and Tim Roth. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Hoodlum. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
Come in.
Johnson, you're different
from the other coloureds in here.
You read books, play chess, write poetry.
But I don't believe you have any regret
whatsoever for taking a man's life.
A man who recognises his mistakes
is ready to seek God's forgiveness.
Yeah, I've read your Bible, Warden.
And?
It's a good book.
I need to feed my babies.
Let the men pass, son.
No man knoweth
the moment nor the hour.
Good day to you, sir.
I'll be damned! Bumpy Johnson!
They let your ass out, huh?
- How's business, Willie?
- People outta work play the numbers.
Batter up! This one's for you, Babe Ruth!
You gonna pay for that, Bub!
Where's the slips? Where's the slips?
- Call off your dogs, Bub!
- What did I tell you
about running numbers out of this place?
I was just trying to make a living
just like you, motherfucker!
You mess with Dutch Schultz,
you messin' with me!
You don't write
a goddamn thing in Harlem!
Do you understand that now?
Yes.
It's a new day!
Dutch Schultz
writes policy
in Harlem!
- Keep the motor running, Cecil.
- Yes, sir.
Ladies.
Very nice.
- Mr Luciano.
- Hello, Bo.
Franco, take Bambi for a walk.
OK? I'll be right out.
Watch out for all the broken glass here.
- Hey, Bobby.
- Mr Luciano.
Stand up for Mr Luciano!
Please, sit. Sit down, please. Thank you.
- Things are progressing here.
- Rapidly.
So you guys are doing OK?
We make a mint.
Well, well! Cecil.
- How long it been?
- Damn near since the Ebony Earl days.
- Why the hell are you chauffeuring?
- Paying the bills.
My old lady made me put down the gun.
- Regards to Helen.
- You got it.
You won't have major trouble
with Madam Queen's people.
Here.
Yeah, well, she's the last holdout.
- She bends to the stick, Harlem's ours.
- Hello, Dutch.
Well, well! Lucky.
- You're slumming today.
- Thought I'd stop by.
You know, for your portion
of the Dewey payment.
Special fuckin' prosecutor. Trying to
put my ass in jail for tax evasion.
I still gotta make a fucking payoff!
Wanna keep our shirt collars clean,
we gotta have Dewey in our pocket.
I ain't seen him
touching your fucking business.
That's because I show him respect.
You're so busy with Harlem pennies,
you forget the big picture.
Yeah, well,
nigger pennies... white pennies.
They all add up to the same fucking thing:
my fucking dollars.
Well, that's why I'm here. Ante up.
Lulu, get the cash.
When you give Dewey of my
hard-earned dollars, tell him one thing.
If he don't back off, I'll kill him myself.
Here, Dutch.
- You got mustard on your suit.
- I'm breaking it in for a friend.
Answer me this. Why would that
droopy-eyed, lowlife, greaseball pimp
come all the way up to Harlem
when he could send a stooge?
- I don't know.
- It's rhetorical.
Illinois, come on, baby.
Pay me some nevermind.
Put them number slips away!
Number slips is how I make my money.
You're confusing me, Pigfoot.
I'm three slips short.
The Queen already don't like me.
Would you just let a man
accomplish his business?
I'm your business now.
You need to accomplish this.
- Pigfoot.
- Huh?
- What time do I have to turn in my slips?
- One o'clock.
And what time do people check the paper
to get the day's numbers
off them stock exchange totals?
I'm not a goddamn idiot.
I know how to play the numbers.
You need to be...
- Is that your husband?
- How do I know?
I know nothing about that two-timing,
gator-faced grape-cat!
- Don't shoot him!
- I'm gonna fix his ass.
- Don't shoot him!
- Don't shoot him?
If you don't get your ass in that closet...!
Bumpy Johnson.
What's buzzin', cousin?
Don't you put your hand out there for me!
Come over here and hug my neck.
- Oh, my goodness!
- Been a long time, huh?
- Oh, man! Come here, man.
- Good to see you.
Mary! Mary, come on out.
You remember my cousin Bumpy.
Bumpy Johnson!
Oh, boy, you're a sight for sore eyes!
Good to see you.
I didn't interrupt anything, did I?
Baby, you and me gonna
have to lay dead for a little while.
- I gotta tend to my man's wellbeing.
- Dead?
Oh, you putting me out!
Let me get my shoes. Be a long time
before you get your hambone boiled!
And you stay from up in my face!
Good to see you, Pigfoot.
You think you're sharp!
What you doin' knocking
like you the damn police or worse?
Don't be ignorant your whole life.
- Oh, Bumpy Johnson.
- Illinois Gordon.
- How's business?
- Dutch Schultz is at it again.
He been gattin' folks all over town.
Even messing with the Queen.
The Queen?
- The Queen don't bow to no man.
- She ain't bowed yet, but...
We can talk about that another time.
I see you still with the large-sized ladies.
Now, hold on there, cousin.
Like I always tell you,
there ain't nothing like the loving
you get from a big woman.
Mm-hm. Same old Bear!
He thinks I'm gonna roll over, ˇestá loco!
Take it easy, Henry.
Dutch just wanna talk.
Seem like everybody in Harlem
played and the goddamn number hits.
I needed grand to pay off the players.
That's why I came to you. Now my
runners say your boys are playing rough!
Sit down, Henry.
I'm getting a fucking neck ache.
There's your money. Plus two in interest
on the loan, like we agreed.
I don't consider that a fucking loan, Henry.
That was an investment.
I believe that investment entitles me
to a piece of the fucking bank.
- We're partners, Henry.
- ˇMira, no me vengas con eso!
- In English.
- No, no!
I know you since you sold shit-piss
needle beer in the Bronx!
And you're still the same.
ˇP'al carajo, hijo de puta, cabrón, tacano!
- Henry...
- You might've pulled this shit
con el motherfucking negro como
Willie Brunder and Big Joe Ison.
That's cos those bankers got no balls.
I got balls as big as you.
ˇLas bolas más grandes!
Big balls. No brains.
Jesus!
- I don't feel comfortable here.
- Relax.
The mayor won't be happy to know his
special prosecutor's having a meeting
in Mr Luciano's milieu.
Why don't you ask him?
He's on the second floor right now.
This month's contributions.
Fine.
- We have a problem.
- The valise is not big enough?
I'm talking about Arthur Flegenheimer.
You know why Arthur chose the name
Dutch Schultz? He wants respect.
Who's gonna respect a man
by the name of Arthur Flegenheimer?
"All right, boys. Stick 'em up!
My name is Arthur Flegenheimer."
- It won't work, Mr Dewey.
- He's threatening to kill me.
It's nonsense. He's bent outta shape
because of your tax-evasion charges.
He'd rather lose a testicle
than pay the government.
- So what do you propose?
- I propose you take it easy.
Think about your future, not our demise.
In the meantime, enjoy the scenery.
Have a long drink with one of the girls.
Listen to me-very carefully.
I don't wanna have to say this again.
I am not your friend. I don't want
the services of your whores.
We are in a business arrangement
for obvious mutual benefits.
Mr Schultz threatens this arrangement.
- Have I made myself clear?
- Crystal.
It's clear you took the money.
I ain't seen this many poor folks
in Harlem in all my life.
Well, cousin, welcome to the Depression.
Only way a cat can make a dime
these days is running numbers.
Hey, toots, I see you!
You can't keep ducking me.
All right.
- My boy is back.
- Whispers.
You ain't never had no loot,
but you still my favourite boot.
It does feel good to see you, Bump.
You're late, Illinois.
The Queen is mad.
Surprise!
Did somebody say something
about sprucing somebody?
This is the new guy - Vallie.
- Mr Johnson.
- Nice to meet you.
Come on, come on. Madam Queen
is waiting, been waiting.
There she is.
- Hello, Madam Queen.
- Bumpy Johnson.
You still have the light in your eyes, eh?
Praise God.
Before we get this soiree started,
I need to speak with you for a few ticks.
All right.
Y'all enjoy yourself, hear?
Illinois said that Dutch Schultz
put six of your men on the slab
in Harlem Hospital.
Oui.
Mr Schultz is trying to make trouble,
but I set up a meeting next week,
and it is then
I will make my position clear.
I wanna go with you to that meeting
as your bodyguard.
You think you're gonna protect her,
lamb's breath? That for me job!
- Me take care of Queen!
- I have faith in Tee.
I know Tee-Ninchy got spine, but faith
ain't gonna get rid of the Dutchman.
I saw what his boys did
to Willie Brunder.
I'm not gonna stand by and do nothing
and let that happen to you.
He's threatening to take over business
that's taken you ten years to build up.
I want everybody to know
the Queen's still carrying power uptown.
- Please?
- I still can't say no to you, eh?
I had a dream-a big ol' crawfish
jumped off a plate and bit me.
What Madam Zora's dream book
say for fish?
. But I wouldn't bother with no .
That stock exchange figure they used
for the numbers was last week!
It ain't gonna be again.
There was sweet potato pie
on the plate, too.
Potatoes is under "potatoes".
Oh, look, here it is.
. Huh! ? Uh-uh.
I ain't gonna play no . It give me gas.
Potatoes give me gas. I ain't playing
no number that give me gas!
I bet your gas smell as sweet
as flowers in springtime!
Mm-mm. Don't you be trying
to get in my good graces.
- Hey, Miss Mary.
- Shh. Damn, woman, you hard as lard!
You know what? I hate crawfish.
I'm gonna just go ahead
and play a dime on straight.
- That's another dime down the drain.
- Lord have mercy! Garveyite Francine.
This is for you and the kids.
Save your money, Sul.
Hey, you don't need to be telling her that,
or I'll beat you till you smell like onions.
I'll drag you by that collar
and drop you in the gutter.
Yeah, yeah. Let me see that.
Now, look at this! What you doin',
peddling this gold-can jive?
You can bake it, broil it,
fry it, hang it out to dry,
it's still just as funky
as a fat man's drawers!
Don't you see people hungry? What do
you do for people, numbers man?
I have told you several times,
I'm the poor man's racetrack.
You take the money
needed to put food on the table.
A million-to-one odds-it's a scam!
It's gambling, that's what it is.
Excuse me.
The numbers provide jobs for
coloured folks in Harlem alone.
A penny gets you $ -
a month's groceries.
A month's worth of people food,
not this bullshit!
It's the only home-grown business we got.
- Are you his partner?
- Don't worry about it.
Y'all make a better team
than Amos 'n' Andy!
I don't need no partner.
My name is Bumpy Johnson.
Bumpy? Your momma
named you Bumpy?
What you gonna do
with that hair in Africa?
They ain't got no straightening
combs over there! Ugly!
- She fine as frog legs!
- OK, cousin,
- Tell me about Miss Francine Hughes.
- Oh, Francine!
She always quoting Marcus Garvey
about moving back to hot-ass Africa.
I think she work down at
that United Negro something-or-other.
- Improvement Association?
- That's it.
Man, she sure is high-toned!
You see the glimmers on that girl?
Where do you think she got them eyes?
Francine Hughes is not gonna
take up with the likes of you.
She high-powered
and she got her boots laced,
so don't even pay that no nevermind.
All I wanna do is converse with her.
Yeah, I bet you gonna have
a long-ass conversation!
Son, the man that walks with Francine
will walk down the Christian path!
Hey! Damn! All these roaches in here!
It's like stepping on cornflakes.
At least you won't be sleeping alone.
Hey, Bumpy, you know, these last
couple of years here with you gone,
well, I just wanna say I really missed you.
- I missed you, too.
- I got you a little present.
Now, it's not new.
I got it from old Clarence up on St Nick.
Hello there, Mr Speaker!
Yeah, I figure you might need that
to open a few doors for yourself.
Yeah.
That's hard-hitting. Thanks, cousin.
Together we got strength,
we got experience.
Most of all, though, we got organisation. A
partnership's gonna increase the profits.
Si, certainement. There will be no profit
with your boys collecting the money.
What I got? I got fuckin' horns
growing outta my head here?
I don't feel nothin'.
Madam Stephanie,
I'm not the fucking devil.
But you do the devil's work.
Six of me men is proof of that.
But if I hadn't sent an invitation,
you wouldn't have met me, would you?
Come on, Queen. From what I hear,
you ain't exactly a fuckin' nun yourself.
Mr Schultz, me not here to quarrel
about your right to own your own bank,
but I ask to respect my right
to have me own.
Comprenez-vous?
- Oh, yeah, I fuckin' vous.
- Bon.
You know, that reminds me of this
thing that spic Henry Miro said.
He said he had the balls
to stand up to me.
"Las bolas más grandes."
That's what he fuckin' said.
You know something?
He really does have big fuckin' balls!
Blasphemer! Ya bastard!
You gonna shoot me this time, Bub?
If so, you might wanna lower that
a little bit, hit me in the heart.
This way you don't make a mess.
So, Dutch, you wanna do this peaceful
or you wanna make a go?
Boys, boys.
Lower the fuckin' metal.
Put 'em down.
Tee-Ninchy, now ain't the time.
Put the shotgun down.
Man crazy! Man real crazy!
Think he can drop dead man's balls
upon me Queen!
You forget one thing, Tee.
Me no got no balls to lose.
We ain't gonna crease -
like Brunder, or Miro.
Some you win, some you fuckin' lose!
- We got a problem.
- She's gonna fold.
I ain't talking about her.
He's not gonna go away.
d You don't have to have a hanker
to be a broker or a banker
d No, siree, just if you'll be
my mother's son-in-law
d Needn't even think of tryin'
to be a mighty social lion
d Sippin' tea if you'll be
my mother's son-in-law
Look at all these fine women!
They must be having recess in heaven.
d... to set the world on fire
d Just wish you'd make it proper...
Ain't nobody here.
Uh-oh. Don't look now,
but here's your chance
to have your long-ass conversation.
Oh, look who came with Illinois.
- Francine's new friend Bumpy.
- He's not my friend.
All the women in the neighbourhood
have eyes for him.
Ooh, honey, he's a killer-diller!
- He is not my type.
- You can't judge a book with just a look.
Miss Mary, what say you
do me the honour of
joining me out there on the dance floor?
Today's your lucky day, boy.
Sulie wanna dance, too.
Hell, no, I don't wanna dance!
My feet hurt.
Yes, you do.
Oh, yeah. Who wouldn't wanna
dance with ol' Illinois?
Mind if I sit?
I heard about you,
Mr Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson.
Fresh out of Sing Sing
and back on the streets.
Yeah,
I got a reputation.
But I like you, and I think
you like me, so
let's dance.
d In my solitude
d You haunt me
d With memories
d Of days gone by
- There you are.
- Oh, my God!
Thanks. Thanks for walking me home.
My pleasure.
I have one question. Why you gotta
involve yourself in numbers?
I mean, what would you have me do?
Shine shoes? Carry bags
down at Grand Central?
I'm a coloured man. White folks ain't
left me nothing but the underworld.
Well, I disagree. There are coloured
doctors, lawyers, accountants...
- True.
...writers, musicians.
- You could do any one of those.
- I do write a little poetry.
You write a little poetry?
I ask myself where she got those eyes
So full of light, so free of lies.
How does one get eyes like that?
I tell myself she robbed a cat.
- Do you like it?
- Yeah, I like it.
Well, when can I see you again?
Well, keep writing those poems,
Ellsworth, and we'll see.
- Good night.
- Have a good evening.
- Blow on my dice for me.
- Move yourself, boy!
I'm tryin' to make some money.
I need that cool West Indian breeze.
Come on now, blow on it. Cool, cool
number. Look at him smiling now!
He blew on them bones, didn't he?
- I'm gonna break the bank now!
- Here we go. Here we go.
What you doin'
pitchin' dice on me stoop?
- Go away from here!
- Yes, ma'am.
Bumpy, come help an old lady
down the steps.
Yes, Madam.
Madam Queen! Looking just as fine
as one of them African violets.
Move from me! Me don't need
to have me bottom kissed.
Mikey, June, Whispers, trail our car.
Hey! Hey, Bumpy! Boy,
I sure wish I was going to the opera.
Hey, hey, hey! Hey, Tee-Ninchy!
Hey, why you goin' to the opera
and you can't even understan' English?
You gotta gimme five! Gimme ten!
Gimme ! I would give you
but your hand's too dirty!
What is this now?
I don't know why you make me
come to these things.
To culture you, Bumpy.
You know, I have not missed an opera
on me birthday in years.
You need to give Tee-Ninchy
some culture.
- How about me rattle your head?
- You'll love Verdi's Macbeth.
It's in Italian.
I don't understand Italian.
It deals with life,
war and, most of all, passion.
Mon Dieu! We gonna miss the overture!
Get down!
Move back! Move back!
Bumpy! Mercy!
Quel cauchemar! Mon protecteur!
Amour! Mon ami amour!
Mon Dieu!
Sang partout! Sang partout!
Le sang partout!
Mon amour! Sang partout!
I can contain it because
only the negro papers have it.
But if Winchell gets a hold of this,
he'll have a field day.
- He just wants to sell newspapers.
- He will, at everyone's expense.
Look, Charles, even by your standards,
this is a psychopath.
How much longer am I going to
be worried about Arthur Flegenheimer?
You gotta learn to relax, Thomas.
I'll take care of the Dutchman.
Meantime, why don't you come up here
and join us by the pool?
Loosen up that stiff neck of yours.
Thank you, Alice.
So what's the skinny, Johnny?
You were right, Mr Luciano.
My figures show the numbers
at a day before payouts.
Harlem is a g-g-g...
goldmine.
What's the matter?
You wanna go swimming there, Johnny?
No, l-I never learned how.
- Where's Hector?
- Went out to get some rice and beans.
- When's he coming back?
- I don't know, boss.
But if you're here to collect policy money,
don't worry. It's all under control.
- Everything copacetic, cousin?
- Oh, yeah.
- Who the hell are you?
- Me?
- Now you know!
- I'm the bagman.
Let's go, Bear.
So, cousin, what are we gonna do
with all Dutch's money?
Gonna put it back where it belongs.
- Hey, Miss Francine.
- Hey, Mr Johnson.
Why didn't you say
we was going to see Francine?
Hey, everybody! Got a gift from
Madam Queen, courtesy of Dutch Schultz!
- There you go!
- A penny for everybody!
These are very nice, John.
First order of business.
Like any square citizen,
we all have tax problems.
But I have a solution.
- Johnny.
- Mr G-G-Genovese.
Mr C-C-Costello. Mr L-Lansky.
Get on with it, John.
We ain't got all fuckin' day here.
I have taken the liberty of
setting up for our use
a number of accounts in Havana, Cuba.
They are impervious
to the scrutiny of the feds there.
At the request of my employer,
Lucky Luciano,
I hereby offer these services
to each and every one of you.
Second order of business.
I'll wait.
Excuse me.
The only thing that threatens profits is the
unwanted attention of law enforcement.
- I wanna talk about Dutch's activities.
- What about 'em?
Got a call from Dewey.
He didn't appreciate your spree.
I got it all under control.
While he was up in Albany,
Bo Weinberg said just the opposite.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.
What did Bo say?
One of the coloured bankers
don't wanna join you.
He indicated you might need
a little help to straighten things out.
Bo must've been having a bad day.
His wife ran off with a dago from Yonkers.
I was gonna propose that
myself, Frank and Vito
could lend you a little help.
In return for a little piece, huh, Lucky?
I come to you guys a year ago
saying we should go uptown.
You said nigger pennies
was a waste of fuckin' time.
So, to you and your proposal,
I say only one thing.
Take a flying fuck!
Always missing the point. OK, Dutch,
you're on your own. Do as you wish.
If you need help from us
down the line, from us dagos,
your price just went up.
On that note, this meeting's adjourned.
Louis, Meyer, Frank, Vito,
can I see you in my library?
Nick, show Mr Schultz to the door.
Put your hat back on.
You look ridiculous.
You in big trouble.
There's no other way to say it.
She'll be right down.
Gonna take your hat off
in the house, Bear?
Now you're giving me lessons
on manners.
Goddamn! Look at the titties
on that statue!
Boy, if I...
Imbécile!
I hope you're proud of yourself!
You have dishonoured my name
with your betrayal.
Who are you? Dutch Schultz burn down
three of me policy houses today!
So we burn down three of his.
An eye for an eye.
So you're the Queen now, eh?
Who runnin' this operation?
- You.
- Then why you disregard my orders?
You think I don't know why you're
sticking close to me? I see your ambition.
- It was time to take a stand.
- I take care of Schultz meself!
- I am the Queen!
- But you are afraid of him.
Never thought I'd see the day
that you were afraid of any man.
Of course I'm afraid.
But fear be a good thing sometime.
It checks the angry spirit.
I can beat him, Queen.
I can beat the Dutchman at his own game.
Use your head, Bumpy. Where you think
they gonna fight this war?
On Park Avenue?
Non. Mais non.
Here. Right here,
on the streets of Harlem.
I'm prepared to deal
with the consequences of that.
And what about the rest of us?
You open the faucet of blood,
you never shut it off.
Three fuckin' grand?
We hear this guy's a real tornado.
Hey, Bub, you're gonna kill
my English ivy tree there.
I'm sorry.
Dutch, the Salkes are the best
pickaxe boys in the business.
They'll turn this guy into a sieve.
Ah, maybe the three grand's
worth it, huh?
I remember the days you could get
a guy hit for bucks.
- We live in inflationary times.
- Ain't that the fuckin' truth!
Don't come back without him.
- You're under arrest!
- Foley, you mick, get over here!
Hey, had you, didn't l, lads?
How ya doin', Cap?
Well, ain't it the short arm of the law.
You beat up any niggers lately?
No, I'm sorry to say I haven't. Have you?
How's tricks?
We live in inflationary fuckin' times.
How'd it go with Judge Capshaw?
He told me Stephanie St Clair
offered him to shut you down.
No shit? Well, I'm flattered.
You've gotta give that black bitch
credit. She's a wily old horse.
So, how much to top her ice?
- Capshaw wants forty.
- He's a greedy bastard.
Judges don't come cheap, Arthur.
That's true.
They're the crookedest crooks around.
With a bit of proper evidence,
he can guarantee a conviction.
- Get the policy paper?
- I'm on it.
What about them Salke brothers, huh?
How would you like one of them
fuckin' your sister?
Well, it's better than some
I could think of.
d Don't knock on my door
d I done told you two or three times
I don't want you no more
d I run in here, baby, cos I got kinda sick
Ain't nothing ailing my stomach
d It's something wrong with my...
Dixieland was a camp in Georgia
d You can't stay there very long
d All the friends I had
done shook hands and gone
Mr Johnson.
Mr Johnson, I work at the pool hall.
I wanna work for you. I promise I'll
be the fastest runner you ever seen.
The Queen ain't hiring no runners, son.
Neither am I.
Besides, ain't it past your bedtime?
Oh, man,
I'm gonna close this party down!
d... told you two or three times
I don't want no junk
Bumpy Johnson! My name
Miss Philmore. I'm Danny's mother.
Ma'am.
I wish more of our coloured men
would stand up and fight for they home.
The way you doin' against Dutch.
I heard you killed three of his men.
Like the Lord swooped in
on Sodom and Gomorrah,
you swung your mighty scythe and them
heathen heads rolled on the pavement!
- Yes, ma'am.
- You a killin' machine!
Ooh, Mr Johnson, you somethin' else!
I'm telling you, you just a killer!
Thanks, everybody.
Francine. Francine.
- Francine.
- Bumpy Johnson!
Mr Johnson, I been singing
for you a long time now.
I been tryin' to get a job
at the Cotton Club for six months.
Look here, come down to the Bamville.
See my man Calvin.
He's a cleanhead man. He does
the hiring. Would you excuse me?
- He gonna take care of me?
- He'll take care of you.
What's wrong?
What was I supposed to do, Francine?
Let 'em kill the Queen?
You shot three people.
Don't you have any remorse?
Remorse comes when you feel
you've done something wrong.
- You don't think killing is wrong?
- Innocent people, yes.
There's been lynchings this year alone.
Depression got people starving
all over the country.
Scottsboro boys-in jail
for a crime they didn't commit.
All of that is wrong.
Yeah, I understand all that.
But?
But I don't understand you.
You're a gentleman, you're a poet,
you're nice to people,
you think about things.
And then, within a blink of an eye,
you can kill or be killed.
Is there nothing in this world
that you love enough
that you would kill for it or die for it?
I don't know.
I'd give my left nut
for a piece of cheesecake.
- Who makes the best in New York?
- Junior's.
- Lindy's.
- Best sauerbraten?
- Luchow's.
- Triangle Hofbrau.
- Best knish?
- Greenspan's.
- Krause's.
- Best steak?
- Luger's.
- Gallagher's.
Now, let's do some damage.
I'm tired of going to church
without my man.
I told you, Francine. The good Lord
and I have an arrangement.
I don't go into his house.
He doesn't come into mine.
OK, you heathen. That's the last time
I try to save your soul.
Aw, don't be that way, baby.
Besides, you know you're my religion.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Best martini?
- Stork Club.
Dave's Blue Room. Much bigger.
- Best Italian?
- Patsy's.
- Rao's.
- Best corned beef?
- Ratner's.
- Katz's.
- Best frankfurter?
- Nathan's.
Hey, hey, hey!
What the fuck you doin' up here?
d Silent night
- Did you hear what I said?
- D Holy night
What the fuck you...
d Silent night...
Give me the gun.
It's all right. It's all right, give me the gun.
It's all right. It's all right.
It's all right. It's just you and me.
It's just gonna be you and me.
I promise. I promise. It's all right.
It's all right. It's all right.
It's all right. It's all right.
Lord have mercy! I didn't know
Josephine Baker worked here!
Miss Baker, I thought you was in France.
Where is Pigfoot Mary?
Give me cents on .
cents on straight.
All right, I heard you.
No, you hold onto that. Your money
ain't no good here. I'll take care of that.
Oh, come on now, Mary. The governor
pardon folks quicker than you do!
Mm-mm. And if you don't quit mackin'
me so hard, I'm gonna crush your spine.
Woman, now you're talkin' my language!
- Come on. Give me some sugar now.
- Get outta here!
That's all right. You gonna wanna
kiss me sometime later.
Hello, Tiny. Well, let's see what
the good doctor has in his little black bag.
Come on, now. Give it over.
Hey! What the hell wrong? You got
no cause to be beatin' up on him!
Would you rather it be you?
Cos we're here to serve.
That's what I thought.
All right, boys, get the bag.
- OK!
- Well, maybe next time.
Toodle-oo.
It's all right, Daddy. It's OK.
Momma's here.
C'est fait accompli, mais non?
Don't fret yourself.
What do you think
you should've done, huh?
Let that pickaxe-waving devil
just kill Bumpy?
You done right, sweetheart.
The Lord knows there's a shortage
of eligible men in this town.
Well, if it isn't Madam Queen.
Speak your business.
Stephanie St Clair, you are under arrest
for violation of city code
section - : illegal gambling.
- You be careful, Captain.
- Likewise.
All right, boys. Take her away.
This morning, the Queen turned over
control of the bank to me.
Now, she asked me to take
every precaution available
to avoid shedding any blood.
How we gonna get people to come to
work if we don't stop the son of a bitch?
- Yeah!
- By being smart.
By using the old idea pot. Vallie!
- Yes, sir!
- You in charge of the policy room.
OK, go to every controller's house.
- You tell 'em this building is protected.
- Done.
Calvin, establish new routes for the
runners when they collect the slips.
Whispers, Waldo, I want y'all
to beef up security on the premises.
- You got it, Bump.
- That cop Foley's in Dutch's pocket.
He just as crooked as the letter "S".
He gonna come after them slips
the way he did me.
If he get 'em, you and the Queen
gonna be right back in the joint.
We'll hide the slips so none of
these flatfoot can find 'em.
When the number come out at the end
of the day, we burn the slips.
- Excuse me...
- Shut up!
Hey, hey, let the kid speak.
What's on your mind, kid?
Folks is confused, that's all.
I mean, all them policy slips
are on white paper.
If people wanna play a number,
they fill out a slip.
They don't know whose bank
they playin' with.
- What's your point, kid?
- We should use different paper.
It's the most flumadiddle idea ever!
You sniffin' that Shinola?
Hold on there, Vallie. Hold on.
The boy got a good idea.
- What's your name?
- Tyrone, sir.
All right, Tyrone. We're gonna change
the colour of our slips to, say, green.
Waldo, go down to the print shop.
Pick us up a bushel of green slips.
Everybody know they buyin' from us
and the Queen's still carrying power.
I know every alley in this whole damn
neighbourhood. Let me run for you.
All right, son. You done came up with
a good idea. Let's leave it at that.
- Run your ass around the corner!
- Laugh if you want to.
But even I know that if Dutch takes over,
that's not what she wrote.
Besides, old Ray told me
you started running when you was .
- Hell, I'm .
- Oh, no!
Come on, Mr Johnson. You can trust me.
OK, Tyrone.
But you better not frog up on me, boy.
You hear?
No, sir.
Well, Bumpy, you know we all with you.
- You can confidence that now.
- We right with you, Bumpy.
It's your time, Bumpy.
I've built a nice mahogany coffin.
Mother-of-pearl inlay, solid brass handles.
My son did a beautiful job
with the bullet wounds.
He looks like he died in his sleep.
Thank you, Mr Johnson.
Thank heaven for Mr Johnson.
That man done brought prosperity
back to this neighbourhood.
You have my deepest sympathies,
Mrs Anders.
I scrubbed kitchen floors years
to get that boy a home.
Tyrone was a fine young man
and he died with honour.
Honour?
He's dead, Mr Johnson.
Where is the honour in that?
I'm...
sorry.
People call you a hero.
You just a common thief!
You stole the only reason I had to live.
See that? Every soul in Harlem played
because of this damn headline.
Well, people are superstitious, you know.
Well, I don't know
what we gonna do after this one.
Cos if we hit hard, this might be grand.
Pigfoot told me that Dutch changed
his number to .
We are not gonna do that.
People play the number,
they expect to get paid when they hit.
We're just gonna have to pay 'em.
And that's the difference
between you and Dutch.
And that's why I love you.
Oh, cut it out!
Boy, I sure wish I could find Miss Right.
Shit! I don't mean that.
I'm looking for Miss Right Now.
- Go on, make the payoffs.
- You the boss, Bumpy.
I'm gonna make the payoffs.
You know what mean
in Madam Zora's dream book.
- No. What?
- Death.
Yeah. Well, when I see him, I'm gonna
tell him I changed his number for today.
- Yes, sir. Good day, Miss Francine.
- Good day.
Here you go, Mr Johnson.
Enjoy.
What are you doing?
You don't like banana splits.
- I like your banana splits.
- Hold on. Hold on.
What's wrong?
- Mr Redmond.
- Yes, sir, Mr Johnson?
- Do you see these almonds on my split?
- Yes, sir. I see them almonds.
You know I don't like almonds
on my split.
Yes, sir, Mr Johnson. I know
you don't like almonds on your split.
Did you put these almonds on my split?
- No, sir, Mr Johnson.
- Then who did?
Jimmy, the new boy.
Jimmy, give me a few ticks.
- What's up, Bump?
- Bumpy, don't start anything.
- It's all right.
- What can I do for you, Mr Johnson?
Did Mr Redmond tell you
I don't like almonds?
- Oh, boy!
- Yes, he did. I must've made a mistake.
Oh, that's all right. Listen,
why don't you bring me some hot fudge?
- See if you got any hot fudge.
- What is wrong with you?
Nothing. I just wanna show
Jimmy the difference
between a traditional split
and the way I like mine.
- Here you go.
- Have a seat.
I wanna show you how to make
a traditional split.
Then I'll show you
how I like to have a split.
A traditional split has all these trimmings.
The almonds, the whipped cream,
the cherry and the hot fudge.
Jimmy, why don't you sample that,
tell me what you think?
No, thanks, Mr Johnson.
I'm allergic to ice cream.
Allergic to ice cream?
Sounds to me like you're
allergic to rat poison, boy.
Let me do him, Bumpy!
Put the knife down, Vallie.
Mr Johnson, I swear I didn't know!
He said you wanted that boy to work here.
Who said I wanted this boy to work here?
Who said I wanted this boy
to work here, Mr Redmond?
- Vallie.
- Say it ain't so, Vallie!
Die, motherfucker!
Whispers, bring him over here
and sit him down.
Come on, sit him down.
Calvin, get Vallie outta here.
- Don't breathe.
- Lowlife snake!
Open that damn door. Get outta here!
Francine, you go home with Whispers.
Relax, Jimmy. Relax.
- Bumpy.
- He'll be OK.
Mr Johnson...
Eat.
He said eat!
- Mr Johnson...
- Eat.
- Mr Redmond.
- Yes, sir, Mr Johnson.
From now on, you make my split.
Yes, sir, Mr Johnson.
You got me all wrong, Bumpy!
- I just wanna know why, Vallie.
- Dutch gave me $ .
- You know how much money that is?
- That's a handsome ransom.
- Yes, sir.
- Let me go
and I'll be on the first smoker
to Philly tonight. I promise!
That's a nice ring, Vallie. Did you get that
with the money that Dutch gave you?
I got that from my Aunt Helen! It's
just a dime-store trick. I've had it years!
- I ain't never seen it.
- Bumpy, please!
You's a merciful man!
So, Bumpy, Bumpy, I'm begging you...
Please, Bumpy, let me go! I promise
I'll be on the first train to Philly!
OK. Come on, Vallie. Vallie.
Shh shh shh. Come on. Get up.
Bumpy... Please, please, Bumpy.
You gonna be all right.
You hear?
Go on. Have a seat.
All right. Thank you.
Thank you, Bumpy. Thank you, Bumpy.
- Go on, now, drink up.
- Thank you, Bumpy.
God bless you, Bumpy. God bless you.
Dirt!
S-s-s-s-s-snake!
How you doin', Vallie?
d It don't mean a thing
if it ain't got that swing...
If Ziegfeld doesn't put you
in his fuckin' chorus,
I'll put his head in a fuckin'
meat grinder! I swear to Christ!
You'd do that for me? Isn't he romantic?
A regular Rudy Valentino!
- Hey! Where's he going?
- He thinks he owns the joint.
d It don't mean a thing
if it ain't got that swing...
Hey, Owney, look what I fuckin' got!
- No coloureds allowed in here.
- It's a new day, motherfucker!
He's the guy who got Duke to work the
club. He's probably here to collect his fee.
Go to the back door.
What the hell are you doing to me?
Disregard the fee, Owney.
I came to talk to the Dutchman.
All right. You struck a blow
for the negro cause.
The first nigger
to get into the Cotton Club.
- Now, get out!
- Do you know my man Whispers?
Like you and l, he's a fan of Ellington.
He'd appreciate it if you would sit down
and take it easy for a few ticks.
Dutch, that was quite a performance.
I didn't realise that you people
had such rhythm.
- How's business?
- Not bad.
But let me tell you about yours.
Your bank is at Lenox Avenue.
You runnin' policy out of stores
on Amsterdam, St Nick and Madison.
I'm here to tell you you're shutting
your operations down tomorrow.
You don't, I shut you down myself.
- Is that so?
- Oh, that's so.
I thought all you niggers
travelled in packs.
Where's my buddy, Vallie?
Vallie had to leave town in a hurry,
but he left something for you.
Here.
Go ahead.
Pick yourself a winner with that.
- I'm gonna be sick!
- Oh, Jesus Christ!
You've been warned.
Get ready for your final thrill.
No! Not in here!
No, no! Not in the Cotton Club.
No guns in here. No! Outside.
- Get the fuck outta here!
- It's curtains, Dutch.
The jig is up.
You're a dead fuckin' nigger!
You hear me? You're dead!
You come uptown. You come uptown!
Bring Francie with ya. I'll fuck her for ya!
I hear she needs it. I know where
your high-yellow bitch is living!
You boys, do like I say do.
There's enough dynamite
in these three crates
to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge.
I've set the timer for seven minutes. When
you're making the drop, pull the switch.
Seven minutes and the bomb
goes off, right?
I'm a professional, Mr Johnson.
The question ain't what time
the bomb is gonna go off,
it's whether you boys will get out
before it does. Do you understand?
- Yeah, we feature what you're saying.
- Bumpy, Dutch got all his men uptown.
His main liquor warehouse is downtown.
That's where he makes his longest green.
You talking about going downtown
to blow this man's shit up?
- Do you know what you're saying?
- Too risky.
Besides, the Queen would be against it.
The Queen ain't here, Whispers. And
while she ain't here, I'm carrying power.
OK.
Calvin, I want you to cover the bank.
men.
- Got it.
- Whispers, look after Francine.
I'm trusting you with her life.
Me and Illinois will make the drop.
Yeah, all right. That's good.
I like that. You know I'm with you, cousin.
From the womb to the tomb.
What's the matter?
I don't wanna die, Bumpy.
Remember when I came up from
South Carolina-how scared I was?
Never seen that many people
in one place. Scared me to death.
- I remember. I'm not that old.
- You remember what you said to me?
Yeah. I told you I'd look after you.
Wouldn't let nothing happen to you.
Look me in my eye and tell me
you think I'm carrying you downtown
so you can die.
- I know you don't want that to happen.
- I need you.
Some things, a man can't do alone.
I need my man hard down
with his boots laced up.
Now, you with me?
OK, Bumpy.
- Did you set that timer, cousin?
- Yeah, we got seven minutes.
You got your boots laced up?
All right! You don't need no liquor, Illinois.
- Long as you with me, you're safe.
- All right.
We can celebrate later, right?
- What's this shit here?
- Yeast delivery.
Yeast for the beer, sir.
- Take your ass on in there.
- Thank you.
We got three minutes.
You boys are late. You're slowing
down my brewery. Where's Eugene?
Um, he couldn't make it, sir.
Come on, move your asses!
Get the yeast on the dock.
Jesus Christ!
Come on!
That's it, sir.
I just need you to sign on the dotted line.
We need to be going now.
- What's wrong with you, boy?
- Nothin', boss. Just a little tired.
We got all these deliveries still to make.
I don't understand why Eugene
couldn't make the run.
Eugene went out last night and got
just as drunk as a fiddler's bitch.
That's when they called us, sir.
Eugene's a fucking Mormon.
He don't drink.
That's the problem.
He got himself kicked out the church.
Hey, where you goin'?
We don't want no trouble, sir.
Like I said, we just got all these deliveries.
You boys stay put.
I'm gonna get the boss.
- Don't move.
- Yes, sir.
Hey!
Hit the gas!
Now, I'll ask you one more time!
Where is he?
I don't know! I don't know...
Hey, Dutch, you don't have to do that.
Hey, Bub, toughen up a little, will ya?
Mary? Ohh...
I've got bodies all over
the front page of the Daily News!
I got that pansy Hoover calling me,
asking if I need his help.
- You put my dick in a wringer.
- Dutch didn't instigate this.
Let me explain something to you.
If one crazy negro is provoked into
coming downtown, they'll all come.
I can't afford to have all of Harlem
crossing the line because of you.
You get this numbers thing settled,
or I will launch an investigation
into every syndicate activity.
Do you get that, you wop pimp?
d Vide 'o mare quant'č bello
d Spira tantu sentimento
d Comme tu a chi tiene mente
d Ca scetato 'o fai sunnŕ
I thought it was about time we meet,
Mr Johnson.
- I was honoured by your invitation.
- Thank you.
A friend in Sing Sing says you play chess.
- You partake in the game?
- Nah. Only in its strategies.
Franco, pigghia 'u cane.
Shall we go for a walk?
You're in good hands, boys.
I love this place.
I was under the impression that you
and the Dutchman were partners.
Dutch Schultz doesn't recognise that
a partnership requires compromises.
I think you do.
This is about money, Mr Johnson.
If you get a piece of my operation,
what will you offer me in return?
For starters, political connections.
The kind that'll keep you
from suffering like Madam St Clair.
If a man wants to be successful in
this business, he has to make alliances.
- You got judges?
- Even better.
The special prosecutor.
- Thomas Dewey?
- He's as greedy as the rest of them.
I appreciate your offer,
but my answer is no.
- I'm strictly an independent operator.
- So be it.
But your move downtown
affects me as well as Mr Schultz.
It was a clever gambit,
Mr Johnson-your brewery job.
But a meeting is required
to discuss these problems.
The Dutchman and I are past discussion.
It's not a request.
I'll call you with the time.
What can I do you for?
This thing between you and Mr Johnson
has gone way past bedtime.
Why do you give a fuck? It ain't got
nothing to do with your whore business.
If Tom Dewey clamps down,
it affects all of us.
I'm the guy Dewey's
having wet dreams about.
Exactly. Numbers has him looking to
open up a pan on all our business.
You get me out of fuckin' bed for this?
What's the other news?
Roosevelt running for re-election?
Close. I wanna bring
Mr Johnson to our table.
We do not bring that nigger
into my presence.
We're having a sit-down, Dutch.
We're gonna settle things.
- Is this your fuckin' strategy?
- My strategy is to keep order.
My responsibility is the bigger picture.
If I say no, does Vito send his boys to my
house in the middle of the fuckin' night?
I'm warning you, Luciano.
Don't fuck with me.
- You been outvoted.
- OK, have it your way.
Bring him to the fucking table.
Have him over for fuckin' dinner.
Cecil, pull the fuck over!
Where are you going?
Let me buy you an ice cream.
To the library.
I'll take out that book you been reading:
How to Fuck Friends and Irritate People.
It look like the parole board
will let me out any day now.
Then we'll have a celebration -
all up and down Lenox Avenue.
You'll be happy to know that the bank
is making more money now than ever.
When I take possession of me bank,
you will no longer work for the Queen.
- What are you talking about?
- You broke your promise. You lied!
I wasn't able to keep that promise.
We had to fight for the bank.
Dutch wasn't gonna let up.
You villain. You are not gonna let up.
I can see that now.
I've been invited to
the syndicate table by Mr Luciano.
- Don't that count for nothing?
- What about life?
Doesn't life count for anything?
You asked me to take control
of the bank while you were gone.
I did that and kept it out of Dutch's hands.
Now, you wanna come back and run it
with me, I'll welcome you with open arms.
But we will do it together.
So I guess you the king now, eh?
Long live the king!
Lovey, why aren't you dressed?
I told Sam and them we'd meet them
at the Sugar Cane Club in half an hour.
Bumpy, I'm leaving you.
You're leaving me?
Yes.
Hold on a few ticks.
You going? Take that with you!
And that, too.
I don't care about your trophies!
- You don't want any?
- It was wrong for me to take 'em.
It was, was it? You took 'em nevertheless,
didn't ya? Take it all!
- I don't want any of this shit!
- Watch your language!
- You go to hell!
- You're playing with fire.
You and your noble ideas!
And all your promises!
- You lied to me!
- You lied to yourself, Francine.
When you left that stiff in the bathroom.
You are just like Dutch Schultz.
You're a pig!
If it wasn't for you,
Mary would still be alive!
Yeah, I said it! You're a pig!
You gonna hit me now?
Bumpy, come on!
Come on. Hit me.
Why...?
- Francine, you used to be...
- Well, you used to be a human being.
Used to be the man I loved.
Sit down.
I been sitting down too long.
I gotta go.
Yeah, well,
don't forget your good book.
You used to write me poetry, Ellsworth.
Make sure nothing happens to her.
I'm a police captain, for the love of Mike!
How's it gonna look
if I'm seen with a nigger?
That's all the "niggers"
I'm gonna take from you.
- What did you say to me?
- That's all the "niggers" I'm gonna take.
That's one more than I'll take!
I don't ride with niggers in my car!
Enough of this shit!
Hewlett, sit down.
- Jack.
- Yes?
We go back years, but I'll cut
your head off and drop it in the river.
- What are you doin' to me?
- You wanna test me?
Hewlett, I own you. You do as I tell you.
Put aside your differences for the time
being. We got a job to do. Shake hands.
Shake hands.
That's very nice. A truce.
Fuckin' beautiful.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Hewlett, why don't you take
some of this stuff home with ya?
Me and Foley didn't even finish
the sandwiches.
- No, Dutch. It ain't necessary.
- It'll go in the garbage otherwise.
You got all them grandkids to feed.
It ain't necessary.
Don't be proud.
Wrap up the scraps and take 'em home.
Thank you, Dutch.
It ain't nothin'.
- Leave me alone. Let me be.
- Here, here. Take it easy.
Can't you see we tryin' to play a game?
It be OK.
I see.
You wanna know what I see?
I done seen more people die
in the last six months
than I have in my whole life.
Now, you leave me alone and let me
go play my song for Miss Mary.
- I understand you upset about Pigfoot.
- Mary!
That's her name! And you don't give
a good goddamn about her, no way.
You couldn't even come
to the goddamn funeral!
- I paid my respects.
- Fuckass flowers don't mean a thing!
They don't mean shit! You should've
brought your black ass over there.
Me going to church and you carrying on
ain't gonna bring Mary back, is it?
Let me ask you something.
How many of the general's
foot soldiers got to die
before you see that they playin' you just
like I'm playin' that raggedy-ass piano?
Dutch got niggers working for him.
We kill them, and it all work out
so we all just killin' each other.
Any nigger fool enough to work
for the Dutchman deserve to die.
How you sound!
You think innocent people
deserve to die?
Tyrone?
My Mary?
You there like you ain't got
nothing to say to me.
Let's see what Mr Speaker got to say.
He always got a word for ya.
- Illy.
- Come on! Give it to me! Huh?
- Take it easy, man!
- It's all right. Turn him loose.
I wish I never gave you
that motherfuckin' gun!
Ooh, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have cussed!
You need to go home.
You drunk on that King Kong.
- You drunk on yourself.
- Illinois, don't let me raise up
and come over there
and put my hands on you, hear?
That's how you talk to me now? Huh?
- You talking to me...
- I done told you!
Take yo' drunk ass home!
All right, then.
I'm gonna do what you say.
No! Illinois a good soldier!
Always do what General Bumpy say!
But let me put this on your mind.
You smoke this over when you're going
down your list of accomplishments.
Harlem used to be still and silent at night.
You can thank yourself
for the way it is now.
I'm through, cousin.
You can fight this war
by your goddamn self now!
I'm through.
I'm like Jack the Bear's brother.
I can't go no further.
See? Good. Now you got two guns.
I'm gonna hold onto this for you, Bear.
Come on. Tell me a joke.
Come on, Illy. Tell Whispers a joke.
We the joke, Whispers.
You don't hear Dutch laughin'?
Tiny!
Tiny, let's have a talk.
- Come on over.
- Officer Foley!
I'm just fuckin' with ya.
I don't think you should do that, Tiny.
You're right. You the law!
I've been looking for you.
See how lucky you are? Here I am.
I got some good news for you.
You, too. I just want you to know
that from now on you won't have
no more trouble out of Illinois Gordon!
That's right.
I wash my hands. I'm through.
- I'm out.
- Do you have trouble learning, son?
No, sir.
They should've taught you
a long time ago that once you're in,
you can't get out.
They should've.
- Get your ass in!
- I'm sorry!
Get your ass in!
You're making it
awfully hard on yourself, son.
So I'll ask you again.
Where do you hide the policy slips?
- Would you like to have a go?
- That's you.
It is me, isn't it?
That it is.
I see why Bumpy don't go to church, Bub.
What?
Kill
or be... or be killed.
Jesus Christ, Foley.
He ain't gonna talk. Let him go.
Oh, yes, he is.
He's gonna talk!
Sure you don't want to have a go?
- I'm going.
- Suit yourself.
Now, we both know
you're gonna talk, don't we?
Cos I will ram this corkscrew
up your nostrils
till I pop your eyeballs out.
And you know I'll do it, don't you?
OK, OK.
OK!
You have something to tell me, then, huh?
All right. What is it?
What? What? I can't hear you.
My cousin is gonna fuck you up
real bad behind this,
Officer Foley!
The dividing line could conceivably
be th Street running east to west
and Lenox Avenue
running north to south.
Mr Schultz would take one territory
and Mr Johnson the other.
I can't accept any proposal that allows
Mr Schultz to operate freely in Harlem.
As I said before, I have no quarrel
with any of you gentlemen.
But if Mr Schultz
insists on coming uptown,
I have no choice but to make
my presence felt downtown.
Such a course of action
will bring about your demise.
Dutch been tryin' to bring about
my demise for quite some time.
- I'm not Dutch.
- Yeah, you Lucky.
- You got nuts the size of watermelons.
- Dutch, enough with the compliments.
Perhaps you gentlemen need more time
to consider my proposal.
We ain't gotta consider a fuckin' thing!
Your days are numbered,
if you'll pardon the expression.
- You're pretty smart for a nigger.
- Yeah, so are you.
Well, that's good. Insult the man who
holds your destiny between his fingers.
So you got some slips.
I'll beat the rap hands down.
Oh! Like the glorious
Madam Queen of Policy?
My judge is sending your black ass
to fuckin' jail!
Jesus Christ!
Your move.
- Bump?
- Yeah?
Illinois was the only one besides you who
knew where them slips was hidden, man.
That don't make him
a stool pigeon, Calvin.
- Bumpy...
- Yeah?
We found him.
That old brick-presser over there
said he saw a cop string him up.
The cop had captain's bars.
Kiss it again! Oh, yeah!
Oh, God, I love you, girl. Oh, yes!
- Aye, you do that so good!
- Thank you, Billy.
Hey, what did you put it away for?
What are you doing? You can't stop...
Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Wait, wait.
Let me finish putting my pants on.
Hey, Bub.
- You touch Illinois?
- No.
Did you put your hands on my family?
- I said, fuck no!
- You didn't do nothing to stop it.
If there's blood on my hands,
there's blood on yours, too.
- You ain't no better than me.
- How you sleep at night, old man?
How the fuck do you know I sleep at all?
You owe me.
You ain't no better than me!
You ain't no better than me.
- Sit down.
- Your man said you had a proposal.
If the Dutchman wins,
everybody in Harlem loses,
including you and me.
Go on.
Smoke this over.
When I went in the joint,
you ran the fiercest gang in Harlem.
I come out,
you workin' for the Dutchman.
With everything that's been goin' on
for the last year and a half, I start thinkin'.
How'd the Dutchman get so high up
on the ladder? Cos of you.
How come the Queen's still got her bank?
- Why the change of heart?
- The Dutchman's got me boxed in.
And I need your connections so I don't
take the fall for those policy slips.
Besides, a coloured man don't stand
much of a chance buying Tom Dewey.
Tom Dewey would take a payment
from an aardvark.
I could also use your muscle
to keep Dutch off my back.
You know the terms of a partnership now,
at this juncture, would be quite severe?
A wise man once told me, Mr Luciano,
that if a man wants to succeed
in this business,
he has to make alliances.
Nice.
Should I drive around the yard
once again, Mr Luciano?
One more time, Cecil.
How can I get assurances
you'll play square?
Have your accountant
come by my controller's house.
Say around three o'clock.
I'll let him go over the books.
The runners, routes, slips, everything.
You know, a funny thing about Dutch.
He's worth $ million. Easy.
You'd think a guy makin' that kind of
dough would make himself look proper.
Nice clothes, good haircut.
Instead, he looks like a vagrant
half the times.
He buys his suits off the rack
at Wanamaker's.
If you don't know, you don't know.
- Do you know, Mr Johnson?
- I believe I do.
Then what happened?
Mr Luciano-he don't think I be listening.
But I be hearing
every word they be saying,
on account I got the partition -
it's cracked.
Go on.
Bumpy Johnson say he need a partner
to help him beat you for the numbers.
And?
Bumpy Johnson asked Mr Luciano
to have Mr Johnny,
the fella that's good with figures,
to meet him this afternoon
so he can go over his books.
- Take the yard.
- Yes, sir.
Thank you, Mr Schultz.
If you're right, there's more
where that come from.
You won't say anything
to Mr Luciano, will ya?
- My lips are sealed.
- Thank you, sir.
- Cecil.
- Yes, sir?
If you're lying,
you know what I'll do to you.
- Yes, sir. I know.
- So long as you know.
Yes, sir. Everybody know.
Don't that just figure?
A coloured and a dago partnered up!
Sicilians, they're nearly niggers anyways.
They're dark-complected bastards.
Takin' on Lucky, we're gonna
be in a whole lotta shit.
- What's up, Bub?
- Nothin'.
You goin' soft?
I'm behind you, Dutch.
A hundred percent.
Good work, Cecil. Present from Bumpy.
- Here we go.
- Hold it.
We can wait.
There's Figures. Let's go.
- Hey, Johnny. How ya doin'?
- Hey, Dutch. How are...
Little prick!
Vince, go back down and watch the door.
- Is this it?
- Please, please...! Yes!
- Where is he?
- I don't know, Dutch.
What's ?
- I don't know.
- You don't know?
.
It means death.
Please, Dutch. I'm only an accountant.
- You let me live, I'll make sure...
- Yeah, yeah, yeah!
What's our next move?
I got a surprise
for little Arthur Flegenheimer.
Let's go!
Dewey's office. This way.
Quickly.
- Where's Hewlett?
- Still looking for Bumpy Johnson.
He wanted that you promised.
You know,
it just doesn't make sense to me.
I don't ever see that jigaboo
making a deal with a white guy.
I mean, even if he's a Sicilian.
Yeah, well, Lulu,
that's cos you're a fuckin' idiot.
He never had no intention.
He set me up for a war with Luciano.
- That's pretty smart for a nigger.
- Yeah!
If Luciano wants a fuckin' war,
I'll splatter this fuckin' city
with his blood.
- I'm gonna take a piss.
- OK, Dutch.
What do you want?
I'm fuckin' busy here.
You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me!
They send you.
It's done.
Where's the money?
- Hello.
- I wanna tell you this myself.
Bumpy Johnson just made me
a very wealthy man.
He took care of the Dutch Schultz
problem, and he used you to do it.
Not that you would have occasion to,
but, if I were you, Lucky,
I'd never go to Harlem.
The Dutchman's dead.
- Did Thomas Dewey get his money?
- Yes.
- Cecil get his cut?
- Yes.
Looks like the Queen has the bank back.
- That's the way it's supposed to be.
- What you gonna do, Bumpy?
I got some unfinished business
to take care of. What about you?
I'm gonna get some sleep.
Thanks.
... how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch
Like me
I once was lost
But now I'm found
Was blind
But now I see