Two Family House (2000) Movie Script
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woman: I'm confessin'
that I love you
tell me,
do you love me, too?
I'm confessin'
that I need you
honest I do
need you every moment
in your eyes
i read such strange things
but your lips deny
they're true
will your answer
really change things
makin' me blue?
I'm afraid someday
you will leave me
sayin' can't
we still be friends?
If you go, you know
you will grieve me
all in life
on you depends
am I guessin'
that you love me?
Dreamin' dreams
of you in vain
well, I'm confessin'
that I love you
over again
narrator:
In the spring of 1956
on the borough
of staten island in New York,
buddy visalo
decided to buy a house.
Never try to walk
on the nails,
because that's where
the beams are.
It looks kinda
old, huh?
The place was built
in 1912.
The plumbing
is practically new.
I done it myself
a few years ago,
and upstairs,
you got
a completely
separate apartment.
$80 a month rent
it gets...
Enough to cover
a mortgage payment,
assuming
you qualify.
2 family. You could
quit the factory.
Yeah.
Now, here's the showpiece.
That's a 40-foot
double parlor, gentlemen.
Boy, to beat
the heatin' bill.
I guess you
could always
lower these
ceilings, huh?
She's the best buy
on staten island.
What do you think,
Mr. visalo?
I mean, you know,
there's a down payment.
You could quit
the factory, you know?
Rent to
the tenants upstairs?
Wouldn't have to work,
life of Riley.
No, no, no.
No tenants upstairs.
Estelle and i
live upstairs.
Downstairs...
What? What are you
gonna do?
"Buddy's tavern."
I have my own business.
Your own bar.
Yeah, I wouldn't
want that--
that big fuckin'
living room.
With a bar
and some tables,
10, 12 tables?
40, 50 customers?
I put
a guy in back.
You know, break down
a wall, and put in
some live
entertainment.
Live entertainment?
Oh, don't tell me who you get.
There's no tomorrow
when love is new
now, it's forever
when love is true
narrator: It might be worth
noting at this point
that in 1945, when buddy
was in the air force,
he performed at
a special services show
which was attended
by Arthur Godfrey,
then a popular
radio star.
There's no tomorrow
there's just tonight
narrator: Godfrey offered
buddy an audition
when he got back
to New York.
Buddy,
Arthur Godfrey
or no
Arthur Godfrey,
the girl waited
for you for 2 years.
You wanna
get married,
you gotta have
a serious job.
And her family found
the whole idea embarrassing,
not to mention
impractical.
This is Arthur Godfrey,
for god sakes.
How many breaks am I gonna
get like this again?
Do you wanna
marry me, buddy?
Oh, estelle, honey,
you know I wanna
marry you.
Then don't do this.
Narrator: Instead,
it was a twin bed
in a room in estelle's
parents' house
until the newlyweds
were ready
to move out on their own
and a job
in the machine shop
in the enzolocco
baked goods factory,
where buddy's talents
went largely unnoticed.
Meanwhile,
Godfrey took a chance
on an ex-naval cadet
named Julius larosa,
an overnight
singing sensation.
I don't wanna
hear it.
It could've been me.
Narrator: Even the much
publicized
firing of larosa
a year later
failed to dampen the fires
of buddy's resentment.
Buddy: Oh, that was
Julius larosa. We saw it.
Yeah, it was
right on the air.
You should have
seen his face.
That means that that could
have been you, see?
What did I tell you?
So what? Better to be
larosa without a job
than be visalo
at that fuckin' factory.
Narrator: It was a watershed
moment in this marriage.
Never again would
estelle stop buddy
from pursuing his dreams...
Dreams which were now
understandably
lower in scale than
they had previously been.
Car one to base.
Come in if there
are any calls.
Narrator: A series
of calamitous
beginning with the first
privately owned limo service
on staten island.
Buddy,
nobody's callin'.
Come on.
Come in and eat.
Come on, honey.
Had the slightest use for
in the little borough.
Narrator: Buddy's
house painting service
fell victim to the design
sensation of 1953.
We're gonna have
the whole house done.
They say we'll never
have to paint again.
Buddy: What,
even the bathrooms?
Woman: Oh, they're lovely.
Velvet. Wanna see?
Well, that's all right.
Hey, you know, I could
paint the outside.
Aluminum siding, comin'
next week. Want a drink?
Narrator: Finally,
perhaps inevitably,
a pizza delivery service.
Estelle: Oh, my god, buddy!
Be careful
it don't blow up.
Narrator: The restaurant
buddy had purchased
the oven from
when he went to complain
the following day.
Estelle:
Buddy, stop!
You're gonna
hurt yourself!
Ma, make him stop!
Make him stop!
Ma, make him stop!
There's just
tonight
buddy: Ladies
and gentlemen...
It's buddy visalo
of buddy's tavern
at 19 west street
in beautiful staten island.
Welcome to my bar.
Welcome to my home.
Welcome to my house
that I don't have
permission to buy.
How are ya?
How are ya?
Back again?
Your anniversary?
Good, well, I got
a little song for ya,
I'm gonna--
a little Jewel,
Jewel of a song for ya.
My place is your place.
Come to my place.
It's your place, too.
Hey.
Perry como
just started.
We got
a half-hour.
And I'll whisper
it's on it's way
Buddy! Buddy!
Shh, shh, shh,
oh, oh, oh,
shh, shh, shh,
oh, oh, oh,
shh, shh, shh,
oh, oh, oh.
Shh, shh.
10 years.
10 years
it is, estelle.
What?
Perry como.
Narrator:
Consultations were held
with each side's
closest advisors.
He wants to have
his own house,
run his
own business?
Let him get it out
of his system.
What if it doesn't?
But it will.
It's buddy.
Buddy here's thinkin'
of openin' up a bar
over on west street.
West street?
The Mick neighborhood?
What do you want with
servin' them micks?
They got no money.
They always
ask for credit,
and they never pay.
Estelle:
Don't you see?
Look, some guys,
they're destined
for success,
you know?
It's like they
could do no wrong,
like they were
pregnant with it.
Buddy, he's pregnant
with failure.
Oh, come on.
It was gonna interfere
with your business--
buddy, you could
have my business.
I got me a lot up
in orange, New Jersey,
and the first chance
i get, I'm goin'.
What the hell you
gonna do up there?
Chicken farm.
Chicken farm.
I got it all
figured out.
Chicken farm?
Yeah, you make money
on both ends.
And you make money
from the eggs.
How the fuck did you
come up with this?
Narrator: And ultimately,
as things always do,
it came down to legalities.
Could the house
be converted into a bar?
Yep, yep.
According to this, yep,
'cause you're
on the northwest border of town,
covered under the business
statute of 1877, see?
So, you don't
need the approval
of the bar and restaurant
commission,
'cause, oh,
those sons of bitches,
they can tie you up
forever.
Huh. Hey, that's
a great law.
Narrator: After the usual
visit from a relative
first, write it at
the contract of sale.
Aren't there
tenants
upstairs
in our bedroom,
if they don't
wanna leave?
Don't worry.
Don't worry.
Of serving them with
an eviction notice.
They got one week
to get out.
I know you want
to move in right away.
We'll move in
downstairs,
oh, so,
in other words,
narrator: And, after
the usual last argument...
I hate that house!
It's a slum!
It's our chance,
estelle.
Oh, please, to what?
Turn me into a barmaid?
Narrator:
Moving day arrives.
Hey, it's a nice street.
I'm gonna...
Listen, if it don't--
if it don't work out
for some reason, god forbid,
the bar don't work out,
we'll just rent
the downstairs out--
hey, hey, hey, come on!
Pick that up, will ya?
What do you think?
There's the bay window.
That's where
the sign's gonna go--
the neon sign,
"buddy's tavern,"
featuring buddy...
Oh, estelle.
I'm so sorry.
Don't worry about it.
We'll be in and out
in a month.
A little paint,
a little Polish,
estelle: I can't sleep
with all these boxes.
The people upstairs
move, all right?
A couple of days.
I'm in the luggage compartment
of a train.
What sense would it make
to unpack everything
just so we have to pack
it up again
when they move, huh?
Buddy.
On the green,
and their helmets
Hey!
Hey, yourself.
Would you mind
keepin' it down?
We're tryin'
to sleep here.
Go sleep in your own
house, you fat bastard.
This is
my own house.
I'm the new owner,
visalo.
Oh, you're visalo.
You--you're the one
that sent me this--
this--this
despicable letter
tellin' me
to get out.
That was my lawyer.
Your lawyer, was it?
Hey, hey, hey,
hey, viloonie,
you and your lawyer
come down here
and kiss my ass, eh?
He lives upstairs.
Good. He can stay.
Where are you goin'?
Home.
You are home.
Hey, what the hell?
Why, I aim to please.
You aim, too,
if you please.
We're
off to Dublin
That the awful truth
became apparent
to buddy visalo.
His dreams of the success
which he knew
would be so sweet
after years of failure
were once again
to be foiled.
Well, who are you?
I'm visalo.
We met last night,
don't you remember?
What if I don't?
Who are you?
I own the place.
The bastard that
sent me the notice.
Yeah, yeah.
Uh, listen,
I don't wanna make things
hard on you or anything,
but, uh, me
and the wife there,
we ain't lookin'
to be landlords.
No, no. The idea here
is for, uh, me and the wife
to keep the whole house
to ourselves.
Oh, that'd be nice,
wouldn't it? Big, too.
Yeah, well, actually,
what I'm lookin' to do
is turn the downstairs
into a bar,
and--and, uh,
we're gonna live up here.
A bar? Lovely idea.
Yeah, well, it's been
on my mind for a while now,
seeing as how the street's got
all these businesses on it--
will you be
servin' food?
Food? Yeah, I don't know,
maybe some sandwiches
or somethin'.
I didn't get
to the point yet.
The point is, I'm lookin'
for you to vacate.
I don't wanna make anything
too uncomfortable for you,
so it doesn't have
to be right this minute.
A couple of days will be fine.
Maybe even a week.
Aren't you the generous
soul, Mr. visalo?
I'm just tryin'
to be fair here.
Let me
tell you somethin'.
The fact that you
bought this firetrap
from that prick
mahoney
tells me, above all,
you're stupid,
and if you think you're
gonna come up here
you're even dumber
than you look.
Now, I got a wife in
there expectin' a kid,
so, in spite
of your stupidity,
I'm sure
you'll be able to see
that I'm
not exactly in the mood
to be thrown out
on the street
by some dimwit,
two-bit Italian
who fancies himself
a restaurateur.
Oh, hey, viloola.
I forgot--the rent.
I ain't got it.
Ain't had it for months,
and if you think that's gonna
be enough to throw me out,
you're sadly mistaken.
The New York renter's
association--
according to the New York
renter's association,
I've got another year
to live in my abode.
A whole year, visooli,
did you know that?
So, don't bother
comin' up here
knockin' on my door
lookin' for the rent,
because you won't get it.
Oh, my god. What's
goin' on, buddy?
Buddy,
what's goin' on?
Buddy, look at me.
Talk--
buddy! Buddy!
You're gonna
hurt yourself.
What are you doin'?
Uh-oh. "If said dwelling
has no more than due notice
"and one rental apartment
on premises,
"was originally built
before 1913,
and originally served
as a one-family dwelling..."
It is covered under
the rental law of 1921.
Well, how is that
possible?
Everyone lived
rent free?
"Only applies
to 2-family dwellings,
"converted from what
was originally intended
between the years
1919 and 1921," uh-huh.
Estelle: My uncle Louie
would have known better
to buy a house
and not ask
whether the tenants
had to stay or go.
My uncle Louie, buddy,
and he couldn't read or write.
Why don't we go
to uncle Louie's grave
and ask him
what to do, huh?
No, we gotta sell
this house fast, buddy.
Maybe uncle Louie
will buy it.
What the hell?
I'll take care
of this, baby.
Oh, my god.
This isn't happening.
Hey, what's
goin' on in there?
Hey, open up, will ya?
Op--what are you
doin' to her?
What are you doin' to her?
Open up the door!
What's the matter with you?
Hey! Hey! Hey!
Who are you?
I'm visalo,
the, uh, landlord.
I--i heard a noise.
Woman: What of it?
You broke my door down.
I could've
just called the cops.
What right
have you?
You broke
my door down.
He's here.
Our lovin' protector, Mary.
Well, you come to inspect
the fuckin' damage, visooli?
Hey, settle down, pal.
Oh, visooli, you know,
it's about your figure,
your girlish figure.
You reminded me
of somethin'.
I couldn't think what.
No, but now I know.
I know.
You're a sausage,
visooli.
Don't you know?
Don't you see
what I mean?
Short on the top,
short on the bottom,
and packed
in the middle
hey, hey, look,
i got news for you, pal.
You're movin'.
And I got news for you.
You smell like
a fuckin' garlic bread.
Jim, stop it.
Hey, hey, hey!
Hey, hey!
Oh, oh,
she's your type,
huh, visooli?
Oh, you want
a piece of her, do you?
Well, may it please
you to know
that this lady
belongs to me...
From here, down to here.
And all that's
in-between.
Unh! Oh!
I suppose you expect me
to thank you.
You know what?
You're as sick as he is.
You're even sicker.
You're both sick,
and you're both
movin' tomorrow!
Buddy: He would've killed her.
He would've, you know--
narrator: Naturally,
news of buddy's
drunken Irish tenant
and his ungrateful
pregnant wife
he can't evict them.
That's what he's sayin'.
It's about this law.
Buddy, you know
what they say?
The only thing worse
than a drunken Mick
is a drunken Mick with
a broken fuckin' nose.
Angelo is right.
We should just throw them out.
Well, it's what I told you.
The guy's got rights.
The guy in the housing office
with the bow tie, he said--
what about your rights
as a homeowner?
Throw the guy out.
It's your house.
Tomorrow mornin',
throw the guy out.
Throw the fucking
guy out!
What do you mean?
You mean physically?
What do you think,
magically?
You go down there
and you grab
his stupid
Irish Mick ass,
out of the block,
and that's it. Done.
Finito.
What? Are you gonna
be there?
No, I'll send you
by yourself.
We're all
gonna come there.
We're all coming.
I'm in. I'm in.
Narrator: The o'nearys
were to receive 3 warnings
in the space of 5 minutes.
If they didn't actively
begin moving
their possessions
then appropriate actions
would be taken,
said actions
remaining vague,
but without a doubt,
involving violence.
What are you doin'?
Whoa?
You gonna warn
'em or what?
Yeah, of course.
Um, I'm just thinkin'...
Or should I do it
from down here?
What's the difference?
What if the shoutin'
wakes up the neighbors?
Well, who the fuck cares?
Hey, it's my house,
all right, Danny?
Well, go fuckin'
talk to him.
What are we doin' here early
in the morning? Come on.
All right, all right.
I'm gonna--I'm gonna go--
I'm gonna go up there.
Wake the Mick up, huh?
Wake the guy up, huh?
Buddy!
All right, all right.
Stop shoutin', will ya?
Wake up in there.
It's visalo.
Hey, wake up.
It's moving day.
I ain't goin' away.
You're goin' away.
No, I ain't leavin'
youse alone, ok?
You're leavin' us alone.
Oh, shut up!
Let's give 'em
a couple minutes.
All right, ok, so, uh,
let's set our watches.
I got, uh,
10 minutes to 7:00.
I got 5 of.
Set it to mine.
My watch works.
So--so maybe you should
set it to ours.
Whose idea was this
to set our watches?
All right, enough
with the watches.
Jim! Jim, wake up!
Oh, god. Jim!
Wake up! Come on!
Ok. What? What the?
Wake up, come on.
Aah!
Wake up!
Jim, for god sakes,
wake up!
This is your second
warning, o'neary!
Let it be known
that you have received
2 of a possible 3 warnings!
Go the the window.
Why?
There's men outside.
Who?
Go to the window!
They're gonna
throw us out!
Visoolo.
If you and your band
of fat-ass dagos
wanna be responsible
for breakin' the law
and dispossessing me,
well, that's fine.
I'll see you in court.
How do you like
this guy?
He ain't takin'
no one to court.
You know how
expensive that is?
But if you wanna
be responsible
for harmin'
a pregnant woman
and an unborn child,
then you'll have
to harm me, too...
And that encounter
will surely prove fatal
to all of ya.
Aw, come on.
Gimme a break.
What about that,
huh?
He's bluffin'. I can
take him myself.
It's ok, Mary.
They was just bluffin' us.
It's happenin'.
Oh, Jesus, it's happenin'.
Oh, Jesus.
No, listen to me, please.
This is your second
warning, o'neary,
unless you already
come to your senses.
I need your help.
We have to have
a doctor now.
Yeah, fuck you.
What?
A doctor,
for Christ's sake.
She's havin'
the baby.
Yeah, bullshit.
Why don't you call the doctor?
Because you turned
my phone off.
Angelo: Did you turn
the phone off?
I don't know,
the other day, come on.
I swear to you,
we'll both be outta here,
but we need a doctor now!
I think,
uh, you know,
this is a little
different now
here, you know.
Maybe she is
havin' a baby.
Ok, look,
since technically
you have one warning
left, o'neary,
I'm gonna take
your word for it,
but don't try nothin'
funny, you hear?
Chip, go call the doctor.
Yeah. I think we'd better.
Could you imagine
if she had a baby?
Where's your phone?
Is the phone in here?
In the wall, chip.
Over here.
The wall. Thank you.
Here we go.
So, what's goin' on?
No, no, nothing, nothing.
Nothing's goin' on, it's--
uh, yeah. Hello, operator.
Uh, we need a doctor
over here right away.
A doctor? Oh, my god, chip.
Somebody got hurt.
Uh, yeah, we're at--
no. It's--it--
the woman upstairs.
She's--
she's havin' a baby
or somethin'.
She's havin' a baby?!
Oh, my god!
Uh, what? The address?
Uh, I think we're at--
hey, buddy.
She's havin' a baby?
Yeah, that's
what he says.
So, what the hell
are you guys
just standin'
here for?
Just--we're just
here makin' sure
he don't try
nothin' funny.
You're a bunch
of knuckleheads,
you know that?
Hello?
Hello?
Yeah, yeah, here!
Oh, my god,
she's having--
oh, my god. Hey,
you're gonna be ok,
all right?
I'm gonna help you.
It hurts!
Oh, my god!
Oh, my god.
I need you to get me
sheets, towels,
anything.
Listen, I've never
done this before,
but you're
gonna be ok. Hey!
Maybe I should
go up there, huh?
Yeah, maybe you should.
We'll stay down here,
you know,
in case he tries
somethin' funny.
Estelle: You gotta
sweat, baby.
What's your name?
What's your name,
honey?
Mary! Mary!
My god!
Oh, my god!
I have it, baby.
He's right here.
Just push.
Estelle: Bring him
to you, come on.
Just push.
I can't!
Just push one more time,
please!
You gotta push.
I know it hurts.
I know it hurts, Mary.
Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
Narrator: That's me.
Buddy: He's somethin',
isn't he?
Narrator: In the kitchen
of the home
in which I was born.
Estelle: He's beautiful.
Huh? You ready
to meet daddy? Huh?
He's, uh...
Aw, Jesus.
He's a little dirty,
i guess, huh?
He's not dirty, just--
just cuddle him some.
Narrator: You may detect
vaguely quizzical looks
on the faces of those
who were present...
That's because it was
immediately apparent
that, in spite
of having been born
of 2 white parents,
I seem to have been
made of darker material.
Hey.
Bring him to me.
Bring him to me!
What happened?
Hey, uh, look.
Go back to the bar, ok?
I'll meet ya there later.
Narrator: That
was the last time
anyone in
staten island
ever saw
Jim o'neary,
my mother's
husband.
He was arrested
for vagrancy
and vanished for good
shortly thereafter.
My mother recovered
from my birth
and later told me that
the only shocking thing
was that the inevitable
hadn't occurred to her
during the 8 1/2 months
of her pregnancy.
At least not
consciously.
The brief and, apparently,
satisfactory union
had never entered her mind
as a possible complication.
Or perhaps
it constituted
a sort of backup plan.
Her life with
her first husband
was one way
or another,
in need of some
drastic change.
He's got the nose,
the skin,
and everything.
The kid's
fuckin' colored?
Half, yeah.
You gotta be
kiddin' me.
You mean she really
fucked some coon?
Evidently. How else
does it happen, right?
Well, buddy,
i mean,
look at it
this way.
You're gonna
have your own
janitor
on the premise.
Kinda puts
a black spot
on the neighborhood,
don't it?
Kinda gives a new
meaning to the term
black Irish, you
know what I mean?
Let's have a couple
of drinks here
on the spook.
In your own
house, huh?
Gonna stay
in the house now?
Yeah, why not?
All right, sure.
Buddy. Buddy.
Estelle told me
what happened.
What are you
gonna do about it?
About what?
He doesn't even realize
what's goin' on.
What, I'm fine.
I ain't drunk.
All right,
what, what?
You know,
you think
you're
so smart, huh?
Big shot
homeowner.
You can run your
own business.
But yet you're
too stupid
to realize
when something
very, very
important
has happened
here.
What?
Buddy.
The baby
is colored.
So?
But it happened
under our roof.
Buddy, this thing
and her baby,
are still here.
Well, we gotta
get her out,
and we gotta
get her out now!
Honey, look,
she just had the kid.
All right, give her
a couple of days, ok?
I'll talk to her.
No. No, buddy.
Tomorrow,
or you know
where I'll be.
That's it, ok?
It's visalo.
Come in.
Ever seen
one before?
I'm sorry, ahem.
I, uh, I came
to tell ya--
you came to
tell me that
my husband's back,
quit the drink,
paid you
the back rent,
I think you know what
i came up here to tell ya.
All I ask you
for is a week,
just a week to rest
and make some kind
of arrangements.
A week?
I got a sister
in sheepshead bay.
She'll help.
We haven't spoken
for a while,
look, I think
you ought to know
that i--i--i--
if it's the money,
I'll pay you for it
as soon as I can.
Just a week.
That's all
i ask you.
It's gotta
be tomorrow.
Well, I couldn't
expect you to let me
stay here rent-free
to look after a child
that nobody in the world
could possibly want,
now, could I?
Come on, you gotta
admit, I mean,
it's a little odd, right?
What's so odd?!
I'm not askin'
for your pity.
I don't care what you
or anyone else thinks.
I got nothin'
to be ashamed of.
I'll do you
the courtesy
of gettin' out
of your house tomorrow.
Yeah, uh,
no hard feelin's, right?
God help you.
What's with
the green paint?
It's left over from
the, uh, you know,
the house
painting service.
I figured
i could use it
on the trim
inside the bar.
I don't see a bar
being done in green.
Unless maybe it's
got an Irish theme.
Bite your
fuckin' tongue.
Mornin'.
Mornin'.
Girl like that
fuckin' a mulignon.
What a shame.
I've left all
the furniture.
Sell it
if you wish.
Unless you
want it.
What would
i need with it?
Here, take this stuff
inside, will ya?
I'll be back
in a second.
All right.
No, forget the keys.
Just kick it.
Just kick it.
Hey.
You know where
you're goin'?
What does it
matter to you?
I'm just askin'.
Well, if you
must know,
I'm checking into
the dorralton hotel
until my sister can
arrange something.
The dorralton.
Jesus, you gotta
be careful.
I mean,
that's mostly...
Ladies of
the evening.
I beg your pardon.
Prostitutes.
That kind of thing.
I wasn't expecting
the Waldorf.
May I go now?
Look, I'm just
tryin' to be--
as always,
Mr. visalo.
Eh, crazy bitch.
Jeez.
Narrator:
On weekends,
everybody did
what they could
to help buddy
and estelle
make something
of their home.
Honey, get out
of the way.
What are
you doing?
Get out
of the way!
We're gonna
take this down.
Beautiful.
Leaded glass.
Look at that.
Hey, honey,
take a look at this.
Nice, estelle.
Gorgeous.
Beautiful.
Narrator:
During the weeks,
the grinding
daily routine
went on for
both the men...
Hey, thanks.
You know?
For what?
You're the only one
i know who does.
That's 'cause
you got balls.
Narrator: As well
as for the women.
Should I go
down the list?
The painting
business.
They were
pretty good ideas.
Narrator: And, gradually,
the odd set of events
disappeared into
the haze of folklore.
She said you should
have told the police.
'Cause what she did
was against the law.
What is?
Miscegenanton...
Or something.
It's that imbalance
that the Irish got.
And the Mick says,
"she's havin' a baby,
"havin' a baby."
A baby.
How much longer I gotta hear
this story, huh, ang?
Buddy, you
don't know it,
but you
made history.
It ain't never
gonna be forgotten.
Well, what the hell.
It wasn't my fault.
Nobody said it was.
Come on,
have another drink.
So, buddy comes back
downstairs, right?
And I go, "so, uh,
what was it,
and he says,
"neither. Pickaninny."
Pickaninny.
I never said that.
For the road that we've
been travelin' on
is, oh, so rough
the pace that
you've been settin's
gettin', oh, so tough
to say we
could continue
would be
such a bluff
so have another one,
not me
I'm lookin'
for somebody, uh,
her name's
o'neary. Mary.
Fourth floor.
Fourth floor.
Um, uh,
which room?
How the fuck
should I know?
Who is it?
It's visalo.
I was just passin' by,
and I was wonderin'
how you were doin'.
Not too good, huh?
My sister won't
take me in.
She couldn't explain
the whole thing
to her husband.
Ohh.
Maybe you ought
to consider, uh,
givin' it away.
Why are you here?
I don't know.
I don't know.
You know, they were
talkin' about you
down at the bar,
and, uh, I mean,
i wasn't sayin' anything,
but I started wonderin',
you know, how you doin'.
I give you something
to talk about, do I?
You and your
friends at the bar.
The people
at the market, too.
And then you
feel guilty,
and the next thing,
you're around here,
payin' a visit
and givin' me advice.
Why don't i
give him away?
Because maybe
i don't want to.
Look, I'm just
tryin' to help.
You don't care.
You think
I'm some slut,
some stupid girl with
her brain down here.
Hey, what the hell, Mary?!
And my name
is not Mary.
It's Mrs. o'neary
to you.
I'd never dream
of calling you
by your first name,
Mr. visalo.
If it's Mrs. o'neary,
where's Mr. o'neary, huh?
Where's your fuckin'
bum husband?
Get the fuck
outta here.
Narrator: But it remains
an undisputed fact
that every man has
at least one moment
of total selflessness
in this life.
Don't throw it away.
Me and Laura
goin' Saturday.
Don't worry, I won't.
Used to be
my grandmother's room.
She died
last year. 104.
$25 a month,
includin' the water.
Last guy I had used it,
uh, for emergencies.
You know what I mean?
Uh, yeah,
i think so, uh,
in fact, I'm kinda lookin'
to just do this quietly.
Hey, yeah, I was married
myself for years.
Uh, no, no,
it's not that.
It's uh--
it's somethin' else.
I--it's hard
to explain.
You don't have to
explain anything to me.
Deaf and dumb.
D and d.
That's me.
Yeah, all right, good.
Let's keep it
that way, then.
Otherwise,
I'll have to kill ya.
I won't have this.
Give me 38 bucks.
Jesus, for this dump?
Stop it.
Do you hear me?
Why are you
doin' this?
You'll pay me back.
Damn right I will.
I won't
take charity.
Does your conscience
bother you, is that it?
Because it needn't.
He pays for the water.
Are you doin' this to
try to make yourself
into a Saint,
is that it?
Christ.
I'm doin' it
because--
I don't know.
I'm just doin' it,
all right?
Can't you even
say thanks?
No, you can't.
That's nice.
In that case,
I'm not doin' it
for your thanks.
I'm just sorry--
I don't need
your pity.
You need a goddamn roof
over your head
till you figure
out what to do
with your goddamn self.
Look, don't get
it in your head
that I think what
you did is all right.
I think what
you did is sick.
You shouldn't be stayin'
in that hotel, that's all.
I take it
your wife doesn't know.
No, she don't know.
Thank you,
Mr. visalo.
Narrator: A letter from
the staten island bank
was addressed
to Mr. visalo
and urged his
immediate attention.
Though it was
his wife who decided
to take matters
into her own hands.
According to
my calculations,
you, uh,
your expenditures
are running about
2 1/2 times your income.
Against how much of our own
money we spend, is there?
Certainly not,
as long as
the collateral
this was merely
a courtesy on our part
however, if the rate
of spending continues,
you have only, perhaps,
a month and a half
before your savings
run out.
And then
we will have to talk.
That won't be necessary,
and could you do us a favor
and not send any more
of these letters?
My husband,
he works very hard.
He's under a lot
of pressure.
He don't need
this aggravation.
Really. Thank you.
You said a month
and a half, right?
She's a beauty!
Wait a minute.
Where are the singers?
Who needs 'em?
Papa loves mambo
mama loves mambo
papa does
great with it
swings like
a gate with it
he loses weight
with it now
he goes to
she goes fro
he goes fast
she goes slow
he goes left
and she goes right
papa lookin'
for mama
but mama is
nowhere in sight
Oh, hey, estelle,
that new console
that you guys got
can I ask
a personal-type question?
Where we gettin'
the money for all this?
You gotta admit,
you're spendin'
like there's
no tomorrow.
Yeah, so what's
the worst
that could happen?
How 'bout you lose
all your savings?
You couldn't open
up the bar then.
Aw, so?
Oh, estelle.
Well, you have
to rent it out
and maybe even--
sell the house?
Bingo.
She goes fro
he goes fast
she goes slow
he goes left
hmm, she goes right
papa lookin'
for mama
but mama is
nowhere in sight
papa loves mambo
buddy!
Hey, buddy!
This your idea
of havin' respect?
Huh? You're makin'
a fool of yourself
in front of the
whole neighborhood.
What is
with you, huh?
If I was makin'
thousands of dollars
doin' this,
you'd be proud of me.
That's exactly
my point.
The only reason
you should be
dancin' around
like a monkey
is if you're
gettin' paid for it.
What did
you call me?
Oh, dry up.
No, no, wait
a minute.
You called me
a monkey?!
Oh, come on,
i was just kidding.
What, in front of
all your friends
you call me
a monkey, huh?!
In front of
my friends,
you're actin'
like a monkey.
Yeah, well you know
what that means?
That means you
married a monkey.
A monkey or someone
who marries a monkey?!
Idiot.
We got a winner here.
Winner here.
Nice shot, pal.
What are ya
gonna have?
You know, what
do kids like?
Boy or girl?
Boy.
They like soldiers,
guns...All of that crap.
Junior, give
the man a gun.
Visalo. Uh, I brought
somethin' here.
A little gift.
I got this at
the amusement park.
Aah!
Hey, what the hell?
What--no, no, it's fake.
It's for the kid.
You brought that
for my baby?
Yeah, well, what--
what's the matter?
What are you up to?
Well, nothin', I just
figured I'd drop by
and bring you
a little gift.
Just like that.
Um, if you must know,
me and the wife,
we had a fight,
and, well,
it was nothin' big,
but I was just, uh,
wanderin' around,
so, that's why
you did this.
You wanted a little
place to come to
whenever you and your wife
were on the outs?
You're just like
all of them.
All you Italians.
You're all just
a race of pimps.
You'd prey on a dying nun
if it suited you.
God, don't say that.
Go away.
What's goin' on here?
What are you doin'?
Whatsa matter
with you, huh?
Fuckin' idiot, you're
a fuckin' pimp now?
You're a monkey.
You embarrass people.
Now, you're over here
with Jack--Jack itch.
Fuckin' Jack itch.
You bastard!
I'll leave
tomorrow.
I'll pay for
everything, I will!
I don't want
you to leave.
Don't you think
i know that?
No, that ain't why!
Why, then?!
I just want
to talk to someone.
What's the matter
with you?
I don't know.
Look, get up here
before some of
the neighbors see you.
Buddy: I get these
uniforms made up, right,
with, um, the name
of the business on them,
and i--i show them
to her
as soon as I get them,
and she says--
you know what she says?
She says,
"buddy, who are you
gonna sell these to
when it goes out
of business?"
You all right now?
I'm, uh--yeah, listen,
I'm real sorry.
I haven't done that
since I was a--
a little kid, you know.
Maybe even before that.
I've done a lot of it
myself lately.
Yeah, well,
you're a broad.
You're supposed to cry.
I'm sure things'll
get better for you.
You heard of
Julius larosa, right?
No.
Julius larosa,
that big singing star
on Godfrey's,
uh, TV show.
Used to be, anyway.
I've never had
a television.
No kidding.
Well, that could've
been me.
Yeah, that was
my big shot.
Godfrey saw me singing
when I was in the army,
and he said,
"when you get out,
you come and see me."
I told estelle.
She said no.
So you didn't do it?
I thought
Italian men did
whatever
they pleased.
Yeah, well,
ever since then
that's been
the way it goes, but--
you know, I never--
I never got
that kind of break
thrown my way again.
You know, so I figured
the least I could do
if I'm not
a big singing star
is I can be my own boss.
So, I tell estelle.
She says no.
I go ahead,
i do it anyway.
It don't work out.
It hasn't yet.
Uh, ahem. I'm gonna
leave you alone.
Um, I'm--
you sure
you're all right?
Yeah, yeah. Whew!
Of course, yeah.
I'm gonna fix that window
for you tomorrow.
I'd appreciate it.
And, uh, look,
I'm really sorry
that I brought
such a stupid gift.
Oh, well, they say
it's the thought
that counts.
Yeah.
And, uh, look,
I'm, um...
I'm not this way
all the time, you know.
I mean, um, crying
and talking and...
You know, I'm just
like anyone else
I'm afraid I don't
believe that, Mr. visalo.
6:00, nino's,
don't forget!
Ok! 6:00,
nino's.
We'll be there!
Chip: What am I gonna do?
What are we gonna do?
What? He don't open
for another hour.
He'll open up for us.
Come on, buddy.
You know what?
On second thought, chip,
I've got something
i gotta do. Errands.
Errands?
It's a beautiful day.
Let's go sit in a bar.
I gotta find
these nails.
They're
special nails.
I can't find them
anywhere.
No, that's all right.
I'll do it myself.
You know, you helped me
enough, chip.
Well, go get your nails
and come get hammered.
All right.
You know
where I'll be.
Yes, I do.
I'll see you later.
Ok.
Buddy: Mr. cicco
seen the kid?
You tell me, all right?
I'll take care of him.
We both appreciate it,
Mr. visalo.
Yeah.
So, has he got
a name?
There was
no birth certificate,
so there was
no need for a name.
Well, jeez, if he
doesn't have a name,
he's not a real
person legally.
The same with
a birth certificate.
They don't cost much
money, you know.
What does it matter?
Well, I mean,
you said
you didn't want
to give him away.
If that's the case,
then you ought to
make him a legal
person, that's all.
He's not getting a name
from me, Mr. visalo.
I have to let him go.
Wait a minute. You're
gonna get rid of him?
What difference does
it make to you?
Well, I don't know.
I mean, i--i thought
it was kind of brave
keeping him.
It showed
some balls.
Excuse me. I mean--
I don't know.
I was thinking
maybe you and me,
we kind of got
something in common
that way, you know.
That's all.
Are you making a pass
at me, Mr. visalo?
What?
Heh! You make me laugh.
No, no, I wasn't
making a pass at you.
If I was making
a pass at you,
you'd know I was
making a pass at you.
Don't flatter
yourself, huh?
I think you like
your meat
I think you should
probably leave.
Yeah, you know what?
I probably should.
I mean, who are you?
Miss morals of 1956?
What the hell?
Making
a pass at you.
Hey, let me tell
you something, ok?
I've been married
11 years.
You're the one who
done that, not me.
Christ!
Mr. visalo!
I'm not used to people
doing good by me.
Ah, skip it.
Look, uh,
look, you need
any money?
For food, I mean.
My sister sent me some.
That's plenty.
Mary: And 2 boxes
of...
Ron-zani?
What kind?
What kind you got?
Macaroni,
Linguini,
capellini,
fettuccine.
Yes, thank you.
Buddy: Hey, what
do you think, huh?
Buddy's tavern
or buddy's place?
Buddy's tavern?
Narrator:
That's the first time
I remember
seeing buddy.
How are you?
And a bottle of--
sh...Chi...
Shanty.
Chianti.
Thank you.
This is delicious.
I don't normally
eat so much.
Buddy:
Yeah, I noticed.
You gotta keep up
your strength.
Mmh.
I can't cook like you.
Actually, I'm not
a very good housewife.
Yeah, I noticed
that, too.
When I was up in
your house, I mean.
I don't know why
Jim married me.
Well, I mean I know why,
but he wasn't
satisfied for long.
Why'd you marry him?
He was a friend
of my father's.
When my father
was dying,
I asked him
what I could do
to make him happy.
He told me to marry Jim,
so I did.
I was 14.
14?
Is there anything else
you'd like to know?
Yeah.
My husband...
Had his own way
of diverting himself from me.
After a while,
i suppose I needed
a way for myself,
and I don't like
to drink.
Yeah, but why
with a...
Well,
whoever it was.
Is it really so hard
for you to understand?
Wanting something
for yourself and taking it?
I see spring
advancing
Do you know
this song?
Sing it for me.
Summer
and its madness
follows soon
but there'll
be sadness
for I'll still
be lonely
for you
and when
blue skies
turn steel gray
and Autumn
whispers on its way
golden harvest
on their way
for me
before the age of 3
are highly selective
and not to be trusted,
Saturday afternoon is
strangely fresh and exacting.
Winter will
so lightly
spread its
cloak of white
but nightly
I won't sleep
a wink
for if I do
dreams of you
will make me
lonely, too
and when
blue skies
turn steel gray
and Autumn whispers
on its way
golden harvests
on their way
for me won't have
a thing to say
winter will
so lightly
spread its cloak
of white
but nightly
I won't sleep a wink
for if I do
dreams of you will
make me lonely, too
Mr. visalo?
What?
I just want
you to know...
I didn't kiss you
'cause I expect
anything.
Yeah, well,
it takes 2 to tango, huh?
It's getting
dark out, huh?
Must be late.
Nino's at 6:00.
Jesus!
Hey, Mary!
Um, visalo?
You almost got
killed over that.
Excuse me. I'm gonna go
to the men's room.
I mean, I thought
i looked bad.
Buddy, come on!
Where the fuck
you been?
How long does it take
to get nails?
Hey, I was--whoa!
You've been drinking?
I'm fucking
tanked, man.
I was at Angelo's
all afternoon
waiting for you.
So, you've been
eating or something?
What? Oh, just a snack.
Look, where are
the girls?
They're in the back.
Come on, man.
Jesus.
Hey, hey!
Look what
the wind blew in?
Sorry
I'm late there.
Hello.
Hello. Hey.
All right.
I ordered you
the calamari.
I know how much
you love that.
All the goodies
that we got for you.
It was half off
on all the socks,
the underwear.
It was great.
Underwear?
Lucky me, huh?
Wait'll you see
the flannel jackets
we got you.
Flannel jackets?
Oh, nice, nice.
Who's that?
He works
at the bank.
Oh, yeah? What
are you doing
going
to the bank?
Why can't I go
to the bank?
Well, you got
no reason to go
to the bank.
You don't get
a paycheck.
Here, salute.
Salute.
I wouldn't want
to intrude.
Mr. brancaccio, this is
my husband buddy.
Hey, how are you?
I just wanted
to apologize again.
Don't mention it.
W-w-wait, what are
you talking about?
Nothing, honey.
Thank you.
No, no, you were right,
Mrs. visalo.
There's no law against
the amount of money
and it's really none
of our business.
Look,
we're eating here, ok?
What the hell,
huh, estelle?
I'll tell you later.
No, no,
you tell me now.
They sent a letter,
the bank.
They said we were
overspending
or something,
i don't know.
So, I was passing by
and went in,
and I told them to mind
their own business.
Ok?
The bank sent you
a letter?
To you.
I opened it by mistake.
So why didn't
you tell me?
Because I didn't want
you to worry.
Excuse me.
Come here, will you?
Mmph.
Uh, tell me
what's going on.
Buddy, what is
the big deal?
It's none of
his business.
Let him talk,
all right?
What's with this
letter stuff?
I only wanted
to help.
Our letter upset
your wife.
We try to keep an eye
on our first-time
homeowners.
Nothing.
Our spending is outdoing
our savings
or something.
I believe it was
by 2 1/2 times.
Wow.
No, no, that's
not ok, ok?
Why don't you
tell me that?
Just eat your dinner,
and we'll talk
about it later, ok?
Listen, I got
a right to know.
After all,
I'm a homeowner.
Oh, here we go.
The big shot homeowner.
Ok, so what did
she say to you?
Mind his business, that
you know what you're doing,
and that he
shouldn't worry, ok?
Yeah, damn right.
That's right.
Yeah, it's none
of your business.
I know
what I'm doing.
My apologies again.
All right.
Calm down.
Can I have
the cheese?
2 1/2 times!
How come you don't tell me
something like that?
Because you're
the big shot homeowner.
You ought to know.
And you know what?
If you don't,
it serves you right.
You don't know nothing
about owning a house
or running some bar, ok?
You know, buddy,
you don't just
do these things
because you feel
like it.
You gotta have
the brains for it.
Oh, ok, so what
are you saying?
I don't go no brains?
Buddy, I was just trying
to look out for you.
I was trying
to help you, buddy.
I bought a house,
right?
That's gotta take
some brains.
Narrator: The argument
was legendary, epic.
I am stupid, and
I'm embarrassing.
I'm ignoring you.
I'm eating.
I'm ignoring you.
Watch this.
Watch this.
I'm ignoring you.
What do you mean
you did it for us?
We're almost broke,
and you don't
tell me about it?
I didn't want to see
you fail again.
Narrator: It went on
far into the night,
encompassing virtually
every aspect
of the 11-year union
between buddy
and estelle visalo.
This is not
our house.
Why are you
making us do this?
Wasn't everything ok?
Don't you want to
better yourself?
I mean, don't you
want to do something
with your life?
Like what, buddy?
Like what?
Serving drinks
to a lot of bums, huh?
You want to turn me
into a barmaid?
Is that what
you want to do?
Jesus, estelle, we own
our own business.
We own our own home.
I mean, Jesus, estelle,
I mean, this is America.
Where you living?
This is the point.
Most women, they want
their husbands
you, you'd be happy
if we stayed back in--
back where
we belong, buddy,
not making fools
of ourselves,
not having everybody
laugh behind
our back.
By who? Who?
Your stupid friends?
My stupid friends?
Who the fuck cares, huh?
I got something
they ain't got.
It's a crime for me
not to use what I got.
What do you think
you got that's worth
throwing away
our futures on?
I've got talent!
I could be
somebody, baby!
I could run my own life
instead of
having to answer
to some creep bastard
who's got a sign
that says "supervisor"
on his desk.
Buddy, your ideas,
they don't work.
They haven't yet.
But this time, they will.
Why should they?
They never did before.
Because I'm gonna make
it work, no matter what!
Narrator:
"No matter what"
meant buddy needed
more money
to spend
at this present rate.
So you see, it's
just not possible
on the wage
that you earn
to make these
expenditures.
Yeah, but it's just
till the bar's set up.
Once it's open,
I'll be
in the dough.
Like with
the pizza store?
Brancaccio: At this rate,
it doesn't look like
you'll have
enough to finish.
Why don't we just
rent out the downstairs?
The bar's
half-built.
So, then we only have
half a bar to pull out.
Perhaps you could
postpone construction
on the bar.
Screw it.
I'll work
the night shift.
And when are
you gonna sleep?
When the bar's open.
Are we
done here?
Narrator: And so,
as the working men
looked forward
to the happiest part
a drink at the local bar
with their friends,
buddy prepared
to pay the price
for his future
independence.
Hey, one minute!
Come on, get that
drill in there
and joint it
to the semi.
You'll get used to it.
These day shift guys
start to look like suckers
waking up at dawn
every morning.
See, that's the best part.
We get to go
to sleep at dawn.
Dawn, yeah, yeah.
You shift the shift
into the sliding machine.
Make sure it's
a smooth flow,
and then turn it around,
then get it up,
and then bring
it down again,
but don't you breathe it,
because if you breathe it,
it's gonna get
in your lungs,
and then we're gonna
have to replace you,
not to mention the fire
when the gas gets in it.
Ok, give it the button.
Every minute,
set, set, you set.
Go! Go, go,
go, go, go! Yeah!
You know who's a grumbler?
My brother-in-law Pete.
He does not appreciate
a goddamn thing.
Look around you. How
beautiful this world is.
You know, I don't
remember the last time
I was awake
at 3:30 in the morning.
You know, I don't
remember when I wasn't.
Hey, how about
a couple...
I know a place
that stays open.
Rain check, huh?
Ok, catch you later.
See you tomorrow.
Hey, Mary?
You must be tired.
I gotta do
what it takes.
I figure she don't want me
to have my own bar,
that's fine with me.
She'll get used to it
eventually.
See, the trouble
with estelle is
she don't like failure.
But with her,
it's like a disease.
I don't want
to make you think
something bad about her.
She takes great care
of me and all.
You don't seem
like the kind of man
that needs
taking care of.
Yeah, well, this one
can't go in the tank
like all the others.
It won't.
We're all meant
for something particular.
This is what
you're meant for.
You think so, huh?
I know so, Mr. visalo.
Hmm.
I found an adoption agency
for the baby.
They said they don't mind
what he looks like.
I guess
they just must be
starting out
or something, huh?
It means I can stay
with my sister.
When?
A week.
Maybe with the money
you'll save
you won't have to
work so hard.
Yeah, I suppose
so, but--
it means I can try
and start over again
like nothing
ever happened.
Now, why you
gonna do that?
I mean, maybe you're
never gonna want
to tell anyone
what happened,
but you can
remember it,
just yourself.
No, I can't.
I guess it's a little
easier that way, huh?
A lot easier.
Well, in that case,
if you and me
were to spend
some time together,
you would just
forget about it anyway,
and you know me,
I'd never tell.
I mean, it would
be a lot easier,
just like you said.
Why--
why do you want me,
Mr. visalo?
'Cause I got
a feeling about you
I never felt before,
not even with my wife.
I mean, it's not
that I don't love her,
even though she pisses
me off all the time.
I don't know.
It's just this feeling.
I've been
a good husband 11 years.
I figure one week
wouldn't really matter.
I've been a bad girl
my whole life.
I don't suppose a week
would matter to me, either.
I'm confessin'
that I love you
tell me, do you
love me, too?
I'm confessin'
that I need you
honest I do
need you
every moment
in your eyes I read
such strange things
much our lips deny
they're true
will your answer
really change things...
How you doing?
You all right?
You gonna make it?
Ha ha ha!
Narrator: 8:00 to 6:00
at the factory...
I'm afraid some day
you will leave me
A half-hour
for dinner...
Sayin' "can't we
still be friends?"
Then the night shift
till 3 A.M.
If you go, you know
you will grieve me
all in life
on you depends
3 A.M. to 6 A.M.
Was spent every night
of that week
with my mother
Mary wiley o'neary,
a kept woman.
Dreaming dreams
of you in vain
well, I'm confessin'
that I love you
over again
woman: My Harry's been
on the night shift
for 2 years.
He still ain't used to it.
They say that ain't
healthy, you know.
That working
all night,
sleeping all day.
How about
sleeping 2 hours
and then going
back to work?
I swear to god,
if he don't quit,
I'm gonna make him.
It's bad
for his health.
It was worse
before the unions.
Then they made them
work 6:00 to 6:00.
My Harry used
to get home
just in time
for me to wake up,
get dressed,
and go to work.
Back when
i had to work.
I wouldn't let chip
work those hours.
Unless
he wanted to open up
his own bar, huh?
Well, what happened
after the unions?
Used to be
6:00 to 6:00,
now it's 6 P.M.
to 3 A.M.
That's why we voted
for impastado.
He made changes.
That was the first
time I ever voted.
You can't live on
those kind of hours.
That he husband was
simply not talented enough
enterprising enough
to be a businessman,
or intelligent enough
to be anything
but a factory worker.
She also never doubted
his fidelity,
his naive,
blundering honesty.
How was work?
Murder.
That there might be
the slightest hint of deception
in her husband.
At one point, she thought
of how disappointing it might be
if buddy were to simply
go to an all-night diner
and sit there until 6:00.
That would indicate
that he simply preferred
to be anywhere but with her.
And those tomatoes--
not these, the strange ones.
Sun-dried.
Ok.
Oh, and, uh, ricotta.
Ricotta secca.
You hurt yourself?
Oh, I'm fine.
This is a big bash,
though.
Don't worry about it.
Thank you.
You live here?
Upstairs.
How's the baby?
He's fine.
Well, I just came by
to see how you were doing.
Working
the night shift?
Eh, fuck 'em.
I'm going home.
Good for you.
Narrator:
He was lying, of course.
He was going to see my mother,
who was hoping--
praying that he would come by
early that night
just to explain
the presence of his wife
in this
strange neighborhood.
Mary, I have this great idea
for the bar.
Every week,
I'm gonna have a cookout,
and everybody's gonna bring
their own recipe,
and we'll do it
like a contest.
Your wife--
oh, she's gonna love it,
she's gonna have to do
all the cooking.
She came by.
She--she came by here?
She said she wanted
to see how I was doing.
She's standing there
with a bag of groceries
like the good
little housewife.
She was probably
gonna cook for him.
You mean the one
with the colored baby?
Estelle: Yes, the one
with the colored baby,
and he spent the night
with her, too.
Oh! It's the worst
i ever heard,
and my Harry slept
with some real skivates--
I don't even know
who he is anymore.
Are you gonna go back?
I already
packed my stuff
and moved back
to my mother's.
Good.
Good.
Besides, there's
hardly anything left.
Huh?
What do you mean?
I got
a little crazy, ok?
Oh, Jesus, estelle,
after all that work
that you guys did.
That's right.
After all that work
so that he could go
do the hokey-pokey
with some putan
who'd sleep with a nigger
and have a baby!
I mean,
am I that disgusting?
No!
No!
Shh. No.
No.
Look, listen, listen.
Men...
They got no sense
about this stuff.
Some of them, they'll
sleep with anything.
I mean it--
kids, animals--
just as long as they got
someone at home
who don't know about it.
Listen, you guys,
you can't say nothing.
Promise me,
teen, laur, please.
Please, you can't say
nothing to nobody.
I am so embarrassed.
Buddy: You heard, huh?
Down at the bar, yeah.
How'd they find out?
Estelle told the girls.
They told the guys.
You know, that's that.
Buddy:
I fucked up here, huh?
Just tell me you
want her back, right?
I mean, one time
in 11 years, what's that?
So, uh, why don't you
give her a call?
Now might be
a good time, you know?
Buddy: Yeah.
Yeah, I'm listening.
Narrator: Negotiations
were underway.
Until he'd gone to my mother
and renounced her.
That was the term
that was used...
"Renounce."
Renounce?
Well, what the hell
does that mean?
Narrator: Then she would
agree to see him,
but at a neutral location...
The skyline diner.
Hey, Mary!
Buddy: Like a hurricane
hit that house--
that's what
it looks like.
Oh, Christ.
Visalo rides again.
Christ.
I'll be leaving tomorrow,
so that should be the end
of your problems, really.
I'm supposed
to renounce you,
whatever that means.
It means to make
like it never existed.
Is that what that means?
Yeah, well, screw it.
I'll say that I did,
but I don't.
Thank you.
Kid likes
a good show, huh.
I suppose.
Well, um...
I guess since I'm
not gonna see you again,
I ought
to say something.
You don't have to.
I know I don't have to.
I want to.
I have to go back
to my wife.
Well, anyway,
this is
what I'm thinking.
When you had
this situation and all,
I had just done the hardest
thing I ever did.
Nobody believed in me--
nobody...
Except for my buddy chip,
you know,
but, uh, what's he got
to lose, right?
Anyway...
Something about you,
what you did--
I mean, everybody
was talking about it
but--but it made me think
"what the hell?"
"What the hell?"
You go on.
You know, things happen.
The thing you did
was right for you--
Mr. visalo,
I think
you should leave.
Hey, estelle.
Hi, buddy.
Why they gotta be here?
'Cause I want 'em here.
All right. All right.
Ok.
First off, you gotta
believe something, ok?
It's the only time
this ever happened.
I mean,
do you believe me?
Yeah, I believe you.
Ok.
Ok, now the other thing.
It was a big mistake.
Then why did you do it?
I don't know why.
Don't guess with me,
buddy.
You tell me why you would do
something like this to me.
I know...
It had something to do
with us.
With us?
You've been riding me
real hard about the house, huh?
I mean, even you got to admit
that at times, you make it
as though I'm trying
to ruin your life, you know?
So what are you saying,
buddy?
Are you saying
it's my fault?
Huh?! Is that
what you're saying?!
Are you saying
it's my fault?!
No. Look,
i didn't say that, ok?
Estelle, I'm just trying
to figure out myself
let me make it easy
for you. Ok, you did it
because you were feeling
like a big shot.
You did it
because you think
that you're somebody
you're not.
You did it for the same
reason that you've
done every other crazy
thing in your life,
because you think you're
somebody that you're not.
Look...
You're no don Juan,
so forget the singing,
forget that house,
and we're going back
to my mother's.
Buddy, I've been doing
some thinking, too.
About what?
Well, you know
how I really...
Never really liked--
I mean, I liked it ok,
maybe just
not as much...As you.
What?
Doing it.
What are you talking,
here?
Look, I've been thinking
about what you did,
ok, and how men are
different from women.
You know, and they
have different needs,
and, uh...
If you feel...
That you need
to go out and get it,
then, maybe it's ok...
I guess.
I mean, it's not like you're
going anywhere, right?
Wait, wait, now...So...
You're not mad with me...
About that?
Look, buddy,
if you wanted
to go fool around,
I would have
looked the other way.
I would have did that
for you.
But for you to fool around
with that putan...
That whore...
That nigger-lover--
look...
Just try and have better
taste next time, ok?
Buddy, what's wrong?
Buddy...
Talk to me.
What?
Buddy, what?
Of the people
he'd known all his life
as his jailers,
until that moment.
He's just perfect.
Mary: Thanks.
I...Really
hadn't planned--
oh, don't--
don't explain.
I mean,
we're not about that.
I know a couple
up in Woodstock
that would
just adore him. Yes.
They're professors
at some small college,
and they specified
they want a baby
Mary: I was married
when I had him.
Woman: Oh,
that's even better.
You know, we do this
thing once a month.
On race and sex"
down at the new school.
You'd fit in perfectly.
Mr. visalo.
Hey, how are you?
I was just--
yeah. Figured.
Um, listen,
could i--
could I talk to you
for a minute?
Well, we're almost done--
buddy: I mean now.
Before...
Could you excuse me?
Sure. Sure.
Outside.
My wife and I,
we were trying to make up,
and all of a sudden,
i realized that,
see, well, I never
really understood her...
What she wanted from me
or me from her,
I don't know, but, uh...
It wasn't her fault.
I hope everything
worked out.
Really?
Of course.
Well, no, don't say that.
Why would you say that?
I don't know.
I just assumed that's what
you wanted me to say.
I walked out.
Love of god.
Because of you.
Because I got
this feeling about you.
I don't think you know--
i--i know
it's a little strange,
but I think maybe
I'm in love with you.
You don't know what
you're doing, Mr. visalo.
I know I don't know
what I'm doing.
I've got to take care
of upstairs--
yeah, yeah. Um, where'd
you find that broad?
Social services.
Lose her.
Narrator:
She had not expected
to stay in staten island...
And certainly not
in the house where she'd spent
several very unhappy years
with her first husband...
And certainly not with me.
And the months
of working all day
and rebuilding
buddy's tavern at night
just in time for a festive
Christmas opening.
Look what the wind
blew in.
How you doing, ang?
Pretty good, you know.
Where you been?
Working on the bar.
I'm gonna open next week,
Christmas Eve.
Oh, no shit, huh?
You're quite
a showman, buddy.
You do things
in a big way, huh?
Yeah, I was thinking maybe
you guys want to come down,
you know, see the place.
I'm gonna sing.
Mary, she's gonna cook.
I'm staying open
Christmas Eve.
Oh, yeah? Well,
maybe after you close, huh?
Yeah, maybe.
You take care, ang.
Yeah, buddy.
See that guy?
He threw
his whole life away.
Narrator: It couldn't
have been any other way.
The very act of bringing
my mother and myself
into his home was blasphemy,
a rude rejection
of every value
that had ever been
instilled in buddy
by his friends,
his family.
Golden harvests
on their way
for me won't have
a thing to say
the winter
will so lightly
spread its cloak
of white but nightly
I won't sleep a wink
for if I do
dreams of you
will make me lonely, too
thank you.
Thank you.
Silent fuckin' night,
huh?
Things'll
get better.
Yeah. Sure they will.
And if they don't,
screw 'em.
This place open?
Yeah, it sure is.
Hey, you're
my first customer.
Well,
i don't have any money.
Can you imagine?
Then how you
supposed to get a drink?
I was over at Angelo's.
I couldn't pay.
He said
to come over here.
He said they serve anybody
at buddy's tavern.
Have a seat, my friend.
What'll you have?
St. James?
Love one.
Slow night.
We've only just opened.
There you go.
Narrator: There would be
many slow nights in the future.
I'm confessin'
that I love you...
Which my father buddy visalo
ran until his death in 1988
and which my mother...
Mary wiley visalo
ran until her death last year...
Buddy's tavern
of staten island,
of which I am the current
owner, manager, and barkeep.
Such strange things
but your lips
deny they're true
will your answer
really change things?
Making me blue
I'm afraid some day
you will leave me
saying can't we
still be friends?
If you go, you know
you will grieve me
all in life
on you depends
am I guessing
that you love me?
Dreamin' dreams
of you in vain
well, I'm confessin'
that I love you
over again
trimark home video
woman: I'm confessin'
that I love you
tell me,
do you love me, too?
I'm confessin'
that I need you
honest I do
need you every moment
in your eyes
i read such strange things
but your lips deny
they're true
will your answer
really change things
makin' me blue?
I'm afraid someday
you will leave me
sayin' can't
we still be friends?
If you go, you know
you will grieve me
all in life
on you depends
am I guessin'
that you love me?
Dreamin' dreams
of you in vain
well, I'm confessin'
that I love you
over again
narrator:
In the spring of 1956
on the borough
of staten island in New York,
buddy visalo
decided to buy a house.
Never try to walk
on the nails,
because that's where
the beams are.
It looks kinda
old, huh?
The place was built
in 1912.
The plumbing
is practically new.
I done it myself
a few years ago,
and upstairs,
you got
a completely
separate apartment.
$80 a month rent
it gets...
Enough to cover
a mortgage payment,
assuming
you qualify.
2 family. You could
quit the factory.
Yeah.
Now, here's the showpiece.
That's a 40-foot
double parlor, gentlemen.
Boy, to beat
the heatin' bill.
I guess you
could always
lower these
ceilings, huh?
She's the best buy
on staten island.
What do you think,
Mr. visalo?
I mean, you know,
there's a down payment.
You could quit
the factory, you know?
Rent to
the tenants upstairs?
Wouldn't have to work,
life of Riley.
No, no, no.
No tenants upstairs.
Estelle and i
live upstairs.
Downstairs...
What? What are you
gonna do?
"Buddy's tavern."
I have my own business.
Your own bar.
Yeah, I wouldn't
want that--
that big fuckin'
living room.
With a bar
and some tables,
10, 12 tables?
40, 50 customers?
I put
a guy in back.
You know, break down
a wall, and put in
some live
entertainment.
Live entertainment?
Oh, don't tell me who you get.
There's no tomorrow
when love is new
now, it's forever
when love is true
narrator: It might be worth
noting at this point
that in 1945, when buddy
was in the air force,
he performed at
a special services show
which was attended
by Arthur Godfrey,
then a popular
radio star.
There's no tomorrow
there's just tonight
narrator: Godfrey offered
buddy an audition
when he got back
to New York.
Buddy,
Arthur Godfrey
or no
Arthur Godfrey,
the girl waited
for you for 2 years.
You wanna
get married,
you gotta have
a serious job.
And her family found
the whole idea embarrassing,
not to mention
impractical.
This is Arthur Godfrey,
for god sakes.
How many breaks am I gonna
get like this again?
Do you wanna
marry me, buddy?
Oh, estelle, honey,
you know I wanna
marry you.
Then don't do this.
Narrator: Instead,
it was a twin bed
in a room in estelle's
parents' house
until the newlyweds
were ready
to move out on their own
and a job
in the machine shop
in the enzolocco
baked goods factory,
where buddy's talents
went largely unnoticed.
Meanwhile,
Godfrey took a chance
on an ex-naval cadet
named Julius larosa,
an overnight
singing sensation.
I don't wanna
hear it.
It could've been me.
Narrator: Even the much
publicized
firing of larosa
a year later
failed to dampen the fires
of buddy's resentment.
Buddy: Oh, that was
Julius larosa. We saw it.
Yeah, it was
right on the air.
You should have
seen his face.
That means that that could
have been you, see?
What did I tell you?
So what? Better to be
larosa without a job
than be visalo
at that fuckin' factory.
Narrator: It was a watershed
moment in this marriage.
Never again would
estelle stop buddy
from pursuing his dreams...
Dreams which were now
understandably
lower in scale than
they had previously been.
Car one to base.
Come in if there
are any calls.
Narrator: A series
of calamitous
beginning with the first
privately owned limo service
on staten island.
Buddy,
nobody's callin'.
Come on.
Come in and eat.
Come on, honey.
Had the slightest use for
in the little borough.
Narrator: Buddy's
house painting service
fell victim to the design
sensation of 1953.
We're gonna have
the whole house done.
They say we'll never
have to paint again.
Buddy: What,
even the bathrooms?
Woman: Oh, they're lovely.
Velvet. Wanna see?
Well, that's all right.
Hey, you know, I could
paint the outside.
Aluminum siding, comin'
next week. Want a drink?
Narrator: Finally,
perhaps inevitably,
a pizza delivery service.
Estelle: Oh, my god, buddy!
Be careful
it don't blow up.
Narrator: The restaurant
buddy had purchased
the oven from
when he went to complain
the following day.
Estelle:
Buddy, stop!
You're gonna
hurt yourself!
Ma, make him stop!
Make him stop!
Ma, make him stop!
There's just
tonight
buddy: Ladies
and gentlemen...
It's buddy visalo
of buddy's tavern
at 19 west street
in beautiful staten island.
Welcome to my bar.
Welcome to my home.
Welcome to my house
that I don't have
permission to buy.
How are ya?
How are ya?
Back again?
Your anniversary?
Good, well, I got
a little song for ya,
I'm gonna--
a little Jewel,
Jewel of a song for ya.
My place is your place.
Come to my place.
It's your place, too.
Hey.
Perry como
just started.
We got
a half-hour.
And I'll whisper
it's on it's way
Buddy! Buddy!
Shh, shh, shh,
oh, oh, oh,
shh, shh, shh,
oh, oh, oh,
shh, shh, shh,
oh, oh, oh.
Shh, shh.
10 years.
10 years
it is, estelle.
What?
Perry como.
Narrator:
Consultations were held
with each side's
closest advisors.
He wants to have
his own house,
run his
own business?
Let him get it out
of his system.
What if it doesn't?
But it will.
It's buddy.
Buddy here's thinkin'
of openin' up a bar
over on west street.
West street?
The Mick neighborhood?
What do you want with
servin' them micks?
They got no money.
They always
ask for credit,
and they never pay.
Estelle:
Don't you see?
Look, some guys,
they're destined
for success,
you know?
It's like they
could do no wrong,
like they were
pregnant with it.
Buddy, he's pregnant
with failure.
Oh, come on.
It was gonna interfere
with your business--
buddy, you could
have my business.
I got me a lot up
in orange, New Jersey,
and the first chance
i get, I'm goin'.
What the hell you
gonna do up there?
Chicken farm.
Chicken farm.
I got it all
figured out.
Chicken farm?
Yeah, you make money
on both ends.
And you make money
from the eggs.
How the fuck did you
come up with this?
Narrator: And ultimately,
as things always do,
it came down to legalities.
Could the house
be converted into a bar?
Yep, yep.
According to this, yep,
'cause you're
on the northwest border of town,
covered under the business
statute of 1877, see?
So, you don't
need the approval
of the bar and restaurant
commission,
'cause, oh,
those sons of bitches,
they can tie you up
forever.
Huh. Hey, that's
a great law.
Narrator: After the usual
visit from a relative
first, write it at
the contract of sale.
Aren't there
tenants
upstairs
in our bedroom,
if they don't
wanna leave?
Don't worry.
Don't worry.
Of serving them with
an eviction notice.
They got one week
to get out.
I know you want
to move in right away.
We'll move in
downstairs,
oh, so,
in other words,
narrator: And, after
the usual last argument...
I hate that house!
It's a slum!
It's our chance,
estelle.
Oh, please, to what?
Turn me into a barmaid?
Narrator:
Moving day arrives.
Hey, it's a nice street.
I'm gonna...
Listen, if it don't--
if it don't work out
for some reason, god forbid,
the bar don't work out,
we'll just rent
the downstairs out--
hey, hey, hey, come on!
Pick that up, will ya?
What do you think?
There's the bay window.
That's where
the sign's gonna go--
the neon sign,
"buddy's tavern,"
featuring buddy...
Oh, estelle.
I'm so sorry.
Don't worry about it.
We'll be in and out
in a month.
A little paint,
a little Polish,
estelle: I can't sleep
with all these boxes.
The people upstairs
move, all right?
A couple of days.
I'm in the luggage compartment
of a train.
What sense would it make
to unpack everything
just so we have to pack
it up again
when they move, huh?
Buddy.
On the green,
and their helmets
Hey!
Hey, yourself.
Would you mind
keepin' it down?
We're tryin'
to sleep here.
Go sleep in your own
house, you fat bastard.
This is
my own house.
I'm the new owner,
visalo.
Oh, you're visalo.
You--you're the one
that sent me this--
this--this
despicable letter
tellin' me
to get out.
That was my lawyer.
Your lawyer, was it?
Hey, hey, hey,
hey, viloonie,
you and your lawyer
come down here
and kiss my ass, eh?
He lives upstairs.
Good. He can stay.
Where are you goin'?
Home.
You are home.
Hey, what the hell?
Why, I aim to please.
You aim, too,
if you please.
We're
off to Dublin
That the awful truth
became apparent
to buddy visalo.
His dreams of the success
which he knew
would be so sweet
after years of failure
were once again
to be foiled.
Well, who are you?
I'm visalo.
We met last night,
don't you remember?
What if I don't?
Who are you?
I own the place.
The bastard that
sent me the notice.
Yeah, yeah.
Uh, listen,
I don't wanna make things
hard on you or anything,
but, uh, me
and the wife there,
we ain't lookin'
to be landlords.
No, no. The idea here
is for, uh, me and the wife
to keep the whole house
to ourselves.
Oh, that'd be nice,
wouldn't it? Big, too.
Yeah, well, actually,
what I'm lookin' to do
is turn the downstairs
into a bar,
and--and, uh,
we're gonna live up here.
A bar? Lovely idea.
Yeah, well, it's been
on my mind for a while now,
seeing as how the street's got
all these businesses on it--
will you be
servin' food?
Food? Yeah, I don't know,
maybe some sandwiches
or somethin'.
I didn't get
to the point yet.
The point is, I'm lookin'
for you to vacate.
I don't wanna make anything
too uncomfortable for you,
so it doesn't have
to be right this minute.
A couple of days will be fine.
Maybe even a week.
Aren't you the generous
soul, Mr. visalo?
I'm just tryin'
to be fair here.
Let me
tell you somethin'.
The fact that you
bought this firetrap
from that prick
mahoney
tells me, above all,
you're stupid,
and if you think you're
gonna come up here
you're even dumber
than you look.
Now, I got a wife in
there expectin' a kid,
so, in spite
of your stupidity,
I'm sure
you'll be able to see
that I'm
not exactly in the mood
to be thrown out
on the street
by some dimwit,
two-bit Italian
who fancies himself
a restaurateur.
Oh, hey, viloola.
I forgot--the rent.
I ain't got it.
Ain't had it for months,
and if you think that's gonna
be enough to throw me out,
you're sadly mistaken.
The New York renter's
association--
according to the New York
renter's association,
I've got another year
to live in my abode.
A whole year, visooli,
did you know that?
So, don't bother
comin' up here
knockin' on my door
lookin' for the rent,
because you won't get it.
Oh, my god. What's
goin' on, buddy?
Buddy,
what's goin' on?
Buddy, look at me.
Talk--
buddy! Buddy!
You're gonna
hurt yourself.
What are you doin'?
Uh-oh. "If said dwelling
has no more than due notice
"and one rental apartment
on premises,
"was originally built
before 1913,
and originally served
as a one-family dwelling..."
It is covered under
the rental law of 1921.
Well, how is that
possible?
Everyone lived
rent free?
"Only applies
to 2-family dwellings,
"converted from what
was originally intended
between the years
1919 and 1921," uh-huh.
Estelle: My uncle Louie
would have known better
to buy a house
and not ask
whether the tenants
had to stay or go.
My uncle Louie, buddy,
and he couldn't read or write.
Why don't we go
to uncle Louie's grave
and ask him
what to do, huh?
No, we gotta sell
this house fast, buddy.
Maybe uncle Louie
will buy it.
What the hell?
I'll take care
of this, baby.
Oh, my god.
This isn't happening.
Hey, what's
goin' on in there?
Hey, open up, will ya?
Op--what are you
doin' to her?
What are you doin' to her?
Open up the door!
What's the matter with you?
Hey! Hey! Hey!
Who are you?
I'm visalo,
the, uh, landlord.
I--i heard a noise.
Woman: What of it?
You broke my door down.
I could've
just called the cops.
What right
have you?
You broke
my door down.
He's here.
Our lovin' protector, Mary.
Well, you come to inspect
the fuckin' damage, visooli?
Hey, settle down, pal.
Oh, visooli, you know,
it's about your figure,
your girlish figure.
You reminded me
of somethin'.
I couldn't think what.
No, but now I know.
I know.
You're a sausage,
visooli.
Don't you know?
Don't you see
what I mean?
Short on the top,
short on the bottom,
and packed
in the middle
hey, hey, look,
i got news for you, pal.
You're movin'.
And I got news for you.
You smell like
a fuckin' garlic bread.
Jim, stop it.
Hey, hey, hey!
Hey, hey!
Oh, oh,
she's your type,
huh, visooli?
Oh, you want
a piece of her, do you?
Well, may it please
you to know
that this lady
belongs to me...
From here, down to here.
And all that's
in-between.
Unh! Oh!
I suppose you expect me
to thank you.
You know what?
You're as sick as he is.
You're even sicker.
You're both sick,
and you're both
movin' tomorrow!
Buddy: He would've killed her.
He would've, you know--
narrator: Naturally,
news of buddy's
drunken Irish tenant
and his ungrateful
pregnant wife
he can't evict them.
That's what he's sayin'.
It's about this law.
Buddy, you know
what they say?
The only thing worse
than a drunken Mick
is a drunken Mick with
a broken fuckin' nose.
Angelo is right.
We should just throw them out.
Well, it's what I told you.
The guy's got rights.
The guy in the housing office
with the bow tie, he said--
what about your rights
as a homeowner?
Throw the guy out.
It's your house.
Tomorrow mornin',
throw the guy out.
Throw the fucking
guy out!
What do you mean?
You mean physically?
What do you think,
magically?
You go down there
and you grab
his stupid
Irish Mick ass,
out of the block,
and that's it. Done.
Finito.
What? Are you gonna
be there?
No, I'll send you
by yourself.
We're all
gonna come there.
We're all coming.
I'm in. I'm in.
Narrator: The o'nearys
were to receive 3 warnings
in the space of 5 minutes.
If they didn't actively
begin moving
their possessions
then appropriate actions
would be taken,
said actions
remaining vague,
but without a doubt,
involving violence.
What are you doin'?
Whoa?
You gonna warn
'em or what?
Yeah, of course.
Um, I'm just thinkin'...
Or should I do it
from down here?
What's the difference?
What if the shoutin'
wakes up the neighbors?
Well, who the fuck cares?
Hey, it's my house,
all right, Danny?
Well, go fuckin'
talk to him.
What are we doin' here early
in the morning? Come on.
All right, all right.
I'm gonna--I'm gonna go--
I'm gonna go up there.
Wake the Mick up, huh?
Wake the guy up, huh?
Buddy!
All right, all right.
Stop shoutin', will ya?
Wake up in there.
It's visalo.
Hey, wake up.
It's moving day.
I ain't goin' away.
You're goin' away.
No, I ain't leavin'
youse alone, ok?
You're leavin' us alone.
Oh, shut up!
Let's give 'em
a couple minutes.
All right, ok, so, uh,
let's set our watches.
I got, uh,
10 minutes to 7:00.
I got 5 of.
Set it to mine.
My watch works.
So--so maybe you should
set it to ours.
Whose idea was this
to set our watches?
All right, enough
with the watches.
Jim! Jim, wake up!
Oh, god. Jim!
Wake up! Come on!
Ok. What? What the?
Wake up, come on.
Aah!
Wake up!
Jim, for god sakes,
wake up!
This is your second
warning, o'neary!
Let it be known
that you have received
2 of a possible 3 warnings!
Go the the window.
Why?
There's men outside.
Who?
Go to the window!
They're gonna
throw us out!
Visoolo.
If you and your band
of fat-ass dagos
wanna be responsible
for breakin' the law
and dispossessing me,
well, that's fine.
I'll see you in court.
How do you like
this guy?
He ain't takin'
no one to court.
You know how
expensive that is?
But if you wanna
be responsible
for harmin'
a pregnant woman
and an unborn child,
then you'll have
to harm me, too...
And that encounter
will surely prove fatal
to all of ya.
Aw, come on.
Gimme a break.
What about that,
huh?
He's bluffin'. I can
take him myself.
It's ok, Mary.
They was just bluffin' us.
It's happenin'.
Oh, Jesus, it's happenin'.
Oh, Jesus.
No, listen to me, please.
This is your second
warning, o'neary,
unless you already
come to your senses.
I need your help.
We have to have
a doctor now.
Yeah, fuck you.
What?
A doctor,
for Christ's sake.
She's havin'
the baby.
Yeah, bullshit.
Why don't you call the doctor?
Because you turned
my phone off.
Angelo: Did you turn
the phone off?
I don't know,
the other day, come on.
I swear to you,
we'll both be outta here,
but we need a doctor now!
I think,
uh, you know,
this is a little
different now
here, you know.
Maybe she is
havin' a baby.
Ok, look,
since technically
you have one warning
left, o'neary,
I'm gonna take
your word for it,
but don't try nothin'
funny, you hear?
Chip, go call the doctor.
Yeah. I think we'd better.
Could you imagine
if she had a baby?
Where's your phone?
Is the phone in here?
In the wall, chip.
Over here.
The wall. Thank you.
Here we go.
So, what's goin' on?
No, no, nothing, nothing.
Nothing's goin' on, it's--
uh, yeah. Hello, operator.
Uh, we need a doctor
over here right away.
A doctor? Oh, my god, chip.
Somebody got hurt.
Uh, yeah, we're at--
no. It's--it--
the woman upstairs.
She's--
she's havin' a baby
or somethin'.
She's havin' a baby?!
Oh, my god!
Uh, what? The address?
Uh, I think we're at--
hey, buddy.
She's havin' a baby?
Yeah, that's
what he says.
So, what the hell
are you guys
just standin'
here for?
Just--we're just
here makin' sure
he don't try
nothin' funny.
You're a bunch
of knuckleheads,
you know that?
Hello?
Hello?
Yeah, yeah, here!
Oh, my god,
she's having--
oh, my god. Hey,
you're gonna be ok,
all right?
I'm gonna help you.
It hurts!
Oh, my god!
Oh, my god.
I need you to get me
sheets, towels,
anything.
Listen, I've never
done this before,
but you're
gonna be ok. Hey!
Maybe I should
go up there, huh?
Yeah, maybe you should.
We'll stay down here,
you know,
in case he tries
somethin' funny.
Estelle: You gotta
sweat, baby.
What's your name?
What's your name,
honey?
Mary! Mary!
My god!
Oh, my god!
I have it, baby.
He's right here.
Just push.
Estelle: Bring him
to you, come on.
Just push.
I can't!
Just push one more time,
please!
You gotta push.
I know it hurts.
I know it hurts, Mary.
Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
Narrator: That's me.
Buddy: He's somethin',
isn't he?
Narrator: In the kitchen
of the home
in which I was born.
Estelle: He's beautiful.
Huh? You ready
to meet daddy? Huh?
He's, uh...
Aw, Jesus.
He's a little dirty,
i guess, huh?
He's not dirty, just--
just cuddle him some.
Narrator: You may detect
vaguely quizzical looks
on the faces of those
who were present...
That's because it was
immediately apparent
that, in spite
of having been born
of 2 white parents,
I seem to have been
made of darker material.
Hey.
Bring him to me.
Bring him to me!
What happened?
Hey, uh, look.
Go back to the bar, ok?
I'll meet ya there later.
Narrator: That
was the last time
anyone in
staten island
ever saw
Jim o'neary,
my mother's
husband.
He was arrested
for vagrancy
and vanished for good
shortly thereafter.
My mother recovered
from my birth
and later told me that
the only shocking thing
was that the inevitable
hadn't occurred to her
during the 8 1/2 months
of her pregnancy.
At least not
consciously.
The brief and, apparently,
satisfactory union
had never entered her mind
as a possible complication.
Or perhaps
it constituted
a sort of backup plan.
Her life with
her first husband
was one way
or another,
in need of some
drastic change.
He's got the nose,
the skin,
and everything.
The kid's
fuckin' colored?
Half, yeah.
You gotta be
kiddin' me.
You mean she really
fucked some coon?
Evidently. How else
does it happen, right?
Well, buddy,
i mean,
look at it
this way.
You're gonna
have your own
janitor
on the premise.
Kinda puts
a black spot
on the neighborhood,
don't it?
Kinda gives a new
meaning to the term
black Irish, you
know what I mean?
Let's have a couple
of drinks here
on the spook.
In your own
house, huh?
Gonna stay
in the house now?
Yeah, why not?
All right, sure.
Buddy. Buddy.
Estelle told me
what happened.
What are you
gonna do about it?
About what?
He doesn't even realize
what's goin' on.
What, I'm fine.
I ain't drunk.
All right,
what, what?
You know,
you think
you're
so smart, huh?
Big shot
homeowner.
You can run your
own business.
But yet you're
too stupid
to realize
when something
very, very
important
has happened
here.
What?
Buddy.
The baby
is colored.
So?
But it happened
under our roof.
Buddy, this thing
and her baby,
are still here.
Well, we gotta
get her out,
and we gotta
get her out now!
Honey, look,
she just had the kid.
All right, give her
a couple of days, ok?
I'll talk to her.
No. No, buddy.
Tomorrow,
or you know
where I'll be.
That's it, ok?
It's visalo.
Come in.
Ever seen
one before?
I'm sorry, ahem.
I, uh, I came
to tell ya--
you came to
tell me that
my husband's back,
quit the drink,
paid you
the back rent,
I think you know what
i came up here to tell ya.
All I ask you
for is a week,
just a week to rest
and make some kind
of arrangements.
A week?
I got a sister
in sheepshead bay.
She'll help.
We haven't spoken
for a while,
look, I think
you ought to know
that i--i--i--
if it's the money,
I'll pay you for it
as soon as I can.
Just a week.
That's all
i ask you.
It's gotta
be tomorrow.
Well, I couldn't
expect you to let me
stay here rent-free
to look after a child
that nobody in the world
could possibly want,
now, could I?
Come on, you gotta
admit, I mean,
it's a little odd, right?
What's so odd?!
I'm not askin'
for your pity.
I don't care what you
or anyone else thinks.
I got nothin'
to be ashamed of.
I'll do you
the courtesy
of gettin' out
of your house tomorrow.
Yeah, uh,
no hard feelin's, right?
God help you.
What's with
the green paint?
It's left over from
the, uh, you know,
the house
painting service.
I figured
i could use it
on the trim
inside the bar.
I don't see a bar
being done in green.
Unless maybe it's
got an Irish theme.
Bite your
fuckin' tongue.
Mornin'.
Mornin'.
Girl like that
fuckin' a mulignon.
What a shame.
I've left all
the furniture.
Sell it
if you wish.
Unless you
want it.
What would
i need with it?
Here, take this stuff
inside, will ya?
I'll be back
in a second.
All right.
No, forget the keys.
Just kick it.
Just kick it.
Hey.
You know where
you're goin'?
What does it
matter to you?
I'm just askin'.
Well, if you
must know,
I'm checking into
the dorralton hotel
until my sister can
arrange something.
The dorralton.
Jesus, you gotta
be careful.
I mean,
that's mostly...
Ladies of
the evening.
I beg your pardon.
Prostitutes.
That kind of thing.
I wasn't expecting
the Waldorf.
May I go now?
Look, I'm just
tryin' to be--
as always,
Mr. visalo.
Eh, crazy bitch.
Jeez.
Narrator:
On weekends,
everybody did
what they could
to help buddy
and estelle
make something
of their home.
Honey, get out
of the way.
What are
you doing?
Get out
of the way!
We're gonna
take this down.
Beautiful.
Leaded glass.
Look at that.
Hey, honey,
take a look at this.
Nice, estelle.
Gorgeous.
Beautiful.
Narrator:
During the weeks,
the grinding
daily routine
went on for
both the men...
Hey, thanks.
You know?
For what?
You're the only one
i know who does.
That's 'cause
you got balls.
Narrator: As well
as for the women.
Should I go
down the list?
The painting
business.
They were
pretty good ideas.
Narrator: And, gradually,
the odd set of events
disappeared into
the haze of folklore.
She said you should
have told the police.
'Cause what she did
was against the law.
What is?
Miscegenanton...
Or something.
It's that imbalance
that the Irish got.
And the Mick says,
"she's havin' a baby,
"havin' a baby."
A baby.
How much longer I gotta hear
this story, huh, ang?
Buddy, you
don't know it,
but you
made history.
It ain't never
gonna be forgotten.
Well, what the hell.
It wasn't my fault.
Nobody said it was.
Come on,
have another drink.
So, buddy comes back
downstairs, right?
And I go, "so, uh,
what was it,
and he says,
"neither. Pickaninny."
Pickaninny.
I never said that.
For the road that we've
been travelin' on
is, oh, so rough
the pace that
you've been settin's
gettin', oh, so tough
to say we
could continue
would be
such a bluff
so have another one,
not me
I'm lookin'
for somebody, uh,
her name's
o'neary. Mary.
Fourth floor.
Fourth floor.
Um, uh,
which room?
How the fuck
should I know?
Who is it?
It's visalo.
I was just passin' by,
and I was wonderin'
how you were doin'.
Not too good, huh?
My sister won't
take me in.
She couldn't explain
the whole thing
to her husband.
Ohh.
Maybe you ought
to consider, uh,
givin' it away.
Why are you here?
I don't know.
I don't know.
You know, they were
talkin' about you
down at the bar,
and, uh, I mean,
i wasn't sayin' anything,
but I started wonderin',
you know, how you doin'.
I give you something
to talk about, do I?
You and your
friends at the bar.
The people
at the market, too.
And then you
feel guilty,
and the next thing,
you're around here,
payin' a visit
and givin' me advice.
Why don't i
give him away?
Because maybe
i don't want to.
Look, I'm just
tryin' to help.
You don't care.
You think
I'm some slut,
some stupid girl with
her brain down here.
Hey, what the hell, Mary?!
And my name
is not Mary.
It's Mrs. o'neary
to you.
I'd never dream
of calling you
by your first name,
Mr. visalo.
If it's Mrs. o'neary,
where's Mr. o'neary, huh?
Where's your fuckin'
bum husband?
Get the fuck
outta here.
Narrator: But it remains
an undisputed fact
that every man has
at least one moment
of total selflessness
in this life.
Don't throw it away.
Me and Laura
goin' Saturday.
Don't worry, I won't.
Used to be
my grandmother's room.
She died
last year. 104.
$25 a month,
includin' the water.
Last guy I had used it,
uh, for emergencies.
You know what I mean?
Uh, yeah,
i think so, uh,
in fact, I'm kinda lookin'
to just do this quietly.
Hey, yeah, I was married
myself for years.
Uh, no, no,
it's not that.
It's uh--
it's somethin' else.
I--it's hard
to explain.
You don't have to
explain anything to me.
Deaf and dumb.
D and d.
That's me.
Yeah, all right, good.
Let's keep it
that way, then.
Otherwise,
I'll have to kill ya.
I won't have this.
Give me 38 bucks.
Jesus, for this dump?
Stop it.
Do you hear me?
Why are you
doin' this?
You'll pay me back.
Damn right I will.
I won't
take charity.
Does your conscience
bother you, is that it?
Because it needn't.
He pays for the water.
Are you doin' this to
try to make yourself
into a Saint,
is that it?
Christ.
I'm doin' it
because--
I don't know.
I'm just doin' it,
all right?
Can't you even
say thanks?
No, you can't.
That's nice.
In that case,
I'm not doin' it
for your thanks.
I'm just sorry--
I don't need
your pity.
You need a goddamn roof
over your head
till you figure
out what to do
with your goddamn self.
Look, don't get
it in your head
that I think what
you did is all right.
I think what
you did is sick.
You shouldn't be stayin'
in that hotel, that's all.
I take it
your wife doesn't know.
No, she don't know.
Thank you,
Mr. visalo.
Narrator: A letter from
the staten island bank
was addressed
to Mr. visalo
and urged his
immediate attention.
Though it was
his wife who decided
to take matters
into her own hands.
According to
my calculations,
you, uh,
your expenditures
are running about
2 1/2 times your income.
Against how much of our own
money we spend, is there?
Certainly not,
as long as
the collateral
this was merely
a courtesy on our part
however, if the rate
of spending continues,
you have only, perhaps,
a month and a half
before your savings
run out.
And then
we will have to talk.
That won't be necessary,
and could you do us a favor
and not send any more
of these letters?
My husband,
he works very hard.
He's under a lot
of pressure.
He don't need
this aggravation.
Really. Thank you.
You said a month
and a half, right?
She's a beauty!
Wait a minute.
Where are the singers?
Who needs 'em?
Papa loves mambo
mama loves mambo
papa does
great with it
swings like
a gate with it
he loses weight
with it now
he goes to
she goes fro
he goes fast
she goes slow
he goes left
and she goes right
papa lookin'
for mama
but mama is
nowhere in sight
Oh, hey, estelle,
that new console
that you guys got
can I ask
a personal-type question?
Where we gettin'
the money for all this?
You gotta admit,
you're spendin'
like there's
no tomorrow.
Yeah, so what's
the worst
that could happen?
How 'bout you lose
all your savings?
You couldn't open
up the bar then.
Aw, so?
Oh, estelle.
Well, you have
to rent it out
and maybe even--
sell the house?
Bingo.
She goes fro
he goes fast
she goes slow
he goes left
hmm, she goes right
papa lookin'
for mama
but mama is
nowhere in sight
papa loves mambo
buddy!
Hey, buddy!
This your idea
of havin' respect?
Huh? You're makin'
a fool of yourself
in front of the
whole neighborhood.
What is
with you, huh?
If I was makin'
thousands of dollars
doin' this,
you'd be proud of me.
That's exactly
my point.
The only reason
you should be
dancin' around
like a monkey
is if you're
gettin' paid for it.
What did
you call me?
Oh, dry up.
No, no, wait
a minute.
You called me
a monkey?!
Oh, come on,
i was just kidding.
What, in front of
all your friends
you call me
a monkey, huh?!
In front of
my friends,
you're actin'
like a monkey.
Yeah, well you know
what that means?
That means you
married a monkey.
A monkey or someone
who marries a monkey?!
Idiot.
We got a winner here.
Winner here.
Nice shot, pal.
What are ya
gonna have?
You know, what
do kids like?
Boy or girl?
Boy.
They like soldiers,
guns...All of that crap.
Junior, give
the man a gun.
Visalo. Uh, I brought
somethin' here.
A little gift.
I got this at
the amusement park.
Aah!
Hey, what the hell?
What--no, no, it's fake.
It's for the kid.
You brought that
for my baby?
Yeah, well, what--
what's the matter?
What are you up to?
Well, nothin', I just
figured I'd drop by
and bring you
a little gift.
Just like that.
Um, if you must know,
me and the wife,
we had a fight,
and, well,
it was nothin' big,
but I was just, uh,
wanderin' around,
so, that's why
you did this.
You wanted a little
place to come to
whenever you and your wife
were on the outs?
You're just like
all of them.
All you Italians.
You're all just
a race of pimps.
You'd prey on a dying nun
if it suited you.
God, don't say that.
Go away.
What's goin' on here?
What are you doin'?
Whatsa matter
with you, huh?
Fuckin' idiot, you're
a fuckin' pimp now?
You're a monkey.
You embarrass people.
Now, you're over here
with Jack--Jack itch.
Fuckin' Jack itch.
You bastard!
I'll leave
tomorrow.
I'll pay for
everything, I will!
I don't want
you to leave.
Don't you think
i know that?
No, that ain't why!
Why, then?!
I just want
to talk to someone.
What's the matter
with you?
I don't know.
Look, get up here
before some of
the neighbors see you.
Buddy: I get these
uniforms made up, right,
with, um, the name
of the business on them,
and i--i show them
to her
as soon as I get them,
and she says--
you know what she says?
She says,
"buddy, who are you
gonna sell these to
when it goes out
of business?"
You all right now?
I'm, uh--yeah, listen,
I'm real sorry.
I haven't done that
since I was a--
a little kid, you know.
Maybe even before that.
I've done a lot of it
myself lately.
Yeah, well,
you're a broad.
You're supposed to cry.
I'm sure things'll
get better for you.
You heard of
Julius larosa, right?
No.
Julius larosa,
that big singing star
on Godfrey's,
uh, TV show.
Used to be, anyway.
I've never had
a television.
No kidding.
Well, that could've
been me.
Yeah, that was
my big shot.
Godfrey saw me singing
when I was in the army,
and he said,
"when you get out,
you come and see me."
I told estelle.
She said no.
So you didn't do it?
I thought
Italian men did
whatever
they pleased.
Yeah, well,
ever since then
that's been
the way it goes, but--
you know, I never--
I never got
that kind of break
thrown my way again.
You know, so I figured
the least I could do
if I'm not
a big singing star
is I can be my own boss.
So, I tell estelle.
She says no.
I go ahead,
i do it anyway.
It don't work out.
It hasn't yet.
Uh, ahem. I'm gonna
leave you alone.
Um, I'm--
you sure
you're all right?
Yeah, yeah. Whew!
Of course, yeah.
I'm gonna fix that window
for you tomorrow.
I'd appreciate it.
And, uh, look,
I'm really sorry
that I brought
such a stupid gift.
Oh, well, they say
it's the thought
that counts.
Yeah.
And, uh, look,
I'm, um...
I'm not this way
all the time, you know.
I mean, um, crying
and talking and...
You know, I'm just
like anyone else
I'm afraid I don't
believe that, Mr. visalo.
6:00, nino's,
don't forget!
Ok! 6:00,
nino's.
We'll be there!
Chip: What am I gonna do?
What are we gonna do?
What? He don't open
for another hour.
He'll open up for us.
Come on, buddy.
You know what?
On second thought, chip,
I've got something
i gotta do. Errands.
Errands?
It's a beautiful day.
Let's go sit in a bar.
I gotta find
these nails.
They're
special nails.
I can't find them
anywhere.
No, that's all right.
I'll do it myself.
You know, you helped me
enough, chip.
Well, go get your nails
and come get hammered.
All right.
You know
where I'll be.
Yes, I do.
I'll see you later.
Ok.
Buddy: Mr. cicco
seen the kid?
You tell me, all right?
I'll take care of him.
We both appreciate it,
Mr. visalo.
Yeah.
So, has he got
a name?
There was
no birth certificate,
so there was
no need for a name.
Well, jeez, if he
doesn't have a name,
he's not a real
person legally.
The same with
a birth certificate.
They don't cost much
money, you know.
What does it matter?
Well, I mean,
you said
you didn't want
to give him away.
If that's the case,
then you ought to
make him a legal
person, that's all.
He's not getting a name
from me, Mr. visalo.
I have to let him go.
Wait a minute. You're
gonna get rid of him?
What difference does
it make to you?
Well, I don't know.
I mean, i--i thought
it was kind of brave
keeping him.
It showed
some balls.
Excuse me. I mean--
I don't know.
I was thinking
maybe you and me,
we kind of got
something in common
that way, you know.
That's all.
Are you making a pass
at me, Mr. visalo?
What?
Heh! You make me laugh.
No, no, I wasn't
making a pass at you.
If I was making
a pass at you,
you'd know I was
making a pass at you.
Don't flatter
yourself, huh?
I think you like
your meat
I think you should
probably leave.
Yeah, you know what?
I probably should.
I mean, who are you?
Miss morals of 1956?
What the hell?
Making
a pass at you.
Hey, let me tell
you something, ok?
I've been married
11 years.
You're the one who
done that, not me.
Christ!
Mr. visalo!
I'm not used to people
doing good by me.
Ah, skip it.
Look, uh,
look, you need
any money?
For food, I mean.
My sister sent me some.
That's plenty.
Mary: And 2 boxes
of...
Ron-zani?
What kind?
What kind you got?
Macaroni,
Linguini,
capellini,
fettuccine.
Yes, thank you.
Buddy: Hey, what
do you think, huh?
Buddy's tavern
or buddy's place?
Buddy's tavern?
Narrator:
That's the first time
I remember
seeing buddy.
How are you?
And a bottle of--
sh...Chi...
Shanty.
Chianti.
Thank you.
This is delicious.
I don't normally
eat so much.
Buddy:
Yeah, I noticed.
You gotta keep up
your strength.
Mmh.
I can't cook like you.
Actually, I'm not
a very good housewife.
Yeah, I noticed
that, too.
When I was up in
your house, I mean.
I don't know why
Jim married me.
Well, I mean I know why,
but he wasn't
satisfied for long.
Why'd you marry him?
He was a friend
of my father's.
When my father
was dying,
I asked him
what I could do
to make him happy.
He told me to marry Jim,
so I did.
I was 14.
14?
Is there anything else
you'd like to know?
Yeah.
My husband...
Had his own way
of diverting himself from me.
After a while,
i suppose I needed
a way for myself,
and I don't like
to drink.
Yeah, but why
with a...
Well,
whoever it was.
Is it really so hard
for you to understand?
Wanting something
for yourself and taking it?
I see spring
advancing
Do you know
this song?
Sing it for me.
Summer
and its madness
follows soon
but there'll
be sadness
for I'll still
be lonely
for you
and when
blue skies
turn steel gray
and Autumn
whispers on its way
golden harvest
on their way
for me
before the age of 3
are highly selective
and not to be trusted,
Saturday afternoon is
strangely fresh and exacting.
Winter will
so lightly
spread its
cloak of white
but nightly
I won't sleep
a wink
for if I do
dreams of you
will make me
lonely, too
and when
blue skies
turn steel gray
and Autumn whispers
on its way
golden harvests
on their way
for me won't have
a thing to say
winter will
so lightly
spread its cloak
of white
but nightly
I won't sleep a wink
for if I do
dreams of you will
make me lonely, too
Mr. visalo?
What?
I just want
you to know...
I didn't kiss you
'cause I expect
anything.
Yeah, well,
it takes 2 to tango, huh?
It's getting
dark out, huh?
Must be late.
Nino's at 6:00.
Jesus!
Hey, Mary!
Um, visalo?
You almost got
killed over that.
Excuse me. I'm gonna go
to the men's room.
I mean, I thought
i looked bad.
Buddy, come on!
Where the fuck
you been?
How long does it take
to get nails?
Hey, I was--whoa!
You've been drinking?
I'm fucking
tanked, man.
I was at Angelo's
all afternoon
waiting for you.
So, you've been
eating or something?
What? Oh, just a snack.
Look, where are
the girls?
They're in the back.
Come on, man.
Jesus.
Hey, hey!
Look what
the wind blew in?
Sorry
I'm late there.
Hello.
Hello. Hey.
All right.
I ordered you
the calamari.
I know how much
you love that.
All the goodies
that we got for you.
It was half off
on all the socks,
the underwear.
It was great.
Underwear?
Lucky me, huh?
Wait'll you see
the flannel jackets
we got you.
Flannel jackets?
Oh, nice, nice.
Who's that?
He works
at the bank.
Oh, yeah? What
are you doing
going
to the bank?
Why can't I go
to the bank?
Well, you got
no reason to go
to the bank.
You don't get
a paycheck.
Here, salute.
Salute.
I wouldn't want
to intrude.
Mr. brancaccio, this is
my husband buddy.
Hey, how are you?
I just wanted
to apologize again.
Don't mention it.
W-w-wait, what are
you talking about?
Nothing, honey.
Thank you.
No, no, you were right,
Mrs. visalo.
There's no law against
the amount of money
and it's really none
of our business.
Look,
we're eating here, ok?
What the hell,
huh, estelle?
I'll tell you later.
No, no,
you tell me now.
They sent a letter,
the bank.
They said we were
overspending
or something,
i don't know.
So, I was passing by
and went in,
and I told them to mind
their own business.
Ok?
The bank sent you
a letter?
To you.
I opened it by mistake.
So why didn't
you tell me?
Because I didn't want
you to worry.
Excuse me.
Come here, will you?
Mmph.
Uh, tell me
what's going on.
Buddy, what is
the big deal?
It's none of
his business.
Let him talk,
all right?
What's with this
letter stuff?
I only wanted
to help.
Our letter upset
your wife.
We try to keep an eye
on our first-time
homeowners.
Nothing.
Our spending is outdoing
our savings
or something.
I believe it was
by 2 1/2 times.
Wow.
No, no, that's
not ok, ok?
Why don't you
tell me that?
Just eat your dinner,
and we'll talk
about it later, ok?
Listen, I got
a right to know.
After all,
I'm a homeowner.
Oh, here we go.
The big shot homeowner.
Ok, so what did
she say to you?
Mind his business, that
you know what you're doing,
and that he
shouldn't worry, ok?
Yeah, damn right.
That's right.
Yeah, it's none
of your business.
I know
what I'm doing.
My apologies again.
All right.
Calm down.
Can I have
the cheese?
2 1/2 times!
How come you don't tell me
something like that?
Because you're
the big shot homeowner.
You ought to know.
And you know what?
If you don't,
it serves you right.
You don't know nothing
about owning a house
or running some bar, ok?
You know, buddy,
you don't just
do these things
because you feel
like it.
You gotta have
the brains for it.
Oh, ok, so what
are you saying?
I don't go no brains?
Buddy, I was just trying
to look out for you.
I was trying
to help you, buddy.
I bought a house,
right?
That's gotta take
some brains.
Narrator: The argument
was legendary, epic.
I am stupid, and
I'm embarrassing.
I'm ignoring you.
I'm eating.
I'm ignoring you.
Watch this.
Watch this.
I'm ignoring you.
What do you mean
you did it for us?
We're almost broke,
and you don't
tell me about it?
I didn't want to see
you fail again.
Narrator: It went on
far into the night,
encompassing virtually
every aspect
of the 11-year union
between buddy
and estelle visalo.
This is not
our house.
Why are you
making us do this?
Wasn't everything ok?
Don't you want to
better yourself?
I mean, don't you
want to do something
with your life?
Like what, buddy?
Like what?
Serving drinks
to a lot of bums, huh?
You want to turn me
into a barmaid?
Is that what
you want to do?
Jesus, estelle, we own
our own business.
We own our own home.
I mean, Jesus, estelle,
I mean, this is America.
Where you living?
This is the point.
Most women, they want
their husbands
you, you'd be happy
if we stayed back in--
back where
we belong, buddy,
not making fools
of ourselves,
not having everybody
laugh behind
our back.
By who? Who?
Your stupid friends?
My stupid friends?
Who the fuck cares, huh?
I got something
they ain't got.
It's a crime for me
not to use what I got.
What do you think
you got that's worth
throwing away
our futures on?
I've got talent!
I could be
somebody, baby!
I could run my own life
instead of
having to answer
to some creep bastard
who's got a sign
that says "supervisor"
on his desk.
Buddy, your ideas,
they don't work.
They haven't yet.
But this time, they will.
Why should they?
They never did before.
Because I'm gonna make
it work, no matter what!
Narrator:
"No matter what"
meant buddy needed
more money
to spend
at this present rate.
So you see, it's
just not possible
on the wage
that you earn
to make these
expenditures.
Yeah, but it's just
till the bar's set up.
Once it's open,
I'll be
in the dough.
Like with
the pizza store?
Brancaccio: At this rate,
it doesn't look like
you'll have
enough to finish.
Why don't we just
rent out the downstairs?
The bar's
half-built.
So, then we only have
half a bar to pull out.
Perhaps you could
postpone construction
on the bar.
Screw it.
I'll work
the night shift.
And when are
you gonna sleep?
When the bar's open.
Are we
done here?
Narrator: And so,
as the working men
looked forward
to the happiest part
a drink at the local bar
with their friends,
buddy prepared
to pay the price
for his future
independence.
Hey, one minute!
Come on, get that
drill in there
and joint it
to the semi.
You'll get used to it.
These day shift guys
start to look like suckers
waking up at dawn
every morning.
See, that's the best part.
We get to go
to sleep at dawn.
Dawn, yeah, yeah.
You shift the shift
into the sliding machine.
Make sure it's
a smooth flow,
and then turn it around,
then get it up,
and then bring
it down again,
but don't you breathe it,
because if you breathe it,
it's gonna get
in your lungs,
and then we're gonna
have to replace you,
not to mention the fire
when the gas gets in it.
Ok, give it the button.
Every minute,
set, set, you set.
Go! Go, go,
go, go, go! Yeah!
You know who's a grumbler?
My brother-in-law Pete.
He does not appreciate
a goddamn thing.
Look around you. How
beautiful this world is.
You know, I don't
remember the last time
I was awake
at 3:30 in the morning.
You know, I don't
remember when I wasn't.
Hey, how about
a couple...
I know a place
that stays open.
Rain check, huh?
Ok, catch you later.
See you tomorrow.
Hey, Mary?
You must be tired.
I gotta do
what it takes.
I figure she don't want me
to have my own bar,
that's fine with me.
She'll get used to it
eventually.
See, the trouble
with estelle is
she don't like failure.
But with her,
it's like a disease.
I don't want
to make you think
something bad about her.
She takes great care
of me and all.
You don't seem
like the kind of man
that needs
taking care of.
Yeah, well, this one
can't go in the tank
like all the others.
It won't.
We're all meant
for something particular.
This is what
you're meant for.
You think so, huh?
I know so, Mr. visalo.
Hmm.
I found an adoption agency
for the baby.
They said they don't mind
what he looks like.
I guess
they just must be
starting out
or something, huh?
It means I can stay
with my sister.
When?
A week.
Maybe with the money
you'll save
you won't have to
work so hard.
Yeah, I suppose
so, but--
it means I can try
and start over again
like nothing
ever happened.
Now, why you
gonna do that?
I mean, maybe you're
never gonna want
to tell anyone
what happened,
but you can
remember it,
just yourself.
No, I can't.
I guess it's a little
easier that way, huh?
A lot easier.
Well, in that case,
if you and me
were to spend
some time together,
you would just
forget about it anyway,
and you know me,
I'd never tell.
I mean, it would
be a lot easier,
just like you said.
Why--
why do you want me,
Mr. visalo?
'Cause I got
a feeling about you
I never felt before,
not even with my wife.
I mean, it's not
that I don't love her,
even though she pisses
me off all the time.
I don't know.
It's just this feeling.
I've been
a good husband 11 years.
I figure one week
wouldn't really matter.
I've been a bad girl
my whole life.
I don't suppose a week
would matter to me, either.
I'm confessin'
that I love you
tell me, do you
love me, too?
I'm confessin'
that I need you
honest I do
need you
every moment
in your eyes I read
such strange things
much our lips deny
they're true
will your answer
really change things...
How you doing?
You all right?
You gonna make it?
Ha ha ha!
Narrator: 8:00 to 6:00
at the factory...
I'm afraid some day
you will leave me
A half-hour
for dinner...
Sayin' "can't we
still be friends?"
Then the night shift
till 3 A.M.
If you go, you know
you will grieve me
all in life
on you depends
3 A.M. to 6 A.M.
Was spent every night
of that week
with my mother
Mary wiley o'neary,
a kept woman.
Dreaming dreams
of you in vain
well, I'm confessin'
that I love you
over again
woman: My Harry's been
on the night shift
for 2 years.
He still ain't used to it.
They say that ain't
healthy, you know.
That working
all night,
sleeping all day.
How about
sleeping 2 hours
and then going
back to work?
I swear to god,
if he don't quit,
I'm gonna make him.
It's bad
for his health.
It was worse
before the unions.
Then they made them
work 6:00 to 6:00.
My Harry used
to get home
just in time
for me to wake up,
get dressed,
and go to work.
Back when
i had to work.
I wouldn't let chip
work those hours.
Unless
he wanted to open up
his own bar, huh?
Well, what happened
after the unions?
Used to be
6:00 to 6:00,
now it's 6 P.M.
to 3 A.M.
That's why we voted
for impastado.
He made changes.
That was the first
time I ever voted.
You can't live on
those kind of hours.
That he husband was
simply not talented enough
enterprising enough
to be a businessman,
or intelligent enough
to be anything
but a factory worker.
She also never doubted
his fidelity,
his naive,
blundering honesty.
How was work?
Murder.
That there might be
the slightest hint of deception
in her husband.
At one point, she thought
of how disappointing it might be
if buddy were to simply
go to an all-night diner
and sit there until 6:00.
That would indicate
that he simply preferred
to be anywhere but with her.
And those tomatoes--
not these, the strange ones.
Sun-dried.
Ok.
Oh, and, uh, ricotta.
Ricotta secca.
You hurt yourself?
Oh, I'm fine.
This is a big bash,
though.
Don't worry about it.
Thank you.
You live here?
Upstairs.
How's the baby?
He's fine.
Well, I just came by
to see how you were doing.
Working
the night shift?
Eh, fuck 'em.
I'm going home.
Good for you.
Narrator:
He was lying, of course.
He was going to see my mother,
who was hoping--
praying that he would come by
early that night
just to explain
the presence of his wife
in this
strange neighborhood.
Mary, I have this great idea
for the bar.
Every week,
I'm gonna have a cookout,
and everybody's gonna bring
their own recipe,
and we'll do it
like a contest.
Your wife--
oh, she's gonna love it,
she's gonna have to do
all the cooking.
She came by.
She--she came by here?
She said she wanted
to see how I was doing.
She's standing there
with a bag of groceries
like the good
little housewife.
She was probably
gonna cook for him.
You mean the one
with the colored baby?
Estelle: Yes, the one
with the colored baby,
and he spent the night
with her, too.
Oh! It's the worst
i ever heard,
and my Harry slept
with some real skivates--
I don't even know
who he is anymore.
Are you gonna go back?
I already
packed my stuff
and moved back
to my mother's.
Good.
Good.
Besides, there's
hardly anything left.
Huh?
What do you mean?
I got
a little crazy, ok?
Oh, Jesus, estelle,
after all that work
that you guys did.
That's right.
After all that work
so that he could go
do the hokey-pokey
with some putan
who'd sleep with a nigger
and have a baby!
I mean,
am I that disgusting?
No!
No!
Shh. No.
No.
Look, listen, listen.
Men...
They got no sense
about this stuff.
Some of them, they'll
sleep with anything.
I mean it--
kids, animals--
just as long as they got
someone at home
who don't know about it.
Listen, you guys,
you can't say nothing.
Promise me,
teen, laur, please.
Please, you can't say
nothing to nobody.
I am so embarrassed.
Buddy: You heard, huh?
Down at the bar, yeah.
How'd they find out?
Estelle told the girls.
They told the guys.
You know, that's that.
Buddy:
I fucked up here, huh?
Just tell me you
want her back, right?
I mean, one time
in 11 years, what's that?
So, uh, why don't you
give her a call?
Now might be
a good time, you know?
Buddy: Yeah.
Yeah, I'm listening.
Narrator: Negotiations
were underway.
Until he'd gone to my mother
and renounced her.
That was the term
that was used...
"Renounce."
Renounce?
Well, what the hell
does that mean?
Narrator: Then she would
agree to see him,
but at a neutral location...
The skyline diner.
Hey, Mary!
Buddy: Like a hurricane
hit that house--
that's what
it looks like.
Oh, Christ.
Visalo rides again.
Christ.
I'll be leaving tomorrow,
so that should be the end
of your problems, really.
I'm supposed
to renounce you,
whatever that means.
It means to make
like it never existed.
Is that what that means?
Yeah, well, screw it.
I'll say that I did,
but I don't.
Thank you.
Kid likes
a good show, huh.
I suppose.
Well, um...
I guess since I'm
not gonna see you again,
I ought
to say something.
You don't have to.
I know I don't have to.
I want to.
I have to go back
to my wife.
Well, anyway,
this is
what I'm thinking.
When you had
this situation and all,
I had just done the hardest
thing I ever did.
Nobody believed in me--
nobody...
Except for my buddy chip,
you know,
but, uh, what's he got
to lose, right?
Anyway...
Something about you,
what you did--
I mean, everybody
was talking about it
but--but it made me think
"what the hell?"
"What the hell?"
You go on.
You know, things happen.
The thing you did
was right for you--
Mr. visalo,
I think
you should leave.
Hey, estelle.
Hi, buddy.
Why they gotta be here?
'Cause I want 'em here.
All right. All right.
Ok.
First off, you gotta
believe something, ok?
It's the only time
this ever happened.
I mean,
do you believe me?
Yeah, I believe you.
Ok.
Ok, now the other thing.
It was a big mistake.
Then why did you do it?
I don't know why.
Don't guess with me,
buddy.
You tell me why you would do
something like this to me.
I know...
It had something to do
with us.
With us?
You've been riding me
real hard about the house, huh?
I mean, even you got to admit
that at times, you make it
as though I'm trying
to ruin your life, you know?
So what are you saying,
buddy?
Are you saying
it's my fault?
Huh?! Is that
what you're saying?!
Are you saying
it's my fault?!
No. Look,
i didn't say that, ok?
Estelle, I'm just trying
to figure out myself
let me make it easy
for you. Ok, you did it
because you were feeling
like a big shot.
You did it
because you think
that you're somebody
you're not.
You did it for the same
reason that you've
done every other crazy
thing in your life,
because you think you're
somebody that you're not.
Look...
You're no don Juan,
so forget the singing,
forget that house,
and we're going back
to my mother's.
Buddy, I've been doing
some thinking, too.
About what?
Well, you know
how I really...
Never really liked--
I mean, I liked it ok,
maybe just
not as much...As you.
What?
Doing it.
What are you talking,
here?
Look, I've been thinking
about what you did,
ok, and how men are
different from women.
You know, and they
have different needs,
and, uh...
If you feel...
That you need
to go out and get it,
then, maybe it's ok...
I guess.
I mean, it's not like you're
going anywhere, right?
Wait, wait, now...So...
You're not mad with me...
About that?
Look, buddy,
if you wanted
to go fool around,
I would have
looked the other way.
I would have did that
for you.
But for you to fool around
with that putan...
That whore...
That nigger-lover--
look...
Just try and have better
taste next time, ok?
Buddy, what's wrong?
Buddy...
Talk to me.
What?
Buddy, what?
Of the people
he'd known all his life
as his jailers,
until that moment.
He's just perfect.
Mary: Thanks.
I...Really
hadn't planned--
oh, don't--
don't explain.
I mean,
we're not about that.
I know a couple
up in Woodstock
that would
just adore him. Yes.
They're professors
at some small college,
and they specified
they want a baby
Mary: I was married
when I had him.
Woman: Oh,
that's even better.
You know, we do this
thing once a month.
On race and sex"
down at the new school.
You'd fit in perfectly.
Mr. visalo.
Hey, how are you?
I was just--
yeah. Figured.
Um, listen,
could i--
could I talk to you
for a minute?
Well, we're almost done--
buddy: I mean now.
Before...
Could you excuse me?
Sure. Sure.
Outside.
My wife and I,
we were trying to make up,
and all of a sudden,
i realized that,
see, well, I never
really understood her...
What she wanted from me
or me from her,
I don't know, but, uh...
It wasn't her fault.
I hope everything
worked out.
Really?
Of course.
Well, no, don't say that.
Why would you say that?
I don't know.
I just assumed that's what
you wanted me to say.
I walked out.
Love of god.
Because of you.
Because I got
this feeling about you.
I don't think you know--
i--i know
it's a little strange,
but I think maybe
I'm in love with you.
You don't know what
you're doing, Mr. visalo.
I know I don't know
what I'm doing.
I've got to take care
of upstairs--
yeah, yeah. Um, where'd
you find that broad?
Social services.
Lose her.
Narrator:
She had not expected
to stay in staten island...
And certainly not
in the house where she'd spent
several very unhappy years
with her first husband...
And certainly not with me.
And the months
of working all day
and rebuilding
buddy's tavern at night
just in time for a festive
Christmas opening.
Look what the wind
blew in.
How you doing, ang?
Pretty good, you know.
Where you been?
Working on the bar.
I'm gonna open next week,
Christmas Eve.
Oh, no shit, huh?
You're quite
a showman, buddy.
You do things
in a big way, huh?
Yeah, I was thinking maybe
you guys want to come down,
you know, see the place.
I'm gonna sing.
Mary, she's gonna cook.
I'm staying open
Christmas Eve.
Oh, yeah? Well,
maybe after you close, huh?
Yeah, maybe.
You take care, ang.
Yeah, buddy.
See that guy?
He threw
his whole life away.
Narrator: It couldn't
have been any other way.
The very act of bringing
my mother and myself
into his home was blasphemy,
a rude rejection
of every value
that had ever been
instilled in buddy
by his friends,
his family.
Golden harvests
on their way
for me won't have
a thing to say
the winter
will so lightly
spread its cloak
of white but nightly
I won't sleep a wink
for if I do
dreams of you
will make me lonely, too
thank you.
Thank you.
Silent fuckin' night,
huh?
Things'll
get better.
Yeah. Sure they will.
And if they don't,
screw 'em.
This place open?
Yeah, it sure is.
Hey, you're
my first customer.
Well,
i don't have any money.
Can you imagine?
Then how you
supposed to get a drink?
I was over at Angelo's.
I couldn't pay.
He said
to come over here.
He said they serve anybody
at buddy's tavern.
Have a seat, my friend.
What'll you have?
St. James?
Love one.
Slow night.
We've only just opened.
There you go.
Narrator: There would be
many slow nights in the future.
I'm confessin'
that I love you...
Which my father buddy visalo
ran until his death in 1988
and which my mother...
Mary wiley visalo
ran until her death last year...
Buddy's tavern
of staten island,
of which I am the current
owner, manager, and barkeep.
Such strange things
but your lips
deny they're true
will your answer
really change things?
Making me blue
I'm afraid some day
you will leave me
saying can't we
still be friends?
If you go, you know
you will grieve me
all in life
on you depends
am I guessing
that you love me?
Dreamin' dreams
of you in vain
well, I'm confessin'
that I love you
over again