The Deuce (2017) s02e01 Episode Script

Our Raison d'Etre

1 (MOVIE REEL CLICKING) RUDY PIPILO: Outside these walls on the street out there nothing but backwash.
The lowest of the low.
(WOMAN SCREAMS) PIPILO: Ain't nothin' gonna change.
MOBSTER: Frankie, think you're pretty funny, don't ya? My name is Vincent.
- MOBSTER: You got a brother? - Pow! VINCENT MARTINO: He owes everybody in New York City.
PIPILO: The bar? That would be yours.
You own it.
VINCENT: To new beginnings.
Have you ever had a job, Reggie? You think this ain't a job? You and me, out here, I'm talkin' world famous, baby.
- PROSTITUTE: Where's your man? - CANDY: No man, just me.
Money.
Money, money, money, money, money, money, money.
CANDY: I think I might be doing something else.
The movie business.
- WOMAN: Cut.
- DIRECTOR: Action.
Let's go! Been runnin' women off the streets for a while now.
We pushed them into the parlors.
VINCENT: You pay me rent.
The girls get a safe environment for as many hours as they can handle.
ABBY PARKER: What did you get arrested for? Being homosexual north of 14th Street.
C.
C: Everything that's going on out there, is about to be the ho house or the movies.
HARVEY WASSERMAN: There's been a change.
Something about community standards.
What about community standards? Apparently, New York has none.
You may now roll the motherfucking camera.
Quiet and action.
CANDY: That's the fantasy, right? That's the shit we're sellin' here.
C.
C: We become extraneous in this whole situation.
The money's still the money, but the pimp, who the fuck is he right now? MAN: This is a good thing with the dirty movies about to open up wide.
PAUL HENDRICKSON: All hardcore, feature length with a story and everything.
There's 100,000 dollars behind it.
Who knows where we go from here.
When do we start? - [MUSIC PLAYING.]
- [HORNS HONKING.]
I been out here walkin' and talkin' to myself For about four hours now Love is really a hurting thing Hey, man, what's happenin'? Hey, brother, what's goin' on? All right He's got his woman over there - But mine's at home - WOMAN 1: Hey, Candy.
- What time is it? - WOMAN 2: That's really her! Damn, almost 12:45 I think I'm gonna walk up here And see what's goin' on in this discotheque There's always somethin' goin' on in there What becomes of a broken-hearted? - WOMAN: No way! - MAN: Watch your step.
WOMAN: OK, OK.
[LAUGHS.]
Oh, baby Oh, this looks like the place Everybody's goin' in, step on up here [DOOR BUZZER.]
One ticket, please Lord have mercy, everybody's here - BIG MIKE: Ha ha! Candy! - CANDY: Hey, baby! - CANDY: How ya doin'? - All right, gorgeous.
Yeah, she's at home Thank you.
- Yeah, shake it off - Uh-huh.
- Enjoy yourself.
- Thanks.
I just wanna dance the night away HADDIX: So before I make the buy, I tell him I want a sample.
So this guy says to me, "You want a taste of the stuff, You gotta lick my balls.
" Because he doesn't know I'm a cop, see? He thinks I'm some schmuck who's gonna let him talk like that and walk away.
Well, I turn him around, throw him up against the wall [HADDIX CONTINUES, INDISTINCT.]
Hey, Lori.
Hey, girl.
I saw your photo in the magazine.
- What, the picture they run by the column? - Yeah in Spank.
You know I don't write that shit, right? They pay you for it, right? Yeah, baby, they do.
Lori could do that.
She could write for, you know, some other rag.
"How to Please Your Man" stuff, right? My queen knows all them tricks.
Hey, I wanted to let you know there's a dose that's been going around the sets, so you should get yourself checked out.
Dr.
Callas again? Goddamnit, I hate goin' to his office.
- It smells like Orange Julius.
- No, no, he'll come to you.
Give you a shot, just in case.
Where you at tomorrow, you shooting? Yeah, I'm in the loft over on 36th.
OK.
Look here, Candy, you should be arranging this shit through me.
I just want to dance the night away Here, right here, right here Where I'm gonna stay All night long Ooh, ooh ooh ooh FRANKIE: Hey! Hey! Royalty in the house! - Hey, Frankie.
- FRANKIE: Mmm.
What's good? Ah, headin' out.
Places to go, people to meet.
None of 'em are here.
I just got here.
- Saved a seat for ya.
- Thanks, baby.
I think I'm gonna be all right Ha ha ha If I can make it through the night Oh, lord Myer's and tonic with a lemon wheel for the lady.
On the house.
Celebrities drink for free in the 366.
Mmm.
- I'm a celebrity? - Oh, yeah.
Al Goldstein was in here the other night, gave your latest movie 100 on the Peter Meter.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Like a triple threat Actress, director, and Yeah? And what's the third thing? General movie star hotness.
Thank you.
I mean, look at you.
Look at you.
Look at us.
Who woulda thought, right? Then there's this guy.
- Hey, Sally.
- MAN: Hey! Hey, Tony Manero.
[LAUGHING.]
Fuck.
My brother happen to say where he was goin'? Straight to the top, the way it sounded.
Well, surprise, surprise, he didn't leave a gratuity.
There he goes.
Bound for glory.
See her picture in a thousand places 'Cause she's this year's girl You think you all own little pieces Of this year's girl Forget your fancy manners Forget your English grammar 'Cause you don't really give a damn About this year's girl Still you're hoping that she's well-spoken 'Cause she's this year's girl You want her broken with her mouth wide open 'Cause she's this year's girl Those disco synthesizers Those daily tranquilizers Those body-building prizes Those bedroom alibis All this, but no surprises For this year's girl All this But no surprises For this year's girl Hey! - Hey, Mawan.
- What's up, bro? Hey, you seen Irene? Irene! [WOMAN MOANING INDISTINCTLY.]
- Mario.
- Hey, Frankie.
You catch the Knicks game last night? - Aw, man.
- McAdoo.
Am I right? Now we just gotta get Hayward in the order, and we got something.
Right? Motherfuckers shoulda at least covered the fuckin' spread.
You had a bet down? - Always.
- Sorry to hear.
I need five more.
- Ohh.
- That guy? Fifteen, twenty bucks a day, every day.
Same booth, same cock movie.
He's in love.
Spencer fuckin' Hayward.
Killed me in the second half! Fuckin' killed me! And that's what you get for datin' a fashion model, right? - [LAUGHS.]
- How ya gonna focus when you got world-class cooze banging around in your fuckin' head? You can't do it.
Impossible.
- He can't.
Yeah.
[LAUGHS.]
- Right? Is Irene in in the office? No, Irene's not here, man.
- No? - Office is locked.
- You got a You got a quarter? - Yeah, man.
- Thank you.
- All right, bro.
[MAN MOANING.]
Taken! Thank you.
Oh! Damn.
- Hey, what is it, uh, Laura? - Lois.
Lois, hey! Irene, she around, or? Getting breakfast.
She's getting breakfast.
OK, great, uh Well, you have a great day, Lois.
All right.
Hey, you got a clean-up on aisle two right there.
[GRUNTS.]
[SIGHS.]
Gimme 20.
Oh, rise and shine.
Gimme 20 so's I don't tell Irene.
Twenty? Irene's gonna know anyway.
Gimme ten.
[CHUCKLES.]
Take the 20.
See ya, Shay.
Hey.
- Oh! Frankie, no - Irene.
Don't worry.
- I'm gonna go deposit this in the bank.
- Come on, not again.
I got this.
I got this.
- Later, Marwan.
- See you, papi.
MARWAN: Ahí Te veo! Five more.
[COIN CHANGER CLICKS.]
- Fuck.
- [KEYS CLATTER.]
[RADIO PLAYING.]
[GRUNTS.]
Hey.
ABBY: Hey.
- Good night? - Mm-hmm.
366 was the place to be.
Mmm.
Where you goin'? No, no, no.
- No.
I wanna slip in beside you.
- Yeah, I'm sure you do, but I gotta get over to the bar for prep.
Why? What's the rush? I'm meeting a woman before we open.
She's got labor hassles.
Jesus Christ, Abby.
Why you wanna get involved with all that Chairman Mao bullshit? Can it wait? Hmm? Hmm? Hmm? - [ABBY MOANS.]
- It's only for a minute.
[BOTH CHUCKLE.]
- Baby.
- [PHONE RINGS.]
- Mm-mmm.
- Mm-mmm.
Mm-mmm.
No.
[LAUGHS.]
That might be Kathi.
Answer it.
Hello? It's for you.
Glad you answered.
[SIGHS.]
Yeah.
Irene, what's up? Fuck me! Where is he? No, I'll Yeah, I'll handle it.
- Yes.
- [SLAMS DOWN RECEIVER.]
What happened? Frankie.
Get some rest, Vincent.
You look tired.
Abby.
Abby.
[SHOWER RUNNING.]
[RADIO STOPS.]
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
WOMAN: I gotta get some cigs.
MAN: You're always complaining.
Them Kinney's? Salvatore Ferragamo, motherfucker.
Understated elegance.
I don't need to flash.
When them pigs see your vines, it's like you're wearing a sign on your back, says, "Arrest me, please, Mr.
Officer.
" [LAUGHS.]
If you can't show, what's the point? Might as well go ahead, get you a job at H&R Block.
I look good.
That's what I know.
How many bitches you got, Julito? - Three.
- Street girls? Call and street.
Yeah.
You should diversify.
Like me.
I'm like Louis Be the Mayor.
Coño.
Now you're one of them movie moguls.
[LAUGHS.]
I am that.
Yeah.
You know, they're putting my girl Lori's picture on the posters now.
Yeah.
Even got her up on a marquee or two.
For real.
Jackie Bisset she's gonna be green with envy.
You watch.
- Here ya go, Zev.
- ZEV: All right now.
Easy, brother.
- [CAR HORN HONKS.]
- MAN #1: Hey, what the fuck, man? MAN #2: You are fucking stupid! MAN #1: I'm walkin' right over here! MAN #2: Fuck you, man! Melissa.
Julito.
My man.
So can we go back to the crib now? I gotta drop Lori off at set first.
Before, you know, her call.
I'm first up, they gotta do my hair and makeup.
- Shit.
- Hey, now, now, Melissa.
- You like lobster, right? - Sure.
Who don't like lobster? You know, there's still time, C.
C.
, we can drop her off at the crib and get me there.
[LAUGHS.]
You contradicting me? - [STARTS CAR.]
- Fuck outta here.
[NO AUDIO.]
Uh Whoa.
OK, well [SIGHS.]
What am I watching? Well, what the f What the fuck are we doin' here? Come on.
- So now we're making art? - You don't like it? It's too cutty.
You're all over the fuckin' place.
You're never anywhere long enough to focus.
As soon as you're settled into one shot, you are racing to something else.
Well, it's the road to an orgasm.
- What? - It's cut the way an orgasm feels.
It rushes up on you, you stop making sense.
So some of it's in her head, some of it's real, - some of it's somewhere in between.
- I think it works, man.
I mean, it's based on the cemetery scene from Easy Rider.
You know, the acid trip.
Eileen.
Harvey.
Ei Eileen, I can't What, Harvey? - Candy.
- Fuck you, Wasserman.
I I readily agree that what you have laboriously cut together over the last two days approximates, in some ethereal, Warholian fashion, the, uh, mental state of some fuck slut cumming happily with the neighbor, and the and the apartment superintendent.
- Congratulations.
- It's the TV repairman.
Whatever.
Congratulations on allowing us to crawl into the female mind for the final stampede to nirvana.
But the people watching this movie, or should I say the men jerkin' off to this movie, they don't want to be in a woman's head, not really.
They want to be in their own heads.
They want to be watching a couple of dicks that might be their own fill up a woman.
Porn.
Our raison d'etre.
That said, the pacing was great.
Yeah, well, it was, right? And look, I get what you're going for, but all the extra crazy shit, the fuckin' ceiling fan and the other guy dressed up at the party, what am I? Well, that guy is who she's fantasizing about.
Right, sure, and none of that works, because it takes the viewer out of the room.
And you have too much footage of the faces of the guys fucking her.
And you know a little of that goes a long way.
But if you have more coverage of the fucking, then replace those shots with skin! And then, OK, you can pace the thing just like she's cumming.
Then that can work.
If you keep the focus on the fucking.
OK.
And then how about if I really fuckin' go for it and I speed everything up and I double the cuts at the end? Have at it.
[SHOW LAND BARKER OVER P.
A.
.]
Babes, right here, right now.
Welcome to the main stage, it's your beautiful, foxy Bertha.
You like a beautiful lady, don't ya? Come on in.
VINCENT: You couldn't stop him.
Stop him how? Knock him on his ass, kick the piss out of him, crack his balls? Make a name for yourself on the Deuce, Irene.
I mean, be the fuckin' bulldyke you always wanted to be.
[SHOW LAND BARKER OVER P.
A.
.]
A quarter.
A quarter for the booths.
- [SIGHS.]
Fuck.
- One dollar minimum for the main stage.
How much did he take this time? Ten thousand, six hundred forty-two.
That's precise.
I did the count before I went for breakfast.
He took it all.
All right.
Well, you checked the bank, right? I mean, before I find my brother and beat on him, I'd like to be sure he didn't actually deposit the money.
Deposit? Frankie? All right.
[CHUCKLES.]
- Girls, girls, girls.
- I'll see ya.
Live, live pussy.
Come on in.
- [BABY COOING.]
- MAN ON TV: Look at the lens on this thing.
WOMAN ON TV: Well, you haven't even looked at it since Since Jim fell out of his stroller.
MAN ON TV: They make lenses a lot faster these days, but - LADY ON TV: Honey - All this from one movie? Mm-hmm.
You done good, girl.
These heels are gonna cripple me.
They don't bother me.
Of course, I'm young.
TAFFY: You should get you some orthopedics.
Me, I can walk around all night without even no blister.
I'll blister your lip, puta.
TAFFY: See how much you make walking around in moccasins.
- LARRY BROWN: Darlene.
- LORETTA: I'm doin' just fine.
Look at me.
Get your nose out that book.
Show me some respect.
I'm listening, Larry.
LORETTA: I don't care if I do.
TAFFY: All right.
Have it your way.
Books are stupid.
I don't need no book to tell me how smart I am.
- The streets are my teacher, ya dig? - Yes, Daddy.
LORETTA: you think we'd even be having this conversation? [TV CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
[BABY COOING.]
Larry.
Come on, baby.
Let me help you relax.
Not now, all right? Rest that thing.
I don't need you wearing it out.
Look, I got some business to take care of.
All right.
You all take it light.
We got some night work ahead of us.
I could go to work right now.
LARRY BROWN: Ha.
I know.
[BABY COOING.]
- [RADIO PLAYING.]
- [MACHINE WHIRRING.]
Going faster miles an hour Gonna drive past the Stop 'n' Shop With the radio on I'm in love with Massachusetts And the neon when it's cold outside And the highway when it's late at night Got the radio on I'm like the roadrunner All right I'm in love with modern moonlight One twenty-eight when it's dark outside I'm in love with Massachusetts pain in a lot of those homes.
And there's people getting knocked around - Bobby! - and wives being battered.
Hey, Bernice.
Where's my brother-in-law? - He's, um - In the back? With who? Fuck it.
I'm looking for Frankie.
- Frankie was here.
- He was? When? - Couple of hours ago.
- Doin' what? Gettin' pussy? Him, too? He wanted to use Rudy's room, upstairs, like a VIP? But Carla was in there with a regular, so Bobby was like, "Nah, if you wanna be a VIP, you gotta go around the corner to the Geisha House and ask Black Frankie," so What is this, the family fuck pad?! - [DOOR SLAMS.]
- Bobby! Fuck is everyone yelling about? Oh.
Vince.
- Fuckin' hell.
- You're here for Rudy's nut? Honey, give him the envelope.
Thank you.
- [SNIFFS.]
- What? Smells like Charlie the Tuna just swam through here.
Fuck did I do? FLANAGAN: Come on, what do you say? For old time's sake.
It's just a few days, Chris.
- I'll crash on your couch.
- I can't.
I'm cribbed up with my lady right now, and this one is special.
I don't want to mess it up.
What? It's a sweetener.
Look, Linda threw me out.
I got no place to go.
And normally, it would be fine, but I'm sorry, Danny, I can't do it.
Everything's fucked.
Well, I don't mean to pile on, but partner, you made your bed.
Fuck it.
You don't get to choose who you fall in love with.
Hey, I want you two to go out there and earn.
Hear me? You hear me, Chocolate? I will, Rodney.
You know I will.
That's my Nubian princess right there.
How about you, Shay? How about you come out them booths and do some street work? The booths pay good money.
And it's regular, Rodney.
Regular.
Shit, I remember when you had some real regulars.
Motherfuckers that paid to actually fuck, not just peek through windows and shit.
Maybe if you cleaned yourself up some, presented yourself right, you might just get back to that.
Yeah, I'm doing my best, Rodney.
That's right, do your best.
Got to be fresh.
Hot rod.
Look at me.
Hundred a day habit, who could tell? No-goddamn-body, that's who.
It's about how you carry it.
See what I'm sayin'? WAITRESS: I need a rush on bacon! COOK: Up in two! [POLICE DISPATCHER OVER RADIO.]
Central, 10-11 Sergeant to Two-Four and Tenth.
- Central, notify Three-Zone.
- Shit.
That'll be me.
I'm up today.
This one is on me.
I'll see you around, Danny.
WAITRESS: I'm waitin' on those pancakes! COOK: Give me a minute.
Any word on your uncle, Chauncy? Leon already back from Elmira.
Got him in a halfway house uptown.
He don't mess that up, he'll be comin' home shortly.
Cash me out, slick.
- [CASH REGISTER DINGS.]
- CHAUNCY: Yo, Rod.
You wanna give the change to Leon's coming home? Fuck that nigga.
He ain't do more than a five-year bit for killin' a sportin' man.
Criminal justice system in this state sending the wrong motherfuckin' message, you ask me.
Humph.
- Hey.
- JERSEY: Hey.
Where's Frankie? You tell me.
I'm lookin' for him.
You ain't alone.
He laid down a bet on the Knickerbockers over Milwaukee.
I take it the Bucks won.
A week ago.
In triple OT.
- Very dramatic.
- All right.
You see Frank, you tell him I'm lookin' for him.
Your brother's a fuckin' retard.
That's a nice shirt.
No, seriously, I used to have one just like it.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
Then my father got a job.
- Fuckin' mook.
- [HORN HONKING.]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
COP: Hey, Chris.
- First on the scene? - Just holdin' it down for you, Chris.
What do you know? Victim is a Stanley Pearson.
Resides in Harrisburg.
Forty-eight years of age, assistant manages a K-Mart.
In the city with his wife to see "Beatlemania" over at the Winter Garden.
One knife wound to the chest.
Looks deep.
Where the hell's the wife? Sheraton on 7th.
There's an officer with her.
Well, what's he doin' parked on a shithole stretch of the Deuce? Don't know.
His wallet was on the seat beside him, but there's still cash and credit cards inside of it.
Detective Alston.
Gene Goldman.
I'm with the office of Mayor-Elect Koch.
Midtown Enforcement Project.
Midtown what was that? The city's Midtown Enforcement Project? Yeah, we're monitoring the enforcement of existing laws down here.
Promoting economic development in Times Square.
It's your basic cleanup operation.
Hmm.
Abe Beame tried that, too.
And Lindsay before him.
And I'm sure there's seven or eight dudes before them.
Well, we're getting a jump on it.
This concerns me how? I'm told the victim was a tourist.
Mayor-Elect Koch doesn't want to come out of the gate with the negative perception that New York City is unsafe for visitors.
Hmm.
I work every case the same, so if you would excuse me, Mr.
Goldberg, I better get to it.
It's Goldman.
We need to get a coffee sometime.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
I wrote, like, a decree, put my BA in English to use.
Staged a walkout.
I take it Bruno didn't like that.
He threw a can of pretzels at my head.
But all of us stuck together.
Yeah, we didn't work for days.
Bruno got hurt because the ones he hired to replace us had no skills.
He finally restored our commissions, put us back on the job.
Well, not all of us.
I didn't get asked back.
If they're assholes, why work there? I like the dancing.
I'm a feminist dancer.
- Hmm.
- I know that sounds, you know, like a pacifist executioner or something, but I see it as an avenue to explore sexual dynamics.
We could book a band, do a fundraiser.
The cover charge would go to you and your friends for your lost wages.
That would be Thank you.
And nights when we play music and are packed, we could use more help.
You interested? Like a job? I'd give you a shift, see how you do.
- Clothes on or off? - On.
Women here used to wear leotards, but they stopped that shit when I took over the bar.
- You own this place? - I'm the manager.
But the owner lets me do what I want.
What do we see first, the dildo? No, his shoulder as he crosses.
All right, tilt lower.
I want to see the dildo first in his hand.
Then rack to her when she sees the dildo.
Lori, honey.
I'm gonna cue you.
When you see the dildo, your eyes go big, right? You're scared.
Mm-hmm.
Got it.
On your cue.
Do you want to add a line for me there? Nah, nah, I think the look will sell it.
It's good.
We're framed.
All right.
Ronnie, step out of the shot.
Uh, Lori, spread your legs a bit.
Sound speed.
And action.
[WHIMPERING.]
- [BUZZER.]
- Jesus Christ! Ow, fuck! Ow! Fuck! Jeez, that looked like it hurt.
- Are you OK? - LORI: Is it bleeding? CREW MEMBER: It's not my fault! - Oh, goddamnit! - WOLF: Gary, could you get in there and see what's wrong with that goddamn chain.
John, reframe as you had it, but with a wider lens.
- Sure.
- Lori, you all right over there? Sold.
We're on our way.
Gentleman Jim, we're on a film set here.
And I'm gonna have to ask you to turn off your little message box so that you don't ruin more shots.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah, um, no more shots to ruin.
- What do you mean? - That was one of Lori's regulars calling from a room at the Plaza.
He wants her now, and, well, you're paying 300 for two scenes and her friend is paying 500 for one, so we're gone.
Lori, put your drawers on.
We had an agreement.
- It's just business, Bertie.
- Who is it, C.
C.
? I'm sure we can just call them and tell them.
BERNIE: C.
C.
, we can't work like this.
Well, how can you work, Bernie? I'm sayin', how much do you motherfuckers have of that 500 I'm being asked to forego? - Two.
- Three.
Six hundred takes her.
Bernie, while he's screwing with those handcuffs, we should reload.
Fine.
Everybody, take ten.
I really wish you wouldn't do that.
What, make us more money? Lori.
You wanna know who the regular was? - Who? - Melissa.
Told her to call my box two hours in so I can make the play.
[BERNIE SIGHS.]
Lori everyone here has a job to do, and they show, and they do it.
I hear you, Bernie.
I'm sorry.
All right.
[MUSIC PLAYING ON JUKEBOX.]
Hey.
Wow, what's this? What do you think? I think it's upside-down.
Possibly.
Yeah, who was that I passed on the way in? I told you about her this morning.
Oh, the one with the labor problems.
She actually tried to organize the strippers at the Metropole.
Staged a three-day walkout.
Yeah, that would be a problem.
That would be balls.
How could I not hire her? Of course, she had great personalities.
You just love playing the Bay Ridge Neanderthal, don't you? [LAUGHS, GROWLS.]
Kinda comforting, ain't it? - [VINCENT GROWLS.]
- [ABBY LAUGHS.]
- I came by just to do that.
- Mm.
Been thinkin' about you all morning.
I can tell.
I gotta go find my fucked-up brother.
I'll see ya, beautiful.
Oh, hey.
I need your weekly piece.
[SIGHS.]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
Police.
Used to be my old post.
What happened to Slow James? Who? Slow James.
He used to be the desk man here.
Oh, he died.
Yeah? Damn, what got him? Death.
You recognize this mutt? I see a lot of men come through here.
Look again.
Yeah, he might have been here the other night.
Uh maybe.
The other night like last night? Yeah, the other night like last night.
What's down the hall? Rooms.
It's a trick pad for hustlers.
It's a slumber party.
What the fuck do I know? Why do you remember this guy? If it's the same guy, he was havin' a beef with some kid back in the hall over there.
Can you identify this kid? Sorry, they all look alike to me.
They really do.
After this argument, they did what? The two of them split out of here together.
That's all I know.
Mm-hmm.
Hey, Chaunce.
Let me get the bill.
Hey, you happen to see my brother? You ain't him? No, I'm fuckin' me.
Fuck you for still not knowing the difference.
Just messin' with you.
Frank was in here an hour ago with some big nasty blonde lady.
- He was? - Yeah.
A late lunch for 'em both, and then they split.
I know he got his nose open, 'cause he held the door open for her and all.
You happen to know the nasty blonde? Not by name, but I know she be starring in them hoochie films.
Not that I watch or nothing.
Here, let me settle up now.
I might have to dip out.
- Any good? - Well, it's not one of those books you could just casually read, you gotta concentrate.
It's about this dude called Milkman.
From when he was a kid to when he grows up.
And that's because he had a weird relationship with his momma, and she breast-fed him for too long.
And he got a sister with a funny name.
Magdalene, called Lena.
This you, Darlene? It's my GED certificate.
Drink's on me.
Graduation gift.
I studied hard for that test.
And Larry don't even know.
He won't be hearing about it from me.
So, what's next? So, I think I'm gonna take a night class.
Mmhmm.
One to start, to see if that could work.
But I don't know, 'cause nights won't be so easy.
College class for a degree? To learn.
[ELEVATOR MACHINERY CREAKING.]
All right.
I'll tell him you called.
WOMAN: I mean, no.
I I wanted MAN: Yeah, I think he's comin' from Man, are you the grip? 'Cause we need to move those flats to the other side of the shot.
- I'm the bartender.
- OK, cool.
WOMAN: It's a fuckin' dream sequence.
You got continuity in your dreams? Hey, Candy.
Vinnie.
You're late, get your clothes off.
Uh, no, I'm looking for my brother.
Heard me might be chasing the tail of a blonde that's working on your movie.
- Christina? - Maybe.
Yeah, she worked here Tuesday.
She's been missing in action since then.
I mean, we had to replace her in a scene.
Fuck.
You got a phone number? Harvey might.
You sure you don't want to get in on the orgy scene? I mean, if it pays my tab? I'm shy.
HARVEY: Honestly, I want some real food.
Hey, asshole.
Listen to me.
You look so great.
You don't want those pounds coming back.
Do you? Cottage cheese.
- Fuck, fuck, fuck.
- Fuck, fuckity fuck.
- Hey.
- Never get married.
- Noted.
- And how do I help you, Mr.
Martino? Lookin' for the number of an actress named Christina.
Sure.
She's not answering, we've been trying for three days.
Wh-why do you care? Huntin' my brother.
Again.
OK, it's on the wall above the phone there.
That's, uh The one in red.
Hey, listen.
If you speak to her, tell her she's not gonna get hired again, she keeps pulling this bullshit.
OK, yeah, uh, just, uh, let me kick the shit out of my brother first.
Ohh, fuck.
CANDY: As you feel the camera going like this MAN: He's a bone smoker.
Of course he smokes cock.
He's fifty-somethin' years old, he's a fuckin' bachelor livin' downtown.
Talking about the new mayor? Koch is totally a fuckin' homo.
You don't know that.
What about the beauty queen? What's her name? Myerson.
Beard.
Not that I give a fuck.
Abe Beame had no dick to begin with.
But pray tell, what brings your exalted self back to the old plantation, Detective Alston? - A fresh one.
Over on Ninth.
- The tourist? I don't think he was touristing.
I think he might have stashed the family at the hotel and gone off to troll some young hustlers.
Well, what do you want from me? Don't know.
Police work? Last I checked, you were the senior guy on the Vice task force.
I'll see what I can do for you.
Thank you.
Fellas.
Police work? - [ALL LAUGH.]
- Jesus, fuck.
[BELL RINGING.]
Merry Christmas.
[MUFFLED MUSIC PLAYING.]
VINNIE: Randy.
Where's Paul? Uh, in back, I think.
Paul? [MEN MOANING.]
You can stay and play, but it's not polite to stare.
Oh.
No, no.
I'm just, uh I'm lookin' for a guy "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
" - What? - [LAUGHS.]
Shakespeare.
Oh.
Shakespeare was gay? Eh.
- So, everything good? - Yeah.
That's to the penny.
Everything good with you? Frankie's on a tear.
I'm lookin' for him.
Peace.
Where's he put the wallet? [SIGHS.]
Is this good here? MAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let's do my over first, OK? So I can still pretend to give a damn about Maurice and his wonder wand.
You got it.
Who would have thought the most boring part of this whole thing is the fucking? We give the people what they want.
What else could we shoot for the next two hours? How about a musical sequence? A dance number.
You remember those? Oh, yeah.
How about we take the camera downstairs and you film us robbing the liquor store? You're not dressed for it.
No, I'm not dressed for it.
Sure, yeah.
VINNIE: Every month, I'm chasing him or I'm cleaning up after him, and then one of these days he's gonna fuck up and break something I can't put back together.
I'm beginning to think, you know, this time, just fuck it.
Don't fix it.
Just turn in the rest of the nut to our backers and leave his piece unpaid.
Get any sleep? I'll just take speed.
It'll get me through.
I want you to be fresh in the morning.
I got something in mind.
There was a time when we used to just duck in the bathroom when we were at work.
What'd you used to call that thing we did? The American Standard.
- But I like us in bed.
- [PUNK BAND STARTS PLAYING.]
Oh! I got a feeling inside of me I'll stop by later, see how your night's going.
You know where I'll be.
What do you call this shit, anyway? It ain't music.
I know I sound old.
I got a brand new rose in town You take this rose and you're going down Don't get too close or it'll burn your eyes You don't have to run away that way You can come back another day I got a new rose I got it good Guess I knew that I always would I can't stop to mess around I got a brand new rose in town [SHOW LAND BARKER OVER P.
A.
.]
Girls, girls.
Wall-to-wall pussy, come on in.
Quarter for the booth, one dollar minimum for the main stage.
Frankie's not around, right? Uh no.
No, of course not.
We got a problem, don't we? Another light week on the take, isn't it? Do we know why? I know why.
Come with me.
Let me show you something.
Come on.
Come on! You know, we could just step back.
What do you mean? I mean, this place isn't everything in the world, but it's a cash machine.
Even after you pay out the weekly, we have enough to live really well.
We could get a bigger place, and still have enough for a place in the Pines.
You don't believe in this? I'm just saying it'll be more work, more time not enjoying other things, and yeah, we're taking on risk.
Every good idea you have, the architect bumps his estimate.
Yeah, but like you said, we have the money.
We do if we don't spend it in the rest of our life, sure.
- Mm-hmm.
- Why not go to Martino, see if he'll come in with us? Share the risk.
If I go to Vincent, then he goes to his mob people, and it's never really ours.
And the truth is, we don't need those people.
Police aren't kicking our doors in anymore, it's live and let live.
The only reason to put up with those goombahs is for protection.
What the fuck are they protecting anybody from? Hmm.
No.
Mm-mmm.
We do this by ourselves.
For ourselves.
All right? Mm-hmm.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
Everybody go on and dance if you want to I can't believe I'm actually talking to you.
Aw, you're sweet.
Lori.
- Here you go.
All right.
- Thank you, sweetie.
MAN: I thought that was you when I first came in.
I been dreaming about you ever since I saw you in that Catholic school girl movie.
Oh yeah, That Sweet Thing? So, what do you think, gorgeous? We could be back in my place in 15 minutes.
You're gonna have to talk to my man.
Him? Five hundred.
Are you serious? You see Louella's Dream? Lori was the lead.
Why do you think I want her? Honey, you were hot in that one.
Yeah, five.
You're about to get with a star.
Two, plus a bottle of Dom and some primo snow.
I'm good with that, Daddy.
Your billboard say you got money, slick.
Prove it or walk.
I'm not afraid of you.
You should be.
Is there a problem here? I was just talkin' to the lady.
- C.
C.
? - No, I'm straight.
BIG MIKE: Enjoy your night.
Time was, 200 in the hand would have been a whole night for us, remember, C.
C.
? Yeah, well, that ain't now.
Can't just be giving that pussy away.
You're like a fur coat.
Or a Tiffany necklace.
Know who you are.
I'm a whore, C.
C.
You made that pretty clear to everyone on set today.
Now I'm a whore without a john.
The band drew a crowd.
We made our nut.
All right.
I don't know how.
Yeah, well, some people like it.
Shit.
The prodigal son.
[LAUGHS.]
Shouldn't you be in bed? Well, I kept looking over at that empty pillow.
Then I got to thinkin' about you on a bus stop, this time of year, this time of night.
Aren't you sweet.
You know I'd drive 100 miles just to look at you in that outfit.
[LAUGHING.]
Been reading Penthouse Forum again? It was the hospital scene in Foxy Brown.
- Changed my world.
- So now I look like Pam Grier.
[LAUGHS.]
Leticia [LAUGHS.]
nobody looks like Pam Grier.
But, baby, you are in the same neighborhood.
[LAUGHS.]
You are! Let's go home.
[CAR ENGINE STARTS.]
Hey, Shaggy! Where's the scoop? Where's the money, Frankie? Don't worry about that right now.
I want to introduce you to someone very important to me.
This is Christina, the new Mrs.
Frankie Martino, all right? - What? - So show some respect, watch your fuckin' language.
- Abby Parker.
- Christina Fuego.
- It's Spanish for "fire.
" - Yeah.
- Is that a stage name? - I'm an actress and a dancer.
- Yeah, she dances.
- At the Melody Burlesk.
[LAUGHS.]
So how about some champagne, huh? Not American.
The kind from France.
- Oh, the French kind.
- Yeah, how about it, Vincent? Yeah, how about it, Vincent? Come on, huh? Sure.
Hey, Abby, we was destined, me and Christina.
First time I saw her dancin' on the stage, it was like the hand of God came down, tapped me on the shoulder, said, "Hey, Frankie.
That's her.
" And I fuckin' knew.
Look.
- I got a little one of her right there.
- Wow.
- Oh, look at that.
- She dances.
Plus, she got a knack for picking the winners at the Big A.
Now, where's the fuckin' money, Frankie? Hey, will you relax on that right now, baby brother? Huh? We're celebratin'.
- I just got married.
- Yeah, you got married.
- Again.
No offense.
- Hey.
Now, where's the fuckin' money? 'Cause I know you didn't spend it all on that fuckin' tattoo.
"Where's the money, where's the money.
" All right.
It's right here, all right? - Motherfucker.
- Vincent.
FRANKIE: Hey! What? Look, this is how a man shows he's, you know, committed, all right.
This is a symbol, like.
I'm gonna pay it back.
- I'm gonna pay it! - How? You gonna rob the fuckin' till again? No.
By putting my shoulder to the fucking grindstone, OK? I'm gonna strap my shoes on every morning, pick up my fuckin' lunch box, and go to work, like any responsible man should.
I love her, Vince.
This is my womb to tomb, huh? To Frankie and Christina.
Here, here! FRANKIE: Ha ha! Don't worry.
You'll see.
All right.
Forget about the money, Frankie.
What? I'm forgiving the debt.
Ring's on me, it's my gift for the two of you.
- Vince.
- Thank you, Vincent.
Yeah, just be like my fuckin' brother here - and don't mention it.
- [CHRISTINA LAUGHS.]
I love you, Vincent.
Everyone loves a sucker.
Nice.
That after-hours joint of yours is rakin' it in.
- Yeah.
- Show Land still strong? Yeah, it's It's fine.
It runs itself, which is good since we can never find your fuckin' brother.
The take from the peeps is a little light these past couple weeks.
And we think we know why.
Tommy, take Vincent for a stroll, show him what we found.
You gotta see this, Vince.
Tried to show Frankie, but he's been in the wind.
- Yeah, well, about that, I - [CAR HORNS HONKING.]
- Oh, hey, sunshine.
- I interrupt your sleep there, Carlos? No, Mr.
Pipilo.
I'm fine.
Take a walk, let the adults here have a conversation.
Carlos got that bad gene.
One's too many and a hundred's not enough.
- Cognac's a fickle bitch.
- VINCENT: Yeah.
- You OK? - Me? Yeah.
I just burned the candle, that's all.
Well, don't forget to enjoy yourself.
I mean, that's what this is all about.
You like this Mark? Oh, yeah, it's beautiful.
Every year, a new Lincoln.
And this suit.
Some Chink tailor custom-made it just for me.
We're very fortunate, Vincent.
Life is good.
To the victors belong the spoils.
What Tommy said.
- Get goin'.
- Come on, Vincent.
Let's take a walk over to Hodas's joint.
I already showed the Dyke who works with your brother.
Blew her mind.
[HODAS BARKER OVER P.
A.
.]
Beautiful girls on stage for your entertainment.
All for a quarter.
[COIN DROPS.]
Love to love you, baby.
Cum in your pants right now! Yeah, what? What? No fuckin' plexiglass.
Nothin'.
So? So.
It's fuckin' genius, right? - WOMAN: You tippin'? - Marty Hodas may be a vulgar sack of shit, but there is no denying genius.
- WOMAN: Hey.
Dollar for feel? - It's why our take is off.
By the afternoon, all the scumbags are here and they're squeezin' ass and grabbin' pussy.
And they're givin' their quarters to Hodas.
- I got it.
Yeah.
- Get it? - Fuckin' genius.
- Hey! If you ain't tippin', shut the fuckin' door, you cheap bastards! Yeah, all right, settle down.
Hey.
Just wake up? No.
I've been waitin' for you.
- Oh, yeah? - Mm-hmm.
Ooh.
You have been waitin'.
It was nice what you did for Frankie.
Yeah.
Well, bein' in love, that's a nice thing.
What about us? Yeah.
We're havin' a good run.
You've strayed.
Yeah, we both have.
Just so that we don't lie to each other.
Mm.
[MOANING.]
[PANTING.]
[MOANING.]
[MOANING INTENSIFIES.]
[PANTING, MOANING.]
[MOANING CONTINUES.]
[BOTH PANTING.]
Mmm [MUMBLES INDISTINCTLY.]
[FILM SLAPPING.]
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
(FUNK MUSIC PLAYING) What's your dream? Gonna answer for ya.
Everything changed It's like a free world.
LARRY BROWN: A pimp is a performer, right? I can do whatever I put my mind to.
I'm not doing this anymore.
(SIREN WAILS) How 'bout making something special.
- To new hope.
- (CANDY HOWLING) (MAN LAUGHS) (FUNK MUSIC CONTINUES)
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