(MUSIC: "JUNGLE FEVER" BY STEVIE WONDER)
♪ I've got jungle fever she's got jungle fever ♪
♪ We've got jungle fever we're in love ♪
♪ She's gone black-boy crazy I've gone white-girl hazy ♪
♪ Ain't no thinking maybe we're in love ♪
♪ She's got jungle fever I've got jungle fever ♪
♪ We've got jungle fever we're in love ♪
♪ I've gone white-girl crazy she's gone black-boy hazy ♪
♪ We're each other's baby we're in love ♪
♪ I've got jungle fever she's got jungle fever ♪
♪ We've got jungle fever we're in love ♪
♪ She's gone black-boy crazy I've gone white-girl hazy ♪
♪ Ain't no thinking maybe we're in love ♪
♪ She can't love me I can't love her ♪
♪ Cos they say we're the wrong colour ♪
♪ Staring, gloating laughing, looking ♪
♪ Like we've done something wrong ♪
♪ Because we show love strong get real, come on ♪
♪ Calling us names too bad to mention ♪
♪ But we pay them no attention ♪
♪ For colour-blind are inner feelings ♪
♪ If we feel happiness and know our love's the best ♪
♪ Forget their mess I've got jungle fever ♪
♪ She's got jungle fever we've got jungle fever ♪
♪ We're in love ♪
♪ She's gone black-boy crazy I've gone white-girl hazy ♪
♪ Ain't no thinking maybe we're in love ♪
♪ She's got jungle fever I've got jungle fever ♪
♪ We've got jungle fever we're in love ♪
♪ I've gone white-girl crazy she's gone black-boy hazy ♪
♪ We're each other's baby we're in love ♪
♪ Hit me, drummer ♪
♪ Olatuniji, Earl, Munyungo all on the drums, man ♪
♪ I've got jungle fever she's got jungle fever ♪
♪ We've got jungle fever we're in love ♪
♪ She's gone black-boy crazy I've gone white-girl hazy ♪
♪ Ain't no thinking maybe we're in love ♪
♪ She's got jungle fever I've got jungle fever ♪
♪ We've got jungle fever we're in love ♪
♪ I've gone white-girl crazy she's gone black-boy hazy ♪
♪ We're each other's baby we're in love... ♪
(SUBWAY TRAIN CREAKS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(LIPS SMACK)
(SHE MOANS)
Ooh... ooh!
(THEY GROAN)
Oh, shit.
(THEY MOAN)
Ooh, ooh, ooh!
Ooh! Right there, right there...
Oh, God, oh!
(SHE MOANS LOUDLY)
Don't wake the baby!
(THEY MOAN LOUDLY)
Don't wake the baby!
You know, you probably woke up Ming again.
Why do you always say that to me?
Because you always wake her up.
I'm not the vocal one, Flipper.
- You are. - Baby, I can't believe you said that.
Every day we go through the same thing.
You make too much noise.
I love it, but you make a lot of noise.
I was very quiet.
Ming?
Ming.
Come on, Ming-a-ling-a-ling, you're gonna be late for school.
Wake up.
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!
I know you're faking over there. I can see your eyes moving.
Last chance.
One, two...
three, that's it.
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up.
- Wake up. - Daddy, why did you do that?
Why did I do that? Because you were faking.
That's why, and you're gonna be late.
Good morning. Mwah!
- How are you? - Fine.
- Good. How did you sleep? - Fine.
Good? OK. Put your slippers on.
Then you go into the bathroom and brush your teeth
and wash your face.
Then Mummy'll be here to do your hair.
And this is what you're gonna wear, OK?
- Yes. - See you later. High-five.
- Psych. - That's not fair.
Morning. (RADIO CHATTERS INDISTINCTLY)
Morning.
- Morning, baby. - Morning.
Watch your hand.
Daddy, why are you always hurting Mummy?
Eat your oatmeal.
Mummy's always screaming like you're hurting her.
Eat your oatmeal, baby.
Honey, you know what?
Remember how we go to school in the morning
and feed the pigeons and the squirrels?
Yes.
Remember the time the little bird was on the fence with the sparrow
and he was biting that sparrow on the booty
- and I said-- - I remember.
And the squirrels with the peanuts were biting each other?
- I think so. - Remember I said it was a spring thing?
- I remember. - Mating season.
Well, baby...
that's what your mum and dad are doing.
We're making love.
I know, I was just testing if you'd tell me the truth.
You knew! You little smarty.
You are too smart for your age.
- Mummy and Daddy-- - Eat your oatmeal.
Are the both of you doing it to be doing it or are you trying to make a baby?
- Eat your oatmeal. - would like a baby brother.
FLIPPER: So you feel full?
Mmm, yeah. That oatmeal is filling!
Yeah. How do you like it?
Hmm...
I'm kinda tired of oatmeal.
I hear you, I'm tired of oatmeal myself.
You never eat it. You never eat your oatmeal.
FLIPPER: Yeah, cos I'm tired of it!
We should have Mummy fix something different.
- Yeah. We should tell her tomorrow. - Alright.
You think that I don't know that you be awake.
That you have your door open every morning, listening.
You're trying to jive me into thinkin' you're asleep.
I know what's going on. You know that?
- Nothing gets past you. - Nothing gets past me.
OK, baby, here.
I love you so much, mmmm!
- Have a nice day, OK? - OK.
- Alright. Tell Mrs Jones I said hello. - OK.
- Alright? - Bye!
Bye, baby.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
♪ This is fun day ♪
♪ On a fine day ♪
♪ When the air is filled with tweeting birds ♪
♪ That sing together in the sun ♪
♪ This is your day...♪
MAN: Where'd you temp before?
WOMAN: Uh, I worked in a law firm.
- Could you wait here for a minute? - Sure.
Hey, Flip.
Good tie, nice ensemble. Very sharp.
Thank you, Jerry. Leslie, look, Tony's work is awful.
He's got this elevator shaft six inches off where it's supposed to be.
We caught that. Tony, whew!
Listen, we have somebody we want you to meet.
She comes highly recommended.
This is Angela Tucci.
- She's gonna be replacing Terri. - Hi.
- What? - She'll be replacing Terri.
- Glad to meet you. - Nice to meet you too.
I'm looking forward to working for you.
We explained to the temp service how diligent and hardworking Terri was.
- Said give us the best you got. - And here she is.
Listen, just call me Angie. I don't like Angela.
- Angie it is. - OK.
You don't have a problem with this, do you, Flip?
No, no.
- Alright. - She's all yours.
- Bye. - Uh...
- It went pretty well. - Well, of course.
(HE SIGHS)
- So your name is Angela Tucci? - Yeah.
- You're Italian? - Yeah. What else would I be?
And you don't like to be called Angela.
Angie's fine. Y'know...
Flip is a nice name. Uh...
If you don't mind my asking, what kind of name is that?
My father.
If you don't mind me asking, um
- how long have you been temping? - Since high school.
And have you ever worked in an architectural firm before?
No, I haven't. But I learn really quick.
I like to learn new things. I like to be around new people.
- I like people. - You like people?
I love people.
Uh-huh.
- Excuse me just a minute, OK? - OK.
- Come on, guys, what is this? - Oh! Looks like someone needs a chill pill.
I thought I asked for an African-American to replace Terri.
- You requested an Afro-American? - African-American.
Jerry, you know I did. I put it in writing.
I didn't see it. You see it?
If you don't like her, you send her back.
You tell her you didn't like her performance because she's white.
What? That's not the point.
Flipper, she's been here five minutes, give her a chance.
This sounds dangerously like reverse discrimination to me.
What? Leslie, this is not reverse discrimination.
Why is it that I'm the only person of colour working in this office anyway?
- Is that discrimination? - Flipper, why should we hire someone
solely on the qualification of being an African-American?
That's not fair.
We hire who we feel
is the best human being for the job.
Fine, fine.
Miss Angela Tucci it is.
But I want you to know, I hope this works out.
Since she "likes people".
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(SUBWAY TRAIN RATTLES)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
- I think Angie's home. - Dinnertime!
Alright, now to the graveyard.
- Why can't they kick ass-- - Put 'em in the graveyard.
- What time is it? - The "N" train broke down.
- We're hungry. We're starving. - Alright.
- How was your day? - It was good. New job.
Fancy. Fancy place.
MAN: I'm glad they got rid of Strawberry. He was too much fuckin' trouble.
If he wants his ass kissed, let him go to L.A.
and let Lasorda kiss it.
He says he's a born-again Christian. Fuck born-again!
- Play the fucking game. - We're starving here, Ange!
- Oh! You three grown men crippled? - God forbid.
- Do your arms and fingers work? - Don't be mean. We're hungry.
- What's to eat, Ange, please? - You cook it. We'll help.
Yeah, help lift your fork to your mouth?
- Good, huh? - It's good.
No, no, that's plenty. I'm eating like a fucking pig.
Dad, are we gonna curse at the dinner table?
Sorry. Sorry, sweetheart.
Sorry, sorry. I'm still eating like a pig.
You guys, you should thank your sister.
- For what? - She works hard all day in Manhattan.
- Oh, we don't work now! - She rushes home.
She cooks for us.
Like your mother used to do, may she rest in peace.
- I like Mummy's cooking better. - So why don't you cook?
I got a good idea, Jimmy, why don't you cook for the rest of the week?
- Jimmy's cooking! - What's the matter with you?
- You're smart. - What's the matter with you?
Did you just hear me say you should thank your sister?
Yeah.
You heard me? Did you understand what I meant?
I just said it. I was thinking that and I just said it.
DAD: This girl bust her ass for you. She made a dinner fit for kings.
And "I like Mummy's cooking better."
- Is that nice? - He got no brains.
DAD: I want you to apologise to your sister.
- Son. Do what I'm telling you. - Fucking apologise.
Don't fucking kick my chair!
I'll fucking put this glass in your fucking face.
- Why don't you apologise? - Shut the fuck up.
Shut up for ten minutes!
BROTHER: I was telling the truth. Nobody cooked like my mother cooked--
(OVERLAPPING VOICES) What a fucking life.
DAD: Just eat.
Angie, come on in here. Sit down, baby, and eat.
You got no class.
A world affair, you're making it into.
That's it. I had it. Forget about it.
- I'm done. Come and sit down! - Just smack him in the head.
- Come and sit down. - Please, Ange.
(TV CHATTERS INDISTINCTLY)
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
- Flip. - What's up, Cyrus?
- You got any gum? - Gum, gum, gum, yeah.
Doublemint.
What's up, man?
Doing my 25 miles... daily.
- What's up with you? - Hey, brother.
I'm just a natural black man trying to survive
in a cruel and harsh white corporate America.
- I don't know how you do it. - Hm! I don't know how you do it!
(DOG BARKS) Hey! Hey, Cody.
How you doing? What's up there, boy?
- How you feeling, man? - I'm fine, Vera. How you doing?
What's Drew up to?
She's downstairs getting ready to cook.
- OK, tell her to give me a call. - Alright, bye.
- See ya. - Come on, Cody.
- Let's go downstairs... - Whew.
Oh...
- Vera, how you doing? - Hi, honey.
What are you staring at? (SHE GIGGLES)
Those birth control pills enlarging your breasts.
Yeah, did you remember to pick up that prescription?
I forgot. I'm sorry.
- Oh, you weren't supposed to forget. - I forgot.
- When we having some kids anyway? - Honey, I just got my promotion!
It's not an easy job to get, and plus
you promised me you'd go back to school for a little while
- before we had some kids. - That I did.
- You make all their money. - Been making all their money.
That whole Japanese account is because of me.
They'd be crazy not to do this.
- Baby? - What?
I want you to be prepared, though, alright?
Prepared for what?
Prepared for if they... say no.
- If they say no? - Look--
- No, no, no. They're not going to say no. - I think they'd be...
- They have no right to say no. - Totally crazy.
I deserve this. I've done everything they've ever asked me to do.
Most of the money they make is because of me.
Totally!
- I deserve this. - You do!
They're not gonna say no. You don't need to think about it.
- I'm not. - No negative thoughts, right?
- That's right. - Right?
- Positive thoughts. - Positive!
I'm so positive. (SHE CHUCKLES)
(DOORBELL RINGS)
What do you want, scumbag?
Hey, Charlie. I'd like to see your sister, Angie.
Angie's not home, Paulie.
Don't try to be slick and tell me she's not home.
You know and I know that she's washing dishes.
I want to see Angie now. Please, come on.
- Oh, Angie! - What?
It's for you!
- Hi, Paulie. - Coming out?
Yeah, I ain't washing the dishes tonight.
The boys are. Charlie's washing, Jimmy's drying.
(THEY CHUCKLE) That's a change of pace.
Let me go.
- Oh, Jimmy? - What?
Prince Charming's here. Check it out.
Whoa, Paulie!
Paulie Carbone, the man.
- What's up? - Hey, Jim.
- How you doing? - Good.
Good.
Look, Paulie, we was wanting to know
if you were fucking our sister.
You fucking my sister Angie?
What kind of question is that?
That's a good question.
It's a stupid question and I ain't answering it.
Paulie, if you're fucking my sister, you better not be
cos you'll get a fucking beating.
If we ever hear she's not a virgin, your ass is grass, Paulie.
You're gonna wish your mother never had you.
- You ever get her pregnant, Paulie-- - Hey!
I don't know why I'm thinking this, cos I know it won't happen, but if you did
I'm gonna give you the abortion, Paulie.
Then you're gonna marry her, OK?
Angela's not some slut you find on the street, y'know
she's our sister.
- Don't even think about it. - Don't even think about it!
You guys. You guys are sick.
No, we're not sick.
You're sick. You look like a bum. What do you got?
- Louie's hand-me-downs on? Huh? - (CHARLIE SCOFFS)
Angie, come out here and talk to this bum
before I stomp him into the stoop.
I'm coming.
- Oh, whoa. - What is this? Prom night?
Go finish watching the game. Coleman just homered.
- Where you going? - Have something to eat.
- Where you taking her?
Where you going with this guy?
Paulie, this doesn't settle anything.
Hey. We'll be waiting right here, Paulie.
- Waiting right here. You better be careful. - The clock is running.
Don't wait up. We'll see you in the morning.
- Paulie, why don't you say something? - I just did.
Like I'm not a man, I'm a woman, right?
When my brothers pick on me, I can deal with it.
When they pick on you, you sit there, grin and take it.
With all due respect, your brothers are retarded.
They are.
I'm serious. Jimmy and Charlie are definitely retarded.
- The poor guys don't even know it. - They don't.
Lucky for you, retardation isn't hereditary.
- Is it? Cos it might be. - I don't think so.
- No, you could be retarded. - (SHE CHUCKLES)
I could be going out with a retarded girl and I don't even know it.
(MUSIC: "BLESS THIS HOUSE" BY MAHALIA JACKSON)
"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me:
"It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
"Nevertheless, to avoid fornication
"let every man have his own wife...
and every woman have her own husband."
Mmm, mmm, mmm. Well, well.
- (DOORBELL BUZZES) - I'll get it.
(DOORBELL BUZZES)
Gator!
Is the good reverend doctor home?
- Can't you tell? - Yeah, there's Mahalia.
Come on in, but please be quiet.
This is your father's quiet time.
Time for meditation, time for prayer.
Let me fix you something to eat, boy. You don't look right.
- I look fine. - You been eating?
Like a horse, but I'm not hungry. I'll just have a candy bar.
That's not good eatin'.
It's quick energy, sugar, glucose, you know.
I'm cooking you something, just the same.
You don't look like you've been eating regularly.
- Did I ask you that already? - Mm-hmm.
My mind is getting bad.
(HE COUGHS)
Are you on that stuff again? You promised.
I promise, Mama. I'm straight, I'm clean.
You don't have to worry about me anymore.
You can rest your heart. That's why I came by here.
I got this great new job, but there's one, only one catch.
The application calls for a hundred bucks.
They say I have the job, but...
the fee is $100.
Boy, you must think you have a fool for a mother.
No, I don't! I think I have a great, understanding, loving, caring mother
- for a mother. - Hush your foolishness.
I'll pay you back... with my first check, with interest.
I'm trying, Mama. I'm really trying. It's just a lousy $100.
Don't tell your father.
Lucinda, what is he doing in our home?
The "he" is your son, our son
our first child, Gator, and I'm fixing him something to eat.
He is not allowed in our home.
But this is his home too.
REVEREND: How much money did he ask you for?
Gator did no such thing.
Go ahead and listen to Mahalia while I get him something to eat.
Now, go on back inside.
Go on.
I take care of Gator, honey. You go on back.
(GOSPEL MUSIC CONTINUES)
Gator, dance for me. Do that new move I like.
Don't forget to call me as soon as you get that new job.
REVEREND: I am of the world.
I been out there.
The good reverend doctor knows. The devil's work is never done.
- Food's almost ready! - The devil is always busy.
Angie, you can do that stuff in the morning.
- You done enough hard work for today. - It's alright.
I like to work.
- You like to what? - I like to work.
Besides, I want my father and brothers to eat McDonald's tonight.
(HE LAUGHS) You want your father and brothers...
to eat McDonald's?
See, when I get home, I usually gotta cook for them
and I don't wanna.
So I figure if I don't go home, they're left to their own--
They're grown men. Why are you cooking for them?
Yeah, but it's what they expect cos I always do, so...
(FLIPPER SCOFFS)
- I think it's time for them to grow up. - Dig it, dig it.
So you're a good cook? You can cook, huh?
- Yeah, I can cook. I love to cook. - Oh, yeah?
- Yeah. - What?
- What can you cook? - I can cook anything.
- What? Spaghetti? - Yeah, I can cook spaghetti.
- Lasagne? - Yeah, lasagne.
- You like lasagne? - I love lasagne.
Oh, yeah? I'll make lasagne for you.
(HE LAUGHS)
- What? - You're gonna make lasagne for me?
Yeah, I'll make lasagne. I'll make it at home and bring it in for you.
Why don't I come over and eat it with your family?
Well, you could try. I don't know if--
It's a joke. It's just... just a joke.
- I'm joking. - I know, I know.
OK.
Shoot, all this talk about food is making me hungry.
- Yeah. - Are you hungry?
Yeah.
Where you from?
Bensonhurst.
- Bensonhurst? - Mmm.
Nice neighbourhood.
Yeah.
Where you from?
Uptown.
- The Bronx? - No.
Harlem.
- Harlem, U.S.A. - Wow.
You ever been there?
No? You've never been to Harlem?
No. I've never met anybody from Harlem.
I mean, notin Bensonhurst anyway.
Well, you know, you should...
you should go.
I mean, think you'd like it. There's a lot of nice people up there.
Yeah.
Mmm.
You like it?
It's good when you put a lot of soy sauce on it.
I don't like the soy sauce so much.
What?
- What? - What are you looking at?
Wait, don't tell me. I know.
I know what you're thinking.
You're going...
"Wow! Look at your skin colour."
(SHE GIGGLES)
"How dark it is. How...
"I love your colour complexion.
"I mean, me, I'm so white, I'm so pale.
"I get a little sun now and then when I hang out at Jones Beach.
But nothing like that!"
I hate the beach.
You're definitely not a mind reader.
I do admit I was looking at your skin.
(HE CHUCKLES)
Boy, it's amazing.
You know, this... this preoccupation with colour.
I mean, here you are, staring at me and...
But my experiences, my people...
I've been called every...
black, dot, smut,
midnight, spot.
Every black derogatory name that you could ever think of.
And then white people comment all the time.
They love it.
It's a deep, dark tan.
Sorry.
It's... it's kind of messed up, huh?
Yeah. It really is.
It's beautiful.
You happy?
Um...
we've been going out for a long time, since high school.
So how does he treat you?
He's alright.
Just alright?
Well, he's a nice guy.
You know, he's just from the neighbourhood.
It's the kind of thing I'm outgrowing.
Yeah?
I'm just saying, I mean,
you like all these things, but...
you're temping.
I think you could be doing a lot more than that.
- Guess it's time to go home, right? - Yeah.
- Want any more? - No.
- Sure? - Positive, positive.
So, um... How long does it take you to get back to Bensonhurst?
Forty, forty-five minutes.
And your...
boyfriend meets you at the subway station?
- No':?
No.
What, there's no one there waiting for you?
- Is that safe? - Yeah.
- Let me help you with this. - Thank you.
(HE CHUCKLES)
You know, Angie, um...
I've never cheated on my wife before.
I mean, I'm married.
Happily married.
I know.
I kinda figured that.
- OK? - Yeah.
- Wait. - Oh...
(THEY MOAN SOFTLY)
(OBJECTS CLATTER)
(SHE MOANS)
- I'll take this off. - Oh...
(SHE MOANS)
(SHE GASPS)
(SHE MOANS)
(DISTANT SIREN WAILS)
What's the matter, Daddy?
Is there something wrong?
How come you're not talking to me, Daddy?
You're usually full of laughs and everything.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Bye.
(MAN SLURPS)
Paulie, how many Daily News did you order?
Seventy-five.
- How many Posts? - Fifty.
How many Newsday?
Papa, I order the same number every day
and every day you ask me the same question.
- I gotta know. - You do know.
It never changes.
You kidding? Newspapers change every day.
Here.
- Eat your breakfast, OK? - Yeah.
- Call me at lunchtime. - I'll call you at lunchtime.
- OK. Alright? - Hey, hey, wait.
You gonna say goodbye to your mother?
OK.
- Call me at lunchtime. - I'll call you at lunchtime, alright.
Lock the door.
(MUSIC: "CAN'T DO NUTHIN' FOR YA MAN" BY PUBLIC ENEMY)
♪ Running for your life by the night ♪
♪ Running from your wife yipes ♪
♪ You should have stuck with home... ♪
(MUSIC CONTINUES LOUDLY ON RADIO)
♪ I tried to help you all I can ♪
♪ I can't do nuthin'... ♪
Turn this shit off!
- Hey! - It's giving me a headache!
- It's P.E! - I don't care!
Flavor Flav, man. I like it.
- I like Madonna. - Madonna's out.
Old, OK! Look, I gotta go inside for a second.
You said we were gonna spend the day together.
We are gonna spend the day, OK?
- Wait here. - Take me with you.
- No. - Come on!
- No. - You always hang with those goombahs.
- Ten minutes! - OK. Hurry up.
Hurry up!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) Hiya, Vinny.
MAN: What are you talking about?
MAN 2: Harasses me!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) Didn't tell you nothing.
Paulie, give me another egg cream, will ya?
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Every day I see you reading. What's with this reading?
Some guy makes up some story? Fuck 'em. It's a waste of time.
Tell me one thing that I don't know that's important, from all your reading.
Right here, I'm reading this story right here.
- Yeah, so what? - So I'll tell you what.
These Sicilian guys in Louisiana had a factory.
It was around 1899
and they gave the black workers equal status in their factory.
So the regular white people found out about it
and they lynched the five Italian guys who owned the factory
that's so what.
Good, they got what they deserved.
They shouldn't have got involved with no niggers in the first place.
- That's not the point of the story. - That's my fucking point.
- Give me the money for lotto. - Put it on my tab.
Give me the money.
Tab, my ass.
Paulie, give me another chocolate egg cream.
That's five egg creams you're drinking.
What, does Donna got you in a state?
I think she's banging the big blond-headed guy.
The one with the big blue eyes, the pretty boy.
- What's that supposed to mean? - ♪ Oh pretty boy ♪
I'm only telling ya.
Just cos I don't look like that...
tall, blond, blue eyes.
That don't mean I don't feel like that.
What am I? Some kind of Neanderthal?
These fucking Italian girls, man. They're all the same.
You'd think... You'd think they'd want their own kind.
Nah, nah. What do they want?
Fucking Robert Redford, they want. Harrison Ford.
They got money, that's why.
Who's that other Wasp? William Hurt.
White Anglo-Saxon pricks.
Those bums don't know shit about fucking romance.
- Guess who's coming now? - Guess who's coming.
- Hey. - What's up?
- Sup, Sonny? - Hey.
- Good morning, Paulie. - Morning, Orin.
The usual.
One Daily News for your parents
and one Newsday for you.
Yeah, what else? Have you talked to your father yet?
About what?
About the possibility of getting The Times in here.
- The Sunday Times at least. - I did. He says it don't sell.
It don't sell, he don't order. Simple, supply and demand.
- I'll keep trying though. - Thank you.
Here.
Oh, I got something for you.
I picked up that application from Brooklyn College.
It's a lot of information
but don't let that scare you, OK?
- Thanks for remembering. - No problem.
I'll see you later, bye.
Have a good day.
MAN: She ain't bad for a black girl.
VINNY: Enough already, alright?
OLDER MAN: Si. She's a beautiful girl.
- Beautiful. - Every morning, the same shit.
I don't believe it.
She looks like that Diana Ross.
Paulie, where's my egg cream? Gonna make me one or what?
- She does. - Hey, Paulie.
Tell her we don't sell Ebony and Jet.
MAN 2: Yeah, we don't get The Amsterdam News either.
VINNY: But tell her you get plenty copies in Bed-Stuy.
In fact, why don't you tell her to move over there?
Why don't you guys shut up? Orin Goode is nice people.
- You don't know class when you see it. - My ass.
(CAR HORNS HONK)
Gentlemen, I, um...
I think we all know why we're here.
My contribution to this company's success and growth
speaks for itself.
Jerry, Leslie, you know I've worked very hard
been putting in some very, very long hours.
- We know that. - We both know that.
And now I think it's time for a vertical move.
I have moved as lateral as I can go.
And I think the only fair thing to do
is to accept me into the position of partner.
Now, I'm not making any demands.
I'm just saying that...
- You're not making any demands? - I'm not making any demands.
You ask for a partnership? That's not a demand?
I'm asking what I'm due.
I deserve this.
I'm the next one in line. And besides, you promised.
We promised in due time.
"In due time" is what we said.
Look, fellas, time is due.
Look... we both understand
how anxious you are.
And how patient you've been.
But we can't do this now.
Not at this time.
When?
Honestly, I can't say. I, uh...
You can't say?
Flipper, what is the big deal here? What is...
Is this an issue of money or is it this new secretary you have?
It has nothing to do with the secretary, and don't patronise me.
I'm not.
- You know that I work very hard. - I work very hard too!
- I bust my balls, Jerry. - I bust my balls too!
I work seven days a week!
How long you been with this company, Flipper?
From the very beginning.
What does that say? Mast and Covington!
I helped create that. That's my design up there.
I set up this goddamn company with...
Still...
we can't do this now.
Well...
that really disappoints me.
Um...
I can see that you have no respect for me...
or my contribution to this company.
So you have forced me to turn in my letter of resignation.
(JERRY CLEARS THROAT)
I can see that I have no future here at...
Mast and Covington.
Gentlemen, have a nice day.
Come on, Flipper, come on.
JERRY: Let him go!
Quiet. Flipper, come on.
- Going to lunch, Flip? - You don't have to...
Don't walk away like this.
- There's nothing left to talk about. - Let him go!
Look at this. This is my work. Mine, mine, mine.
You know what your problem is? Your ego's out of control!
Lighten up.
Come on, who's gonna play third base for us?
I don't give a damn who plays third base!
- Look, we spent a long... - Mine!
- OK. - Mine, mine, mine, mine!
- Ego, ego, ego! - Come on, quiet.
- Don't tell me to be quiet! - I'm telling you to be quiet.
- What's his problem? - It's been too... We've...
We've worked together too long
to end a relationship like this.
Let's just cool down and talk about this.
All we're asking for is a little bit more patience.
We don't have any more patience.
Fine.
If you're that unhappy here
go.
Come on. We don't have to deal with this.
Look, I'm really sorry.
CYRUS: So you quit?
- FLIPPER: I resigned. - Good move.
Good move. You need to start your own firm.
We need our own businesses.
- Exactly what I'm gonna do. - Let me ask you a question.
Why we out here tonight? In this park late at night?
- What's the problem? - Why are we out here tonight, Flipper?
You've got to promise me you're not gonna tell anybody.
Who am I gonna tell? I don't say nothing to nobody. Nobody.
"I-I-1-I-I" nothing.
You got to promise me. I know you, Cyrus.
My lips are sealed. Come on, what happened?
I...
I cheated on Drew for the first time.
You did that? When did this happen?
The other day.
Yeah? Thought you were gonna drop a bomb.
Ha! Well, uh...
She's white.
White? Man, are you on crack or something?
- You're crazy. - She's Italian.
- H-bomb. - From Bensonhurst.
Nuclear megaton bomb.
I know you didn't bone her.
No, no, no, no, no. Uh-uh.
I know you got better judgment than that.
- Right, I do. - Good.
- That's right, no. - Good.
- My man, that's right. - Good.
- I didn't. - Glad you didn't bone her.
Nope, no.
- You could have, but you didn't. - Whew...
No. No.
She put it in your face, but you refused.
- Cos you are... - Strong.
- You're a strong black man. - Strong.
Strong black man who...
Who... I threw her on the table.
Oh, Flip, you did. You boned her.
And I was...
You promised, you promised.
- Nuclear holocaust. - Hey, man.
It just happened. I mean...
I got a bad feeling about this one. Bad feeling.
What's so important? Come on, I'm supposed to go out with Vinny.
- What'd you get us down here for? - What's going on?
- You gonna finally have a wedding? - No, me and P... I don't know.
- You're wearing that ring. Spill it. - Why do you look so happy?
- This isn't about Paulie. - She's got that glow on her face.
I'm not glowing.
- Alright. So what is it? - What's going on?
Alright, but you gotta swear.
This is like swearing on a stack of Bibles.
Swear on a zillion rosary beads.
I swear on my great grandmother, OK?
We swear, we swear, what?
- I'm seeing somebody. - Yeah, you two-timing?
- Who are you seeing? - Somebody from work.
- That new job. - Yeah.
- That was quick. - A very fancy place.
So what's he look like? Who is this guy?
- What's his name? - It's a weird name.
- Try me. - Flipper.
Flipper? What the fuck kind of name is Flipper?
I know, I told you it's a weird name. Don't laugh.
What is he? Blond, blue-eyed surfer type?
- Hey, dude! - Right? What is that?
He's black.
What's the matter? Something wrong with your face?
- You did it with a black guy? - Yeah.
If your father ever found out. I don't know.
- He's not gonna. - No, of course not.
- No, not from us. - I'm just saying, keep it quiet.
- You know, look at Gina. - Gina who?
She brought that guy into the neighbourhood, that black guy.
Look what they did to him.
What you fuckin' talking about that Puerto Rican crackhead for?
Whatever, she brought him into the neighbourhood
and they killed the guy. You better be careful.
LOUISE: I don't think she's stupid enough to bring him into the neighbourhood.
DENISE: Whatever. I'm just saying, our lips are sealed.
Personally, I think it's pretty disgusting.
- Really? - Yeah, I think it's gross.
- I mean, how could... - Hey.
Me, myself, personally, I could never.
You're not sleeping with the guy. What do you care?
I just think she's a beautiful girl.
She can have any guy. Why does she have to go with a moolie?
I mean, Jesus Christ. I mean...
This is the '90s. There's nothing wrong with it.
You having a good time?
I have to admit that I've always been curious
about Caucasian women.
That doesn't mean to say that white is right
and that sisters aren't beautiful.
Sisters are beautiful too.
But, hey, I mean, I was curious.
So... I just jumped on it.
- Literally. - Yes, indeedy.
Huh.
I mean, hey, hey, that doesn't mean to say
that because a brother is with a white girl
that he's less down, I mean, less progressive.
- I'm still very pro-black. - You're black alright.
Yes, my shit is correct, very correct.
You got a big problem. You and her.
The both of youse got the fever.
- The what? - The fever.
The both of youse got jungle fever.
The both of youse.
Soon as we get some money, we goin' straight back
to that motherfucking... Oh! A-ha!
Baby brah! Alright!
(GATOR LAUGHS) Come on, baby.
- Don't push me, nigga. - Don't start no shit now.
- Nigga, don't push on me. - Bitch with the golden halo.
He done stepped right off into the cash money thing.
Mr Flip, man!
Yo, baby brah.
Cyrus. Black men!
Successful and shit. I want y'all to meet my new woman, Viv.
That's short for Vivian. She's good people.
I like her. Mmmm!
I was most fortunate to make her acquaintance most recently.
That's my baby brother, Flipper, the one I been telling you about.
He a architect and shit. And that's his main man, Cyrus.
He a, uh...
Damn, w-what is it you do again?
- I teach high school. - Damn, that's right.
He a high school teacher and shit, you know...
Hey, I'm sorry, man. My mind's getting bad.
- I gotta go. - You leaving me?
I gotta go.
- You promised. - I promise.
My lips are sealed.
Uh, Vivian, nice to meet you. Gator, peace, two fingers.
Peace.
Yo, Viv, would you let two loving brothers get a moment alone
to get reacquainted and shit?
- Where the fuck am I supposed to go? - I don't give a fuck where.
(OVERLAPPING ARGUMENT)
- Motherfuckin' swing and wait for me. - A swing? It's cold!
I'm trying to get motherfucking money from my brother.
VIV: What do I look like? A fool?
Put this in your mouth. Smoke this shit.
Fuck you, motherfucker. Give me a motherfucking light.
Take this goddamn lighter.
- Carry your motherfucking ass... - Hurry your ass!
You better come back with the motherfucking money!
- Hurry up! - Motherfucker. Shit.
- Go, go, go, goddammit. - Cold out here!
Give a fuck if you freeze your motherfucking ass off, just go.
I'm tired of waiting on your motherfucking ass!
Shit.
(HE LAUGHS) Oh, I like her.
Mm!
Uh, look here, baby brah.
I'm a little light right now. Could you, like...
let me hold some change?
No.
No, Gator, no, no, no. That dancing shit ain't gonna work.
I ain't giving you a red cent.
What? Come on, you can do me this one solid.
What, would you rather I go out and rob some elderly person?
Steal?
Either way, I'm gonna get high.
I really hate having to resort to knocking elderly people in the head
for they money.
But I'll do it. I'll do it. You know I'll do it.
♪ I'll do it I'll do it ♪
♪ Yeah, you know I'll do it ♪
♪ I like getting high ♪
♪ Mm, mm, uh-uh ♪
♪ I'm a c-c-c-crackhead ♪
♪ Ow ♪
J I like to get high &
J I'm a c-c-c-c-crackhead J\J
My brother.
Tch! Yeah.
Yo, Viv!
FLIPPER: I'm not doing this anymore!
GATOR: Come on, let's go. Meet me over there!
That's it, Gator! That's it.
VIV: I'm swinging!
Motherfucker, I'm swinging! How much money you get?
- GATOR: I got 50 fucking dollars. - Fifty dollars!
GATOR: That's right.
Get off me!
OK, ladies, we have one chicken livers and onions
with candied yams and collard greens
and one Sylvia's world-famous talked-about BBQ ribs special
- with potato salad and black-eyed peas? - Right.
- Two iced teas? - Thank you.
- Can I get you anything else? - No, that's fine.
(R&B MUSIC PLAYS)
Hi, how we doing?
You know, I really should have done this a long time ago.
Break away and start my own business.
You still gonna work at Mast and Covington?
I'm a temp secretary, remember?
Yeah... Damn it!
Excuse me, Miss, Miss.
May we order, please?
- Yes, may I take your order? - Is this your station?
Yes, this is my station. Unfortunately.
You can take my order, matter of fact, you could've taken my order
30 minutes ago when I sat my black ass...
Can I take your order?
Excuse me, do you have a problem?
Yes, I do have a problem, to be honest with you.
Fake, tired brothers like you coming in here.
That's so typical.
I can't even believe you brought her stringy-haired ass up here to eat.
Let me tell you something. First of all, Miss Al Sharpton, it's not your business
- who I bring in here. - Parade your white meat somewhere else.
It's not your business. You are a waitress. Your job is to wait.
Today's specials are the Maryland crab cakes
Creole shrimp gumbo and blackened catfish.
I suggest you have the blackened catfish.
I suggest you find the manager.
- You want my manager? - I want your manager.
- It's like that, right? - I want the manager.
Fine, fine, I'll get my manager.
- You're fired! - You're tired.
- She's white! - Mm-hmm.
I love her. You know, she's great.
We have a great marriage, a great daughter.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
ANGIE: What does she do?
She's a buyer for Bloomingdale's.
So what are we doing?
I honestly... don't know.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
ANGIE: I mean, I guess I don't expect you to leave her.
Well, I'm not.
So then... what are we doing?
Cos I don't think we're just fooling around.
Alright, is it true that black men don't like to go down on women?
(HE LAUGHS)
- Whew! - Come on, you heard that, right?
- No, no. Untruth, untruth. - Don't tell me you didn't hear that.
That's just like white boys have little Mini-Frosted Wheaties dicks.
- Why? Is that true? That's not true. - I don't know.
- You tell me. - I don't know.
It's not true.
Of course not! It's a myth. I think.
DREW: Take it! Take all his stuff.
You just take it. Take everything.
Cyrus, leave his stuff alone! You let 'em take it!
Take all his stuff, take the papers, blueprints, board, clothes.
Take 'em on home. Y'all can take them!
- Drew! Drew! - I don't want it in my house.
- Get it outta here. - Hey, give me that back.
Drew, what did I do?
Don't give it back to him, Cyrus! Don't you give him shit!
- You take it. - Hey! Hey, hey, hey!
- You see who I'm talking to! - Put that back! Drew!
- I don't want it in my house! - Why you throwing my papers out?
Drew, what did I do?
- Tell me what I did. - You're a liar and a bastard.
A what?
A bastard and a liar, you fuckhead!
- What is she talking about? - She's hip to Angie.
- MAN: Throw out the refrigerator! - Wait, wait.
OK, Drew, listen, listen.
Hey, Mummy. Oh! Look, I can explain.
Explain? Explain the fucking white bitch you're fucking, motherfucker!
Vera, take Ming upstairs to your apartment.
Take her up to your apartment!
DREW: Don't talk to her! That's my friend.
CYRUS: That's my wife!
Don't talk to her. Fuck you! Don't listen to him!
Do we have to discuss this out here in front of all of Harlem?
Why do we have to discuss this in front of all of Harlem?
We don't have shit to discuss! Discuss that!
Listen, listen. I wanted to work outta the office.
What am I gonna do about the business?
Fuck your fucking business.
- I'm gonna use the house as my office! - Oh, fuck you.
You better get a new house then, hey, asshole.
Give me this. Get off of it.
Look, look, baby, baby.
Baby. Baby!
Flipper Purify,
there will be no penis between us.
(CROWD GASPS) Ooh!
Asshole.
(CROWD LAUGHS)
We can talk this out.
I know we can talk this out.
REVEREND: Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, make us truly thankful
for this of Thy bounty which we are about to receive
for the nourishment of our bodies.
In the name of Thy son, Jesus. Amen.
BOTH: Amen.
So...
you have been cast out of your home
like Jonah was cast out of the belly of the whale.
I pray adultery was not the cause?
- Daddy, it's complex. - Let the boy eat his meal.
Flipper, you don't have to answer your father.
I know you and Drew will work this out.
Was it the temptation of the sweet nectar
of another woman's fruit?
The devil is always at work.
People are responsible for their own actions, Dad.
The devil had little, if anything, to do with it.
It was thinking like that that led you from the straight and narrow.
Do you ever just talk? Let him who is without sin
cast the first stone.
Straight and narrow? Not you, not me...
and definitely not you.
You and me come from the same crooked straits.
That's the end of this conversation.
Go get your wife back. You both need each other.
And Ming needs the both of you.
Please, let's eat this meal in peace.
- Mmm! - She ain't nothin' but a low-class...
white trash.
She probably didn't even finish high school.
- ANGELA: You know that's the truth. - That's what he left me for.
I always thought Flipper was the ideal husband.
Girl, you can never tell. They're all dogs!
I promise you, they're all dogs!
- Every last one. - That's right.
- We gon' have to start datin' white men. - Stop it.
- It's true! - I'm not datin' no white man.
- It ain't no good black men out there. - Yes, there are.
Most of them are drug addicts, in jail, homos...
The good ones know they the shit so they got ten women at a time
- leaving babies all over the place. - My marriage is wrecked.
It's fucked up, the man is gone, he's fucking some white bitch
and I still believe there's good black men out there.
Where? And the options? What are the options?
- Be a nun, be gay... - You know what the options are?
...or see somebody who likes you no matter what.
- Chinese, black, white, whatever. - Exactly.
Wrong, you're as wrong as the day is long.
They're out there. The problem is we're lookin' in the wrong places.
(THEY CHATTER) We're looking some place...
I don't know where we're looking, but we're not lookin' at bus drivers
or truck drivers, garbagemen, a lot of them are doing that.
We just won't give 'em the time of day, but they're good men.
How many men do you know, black men
who can effectively deal with a mate who has more education
and makes more money? Not many. They freak.
- And y'all know I tell the truth. - I know there are.
The fact remains that we are losing our men
that's the bottom line.
A lot of this doesn't so much have to do with black men.
I know it does, we want to blame them, and it is their blame.
But part of it is that white bitches throw themselves at black men.
- Do you see the way they look at 'em? - Thank you!
You can't walk down the street with your man
without 29,000 white bitches comin' onto 'em.
They will give up their pussy because their fathers
tried to keep it from 'em all their lives.
When they turn 18 and leave home, they gon' get that black dick.
They gon' get it. It can be yours, yours, or mine.
And they want it, and they're gettin' it.
Deal with the black man for a minute.
There's a lot of self-hate goin' on when he can't deal with a sister.
DREW: Inez, how would you know? You won't deal with a black man.
No, I do date black men, but I also date Chinese, Latino, Jewish
- the full spectrum. - DREW: That's not a consolation
for this particular argument that we're having.
I know you think I should date black men
but I'm gonna date who I like.
Give me a man, regardless of colour
who is nice to me, sweet to me and who I strongly believe loves me.
- (OVERLAPPING CHATTER) - Inez, I'm not the rainbow-fucking kind.
(THEY LAUGH AND CHATTER)
Yes, you are the Reading Rainbow girl. We know this about you.
If it'll make you happy, I'll make a pilgrimage to Africa
the motherland, and find myself a true tribesman.
- A true Asiatic black man. - With a dick down to his knees
to keep me happy for days.
- Ooh! Zulu dick! - That's right, girl.
I'ma get me some serious Zulu dick in the bush.
- Oh! - Y'all are nasty!
Do any of you know what it is like not being thought of as attractive?
I can't believe you ever believe that!
Drew, it's the kind of shit you buy into, OK?
I was always the darkest one in my class
and I know you know what I'm talking about.
All the guys ran after the light-skinned girls with long, straight hair.
And that left me out, and it's that same kind of thinkin'
that leaves us out when it comes to white women.
Back in the day, brothers would get sisters that looked like you, Drew and Vera.
But now, light skin ain't even good enough.
Today, brothers are going for the gusto.
I mean, the real McCoy. That's why Flipper's gone.
- White girls got it made. - The whole thing...
Everything we been doing, everything in society
we keep on doin' the same thing over and over
keep on telling ourselves, negatin' ourselves, our own value.
Look at the brothers who are successful.
Look at them!
Most of the brothers who have made it
- got white women on their arms. - That's true.
In order to go up that little ladder to success
seems like you got to have "Miss Thing" on your arm.
Their responsibility level isn't the same as ours.
VERA: It's not even a question of responsibility.
It's a fundamental disrespect for women.
I don't care, the best man, it's hard for him to say no.
Some pussy starin' him in the face. I'm sorry.
I don't know the man that's been born that's gonna say no...
He look around, ain't nobody lookin", he gon' fuck the pussy.
- OK! - If you want a committed relationship
then you are supposed to be able to say no.
It's the "art of no" theory for me. OK?
If you know you're involved with this person,
you have no business, I don't believe...
I know there's such thing... You gonna get turned on.
You gonna see somebody you wanna fuck, but your mind's supposed to tell you,
"I have a committed relationship, I have a wife, whatever."
And tell the dick to shut the fuck up and get down.
Strap that motherfucker down! You know? Come on.
(THEY LAUGH)
You know somethin', though?
It don't even matter what colour she is.
My man is gone.
Nah, Flipper. Nah.
I wanna talk to Drew.
There's a war council goin' on in your living room.
(HE SIGHS) Where's Ming?
Asleep upstairs with us.
Let's take a walk.
How did Drew bust me?
Don't tell me it was because you opened your big mouth.
Goddamn, C. I... I trusted you!
You see what happens?
- If I can't tell my wife, who can I tell? - Nobody, nobody, nobody!
Nobody, nobody, nobody!
I told you, don't tell a soul.
You promised me. You 4-1-1 or somethin'?
How was I supposed to know Vera was gonna run and tell Drew?
- I didn't know that shit. - Use your better judgment.
That's how. She is a woman. All women stick together.
They always do and always will.
Now I'm thrown out of my house because of your silly,
no-keepin'-a secret, married-to-a-blabbermouth wife!
Don't talk about my wife. You need a place to stay,
you can stay with us as long as you want.
Just say the word, but don't talk about my wife.
Yeah, right. Right!
And be spied on all night?
Yeah. I'd rather live with the F.B.I. and the C.I.A.
She would be giving an on-the-hour report
of everything I did to Drew.
Miss... Big Mouth!
Hey, did a bigmouth say go fuck that lady?
We had nothin' to do with that shit.
Put the fuckin' blame on the blamee. You, not me.
That's right. Why you laughin'?
Cos you fucked me up, that's why I'm laughin".
- I didn't mean that shit. - O-ho!
- You gotta place to stay. - So your marriage's fucked up.
- I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it. - Fuck you.
It was a mistake. I shouldn't have told her.
She has a big fuckin' mouth.
(MUSIC: "MAKE SURE YOU'RE SURE" BY STEVIE WONDER)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
3 Well, the night is young &
♪ And the stars are out ♪
♪ And your eyes are all aglow... ♪
Excuse me, Miss. Can you help me, please?
Flipper, why are you here?
- Drew, these are for you. - I don't want them.
- I need to talk. - I don't wanna talk to you.
- Alright. - Sorry.
Not out here, please. In my office.
Alright.
Look, baby, I know you're upset, but...
Well, I guess I just wasn't light enough for you, was I, Flipper?
You had to eventually go get yourself a white girl, didn't you?
What do you mean eventually?
What I mean is you got a complex about colour.
You've always had it. I never wanted to believe it until now.
Only girls you've ever dated has been light-skinned girls
you and Cyrus, both of you!
You don't know what type of women I dated before we got together.
That's not the issue.
The issue is cos you're so black, you have a problem.
That's insane! That's insane.
- Yes. Yes! - That's insane.
I've told you what happened to me when I was growin' up.
I've explained to you. I've poured my heart out.
I told you how they called me high yellow, yellow bitch.
White honky, honky white, white nigger, nigger white.
Octoroon, quadroon, half-breed, mongrel!
And what do you do?
- Do you love this girl? - Oh!
Oh, Drew.
- You've gotta be kidding me. - Do you love her?
- I love you. - Do you love her?
No, no, no!
No, I don't.
I'm so glad for you.
So glad.
Cos don't you know white people hate black people
cos they're not black?
They can't relate.
Look, Drew, did your white father hate your black mother?
You talkin' about my family?
This is what I'm saying to you. Colour's got you fucked up too.
Maybe it has.
Maybe it has!
Maybe that's why this hurts me so much.
Can't you see that?
I trusted you.
I...
- And I loved you. - And you still do.
Oh, please, don't tell me what I feel!
I don't. And I won't again.
Take your tired-ass roses and get the fuck out of my place of business!
♪ Love can be so insecure ♪
♪ So please ♪
♪ Be sure ♪
BOY: Paulie, can you lend me Starburst?
Some more of them Now And Laters, too?
I'm gonna lend it to you? What am I, a library?
Come on, get out. I told you I was closed.
- Just cos I'm a nice guy... - Come on, Paulie.
- Hey, I seen that. - Come on, man.
- Come on, Paulie. - Get out. Out!
- Come on! - Cheapskate.
I can't help it. It's my nature.
(HE SIGHS)
- You want another egg cream? - ANGIE: No.
Boy, it seems like forever since I seen ya.
- Where ya been? - Oh, just...
been doin' things.
- Want another egg cream? - No.
- Sure? - Yeah.
- Paulie, sit down. - Alright.
We've been goin' out for a long time, Paulie.
Yeah.
Look...
Paulie, I care about you too much to bullshit you.
But, uh, I need to get away from here as far as possible.
I just... I wanna get out of here.
I don't understand. You movin' or somethin'?
Oh...
Paulie.
Paulie... please.
What is this about?
This is about something else.
Is there anything else you wanna tell me?
Stop. (PHONE RINGS)
- Yeah? - LOU: Is your watch broken?
- Yeah, I know what time it is. - I haven't eaten for ten hours!
I know you're hungry.
I'm starving, you dumb son of a bitch.
- I know you haven't eaten since lunch. - What am I, on a diet?
Alright. I'll be up in a bit.
Lou's hungry.
(HE SOBS)
(HE SNIFFLES)
Open the door.
Paulie?
Let me in.
No.
Paulie?
I gotta pee.
No, you don't!
Leave me alone. You just want to get in here.
Paulie, I'm gonna pee in my pants.
Open the fuckin' door! I gotta take a leak!
- Promise? - Yeah, I promise.
What's the matter with you? What the hell are you doin'?
- You lied! - What the hell are you doing?
You said you had to take a leak!
Locking yourself in the john like a little girl!
All because of some skirt.
Not some skirt. It's Angie. She's a woman.
You call that a woman!
I was married to a real woman, your mother.
That was a woman!
- I wanted to marry Angie. - She did you a big favour.
Marriage to her would have been hell.
Besides, marriage is... is a joke.
People get married, divorced, married.
All they think marriage is for is humping.
- They don't know the duties. - What duties?
Wifely duties.
Those kind of women are rare.
Your mother and me, we had our wars.
She didn't talk to me for almost...
two years.
Not... not a word.
Still, she scrubbed my back.
Never stopped doin' her duties.
That woman was there for me.
Till death do us part.
That... was a fuckin' marriage.
Sometimes when I'm alone, she says to me...
"Lou.
Kiss me."
But ...
I try.
But I can't find her lips.
& When was the last time &
♪ That they heard you say ♪
♪ Mother or father ♪
♪ I love you ♪
♪ When was the last time that they heard you say... ♪
MIKE: A nigger! A nigger!
- (SHE YELPS) - A nigger!
- What kind of woman... - Daddy!
What kind of woman are you? You fuck a black nigger?
(SHE SCREAMS)
I didn't raise you to be with no nigger!
I'd rather you be a mass murderer!
Or a child molester than fuck a black nigger!
- What's goin' on? What'd you do? - Get back!
- I'm telling ya, get back! - Don't do it!
It's none of your fucking business! (THEY YELL)
You! Your mother's turning over in her grave!
Daddy, stop!
That how you respect her memory?
(SHE SCREAMS)
I raised you to be a good Catholic girl.
You're a disgrace! You're a disgrace!
- No! No! - You're a disgrace!
- Pop, what you doin'? - Stop!
You're a dirty disgrace! You're a disgrace!
You could've gone with a Jew or an Irishman
- but you picked a fucking nigger! - Calm down...
I wish your mother had lived and you had died!
- (SHE SOBS) - Let go of me! Get off me!
Stop it!
I'd rather stab myself in the heart with a knife
than be the father of a nigger lover!
Far as I'm concerned... (INDISTINCT YELLING)
Look at all you people. What the fuck you lookin' at?
Would you mind your goddamn business!
♪ Knowing you didn't always show ♪
(INDISTINCT YELLING CONTINUES) ♪ Just how much you loved him so ♪
♪ These three words ♪
♪ Sweet and simple... ♪ - Hey, Frankie.
Why don't you come inside? Come on, let's go.
♪ These three words... ♪
- Hey, Paulie. - Denise, just stay here.
- OK. - I'll be back in ten minutes.
Hey, Paulie.
- Hey. How ya doing, Paulie? - Hello.
- Paulie, how's your father? - OK.
Don't take too long, Vinny.
Man, I need an egg cream. He's a nice kid.
VINNY: Paulie, we know.
You know? We all know.
You're a jerk-off most of the time
but I feel for you.
- Coloured? - A spook?
- SONNY: A spearchucker? - Jesus Christ, a fuckin' eggplant.
You know, Paulie, Jew girls do that all the time.
But I would've thought better of Angela.
She went to Catholic school for eight years. Eight years!
- That's 16 years, you moron! - It's a fuckin' mystery.
- You gonna give her a beatin'? - Her father did that already.
I ain't talkin' about her father. I'm talkin' about you.
He ain't talkin' about Mike. He's talkin' about you, Paulie.
See my girl, Denise? She knows better.
She got out of line one time, I stomped her in the midsection.
- (MEN CHUCKLE) - Morning, Paulie.
(DOOR BELL JINGLES)
Good morning.
- How are ya? - Eh.
- Just OK? - The same.
Alright. I'll see you later. Bye.
- Have a nice day. - You too.
- Have a nice day. - Thank you.
She's sweet, man. I'd fuck her.
- Definitely. - You'd fuck a mozzarella.
Oh. I'd fuck her.
You kidding? I'd fuck a nigger or spic in a second.
- Yeah, and the mozzarella. - I'd do it too.
Wouldn't let anybody see us together.
No way I walk down 18th avenue with a black on my arm
no fuckin' way.
- Not even Paula Abdul? - Not even Paula Abdul.
- Paula Abdul says she's not black. - Paula Abdul? Who's Paula Abdul?
- She got big tits? - It's gotta stop somewhere.
Next thing, a black guy will wanna pork Denise.
Come on. They took over sports, baseball, basketball, football, boxing.
What do we got left? Hockey?
- Golf. - Golf! Come on, man.
They fuckin' elected Dinkins. Jesus Christ, when does it stop?
I don't need this shit from you guys today.
All you ever do is complain, man, complain.
When Dinkins won, the next day everybody was packin' up
leaving New York, and where'd you go? Around the corner?
The first thing he does, appoints that black police commissioner.
- What's his name? - Lee Brown.
- Downtown Brown. - Did you vote?
- I didn't. I had to fix my car. - Patty, did you vote?
No. I had to help my mums out, alright?
- Veeshay? - Yeah, I voted.
- You didn't vote. - He didn't vote.
I did vote! Fuck you.
You're full of shit. Frankie Botz?
Sure, I voted. I voted about six times.
I wrote Rudy, Rudy, Rudy.
I put a stamp on it. I don't know if they got it.
- Airmail. Fuckin' flew it in. - You're full of shit.
- Sonny, did you vote? - I went to P.S. 205 over here.
They must've moved. What am I gonna do? Walk around all day?
You guys didn't even register to vote.
You never voted in your whole life. No wonder Giuliani lost.
What's the sense of voting? Look at Marion Barry.
Smokin' crack in his hotel with his girlfriend.
I mean, the mayor of DC, the nation's capital!
What does that have to do with David Dinkins?
- That's two different people. - He's black!
There's Marion Barry and there's David Dinkins.
- Black on black. - David Dinkins, Marion Barry.
- Black on black. - He's talkin' 'bout Dinkin Donuts.
Anyway you hit it up, one plus one is two. Two different people.
They're both black! Read the Post.
- I sell the Post. - What about Central Park?
- Yeah, Salaam Baloney. - Guy writes a rap poem
and says he's innocent, he's not remorseful one bit.
What the fuck was that?
"I'm a cool type of fellow, cool, calm, and mellow."
- Get the fuck outta here! - I'm not talking about Central Park!
What are you talkin' about?
Let me ask you somethin', Paulie. Did you vote?
- Did I vote? Did I vote! - Yeah.
- Did you vote, Paulie? - I voted.
- Who'd you vote for? - That's my business.
VINNY: Your business, huh? You probably voted for Dinkins.
SONNY: Yeah, the guy who likes tennis.
♪ It was a very good year ♪
(HE CLEARS THROAT)
FLIPPER: For what? For what?
ANGIE: No, I don't wanna talk about it anymore.
Don't wanna go to the doctor. I told ya, it's over, it's done.
- No, no, no. - There may be a fracture.
- ANGIE: No, no, no. - No, no, no?
You a toughie, huh?
ANGIE: ♪ Dun, dun, dun, dun ♪
- So, what do you think? - What?
I mean, it's small... Shit.
And the rent is an arm and a leg. To be expected.
Hi. I always wanted a village apartment.
You did? Well, here it is.
- The humble residence of two outcasts. - Mm-hmm.
- You got that right. - Mmm.
(THEY GIGGLE)
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
- Who's that? - I don't hear shit.
Yes, you do.
You tell anybody where you live?
- You give out your address? - I didn't give out my address.
(KNOCK ON DOOR) Go away! Nobody lives here yet.
- Stay right there. - Mmm.
(KNOCK ON DOOR) Hold on.
Alright!
Tell 'em we don't want any.
ANGIE: Alright.
- Yeah? - I'm here to see my younger brother.
I'm his older brother, Gator.
- Hey!
- Angela. - Nice to meet you.
(THEY CHUCKLE)
- Come on in. - Thanks.
- How ya doin'? - Good.
Good. Alright.
- Flipper? - Yeah?
It's your brother.
My brother?
- Hey! - Hey.
- I'm gonna go unpack. - Alright.
What the fuck are you doin' here?
Huh? How'd you find this address? Cyrus giving it to you?
She's white!
No shit! Yeah, she's white.
She got any money? Real long money?
No, she doesn't have any money.
- She's a temp. - A secretary?
You mean to say my little brother got him an ofay
- who ain't got no mo-nay? - Shh.
What about Drew? Ming?
It's complex, man.
You see, me, myself, personally
I would have opted for some money and shit.
You know what I'm ea yin'?
But I gots to give you some dap.
She looks good!
See, most brothers with white bitches
nine out of ten, they don't never have 'em no penthouse pet.
Most brothers be havin' 'em a outhouse pet.
A dog with flies, fleas...
See, but that don't work for the white boy, see.
If a sister is on his arm, I guarantee you
she be slammin'!
Boom! Pow!
Alright, alright. What is it that you want?
You sure she ain't got no money?
She could be frontin', know what I'm sayin'?
Perpetratin" on the green.
- She's Jewish, right? - No, she's Italian.
Oh, shit!
(HE LAUGHS)
You always had to do things the hard way.
(HE CHUCKLES)
Lookee here.
I'm a little light, so...
how' bout a loan?
Hmph! Help me.
(HE HUMS)
You didn't get your check from Soul Train yet?
- Don lost my address. - Uh.
(HE LAUGHS)
- Come on, hit me. - No, no.
Put some cash in my hand!
Why don't you let the door hit you where God split you?
Come on, man. Gimme some money.
- Come on. - Don't do me like this here.
I'm not giving you anything. OK?
- Gator, no. - I tell you what.
Let me go in and ask the bitch.
No, no. Don't call her a bitch.
- She's not a bitch. - OK. I didn't mean that.
Now, apologise and get the fuck out.
You OK?
(HE SIGHS)
I should go and see my little girl.
- Daddy! - Hey!
Come here. Ahhh!
Ahhh... That's my girl.
Hey, look what I've got for you.
She's beautiful!
Yes, she is.
Daddy, Mummy takes me the wrong way to school every day.
- She does? - Yeah.
Ming-a-ling, there's more than one way to go to school.
I still like our way, Daddy.
I miss you and Mummy making funny noises early in the morning.
FLIPPER: That's your mother. She's the loud one.
Wakes up all of Harlem.
MING: It doesn't bother me.
I wish you and Mummy were back together
making those funny noises in the morning.
You coming home?
- Uh, go ask your mother. - I did already.
She told me to ask you.
Well, your father says to go ask your mother.
- I just did. - Yo, Daddy.
I'll suck your dick good for $5, baby.
- You what? - $5. I'll suck your dick.
- Get off me! - $5, Daddy, come on!
- Get away from me! - Alright, $3!
Motherfucker!
Fuck you! (HORNS HONK)
Watch where you're goin', man!
- Ah! - Now you listen to me.
If I ever see you usin' drugs, I'll kill you. Understand that?
I didn't do anything!
My dear, are you a Catholic?
Um, well, yeah, I went to Catholic school my whole life
- so I guess I am by now. - Hmm.
In this house, we are Baptists.
Yes, the good reverend doctor was the head of his own flock.
The Hard Rock Baptist Church.
The devil and his cohorts conspired to oust me from my congregation.
Now, Daddy, you know the devil ain't have nothin' to do with it.
It was you. You and your stubbornness.
That's all it was.
"For it must needs be that offenses come into the world
but woe unto him by whom the offense cometh."
I recognise the devil's handiwork when I see it.
That's good.
Please, let's not argue at the dinner table.
Flipper, have you met Angie's folks?
Not as of yet, Mama.
Well, um, my mother passed away
and my father, he's, uh...
he's asked me to leave.
- Oh, I'm sorry. - That's alright.
I just don't think we'll be having dinner there soon.
Has Flipper told you about his loving wife and daughter?
ANGIE: Yes, he has.
Um, excuse me.
REVEREND: You think I don't understand about the white woman
committing black adultery, but I do.
Now, Daddy, no sermons, please.
There was a lot of lynchings down in Willicoochee, Georgia
where I come from, when I was a boy.
Willicoochee, Georgia! (HE LAUGHS)
What a name!
Willicoochee.
White man say to his woman: "Baby, you are the flower
"of white southern womanhood, too holy and pure
"to be touched by any man, including me.
"I'm gonna put you up on a pedestal
"so the whole world will fall down and worship you.
"And if any nigger so much as look at you,
I'll lynch his ass."
She believed him, thought she really was
holy and pure, like the Virgin Mary.
She let him put her up on that pedestal.
Meanwhile, the husband, no sooner than the sun went down
down to the slave quarters grabbin' up every piece
of black poontang he could lay his hands on
then running to the gin mill to brag about it.
And that's how our blood got diluted.
Mulattoes, quadroons,
octoroons.
I'm sure that most of those high and mighty white ladies
felt abandoned.
But they were so proud to be white, and therefore superior
they kept their mouths shut and their legs locked tight.
But in the midnight hour,
la yin' there, alone,
on the hot bed of lust,
I'm sure they must've thought what it would be like
to have one of them big, black bucks
their husbands were so desperately afraid of.
I feel sorry for you.
Here it is the '90s,
still tr yin' to make up for what you missed out on.
But I don't blame you.
As for the black man
like my own son, Flipper, who ought to know better
got a loving wife and daughter,
still got to fish in the white man's cesspool,
I have nothing but contempt.
Excuse me.
I don't eat with whoremongers.
But you knew she was comin'.
That's alright, Mama. That's alright.
It's alright. Angie, we're leavin'.
Let's go.
Mama, I'm sorry.
But you invited them.
(DOOR SHUTS)
Great, great. One good thing that's happened all night.
A parking space.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Comin' out?
Tsk.
- Mmm! - Unh!
- Uh! Pow. - Oh!
- No, hey. - Don't mess with me.
I got two rough brothers.
- Oh yeah? - Yeah.
- Who do you think taught Mike Tyson? - Gus D'Amato.
Gus D'Amato? Yeah, right.
But when he died, I taught him everything he knows.
- Oh, yeah? - That's right.
You wouldn't hit me with glasses, would you?
- I would. - You would?
All those good Italian boxers there are.
Graciano, yeah, Marciano.
- Come on. LaMotta. - LaMotta!
Yeah. (THEY GRUNT PLAYFULLY)
- Ah! - Now, how's that?
What about Muhammad Ali?
- I hate Ali! - What?
(HE GRUNTS)
Ali was a Muslim, and he preached "hate all the white people”.
I'll kill you! I'll kill you, you ever talk about Muhammad Ali!
- You can't! You're a witch. - Get off!
I'll never stand for nobody to talk about the greatest, Muhammad Ali.
Agh! Heretic, witch!
- OK, look, game over. - (SHE LAUGHS)
Game over. Gimme my glasses.
- Let me have my glasses. - Why don't you say please?
I'm not gonna say please.
That's not gonna stop me from being angry.
(SIREN BLARES)
Get your hands up! Put 'em up!
Put 'em up. Get your hands up!
- Get your hands up. - Back away.
- Get your hands up! Now! - Get back!
- Move! - What'd I do?
- Against the wall! - You alright, ma'am?
ANGIE: I'm alright. Let go of me! That's my boyfriend!
That's my lover! What are you doing?
I'm not her boyfriend. We're just lovers.
I mean, no, no, no! We're just friends.
- ANGIE: This must be some kind of mistake. - Angie, shut up!
Officers, she doesn't know what she's talkin' about.
- He wasn't trying to rape you? - Assault you?
- No! - You sure?
- I didn't do anything! - Take the fucking gun from his head.
OFFICER: Talk to me, man. What?
This is just a big misunderstanding.
- That's all it is. - Slow. Turn around. Slow.
I was just makin' sure she got home safe.
Alright.
- Sorry about that. - No harm, no foul.
We got a call that an Afro-American male
was attacking a Caucasian woman.
You alright, man? Just a little excitement.
No problem. What?
What? Give me a reason.
- Don't you dare try it! - Better luck next time, man.
- Excuse the intrusion. - Are you crazy?
- Take it easy, alright? - ANGIE: I have your badge number!
I'll bring you up on charges!
- Shut up! Shut up! - I'm gonna report this!
Will you shut up? What's the matter with you, huh?
Telling 'em we're lovers!
- You tr yin' to get me killed? - It's none of their business!
What a waste.
Shit.
Fuck! The fuck am I doin' here?
- Let's go. - Don't touch me.
No, no. Don't touch me.
Let's go.
- Let's go. - Please.
Morning, Paulie.
Morning.
- How are you today? - Good.
Good. See ya later.
Bye.
♪ Excuse me please Your Majesty ♪
♪ I chanced it small but nervously... ♪
- Orin? - Yeah.
- Can I ask you a question? - Yeah.
- Did you fill out that application? - No, not yet.
- Paulie! - I'm gonna get to it.
- Uh-huh. - Listen, I...
Do you think you could be attracted to a white boy?
A white boy?
Could this white boy be Paulie Carbone?
Possibly. Yeah.
I don't know. Maybe. I would have to think about it.
Why don't you think about it?
OK. But can I be honest with you?
I have never thought of you in that way.
- I'm sorry. - I like you.
You're serious.
Why? Why me?
You really wanna know?
- You wanna know? - Yeah, sure, I wanna know.
Well, you're intelligent, and I find you very...
very attractive.
Well, thank you. That's nice.
It's sweet, but right now, I gotta get to work
and I have a class later.
Paulie, I gotta go. Bye.
Remember, think about it on the way to the subway.
Yeah, right.
You see this shit? I don't believe it.
Don't believe it!
SONNY: Don't take too long. You'll burn your brain out.
VINNY: Dunno know why you're trying to rap to Miss Goody.
- Goode. - Goode, whatever.
Doesn't even talk to us.
Yeah. Who does she think she is?
Orin talks to whoever talks to her.
She said good morning to me one time.
Paulie.
Did you fuck her?
You know, coloured women, they like to fuck.
PAULIE: Oh, yeah?
They're built that way.
You put a saddle on them, man, you ride them into the sunset.
- I'm telling you, they love it. - How do you know?
He asked his mother.
What the fuck's that supposed to mean?
My mother's not black. She's just dark.
- There are dark Italians. - Come on, Frankie, basta.
- I'm as white as anybody in here! - OK, Frankie. Basta! Relax.
- We're just busting your balls. - Least my brother ain't no crackhead.
- Hey, Frankie. - Tony ain't no crackhead.
- He's on methadone. - Fuckin' drug addict.
He's a recovering heroin addict on methadone. So, fuck you!
Fuck me? Fuck you!
Don't talk about my fuckin' brother that way.
Your brother's a fucking thief! He stole a radio out of my fuckin' car.
- How do you know? - How do I know!
He fuckin' tried to sell it back to me!
You're full of shit. Nobody listens to you anyway.
- I'm full of shit? Ask Sonny! - Fuck Sonny.
Fuck Sonny? I'm gonna wring your neck! (THEY YELL)
(OVERLAPPING YELLING)
Hey, hey, hey!
(OVERLAPPING YELLING) Hey, hey, hey!
- Take it easy! - I'll get you outside!
You guys go get a job or do something else somewhere else.
FRANKIE: Leave me alone. Give me room here.
You don't even have the fucking balls, man
to get a piece of that big black ass!
You don't got the pallinis.
- What? - You don't have the balls.
- Says who? - Says who? Says all of us!
- I only hear you. - I'm in charge here. Right?
- Whatever you say, Vinny. - Hey. We're just friends, alright?
Friends. No such thing, "friends", man.
Either you're doin' it or you're not doin' it
and you're not doin' it, pal!
You're just jealous because she speaks to me every morning.
- Yeah. We're dyin' of envy here, Paulie. - Hey!
Hey, Paulie. Seen Angie lately?
PATTY: You miss her, right, Paulie?
VEESHAY: Hey, Paulie. I heard she's livin' in Harlem now.
I saw her bu yin' a kanga. (HE LAUGHS)
PATTY: And she got a pair of unlaced Jordans too.
SONNY: You got a big mouth. Shut your mouth.
- PATTY: Come on! - SONNY: Don't you laugh.
- PATTY: Come on! - I'll kill ya.
PATTY: Get outta here. - Get outta here?
I'll bury you, you fuck.
OK, Mama. It's alright. It's alright.
I don't know what's wrong with Gator!
I've prayed so much for that boy.
He's gonna give me a heart condition.
- What did he do now? - Gator left just before you got here.
Come over here wantin' to borrow the colour TV.
For what?
Said he wanted to watch the Mets, see Gooden pitch.
I told him he couldn't watch the game over here because
the good reverend doctor would be back soon and would raise holy hell
if he saw him in this house.
- So what happened then, Mama? - He got mad.
Unplugged the TV, picked it up just walked on out of here.
Said he'd bring it back after the game.
Look, Mama. Listen.
Just listen.
(HE SIGHS)
Mama, you can forget about the TV.
And you should also forget about Gator.
Mama, in the end, he's only gonna break your heart.
Hush your foolishness.
The good Lord knows I raised you two the best I know how.
Gator is your oldest brother, me and your father's first child.
Mama, your first child is a crackhead.
- Don't say that! - It's the truth.
You mustn't say that about your brother.
- Look, Mama... - He is not a crackhead.
Mama, it's not your fault, it's not my fault,
it's not the good reverend doctor's fault
and it ain't got nothin' to do with the devil.
I want you to find him and get the TV back before your father comes home.
Mama, please listen to me.
Forget about the TV. OK?
I don't wanna hear any back talk, not another word!
Do as I say.
Find your brother and get the good reverend's doctor's TV back.
Alright. Alright.
Alright.
Love ya a heap.
In all thy ways, acknowledge the Lord
and He will direct thy path.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name...
♪ A boy is born in Hard Time, Mississippi ♪
♪ Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty ♪
♪ His parents give him love and affection ♪
♪ To keep him strong moving in the right direction ♪
♪ Livin' just enough just enough ♪
♪ For the city ♪
Hey.
What's up, man? What's up?
- Look, uh... You seen Gator? - Nah, haven't seen him, man.
- He hasn't passed by here? - Not that I know of.
If I see him, I'll let him know you're looking for him.
Alright.
Alright. Peace out.
♪ And you best believe she hardly gets a penny ♪
Yo, can you hook me with some money, man?
I know you hear me.
This fuckin' money's short, motherfucker. I want my fuckin' money, motherfucker!
Yeah? I'm gonna go over to Brooklyn! I'm gonna Kill you...!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
MAN: Benzo! Benzo!
How many you want?
Benzo! Benzo!
Come on, baby, how many you want?
Benzo! Benzo! Benzo!
Benzo! Benzo! Come on, baby, how many you want?
- Livin' Large. - Hey, my man!
What up, baby? How you been?
Yo, this brother's a architect!
Yo, bust this, man.
I want you to build me one of those penthouse joints.
Real shit. Yo, shit is gettin' real good.
It's like gravy at this motherfucker.
Look, Livin' Large, I'm lookin' for Gator.
Oh, now I'm the missin' person's bureau.
All I'm saying is, people just say
you know where he is.
Yeah, people got some big motherfuckin' mouths.
You know what I'm saying?
Matter of fact, fuck it. I know just where he's at.
Yo, what's the name of that basin' joint?
- Taj Mahal. - The Taj Mahal?
- That's the name? - Yeah.
That's where's he's at, the Taj Mahal.
- What's the Taj Mahal? - The Taj Mahal is...
It's like the Trump Towers for crack dens around here.
A'ight? That's where your brother's at.
He's at basin', B, I'm sorry.
- Where's it at? - Up on 145th and Convent.
- Thank you. - Hey, whatever.
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
♪ Livin' just enough ♪
♪ For the city, for the city ♪
♪ Just enough ♪
♪ Livin' just enough ♪
♪ Livin' for the city ♪
♪ Just enough ♪
♪ Just enough for the city ♪
♪ Just enough ♪
♪ For the city yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Livin' just enough ♪
♪ For the city ♪
♪ Just enough ♪
(INDISTINCT HOLLERS)
♪ Just enough ♪
(HE COUGHS)
♪ Livin' just enough ♪
♪ For the city ♪
♪ Givin' just enough ♪
♪ Livin' just enough ♪
♪ For the city... ♪
I'm sorry.
(HE COUGHS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
MAN: Thank you, bye!
- Gator! - What, you crazy or something?
I'll kill you.
I'm sorry.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(HORN HONKS)
(SIREN WAILS)
(INDISTINCT CLAMOUR)
- What the fuck is wrong with you? - Fuck you.
I got the shit! I got the shit! Well, light it then.
Gator.
Hey!
Welcome to the Taj Mahal, eighth wonder of the world.
Gator, Mama wants to know where the TV is.
You know the Mets lost!
They're some sorry motherfuckers. Half can't play good as Mama.
Where is the TV, Gator?
Where you think the motherfuckin' colour TV is?
It's right here! Me and Viv smokin' the fuckin' colour TV.
Tony... no baloney!
(VIV CHUCKLES AND COUGHS)
- Motherfucker, don't... - Hey, hey, hey!
Come on, Viv! Calm down, baby.
Touchin' our stuff!
It's alright. Come on!
- Hey, hey. - Shit!
That fuckhead's shittin' with my shit!
- Look, here. - Motherfucker! Fuck that shit.
This ain't a joke. Mama is or yin' her eyes out over your sorry black ass!
Look, I like gettin' high.
Why you think I got a room here at the Taj Mahal?
I'm a junkie, a crackhead.
Flipper, just tell Mama her oldest son is a crackhead.
Fine, that's it. That's it. We're cuttin' you off, Gator.
Don't come by the good reverend doctor's house anymore.
Don't ever ask me for shit!
You want to go out like this, fine, you do it with your crack ho.
- Crack ho? Crack ho! - Crack ho.
- Eat me, motherfucker! Eat me! - Fuck you!
VIV: Take your box-head-ass on outta here, motherfucker!
GATOR: That's right, get the fuck on back downtown
with your Mickey Mouse ass
and that spaghetti-cookin' bitch of yours!
VIV: Fuck you!
FLIPPER: Leave me alone, leave me alone!
- All you crackheads! - (VIV SCREAMS)
FLIPPER: I'll shoot you. Crackheads!
Crapshoot for crackheads!
(INDISTINCT CLAMOUR)
Give it to me! Goddamn it, give it to me!
Pull all this motherfuckin' shit out of your pocket!
Where is it?
- Fuck off me! - Where the fuck you get this from?
I've been out here suckin' dicks for your ass,
and you got this shit in your pocket.
Gimme all this goddamn shit!
You and your brother can kiss my fuckin' yellow ass!
Where's my lighter, man? Fuck you!
Fuck all y'all!
Motherfucker.
Come on, shit, bring your sorry ass over here.
Here!
So, where we goin'?
We gonna be together?
We're together now.
I don't know.
You don't know. Who the fuck knows?
Is that the way it is?
That's the way it is.
What about children?
No, no, no, no. That's not gonna happen.
I'm ea yin'... if we work it out.
No children.
No, no, no. No babies.
Besides, I gotta be married to have children.
Or have you already forgotten that I already am married?
With a child.
No, no. No half-black, half-white babies for me.
No.
Aren't Drew and Vera mulattoes?
Their skin is lighter than mine.
No octoroon, quadroon, mulatto... babies.
No.
Don't you have a daughter who's got white blood in her?
Yeah, so what?
Look, at least in my eyes, Drew and Ming are black.
They look black, they act black, so they are black!
It's hard enough just being black out here.
No, no, no. A lot of times, the mixed kids
they come out all mixed-up, bunch of mixed nuts. No.
You know, you're not that much different than my family.
Yeah, well, your family is racist.
What is this stuff you're talking now?
Angie?
Angie!
I'll be damned.
Ain't that some shit.
Would you like me to tell you what happened?
I still care about you, Paulie.
How you feel?
How you expect me to feel?
I don't feel the same.
Angie, I gotta go.
Nice to see you back in the neighbourhood.
OK.
Out?
Out where?
- Out on a date. - Ah! A date.
Who with?
Orin Goode.
She's...
She's black.
Yeah, right. So what?
A black girl?
You don't bring no brown sugar home to this house!
God, if your mother was alive, she'd...
she'd turn over in her grave!
Papa, I'm going out.
You are not going out.
I'm going out.
I'll kick your balls right through your throat!
Pop, I got no life, you understand?
I got nothin', man. Everything I do is for you!
"Paulie, do this. Paulie, do that.
"Paulie, wash my back. Paulie, what's for dinner?
Paulie, how many Posts did you sell today?"
I'm not your fuckin' wife!
I'm your son!
You had your life! I want a life, man! You had yours!
You...
You hate me.
Ah, you...
You hate your own father.
I don't hate you.
I'd like to kill you, but I don't hate you.
You are not my son!
Bastard. (HE SOBS)
Fuckin'...
You are not my son!
VINNY: Lou, damn! - SONNY: Louie!
LOU: You bastard!
SONNY: Take it easy. - You are not my son!
Relax. - Take it easy.
- What's the matter? - Where you goin', Paulie?
- You burn your supper? - Paulie, who's the lucky girl?
You look pretty tonight, Paulie.
You goin' out with that fuckin' nigger?
Huh? You think you're better than me, Paulie?
- Huh? - You're a fuckin' disgrace.
Fuckin' disgrace.
Fuckin' asshole, you're no better than me.
Where's your books, Paulie, huh?
Where's your books?
Fuckin' piece of shit, Paulie.
Motherfucker!
(HE SCREAMS)
(THEY YELL)
(PAULIE SCREAMS)
♪ Don't cry because I'm alone... ♪
- Hi, Orin. - Paulie.
Good God, what happened to you?
Fell over some garbage.
Come on in.
You look terrible.
♪ I've had a love of my own ♪
Hi.
♪ I've had a love ♪
♪ Of my... ♪
Angie, I don't think there's anything left to talk about.
I give up.
- It's not worth it. - I know.
I mean, this. It's not worth it.
I don't love you.
And I doubt seriously if you've ever loved me.
Don't tell me what I felt or didn't feel.
Look, Angie...
this "love will overcome everything" is in Walt Disney films.
And I've always hated Disney films.
I didn't come here to talk about Snow White.
You got with me to spite your family
COS you were curious about black.
Is that what you think it was?
Yeah, I do.
And I was curious about white.
OK, look, I just came to say...
I hope everything works out with your wife.
Yeah.
Angie, hold on a second.
- You gonna be alright? - Yeah.
Yeah, well, I'm moving out of here in the morning.
You can have it if you want.
That's OK.
OK. (SHE LAUGHS FAINTLY)
OK.
(INSECTS CHIRP)
(DOORBELL BUZZES)
GATOR: Yeah, yeah. There he is.
Goin' to walk that goddamn barkin' rat of his.
Hurry up, old man. Just keep walkin', keep walkin'.
Here we go. Showtime.
(DOORBELL BUZZES)
(GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYS)
Gator! What do you want?
GATOR: I need to see you.
- The good reverend doctor isn't here. - I know.
That's why I need to see you now.
Well, hurry up! Come on! Hurry up, hurry up.
Hey, pretty lady, remember me”?
Say whatever you have to say and go before your father comes back!
What's the matter? Don't you like my dancing anymore?
You usually offer to cook me somethin' to eat.
I ain't playin' with you, Gator.
Say what you got to say and then go!
If it's money you want, forget it! The answer is no!
Mama, I need money. I'm sick!
In order for me to get right, I need money!
You'd feel a whole lot better if you had a bath!
Boy, the devil's got you.
75 cents!
What the hell am I gon' do with 75 cents?
- Gator! - Goddamn lotta coupons, huh!
Where's the money?
I save a lot of money using them coupons.
I need the money!
I know you got money in here somewhere!
What happened to that $100 I gave you last time
and the time before that, and the time before that?
Fuckin' mon...
Mama, give me some money!
Don't you raise your voice at me!
I'm still your mother.
As God is my witness, this is my last time.
I swear 'fore God and four more white people,
- this is the very last time, I swear! - Lies, lies!
You must be out of your right mind. I'm not giving you a red cent.
And what happened to your father's colour TV?
Mama, I smoked the TV.
Lord have mercy on your twisted soul.
I ain't goin' nowhere till you give me some money!
I don't have any money!
What about some jewellery?
These pearls are not real. This is costume jewellery.
- Well, gimme something! - Just leave, boy!
Go before your father gets back in this house.
I know there's some money here somewhere.
You won't find nothing!
Just stop!
Let go of your mother's pocketbook!
Stay away from me, Mama. I need some money! I'm sick!
If you're sick, why don't you go some place and lie down?
- Please! - What is all this shit?
Where is the money? Why you tripping like this?
- Why don't you just gimme the money! - I told you, honey
you won't find no money in that pocketbook.
I haven't got any money, not the kinda money you lookin' for!
$207 Is that all the money you got?
- $20! - Oh, my God.
(DISTANT SHOUTS)
- $20 ain't shit! - For the love of sweet Jesus, please go!
Boy, didn't I tell you never to set foot in my house again?
Where's the money? Why you hidin' it?
Have you lost your natural mind as well as your soul?
Didn't I tell you never to darken my door again?
N-no, Gator's leaving.
I ain't going nowhere!
Alright, alright.
I'll put you out.
GATOR: See, Mama? If you had gave me the money
I'd be gone before he came back!
Now gimme some money.
God knows, Gator, if I had money, I'd give it to you.
You've got money in this house, Mama! Give it to me!
Anything you want, take it! Take it, honey.
- You can sell it. - You got more money than $20!
See this? You can sell it...
I don't want that shit! I want some money!
My own flesh and blood, my firstborn son
and I love you.
But you're evil and you're better off dead.
Alright, alright!
I'm leavin'.
I'm leavin'!
Take it, take it. Sell it...
The devil's work is never done. The devil is always busy.
Mama, check out this new step.
I made this one up just for you.
I paid a lot of money for these, honey! Take 'em!
Take it! Sell it, sell it!
Take these and sell it, boy.
For God's sake, Gator, please go...
I'll pray for you, my son.
Father, I stretch my hands to Thee.
(GUNSHOT) Aaah!
- (SHE SCREAMS) - Oh, Mama!
- Oh, God! - (HE YELLS)
It hurts! (HE SOBS)
- It hurts! - My baby...
No! No!
Make it stop...
Oh, God, no!
My baby.
My darling boy.
My firstborn.
(SHE SOBS)
Mummy's here!
(SHE CRIES)
(SHE SCREAMS)
(GOSPEL MUSIC CONTINUES)
REVEREND: No other help I know.
- Mummy's here! - If thou withdraw thyself from me...
Mummy's here!
Ah, whither shall I go?
(SHE SCREAMS)
Mummy's here!
It won't hurt.
(SHE CRIES SOFTLY)
(SHE SOBS)
(SHE GIGGLES)
(DREW SOBS)
(SHE CRIES SOFTLY)
You better go now.
Just leave.
Ming.
Come on, wake up, you faker.
Daddy, I heard you and Mummy.
Are you moving back in with us?
No, not today, baby.
Maybe in the future.
When is the future?
Soon.
Daddy, can you walk me to school today?
Yo, Daddy, I'll suck your big black dick for $2.
No!
(MUSIC: "FEEDING OFF THE LOVE OF THE LAND" BY STEVIE WONDER)