Original subtitles

♪ One two one two three and... ♪

[theme song]

♪ Chico ♪

♪ Don't be discouraged ♪

♪ The man he ain't so hard ♪

♪ To understand ♪

♪ Chico ♪

♪ If you try now ♪

♪ I know that you can lend a helping hand ♪

♪ Because there is good in every one ♪

♪ And a new day has begun ♪

♪ You can see the morning sun ♪

♪ If you try ♪

♪ And I know ♪

♪ Things will be better ♪

♪ Oh yes they will for Chico and The Man ♪

♪ Yes they will for Chico and The Man ♪♪

[engine revving]

[horn honking]

[horn honking]

Hey, Pop.

"Hey, Pop?" What, do I look like a bottle of cream soda?

Oh, my!

Can't you give a customer

a warm greeting and a smile?

If you want warm greeting and a smile

go to your mother's for dinner.

For goodness sake!

Would you please look at the rear here?

What's the matter with it?

My tail pipe is loose.

Okay.

Let's see.

[pipe clanking]

Ah, it ain't loose anymore.

Here, friend. No charge.

[sighs]

[engine starts]

♪ The sun's shining ♪

♪ On new day ♪

♪ Here comes old Louie ♪

♪ To haul your trash away ♪♪

Ain't you gonna say good morning?

You want me to lie to you?

Hmm!

When did they start making 80 proof instant breakfast?

Look, Louie,

I don't tell you how to start your day.

Please don't tell me how to start mine.

I start mine picking up garbage.

You start yours drinking it.

Oh, such a fancy shot glass!

Give me that.

What's bugging you, Ed?

You really want to know? Guess.

Chico?

You guessed.

- Where is that boy? - How should I know?

What, didn't he tell you?

When did he leave? How long he had been gone?

Did you come here to pick up garbage or you're with the CIA?

Both.

First I pick up the garbage, then I give it to the CIA.

Now, when was the last time you saw that boy?

I saw him last night just before he left for a party.

Oh, no wonder you're worried.

I'm not worried. I'm angry.

Who are you kidding? You're worried, not angry.

Oh, no, no, no, I'm not angry.

I'm furious.

Something's happened to that kid in the last couple of years.

I pay him to work not to party.

This is a garage in Los Angeles

not a congressmen's office in Washington.

I start my work at 8 o'clock in the morning.

What time is it?

- 8:03. - You see, he's not here yet.

That kid sure know time.

His people steal enough watches.

You better put a safety belt on your mouth, man!

He no more thief than you.

Cracks like that make my Mexican blood boil.

Mexican blood?

You're as about as a Mexican as Ingrid Bergman.

I'll have you know that I am a honorary Chicano.

Ed, you're looking at a genuine Chicanorary.

- Buenos dias, amigo. - Sí, sí.

Hey, Ed.

Man, what a night I had last night.

Tell me about it.

Man, I met nurse from Notre Dame hospital and what a bogey.

Ooh, she had a build... This was hunch front of Notre dame.

[laughs]

Ed, I was in intensive care at 4:00 this morning, man.

[banging]

Ed, I'm talking...

Is he mad about something?

Well, maybe he don't like you being late for work, Chico.

Louie, I'm four minutes late.

Oh, is that all?

Well, maybe he's happy.

It's hard to tell about Ed.

Later, amigos.

Bye.

Hey, Ed if you sore about something, I'm sorry.

- Where are you going? - Change for work.

Why change for a half a day?

Come on, man. I'm only four minutes late.

I'll make it up to you at the end of the day.

You may not be here at the end of the day.

I promise I will.

My nurse doesn't get off duty till 7:00 p.m.

That's another thing.

I want you to stay away from that girl.

She's bad medicine.

Before you met her, you never did to me

what you did last night.

What did I do?

You kept me up all night long. I never slept a wink.

I wasn't even here!

That's what I'm talking about.

There I was waiting, worrying, pacing back and forth.

That's sweet, Ed. You really do care about me.

Care about you? I care about me.

I'm an old man. I need my sleep!

You know something, you're beautiful when you holler.

- I'm not hollering. - You're hollering.

[shouting] Who's hollering?

If you'd stop hollering you'd hear

"Who's hollering."

[banging]

He's hollering, boy.

You're hollering.

[metallic clanking]

[shushes] Patty. Patty, watch your step.

Chico, watch your hands.

Will you turn something on?

That's what I'm trying to do.

It's not working.

Get the lights.

I had better luck in the dark.

Yuck! What is this? The La Brea grease pits?

I thought we were stopping at your place.

Oh, but of course, mon Cherie.

Palici.

This is your place?

Oui, oui, mademoiselle.

Are you bilingual?

Not me, I don't play that.

La Casa Rodriguez!

This is where you live?

In a truck?

It's not a truck. It's a van.

But let's look at it as a bachelor pad with three tickets.

All in the back for moving violations.

When was that, Speedy Gonzales?

It took you four hours to blow in my ear.

[shushes]

Chico?

Yeah!

- Are you home? - Yeah, I'm home, Ed. Go to bed.

You realize what time it is?

You still live with your parents?

- Who is she? - Who?

Her, who is she?

Oh, I'm glad you noticed, Ed.

This is Nurse Patricia Villa, RN.

Delighted, Mr. Rodriguez.

Rodriguez? My name is Brown. Ed Brown.

Oh, Rodriguez is such a a pretty name.

Why did you change it?

We're not related.

We're not even happy together.

Now, go on to your bed, you alone.

Ed, you're in the presence of a lady.

Nobody is a lady at 2:30 in the morning.

I beg your pardon!

Who do you think? Who does he think?

- Goodnight! - Patty, wait a minute.

Now, don't leave. Patty, come back here!

No way. I left pediatrics six months ago.

You can't do this to me.

Hey, don't argue with a lady.

Madre de Dios!

Man, have you forgotten

what it's like to be young?

No, the trouble is I remember it.

Well, how about letting me find out for myself.

Hey, where are you going?

- To cool off. - Well, take a cold shower.

You're not going out at this hour in the morning.

Hey, Ed you can't give me orders.

I am 24 years old.

Well you're liable to run into 25-year-old mugger.

Go get some sleep. It's way past your bedtime.

Since when do you tell me when I can go to sleep?

Since you became my responsibility!

I am not your responsibility, Ed.

And further more I sleep when I feel like sleeping.

Oh, sure. Tomorrow on the job, eh?

Oh, that's really a crack, boy.

That's really a nice cheap shot.

I've given you an honest day's work ever since I started

slaving in this salt mine.

Slaving? You slaving?

I'm the one who's been slaving

ever since you moved in here.

My life hasn't been my own!

Right, my life's been your own.

And I'm done with your medaling. I'm sick of it.

- Goodbye, man! - Hey, come back here.

You can't leave like this. Come back here!

You don't mean that! You don't...

He didn't mean that.

Did he?

This is our cheapest single.

At night, the couch turns into a bed.

Yeah, well that doesn't leave much room.

Most singles prefer small room.

It's not so lonely that way.

Yeah, well, you see, you misunderstand.

I don't plan to be lonely.

Oh!

No!

You don't mind sharing a bathroom, will you?

Do I mind sharing a bathroom?

I shared a bathtub with eight cousins.

We left a ring that looked like stack of tires.

Hi!

Hello.

Is this our new neighbor?

Are you?

Huh?

Ah, well I haven't decided.

I am down the hall. I'm in 208.

Yeah, I'm in 202. I just decided.

My name is Lorraine.

I'm a stew, that's a short for stewardess.

My name is Chico, I'm a mech, uh, short for mechanic.

My name's Ortega, I'm a landlady.

That's short for week's rent in advance.

Right.

I'll be moving in tonight after work.

Ooh, I hope I'm not flying tonight.

Ahem, uh, don't you know your schedule?

Oh, no. I don't work for a regular airline.

I'm on call for charter flights for the Teamsters.

Let me know if there's anything you need.

Ah, do you deliver?

Only in first class.

Aah!

Mercy, mercy, mercy.

Um, are all your tenants that friendly?

Yeah, to her.

She has more mileage on her than her airplane.

Hmm, uh, okay I'll see you tonight.

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! I got it.

You didn't have to do that.

We take pets.

Well, well, well, well, it's such a beautiful day.

The birds are not only singing, they are dancing in the streets.

[sighs] Uh, you know why, uh, I didn't hear

you come in until 4:30 this morning.

Eh, what's with the packing?

You gonna move in the hospital with your little nurse?

No, if you must know I met an airline stewardess.

Oh, I see. She's got you on standby for this evening.

Is that it?

As a matter of fact, we've planned to be

fogged in all night.

I guess all you need is a tooth brush and a six pack.

No, I'm taking everything.

I got my own pad.

Your own what?

I own pad. It means--

I know what it means. Your own apartment.

Wait a minute, you moving in with the nurse

or is it the stewardess?

Or both?

See, you got an X-rated mind.

I gotta get out of here.

I can't stay out late. I can't bring girls over.

You always checking up on me.

I bet this is the only van in Los Angeles

with a built in house detective.

You don't wanna live here? You don't wanna work here?

I didn't say I don't wanna work here.

I've gotta work here.

If I don't have a job how am I pay my rent?

Ah-ha, now you're talking sense.

So why don't we forget about this apartment nonsense

and let's get back to work, eh?

[horn honking]

Oh, you can start with this customer.

I think we should talk this out first.

You better start with the customer

or we got nothing to talk about.

You giving me an ultimatum?

I can give a boy a salary.

I could certainly give him a ultimatum.

I'm not a boy, damn it! I'm a man!

Okay, man, you got a customer.

No, man, you got the customer!

I don't have a job. I got an apartment.

- Goodbye! - Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

- Adios! - Alright, go ahead.

Go ahead. I don't need you.

Hey, Brown.

Ah, shut up. I don't need you either.

♪ Turn your frowning to a smile ♪

♪ Louie's here to chat a while ♪♪

Louie, what are you doing here this early in the morning?

Ah, I got my garbage truck outside.

Hmm, but looks like here somebody already

made a delivery.

Louie, you know, I'm too busy to clean up.

Oh, sure. I know, Ed.

But you see, Ed, any good garbage man

can analyze his client by what's in his trash.

Now, in your case, anybody look around this place can tell.

Tell what?

You are a slob.

Louie, you know I'm short handed.

Short tempered, too.

Why don't you admit it that you miss the boy?

Why, this joint is running down faster than a two dollar watch.

For your information, business is booming.

- Really? - Yeah.

You must be awful.

Going to a slow season.

Oh!

You haven't got rid of the van yet, huh?

No, I just got a great offer from Princess Grace.

She wants to buy the van for her summer home at the Riviera.

Yeah, there is a whole lot of memories in this van.

Yeah, and a lot of tortilla crumbs, too.

Well, I'm kinda glad you don't miss Chico, Ed.

But I sure do.

And I can hardly wait to make that party.

What party?

His house warming at his apartment.

Oh, oh, oh, that party!

- Oh, sure, sure. - Did he invite you, too?

Why, you kidding. He going to invite me?

Why, that boy spent two years with me.

I was like a father to him.

You think he'd have a party and not invite

his own flesh and blood?

I'm not going.

I'm not gonna let that boy down.

It's bad enough, he is living where he is.

What's so bad about it?

Oh, Ed, it's in one of those

kinda neighborhoods

where you gotta send in a SWAT team

to pick up the garbage.

Yeah, it's just bad as that?

Oh, it's miserable, Ed. I'm telling

they got the streets crawling around with drunks.

They don't give food stamps down there.

If they go to the welfare office and they give 'em wine stamp.

Hey, that sounds like skid row.

Skid row? It's more like death row.

They got some of the worst thieves around there, Ed.

You know something?

The guardian angel quit

and the church had to hire a police dog.

You mean to say that he gave up all this

to live in a dump like that?

Yeah, Ed. The boy's really got to be in misery.

Aww... That's good.

[drum music]

[exhales] Wow!

The fumes from that PunchPro

are peeling the wallpaper.

I don't think it's a rage punch.

I think it's Weasel's cigar.

He rolls his own.

Uff, can't we open a window?

In this neighborhood, they nail them shut.

Patty, you think I made a mistake in moving here?

Moving, no. Here? Yes.

What don't you like? The place or the people?

A, the place and B, people.

Alright, Willie. Alright, alright.

Cool it, cool it, my man!

[shushes]

Hey, more dancing later. Now it's time to open the gifts!

Oh, wait, wait, what gift?

It's your house warming, man.

Weasel. Weasel. You're first.

I didn't know that.

Chico, it's a kick in the head to have a cat like you

move into this coop, huh?

And especially when you have fly in chicks like Patty.

[cheering]

And furthermore, I should like to say--

Knock it off!

You gonna give him a present or a speech?

Okay, okay.

- Chico, you're good people. - So are you.

Take a pick.

Huh!

Like that? No, uh.

Well, check the good stuff here.

This right here is water proof.

Tells a time, the date, the temperature

and predicts earthquakes.

Oh, Weasel, thanks but I like to tell the time, not do it.

Okay, now it's my turn.

Here you go, Chico.

Aww, fresh brownies.

Homemade!

I had the French Connection cook book. Hmm.

It smells strange.

Oh, taste one.

[choking]

- Wow! - Great, yeah?

[knocking on door]

Hey, it's the cops! Why did you bring me brownies for?

Yes, coming!

- Hey, Chico! - Hey! How you doing?

- Hey! - Oh, hi, Ed.

Hi, Ed. Did you have trouble finding the place?

Oh, no trouble at all. We just followed the flies.

Come on. You just told me you gonna be nice tonight here?

Yeah, well, I lie a lot.

Don't worry, folks. It's only Darsky and Crutch.

Uh-uh! Don't bother shaking hands.

We're not gonna be here that long.

Ooh, what a beautiful dashiki!

You can see through that robe?

Hey, no, no, the robe is a dashiki.

It comes all the way from Africa.

Oh. I don't think it was worth a trip.

Here you go, guys.

- No frill Sangria. - Thank you.

Ed, this is Lorraine, the stewardess

I was telling you about.

Ed?

Are you the Ed with the garage?

What have you been telling her?

Boy, you're right, Chico. He's no sweeter than--

Hey, never mind, never mind.

Come on lets meet some other people.

Yeah, let Ed keep Lorraine happy.

I don't have enough money to keep her happy.

Or the strength.

Uh, Lorraine?

Alright. Chico, no wonder you split from home.

Uh, Weasel, come here, come here.

Weasel, I want you to meet Ed Brown. This is Weasel.

Oh, beautiful!

An oldie but a goody, eh?

Ed, do you need anything?

Look, I got some...

Maybe hearing aid, I got some nice necklace--

Uh, Weasel is into a second hand jewelry and such.

What do you mean? He has a jewelry store

in this neighborhood?

What store? I come to your house.

Yeah, whether you're there or not.

Hey, grab a plate.

Uh, no thanks I just washed my hands.

Uh, Ed, I want you to meet somebody else.

Come on.

No, thanks. I don't wanna meet anybody else.

Come on, Louie.

You've been hanging around garbage all day

you don't have to talk to it.

- Hey! - Hey!

Well, well, have we met before?

I'm Patty, remember?

Oh, yes. The poor man's Florence nightingale.

Eh, Chico, when I first came in here

I thought you had made a big mistake.

But now I see you know exactly what you're doing.

You're intelligent enough to hire a real trained nurse.

And I suggest you keep her here at all times because

this is a very sick group!

[all grumbling]

Hey, I told you if he came you'd have a good time!

Well, now that the sunshine boys have gone

let's move it. Bounce and beats.

[drum music]

Ahem, Buenos dias.

This is not a taco stand. You wanna talk, speak English.

I'm here to apply for a job.

Sorry, no opening.

Well, it says here in a paper.

"Mechanic wanted, Ed Brown's garage."

Yeah, you got the wrong Ed Brown.

Long hours, small pay. That's got to be you.

You know, I used to work in a garage.

Two years. I built up the business 80 percent.

Had a great boss too.

Yeah, why did you leave?

Well, it was over something stupid I guess.

I thought that moving out meant growing up.

But changing your address don't make you a man.

You know something, you're a lot smarter than you look.

I guess, maybe your boss should have realized that

"Time comes when a young bird should spread his wings."

Yeah, I think in my case I just got

my feathers ruffled a little.

You know, I lived in this van and it wasn't that bad.

I had a lot of good times and on one night

I had these twin sisters and...

The van's gone.

- I sold it. - You sold the van?

I sold the van. You want the job?

You sold my van?

Do you want the job or not?

Yes, I want the job, but where am I supposed to live?

What happened to your pad, man?

I sublet it to a wealthy cockroach.

Well, I don't know.

I, uh, I don't have any extra rooms either.

I don't know where I'd put you.

The-there's got to be some place.

There's a...

Hey, how about back in there?

What? Oh, no, that's my store room.

Yeah, now it's a store room.

But we could make a great little apartment.

King size bed, a couple of lamps, stereos and carpets.

Well, okay.

- But no girls. - Bye.

Hey, hey. Come back.

One girl?

- Okay. - Here.

Get back to work.

Thank you.

Chico, I think your new room should make a statement.

It should express who you are and what you are.

I agree. I think my room should make a statement.

Something like looking good.

Hey.

Now you kids select the wallpaper or bumper stickers.

Chico, you're a mechanic.

Your room should say something like

uh, "Mr. Goodwrench lives here."

He's right, Chico.

You should have a room that you'd be proud

to bring Mrs. Andy Granatelli into.

Well, I'll agree my room should make a definite statement.

I'll give you a definite statement

for $85 at the end of the month.

$85 for an old room full of tires?

Oh, room full of tires?

I'll have to charge you extra for that.

Let me see about that.

[narrator] "Chico And The Man" was recorded live

before a studio audience

at NBC studios, Burbank, California.

♪ Chico was born in El Barrio ♪

♪ Spend much of his time in the streets ♪

♪ His mind was crazy for knowledge ♪

♪ His belly for something to eat ♪

♪ But times are hard ♪

♪ Chico and The Man ♪

♪ Times are hard ♪

♪ Chico and The Man ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ Alright yeah ♪♪