All language subtitles for This World, Then The Fireworks (1997) 1080p.en

Nothing really
happens for a reason.

It just happens.

Take when Carol and I
were kids.

On the night of our fourth
birthday

Mom made us
birthday cake with our dinner.

It was early summer.

The air was balmy.

Carol and I were twins,

and the resemblance
was indeed strong at that age.

What was it that drew
mom to that window?

I think she must have
suspected dad's high jinx,

the way she grabbed us
and tore out of the house.

We crossed
the street hand-in-hand.

It was an evening
of great beauty.

What the hell's going on
here?

-Please.
-Yeah Lou, don't do it.

It was funnier than
Charlie Chaplin or Krazy Kat.

The man on the floor didn't
have hardly any head at all,

and dad and
the woman, they were naked.

Dad went to the electric
chair,

and the woman committed suicide.

Mom was scarred for life,

but they were
naked and it was funny.

It was so funny, I remember,

I remember that night well.

Carol and I did what
we said we were going to do

back when we were kids.

We chose to marry
someone that no one else wanted,

someone scorned
and shamed, cast aside.

Your favorite, honey.

Pot roast.

Your son got
his report card today.

-Yeah?
-A "B" in deportment.

That's great.

Yeah, pa.

I gotta fly.

I don't like it when you go out
this late to cover stories.

The city never sleeps.

A reporter's gotta go where the
news is.

But listen, I'm gonna be into
something really big.

It's dangerous
what you're up to, isn't it?

I'll be careful, all right?
I'll be all right.

I love you so much.

Take care of your mom for me.

I will, pa.

The way I played it,

the reporter racket
was a life-or-death gamble.

When I hit Chicago I had big
plans

on getting all the way to the
top.

Hey, Marty.

Have a cigarette.

Thanks.

Nailing C.C. Casper,

the top cop in Chicago.

Tell me that doesn't make your
heart

beat fast, Marty.

You got names, dates and places

for dope and prostitution
payoffs,

and your sources are solid?

I know the drill, Marty.

I had your column for five
years, remember?

You know better than anyone.

I can't go to print
until you go on tape

in front of McCalister
and the newspaper's lawyers.

I'm gonna make
you famous, Marty.

They'll be naming streets after
you.

Gonna make a movie about you

starring Marlon Brando.

Not unless it's a musical.

All right, here's your end.

Liquid morphine,
the kind doctors use.

Administered judiciously,
this'll last you quite a while.

You're too hungry, Joseph.

Pump too much of this pure,
it'll bury you.

Do I look like
I'm in school, Marty?

You give me what I need,

I give you what you need

and vice versa.

We're all gonna
get fat off this one, Joe.

Now, if you'll excuse me,

I've got to go to confession.

Don't get lost.

Hey, Joey.

Hey, hey, hey!

Chief C.C. Casper sends his
regards.

I don't know any C.C. Casper.

Aw, come on, fellas.

Ohh!

Supposed to be another guy here.

Marty somebody.

Ask him.

Where's Marty?

In the head.

You run into a lot of
jams in this life,

but what you don't want is
some trigger-happy Chicago cops

trying to put your lights out.

Where'd he go?

-Go that way.
-Got it.

Three years of work
in Chicago up in smoke

in one night.

The dirty cops and
the corrupt politicians

who ran the city weren't
ready to let a reporter get away

with blowing the lid
off their entire operation.

Now I had to spring for safe
territory,

and in a hurry.

[dramatic orchestral music]

Next pit stop is Wichita,
Kansas.

If you gotta take a leak, do it
now.

I headed for California,

where mom and my
sister Carol had landed.

Carol's marriage to a rich
lowlife, William Wharton II,

hadn't worked out so well.

Now she was looking after mom.

Mom had stopped moving for a
while.

Not because she was content,

but because she was too tired to
go on.

The cab fare came to 95 cents.

I had a total of $2 in my
pocket,

which I gave to the cab driver.

It did not matter about being
broke.

Carol and I were together again

after three long years,

the longest we'd been separated.

Nothing else seemed to matter.

Marty.

Come in.

Come in.

Well,

let me look at you.

You can look at me, Ma.

You can look at me
till the cows come home.

I don't believe it.

You're just
handsomer than you used to be.

You don't look
a day older yourself, Ma.

Where is Carol?

Where is
that redheaded sister of mine?

I made you breakfast.

She's still in bed, isn't she?

I've got it all ready.

-Which room is hers?
-Well, but...

Well, why don't
you eat your breakfast first?

'Cause I know
you must be tired and hungry.

Listen, I've got it special.

I made everything
just the way you like it.

Mom.

She's at the top of the stairs

next to the bathroom.

Marty.

Now, this time,

now, you and Carol aren't going
to get into trouble.

Trouble?

That's a little unfair, Mom.

What made you think

that we'd have
gotten into any trouble?

Now you listen to me.

I want you to get a job.

You could do it.

I know you can.

There's three papers in town.

You just, with your expertise

and your experience
and talent and

Looks.

Ma, you're,

you're gonna get me
blushing again, aren't you?

And I want you

to bring your family
out right away, too.

Why don't we just
stop right here, okay?

Let's just stop
right here, Mother.

Just to set up
your own household.

Mother, I'm a big boy now.

You will do it, won't you?

Marty.

You won't stay here
a day longer than you have to.

I know you don't
mean that, mother.

It almost sounds as though

I'm not welcome here, though.

I looked at her with
genuine sorrow.

It's rather sad, you know,
when one's own mother fears

or even dislikes him.

It was almost unbearable.

I say this as one who's
done a great deal of bearing.

It's just that I got old.

And I can't take the trouble
so good anymore like I used to.

As if you ever could.

Any time I was away
from her, it felt too long.

Especially when I saw her again.

Was she asleep

or was she playing possum?

Mr. Martin Lakewood.

Mrs. Carol Lakewood Wharton.

Sister.

Brother.

"Once upon a time
there was a little boy,

there was a little girl."

I tell you, this Monroe
dame sure gets a lot of ink.

No wonder I can't make a buck.

Guys all expect girls
to have tits a mile wide.

She's ruining it for all of us.

Marty, Carol, breakfast.

God damn her anyway.

I'm gonna slap
the hell out of her in a minute.

I will, Marty.

I'm sorry.
I'm not laughing at you.

I had reason to know
her threats were not idle ones.

Still, I was amused.

It was so incongruous to me.

Such words from
such a sweet-faced doll.

Maybe I'm losing
my sense of humor.

If I sleep with one more sailor,

I'll start saluting.

So, Marty, what is
this beef in Chicago about?

Mom saw the clippings
that you sent.

She went on a rampage.

I had the good
fortune to ferret out

some smelly figurative bodies

to identify the officeholders
responsible for them

and the bigwigs
who ran the whole sheboygan.

Will you give me a ciga--

Then it turned out
that no one was ready

to back my play.

The voters and my editor

and the people who ran things

all thought
it was just plain peachy

to let those dirty
thieves keep their jobs.

I know, sweetie.

You try lighting a candle

while everyone else
is cursing the darkness.

How'd you let yourself
get into such hot water?

It was a question I
couldn't answer.

Had I subconsciously
wanted the heat?

Had I brought
about my own downfall?

Maybe time would
take care of her and me, too.

Unless, of course, we changed,

but how could we do that?

Marty.

from the time we were
kids,

Carol and I couldn't stay out of
trouble.

The kids we grew up with
were cousins and second cousins

and friends of cousins.

They all called us
strange and different.

Hey, Carol!

Hey!

Hey, cousin Lyle.

And they were right.

We were.

We felt each other's feelings,

we thought each other's
thoughts.

We didn't care
what anyone thought of us

and that was unforgivable.

For that, we had to be punished.

Tim, you all set?

Yeah.

-Come on, help me, guys.
-Let go!

Marty!

Stop that!

Marty!
Marty!

Marty!

Marty! Marty!

Marty!

Get off of me!

Let go of me! Let go of me!

Marty!

And there was
something wrong, of course:

The deepest, darkest crime
two people could ever commit.

We loved each other.

It was a lesson

I was ever trying to
hammer home to sis.

You may be wrong
and exist comfortably

in a world of righteousness,

but you may not be right

and live in a world of error,

The kind of world
that we seemed to live in.

The growing sense of injustice

would just be too much to bear.

You know how you and me
look on those things, Carol.

What we endured was
something normal for us,

for those particular times

and those particular situations.

It's just what happened.

We weren't mistreated.

Here, Marty,
I want you to take this.

I insist.

I know you're broke,

so you take what
you need out of that,

and you send
the rest to Glenda and Junior.

You said things were tough.

There's well over
three centuries here.

So?

$300 isn't a lot of money.

Not when you've been around
the guys I've been around.

So there's that alimony
that stiff pays you.

You can make
the rent off of that.

Did you say mom's
doctor bills were getting high?

Jesus, what are you,
an auditor all of a sudden?

I never heard such a fuss
over a couple hundred dollars.

Baby, don't keep me in the dark.

Give me the straight dope.

You see, Marty, I have
been saving up for something.

Um, just
a couple dollars at a time.

Why didn't you say so?

Because I know you.

I know that if
you knew that I needed,

that I wanted
the money for myself, that--

I saw something
in her face I didn't like.

Baby, what is it you want?

I couldn't
analyze the expression

or say why it troubled me.

A mink.

But I don't have
to have that, Marty.

Anyway, now that you're here,

we're gonna be
rolling in the money soon.

Right?

Yeah.

See?

So, you satisfied now, huh?

Yeah, I'm satisfied.

You still
haven't leveled with me

on how you're making it with
the local syndicate, though.

Oh, these guys are
such a laughable crew,

you could hardly believe it.

She told me how
she staked out some turf

in the local cocktail lounge

when they sent some joy
boy around to give her the arm.

I'll have a Rob Roy, please.

You're sorta cute.

You're not.

What's your name, sweetcheeks?

Who's asking?

Name's Lloyd.

I run this joint for the McCloud
outfit.

Lloyd, huh?

Lloyd, why don't
you run home to mama

and have her make you some hot
milk?

You can't sell that pretty ass
of yours

around this town without us
taking a cut.

Aah!

Lloyd, the next time
McCloud wants to talk to me,

have him see me in person.

Oh, what's that?

He says he'll
buy my drink for me.

So the two big guns,

McCloud and his partner
Galloway,

they come out to the house.

And I fixed them
both a nice, big drink.

Can you imagine?

They gulped it down
like little lambs. [laughs]

[sighs] I do believe they've
never heard of chloral hydrate.

It took the highway patrol

a whole week to find them.

One of them died,

and one of them
had to be committed

to the insane asylum.

Couldn't have happened
to a nicer pair of guys.

And since then

nobody seems to
muscle me anymore.

That's my sis.

That's my sweet little sister.

I went to work the
following day

on the first paper I applied to.

I had no difficulty about it.

Not since I was
a child, a very small child,

have I had any
difficulty in getting work.

It would be strange if I did.

Personally and in intelligence,

I'm a generous
cut above the average.

I must admit to this,
as immodest as it seems.

When I choose to,

I can be
exceedingly ingratiating.

And to top it off,

there was my childhood
training by earnest teachers.

One gets work readily

when the penalty for
failure was a clubbing.

You learn not to
take no for an answer.

It was the best and
biggest paper in town,

which is not to say, of course,

that it was either
very good or very big.

Most of the other
staffers were fair,

about average, I suppose.

They'd been getting by
nicely until I came along.

But then there I was,

a real newspaperman,
a towering beacon of ability,

and by comparison,

these average people
looked like submoronic dolts.

Whenever I cared to,

and when I had
an amusing objective in mind,

I've always advanced in my work.

But I set
an all-time record on the paper.

I was assistant city editor
at the end of the first week.

Two weeks later,
I made city editor.

Carol, on the other hand,

had a different
experience of employment.

Being sorely undernourished
and frequently raped,

she had little
energy, time, or appetite

for normal endeavors.

While I was going up the ladder,

sis was doing
her level best to make change.

Now.

My rise at the Sentinel
did not bring joy to all.

In fact, the city
room was a mess.

All the staffers were jumpy.

The news editor had resigned.

The chief copy editor
had reverted to alcoholism.

The publisher no longer made
his face to shine upon them.

He griped at
everyone, except me.

No one could do
anything to please him,

except me.

Mr. Griffith wants to see you.

Yes.

Uh, have a seat,
Marty.

Thanks, Mr. Griffith.

You know, I, uh,
canned, uh, Samuelson.

The managing editor.

Yeah, I heard about that.

Seemed like an okay Joe.

I guess you had your reasons.

The job is
yours, if you want it.

Gee.

You're getting $75 a week.

Well, that goes up.
$82.50.

Samuelson
always treated me square.

He was a bum.

He couldn't
turn this rag around.

You can.

You know it.
I know it.

Start today.

I quit.

What?

You're sick of
paying Samuelson $112.50

to do his job?

Looking for the next
patsy to hang this rag on?

No, thanks.

If you were half
smart, you'd have talked to me

before you gave Samuelson
the knife, but you're not.

Are you crazy?

Not crazy enough
to keep eating your shit.

You can't just walk out on me--

Yes! Yes!

I can!

I have a guideline for my
behavior!

And you, sir, you have violated
commandment one-minus!

What the hell are
you talking about?

It is the commandment
that has never been written down

because every goddamn
fool's supposed to know it!

Yea, verily.

It is the pointed
moral of all happening

from the beginning
of creation to wit.

Take not
advantage of thy neighbor

with his pants down,

for to each man,
there comes this season!

And in my house,
there are many mansions!

And in those mansions,

there are many men
longer-donged than thyself.

Get out!

Get, get, get out!

Get out! Get out!

Get out!

Get out! Get out!

Get out!

I'd like to say I walked
out on that dog prick

because he was a wicked old man.

The truth, it was
his being certain about me

and my motives
that I objected to.

The minute
anybody thinks they have me,

thinks they know
what makes me tick,

I have to take 'em down.

Nobody knows me.

I do what I do, and that's it.

But the world hadn't changed.

I still had to turn a buck.

Carol's luck was running bad.

There was no
prize chump in the offing.

But what the hell, I thought.

We were bound to get
a break before too long.

In point of fact,

opportunity was
walking right in my direction.

Well, it if isn't Alice
Blueclothes.

Boo, pretty Alice.

Please let go of me.

I don't think so.

What's the matter?

Don't you like me?

Let go of me,
or I'll fix you, you see?

Oh, come on.

We haven't even
had our waltz yet, Alice.

Or would
you prefer a square dance?

We could ask these nice
people to join in right with us.

Are you gonna
lay off me, or what?

You're so nice to
the touch, I don't think I am.

Besides, what are
you gonna do about it?

Police officer.

You're under arrest.

I will go, willingly, gladly.

Lock me up in
some cool, dark place,

use handcuffs,
but you know what?

You're gonna have
to put 'em on yourself.

Okay.

All right, mister,

I should take
you in, but I'm off duty,

and I got better
ways to spend my free time.

Is this your car, Alice?

You know, it matches your blush.

Shut up!

If you don't
promise to behave yourself,

I'll take you in anyway.

The body
matches your lines, too.

Are you blond all
over or just where it shows?

Would you just please go away?

Sure, I will, Alice.

Say it like you mean it, and I
will.

I'll go away, and
you'll never see me again.

Scout's honor.

Do you, do
you want, [clearing throat].

We could...

What is it, dear?
Spit it out.

We could go
somewhere, for a drink.

I'm afraid not.

As a matter of
fact, I wouldn't think of it.

I know something of your city,
and I know that cops on duty,

No, I told you I'm not on duty.

And I'm not sure I believe you.

And I know something else.

Local lady cops
have to be single.

Marriage is grounds
for immediate dismissal.

And one would also be dismissed,

naturally and quite promptly,

if her behavior was
slightly less than circumspect.

I mean, she can't sleep
around as other women may.

One hint of scandal,
and she'd be caught.

But guy cops,
they can fuck all they want

or anyone they want.

What's a lady to do?

I mean, what is she to do

if her womanly
desires were, shall we say,

a little more
extreme than normal ones?

If she was highly sexed,

loaded with all
the right equipment,

just aching for a little action,

what then?

I'm sorry, you're
gonna have to speak up.

We could go to my place.

Yeah.

I'd like to see your house.

I hate taking women to hotels.

No.

No, no.

I meant we could go to my place

and have dinner,
and we could talk, and...

It's right on the beach.

We could swim if you want.

I'd love to do all those things.

Really.
That would be fantastic.

We can do all that after.

I mean, we'll go to bed first,

and then if
you're not too tired,

you can make supper.

We can take a walk on the beach.

Heck, we could even talk.

You don't like
the sound of that?

That's all right. I can take a
walk up this block,

meet half a dozen women

who'd like the sound
of what I just proposed.

I know you could.

I say we just forget it, huh?

Oh, but afterwards,

you wouldn't respect me.

I couldn't respect myself.

You'd think I was terrible.

You are so wrong.

I really didn't care, you know.

At least, I cared very little.

She was a cop.

Of course, there was
a cop that dad had killed.

I wasn't sure that I cared
to do anything about that.

Wait, sir.

Mister, wait up.

Just wait up, okay?

Don't you go away.

I want you to come
home with me right now.

Oh, should I?

Yes.

Just come home
with me right now.

Come now.

I don't know.

I mean, what'll you think of me?

You'll think I'm terrible.

You just better come
home with me right now,

or I'll do it right here.

Her name was
Archer, Lois Archer.

She was 28.

She told me she'd been
with the police department

for five years,

three as a secretary,
two as a street cop.

That paid more.

She thought
it would be exciting,

but she wasn't the cop type.

She was staying
with it because jobs

and good jobs
were hard to get out here.

People came for the climate

and were willing to work
for next to nothing to remain.

She had a brother
overseas in the army.

He and she owned
a house, jointly.

That's all I was
able to find out about her

and all I needed to know.

* I *

* Reach for you *

* Like I'd reach for a star *

* Worshiping you *

* From afar *

* Living with my *

* Silent love *

You have very pretty skin, Lois,

A lovely blush.

Not as extensive
as my wife's, of course,

but you don't have her area.

You are so crazy, honey.

You and your 400-pound wife.

She probably
weighs more than that now.

She gets bigger all the time.

Elephantiasis.

It's not fat.

It's growth.

Her head probably
weighs more than all of you.

Sure, I'll bet.

I can just see
you marrying a wife like that.

Who else would have married her?

Isn't she entitled to marriage,

to all the things that could
have been given to her?

I suppose
it would've been better

to put her to sleep
at birth like our first kid.

Yeah, sure.

Had to be done.

What kinder thing can
you do to a helpless mongoloid?

And the one you have,

I suppose he doesn't have

all of his parts, right?

He's my kid, isn't he?

He's bound to
have something missing.

Marty, Marty, Marty.

Do you know what
I'm going to do to you?

No, that's not
the point, really.

It's not what
you're going to do to me.

It's what I'm
going to do to you.

Except for
the vague sense of uneasiness

of something left undone,

I felt quite happy.

I had Carol.

We were brought together again.

I had Lois.

At least, I would
have her for a while.

Oh, I love that. [laughs]

That's the best.

I know.
Listen, the house,

it's on the outskirts of town.

It's not as pricey
as it would be in town,

but some people
may go for that ocean view.

Hmm.
Sounds like a very nice place.

I tell you, doll,
this brother angle

presents a bit of a problem.

I don't know,
I get the impression

he's a pretty tough customer.

She gets nervous every
time she mentions his name.

I got it all worked out, though.

The place is
worth about 30 grand.

She cables him,
says she's got an offer.

He signs the deed.

I stop his clock,

force Lois to sell,
and we're 30 grand richer.

The whole thing
will take about a month.

Marty, you like
this one, don't you?

You like her, huh?

I like everyone,

except,
of course, your ex-husband

William Wharton II,

who I owe a visit.

Who I owe some pain.

Aw, jeez, it's almost noon.

I've got to get over to
Claire's and put in my time.

You know, am I off my rocker,

or have you put on
a couple of pounds?

Marty, you nut.

No, it looks good on you.

A little too much
of mom's feed bag.

Aw, that's a very nice
thing to say to a girl.

Say that to your cop,
and she'll pinch you.

Oh, the extra
ounces look good on you, kid.

See you.

Stay out of trouble.

Just for a laugh,

and since I had
no office to go to,

no clock to punch,

I figured I'd watch
sis ply her chosen trade.

As it turned out,
it was a damn good thing I did.

The fat pig in white

had private dick
written all over him.

Somebody wanted
to do my sister harm,

and I had a pretty
good idea who it was.

Mr. Krutz.

How do you do?

My name is Marty Grosvenor.

Do I know you?

Our manager's
secretary didn't call

and tell you I was
going to pay you a call?

No, nobody called.

I'm Mr. Wharton II's
west coast representative.

He told me to come
down and check with you.

Oh, well, that's just swell.

Uh, please, sit down.

I was just on
the case just this morning

trailing Mrs. Wharton. [coughs]

Tell me, aren't you fellas

just rushing
things just a little bit here?

How's that?

Well, I've only been
on the case four days,

and I've already
sent in two reports.

Four days?

Wharton, he likes to put
the squeeze on, doesn't he?

-And don't I know it.
-Ha!

Well, I don't mean to criticize.

The wages are
fine, but, you know--

No.
Criticize all you want.

You got every
right to, Mr. Krutz.

I don't mean that man ill will,

but, personally,
that man is a bastard.

I mean, this case
is fact to that point.

You know, you've
got something there,

Mr., uh, Grosvenor.

I know all about this case,

even if not much of
it got into the papers.

You know what I mean?

That guy Wharton
was as lowdown as they get.

I mean, he was
a washed-up, worn-out punk,

pimping for a living.

And so, somehow,

this, this swell little dame

Carol Lakewood,

she decides to marry him.

Never will figure that one out.

And she starts to
get him back on his feet.

Well, there's
nothing he's any good at,

so she supports both of them.

What time she ain't
knocking herself out on a job,

she's working to build him up,

Nursing him,
waiting on him hand and foot,

I mean, actually making
something out of nothing.

You know what I'm talking about?

And she does so good at it

that his big bucks
hoity-toity family back East,

they decide to take him back.

So how does he thank her?

He turns around

and gives her a great
big dose of syphilis,

and then,
divorces her for having it.

Well, she was too young.

She couldn't put up a fight.

Well, I see you know all the
facts, don't you, Mr. Krutz?

You are well-grounded
in this case.

Well, yeah, sure.

It's my business.

Know what I mean? [laughs]

Well, what about your boss,

Mr. Grosvenor?

Naturally, I'm glad to
have the job, tickled pink,

But why does he want it done?

All this trouble just to
save himself a few bucks?

How can he do it?

I wonder.

How can you do it?

Say what?

Tailing an innocent
girl for a filthy slug

just to make a buck.

Aw, what the hell.

It's my job.

I mean, you know,
if I didn't do it,

somebody else would, huh?

Am I right, mister, uh,
what'd you say your name was?

Would somebody else do it?

I mean, how
the hell can you be so sure?

Have you ever
considered the potential

in a crusade for
not doing something

that someone else would
do just because you wouldn't?

You simmer down here, mister.

I'm afraid
I don't like your tone.

I'm afraid that you have sinned!

You've violated section
"A" of commandment one-minus.

Yea!

Verily!

Say, you can't
blame me for all this!

Yea, verily, so sayeth the lord,

"better the blind man
who pisses through a window,

than the knowing
servant who opens it for him."

Put it there, Krutz.

[ominous orchestral music]

Oh, dear.

Oh, dear, dear!

Oh, dear.

Yes! Yes!

I'm very upset with you, Marty.

Why's that, mom?

You know what you've done.

You know all
the wrong things you do

that you just can't
seem to stop doing.

Out with it, mom.
What's on your mind?

Why don't you spit it out?

I'm shocked.

You'll get over it, Ma, I
promise.

You quit
your job at the Sentinel,

just up and quit.

I didn't want to upset you, Ma.

It just happened.

You just don't want to
amount to anything, do you?

Neither one of you do.

Do everything you can not to.

Well, all I can say is--

Before you go any further,

okay, before
you say another word,

I would like you to establish

your qualifications
for saying it.

How do you mean?

Well, I can't
make it any plainer, Ma.

I don't want to be
more pointed about this, but

let's just face facts here.

Why should Carol
and I concern ourselves

even in the slightest

with what you think
about anything we do?

Why should we listen to you?

Why should anyone?

I did the very best
I could raising you kids.

I couldn't help it if--

We have a long
list of all the things

you couldn't help, mother.

Carol and I,
we've never blamed you,

and we're never going to.

Now, we can just sit
here, and we can enjoy our meal

and have a pleasant evening
here at the old homestead,

only you've got
to play fair with us.

We don't criticize you,

so why don't
you just keep your mouth shut

and forget all about
this unpleasant chitchat?

I don't feel like eating.

I think I'll have to lie down.

Mom?

Are you okay?

Carol, give me a hand.

Carol, can you give me a hand?

Carol?

Carol!

Sure.

I can't get my breath. [coughs]

Take it easy, Ma.
You just need to rest.

How's that stuff coming, Carol?

It's coming right up.

This is just the ticket
for what ails you, mom.

There you go, mom.

You like this stuff, right?

Sure, I do.

Feeling better, mom?

Yeah, a little bit.

Just don't do anything else.

Blindness, honey.

It's the first step
towards sudden brain death.

It's a death for our time,

A death for people
too stupid to appreciate

something more complicated,

worthy of contemporary attitudes

like "let's drop
the bomb on Moscow."

And "the poor are better
off and happier being poor."

I swear to god,
it's my profoundest wish.

I'd like to kill
someone really worthwhile.

Yeah.

I feel sorry for old Mr. Krutz.

I wish I could've
had him in bed with me.

They're always
so happy that way.

Under the circumstances,

I think a little extra
alimony's out of the question.

You know,

I hate you going
over to Claire's.

Right now, it's,
you shouldn't have to.

Don't worry about me, sweetie.

I feel just fine.

Besides, I need my own racket.

Got to work to
keep up my self-respect.

Don't wear yourself out.

It's not necessary.

This other
matter, I'm getting close.

This house deal,

I think I'm going to
swing that real soon.

Have you decided what
you're going to do with Lois

at the windups?

Call me psychic,

but I don't think I'm
going to have to decide.

The fitting thing will be done,

but I'll have
nothing to do with it.

It's going to be
a matter of grace.

Whatever you say, sweetie.

It's all right by me.

That's her.

See you.

Hey.

What's your sister
doing tonight?

She's got a date.

Move over.

On the drive to the beach,

Lois was pouting and peevish.

I could hear the wheels
spinning with irritation

in that cop's mind of hers.

I could have let
it go, but what the hell.

What's bugging you, Lois?

-Nothing.
-Pig's eye.

What's eating you?

It's just the way
that Carol of yours lives,

that house,

the slinky dresses
she sashays around town in.

You'd think she was royalty.

Well, that's how she is.

She'd die if it had
to be any other way.

Stop talking nonsense
and just tell me this, Marty.

Just tell me why I should
be given this pressure from you

all the time
about selling my house

when you could just as well
ask that fine sister of yours

to help us go away.

Wait. Now, you,
you want me to ask for money

for us to live
on from my sister?

Really? That's...

That's my proposal, Lois.

I'm sorry.

Let's hear your response.

You bastard.

I'm sorry.

How about that?

-How about that, Lois?
-No, Marty, please.

-Is that better?
-Stop.

It'll show, and I have to work.

Show?

My slow-eyed slut!

My copulating cop!

Oh, how about that, Lois?

How about that?

How about that, Lois?

Is that all right?

Is that better?

How about that, Lois?

Harder, Marty.

-Harder.
-Lois.

I'm trying to help you see
things clearly here, Lois.

No, no, no, don't talk, darling.

No, you know what I'm thinking?
You know what I'm thinking,

I think I'm going to
walk up the highway

and I'm gonna get myself a cab
and get out of here, Lois.

Don't you dare.

You want me to do this?

You want it? Like that?

Like that?

Like that, like that?

I'm thinking maybe
I ought to leave you out here,

lock you outside let the kids
who play jacks see you in the

morning. What do you think of
that, Lois?

Do whatever you want.

Are you sure?

What else is there?

Truer words were
never spoken, babe.

The next morning,
she phoned in to the department

and reported herself
sick and was given the day off,

so I kept on staying.

It was a pretty wild
day.

A sweetly wild day,

a perfect commingling
of sweetness and wildness.

We stripped every
damn picture in the house

from the walls.

It was the most hideous
kind of crap, those pictures,

Cute stuff, dime store junk.

We dug up
a couple of her brother's rifles

and lugged
the lot down to the beach.

Then we ate and drank
some more

and had another bath.

She made herself
into a pretty peacock.

We said nothing
about money all day.

We were afraid of
spoiling that sweet wildness,

so we still did
not speak of money.

Marty.

I don't want you slaving away

over any old newspaper.

I want us to be all alone,

Away.

Off somewhere by ourselves.

Well, let's see, then.

We could

run a dairy.

None of this mechanized
stuff they got these days,

all natural, pure milk.

I'm going to pinch
you in a minute, smarty.

Well, I could
finish writing my book.

We could get
pretty rich off that.

You're writing a book, honey?

Mmm.

- Tell me about it.
-No, I couldn't.

No, really, it's nothing.

It's just my
solution to the deficit crisis,

You know, a treatise
on taxation sort of thing.

All right, I call it my
Cornucopia of Constipation

or the Martin Lakewood
Bowel Movement Single Tax.

Oh.

Crazy.

Yeah, doll,
it's simple but beautiful.

I do away with all taxes
on food and other necessities,

and the only levy
would be on bowel movements.

What do you think?

It's really a sensible plan.

A workable concept,

as the boys in
Washington like to call it.

You know, it's
possibly the most equitable

and just plan ever invented.

Listen.

The less money
a man has, the less he eats.

The less he eats,
the less he shits.

The less he shits, well,

the less are his taxes.

Mm-hmm.

And what if he doesn't
have any money at all?

Well, what does he do now?

Oh, very funny, Marty.

-Ha ha.
-No.

Who's kidding?

If it's right to let
a man starve to death,

it must be equally right
to let him die of constipation.

It's not equally right.

It's more right, god damn it.

This way, at
least he's got a choice,

a little control
over his own destiny.

Enough of this
unwarranted intrusion

by government bureaucrats.

What, you can deny him food,

but you can't keep him
from holding his bowels?

Where is the fairness in that?

People have got to
learn about responsibility.

What's so funny?

People have got to
learn about responsibility.

I think the bowel movement tax

leads into that direction.

What is so goddamn funny?

It's just a joke.

It's about the oldest
joke in the goddamn world.

Do you love me, Marty?

Do you love me very much?

We'd been on this line before,

I imagine almost every man has,

and I gave
her the reply she wanted.

You know something, Lois?

I'm afraid I do.

Do you love me more than anyone?

Do you love me more
than you love your sister?

Well, what do
you got to bring her up for?

Do you, baby?

Just tell me.

-What?
-Just say it.

I told you.

They're different.

They're completely different.

They're two different things.

One's a glass of
milk, one's a highball.

Ohh.

Both satisfying
in their own ways,

but they're
completely different.

They're just
two different drinks.

They're two
different kinds of love.

They're not
comparable, these two, Lois.

Why do you have to go do that?

Why'd you have to do that?

That, that's so stupid.

What, do
you want to get smacked?

You talk so mean to
me sometimes, Marty.

I don't go off

about you and
your brother, do I,

in his cute uniform
and all this other bullshit,

but you love him, don't you?

And I honor that, you know.

You probably love
him more than anyone else.

I do not!

I only love you!

I love you more
than I love anyone else

in the whole
world, and I want to hear

the exact same
thing back from you!

You're going to
have to wait a long time

to hear
something like that, Lois.

[telephone rings]

Let it go.

One ring, and she stopped.

It was Carol's signal.

I waited for the next ring.

That's funny.

Lois waited for
whatever she was waiting for.

It just stopped.

Ow!

What did you pull my hair for?

Is that you, Marty?

It was Carol.

She spoke rapidly,

her voice pitched
just above a whisper.

I'll get back as soon as I can.

Lois understands.

I'm sorry I pulled your hair.

Is that it?

My mom just had
a mild heart attack.

Look, she's had them before.

It's nothing serious,

but Carol thinks
I ought to be there.

I think I ought to be there!

So, that's what Carol thinks?

-Yeah!
-I'll tell you something Mr.

You can just
call yourself a cab,

because you are not using my car

to go run off
to your little Carol!

I see the way you two
sniff around each other.

You want to know
what I think is going on?

Huh, Marty?

Do you want to know
what I think is going on

between you and
your stupid little Carol?

Do you?

Do you want to know?

-Do you want to know?
-Shut up.

Hi, can you please send a taxi

to 175433 Wildwood Road
as fast as you can?

What?
Come on, let's hear it!

What's in that tiny
mind of yours, Lois?

Come on!

Come on!

I think you're fucking her!

I think you're
fucking that little tramp!

I think you're fucking
her morning, noon, and night!

Oh!

Oh, my god!

Oh, my god, what am I saying?

I am so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Baby, I'm sorry.

You know, I'm
sorry I could do something

to make you say
such a thing to me.

Please forgive me.

Please forgive
me. [breathes heavily]

Y-you can take my car, okay?

Okay?

Would you do that, baby?

You come back,

because I got such
a need for you.

Shh.

I'll be back soon.

[Marty] I took her car,
naturally.

She insisted on it.

Carol?

Carol?

You got him, doll.

He's not gonna hurt you,

he's not gonna
hurt anyone ever again.

I didn't get him, Marty.

Well, he's dead.

At least you could have called
me.

It kind of makes
a fella feel inadequate,

taking care of business

without letting a fella know.

I didn't do it, Marty.

It just, I don't
know, it just happened.

It just, it just happened.

What?

What happened, babe?

Come on, you can tell me.

I was coming out of
the gin joint downtown.

And he came up to me.

He was in from out of
town, so I brought him here.

It was so weird.

What was, baby?

What was weird?

Come on, you can tell me.

I started to get
a little stimulated.

Yeah, well, he's a big guy.

It happens.

And all of a sudden,

everything
that ever happened to us

with mom and pop and
that lady across the street

and her husband and that look
the guy had on his face

when dad shot him...

It all just came back to me.

[gun firing]

And all of
a sudden, I looked down,

and the guy is, like, shaking

as though he's electrocuted,

and the next thing
I know, there's blood coming out

of his eyes and
his ears and his mouth.

Marty, look at the guy.

He's a bloody mess.

Well, I got to
hand it to you, dear.

You're probably the first hooker

in recorded history

to induce seizures
and cerebral hemorrhage.

Oh, Marty.

Oh, babe.

Who was he?

His name was Barnett Gibons.

He sold life insurance.

You're kidding, right?

No.

Marty, it's not funny.

Just another wreck
by the side of the road.

Just hang in there, kiddo.

It's all gonna be fine.

Is it, Marty?

Yeah, I said so, didn't I?

Of course it is.

I'm gonna be sick.

Easy, babe.

You're so jumpy.

I never saw
it get to you like that.

They never went that way before.

They all gotta go somehow
though.

We all do.

It was all written down
more than a million years ago

by a, very funny god.

You know, in the beginning,
there was nothing.

Then he spoke, and that's
when all the shit started.

We're just pawns, kid.

You know,
players playing a part.

God had to do
something to amuse himself,

so he dreamt us up.

I hope he got a good
laugh, don't you, babe?

The things you say, Marty.

You awake?

How's your sister?

Forget about her.

-What time is it?
-Forget about all that.

I'm your alarm clock.

You wake up,
you cable your brother.

You tell him you got a buyer.

You tell him he's
gotta fly down here

to sign the deed.

Next time I see you,

you better show
me a copy of that cable

with the right date on it.

Otherwise, we're washed up.

I got away fast, pleased.

She was certain to relent.

She had to.

Marty?

Marty?

Marty?

Hey.

Is it bad?

It's really bad, Marty.

I can't get him out of my head.

Don't.

Don't think.

It was the way
it was meant to be.

Don't remember.

That's the best way.
You'll see it that way.

But this thing,
it'll go away, right?

This thing in my head?

They always do, don't they?

But this one's
really bad, Marty.

This one, it's really bad.

You know, in the daytime,

those night
things, they just go away.

And in the nighttime,
the day things go.

Just remember that.

Remember that,
and it'll all be all right.

Yeah.

That's good, Marty.

Tell me a story.

Once upon a time, there was a,

a little boy and a little girl.

You all right?

The little girl
was her mother, and

the little boy was her father.

And the little girl was...

Yes, mom?

I'm sorry.

I hope we didn't
wake you up, mom.

Ahh.

I'll bet you do,
just bet you do.

Of course we do.

We tried to be
as quiet as we could.

Carol couldn't sleep.

I came in to tell her a story.

I know, I know
what you were doing!

Ha!

Same thing you've
been doing all along, you filth!

You scum!

No wonder they all hated you.

They knew what you were up to.

You didn't fool them!

They could see
right through you!

They should
have killed you both.

They should have just
smothered you in your cribs.

You both should
have been strangled at birth!

You!

They should have
killed you in your bed!

My babies.

You're rotten.

You're rotten.

You're both rotten!

You don't know anything!

What are you saying?

What is she saying?

You're making Marty upset, mom.

You're making Marty upset.

I'll do a lot worse
than that, a lot worse.

Get out of here.

Don't you talk to
me like that, you devil.

Go to your room.

Don't you try to tell me, Carol!

I'm your mother!

You go to your room!

Go to your room, mom.

-Devil girl! Your a--
-Go to your room.

I didn't mean it.

I'm sorry.

-Oh, you meant it.
-No, I didn't.

-You mean it.
-No, I didn't.

You go to your goddamn room.

Don't you forget,
I'm your mother.

Are you?

Were you?

It's time for you to
go to sleep now, mama.

No.

Marty!

Oh, Carol.

It's time for
you to go to sleep, mama.

Carol.

This will make
you feel a whole lot better.

Carol, please.

This will be good for you, Ma.

It's just what you need.

Here you go, mama.

That's right.

Drink it all down,
mama, like a good girl.

Yes.

This one will make
you feel a whole lot better.

I feel, I feel better.

Thank you, Carol.

My little girl.

[Marty] Figuratively, at least,

most people do die of over
sedation.

Fumbling about fearfully,

blindly they grasp
the sweet-smelling potions

handed down to
them, never look at the label,

and suddenly, they're dead.

They die, natural deaths.

Everyone knew
Mrs. Lakewood had a weak heart.

Yes.

I told her that stuff
was dangerous, Doctor,

but she kept going on and on,

"the pain, the pain."

It seems she passed on quietly.

That's a blessing.

Yes, it is, Doctor.

Thank you, Martin.

That's probably the undertaker.

Shady Grove Funeral Parlor.

You Mr. Lakewood?

Yeah.

My mom's upstairs.

I'll be running along.

I'll file the "death by
natural causes" forms

with the county coroner.

Try not to drop her.

Don't, Marty.

Don't what?

Don't pretend
that it doesn't hurt

to see her like this.

I know you like to play

the big old tough, rough guy,

but deep down,
you're just a sentimental slob.

Hello?

It's me.

I'm really mad at you, Marty,

about the way
you treated me the other night.

Hello?

Marty?

Marty, we've got some
kind of a bad connection.

Marty, Marty, something's wrong.

You're scaring me.

What's happening?

Bad wires.

Marty, please, just talk to me

and tell me
what's going on with you.

Marty?

Marty?

Yes, who is this?

This is Lois.

Yes, Martin's mentioned you

many times to me before.

I'm his sister.
Is there something wrong?

Um, yes.

Well, you see,

our mother
passed away last night,

and Martin's
taking it particularly hard.

I'm, I'm so sorry.

You see, he and
mom were so close.

Yes, I know.

Will you please tell
him that I'm thinking of him?

Yes, of course.

I'll tell him.

Can you also tell
him that I will do that thing

that he asked me to do?

Yes, I'll tell him.

You'll be sure to do
the thing that he wanted,

just like he asked.

Well, it looks like you and me.

When wasn't it ever you and me?

* The thrill is gone *

* The thrill is gone *

* I can see it in your eyes *

* I can hear it in your sighs *

* Feel your touch and realize *

* The thrill *

* Is gone *

* The nights are cold *

* For love is old *

* Love was grand *

Marty, darling,

I was starting to tell
you about where I'm going

and what I have to do,
but I thought better of it.

You would only worry,
and there really is no need to,

because I'm going
to be perfectly all right.

* Now it don't appeal to you *

* The thrill *

* Is gone *

I'm in a little bit of trouble,

but I know how to handle it.

I'll be back with
you just as soon as I can,

but I won't be able to
be there for the funeral.

Don't you go
either if it bothers you.

And don't feel bad
about what happened to mom.

Certain things happen

because they're
supposed to happen that way.

And tell me
a story tonight, darling.

I'll be listening.

* The thrill is gone *

[Priest] Mrs. Lakewood
was a wonderful woman.

She was a wonderful
Christian woman.

She was a wonderful wife.

She was a wonderful
mother to her two children.

Beloved of everyone,

renowned for her generosity,

she will be sorely
missed by everyone

in this community.

I went to the funeral,

but I couldn't stay
all the way through.

Just as they started
to lower mom into the dirt,

I, well, let's just
say I didn't feel so well.

So I took a stroll

through the city
of wonderful people.

It was a crowded city.

Neighbor
elbowed against neighbor,

yet no one felt
the need for room.

They dwelt
peacefully, side by side,

content with
what they had because

they were all so wonderful.

-Marty Lakewood?
-Who's asking?

Lieutenant Harris.

Is that your mother,
Mrs. Eleanor Lakewood,

being laid to rest over there?

Yeah, that's my mom.

And your sister is
Mrs. Carol Lakewood Wharton?

It's a nice badge
you got there, Lieutenant,

but what's this all about?

It's about murder.

Mr. J. Krutz,

Private investigator

working for
a Mr. J.J. Wharton of Boston.

Never laid eyes on him.

Who'd he kill?

Show him
the other photo, Captain.

This is what getting
stabbed in the brain looks like.

Not a pretty picture.
Hmm.

How about this?

Who's he, another
dead private investigator?

Not a private investigator.

Just an ace insurance salesman.

So what's he got to
do with Krutz or me?

Look, fellas, I'm sorry.

I listen to quiz shows, too,

but I think I missed
the million-dollar question.

What people like
Krutz and Gibons and you

have in common is her.

What, my kid sister?

That beef was for
shoplifting in New Orleans.

Well, it doesn't do her justice.

You ought to
see her in the flesh.

People who see your sister,
like Krutz and Gibons,

they die or they disappear.

People die and
disappear all the time.

It doesn't mean
she had anything to do with it.

What is she, God?

She was here as
of noon yesterday,

the doctor told us that,

but she didn't
go to the funeral.

She was upset.

Was Krutz tailing her?

I don't know. She didn't
say anything about it.

You were seen yakking
it up, talking to her in town.

She's my sister.

We're close.

We talk.

We love each other.

Is there
something wrong with that?

Not a thing.

Your sister's a hooker.

It's my understanding

that one of Jesus Christ's
best pals was a hooker.

I didn't grill my sister on
where she makes her money

or where
she spends her free time,

because I thought
it was in bad taste, Lieutenant.

Tell me, where is the bitch?

I don't know.

I don't understand.

You're all brotherly love,

but you don't know
where your sister was

on the day of
your mother's burial.

No, I don't know.

I swear to God, I don't know!

Bring in a stack of
bibles, I'll swear on that!

I'll swear on the freckle
on the tip of your dick,

-if you can find it!
-Stop shouting.

Do you want to
know what happened,

do you want to know the trouble

that your lovely
sister is in up to her neck?

At last, a reason
for me being here.

Please.

A couple of nights ago,

she picked up this guy Gibons

outside of Claire's cocktails.

Krutz over here was tailing her,

and we're almost certain

that she got
Gibons to knock Krutz off.

You think
she ran away with Gibons?

We just weren't sure.

You can't prove my sister
knew either of these guys!

For all you know, Gibons

Killed Krutz in
some jealous rage

and tried to
pin it on my sister.

If you knew the types of guys

my sister had to
deal with through her life,

you wouldn't be
so quick to judge her.

Do you mean any of
what you're saying, Lakewood?

Every last word, Captain.

'Cause if you do,

you'll contact us
if she contacts you?

Of course I will.

I want her name
cleared out of this mess

as soon as possible.

But you got to do one thing.

Let's hear it.

You can't watch
me, and you can't tail me.

'Cause if she did
do something wrong

or if she's scared 'cause
she knows someone who did,

then she's looking for a tail,
and she won't contact me.

She's gonna wait till it's safe.

All right, Lakewood, you win.

No tail.

But if your sister
gets in touch,

and you don't let
us get to talk to her,

we're gonna have to hammer you.

You got that?

Every last word.

Hello?

Yes?

Yes, this is
Martin Lakewood's residence.

Yeah.

Uh, Marty, can you talk?

It's, it's, um,

it's some doctor in, in Mexico.

It's about Carol, darling.

[soft jazz music continues]

Baby, I'm so sorry.

Señor.

Señor Lakewood.

Five months pregnant?

I don't know.

She, she tell me
she's barely three months.

She, she no show.

She's so small.

Yeah, well, if you were
any type of a real doctor,

you would know, wouldn't you?

I am so sorry, Señor.

I tried to do my very best.

It doesn't
really matter, does it?

You got the wrong number, pal.

You're talking
to the wrong party.

Wait, wait!

Wait for what?

What should I do?

I don't care what you do.

I don't know what your grift is,

but I know there's some
kind of racket going on here.

If you don't leave me alone,

I'm going to get
the authorities on you so fast,

it's going to make
your greasy head spin.

Abortion's illegal in
Mexico, too, you know.

Last time I looked,
it was a Catholic country.

Señor, it has
been almost four days.

Please,
the weather, she's so hot.

And the smell...

Throw it in the ocean,
throw it in a garbage dump,

throw it in the alley

so the little dogs
can piss on it, okay?

You got the wrong party, pal.

But, Señor,
she's, she's your family.

That hunk of meat
you got on your table there

is not my sister.

That's not my sister Carol.

I know exactly
where my sister is.

Please don't call here again.

Adios.

It's so tough.

Your sister and
your mother-

Don't ever,
ever feel sorry for me!

Ever!

Ever!

Oh God, I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Let's go out to my house,
Marty.

You need to get away.

I seemed to be
falling into the darkness

that claimed my sister.

If Carol was
lost, then so was I.

Marty!

Lois, don't cry.

Oh, God, don't cry. Don't...

It can't be fixed.

Oh, Marty.

How you must hate me.

I never hated anyone.

There aren't
enough tears for this sorrow.

Oh, Marty.

I want to tell
you something about my dad.

What's he got to do with it?

No, honey, don't tell me one of
those crazy stories,

about your past and your family.

Yeah, it's a story,you know.
It's not true.

Let's just call it, call it a
story.

All right then, if you have to.

He must have known sleeping
with another man's wife,

I mean, a cop's wife,

would be more
trouble than it's worth.

Now, tell me the truth, Marty.

You don't think
I'm awful, do you?

That brother of mine, he's just,

he's just nothing.

It takes all kinds
to make up the world.

He's always been
so slow and stodgy.

Bet he moves fast now.

Told him I got
offered $30,000 for this house.

Yeah, that number will
make him move fast all right.

What the hell is going on here?

Don't do it!

Captain Miles Archer.

United State Marine Corps.

Stationed Hawaii.

A wedding photo.

You take a nice photo, Lois.

Precinct.
Can I help you?

Police?

This is patrolwoman
Archer calling from home

at 175433 Wildwood Road.

There's been a,
a tragic accident.

A man's been shot.

It was my husband.

I was at home
with an acquaintance

and we heard a sound.

We thought it was a prowler.

I shot at a shadow.

I wasn't expecting
a visit from my husband.

Would you please
send a coroner right away?

It's gonna be all right, Marty.

Lois' pals down at headquarters

kept the heat off us.

Things went
pretty smoothly after that.

The Farrells are lovely people.

Your house will
be in good hands.

There you go.

And there you are.

These are
the things that happened.

Maybe they could
have turned out differently,

but why think about that?

This is the game
that changes as you play it.

God made it that way.

He rigged it.

We take the hits.

-I love you, Lois.
-Move over.

Soon there would come
night,

the lawn would be
bright in the moonlight.

The little girl would
come trudging across the grass.

It seemed I could
see her coming now.

She would be frightened
because she was alone,

and then she would not be alone.

We were going away together.

We were all going away together.

* You don't know *

* What love is *

* Until you've learned *

* The meaning of the word *

* Until you've loved *

* A love you've had to lose *

* You don't know *

* What love is *