Original subtitles

You think you can take me on?

The right question,

is do you really wanna find out?

Do you really think father would have wanted you

to cross us all just to get yourself killed?

You just got here, and already you joined my enemies,

gotten yourself arrested.

Not only are you with a white lady,

it's the mayor's wife.

What are you going to do next?

It's good to see you too.

Ah Sahm, the Irish have resorted to violence.

We need protection.

- I'm gonna find you. - I hope so.

There is going to be a war between the tongs,

and if you're on the wrong side...

I won't hesitate.

This is not China, it's China Town.

You can't stop what's happening.

Mai Ling, she's my sister.

She was your sister.

Here, she's your enemy.

They're getting bolder,

coming into our neighborhoods now, killing on our streets.

The mayor has asked me to start a new China Town squad.

The mayor now has to show he's hard on China Town crime.

He couldn't care less where the handle falls.

But luckily I have you to aim the hammer.

I'll need to see blood in the streets.

You'll have your blood.

They want a war, let's give them one.

Things have gotten out of hand.

Two fighters, the best from each of your tongs.

A duel?

You can't fight.

LI Yong will kill you.

I think if I win your little power play is over.

You killed Long Zii.

Who the hell are you?

Good bye, Ah Sahm.

You ready for this?

Only one of us is going to walk out of there.

This is a means for the tongs to settle their disputes.

This game is inevitable.

This was a victory for your tong,

but as you can imagine, I'm not happy about it.

If you take one step out of line,

I won't stop until I have your pretty little head

on this table.

What about Ah Sahm?

He's of no use to us anymore.

This is what it's come to.

I'm not different than anyone else here.

Come on. We both know that's not true.

The king is dead,

long live the queen.

You don't need to do this anymore.

I want you to come back.

You're alive.

It's starting to feel that way.

It's gonna get messy.

Probably.

Warriors have only two paths.

Get killed, or get better.

Ready?

- How do you want it? - Yeah!

Stomp on his head!

You are fucking dead, chink!

Fuck!

Give us our money back!

You had me worried there for a second.

Well, uh, he's a big guy.

- Not big enough. - Not today, anyway.

Thank you.

You never count it.

I trust you.

I could make a mistake.

I get the feeling

you're not someone who makes a lot of mistakes.

I could tell you stories.

Bet you could.

Well...

What about you?

What are you doing here, Ah Sahm?

Same as everyone else.

Everyone else needs the money... you don't.

The tongs take care of their own.

So the question is,

what's a Chinatown hatchet man doing

in a Barbary Coast fight pit?

Hmm? What are you looking for?

Just staying sharp.

Whenever you're ready to change your answer,

I'm your girl.

Whatever it is, I'm betting I can help.

Thanks.

I don't need any help.

See you soon.

Was that your wife?

Yes.

And my two boys.

Oh.

Ian and Daniel.

I-I'm so sorry.

How did it happen?

Smallpox.

Eight years ago.

We just moved out here from New York when it spread.

How awful.

They'd be young men now.

What are you doing?

My father's buried just up the hill,

and they refresh his flowers twice a week,

and that's too many flowers for any man,

don't you think?

I like to spread them out around the other graves.

I'm sure your father would appreciate that.

Well, I'm working under the general assumption

that he would've fucking hated it.

You find that funny?

I just didn't know proper women like you swore like that.

Huh.

You don't strike me as a man

who spends a lot of time among proper women.

You're quick to judge, aren't you?

You're the one who immediately decided

that I was proper.

So I did.

My apologies.

Apologies accepted.

Well, uh, I'll let you get back to your visit.

What?

Thanks, kid.

I thought you were done with the Barbary Coast.

Ah...

I guess not.

You're not gonna find what you're looking for there.

You don't know what I'm looking for.

You're looking for weakness,

the flaw in your technique that allowed Li Yong to beat you.

Like I said, you're not gonna find it.

Well, sometimes it's more about the searching

and less about what you find.

What does that mean?

I don't know.

I thought we were just trading clichés.

Okay.

- No more clichés. - Okay.

I saw these guys at the fight.

They wore cut-off queues on their jackets.

They call themselves teddy boys.

I've seen them.

Those queues they wear are part of their initiation.

You want to join, a Chinese scalp is your way in.

I was thinking we should pay them a visit.

- Not now. We've been too active lately.

We leave 'em alone,

tomorrow they take another Chinese scalp.

And if we keep leaving a trail of dead white people,

we'll become the threat to ourselves and Chinatown.

You asked for my help.

This isn't help.

This is just you looking for another fight.

Fight pits, teddy boys...

You're looking to win a fight that's already over.

And we're back to clichés.

You can come or not, but I'm going back.

Tonight.

I'm going back tonight.

And if I tell them you didn't have the money,

it'll be very bad for you.

They're fucking chinks, Bill.

They don't even belong here.

They got no fucking right.

You gambled, and you lost.

They rigged it!

There's not an honest table in all of Chinatown.

But that didn't stop you, though, did it?

- So what you gonna do? Break my leg?

You're a fucking highbinder now?

Whatever I do...

won't be as bad as what they'll do to you.

I got no money, Bill.

Not a red fucking cent.

What about that ring?

- This was my father's. - Yeah?

And what would he say now?

Listen...

I understand how close you were with your father.

Thank you.

So, when you decided to run his factory yourself,

I did my best to be supportive.

And I appreciate that.

But now the mayor's wife has

a hundred coolies working for her.

Do you understand the position you're putting me in?

A very good one with the industrialists,

I should think.

They're very passionate about Chinese labor.

I'm trying to remain impartial.

And I'm trying to save my business.

I know Lymon Merriweather has made a generous offer

to buy you out.

Mercer Steel is my father's legacy.

So sell the damn thing!

Use the proceeds to start a...

Charity in his memory.

- I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?

- Sophie. Yes. And not a moment too soon.

Good morning, Mr. Mayor.

Sophie.

I've asked you repeatedly to call me Samuel.

Oh, I know.

It just feels so wrong.

Sophie.

Fine. Samuel.

Will you please pass the berries, Samuel?

If you'll excuse me.

Oh, we will, Samuel.

We'll pick this up another time.

- Ladies. - Samuel.

Your husband has the shape of a potato.

You should be more respectful.

You're living in his house.

Mm, I prefer to think of it as your house.

Luckily, you can't ship me off to boarding school

like you did Nadine.

For the last time, I didn't ship her off.

She chose to go.

I know.

Sorry.

I just... I miss her.

I do, too.

You know, I heard from Mrs. Thornhill the other day.

Her son, Spencer, would like to call on you.

Oh, really?

- Yes. - No.

Apparently, he caught sight of you somewhere

and hasn't stopped talking about you.

He caught sight of me at our father's funeral.

And a man who becomes infatuated

with a grieving woman has issues that...

I'm not interested in unraveling.

You're impossible.

You manage to disqualify every man that comes your way.

- I'm discerning. You should try it sometime.

I'm sorry. That was a mean thing to say.

I love you, but I wish you'd stop

trying to take care of me all the time.

Someone has to.

Mai Ling, we're honored.

Thank you.

What can I get you?

I see you have a new batch of lemons.

Yes.

Just arrived this morning from Los Angeles.

Your wife looks ill.

She needs to see a doctor.

I told her that, but...

she insists it takes two of us to run the store.

I'll take her after we close.

I'll take it all.

What?

- All of it. Everything in the stand.

You take her to see a doctor.

So you just show up whenever you feel like it,

they put you against some other onion,

and you scrap?

You should try it sometime.

I'll leave that kung fu shit to you.

Fighting without knives doesn't sound like a lot of fun.

Ah, it's not meant to be fun.

Well, then why even bother?

Ah...

Can you believe this shit?

I can't believe Father Jun just agreed to this.

Walking around like she owns the fucking place.

Come on. Let's go.

It's a delicate situation,

what with her father's passing.

But the mayor's wife hiring coolie labor is problematic.

Really, Buckley?

You think so? What a brilliant summation.

Why don't you go negotiate with my obstinate wife,

and I'll stand around thinking up

new and exciting ways to state the painfully obvious.

If pressure at home won't work,

perhaps the way through is

to take a more powerful public position.

Come down hard on Chinese labor.

Let no one doubt where you stand.

Won't that just make me look

like even more of a hypocrite?

At the risk of stating the obvious,

I'm afraid that ship has sailed.

Thanks to your wife, I mean.

In the meantime,

maybe I can bring pressure to bear on Mrs. Blake

from other fronts.

You mean the workingmen?

I'll continue to stoke that fire.

Or we could just adjust her pricing

so that she can afford to hire Irish labor

and be done with it.

And if the press got wind

that you were giving your wife favorable pricing?

The last thing you want to do now

is to invite more scrutiny.

Might I remind you that it was you

who pressured Mercer into hiring

coolie labor to begin with?

Yes, to protect you, which I am still trying to do.

You must know that people are whispering.

Don't say it.

A man who can't control his wife...

I said don't.

Very well, sir.

Mai Ling's walking around

like the motherfucking queen of Chinatown.

The Fung Hai are all over us,

which never would've happened

if we hadn't bent over for them!

You're worried too much about public perception.

Don't concern yourself with how things look.

Concern yourself with how things are.

"How things are" is we look weak!

And the other tongs are gonna start getting ideas.

The Hop Wei were around before Mai Ling got here.

It would take a lot more than her childish posturing

to damage our reputation.

The Long Zii's alliance with the Fung Hai

will be her undoing.

If she doesn't break the treaty, they will.

And then...

we can strike with the full support of the Six Companies.

Fuck the Six Companies.

They're not the ones going to war with us.

Don't be an idiot.

You lose the Six Companies, you lose Chinatown.

Get me?

No! I don't get you!

At least she was fucking Long Zii.

What's your excuse?

Something else you want to say?

Solid gold... A family heirloom.

You cold motherfucker, Bill.

Listen...

I've done this thing for you long enough.

- Long enough? For what?

I paid my debt.

Oh.

This not debt. This your job.

NO, it's not.

I am a police officer, for fuck's sake!

The mouth pray to Buddha, but the heart...

The heart, Bill, say something else.

What the fuck does that mean?

It mean you work for me.

No?

I had a feeling I'd find you here.

The fruit.

It's Tomb-Sweeping Day.

I'm paying my respects to our parents.

Oh.

If they could see us now.

- Ah Sahm. - You tried to have me diced.

I tried to save you.

I did everything I could

to keep you out of that tournament.

And then you ordered my death.

Hmm?

It's okay. You made your choice.

- Now I've made mine. - Oh, come on.

Father Jun's not gonna live forever.

And Young Jun's no boss.

So who's gonna lead the Hop Wei?

What, you?

If I have to.

I just hope you realize you're backing a losing side

before it's too late.

You know, you should hear yourself talk sometime.

You're always so...

You're always so damn superior.

Even when we were kids,

you were always so sure you were right.

Everyone else was wrong.

Not everyone.

Just you.

If you really think I'm wrong,

why are you here right now?

They tossed you out like you were nothing.

Left you to rot,

and now you're wearing their colors again.

Just think about it.

We could be on the same side.

Hmm.

You mean your side.

Xiaojing?

You're gonna wish you had killed me.

There's always tomorrow.

Sorry.

I didn't mean to interrupt.

I was just admiring your focus.

Thank you.

Mm.

Young Jun can use a bit of that focus.

He's too easily riled up.

Ah, he's just looking out for the tong.

I don't doubt it.

I've been trying to teach him patience for years.

The teacher can open the door,

but the student must walk through it.

We haven't really talked since you returned to the tong.

I know it wasn't your idea to bring me back.

Are you and I going to have a problem?

No.

Good.

Keep an eye on Young Jun for me.

As you know,

he can get a bit too itchy for his own good.

You're home early.

Well...

I wanted to give you enough time to cook this.

Steak? Again?

And why not?

- It's expensive is why not. - Oh.

Why shouldn't my family have the best?

And I have not been to the tables,

if that's what that look means.

- What look? - You know damn well what look.

Bet you came out of the womb with that look.

No. I hadn't met you yet then, had I?

Nice.

I got rid of a couple of hooligans

who were loitering around Quinn's slaughterhouse

last week.

Ever since, the old man, he likes to...

have me swing by and check on him.

So... steak.

Okay, then.

She knew I was lying through my goddamn teeth.

I could tell.

She gets this look, this fucking crazed look,

when she knows I'm talking out my ass.

Evening, boys.

Evening, Mr. Leary.

Looks like that lumber job's working out

for the lot of yous.

Yes, it is.

Thank you.

Would you like to join us?

Thanks for the offer, but I have a prior engagement.

I'll just collect your dues and be on my way.

Dues?

We just started working last week.

And you've been paid,

which is more than we can say

about a lot of other people around here.

Today you're the fortunate ones.

Tomorrow you might be back on the lot with everyone else.

Point is, we're all in this together.

Aren't we?

Aren't we?

Yes.

We are.

Thank you.

Enjoy your dinner.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

I have what you asked for.

This is stable enough to move?

As long as you don't mess with the blasting caps.

You were never here.

You come into our country.

You take our jobs.

You rape our women and children.

You bring all these fucking diseases.

Yeah.

You got those sneaky fucking eyes.

So, as a loyal American,

I sentence you to death by hanging.

Shut the fuck up!

Go, Petey. Get him up there.

- God damn. - Make him fly.

What the fuck?

A girl?

Who the fuck are you?

She's with me.

Who the fuck are you?

That's not important right now.

Lai.

What?

- Hey, man. What's up?

You didn't make it home last night.

Fighting at that boat again?

- Yeah. - You win?

- You have to ask? Really?

I'll have to come see it sometime.

I paid a few onions to go into one of the Long Zii dens.

This is what they're using.

- It's molasses. So what?

I'm not worried about what it is.

I'm worried about what it isn't.

And it isn't from China,

which means the Long Zii are paying less for it,

which explains how they can charge less,

which explains why we're losing customers.

You take this to Father Jun?

Father Jun will never stop ordering from China.

He's too afraid of pissing off the Six Companies.

Well, that was when we didn't have to compete.

Now we do.

No shit.

Would he know?

What?

You're the one who places the orders, right?

We could set up a local source.

Father Jun doesn't have to know about it.

He'll eventually find out.

Well, you know what I always say.

Better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.

We lost a lot of chop by cutting Mai Ling in.

We could offset some of that if we stopped importing.

We'd need a local source we can trust.

So we'll find one.

Okay.

- Let's get some breakfast. I'm fucking starving.

Got some blood on your face.

Oh.

- Here? - Yeah.

- Huh? - Yep.

There.

I don't think it's mine.

It just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?

This is the fifth time in as many months,

and we've got fuck all to show for it.

No wonder he feels he can keep doing it.

It's not one person...

at least not this time.

These two here were killed by their own knives

and, by the looks of it, put up quite a fight.

These other three and the man back there

were killed by a sword.

There was more than one attacker here.

For fuck's sake!

You're the one who's been telling me all this time

that we were looking for one man.

Yeah, and now I'm the one who's telling you we're not!

What the hell was that?

I have no idea.

I don't need to remind you

about all the shit I'm getting from on high.

And believe me, there's a lot of it.

And it all rolls downhill.

If you and your squad can't find me

at least one fucking swordsman,

I'll get someone who can.

We're doing everything we can.

Well, do more of it.

And you get your boy Lee in line!

The only thing he had going for him was his fucking manners,

and without those,

I can't think of a single goddamn reason

to keep him around!

Go and sort that cunt out, will you?

Right you are, Bill.

You want to tell me what the hell that was in there?

Multiple homicides?

Don't get cute.

Listen, you can't go mouthing off to Flannagan like that.

Yeah, I know.

I'm sorry.

You don't have to apologize to me.

To be honest, I enjoyed it.

You still getting the headaches?

Yeah.

And the laudanum's not helping?

Uh, no.

It's been what, two months?

What does the doctor say?

He says there's a lot we don't understand

about head injuries.

You think maybe you should take some time off?

I think maybe we should go talk to Chao.

We've talked to Chao plenty!

And he's still holding out on us.

The man is slicker than a slop jar.

If he doesn't want to talk, he's not gonna talk.

Well, then I guess the trick is to make him want to.

Fellas, please.

Don't do this! No!

Hey!

Hey! You can't do that!

Hey!

This bullshit, Bill.

How many time Chao help you? Now you wreck my business?

- Warned you, Chao. I need a swordsman.

I told you I don't have one.

- People are dying, Chao! - Hey!

Just give me something I can use.

I'm under a lot of pressure here.

Yes.

Yes, you under a lot of pressure

from many places, hmm?

What the fuck are you talking about?

I hear things.

What things?

If I was you, I wouldn't worry about me.

Looks to me like you have enough problems of your own.

You let me know when you're ready to talk.

Lee!

Mr. Merriweather.

These visits are starting to become

something of a bad habit.

Byron was a close friend.

The least I can do is check up on his daughter.

Mm.

You'd be more convincing

if you didn't have an ulterior motive.

Oh, on the contrary.

I wouldn't be offering to buy your company

if I didn't think it was in your best interests.

Ah, so you're a philanthropist.

Of course not.

I'm every bit as interested in profits as you are.

And with a moderate cash infusion

and a few modifications,

this place could be fabricating steel girders

for my building projects, hmm?

- Yes. Well, thank you.

But as you can see,

I'm just a little too busy right now,

so if you'll excuse me...

Mrs. Blake,

how long do you think your husband will continue

to indulge you here?

This isn't my husband's business.

It's mine.

- You misunderstand me. - No, you misunderstand me.

So I'm going to speak very slowly and clearly.

Mercer Steel is not for sale.

It appears to me that together...

That's it.

One step at a time.

- What happened? - It was those damn workingmen.

Five injured. And a bunch ran away.

We're gonna be ten men short for the day.

Find Claudia... have her see to the men's injuries.

Yes, ma'am.

You okay?

No doubt, you've hired a good security firm.

Hey, Chao.

The itchy onion.

- You drinking? - No, no.

I, uh... I went by your place.

Well, I closed early.

What can I do for you?

I need some information.

I'll pay for it.

That much chop, you're not paying for information.

You're paying for discretion.

Young Jun and I are looking for a local molasses source.

You mean Father Jun, don't you?

'Cause changing sources has political ramifications.

Only Father Jun can do that.

I mean Young Jun.

What the fuck are you doing?

- Simple question, Chao. - Listen...

I know Young Jun has his daddy issues,

but you should know better.

What's this about, hmm?

Whatever it is, let me give you a piece of advice.

- And this one is free. - Okay. Yeah.

Get the fuck over it

before you bring the whole damn tong down with you.

Thanks.

I'm keeping this to forget we ever had this conversation.

Of course you are.

- Hello, Chao. - Got a minute?

Someone's in a mood.

This little hobby of yours,

it's starting to cause me some real headaches.

My hobby?

One of these days, you'll have to tell me

how it is you seem to know everyone's business.

I'm in the business of everyone's business.

Well, it's annoying.

You know what else is annoying?

Hmm?

Having the bulls cart away my inventory

and shut down my fucking shop.

- Really? - That's annoying.

I'm sorry, Chao.

"Sorry" isn't gonna cover my losses, is it?

You always seem to find a way to land on your feet.

Maybe this time,

I'll land on my feet by turning in

this mysterious swordsman the bulls are so eager to find.

They'd never believe it.

You'd never do that.

Don't overestimate how much I'll suffer

to keep your secret.

I was thinking I might need to lay low

for a little while anyway.

I think that'd be a stellar idea.

- Some tea? - Thank you.

Speaking of secrets...

have you gone to see yours?

Tomorrow.

- Oysters! Oysters! Fresh oysters!

Good evening.

Good fight.

No, it was sloppy.

Should've finished him sooner.

You finished him in under three minutes.

No one here has come close to that.

Well, if this is how you celebrate your wins,

I'd hate to see what happens when you lose.

I, uh...

I did lose.

Badly.

I had a feeling.

No one fights here because things are going great, right?

See you around.

Hey, Vega?

You said you might be able

to help me find what I'm looking for.

I did say that, didn't I?

What can I do you for?

He wants you, honey.

Good evening.

Hyah!

You're worried about Ah Sahm.

You didn't see the way he looked at me...

the hate in his eyes.

The Hop Wei won't break the treaty.

Father Jun won't.

But what if he loses his grip on the tong?

Ah Sahm can fight.

But he's not like you.

He's not a leader.

When he first got here, I was so furious with him

for thinking I was still the sister he remembered...

For thinking he actually knew me.

I just never thought...

What?

Maybe I don't know him either.

We have to be very careful.

And I am made in China!

Send them, all of them, back to China!

If the people of San Francisco were truly aware

of what goes on in Chinatown... ninth circle of hell...

Michael!

...we wouldn't be able to contain them.

Send them back!

We have an opportunity here to send a message.

- We had a deal. - That's not how it works.

I need chaos... and quickly.