Original subtitles

Right, turn it off.

Not so bad. Where'd you find it, Ben?

What do you mean, find it? I built it myself.

You do very nice work.

Yeah?

How much, Mike?

For you, not a dime. It goes in the car.

You bring the money?

You sure you guys didn't bring me here for a stick-up?

Yeah. You with the stick-ups.

Me? I got a gun, man. Yeah?

Marty, fix your place. Come on.

Hi, Charlie.

Benny.

Famous Bugsy Seagull got us a truck.

Thanks, Benny. That's all right. You know, Mike, I don't mind it here with

us, but out there, I don't want to hear any of this Bugsy business, okay?

You better be quality shooting already.

I surrender.

Here's my share.

What kind of business we running here? You don't buy from a warehouse, you bust

it. You give me a couple nights, and I'll figure a way to break the place.

It's a federal warehouse, Benny.

I know that, Mike.

It's not nice to bust a federal warehouse.

Try to make friends, not enemies.

Come on.

Money's on the table.

Every cent.

Leon. We worked hard for this. We took risks for it.

Now, let's grow up and face some facts.

First, nobody's looking for trouble.

If it happens, Benny, I'm gonna need you.

But until then, I want you to keep your gun in your pants.

Now, Charlie, what I had in mind was to go shoot the mayor.

Now, when we get down to the real business, I'm gonna be out there on the

point with Masseria. Benny's gonna be with me. I know that's not for you, so

you're gonna get the rest of it together.

I'm not an errand boy, Charlie.

Michael, I didn't say that.

I'm saying you're smart, so you think for us.

I'll take care of us.

As soon as we get the alcohol, you're out of it.

I guess the firm's in business.

Let's find out.

What are we going to do for dinner?

We'll eat ice cream.

With what?

I don't know what she's doing.

Where'd you get that?

Hey, Michael, come here.

Mr. Sullivan. Your friends call me Tim.

Take a seat.

I'm Charlie Luciano.

And how can we of Tammany Hall be of assistance to Charlie Luciano?

I don't need any assistance.

In good health, are you?

Employed? No bone to pick with our governance of the great city of New

York. No complaints.

As a matter of fact, I'd like to make a political contribution.

For the welfare of the party.

There must be some little favor we can offer in return.

Now that you mention it, Tim, is this prohibition thing?

Aha! The noble experiment.

Heaven bless those federal agents.

If it weren't for their alert and dedicated raids, wine and beer, and Lord

only knows what other brew of the devil, would be sold down the throats of

America for the mere price of it.

I understand.

The president himself.

serves alcoholic beverages in the White House.

I don't know about the president.

My uncle told me.

He had some alcohol grain from the chemical business.

The government impounded it in one of its warehouses.

He'd like to get it back.

For that, my friend, your beloved uncle would require a permit to withdraw.

These permits, Charlie, can be obtained only from a prohibition enforcement

official.

I thought you might have a suggestion.

I'll consult my friends.

Stay in touch.

Charlie, this angelic man will make a gift and ask nothing in return.

Thank God for a touch of humanity.

Thank God.

What good is it? What am I supposed to do with it? They didn't even pay me for

it. Bang, right in that damn warehouse.

Almost 1,000 gallons of hydrate alcohol, Mr. Lasker. You know what I could get

for that in the street?

Not on the street, Mr. Lowry.

You own it, but the government locked it up. It's an illegal substance.

Now, I'm prepared to buy this from you. Why?

Maybe it'll be worth something when this prohibition's over.

Don't hug your breath.

That's why I can't pay you very much.

I'm very serious about my future.

It's an investment.

Who knows what'll happen?

How much?

How much does it work for you, locked in a warehouse?

You're a Jew, aren't you?

Yes, I'm a Jew, Mr. Lowry.

I got a lot of friends who are Jews.

So long, Mr. Lowry.

Come on in the office.

Prohibition made Joe Mozzeria richer and stronger, and he took the old country

title, Capo di Tutti Capi, boss of all bosses.

But he had to do business with young men like Charlie, who were Americans.

Mozzeria's old ways would collide with the ways of the young.

Come on in, Charlie.

Are you likely to introduce me to this nice young man?

Joe, the boss.

Mr. Messeria.

Luciano.

I know I see you a long, long time.

Since the time he gets pinched by police.

We're both different people now, Mr. Messeria.

Why, sure. You grow up.

We ought to grow up.

You don't look hazy.

We used to play baseball when we were kids. We called him Three Finger Brown,

like the pitcher.

I learned to use just one finger now.

Bang, bang.

Bang, bang.

Do you know him?

No, I haven't had the pleasure.

He's my friend, my protector.

Everybody's my friend.

Luciano got a proposition for us.

950 gallons, pure alcohol, straight out of a federal warehouse.

Now, who need?

Half of the people in little Italy, they make my stuff for me.

Mr. Masseria, you're a very important man.

You inherited the power of Lupo the Wolf. I'm very respectful of that.

My poor Lupo.

I put him in jail for a long, long time.

Maybe he can use your alcohol.

I no need.

You got competitors, Mr. Masseria. Little men trying to be big men. Mauro,

Maranzano.

You know, people, they sell off their homebrew a little here, a little there.

Pretty soon there's not enough to go around.

This thing's just beginning.

Soon Arnold Rothstein's gonna take his cut.

Mr. Massadio, I come to you because you're Joe the boss.

You got an oversupply, I'll go elsewhere.

Respectfully. Now, what's your price?

How much you want?

Expensive.

But do it to respect.

What kind of delivery? How long you take?

A few days.

Order yourself tomorrow?

Or my good friend, Mr.

Maranzano?

I sell where I want.

That's not nice.

That's a sum of mouth you got, kid.

I'm in business.

I got the best merchandise.

You like to play card?

Sure.

I play pinnacle.

A friend of mine taught me, Mr. Goodman.

I like to play brisk.

Uh, you like to pinnacle?

We compromise.

We play brisk.

Come on, you sit down.

Quit talking.

You good, the boy.

We, uh, negotiate.

You know how to play brisk?

I... Turn over a card, you beat him in a suit, you call a brisk.

Brisk.

I thought you said you don't know how to play brisk.

I have a good teacher.

You got a lot of nerve, Lasker.

You think I can hand you certificates of withdrawal like they're plums off a

tree? Tim Sullivan said you might think of a way.

Yeah, well, he's Tammany. I'm federal.

Emily!

Those certificates are locked in an office safe.

Here I am.

Can't hear myself think.

You don't have to think, Mr. Fisk.

This will do your thinking for you.

You're offering me a bribe.

Just like that.

Just like that.

There'll be more once we get the certificates.

We take care of our friends.

I'm not your friend. I'm not your kind.

I'm an honorable man.

I can see that.

Sorry for the trouble.

I never want to see you again.

Find your own way out, Mr. Lasker.

Mr. Fisk, here's a sandwich you ordered from Michael Lasker's place.

That's all?

That's all you ordered, that's all you get.

Have a nice ride.

Did you meet your friend?

Yeah. A pretty hungry fellow.

Hey, Stella, all these animals, which one do you think looks like me?

Like you? Yeah.

That one.

That's a funny monkey.

But he's very cuddly.

Come on, you really think they look like me?

I don't know.

Which one do you think looks like you?

Uh... It's all right.

Right there.

Oh, he's very dangerous.

Yeah. The hunter.

Yeah. No.

You can't kid me, little monkey face.

What? What's so funny?

You stop.

National export, 950 gallons.

Certificate to withdrawal.

What are you guys trying to pull?

Something wrong?

That is a right way and a wrong way.

Next time, give us a couple of days' notice.

We'll handle it for you this time.

Bring it over to the loading area.

All right, that's 750.

Now get that going down around here. Hold that thing down there.

Come on, let's not take all day.

I love this country.

It's all there, Johnny.

Deal's done, Joe.

Everything is here, just like you say.

But, uh... Why, uh...

Why I should pay you, Luciano?

Why not just to take what you bring me?

How do you think I become a boss of all the boss?

I kill myself for 33 men.

Who's going to stop me? No you and no you.

I guess I can live with that deal, Joe.

Are you sure you can?

Now blow your brains out. You believe that, Mr. Mazarin?

Umberto, drop the gun.

Drop it!

Take up Mr.

Luciano's money.

Put him in the box.

You kid!

All right,

all right. Forget about it.

We'll take a glass of wine.

Another time.

Benny will take it.

Bugsy Siegel, crazy like a cockroach.

If he knows you, I'll put him at work for me. I'll give him his job.

You forgot one.

Give it to him.

Be nice.

Like you forgot Mr. Goodman.

No matter, Joe.

Sit. Sit.

Luciano! Wait!

Wait!

It's good I'm in the business, whatever.

That's between you and Valente.

I think maybe you do me a favor. I think maybe double-crossing me behind my back

with my enemy.

He's no important.

But some day, Luciano, I know you're going to be an important man.

When that time come, I hope you remember your friend, Joe the Boss.

I'll remember.

That's a promise.

Thank you.

Payoffs. All expenses. We took 18.

Almost $90,000.

One week.

I don't believe it. This is for openers, Mikey.

Openers.

Openers nothing. The cards haven't even been dealt yet.

Mike, it can't be this easy.

Would you listen to him? He practically had to shoot his way out of Masseria's

place. He calls it easy.

Bugsy! Pozzo!

Everybody's under arrest!

Ooh.

Ooh.

Relax, Ben.

Benny.

Say hello to Legs Diamond.

He works for Arnold Rothstein.

That's some nice nervous habit you got with that thing.

Pretty soon they'll be calling you Bugsy.

You say it a couple of times, see how it feels.

Well, you're a big success, and the brain would like to meet you.

You won't need Mr.

Segal.

You can meet him when it's convenient.

Please thank Mr.

Rothstein.

Tell him I'll be glad to talk with him tomorrow.

No, no, I mean convenient for Mr.

Rothstein. That's going to be in 20 minutes.

Did you see a couple of lowlifes from downtown?

Never mind. Never mind.

This Rothstein's?

Yeah, it's one of Mr.

Rothstein's.

Want to try your luck, Lasker?

I don't gamble.

That's where we put it, Charlie, if we ever get it. On the right side of the

table.

Mr. Lasker.

Seems to me there are three kinds of people in this world.

Those who never gamble, those who enjoy gambling, and those who own the tables.

The fact that you ran a two-bit crap game doesn't put us in the same

category.

I also have interest in speakeasies and the distribution of alcohol products.

We enjoy about the same relationship there, too.

You see, you are not in the liquor business.

You don't sell to Masseria, you don't sell to Maranzano, you don't sell to

Waxy Gordon.

You don't sell to anyone.

I hope you understand that.

Because if not, Legs Diamond and his associates will explain it to you in a

way far more sincere than I care to demonstrate here in this office.

And that goes for your friend Siegel, too.

Do I make myself understood?

You make it very clear, Mr. Rusty.

Good. Good, I try.

Two of your joints got raided last week.

I don't run joints.

Michael's got a way to keep the federal agents out.

You're going to teach me now about the care and feeding of politicians.

You still get raided, Mr. Rothstein.

They padlock your speakeasies, and that means they never open again. Not for

you.

Not for anybody.

You can make that work for you.

How? Set it up.

Arrange the raids on your own terms.

Let it go to court without enough evidence. When the judge throws it

out... you can apply for an automatic injunction against that kind of

harassment.

The authorities can never do it again.

They can never raid you again.

You got an injunction?

You got a license to sell all the liquor you want.

Did you figure that out?

He reads a lot, Mr. Rusty.

Yeah?

So do my lawyers.

Evidently, they read different books.

Legs, give him some cigars.

Legs have got a great sense of humor.

Local supplies are going to dry up.

I'm buying scotch from Canada.

What would you do with the scotch?

If I had it, I'd sell it.

Cut it with alcohol like Masseria's wine?

I'd sell scotch uncut, the best guarantee.

You're a damn fool. You can cut it three times, triple your profits. Who'd know

the difference?

Is that the way you run your business, Mr. Rothstein?

They're cheating the people who trust you.

Thanks for your time.

And the cigar.

Luciano.

Jews and Italians have been fighting each other ever since they got off the

boat. You and your friend Lasker here seem to have worked that out.

I'm impressed.

I'd like you to try working for me.

My father's been a laborer all of his life, Mr. Rothstein.

He hired out his body to anybody who would buy it for a day's work.

I don't do that.

My own father was a cotton merchant.

When my life displeased him, he sat shiver for me as if I were dead.

There's a shipment of scotch coming down to the Canadian border. You could buy it

for $30,000.

Mr. Rothstein. Look, I happen to know you and your friends made almost $20,000

on the Masseria deal.

I'll put up the extra $10,000.

I expect it back at 20% interest.

You both sell the scotch wherever you want.

I get 25% of the profits.

Got a deal?

Deal.

I enjoy meeting new people.

What do you think, Lakes?

Never mind.

Michael.

Wake up.

What? Put it down. What's this?

agents will have to ask you to get out, please. What for?

Routine truck inspection.

You got any papers?

Yes, sir. I got documents in the car.

Let's see them. Be right back.

Rough night, huh, boys?

Yeah, rough night.

Come on out.

Here, I'll take it.

Good night's night, boy.

Next time, we bring Benny.

Hi, Pat.

You got hijacked.

Somebody else got the whiskey.

I'm out of the deal and you owe me $10,000. Is that what you're telling me,

Charlie?

Telling you what happened.

Oh, I didn't realize that's what you were telling me.

Well, I want it back.

You know, maybe you were hijacked and maybe you went into business for

yourself, but I want my $10,000 back.

I want the whole load back.

And I intend to get it back.

With your great comfort, who are you going to get it back from?

People who took it.

Hey, Charlie, I don't want any smart answers. Who took it?

You did.

You set us up.

If that torpedo of yours takes anything out of his pocket, it better be a

sandwich because Benny's gonna make him eat it.

You and I are gonna have an eating contest, Bugsy?

All right, Legs.

Take Mr. Siegel downstairs.

Buy him a drink.

I stay with Charlie.

It's all right, Benny.

We'll work it out.

That's a lot of working out we got to do, Charlie.

Where do you get off talking to me like that?

You knew the road. You knew the time. You knew what we were hauling.

Look, let me put it this way, Mr.

Rothstein. I've already been through the song and dance with Joe Masseria. Either

you give the whiskey back or I'm going to take it back.

How?

The same way you took it from us.

Only I'm not going to be so nice about it.

It's my tailor's business card.

Get yourself some new clothes.

I don't like my partners dressing like cheap gangsters.

See, Charlie, we had to get to know each other.

You know, we had to feel each other out.

Now we know.

Now we begin.

If we're going to be making money for each other, then there's some things

you're going to have to learn.

I just taught you the first lesson.

This is a power business.

You never travel without power.

There's protection with muscle and protection with cash. You got to learn

to use them both.

You use politics.

You use your head.

You just got it all back.

All of it.

And no more games.

Not between you and me.

What's your name?

Vito Genovese. Vito what?

Genovese.

You want to work for us, Vito?

Well, you tell me what you want, and I'll do it for Charlie Luciano.

What do you do best?

Serious work.

I believe you.

Okay, Vito.

Louie Lepke.

Louis Buchholter.

Yeah, Buchholter.

Where do you work, Luke?

I help out around the garment district. You know, labor problems.

Who do you help?

Who's got the money?

Ever do any time, Lou?

No, a couple of years in Sing Sing, that's all.

Gora Shapiro, I'm Lepke's friend.

Why'd they call you Gora?

I don't know. They always called me that.

Lepke says you're the smartest man he ever met.

Get out of here.

I ain't that smart.

Get out of here.

Captain Reed.

Young Michael Lasker. Merry Christmas, Captain. From Charlie and Ben and all of

us.

Is it a tie?

It's like a tie.

Count it in good health.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lasker.

Keep it going!

Hey, keep your eyes open!

Let's go!

All right, lads, that's all for today. Mr. Sullivan's a very busy man. Try

again next week, eh?

Hey, you got me, shit?

In the great lexicon of Tammany Hall, Charlie, politics is lovingly defined as

the art of the possible.

Tell me what's possible.

Money and votes.

Votes and money.

With enough of each, tell me what isn't possible.

Slipping whiskey from Scotland to the Canadian islands of St. Pierre and

Miquelon was a well-established business.

The risk came in getting the whiskey onto land from the rum rolls off the

eastern shore.

But secret friends in the federal government had been made by the

bootleggers.

All right, boys, come on. Let's get that stuff unloaded. Pass.

Go, let's go. We haven't got all day.

Mr.

Siegel?

Yes, I'm Admiral Siegel.

Your Coast Guard boys are doing a fine job.

I'm going to write the president about this.

Meantime, get those pharmaceuticals up here, will you?

You got it.

Vito, how you doing?

I need a drink. Yeah? Help yourself.

There's no wine.

I still look like a funny monkey, Stella?

I don't know what you are, Ben.

I tell you, sometimes she really frightened me.

You read the wrong part of the paper.

Read about the houses for sale.

Read this one in Skyslake.

We're going to need it after we get married.

Yeah, who said I'd marry you?

You just said.

You're getting a taste of the power, Charlie. Now you've got to learn how to

use it.

Stay out of the wars.

Let the hoodlums fight.

Al Capone, Dini O'Banion, they're killing each other in Chicago.

They're not only killing each other in Chicago, they're killing all of us.

This teapot dome thing in Washington.

The Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Interior is selling the whole

country out from under us.

People lose faith.

You know what the lesson is, Charlie?

Never reach too far.

Don't go before you're ready.

And stay out of the papers.

Speak with your friends. No fighting.

Just make money.

You like my new horse?

I don't know too much about race or...

Keep it bright.

Good. Lots of personality.

Eyes are sharp.

Good.

Watch those lines.

Put your bottoms out, girls. You weren't hired to see your feet, you know.

Sharp head.

Gwen, put your hand on your shoulder, please.

Thank you.

Keep it tight and sharp.

And one,

two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Go front.

Let's hear those taps now.

Good.

Nice touch, sir.

How much did we sell?

We didn't sell anything, Vito.

Come on, girls. We just bought the place.

That's better.

Call Michael and tell him we have room for dice tables in the back.

Not bad, girls.

Catch your breath. I want to do it again from the top, okay?

What the hell's the matter with you?

What's the matter with this? I could have blown your head off.

Oh, hi.

Hi.

I'm Joy.

Joy, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Charlie Luciano.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Cleveland? Yeah.

Mayfield Road map came through. Charlie, we're selling everywhere.

We're going to need more help, Benny.

I could have killed you.

What?

Yeah.

Charlie Luciano, Michael Lasker, and Ben Siegel were hardened criminals.

They lived in a violent world.

Like the others in that world, they lived by the gun and by a cruelty that

was someday to destroy them.