Original subtitles

Shh.

You had another cell. You threw them in with him.

What the hell kind of cop are you?

Your brother was arrested yesterday.

How does the defendant plea?

Not guilty, your honor.

Could be a lot of work, I imagine.

Burying a family this large. We will not testify.

The defendant is free to go.

I didn't think I'd see you again.

This city is becoming a powder keg. You're gonna have to pick your poison.

This will not stand!

You've got no business being out there at all.

Drop your hands.

- You and me, we're square now, right?

You've got bigger concerns, Bill.

I'll need to see blood in the streets.

No! What are you doing?

Take your family, and leave San Francisco tonight.

Hey.

I'm gonna need a marker.

- Did you hear me?

I said I need a marker.

- What's the trouble here?

- Jack Damon. - Bill O'Hara.

Jesus.

- What the hell are you doing here?

I heard you left the force

to ride with the Pinkertons out in Chicago.

- It's too fucking cold out there.

I came back to San Francisco in the fall.

Flannagan didn't have a slot for me,

so I ended up here.

- You work here?

- Fung Hai gold shines as bright as anyone's.

- Well, um,

can you get them to stake me?

- Sure. How's about 50?

- Yeah, 50's good.

Good luck, Bill.

- Come on!

Sorry, fellas.

Sometimes it's just not your night.

- Nice pile.

Believe me, I was due.

- You know, now might be the right time to cash out.

Go home with your pockets full.

- And that is exactly what I'm gonna do

just as soon as this action cools.

Let's go. Keep it spinning.

- Okay, Bill.

- I think I'm done.

- Rough night? - Table's rigged.

- Spoken like a true gambler.

Come on, I'll walk you out.

- I'm good for my marker. - I know you are, Bill.

- Short breaths, Bill.

Easy, now.

- Let me tell you something about the Fung Hai.

- They believe they're direct descendants of Genghis Khan.

You know the Mongols, right?

Biggest empire in the history.

Anyway, the Mongols.

- They came riding out of the plains like...

Demons.

Pillaging whole cities.

Now the Chinese, they need

to understand their enemy, right?

So the Emperor sends his scouts out

to the Mongolian plains,

and they get out there, and in the distance,

they see this...

white mountain rising up where no mountain should be.

- They get closer to this mountain,

and do you know what they find?

Bones.

An entire mountain of bones.

Hundreds of thousands of skeletons

just rotting on a fucking pile.

That's when they understood who they were dealing with...

who you're dealing with.

- The Fung Hai had a problem.

- When a chink gambler owes them,

they can break his legs, threaten his family, but...

what are they supposed to do when an Irishman runs up a debt

and then runs back down the hill

when it comes time to pay?

That's where old Damon comes in.

- See, I can go where they can't--

make an example of someone,

make sure everyone knows the toll.

Not even a cop escapes a Fung Hai debt.

- How do you live with yourself,

being a stick boy for the chinks?

- I take no pleasure in it, Bill.

But I vouched for you in there,

so you're going to pay up.

Standard window is two weeks.

I'll give you the policeman's special:

three weeks.

After that...

You're taking a trip to the white mountain.

- Fuck you, Damon.

- Three weeks, Bill.

- Morning, Ah Sahm.

- Morning. - Morning, Ah Sahm.

- Hey, about time!

- How's it feel? - It only hurts when I breathe.

And sit.

- You think that's bad?

Look at this.

I always carry it with me.

Reminds me of where I've been.

- What is it?

- It's a railroad spike.

Bolo used to work on the Transcontinental.

- You were a coolie?

- Utah.

Hot as hell in the summer.

Cold as fuck in the winter.

- It didn't take long for the ducks to find

a better use for him.

You're talking to a legend, man.

About ten years ago,

word spread of a giant Chinaman fighting

on the Transcon circuit.

There was no one he couldn't take down.

They called him "the Yellow Demon."

Shut the fuck up, Baby Jun.

- "The Yellow Demon"?

- My father had to see it for himself,

so he travelled all the way to Utah

to get a better look at this so-called demon.

- It was just another game

for the bored white fucks to bet on.

They paid the fighters

double for kills,

and the Yellow Demon always got that bonus.

My father...

couldn't stand the thought of some duck

getting rich off Bolo's back,

so he bought him.

- What do you mean, "bought him"?

Like a hat?

- Don't kid yourself.

Father Jun owns your onion ass,

just like he owns the rest of us.

- Come on, you look like shit.

I've got something that will help with that.

One of these days,

you and I should go a few rounds...

see what's what.

- Fight the Yellow Demon?

Do I look crazy?

- Ten-hut.

- Mr. Deputy Mayor. Good morning.

- Chief Flannagan, I know you're a busy man,

so I'll get right to it.

I am sure you were as disappointed as I was

in the judge's decision

to cut loose the highbinder your men arrested.

- It was a fucking travesty, is what it was.

- As you can imagine, we have a very angry constituency

demanding justice.

- No doubt. - Chief,

you've been at it a long time.

- 25 years.

- My point is, a man of your experience knows

that from time to time, our courts, judges--

our laws can fail to deliver true justice.

At those times, it falls to us in the executive branch

to pick up the slack, as it were.

- As I recall, you started this conversation

by saying you planned to get "right to it."

- Violence in Chinatown is an ongoing problem.

When it spills out of Chinatown,

that is something we cannot tolerate.

The mayor would like to send a message.

- And, uh,

does the mayor have any particular venue in mind?

All right, then.

Leeds! Where the hell is Bill?

- Hiyah!

- We ask for killers...

and this is what we get.

- Hmm.

- Go easy, man. This shit kicks.

- What's in this? - It's just a kiss of molasses.

I only roll them on special occasions...

the occasion here being the major up-fuckery

my father laid on you last night.

Mine was worse, you know.

Broke two bones in his own hands

skinning me in.

- Fucking hell.

- He didn't want to show any favoritism.

You know you can trust me, right?

- I know. - Good.

'Cause I'm smarter than I look.

- Well, you'd have to be.

Fuck off, you dog cunt.

Why are you here?

And don't tell me it's for the chop.

A guy who can scrap like you doesn't need

to cross the salt to get paid.

- I came to find someone.

- The girl.

I knew it!

Well, now, I can't have you fucking off every time

I turn around-- - She's dead.

- She's dead.

- Yeah.

- You cross the salt.

She ends up dead.

Now you're skinned in.

Sucks for you.

- I don't know, uh...

I've been on my own for a while...

so it's kind of good to know someone has my back.

- That's the spirit.

Works both ways, you know.

- What? - Trust.

I need to know I can trust you.

- You can.

- Uh, this shit is making me woozy.

I'm gonna go walk it off.

- Sure.

Just don't go disappearing on me again.

- I think you're really gonna like this.

- I'm not here to shop.

- But you are here, so just take a look.

See that?

Now, suppose you find yourself in a tight spot.

- Bang.

You learn fast.

I'll give you a good price.

- Stop trying to sell me.

I came here to talk to you about the Fung Hai.

- Fung Hai?

- I need you to set a meeting.

Fung Hai.

Now, look...

I know you need new scissor boys

to help round things out, and I can help you with that.

But the Fung Hai... - Chao.

- You know, they built the Great Wall

to keep out savages like the Fung Hai.

Trust me, no good will come from dealing with them.

- And if I'd come for your advice,

I'm sure I'd love the debate, but I didn't.

See, what I did do was ask you to set a meeting.

So you can say yes and earn your fee

and my gratitude, or you can say no

and earn neither.

- Sure. Okay.

- As soon as possible, please.

See for yourself.

He's a mess.

Came home at dawn beaten half to death by coolies.

- I already told you,

they fared much worse by the time it was over.

I was caught by surprise, that's all.

- The only surprise here

is that you're still alive to lie about it.

- And right about now, I'm wishing I wasn't.

- God, somebody jumped on you

with all four feet, didn't they?

- You'd think the head of a squad wouldn't work

the night shift. - Quit your badgering.

I said I'm fine. - Yes,

you say a lot of things, Bill.

And you? Why weren't you there with him?

- Leave him alone! He's had three night shifts

this week! - Sorry, Mr. Lee,

I just think it's unconscionable,

sending him into that place alone at night.

- Believe me, Mrs. O'Hara, you're preaching to the choir.

We've spoken to the chief about doubling up on shifts,

but as I'm sure you know when it comes to budgets,

the city's as tight as a fiddle string.

As they say, "Too poor to paint,

too proud to whitewash."

Oh, uh...

is that coffee I smell brewing?

Because Lord Almighty, I could sure use a cup.

- I'll go pour you one.

- Much obliged, ma'am.

- Jesus fuck!

Can you help me with my socks?

I can't...

What you waiting for?

Ah-ah, hey.

- I thought Stone was on the graveyard shift last night.

- Well, that is some solid fucking detective work, Lee.

Just help me with my boots.

Double-knot the laces and shut the fuck up.

- I'm gonna pick that up before we head back.

- Where are we going? - Where do you think?

- Is it far? - You could always turn around.

- I'm sorry, do you have some kind of problem

with me, Jacob?

- I've seen a lot more of the pond than you,

so listen to me when I say no good will come

from following me.

Get me?

- But she sent you for me.

- I can tell her you told me to fuck off.

- Are you worried about her,

or yourself?

- Doesn't matter.

Ends badly for all of us.

- I appreciate your concern, Jacob,

but I think I'll just see what your duck lady has to say.

- Afternoon, Mr. Buckley.

- Miss Carlson.

Where is he?

God damn it.

Buckley!

- What the hell are you doing here?

- San Francisco Police Department.

Nobody move.

All right.

Let's see which of these fuckers

can actually stand.

- All right, let's go. On your feet.

Get the fuck out of my way.

Wakey-wakey!

- All right, rise and shine, you fucking degenerates.

- Come on.

- Mr. Mayor. - Sergeant.

- Lee.

- The whores are upstairs.

I want every slant-eyed john you can get your hands on.

- You, you. Get out of here.

- What the hell's going on?

- Keep moving, you won't have to find out.

- Move the slants to the wagon.

Yeah? You want to play?

Huh?

- Ah, Jesus.

- What are you waiting for?

- Come on. Never mind that.

- Do as I say and-- - Move along, move along.

- Come on.

- You want to pull a hatchet on me, do you?

- Get out here, pervert!

Are you all right?

- Just make yourself useful, will you?

- Hey! - Police!

- Hey!

- Nice of you to show up.

- What happened here?

- He drew on me.

I almost pissed my fucking pants.

- Get the rest of these chinks in the wagon and let's get

the fuck out of here. - What is meaning of this?

- You're Ah Toy.

- You know me. - Everyone knows you.

I have orders to shut you down,

and I'm placing you under arrest.

- Arrest?

What for?

- You're running a brothel.

- Brothel?

No.

This a boarding house. These are good girls.

You can tell that to the judge.

- It would be better...

if we were friends, no?

- Friends, huh?

- Early gift for Chinese New Year.

- Should we take her in too?

- Nah.

I think we're done here.

Thank you for your cooperation, ma'am.

You got something you want to say?

- Nope, nothing I want to say.

- Look, I don't know what you think you saw in there--

- I don't think anything.

- You preachy little shit!

You think taking a little money here

is the problem?

Open your fucking eyes.

This whole bust is the problem.

You, me, the goddamn chinks, the Chinatown squad,

we're all just pawns in someone else's game,

so sue me if I'm getting my back scratched

before they stick a fucking knife in it!

- What about right and wrong?

- "Right and wrong." - Mm.

- Why are you even here, Lee?

- What?

- Well, I presume they've got

plenty of criminals in Savannah.

Why does a southern boy like you have to come all the way

out here where nobody knows who the fuck you are

to become a cop?

I'll tell you what.

You stay the fuck out of my business,

and I'll stay the fuck out of yours.

- Anything else, missus?

- No, thank you, Jacob. That will be all.

Does everyone in America have two homes?

- My father owns the building.

- Why'd you send Jacob for me?

- Why did you come?

- Curious, I guess.

- I just...

I regretted our last meeting.

I want you to know I'm not like that.

- Like what?

- I don't know, I just thought I should apologize.

That was a terrible apology.

- Would you like some tea?

- Sure.

You painted all of these?

- Yeah.

So, you said your grandfather was American.

- Ah.

He was a sea captain.

He sailed the trade routes for a tea company.

One year he, uh-- he got sick.

He couldn't make the trip back home to America.

The Chinese merchants put him up with a young nurse

who cared for him through the winter.

They fell in love and moved to a small farm.

My grandmother died when I was a baby,

but my grandfather lived on the farm with us

until he passed when I was about 13...

taught my sister and me English,

filled our heads with stories about America.

- So that's why you wanted to come to America.

- I didn't want to come.

- Then why did you?

I've never shown those to anyone before.

- Why not?

- No one's ever been here...

before you.

- Well, um...

I'm honored.

- You should be.

So why did you really come?

- To America?

- Here.

- For the same reason you asked me to.

- I don't know why I asked you to.

I think you do.

You're very sure of yourself.

- It's a problem.

- Thank you for agreeing to meet with us.

We have great respect for what the Fung Hai

have accomplished in your territory,

and we have a proposition for you.

- I don't like when these bitches talk so much.

You like it when they talk so much?

- Perhaps you should listen.

- The Fung Hai don't need help from anyone,

especially not some tong

that lets the pussy do the talking.

- You know,

I had a feeling that you might feel this way.

The bitch is still talking.

- Which is why I already killed you.

You bitch!

So...

I understand you have a proposition.

- Li Yong.

What the fuck was that?

- He was never going to deal.

We made other arrangements.

- Without telling me, hmm?

- Why would I tell you?

- See, if I set up a meet

and someone doesn't walk out,

that fucks with my reputation.

- And if we had told you,

would you have done it?

- I definitely would have charged more.

Li Yong.

The Fung Hai?

- A means to an end.

- Maybe.

But whose end?

- Hup.

- Where did you learn to fight like that?

- All Chinese people can fight like that.

Really?

No.

But you're, uh...

a highbinder...

a gang enforcer.

That doesn't seem like you.

- I didn't have a lot of options

when I got off the boat.

Joining the Hop Wei was the best shot

at finding my sister.

- Your sister?

- Turns out she didn't want to be found.

- I married my husband...

to save my father's company.

My mother died when I was little,

so I practically raised my sisters,

and when the business started to fail...

Well, I couldn't just let that happen to them.

The Blakes are one of the wealthiest families

in San Francisco, and Samuel was the mayor.

He was a friend of my father's,

and he visited a lot after my mother died.

He always had a smile and a hard candy for me.

And as I got older...

his smile changed.

It became something else.

But that city contract

was all that stood between my family

and financial ruin.

I don't remember exactly when I made the decision,

but one day I just...

smiled back.

I guess...

I sold myself the same way you did.

- Doesn't suit you.

Being owned.

- I don't think it suits either of us.

- Come on, you're next.

- As you write your stories, you may want to note

that this raid will be the first of many

as part of the mayor's

aggressive Chinatown initiative.

No, you're perfectly safe, gentlemen.

There's no need for concern.

- Look better after this. - Stay still.

- Gentlemen. - Mr. Mayor.

- Well, it looks like we're making some progress.

- Now...

keep your eye on the ones in the black suits.

That is the uniform of the Chinese gangsters.

These are the most hardened criminals in China.

That's who's coming over here.

- A land of laws and grace

like the United States is all too vulnerable

to this foreign criminal element.

We've got to harden our hearts, gentlemen.

You can print that. - Oh, wait.

Wait, hold on.

Let's get a picture.

Chief Flannagan, let's get all of your men together.

The whole Chinatown squad.

I want to document the good work

you're doing here. - Bill, McLeod,

Harrison, Stone, come here.

- Mr. Mayor?

We just fought a war to save America.

We're not gonna turn around and hand it over

to the Chinese.

We need to send these boys back where they came from.

- Well, you keep cutting off their hair,

they won't be able to go back.

- Shut up, Lee.

- What was that, officer?

- It's the law in China, Mr. Buckley.

By decree of the Emperor, all men are required

to wear those braided queues.

- He doesn't mean anything by it, sir.

Officer Lee is just a bit of a history buff, that's all.

- Lee, is it? - Yes, sir.

- Get in the picture, Officer Lee.

- Uh, no thank you, sir.

I don't really like having my picture taken.

- Get in the fucking picture, Lee.

- Hold still.

- Been meaning to ask you:

What the hell happened to your face?

- Long story.

- It's one I probably don't want to hear.

- Probably not.

- All right, everybody stand still.

Nobody move.

Nobody move.

- Exotic diseases from the Orient.

Chinese gang violence that's spilling

into white neighborhoods.

Sandlots full of unemployed Americans.

It may feel local today, but if it goes unchecked,

the yellow peril will spread

across the country like a plague.

- The Penny Press is an easier sell,

and their circulation is substantial.

But I understand why you would think

that the Associated Press should be covering this story.

- "The Chinese Assault on American Values."

That's your headline.

- Would you just get in, please?

Thanks for the ride.

Fancy.

- You know, everyone always said

you were a kung fu prodigy.

I think your real genius... - Mm-hmm.

- Is finding ways to screw up my life.

- Aww, it's good to see you too.

- You just got here,

and already you've joined my enemies,

gotten yourself arrested--

not only are you fucking a white lady,

you're fucking the mayor's wife.

What are you going to do next week?

- Well, when you put it like that--

- I told you to leave. - Oh, and I was going to,

but then I remembered you're not my boss.

- Do you really think Father would have wanted you

to cross the salt just to get yourself killed?

He'd want you rotting away in a duck prison?

- Oh, thanks, by the way, for getting me out.

That was great. Really saved my ass.

- As usual.

I'm gonna do it one final time.

I'm sending you home.

- Come with me.

- Ah Sahm...

I'm never going back.

I'm nobody in China... - No,

I'm not going without you. - And you're nobody here.

There is going to be a war between the tongs...

and if you're on the wrong side,

I won't hesitate.

I can't.

Your boat leaves tomorrow.

- You were right.

- What?

- I should never have let you marry Sun Yang to save me.

I should have fought to save you.

I'm not gonna make that mistake again.

Oops.

- I figured you'd be home and in bed by now.

- Come and talk to me when you've got four kids.

- I thought it was five?

- Fuck me. I keep forgetting Ethan.

He's my favorite too.

You want a drink?

Or don't you drink anymore?

You left all that behind in Georgia too?

- Oh, on the contrary,

I'm the only hell my mama ever raised.

- Well, come on, then.

Two.

Well, let's go. Out with it.

- With what?

- Oh, I don't know...

But it's always something with you.

Right, well, um...

I guess I just wanted to apologize.

- Well, this sounds promising.

- You are the superior officer,

and you know the streets better than I do.

I shouldn't be questioning you.

- You're damn right about that.

- You're a strange bird, Lee.

- How's that?

- Well, for starters,

most cops don't dig around in the guts of dead men.

Well...

I spent my whole life on a farm.

Cows start dying, you gotta look inside,

see what's killing them.

- People aren't animals.

- Aren't we?

We've just got these bigger brains that trick us

into thinking we're something else.

- Here you are.

- Put it on my tab.

Look, you're a good kid...

and you're gonna be a fine cop.

And I should know. I used to be one.

- One of these days,

we'll get ourselves reassigned out of Chinatown

and we'll go off and do some real police work.

All right?

- Sounds good, Sergeant.

- But until then,

you keep your head down.

You do what you have to to survive.

This Chinatown beat...

there's about 100 different ways it can bury you...

on both sides of the line.

Do you understand?

- I do.

- No, you don't.

Not yet.

But you will.

I'm sorry to leave you before you finish your drink,

but I've got an appointment.

Here we go.

We're gonna do black, all right?

- Deal me in.

- You know Fitz says I can't give you

any more markers, Bill.

The buy-in is $10.

- Here's 30.

Yeah!

New saloon in Nevada.

There're no laws here.

If you leave now, I won't kill you.

I don't care what kinda circus kicks you can do,

I haven't met a man who can dodge a shotgun blast.

I guess it's settled then.

Come on!

You know, now might be the right time to cash out.

Go home with your pockets full?

And that is exactly what I'm gonna do,

just as soon as this action cools.

Let's go. Keep it spinnin'.

Bill is a really fun character to write because...

you can tell he's a good man,

and you can tell he has some kind of moral compass,

it's just been broken for a while.

Rough night?

Table's rigged.

He's a degenerate gambler,

and he's a cop who's on the take.

He's just a guy you can't quite get your hands around.

Not even a cough.

Escape's a form of hiding.

Bill doesn't wanna face up to his own truth at all.

He will happily keep himself in denial,

but most certainly, everyone else.

He's a mess.

Came home at dawn beaten half to death by coolies.

Bill's entire sense of self is built around him

maintaining lies with the people who are immediate to him.

Quit your badgerin'. I said I'm fine.

Yes. You say a lot of things, Bill.

The relationship between Lee and Bill is...

such a pleasure because

Bill doesn't like anybody that tells him the truth.

So having a guy like Lee next to him, it's a nightmare.

He doesn't want that around him.

I thought Stone was on the graveyard shift last night.

Well, that is some solid fuckin' detective work, Lee.

Lee is the antithesis of Bill, really.

They operate in very, very different ways,

but Bill and Lee have a camaraderie.

There's an interesting scene in 104

where Ah Toy

meets Sargent Bill O'Hara for the first time.

What is the meaning of this?

I have orders to shut you down.

It would be better...

if we were friends, no?

By the end of the scene, you realize

she knows exactly who he is

and she knows exactly how to play on his weaknesses

to get him into her pocket.

Early gift for Chinese New Year.

She turns her enemies into her friends.

That's part of what makes Ah Toy a legend in Chinatown.

She can roll as hard as the men do.

Lee questioning Bill taking a bribe from Ah Toy

is really wonderful.

You get to see both aspects of the characters.

Lee's moral code, but also

Bill's justification.

I dunno what you think you saw in there--

I don't think anything.

You preachy little shit!

You think taking a little money here is the problem?

Open your fuckin' eyes.

We're all just pawns in someone else's game.

Bill's been undermined by the political system.

He's been put in a place that

you can't survive if you stick to the rules.

What about right and wrong?

Lee questions everyone's motives at the police force.

You keep your head down.

You do what you have to to survive.

Penny is the only character other than Lee

who's inherently not a racist,

who actually sees the Chinese as real people.

At the same time, she can't get away from her breeding.

It makes it really interesting to watch her

develop feelings for Ah Sahm.

Penny, even though she's a very outspoken woman,

she still can't say all the things she wants to say,

and she's not listened to.

It's an indication of how oppressed she feels.

I married my husband to save my father's company.

Penny's in this miserable marriage,

and you know, Penny, for all intents and purposes,

is an indentured servant to her husband

much the way Ah Sahm is to the Hop Wei tong.

You're a... gang enforcer. That doesn't seem like you.

I didn't have a lot of options.

We're both kind of in positions that we don't want to be in.

I'm a second-class citizen

and so is she in a different way.

That's our common bonding point.

It doesn't suit you. Being owned.

I don't think it suits either of us.

For Mai Ling,

there's always gonna be that love or that need

to protect your little brother.

I go to him and I'm like, "Here's a ticket home.

Get out of here, or else you will die."

I'm sending you home.

Me rising to power means

I need to beat out whatever's in my way.

There's going to be a war between the tongs.

And if you're on the wrong side,

I won't hesitate.

He's still figuring out the game here.

I think he doesn't know what he can do,

but he knows that he's just not gonna give up.

Oops.

She does some horrible things.

The only way to move up in her eyes

is to take out the Fung Hai.

I can't deal with Pai. There's no manipulating him,

there's no working together with him.

I had a feeling you might feel this way,

which is why I already killed you.

Don't underestimate me.