All language subtitles for Blue.Collar.1978.DVDRiP.x264-SiC-eng

[# Captain Beefheart: Hard Workin' Man]

# Got a two-ton hammer

# Got beat by the pound

# I'm a hard workin' fuckin' man

# Six foot solid from the ground

# Work my hammer for the factory

# Shit-ass foreman wanna fight

# Swallowed up some TV dinner

# Swing my hammer strong at night

# When I was a schoolboy

# Teacher said study hard as you can

# It didn't make no difference

# I'm just a hard workin'
fucked-over man #

You're not double-checking this
stripping. I want it tighter.

Let's pick up the pace.
We're behind schedule.

Make sure those wires are hooked
in right. I don't want any accidents.

How's it going, Franklin?
Let's keep it up.

Let's move it, Barney!

This is my 263,000th piece of glass,
the son of a bitch.

If I never see another piece of glass
in my life, I'll be happy.

There we go.

You son of a bitch.

Nice to see you working, Zeke.

- What's happenin', Smoke?
- Hey, what it is!

Everything. Lottery this week?

Get down on this one
and tell me how good it's goin'.

It's a good week. 300.
Here comes Miller. Gotta run.

OK, baby. Take it easy.

I've gotcha, Jerry.

This is company time, Bartowski.
Hi, Smokey.

This thing's a goddamn killer, Miller.

I'm getting brain cancer.

Man, don't even talk to me.
You're ugly, you stink.

Everything about you is ugly -
your mama,

your father, the whole family is ugly.

Ugly, big gut motherfu...

Come on.

Jenkins! Back to work.

This is the 15th time
this machine's screwed me.

- When are you gonna get it fixed?
- Tell your union rep.

All you ever do is say,
"Tell my union rep."

Can we get started now? You people at
the coffee machine, sit down, will you?

Let's go. We all wanna get out of here.

We need two volunteers to help
pass out these pamphlets on Saturday.

We all know how important
this ballot measure is.

Now, who wants to help?

You got a man in the back there.

Come on, fellas. Nobody said it was
gonna be fun. Did I say...

I got two jobs. They think I'll hand out
pamphlets on my day off?

We gotta use our money
to hire somebody else.

What's this "we" shit?
You're gonna be there, Clarence?

I know you're all good union boys.

The union does right by you.
You do right by the union!

You're doing this for yourselves.

Now, let's go.
Let's have some volunteers.

- Zeke, I knew we could count on you.
- You can't.

Not for Saturday, man.
I ain't handing out that shit.

- What is it now, Zeke?
- About the union doing right by me.

- What is it now, Zeke?
- My locker door.

My locker's been busted for six months

and the company
ain't did shit to fix it.

I have to stick my finger
in a tiny-ass hole.

I cut my finger, man, two weeks ago,
and it ain't healed yet.

Now I have to use pens. I'm sticking 'em
in and they keep breaking off.

- I blew $20 in ballpoint pens.
- Hey, be reasonable, Zeke.

Reasonable? Man, flick my Bic.

Reasonable? Six fuckin' months!

You're my union shop steward,
and you ain't doin' shit.

Take it to the green room
and get it straightened out.

I can't go with every little thing.

I gotta wait for something big.

We can't let our power
be dissipated by the plant.

Plant, my ass, man!
That's all you talk about, the plant!

Everybody know what the plant is.
The plant just short for plantation.

Right on! I'm with that!

All right! Now that Zeke is finished...

Zeke ain't finished.
I'm gonna catch them dice.

I'm gonna take my case
to the headquarters.

Talk to the main man.
I'm gonna get some representation.

- That's your right.
- You're goddamn right it's my right.

It's also my right to run for union rep
and take your motherfuckin' job.

[cheering]

I'll get a man some real representation.

Don't nobody like your ass no how.

When I take over your job,
you know what I'm gonna do?

I'm gonna get on my private jet
and wing up to Palm Springs,

hang out with Eddie Knuckles, and
hit a few golf balls with President Ford

and Nixon and them motherfuckers.

Let's get back to work here.

- And my locker?
- We'll talk about that later.

- And the $20 for the pens!
- We'll talk about that later.

- This is some serious shit.
- We're still looking for volunteers.

- What exactly did he do? Tell me that.
- I told you.

Ask Smoke what he did.
He'll tell you. Right.

Be nice to him. Kiss him.
Walk up to him, kiss him.

- Don't involve me.
- Smoke... Excuse me, ladies. Smoke!

Smoke, tell this man what you did.
The boy gotta learn sometime.

I didn't do nothin'.

He was president
at Jackson Penitentiary.

Wasn't even elected
and was the president.

Say, Hank, my man? Give me
a little break on the hillbilly music?

It's my money and I'll play what I want.
That's what I like about the South.

Hank. Thought he loved me.
I can't stand that motherfucker.

Say, Smoke. I'm gonna tell the story.

It started back when
he come up here from Mississippi.

Didn't know nothing about pussy. He come
fuckin' around with his friend's wife.

Is that a low motherfucker or what?
Fuckin' his friend's wife.

Edna May Culver. Ugly motherfucker.

- Hey, wait. She wasn't ugly, man.
- Pussy looked like a pork chop.

Excuse me. I have to go over here
and straighten this shit out.

- Excuse me.
- What's the matter with you, man?

Why're you bringing up these stories
about me, huh? What'd I do to you?

Bitch was a nymphomaniac too.
Fuck anything.

Am I lying, Jerry?
Wasn't that bitch a nymph?

You making it up, man!
This is what happened.

My friend Leroy and I
were with this bitch.

She wanted to get fucked by two dudes.

She said her husband was out of town.

Tell about when he knocked on the door!

- Who's that?
- Who's that?

Now, wait, hold it.
What happened was...

We were in there smoking, and we hear
this motherfucker coming up the steps.

Leroy says, "We've gotta get
out of here." I says, "You're right."

Leroy says,
"On the signal, I'll open up the door."

So he opened the door,
and I ran up and hit this motherfucker.

- Did you fire on him?
- Hello!

In the balls, in the mouth.
Straight razor.

Get down and I say,
"I'm gonna cut you, mother..."

I looked down and it was
the motherfuckin' police.

Knockin' on the door,
lookin' for somebody next door.

That was a cold motherfuckin' shot, man.

Why didn't you just explain
the situation to them?

Come on, get up, Bambi.

Why didn't you explain the situation?

Hey, man! Tell this motherfucker.

A nigger hit a roller on 12th Street,

you don't be talkin' 'bout explaining.
Shit.

- Three years for hittin' a cop?
- No, that was the second time.

The first time,
this motherfucker killed somebody.

I ain't killed nobody, man.

Mother was dead. Somebody killed him.

I never killed nobody.

OK, brother.

I'm leaving.

Wait a minute. You ladies going
with this big nigger? Shit.

Leave your fingerprints
cos he gonna eat up everything else.

- I'm gonna try.
- All right.

- Have mercy!
- Time for me to pump some gas.

- Later, Zeke.
- All right. Take it easy, Jer.

[man] Hurry up.
Let's get us some beers!

Party! Party!

Party! Get down! Party!

Yo, bro! I'm gonna have to find a new
place to drink. There's niggers here.

- Let's get it on!
- Hot damn!

- You watch out.
- My motor needs some gas.

Take more than gas to get your
motor going. You need overhaulin'.

- Have mercy! Need overhaulin'?
- Here, it's on me.

You don't mind if I sit down
and ask you some questions?

I don't mind. Not if you're paying.

You guys work at Checker, right?

Just in the summer.
In the winter, we work on Wall Street.

Yeah, the thing is,
I'm an instructor at Eastern Michigan.

I'm doing this doctoral thesis on
the union movement here in Detroit.

I wanted to ask you about
your union and Eddie Johnson.

Nobody fucks with Eddie Johnson.

Silly motherfucker.

What's this thesis shit?
Something to do with sex?

Not exactly.

I understand you pay them white boys
big money to be fuckin' now.

- I wouldn't know about that, man.
- You pay by the inch?

If you do,
Smoke is gonna make a million dollars.

That's not exactly my field.

- You ever been paid for it, Smoke?
- Shit.

Don't let them bother you.
What do you want?

- Who's your union rep?
- Clarence A.K. Hill.

- A.K.'s for ass kisser.
- Ass kisser.

You think Hill and Johnson
are in touch with the men?

Johnson was a ball-buster when he first
came up, but that was 30 years ago.

That's right. Them motherfuckers
are all the same now.

Four more of these, please.

See, you take young guys like you
on the line today, guys with families.

- Hey, scumbag.
- I beg your pardon?

This phony honky
ain't no college nothin'.

What?

This phony honky
ain't no college instructor.

He never was,
never will be but what he is.

Yeah. I'm talkin' to you.

I'm telling you that you're the
motherfuckin' FBI. Now call me a liar.

- Son of a bitch.
- You shittin'?

Man, I've seen your face around, clown.

I'm just an instructor. I just
wanted to ask you about the union.

- Are you're ashamed of your union?
- Ashamed?

Listen, asshole, we went out three years
ago for 73, count 'em, fuckin' days.

- I was on the picket line every day.
- That's right.

I'm still payin' off
the money I had to borrow.

You know what, asshole? We got
our raise! I'm proud of my union!

I don't understand why you let the union
rip you off as much as management.

It's like you wanna get fucked over.

Get out. You don't know shit. What
the fuck do you know about the union?

When I was workin' the line,

you were deciding what to wear
to your sorority dance.

All right. It ain't my kids
who have to go without shoes.

- Motherfucker, you can't say anything!
- [barmaid] Settle down, fellas.

- Somebody owes me 2.60.
- He ordered 'em.

- I've been asked to leave.
- You can stay. Pay for the beers.

- Just don't talk about my union.
- Pay for it.

Keep the change, baby.

- I'm gonna play pinball.
- I'm gonna get down myself.

See if you can beat 72,626 runs.

With two broken legs,
my hands tied behind my back.

[TV] I thought it'd be friendly
to throw a dinner party for Mr. Bentley.

You're always wanting to get fancied up,
trying be something you're not.

The party was my idea.
Making it formal was George's idea.

This shit is pitiful. I don't know how
a nigger like that gets some money.

That's dumb shit.
Look at this motherfucker.

He's like a motherfuckin' ostrich.

Look at that shit!

Why don't you turn it off?

Are you kidding? It took me three years
to pay for that motherfucker.

We gonna watch everything they show
on there, all the shit they show.

Even the snow
when the motherfucker go off.

It's the only thing in the house
that works anyway.

- You lost. It's my turn.
- Gloria pushed my arm!

Bullshit! I didn't touch you.

You in trouble now.

Can't you take turns?
Do you have to break everything?

Get you all something that won't break,
like blocks.

- I didn't break it!
- It wasn't any good anyway.

What you mean?
You got any money to pay for it?

Then shut the fuck up, Jack,
till you get a job.

You oughta be ashamed too, Gloria.

[doorbell]

If that's your brother, tell him we ate.

Why you so cold on my brother?

I don't like to cook for him.

- Who is it?
- Mr. Brown?

- Yes?
- I'm Mr. Berg from Internal Revenue.

- I don't want none!
- I'm not a salesman. Here's my ID.

I'm with Internal Revenue.
Here's my card.

- Just a minute.
- Here you go. See that?

I'm with Internal Revenue.
I'm in the field tonight.

I thought I'd stop by
and save you a trip to the office.

- It don't look like you.
- It's an old picture.

- Caroline, we got company.
- Good evening.

- Caroline, Mr. Bracket.
- No, Mr. Berg.

- I'm with Internal Revenue.
- Your shirt's all fouled up.

It's my last account, my last stop
tonight, and I had a leaky pen.

- Why don't you get him a beer?
- No, thank you.

I'm gonna eat in a half hour.
It'll ruin my appetite.

- Thank you.
- Always glad to help the government.

Yes, we all work for Uncle Sam
in one way or another.

- What seems to be the problem?
- Two discrepancies in your returns.

Discrepancies, huh? My wife and I been
having one of 'em each year. Children.

But according to the hospital records,
you claim six, and you only have three.

My records show that, huh?

I couldn't have
all my kids in the hospital.

We have Sugar Ray Brown,
you got Gloria Brown,

O.J. Brown,
Gayle Sayers Brown, Jim Brown,

Stevie Wonder Brown...
Who's Stevie Wonder?

He's a singer.

That's terrific. That's nice.
Where are the children?

Dennis and Gloria
and their friend are here.

The rest of the kids... It's hard
to keep track of the kids, man.

They're in the streets
playin' in the neighborhood.

Caroline will find 'em for you.
Would you find the rest of the kids?

- The kids...
- Take the kids with you, baby.

- Come on, you guys.
- No, thank you, Mrs. Brown.

- I don't want a beer.
- You might want it later.

- She's a good woman.
- Lovely woman.

Mr. Brown, our records show

that you held a part-time job
and didn't declare it.

You worked as a house painter
for 20 days?

That job, man,
that was a favor for a friend.

That's what you get when you help
a friend. You worked 20 days.

I'm sure you just forgot,
but you'll have to pay the back taxes,

plus the late penalty, which comes to...
I'll figure it out.

Let's see.

Mary? It's Caroline!

- Come on in, girl!
- Thank you.

Am I glad you're home.
Listen, I have a problem.

I got the IRS man at the house.

- Zeke claimed we had six kids.
- Six kids?

- Has that man lost his mind?
- I don't know.

When were you supposed
to have these kids?

I got a problem.
If you'll lend me your kids,

and we could switch my kids
into some of your kids' clothes,

- he wouldn't know the difference.
- It's worth a try.

Come on, take off your top.
Can you get it?

It's $295 for the second job.

But when you add the three
false deductions over six years,

it comes out to... Let's see.

Let's see. That's right. $2,460.75.

Jesus. Fuck.

It's not me. It's Uncle Sam.

You have to find a way to pay it. I
have to take a statement on you tonight.

Man, where am I gonna get
that kind of money?

Shit, you're talking about...
You're talking about my life.

- Maybe we could...
- Let's go.

Come on in, Caroline.
She got the kids.

Mr. Brown, you didn't have to
go through this. It's not right.

- I just...
- Just check off them names.

- I need the certificates.
- This is Sonny, Gayle, Sugar Ray.

What's your name? Your name?
What's your name?

What's your name?
Are you a girl or a boy?

- They don't have names.
- I told them not to speak to strangers.

Listen, you must have certificates.
Please, I'd like to get home myself!

I'd like to get home.
These are not your children.

I take home 210 a week. Goddamn.

I gotta pay for the lights,
gas, clothes, food.

Every fuckin' thing, man! I'm left with
about 30 bucks after all the bills.

Give me a break, will you, mister?

- Mr. Brown, I work for Uncle Sam.
- Fuck Uncle Sam, man!

They give the fuckin' politicians a
break! Agnew and them don't pay shit!

Workin' man's gotta
pay every goddamn thing!

- Don't say that about Uncle Sam.
- Don't point at me!

Get out of my house!
I'll pay the goddamn money!

- You bet you'll pay it.
- I know I will!

If I had the navy and marines behind me,
I'd be a motherfucker too!

Had a good time the other night.

- I was gonna ask you something.
- I don't know nothing.

- I was gonna come by your house, but...
- Hey, listen, man!

Nobody comes near my house,
nobody I don't invite.

Three bucks.

You know Clarence Hill, don't you?

You were his key man before
he was promoted to shop steward.

He just bought a big house
out in Woodland Hills.

- I don't know nothing about that.
- Come on!

- I know nothing about no house!
- Come on!

Nothing about no Clarence Hill,
no union. I don't know shit!

Everybody knows your local's
the most corrupt in the city.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

You got your man in the union and the
union's got its man in the government.

And if I farted upwind, I'd be
out of a job in an hour, wouldn't I?

- But you seem like a guy...
- I don't talk to no government agent.

Tired?

Jerry?

Your back still hurts you,
don't it, honey?

The school nurse called today

to say that Debby's gotta
have those teeth braces.

I'm just warning you because she's gonna
ask you for them again tomorrow.

- Excuse me, miss.
- Just a minute.

My name's Ezekial Brown.
I'm here to see Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Johnson, there's a man here
by the name of Ezekial Brown.

You can go on in.

Oh, hi, Zeke. Come on in.

- How do you do?
- Have a seat. What's your problem?

I want to complain
about Clarence Hill, Mr. Johnson.

I want to complain. Clarence Hill is
a shop steward at the Checker plant.

Man, I don't know how he got
his job cos he's a fucking racist.

- What do you mean?
- Black workers can't get a thing done.

When white brothers
want something done, it's done.

Niggers don't get shit done.
It's not fair.

Zeke, our local was the first to insist
on parity for black and white for wages.

Our local has the best relations
of black and white in the union.

I ain't got nothing against the union.
It's been fair concerning wages.

But damn,
wages ain't the problem no more.

It's the fuckin' prices.
Everything's so goddamn high.

The more you make, the less it's worth.

What exactly is your problem, Zeke?

My locker.

I've been waiting six months
to get my locker fixed.

I damn near tore my finger off
trying to open it up,

like some kid,
and Clarence Hill don't do shit.

Janet, get me Clarence Hill.
He'll be at home.

I ain't no kid. I have to
stick my finger in a little hole,

- and I tore my finger.
- How long have you been on the line?

Seven years. Chrysler, Ford, mostly.

But goddamn, man,
I need a little lighten up.

I'm sorry, there's no answer.
Mr. Hill must be out.

Yeah. Thanks, Janet. Clarence?

No, I'm fine.
Clarence, I got Zeke Brown here.

He has a complaint about his locker.
Will you see that you get it fixed?

- Tell him about my finger.
- Yeah. Good.

Now, you keep me informed.
Thanks.

I'll talk to you later, Clarence.

That oughta fix it, Zeke.
Now, is there anything else?

Nothin' I can think of right now.

- Thank you for your help.
- It's all right.

Anytime, you come right in here.
That's what I'm here for.

To take your complaints and to help.
That's what the union means.

Thank you.

Oh, damn!

Damn what?

I forgot to lock one of the pumps.

Do you have to do it now?
Can't you do it in the morning?

What, and have to pay for
the gas that's stolen tonight?

Besides, I want to sleep in
with you in the morning.

Will you go to Mass with me?

[sighs] OK. Just this once.

Zeke? Where are you going?

- I'm goin' to help Rason move.
- Rason? What?

He got a new apartment
and he's gonna move in it tonight.

He's gotta beat the two months' rent
he owes them other people.

How come
you're putting on your new pants?

New? You kidding me?
I work in these pants.

You just got them. Where are you going?

- What's the matter?
- Where are you going?

- To help my partner.
- Don't mess with me.

- I'm funky.
- What shirt you're gonna wear?

I'm wearing this old nasty-ass shirt.

- Goddamn. What's the matter?
- Who do you think you're playing with?

I ain't never lied to you.
Jesus, I gotta get outta here.

Nigger not gonna want me
to be helping him, bad as I smell.

You don't got to come back.

What's happening, my man?

- How'd you get away from your old lady?
- Caroline knows who the boss is.

- Bet you handcuffed her to the bed.
- Who can afford handcuffs?

I used the clothes line.
What kind of lie you tell Arlene?

Said I had to go to the gas station,
lock up a pump.

[Zeke] Smoke, we're here!
Get 'em undressed, my man!

How you doing?

Oh, my God. Lord have mercy.

Party down!

- Jerry Bartowski. Nice to meet you.
- Cathy.

Jesus, there must be
three weeks of pay here.

What do you mean three? Five!

Oh, shit!

Motherfuckin' shit went all up in here,
down here, run right to my dick.

Oh, please!

Pay attention
to that motherfucker Jerry.

Think his baby was born
by the telephone.

At least it was my phone.

I'm not going to be
at the plant all my life.

- How long have you been there?
- Ten years.

Motherfucker's so big
you can walk in standin' up.

Who's he talking about?

It ain't who, it's what. I'm talking
about the safe at union headquarters.

It's big.

The safe, motherfucker,
I'm talking about.

It's big. We can take it for big money.

I ain't saying we should,
but if we did, we'd be rich.

Jerry, I'm talking to you about
some paper, motherfucker.

Zeke, I'm a little
preoccupied, you know?

A little?

Every time I get coked up, I think
I'm never gonna go back to the plant.

- I don't know why the fuck I do.
- The credit man needs your paycheque.

Credit's the only thing
you can get free from the company.

Got a house, fridge,

dishwasher, washer/dryer, TV,

stereo, motorcycle, car.

Buy this shit, buy that shit.

All you got's a bunch of shit.

You don't even own it.

You can't give it back
cos it's already broke down.

[Zeke] Sometimes I get so depressed.

I start thinking about
shit I promised Caroline.

Shit I ain't never gonna be able to do.

And I know a man's
supposed to take care of his family.

- Jesus.
- I never was good with money, man.

I'm just fuckin' always broke, you know?

I fuckin' can't get the knack
of that shit.

God knows I try, man.

I think if Smokey wasn't around,
we wouldn't have no motherfuckin' fun.

I swore I wouldn't work
during my vacation this year.

How am I gonna get three grand?

I can't fuck with them dago loan sharks
because they fuck with your family.

Then hit that safe
you're all the time talkin' about.

- You kiddin', man? That's our union.
- You said it was a knock-over.

- It was the coke talkin'.
- Well, is it a knock-over or not?

It's a knock-over, man.
Pussy, for that matter.

They ain't got nothing but one guard,
white dude, picks his nose all day.

- He ain't even a real roller.
- Then hit it.

- You've done worse, man.
- Shit, it's our union, man.

- That'd really be a killer.
- They ain't done shit for us, man.

Be like we was takin'
what belonged to us anyway, huh?

- How many night guards they got?
- I don't know.

- What do you think, huh?
- Nah, I couldn't do it.

Somebody oughta show 'em a lesson.

They treat us worse
than the company does.

There ain't no way to do it.

I'd sure like to see
the look on their faces.

What'd you think about
what we was talkin' about?

- The union job?
- Shut up, man.

Smokey and me gonna talk about it
some more tonight at Little Jo's.

Do you want in?

Here comes Dogshit Miller already.

Let's go, donkeys.
Off your asses and on your feet.

- The cars want your sweet attention.
- We know, Miller.

Old captain asshole. How did he get
his job? That's what I'd like to know.

Come on, Smokey.

Son of a bitch!

- Smokey, have you got any side effects?
- From the party?

Yeah.

- I just had a headache.
- No, I mean like a crotch rot.

You're crazy, man.
All those pussies were clean.

That's what I figured.
Give me five.

Got another case
of psychosomatic crabs.

You should've stuck to Mary Thumb
and her four daughters.

They always get me the worst
when I'm with Arlene. God!

Sixteenth time, you bastard!

You ain't gonna do this to me
ever again, you fuck!

You fuckin' asshole machine!

Jenkins! Goddamn it!

Goddamn it, Jenkins! What are you doing?

I'm docking you for every goddamn penny!
Every goddamn penny!

- All right!
- Son of a bitch, you're gonna pay!

You idiot!
You're off of the job for two weeks!

[booing]

[man] You don't have to
take that shit, Jenkins!

[TV] The odds are seven to one against
you, but that's not bad.

- Go and point to another card and...
- I want some more, Dad.

I'm hungry.
Can I have some of yours?

Look, it says right here
it's good for four helpings.

- There. "Serves four."
- I'm still hungry.

- Write the company.
- Can I have some of yours, Mom?

Here, Bobby,
have another piece of bread.

What about Debby?
She ain't ate anything.

Where's Debby?

Debby! Come to the table, honey!
Your food's getting cold!

Go easy on her.
She's had a hard day.

- What's wrong with her?
- She doesn't feel well.

Debby, come here!
What's wrong?

[TV] I'll be back to give away $750
right after these messages.

You know how she wanted
to be on the baton team.

What happened?
How come nobody tells me anything?

- I didn't get a chance yet.
- Let Daddy see.

What happened, sweetheart?
What you... Debby!

Jerry, let her go.

She tried to make braces
out of a piece of wire.

Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ, Arlene.

Let's get them goddamned braces.
Get 'em tomorrow.

We'll worry about the bill
when it comes.

- We can have another garage sale.
- What've we got to sell?

We'd be better off
if I didn't work at all.

At least we could collect welfare.

Hey, Jerry.

Hey, Jerry. You just missed him.

Dogshit Miller wanted to take you
for a ride in his new car.

Then he's gonna drop it off
at your house as a present.

I was thinkin' about
what you guys were talkin' about.

- You really gonna do it?
- We gettin' down! Be with that.

Smokey knows this girl...

She used to work at the place.
She knows the whole place upside down.

Gonna have a meeting
tomorrow night at Smokey's house.

- You gonna carry Roscoes?
- What?

Man, no pieces. Just a simple
breaking and entering, man.

And it better be grand larceny too, huh?

How much do you think there could be?

[whispers] Maybe five, six thousand.

What do you think?

[Smokey] Charlie T will show us
how to open the safe.

- [Zeke] He's rough. What's he want?
- A hundred bills and 10% of the take.

[Zeke] Jesus. I'm busted, man.
I got about ten bucks.

- [Smokey] Got a ring I can pawn.
- Tell the man it's a deal.

Catch you later.

A roller passes every 15 minutes.

Security guard checks it
every hour at night,

usually about quarter past the hour.

- Do they have CCTV?
- No, just an electric eye.

Electric eye! Shit.
I saw one of those in The Pink Panther.

They can nail you good.
They can weigh you.

Tell if you're a man or a woman,
how old your mama is.

It's like an electric eye
in a supermarket.

It's not, man!
Those fuckin' things are good.

- What car are we gonna use?
- We can use mine.

Use this pussy wagon? Cops'll spot
this showboat clear across the lake.

- Why don't we use yours?
- It needs a new gas pump.

It needs a new everything.
Why don't you get a new gas pump?

- Maybe we should chip in for it.
- Chip in?

Come on, we're in this even.

Do we need any masks,
disguises, something like that?

- Maybe, just in case.
- Bandanas?

If I get busted, I don't want to go
downtown lookin' like no cowboy.

Maybe we should get
some Halloween masks.

Yeah, get you a motherfuckin'
King Kong suit.

Who's in the Buick?

That's that bitch
I was telling you about, the fox.

Fox!

She ain't good-looking.
Man, the bitch is a bow-wow.

You wouldn't know class
if you fell in it.

- The bitch is fine.
- The bitch is not fine.

She looks like she eats Gaines Burgers.

- Ugly motherfucker. Is the bitch fine?
- I don't know.

See?

- Hey, can I have a quarter?
- What?

- Can I have a quarter?
- Yeah, sure.

Let me have them glasses.

Got change for a 20?

- Yep.
- Too bad.

My fuckin' ring. Shit!

- Smokey, my man!
- Hey, what's happenin'?

Looky here, you want some watches?

Got a great deal for you today.

Sixteen-jewel, gold-plated,
made by Cartier.

Over the counter these
would cost you $150 a piece.

- Made by Cartier?
- Made by Cartier.

The man himself.

Why the fuck it don't say no Cartier?

- They're made for bargain stores.
- What do you take me for, man?

- It's not a fucking Cartier.
- This is a good deal, man.

- Because you're my main man.
- I'm your main what?

I'm giving you a special.
Three for twenty.

- How much you want?
- Three for twenty.

- I'm gonna give you ten.
- What kinda fool you think I am?

- Later.
- Not so fast.

The watches sold
to the man with the money.

I got the disguises.

Everything's set.
OK, synchronize your watches.

- [Zeke] I ain't got no watch, Smokey.
- [Jerry] Mine's broke.

You're both in luck.
I got some watches today.

Sixteen-jewel, Cartier, gold-plated.

Only ten bucks each.

- [Zeke] Where they at, man?
- [Smokey] Be cool.

[Zeke] Maybe we should've
robbed a liquor store.

[Jerry] Are you kidding?
I could never pull a real robbery.

- [Zeke] What the fuck you call this?
- [Jerry] Getting back.

- [Zeke] My ass. Tell it to the rollers.
- [Smokey] Here they come.

Let's go.

- [Smokey] Put your gloves on.
- [Zeke] Ready, man.

[Smokey] There's the eyes.

- [Smokey] You see it?
- [Jerry] Yeah.

[clattering]

[Smokey whispers] Take it slow, man.

[Zeke] I'm sorry.
You got the diagram?

[Zeke] Smoke?

I think it's open.

- [Jerry] It's open.
- [Smokey] Holy fuck!

[Smokey] Oh, no! It's empty!

[Jerry] No wonder it's a knock-over.
They don't keep anything here.

[Zeke] That can't be, man! Shit!

- [Jerry] This is stupid. Let's get out.
- [Zeke] Let's get the fuck out of here.

[Smokey] Wait! Here's the safe.

[Zeke]
That's where they keep the money.

- [Jerry] How are we gonna open it?
- [Smokey] Let's get it outta here.

[door closing]

[Smokey] Who's that?

- [Jerry] Maybe the guard.
- [Zeke] Oh, man.

- [Jerry] Why's he stopping?
- [Zeke] What time is it?

- [Smokey] It's 12:30.
- [Jerry] I got 12:15.

[Zeke] Mine's stopped.

- [Smokey] Close the door.
- [Zeke] What?

- [Smokey] Close the door!
- [Zeke] We'll suffocate.

[Smokey] Turn out the light.

[Jerry] Smoke...

[Smokey] Get the disguises.

[Zeke, muffled] Did you kill him?

No, he's all right.

Let's get the safe.

Then let's get the hell out of here.

- OK.
- Hope you didn't burn up everything.

- Just more papers.
- What the fuck are you talking about?

Here's the cash. Petty cash.

Where's the money?

How much is there, man?

- This is all chicken shit.
- Six hundred.

- Son of a bitch! Six hundred?
- Shit!

We're a regular James Gang.

- At least it's grand larceny.
- At least it's something.

And slugging the guard
makes it assault and battery.

- Let's split the shit.
- OK.

A hundred for Charlie T plus 10%,
that's 160.

- Fuck Charlie T.
- That's 240, that's 440.

- That's 140 apiece.
- I risked my ass for this chicken shit.

- Plus 20.
- For the masks and the disguises.

- Money for the gas pump?
- Fuck that.

- Let's throw fingers for it.
- I'll throw fingers.

- Odd man.
- One, two, three!

That wasn't fair. Zeke put in late.

- He didn't put in late?
- We'll throw again. One, two, three!

See? Now, fuck with that.

- Fuckin' lucky.
- I got a good finger.

- What about the safe?
- I ain't paying for this watch.

I'll take care of the safe.

I got a brother who lives
by the city dump. I'll just drop it off.

- Give him the watch.
- Caroline's gonna kick my ass.

Maybe they got a false bottom
in this motherfucker.

That's all I can say now.
The police are investigating.

How much was taken?

We're still trying to determine that.

We heard it was over $10,000.
Is that true?

Yeah, you could say that.

And then what happened?

Well, it was crazy.
They just came right out of the safe.

Two black guys
with a white one in the middle.

Like an Oreo cookie.

What did
the two black guys look like?

I really don't know. They had disguises.

What about the white man?

He had an arrow through his head.

Oh! That girl huggin' me?

Oh, that was my nurse.

What I did was donate
my beautiful body to science.

She was there to make sure
all the parts were there.

Hurry up, I'm expecting a call!

What are you lookin' at?

Nothin'.

What? Look at that.

You've seen the sideshow.
She's the dogface girl.

Way to go, Caroline.

Take aim, baby.

Whoa. Beautiful.

Ten grand.

- They'd choke on the truth.
- The union?

They get so used to lying
they can't do anything else.

Stay outta the gutter!

You know what, man?
There was something in the safe.

- I kept a notebook.
- I thought you threw all that out.

I kept the notebook cos
it had something funny in it, man.

- Like what?
- Well...

- Zeke, it's your turn.
- Coming at ya!

- If you get a spare, we go ahead.
- Have no fear, Zeke is here.

- Arlene, I'll get you a Seeing Eye dog.
- Thank you very much.

He's so goddamned slow.

At least we get out once in a while.

Otherwise, they just go out and drink.

Don't you aim at all?

What are you talkin' about?
That had a curve to it.

I'm setting 'em up for the bet.

I have a new technique.
It's called radar.

Jesus Christ, Jerry,
you been holding out, man.

I guess it's up to me. It's up to me.

It is up to you, it's up to you.

What was in the notebook?

A list of loans,
and they weren't regular loans, man.

They were like shark loans.
You know what I mean?

All had high rates of interest. High.

We better tell Smokey.

You know this ain't no big deal.

Smokey, man, look.

You saw this shit, man.
This is illegal loans, man.

This... I checked with
Michigan National Bank, Smokey, right?

They don't charge no
fucking 15% interest a month.

No bank does in the world.

- OK, so it's illegal.
- You're goddamn right.

Illegal enough
to send motherfuckers to jail.

If we get this to the senate...
You seen them on television?

The senate investigation shit.
This is what they talking about.

- There could be a few dollars in it.
- What do you mean?

He means we got 'em by the balls.

Right? We got 'em by the balls
like they always had us, man.

Ain't that right? Remember
the government guy that we met?

He was talking about this book.

We can get Eddie Johnson,
Dogshit Miller,

Clarence Hill,
all them motherfuckers out!

We take this to the next union meeting.
We bust the motherfuckers wide open.

Holy shit. We're in trouble now.

What the fuck you talking about?

They're gonna be after us!

- What you talking about?
- Pope couldn't save us.

Man, this is the deal. We can change
the union with this book, baby.

Fuck that, Zeke!
We gotta get rid of this book.

Get rid of it as soon as possible.

- What the fuck are you doing?
- My book too.

- It isn't your book.
- What you mean?

You don't know
what the hell you're talking about.

What the fuck? I suppose you do?

Why do you go to the line every Friday?

I have to hear this shit?

Why do you go to the line every Friday?

Because the finance man is gonna be
at your house on Saturday, right?

- Shit, yeah.
- That's exactly what the company wants.

They'll do anything
to keep you on their line.

They pit lifers against new boys,
old against young,

black against the white,
everybody, to keep us in our place.

I mean, can't you understand that?

Say, man, what the fuck you talking
about? This book is the place keeper.

The book?

Politics don't change shit. It's the
money that makes the difference, man.

How the fuck's money
gonna make a difference

to bust Clarence Hill
and them motherfuckers?

You're trying to hurt somebody instead
of helping yourself! That's the problem!

I got a problem now, man?
What the fuck, you a analyst?

All right, so how do we help ourselves?

- Blackmail.
- Black...

That's right. They want that book.

Let them pay us the $10,000 they want
from the insurance company

and believe me, it's
"screw them and hooray for us" time.

Smoke, you know,
you been to penitentiary, man.

You know about this shit, right?
All right.

How in the fuck we gonna
get 'em to do that?

Take a page, Xerox it,
get it to Eddie Johnson.

Tell them if they want it
to take an ad out in the press.

- What if the motherfuckers don't pay?
- Then we'll cut 'em a new asshole.

You should be done with that.
You're behind schedule.

My mother would put you guys to shame!

- You should have been done with this!
- I'm doing my best.

Hey, utility man.

Smokey! Smokey!

I need another man in car seats.

- What happened?
- Two guys are on sick leave.

One passed out,
he's gone for the day.

What you're telling me, man, is
I gonna be doing the work of three men?

Yeah, but I got faith in you, baby.
We depend upon you.

Guys like you make this place work!

Come on, get on up there.

You motherfucking goddamn dogshit...

I don't want it loose.
The last one came off.

Come on, lard ass. You take up
more room than an elephant.

Don't watch me, just watch your work.
Get this thing in. Hook up these wires.

Hey, boy, did you pick cotton this slow?
Come on, let's move it.

That's nice, honey.
Move it, Zeke. You're always dragging.

- Get off my case!
- Watch it, Zeke.

- Get off my case, man!
- Watch your lip or you'll be out

and I'll dock you for a full day's pay.

You a redneck, peckerwood motherfucker.

That's it, you're through!
I've had your bullshit!

I'm gonna kill the motherfucker!

- Super! Super!
- Super, my ass!

- I've had it with you!
- You pussy!

Fucking jerk off!

- You shouldn't have done that.
- Who heard it?

- Not me. I didn't hear shit.
- I didn't hear shit, either. Asshole.

- Zeke! Let's go!
- Are you kidding me?

- In the green room. Come on!
- Son of a bitch.

All right. Now, what's the problem?

I do my job,
can't nobody say no different.

I was my own man when I came here
and I'll be my own man when I leave.

Which will be soon.

There's a line,
and you two guys ought to be on it.

It sounds like an everyday
misunderstanding to me.

Now, Zeke'll buy Miller a bottle of
Cutty and we'll forget all about it.

Zeke ain't buying nobody a goddamn
thing, and you ain't shit for a steward.

- You don't belong in this union!
- You're right!

You hear that, Clarence? You can't even
keep your own man in line.

Is the union gonna give us a hassle
when we get rid of him?

The union takes a hard line on firing.

- Eddie Johnson will want a hearing.
- Let's call him up!

I'll tell you one thing,
nobody threatens a foreman.

- Bullshit!
- Look, it's really not that serious.

Things just got a little out of hand.

What do you say, Zeke?
You see a way out of this?

Dogshit hassles me a lot.
I should be compensated for that.

Miller will buy Zeke the Cutty,
and we'll all go back to work.

OK?

- OK.
- Good. Then it's all forgotten.

Shake hands, let's go to work.

It ain't personal, Zeke.
It's just my job.

If it's forgotten,
ain't nothing to shake about.

That's right.
Let's get back to the line.

- I got a bottle of Scotch.
- Son of a bitch.

You did the right thing.

If I didn't have 18 years,
I'd have did the same thing.

- Shit and fall in it, Barney.
- What?

You're a fucking hypocrite.

The man wants to fuck somebody,
you drop your goddamn pants.

- Well, I ain't letting him fuck me!
- Huh?

"Huh," my ass! What would you do
if the man got on your ass? Huh?

- I'd kill him.
- You'd kill him, my ass!

You'd do anything
to protect your 18 years.

Your 18 years
ain't more important than mine!

Your wife ain't
more important than mine!

Your kids ain't no more
important than mine!

Jesus Christ!

It ain't even you I'm mad at!

I'm sorry, Barney. This fucking place...

Shit!

Hey, lighten up, little brother!

- This ain't no time to get funky, man.
- I ain't shit.

Now, be with this.

I read the paper today, man,

and the union,
they're ready to pay the bread.

We gonna be rich, man!

Let's settle down.
You boys take a seat.

The whole thing, they're going to pay
the whole ten grand?

I've never seen that much money.

That's over $3,000 apiece, at one time.

I don't think we better sit together.

All right, let's settle down.

You boys, come in and take a seat
so we can get started.

[man] How much
money was there, Clarence?

Well, there was a little over $20,000.

- $20,600, to be exact.
- Wait a minute, $20,000?

What's the union doing
with so much cash?

We were just holding it temporarily.
It's for local 644's strike fund.

Somebody must have known.

Why don't you protect your money?
The papers said the safe was open!

- Now, that's not exactly right.
- All right, sit down.

It wasn't our money.
It was your money.

They stole your money!

Now you're talking.
How we gonna get our money back?

Well, it was insured.

Insured?
What about the dudes that did it?

Well, the cops'll find 'em.

Police Department owes
this union some favors.

[reporter] We're standing outside
the AAW local 291 union hall.

We see them coming out now,
and perhaps we can talk to one or two.

Find out what they know.
Here's a man. Pardon me, sir.

- Get the fuck out of here.
- Thank you.

Perhaps we can get another opinion. Sir?

Son of a bitch. Shit, I don't know.

I'll tell you something.
We're the workers at the plant.

The managers are just there
to oversee us, you know...

You know something? I think we gotta
start talking about that switch.

You know what I mean?

Let's go to the bar.

- Jesus!
- No, no, no.

- Who is he?
- My name's Charlie T Hernandez.

- Smokey knows who I am.
- Right.

- You owe me some money.
- Look, Charlie.

Don't believe any of that shit
you read in the papers.

This is just an insurance scam
created by the union.

I don't want to hear no stories.

- I just want my grand.
- But man, we've got something else!

Stuff that the union
will pay money for.

Then you'll get your grand.

Yeah, just give us
a couple of weeks, man.

What kind of stuff?

- Illegal loan lists...
- Just stuff, bullshit, Charlie.

I would tell you if it wasn't bullshit.

OK.

Smoke and me go way back,
so I'll give you a couple of weeks.

Smoke always pays his bills.

Charlie, the union said
they're gonna give us the money,

but I mean, like, what if they don't?

You'll find it. You'll find it
even if you gotta sell this car.

You know that, don't you, Smoke?

Yeah, I know that, Charlie.

I can't believe the union
raised the insurance claim $10,000.

- I don't fucking believe it.
- That's $20,000.

They're gonna pay us ten
and then make ten. Fuck 'em.

We ought to charge 'em the same amount
they charging the insurance company.

- Playing softball, Jerry?
- Yeah, 9:00.

This thing, man, is turning into...

- How're we gonna get the bread?
- I don't know, man.

I thought you had it all figured out.

What am I, a fucking genius?

You know how difficult it is
to make a fucking switch?

Could we get a locker
at the bus station?

- They'll spot us hauling the bread.
- Not if they're afraid of the book.

That's one thing we gotta think about.
How badly do they want that book?

This is what we gotta figure,
you know what I mean?

Tear the book up in half.

We give them half, and when they give us
the money, we give 'em the other half.

This ain't gonna fucking work, man.

Smokey, it'll work.
We can get a post-office-box key.

This ain't what I'm talking about, Zeke.
We can't be seen with each other.

They know three guys did it,
two of them black, one white.

- So what?
- We can't be seen with each other.

We gotta talk by phone from now on.

It's dangerous,
hanging out with each other.

We can't do this, understand me?

If anybody asks,
we never hung out with each other.

This is the end.
We gotta go our own way now.

That's too bad.

Arlene's gonna miss the bowling.

Shit, she couldn't bowl, no how.

Well, take care, man.

Fuck.

Hey, wanna beer?
Wanna beer? Fuck fate.

Take it easy.

I think you made a mistake, Hernandez.

We found a Harrington
and Richardson.32 in the hall.

Ballistics said it was the gun that shot
a police officer three weeks ago.

He's still in the hospital.

Hey, man, you know I wouldn't have
anything to do with a shooting.

Do we?

OK, so it don't look good. All right.

What can I trade?

- What do you want to know?
- Whatcha got?

- I got three nobodies.
- So?

So, three nobodies got caught in
something bigger than they can handle.

Union stuff.

Something so big
you'll have to hush it up.

[Johnson] This one's a union man.

He'll buckle under a little pressure.

Now, this one, he's hungry.

He wants to get his hands
on the controls.

Now, this bastard is a two-time loser.

He'll make us pay through the ass
forever then fuck us for the fun of it.

- Here, Smoke.
- Thank you.

[man] Well, my daddy said,
when I was little,

"When you get big, work hard
so the foreman can't say nothing."

"But, don't sweat."

How you gonna do it without sweat?

- Beer?
- And a Scotch.

- Two beers and a Scotch straight up.
- Straight up?

- Where's the john?
- In the rear. Use my name.

Yeah, you'll get a good seat.

Hello. Mrs. Bartowski?
This is telephone repair service.

Is your husband at home?

Have you had a problem with your line?

There must be some mistake. Thank you.

He's at the service station,
his wife's at the house.

- You know how to get there?
- Use Hamtramck on Raymer.

So he said, "Zager, I never seen you
put in a full week." Absentee.

- What?
- "You only ever put in four days."

And Zager says, "Cos
I can't support my family on three."

- Arlene!
- Yes?

- This is Smokey James.
- Oh, hi.

Hi. Arlene, did you just
get a telephone call?

Yeah, from the phone company.
They made a mistake.

Yeah, I know, I was trying to get you
and your line was busy.

What do I hear, the kids in the back?
Are the kids at home, Arlene?

- No, why?
- Oh, nothing.

Jerry asked me to call. He's split
his pants down at the station house,

and he wants you
to bring down an extra pair for him.

- Oh, OK.
- OK? He's kind of embarrassed.

How are you doing? You all right?

- I'm fine.
- Good. Well, I'll see you around.

- OK.
- OK.

[doorbell]

Mrs. Bartowski?

You girls looking for somebody?

I think we just got the wrong house.

No, man. You didn't get the wrong
house, you just got the wrong time.

- We wasn't gonna do nothing.
- Lying son of a bitch!

Wait a minute, man.
Come on, let's talk.

- I want to know who sent you.
- Nobody!

- Who sent you?
- We got the wrong house!

Don't give me that fuckin' shit.

Tell me who the fuck sent you. You gonna
tell me what I want to know, man?

You motherfucking coon, I'll kill you!

- I'm running out of patience.
- No more, brother, no more.

Fuck you mean,
"No more, brother"?

I want to know who sent you, man.
Gimme a name.

You know he's not gonna walk no more.

Who sent you?
Who sent you, man?

- Who the fuck sent you?
- Some union guy, I don't...

What fucking guy?
Who the fuck sent you, man?

It was some guy who runs for...
for Eddie Knuckles. For Eddie Knuckles.

Eddie Knuckles. Well,
that's name enough, isn't it, man?

I've been watching you
for some time, Zeke.

You remind me of me when I was young.

A little rough, a little pushy,
you talk too much, but you got guts.

Just the right kind of guy to stand up
for the working man's rights.

We've thought about what you and some
of the others said about Clarence Hill.

We think you're right.

So Clarence Hill's going to be
transferred to a new plant in Ohio.

And I'd like you to fill in for him
till the next election.

The job pays $17,400 a year.

Can we cut the bullshit?

It's about time.

I hear you got something I want.

Yeah, but I want assurances that
nothing will happen to Jerry or Smokey.

Course. They're union men. We'll
protect their life and their safety.

Don't con me. I want your word.

Well, you've got it.

Are you still interested
in that rep job?

I wanna be able
to make some changes.

How much power am I gonna have?

- How much can you handle?
- All you got.

Then you have it.

Now this is for real.

This is a hard-ass outfit.
We don't take slackers.

I ain't no slacker.

Good.

Utility man! Where's that fuckin' horse?

Utility man! Utility man!

Utility man! Utility ma...

Hey, Smokey, the super says he needs
a utility man down in paint room three.

Something about a car being fucked up,
and he wants you to fix it. OK?

- I can be with it.
- Thank you.

Zeke, them cocksuckers
came into my fuckin' house!

What's gonna happen?
I'm getting scared.

Will you shut the fuck up, man?
Ain't nothin' to worry about, OK?

They didn't come to your fuckin' house,
they came to mine.

Charlie T's been cooled out.
We don't have to go to the cops no more.

What are we going to do
about the notebook?

Jerry...

I'll take care of it.
We'll talk about it later.

What are we gonna do about it now?
That is the question.

Take it easy.
We'll talk about it later tonight.

- OK?
- Later.

You mean he's the one
that's gonna take your place?

- Zeke is gonna be the steward?
- I don't want to talk about it.

That's just the way things go down.

Hey, who the f...

Who the...

Who left that lift out there?

Let me out of here!

[machine noise]

Zeke?

- You motherfuckers lied to me.
- Huh?

You said Smokey and Jerry would be OK.

What the hell are you talking about?

I'm talking about Smokey.
I'm talking about his death!

We've been having meetings all morning.

And we found out that James' death
was the result of negligence

and improper safety precautions.

Fuck that, man! You had him murdered!

You be damn careful
who you call a murderer, Zeke.

What in the fuck do you call it, Eddie?

I'm going to give you a quick education,
son, and you better listen good.

When I was your age, there were no
blacks working in the auto plants.

- No blacks...
- Eddie...

Blacks got jobs because guys like me
knew when to stand up...

and when to look the other way.

I coulda talked to Smokey. I coulda
fixed it if you'd gave me a chance!

You didn't have to have him killed!

Now, come on, Zeke, wake up, will you?

How the hell do you think
things get changed around here?

Not by pie-in-the-sky martyrs!

Nothing's gonna happen to you, Zeke.

You just thought that
being a union rep was going to be easy.

Now you know, it's tough and it's rough.

You know, I thought you had guts.

[TV] There goes the "K," and the ebony
genius has won another game of Scrabble.

Hold on, J.J.
There's no such word as a "snerk."

- Yes, there is. It's a ferocious flea.
- I never heard of a dog having snerks.

Michael, they don't get on dogs.
Snerks are from Africa...

Could you turn that down, honey?
Daddy's trying to work.

- You�re just making that up.
- Hey, check it out!

Arlene, come here a minute.

...get a well-deserved rest.
- Am I good, Daddy?

You're beautiful, sweetheart.
You really are.

- Honey, go practice in your room.
- OK.

I thought you were going to go to
Manistee to see your mother.

That was this fall.
We didn't go. You changed your mind.

I been thinking about it.
Maybe you ought to go. Take the kids.

What are you talking about?
The kids are in school.

I want you and the kids
to get out of town.

You'll take the Greyhound
in the morning.

Jerry, what's going on?

Something funny with the union.
I don't think you should be here.

Does this have anything to do with
Smokey James's death?

Yeah.

Listen, Zeke, we both know
Smokey was murdered.

It wasn't no fucking accident
like the company says.

What are we going to do about it?

Nothin'.

Nothing can help Smokey now.

Our friend's been killed, Zeke.

We have to expose the union,
like you said.

- It's not that simple, man.
- What do you mean?

We can't expose the union
without going to jail ourselves.

Maybe we can make
some kind of deal with the FBI guy.

What's his name? Burrows.

How're we gonna live to tell about it?

- What about the notebook?
- Things have gotten complicated.

- It is not that simple anymore.
- You mean, you don't have the notebook?

I mean there's gonna be some changes
in the union. Big changes.

I'm taking over Clarence Hill's job.

I'm gonna be the new shop steward.

Jesus.

You gave it to them.

Dennis, get your ass out of the street.

We're playing, Dad.

I don't give a fuck.
Get outta the street.

It wasn't illegal anyway, man.

Well, illegal, but not illegal
in the sense that we know.

It's big business, man. The union loans
money to people in Vegas and New York.

They charge a high interest rate.
Never miss one payment.

That's how it's done, man.

You dumb asshole. You think those
bastards will let you change anything?

They just bought you off
with a promotion.

No, they think they bought
me off with a promotion.

What they bought is a stick of dynamite.
I'm gonna raise hell.

What about Smokey?

Dogshit Miller's gonna be fired
for negligence.

That don't mean shit!

Man, who in the fuck are you kidding?
This is fuckin' for real.

Do you think it's better
for me to go to jail

or maybe let my family get killed?

For Smokey who's already dead?
Ain't nothin' gonna bring him back.

I'll stay out here free.
Maybe I can make some changes.

Jerry, with this union rep job, man,

it's a club in my hands.

You're my friend, Jerry,
but you're thinking white.

What the fuck does that mean?

It means that you got
more chances than I got.

You're always gonna have more chances.
I got one chance and I'm gonna take it.

I'm black.
The police ain't gonna protect me.

Six months after this thing's over,
I'll end up back where I started,

living in some ghetto,
up to my black ass in bills,

wondering what night they'll come in
and kill the kids, Caroline and me.

If I gotta kiss ass,
I'm gonna pick the ass I'm gonna kiss.

And it ain't gonna be the police,
cos they'll shit in my face.

Was Smokey white?

Man, you don't know the deal, do ya?

You think I'm crazy?
You want revenge? You got a gun?

You go out lookin' for killers
cos damn if I am.

Look, man, at least this way,
inside the union,

maybe I can make some changes.

Fuck changes.

Who are you kidding?

The union gets the notebook,
you get promoted to a soft job.

OK, you get the chance
to change things.

But what do I get?
What about my family, Zeke?

Why is your family
more important than my family?

Jerry, there ain't nothin' in the world
I wouldn't do

to protect my babies and my wife.

Now, you gotta take care
of your own family.

You're a worker, man. I'm a worker.

Let's work together. They need
a new foreman to take Miller's place.

I can get you the job.

I get screwed.

That's all I know.

You ought to think about it, man.

- Hello, Bartowski.
- Hello.

[Burrows] Well, the shit's really coming
down. I suppose you know that.

The Detroit Police don't keep secrets
too well. This is a company town.

Why didn't you call me sooner?
I could've prevented all this.

I had nothing to do with that.

You can still help us get the case
against the union. It's murder now.

I got nothing to sell.

I stole a notebook, heard conversations,
saw an industrial accident.

Two guys can back me up.
One's dead, the other's a rep.

Just tell us everything you know.
We'll piece it together.

- What do I get out of it?
- A suspended sentence.

How do I protect my family?

You got no choice.
I'm the only friend you got.

I'm the only one who can protect you
or your family.

Maybe I'll go to Canada.
Can't be any worse there.

They'll find you wherever you go.

- I can take care of myself.
- Oh, yeah? Can you?

Face it, you're one man, all alone,

and your friends
aren't going to help you now.

I won't help you, Burrows. I'll let them
kill me before I turn stoolie.

Oh, yeah? Who are you kidding?

[# country music]

I dedicate this drink
to all alcoholics at General Motors.

How about a bourbon, Joe?

How'd Zeke get to be rep?

Yeah, they've got us these days, pal.

He's sure enjoying it, that's for sure.

Operator.

I'd like to place a long-distance call,
collect.

Area code 616-582-3976.

- Thank you. Who's calling?
- Jerry Bartowski.

Hello?

I have a call from Jerry Bartowski.
Will you accept charges?

Yes.

- Arlene, it's me.
- Turn that down, Debby. How are you?

- How are you?
- Fine.

- Is there anything unusual?
- Like what?

Salesmen, or guys hanging around,
or anything like that?

- No.
- Where are the kids?

- They're here.
- Listen, don't let them go out alone.

What's wrong, Jerry?

- I think they're following me.
- Who?

I'm the only one left
that knows what went down.

About the notebook, the loans,
Smokey's death, how Zeke got his job.

Everything will be OK when I'm dead.

- Where are you now?
- In the bar. I'm afraid to go home.

Call the police right now.

I'm not a brave man.
I can't take them all on alone.

Can't you get a job like Zeke did?

Yeah, but I don't trust them.

Just keep quiet.
Then won't they leave you alone?

I don't see how they can do that.

[police siren]

- Don't move!
- Don't shoot.

Get out of the car!

I want... I wanna confess a robbery.

You got to hear your rights first.

I want to talk to an FBI man
named John Burrows.

It's about a murder.

Check the torque
on the steering gear bolt.

Get these lines clipped.

It needs rail car tie-ons.

Keep this line movin'.
This ain't no floor show!

That ain't nothing special to look at.

Hey. Big man.

Shithead's gonna sing like a bird.

- The son of a bitch.
- Zeke's coming.

Tell 'em I'm gonna turn it off downtown.

Hey, scumbag.

I'd sure hate to be living
in them pretty little white shoes.

I see they finally fixed your locker.

Nobody said you men could stop workin'.

You'll see him in court.

No, it's all right.
Let me talk to the new steward.

Yeah, let him tell me
about how he likes the workin' man.

You care about nothin'
but your own Polack ass.

Hey, blood, you double-crossed me.
Tried to get me killed.

I ain't your blood, motherfucker!
You do anything to stay out of jail!

Even sell out on your friends.

I ain't the one that sold out, you are!

Yeah, you jive honky?

You ain't looking out for nobody but
number one. That's you, jive white boy!

You ain't nothing, you nigger.

I hope your parents protect your ass,
cos you'll have to hide!

- Fucking nigger!
- Motherfucker!

Kill him!

[Smokey] They pit lifers against new
boys, young against old,

black against white. Everything
they do is to keep us in our place.