All language subtitles for Avalon.1990.WEBRip.x264-ION10

SAM: I came to America in
1914, by way of Philadelphia.

That's where I
got off the boat.

And then I came to Baltimore.

It was the most beautiful
place you've
ever seen in your life.

There were lights everywhere.
What lights they had!

It was a
celebration of lights.

I thought they were for me:
"Sam was in America."

Sam was in America.

I didn't know what
holiday it was,
but there were lights.

And I walked under them.

The sky exploded!
People cheered!

There were fireworks.
What a welcome it was!

What a welcome!

I didn't know where
my brothers were.

I had an address on a letter,
but when I went there,
they'd moved.

I found the man
who knew the name Krichinsky.

He was a little man
with big shoes.
I'll never forget him.

He had such big shoes!
They were brand new,
beautiful shoes.

He told me this was
how he made his living.

He would break in shoes
for the wealthy.

Stuff them with newspaper
and walk in them.

I said, "What a country
is this. What a country."

The wealthy didn't even have
to break in their own shoes.

So this man with the shoes
took me down
one street after another.

We walked and walked

and the skies
would light up and explode
in a celebration.

And then we came to Avalon.

And the man with the shoes
yelled,
"Krichinsky! Krichinsky!"

And my four brothers
looked down and saw me.

"Sam!"

Sam.

Sam.

And that's when
I came to America.
It was the Fourth of July.

Boy, did they
used to celebrate!
Big celebrations then!

They closed the streets
and would celebrate
through the night.

(IMITATING TRUMPET)

CHILD: What happened to the
guy who wore the big shoes?

The funny thing is that he did
it for another two years.

He brought his brother
into the business.

Both of them would walk
the streets, breaking
in shoes. Then he got an idea!

Why not make shoes
that fit right?

So, they became
custom shoemakers:
The Solomon Brothers.

They made shoes, pants.

And then, they were
a department store.

But the Krichinsky brothers,
wallpaper hangers.

The five Krichinsky brothers,
wallpaper hangers.

And we worked and we worked
and we worked.

Except Gabriel didn't work.

Gabriel used to point a lot.
"There's a crease,
it's not straight."

He was the inspector.
He was the inspector.

How did you all get
to be wallpaper hangers?

It was your
grandfather William.

He came to America first
and he worked in
a department store

where they used to sell
wallpaper and do wallpaper
hanging for people.

So he became
a wallpaper hanger.

And as each brother came over,
we all became
wallpaper hangers.

But. But on the weekend,
we made music.

What music it was!

We liked American music.
We were
very popular ourselves.

One night

I looked across the floor
and I saw

this young, lovely girl.

I wasn't handsome and I
didn't have a beautiful body.

But when I touched a woman

they fell in love with me.

Oh, the family! How it grew.
The wives, the kids.

Krichinskys
everywhere, everywhere.

So we had the
family-circle meetings.

We put money in the hat
to bring over the cousins,
the aunts, the uncles.

And then, out of the blue,
William gets the flu.

It was a terrible epidemic,
the flu of 1919.

Thousands died.

William died.

He was a young man.
He left three kids.

Sam, how many times do we
have to hear this story?

They know this story.
They heard it before.

If we don't tell the kids,
they don't know.

Belle, last year.
Last year Belle died.

Was very warm last year
when Belle died.
Wasn't it warm?

Sam, how many times
do we have to hear this story?

The children know this story.

I'm telling them about
when I came to America.

Yeah, we know about it.
We all heard it before.

Hey, Dad, you want to cut the
turkey, or do you want me to
cut the turkey?

It's done? I wanted to tell
them about when
my father to the country.

You have plenty of time
to talk about your father.

JULES: They know the story.

Sorry we're late.

Another minute and we would've
cut the turkey without you
and started to eat.

To cut the turkey
without me present?

We leave. We leave the house!

-SAM: We didn't cut the
turkey.
-I heard the turkey was cut.

SAM: I was just talking
about when Belle died.

GABRIEL'S WIFE: Thank God
we are late.

EVA: I don't understand
this holiday. I'll never
understand this holiday.

SAM: What's not to understand?

EVA: Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving.

We're giving thanks to whom?

You're giving thanks
for what you have.

How many times do we have
to go through this?

All I'm saying is, we had to
get the turkey and we had to
kill it to give thanks.

If it wasn't this holiday,
we wouldn't have turkey.

I don't eat turkey the rest
of the year.
Why do I have to eat it now?

Mom, don't give thanks, okay?

Time to tell the kids
when my father
came to America.

Can't it wait till later?

(CHILDREN YELLING)

The kids should hear
this story.

Eva, this is very tender.

Of course it is.
It's a beautiful bird.

The turkey was in the
basement alive. She killed it.

Ew.

We brought my father
over in '25.

-'25?
-William died in 1919.

'25.

'25? It was later than '25!

He came the same year
we brought Belle
and Edith over.

Belle and Edith came after!

-After?
-Yeah, after!

It was '26.

Gabriel, what's the
difference?
He came to America, right?

It's a big difference
between '25 and '26.

One is '25 and
the other is '26.

All's I'm saying is,
who cares if
it was '25 or '26?

Jules, Jules, if you stop
remembering, you forget.

It was '26.

I remember the excitement
when you went to meet him.

Finally, the
father was coming.

We saved the money
and sent it to him.

The whole family went to
the border.

Jules, you were
just a little kid.
A very little kid.

It was cold!

We went to the marketplace.
It was cold. It was cold.

What are you talking about,
it was cold? It was May.
It was late May.

May? I remember cold.

No, you're thinking of when
Irene was getting married.

It was bitter cold then.
No, it was May 17 when your
father came.

Anyway, we went,
the whole family.

The brothers, the wives,
the kids.

WOMAN: I didn't go,
and all the kids didn't go.

We waited in the house.

There was such excitement.
The father, the father
was coming.

All I ever heard was,
"Wait until the father comes."

The head of the family.
I pictured this big,
powerful man.

Because all I'd heard was,
"Wait until the father comes."

The father's word
when he speaks...

So I'm there. I see him.

He's shorter than me,
and I'm only 6.

(LAUGHING)

He was this little...

He was a little, little man.

Hey, Jules. Jules.

I never said he was big.

-But I said he was the father.
-The father.

From the day...

From the day he came
to America,
he never had to work.

Not a day in his life.

-Each of us would give
him ten percent of our salary.
-MEN: Ten percent?

Right? Right? Yeah.

-Ten percent.
-SAM: He was the father.

GABRIEL: He never drank water.

The entire time he was
in America,
from the day he came

he drank whiskey
or Seltzer water.

He never drank water.

And oh, boy, could he drink!

What was that stuff called
he always used to drink?

Slivovitz. Slivovitz.

He used to call it,
"Block and fall."

You have one drink of that,
you walk one block,
and you fall!

If you have one drink...

It's such a strong drink,
it burned the gums out.

He was funny. He was funny.
Very, very, very funny.

How often did he drink water?

Never, ever touched it.

How many times... I'm sitting
across from you, you can't
hear it?

He never drank water!

That means he doesn't drink.
I got it.

GABRIEL: You asked me,
I told you. Now I'm telling
you some more.

Occasionally, maybe,
he had some water.

Never drank water.

JULES: So he didn't like it.

-He didn't like water.
-How many times...

Are aunts kids
before they become aunts?

Everybody's a kid
before they become an aunt.

-They are?
-I thought they just
popped up.

IZZY: I've been thinking about
it, I've been kicking around.

I think it's a good time we
open our own place, open
our own business.

Open our own business?
What, are you kidding?

Think of the risk involved.

I got good a route. You got a
good route.
Why should we gamble?

It's a perfect situation.
We got built-in customers.

-Built-in customers?
-Yeah, we open our own place.

We keep the same routes.
We just start switching
people over to us.

We don't let the routes go. We
sell the same goods, except
the money

goes in our pockets.

You don't think
Simmons is going to sit still?

We open our own place,
he's going to put someone
on our routes.

We're going to hold on to
a lot of the customers.
They like us, trust us.

Yes, but we are not going to
hold on to everybody.

We're going to
loose customers.

This is less dollars,
and we suddenly got to
find new customers.

The war is over, right? There
is a lot of people out there
with a lot of money.

I think it's a good time
to gamble.

Dessert!

I hear dessert?

I hear dessert.

Dessert.

Bring me dessert.

The kids aren't
having dessert?

My grandmother is grandmother
to me, but she's not
grandmother to Teddy.

-Yes, right.
-Then what is she?

She's Teddy's great-aunt.

There are aunts and
great-aunts?

What's the difference between
a regular aunt and
a great-aunt?

They're older.
That's the difference.

No. No. It's not just because
they're older.

Because then someday,
all aunts would be
great-aunts.

But why are great-aunts
just called great-aunts?

Why can't they be "good aunts"
or "fantastic aunts" or
"terrible aunts"?

No. No. It doesn't have
anything to do with what kind
of person they are.

It's got to do with great.
You know, they're great,
they are older.

And what about those red ants
that crawl around on the floor
and bite you?

No, no, no. That's A-N-T.

Ant.

What's a first cousin,
twice removed?

I have absolutely no idea.

I'm going to sell
with my dad today.

You mean you are not
going to school?

It's the Christmas holidays.
No school for a while.

Christmas holiday.

-Keep your nose clean.
-Yeah.

MICHAEL: How come you didn't
become a wallpaper hanger
like Sam?

Well, you see, Sam always
had this idea, that

doing manual labor
had no dignity, but selling...

"Selling was security,"
he said.

No matter where you are.
No matter what
you're selling

you can always make a living.

-Can you sell anything?
-Anything. I can sell
anything.

See, it's all a question of
being able to talk to people.

The product?
It doesn't make
any difference.

You're selling yourself.

Can you sell model trains?

-As many as they can make.
-Can you sell toothbrushes?

To as many people
as have teeth.

Quick. See that car?
What car is that?

Chrysler!

The one over there
on the right?

-Nash!
-Pretty good.

MAN: Give me your money.

-What's that?
-Give me your money.

Are you kidding me?

No, I'm not kidding you.
Give me your money.

What, are you robbing me?
With all these houses around,
you're robbing?

MAN: Yeah, I'm robbing you.

(SIRENS WAILING)

Get help.

I can't play.

I can't play.

I never learned
to play the piano.

I never learned.

I said, I never learned.

SAM: Jules!

JULES: I can't.
I can't play the Piano.

I can't play.

Piano...

I can't.

No, I can't.
I can't play the piano.

See!

He can't play,
but he can learn!

I can't play.

I can't play.

SAM: That's the problem
with collecting.

GABRIEL: Yes, I know that's
got to be a problem with
collecting.

NATHAN: It's unheard of.

GABRIEL: When you got lots of
money...

NATHAN: It's unheard of to
stab somebody and take
the money.

It's unheard of. I never heard
of it.
I don't want to know about it.

Not like in the old days.

When they know you got
lots of money, somebody wants
the money.

-We know that.
-He is right.

We know that.
But who wants it?

I don't want anything
about it.

It's not like it used to be!
A man can't
walk in the street?

Never, never, never.
It's the money
that's the problem.

-You're right.
-Somebody tries to kill.

Somebody tries to kill my boy
just for money.

-That's not good.
That's not good!
-It's the money.

-It's not good.
-No good.

-That's all right.
-Money, money, money,
that's it.

-That's the whole problem.
Money.
-Money. Money.

When I was a little younger
than you...

...I used to think
the world was made up of big
people and little people.

And that's the way
it would always stay.

And then I always wondered
why sinks were too high.

You had to climb up to
wash your face.
Cupboards, too high.

The hole in the toilet
was too big.

Nothing.
Nothing was made for us.

It's just a world of
big people and little people.

You never got any older...

...and nobody ever died.

Michael!

Michael.

I just talked to the doctor.
Your father's going to
be all right.

-SAM: There, you got it?
-IZZY: Yeah, yeah. Hold it.

MICHAEL: What is it?
What is it?

ANN: What could it be?
It's so big.

-SAM: It's a holiday gift.
-MICHAEL: What is it?

JULES: What is it? What is it?

SAM: It's a surprise.
Wait and see.

The family circle voted
and decided to get you a
holiday get-well gift.

JULES: For me?

Oh, you didn't! You didn't!

So, what is this?

A television.

That's television.
You can only watch
for so long.

To me, it doesn't have
what a radio has.

Yes, it does.

Anybody want coffee?

Yes.

Nice picture, huh?

Beautiful picture.

SAM: Never happened.

In the old country, never
heard of anyone stabbing
someone to take their money.

Never happened.

You're right.
But the government
would kill you.

Would take your money,
your property, whatever
you had.

You know what you have to do?
You have to be like in
the Westerns.

Have a stagecoach
and the shotgun
when you collect.

That's what they had
in the wild west,
because of outlaws.

Yeah, that's what you need.
There's always robbers.

What was the movie we saw with
the stagecoach?
A very good movie.

-Stagecoach.
-The movie had a stagecoach.

-Stagecoach.
-Very active movie.

John Wayne, he was an outlaw
but was not an outlaw.

What was the movie called
with the stagecoach?

-Stagecoach.
-That's what I'm saying with
the stagecoach.

-Stagecoach.
-Stagecoach?

I saw a nice little shop
off Helen's Market on the...

Yeah, southeast corner.

All right. Supposing we do
do this, what are
we selling?

Same things we sell now?

Yeah, only we can sell them
for less than for running
the routes.

Pots and pans?

Pots, pans, brooms,
vacuum cleaners, everything.

I am telling you, the time
is right we get out
on our own.

We don't have enough money in
savings. Now is not
the right time.

-Ann, please.
-All right.

ANN: The problem is, Jules,
we never have
a moment's privacy.

Everybody's on top
of everybody.
We need our own place.

And we'll get it.
But, you know, Izzy's right.

This is the time for us to use
our savings
for our own business.

We can get off the street
and we can see if we can
make a go of it.

Well, I know that's
the best thing.

I just can't promise
I'm going to remain sane.

Did you put on a little
sweater?

Yeah, be sure to take small
steps. There's a little wind.

Michael!
You forgot your lunch money.

MICHAEL: Toss it!

-Ann, do we leave at 10:30?
-Yeah, that will be fine.

I have to be back at
one o'clock.

I have to go to the doctor's
with Jules.

-You're not driving, are you?
-No, I'm still taking lessons.

Oh, thank God.

"Can" is whether you're
capable of doing something.

"May" is asking
for permission.

Yes, Michael?

Can I go to the bathroom?

Michael, do you want to
repeat that question?

Oh no, I'm going to be made
an example of.

Michael!

I said, can I go to the
bathroom?

You can, but you may not.

Well, can I or can't I?

I don't think you have
been paying attention to

this lesson, have you
Michael Kaye?

Yes, I have.

So, how would you
rephrase the question?

Can I please
go to the bathroom?

(LAUGHING)

Children!

Michael Kaye,
why don't you spend some time

in the hallway

until you've learned
the difference

between "can" and "may."

When you've learned
the difference

then you may come back in.

I have to go to the bathroom,
but I'm afraid to ask.

Now, does anyone
know the difference

between "can" and "may"?

Young man,
have you learned the

difference between
"may" and "can"?

Not yet.

You stay out there

until you've
learned the difference.

Yes, Mrs. Parkes.

Well? Are you ready
to rejoin the class, Michael?

Yes, Mrs. Parkes.

And what's the difference
between "may" and "can"?

Give me a little more time.

Young man, what are you doing
in the hallway?

I am learning the difference
between "may" and "can."

And how long do you think
it would take to learn it?

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

-Hello?
-Is this Mr. Kaye?

His father, Mr. Krichinsky.

No, he's at the doctor's,
but he's doing fine.

Who is this?

This is Mr. Dunn, the
principal of Michael's school.

We seem to have a problem.

Is he sick?

We seem to have a problem
between "may" and "can."

SAM: What's the problem?

MR. DUNN: That was the lesson
they were learning

and Michael asked if
he could go to the bathroom.

He said,
"Can I go to the bathroom?"

The teacher said,
"You can, but you may not."

What's the problem? He asked
to go to the bathroom.

He asked,
but he asked incorrectly.

He raised his hand didn't he?

Yes he did, Mr. Krichinsky,
but the point is, it was

a lesson about
"may" and "can."

Okay, it's fine with me.
So, what's the problem?

He asked,
"Can I go to the bathroom?"

The teacher said,
"You can, but you may not."

That's confusing to the kid,

because you're saying,
"You can,"

and then you say,
"You can, but you can't."

I don't think you
understand the subtleties

of the English language,
Mr. Krichinsky.

SAM: This English,
it's very difficult.

I never realized
how difficult English is.

"May" or "can."
You can, but you may not.

We've come a long way.

In the old days, if you had to
pee, you peed on a tree.

With no "may" or "can."
That's progress for you.

Oh, my God.

Hon?

I got it.

The store:

televisions.

Wall-to-wall televisions.

We'll pack them in.
We'll sell more of them.

How are we gonna sell
more of them?

We'll sell them cheaper.

Televisions, televisions,

from one end of the shop
to the other.

Nothing but televisions.

I think something's
about to happen.

Seems like the
humming's getting less.

That's when something's
about to happen.

TEDDY: Seems like it's humming
the same hum to me.

You better hope
they start getting

some more
interesting programs.

See, I told you something
was going to happen.

It's Howdy Doody.

We're getting ahead
of ourselves maybe

with this television.

Why don't we add some
linoleums, toasters, pots
and pans, brooms.

Get a little foot traffic
in here, you know?

Maybe that'll help.

Why are they not
coming in here?

ANNOUNCER: Electronic
equipment!

Here's adventure!

And now let's return
to Westinghouse Studio One.

And Letter from Cairo.

Fighting for law
and order, captain...

Here's adventure.

Here's romance.

* Mr. I-magination...

The Cisco Kid...

-Henry Aldrich!
-Coming, Mother.

ANNOUNCER: The Colgate Comedy
Hour.

...say the secret word for
$100...

It's a common word
for something

you find around the house.

Well, well, well.
Good evening.

It is Wednesday night again,
and I'm back on television.

...your Hit Parade...

Time now to enjoy
What's My Line?

The George Burns
and Gracie Allen Show...

(CLAPPING)

-MICHAEL: Well, what does it
mean?
-ANN: What?

What does it mean,
the suburbs?

ANN: It's just a
nicer place to live.

That's what it means?
A nicer place?

Yes, it's nicer.
It's got lawns and big trees.

And Uncle Izzy and Teddy
and everyone,
they're gonna be there too?

In one house in the suburbs?

Oh God, please be careful!
It's a very old piece.

MOVER: Yes, ma'am.
We've got it.

Huh? In one house?

No, Michael,
it's gonna be just the same.

Us and your grandparents will
live in our house.

They're gonna live in another
house.

We'll all live near each other
just like it is now.

Honey, please
don't distract me, okay?

It's gonna rain any minute,
I got furniture

all over the street,
I'm in a panic.

Okay.

Aunt Dottie, Aunt Dottie!

Is this a good thing
that's happening?

What?

Is this a good thing,
going to the suburbs?

-Am I gonna like it there?
-You kids are gonna love it.

We've been here forever.

We're even gonna have
to go to a new school.

You ever been in the suburbs?

I never even heard
of the suburbs

until this thing happened.

Wait a minute, where are you
running with that?

-Wait a minute.
-Ma, they'll wrap it.

No, no. We take this
in the car.

It'll be wrapped.
It's gonna be fine.

No, no. We take it in the car.

The truck hits a bump,
anything could happen.

Okay, we're all set.

I remember Michael learned
how to walk right here.

Held on to the sofa,
and he took his first steps.

He went right to your room.

Yeah, I remember. What was he?
A year old?

No, no, not a year.

Nine months.

Held the sofa,
and he took his first steps.

Nine months.

What's wrong, Pop?

I don't know, I don't know.

I get nervous about
making a change.

What are you talking about?
You came all the way to
America.

We're just going
to the suburbs.

I came to America in 1914

but I was a young man.

Oh, come on, Dad.

What about the house?
You saw the house.

Forest Park area.
It's beautiful.

We're gonna have more room
for the whole family.

We're getting farther
and farther away from Avalon.

I think I'm getting
too old for change.

-Bill, are you hurt?
-Not a bit. Cut me loose.

No, Sam, don't feed the dog
from the table.

He likes meat.

Don't give him big pieces.
He has a small throat.

What's wrong with the
green beans?

I don't like green beans.

Since when you
don't like green beans?

Never.
I never eat green beans.

I cannot believe we're
having the same kind of

argument over the dog

and the green beans
every meal.

Green beans and the dog.
Like it's the first time

it ever happened.
Constantly you argue
about the same thing.

It's not an argument,
it's dinner talk.

Dad, this goes on
all the time.

Whether it's green beans
or feeding Nimo,

constantly the two of you
are have a problem at dinner.

-Constantly?
-Yeah. How about drinks?

How you argue about how you
can mix drinks.

Mom says you can't.

He can't. The mix that he
makes is not a good drink.

Please, let's not get into
the drinks thing now.

What are you talking about?
I take the juice

from the pears

mix it with a little
Coca-Cola. It's a good drink.

Oh, please. You're going to
make me sick with this.

Sam, I said don't feed the dog
from the table.

-Oh, my God.
-Ann, we're thinking of
keeping the store

open a couple nights a week.
Until 9.

Do you have to?

I think if we want to
stay competitive.

The other shops are
staying open later.

We've gonna have to do it.

He's gonna choke to death.

One night we look
under the table,

the dog will be
laying there dead.

Oh, Dad, I spoke to Izzy
about this family-circle

meeting this Sunday that's
supposed to be here.

Well, some of the brothers
feel it's too far to go.

Too far?

How far can it be?
They should get on Rogers
over the Liberty Heights.

We know which way to go.

Why Rogers?
You take Greenspring.

We don't have the light.

It's a bottleneck with the
construction.

-It's not a bottleneck.
-It is a bottleneck.

It's not a bottleneck!

It's a bottleneck.
I say you take Rogers.

For a guy to go to Rogers,
he's got to go up

Park Circle. Why should he
have to go to Rogers?

The question is not which way
they're going to come.

They think it is too far.

(SIREN WAILING)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

* We're the men of Texaco
We work from Maine to Mexico

* There's nothing like this
Texaco of ours

* Our show tonight is powerful
We'll wow you with an hour

* full of howls
from a shower full of stars *

What do you want?
You want me to tell them

to move out?
What do you want?

I don't want you to tell them
to move out.

I just was expressing a

feeling that maybe,
you know...

Maybe we can get them
their own place

and chip in with rent
or something.

Get them their own place?
Where the hell would
the money come from?

I don't have that kind of
money yet. They don't have
that kind of money.

I know, I just feel

there's always
somebody watching over me.

Every time I do something,
I feel like somebody's...

Somebody's thinking that they
could do it better.

What? I don't know.

I put something down,

I like the way it looks
on the coffee table,

I come back and it's moved.

You want me to talk to her?

I'd like to be able to put
something down

if I think it looks nice there
and have it there
when I return.

Do you want me to talk to her?
I'll talk to her.

I'll talk to her again and
again

but it doesn't do any good.

You know her.
She's like an enigma.

I feel like I'm still with
my mom and dad.

I'd like to feel like this
is my home.

I'd like to feel like the mom
in my own house.

I understand.
I understand that.

I go out and buy what
I consider to be an

attractive outfit.
I come home...

"No, it's too tight here.
The material's not

"becoming to you. It looks
too heavy for summer."

Or whatever it is.

She speaks her mind.
She's got opinions.

I'd like to feel good about
something

that I buy to put in my
house or put on myself.

Don't let her
make you feel bad.

How can I help it?

-Put her in her place.
-Right.

You gotta do that sometimes.

-I don't know.
-You gotta put her
in her place sometimes.

I just would like to feel like
I live in my house.

You do. You live here.

What do you want from me?
I don't know what to do.

I know. I'm just...

...talking.

MICHAEL: I got it!

Hi, Eva.

-Hi, Nimo.
-Your mother, where's your
mother?

She's in the dining room.

Come on, let's play a game.
Got it.

You're not going to
believe this.

I got a call.

American Red Cross.
My brother's alive in Europe.

What?

I can't believe it.
I have to sit down.

I need something to drink.
I ran to get here.

I'll get you some lemonade.

Oh, it's too sweet.
Not too sweet.

My heart. My heart is running.

So, Ma, so, what happened?

Well, I don't know exactly.

He was in a
concentration camp.

He lived through
the concentration camp.

They found him,
but I don't know.

I don't know...

I don't know how he lived
through it. I don't know.

I never saw him. I heard about
him from letters.

When I came to this country,
he wasn't born.

And when he was
old enough to come

he wouldn't leave my father.
No, he was blind and dying.

And then the war started.

So where is your brother now?

I don't know. With refugees.

But now they found me,

they make plans for him
to come to America.

It's 4-1.

And after the
concentration camp

he's put in a camp
with the displaced people.

He says he has a sister
in Baltimore,

but he can't remember
my married name, Krichinsky.

Doesn't have his letters
anymore. They were

all destroyed.

He knows the name's Russian,
not Polish.

It's a Y, not an I, but he
can't remember the name.

I cannot imagine having a
brother I've never seen.

Never seen.

Thought was dead.

All right, Michael.
Give me your best shot.

That's an out.

TEDDY: Oh, my God.

Bees!

Bees! Bees! Bees!

Stand still! You're supposed
to stand still!

Run, run!

Bees! Bees! Bees!

Oh, my God!

Get the hose!

Run, Michael!

EVA: Put your hands over your
eyes.

Don't let them
get in your eyes.

DOCTOR: He's not allergic to
the bees, so there's no real
problem.

He's just gonna be a little
uncomfortable for a while.

I hate the suburbs.

I'm surprised your
mother-in-law didn't come
along with you today.

She refuses to get in the
car with me.

She's never been in a car
when a woman drives.

One, two, three.

Jump!

GABRIEL: The election of a new
family-circle president

will take place
three weeks from this Sunday.

So we have to make
some serious decision-making.

It's like a furnace in here.
Like a furnace.

That concludes old business.

Moving on to new business
I make a proposal that we take

the next meeting at
Frock's Farm.

-Very good idea.
-I'm with you.

A very good idea.

It's cooler. We won't be
suffocating to death.

This is a family-circle
meeting, this is not an
outing.

Why not combine the two
when it's this hot?

You have an outing and a
family-circle meeting at the
same time.

Because an outing is an outing
and a family-circle

is a family-circle.

I'm dripping.

Why don't we just finish the
meeting quickly

and that'll be it?

And that will be it.
That will be it.

When Schulman was alive,
we sat in the meeting.

The meeting finished.
Then we left.

It was hot, it was cold,
it was snow,

it was rain.
We sat and we had a meeting.

If we don't want to meet
because it's hot

let's not meet.

-Do not meet.
-No one said not to meet.

-Nobody said not to meet.
-It's a furnace.

We need to decide how much
money we are gonna give

to our charity this year.

This is a heat wave.

It was hotter at Avalon.

We had a meeting one time and
it was so hot you couldn't
stand up.

What are you talking about?
Aunt Molly fainted.

Still, we had the meeting.

Last year we gave...
Just let me have a look.

We gave to six charities.

An elephant just went
by the window.

What?

It's the heat.
You're hallucinating.

Then the heat made me see
another elephant

because another one is going
by the window.

CHILDREN: The circus!
The circus!

The circus!
The circus!

Oh, look at this!

JULES: They must be going
through here to get to the
tent site.

What tent?

I think I read that they're
going to have the tent site at
Edmondson Avenue.

Wow, look at the circus, Mom.

The circus is coming.

Yeah! Yeah!

Do you got everything?

You'll waste the battery.

-And remember, you stay
with Sam.
-Okay.

Don't wander off around
the reservoir without him,
understand?

BOYS: We know. We know.

When you come back,
I'll make you breakfast.

* With
the breeze you can sleep

* You'll love it. It's cool

* The breeze
comes off the water
With the breeze you can sleep

* With
the breeze you can sleep *

In the old days, it used to be
hotter in the summertime.

* It's the breeze, it's the
breeze, it's the breeze... *

Did I ever tell you my father
never drank water in America?

The whole time he was alive,
he never drank water

in America.

MICHAEL: What did he drink?
Coca-Cola?

SAM: Whiskey.

And if he didn't drink
whiskey, mineral water.

But he never drank

from the faucet.

Why?

He had the old ways.
You see, we drank from a well.

Spring water in the
old country. And he said,

"Water that comes through
a pipe under the streets of
a city

"can't be good water.
Can't be good for you."

He was a very stubborn man.

And we never could convince
him otherwise.

Your grandmother
is a stubborn woman.

We know.
We know.

Michael, Michael, Michael,
Michael.

I came to America in 1914.

And when I came to Baltimore

it was the most beautiful
place you ever saw.

MICHAEL: We know that story,
Sam. Can you tell us another
one?

Yeah, wait, wait, wait a
minute. Wait a minute.

Did I tell you I used to
own a nightclub?

You used to own a nightclub?

Yeah, yeah.
Not a big nightclub.

A small place
on lower Pennsylvania Avenue.

It had a bar and
a dance floor.

You went off and got married?

You see, we didn't plan
to get married.

They decided to get married
and we were taking them
to get them married.

We were getting married. Jules
has the car

so he gave us a ride.

So, because you needed a ride,
my son is now married?

No, well, we sort of got
caught up in the moment.

Yes, it was very...
Well, you know.

We were gonna get married
sooner or later.

-Sooner or later?
-We got a deal too.

Normally the justice of the
peace charges $10 a couple.

I got him down to 15 bucks for
the whole thing.

It's wonderful.
Just what my son needed.

A bargain wedding.

You saved $5 by getting
married.

I am so pleased.

Come on, Dad. Be happy for us.

Do you love my boy?

Yes, I do, very much.

Good. Because that's one
young man that's

crazy about you.

Kiss the bride at least.

Let me see you kiss the bride.
Izzy, kiss your bride.

That's it! That's it,
that's it! That's it.

Dad, it's alright. She's gonna
sleep at the house tonight.

Where is that marriage
certificate, let me see that
marriage certificate.

Let me see, let me see.

I don't want any hanky
panky going on in my house.

Who's this? Who's this
Jules Kaye?

That's me, Dad.

I changed my name.

IZZY: Me too, I changed mine
to Kirk.

It's easier to say that
Krichinsky. Kirk, it's better.

Who said names are supposed
to be easy to say?

What are you, a candy bar?

You got a name! Krichinsky!

It's a name!

Kaye. Kirk.

Two cousins, different names.

How can this be? How can
this be a family?

When the father's called Sam
Krichinsky, his son is called
Jules Kaye

and his first cousin is called
Izzy Kirk.

This is a family, God damn it!

Krichinsky is the name of the
family!

It's not Kaye! It's not Kirk!
It's Krichinsky!

Krichinsky.

We argued and argued.

And then, the way things are
in life, you stop arguing.

It's your life. You're going
to have to live it.

What a celebration, and we
celebrated that night!

(SINGING)

SAM: It wasn't your ordinary
family celebration.

It was the best wedding I ever
went to.

It's nice.

It's easy to sleep when you
have a breeze, it's easy to
sleep.

JULES: I'm gettin' nervous.
This is too much expansion.

We bought out that store,
the other store, we got
upstairs now,

we got all
this merchandise

that's not ready, nothing's
ready, we got no customers.

We got money going out and
not coming in.

I tell you, Izzy, I'm gettin'
a little nervous. More than a
little nervous.

You're not the only one.

I've been talking to some of
the people around her in the
marketplace,

you know, asking them, and I'm
not sure anyone knows what
this discount is.

I don't know whether it means
anything to anybody.

It's not like we invented the
word.

I didn't say we invented the
word. But it doesn't mean
anything.

What the hell do you want it
to mean? What are you saying?

What I'm saying? I'm saying we
need to be more clear.

We need a catchy slogan
or something.

More clear than "discount?"

More clear than "discount,"
something that...

Alright, you want a catchy
slogan? How about, "Guaranteed
lowest prices in town."

That's good.

A little higher. Higher!

Higher! A little higher!

What is somebody buys and
it's cheaper?

Cheaper than the guaranteed

lower price,

what do you do then?

Jules! What happens if
somebody buys cheaper
than what you sell?

Good question. Izzy, what are
we gonna do if they get it
cheaper someplace else

as we already guarantee it's
the lowest prices in town?

Buy it somewhere else cheaper
then we'll match it at that
price.

That's good. We'll match it!

-They'll match it.
-What does that mean?

That means whatever the guy
buys somewhere else he can get
it here for the same price.

What the hell does he need to
do that for?

He bought it and then they
guarantee they'll give him
the same price.

That makes no sense.

He's got to take it back to
the shop, and then get it here
for the same price?

Why wouldn't that make sense?

-They guarantee it.
-That's what they said.

They'd guarantee it. Maybe
they'll make it lower.

How much lower? Because if
it's a little lower

I'm not going to take it all
the way back to get it here
for a nickel less.

JULES: A little higher!

Can we just put up the sign?

Is it me or does it look a
little low?

No, it's still low, it's low.

I gotta go to the doctor's
and then go get the kids.

I told them I'd pick them up
from the movie around four.

From the movies?

From ten o'clock in the
morning till four in the
afternoon.

I can't believe how they do
it. What do they watch, nine
movies?

Did you say you were going
to the doctor's?

Yeah, it's just a check up.
What time will you be home?

I'll be home probably around
seven.

Can you see if my mother
wants to go back with you?
Please?

Huh?

You want a ride back with me?

With you?

Yeah.

Nah, I think it's still too
soon.

I've been driving now for six
months.

No, it's still too soon.

We're way up town. You've got
a lot of turns to make.
It's too soon.

Well, then you're gonna have
to wait until seven o'clock,

because that's when Jules
is gonna head home.

I'll take a streetcar. It's
on tracks. You take a 32
and you're there.

Alright, fine.

I cannot believe your mother!

What? She's not going back
with you?

No, I haven't been driving
long enough for her.

What's that?

I wonder how long it's gonna
be until we get our own
rocket suits.

Yeah. It'll be great. We'll be
able to rocket to school...

-Yeah.
-...and we'll be able to
rocket back home.

It will be great.

I'd love to see my
grandmother rocket into the
store to get the bread.

(LAUGHING)

Go, Rocket Man!

-Yeah! Yeah!
-(CHEERING)

Hi, will you fill her up?

-I'm going across the street
to the theater and get my kid.
-Sure.

Alright, I'll be right back.

Oh, I can't see!

That's because you've been
sitting in a dark movie
theater all afternoon...

(BRAKES SCREECHING)

(STREETCAR BELL RINGING)

ANN: I can't believe this.
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
What are you saying?

That it's my fault?

No, I'm not saying it's your
fault.

Well, you say it sounds like
my fault that the streetcar
smashed into my car.

No, I'm not saying it's your
fault.

No, you took the car and it
got hit.

And I could have been sitting
in it.

But you don't understand.
You keep making it sound as if
I'm responsible.

-As if it's my fault.
-I've been in this country
40 years.

I've never seen a streetcar
jump the track and hit a car.

Am I crazy or is she making it
sound as if it's my fault?

I think you're being a little
sensitive about this, honey.

She's not trying to blame you.
You're not trying to blame
her, hey, Mom?

No, no. No, I'm not
blaming her.

What I'm saying is, they
should get rid of the
streetcars.

They got buses, why do they
need streetcars?

Their tracks are too slippery.

I don't even like Sam to drive
in the rain.

But the tracks is dangerous.
When it gets wet it gets too
slippery.

Did you ever know anyone
whose car got hit by a
streetcar

that went off its tracks?

JULES: It's a first.

When I think I could have been
sitting in that car...

Thank God I didn't get into
that machine, that's all I'm
saying.

I cannot believe this
conversation.

Can we put the streetcar talk
to rest? We're lucky nothing
serious happened,

that's the end of it, alright?

You should have seen it, Dad,
it was just like
the cliffhangers.

Michael.

Alan Ferguson.

-What?
-Alan Ferguson's car got hit
by a streetcar.

It wasn't a streetcar! It was
a train!

Off in Saratoga, a freight
train. It wasn't a streetcar.

-It wasn't a streetcar?
-No, it was a train.

Do you know where my new
coat is?

Yes, it's in the back closet.
Yeah, it was too crowded.

Never has there ever been a
streetcar jumped his tracks.

No, a train has jumped its
tracks but never a streetcar.

Must have circulated over
10,000 fliers for the opening
of the new store day.

I never believed in fliers.

I always think if people don't
pay for something they don't
bother to read it.

The newspaper you pay for.
Then you read an ad.

Well, let's hope you're wrong,
because we can't afford to
advertise in the newspaper.

Well, it's a good time to
gamble. You're young, you make
mistakes,

you can always start again.
See what Solomon did.

He could have stayed in the
business of just breaking in
shoes, but he gambled.

-Today he's got...
-Yeah, I know, one of the
biggest department stores

-in Baltimore.
-Well, it's true.

I can't find the coat.

Oh God. I sent it to the
cleaner's.

Dad, where's the keys to your
car?

Ready, hon?

I'm just putting on my coat.

Michael, be good.

I will.

Don't be late.

And it's true with Solomon.

I'm about this far away from
losing my mind.

Thank you.

Want pictures here?

-Pictures?
-No, thanks.

Pictures here?

Miss, Miss?

What do you want?

-I don't think my eyes are
open.
-Oh, they look fine.

What's your problem?

I'm getting a little nervous.

You? You getting nervous?

Your husband makes me
nervous.

Oh no, we're back on to
the business again...

-You started it.
-What? No, no, no.

Maybe the customers won't
show, maybe nobody will show,
we're expanding,

we're getting in over our...
You get me?

It was a genuine concern and
it remains a genuine concern.

Genuine concern. That I like.

Genuine concern.
Very nice phrase.

I have to admit he does tend
to be a bit on the
conservative side.

Alright, let's face it. If
this expansion doesn't go
over, we're out of the suburbs

and we're back into row
houses, huh?

That's a genuine concern.

Alright, then, we'll toast to
genuine concern.

It's been acknowledged.

No. Let's toast to the
suburbs. Shall we?

Better.

Honey, don't count, just...

(LAUGHING)

-I'm doing good, aren't I?
-You're doing wonderful.

Thank you.

Now, who would have thought
that this bargain marriage
would have lasted this long?

(CHUCKLING)

You know, I didn't, I didn't
get a chance to tell you,
uh...

...before, but...

But what?

-What?
-I'm pregnant.

You're what?

I am pregnant.
I'm pregnant.

-You're kidding.
-No, I'm not kidding.

You have great news like that
and you wait until now to tell
me? This is incredible...

Well, I would have told you
sooner, but the streetcar
discussion got in the way

and it didn't seem like the
proper time for me to get in
the fact that I was pregnant

again.

I mean, let's face it, the
streetcar story was
all-consuming.

Honey, this is great news.

Whew.

Let's do the prom night thing.

* It's a big, wide
wonderful world we live in

* When you're in love

* You're a master
of all you survey

* You're a gay

* Santa Claus

* There's a great big
star-spangled sky above you

* When you're in love
you're a hero

* A Nero, Apollo,
the Wizard of Oz *

Please. It's bad enough.

* You've a kingdom,
power and glory

* The old, old, oldest
of stories is new, true

* You've built your Rome
in just one day

* Life is mystic

* A midsummer's night
we live in

* A Turkish delight
I'm in heaven

* It's swell when you're
really in love *

-(SONG PLAYING ON RADIO)
-What is this?

(CHUCKLING) What is this?

A lot of people
for something.

This is us! This is for us!

Discount is here.

-This is good.
-Look at this!

This is good.

Don't go anywhere,
we're coming right out!

(TRAIN BELL CLANGING)

I don't even know
what he looks like!

Where are the people who know
where the people are?

Simka.

(SPEAKING IN YIDDISH)

This is Elka.
This is my Gittle.

Welcome, Gittle!
Welcome! Welcome!

(SPEAKING IN YIDDISH)

She is very beautiful.

(SPEAKING IN POLISH)

(SPEAKING IN POLISH)

ANN: I don't know exactly
what they were saying.

DOTTIE: I couldn't tell if
they met in the concentration
camp.

ANN: No, it couldn't be
that.

Must have been
a refugee camp.

No, I don't think she was
in a concentration camp.

I think...

I think, what I got was that
her husband died in the war.

-No, I didn't get that!
-It must be.

She would not have had a child
in a concentration camp

I think he met her in
the refugee camp.

To think a woman can survive
a concentration camp
with a child.

Oh my God,
it gives me the chills.

I don't think she was in
a concentration camp.

I got that they met
in a refugee camp.

That her husband died.

No, no, the refugee camp
was really recently

and the kid is, like, six,
so...

No.

We'll have to ask later.

(CHATTERING)

See. There's nothing else
to do with it. It's done.

That's the problem
with model planes.

There's nothing left to do
but look at them.

It doesn't fly.

It'll never fly.

We could throw it off a
building and watch it crash.

How about a cliffhanger?

Now that's an idea!

(KIDS SCREAMING IN EXCITEMENT)

MICHAEL: Boom!
End of the Chapter!

Oh, my God! Oh, my God,
what's happening?

What are you doing?
Are you crazy?

-You'll burn the house down.
-The wing's on your foot.

You've got the wing
on your foot!

Fire in the house!

You'll burn the house
to the ground.

It was just a cliffhanger.

The Pilgrims started it,
whoever they were.

And now, we all have
to give thanks.

We kill a turkey
and everybody says thank you.

It's a holiday!

It's a holiday.

Yeah, we never have turkey
the rest of the year

-but now we have to eat it.
-(SAM LAUGHING)

It's a funny holiday, if you
ask me. It makes no sense.

-Are we going to eat?
-In a minute.

SAM: Gabriel should be here
any minute.

Yeah, that man will be late
for his own funeral.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Dad! Why don't we eat?

(KIDS COMPLAINING)

-I'm hungry!
-I want to eat something.

No, no, no.
We should wait for Gabriel!

Every year we have to go
through the same thing,

we can't cut the turkey
because of Gabriel!

Jules!

-Cut the turkey!
-(CHEERING)

I hate when food touches!

What's the difference? It all
ends up in the same place.

I hate that!
I hate when it touches!

Michael.

Sorry we're late.

(DOOR CLOSING)

Gabriel!

(CHATTERING STOPS)

You started without me?

You cut the turkey without me?

Come on. We leave.

They start without us, we go.

Every year you are late,
Gabriel.

We were hungry.
The kids wanted to eat!

We were ready,
we couldn't wait.

Your own flesh and blood
and you couldn't wait?

You cut the turkey?

That's it!

That's the last time
we come for Thanksgiving!

Gabriel. Come here,
for God's... Gabriel!

Gabriel! Come back...

Such a lunatic!

IZZY: It's ridiculous. It's
the same thing every year!

We wait for him
and he shows up late

and then we cut the turkey.

You cut the turkey!

It took us hours
to get here!

You live miles from nowhere!

It's too far, for God's sake!

Too far for relatives!

Get new relatives!

Get relatives that live near
you, and who you'll wait for!

Gabriel, for God's sake.

-Let's not make
an issue out of a turkey!
-You know what it is?

That's what happens
when you get to be wealthy!

You got a wealthy son, so you
don't even wait for your
brother

to come before
you cut the turkey.

-To hell with you!
-To hell with me?

Jules making a good living
has nothing to do

with when we cut the turkey!
Nothing.

When we lived in Avalon,
nobody ate!

You wait for everybody
before you eat,

much less cut the turkey
without a brother!

You move out here
to the suburbs

and you think
it doesn't matter anymore?

The young ones are hungry,

they carry on,
they make a commotion.

What do you want to do?
Stand on ceremony
with the family?

There's always young ones.

There's always young ones
that are hungry and carry
on and want to eat!

They got to wait until
every relative is there

before the turkey's cut!
I've said enough!

(CAR DOOR CLOSING)

(SCREAMING)

What's wrong?

IZZY: Put all the kitchen
appliances over through here.

Washing machines,
refrigerators, stoves.

You make a whole
department.

We've got one entire floor
for bedroom sets,

sleepovers, sofas,
the whole floor.

It's been no time since we
just expanded the other place.

Where is the money
coming from?

-The bank is financing us.
-The bank is financing us?

They're giving us the money.
This is time.

We got no real competition.

You open a place like this,
we're so big

no one will be able
to compete with us.

No, no, no. We got a chance,
we might as well run with it.

Running, gambling...

JULES: Discount
department store?

-Right.
-This place is enormous!

What's the worst thing that
can happen? It goes under!

It goes under?

Right. How much money
you got right now?

You got nothing.
You got nothing!

I got nothing
because every time I make

a dollar, you want to expand.

All right. God forbid,
the place goes under.

You can't have less than
nothing. Not a lot.

What are we?
We're a discount warehouse.

There's never been
nothing like it.

We got no frills, no fixtures,
we're stripped down.

No one's ever done this!

I have to invent new
ways of counting money!

We're gonna tear up this town!

Yeah?

-All right. Let's do it.
-(CHUCKLING) Yeah?

Let's do it!

(SPEAKING IN POLISH)

SAM: A job at McCormick Spice
Company?

Good. Very good.

We'll have a
family-circle meeting.

Get everybody to help you
get your own place.

(CHEERS IN POLISH)

Own place.

That's a good drink.

You'll have your own place.

You'll be an American,
like us!

Two...eleven...

and thirteen.

That's the only channels
we've got.

Howdy Doody on eleven.

So that's the channel you want
to be on in the afternoon.

Do you want to try it?

Two...eleven...thirteen...

Howdy Doody.

Monday through Friday,
Captain Video.

That one's great.

Did you ever see Captain Video
where you come from?

Captain Video.

Captain Video.

-Where is Michael?
-He's in the car.

What time is Jules coming
to the family circle?

He'll be there!
I told you!

He said, he wants to take
some golf lessons.

See how it goes.

Golf? He's going to play golf?

That's what I said when
I heard.

A working person
doesn't play golf.

It's for people
with sweaters and a cap.

EVA: Where does he get
such crazy ideas?

ANN: Why is that
such an unusual thing?

EVA: Well, it's not unusual.
I just never heard of it.

Sam, don't run
with the machine.

SAM: I'm not running! I'm
going 25 miles an hour.

EVA: You're running!
You're running!

The trees are going
past too quick.

(TRAM BELL CLANGING)

Good-bye, buddy.

-Ooh, touching.
-Touching.

I'm gonna use my linky.
Hey, beat that.

I don't think we have to
chip in for Simka.
That's all I'm saying.

But this is part
of our tradition.

One brings another over.
We supported them.

We took care of them!
You brought me!

When's the last time you gave
percentages of our money?

How long has it been?

It's got to have been
25 years!

Belle came over
in the late '20s,

so it wouldn't be 25 years.
Let's see now.

Couldn't be 25 years.
Let's see now.

It's close to 25 years!

She came in 1930, now that's
25 years, and that's it!

What do you want to do?
You want to start supporting
every Tom, Dick and Harry?

We're not talking about
Tom, Dick and Harry!

We're talking about
my wife's brother.

Herbie, you talk
like an idiot!

Don't call my son an idiot!
He's not an idiot.

Tom, Dick and Harry,
for God's sakes.

He has never had any sense.
He has never had common sense!

Just because Jules has money,

you got a right
to call my Herbie an idiot?

Come on. Nobody's calling
anybody an idiot!

He called my son an idiot!
His son makes money

and all of a sudden, they get
this kind of attitude.

What attitude?

What are talking about?

You live out there
in the sticks.

You don't even wait
for anybody before
you cut the turkey.

So this is about the
goddamn turkey again!

-The goddamn turkey, again
and again and again!
-Yeah, yeah.

The man has the mind
like an elephant!

But that was not fair,
that he drove all that time

and you go ahead and eat the
dinner before he gets there!

Who ate? We didn't eat!
We did not eat the dinner.

-We cut the turkey!
-You ate.

It wasn't a question
of how much you ate or
you didn't eat.

It was the act!

It was the disregard
for an older brother!

You might as well have
stabbed me in the heart.

IZZY: What's this
about here, huh?

This meeting is about
cutting a turkey,

or is it about Simka?

Why don't we get back
to the issue

and figure out a way to
support Simka and his family.

Oh, another member
of the wealthy contingent
is speaking!

Uncle Gabriel, we're out there

busting our asses
trying to make a living.

-Why are you so contemptuous?
-HYMIE: The language!

The language.
The children are outside!

We're not talking about a lot
of money for Eva's brother.

What do you mean
it's not a lot of money?

All right, enough of this!
I'll give Simka the money

and that'll put an end to it.
All right?

I'm with you, pal.

Good! Let's move on
to next business.

Next business.
Next business!

I resign!
That's the next business!
I resign!

Oh, he resigns!

I am finished
with this family-circle!

Let's try to settle this!

(INDISTINCT YELLING)

I am insulted! I'm not going
to stay where I'm not wanted!

He was a lousy president,
anyway.

NATHAN: We need you, Sam!

We're going, get in the car.

IZZY: Teddy, Mindy, come on.

Teddy, Mindy, come on.

NATHAN: Sam, Sam, Sam!

Sam! Come back for God's sake!
Let's talk!

Gabriel! Let's talk!

Come on, you're brothers.

Is it over already?

-Sam, Sam. Come back.
-Are we going for Chinese?

ANN: Get into the car, please.
EVA: Where's your car?

The golf pro dropped
Izzy and me off.

Never do I come back! Never!

We brought you
to this country!

We put you in
the paper hanging business!

If it wasn't for my say-so,

you'd still be
in the old country!

You wanted to quit
the paper business!

You wanted to own
your own club!

I said, "Okay!"

When the nightclub was over
and you wanted to come back
to the business

I said, "Okay!"

That's got nothing to do
with nothing!

Nothing!

I came to a
Thanksgiving dinner,

proud to have dinner
at my brother's house!

But you have no respect!

No respect!

(PIANO PLAYING)

I remember when I brought
home the piano for Jules.

It was a beautiful, sunny day.

-You should learn how to play.
-I don't know.

I don't know. I tried to
teach your father.

But he never learned.

Never.

That's a shame.

MICHAEL: If the baby's going
in your bedroom,

where are you going to go?

Well, Michael, there comes a
time when you have to leave
your kids.

Your mom and dad
need their own place.

But where are you going to go?

We'll get a place with
Simka, Gittle and Elka.

You mean, you won't live here?

See this seam?
You get a bubble in it.

You use the brush like this
and you smooth it out.

-Can I try it?
-Here.

It's not important for you
to know how to wallpaper

because you should never
do this in your life.

I don't want you to
ever leave.

One way or another,
we all have to leave.

On July 4th, the largest
discount department store
warehouse

in the state of Maryland
opens its doors.

Hi, I'm Jules Kaye.

And I'm Izzy Kirk.
That's right, Jules,
July 4th,

the day you'll get
independence from higher
prices when K&K expands

serve you better.

60,000 square feet
of discounted merchandise.

And with that guaranteed
lowest-price-in-town
sticker price.

-That didn't sound right.
-Okay. Cut it.

What? Sounded good to me.

DIRECTOR: You said price
twice. That's what threw
you off.

-Price twice.
-You said it twice.

Let's reset to try to do
this again.

Lowest-price-guaranteed
sticker.

IZZY: Guaranteed-lowest-price
sticker.

-This is tough.
-IZZY: Read the card.

We should've got the
announcer guy.
Because I'm not good at this.

-Nah, nah, nah.
They're too professional.
-I'm not good at this.

You're very good.
We're salesmen.

-Who better to sell than
salesmen?
-(SIGHING)

Besides, we can't even
afford these spots.

(LAUGHING LOUDLY)

You're going to kill me
with this.

Every time I turn around,
you remind me of
how broke we are.

Seriously, this TV thing is
way beyond the budget we
set aside for advertising.

How many times I have
told you, nothing will get
the message across like that.

You told me, you told me.
Television.
You love television.

So what you're saying is true,
what are we gonna do?

Don't worry, all right?

Just shift some money around.
Ah.

Take little from this area,
borrow from here,
take it to there.

Little creative financing.
Boom, boom, boom.

Everyone does it all the time.

-Lowest-guaranteed-price
sticker?
-Read the card.

Can I see the card again?
Can I see that card again?

MAN: Mr. Kaye,
you mother's on the phone.

-Okay?
-Yeah.

My mother's on the phone?
My mother's on the phone.

Excuse me.
My mother's on the phone.

His mother's on the phone.

Come on, Jules.
Time's money, huh?

Hold on a second, Ma.

You not gonna believe this.
Simka's moving to New Jersey.
He's gonna work on a farm.

-A farm?
-How did this happen?
I don't understand.

-With cows?
-One of the people
he works with at the spices?

All right. All right, Mom.
We're gonna have to talk
later, all right? Bye.

What hell was that about?

One of the workers at
McCormick's has a brother.

He's got is farm, land in
New Jersey.

He made some good deal.
He's gonna be the
farm manager.

Or whatever the hell
they call it when you run a
farm.

It turns out he thinks it's
too busy in a big city.

That's something.

-She comes to America in 1918.
-1916.

IZZY: Finds out she's got a
brother who was born after
she left.

He gets caught up in the war,
concentration camp.

They finally meet for the
first time in 30 years,

and in less than one year,
he decides to move on.

So much for family reunions.

(BABY CRYING)

ANN: Everybody out.

-You got your jacket,
Jules?
-MICHAEL: Hey! Wait up, Teddy.

I hope they show up.
Good luck.

Well, they showed up for the
George Washington sale.

It's one thing they show up
for George Washington sale.

It's another thing they show
up on 4th of July with
60,000 feet of merchandise.

-All right, boys.
Come on, time to go to work.
-ANN: See you later.

Oh, I forgot something.

I forgot my model plane kit.

You think he's gonna be
all right down there all day?

-He's got Teddy to play with.
He'll be fine.
-Don't kick the seat.

-I'll see you later.
-TEDDY: I didn't.

-Come on, Michael. Hurry up.
Big day. Don't hold them up.
-(ENGINE STARTING)

-Bye.
-Come on, come on.

Take a look at that.

-An SE5a.
-This is going to be good to
build and burn.

You nervous?

-No. I'm not.
-You're nervous.

All right, I'm nervous.

Hey, what happens if we
get there and there is only
eight or nine people show?

-Huh?
-You see all this? Huh?

Take a good look.

You're not gonna see it again.

-Back to the row houses?
(LAUGHING)
-That's right.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

-(WHISTLE BLOWING)
-(HONKING)

-(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
-(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(SPLASHING)

Finally, got through
to the store. They say
it's a madhouse there.

Oh, God, what a relief.

I didn't get... Just a second,
honey. I didn't talk to Izzy
but Joe says they got the

fire marshals there to keep
some of the crowd out.

They got more people than they
know what to do with.

-That's amazing.
-They did it!

-Mummy...
-Just a second.

-How are the kids?
-They're doing fine.

They're playing in the
basement, away from the
craziness.

Last time anybody checked
they were building
a model airplane.

-Mom, can l go...
-Just a second.

They could be out here in the
sun, fresh air.
Playing with the other kids.

Instead they're in a hot
basement on July 4th.
Beats me!

I blame Teddy.
What do you want, sweetie?

Is it time to
go back in the water?

Ten minutes until you digest.

(FIRECRACKERS)

I think you put
too many in there!

(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Oh, my God!
A fire is starting!

Everything's catching fire!

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

-Nothing.
-I think that's it.

TEDDY: That was close, huh?

MICHAEL: Just what we need.
We burn our fathers' store
down the first day it opens.

That's just what we need.

It don't get
much better than this! Huh!

Nineteen thousand, six hundred
and twenty-eight dollars!

How do you like that?
Ah! Woo!

Way to go, brothers!

You were right.
You were right. We're rich.

(SCREAMING)

(SINGING)

Dad, that sounds horrible.

-Mr. Kirk.
-Yeah.

I'm sorry to bother you, sir,
but you have a telephone call.

-What is it?
-I don't know.
I haven't got the call yet.

-Where is it? Here
in the main house?
-You can get right over there

-at the snack bar.
-All right.

-Thank you, sir.
-Be right back.

Hello?

Yeah.

-What?
-(SINGING)

Jules. Jules! Jules!

-What?
-I just got a call.
The new store is on fire!

-What?
-It's on fire!

-What happened?
-I don't know. It's
a four-alarm. We got to go.

Come on! Come on!

Dottie, the store's on fire.
We got to go.

Oh, no.

Don't say anything to anybody.
Ever.

We did it. We burned
the whole store down.

Hey, Michael!
Come on! We're going!

Remember. Nothing to nobody.

(SIREN WAILING)

(DISTANT SHOUTING)

-JULES: Hi, we're the owners.
-Sorry! It doesn't look good.

What do you mean it doesn't
look good?

-Can you save it?
-FIREMAN: We're trying to
contain it this time.

-There's nothing you can do?
-FIREMAN: We're doing all we
can...

ANN: Michael!

Michael!

I don't know whether he's
gonna try and go to the store
or what. I'm going after him.

-Will you stay?
-Of course.

-Are you sure you two didn't
have a fight about something?
-Mm-hm.

-(BELL TOLLING)
-(DOG BARKING)

I hate this thing.

The radio, you put it on the
station, it's there.

Here the picture goes this way
and that way.

That's it. You got radio.

-Sam!
-EVA: Michael is here?

SAM: Hey, Michael,
what's wrong?

-MICHAEL: I did a terrible
thing.
-SAM: Calm down.

-MICHAEL: No.
-SAM: Hey?

MICHAEL: I did a terrible
thing.

-Terrible. Terrible.
-What happened?

Me and Teddy were playing
with the model airplane and
something must have happened.

-EVA: Oh, Michael. I told you
not to play with that.
-But I didn't know.

-EVA: I told you not to
play with that!
-It was just a little fire.

-SAM: Eva, please.
-MICHAEL: It was just a little
fire.

SAM: What are you talking
about?

-MICHAEL: I burned the store
down.
-EVA: Oh, my God!

ANN: I don't know where he is,
I have no idea.
He just ran out of the house.

I drove around the
neighborhood, I couldn't see
him.

I thought maybe he came here.
I don't know where he is!

-Alright, don't yell at me!
-I'm not yelling!
I'm worried about him!

-What?
-Come on.

All right!
I'll be right there.

Did you try calling my
parents? Maybe he went there.

-All right! I'm gonna go look
for him.
-Call my parents.

And let me know. All right?

(FIREWORKS BURSTING)

I told your mother
to have your father come
and get you because...

...because you had something
very important to say.

You're gonna have to tell him.

How am I gonna do that?

Michael.

Michael.

So, what's all the mystery?

Michael has something
he has to tell you.

Go, Michael.

Daddy,

it's my fault.

What?

I burned the store down.

You what?

Me and Teddy were playing
with the model airplane

and we finished it and put
glue all around the basement

and Teddy had
some firecrackers
and we added those.

We lit it and it caught fire

and we thought we put it out,
but we didn't, I guess.

Sit down. Sit down there.

How many times
have you been told
not to play with fire? Huh?

-Lots.
-A lot! A lot!

You think maybe it's time
you start to listen?

-Yeah.
-Huh?

Ah, I'm glad that you told me.

It's a very brave thing to do.

It's not your fault.
I was just talking to the
fire marshal,

the fire started
on the fourth floor.

It started on the
fourth floor?

Yeah.
They're not 100 percent sure.

It seems there was some kind
of an electrical fire.

It started on the
fourth floor, huh?

Not in the basement?

You didn't do it, Michael.

Come on, let's go home.

-Jules.
-Yeah?

Jules, what about the store?

It's gone, Dad.

It's all gone.

(CAR DOOR SLAMMING)

No.

(FIREWORKS BURSTING)

JULES: What's that supposed
to mean?

What it means is we don't have
any insurance to cover this.

What hell are you talking
about we don't have any
insurance?

You took care of that stuff.

What are you talking about?
You're telling me
we don't have any insurance?

We had it. I canceled it.

You canceled it?

There's no insurance for this
whole goddamn thing?
How is that possible?

What the hell did you do?

I told you when we were doing
the televisions commercials

that we didn't have enough
money. All right?

You didn't seem to care
when I said we had to shift
some money around,

take a little from here,
borrow from there. Pa-pa-pa.

It's always been borrowing
from Peter to pay Paul.

Yeah. It's like a gamble.

I took from the insurance,
figured we'd save a little
money from there,

while we set up
advertising budget.
Get this place on its feet.

And this is like a fluke.

You know?

JULES: Yeah.

It's a fluke all right.

IZZY: Things like this
don't happen.

What are the odds on something
like this happening?
What's it gotta be?

-JULES: Some like this?
-IZZY: Yeah.

JULES: It's gotta be a million
to one.

IZZY: Exactly. A million
to one.

So, what are we gonna do?

Well, file bankruptcy,
re-group,

start over.

Of course we'll lose some of
the distributors. Because

they're not gonna want to do
business with us anymore.

But we'll pick up some
new lines.

With a little luck,
we'll be back.

No, I think that's it for me.

It's too much of
a roller coaster ride for me.

The Krichinsky cousins,
Kirk and Kaye.

Izzy, this is the
end of the road for me.

What you gonna do?

A salesman can always sell.

It's not the product.
It's the salesman.

That's what my father
always said.

EVA: Sam,
don't run with the machine.

SAM: I'm not running,
I'm not running.

HYMIE: Sam, why don't you
speak to Gabriel?

SAM: I never speak to him.

HYMIE: So you don't speak to
Gabriel, and then Nathan
doesn't want to speak to you

because he doesn't like the
idea that you don't speak to
Gabriel.

So now we got four brothers
and two don't speak to
one another.

How come Nathan speaks to you
when you speak to me.

I can talk to you.
This he can tolerate.

But he won't
talk to you unless you speak
personally to Gabriel.

Got an indigestion.

You've been having
indigestion a lot.

-Yeah. Whatever I eat,
it lays on me.
-(CHILDREN LAUGHING)

Bombs away!

-How come they are not going
to the country club?
-I don't know.

Don't seem to like it there.
They like it better here
with us.

They better like the
country club, because
they're gonna get rid of this.

-What are you talking about?
-I was talking to the old man.

He's going to sell the place.
They want to build homes here.

Homes?

It's too far for homes.

Got to be a pioneer, to live
out here. You can't get here
with a streetcar.

They can build homes, they can
put more streetcar tracks.

Again?

Indigestion?

I think I'll take a
little walk.

Might help.

-Do you boys
want to go for a walk?
-Yeah.

HYMIE: Fix me another
sandwich, will you?

ALICE: You already had two.

HYMIE: This will make three.

ALICE: You want something,
Sam?
-No, no, nothing for me,

Alice, nothing for me.

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

(MICHAEL SCREAMING)

Hey, Pop.

-How's she doing today?
-The same.

Every day's the same. She gets
better, she comes out,
she gets worse,

she comes back to the
hospital. In and out.
In and out of the hospital.

Listen, Dad, Ann's going to
make a little Thanksgiving
dinner, you know.

I know, I know.
She's been here all day.

-You gonna come over?
-No, I better stay here.

I'll have a bite in the
room with your mother.

All right.
If you change your mind.

Hi, Ma.

How you doing?

Oh, I'm tired.

-How's the new job?
-It's good.

I like it.

It's interesting...

...and it's challenging.

I like it.

Selling time.

I never heard of such a thing.

It's not just time, Ma.
It's time for television
commercials.

Companies buy the time for
television commercials, so
they can sell their products.

-I hate commercials.
-(CHUCKLING)

But I like the one that the
cigarette packs dance.
I like that one.

Did you sell them time?

No, Ma.

Oh! That's a shame,
because I like that one.

MOTHER ON TELEVISION: Henry!
Henry Aldrich!

HENRY: Coming, Mother.

-Henry, how many times
I have to call you?
-What is it mother?

RABBI: We have come here
to pay our final respects

to the late Eva Krichinsky,

a woman of valor.

She came to America in 1916.

She married,

raised a beautiful family.

Was a devoted wife
and a caring mother.

One who was loved and
respected by her family

and many friends.

She lived a full and
happy life...

SAM: Gabriel didn't come.

Nathan didn't come.

What happened to Simka?

He called.
He couldn't get away.

Couldn't get anyone
to take care of the farm.

This is not a family.

Not a family.

JULES: Dad,
come on for some dinner.

ANN: What's the matter
with your corn?
DAVID: I don't like it.

Since when you don't like it?

I've been making
you corn since...

How was school today, Michael?

Dad, that's David.

Michael is in college.

It was yesterday,

I had to go up to the school.
He was in trouble.

Something with

"may" and "can."

With "may" and "can."

TELEVISION: Science prove
there is no life on Mars
as we know it...

He wets the bed.

My dad wets the bed.

(JULES SIGHING)

You'd like to see
Sam Krichinsky?

Yes, I'm his grandson.
Michael Kaye.

-Hi, Mr. Kaye.
Do you know the way?
-Yeah.

-Does my son need one?
-No, he's fine.

(INDISTINCT SPEAKING ON TV)

(PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)

In the end, you spend
everything you ever saved,

sell everything
you've ever owned,

just to exist in a place
like this.

So are you dating?

I told you, Sam. I'm married.

-Hey, you are married?
-Yes.

And this is my son.

I named him Sam.

You're not supposed to
name him after the living.

I know.

You know?

Carry on the family name.
Carry on.

Ah,

couple of years ago, I went to
see the house on Avalon.

It was gone.

Not just the house,
but the whole neighborhood.

I went to see the ballroom,
where me and my brother
used to play.

The whole place, gone.

Not just that.

But the grocery store
where we used to shop, gone.

All gone.

I went to see where Eva lived
off Poplar Street.

It isn't there.

Not even the street.
It isn't there.
Not even the street.

And then I went to see
the nightclub I used to have.

Ah, thank God, it was there,

because for a minute,
I thought I never was.

If I knew things would
no longer be here,
I would have tried

to have remembered better.

I miss you, Sam.

I came to America in 1914.

I came to America...

...in 1914.

Daddy, that man talks funny.

He wasn't born here, Sam.

You mean,
he wasn't born in Baltimore?

No.

MICHAEL:
He came to America in 1914.

He said it was the
most beautiful place
he'd ever seen.