Lansky (2021) - full transcript

Mr. Lansky, why are
the American authorities after you?

Well, apparently some
newspaper man wrote

that I had $300 million.

Is it true?

I wish I had a million dollars.

They accuse me
of making a president.

Now, I don't know Mr. Nixon
any more

than what I've read
in the newspapers.

They claim I have 50%
of Lebanon casinos,

50% of Monte Carlo.

Now how ridiculous
can we really get?



Mr. Lansky,
is there such a thing

as organized crime?

I have no knowledge
on the subject.

Listen
Eva, I'm in Florida, honey.

Daddy's here for work.

What do they have here?

They have oranges and gators
and Mickey Mouse.

Next time we can go
and I promise.

Okay Eva,
can you put your momma on?

Christie, Christie,
Christie please?

I know that the check bounced.

Okay, but that's OK.

That's why I'm in Miami.

I'm going to do some book
signings.



Yeah, sure they gotta.

They are putting me
in a fancy hotel,

they gonna give me the...

Christie, I know
my responsibilities, alright?

Look Christie, I'm trying
my best, alright?

Trying my best.

David Stone.

Mr. Lansky, it's a pleasure.

How was your trip?

Fine, thanks, umm.

Hope you don't mind,
I got a coffee.

You mind sitting down there?

Huh, yeah sure.

Thank you.

Hello, Mr. Lansky, how are you?

Fine, Daphne.

How's your mother feel?

Ah, good days and bad, you know.

It is a mission.

Yeah, I know all about that.

What can I get for you, honey?

We'll do a couple of them
sandwiches.

Bills sliced and fatty cut
and an assortment of pickles.

So, the usual.

I'll pick out the best ones.

OK.

I'd like you to remove that.

Ok.

You're from Pittsburgh.

You graduated on scholarship
with honors from Princeton.

You were on the crime beat
at the Fort Wayne News Sentinel

before you started
writing books.

You've got a wife, Christina,
and two young children,

Eva and Jack.

I make it a point of knowing
who I associate myself with.

Mr. Stone,
old business habits never die.

It's a complicated thing,
isn't it, marriage, children.

I've been reading some articles
about you.

Forget all that.

I'm here to tell you
the real story.

All right, well, that's great,
cause I'm-

I'm here to write
the real story.

Four packs a day, 60 years.

I finally work up the courage
to quit.

A week later,
I go to see my doctor.

He tells me I'm dying.

As a writer, I thought you would
appreciate the irony in that.

I do. I'm just I'm very sorry
to hear that.

My circumstances offer me
the privilege

to pick who I want
to tell my story.

Your book on Kennedy paid
you well?

Well, I did OK.

It's been a few years since
lady luck visited you.

Yeah well history doesn't
always repeat itself.

When I was a young boy,

I spent my days
at the public library.

I read everything

and I have a particular interest
in history.

People see the same thing
from different perspectives,

and that fascinates me.

But what do you want from this?

Why does David still want to
write a book about Meyer Lansky?

Oh.

Everything that I've read
in history about you says

you're a complicated man

and maybe I like stories about
complicated people.

And I think that your story,
the real story.

I don't think
he's been told yet,

and I don't think
it's about one man,

I think
it's about the 20th century.

That was quite a speech,

but you didn't answer
the question.

I need the money.

Ah, there it is, the truth.

When I die,
the book is yours to sell.

Until then, you won't show
the manuscript to no one.

Anything I choose to tell you
is off the record

until I give you permission
to put it in the book.

Without my approval, what you
have is a work of fiction.

- I won't incriminate myself.
- OK.

Any conversations
you have about me

outside of our meetings,

- I want to know.
- Sure.

Betray me
and there will be consequences.

Are these terms
are agreeable to you?

Yes sir.

I hope our collaboration
will be a successful one.

Hello?

Hey, Christie, it's me.

Hey,
it's ok baby, mommy's got you.

You OK?

You don't sound, OK?

No, I'm not.

Jack's got a 103 and he's not
holding his spoon down.

Take him to a doctor.

Excuse me?
I took him to the doctor.

Listen, I can't do this, OK?
Not now.

Christie, I gotta chance
to write a new book, alright?

And it could be-

Oh, David, no.

Could be something really good.

Oh David,
I called your publisher.

They had no idea
you were even in Miami,

which means
you are lying to me.

I can't go through this,
I've got to go.

You said you read some
stories about me in the papers.

My reputation has a habit
of preceding me.

When they don't know you
they put labels on you,

Master Stock Manipulator.

America's most successful
casino operator in history.

Mob's accountant.

The feds even leaked the story
to the press

about me having
$300 million squirreled away.

If you find out
who's out there guessing,

please be sure to let me know.

- Yeah.
- You don't get to keep it,

call me
and I'll give you a piece.

Fair enough.

The labels are the accurate?

It's your book.
You decide.

OK, alright.

Okay.

You strike me as a rather
obsequious guy, David.

Quick to please.

Never thought of myself
that way.

- You're seperated.
- Hmm.

What did your wife
think about that?

Did she find you that way?

We're here to talk about you.

We are not here
to talk about me, Mr. Lansky.

No, no, no. We have to talk
about you and me.

- You know, I was married also.
- Yeah?

Yeah, twice.

You know, what they say,

can't live with them,
can't shoot them.

So where do we start?

Let's start
when you were a child.

Russia.

The only thing
I remember about Russia,

is one day me and my uncle
crossing a path

and some Cossacks
ordered my uncle

to open his potato sack.

And toss a potato up
in the air.

My Uncle obeyed.

Tossed a potato into the air,

and the Cossack takes out this
fucking sword and swoosh.

He wasn't aiming
for the potatoe.

He was aiming
for my uncle's hands,

Cut it right off.

Tough guys.

But swords,
we didn't have a sword.

That was the difference.

I never forgot that.

I promised myself I'd never
be that helpless again.

The next time I'll be the one
holding the knife.

That's the only thing Russia
ever gave me,

when I swore that day.

Made me stronger,
it sharpened me.

I wish I knew where that
cocksucker was today,

I'll show them
what a tough guy he is.

The real story starts
in America.

By the time I was
10, I was sharp as a shiv.

My mind was my escape
and more than anything, numbers.

Numbers gave my world
some order.

And if a kid with that kind
of interest in numbers,

there was nothing as thrilling
is a dice game.

I would watch them play.

But oh boy, my old man found out
that was how

I was spending my time,

My father?

Everything he did,
he did for us.

He was an honest man
earning an honest living.

There's nothing wrong with that.

He wasn't living his life.

His life was living him.

I guess that's what we do.

We measure ourselves
against our fathers.

And you?
What was your's like?

My father died when I was young.

That must have been hard.

So being an honest man.
Being an honest father.

Yeah.

Is that beneath you?

What I know is that
life wouldn't wait for me.

It all happened
so fast, I put down the nickel

my mother gave me
to pick up some bread.

In a matter of seconds,
my nickel was gone.

Can you imagine having to tell
my mother and father

why we couldn't eat
that night?

He took your money
and you just felt ashamed.

It was rage.

You ever feel that, David?

A rage so strong
it changes the path you're on?

Never felt anything like that.

There are people
in this world who will try to

make you believe that
they are better than you,

that they can win
at your expense.

Rage is a tool we use to look
those people in the eye

and prove them wrong.

That's what drove you to win
at dice?

It did much more than drive me
to win.

It drove me to control the game.

I
calculated the odds and payoffs.

Watched how the probabilities
ebbed and flowed,

but something didn't make sense.

I knew something was going on,

something invisible
that no one else could see.

And then I saw it.

A blink of the eye,
a scratch of the air,

I figured out what these guys
were doing,

they rigged the game.

It was the outsider.

He was the one
controlling the game.

And isn't that what we all want,
David?

The only one is in gambling,
as in life,

are those who control the game.

I think that you have the smile
of a beauty queen, right?

I do know I don't think that
they stick out.

I don't think that
there's a huge gap, but,

if you think they're going to
straighten out,

then what's the point
of getting braces, right?

Mom's right.

Right about what?

We can't afford it.

That's why you don't want me
to get braces.

She say that?
Put your mama on, Eva? Hmm?

She said she can't talk.

What ya mean she can't talk?

If she can't talk
or she won't talk?

She said she's
not talking to you, daddy.

Give mama a message, alright?

- Can you do that?
- Okay.

And you tell her that the reason
that Daddy's in Miami

is because of a man
called Meyer Lansky.

Meyor Lasky?

It's okay, she know who that is.

And you tell her that
Mr. Lansky

hired daddy personally to
write a book about his life.

And every publisher
is going to want it

and it's going to be best
selling when it is,

daddy is gonna set your smile,
alright?

OK.

Because that's what daddies do.
Yeah?

- Yeah.
- OK.

Don't you worry
about your thing.

Alright, you go tell her.

I love you, daddy.

Alright, bye.

Sorry.

You look like hell.

Yeah, I didn't get much sleep.

Problems at home?

OK, umm.

Ok, today...

These problems you're having,

I hope they're not interfering
with your ability to work.

I'm here. I'm fine.

Good.

I want to talk
about Bugsy Siegel.

It's Ben Siegel.

Say that name again.

Ben Siegel, Bugsy.

He and Lansky had bootlegging
and gambling racket

known as
the Bugs and Meyer Gang.

There were more than partners.

They were like brothers.

Lansky handle the numbers.

Bugsy was the muscle.

All right, Ben.

Come on.

I think he gets to a point.

The only thing
Bugsy enjoyed more than killing

was the ladies.

Or maybe it was the other way
around.

Luciano is looking for somebody

to run as his transportation
for him.

We offer Lucky
a deal on his distribution

too favorable to turn down.

Maybe we take a loss on it.

A loss?
How's that makes sense?

We'll be getting in on the
ground up with Lucky Luciano

and it will supply liquor
for our own operation

at the same time.

Profit margins are justified
tenfold.

I did the math for you.

Yeah, I'm sure you did.

What do you think of that guy,
Ramsie?

He's friendly.

Gets along with the clientele,
why?

He should lose the ring.

It's distracting.

Sends the wrong message.

Rosen why are you
so fucking happy?

Our
operation was expanding fast.

We had to keep
our books clean,

keep the authorities
off the money trail.

If you're on a leaky boat,
you plug the holes.

You over by 200.

It was a good day
at the track.

Yeah?
Explain the numbers to me.

Uh, I had 9,320 on the seven
at...

573 against the favorite.

But you heard Reenam Roll
was a winner.

So you, what?
You to sweeten the pot?

You got to admit it.
He is good.

Yeah, well, I couldn't lose.

What did I tell you?
Trust your memory.

I know, I just got a lot
of numbers to remember.

You know, how many gambling
rooms I run in this town?

The fact that you don't know
puts us at an advantage.

You also got no idea
how much money

comes through that door
each day, do you?

You know what?

The only one who knows is me

and I keep that number
in my head.

But you do know the percentage
of our bets don't you?

- 10%.
- 10% win or lose?

That's what sustains
this business, Jimmy.

Is there anything else
you want to tell us?

Who else is gambling
with our money, maybe?

I swear, Bugsy,
I don't know nothing.

Did you just call me Bugsy.

Everybody calls you that,
at least when you're not around.

Well, now I'm confused.

Am I not standing here?

What am I?

Am I a figment
of your imagination?

No.

No, no, because that's
what you just said.

That's what people call me
when I'm not around.

But I'm right here.

Meyer, do you see me?

I see you, Bennie.

I'm going to ask you
one more time, Jimmy.

Is there anything else
you want to tell us?

- No, I...
- Don't lie to me.

Don't forget to breathe.

They say breathing is good.

Okay.

Now, don't you want me to know?

I-I-I may have heard something
about a dealer

at your Roma at Allen.

I don't remember his name.

Well, let me jog your memory,
huh?

Ow! Rosen, his name is Rosen.

Now what exactly
did he tell you?

He was tipping off some players.

I don't know anything else,
I swear.

Sit up.

Thank you, Jimmy.

It's very helpful for us,
you know.

Oh, at least you die
with a clean conscience, right?

Who?

You.

God dammit, not in my ear.

First time me and you
met and here comes little Meyer

walking through the snow
like the wandering Jew.

And my guys, I mean,

there must've been like
six of us or something, huh?

Seven.

We ask him
to empty his pockets,

if he wants to cross the street,

Ask?
I don't recall any asking.

We politely instructed him
to remove the contents

of his pockets.

Charlie Lucky Luciano,

father of modern
organized crime.

He created the governing body
of the Mafia

known as The Commission

and the National
Crime Syndicate,

Confederation of Italian, Jewish
and Irish Gangsters.

And you know
what he said to us?

"Go fuck yourselves,
you guinea bastards."

That's right and the balls
on this one, huh?

This kid would fought all six
of us before giving up a penny.

So what do I do?

I let them go.

Kid as us fearlessness as that
deserves to be rewarded.

How many times I've gotta hear
this story, huh, Lucky?

Eh, this story is like wine,
Benny.

Get's better with age.

I prefer whiskey.

The point is.

You and me, Meyer, Italian, Jew,
none of that matters.

What matters is the way
we see the world.

We fight our way in
from the outside.

That's right.

This distribution business
you proposing,

we got ourselves a deal.

I'll drink to that.

See that half-Checz girl?

You know, she's jotting
everything down.

Who's coming, who's going,
who's talking to who?

That all goes to lucky.
It's the attention to detail.

That's what makes a Lucky,
Lucky.

I'm paying attention
to a different detail.

Be right back.

Have a seat.

This is my friend, Meyer.

Meyer, please meet
Anne and Louise.

Hello.

Now tell me something,
what are two lovely ladies

like yourself doing
in a place like this?

The sign outside said
it was a drugstore.

I needed some toothpaste.

So what are you guys,

professional gamblers
or something?

Oh! Us? No. No, no, no.

Then what line
of business are you in?

Truck rentals.

Truck rentals?
What does that mean?

Means we rent trucks.

Anne, look.

It's the big cheese gangster
from the newsreels.

They say he murdered
his own cousin.

Louise.

Hey,
how's about I go over there tell them to

come give you a good old kiss
on the lips.

Very funny.

OK.

What the hell?
Is he really doing it?

Oh, my God,
he's looking right at us.

Let's get out of here.

I'm not going anywhere.

The man is a killer
and these guys are his friends.

They seem harmless.

Suit, yourself.

So you're in the truck
rental business?

Cold?

You need a coat.

Are you going to buy me one?

Fur.

Mink.

Leather trim
down to the knees.

And what will you do
with the rest?

Of this?

This I'm going to keep
for our future.

Not too cold.

It's refreshing.

Oh, it's cold.

Alright, crazy.
Would you like 'em?

Sure, why not.

Thank you, I'm Maureen.

I'm David.

You're a writer.

Yeah? How do you know that?

I hear you taping at night?

Yeah?

Yeah.

And the walls are pretty thin.

Spy novels?

I'm just doing research.

On women in swimming pools?

It's good you quick,
very quick.

What about you?
Are you on vacation?

Something like that.

Doctor, are you telling us that
Buddy will have to wear a brace

the rest of his life?

If you'd like, I'd be happy
to recommend specialists

who are developing
a new treatment

for cerebral palsy.

Answer the goddamn question.

My professional opinion is,
you a...

The doctor said
there was no chance

he would ever be normal.

And you couldn't accept that?

I wasn't about to let my son
become weak and vulnerable.

No.

And if I could help it.

Why did that bother you so much?

Why do you think?

Would it not bother you to see
your own son go through his life

at such a disadvantage?

I couldn't accept the odds.

The odds?

It was a mathematical
equation,

the proportion of those
afflicted versus those cured,

the rate at which
those afflicted

were able to walk again.

I ran the numbers to my head.

I made the calculations.

You thought
you could beat the odds?

Yes.

What about faith?

Faith?

Mm hmm.

Maybe God wanted him
to be like that.

Who?

Hello, God, hello,
hell fucking lo.

I ain't hearing anybody
answer me.

Maybe he's got nothing
he wants to tell you.

And he made that clear,
didn't he?

You OK?

Let's do this.

Come on you.

Shut up, Rosen..

Get down, come on, get down.

Please, don't do anything
to him, please!

Hey, hey, woah, woah, woah,
enough.

Hey, what the fuck
is she doing here?

Well you told me
to bring her down.

Please, please, he's a good man.

He's a father.

We have four children, please.

Oh God.

Get up.

Here, this is for you.

Your husband has been stealing
from me for years, Mrs. Rosen.

A nickel at a time,
money that adds up.

Mrs. Rosen, you knew about this,
didn't you?

It's OK.

This is a warning.

But if you ever mention what you
see here today to anyone.

You'll be putting your life
and your children's in danger.

You understand?

Get her out of here.

May I help you with anything,
Mrs. Rosen?

Come on, deal with it.

Don't worry about him,
he's okay.

Where were you?

She was a mess, boss.
I was trying to be delicate.

Never let your emotions dictate
your actions ever again.

So you left them fatherless?

Three children.

He left them fatherless.

Is that what you tell yourself,
so you can sleep at night?

No, I don't have to tell myself
anything

when I go to sleep at night.

It's the way we live.
It's business.

What do you want,
a fucking fairy tale, David?

Go home and write a fairy tale.

I want
you to write a book about me.

Would that be
of interest to you?

Yeah,
I'd be very interested in that.

Good,
I'll need you to come to Miami.

There's a coffee shop not far
from where I live.

Take down this address.

Okay?

We need more resources.

Even after sell him Frank?
15 years.

You got all the surveillance
you asked for.

What else are you expecting
to find here?

The $300 million that
Lansky has stashed away.

This guy, Stone, can really
open the door for us.

Opening the door?

There are no more doors to open,
Frank,

tax evasion, contempt of court,
they threw it all away.

And no indictment.

Lansky's impenetrable.

But that stuff was 10 years ago.

And where's he been
for the last 10 years?

Federal prison?
No.

Collins Avenue walking that
little shiatsu of his

up and down the boardwalk
with a smug face.

It's an embarrassment, frankly.

We can fix that.

Oh, yeah and how's that, Greg?

Even if that money is out there
somewhere,

we don't have the budget
to keep digging holes

to know where to
try to find it.

We're talking about the most
notorious gangster

in American history.

We're just asking
for a little rope.

A little rope, so you two can
hang yourselves, huh?

Andre. Just consider it.

Hey, hey.

Hi.

I was, um, I was
in the neighborhood.

Come in, come in, yeah.

So I was about to take a break,
so we need some glasses.

I've only got these glasses
so let me fix something.

One second.

How is the book going?

- The book?
- Yeah.

Uh, struggling.

I'm guessing that's a good
thing, you know?

Is this the guy you are writing
the book about?

Yeah.

Meyer Lansky?

That's him. Here, sit down.

Should I know who that is?

Uh, he ran a lot of Casinos.

So, if you're into gambling,
I guess, but, um.

Hey, I'm so sorry
about the mess.

Oh stop, I don't care.

That's my daughter.
She's really cheeky.

And looks a lot like me.

Oh, she's pretty cute.

Yeah, and I got a picture
of my son somewhere,

but of 18 months.

He looks like a bug.

But uh, here you go,
and don't worry, you know?

- Yeah, I noticed.
- Yeah, okay.

To your huh,
to a vacation in paradise.

Sorry.

You were saying?

To umm...

To a vacation in paradise,
I guess.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

Well you were unfaithful
to your wife,

is that why you broke up?

Then what was it?

I tried to give her
a good life

and tried to make her happy,
but it wasn't enough.

Happy on whose terms?
Your's or her's?

I was as unfaithful
as they come.

The way I see it, you do
what you can and feel alive.

It's time I told you about the
years leading up to the war.

I though you quit.

You keep it pack as a reminder.

You want to conquer
your weaknesses,

keep them in plain sight.

Speaking of which, how was...

Who?

You still have lipstick
on your neck.

Don't you shower?
Jesus.

So, Lucky was in jail.

I wanted to get him
out of prison.

How fast can we put together
an army of men?

Fast?

For what?

I want to put the fear of God
into them.

Heil Hitler.

Heil Hitler.

My

We call upon our legislators
to evict.

Jew is as alien in body,
mind and soul

and it is more dangerous to us
than all the others

by reason of its
parasitic nature.

Heil Hitler.

Heil Hitler.

This is a private function.

My name is Sasha Klein.

My parents come
from Ludmir, Poland.

I'm Jew.

You got something
to say to me?

Say it now.

Jewish scum!

I would rather have killed them
all.

Why?

To show the world that as long
as my Meyer Lansky was around,

they could never do that to us,
again.

Never.

Rabbi Weiss calls the act
shameful and deplorable.

The rabbi says
there is no difference

between these so-called
Jewish gangsters

and the Nazi hoodlums
they attacked.

Kosch refuses to take my money.

People look away from me
and the kids

when we walk down the sidewalk.

Now they all know.

Paul, come.

Come.

Buddy, you too.

Leave your father alone.

He's got some thinking to do.

Buddy.

Listen to your mother.

Mr. Lansky,

I'm Lieutenant Haffenden
of the P3 division

of Naval Intelligence.

As I'm sure you know,
the Germans are sabotaging,

and destroying our ships
all over the North Atlantic.

I've read the papers.
It's terrible.

The enemy is here on our shore.

It's only a matter of time

before there's an attack
on our soil.

We need to ferret out
German spies.

Like you, who's got a problem
with the Sicilians.

Because the Sicilians got
a problem with people like you,

the authorities.

The Mafia controls
the waterfront.

Are you suggesting that
I'm affiliated with the Mafia?

I'm a businessman, Lieutenant.

Of course.

I'll find your spies,

but you got to do me a favor
first.

Mr. Luciano, State Department
has agreed to arrange

for your release from prison.

Twenty four years left
on my sentence,

14 of whom even eligible
for parole.

Meyer.

I know you would do the same
thing for me.

What can I do to help?

They need you to set up
a meeting with Joe Socks.

Joe Socks,

Joe Lanza, local 16975.

United Seafood Workers Union.

I'll arrange for your boys
to get their union cards

and you can begin
your operation.

I was the connection between
the U.S. and the waterfront.

There were German spies working
amongst us.

I extracted whatever
intelligence I could from them

on behalf of the feds.

The fate of the country
depended on us,

and they're looking
to lock me up?

God bless America.

I had my
men on a dock hunting Germans

up and down the shore.

We root them out
and have ourselves

a friendly conversation

in the language them cocksuckers
understood only too well.

You got an address?

224 Main Street.

Freeze, don't move.

Don't move, you're under arrest.

We busted up the
whole German intelligence network.

Blew the cover
on a group of spies

moving artillery, bombs
and cash.

They were planning an enormous
attack on American soil,

but we stopped it.

So, why would you defend
a country

whose government is devoted
to putting you behind bars?

I'm an American and a Jew.

The Germans wanted to destroy
both of those things.

So I wanted to destroy
the Germans.

- And I did.
- OK. But why?

Why was it never
in the in the press?

They could never own up to
the fact that somebody like me

could be capable of doing
any good in this world?

See, I believe this world
is made of shades of gray.

It's never black or white.

So, you never felt compelled to
just set the record straight

and say, Meyer Lansky, patriot.

I think you found the title
of your book.

I'm asking the question.

I never felt the need back then.

Why?

It was currency between me
and the United States.

I assume that if I did favors
for the government,

they would always honor
my loyalty.

And did they?

We haven't gotten to that part
of the story here David.

OK?

The United States,

are not who you think they are,
David.

You're the wandering Jew
just like Lucky said, right?

That's me, the outsider
invited in from the cold

to warm my feet by the fire.

And then sent them
my way again.

Yeah.

You know how that feels,
don't you?

Of what? What?

To be an outsider.

Your father didn't die, David,

he walked out on you
and your family

and you felt like an outsider
ever since in this world.

Yeah.

Look at us here.

Couple of outsiders sitting here
in a diner.

Don't fucking lie.

That's bullshit.

No.

Maureen, I am gonna ask you
one more fucking time,

who fucking snitched?

I don't fucking know.

I swear on my fucking,
I have no idea.

- That's bullshit.
- You okay?

Who the fuck is that?

David, please don't,
we're just talking.

Don't fucking lie.

I swear my fucking life,
I have no idea.

- You're shaking.
- I'm not shaky.

Hey, take a hike, pal.

Hey, I've got a John fucking
Wayne here, huh?

Let me ask you a question, John.

Are you fucking her?

Jesus, Ray.

I don't think it is any
of your business, buddy.

I'll tell you
why is my fucking business

because she's got
a big fucking mouth.

- Fuck you.
- And if I can't trust her,

I can't trust any of her
fuck buddies either.

Don't disrespect her, okay?

You put your fucking bag down,
pal.

Ray, please don't do this.

Yeah, put your fucking bag-

God dammit.

You're a fucking asshole Ray.

It's your fucking warning.

Keep your mouth shut.

He was busted for selling drugs.

Someone set him up.

I told a girlfriend of mine
I was in Miami.

She told him where I was.

So he showed up wanting to know
if I know who set him up.

Do you?

No.

We all make mistakes.

Ray was one of mine.

Life is just full of shades
of grey.

She likes it rough, huh?

Who did that to you?

It's nothing.

Either you're going to tell me
who did this

or I'm going to find out.

All right, well, okay you know,
the woman that I've been...

Fucking?
I think that's the word for it.

Yeah, OK, well, I had to break
up a fight between her

and her ex.

I see.

Well, I wish you luck with all
your future sparring endeavors.

Thank you, nice.

My pleasure.
Next time hit him first.

Always hit him first.

Mr. Lansky,
you chose the losing side.

I'm a businessman,
I don't choose sides.

We chose opportunities.

Which is why I think we can make
a deal.

Salvatore Maranzano,

possible bosses
of organized crime in New York.

Bootlegging, racketeering,
narcotics.

He called himself Little Caesar.

I want to invest
in your corporate joints.

See, the thing is, I built my
business from the ground up

and I prefer to keep it under
the same roof.

And frankly, Mr. Maranzano,
I don't need your money.

Yeah, I don't give a shit,
how's that look?

What if I offer you
an opportunity

to take Luciano's seat
in the council?

How you propose doing that?

You take Luciano out
and the seat's yours.

He'll never see it coming
from you.

You walk out now

or we'll take you down
with the restaurant.

I have known Luciano
for a long time,

since we were children.

He's much more than an associate
to me.

I respect that.

But there can only be one boss,
and that's me.

It's about business.

I think you should make
the right decision here

and do the right thing.

We've got a search warrant.

Hey, nobody move.

Nobody move!
Hey!

What's all the commotion?

Go check it out, Marco.

Woah, woah, woah, calm down.
Put down your guns.

My boss is inside,
you go talk to him.

He knows your Captain.
It's going to be OK.

Everything's all right.
Hey.

What took you so long?

Lot of stairs.

Double crossing prick.

Make him feel it, Benny.

No.

- Come here.
- No.

Look at me, look at me
when you fucking die,

you double crossing
sack of shit.

Oh, that's it.

Here you go.

They're going to come after us
now,

all of them with everything
they've got.

We'll already be in control
by then.

I'm grateful for your loyalty,
Meyer.

I want a seat at the council,
Charlie.

It's a new era,

what matters is
how I run my business,

not the fact that I'm a Jew.

You know, if it were up to me...

We'll be your executors,

seen the numbers
we're doing in Saratoga.

No one runs an operation
like I do.

I got the best carpet joints,
Upstate, Jersey, Florida.

No, you don't gotta justify it
to me, Meyer.

Plus, I got the muscle to back
all of 'em.

And the revenue,
the revenue speaks for itself.

I run it like a business
and Ford Motors, Coca-Cola.

You know, like U.S. Steel.

I'll tell you what,

I'll do what I can
to convince the council

that you deserve a spot.

Hmm.

What about Benny?

Benny.

Benny's handling California
for us?

Why are you still awake?

How the hell
am I supposed to sleep?

Do you know what time it is?

Yeah, says the man who comes
and goes at all hours.

Mind your business.

Was out working.

Oh work.

It's always work with you.

Take a look around you.

All this shit.

Where do you think
it comes from, huh?

Maybe try showing
a little gratitude for once.

Gratitude?

The hell with gratitude,
you're a criminal.

Come on.

What happened to you?

You're pathetic.

You think the neighbors
don't talk to you because of me?

I see in your eyes
what you do at night.

Who do you think you are
coming into our home

pretending to be a good man,
huh?

A father?

You think you're helping him?

Shut your mouth!

It's your fault.

It's your fault he's a cripple.

It's because of you,
it's all because of you!

It's called "judgement",
it's punishment

for what you've done

and how you live your life,
Meyer.

God is watching.

He's watching,
he's watching you, I know he is.

You believe that?

Believe what?

We get judged and punished
for the way we live our lives.

The choices we make
that's what defines us.

I don't question the choices
I make.

Never?

I get the feeling sometimes
you don't question

the choices you make either.

Okay, let's talk
about those choices.

Tell me about Murder, Inc.

After Maranzano,

we needed the muscle
to consolidate our power.

I had the right people to do it.

Bingo.

A group of
nice Jewish and Italian boys,

you know, the kind a girl wants
to bring home to her mother.

Always willing to lend a hand.

"Murder, Inc.",
that's what they called them.

There was Abe "Kid Twist" Reles,
"Tick-Tock" Tannenbaum,

Louis "Lepke" Buchalter,
an army of enforcers,

hired assassins,
a thousand hits between 'em,

they put contract killers
on payroll.

There were no rules
on how to kill.

As long as you got it done,
you got paid.

Most were shot, stabbed,
strangled, drowned, burned,

buried alive, left to bleed dry,
all of 'em unrepentant,

cold-blooded killers.

And Lansky was their general.

Through sheer determination
and fearlessness,

Lansky finally got
what he wanted,

a seat at the table
sitting right beside guys like

Joe Bonnano, Frank Costello,
Al Capone, Italian...

- Meyer.
- To Meyer.

Jewish and Irish
mob bosses from across America,

together, they formed
the largest organization

of crime the world
has ever known,

the National Crime Syndicate.

I don't know understand

when they're investigating
Lansky,

no one bothered to look
at the old files.

Hey, we're talking 40 years
of transcripts, depositions,

surveillance reports.

That's a lot of material.

Frank, look at this.

It says he's still alive.

Mr. Sims, I'm Special Agent
Frank Rivers with the FBI.

I'd like to talk to you
about your association

with Meyer Lansky.

Never heard of him.

I can make your life in here
a whole lot easier, you know.

I'm gonna die in here.

The hell are you gonna do
for me?

Get me fresh soup?

Well, Lansky sent you on a job
and you got caught

and right now he's uh...

he's having
a pretty comfortable life,

and you're stuck in here.

You gonna pop him for me,
are you?

I can put him away.

Make it so his life's
not a whole lot different

from yours.

I'm looking for his money.

He started stashing it away
back in the Murder, Inc. days.

So who was keeping the books
back then?

- No money.
- What do you mean no money?

There's no money in murder.

It wasn't a sustainable business
not like a casino.

There was money.

Maybe he just didn't tell you
about it,

he was stuffing the walls
with it.

Then go ask the walls.

You listen to me,
you piece of shit.

The only reason you're in here
is because of that asshole.

Well, now you can suffer
the rest of your time in here

because of him, too.

Geneva.

Geneva?

He had a money manager
in Geneva.

What are you doing with that?

What are you doing with it?

FBI.

Just tell...
just tell me, tell me.

Tell me, it's okay.

What... what is it?

Ray turned state's
evidence,

he made a deal with the Feds,
they reduced his sentence.

And he named me
as one of his partners

in his drug operation.

So the Feds came to me
and they said that

I would go to prison
if I didn't cooperate.

Okay.

So how?

It's "cooperate"
that's the word that they used?

Get close to you.

Okay, and then?

Feed them information
from your files.

Listen, David, everything
that's been happening between us

is real.

- You have to trust me.
- Trust you, trust you?

I know that sounds ridiculous.

I have a family.

What did... did you...

What'd you give 'em?

Everything I could remember.

The name of associates
and accomplices.

They wanted me to write
everything down

and give it to them
and that's what I did.

Okay, what else did they want?

What else they wanted
apart from names?

They said you might have
information on money

that Lansky laundered years ago.

Money.

Oh.

What are you doing with that?

What are you doing with it?

FBI.

I'll tell you everything.

Okay, here we are again.

Morning.

Can I help you?

Special Agent Frank Rivers,
with the FBI.

We're looking for a guest
of the hotel, Miss Duffy.

She's in room 1-4-6.

Miss Duffy's not here.

Well, I'd like to look
in her room if I could.

Suit yourself.

But you're not going to find
anything there.

- Room's empty.
- Empty?

Miss Duffy checked out
late last night.

How did you evade the Feds,

like how did you
and your business associates

become so successful under
the scrutiny of the government?

- Why are you whispering?
- Hmm.

I can hardly hear you.

How did you and your associates
like that were very successful

under the scrutiny
of the government?

How did you do that?

The way any legitimate
company does.

We were making more money
than some Fortune 500 companies.

We got assets to manage
and we had the best talent

to manage them.

You okay, David?

You seem a little white
around the gills this morning.

It was one of those nights.

Not another one.

Okay, so um, how'd you go about
doing all of that,

changing your
business practices?

'Cause I think that's what
everyone wants to know.

I taught my associates that
there are benefits,

cost benefit of keeping a guy
that owes you money alive

instead of goons, I said,
we ought to send accountants.

Additional sum for
the cash reserve and profit

should be passed along
to be put in the credit column

of the ledger.

There's a reason
I dropped out of school

when I was 12.

Let him talk.

That guy made more money

for Luciano
than all your tweeds combined.

- Come on.
- Uh.

Any questions?

In the early days,
a man owed you money,

you would send goons
to break his body apart,

and if he couldn't pay,
he'd find an unfortunate end.

Now, rather than kill the guy,
we ordered him,

crunch the numbers,

make sure his business
turns a profit.

Now, Joe Schmo belongs to us.

We own him.

Why don't we go for a walk,
David?

You look like
you could use some air.

Come.

Optimizing our resources,
restructuring our operations.

This was a new world
for our associates.

I think it was Henry Ford
that said that,

"Business that makes nothing
but money is a poor business."

Gambling and casinos
are to entertainment,

what Ford's automobile
was to transportation.

For some business,

it's to realize
as the toss of the dice.

We catered to that need.

Okay, you wake up
in the morning,

there's car in your driveway,
you didn't make a product.

Henry Ford's product
wasn't the car.

It was the freedom
the car gave to people.

Freedom is what people wanted.

Our product wasn't gambling
or the casinos.

It was the world of excitement
and thrills.

We built have resorts
in this country,

created thousands of jobs,
supported families.

It was a product.

That's why
it's all legalized now,

why the government
has its finger in the pie.

It was too valuable a product
to leave to criminals.

David, where's your car?

It's over there.

This fucker is following us.

Can you fucking believe it?

See if you could turn off
some place,

make the first turn off you can.

Here?

Right over here.

Son of a bitch.

Right, so who is that?

I thought maybe
you could tell me.

I... I don't know.

When you lose your money,
you lose nothing.

When you lose your health,
you lose something.

When you lose your character,
you lose everything.

Remember that.

Hey, woman in the room,
you seen her?

- She checked out.
- She checked out?

What's going on here?

I don't want any trouble.

I'm not giving you any trouble.

The Do Not Disturb sign has been
on your door for a week.

Okay, well, let's keep it
that way, alright?

I'll pay you extra,
you let no one in my room.

Fine.

Let's talk about the shitstorm
of trouble you're in, Mr. Stone.

Show him the pictures, Greg.

This must have been fun, huh?

Get a little taste of that.

You have fun taking these?

Did you have fun taking them?

Meyer Lansky has
over $300 million.

Why are you...
why are showing me this?

Listen to me.

Lansky has over $300 million
squirreled away somewhere.

The government wants it

and we want your help
finding it.

I can't, I can't... I...

Now we could let it slip
to Mr. Lansky that

you've been sharing his secrets
with an FBI informant.

That's not gonna go well
for you.

Look, we don't wanna go down
that road if we don't have to.

We know you're just a writer
who was looking for a story

who had the misfortune
to stumble into

a decades-long investigation
into Lansky and Associates.

So we're willing to offer you
a financial incentive,

we'll make you a paid informant.

We'll give you $150,000.

Now that'll go a long way
to take care of your family

- and your money problems.
- I don't have any...

I don't need your money.

David, we've been listening.

You help us
or Lansky gets to you first.

Now we can offer you
and your family protection

and the money.

The way I see it,
you don't have a choice.

I'm gonna give you
my number here.

You call us from a payphone
when you got something.

Do the right thing here, David.

You heard the joke about
this rabbi who got hit by a car,

falls down,
the emergency ambulance comes,

rabbi's laying on the floor,
the emergency worker runs over,

says, "Rabbi, Rabbi,
are you okay?"

The rabbi looks up at him
and he says, "I make a living."

Okay, go ahead.

A little levity here,
you know.

Money, must have been pouring in
by now, right?

That's right.

The gaming
business in Cuba is no good,

it's a free-for-all,
no regulations.

These men are making millions.

Gambling in Cuba will soon be
under our control again.

And President Batista
wants you to oversee it,

Mr. Lansky.

All of it.

I appreciate the opportunity.

I always felt Cuba,
a land of enterprise.

In America,
you might be an outlaw,

but in Cuba
you are on the inside.

You were making what,
10 million?

Turned to 20,
and then 30 million.

I was the biggest
casino operator

this country had ever seen.

You were legitimate, yeah,
you were above board.

You had your license,
machines weren't rigged.

Never.

But they still consider you
part of the underworld.

We weren't the underworld.

We were the overworld.

Go back to sleep.

When Batista gave
Lansky control over Cuba's casinos,

Lansky turned the country
into an international playground

for gamblers
and pleasure-seekers.

Criminal empire
outside the U.S.,

it couldn't be touched
by law enforcement.

The National Crime Syndicate
now owned

the biggest gambling corporation
in the world.

And Lansky was the CEO.

Hey kid.

How you doin', huh?

How was the trip?

Fine.

How you doin', beautiful?

Huh?

Come on, let's go.

You wanna go to the room?

Let's head in.

Come on.

You put the nickel in.

Just try.

Right here?

Pull that lever hard.

State-of-the-art slot and blend,
silent bells, double jackpots

and then the guys rig 'em
so they better our odds.

Haven't I talked to you
about that?

About what?

I don't want
the machines rigged.

Every casino in this town
rigs their machines.

I'm not every casino.

Yes, sir.

Come on, go again.

I'll be right back, Buddy.

Keep at it.

You, watch the kid.

Mr. Yariv.

Mr. Lansky,
thank you for seeing me.

Welcome to the Colonial,
Mr. Yariv.

Please.

Thank you.

How can I help you?

Mr. Lansky, I'm here on behalf
of Golda Meir.

As you know, our people
have been slaughtered in Germany

and across Europe.

The Jewish settlement
in Palestine

has been hard at work.

You need money?

Yes.

To purchase weapons.

We are fighting for
the future state of Israel

and for the survival of
the Jewish people, Mr. Lansky.

Fighting, as in killing.

We will do whatever it takes,
Mr. Lansky.

You tell Miss Meir that

she has Meyer Lansky's support.

I'd be happy to contribute
in any way.

And I'm sure my colleagues here
share my feelings

for the state of Israel.

Well, how much do you have
on you.

It's the weekend take.

Give it to him.

Mr. Yariv here
is taking donations

for the state of Israel.

I am Italian.

I'll make arrangements for more.

On behalf of Golda Meir
and the Israeli people,

we are grateful.

And we will not soon forget.

If you need any weapons
or ammunition,

you let me know.

We hope you enjoy your stay
with us.

Oh, I'm not staying
at the Colonial.

Next time, I hope.

We're hearing things, Meyer,
about Ben.

What kind of things?

That he's out of control,
kicking heads in,

dating movie stars.

He's lost his focus, Meyer.

We gave him California,
we gave him Vegas,

all's we get in return is grief.

I'll talk to him.

Envelopes are coming back
lighter.

Listen,
Lucky ain't happy, Meyer.

You know, it ain't easy for us
coming to you like this

not gonna shout Ben.

I said I'll talk to him.

So what are you gonna do
with your winnings, huh?

Buy mom a new fur coat,
just like you always do.

Your mother... your mother,
she's got plenty of fur coats.

I'm gonna be just like you.

I'm gonna get my wife
fur coats, too.

Or you can be whatever
you wanna be.

You don't wanna be like me.

Why?

You just don't.

I love you, you know that,
right?

I love you, too.

I never wanted my children
to follow in my footsteps.

You know, I think about it
all the time.

My kids see me as a...
a man who tries his best

or... or some failure?

It's complicated.

Marriage, children,
you did your best.

I trust you, David.

You're gonna write
a hell of a book.

Vegas.

Vegas, Flamingo.

We built that
town, a paradise,

but for us it turned out to be
our worst nightmare.

- Yeah.
- Benny.

Meyer, that you?

What time is it?

It's a quarter after 2:00 there.

Look, why don't you
hop on a flight

and head out here?

Oh, hey pal, listen,
I'd love to,

but you know, Ginny's
got friends in town, right?

So probably not for me.

Hey, I gotta tell you,
the women in this town, man.

Meyer, you'd go crazy.

I'm happy things are good
for you, Ben,

but unfortunately, we have to
talk about something

not so pleasant.

Well, what is it?

It's our investors.

- They're not happy.
- What do you mean?

Is there...
did they tell you that?

Can you blame them?

The materials are overpriced,
the construction is delayed.

Do you know how
many people are undertaking this town?

I can't screw in a light bulb
without a city official

and he's goddamn maid
coming for a handout.

- That's the deal.
- The accounting is sloppy, Ben

and sloppy accounting
leads to concern.

Do me a favor.

Remind them that
we own 66% of this casino,

which means we get to decide
who gets to be concerned.

66% of nothing is nothing.

We have to put money back in
to cover the cash flow problem.

Were you planning on talking
to me about this?

Of course.

Of course, I mean
what'd you think

I wasn't gonna have that
conversation with you?

How much are we talking about,
Ben?

Half a million.

Maybe another three
just to get us

through a few months.

I'll turn it around, Meyer.

I know you will, Ben.

That's what I told Lucky.

I'm not gonna let you down,
I swear.

I know, Ben.

You're listening to my calls?

He's a bum.

He's a bum and you know it.

It's not your concern, Anne.

He's gonna get you killed.

They'll kill you both.

Bang, bang.

Goodbye, Meyer Lansky.

May he rest in peace.

Father.

Husband.

Murderer.

- Stay out of this.
- How about I jump, huh?

Right off this balcony
and save you all that trouble.

Don't be ridiculous.

Come on.

Would make your day.

Don't pretend like you care
for my well-being.

All you care for is your money.

It's your money,
money, money, money, money.

- Your money.
- Enough!

No!

You murderer, you're a murderer!

Get off!
Liar!

Get off me!

No!

Hey, call an ambulance.

- No, Meyer!
- It's my wife.

- No, Meyer.
- She's hysterical.

No!

Meyer!

Just get a doctor here now!

Well, God damn.

Meyer, oy.

Look at this place.

Nice, hmm.

Are you kidding me?

You're the king
of the goddamn domain.

I'll tell you something, too.

It'll be little different
down here.

How's your flight?

Ah, forget about that.

Real question is, what do
we got lined up for tonight?

Hmm.

Oh, boy.

Things have changed, Ben.

Look around you.

There's too much money at stake
to be fucking around.

We're not kids anymore.

Yeah.

You're right.

I can't keep defending you.

Especially if you don't show
any results.

Is that what you doin'?

You're defending me?

Meyer I used to know,

he would've stood up
for his pal.

You know, there was never
an option for me.

Wasn't gonna be a tailor's son,
make 8 bucks a week?

But you could have
done anything.

And I looked up to you
my whole life for that.

And following you.

I don't know, Meyer.

I don't know
if it was worth my soul.

'Cause I don't know
how to get that back.

I'm aware that I was called here
today to bear witness

to your decision
to kill my friend, Ben Siegel.

And he saved my life
on more than one occasion.

I cannot sit here and watch you
condemn him to death.

But he's been robbin' from us,
Meyer.

I'm aware of
Benny's shortcomings.

I'm also aware that many of us
would not be sitting here today

if it weren't for Benny's
past loyalty

and his willingness
to stick out his neck.

If it's about money,

I've agreed to make amends
for his past mistakes.

If it's about honor,
I ask you

where is the honor in killing
a friend?

Why don't you step outside,
Meyer?

In the matter of Bugsy Siegel...

Ay.

Ay.

Ay.

Ay.

Ay.

Ay.

Ay.

Hello.

Daddy.

Eva?

Yes.

Eva, what are you...
what are you doing up?

What time is it?

I couldn't sleep.

"I couldn't sleep."

Honey, you gotta get to sleep.

Got school tomorrow.

But tomorrow is Saturday.

Okay.

Where's your mama?

She went out.

She went out, out where?

With some man.

You know, these things.

It's... that's what's
gonna happen, you know.

Daddy,
do you still love mommy?

Honey, I love you.

I love you.

Mrs. Lansky.

Who is it?

It's Frank Rivers,
ma'am, we spoke on the phone.

Oh, yes.

I remember.

Sit down.

Thank you.

You know, there's no way in hell
you're going to find

that bastard's money.

Why is that?

My ex-husband, Meyer,

he never let a dime
out of his sight.

If I were you,
I would look to Cuba.

That is where Meyer made
his first real money.

I thought he lost everything
when Castro took over.

You think he would
give all that money

to a communist.

Uh, that Batista,
he trusted no one, only Meyer.

He gave Meyer
what Meyer wanted.

And what was that?

To turn that country
into the Monte Carlo

of the Caribbean.

If only it had lasted.

Pfft.

Here's one of his diets.

Matiz Sardine, Jello,
and Irish stew.

- Blegh.
- Ugh.

Hey, there's a Lansky associate
in Geneva.

That might be our guy.

Let's get Stone to run it
by Lansky.

I got it, of course.

Hey David,
I got a message for you.

From Mr. Lansky.

What... what do you want?

I'm beginning to think
you're not taking me seriously.

Hey, he's not even here.

I've got nothing.

Man, I think we're done.

I think the book is done.

- I think...
- Listen to me.

We're looking for an associate
of Lansky's.

He goes by the name "Pinkus".

He's 81, alright?

He's mind's not that sharp.

I think that some of the stuff
he's been saying is...

it's a little incoherent.

Trust me,
he'll remember this name.

Find out who he is, okay?

You've got a pen,
I'll write it down.

Pink-ass,
that you could remember.

Hello, David.

Come in, come in.

I didn't feel like
going out today.

You want coffee?

No, thanks, I'm fine.

Is that your father?

When Israel turned me down,

all I could think about was
how embarrassed

he would have been.

I was always ashamed of him.

In my mind, he was weak.

Busting his balls
earning pennies.

He felt the same about me,
shame

for having a gangster
for a son.

I didn't go to his funeral,
my own father.

I don't have the power
to change my past,

I do have the power to change
the perception of it.

Do as I ask
and you will be rewarded.

You would do what I ask.

Let's sit on the porch.

Turn it back now.

Switch over to two.

What's going on?

We lost, he knows
we're listening to him.

Goddammit.

There's a name that came up
in my research,

someone named "Pinkus".

Huh?

Someone named "Pinkus".

You mean Sal Rosenstein,
tough son of a bitch,

his entire family died
at Takhel.

After the war,
he moved to Switzerland,

did some banking for me.

Pinkus was my nickname for him.

Wanted Pinkus' identity,
get a pen.

Saul Rosenstein.

Yeah, yeah.

Put the money
in my wife's account

and make sure they're safe.

And let my family alone.

We found him.

Who, Rosenstein?

Yeah, he was in Geneva.

Where is he now?

He died 48 hours ago.

Yeah, what the...

It's Rivers, Saul
Rosenstein was killed in a car accident

- 48 hours ago.
- Say again.

I'm saying
that Lansky had him killed.

This is not a coincidence.

I would advise you
to stop talking to Lansky.

Mr. Rivers,
as soon as you called,

we started running a query
into our database.

It appears Mr. Rosenstein
moved his money

primarily to one place, Israel.

Rosenstein was Mossad.

We've got a paper trail
of laundered money

going in and out of Geneva
into Israel to a bank

called "Mekif".

And you think that money
was Lansky's?

I think it's why Lansky wanted
to get into Israel.

His money's there.

Mr. Rivers,
welcome to Israel.

We've been expecting you.

I will be taking you down
to the vault.

Here it is.

Thank you.

Son of a bitch.

And God said to Abraham,

"Abraham, take your son,
your only son whom you love,

Isaac, and sacrifice him
upon one of the mountains

that I will tell you."

And Abraham went forth
with Isaac to do just that.

But perhaps what God
really wanted was for Abraham

to say, no.

We praise God now for those
who have departed this world

as we stand for the Kaddish,
let us all stand.

Mr. Lansky, Mr. Lansky.

David.

Prayer for the dead, right?

Kaddish.

Is that for your father?

Or was it for Saul Rosenstein?

Remember Saul Rosenstein,
your friend Pinkus is dead

and he died in a car accident.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Three days ago.

Are you suggesting
I had something to do with it?

I just think
it's a bit coincidental,

we were just talking about him

and then something terrible
happens to him.

Maybe he's dead

or maybe they just think
he's dead.

Just tell me the truth.

You mean like the truth that
you're speaking to the Feds?

You betrayed me, David,
you broke my heart,

you made a deal with me
and you broke your word.

Yeah, I did talk to them.

I did, yeah.

You know why I did it?

You call it "self-preservation",
I think.

Right, I had to do
what I had to do for my family.

Stand by.

I forgive you, David.

If you wanna hear
the rest of the story...

Why'd you forgive me?

'Cause I like you.

You liked Sal Rosenstein, too.

Not really.

And now you come to
Israel, for what reason?

You want to become
an Israeli citizen, Mr. Lansky?

I do.

My association with Israel
stands many years back.

I was born a Jew.

I have all my life
lived as a Jew.

I never changed my faith.

My grandparents are buried here.

Why are the
American authorities after you?

They claim I have
50% of Lebanon casinos,

50% of Monte Carlo.

Mr. Lansky,
is there such a thing as organized crime?

I have no knowledge
on the subject

and I'd like to live
the remainder of my days

in Israel.

I got a tip from a friend,
Golda Meir's lobbying Nixon

to supply Israel
with F-4 fighter bombers.

What's that got to do with me?

The prime minister was told that
in order for that deal

to go through,

she'd have to see to that
you leave Israel

and return to the U.S.

State Department
is revoking your passport.

You need to surrender
at the embassy.

The Law of Return says
every Jew has the right

to citizenship in Israel.

There's nothing I can do.

I'm sorry.

After everything I did
for this country,

after all I gave them
when they begged me for money,

for weapons.

Doesn't she remember?

This is how they repay me,
making me the only Jew

in history to be banned
from his country.

How dare she?

How dare she?

They've already arranged
for your return to the U.S.

They're charging you
with contempt of court...

Oh my God.

And conspiracy related
to your ownership

at the Flamingo Hotel.

I won't go back there.

I want you to help me
find a place,

a country that will take me.

I have money.

Name the price.

I don't want your money, Meyer.

I believe your people
have betrayed you.

I'll say.

And after all that, they were
never able to indict you.

The charges against me,
contempt of court,

conspiracy, they were dropped.

You can go back to Israel.

The wandering Jew,
just like Lucky said.

Have we arrived at the end
of my story?

What about the money?

Hmm.

Come for a ride.

Buddy.

Gangster?

I'm an angel
with a dirty face.

I think we're finished, David.

Go home.

To your family.

Remember me.

When all is said
and done, how do we measure ourselves?

If Lansky taught me anything,
it's that

there's only one measure
in this world

that truly matters.

We measure ourselves
through the eyes

of the ones we love.

Somewhere
on the stretch of highway

between Miami and home,
it all made sense.

Lansky spent his life
trying to control the game,

but in the end,
he knew there was one game

that no one gets to control,
life itself.

And you can try
to beat the odds.

But the house always wins.

Maybe all you need
every now and then

is a winning streak.

You wanted to see me?

Yeah, come on in, Frank.

We're shutting
the investigation down.

Wait, what?

Why?

It's over, Frank.

Who's killing it?

The CIA?

Before your time, sonny boy.