Avalon (1990) - full transcript
A Polish-Jewish family arrives in the US at the beginning of the century and they and their children try to build themselves a better future in the promised land.
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
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(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.